Echoes of Harmony

HMV Oberlander

Stariek Orbit

3 January 3297

General Liliana Kindler stood on the bridge of her battleship, the HMV Oberlander. It was one of the newest vessels built by the Hyperion Empire. Just one month prior, it completed its shakedown tests with superb results, putting most other vessels to shame. Its next generation fusion core reactor, along with upgraded neutron beam emitters and double-shot magnetic cannon emplacements, made it one of the strongest ships in the navy. Only the Event Horizon could outperform her one-on-one, but the Oberlander punched far above her weight class.

The bridge was a precisely twenty meter diameter room. It was brightly lit and silver, the surfaces specially designed to cut down on glare. There was no physical viewport, which would’ve been useless given the CIC’s position near the center of the ship. Instead, there was a multi panel screen built into the curvature of one wall tied into the various systems of the vessel, including enough cameras and sensors to give a complete view of their surroundings. Currently, it showed Stariek and the Seventh Fleet. Each ship was marked with a dot indicating its identity.

Around the outside of the bridge were various consoles for control of key functions of the ship from engineering to weapons. The navigation and tactical stations sat in a pit in the center, allowing the CO and XO chairs on a platform to loom above them. If having their CO able to look over their shoulder without notice wasn’t a powerful motivator, General Kindler didn’t know what was.

The crew was a well-oiled machine. Technicians didn’t scurry as Kindler frequently saw on other bridges. Such an act would be an indignity to the vessel. Rather, they strolled. They were proud to serve on the Oberlander, as they should be. It was the most technologically advanced vessel in their fleet and deserved the proper respect.

General Kindler walked on her platform in the center. She took carefully measured steps, running her hand over the smooth metal railing that kept her from falling the three meters to the navigation pit. Her XO, Colonel Victor Reinhardt, sat in his chair. He was the same age as Kindler, and she would dare to call him handsome if it weren’t the fact she had no desire for a romantic relationship with him or anyone else. His brown hair was carefully combed and parted to ensure not a single strand was out of place. The bottom half of his face was also carefully shaved, leaving his chin and cheeks smooth. His hands flicked back and forth between various pages of systems as he double checked the functionality of the ship.

“Status, XO.” She didn’t so much as ask the words as she demanded them. This was their first posting together, and she wasn’t about to let him believe his commanding officer was a pushover.

“Sir, we are showing green across the board.”

“And the rest of the fleet?” She stopped and wrapped her hands around the railing, looking directly down at the navigation officer, Lieutenant Arima Mitsuyo. Their straight black hair was smooth and cut short. She heard tales of some of the daring maneuvers the Japanese-descended pilot had pulled off. They came highly recommended by Legate Habricht, and Kindler was hardly in a position to refuse his suggestion.

“The Rommel reports only one squadron not combat ready.” Reinhardt scoffed as he swiped back to a page indicating the fleet status. “If they were truly doing their societal duty, they would have been ready two days ago like the rest of us.”

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“Squadron Seven certainly has had more than their fair share of malfunctions lately.” From what she heard, they were experiencing various and unrelated issues. Sometimes they reported engine difficulties, and other times they stated their weapons were automatically selecting targets. Their tactical officer barely stopped these in time before they fired. So far, there was no indication of what was wrong. “Perhaps it is time to suggest to Legate Zephyr we leave them behind. If they cannot get their systems under control, we should look closer at their ranks. Guarantee their loyalty.”

“It is a good thing we have a new vessel, sir. It ensures we do not have any issues such as what they are experiencing.”

“The crew is more important than the vessel, Colonel.” Kindler turned on her heel and clasped her hands behind her back. “A loyal and synergistic crew on a hundred year old destroyer can easily outperform a top of the line one with a disjointed crew. You should know this by now.”

“Of course, sir. I did not mean to imply otherwise.”

Kindler narrowed her eyes on the man. Reinhardt returned the glare with equal intensity, refusing to back down. Part of her despised the individuality he displayed. Then again, it could certainly have its uses.

“General, communications,” called out a woman almost directly behind Kindler. Lieutenant Elise Wentz was a blonde haired woman, keeping her long locks tied into a tight bun per regulations. She, too, was only slightly younger than Kindler herself. “Incoming communication from the Rommel, sir. Your eyes only from Legate Zephyr.”

“Very well.” Kindler welcomed the excuse to break eye contact and walked across the narrow path connecting her command platform to the rest of the bridge. Her heels clicked sharply with each step. “I’ll take it in my ready room. Colonel, you have command.”

“Aye, sir. This is Colonel Reinhardt, I have command.”

Kindler walked the dozen meters to the door of her private room. It hissed open at her approach, allowing her in before closing behind her. The room was clean, nearly to the point of sparkling though the metal was incapable of doing so. On the wall to her left hung the Hyperion flag. To her right was a holoprojection of Hyperia itself, the blue and green ball swirling in place much as Stariek did. Dominating the center of the room was a metal desk and a trio of chairs, two in front and one behind the desk.

She moved around to the opposite side and sat, pressing the surface of the desk to bring up the holocomputer built into it. Immediately, a message sat waiting for her. She tapped it, displaying the projection of Legate Zephyr.

“How can I serve the empire, sir?” she asked, drawing herself upright.

“General Kindler, I have received new orders for you from Legate Habricht.” Zephyr’s voice held a hint of amusement which Kindler found no reason to be there. “I’m sending the files to you now, but here’s the summary: You are to take the Fifteenth Squadron and accompany the Stariek fleet to Mog Daruhl. You are to eliminate any Druthagar resistance you meet in the system and claim the outpost as a forward operating base for our empire. Hades felt it was necessary to make sure the Stariek forces have a chaperone to keep them in line. You were the best candidate for that mission.”

Kindler felt a surge of annoyance pass through her. She could do so much more if she weren’t a glorified babysitter. Regardless of the outcome of their last battle, they did have some amount of skill. The Stariekians were perfectly capable of capturing the station and the handful of warships there as a defense by themselves. But to deny her the opportunity to achieve greatness against a stronger foe was… despicable. Saying so, however, would ensure she did not have the chance to say anything else.

“Of course, sir,” she ground out. “I shall carry out the will of the empire.”

“I would expect nothing less from Hades’ protégé. Zephyr out.”

The link terminated before she could reply. Beneath the desk, she clenched and unclenched her fist several times. Each nearly drew blood, requiring her willpower to keep from doing so. Sending her with these barbarians was an insult. From what she saw of the after action report from the battle, the Stariek ships were many generations behind the Hyperion ones. They would prove to be more of a liability in an extended fight with the Druthagar than anything.

Regardless, Kindler knew she needed to follow the legate’s orders. Though her mentor was Habricht, that did not hold the same sway this far away from Hyperia as it did within the council chambers.

Sighing, she pressed an icon on the holocomputer screen to reach the communications officer. The face of Lieutenant Wentz immediately appeared in the air above her desk.

“Get me a link with the Celestial Phoenix immediately.”

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