[Growltigger]

CHARYBDIS

The second warp point in Sigma Draconis system was christened Charybdis. Discovery boosted through the warp point on 3 November 2403 and was never seen again. No courier drone or message was received from the crew. She simply disappeared.

Scientists wracked their brains for the reason for the disappearance. The military assumed it was the Centauri, but the scientific establishment pointed out that not much was known about warp points. Humanity may have been lucky to date, but perhaps Charybdis was a new type of gravitational whirlpool which did not offer a short cut to other stellar systems, but which destroyed ships instead. The military pointed to the presence of the Centauri frigate in Sigma Draconis. It came from somewhere, and unless there was some invisible warp point in that system, it could only had come through Charybdis.

This viewed was reinforced when a Centauri battlegroup jumped through Charybdis. The battlegroup comprised 5 frigates and a larger vessel, half again as large as the frigates, but still three quarters the size of the defending light cruisers. The battlegroup ignored all hailing signals, and advanced on Xanadu.

The 3rd Cruiser Squadron deployed in orbit round Xanadu. After furious consultation with the planetary commander, it was agreed that the warships should boost out to meet the Centauri battlegroup as far out in space as possible. Xanadu had no defences other than the warships, and any battle should be kept as far away from the planet as possible.

The squadrons closed, the Centauri ignoring all Messages sent to them by the Federation cruisers. The large Centauri vessel opened the battle at long range, by volleying off 3 missiles. The remaining frigates closed the distance to the Federation ships. TFN (Terran Federation Navy) Bellerophon was leading the Federation fleet. At long range, she opened fire on the frigates. Three of her four phased beam arrays struck the frigate, and it could be seen that its armour was destroyed and it was streaming atmosphere. TFN Acheron fire next and the wounded frigate was destroyed. TFN Argonaut directed her fire at another frigate, and caused heavy damage. The Centauri missiles sped toward the Federation squadron, but were engaged by the point defence batteries on the ships. All missiles were destroyed at extreme range from the fleet.

The Centauri frigates moved to attack range, and the three undamaged survivors fired their linear accelerators at TFN Bellerophon. The ship shuddered as multiple hits rocked its armour, but the plating held and the warship powered on. She fired her beams at the nearest frigate, and almost destroyed it. Acheron finished the Centauri off, and Argonaut blew the damage frigate apart.

The remaining two frigate continued to fire at Bellerophon, smashing her armour and damaging her engines. She started to stream atmosphere. She continued to fire her beam weapons and disabled a further Centauri vessel. At point blank range, the phased beams were far more powerful than the cannon on the Centauri ships, and Acheron and Argonaut destroyed the Last two vessels.

Meanwhile, the Centauri destroyer fired its missile batteries. The missiles were destroyed at long range by the squadron's point defence batteries, and it was obvious that the missiles were no threat to the well defended warships. The cruisers closed, and after having demands for surrender ignored by the Centauri vessel, they blew the ship apart.

The first battle of Xanadu was a Federation victory, and hopefully, the first of many.