“Those Delphinus Frigates are not falling back Captain. They just keep crisscrossing the Surakari fleet destroying as many of our javelin’s as possible.”

“How are they still maintaining that level of agility after two hours?” the Captain pondered, “No known Surakari frigate configuration can operate at maximum combat performance for more than an hour. Launch several camera probes. We need to see what those things are and give the probes some hunter escorts.”

Warships strafed each other, pumping cannons and plasma beams into each others hulls. The capital ship squadrons executed wide sweeping turns chasing and feigning retreat. Fighters orbited the enemy targets, tearing open vital systems.

Several Surakari interceptors erupted in flashes of light as Hunter Gatling guns chewed through fuel tanks. The path to the Delphinus frigates had opened up and all four camera probes remained in tow. Two javelin missiles snagged the attention of the frigates, allowing each of the probes a pass of the warships, transmitting up close images and detailed thermal readings of the ship’s hulls.

Barely muttering, the captain examined the pictures, “That’s how they are doing it. Nearly the whole hull is a heat sink and those armor panels,” he paused, “They look like modern active armor. This must be a new class of Surakari Frigate.”

“What should we do?”

The captain answered, “Get us out of the fight and find a clear path for a message probe to reach jump distance. The Sarlet District Military command needs to know about this new warship. It may be a sign of things to come.”