While waiting for the enemy fleet to arrive.
Andrew was contacted by Aelita who informed him that the shipyard's energy weapons were now online and charging, the same with the shields.
However, the kinetic weaponry was out of ammunition.
She asked him to send some resources, as the shipyard could produce its own ammunition.
Andrew immediately sent 20 cubes worth of resources to the shipyard, however, there would be little time to produce any ammunition at all, considering the time it would take the resources to arrive and the enemy's estimated arrival time.
Time went by quickly, and soon the enemy arrived.
From the get-go, Andrew knew they were more experienced than the small fleet sent by the federation as they jumped in two light seconds away from the station, avoiding the railgun's effective firing range.
This distance also gave them a lot of breathing space, even if Andrew used the small MACs his station was equipped with.
As soon as they jumped in, the enemy hailed the station.
-System Master, I'm giving you one last chance to comply with our demands, otherwise, we will open fire on your station.
Captain Rodill said with confidence.
-And I'm giving you one last chance to turn around and leave before you are destroyed.
I'm not giving you anything and if you think that you can take me on in combat then be my guest, but dont beg for mercy once the fighting starts.
Andrew answered, his tone cold and calm as his personality shifted into the battle mode, as he named it.
The Adurian captain laughed out loud.
-What can you possibly do to my fleet at this distance?
He asked with a voice full of ridicule and arrogance..
-Aelita, the corvette on the far right edge of their formation, use 30% of power, which should take down its shields.
Andrew said, loud and clear, making captain Rodill laugh even more.
A moment later, a beam of bright green light was fired from the shipyard.
It took two seconds for it to reach its target, however, Andrew forgot that the shipyard's main weapons were designed to repel cruisers, battleships, and even drednaughts.
So at 30% power, it cut through the shield of the enemy corvette like it wasn't even there and struck the ship directly, going clean through it and leaving a massive hole in its hull.
The corvette was there for another two or three seconds before it exploded, disappearing in a bright ball of light when its reactors went critical and the munitions on board exploded from the intense heat of the energy weapon that had just struck it.
Rodill's laugh died immediately once he witnessed the destruction of one of his ships with a single shot.
-You were saying?
Andrew asked, the shocked enemy commander.
Who had a hard time understanding what just happened.
The human was also surprised at the destruction of the ship but didn't let it show in any way.
-I'm sorry, Andrew. I used the settings you told me to, and I dont know why this happened.
Aelita was panicking a little, seeing the destruction of the ship she was supposed to take down shields of.
-Don't worry about it. I overestimated their defensive capabilities.
Andrew calmed her down.
-Lock on the rest of their fleet and decrease power to 10%, but don't fire just yet.
He ordered.
-Runir, launch the fleet. I want them to understand that there is no point in resisting.
-As you wish.
The fleet commander said, and the fleet launched at once.
The frigate and corvette, along with the fighters, came out of the station while all the gunships took off from the asteroids; they were hiding on.
This move allowed Andrew's fleet to surround the enemies before they even knew what was going on.
Andrew switched the channel back to the enemy commander.
-As you can see, you are surrounded, and I have more than enough fire power to wipe you out in a matter of minutes.
However, Iliana requested that I spare you all or at least as many of you as I can.
The human said, seeing the panic on the enemy's bridge.
-I want to fulfill her wish, so I give you a chance to surrender before any more of your ships and people perish.
Andrew said calmly.
-You won't get out of this without some casualties as well, so I propose a cease-fire, and my fleet will retreat.
Rodill said, trying his best to sound calm and collected.
-That option disappeared the moment you ignored it the first time.
The only options available to you now are surrender and live or fight and die.
As for the casualties.
Is it really worth it to lose all your people just to take a few of my own with you?
Andrew pushed the enemy commander further, hoping that he wasn't a sadistic nut who preferred the glory of death in battle over the lives of his crew.
On the screen, it was evident that Rodill was trying to figure out a way out of this that would let him avoid surrender and death, but he could not figure out any way out of the predicament he was in.
-All ships, power down your weapons and lower your shields.
