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'Two explosions appeared against the backdrop of deep space, and a rose petal-red dart shot across from them, the violet exhaust of its twin engines flaring from behind it.

That’s her! Maya realized. The Crimson Killer!

Rumors flew over the past couple of weeks whether or not she would make her appearance in the battlefield, especially after the latest series of Federation offensives. Today… it was happening!

“Oh-one, oh-three!” Maya called over the secure net of her comm-channel to the Colonel. “It’s her! She’s here!”

“Slow down, Chiro.” He replied. “Who are you talking about?”

“The Crimson Killer!” Maya exclaimed. “I’ve confirmed her paint-scheme!” A brief pause ensued before Colonel Espara called back over the secure channel.

“That means the rest of the Twenty-Second could be out there. Stay frosty, oh-three! Don’t let them draw you in!”

Suddenly, a bright violet burst caught Maya’s attention, and the red dart appeared again, having shifted direction. Towards Maya and her wingman.

“Oh-one, oh-three! She’s inbound! Twenty klicks out!”

“Watch yourselves, oh-three, oh-four. We’re on our way!”

Maya’s pulse radar lit up with data. There were no other contacts around, meaning the Crimson Killer was flying solo, and closing fast at five point seven g’s. The guns lock-on warning popped up in her heads-up display.

“Oh-four, break and evade!” she warned, observing her wingman peel out of formation with maneuvering thrusters and engines vectored. A burst of silvery e-mag projectiles missed him within meters, followed by the sleek silhouette of a red-painted Habu flashing past. Maya couldn’t make out who was piloting it, due to the cockpit being enshrouded coffin-style. But she could see the glow of the cockpit sensors that gave the craft it’s intimidating pit viper-esque visage… along with rows of painted black kill markers. Fifty-seven total.

She swallowed hard, putting her nerves in check as she brought her Shootingstar into a tight right turn to orient herself towards her foe. The Habu used it’s thrusters to corkscrew upward towards a vast field of rocky debris just above them. The Crimson Killer was baiting her, and it was a matter to either give chase or break away. One thing she knew was certain: more pilots would die if she didn’t.

Colonel Espara must’ve known her intent ahead of time.

“Don’t do it, Maya.” His voice warned in her helmet. “It’s what she wants.” Maya nodded. She had made up her mind.

“I have to stop her, sir,” she replied adamantly, shifting her throttle to full. She pulled up on the stick and began following the rose-red Habu.

“Maya! Goddamnit!” the Colonel’s voice cursed angrily. He had nothing additional to add though, as it seemed his attention was pulled away by more Habus inbound to their position.

“Oh-four, watch her back! And get her ass back here!” Within a moment, the two opposing fighters, followed by the straggler oh-four, disappeared into the debris field.

---

As she passed by the Federation Shootingstar, Abby turned her head to see who she was dealing with, eyes glimpsing the insignia in the virtual display. A Thunderbolt. It was one of William Espara’s wing, THE William Espara. He was an enemy ace, but also a legend in the Frontier. Years ago, he put himself in harm’s way to protect a hospital ship in orbit over Cirris, in spite of being outnumbered. They respected him for that, much like they had respected his father who perished over Sorwind. She also spotted nose art: a sun with yellow alternating yellow beams. “Sunshine.”

Her eyes narrowed. Allied pilots knew her as the “Sunflower.” A pilot that few matched in both skill and natural affinity. Abby had her work cut out for her. She had to think fast.

She pulled up on the flight stick, one pedal pushed in as she corkscrewed her Habu upward, making full use of all three dimensions. The debris up ahead would provide good cover and create an obstacle course. And with any luck, one of those boulders would do her work for her.

---

Small, but dense floating boulders drew closer and closer as Maya pushed her Shootingstar farther into the debris field. It’s orbital steel and reinforced titanium frame could handle micrometeorites and slightly larger rocks, but one good impact at five point five g’s could rip the fighter in two. But she didn’t dare throttle down; the Habu was faster, but traveling at a slower pace out of survival instinct.

The devil in red knew exactly what she was doing, deliberately clinging to the scores of floating rocks in an attempt to draw Maya in over her head, like a game of chicken crossed with cat and mouse. But what she hadn’t counted on was that Maya was just as talented of a starfighter pilot as she was. Every shift of thrust vectoring, every adjustment of maneuvering thrusters, Maya echoed, drawing ever closer for a lock-on. The distance gap drew more and more narrow. Forty klicks, thirty-eight, thirty-six, thirty-two, thirty…

The targeting reticule popped up in Maya’s helmet visor, prompting the laser cannons for close-range fire. She managed to center it on the Habu’s engine nozzles… and squeezed the gun trigger. Two bursts struck the side of a larger boulder, melting it, and a near-miss. A second burst hit another smaller rock, blasting it into smaller pieces, jarring the Shootingstar’s fuselage as they impacted the armor. A third blast clipped the Habu’s starboard wing, melting a hole in the diamond-shaped structure.

She was so close.'

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an excerpt from ’s Morningstar story; and as with any fiction depicting war, there are two aces who will inevitably meet, and clash.

For the Terrans its Maya Chiro, for the Alliance, its Abby Farnsworth.

The story was the brief for me to depict this scene – and reading it reminded me of the BSG episode “Scar” which admitted inspired him to come up with this concept.

The battle I depicted borrowed initially elements of the episode but it evolved into its own picture.

The vessels were designed by .

Please check out their respective sites – its worth the trip.

As for the conclusion….

Enjoy!

