The Evon Experience
by Alex Poff

Chapter 4 The Fish Exposed

Our Escort TF continued searching the space and systems in the vicinity of the Reann system, and while he was relatively unsuccessful in finding any great quantity of planets suitable for our people (there were a few small ones) he was able to determine a path through normal space which would allow our defense fleet and colony ships to reach the Reann system in a greatly reduced period of time. While he had not actually entered these systems, his long range scans, in conjunction with the colonization of a system three removed from Reann by our Eolodi allies, effectively “lit the way”. Interesting, however, was that one system in the path remained “dark”; sensors could not penetrate it. The only time we had seen this before was in the Ursa system, long ago. Ursa had been the home of a “Guardian” and Labon assumed this to be the case for this system as well. He informed Tovam and his fleet to be extremely cautious as he entered this dark system. Labon was also thankful tha t it would indeed be Tovam who met this challenge, for it was he who had vanquished the original Guardian in the Ursa system so successfully. Additionally, Labon had deployed an additional ten TF fleet from Selia, which were to be stationed in the “dark” system. Our previous experience showed us that there would be a planet of great splendor available upon the destruction of the Guardian and we had every intention of colonizing and defending it. It played out perfectly with our original plan of establishing a new sector of space that we could control, for this system was only two removed from Reann.

Prior to their arrival in this “dark” system, however, lay another system called Draconis. It was occupied by a species unknown to us. Our plan was to quickly traverse this system en route to the “dark” system and then onward to Reann. We had no intention of causing any trouble. This all changed when Tovam entered the system. “Red Alert – Proximity Warning” wailed the automatic sensor. “Give me a scan, now! I want to know what the hell I’m up against!” commanded Tovam. His tactical officer provided a wealth of information. The hull configuration for these ships matched those of the “fish” ships that had so long ago dared to attempt incursions into Selia. In addition, it appeared that the two planets in the system, while under control of the “fish”, did not contain their own citizens but rather held beings that were enslaved, one being Eolodi and the other being Alkari. Tovam was not about to simply depart the system allowin g this injustice to go unanswered. While the odds were equal, Tovam was still relatively young and brimming with confidence. “This will be a great victory for our people. Launch all fighters, fire all tubes!” he commanded. Our fighters immediately deployed, being led by a hail of missiles. These “fish” were clearly “out of water”. While they were able to launch their own missile wave, backed up by multiple missile launchers on Draconis I, their ships simply could not take the pounding that Tovam and his fleet brought to bear. The fish were able to destroy one of Tovam’s TF’s with a concentrated fire on one wing, but it was a costly maneuver. Their entire ten TF fleet drowned in a hail of fire brought on by the wrath of Tovam.

When the smoke had cleared, however, Tovam was now faced with a rather odd dilemma. He could not assault the planets, for his intention was to rescue the inhabitants, not kill them, but he had no Troop transports under his command with which to launch a planetary invasion. He contacted Labon via interstellar communicator and informed him of his decision and predicament. Labon, who had always held a soft spot in his heart for Tovam, was now even more proud of his protégé. Labon ordered Tovam to leave the Draconis system immediately and to proceed to the next system where we believed lay the Guardian. Destroy the Guardian and hold the system with his now nine TF fleet. Labon did not want Tovam and a slightly reduced fleet waiting about in Draconis for the arrival of Transport vessels while the “fish” had time to reinforce the system. Two Battleoid army Transport TF’s, along with two Superdreadnought CF TF’s as support, were immediately dispatched from Selia and they were right on the heels of the second ten-TF fleet that had just been previously deployed only cycles earlier. This second fleet, in conjunction with the Transports, would be responsible for the final liberation of the Draconis system. Tovam would be the sector commander, and this second fleet would then report to him directly for positioning and system allocation for the entire area including the defense of the Reann system. Tovam had done well. Labon knew that, in hopefully many years to come, he would have a very difficult but pleasant decision to make as to whom would succeed him as Vice Admiral. He had many fine commanders, including Semak, Hektar and Coilis, but in his heart, Tovam was his favourite.