“Then what is it?” The ship was multiple shades of black, each surface reflecting the light from Vega in a different direction. It looked like a sandspur from hell.
“A Dark Fleet Battlestar.”
“What does that mean for the mission?”
“Unknown. The Velerion fleet has never encountered one in battle.”
“Tell me everything you know in the next sixty seconds.”
“Historically, the Battlestar has been used by Dark Fleet operators during planetary invasions. The ship is a polygon with twelve distinct sections. Each section is capable of breaking away from the core and attacking individually once the ship reaches its destination.”
“That thing breaks into pieces?”
“Twelve attack vessels and the core.” Tor continued as the individual spikes, long blade-like structures two or three times larger than the skyscrapers I’d seen on a visit to New York City, came closer and closer.
“Each attack vessel is an equilateral equiangular polygon with independent navigation, power and weapons systems.”
“Can you speak English, please? It looks like a compass star, but meaner.”
“I am speaking your native tongue. Would you prefer I mimic your dialect?” The question was asked in the computer equivalent of posh. It was like being lectured by my father. I shuddered.
“No. Don’t do that.”
“Of course.”
“Can we still destroy that thing with the weapons we have?”
“Unknown.”
Brilliant.
“Impact in sixty seconds.”
“Do we need to adjust course?”
“If your intention is to impact the Battlestar, no.”
“What other intention would I have?”
“Unknown. However, I do not recommend any unnecessary system activations. The Battlestar’s technology is much more advanced than the typical Xandraxian Cruiser. They may detect our presence immediately.”
“Do they already know we’re here?”
“Negative.”
“How do you know?” He didn’t know anything else.
“We would already be dead.”
Dead sounded so very final. I wasn’t panicked at the thought, but I realized I did have regrets.
I should have told Darius that I loved him. Should have given him a chance to explain himself. Should have gotten him naked last night instead of pouting in my room like a child.
Too late now.
“Has Dea arrived?”
“Unknown.”