The skies above Salluria V flashed impossibly bright as two mighty armies clashed. On one side flew the heroic Stalk of Olive and his Philosoph Armada, opposing him vile pirate raiders determined to plunder the resources the Lavis Union had so painstakingly and carefully extracted from the system.
Never before had space seen such a daring display of steely resolve and nobility as when Stalk of Olive ordered his men to hold firm as the mercenary fleet opened with a blistering salvo of rockets and torpedoes. Though the fleet’s ships rocked with impact, internal damage control teams sprinting to repair damaged sectors, our forces remained calm and collected – they were true warriors, fighting for the continuation of our very way of life.
Miners crewing the orbital platform watched with frozen terror as the battle raged, days of conflict marked by the relentless assault of heavy bombardment to both sides. Smoke and debris from ordinance and disabled spacecraft began to fill their viewports, and though we are a hardy people, seeing such a sight shook the men and women of Salluria to their core. Though they had the utmost faith in our admiral, they knew that if the battle worsened, there would be no additional help coming to save them – our mighty fleet was the sole defender of our space.
Piercing through the thick haze came Stalk of Olive’s own capital ship, taking heavy fire but opening a deafening broadside to the opposition forces. Rather than continue to put his smaller ships at risk he used his own corvette, without regard for personal safety, as a shield. His loyal followers had just enough time to regroup and form up behind him.
As the concussive blasts rocked his fragile vessel out of position, the enemy raiders saw the full force of our navy locked on and firing. Explosions brighter than sunbeams shone through the heavens, temporarily blinding many of the nervous onlookers, fearful of their lives but hoping for a miraculous success.
A station-wide message from Stalk of Olive himself announced the dispersal, destruction, and eradication of the entire pirate fleet; a message that was met with rallying cries and congratulatory tears from the civilian miners who had come so close to the end, at the hands of the vicious pirates.
My father stood at the fore of that celebrating throng, and until the end of his days would retell the story of how he never lost hope, and we small children never should either, for the might of our empire would always serve to protect even the most defenseless among us.
– Silvera of Crimson
National Historian, Materials Division
Writing on 2231.03.11, “The Battle for Salluria”
