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I'm reading a class seven ion cannon, fully charged."

The voice of the dockmaster came over on universal broadcast. //Unidentified vessel, this is New Wallstreet Dockmaster. Power down and identify yourself or be fired upon!\\

"This is gonna be bad..." Tevvin said then called to his helmsman, "Lieutenant Vourkais, hard to starboard and go to full accelleration." The lieutenant nodded and the Dawntreader veered away from the MCLS battlecarrier and leapt ahead as her gravity drive glowed to life.

Another voice came over on universal broadcast. //Unidentified vessel, this is the MCLS Battlecarrier Harless. Do not fire! We have diplomatic personnel aboard!\\

Lieutenant Karen Saia closed her eyes as she said, "Vessel is firing ion cannon."

A blue-white beam lanced from the distant spot of the unknown vessel, connecting it to the center of the battlecarrier Harless, and then going through the battlecarrier Harless.

"Colucci! Shields!" Tevvin barked.

//All ships! Raise shields! Raise Shields!\\ the dockmaster cried out.

Shields flickered into being around every ship in the area that wasn't close enough to the station to be sheltered by it. For a moment nothing else happened. Then the Harless vanished in a blinding flash of light and a shockwave of plasma. The shields of the Dawntreader shimmered and blazed as the battlecarrier's deathcry clawed at them. A small freighter that hadn't gotten its shields up fast enough flared for a second as its hull vaporized and then joined the battlecarrier in death. A moment later the bright light was gone and only a few spots of glowing gas and vaporized metal were left where a 3.3 kilometer long warship had been moments before.

"Unknown vessel is re-entering hyperspace," Lieutenant Saia called out.

Tevvin nodded, still stunned from witnessing the event at such close range. "Damage report," he called and was informed by Ensign Colucci that shields were at 37 percent. Tevvin nodded. "Thankyou Lord," he whispered and then congratulated the ensign on getting the shields up in time. Before he could say anything else the dockmaster issued an order for all ships to remain where they were until further notice. One captain, obviously in a hurry, tried to leave anyway and had his drive shorted out by a maser-beam from the station. No one else disobeyed. Five minutes later a massive Sol Security Agency battleship hypered in almost on top of the station, followed by a full escort of cruisers, destroyers and one scout carrier.

//This is Captain Obayashi of the SSA Battleship Midway to all ships present,\\ the woman Captain of the battleship announced over a universal broadcast, //Please transmit your sensorlogs of the event to my ship immediately. That will be all.\\

Once Ensign Wilmoth had finished sending the requested data the SSA captain dismissed the Dawntreader. Tevvin ordered Lieutenant Vourkais to continue to their rendezvous point at Midland station where they were to meet with the Firedrake Redeemed, Martyr's Servant and the three Salvation Army freighters.