He finally said after taking a deep breath.
-System master, I surrender with all my forces on the condition you won't kill or torture any of my subordinates.
- Captain Rodill, I give you my word that no one on board your ships will be harmed as long as they don't try to harm any of my people.
Andrew said, accepting Adurian's fleet surrender.
-Some of my gunships will dock with your fleet to take control of your ships.
Please inform your crews not to attack my people or the battle droids accompanying them.
-Of course, but I would like your permission to send some search and rescue parties to look for survivors of my corvette, or at least to try and find their bodies for proper burial.
Rodill asked.
-Permission granted. I'll also send some drones and gunships to assist.
Andrew agreed, without hesitation.
This could be seen as a gesture of goodwill, and he didn't want to lose this chance to show Adurian's that he was not a blood thirsty monster.
Immediately, Andrew ordered 5 gunships to go and look for any survivors or bodies of the crew from the destroyed ship.
To be honest, he didn't expect to find anyone alive after the ship exploded, but there was always hope that a miracle could happen.
The other eight ships were boarded by his subordinates, and there was no resistance from the crews as they were sent to their quarters, leaving only the necessary crew at their stations.
Andrew's people quickly locked the weapons systems and shields before they contacted the station and asked for further orders.
Not long later all the ships were moving towards the station, one by one, with the designated hangar for each ship.
They only left behind a medical shuttle that was looking for survivors in the debris of the destroyed vessel.
It took a while but soon all the ships were sitting in the hangars and their crews disembarked, before being led to one hangar on Andrew's orders.
Once they were all gathered, Andrew, Iliana, and Arien came before them.
-My name is Andrew Eagle, and I'm a system master of this and a few more neighboring systems.
Since you are all technically my prisoners, I have a few options for you to choose from that will determine your future.
Since we dont have the possibility to keep you as prisoners for a prolonged period, you will need to choose one.
-The first option is to join me and either help build the other stations under my control or you can also choose to start building your own station by conqueriing a system for me.
The second option is to join my fleet and serve on your ships under the command of new captains I will assign soon.
The last option is to be repatriated, but I assume that you all know what will happen to you once you go back defeated.
Andrew presented the possible choices and took a step back, replaced by Iliana.
-I am Iliana from the Chosen caste.
She introduced herself, making everyone pay attention to her, and a moment later all the crew's knelt on one knee before her.
-Rise. I didn't come before you to make you kneel before me.
I'm standing here to make a clear statement that I'm not going to return to the council space.
Not now, not ever.
Other than that, I want you all to consider the options you were just presented with carefully and choose your own path wisely.
As much as I want to order you all to become Lord Andrew's subordinates, this is your own choice to make, and he made it clear that he will accept your choice, whatever it is.
Sha wanted to say something more, but her bracelet pinged, signaling incoming communication.
-What is it?
She asked.
-Get to the hangar 3, they found survivors from the destroyed ship, but most of them are injured and in need of immediate medical assistance.
Sarill's voice came loud and clear from the device, allowing everyone to hear it.
-The medical droids are already on their way, but I'm afraid that there might not be enough of them.
-Thank you, Sarill. I'm also on my way.
She said, ending the connection.
-You all heard that I need all the medical staff to help me save our people.
The moment she said that, all the ship doctors, nurses, and even combat medics from the security teams came forward.
-Lady Iliana, we are at your command.
A middle-aged doctor with the highest rank came forward and knelt before her.
-Get up; we don't have time for this.
She said immediately, then turned to Andrew.
-Go, save who you can.
He said, not waiting for her to ask.
-Aelita. Is the med bay at the shipyard powered up?
He asked, activating his own bracelet.
-Yes, it is. Why?
The engineer asked, surprised.
-They found a bunch of survivors from the destroyed corvette, but most of them are injured, and we might need additional medical facilities to save some of them.
He explained.
-Alright, I'll start producing the medical droids here to help with that.
Aelita said with relief.
She was worried that she had killed the entire crew of the ship.
Thankfully, Andrew sent more than enough resources to build some medical droids.
So she immediately ordered the production of three dozen of them.