Force Nova station militar

  Captain Hans specially received Kay H, commander of the Sitara military station, at his facilities. The commander arrived with his mothership, accompanied by their special Jets. They were given a special welcome by all the cadets at the station.

  Commander Kay H paid close attention to the cadets participating in the exercise, as he would ultimately decide whether or not they could compete in the championship. At first gnce, he noticed two cadets who called themselves Rennben arguing while they were disembarking. Additionally, he observed that the other team had a girl who was too boisterous and attracted too much attention, which contrasted with the Kuirt girl, who was notably disciplined and from a warrior culture. He wondered how it was possible that this noisy girl had paired up with such a disciplined warrior. Then he saw the Rosenberg twins, who had a more distinctive and professional demeanor; upon seeing their appearance, he noted that they were from the pnet Gatts, a culture known for its education and friendliness.

  —It's them, sir —said Captain Hans, slightly embarrassed by some of them.

  The Commander observed them and continued:

  —It is an honor to be here with you. Captain Hans has spoken very highly of you, so I expect to see results. That's why I personally brought three of the best pilots we have at our military station. Introduce yourselves, cadets! —the commander said as they approached.

  —Luis Khalid and my comrade Rey Atom, Blue 214 Team —they saluted their competitors.

  —Kin Drak and my comrade Serena Kall, Red 3215 Team —they also saluted as a sign of respect.

  —Sean Kalet and Vica Galluh, White 236 Team. It's a pleasure to compete with you —they said, followed by their salute.

  It was clear that all of them were cadets who respected the rules and protocol, with an elegance in their speech, in addition to their impressive records in handling their combat ships. They were "the champions."

  The commander and captain stepped aside for a moment to prepare everything for the exercise.

  Kiya showed with a greeting how honored she felt to participate in this competition with the champions.

  Ben was about to say something, but Renn stopped him, knowing he would brag as always, ciming that no one could beat him and that he would kick their asses.

  One of the Rosenberg twins greeted them and said he would do his best in the competition when Luis Khalid, the leader of the champions, interrupted him.

  —Don't take this the wrong way, but this competition is a joke, forcing us to compete against mediocre pilots like you, – Said Leader Luis Khalid on behalf of his entire team.

  Everyone was stunned by the leader's words; they had seemed so kind when they introduced themselves and quickly showed their true colors. The others just ughed, showing their support for their leader.

  —It's excellent that they have shown their true colors because we will annihite them without mercy, and we will kick their asses —Renn said firmly. At that moment, Ben, Rina, Kiya, and the twins were stunned because they had never heard those words before.

  —You stopped me from saying rude things, but then you ended up saying them yourself," Ben said angrily to Ren, while their friends ughed at the Rennben duo.

  —Let's finish them off! —Rina shouted, accompanied by the others in a victory cry.

  The champions only saw a group of idiots, but in the end, everything would be decided on the battlefield.

  The race between the different groups involved not only showcasing speed but also demonstrating skills in evading obstacles and eliminating opponents with key shots. These shots, depending on their accuracy, could yield high or low scores.

  The six groups were preparing to start. The Rosenberg twins, as always, performed their ritualistic greeting. Rina and Kiya's team appeared confident, exchanging a normal handshake until Rina suddenly shouted, "Kiya, I've got your back!"

  Meanwhile, the Rennben duo exchanged a gnce for a few seconds. –I hope what you said is true because I'm going to kick ass,-- Ben said, as Renn smiled at him. –That's why we're here, Ben.

  {Start the battle at 3 - 2 - 1} A starting shot echoed.

  All the Jets unched almost simultaneously, but Rina took off with greater speed than the rest. She recklessly navigated through the meteorite debris, determined to reach the front. Her agility was astonishing, deftly avoiding every rock without a single collision, far surpassing the five ships trailing behind her.

  It was Renn's first time seeing her in action, and he couldn't believe his eyes.

  – I thought Ben was wild one, but Rina... – Renn muttered, only to be cut off by Ben.

  – Hey! I can hear you, – Ben retorted, annoyed.

