The Vindicas Tyrant had been completely repaired by now and even the secret reactor within. Dimitri was inspecting the ship, having nothing better to do since they are waiting for the Janus gate to find their universe. All the systems seem nominal so he goes off to finish a pet project. He had the engineers build a variety of items for Vlad. He also left a BMC mauler for Vlad. Dimitri knew his time with Vlad was short and he would never see him again so he planned to give him these things to remember him by.
The engineers had done good and the items were ready early. He ordered his crew to place them in Vlad’s BMC mauler. Just as the crew finished placing the items a splice opens up and a signal comes through from it. Though the Blazing Umbra station may have had some trouble in decrypting the signal the Vesk ship would not. It was a call for help, the swarm had arrived at Vesk Prime and their attack had commenced. The garrison was in the process of being overrun and they were desperately asking for help from any nearby forces.
Instantly Dimitri called a red alert and the crew mobilized for take off. Well drilled and experienced in war they had the Vindicas Tyrant in space after 40 minutes. They moved at the source of the signal despite protests from the station and nearby ships, at this point they didn’t care that what they were doing could warrant hostile action. They push on to where the signal is when they are hailed by Vlad’s fighter
“I know its your ship but this is too much don’t you think Dima?” Vlad’s voice comes through
"I am simply responding to my own people crying out for help. I’m sure you would do the same for ST." Dima replies
"Don’t do this, just because a signal came through the splice doesn’t mean that your ship will be able to. Think about this for a moment" Vlad says
"There is still a chance and ill take it, if i don’t take it my people will suffer" Dima says
"What about me?! Am I not family!? Don’t fucking do this to me, i lost pa and i don’t want to lose you too!" Vlad yells desperate
“Vlad you have always been a good brother and i am proud of the man you are today but i made a family there, a family that is in danger. I have a duty to them, if you make your own family you would understand” Dima says. As he talks the ship starts entering the splice. Before the ship completely crosses to the other side it sends out one last message specifically for Vlad.
“You must think that this is all bad luck and that you are forever cursed to forever loose the people you love. Don’t think like that. Don’t let yourself believe that lie. You can have a happy life and you can protect those you love but you have to fight for it tooth and nail against whatever life may throw at you. Don’t stop please don’t stop fighting and moving forward. You survived turkey and britian. Don’t let this break you. I will not return so please don’t look for me… just live your life please. Goodbye Vlad.”
The Tyrant exited the splice 1 AU from Vesk Prime sensors indicated that the swarm fleet had not detected them. Dima ordered all shuttles to be manned and the shields set to maximum. The defenses are set in automatic firing mode, if only to attract the attention of the fleer. Once the shuttles had been mostly filled Dimitri asked for volunteers to stay onboard for the suicide mission to destroy the fleet. A small skeleton crew stays behind and Dimitri does to Draz, “My friend you are much better at ground assault than i am, that and you have family as well. I will stay with the ship to detonate it but i ask you lead the ground assault to reinforce the defenders” Dimitri says
Draz nods and says “I was wrong about you, you may not have been born one of us but the fact that you look like us and think like us. That makes us the same, farewell Captain Zima it was an honor” Draz suit up and leaves for the shuttles.
Once all the shuttles had detached and were waiting for the signal Dima order the ship all ahead full. The swarm picked them up shortly after and targeted them. It also helped that the auto targeting weapons had started firing. Dima scans for the area of greatest density to explode the ship in. The scan starts as Dima prays the swarm were too distracted by the sudden attack that they do not notice what he is attempting. The Vesk planetary fighter squadrons regroup and reform and renew their defense in a much more organized manor thinking that a ship attacking this tenaciously meant a fleet was nearby. However, there wasn’t any fleet just a lone battleship. Finally the scan reveals the optimum location for detonation and Dima orders the ship to move to those coordinates. Once in position he activates the second core and initiates the overload program.
In an instant the ship is no more, enveloped in a sphere of energy that expands. The heat and shockwave from the explosion Damages half the fleet and vaporizes the other half. The explosion would look like a second sun from the planet, the majrity of the planet’s defenders were unscathed and the take the opportunity to descend on the remnants of the fleet like vultures. From the outer part of the system the fighters and shuttles of the Tyrant also attack the swarm fleet dealing blow after blow to them. The remnants leave as fast as they can abandoning the ground forces that had been sent down to claim the planet. The shuttles land on the planet and with air superiority the vesk manage to smash the invasion force ending its threat to the Vesk empire. Dimitri’s gambit had paid off and the swarm was dealt a huge blow.
Back on the Blazing Umbra station Vlad was in the BMC mauler, he held his brother’s Russian Army uniform in his hands. Once again his family had slipped through his fingers. He feels powerless to influence his fate. He sits in the fighter and closes the canopy not wanting to speak to anyone. He sits in the fighter staring at his brother’s uniform and silently cries.