[Starhawk]

2429.2
“Hello all and welcome to Fleet Live I am Jane Semore reporting for IIN state channel 1 from the flag deck of HMS Raven as we approach Zerrzinbroduch I as the 2nd fleet continues it’s conquest of Anderman territories, this is the third target this month as two other worlds have already fallen to our valiant fleet!” The young reporter who was speaking was wearing the standard navy skintight vac suit with a sealed helmet but even with that it was obvious she was a beautiful woman, even for an era where any wealthy snob could get themselves a face mold done to make them pretty, and her light cheerful voice made even some of the old salt spacers smile as the passed by her. She and her three man crew had just arrived two days prior on an IIN yacht to get interviews with the crew of a “Division flagship” even while another camera crew and reporter team were interviewing members of the fleet flagship’s crew and likely doing the same thing with the 1st fleet.
“Sir three-zero seconds to enemy weapon range, flagship commands all ships to hold line of battle, and prepare a counter attack in three-seven seconds.” The voice came from off camera, causing Jane to turn and look.
“As you can hear we are just now closing on the target world, again for those viewers in the home system and in Lacerta this is a live transmission to be rebroadcast throughout the empire, we are unedited and I ask that you have all children leave the room immediately.” She smiled into the camera with a casual air, but in the privacy of her mind she was terrified as this was her first battlefield coverage ever, though she thought with little humor, at least I’m not the ground cameraman.
“Sir energy spike, we’ve been tagged!” the voice from off camera sounded more urgent causing Jane a visibly startled reaction, even she knew “being tagged” meant that an enemy weapons system was even now pointed at her ship.
“We’ve Got FLARE!” another voice spoke up from behind Jane, the man’s voice an icy eerie calm brought by military training and experience.
The Raven bucked and lurched as beam after beam slammed into her shields the young reporter managed to compose her voice and looked back into the camera.
“What you are seeing ladies and gentlemen is the result of heavy beam fire coming from the target world, I don’t know what kind of weapons they are but even this great dreadnought is being buffeted around under the fire and….”
‘Damn it! Shields gone, brace for impact!” the familiar off screen voice bellowed sharply as a thunder rolled through the ship, followed swiftly by damage alarms and screams.
“Oh God, ladies and gentlemen Raven’s been hit dead on, and….” an explosion tore into the bridge, tearing splinters out of the battle steel hull like it was wood, one such splinter struck the cameraman straight in the head, tearing the top of his head clean off, another splinter tore through Jane’s causing a spray of blood to erupt from the arteries it had struck, her sobbing agony visible as the camera continued to record.
“Abandon ship, all hands get out, someone get that reporter.” a voice commanded, but it was already too late another beam tore the entire port side of the ship open like a tin can, and a hissing sound brought the camera up to high speed, a brief scream was heard but as the camera was sucked clean out of the ship it caught the gruesome glimpse of a body being torn in half as it slammed into the rent hull.
By a fluke of nature the camera was spun around 360 degrees, bringing into full view the burning hulk that had once been an Icaran ship of the line, as well as dozens of bodies floating around it like a grotesque parody of an old earth shark and it’s cleaner fish. The screen quickly reverted back to the view of another woman, one Janet Cranston, the her face was pale and sick, and the sound of crying could easily be heard over the camera’s audio feeds.

“Oh God, Jane can you hear us? Jane please say something.” Janet’s voice cut like a knife, as the sorrow and fear expressed it’s self. “Jane please, say something…” she said once more before pausing and looking down at her folded hands, a tear streaking her face.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it seems…. we have witnessed a tragedy today, I’m sure the navy will do everything it can to recover survivors but from what we just saw…..” she paused once more as this time the tears started flowing openly ‘But as we just saw it looks as if the possibility of any survivors is low, please stay with us as we continue to cover this breaking news story….and please Pray for those souls who may have survived this disaster….I’m Janet Cranston and you are watching IIN state channel 1.” as the screen faded the sound of the popular reporter beginning to sob was heard for a split second, before the commercial break replaced it. Billions of people had just seen an entire starship, and a blossoming young reporter extinguished in a matter of moments and though the news would later come in that the 2nd fleet had conquered the enemy world and that the first fleet had taken three more in the cause of victory, the news was also broken with three stories of tragedy.
HMS Raven flagship of the 4th DN division had been destroyed and all hands had been lost, including one young reporter named Jane Semore who’s body was recovered later by SAR teams, she had been awarded the “Citizens Cross” in recognition of the price she paid to bring the people of Icara the news, her body was cremated and returned to her family, she is survived by her sisters, brother, mother and father who shall never forget their daughter.
Commodore Timothy Marks had also died that day and was posthumously awarded the “Guardian’s Sword for Valor” as were all 5000, other Icaran officers and ratings who had died with him.

HMS Neptune of the 1st fleet had also paid a high price for her efforts in achieving victory at Wa’Tor, she had moved in the way just in time to protect the troopship Rodger Young as several massive beams lashed out, in the process of protecting the troop ship she was rendered practically dead, unfortunately 3,000 of her crew were killed, including her entire bridge crew, and another 1,000 wounded. The dead were all awarded the “Guardian’s Sword’ and buried in space-those who could be found- to make maters worse Neptune was left behind by the 1st fleet as she was no longer capable of fighting, currently she is docked at the Wa’Tor I space yard undergoing repairs as replacement crew are brought through from Icara Home System.