It was all quiet in the RSS Reliant, the Rebellion Navy's outstanding heavy cruiser, and ace pilot Captain Glen Roberts was seated at the control panels, surrounded by crew members. His fingers twitched over the target button. Here he was, stuck 6 days out of port, and guarding the Rebel HQ on Palshife with only a couple of Confederation Light Freighters and a gunboat to relieve the monotany.

"Man, is this boring!" he complained. "Here we are, supposedly guarding the Grand High Rebel HQ, and not a blasted Frigate in sight! What's the use of having all these lovely super weapons installed on a top-class ship if we don't have the chance to use them?!"

"Just be glad we don't have to fight against a horde of Confed Cruisers," his co-pilot advised him. Even we don't have the fire-power to fight of a hole swarm of them!"

"All the same, I wish something would come!" he moaned.

"Hang on!" cried an engineer. "Something is coming! Look at the control panel, now!"

He was right. There was indeed something coming. But what it was, none could tell until it actually entered the system.

"Excellent!" cried Glen Roberts. "Warm up the neutron turrets! Prepare the missiles! Have the Mantas on standby! Check the space-bombs and have the torpedoes ready for launching! Check the laser sight alignments-"

"Hang on!" cried his top gunner, as the entire crew rushed around preparing for combat. "Don't get carried away!" First, let's check if it actually is an enemy. Doesn't pay to go around blasting all the Rebel top big-wigs out of existence! Just wait a bit."

As the ship entered the system, the crew could see that it was a Rebel Destroyer.

"D'oh!" yelled Captain Roberts. "Oh well, better send some greetings. Just to stay friendly, if you know what I mean."

The communications operator prepared a message of greetings, and a vow of death to the Confederation. He then hit the 'Send' button on his screen. A few seconds later, they got a message back:

"Die, Rebel scum!!!"

"What the heck?!" exclaimed Roberts. They were interrupted, however, by the alarm sound and the bright red flashing light on the target panel. The Destroyer was being piloted by the treacherous Confederate pilots!!!

A missile came speeding towards them. Roberts desperately tried to turn the Cruiser. But it was too slow, and the missile too fast.

"Launch a counter-strike!" he ordered. Make 'em pay for a new paint job!" The crew gave a roar of laughter, and rushed to their battle stations, full of courage. Seconds later, a swarm of red triangles burst from the bays. The Mantas had been launched. They fired their missiles, and began to strafe the Destroyer. Two were ripped up by the Destroyers proton turrets. Three yellow torpedoes came slowly out of the launcher, knocking another Manta to dust. The remaining Manta valiantly kept on pummeling the Destroyer with it's lasers. Slowly, the great cruiser turned around, and with a roar, accelerated towards the Destroyer, turrets blaring out and missiles and torpedoes pouring out of it's sides. Plates of armor crashed off the side of the Destroyer. It launched a pitiful counter-strike. Several missiles flew from their launchers, hitting the Cruiser in the neck. The damage was minimal, but enough to make Captain Roberts mad. He took control of the front cannons. With a rumble, and a thud-thud-thud, the neutron cannon burst into life, tearing out great pieces of armor from the Destroyer.

"She's almost down!" cried Roberts, full of vigour. Let's test out a couple of space bombs!" The great ship accelerated to the Destroyer. Slowly, the bay doors opened, and out dropped a space bomb. The Cruiser swerved away just in time, as the bomb hit the Destroyer with a terrific crash. With it's shields almost down to nil, and it's ammo almost all gone, the Destroyer was almost helpless. It fired the last of it's missiles, and it's last torpedo in a desperate effort to survive. But it was hopeless. Captain Roberts skillfully manoeuvered the ship until it was almost within range of the Destroyer. The he turned on the turrets. The Destroyer was down to the last of it's armor now. A few quick shots with the Tractor Beam finished it off. The crew of the RSS Reliant watched from a distance as the Destroyer burst into a giant fireball.

They continued their journey back to Palshife without any more notable events- only the odd Patrol Ship. They all wondered how the heck the Confeds could of got hold of such a sophisticated ship as a Destroyer. They knew one thing- the Confed gits weren't meant to have it.

Back in the Satori system, Roberts requested landing permission. He was granted it, and landed. He had to get to the Rebel HQ and tell his superiors what had happened. How had the Confeds got a Rebel ship?!!

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