Epsilon Ceti

Alliance Sector Command Center

It was shortly after 03:30 in the Command Center. The graveyard shift was on their second and third cups of coffee and praying that nothing bad would happen on their watch. A week before the vast majority of the fleet had jumped away to take part in a major offensive against the Andromeden invaders. All that was left was a small task force at Lamda Indi and the ships that weren't ready to jump when the fleet moved out. The cupboard was as bare as it had been in years

Commander Bill Sommers was Watch Officer when the electrifying message came in:

Mayday, Mayday, Peacekeeper 40 under attack, request assistance immediately...

Just as suddenly the message cut off and was replaced by static.

Sommers ordered, "Reestablish communications. Long range sensors, what's going on?"

"Commander, sensors show ion weapons signatures in the vicinity of Peacekeeper fleet 40."

A cold chill went down Sommers spine. Andromedens? Here?

"Communications are being jammed at the source."

Sommers called up the data on Peacekeeper 40. Two Derflinger class battle cruisers, a squadron of ten Rapier class heavy cruisers, two hundred fighters and a company of Marines. Worse still was the commander: Commodore Giles Janson of the Janson family. A political dynasty, in the sector, there there two Janson Senators and four more in the local assemblies. It's bad enough to lose ships but losing a member of a politically connected family made things... a lot more complicated.

"Get me Admiral Olsen."

"Commander, Peacekeeper fleets 41 through 49 report that they are under attack."

Oh great. Why did all hell have to break lose on my watch?

"Admiral Olsen is on the line."

Sommers said, "Admiral, I think you need to get to the command center. All ten of our Peacekeeper fleets are under attack."

Olsen's tired voice said, "Signal the Yorktown to have her battle group jump here to refuel and rearm. I'll be there shortly."

Sommers was happy to hand this hot potato off to higher command. Anything big enough to take down a pair of Alliance battle-cruisers and a squadron of cruisers was big trouble.