Let's bring the fight to them

I always thought space is big. An endless, black emptiness. But now it feels so small, burdened with stifling air. I almost laugh out loud, they haven't fixed the air purifiers yet. Not that it would matter, chances are, we'll be dead anyway.

I see burning eyes piercing my skin. A multitude of colors, from Samuel's dark brown to Katya's vivid green. Just like her mother's. When she died, I promised her I'll keep her daughter safe. I've failed. Maybe we all did when we signed up for military duty.

- Sir? – I hear Call's voice from what sounds to me like a vast distance. I turn toward her, I see the horror in her eyes.

- Status? – I ask, my voice sounding hoarse.

- Six Romulan ships've dropped out of Warp, Sir. – Call says. Even happy-go-lucky Call looks small and miserable now. We're up to the gallows, and she knows it – The other ships… they're awaiting orders, Sir.

My face twitches as I look away from her, seeing the small, almost star-like twinkling dots on the viewscreen. Star-like twinkling dots that become bigger by the second.

I fumble with the zipper of my jumpsuit, pulling it down just a bit to reach the medallion at my neck. It's a small locket, a family heirloom. I open it to look upon the photo of my wife. Alice… so far away, huddled in an air raid shelter, watching the live feed of Archer and his fleet defending our home system at Mars.

We never expected a second wave. Starfleet was wrong, go figure. LC ships were never meant to go toe-to-toe with a whole Romulan fleet, we were to deal with what Archer and his ships failed to kill off en route to Earth.

The panic inside my brain suddenly gives way to an idea so desperate and crazy that it might work. We'll probably be toast, but Earth will be defended. All for King and Country, damn the torpedoes, and all that bull.

I caress Alice's photo with my thumb. It might be the last time I see her kind face. After we've signed up for war duty, she asked me not to do anything stupid. She made me swear I'll come back alive. I'm about to break the only oath I ever swore.

- I'm sorry, Alice. – I whisper and close the locket, letting it fall and dangle around my neck again. I stand up, pressing a button on my armrest that will open a fleet-wide broadcast. I see the burning eyes again, I feel them, and I feel sorry for them. But damn, I'm so proud of them.

- This is Captain Linus Randolph of the LC ship Polaris. This is a message to the Littoral Combat Group. Prepare for dogfight. – I say, loud and clear, as if my voice would be heard all around this side of Heaven. I take a deep breath to issue my final command as a starship captain and my first as that of a fleet commander – Let's bring the fight to them!