  Commander Kay H couldn't believe that a girl could maneuver at such speed among the rocks. He thought her recklessness might cost her her life. The Champions believed that this maneuver would be her downfall and that she would be the first to be eliminated.

  Once out of the rock zone, all teams began executing their strategies. The Champions organized into an impeccable, coordinated formation.

  – Let's show them what coordination looks like, brother! – Eithan said to his twin as Team White 236, their opponents, began their assault. One of Team White's strengths was their synchronized shooting, which they used to pursue the twins' vessel. The twins acknowledged their skill but knew it wasn't enough to bring them down.

  The twins ascended rapidly before executing a "U" turn, descending at high speed to fire at their opponents while closing in on their targets. Team White dodged most of the shots but took one minor hit. Angered, they devised a new strategy. Splitting up, they moved to opposite ends at high speed, performing a maneuver that created a figure-eight. Their shots nearly hit the twins, who then employed a defensive spiral, allowing them to get closer to Team White's attack ships. This maneuver caused Team White to lose sight of them for a few crucial seconds, during which the twins fired at a critical point on Team White's gunship, taking them out of the battle.

  [WHITE 236 TEAM, YOU'RE OUT]

  The commander was impressed by the twins. Not only did they win, but they didn't get hit at all. In a real battle, even a small shot can be fatal. Meanwhile, Captain Hans smiled at the twins' excellent performance and hoped the others would also give their best. However, he knew the commander would not look favorably on the reckless maneuvers, so he hoped that Rina and Kiya's team, as well as the Rennben duo, would avoid doing something foolish.

  Meanwhile, Kiya prepared her strategy against the Red 3215 team. She had gathered all the information about this team, including their maneuvers, strengths, and weaknesses. She firmly believed that to defeat the enemy, one must know everything about them and find the smartest way to neutralize them quickly.

  The Red team began to spread out, getting closer and closer to Kiya and Rina. They initiated the first offensive by unching two short-range missiles, forcing Kiya and Rina to deploy chaff to deceive the missiles' radars. The Red team's signature tactic was using their expertise in short-range maneuvers to outmaneuver their opponents.

  – It's time to fight back, Rina, – Kiya said calmly, despite the initial attacks.

  – Just give me the signal, and they won't know what hit them, – Rina replied confidently.

  – Now! – Kiya shouted.

  Rina and Kiya executed their strategy, evading the enemy Jet by making a sharp turn in the opposite direction of the attackers and then ascending rapidly, making it difficult for the Red team to follow closely. The Red team recalcuted their opponents' trajectory and prepared to engage again. However, they were momentarily confused when the trajectory suddenly changed. Seizing the moment, Rina fired and managed to hit one of the enemy jets, though not enough to take it out. Kiya held her fire, waiting for a more opportune moment. She activated the green lights, signaling Rina to execute the next part of their strategy.

  The Red team, frustrated by their inability to get close enough, fired multiple missiles in various directions. This forced Kiya and Rina to deploy more chaff, causing both teams to lose vision in the ensuing purple smoke.

  When the smoke cleared, Rina performed a stunt to get closer to the Red team, maneuvering to fly underneath them. Suddenly, Kiya appeared from above, shooting at one of the Jets and taking it out of the battle. Without warning, Rina fired from below, delivering the final blow to the remaining Jet.

  [RED 3215 TEAM, YOU'RE OUT]

  Commander Kay H was in disbelief. A second team had been defeated fairly. He realized that despite their differences, Kiya and Rina were able to connect and complement each other masterfully. While one distracted the enemy, the other attacked. This strategy couldn't have succeeded without Kiya's exceptional piloting skills. She led the battle by combining her strategic intelligence with Rina's boldness and speed. Additionally, they had exploited the enemy's weakness: the Red team cked the ability to adapt quickly to changing situations and make rapid, effective decisions in the heat of combat. The people of the pnet Kuirt are a cautious warrior culture, he mused.

  – Your teams are impressive, Captain Hans. They have many talents that can be further developed, – the commander said.

  – Thank you, Commander. I must warn you, the Rennben team is very skilled too, – Hans replied.

