First commission came through, Davenport Industries - a routine detail for a resource hauler en route to a worker station in the outer belt. The pay modest, the route predictable, and the risk supposedly low.
Leonidas reviewed the mission brief in the Lion's Gaze war room, the holographic map flickering with convoy coordinates. "Our first mission. We shall be escorting the D.I.Atlas, a bulk hauler carrying Thorium and cryo-fuel. Two jumps, no detours."
Ezran leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Sounds boring."
Titus grunted. "Boring pays the bills."
Leonidas nodded. "We will be joined by three other mercenary crews. Standard formation. We keep the hauler in the center, rotate watch, and respond to any threats."
Ezran smirked. "Threats like drunk miners or malfunctioning drones?"
Leonidas looked up. "Pirates."
This was the threat of interstellar travel. One could easily find themselves at the hands of vicious pirates. This far from the central regions of the empire, where Imperial Police patrols are less frequent they were a common nuisance.
'Five years dealing with them with the force should be adequate experience to spot any potential issues they could pose' thought Leonidas.
He focused deeply at the map in front of him. Imagining multiple contingencies should the plan go astray. He was the captain. The lives of his crew-mates in his hands, he was determined not to fail.
The convoy launched from Station K-9, drifting into the void with quiet confidence. The Lion's Gaze took rear guard, its sensors sweeping the area. The other mercenary ships - Grim Echo, Silver Fang, and Rook's Talon - held formation, the captain's exchanged clipped greetings over comms.
"This is Captain Leonidas of the Lion's Gaze, hailing the other ships. Radar is not picking up anything. For now."
"Recognize, Lion's Gaze. Let's hope for a smooth sailing." One of the captain's replied.
For the first few hours, everything was smooth. The hauler engine purred. The stars blinked in silence.
Then the proximity alert screamed.
"Multiple contacts," Ezran barked from the console. "Inbound at high velocity. No transponder codes."
'Pirates. It's against Imperial Law to hide transponder codes'
The enemy ships dropped from warp - sleek, angular, and bristling with weapons. Their hulls bore no insignia, but their movement were precise, military. Too precise.
"Boy, those are not your average pirates. Look at how they move. It suggests training of some kind." Titus growled.
"They're targeting the hauler," Ezran shouted. "Two flanking, one diving from above!"
"Are these the drunk miners you spoke of boy?" Titus joked.
"Shut up, old man" Ezran answered.
Leonidas opened comms. "All units, engage! Protect the Atlas!"
The void erupted in fire.
The Lion's Gaze banked hard, plasma bolts streaking past its wings. Leonidas fired a burst from the foward cannons, clipping one of the attackers. Ezran took the gunner's seat, his shots surgical - disabling a thruster, forcing a spin.
"Titus take the rear turret. This is no raid, and these are not pirates," Leonidas muttered. "This is coordinated."
The Grim Echo took a hit to it's engines and spun of of formation. The Silver Fang returned fire, but its shields could not hold under the assault. Only the Rook's Talon held steady, its captain barking orders and launching countermeasures.
Leonidas pushed the Gaze into a dive, drawing fire away from the hauler. "Ezran, give me a window!"
"On it!" Ezran locked onto the lead pirate ship and fired a charged shot. The blast tore through its target, sending debris spiraling.
This forced the other intruders to hesitate - they then retreated, vanishing at warp speed as quickly as they had arrived.
Silence returned.
The Atlas and its crew were intact, but shaken. The Grim Echo limped back to port. The crews regrouped, exchanging theories and curses.
"Ezran. Remember Novara?"
"I remember Novara. Those were scouts."
Leonidas stood in the cockpit, breathing hard.
Titus nodded. "They were testing us."
Leonidas stared into the stars. "Next time, there will be more."