STC Tumen ( BH-828) 
Deep in Ahman Sul territory 

Everyone but a skeleton crew remained on the bridge, those who were left we dog tired and beat up from the battle. None of the sensors or other electronics were operational, they were hopeless and defenseless. The flashes from the exploding escape pods could be seen from the bridge as the floated through the void, only adding to the despair of the crew. 

“ What Savages, there is no honor in this place…” one of the bridge officers said quietly, prompting nods from the remainder of the people in the room. The Aradites hunkered down and prepared for the worst as the pirates began to line up on them again. Oddly enough thoughts of rapid decompression and subsequent suffocation was calming compared to the thought of being enslaved for life. Most of the bridge crew would rather be dead then become slaves. 

“ Sir!, incoming fire coming from port side” another bridge officer said as rocket raced over the bridge and towards the pirates vessel. More fire followed closely behind as the pirates point defenses went wild, trying to destroy the incoming fire. A deep groaning sound could be heard throughout the ship, as something attached itself to the ship and began to move it, violently flipping them around to face backward. The Aradites could now see the battle infant of them, foreign ships moved against the pirate vessel, shielding the remains of the Tumen from further attack as something pulled them farther away from the fierce battle. As if it wasn’t bad enough, another explosion rocked the ship, this time feeling like it came from inside of the Tumen. The aft section of the Aradite vessel was quickly sheared off and floated behind them before what remained of the ship was incased in a green vortex and transported elsewhere. 

-Hours Later-

Upon exiting the warp field Commander Nikal immediately vomited all over the inside of his visor, continuing to vomit in zero g as he tore the helmet from head. “ where are we?” he said after gaging a few more times, looking up at the bridge crew who was equally as disoriented. 

“ I don’t know, sir” another officer said in a shaky almost scared voice “ But I don’t think we have to wait to long to find out” she said looking out of the forward veiwscreen at what appeared to be a fighter. Suddenly it all made sense to Nikal, either these were friendly entities or they were really destined for a live of slavery. 

“ Sir….beings are floating up to the aft of the ship, they are armed..” an operator said over the intercom “ We are waiting in ambush, whats your order?” he said before another message was forced though. 

"Y'all are lucky.. Had we not picked up a distress call a few hours before you warped in, that Pirate ship would've sank you quick. Though, I'm not sure why it didn't just outright destroy your ship. If you'd be so kind as to allow teams aboard your.. well whats left of a ship, they can get your people medical aid and help you depart your ship."

A ruse? maybe or were they sincere? It wasn’t like they had much choice in the matter, they either died here or took their chances. “ Greet them, let them take our wounded and accept their hospitality, we will find out what they want” Nikal said over the intercom as he looked around the bridge for a moment. “ Destroy everything, not one scrap of our tech gets into their hands” he said aloud before donning his helmet again to make his way off the ship. Towards the aft of the ship, 24 armed operators waited in ambush as they observed the beings in space suits get closer to the Tumen. As the order to stand down and make contact was given everyone visibly relaxed and emerged two or three at a time. There would be no flare or doors to open, the signal would come from a helmet mounted strobe light, flashing in the distance.