The Imperium of Alistra is a galaxy spanning empire. A galaxy so populated and spanning that a simple count may hold dominion over a planet. Where a single planet may house over a hundred or even thousands of knightly houses controlling sprawling cities to quaint villages. Here where the Imperial Navy is one of the very few ways a common citizen may ever leave planet side. Where even if they were to earn the highest form of education are barred from doing nothing but the most menial job as a technician. Where the rank of a person out ways the competence of another. It is here where we find Warrant Officer third class Henry Lane.

  Henry, who graduated from the local naval academy, finds himself alone in a remote backwater system specifically Pagus system. Here the people are few, the economy minimal, and pirates few. It is here that Henry finds himself. Piloting a transport barge. Carrying cargo from the local mining facility to the planet of the same name. Here he carries the same cargo every day, biowaste for fertilize, ores for magnets, and gasses.

  His ship, good old TB-21457, is a small barge to say the least. No larger than a hundred meters, a single personal defense cannon, and two compartments. However, Henry preferred the cramped cockpit besides the general area which usually smelt of spoiled eggs. He sat calmly staring at the ever-sparkling stars in the vast distances of a universe uncaring for him. The AI had just finished its usual reading on the cargo and vessel before suddenly alerting Henry to a quadrant about hundred kilometers away. “Heat levels rising, FTL in bound” the AI chimed monotonously. Henry ordering the AI to bring image to main screen and magnify stared slack jawed.

  On screen was the sleek silver yacht of a high ranking noble. Its features almost akin to that of a swan. However, beneath the cosmetic features he noticed the armaments teaming. He saw one rail gun situated near the middle top, a dozen PD cannons around the body, and at least two or three flare pods. However, before he could even wonder why a beauty such as this was in the Pragus system an explosion rocked some distance away from the ship.

  Not wanting to sit there lazily. Henry tried to raise both the silver yacht and his local station. However, his transmitter sat there silent. Clearly something was jamming the local area. He tried to shoot a laser signal to the vessel when the AI shouted an alert. Two rockets, Sparrow Model rockets, coming in towards his front. The AI activated the cannon and fired destroying one at maximum range. However, the second kept coming. Henry forced the ship downwards, which in the concepts of space did not exist.

  The rocket followed close, inching ever so towards Henry. Not wanting become dust in the universe, released one of the cargos holds that he had attached to his ship. Luckily it was the metals that would be turned into magnets. Which must have confused the rocket since it locked onto a large chunk. Henry shouted towards the AI “analyze local area for where those rockets came from.” The AI thought away, a painful amount of time took place though, before the AI gave a negative. Henry sat staring confused before, he thought to try heat. The AI tried once again finding nothing. Not wanting to let the silver yacht be destroyed order his ship to plot an intercept course. Maybe the enemy was closer to the yacht then anything.

  After moving closer, less than fifty kilometers away. He noticed something sheening against the stars that light the galaxy. Ordering the AI to track said shimmer he saw it. A blackened corvette. Slowly opening its four rocket ports. The rockets erupted from beneath and two were sent towards the yacht. Henry watched as the PD cannons erupted firing destroying the two rockets in quick succession. However, a third one snuck past slamming into the shields of the yacht.

  Henry seeing this forced his engines to the maximum speed it could. He had ordered the AI to disable any safety parameters regarding the engine. Which did so with some protest. A moment later the AI warned once again for another sparrow was heading his way. He turned as his PD cannon fired destroying the rocket. Twenty kilometers away he thought for a moment. What the hell am I doing? I only have a single PD cannon, and the corvette must be shielded. It's going to take a mine to damage... he stopped before looking at his cargos inventory. That’s right. I have the gasses. Quickly pressing a couple numbers into a calculation. He smiled with momentary glee. “Computer?” The AI chimed ready to receive the orders.

  “When in range of the corvette, release magnetic clamps on all cargo holds. Once five seconds pass fire upon the holds.” Henry said praying that his plan would work. The AI chimed an affirmative and Henry pressed his ship as fast as he could. Seeing several warnings that the heat sink was being overwhelmed and that his reactor core would surpass safe levels. Ignoring the message he continued. Ten kilometers out, Henry felt his head sweat. Five kilometers out, he saw the warning message of the AI regarding the reactor. Three kilometers out, Henry turned away. Then he deactivated the clamps. He watched as the holds launched at ever increasing speeds.

  Henry held his breath as five seconds passed, and his PD cannons fired an unyielding line of fire. The rounds graced pass the hold for an unnerving second before a single round struck the hold. Causing a chain explosion. Which shrouded the black corvette. His camera feed fuzzed as the explosion, even in the vacuum of space, shook his barge in the ensuing blast. Before it faded away. Then Henry saw it. The corvette sitting listless for a moment. A decent size hole was torn into the corvette. However, the AI noted that the systems of the corvette were powering once again. Henry sat prepared knowing there is nothing more he could do to fight the corvette. Before he noticed that it was fleeing. He shouted in celebration. “Take that you Gal’brax” pumping his fist into the minimal space that he had. He sat there taking a few breaths thinking back to his home planet and the feathered birds that perched near the coasts. He hated those birds. The corvette sort of reminded him of them. Their black plumage that shrouded them at night.

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  Now that the corvette was gone. He tried to hail silver swan yacht. This time though the yacht responded. Directing the AI to place the communication on the main screen saw an elderly man with cybernetic eyes. Which stared at him with bits of red. “This is Commander Richard Foley; I have the honor of captaining the Princess’ delight. Who are you?” Henry gulped Princess’ delight. That’s an imperial vessel. That must mean... Henry stopped, responding quickly “Warrant Officer Third Class Henry Lane, your grace.” Commander Foley stared at Henry for a moment. “A commoner, perfect.” He then looked off screen before turning back to Henry. “Who is your commanding officer?”

