Battle of the Straight of Viodoxa

The **Battle of the Straight of Viodoxa**, more commonly known as the battle of the straight, was a conflict fought between the Sovereign Aezenfjord Ship *Enforcer* and the former Escharian warship *Dame der Wellen* (Lady of the Waves). *Enforcer* under Captain Sterling was escorting two Hebra-Class merchant haulers through the Straight of Viodoxa (*Din's Pearl* and *Sky Spirit*), and was ambushed by *Dame der Wellen* who had been lying in wait on the Aezenfjord coast.

As *Dame der Wellen* approached, flying a false Aezenfjord flag, Captain Sterling ordered *Din's Pearl* and *Sky Spirit* to fall in to the leeward side of his vessel, closer to Viodoxa. While it is unclear what the rationale behind this decision was, interviews conducted by the Sovereign Aezenfjord Navy with the sole Aezenfjord survivor of the battle suggest that Sterling knew the ship to be *Dame der Wellen*, a ship he served on while on loan to the Escharian navy, and which he knew to have been presumed destroyed during the ascension. When *Dame der Wellen* came within range to fire, she unleashed a full broadside on *Enforcer*. *Enforcer* then responded with a broadside of her own. *Dame der Wellen*'s armament was slightly weaker than *Enforcers*, possibly due to damaged or lost equipment from the chaos of Escharia's collapse, but nonetheless was still powerful. Fortune favoured *Dame der Wellen* in this opening broadside, collapsing *Enforcer*'s aft mast and disabling her rudder control. *Enforcer*'s broadside inflicted minor damage on *Dame der Wellen*. Sterling then ordered the two merchant vessels to withdraw towards the Viodoxan coast, and both ships fired their second broadsides which caused devastating damage to both ships. Sterling called for all hands except gun crews to abandon ship, and resolved to pound *Dame der Wellen* as long as possible to allow the merchants to escape. Ultimately, only one lifeboat managed to escape with four crewmen. One of these lived long enough to land the craft on the Viodoxa side of the straight, where he subsequently made the week's journey to Concord to report to the navy. Sterling's sacrifice inflicted enough damage to *Dame der Wellen* that the ship fled east to Uldarash waters where it was later captured by the Uldarash Navy and commissioned into service there.

Based on logs uncovered within the ship by Uldarash Navy officers, the crew were false converts to Soleannen who worked aboard *Dame der Wellen*. When the ascension occurred, they were left in control of the ship after the Aezenfjord loan officers, including Edward Sterling, abandoned ship and left it to its fate. The deserters then sailed southwest and joined a band of pirates there known as the Black Squids, who had been terrorising Auroran shipping. After a time they ventured east to gather strength by ambushing Aezenfjord ships which they were familiar with the design of. While the ultimate goal of the deserters is unclear, it seems likely that they were gathering strength for a misguided offensive against Aezenfjord to gain a nation to live in. After the battle they returned west where they ultimately met their fate at the hands of the Uldarash Navy.

Sterling has been hailed as a hero for his sacrifice saving *Din's Pearl* and *Sky Spirit*, and the Sovereign Aezenfjord Navy named the Sterling-Class Fleet Auxiliary, a modified Hebra, after the captain. Plans to refloat SAS *Enforcer* to reduce demand on Aezenfjord shipyards are being considered by the Admiralty.