Above Raxus...
An unmistakably disgusted sound came from Admiral Telan Desaria as he watched ships parade by the command tower of the Intimidator. There was a frown on his lips and a sneer of his face – far from the calm, calculating, yet cordial picture the Department of Propaganda had painted of the Kuati nobleman.
“ Toys! Nerfing toys!!! What the frell are they?”
Captain Vorran bit his lip in something of a futile attempt to withhold a smile. He failed miserably, but thankfully the Admiral did not catch sight, instead too busy gawking at the passers-by. “ Arade-class Missile Destroyers. Five were sent as reinforcements. They are experimental but have been field-tested.”
“ Oh have they? Have they ever seen combat?”
Vorran frowned to hide a newly grown grin: seeing the Admiral furious was comical. “ Actually, sir, these five are the only ones in service. This is to be their baptism of fire as it were.”
“ Wonderful! I’ve got to hold the hands of five new captains commanding experimental and thusly unreliable ships! This is all the @#%$ Virenius’ doing! Amarilla probably has his right hand: I never would have let this happen! I’ve got five Moffs and a dozen governors in my sector of operations already doing little than snooping over my shoulder. Things must be pretty bad for the Army if Kaine is not interfering. The General Staff is now a pool of political lackeys!”
Vorran straightened to attention when Desaria turned towards the interior of the viewing bay aft of the bridge. He departed in a huff, his adjutant in tow bearing the remainder of the tirade. The command ship’s captain squinted to look at the object of Desaria’s rage. The missile destroyers were indeed odd contraptions by Fleet standards: a saucer-like primary hull with little more aft than an engine housing. Apparently boasting fifty rapid-fire concussion missiles launchers but little in the way of energy weapons, the three-hundred meter craft bore more a resemblance to something the Rebels would field than the almighty Empire.
The Captain sighed, having to agree with his admiral. In the week since his removal from the General Staff, the change was noticeable…
An unmistakably disgusted sound came from Admiral Telan Desaria as he watched ships parade by the command tower of the Intimidator. There was a frown on his lips and a sneer of his face – far from the calm, calculating, yet cordial picture the Department of Propaganda had painted of the Kuati nobleman.
“ Toys! Nerfing toys!!! What the frell are they?”
Captain Vorran bit his lip in something of a futile attempt to withhold a smile. He failed miserably, but thankfully the Admiral did not catch sight, instead too busy gawking at the passers-by. “ Arade-class Missile Destroyers. Five were sent as reinforcements. They are experimental but have been field-tested.”
“ Oh have they? Have they ever seen combat?”
Vorran frowned to hide a newly grown grin: seeing the Admiral furious was comical. “ Actually, sir, these five are the only ones in service. This is to be their baptism of fire as it were.”
“ Wonderful! I’ve got to hold the hands of five new captains commanding experimental and thusly unreliable ships! This is all the @#%$ Virenius’ doing! Amarilla probably has his right hand: I never would have let this happen! I’ve got five Moffs and a dozen governors in my sector of operations already doing little than snooping over my shoulder. Things must be pretty bad for the Army if Kaine is not interfering. The General Staff is now a pool of political lackeys!”
Vorran straightened to attention when Desaria turned towards the interior of the viewing bay aft of the bridge. He departed in a huff, his adjutant in tow bearing the remainder of the tirade. The command ship’s captain squinted to look at the object of Desaria’s rage. The missile destroyers were indeed odd contraptions by Fleet standards: a saucer-like primary hull with little more aft than an engine housing. Apparently boasting fifty rapid-fire concussion missiles launchers but little in the way of energy weapons, the three-hundred meter craft bore more a resemblance to something the Rebels would field than the almighty Empire.
The Captain sighed, having to agree with his admiral. In the week since his removal from the General Staff, the change was noticeable…