[Starhawk]

2438.6 Reciprocity :
Three months had passed since the destruction of the 4th fleet had shaken the empire to its core and frightened billions of citizens, three months since the powerful 5th fleet had been dispatched on Operation Reciprocity to cleanse the Glakka system of the Andermani presence under Admiral Lady Maria White and now the fleet was finally closing the range to engage 40 Anderman warships responsible for the catastrophe of the 4th fleet.
“Admiral White we are approaching weapons range of enemy fleet, they are holding orbit of Glakka and are forming for battle, they’ve obviously seen us coming.” The chief tactical officer of the watch Commander Grissom frowned as he watched the enemy ships come cleanly into a battle line. Both White and Grissom knew that this was not a militia force they were facing this time, it was a well trained highly equipped Anderman fleet that had taken part in several actions against the Dark Star Alliance and successfully destroyed the entire 4th fleet.
“Firing range in four minutes, enemy fleet has not moved out of orbit but I am detecting increased power signatures, they are definitely powering defensive systems, we are also being subjected to high intensity scans.” A crewman at tactical said coldly as the main plot continued to show the closing distances between the two fleets.
“Well, one thing is for sure Commander unless we totally screw up this should be a clear victory for the Empire.” White grinned as she counted the number of ships in her fleet once again they had a clear numerical advantage but there was something weird about the fact that the Anderman admiral chose to keep his fleet in close orbit.

As the Icarans entered weapons range White clenched her fists tightly and turned to her weapons officer “All ships open fire, let’s end this quickly.” The officer nodded and seconds later the entire forward Icaran line opened fire on their targets yet as their beams struck not a single Anderman shot was fired.
“What the hell.” A crewman swore.
“What is it crewman?” Commander Grissom said irritably as he glared at the crewman’s lapse in discipline, but before the crewman could even respond the answer became clear as the “ships” they had just hit vanished with explosions entirely too small to be even a large fighter.
Before anyone realized what had happened the 19 Anderman warships that had hidden themselves in the atmosphere while powered satellites drew enemy fire raced forward and opened fire on the dazed Icarans, the Powers and Dashor were torn apart instantly as Anderman warships raced past them, firing their guns into the Icarans at point blank range.
The Stalin managed to respond the fastest out of any of the other ships on the forward line and opened fire on a passing Anderman her powerful broadside turning the enemy ship into a comet like streak of fire and wreckage. Unfortunately for the Stalin she was the next Icaran ship to be destroyed by a passing enemy.
“My God, all ships break formations and target the enemy ships individually they are too close for formation firing.” White growled as she saw yet another Icaran warship break apart as the Anderman raced into the ranks of Icaran starships firing as they went, the Cylla drifted out of formation as her hull bled atmosphere and wreckage, her power failing and most of her crew dead.

The Icaran fleet formation collapsed as the Icarans went to engage Anderman individually, new stars were born as Icaran guns brought an end to three Anderman warships in rapid succession, two more Anderman ships were turned into drifting hulks only to be fired upon and destroyed by wrathful Icarans. As the discipline and training of the Royal Navy took over the odds quickly shifted back into favor of the Icarans yet the Anderman warfleet was not to go silently as a direct hit on the Admiral Von Stropp sent it careening into the Hawkeye turning the two ships into twisted metal and burning hull.
The battle ended swiftly as the Icarans decimated the last remnants of the Anderman warships but Admiral White chose not to order her fleet to halt as she saw the severe casualties the Anderman had inflicted upon her people.
“Order the nearest warship to that colony to open fire and wipe every last life form off the face of that world.” White sounded as if she wanted to spit the order out and Grissom flinched at the look in her eyes.
“Ma’am we have an entire regiment waiting to invade that colony, surely we should take it instead of destroying a valuable….”
“No.” White said icily “That colony has always been a problem for the Empire, they led the revolts and riots throughout this entire system and in the battle for this world they spared barely half of their planetary militia to assist the State Security personnel against the Anderman invasion forces and I will not suffer any more casualties here, now follow your orders.” White glared at Grissom for a moment before returning her attention to the main holoplot.
“Aye Admiral….” Grissom said carefully as he turned to the comns officer and nodded.

Less then fifteen minutes later over 130 million civilians and 500 Anderman army soldiers were slaughtered wholesale as the nearest Icaran warships opened fire upon the unshielded and unarmed colony.

Throughout the Empire the victory was portrayed as a heroic act of revenge for those lives lost during the attack on the 4th fleet, what the average citizen did not know was that the destruction of the colony was not because of enemy numbers, nor because of armed weapons platforms but simply because one Admiral had chosen to pass down an order out of her own personal anger for the tens of thousands of lives lost.

Icaran Losses:
HMS Powers (SD) Destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Cylla (SD) 91% destroyed 5,800 dead
HMS Dashor (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Renenet (SD) 89% destroyed 4,500 dead
HMS Admiral Von Stropp (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Stalin (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Oglala (SD) 89% destroyed 5,000 dead
HMS Black Swan (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Reich (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Hawkeye (SD) destroyed 6,100 dead
HMS Mabutu (SD) destroyed 6,000 dead
HMS Deadeye (SD) 91% destroyed 5,986 dead
Total Icaran losses: 69,986 dead
Total Icaran Losses during Anderman crusade: 450,587 dead 1,584,627 wounded