Dripping sweat looking completely exhausted as soon as the system signaled completion she signed out of the VR and rolled out of the seat.
Almost gasping for air "God damn it Royce, why does it hurt so much still?"
"That test has a pain intensifier All injuries feel 20% worse than they are. It only takes a minute for your nerve endings to realize they were being tricked." Lifting her arm by the shoulder and helping her to her feet. "Do you want to know what your scores were?"
Looking up she smirked and nodded. he tapped the screen for the final score. 'She beat me by three points.' Was the first thought to run through his head. 95/100. The only way to score above a 95 is to destroy a lot more of the enemy or take no additional hits in the spacecraft.
She looked at her brother and smiled "That's better than yours." and she winked.
"So since I owe you, tomorrow you will bring us into orbit You will program the computer to keep the planet in between us and possible onlookers. You will report to the pilots station first thing in the morning Allison." At that moment she showed her true age rising on her toes and bouncing for a moment smiling ear to ear.
"Thank you big brother I'll go wash up and rest now." Allison said that as she walked off the bridge. He waved shook his head and thought 'Going to have to build another fighter let her customize it herself.'
His ship is a Charger class Frontline runner. originally it had enough storage to resupply a command ship with half its maximum complement of fighters, crew, and spare parts, and most importantly no weapons. Now, it still had the full hanger room for 10 fighters or other comparable ships. Eliminated 1/2 the total storage area 1/3 the crew space. Then added two command carrier blaster's and a bomber's turet. No missiles, instead modified drones that could move just as fast as missiles but had a lot more varying effects. And after some top-of-the-line engine, power modifications and a unique hull. Thanks to all that The Nova Saber was a very formidable ship. With his AI crew. The ship is able to hold resources for 30 years.
After glancing over the course and ships systems Royce decided it was time for him to turn in as well. "Fox take over, Wake me up in 8 hours."
A computer voice from overhead "Yes sir." And Royce walked off the bridge.
---
Beep. "Captain we are 53 minutes from the planet and Allison is on her way to the bridge"
"Thanks Fox" Quickly dressing and heading to the bridge himself. Walking on to the bridge seeing Allison already in the pilot seat he took the captain's chair. "You know what to do. Fox. Give her the controls."
"Yes Captain. Allison, you have control of the ship." from a slightly metallic voice from overhead. Then from a speaker on the console, "You should see how light his knuckles are getting. If he holds on any tighter he's going to break the chair. Acting like the inertia dampeners aren't fully functional." they could both hear the metallic voice from the console but it was obviously directed at Allison.
"Big brother are you afraid I'm going to crash your baby?" She said with a smile on her face.
"It's been smacked around by tougher things than a 9-year-old fighter pilot. Do your worst." He laughed while leaning back in the chair activating the recliner while a footrest came from up the floor.
All joking aside an hour after waking up his ship was in a solar orbit hiding behind the planet from any sensors that could reach the system.
"Captain being the first to visit this planet you're allowed to name it would you like me to register something?" Fox chimed in from over head.
"Come on Fox You know we don't want anybody to know we were here until after we're done." he was pretty sure Fox was joking.
"I was thinking after your sister and of course when we're done" It almost sounded like the metallic voice was talking down to him.
"I'll leave it up to you Fox"
"I wouldn't mind having a planet named after me." She said while switching on the automated system and standing up out of the pilot's chair. Then with a kind of curl to her lip and nose. "Are we really going to sit here for 10 years and wait and see if one of those bodies wakes up?"
"It doesn't sound like a good plan when you say it. But yes. No one will be looking for you by then either." At that moment a very specific flashing light was noticed out of the corner of his eye and Fox beeped about to leave a message that he was afraid he'd be able to predict.
"Captain there's a ship on the very edge of our sensors. Can't scan the ID from this distance but it looks like a Terran attack cruiser." The metallic voice only paused for a second. "They are firing"
"At that distance we will be able to shoot the missiles down before they get here..."But Fox cut him off before he could say anymore.
"Not missiles Sir! brace for impact!" Fox barely finished before the entire ship began to violently shake.
Royce only had a second to glance at his sister because at that moment the energy weapon that was rocking their ship was centered perfectly over his sister and blasted a hole straight through the ship causing her to disappear in a flash of light. But that event only barely registered. because at the same time the ship was decompressing and Royce found himself sucked into the same energy blast.
Darkness...
Silence..
Nothing else.