In January…
“SOS, SOS, you Legion SOBs out there!” Grimshine shouts into the radio transmitter. “I’ve got Makara’s freaky fleet circling me like swirling turds in a toilet bowl. I know you can hear me, you prickly armored puppets!”
“Oh we hear you.” Zoe's voice crackles over the radio. “We heard you the first thirty times you insulted us.”
“Get over it you salty hag,” shouts Grimshine, not losing any steam, “These guys are going to sink me quick if you don’t haul your butt out here!”
Zoe sighs in agitation. “It’s a bold move fleeing towards Legion waters. Why on this wretched planet would I want to help my sworn enemy?”
“Because I’m trying to stop Ferox from irradiating half of it,” says Grimshine, as though Zoe should somehow already know this. “That psychopath is a complete maniac, and it turns out I appreciate my eyes, lungs, and other soft tissue. Why else would I be attacking my own installations?”
“Oh he’s the maniac,” scoffs Zoe.
“It is true,” interjects Zoe’s officer apologetically, “We did witness Reaver forces engaging Reaver fuel-pumping sites. It was quite perplexing.”
“Listen to your lapdog, you ignorant bilge pipe! I’m trying to keep Ferox from fueling up his shiny new satellite-guided dirty-freaking-missiles (thanks for the stolen schematics, by the way). You need the tactical information in my head to have a chance. Plus, I’m your little sister. You really going to let me go down like this?”
Zoe takes a few moments to respond. “So.. you heard.”
“Of course I heard,” says Grimshine impatiently, “Brennus was pissing and moaning at you over open channels.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me“ Zoe mutters to herself. She stands hunched over a rail, squeezing it in frustration. The threat from Ferox is very real. “Alright. Maintain your course. We’re on our way.”
April Raid
Zoe addresses her fleets from the bridge of her ship. “We have arrived at a critical moment. Ferox is within days of launch. If we don’t stop him, humanity could be set back hundreds of years as the EMP blasts from his missiles knock out our electronic equipment and the radiation contaminates our precious land masses. Honestly, given the current scarcity of resources, I’m not sure if humanity could claw back from such an event horizon. Ferox is clever. He has erected missile sites throughout Reaver territory, each heavily fortified. He has superior tactical intelligence granted by the satellites under his control, so he’ll see us coming from a long way off. Our one advantage comes from an unlikely ally. Grimshine has recognized the dangers of nuclear fallout not only to us, but to the Reaver and all factions alike. She has shared the locations of several Reaver missile sites. Our plan is this: the Legion armada will consolidate and move to attack the outer Reaver missile sites; however, each ship will only be manned by a skeleton crew. There is little risk from the Reaver armada, but even our full force is unlikely to be able to crack many missile sites. The true purpose will be to create a diversion, and if it comes to it, to draw missile fire away from our bases. In the meantime, Grimshine and her Daggerspine fleets will try to infiltrate the other Reaver missile sites. The Reaver don’t have strong identification protocols and usually rely on mere visual cues- no one else operates ships with open, unshielded power cores. Each of your commanding legionnaires has more details on the coming assignments. Suit up and do what you were trained to do. For the Legion.”
“FOR THE LEGION!” Her people echo.
Zoe turns to Grimshine and speaks in a low voice. “Don’t screw this up.”
Grimshine gives a wry smile. “Don’t worry, big sister. What could possibly go wrong?”