[El_Phil]

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" – A Tale of Two Cities
2400.5
The month started with the Pegasus returning home to a hero’s welcome, half the planet turned out for the ceremony when she docked at the yard, or so it seemed to Captain Delap. As the dock crews started the refit Delap was down on the planet at the Admiralty meeting Admiral Watson and going through his debrief.
“First off Delap I want you to know that no-one blames you for the Jraenar rejecting the treaty, you followed procedures perfectly and did sterling work on getting their language translated.”
“Thank you Admiral.” Delap was totally sincere, he had been worried about that ever since the message from the Jraenar had been relayed to his ship. It was a massive weight off his mind and he couldn’t wait to tell the rest of the crew.
“Next captain you may have noticed the other ship in the dockyard.” Indeed Delap had, it was hard to miss. The Javelin was hard to miss, the first true warship in the fleet and she looked it. Sleek lines only disrupted by the twin missile tubes and the exhausts of the engines she looked dangerous even at rest. “Well we want you to have her, you’re the only captain with any experience of the Jraenar an as the Javelin is heading back that way we want you onboard.”
“I’d be honoured sir. Is the rest of my crew being re-assigned as well?”
“Some of the Delap, but we’re keeping back Lieutenant Commander Vickers and a few others.”
Delap’s mind raced, why was Vickers being kept back? He hadn’t given Vickers a bad performance review, he hoped she wasn’t taking the fall for the Jraenar mission. It would kill her not to be out in space. And who were these ‘few others’? Admiral Watson watched the reaction on Delap’s face and smiled, it was good to see that sort of concern in a captain for his crew, time to put him out of his misery.
”Don’t worry Delap, I suppose I’d better tell you what’s happening just to calm you down. Vickers is being promoted to full Commander and we’re giving her the Pegasus. If anything she gets the best part of the deal, the yard superintendent estimates 6 weeks before the refit is finished, so Vickers is going to get at least a clear month of leave. You however will be lucky to get a weekend as Javelin is all but complete.” Delap visibly cheered up as the Admiral spoke and by the end both men were smiling, the conversation then turned to a detailed debrief of Delap’s impressions of the Jraenar.

Newly promoted Commander Susan Vickers looked at her new command and marvelled at the massed crews crawling all over her. Pegasus was going through the full upgrade to Batch 3 standard so her engines were being replaced with the more efficient MkIIs, the long range tanks ripped out and replaced with a rotary launcher and reinforced bulkheads fitted throughout the ship. There was no question that if Vickers had to go back to Balosnee she was going to feel a hell of a lot happier in an armed ship than the first time she was there.

It was later estimated that the arrival of the colony ship at Styris V was watched live by almost half the planet. The ceremony, as the flag was planted and the planet claimed for the Ocelot Republic in the name of El Presidente Marks was repeated endlessly on every news broadcast for days afterwards. There would be other colonised worlds everyone was certain, but one would always have a special place; Hope.

Captain Delap didn’t even get his single weekend of leave, the entire navy was called back from leave and the yard was ordered to rush the Javelin to completion. A transmission had been received from the Jraenar and while no one claimed to fully understand it, it clearly wasn’t friendly: "Your cities shall burn with our vengeful fire" was not what you sent to anyone you liked.

“So Taunolin does anyone have any idea what the message is actually referring to? Could it just be a miss-translation or is this for real?” The Presidente asked his foreign minister at the emergency council session.
“We have no idea Mr Presidente, but we don’t think it was a miss-translation. The Jraenar detonated our relay buoy immediately after the message was sent. I think we have to assume that they knew exactly what they were sending.”
Marks cursed to himself, the last thing Ocelot wanted or was prepared for was any kind of conflict. What had they done to offend the Jraenar? It could be anything he’d have to get Taunolin to pour over every transmission looking for something, but deep down he doubted that they’d ever find out.
“Understood. Admiral how bad is this?”
“Our main problem is lack of information on the enemy, is the planet in Balosnee their homeworld or a colony. While we have only encountered two enemy vessels it would be foolish to assume that they don’t have any more. The Admiralty therefore recommends that Javelin be sent to the Balosnee system to conduct some reconnaissance and try to intercept any attack before it reaches the home system. We would also like the Research Ministry to prioritise weapons research in light of the obvious threat.”
“Very well Admiral get Javelin deployed, Dr Felix have your staff liase with the Admiralty over R&D. In addition I want Hope to start work on a shipyard ahead of any other priority, we may need more ships and I don’t want to be reliant on just one yard. Unless there are any other points, this meeting is adjured.