  – They will face the squad leader. He is as stubborn as his team. This will be a tough battle if they are as good as you say, – the commander expressed confidently.

  The Rennben team and the blue team prepared to fight.

  The fight began with everything they had, a burst of light and sound, energy beams and missiles piercing the void at unthinkable speeds. Team Blue 214 moved as a single entity, their Jets coordinated in precise maneuvers that confused Team Rennben and left little room for error. They fired at crucial points, searching for the weak points of the gunships with lethal accuracy, which put the Rennben team in a bind. However, they were not intimidated, using unpredictable tactics, performing sharp turns and almost impossible stunts, taking advantage of every opportunity to surprise their opponents. In a bold move, Ben directed his Jet towards the formation of blue team leader Luis Khalid, but he was able to dodge the gunfire and unched a barrage of missiles that destabilized the Rennben team, but not enough to defeat them. Something that the Rennben team did very well was dodging any shot or missile very well, thanks to their impressive speed.

  – Those cowards are slippery, – Rey Atom muttered to his comrade, Luis Khalid.

  – The Red and White team lost. We cannot afford the same fate, – Luis replied, his expression grim and resolute. – We will not accept such humiliation. We will give everything we have. I want those dumbs kneeling before us.

  With renewed determination, the blue team unched their counterattack. They reformed into an offensive formation, aligning perfectly and firing in a synchronized manner. Luis's jet would shoot, then pause for a few seconds, during which Rey would begin shooting. This alternating pattern continued seamlessly as their jets maneuvered in a zigzag pattern. A single mistake could lead to a catastrophic collision.

  Ben dodged their shots effectively, but a wrong turn left him with a minor hit. Furious, he excimed, "Dammit!"

  – Ben, this is the first time I've seen you get shot from behind. I think you're getting shy, – Renn said provocatively.

  – Shut up, Renn! I'll get you when this is over. – Ben retorted, frustrated. – Those two are going to pay."

  Renn, anticipating Ben's best maneuver, prepared himself. Ben accelerated to full speed, positioning himself between the two enemy jets. This forced them to separate and lose coordination. However, the blue team seized this opportunity to unch a missile at him, which Renn intercepted, protecting Ben.

  Renn then attacked one of the enemy jets, but it narrowly escaped.

  – I have to admit, the blue team is good, – Renn acknowledged.

  – Are you going to kiss them now? – Ben snapped.

  – I'm just saying, not all loudmouths are clueless, – Renn said with a Machiavellian smile.

  – You're an idiot! – Ben retorted, knowing the comment was also aimed at him.

  – Ben, now I'm fighting back. Watch my back, – Renn said, though he doubted Ben's support since he was still upset.

  Taking advantage of the blue team's disarray, Renn flew over their jets and angled 60 degrees to attack one. The other enemy jet tried to assist but was blocked by Ben, leading to a two-on-two standoff. Both sides struggled to maintain firing positions, attempting to hit critical points while defending against their opponents.

  The battle caused both teams to break formation again. The blue team quickly regrouped, coordinating their flights. Exhausted and low on ammunition and missiles, each team knew the fight had to end within 10 minutes, or the commander would decide the outcome.

  Determined not to leave it to a decision, both teams fought fiercely from offensive positions. The blue team began to gain an advantage with their impenetrable formation, enabling them to unch more effective shots.

  **

  Ben sighed, acknowledging to himself how skilled the blue team was, though he'd never say it out loud. There was something he did speak up about, though.

  – Renn, we're going to lose if this continues for the next five minutes, – he said seriously.

  – You need to keep up with me. – Ben said.

  Renn was worried by Ben's words, knowing how unpredictable Ben could be. If he didn't keep up, they could lose at any moment. For a brief second, Renn thought about his comrade Orion and the exceptional communication they shared. They barely needed to speak; their maneuvers were achieved by putting all their heart and trust in each other.

  – Renn, just follow the beats of your heart, – Ben said with surprising insight and seriousness.

