Sam hit the condition yellow switch as she replied, "Already done Ma'am."   Sam then intensified her searches looking for absolutely anything out of the ordinary even something small.

Around the Burian fleet very select areas of the ship shift, weapons systems powered down or on low power settings power up and run through diagnostics going into a standby pattern allowing them to be readied much more rapidly. Gunnery crews go from watch posture where perhaps one or two personne lmonitor a section of the stations to skeleton crew manning. Some of the secure doors to highly restricted or high risk areas close and shift to requiring specific credentials to enter. Ground crews begin the process of prepping the fighter wings for rapid launch, with ten percent of each wing reporting for 30min rotations in their birds on standby.

In the SEC offices troopers and other personnel entered and began prepping gear. Across the Burian fleet the ripples of preparation could be felt. Even even if contact wasn't made soon everyone would be at a level of readiness allowing them to defend on go on the offensive within minutes of the alarm being sounded.

On the bridges of the various Burian ships little changed. The standing order while on duty was light boarding armor. It decreased the total shift time from 8hrs to 6hrs to give personnel time to rest, but at the same time meant that should anything happen the Burian bridge teams were never scrambling to prep as such while orders perhaps crossed screens a little quicker than before the quiet intense buzz of bridge operations continued mostly uninterrupted.

 Sam readied all combat comm lines, and set up her comm net. Sam had on her light boarding armor, her sidearm and combat knife, and a med kit as well. Sam watched as stations across the ship let the bridge know they where ready, then she also monitored all the ships of the Burian fleet and when everyone was at operational readiness Sam said to Sarah," Commodore all Burian ships including the Vengence are at operational readiness, awaiting further orders Ma'am."

 Sam was also setting up her program to search for and record messages and transmissions she could pick up within the ships comm range. Her program would let her know if she found any messages and then classify them as military, friend or foe, garbage, unknown, etc.

--WOLF PACKS---

The two wolf packs streaked away from the Burian fleet enroute to their destinations. Their mission to pick at enemy transports, pick off stragglers, and avoid being drawn into a protracted fight while harassing the enemy and forcing them to consolidate their strength rather than focus on the transports.

Both trios of ships fleet at near total blackout conditions much like submarines in the old days back on earth. They maintained tight formation to reduce any signal leaks as they traveled comms technicians and tactical analysts fixed to their screens as they worked to pick out any enemy ships in the black. They were on the prowl looking for prey.

--Burian Expeditionary Fleet---

Aboard the Burian Fleet a similar message was being broadcast over the SQUAWK as had been broadcast aboard the Hermes.

 Sam was watching the SSN Fleet make it's way into their trap, she also tracked the Burian Wolf Packs and kept Sarah updated. Sam then got a transmission from the Hermes.

 After her conversation with the Hermes Sam says too Sarah," Ma'am we have located the SSN fleet, the Hermes is engaging Ma'am."

  The Admiral  walked over to the  war room , getting  Beth to open a  come to Sarah.

  ..good hunting, Captain Kovacs  seems to have, provoked the enemy Admira, i see  lights  comign on the  whole way  across the   Alpgha -Beta  Funnel into the Sol syetem Fuji and Matter horn are   closing off thier   entrances  to  the Fynnel///so... we have our own Little  Arena... If Ships  try to run back  to the Sol slystem... leave them run, but mark them, if they come back into the  battle, then you are free to cash them into the Sol System. It would  be  tantamount to suigna  neutral site to hide in...and? we don't  owe the Sol syetm , one damn thing.

  as the Burians  grew  close  they  saw 4 SSN  Cap ships, 718 Trenton, 745 Erie,746 lancaster,787  Milan... 5  pirate cap ships,...Widow's Web 16, Last Vhance 107, Evil Eye 29 Deepwell 100,Hopleess 63, and  4  corvettes they were spreading out to try  and   cut off the end  and the   head of the convoy While the  Erie  sailed toeards the Middle  with  The Evil Eye.

 short COM came  from beth...Nest Ship in the beta   funnel , near the boarder...

 Sam got the Message from Beth, and got the ship or the blank space on her scanners. " Commodore we have a Nest Ship behind the ESN fleet, we should expect lots of birds soon Ma'am." Sam then went back to work sending messages, watching the fleet, good and bad guys and then keeping track of their fighters.

Sarah looked at the boards, she'd preferred to take down the Nest ship, with perhaps millions of enemy Avians aboard it'd represent a huge hit to their forces in the black. On the other hand they were looking at 13 enemy warships split between pirates and SSN vessels. Provided they survived the contact.

"Tactical, I want an approach for Task Force 1 and 2, treat each task group as a single element. Run a Shadow screw using the fleet as we dive in. All ships will need to move in unison. As we get in close we'll split off. Shuttles report as we come in I don't want to hit anything that we've already won. If you can't get control try and rig it to blow and get out."

She hit the button sending the Burian fleet to battle stations.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:24, Tue 04 May 2021.

 when the  SSN  took the bait, Orika had sent  them all in, at the same time, hoping to get them all, but knowning he would get most.

   The  transports   iint eh burian   section, did the  same,  bending back towaeds  Bura and Nivar, as the SSN  went  full speed. The SSN  Tretnon 718, led the way.

