Strat-2 Chpt-7

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==Strategos (A Great Captain Roberts Tale!!) - Part 2Chapter 7 - Potter's Field==
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Not all the…
…rescued from Devil's Breath were recovering. 
“Don’t fret too much, My Dear. You know I have a son that will come of age soon. For a few days you’ll be my special guest. Then I’ll send you away from all this ugliness to a special school that will prepare you for your new role,” her tormentor smiled, creasing his overweight features grotesquely.
She felt hands and screamed.
She was alone. Breathing fast, and alone… not alone. "You're going to be okay, Miss."
"They left me." she sobbed.
"Bad memories?" Dr. Huntington was a slight figured woman, dark hair over permanently tanned skin that wasn't quite dark enough to suggest African ancestry. 
"Yes," she said.
"I don't suppose those bad memories came with your name?" the psychiatrist asked.
Her patient was pale and fine-boned, and Dr. Peregrine Huntington knew her patient had an identity. This was why she was here in a Snow Raven military medical center, instead of the General Hospital or a mental institution.
"No, I'm sorry doctor." the patient lied.
"They held you there for a long time, I understand," the doctor placated. "It's zero three, would you like to eat something?"
"Please."
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In normal combat operations…
…according to the book, at least, the CIC would be drowned in the sound of damage alarms. "Bring us about forty degrees port, cut acceleration by twenty percent, and roll the hull." Foster ordered.
A check on the battle network showed that Evanescent was still pulling the bulk of the enemy's fighters. It also showed that whatever Captain Roberts had intended, she'd been forced to change her plan. A trail of superheated metal along one of the enemy Merchant class JumpShip showed where she'd engaged in some long-distance sabotage by way of Naval Laser applied to helium tankage. Probably overkill, but it left the targeted vessel without the ability to cool their core without major rework.
"Engage the DropShips as we bear with subcapital weapons." he ordered. "CAG, do what you need to to keep their strike fighters off us."
"Aye, sir."
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It had been decades since…
…anyone had even attempted a fleet engagement, or so it seemed. Except since the Roberts girl turned up, it's been something more like three times in two years, where such engagements had been once or twice in a decade before that for the longest time.
Wilhelmina Siegel was enjoying this entirely too much, despite it being really nothing more than a rather large-scale and extensive series of boarding actions.
"Boarding teams on target five report they have secured engineering, CIC, and critical functions."
"Excellent, inform Point Commander Ahmed to carry out phase two immediately. All fighters fall in on target six."
On telescope, she could see the atmosphere vent from the Invader class JumpShip. Rules of Engagement were 'Jolie Rouge'. No quarter. 
They didn't have anywhere to PUT prisoners.
"Escape pods are launching from that crippled CV."
"Leave them. Focus on active combat assets and the targets," she ordered. There are some orders I will not give, and engaging escape pods is one of them.
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The Mark VII…
…small craft barely nudged as it force-docked to the hull of the enemy Star Lord class. The rear hatch lifted, freeing the breaching team to rush up and place the 'doormaker kit' on the enemy's hull, arm it, and fall back inside, the hatch closing to put an armored barrier between the soon-to-exist hole in the enemy's pressure envelope.
"Three…two…one…" 
Seron squeezed the clacker, and the blastex did what blastex, arranged that way, does, cutting an ovoid shape with the assistance of a parathermite burn pushed by a shaped charge.
A hole was cut into the enemy's hull, and pushed free by internal pressure.
The hatch reopened, and he led his team straight into the soon-to-be abattoir of the enemy's command section.
Unarmored people were struggling in sudden vacuum, he finished a few with pulses from his Mauser, and shredded a man who was unpacking the survival beachballs.
"First squad, movement by pairs to the CIC deck, Second squad, take the engineering section. Jolie Rouge rules-kill anyone who looks like the enemy and is still alive."
The boarding action turned into a blind-sided slaughter in short order.
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Pangs of…
…conscience were just an indicator data point that said they were being especially effective.
"Continue in point defense mode with all non-capital weapons. Gunnery, there is an enemy assault dropship out there, looks like a Pentagon. I want it Penta-Gone," Captain Roberts ordered.
"Mister Seron reports securing Target One."
"Stage Two," she said. "CAG, gloves off."
"Aye mum," Mister Bedwyr nodded. He'd hoped for this. His homeworld of Northsun had been preyed on, and he'd seen now several worlds that had it worse thanks to these bastards. "Stage Two."
Fighters with cleared racks, turned to engage enemy escape pods, life boats, and enemy fighters that were out of fuel.
The Clans call it "Annihilation".
Bedwyr termed it something else. Justice.
"Targets Two and Three report secured."
Amanda Roberts smiled. "Good. Stage Two."
We don't have anywhere to keep prisoners. But it was still bothering her.
<It always feels like that, Amanda.> Desmond contributed. <It means we can still be affected by the horrible things we have to do in carrying out our duties. My first host lacked the ability to feel that distress.>
"Targets One through Four report ready for jump, Captain," Lori announced.
"Inform our prize crews that they're free to do so, as soon as we've recovered fighters and any nonessential complement."
"Aye, Mum."
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"Target Six is active, neutrino count's through…
…the roof, they're trying to jump out!"
"Pull our guys out!!" Foster ordered. The Invader was just going to have to get away. "Put holes in their Helium tank."
"Sir?"
"They can jump out, I do not want them to be able to leave wherever they think they are going."
He smiled slowly, "Also, gunnery, draw a pattern bombardment centered on the number two docking ring on that Invader using subcapital cannons."
"Sir?"
"I always wondered if a misjump could be forced on another ship, and what it might do. These guys seem to deserve it." He smiled a predator's grimace.
"Aye sir. Firing pattern bombardment."
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"Drive has a full…
…charge, sir!"
Carver Inslee saw his escort ships being cut to pieces, and already, frantic panic and reports from the rest of the Harvest fleet were letting him know that these enemies had highly competent boarding teams and zero mercy or decency."Initiate, set for Grankum," he ordered. Someone had to bring warning that this Dread Pirate Roberts was coming.
The jump initiated, the hull shook with shocks. Oh god… the alarm from the KF drive board sounded.
[Discontinuity]
Existence was awash in colorless fire and he was being torn apart-forever.
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She sat…
...down in the hospital cafeteria with a stainless steel tray and polished stainless steel utensils. The food in front of her included brown, rich meat in gravy, with mashed potatoes, and butter sauteed greens.
It smelled good. It smelled like safety. Elizabeth Cameron dug into her midnight rations as soldiers of this 'Raven Alliance' and a few mobile patients came in or left.
They left me behind.
It was better than the mint jello.
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