After their homeworld was struck by the Colossus, the vice president who had fled with the Starfish civilization's last surviving spark was overcome with grief and rage. It clearly understood what lay ahead: the Human Empire had cast off all restraint, and as Starfish remnants, they would be hunted throughout the Sea of Stars.
They no longer held any hope of preserving their civilization. They set themselves a single goal: take their last surviving people with them and live for as long as they could, until death came.
The Blorg Hegemony had been the Starfish Republic's neighbor for many years, and the Starfish knew its technological capabilities. Its jump drives had yet to see widespread deployment across its fleets.
Among the many surrounding star systems, only one could be reached by jumping and had no hyperlane connections.
The Blorg fleet kept closing in, but the Starfish did not open fire. Both sides seemed to be probing each other, waiting only for the signal to fire.
The Starfish vice president made its decision and ordered a jump.
Fortunately, the colony ship also had a jump drive.
Azure light flowed around the fleet as the engines accumulated enough energy to shatter spacetime. The spatial tremors grew increasingly pronounced.
"They're trying to jump away!"
The Blorg commander understood the Starfish's intentions almost instantly. "Open fire immediately!"
It was a moment too late.
The modestly sized fleet vanished from the system, and tachyon lances pierced the coordinates it had occupied moments before.
"Tch. Their jump range is enormous. Report this to the monitoring agencies immediately and tell them to watch for an incoming fleet."
The Blorg leader slammed a fist against the warship's console and issued the order calmly.
No matter how advanced the Starfish jump drives were, sensors could pick up their signals