Post Battle Briefing

"Thank you for your time Commander. Would you like anything before we begin?"

"No thank you, Lieutenant."

"Very well. For the record, please state your name, rank, and assignment."

"Ronald Shepherd. Commander in the United System ... Naval Forces. First Officer aboard the ... U.S.S. Spirit, a Brutus Magnus class cruiser."

"And would you please give us your account of the recent events on 29 August, 2095?"

"We were on combat patrol. The computers had located a vessel. It was ... all routine at this point. There were several ... freighters in the area.

We were able to identify it ... as an Achilles class ship. That's not unusual, of course, ... as many F.A. ships are commissioned in the Republic's naval fleet. The only reason ... for concern at the time was their lack of response to our communications."

"And, was that the only reason to suspect the approaching ship was hostile, Commander?"

"Yes. It was enough. The Captain initiated ... all the proper protocols."

"Captain David Priest, you mean."

"Yes ma'am. People joke about us being the holy trinity: a Priest, ... and a Shepherd, aboard the Spirit. We've had our share of scrapes, and what seems ... a miraculous ability for survival. Though it seems our luck ran out this ... time."

"But the Spirit was the only ship to survive the battle."

"Yes ma'am. I hope this is ... brought to the commission's attention if it's decided to court martial ... the Captain. I won't sit by and do nothing if they treat the Captain the same way Captain Kirk was ... after his last engagement, in which he ..."

"Let us please continue with the briefing, Commander."

"A second ship appeared on scanners. It turned out ... to be a Thunder Storm. We realized that even before the computers identified it. The Itnoahn ... vessel began launching drones almost as soon as we noticed it."

"The data recorder suggests Captain Priest made the first attack."

"Well, not precisely Lieutenant. The Fission Bots were sent ... after the Achilles vessel first. By this time the identity of the drones was ... confirmed, thus their deployment indicated aggressive movement. There is only one reason to launch ... a Fission Bot. And the Itnoahns have never been known to make friends ... with anyone not of that faction. Since the Thunder Storm maneuvered ... closer to us than the Achilles, and there was sufficient probable cause the Captain took advantage of the opportunity. The Spirit ... moved in close to the Thunder Storm and we unleashed hell. The enemy had prepared formidable ... defenses. We managed to cause only mi ... minor damage with the first assault, but it was enough. The Thunder Storm's primary ... defenses had been disabled."

"Do you need anything, Commander?"

"I'd rather continue the briefing, Lieutenant. We were struck with a ... couple Bots, causing minor damage. It was after these first hits on the ship ... that we realized the Thunder Storm's EW was more effective than anticipated. Resources were not ... responding as quickly as the Captain liked. But the Captain managed to cause severe damage to ... the Thunder Storm in return.

We had continued our attempts to contact the Achilles vessel since the ... battle began. She finally responded by approaching from attack vector. We couldn't ... discern which faction she belonged t ... to. All the major factions, even the Trade Guild broadcast ... signature recognition, as is required by interplanetary law. But this Achilles did not. There ... are some rogue offshoots of the Guild that we ... know of. The Achilles could easily have been one of theirs."

So we don't know why the Achilles regarded us as an enemy. The Thunder Storm was almost completely ... disabled and we had taken no aggressive action toward the Achilles, but she ignored our communications ... and moved in for an attack. So the Captain ordered to open fire."

"And there is no way Captain Priest could have misinterpreted the actions of the Achilles, Commander?"

"As you should know, Lieutenant, combat tactics are what ... determine the winner and the loser, the survivors and the dead. The fact that you and I ... are having this conversation is proof of that. The Achilles made a classic offensive maneuver. Were the Captain t ... to hesitate he would have been derelict in his duty. The actions of the Achilles ... up to that point made it apparent she was not friendly.

After exchanging fire the Achilles sustained heavy damage. But we were ... nearly crippled. We at least still had weapons capability and mobility. The captain ordered us to pursue the Thunder Storm ... which put distance between us and the Achilles. We attacked the Thunder Storm again causing minor damage. She launched ... more Bots our way, with one blast hitting us. Hull integrity was barely ... existent. They could have spit on us and we would be finished.

That's when I was wounded. I was taken from the bridge but made sure the medical ... crew kept me informed of events as they occurred. The ... captain managed to keep us out of range of the enemy for a ... while. Their attacks missed us while we prepared our final assault. The Achilles still ... had a lot of armor to punch through.

By this time the Thunder Storm was doomed. Since we ... were no longer in range of the Achilles the Captain took the time to assess ... our remaining options. The Itnoah vessel was the only target ... available to the Achilles at that moment. She fired a single shot at the Thunder Storm. We were next. But Captain Priest ... had enough time to prepare the remaining missiles at his disposal."

"Commander, I understand your testimony of the final throws of the exchange is second hand information, since you were no longer at your post. But if you could ... Commander. Commander? Doctor! I need a doctor here."