“Hard to port! Their core just destabilized!” shouted Roberts instantly. He wasn’t his former commander. He had no intention of playing chicken with a black hole.

The Bell pivoted in space, pulling hard to port as ordered while the enemy ship continued on its previous course as it was slowly eaten by its own core.

A triple blast of lasers bore through the Bell’s hull in passing, serving notice that the fight wasn’t over by a long shot.

“Damage control to decks three, four, and five!” Roberts’ first officer, Sarah O’Neill, called out over the noise on the bridge. “Sir, we’ve got incoming, starboard side.”

“I see them. Evasion pattern Delta Niner!”

The Bellerophon and enemy vessels swerved around the drifting wreck of the Hood, exchanging fire as air and crew streamed from the massive rents in the hull.

For now, Roberts didn’t wish to know the butcher’s bill on this fight, let alone what it would be when they were done.

►►►

IBC Shion Thon, Flagship, Third Reconnaissance Squadron

► “Navarch . . . we’re receiving communication from the enemy ship.”

“Now?” Misrem asked, somewhat bemused. Talking was normally done before or after the fight, not during. “Put it through.”

“As you command.”

There was nothing for a moment, then a sound she didn’t recognize at first. It took her longer than she would later admit to before she did, in fact, recognize the sound. She felt a chill run down her spine as clearly insane laughter echoed in her ears.

“They’re out of their minds,” she said, wonder actually entering her voice. “Are we sure that’s coming from the ship we’re targeting?”

“Confirmed, My Lady,” her communications officer said, his tone sickly. “They’re the source.”

She shook her head. “That’s insane . . . They’re insane.”

“My Lady,” her second broke in, “if they’re insane . . . they won’t change course.”

Misrem’s eyes fell to the numbers, showing that they were almost at the point of no return, where they no longer would have the impulse to pull away on their own. She swallowed, hating what she was about to do, but finally slashed the air with her hand.

“Evasive action! Turn aside!”

►►►

AEV Odysseus

► “You lose.” Steph grinned as the big ship turned aside, showing her flank.

He turned his own controls and leaned the Odysseus into the evading ship’s course, not enough to put the vessels back on a collision course but hopefully close enough to execute the next move.

“Chief, it’s all you,” he said as he flew, flinching as the Odysseus took a raking blast he chose not to evade in order to get position on the target.

“Roger, Commander. Hold on tight, we’re matching their resonance . . .”