The Turning Tide #5

OMG, fantastic!!! #DamnIloveSciFi

Wow! Wonderful image, so intricate!

Wonderful work, big sis!

You've been busy. The chair is a cool idea. Good work!

Oh I don't know how you got this amzing ideas nice write 🥰💖😍

Helena’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. Cate placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

"You’re doing fine," Cate reassured her. "Now, let’s tighten your focus. Aim for two Gliders at a time."

Helena nodded, her resolve hardening. Two drones launched in perfect unison, striking their targets. She exhaled deeply, the tension beginning to drain from her shoulders.

Cate watched the monitors, her confidence in the Carmelite nun growing. "Keep it up, Sister. The tide’s turning."

"Really?" Helena’s voice was tinged with disbelief.

"Really," Cate confirmed. "Let’s keep going."

The Sister closed her eyes again, her confidence growing. Two more drones launched, cutting down two Death Gliders in a fiery display.

"Fire at will," Cate instructed, her tone filled with conviction.

Helena began targeting multiple ships, the drones spiralling through the void. But as her ambition grew, so did the risks. One drone veered off course, heading straight for the Invincible. The crew braced for impact, but the drone fizzled out—a dud.

"Hey! Who's aiming at friendlies?" barked Captain McFearson from the Invincible’s bridge.

Cate winced but kept her voice calm. "Apologies, Captain. Rookie in the Chair. She’ll adjust."

Cate pulled up two visuals on the monitor: a sleek, menacing Death Glider on one side and a compact, angular F-302 on the other. "Destroy the ships on the left. Focus on them in your mind. Nod when you’ve got the picture."

Helena nodded after a moment, her breathing steadying.

"Good. Now imagine taking one out. Visualize it."

A glowing, squid-like Ancient drone launched from the station. It streaked through space, zigzagging past the F-302s, before slamming into a Death Glider, reducing it to shrapnel.

Cate’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Direct hit. Well done, Sister!"

Beyond the station, Invincible’s fleet of F-302s clashed with Hallam’s Death Gliders and Al’kesh bombers. In the chaos, an Al’kesh latched onto Zulu Station. The Invincible’s gunners opened fire, their 155mm rounds obliterating the enemy craft, but the explosion ripped through the station’s science sector. Alarms blared as damage control teams raced to seal the breach.

Cate glanced at the displays. The situation was deteriorating, but she maintained her composure.

"Alright, Sister Helena," Cate said. "Focus. Ancient technology responds to your thoughts. Let’s start small. Picture the Death Gliders—the enemy ships. Can you see them?"

"I think so," Helena murmured, her brow furrowed in concentration. "But it’s been years. Could you show me an image?"

The sound of the firefight outside escalated. Corporal Guinan—dubbed "Sharps" for his precision—took a hit to the shoulder. Will dragged him behind a stack of packing crates, swiftly stabilizing the wound before diving back into the battle.

Meanwhile, on Level Six, Lt. Colonel Markus Larkin and his SG-24 team fought desperately to hold the Stargate. His XO, Squadron Leader Isolde Fairbairn, and Sergeant Gunnar Bjornson anchored the line alongside Zulu Station’s security force. Master Sergeant Alison McGuire and Sergeant Erin Murphy, both from SG-4, flanked them, firing relentlessly.

Markus’s voice crackled through Cate’s radio. "Cate, whatever you're planning, do it now!"

"Understood," Cate replied, her voice unwavering.