'Comms, is everything set? Lucian addressed the servitor at station three, receiving a garbled burst of machine noise, accompanied by a stiff nod. 'Good, stand by.

'Seventy-five. called the helmsman, a note of tension creeping into his voice.

'Hold steady' Lucian replied, referring as much to the vessel's course as the helmsman's nerves.

The range counter on the holograph counted down, and there was still no response from the alien fleet.

'Fifty kilometres.

'Good. Lucian stood, adjusting the holster at his belt. 'Full power to secondary arrays.

The red lighting dimmed for a moment as the secondary communications array bled off the power it needed to go from cold to fully ready in mere seconds. Lucian kept his eyes on the holograph, knowing that the aliens would pick up the power surge at any moment.

'Station three, open a- the green holographic icons representing the alien vessels suddenly shifted, breaking formation as Lucian had known they would.

'Twenty-five. called the helmsman.

'Station three, open it now!

The bridge filled with howling static as the servitor at the communications station opened a broadcast on all channels on which the secondary array was capable of transmitting. This had better work, thought Lucian.

'Alien fleet. he said, knowing that his words would be flooding the ether across every conceivable frequency. 'Alien fleet, this is the Oceanid, flagship of the Arcadius Grand Fleet. Please respond immediately'

The bridge address system howled with feedback as the communications servitor adjusted the gain, sweeping the channels for any sign of a response. Lucian had hoped to get as close as possible to Arris Epsilon before announcing his presence, looking to gain any advantage possible over the aliens. He strained to filter out the random noise flooding the bridge, looking for any sign of an intelligible response. Of course, even if the aliens could, and did respond, there was no guarantee they would be able to communicate with one another. No matter, he thought for that was why he had been so careful to gain the upper hand. If they could not or would not talk, he would settle things the old-fashioned way.

A high-pitched wail burst forth, modulated by an arrhythmic pulse. The communications servitor opened its mouth and gave out a squeal, turning its head and looking straight at Lucian, almost accusingly, as it did so. The pulse continued for ten seconds or so, before the channel went completely silent, and a clear voice cut through.

'Oceanid. the voice said in perfectly enunciated High Gothic. 'This is the Water Caste starship Vior'la'-Gal'Leath'Shas'el. Please state your intentions'

Lucian stepped from his command throne, towards the forward viewing port. The distance between the Oceanid and the alien vessels was too great to afford visual recognition, but Lucian looked towards the area of space where he knew the aliens' position lay as he replied.

'Alien vessel, my intentions depend entirely upon your own. Please stand down and allow me to approach.

As he awaited an answer, Lucian looked sidelong at Raldi. The helmsman mouthed 'twenty-five' back at him.

At their current speed, Lucian would expect the alien vessels to be visible in the next few minutes. Then, and only then, he would be able to gauge the relative odds.

'Oceanid, it is not in our nature to seek meaningless confrontation. You may approach, but be warned, our vessels are heavily armed, and will fire if threatened.

Lucian chuckled to himself before replying, 'Understood. Stand by'

Indicating to the communications station with a finger drawn across his throat that the channel should be closed, Lucian turned back to the holograph. As the range shortened, the seven vessels took on more detail, the Oceanid's cogitation banks providing details of size, mass and approximate power levels. The minutes passed, Lucian absorbing the data presented in the readouts. He looked to make an estimate of the alien vessels' capabilities relative to the Oceanid's, but the cogitators simply could not discern enough data, never having encountered this race, or their vessels, before.

'Coming up on ten kilometres, sir' called Helmsman Raldi, Lucian looking to the viewing port once more.

The yellow-green globe of Arris Epsilon dominated the view, but Lucian could just make out the glittering constellation of lights that he knew to be the alien fleet. The seven vessels had dispersed their formation, entering a pattern from which they could afford one another mutual support were things to get ugly. It was no surprise to Lucian when he saw that the vessel that had answered his transmission, the 'Vior'la something-or-other', had taken position at the centre of the formation.

I would have done the same thing in their place, thought Lucian, his suspicions that he was not facing idiots confirmed.

Drawing closer to the alien fleet, the Oceanid passed the first of the alien vessels. He studied it as it slid silently by to starboard, its long, blocky form filling the smaller portholes as it passed. It was large, Lucian saw, of greater length than his own vessel, that much was immediately evident. It took the form of a long, central spine with a large drive section at the rear. Part way along the spine were mounted large, square structures, looking to Lucian like some form of modular cargo space, and at the fore a large prow featured what appeared to be a command tower bristling with antennae. Of most interest to Lucian were the long, rectangular barrelled weapons protruding from mountings just below the curved prow. These he had seen before.

Although few, Lucian judged these weapons capable of inflicting severe damage upon his vessel. In his judgement, the Oceanid could certainly take on several of these alien ships at once, and provided she got a good broadside on them could, in all likelihood, put them out of the fight. What Lucian took for cargo bays appeared to have been fitted at the expense of heavier or more numerous weapons batteries, and he guessed that other, up-gunned configurations existed.

Although larger than a manmade cruiser, Lucian judged these vessels of equivalent capability. Well, he thought, he'd taken on plenty of cruiser-sized enemies, and left blazing hulks dead in space behind him. If it came to it now, he'd do so again.

'Ordnance' Lucian called to the servitor at station two. 'I want all batteries made ready, but keep the ports closed until I give the order' The servitor gave a mechanical buzz in acknowledgement, its multiple, implanted appendages moving across the fire control console as it relayed Lucian's orders to the waiting weapons crews.

Another of the alien vessels was now by on the port side and Lucian noted that this one was configured in the same manner as the first. Emperor willing, he thought, all seven vessels would be of a similar, or even identical class.

'Closing on target. called the helmsman, Lucian seeing that the vessel with which he had communicated now loomed in the centre of the viewing port. He grinned, admitting to himself that he lived for moments such as these, despite the seriousness of the situation.

'Well enough, helm. Bring her alongside and reduce to station keeping. The alien flagship, for that was what Lucian took it to be, was prow on to the Oceanid, its fore-mounted weapons batteries facing towards Lucian's vessel, but evidently not, yet, tracking her. The Oceanid's drives growled as the helmsman reduced the ship's velocity, a rattling vibration running through the deck as the alien vessel loomed to starboard.

'Number three again? said Lucian in response to the juddering, grating sound. The helmsman nodded, though he did not turn to make eye contact with his master. 'Keep an eye on her Mister Raldi. If she misbehaves now we'll all be walking home'