The dark boat cut through the black like ebony through ink. Silent, lifeless, and deadly. It stalked its prey across the thousands of kilometers of nothing that hid it. The only sign of its existence was the brief snuffing of stars in its silhouette, and even that was seldom and barely noticeable. Like a deep sea shark the vessel cruised silently, invisibly, to close the distance with its prey.
The prey took an opposite and equally lethal approach. The ship shimmered, as if poured from a single stream of pure silver. Beneath its silky skin sat a massive Bessel laser weapon system tied directly into the ship’s core. When a threat was detected the Bessel would rise up from the body, rotate, and fire with such immense power that the main engine would shut down during recharge. Which explained the look of the vessel. Any beam weapon that targeted the ship would bounce off before enough heat could build up to cause damage.
Which is why the black boat didn’t carry a beam. It was smaller than its shimmering opponent, decidedly unequal in a prolonged fight. Surprise and a hell of an opening punch was it’s only advantage. If the first blow missed there were no second chances. Escape would be the only alternative to destruction. But if fist connected to chin the fight would be over instantly, a knockout before the prize fighter even knew the starting bell had clanged. That connection required patience. Speed. Timing. And the immense skill of a particular boat captain.
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