2175 C.E.

XXIII: Iacta Alea Est (The Die is Cast)

HADRIAN: What's the status of the enemy fleet?

OKAMA: I'm seeing 64 Terran warships. Most are light support ships and missile destroyers, but there are a handful of larger ships. I see two battleships, the Graf Spee and the Belisarius. A handful of missile-based battle cruisers as well; I don't know how, but it looks like they repaired the Alexander Nevsky and brought her with them. I also see three carriers, the Shiva, the Caracara, and the Calais. They're making their way to our position.

HADRIAN: How long before they'll be in range for a firing solution?

OKAMA: Unknown sir. If their tracking systems are comparable to ours, maybe a minute.

HADRIAN: Mr. Bachchan, will our point defense be able to take out the volley?

BACHCHAN: I doubt it sir. They have over twice our fleet power. We may be able to stop one volley but not more than that.

HADRIAN: What about our automatic orbital defenses? Will they be able to take some of the heat off of us?

BACHCHAN: The trouble is that they're scattered around orbit in the event of a surprise attack. Only about half of them are in position to provide tactical support.

HADRIAN: Mr. Patil, how soon till we can jump out?

PATIL: Three minutes.

HADRIAN: Miss Kayode, send transmission to NSNHC. Inform them of our situation and tell them that I intend to retreat at the soonest opportunity.

KAYODE: Yes Admiral.

OKAMA: I'm picking up multiple new signatures on all bandwidths. It looks like their initial volley. Over three hundred warheads inbound.

MUBARAK: Admiral, I may have a suggestion. If we deploy a tactical warhead and detonate it in the middle of that barrage, we may be able to take a lot of those missiles down.

HADRIAN: Whatever it takes. You are authorized to fire one tactical warhead.

KAYODE: Admiral, the fleet is requesting permission to return fire.

HADRIAN: Negative Lieutenant. We don't have enough firepower to get past their point defense. Let's not waste too many missiles; we'll need them later.

MUBARAK: Mr. Patil, turn your key in three, two, one, now.

BACHCHAN: Tactical warhead launched. Time to intercept one minute and 14 seconds.

OKAMA: They just launched a second volley.

KAYODE: Fleet reports point defense systems engaged. Sir, the Juan Cortez and the Montague are requesting permission to move out of fleet position.

HADRIAN: Negative. We need to be ready to warp out as soon as possible.

BACHCHAN: Primary point defense modules engaged.

KAYODE: Fleet confirms. PDF engaged.

MUBARAK: Launch additional countermeasures.

BACHCHAN: Countermeasures responding. Metallic chaff fields active.

MUBARAK: Launch all of our remote sensor buoys as well. Set them to high frequency pings. I want to lash those inbound missiles with everything we have. See if it confuses their passive sensors.

PATIL: Suggest the fleet does the same, sir?

HADRIAN: Agreed. Ms. Kayode, please relay the instructions to the fleet.

KAYODE: Yes, Admiral.

PATIL: Mr. Okama, estimate time to intercept on those missiles.

OKAMA: Fifty-seven seconds.