"Coms, open a channel to the taskforce," Jackson said.

"Go, sir."

"Taskforce Wolfpack…please take a moment and reflect on the courage you just witnessed here. Let us honor that courage by finishing what Captain Asher started. Broadsword, Gladius…you are ordered to warp hop into range and take out the remaining five ships under power still. I don't want a single ship that isn't flying a Federation flag left in this system, understood? Captain Risher, you're leading the charge.

"Katana, you're to ascend to departure altitude and close on the engagement area until you're within range to send Shrikes out to finish off the damaged ships. Acknowledge your orders over the Link. Wolfe out."

When Jackson turned he could see the disappointment on Ellsworth's face as Risher got to execute yet another seek and destroy mission while the Saber flew laps around Exeter's moon.

"I understand your frustration, Captain," he said. "This isn't a reflection on you, the ship, or the fact I'm on her. It has to do with the cargo brought up from the base. It's more important than any one of us, or all of us. You'll have the chance to show the enemy what the Saber can do, of that I have no doubts."

"I apologize, sir," Ellsworth said. "The mission of course comes first. It's just…"

"I feel it, too," Jackson said when his captain's face turned red. Seeing the Jericho torn apart had filled them all with a righteous rage, and they wanted nothing more than to make the people responsible suffer. But as an admiral, Jackson had to keep an eye on the long game. Taking a chance of losing the Saber, and thus Aegis, in a strategically meaningless skirmish in a star system that didn't even have a name would be foolish beyond measure.

In reality, even risking two Super Valkyries on the obsolete scrappers of the Alliance fleet wasn't the wisest decision. But Jackson was only human. He couldn't just let them slink away after what they'd done. Taking out an enemy ship in battle is one thing. Annihilating it with such unnecessary overkill, ensuring there could be no survivors, was something else entirely. Not even the Phage were that ruthless in battle, usually leaving ships alone after they were damaged too badly to be a threat.

"Broadsword and Gladius are away," OPS reported. "Katana is accelerating and climbing to a transfer orbit. The Cutlass is still being loaded with the last of the cargo and Marines from the base."

"Captain, please move the Saber—"

"New transponder just popped up, sir! Federation warship…ident beacon resolving now. It's the Nemesis!" the OPS officer sounded as confused as Jackson felt. What the hell was that ship doing here?

"Coms, send a Bluebird dispatch to the Nemesis and ask Captain Barrett what his mission is in System B-1171," Jackson said. "Captain, take the Saber to a higher orbit in case we need to make a hasty retreat. Order the Cutlass to form up on us once they've decoupled from the loading dock."