Chapter 353: Commodore Halvek Ruun 3

The explosions along the left side of Sanctuary Ardent did not destroy Ruun’s advancing group, but they broke its shape at the worst possible moment.

Several cruisers turned away from the mining debris, while others kept moving toward the mountain because they had not received the change in orders quickly enough.

One destroyer struck a damaged ore container and lost control, forcing the cruiser behind it to slow before the two ships collided.

Rhoswen led the sanctuary cutters through the confusion.

Her cutter was smaller than every ship around it, but that made it harder to hit while the Compact formation was still trying to recover.

She passed beneath the nearest cruiser and fired into the exposed shield units along its lower hull, then turned sharply before the enemy’s side weapons could follow her.

The other cutters attacked from different angles, aiming at engines, sensors, and weapon mounts.

They were not trying to win a direct fight.

They only needed to keep the left wing disordered until Solenne’s ships arrived.

Inside the command center, Aurelian watched Ruun’s formation split into several smaller groups.

"His left wing is no longer moving as one force," Eirenne said. "However, the central group is continuing its attack."

Ruun had not allowed the failed approach to stop him.

His main force moved closer to the sanctuary and fired another heavy volley. Kinetic rounds struck the mountain shield first, followed by missiles and long beams that cut across the weakened field.

The shield over the western launch area failed for less than a second.

That was enough for several missiles to pass through.

Two struck the outer armor above the docks, while another hit an old sensor tower and tore it away from the mountain.

Metal fragments spread across the launch area, forcing the two cutters stationed near the medical docks to move deeper into cover.

"Damage report," Aurelian ordered.

"Western sensor tower destroyed," Eirenne replied. "Two launch passages blocked. The medical docks remain sealed, and no patient areas were hit."

Astra stood beside the internal defense display, following the movement of the Compact assault carriers.

"They are launching boarding craft."

Dozens of smaller vessels were leaving the carriers.

Some were heavy transports protected by thick armor, while others were fast attack craft sent ahead to draw fire from the sanctuary batteries.

Ruun was using the damaged left wing and his central bombardment to cover the boarding force.

The smaller sanctuary weapons opened fire immediately.

Bright lines crossed the space above the mountain. Several attack craft broke apart before they reached the shield, but there were too many to stop all at once.

Aurelian counted more than seventy boarding vessels.

Most were aimed at the western launch area, where the shield had already weakened.

"He intends to take the command levels," Astra said.

"He will try to secure the launch halls first," Eirenne answered. "After that, his troops can enter the upper sanctuary corridors."

Aurelian looked at the internal map.

The upper halls were almost empty now, but hundreds of medical patients and workers remained inside the deeper sections.

If Compact troops entered the sanctuary, Astra would have to stop them before they reached the lifts.

"Seal every route from the western launch halls to the medical levels," he said. "Leave only two passages open."

Astra understood.

"You want them to follow the routes we choose."

"Yes."

"I’ll prepare the defense teams."

She left the command center without another word.

Aurelian returned his attention to the battle.

Solenne’s destroyers had entered the system and were moving toward the sanctuary at full speed. They were still too far away to fire effectively, but Ruun had already noticed them.

His right wing, damaged by the sanctuary’s main volley, began turning toward the returning ships.

Ruun intended to keep Solenne’s destroyers away from the central battle while his main fleet continued the boarding attack.

It was a sensible choice.

The returning group had only eight destroyers and one light cruiser. They could not defeat the damaged right wing in a direct fight, especially after traveling at full speed.

Aurelian opened a channel to Solenne.

"Ruun is moving his right group toward you."

"I see it."

"Do not engage them head-on."

"I wasn’t planning to."

Her ships changed course.

Instead of moving directly toward Sanctuary Ardent, they passed toward the edge of the debris field, forcing Ruun’s right wing to turn again if it wanted to intercept them.

The Compact ships followed.

Solenne continued moving away from the sanctuary, drawing them farther from the central formation.

Ruun sent an order for the right wing to return, but by then the group had already lost several minutes.

Solenne turned once more and moved back toward the sanctuary by a different route.

Ruun’s ships had been pulled out of position without firing a useful shot.

"He is not going to enjoy that," Rhoswen said over the cutter channel.

Her voice remained calm, though her cutter’s shield was below half strength.

"Focus on your own position," Aurelian told her.

"I am focused. There happens to be a cruiser trying to crush me."

The tactical display showed her cutter passing close to the side of a Compact heavy cruiser.

The cruiser turned its weapons toward her, but another sanctuary cutter attacked its damaged engine section before it could fire. Rhoswen used the opening to move behind the old ore station.

The Compact left wing tried to reform.

This time, its commander spread the ships farther apart so the cutters could not use the same mining debris against them again.

That reduced the danger of collisions, but it also made the wing slower to organize.

Ruun’s main force was now fighting without support from either side.

He continued anyway.

The boarding craft reached the sanctuary shield.

Several were destroyed by the smaller batteries, but more than thirty crossed through weak sections of the field and moved toward the western launch halls.

The first group landed near the damaged docks.

Compact troops left the ships under cover of portable shields and moved into the outer passages.

Eirenne brought their positions onto the internal map.

"They are inside."

Aurelian watched the red marks gather near the western entrance.

Astra’s defenders were waiting farther down the corridor, behind two sealed cargo doors and a narrow passage that allowed only a small number of attackers to advance at once.