LOG-028.

  The entire situation had settled into some twisted parody of an unsteady stand off, with the Avian fleet managing to get into and assume defensive positions before their Imperial counterparts could reach the focus point of the battleground the patch of space we'd found ourselves in was rapidly turning into.

  Or at least, that's what seemed to be happening based on the directions the holographic figures were taking. I knew better though, and did my best to ensure Talon relayed that fact to just about whoever was willing to listen.

  Large scale Gem combat forces like what we were seeing didn't hesitate. Any waiting on their part was simply time the admiral in charge was taking to ensure the entire group were in as perfect a formation as they could get, in order to both minimize losses and maximize chances of complete and utter victory.

  The perks of having a slightly chatty Emerald for an owner. One that preferred to fill the silence, despite being able to order me to do so in her stead.

  As a direct result of that knowledge, I was quick to grab both Talon and the captain's attention as the enemy fleet began to shift in place once more, taking on an almost spear-like formation.

  "Look here, they're using a pretty standard formation for breaking through enemy ship complements. Robonoid assault craft will be near the forefront. That initial wave of corvettes will probably try to soak up enough damage to let the fresh ships behind them slip through and spread out inside our own formation."

  To his credit, the elder bird was quick to relay that particular piece of information to the rest of the fleet, or maybe just his direct superiors. The result was the same regardless, with the initial picket ships hanging near the edges of the massive flotilla adopting new formations to (hopefully) counter the tactic.

  A few minutes passed, and all I could do was sit and wait, holding hands with an ever anxious Vermilion as the dark blue shapes indicating Imperial warships inched ever closer to our own positions.

  The first shots fired were, in my imagination, great dramatic lances of light that scored through armour and hull alike, various missile impacts leaving twisted and burning holes through all that they passed and impacted into.

  The reality from my end was that the Imperial Spear continued to almost painfully slowly advance before finally reaching the holographic picket line, with several red tubes blinking out of existence or veering wildly off course as the two opposing forces impacted with one another.

  Chatter that I couldn't understand erupted from the captain's console, the old organic squawking in turn.

  Then I could feel the ship beginning to move, its entire structure shuddering as it began to accelerate just like before.

  The wariness must have showed on my face, because Brim immediately shot me a simultaneously reassuring and horrifyingly apologetic look from her position next to an emotionless Quille.

  "We've been...ordered to join the second interception group. I don't like it either, but the homeships still need more time to-"

  Oh fuck this.

  Just like the first time I'd been exposed to the true reality of heading into battle, the world went slightly numb. My thoughts began to race, and if I still had a heart I was sure it would have been beating like a Stars damned jackhammer.

  No. No not again. Not a chance in Hell.

  If I was being entirely honest with myself, all I really felt in that moment was my Batchmate's hand, firmly grasped in my own as I began to move.

  "-and so they-Viridian? Viridan wait-!"

  Shoving my body against the door leading out of the bridge managed to force it open just enough to squeeze through, even as I tugged a worried Vermilion along behind me.

  Whether for better or worse, Brim didn't end up following us.

  "Wh-where are we going?"

  "Come on."

  Not again. I wasn't gonna go through this shit again.

  "...Viridian?"

  Turning to glance at the anxious red Pearl, I blinked slowly.

  "We're going to the hangar. I memorized the route back when we first got here, and I know they have a functioning Roaming Eye in there."

  Some of my most recent conversations with Talon (a good bit before this fresh mess we'd gotten caught up in) had brought up the stolen craft in question, as a matter of fact. The Citrine had been all too happy to boast about how she'd managed to wrestle a fused squad of Rubies out of the thing after a friendly fighter wing had disabled the tracking vessel's engines.

  "O-oh. Okay."

