C83 Grim Stars, Iron Fangs

Invicta felt alive beneath us, its vast power barely restrained as we prepared to leave the Citadel behind.

Paul, sitting at the navigation console, let out a whistle as he glanced at the engine readouts.

"Damm the top speed Is slower than a corvette but the thrusters output Is Insane"

The bridge lit up with warning lights as the ship's gravity clamps were disengaged. The massive support beams holding Invicta in place began to retract, freeing us from the berth.

Outside the viewports, the vast expanse of the Citadel's hangar slowly fell away, revealing the open space beyond.

"Ready to take her out?"

Darius asked, his hands poised over the controls.

I gave a firm nod.

"Punch It"

Darius punched the thrusters, and Invicta surged forward, slowly exiting the Citadel's hangar bay.

The shift in momentum was immediate, the frigate's engines powerful enough to make even the Citadel's enormous structure seem small in comparison.

As the ship cleared the Citadel, the familiar view of space opened up before us. The stars stretched out in all directions, the cold darkness surrounding us like an old, familiar friend.

"Full burn,"

I commanded, watching as the star charts flickered on the display, plotting our course toward the S*l system's gravity well.

Paul grinned as he entered the coordinates.

"Full burn, huh? You really want to see what she's made of."

The chemical thrusters roared to life with blue flames, and Invicta shot forward, accelerating with a force that made the corvette feel like a toy in comparison.

The bridge rumbled as the ship hit full thrust, the distant stars blurring slightly as we reached cruising speed.

"Now that's what I'm talking about,"

Airid said, leaning back in his chair.

"Smooth ride for a beast this big."

"Yeah, well, let's hope she stays smooth,"

Robert chimed in from the engineering station.

"I don't want to spend the next few months chasing down engine issues."

I glanced over at him, smirking.

"Don't worry. If something goes wrong, you'll be the first to know."

The rest of my battlebrothers settled into their stations, the banter dying down as we focused on the task at hand.

Running a frigate this size was no joke, especially without a full bridge crew, but we were managing.

The ship's computer handled most of the heavy lifting, controlling the non-essential systems and keeping the diagnostics running in the background.

But the core functions, navigation, weapons, engine management that was all on us.

And it felt good. There was a certain pride in knowing we were running this beast with just the six of us.

Sure, the recruits would eventually fill out the rest of the roles, but for now, Invicta was our domain.

As we settled into the steady hum of the ship's thrusters, I leaned back in my chair, feeling the weight of the bridge around me.

"We've come a long way from the corvette,"

I said, my voice quiet but filled with satisfaction.

Paul grinned, his fingers tapping idly on the navigation console.

"Yeah, and now we've got something that can actually hold its own in a space fight."

Julian, ever the calm one, nodded from his station.

"This ship's a statement. Anyone who sees us coming will know we're not to be f*cked with."

Darius smirked, his hands still on the controls.

"Damn right. And if they do f*ck with us, they're going to regret it."

I chuckled, watching as the S*l system's gravity well appeared on the star map, our destination marked in glowing blue.

Invicta surged forward, her thrusters firing at full capacity as we sped through the cold expanse of space.

I glanced around at my battle brothers, who were still grinning from the successful launch. The ship felt solid, a far cry from the cramped corvette days.

But this wasn't a joyride, we had work to do, and we were on a tight schedule. The recruits might've survived their first taste of discipline, but we weren't anywhere close to making warriors out of them.

"Alright,"

I said, pushing myself up from the command chair.

"Time to get those schmuks in shape. You know the drill. Combat armor training, first aid, and chain weapons."

Airid, leaning casually in his chair, shot me a wry grin.

"You really don't waste any time, do you, Drac? I was hoping to kick back and enjoy the view for a bit."

"Yeah, well,"

I replied, giving him a sharp look,

"The galaxy doesn't give a f*ck about your downtime, and neither do I. Those pups we've got back there are raw. If we're gonna turn them into something useful, we need to hit the ground running."

Paul stood up, stretching his arms over his head.

"You heard the man. Time to make some warriors. Or at least try not to kill them during basic."

Julian smirked.

"I give 'em a week before they're begging to go home. Too bad there's no way out."

Darius, still at the controls, grunted in agreement.

"They'll thank us when they're not getting their heads blown off by a stray round because they don't know how to take cover properly."

"Or when they're patching themselves up instead of bleeding out like amateurs,"

Robert added as he stood from the engineering console.

"Speaking of which, who's taking first aid duty today?"

"Me,"

I said, cracking my neck.

"I'll handle it. You guys get started with the armor and weapons training. Keep 'em busy and don't let up."

Airid chuckled as we headed for the exit.

"No rest for the wicked, huh?"

I shot him a smirk as we left the bridge, the automatic doors hissing closed behind us. The sound of the Invictas thrusters faded as we entered the corridors, making our way toward the barracks section.

The hum of the ship was now accompanied by the distant sounds of recruits shuffling about, likely still recovering from the brutal for them morning PT.

The walk through the square corridors was familiar, but it was different from the corvette, the frigate felt like a living, breathing creature.

It was vast, with enough room to train the 10,000 recruits we'd brought on board. Every step reminded me of the sheer power we now commanded, but it was also a reminder of the responsibility that came with it.

We approached the barracks section, and the chatter from inside died down the moment the recruits with noticeable cuts and swollen bumps from the thrusters full burn because we didn't warn them on purpose caught sight of us.

They stood stiffly at attention, their uniforms already drenched in sweat from the morning's drills.

Some of them looked like they were barely holding on wide-eyed, exhausted, and depressed as f*ck.

What a nostalgic sight.

I thought while grinning sadistically, whoever was going to get on my nerves was going to be In a world of pain.

...

Yin and Yangs 3dpov

Yin and Yang were still reeling from the full burn thrust. The sudden acceleration had slammed them into the bulkheads of the ship, leaving bruises and scrapes in its wake.

Their bodies ached, and small cuts adorned their faces and arms from the harsh impact, but they had learned quickly that complaints weren't welcome in the Iron Fenrirs.

The sound of boots echoed through the hall outside their room, and the overhead lights flickered as the ship adjusted to its course. Every movement sent a dull ache through their bruised muscles.

Yin glanced at Yang, who was rubbing her shoulder, trying to soothe the dull throb.

"You okay?"

Yin asked quietly, wincing as she touched the cut on her cheek.

"I've been better,"

Yang muttered.

"But I'll live. How's your head?"

Yin brushed her fingers over the bump on her forehead, sighing.

"Still attached."