“Vanished?” Celesta turned to glare at her com officer, her mouth going dry at the news of a lost ship.

“That’s what the report says, ma’am,” Ellison said helplessly.

“All ships, this is Agent Uba aboard the CIS Prowler,” the familiar voice overrode their com system and was broadcast over the bridge speakers. “The enemy vessels are apparently attempting to capture Terran ships. Do not let them close on you. The Leighton has been captured and somehow transported out of the system while the Vought was lost completely … I suggest to the taskforce commander that we break contact and escape while possible. The Prowler is on the way out of the system now. This has to be reported to CENTCOM. Agent Uba out.”

“Coms, broadcast the emergency withdraw order,” Celesta said without hesitation. “Emergency short hops are authorized … just tell them to get away as best they can.”

“Captain, our four bogies are accelerating,” Lieutenant Commander Adler said. “They’ll overtake us before the X-Ray jump point at their current rate.”

Celesta looked at her own display to verify the information herself. “Helm, zero thrust,” she said. “Bring the prow about to course one-eight-zero by zero, attitude jets only.”

“Engines answering zero thrust, aye,” the helmsman said after pulling the throttles all the way back. “Bringing the Icarus about to course one-eight-zero by zero.” The manual course commands would have the ship rotate about on her Z-axis so she would be flying in the same direction but stern first.

“Tactical, optimum range for the first volley of Shrikes, if you please,” Celesta said, the familiar adrenaline of combat beginning to course through her.

“All four tangos are within optimum performance envelope for the Shrikes,” Adler said.

“Very good, Lieutenant Commander,” Celesta said. “Stagger fire pattern, twenty-second delay between shots, maximum yield.”

“Parameters set, Captain.”

“Fire!”

“Missiles one through four are away,” Adler said. “Missiles five through eight standing by.”

“Coms, broadcast to our remaining ships that they are weapons free but their priority is to escape,” Celesta said.

“Second volley is away!” Adler said.

“Confirm tracking,” Celesta ordered.

“Tracks confirmed,” Accari said. “All eight missiles are burning hot and tracking true.”

“Helm, bring the Icarus to bear on her original course and then run the mains to full emergency acceleration,” Celesta ordered. “Nav, begin a running update on acceptable snap-jump locations if we have to bug out immediately.”

“Disabling safety locks now,” the helmsman said. “Engines answering full emergency thrust.” The pronounced rumbling of the decks let Celesta know that the Icarus was now giving all she could to stay ahead of their pursuers.