[b]ENEMY TURN[/B]

Railguns were pretty fast. The sheer acceleration provided to their projectiles was frightening to behold, and in space this effect was only compounded thanks to the lack of air resistance. Thus, the blue pirate machine was unable to respond quickly enough, the shell crushing the entire side of the HFV before exploding into a cloud of shrapnel. Yet before the blast had even settled to allow the OSDT pilots a view of the destroyed 'Rook', one of the other formation's machines flew past with blinding speed, firing a powerful beam into the cloud in a single, smooth motion. By the time the dust had settled, the surviving pirates were all in retreat, including all of those that had attacked the Sword Shroud.

There was nothing left of the blue machine. The pirates had seemingly vaporised any remains to prevent the OSDT from retrieving anything. The Bradley floated next to the G-Valkyrie, dead in the void.

The pirates had were moving away quite quickly.

"All HFVs, return to the ship," came in Captain Pajari's voice over the communications channel. "Do not attempt pursuit."