"The words 'Here they come' marked the beginning of a Ceti armada's advance into the Sol system. These words were also the final translation of Cmdr. Mark Paige, the 151st Terran Reconnaissance Squadron, and the TDS Heracles. I'm Diana Mays, and this is a SolarNet News Special Report.

"Admiral Akira Tenaka is currently en route to Providence Station and could not be reached for comment. SolarNet News did contact Capt. Stephen Borchevsky, commanding officer of Liberty Station, who provided us with details about the destruction of Heracles and the 151st.

'As of 25 September, TDS Heracles completed its refit and resupply at the Olympus Mons Fleetyards. Admiral Tenaka assembled a five-ship task force with Heracles in command; the other ships were TDS Nassau, Wisconsin, Peru, and Avalon. The 151st Reconnaissance Squadron was assigned to the task force, along with the 103rd and 12th Starborne Superiority Squadrons.

'We've suspected for close to a month that the Ceti had massed forces on the fringes of the Sol System, though we haven't found any conclusive evidence until now. While having confirmed information on the Ceti buildup is valuable, we've paid a steep price in the loss of a carrier, her crew, and an entire squadron of men and women.

"Captain Borschevsky declassified a small amount of telemetry from the Heracles' final moments, as well as a general estimate on the Ceti fleet's size.

Ceti Broadsword-class fighter-bombers attack the TDS Heracles

Ceti Broadsword-class fighter-bombers attack the TDS Heracles.
Image © 1995 by Warner Brothers Corporation.

'We are looking at an armada that is about equal in size to the Terran Defense Force fleet. That armada is now on the move and will be inside Neptune's orbit in about two weeks at their current velocity. In three weeks, they will be about 1 million kilometers from Saturn. The size of their fleet and the logistics they require to keep such a large force in order is forcing them to move slowly, or else their ships could make Neptune in two days instead of two weeks.'

"Asked if there would be a military response to Heracles' destruction, Borchevsky answered, 'Admiral Tenaka left orders for our military response should some or all of the task force be destroyed. Rest assured, Heracles' destruction will not go unanswered.'"

"On a more ominous note, a source within the Terran Intelligence Directorate has recently given us disturbing information about the size of the Ceti armada, indicating that it may in fact be two or two and a half times the estimated size Captain Borchevsky provided us earlier. We'll keep you informed about this and other news about this latest conflict at the edge of the Solar System. I'm Diana Mays, and this has been a SolarNet News special report.