  ...I wasn't actually too sure whether those engines were still online, but we'd figure that out when we got there. Worst case scenario, we'd use the damned thing as a glorified, FTL-capable escape pod. It was better than actively running into the thick of danger, at the very least.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Granted I'd never actually used or even seen a small-scale gravity engine in operation, but I was more than willing to improvise. With luck, it would be relatively similar to the massive block of complex technology that had been the Retaliator's primary drive core.

  Because fuck staying aboard a ship that was heading directly towards the path of a rapidly incoming Imperial war fleet. I'd come to like the Avians and their rogue Gems, and I'd respected their desire to get away from the Authority from the very beginning, but that didn't mean I was going to fly straight into battle with them Stars damn it!

  ---

  The trip to the hangar had been, conveniently enough, largely uneventful. No one questioned two extra figures running around the already incredibly busy ship, especially since the very much occupied crew had long since gotten used to the pair of Pearls that would occasionally walk around and look at things at seemingly random times.

  Our entry to the hangar/loading bay was greeted with a curious glance from a nearby Avian carrying several large cables over their shoulder, and little else. What looked like a guard (the silver astrosuit that doubled as armour made their normally average-sized form appear almost Quartz-like) made to approach us, only for the entire ship to shudder once more, this time almost violently.

  I heard Vermilion gasp in horror, and my own eyes widened to an obscene size as I followed her gaze and looked outside the atmospheric shield keeping all of us from getting sucked out into deep space.

  Blindingly bright purple beams were arcing out from an Avian warship, coupled with what looked like physical rounds. But that wasn't what inspired a solid feeling of fear, however.

  No, that particular sensation as inspired by the fact that damn near half of the ship was missing. Blackened markings, like a seared piece of meat, coated its edges, and if I squinted my eyes I could just about make out the figures of the crew within spilling out amidst Stars knew how many other components and pieces.

  The results weren't pretty, and it was as the remaining half, still angrily retaliating half disappeared beneath a massive golden beam of energy, several blooming waves that I could only assume were explosions spilling out from its rapidly disintigrating form that I let that small screaming part of my mind take over, old phantom flight instincts forcing one foot in front of the other as I marched towards the innocuous looking Roaming Eye.

  The disassembled remnants of the starfighter I'd stolen were firmly ignored, alongside the pile of welded together metal and engines that Brim had tried to claim was a three-bird interceptor.

  "Stop-"

  A flash of light, and my gauntleted hand was lashing out, catching the suited guard to the side of their masked head and sending the organic tumbling to the ground as I stomped up the boarding ramp, Vermilion following along right behind me.

  They'd be fine. Maybe. Probably not if the ship blew up but that really wasn't my problem, now was it?

  Panicked squawks and yelps sounded out from outside, only to be cut off as my Batchmate firmly slapped her hand against a nearby touchpad, closing up the opening with the distinct hiss of the hull pressurising itself.

  I was glad to see the crimson Pearl was showing hints of initiative, even if the situation warranting it was utterly horrific.

  Heaving out a long sigh, I made my way over to the controls, glancing over them and praying that I hadn't just gotten us locked inside an immobile capsule.

  No going back now, after all.

  ---

  Emerald Facet 2M7G, cut 8XS let loose a rather nasty grin, teeth bared as yet another wretched organic vessel ceased to exist thanks to the awe inspiring power of her (temporary) vanguard ship.

  "Shields are still holding and the first wave of robonoids have pierced the enemy picket, my Emerald!"

  "Standing orders remain, scan all enemy vessels for Gem signatures before firing, I want Quartz and Ruby boarding teams on standby as well! What's the status of our deep strike ships?"

  "Plasma bombers are ready and waiting for a good opportunity, my Emerald!"

  The Peridot snapped off a silent salute as the admiral nodded back at her, the bridge Gem returning to her station as the Retaliator continued to roar through the dark void that was space, barely keeping pace with the far larger form of the Destiny Destroyer, all while countless lesser ships orbited around the two behemoths.

