TADJ3

==Chapter 3 - The Adjudicator==
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LCS Robert Steiner, BB-16
Frederic Steiner-Class Battleship
Prefecture X
Republic of the Sphere
July 3159
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Rear Admiral Michael Hogarth had finally gained his sister's respect and his mother's approval.  It is incredibly easy to do so when the Archon pins your Admiral's ranks.
He kind of missed being the black sheep of the family-the letters back then might have been full of snide disapproval but, they didn't include requests for favors.
"Secure from jump.  All stations battle ready?" asked Rear Admiral Hogarth.
"All stations report battle ready, Sir!"
"Bring sensors to weather mode, let's announce ourselves."  it wasn't like the cutters.  His job as the Flagship, was to keep their attention while the rest of the task force came in like a dose of particularly nasty salts.
The enemy didn't bother engaging their stealth systems right away-they weren't expecting a task-fleet here.
He got a good look at the yard, the enemy frigates and destroyers, and the prize. 
FCS Alexander Davion, Avalon Class Missile Cruiser. thumb|FCS Alexander Davion
"Let's go to war." Michael announced. 
The lighting on the CIC shifted to an eye-easing red, as the pressure vented.  Somewhere light years away, Clan Wolf's Naval Stars were just coming out of jump in the Republic's inhabited systems.
Each force was aware of the other's mission.  Clan Wolf was making a push for the ilClan, in process of doing so, dividing the real enemy's attention while the LCN went after their secret fleet with eight battleship task forces, three held in reserve out of twenty four assigned to this mission.
The flicker of engine flames announced fighter sorties launching from the stations, and from the Alexander.
His own task force was deploying their fighters and small craft as soon as they came out of jump, but the real punch was coming in on six to ten second windows, the Cutters appearing in a shroud of magnetic pulse and thermal bloom, inside the enemy's formations to release weapons at point blank before vanishing to secondary points in the system that would bring them into escort pose.
"Fire main batteries and come to port forty five degrees by up-axis fifteen at battle-cruise speed two gravities. Rig secondary batteries to bracket fire and point defense, I don't want one of those fighters to get through." Admiral Hogarth ordered.
"Aye sir."
"Primaries open up on the transport dropships and anything with a visible flight deck. CAG, begin your attack runs."
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