2400.6
The Pioneer had received her orders, jump into the Praxilla system, conduct a brief scan and survey and then return home for refit. The system showed promise with one oxygen atmosphere world and several rock worlds that were suitable for domed colonies. However while that may have brought a smile to Captain Locke’s face barely a month ago, priorities had changed. Discovering potential colonies was all well and good, but her race was now at war and going exploring in an unarmed ship had lost almost all of its charm. The sooner the Pioneer got back and was refitted for war the better, if the Jraenar wanted a war then she would give it to them!

Captain Delap had the crew running weapons drills all the way through the Cignus system, he didn’t know what he was going to meet but Javelin and her crew would be as ready as he could make them.

2400.7
The second coloniser was launched from the Ocelot shipyard and headed for the Cignus system to establish an outpost nearer the enemy. Whereas the first colony ship had been full of excited adventures looking for a new life, this ship was much more grim faced and determined. The military need a forward base, they were the people to do it. There was nothing more to be said.
The dockyard wasn’t idle for long, almost as soon as the coloniser had cleared its moorings and the camera crews had left workers descended to start work on the second Javelin class corvette.

The Research Guild produced the first results of its labours, the second generation depleted uranium cannon. Although the original first generation had not been included in the proposed design of Javelin it had shown enough promise for development to continue. The naval design bureau instantly began studies to integrate the weapon and compare its combat effectiveness.

Captain Delap ordered the crew to prepare for entry to the warp point, he knew the sensors would be confused for several moments after arrival he wanted everyone ready and prepared to overcome that. All the crew was so focused that the energy spike of the warp point wasn’t noticed until Javelin had already passed the event horizon. Javelin and the Azul corvette passed within less than half a click of each other as they traversed the warp point in opposite directions.
‘How did I miss that!’ Delpa thought to himself the moment the sensors relayed the information to his tactical display.
“Helm, turn us around, full speed pursuit! Commander Jennings sound battle stations, Lieutenant Miller get your birds warmed up and ready to fly.”

Javelin caught up with the Azul two sectors away from the warp point, as the ranged closed Delap order Comms to attempt to hail the Jraenar vessel, because frankly nobody was totally sure if they were at war and Delap had no intention of starting one if they weren’t.
‘Jraenar vessel you are violating Ocelot space. Please turn around and return to your own system.’
“Captain, reply coming through.”
“Put it on.” Captain Delap ordered.
‘It is you who violated and defiled the ancient territory of the Imperium. For this terrible crime you must all be put to fire and the sword!’
“I think we can safely say we’re at war.” Jennings commented.
“Your probably right. PWO time to weapons range?”
Lieutenant Miller was the Javelin's PWO, Primary Weapons Officer and along with the first officer one of the new crew who hadn’t served under Captain Delap on the Pegasus. Right now he was wondering exactly how much difference there was between the endless drills and simulations and a real battle. ‘If you lose a battle you can’t try and do better next time.’ He thought to himself with a grim smile. He forced himself to focus and concentrate on his station.
“Range nineteen clicks, maximum weapons range in 30 seconds.”
“OK Lieutenant open fire at maximum range, Helm the moment he fires turn us around and go to full power.”
Delap, like every member of the bridge crew, had studied the scan data of the Azul and the tentative naval intelligence assessments. It had identified only a single missile tube and ion engines that appeared slightly inferior to the Rolls Royce Isis MkIIs. So he should have a speed advantage but that missile launcher was still a big unknown. Not for much longer Delap thought.

The Hellstorm nuclear tipped anti-ship missile had a range of eight clicks and the two rotary launchers on board the Javelin were capable of sustained rapid fire of one missile every ten seconds. When the Javelin got to maximum range both launchers spit out their missiles and the Javelin sharply turned away and tried to open the range.
“Good work Helm, PWO status of your birds?” Captain Delap asked
“All telemetry good no problems.”
“Captain enemy launch detected, single missile.” Jennings announced
“Get a scan and threat assessment, now.”
“The missile is larger but slower than out Hellstorms. It seems to have a much bigger warhead as well, we definitely don’t want to be on the wrong end of one.”
“Captain the Jraenar ship has outran the Hellstorm’s range. They’re out of fuel.” Miller reported.
“The enemy missile has also burnt out Captain.”
Delap thought furiously, they’d have to close in so that the Azul was inside the Hellstorm’s engagement envelope. But at least the enemy missiles didn't have a range advantage.
“Helm close to within five clicks of the Jraenar vessel then PWO open fire.”

