Risen: Niekro's War

Prologue: Wolf Pack

**Author's Note: This is the beginning of two sample chapters in beta form that you can check out on Wattpad. Hopefully it'lll be enough to catch your interest and direct you to looking for the completed novel which will soon be available for purchase on a virtual bookshelf near you. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me a message. Thank you. - Shawn J. aka Bloodsword

Space bent and twisted before tearing open to disgorge the long, lean shapes of five Risen Orca-class battle wagons. The powerful capital ships quickly fell into formation even as their accompanying flotillas took up battle positions, ferals and missile frigates moving forward to scout while the Hammerheads moved up and out to guard the fleet's perimeter.

"Admiral on deck!" one of the marines stationed at the entrance to the bridge announced as Jjorak stepped through and made his way towards the command dais.

"Status, captain?" the drezz avatar asked in a quiet voice as he strode up the broad ramp leading to the dais, hands clasped behind his back. Standing from the command chair set in the dais' heart and surrounded by tactical stations, the battleship's captain respectfully nodded at Jjorak's approach.

"Admiral," she greeted him in an equally quiet voice. "We've exited hyperspace at the coordinates Dart 537 relayed to Oblivion two days' ago. Shields are up, weapons are hot, and the CAP has been deployed as we actively scan the vicinity for any signs of the velkin." She paused to take a quick look around her bridge.

"All bridge stations are at full alert and the other captains report ready." She returned her attention to the avatar's composed features. "We've also received word that fleet Elements 12 and 7 are converging on this position. Commodores Brindle and Karvin send their regards and have indicated that they look forward to joining your flag in battle."

Jjorak nodded at that, not displeased by the news. While he had all confidence in the five captains manning the capital ships in this fleet element, code-named Element 1 in Drezz military jargon, with his flagship in formation, it would make things go more quickly with the additional firepower at hand.

Not only that, with three full Elements working together squadron-style, the unit took on the aspect of an ancient human naval formation, one that was highly successful as it prowled Earth's seas hundreds of years ago, sinking hundreds of enemy vessels.

"Captain, have the fleet set to battle condition one," he indicated, "and have all vessels assume a Wolf Pack formation." He paused to lift his eyes to the main viewer, currently filled with the darkness of space ahead of them.

"We are now on the hunt."

He looked back over at the captain.

"Sniff out those velkin ships, captain. I want to run them to ground!"

Unusually agile for their size, the five Risen capital ships shifted into a looser formation, each vessel in a staggered wing position with the ship to their right. With flares of light, the other two Elements arrived, already in the staggered formation, one moving to the right of Element 1 and the other to the left, until all fifteen were moving in a loose, fluid line through space.

Surrounding that line like a halo of dark intent came the Hammerheads, each heavy cruiser in a position above or below the line of capital ships to add their considerable firepower at a moment's notice to any Orca attack. Again the ferals and missile frigates ranged ahead, scouting the wolf pack's forward path for any sign of the enemy. An effort that was being duplicated by the sensor arrays in each capital ship.

"Anything?" Jjorak asked as the captain stood over one of the command dais' tactical stations.

"Sensors are picking up trace amounts of plasma, admiral," she quickly reported, her fingers dancing over the station's interface. "Spectral analysis confirms it as exhaust from velkin warships." She looked over her shoulder at him.