Silver Fist

he dreadnought flight deck gently hummed in union with the massive power of its drive. Status was still RED ALERT due to the recent six light year jump. Klaxons continued to sound as scanners swept the area for signs of attack.

Captain Mausaki stood firm as he surveyed the starfield through the huge view port. Junior officers hurried about all around him, well trained and high morale. Orders were relayed all around the lone ship filling the air with an atmosphere of efficient organisation.

"Report Franz!", ordered the Captain. Franz Gruber, a bright young Lieutenant snapped to attention and perfectly rattled off the new findings. "System: Arch of Death. Type: Fourth planet, inhabited and ex-Federation. Time to orbit: 40 hours. Estimation of defences: None. That's all Sir". "Good, dismissed". The Klaxons died and white light once again lit the deck. It seemed that the high command guess was correct. No defence, another system for the Falcon Empire.

The Silver Fist swung into orbit on time. The navigator patted himself on the back for the admittedly excellent manoeuver. Almost immediately the electronic propaganda team flooded the planets airwaves with imperialistic announcements of ownership and details of curfews, threats etc. The freshened up captain smiled at his place of command. It is indeed a powerful feeling, an entire world under the foot. Mausaki's personal message of success to high command was already on its way.

His schedule was to get production facilities in war mode within the year, then orders would arrive via jump pod detailing ship construction etc. Replies of submission from various governments were coming in and being announced. Small planetary defences were being routinely bombed from the Dreadnought regardless of the surrendering. Everything was going smoothly, not even any prejump shuttles to blow away. The captain considered that it was slightly on the dull side.

Suddenly the vessel shook its crew to the floor as it armour resisted a powerful strike. Immediately orders and reports were shouted across the bridge. "Emergency manoeuver!", yelled the captain. His mind reeled, how had this happened? Damage reports were serious even though only one volley had hit the ship.

Silver Fist moved scanner attention to the space around the vessel, concentrating less on the world below them. "The moon, the moon has platforms, target it now!". A second volley ripped the Silver Fist apart before its weapons could bear upon the deadly weapon platforms cleverly hidden in orbit around the moon, which had made to planet seem so defenceless. Silver Fists ashes scattered across the void, the battle was at an end and Arch of Death waited for the next aggressor. In the mean time a few more platforms wouldn't go a miss would they?