Jean didn’t know a wraith captain was planning on performing a suicidal attack. Her attention was attached to the main battle before her. As a commander she considered not a few fighters but rather the wellbeing of entire fleet. The wraith squad was a mere fraction. She had already deployed countermeasures, and she trusted her forces to deal with the threat.

Another Dominion battlecruiser was hit by eight viking missiles in the front. The thick armor, which was already weakened by the firing of the rebel battlecruisers, was ripped open by the immense kinetic energy. Fire consumed the bridge in less than a second. All the crew members, including the captain, were killed instantly. The first half of the ship fell immediately. Some crew members fell out of the opening and were frozen to death. Others burned. The second half of the ship, powered by the kinetic energy of the explosion, flew away uncontrollably. There wasn’t air in space, so there wasn’t any air resistance. The wreckage fell away and was going to hit another Dominion battlecruiser. The result would be a disaster.

“Science vessel S382J, deploy defensive matrix on battlecruiser B203.” Jean didn’t really mind the loss of a single ship. There were nearly a thousand Dominion troopers aboard, but she didn’t really care. Mourning couldn’t do anything. The science vessel produced a green energy shield around battlecruiser B203. The wreckage hit the protected ship and bounced off.

“Battlecruiser B203, move up forward and replace battlecruiser B202.” The saved ship moved up to the place where the destroyed cruiser used to be in.

The battle wasn’t affected by the demise or survival of a single battlecruiser. Hundreds of battlecruisers were clashing in this space. Battlecruisers were being reduced to rubble every minute. As for fighters, well, there was constantly smaller explosions in the area.

“We’re winning, but the losses are too heavy.” Nova concluded. On the computer screen that portrayed the active battlecruisers more and more logos were turning from a pleasing green to a depressing red.

Keep in mind that the rebel fleet was also made up of Dominion forces. All the losses were weakening Jean’s ability to launch an attack on Shakurus.

“It’s ok.” Jean glanced at her watch. “Reinforcements are about to arrive.”

Nova frowned. “There are reinforcements?” As far as she knew they were in this alone. Jean shrugged.

Behind the rebel fleet twenty battlecruisers exited warp space. Their sharp edges and scrambled colors meant they belonged to one group of people.

“Mercenaries.” Davis groaned. As a typical Dominion general Davis didn’t respect the strength of mercenaries. Mercenaries were tough and experienced, sure, but they were also hesitant to obey orders from commanders. They lacked the obedience and loyalty of good soldiers. Plus, twenty battlecruisers couldn’t do anything on their own without any support ships or fighters.

Even an amateur like Jean kept reserves at home in case of unexpected situations. Someone as experienced as Davis wouldn’t make such a foolish mistake.

Even during the most heated part of the battle Davis had kept ten squads of fighters at home. Five squads of wraiths and five squads of vikings. Decisively, she ordered the fighters to engage the mercenaries.

It was a massacre. The mercenary battlecruisers moved forward while firing its laser batteries blindly and futilely toward the fighters. It appeared like they were trying to get close enough to the rebel battlecruisers to launch drop pods and commandeer the ships. Unfortunately things didn’t go nicely.

The laser batteries of battlecruisers were relatively ineffective against large number of speed fighters. Most of the time strings of laser were chasing after the fighters with occasional successes. On the other hand the vikings and wraiths didn’t even need to aim that carefully to hit the enormous battlecruisers.

Missiles and torpedoes clashed with the tough armor of the mercenary battlecruisers. One, two, or even a dozen hits wouldn’t do enough to bring down the capital ships, but the damage was piled on as time passed, and fire started to be ignited.

One of the wraiths pilots was feeling extra confident as she ducked and rolled and reached the underbelly of an outlying battlecruiser and parked there. There were only two gun batteries that had the correct angle and could hit her, and the female pilot clicked a red button on her control panel. A pair of gemini missiles left the wraith and charged toward the two gun batteries. The batteries weren’t as heavily protected, and an explosion destroyed them with somewhat ease.

Grinning, the pilot kept on firing from the blindspot. She took down half the battlecruiser unchallenged before another mercenary battlecruiser fired a series of lasers that destroyed her fighter and her body.

Things got even worse when the mercenary fleet kept on moving forward. Eventually the battlecruisers got close enough to be fired upon by the rear batteries of the rebel battlecruisers in the fleet. And yet the mercenary battlecruisers kept on moving under the pouring lasers.

Davis smirked at the brave attempt of the mercenaries. The mercenary ships were getting closer, and no doubt they would launch boarding parties as they get close enough, but Davis wasn’t worried. The rebel fleet was generally speaking outgunned by the Dominion and slowly surrounded, which meant it was gradually forming a circle. In the center of the fleet was The Victor. Protected by ten Gorgon class battlecruisers and was a Gorgon itself, the Victor was more than safe. In fact Davis even doubted whether or not the mercenary drop pods could penetrate the armor of the Gorgons and get the troops inside onto the ships.

“Continue firing.” She ordered coldly. “Soldiers, show these mercenary scums the might of the Dominion.” She inspired.

“General, if I may, the mercenaries might be trying something else.” A younger lieutenant didn’t share her optimism. “Perhaps they are carrying nukes. Perhaps this is a suicidal charge.” He reasoned.

Davis frowned. It was possible. In fact, it was more than likely. Now wasn’t the time to be confident. She nodded encouragingly to the lieutenant before giving out orders.“All Gorgons fire everything on the mercenaries. Launch all fighters. Destroy the enemies before they get close!”

The former Dominion now rebel system was extremely effective. Orders were passed down from the general to the crew members in a minute. One and a half minute after the order was released the mercenary battlecruisers were getting pounded on by endless waves of projectiles.

Missile launchers. Laser batteries. Yamato cannons. Wraiths missiles. Vikings torpedoes. Even the lexington rockets of the liberators went into action.

The battlecruisers were known for their size and armor, but they couldn’t save the ships today. More and more cruisers fell apart. In the end the last battlecruiser was hit by a stream of missiles and exploded into small parts of burning debris a while away from the Victor.

Davis smirked as parts of wreckages floated around the Gorgon battlecruisers. A piece of blade decoration floated toward and lightly hit the armored plating of the Victor.

Whoever the enemy commander was, he/she must be a fool. Only fools would sacrifice twenty battlecruisers for nothing.

But was Jean a fool?

This was a question on Nova’s mind as she saw twenty mercenary battlecruisers charging into the enemy fleet and died pointlessly. She just didn’t get Jean. One second she was a calm and intelligent commander, and the next second she made a decision even a marine wouldn’t do. The girl was full of mysteries.

“Is that the reinforcement you were talking about?” The ghost agent asked hesitantly.

“Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

Usually Jean didn’t bother explaining her plans to her underlings. It was a waste of time. She would just make her plan and carry it out all by herself. But with Nova it was different. Jean had plans with Nova, and in that plan she needed Nova’s trust and understanding.

“Well, here’s the trick...”Jean explained.