This time both Hellstorm’s managed to catch the Azul, the first hit the engine room dead on, taking out two of the engines with secondary explosions taking out a third engine. The second missile hit the vessel amidships causing massive internal damage. The Azul slowed to 1/3rd speed but didn’t fire.
“Captain I think the Jraenar launcher must have a slower reload time than our rotary launchers, they had a good opportunity to fire but didn’t.”
“It’s a possibility Jennings. Right Helm when Mr Miller is ready to fire close the range and lets finish this.”
As the Javelin came round for a third time the Azul’s missile tube burst into life in one last burst of defiance. While the two Hellstorms homed in on the offending tube, taking it and two more engines out the Javelin had closed in too far and was unable to out run the Jraenar missile.
“Damage report chief!” Captain Delap yelled over the alarms sounding across the bridge.
“We’ve lost two of the engines, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. The bulkheads absorbed a hell of a lot of the damage” The chief engineer Molby reported.
“Casulaties?”
“We lost five people and a few of my lads are hurt pretty bad but the doctor is on his way. It’s under control. Just make sure you get that bastard!”
“Good work chief and don’t worry we will. Right lets finish this.”
“Captain they have no weapons, shouldn’t we ask for their surrender?” The communications officer asked.
“Why don’t you ask the chief that Mr Popov? Mr Miller open fire when ready.”
The Javelin closed right in on the defenceless Azul and open fired with both tubes, the Hellstorm’s found their targets with lethal accuracy and the Jraenar vessel violently exploded as the main reactor went up leaving little more than floating debris.

When the report and accompanying recording was transmitted back to the Admiralty on Ocelot Admiral Watson came under pressure from some quarters to pull the Javelin back and relieve Captain Delap. Not from anyone in the Ministry of Defence or the Admiralty, but several other goverment figures had mentioned it. It was true that he could have asked for their surrender, but then the Jraenar could also have signalled offering to surrender. And Delap had just lost five men, not counting the two engine hands who didn’t survive their injuries. Hell Watson himself might have done just what Delap did, still he would probably have to run this pass the Presidente as this incident could get all political.

It was only the Presidente, vice Presidente Mary Sheldon and Admiral Andrew Watson for the private briefing on “The Battle of Cignus” as it had started to become referred to. At the end Admiral Watson mentioned the disquiet in some quarters at Captain Delap’s actions.
“Let me get this straight, their problem is that Delap didn’t ask for a surrender from an enemy that declared war on us just for entering their system, had vowed to put our entire species to the sword and had just fired at his ship killing several of his crew?”
“Well when you put it that way…”
“It sounds as ridiculous as it is Andy. Frankly I think Delap deserves a medal but that is a matter for the Admiralty and the Ministry of Defence isn’t it?”
Sheldon sighed to herself, sometimes her boss could be so unsubtle it was ridiculous. Still he had managed to get the job in the first place and she still had no idea how he had pulled it off, so probably best not to underestimate him.
“Anyway Admiral what are the current orders for the Javelin?”
“She went back through the warp point to get a full scan of the system, we doubted we could make the Jraenar more angry with us than they already are, and she’s currently headed back to Ocelot for repairs to her engines.”
“What did the scans reveal” Sheldon asked
“That the Jraenar have colonised another planet and that a second Azul was cruising the system. In light of the Javelin’s damage Captain Delap decided not to engage it.”
“Very good Admiral. I think that covers it all, see you at the next council meeting if not before.” Presidente Marks closed the meeting.

2400.8
This was getting ridiculous Vickers thought to herself, she’d been all prepared to take the Pegasus out as her repairs were almost finished, then at the last minute the Admiralty had pushed her up to Captain and given her the Lively fresh from the yard. Her old ship, and she supposed her first command despite never having commanded it, was instead being given to Commander Stensgaard. Not that Vickers was complaining, the Pegasus was being sent to explore the 3rd in system warp point while Lively was going to the newly established Oberon colony in the Cignus system. Until the colonists got those weapons platforms up the colony was defenceless.

“Not what I expected Reggy I’ll be honest,”
“Those damned dinos are just one warp point away so I’m not complaining!”
Such conversations were common across Oberon, the colonists had expected to be building a re-supply facility and then start work on a shipyard, instead at the last minute they had been sent plans for the ‘Rapier MkI’ weapons platform. Boasting two large bore 2nd generation DUCs, a Hellstorm rotary missile launcher and a ‘Goalkeeper’ point defence system the two platforms under construction would hopefully protect the colony if there were no friendly ships in the system.

Back on Ocelot the shipyards started work on another coloniser, it was clear that the Republic would need additional sources of material to continue to grow, mining, refining and farming colonies would all be needed.