Description
'Two explosions appeared against the backdrop of deep space, and a rose petal-red dart shot across from them, the violet exhaust of its twin engines flaring from behind it.

That’s her! Maya realized. The Crimson Killer!

Rumors flew over the past couple of weeks whether or not she would make her appearance in the battlefield, especially after the latest series of Federation offensives. Today… it was happening!

“Oh-one, oh-three!” Maya called over the secure net of her comm-channel to the Colonel. “It’s her! She’s here!”

“Slow down, Chiro.” He replied. “Who are you talking about?”

“The Crimson Killer!” Maya exclaimed. “I’ve confirmed her paint-scheme!” A brief pause ensued before Colonel Espara called back over the secure channel.

“That means the rest of the Twenty-Second could be out there. Stay frosty, oh-three! Don’t let them draw you in!”

Suddenly, a bright violet burst caught Maya’s attention, and the red dart appeared again, having shifted direction. Towards Maya and her wingman.

“Oh-one, oh-three! She’s inbound! Twenty klicks out!”

“Watch yourselves, oh-three, oh-four. We’re on our way!”

Maya’s pulse radar lit up with data. There were no other contacts around, meaning the Crimson Killer was flying solo, and closing fast at five point seven g’s. The guns lock-on warning popped up in her heads-up display.

“Oh-four, break and evade!” she warned, observing her wingman peel out of formation with maneuvering thrusters and engines vectored. A burst of silvery e-mag projectiles missed him within meters, followed by the sleek silhouette of a red-painted Habu flashing past. Maya couldn’t make out who was piloting it, due to the cockpit being enshrouded coffin-style. But she could see the glow of the cockpit sensors that gave the craft it’s intimidating pit viper-esque visage… along with rows of painted black kill markers. Fifty-seven total.

She swallowed hard, putting her nerves in check as she brought her Shootingstar into a tight right turn to orient herself towards her foe. The Habu used it’s thrusters to corkscrew upward towards a vast field of rocky debris just above them. The Crimson Killer was baiting her, and it was a matter to either give chase or break away. One thing she knew was certain: more pilots would die if she didn’t.

Colonel Espara must’ve known her intent ahead of time.

“Don’t do it, Maya.” His voice warned in her helmet. “It’s what she wants.” Maya nodded. She had made up her mind.

“I have to stop her, sir,” she replied adamantly, shifting her throttle to full. She pulled up on the stick and began following the rose-red Habu.

“Maya! Goddamnit!” the Colonel’s voice cursed angrily. He had nothing additional to add though, as it seemed his attention was pulled away by more Habus inbound to their position.

“Oh-four, watch her back! And get her ass back here!” Within a moment, the two opposing fighters, followed by the straggler oh-four, disappeared into the debris field.

---

As she passed by the Federation Shootingstar, Abby turned her head to see who she was dealing with, eyes glimpsing the insignia in the virtual display. A Thunderbolt. It was one of William Espara’s wing, THE William Espara. He was an enemy ace, but also a legend in the Frontier. Years ago, he put himself in harm’s way to protect a hospital ship in orbit over Cirris, in spite of being outnumbered. They respected him for that, much like they had respected his father who perished over Sorwind. She also spotted nose art: a sun with yellow alternating yellow beams. “Sunshine.”

Her eyes narrowed. Allied pilots knew her as the “Sunflower.” A pilot that few matched in both skill and natural affinity. Abby had her work cut out for her. She had to think fast.

She pulled up on the flight stick, one pedal pushed in as she corkscrewed her Habu upward, making full use of all three dimensions. The debris up ahead would provide good cover and create an obstacle course. And with any luck, one of those boulders would do her work for her.

---

Small, but dense floating boulders drew closer and closer as Maya pushed her Shootingstar farther into the debris field. It’s orbital steel and reinforced titanium frame could handle micrometeorites and slightly larger rocks, but one good impact at five point five g’s could rip the fighter in two. But she didn’t dare throttle down; the Habu was faster, but traveling at a slower pace out of survival instinct.

The devil in red knew exactly what she was doing, deliberately clinging to the scores of floating rocks in an attempt to draw Maya in over her head, like a game of chicken crossed with cat and mouse. But what she hadn’t counted on was that Maya was just as talented of a starfighter pilot as she was. Every shift of thrust vectoring, every adjustment of maneuvering thrusters, Maya echoed, drawing ever closer for a lock-on. The distance gap drew more and more narrow. Forty klicks, thirty-eight, thirty-six, thirty-two, thirty…

The targeting reticule popped up in Maya’s helmet visor, prompting the laser cannons for close-range fire. She managed to center it on the Habu’s engine nozzles… and squeezed the gun trigger. Two bursts struck the side of a larger boulder, melting it, and a near-miss. A second burst hit another smaller rock, blasting it into smaller pieces, jarring the Shootingstar’s fuselage as they impacted the armor. A third blast clipped the Habu’s starboard wing, melting a hole in the diamond-shaped structure.

She was so close.'

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is an excerpt from ’s Morningstar story; and as with any fiction depicting war, there are two aces who will inevitably meet, and clash.

For the Terrans its Maya Chiro, for the Alliance, its Abby Farnsworth.

The story was the brief for me to depict this scene – and reading it reminded me of the BSG episode “Scar” which admitted inspired him to come up with this concept.

The battle I depicted borrowed initially elements of the episode but it evolved into its own picture.

The vessels were designed by .

Please check out their respective sites – its worth the trip.

As for the conclusion….

Enjoy!