[b]3rd Fleet; Composition of 22 ships[/b]
[i]Elite Task Force under callsign "Manticore"[/i]
[u]Approaching FPA Border from Neutral Zone[/u]

The void, as usual, was silent and sparkling with the joy of a thousand stars, living out their millennium-long existence. They seemed to be an attentive audience for the events that were about to pass; indeed, they must have witnessed thousands of battles by now, but this one will be a page-turner in the sector's history. No doubt, this war would leave one side or the other in complete ruins. The Hocklyns, being new to the scene, had some elements that could be used for surprise.

The Prometheans would've been hard to detect, had they not known where they were. The plan was for their 66th fleet to launch against the FPA's primary forces, and then they'll come in around and flank them. Cirruses would be released partway through the battle, to seek out commanding ships and eliminate them. The majority of the Hocklyn plan was relying on the Cirruses- when they take out enemy command ships, its unlikely that they'd remain organized. The Hocklyns would be the smith's hammer on the enemy's molten bar, to be forged into scrap on the Promethean anvil. 

Teeth-baring in what could be charitably be described as a smile was common within the bridge of the ships; honor would come flowing soon, of that, there was no doubt. Their fleet picked a different route through the inky black, avoiding the known locations of mines and sensor pods, running even more silent than the Prometheans.