"Open up a voice channel to the rest of the Staffel."

"Channel open."

"This is Kapitän Markmann. As you are aware we have encountered what appears to be four Kra'Vak vessels headed in system. We must not let these creatures into the colony. Eight hundred thousand citizens are counting on you. We must buy me time. Ensure that you gather as much data on these aliens as possible and dump it back to the colony. They will get it back to headquarters. What we learn and do here today could make a vital difference in the future. Do your duty. Markmann, out."

"Range passing through one half light second, Kapitän."

"Visual?"

"I'm working the enhancement filters. They're very difficult to spot. There!" One of the alien vessels appeared on the main viewing screen. The dark blue was very difficult to pick out of the backdrop of space. It was shaped like a U with the ends very pointy and shimmering purple. There were no running lights discernable.

"Is this a type in our database?"

"Negative Kapitän. Computer classifies it as a destroyer-mass vessel. Still not getting much electronic or radiation emissions, though they've obviously turned off their cloaking."

Markmann studied the enemy formation. They came at them in line abreast with a slight stagger in their line along the X- and Z-axis. He scratched at his beard. Markmann commanded a staffel of six ships. Minus the Köhl, that left him with three destroyers, The Balck, Mölders and Von Zeiten, one escort cruiser, the Altenstadt, and his ship, the Moltke. Under normal circumstances a powerful little force, but against these unknown ships he wasn't sure what to suspect. On his own datapad he studied some pertinent information that tactical had dug up on the mysterious Kra'Vak.

Unlike most human ships which carried and assortment of beams, lasers, pulse torpedoes and missiles, as well as defensive screens, the Kra'Vak, relied on rail gun or mass driver technology. At first it was believed to be a crude weapon but the velocities they were hauling their projectiles could punch through most ships. Also it made defensive screen generators useless against them. In this respect the NSL tended to stand up better against the Kra'Vak because they were heavily armored. On the downside, the Kra'Vak railgun could only fire through one arc, which the humans had discovered tended to be through the front arc. He'd have take advantage of any flank vulnerability they had.

"Put us into pattern green five."

"Green five. Jawohl. Transmitting."

II/14 approached the enemy in roughly a w shaped formation with the three destroyers three hundred kilometers out ahead in line abreast with both cruisers following. Now both flank destroyers peeled off left (Balck) and right (Von Zeiten). Markmann wanted to spread out his formation and overlap the enemy on both sides, per chance take advantage of their flank weakness.

"I want a five-minute burn from the staffel, cruisers at 100%, destroyers at 50%. I want to hit engagement range at optimal speed. All ships be prepared to open fire at maximum range."

"Jawohl Kapitän, said the helmsman. "Commencing acceleration in five four three two one mark." Markmann felt himself pushed back into his seat until the ships internal dampers could compensate for the acceleration as the sped increased by an additional 30,000 KPH. On the holotank he watched his W -shaped formation spread out as both flanking destroyers swung wide.

"Estimate maximum engagement range in three minutes."

"Thank you, tactical. Order all ships to fire at will when they hit max range."

Only now, as the moments ticked down to engagement, did Markmann find himself with a moment to contemplate. They had gone from peaceful exercise to battle in the space of fifteen minutes. He shook his head. Suddenly a wave of anger passed over him as he thought of the destroyed Gussman. There had been no warning. In what little they had learned about the Kra'Vak, it was clear they had little consideration for other sentient beings. They killed at will and the fringe worlds had been thrown into a panic despite the limited number of incidents. Now they were here, deep into NSL space. What was that all about?

"Engagement range in thirty seconds, Herr Kapitän."

"Designate nominal point, Number One."

"Nominal point designated and transmitted to the staffel," replied the XO. The nominal point was an imaginary point between both fleets, which would serve as a navigational reference for maneuver while the engagement lasted. It would help the commander judge relative velocities, courses and maneuvers as he fought his staffel. A bright pink xyz-grid displayed in the holotank. If he chose he could display his forces within a 3d grid.

"Tactical have targets been distributed equally?"

"Yes Sir. We're going for Delta 02, it's slightly ahead of the others."

"Very well."

"All crew members assume protective posture three and lock down shock frames", ordered the XO. All crewmembers that could would be secure in shock frames to protect them against battle damage and the event of loss of internal gravity. In protective posture three vaccsuits were worn with gloves and helmets on, though face shields could remain open.

"Range to target passing through thirty-six thousand kilometers," reported sensors. "No change in enemy course, speed or emissions posture."

"Engagement in five, four, three, two, one, firing now!"

Moltke's six heavy particle beams stabbed out into the vast emptiness at a target no human eye could see. The other ships in the staffel responded. There was no return fire.

"Results?"

"Unable to determine. Estimate two hits on Delta 02, but we can't assess damage."

"Weapons charged."

"Independent firing all batteries. Concentrate on Delta 02 again."

"Jawohl Kapitän, firing."Markmann could sense the slight vibration in the deck as his batteries opened fire again.

"Another hit on Delta 02!" The weapons officer was grinning.

"Damage?"

"Unable to assess."

"Looks like the enemy is opening fire!" The defensive system officer controlled the point and area defense batteries aboard the ship. However he knew the projectiles hurled by the alien rail guns would be coming in too fast for him to do anything about. In the holotank and blue dot winked out to gray.