The so-called interface consisted of two very sensitive conductors that acted as neural sensors after they had penetrated either side of the spinal cord. The needles themselves were thin enough that, the specs claimed, an operator would barely be able to feel the entry—though most pilots swore differently—and were certified not to cause undue damage to the nervous system.

In return, they continually monitored the pilot’s nerve endings and interpolated gross motor functions into a sophisticated program that allowed the Angels to very precisely adjust their maneuvers.

System initiation complete, Stephanos flexed his muscles carefully, trying not to think about the foreign objects in his neck, and turned back to the task at hand.

“Okay, team, readjust the cam-plates to the frequency they sent over, and give me a flying wedge in front of the Odyssey. Match her speed and bring all combat systems online.” He switched back over to his direct channel to Captain Weston. “We’re ready here, Cap. You sure they’re only using class ones?”

Back on the Odyssey, Weston had been asking that question himself. “Looks like it, Steph. All the scans match.”

Weston watched the tight formation of fighters on his screen shimmer as each of the sleek little craft altered its armor to reflect the laser frequency. Seconds later, the tightly formed squad had visibly shifted color to adapt to their enemy’s lasers.

Weston listened to Stephanos’s acknowledgment and then closed the channel. “Waters, what’s the estimated time to intercept?”

“Eighteen minutes, sir. Until then, we can easily evade any shots they take,” the ensign responded, his nerves having either faded or been placed somewhere else for the moment.

“All right, we wait,” Weston said, trying to sound calm as he watched the countdown to contact.

The tension rose on the bridge as the clock ran down and the two ships closed the gap between them.

Outside, the Archangel fighters maintained their formation as the rapidly approaching ship appeared on their less-powerful scanners.

Stephanos adjusted his scanners as more information about the target transmitted to his fighter’s onboard systems. The enemy vessel had some way of scrambling most of the sensors they used on it, resulting in apparently random profiles and energy readings. His fighter’s tachyon array was having the same issues as the larger one on the Odyssey. Neither system seemed capable of detecting the approaching vessel unless it varied from its course or powered its weapons.

The pilot frowned. Most materials had tachyon signatures that could be used to get some type of lock at almost any range. The incoming ship not only must have been constructed of a material that was transparent to tachyons, but its energy systems must have been incredibly well shielded as well since energy fields normally disrupted local tachyon fields.

Stephanos’s fighter banked slightly as the Odyssey ordered a course change. The squadron all moved in unison as the ship altered course behind them. The enemy intercept was less than five minutes out when their scanners picked up the smaller groupings of signals that erupted from the enemy ship.