What Orika didn't account for was the small wolf pack sized squadrons out on the hunt. While they couldn't be everywhere they could hit hard and fade quick. Racing in under black out conditions with Beth's sensor fog in place the Burian wolf packs were silent and deadly as each one dove in on SSN vessels that'd found themselves a bit out or on the outer edges of their formations. Driving under full power the sought to cross the T do enough damage to the flank vessel to cause it to lag and become an easy target or disable it to prevent the enemy ships from continuing their support.

If the enemy didn't move to engage they'd swarm their target after it'd been separated off from it's group and permanently disable or kill it.

  The Last transport in the  convoy was closing in on the Burain Flag, and the SSN  Hunting groupe .

 The  wolf packs  closed in, their weapons fired, The Hopeless suffered  direct  hits on the   thrusters and the PowerCells banks, the whole back end  blow off the ship, sending the from half  forward, as it trailed  junk and bodies.

  the  4 SSN  caps ships  split almost as soon as  rounds  were fired, two  went to the port, to to the starbaord. the Pirate vessels   spread out,  The Evil Eye  still chasing the transports.

 Reports were comign in as the   battle  rages,  Delta   1 and delta  2 were almost   finished  with thier  attackers, and were going to  be moving on The Nest ship next.. Delta  3   would be  coming once thier  pirates were  taken over

 The SSN Erie  was  still in  command  of the   attacking force.

Sarah watched her boards closely the Burians had done well so far, staying tightly grouped and focusing fire on their targets moving and fighting effectively to negate the true effectiveness of the SSN ships. On her boards the Erie was still the heart of the SSN navy. It was time to do something about that. She began sending orders to her different commanders, Bura 2 split into two different elements of a single Cap ship and a cruiser driving towards the enemy flag ship.  The flag group set out at an angle designed to force the SSN flag to choose which element it was going to expose itself to a devastating attack.

Sam, I think it's time we made ourselves heard as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_VsvZmIWxY

 Sam was busy controlling all the Comms, between, fighters, ships, fleets and the rest of the Delta Fleet. Sam was extremely busy but she loved it and was happy to do what she was good at to destroy the Empire. Sam smiled at Sarah and replied," Yes Ma'am already done."

 Sam played the music using Beth's ideas through the comms of the enemy, now there where two of us out there. Sam was no where near as good as Beth, but she could hold her own and was getting better every day.

 Sam sent vids and updates to Sarah's console.

  Coms crackle “Delta fleet.  This is the APS Immigrant’s song.  I hooked up with some ot the faster Cargo ships when we saw how bad things were going to be and we’ve been burning at full flank since dock to bring you some supplies.  It’s not much but it is all we could grab.  The have some Larger if slower ships loading up to follow.  Requesting permission to enter contested space and deliver cargo.” 

  The Melodic, yet firm voice of the Captain came over the COMs,Captain  Si here.... you may enter as you will,  watch for stray fighters, some are trying to escape the Conflict zone...

In reply to Captain Si (msg # 809):

“If they ain’t friends, their target practice .”

     The IS makes her way to the Hermès Four of the ships on her deck disconnect and precede her, landing as directed by Hermès flight control.

     Any conflict enrout?

Streams of tracers snaked out as several enemy fighters fled past the IS.  One looked like it might be lining up for a pass but it never got the chance as multiple cannons trained on it.  Soon the IS was next to the Hermès extended the loading tube.

(( Delta Fleet leaving  Enta to Matterhorn ..after  'funnel' shore leave))

  The  The Hermes and Athena   cruised out a few hundred mile  ahead of the Middle of the  fleet, that contained  the  Delta 1  and Delta 2.... Delta  sailed on the portside flank, Delta 4 on the  starboard.. The  support ships  nestled  in the  the  Middle, With the Transportbases   Covering the  rear.

 destroyers  and  corvettes, along with sloops   ranged out ahead, and  the rear  as they watched   for   enemy vessels

 Ships  took turns  sending out  flights of  fighters to break in new  aircraft, and pilots...the Flagships, had  yet to do so.....;

(( after entering  Gamma Quad ))

   The Massice    steel cloud that was  the Delta Fleet cursied  clsoer to the boarded of the   Alpha and Gamma boarder.

 The Hermes out front by aa 100 miles or so  Capships of all sections  spread out   to form a   shield , of sorts for the support vessels, With the transport Bases  Behind, offering a  solid  wall...

 On the  starboard Flank, One of the EMS Cap ships  picked up something. A Tight beam COM sent to the approaching Vessel...

 ... Hail, Civie    Vessel..you are approaching the  Delta Fleet, we are in combat readiness....Please state you   ship name and  Commander Name..and what busines you  have.... if you have no dusiness, drop back, behind the fleet and you will be granted protect into Gamma Quad  space...as a bit of a warning. picket fighters   are on the way, should they be needed.

Well, hey there Delta Fleet! And what a magnificent fleet you are!

Called back a chipper male voice, young by the tenor, and too sure of itself for it's apparent years.

The small vessel scarcely slowed or altered it's course. The little craft looked to be a custom refurbish of an old boarding vessel. Outside of it's roughshod, pieced together, appearance, the only distinguishing mark is a small bird with a golden chest painted on the nose.

My name is Tulliun and my fine ship is the 'Meadowlark'. I am en route to one ship called the 'Hermes'. If you could point me in his direction, I'd appreciate it.