[b]SCNOSE High Command[/b]

Fleetmaster Magama'yum shook his head in shame, watching the battle being projected in the War Department Office. General Zanro'kum and Commander Felasi'hum standing next to him.

"They didn't listen, Commander. Those Equestrians were too damn dense to listen." he muttered.

Doman put her hand on his back, patting it gently. "There wasn't much you could do. They were being unreasonable. But concentrated fire from [i]that many[/i] ships should have done much more significant damage. It's almost as if the Equestrians are playing god. Regardless, if we're going to battle it out with them, we're going to win our way through this. There [i]has[/i] to be a way to win this."

Daraya looked at datasheets on a nearby panel. "Assault Fleet 053 was called in as Assault Fleet 071 has been crippled by the Equestrians. They have a fleet of high-power shield ships, and their flagship is loaded with a Maelstrom Gravity Well."

The battle-weathered commander looked to her naval subordinate. "Order those ships to cover the fleet when they get there and fire that black hole."

"Aye, Ma'am."

[b]Equestrian Outer Space[/b]

[i]Graced in the Dawn[/i]'s shields barely held against the first volley of Anti-Proton streamers, and within seconds their shields were whittled down to nothing. The hull glowed white hot and melted and other sections exploded. Ships began clearing from it as far as possible, because heat that reached near the payload bay for the Super ARC and any one of the three reactors on board would end catastrophically. Eventually, the white hot heat reached the fore loading room of the cannon, and it exploded violently--separating the bow of the cruiser from the rest of the hull. The violent explosion broke through and eventually got to the reactor, causing an equally devastating blast. Only a handful of escape pods were seen jettisoned from the craft. Communications were totally lost.

With no flagship, it was the assault fleet's saving grace when AF053 rushed out of slipspace. The frigate-sized shield ships moved in front of AF071 and projected massive, iridescent energy shields covering the front of the fleet. They were strong enough to hold back most fire from the Equestrians. The flagship of AF071, the PNS [i]Heavenly Descent[/i], now acting-fleet lead for both fleets, sent a message to the enemy warships.

[i]"This is nonsense! Stop your firing at once! If you refuse to do so, one of my gravity well-equipped ships will fire, and you and your crews will be pulled into a dark, empty void for eternity!"[/i]