“Status!” Boreas Dante bellowed, pushing up the sleeves of his flight suit. It was the comfortable black and brown one he favoured. 

“That was definitely something.” Hugh stated, recovering from the violent shudder that threw him into the helm station. A thick firm hand gripped his shoulder just as the ship lurched again. Both bodies slammed into controls and warnings and sirens began to compound the din of rattling components being tossed around the small bridge. 

“We are being attacked.” The navigator grimaced as the bulk of Boreas shoved off his thin frame. 

“Cerulean rail guns I think, judging by the range and impact.” The younger man licked his lips and analyzed what the readings before him said. 

“Rail guns?”

Before he could clarify for the captain, Hugh was interrupted. 

“CAP! WHAT IS THIS?” A loud voice erupted over the com. 

“Dixon, it's a ship that snuck up and fired at close range!” The navigator answered. 

“Evasive!” Boreas ordered Hugh. The captain switched to a ship wide channel, “Dix! Get our dancing shoes on, we’ve got guests. Deeno, make sure we've got our boxing gloves on. They aren’t here to make friends.”

Hugh had begun maneuvering the ship. The next volley of shots were near misses—or near hits. Hebe's Phoenix shuddered and shifted and creaked.     

“They're very insistent Cap!” Hugh’s bare arms tugged on controls.

“I noticed.” Boreas Dante glanced at a number of displays. Another shock whipped Hoodie across the cabin. The captain slid into the helm and took control.

“Now would be the time, Deeno!”

“I know. Weapons online in five, four...”

Boreas adjusted his next move giving his security officer a decent shot. He fired off two shots with the plasma cannon which prompted the attackers to come about from a different angle.  

“Thrusters are green and boosters are at full--” Dix announced, sounding winded. 

“Incoming!” The captain interrupted. 

The impact sent the ship off trajectory. Boreas reigned in the Phoenix but released the controls to strap himself in. 

“Dix! GravGens!” He bellowed. 

“We lost all but the stabilizers with that last hit. I'll get Lo on it.”

The captain out maneuvered the next three shots as their attackers drew near. From the sound behind him the navigator was free floating behind him which was hazardous in such a volatile situation. 

“Shit! I need someone to tie Hoodie down. He’s out.”

“Peter, take care of that will you?” Jev Meridian instructed over the open channel. 

“I'm almost at the medbay, doc.” The boy responded. 

“I’ve got it. Just go quickly.”

Between the captain's helmsmanship and Deeno's weapons fire the Phoenix held her own for some time. However for each attack that connected with the ship more and more red flags illuminated the console before Boreas. 

The attacking ship then sent a barrage of projectiles and try as he might the captain couldn't avoid all of them. The torpedoes detonated once embedded into the ship’s hull. 

“We lost thrusters captain, and boosters are at twenty percent.” Dixon's normally even voice betrayed his dismay. 

“Cap, Hoodie is hurt in a bad way!” Peter’s voice was strained. 

Boreas turned and saw the teenager aerially maneuvering the unconscious Hugh to a seat flanking him on his right. There was a gash on the navigators arm and a few cuts on his face. Peter must have been asleep when the attack began. He was wearing a loose pair of grey coloured trunks and a thin vest that was torn short. The sight of the half naked boy straddling the limp limbed navigator was a sight for him, but the new alarm sounding from the monitors afforded no such observations. 

“Strap in now! Everyone!”

He braced for impact. Glancing at the display there was no avoiding this one. And in three... two―

“Cap!” Peter’s voice was shrill as he was fiddling with the buckles strapping in Hugh. 

“Here!” Black Dog launched a hand towards the boy who grabbed it immediately. Then the captain pulled him from the seat, around and into his barrel chested body just as the ship erupted in an ear splitting shriek.