  Henry stared at the screen puzzled for a moment. “It is Sir Byron Livingston, of the 3rd fleet, 2nd squadron” Henry said with a bit of disdain. Foley simply frowned at the name. “Livingston must be some disgraced bastard. Regardless, Henry. I assume you are a loyal pilot to the Imperial family?” Henry stared slack jawed for a moment. Me, loyal, to the nobles no, but to the royal family sure. However, he could not say that out loud, simply nodding and saying, “over course, long live the emperor and the royal family.” Foley simply sighed at the words before speaking “the emperor is dead. His brother Duke Dalrymple has turned traitor and took the throne.” Henry’s brain almost exploded in shock.

  Henry began to stammer an apologetic sympathy, but Foley stopped him. “We thank you for your assistance, Warrant Officer, but I ask you a favor. We noticed what you had done to the enemy and let us just say we are impressed. We need innovative people, be they commoner or noble. So, I express an invitation from myself. Join me and my VIP to the Compitus system. Where we will rally with the Crown Prince.” He said with an eyebrow raised. Henry sat mouth agape. I might as well join them. I mean. I already fought for the royal family with this. Then he paused. That must mean the VIP was someone of importance, the Empress? Maybe, the brothers or sisters of the crown prince. All that doesn’t matter. Henry looked at Foley and nodded in agreement.

  “Very well, link your AI with mine, and I’ll set the coordinates for the FTL” Foley said. Henry agreed and relinquished his AI to Commander Foley. Which began to spit out data to Henry and watched as the small fleet of two slipped into FTL. There Foley spoke with Henry on the state of the galaxy. About how the duke had with assistance from several key nobles, members of the royal guard, and members of the navy attacked the Gathering of Nobles, and how the duke had failed his task when the prince fled along with several siblings. Noting how some of those siblings were used as a decoy against the duke.

  What felt like an hour or two went by as their ships powered down from FTL entering the Compitus system. There Henry watched with muted awe as a fleet of forty-six ships sat near the blue gas giant that acted as the star in the system. The light from the star shrouded the fleet in a soft blue hue. He saw as most of the ships were simply support vessels, which even then were armed with an array of weapons. He noted, however, the crown jewel, which must have been the flagship. A battleship about twenty kilometers long. Shaped like an arrow. It had dozen main guns, a bristling array of PD cannons, missile ports and torpedo tubes. It must be a floating city, if a corvette, a thousand times smaller holds a hundred to two hundred people. This ship must house a space station’s amount of people. Maybe a ten or even hundreds of thousands.

  Henry stared a head before a communique from Foley called for him to enter the fleet and begin boarding procedure to the battleship. Henry noted that he was being directed to a hangar near the center of the battleship. Which dwarfed his small barge and the yacht. I hope the egg smell isn’t on the outside of my barge. I don’t want to disgrace commander Foley. Oh, screw it. The gravity inside the hangar began to affect Henry’s ship as he deployed his landing gears out and with a satisfying thunk. Began to power down the vessel. Entering his usual egg smelling compartment. He found his grey tunic and his black pants as well as the metal studs that distinguished him as a warrant officer. Putting his clothes on he placed the studs on the shoulder board and neck piece and went to the door.

  At the entrance of his vessel, he saw a parade of marines. A lieutenant stood with a face of disgust, probably from the smell of his ship stared at Henry with complete disdain. Looking at his rank the lieutenant simply spat out his words “a commoner, damn me. Welcome aboard.” Great a noble bastard Henry thought but gave a submissive nod. Before he could say anything, he saw the door of the Princess’ delight opened with a regal hiss. He watched at commander Foley stepped out. Which he noted that all the marines clicked into a salute, even the rude lieutenant snapped into a crisp salute. Henry in kind looked at Foley, who spoke into the ship quietly before turning and stepping down the stairs. Henry saluted before Foley, in a grin ordered the warrant officer to follow him.

  Foley turned his head slightly, whispering his words to Henry alone. “We are going to the bridge to report to his highness. Now, do not be surprised, show reverence, also do not look into his eyes without the prince’s approval.” Henry simply nodded along. More noble nonsense, I just wished that I would be sent elsewhere or even just be awarded and left to my own devises. After a moment, Henry noticed the way Foley guided himself. Hands clamped loosely behind his back; Foley stood a full head taller than him. His silver hair set into a lovely style parted to the side. He had a beard that made him look rustic in some respects. Then his uniform. A purely white ensemble with grey pants with trimming of gold inset at the seams.

  As the pair walked through the ship and entering an elevator. He noticed the amount of people who stared at him with wonder, confusion, disgust, and in some sympathy. These gazes gave Henry bits of horror to what is to come. However, that was pushed away to see the vastness of the battleship. The sheer amount of people alone dizzied him. While the vast series of corridors, openings, hangars, and small entrances caused him to feel constricted. Foley looked every now and then at the black-haired warrant officer with bits of amusement. “Massive, isn’t it?” Herny turned only to nod along mutely. Upon looking up he saw as the elevator door opened with a rasping hiss of unwelcome as he saw a series of marines and another lieutenant stood at attention.

  The lieutenant looked at the pair and pressed a series of buttons on a panel. “His highness is waiting for you, Lord Foley, and...” he paused hiding a hint of dissatisfaction. “Warrant officer Lane.” Henry rolled his eyes within his mind. I want to get this over with. Maybe I can return to my barge and be nothing more than a pack mule. However, filed away the thought as Foley’s boots clicked on the floor causing Henry to follow close behind.