“Prince Idris to Azophi Starbase Squadron. We are to fight off the Vresqoxk. Repeat, we are to engage the Vresqoxk. Leave the CTA for the Azophi Fleet.”
Jaiya listened to the chorus of confirmations as she waited for her wing’s turn, which was last.
“Lime Wing, copy that,” Jaiya responded in Dzexet before translating the order to CTA Common for her wing.
After her pilots acknowledged the command, she addressed her wing.
“Once we survive this mission, I want you all to find a Daextru to teach you Dzexet. I can’t keep translating these commands, especially mid-battle. You can teach them CTA Common in return. Make a friend, that will ease your transition into the community, got it?”
“I hear you’ve been making friends with a certain prince,” Aera chuckled.
“It was my friendship that got us a place to live, remember that.”
“Stars girl, you got jetted,” Zaera hollered.
“Comms clear until after the battle, then I can teach you how to talk to the Daextru.”
Her wing fell silent as they approached the gruesome battle.
The CTA was losing—badly.
Instead of slaughtering indiscriminately, the Daextru fleet formed an impenetrable wall and only shot ships that engaged with them. They were still furious with the CTA for reneging on the peace treaty that could have saved them from this massacre, but not furious enough to drive them to join in.
Little did the Vresqoxk know, they were about to have a taste of their own strategy, but without backstabbing—not from her wing, at least. With the arrival of the Azophi Starbase Squadron, the Daextru had surrounded both the CTA and the Vresqoxk.
“Azophi Starbase Squadron. Do a diagonal pass and loop around, then repeat in the opposite direction. I will give further orders once we do a complete pass. Prince Idris Out.”
“We are doing a figure eight maneuver and will get further instructions once we complete it,” Jaiya translated.
“Sounds easy enough,” Zaera replied.
Jaiya didn’t reply, keeping an eye on the nearing battlefield. The CTA’s numbers were steadily dwindling, while the Vresqoxk seemed mostly unaffected.
That will soon change.
The squadron made a sharp-turn port bow into a steady-arch starboard bow until they linked up perpendicularly with the Vresqoxk.
Nerves were high as they flew closer.
She wasn’t afraid of death—but she was afraid of failure.
This was their chance to prove to the Daextru that they were worth keeping on the squadron—and to send a big ‘fuck you’ to the CTA.
“Prepare to fight. If we die, we die with honor.”
The front row engaged the enemy, then the second, and so on until it was their turn.
Jaiya used every ounce of her battle experience. Right before they completed their first pass, a Daextru ship was hit and exploded ahead. She dodged the wreckage, checking to find her systems free of any damage.
As they looped around, she threw a quick glance at her wing’s condition, satisfied with their readings. Everyone was still alive and in good standing.
On their way back through, the Vresqoxk caught on to their strategy and peeled back to face them.
“Open Melee. Every wing for itself.”
Jaiya relayed the message to her wing.
“Let’s do this!” Zaera roared.
