Mintar was still homesick, even now. She'd just assumed when she came to the Mitarian Guard training halls some 3 frames of her life ago that the feelings would have subsided by now. At time she'd been caught up in the excitement of it all. Joining the guard was all that had ever mattered to her, but now sitting here looking out through the cockpit at the dim stars in front of the vessel she longed for the home. What she wouldn't do to be wandering through the thick mists of Malar now. She consoled herself with the thought that it wasn't long to the end of the tour, just a few more tundra border patrols.

"Frat Mintar, are you awake!" the voice crackled across the comm.

Startled, it took her a few seconds to respond, "Yes Purn, I'm ready. Stop calling me Frat, I'll be your grade soon."

Purn retorted "Not for now you're not and we have a border to protect. Lets go!"

The ships cruised gently forward and the patrol path they'd flown so often before. Mintar returned to her thoughts of home. She hadn't thought it would be like this. The promotions had made the guard look so exciting, 'Live to train - train to fight!'. Fight!? Hah! The odd border runner here and there, and as to the 'Explosive world of covert operations', they were so covert that you had to be in the guard for 20 frames before you knew for sure they existed!

"Stop day dreaming Frat! Keep you mind in the game!" Purn's voice came across the comm.

The ships turned to follow the 2nd vector of the patrol path. She'd wouldn't miss Purn. She almost spat the name in her mind. She'd been assigned to him since day one and he'd always treated her like this. There was only one grade between them for Talaries' sake. He was a Ftnarr though and apparently they were all like that. Mintar liked the Guard's multi-species policy, she felt it helped to build a stronger force. She'd just wished they'd made an exception in his case.

Purn's voice came across the comm once more, "Wake up Mintar! We've got a problem!".

She hadn't notice the beeping but as she looked down at the radar the problem was obvious. Five other ships were closing fast.

"Scanning complete, they're Cephian Blades. I think we've got some pirates. Their much faster than us, we need to stand and fight!" ordered Purn.

They came in faster then any simulation Mintar had been through. Purn had taken one out before Mintar was really in motion. The training was gone from her mind and she was simply trying to stay alive. A beam of energy crackled past the right wing, she grabbed at the controls trying to shake her tail. Mintar saw another blip disappear from the radar, then another. Purn had pulled a classic manoever from training and had destroyed two of the attackers with the force of his shields alone. Now it was even pegging.

"I can shake this one!" she called across the comm. She was pushing the ship for all it had but couldn't get away from her pursuer. It happened all at once, the ship behind exploded as Purn's voice called out, "Got Him!!" Suddenly the comm went silent and she saw Purn's ship explode. The light was intense, it hurt her eyes. What now?! Where was the final attacker? She looked down at her radar, it was running?! She looked out towards the tundra, the space that must be protected, what was that glowing mass? A ship?

Whatever it was, Mintar hoped the scans the ship had taken would be enough as she pushed the ship to top speed. It didn't seem to be following. Her mind reeling with the loss of Purn she raced back towards home.