  Renn's eyes widened in shock; it was as if Ben knew exactly what he was thinking. He rexed, sighed, and surrendered to Ben's words. He could no longer deny it—Ben was his new comrade. This realization brought a pang of sadness, as it meant accepting that Orion could no longer be his partner.

  Ben signaled to Renn, and they began to synchronize perfectly, executing high-speed, circur maneuvers. They fired simultaneously, scoring hits on the blue team's jets, though not enough to secure a win.

  The RennBen team then performed an even faster maneuver, leaving the blue team baffled by their risky tactics. Luis Khalid, the blue team leader, was momentarily disconcerted, losing them on the radar. Suddenly, they reappeared at high speed, almost colliding. The blue team thought they were crazy. In an instant, the RennBen team was on top of them again, making precise shots at critical points and finally taking the blue team out.

  [BLUE 214 TEAM, YOU'RE OUT]

  – Dammit! – Luis excimed, smming the jet controls in frustration.

  – Let's go back, Luis, – his comrade said, sad and resigned to the result.

  The commander was impressed, so much so that he sent someone to fetch the RennBen team's files. The captain, however, was worried about the risks they had taken. Winning didn't guarantee a safe spot in the gactic pilots' championship, as the final decision y with the commander.

  – Commander, as you saw, all three teams are good. Do you think they measure up to your standards? – The captain asked.

  – I must admit, all three are very skilled, – Commander Kay H said, reviewing the files. – That young Renn has an impressive record from his academy on Earth. He was one of the best, and it's notable that he was a companion of Orion Edri, the son of the current general. It's curious that he wasn't assigned to a station with more opportunities, – the commander said as he examined Ben Yaacob's file.

  The captain felt slighted since the Force Nova station was being deemed insufficient by the commander's standards.

  – What's this? – the commander asked, surprised. – What is General Edward Starwind's son doing here?"

  – I was surprised too, but I imagine he doesn't get along with his father. – Captain said.

  A few minutes ter, the twelve cadets were assembled in front of the captain and the commander. The six Force Nova cadets stood proudly, while the other six were frustrated, angry, and vengeful.

  – First of all, congratutions. Each of you has shown that you deserve to be in the gactic pilots' tournament. – the commander said. – However, there are lessons to be learned. The first two teams, Red and Blue, need more training in coordination and working under pressure. The Blue team shone until the end, but the Force Nova station teams demonstrated distinct talents. The first team showed complete coordination and connection throughout the battle, – he said, addressing the Rosenberg twins. – The second team dispyed excellent strategy and well-thought-out risks, – he continued, addressing Rina and Kiya. – Finally, the RennBen team. While their risks were unnecessary, I must admit that when they connected, they did so perfectly, taking all the risks with impressive speed.

  The entire team was eted to hear they were going to the tournament, though Ben was less than amused when the commander suggested they didn't deserve to win.

  – Dismissed, except Ben Yaacob, – the commander ordered.

  All his cssmates stared at Ben, puzzled by the commander's request for a private conversation. After everyone had left, the commander began asking questions that made Ben uncomfortable.

  – Did you change your st name? – the commander asked.

  – Yes, sir. I only use my mother's, – Ben replied proudly.

  – Why are you here? – the commander continued.

  – Sir, with all due respect, I won't answer any more questions about my personal life. To summarize, I wanted one thing, my father wanted another, – Ben said firmly.

  – I understand. But you have great potential for future leadership. You could transfer to Sitara station anytime. And if you want, I could arrange for Renn to transfer as well.

  – Thank you, sir, – Ben replied resolutely. – But I am very happy at this station. And no matter who the opponent is, we will annihite them in the tournament.

  – I understand, but it's a waste, – the commander said, disappointed. – However, if you ever change your mind, don't hesitate to contact me. – He handed Ben an access code to reach him if needed.

  Ben realized that drawing more attention meant facing intrusive questions about his father. He felt frustrated. As he walked away, he gnced around, taking in the station he had come to see as home. "One day, they'll see me for who I am, not just the general's son," he thought. This pce had given him a chance to prove himself, and he was determined to carve out his own path, no matter the obstacles.

  To be continued...