  In truth, 8XS hadn't quite believed her good luck when in the midst of an entirely unplanned gathering, her fellow Emerald had come forward alongside a veritable riot of other Gems, loudly proclaiming her donation of the bleeding edge vessel towards 'the hunt for Viridian.'

  Sure, the very much valuable Diamond essence had been mentioned as well, but somehow word had spread of her own far more personal dilemma, and just about every Gem with a working ship docked at the Confluence had wanted a chance to 'be the hero and save the Pearl', apparently. Even if most of them seemed to forget there were two Gems that had been abducted.

  It was a story in the making, and there was no shortage of those seeking to be in it.

  Regardless, just about everyone wanted to make a name for themselves or add on to their own extensive resumes, and her fellow Emerald's contribution to that notion had been a fully armed and crewed superior class battleship, a far more modernized vessel compared to the legacy piece that the Retaliator existed as.

  Unfortunately, the boisterous one eyed fleet commander hadn't been able to outright join them, occupied as she was with her own vital task of delivering an important shipment of Sapphires to the core territories aboard her ever vaunted and beloved Sun Incinerator, but her act of generosity in lending one of her better backup vessels had inspired a veritable wave of volunteers after the fact, amazingly enough.

  It was all 8XS and Hessonite could do to wrangle the ragtag flotilla into something resembling a proper military force, and that was after refusing all the transport freighters offering to be temporarily modified into combat vessels!

  The direct result was that their pursuit fleet had been formed far quicker than anticipated, albeit at the cost of not technically existing in any truly official capacity just yet. But that was fine, with Diamond essence on the line a bit of accelerated deployment could most certainly be excused, right?

  It wasn't like all those ships were doing much anyway, idling around the dockyards as they were...

  "Several direct hits on the Destiny Destroyer, my Emerald!"

  Glancing at the upcoming readout as another voice called out the destruction of the offending attackers, she noted that the battleship in question hadn't been forced to drop its shields.

  Oh but Stars, what she would do to have a ship like that...maybe if all of this went off perfectly, she could petition for a refit of the Retaliator?

  Yes, new, more powerful weapons. Fully modernized engines that could get the vessel around faster. A stronger shield core. A dedicated panic room for Viridian and Sixteen A so that nothing like this happened again, and so much more-

  "We've just detected a friendly IFF signal, my Emerald! It's an old Roaming Eye!"

  Her eyes snapped to one of the Quartz soldiers aboard the bridge, the burly Gem wilting slightly at her superior's glare, punctuated by a hand running along her command throne.

  "It's outdated Imperial property, just like the rest of the ships these vermin have stolen, blast it to pieces."

  The Jasper hesitated, glancing at her weapons console.

  "But it has Gem signatures aboard, my Emerald! And it's heading away from the fight!"

  Blinking, the admiral paid slightly more attention to the apparently fleeing vessel.

  ...Could it be? Pearls weren't exactly pilots, but Roaming Eyes were designed to be simple enough for a Ruby to navigate. If anyone could figure it out, her Viridian surely could.

  Clicking her teeth, 8XS swept a hand forward, the holographic screen in front of her going through a long list of ships.

  There, an old patrol frigate, the Gleaming Blade. The practically ancient ship was fast for her time, and more importantly didn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things. She could afford to divert the decrepit thing towards an impromptu secondary objective.

  Sliding her hand across the screen, she navigated through several channels before establishing contact with the outdated frigate.

  "Gleaming Blade, this is Emerald 2M7G, cut 8XS. You are hereby ordered to divert course from the fleet and pursue IFF signature Epsilon Gamma Three. We have reason to suspect friendly prisoners of war may be on board, catch the Roaming Eye in your docking bay and retrieve them at once."

  A split second of static sounded out, likely the product of the frigate's old systems connecting to that of the Retaliator before the voice of a Nephrite (presumably the captain) answered her, prompting a pleased smirk from the admiral.

  "Orders confirmed, my Emerald. The Blade will bring them home!"