Chapter 351: Commodore Halvek Ruun

"I appreciate the confidence, but confidence will not repair the cooling lines."

Solenne was quiet for a moment.

"I’ll return as soon as the transports are safe."

The channel closed.

Aurelian looked at the remaining ships near Sanctuary Ardent.

Three cruisers had taken heavy damage during the battle. One had lost most of its forward weapons, another had a weak shield generator, and the third could not move faster than half combat speed.

The destroyers were in better condition, but none could stand against a full Compact formation.

The defense cutters were also damaged. Six could still fly, though only four had enough shield strength for another fight.

The sanctuary’s main batteries would recover partial function in a little over two hours.

For the moment, they were almost alone.

Aurelian ordered every available repair team to focus on shields, engines, and point-defense weapons.

There was no point restoring damaged living areas before the sanctuary could protect itself.

The work continued for another forty minutes before Eirenne suddenly turned toward the outer display.

Her expression changed.

Aurelian noticed immediately.

"What happened?"

"Long-range sensors detected a warp disturbance."

Rhoswen moved closer to the table.

"The Arcturus convoy?"

"No. The signal is coming from the wrong direction."

The system map widened.

A large distortion had appeared beyond the outer debris belt, close to the same jump boundary Taran had used when he withdrew.

Astra stepped beside Aurelian.

"How many ships?"

"The signal is still forming," Eirenne replied. "At least sixty large drives, possibly more than one hundred."

Rhoswen’s earlier confidence disappeared.

"That is not Taran’s damaged fleet."

"No," Aurelian said.

The disturbance continued growing.

Smaller signals appeared around the main group, suggesting escorts, carriers, or support ships traveling inside the same warp formation.

Eirenne examined the pattern for several seconds.

"Estimated arrival in twenty-eight minutes."

Aurelian opened a direct channel to Solenne.

She answered before he spoke.

"I see it."

"Can you return?"

"Not in time. I’m seventy-one minutes away, even if I leave the transports now."

"Do not leave them."

"Aurelian."

"If this is another attack, the transports are still the easier target. Stay with them until they reach safety."

Solenne clearly disliked the order, but she understood it.

"I’ll send my fastest group back first. Eight destroyers and one light cruiser can arrive in forty-three minutes."

"The unknown fleet arrives in twenty-eight."

"I know."

The channel ended.

Aurelian turned to the officers in the command center.

"Move every medical patient away from the upper halls. Seal all surface access routes that are not required for defense. Launch the working cutters and place the remaining ships behind the sanctuary’s strongest firing lines."

Orders spread through the mountain.

Warning lights came on across the upper levels, though Eirenne kept the alarms silent inside the medical halls to avoid frightening the patients.

The damaged Human ships left their repair positions and moved into defensive formation.

They looked weak beside the mountain.

Several still carried open damage along their hulls, and repair crews had not finished replacing armor plates before the launch order arrived.

The sanctuary cutters formed around them.

Aurelian watched the warp disturbance.

Twenty-four minutes.

The main batteries had not cooled enough.

"Can we fire them?" he asked.

"Yes," Eirenne said. "Once."

"What happens after that?"

"Several may suffer permanent damage. Two could lose their entire cooling systems."

"What about the smaller batteries?"

"Most are ready, but they cannot threaten heavy cruisers unless the shields are already weakened."

Aurelian looked at the enemy arrival point.

"Prepare the main batteries for one volley. Do not fire without my order."

"Understood."

Astra checked the internal security display.

"Yarric is asking what is happening."

"Tell him we detected an incoming fleet."

"He may know who it is."

Aurelian considered that, then opened a channel to the holding room.

Yarric appeared on a smaller display.

The Compact commander had heard the movement outside his room and had probably guessed the rest.

"A fleet is approaching from the direction Taran used," Aurelian said. "At least sixty large ships."

Yarric’s expression became serious.

"How long until arrival?"

"Twenty-two minutes."

"That is too fast for Saevor Drann’s main force."

"Then who?"

Yarric looked down for a moment.

"Drann has two mobile reserve groups along the inner Compact border. Either one could have moved after receiving Taran’s report, but they should still need several hours."

"Could Taran have arranged support before attacking?"

"No. He expected to capture the sanctuary with the forces he had."

Aurelian watched him closely.

"Who else would respond this quickly?"

Yarric hesitated.

"There is one commander who does not wait for permission when he sees a chance to gain favor."

"Name."

"Commodore Halvek Ruun. He commands the Grey Mantle flotilla."

Rhoswen leaned toward the display.

"How many ships?"

"Usually eighty to ninety combat vessels, with several assault carriers. If Taran sent him a direct request, he may have brought all of them."

"What kind of commander is he?" Aurelian asked.

"Fast, aggressive, and more interested in victory than losses."

"That sounds useful," Rhoswen said.

Yarric looked at her.

"Only when he is fighting someone else."

Aurelian closed the channel and asked Eirenne to search the captured Compact records.

She found several references to Halvek Ruun.

He had led attacks against rebel stations, broken a blockade around Drann’s territory, and destroyed two pirate fleets that had tried to hide among civilian shipping routes.

His victories were real.

So were his losses.

In three years, he had lost more ships than any other flotilla commander under Saevor Drann, but Drann continued supporting him because Ruun usually completed the task he was given.

He was not coming to observe Sanctuary Ardent.

He was coming to take it before Solenne returned.

Ten minutes before arrival, Eirenne detected smaller warp disturbances behind the first.

"More ships," she said.

"How many?"

"Unknown. The signal is mixed with the main formation."

Aurelian looked at the system map.

The Arcturus convoy remained nine hours away. Solenne’s returning ships would not arrive for more than half an hour. The sanctuary batteries had one strong volley, followed by whatever the smaller weapons could manage.

Ruun probably believed he had arrived at the right moment.

He was correct.

That did not mean Aurelian intended to give him the sanctuary.

"Eirenne, move the defense cutters into the debris field," he said. "Keep them hidden until the enemy commits to an approach."

"All six?"

"Four. Leave two near the medical docks."

"Acknowledged."

"Astra, take control of internal defense. If they launch boarding craft, I want them stopped before they reach the lower halls."