The Battle of Nepleslia
Day 2, YE 26

0307 Forces of the Sfrarabla Mishhuvurthyar Xhrafuklurp (SMX) advance from Damasica to Nepleslian space, just outside the system. SMX Forces number 6,283,185 Mishhuvurthyar Ghullfrashirv, or two normal-size SMX fleets. Over 1.2 billion extra Mishhuvurthyar Frasworstch pods have accompanied the ships in the fold. Star Army's PANTHEON network goes on alert, and the 3rd Fleet is directed by Taisho Kessaku Irim to report immediately to the area. Using the newly constructed Nekovalkyrja Standard Fleets SF-07, SF-08, and SF-09, Irim wishes to create a curve of Star Army ships around the SMX forces and obliterate them with main gun fire. The battle formation includes the 3rd, 2nd, and 7th Fleets in the middle, and the 8th and 9th Fleets from the sides.
0308 (+1m) Fleets 7, 8, and 9 arrive. The SMX ships open fire immediately with their long-range torpedoes. Each SMX ship carries 504 torpedoes with a maximum range of 50 light-years, giving them an advantage of range for the moment. Out of Star Army ships' weapon ranges, the SMX ships fire at their maximum rate for a full minute, launching 324 each (from nine launchers each), leaving each ship with 180 torpedoes. A total of 2,035,751,940 of the fearsome weapons are launched while the Star Army is setting up their formations, devastating the Star Army forces, which numbered about 6,182,715. That's about 329 torpedoes per ship. It was a massive overkill. The three standard fleets attempt to screen for the 2nd and 3rd Fleets (which arrive near the end of the barrage), saving most of their ships. After the slaughter, only about 2,750,000 Star Army ships remain, many of which are heavily-damaged capital ships.
0309 (+2m) Rather can attempt to survive another barrage, the remaining Star Army forces charge the SMX formations using their CDD drives and attempt to engage the SMX ships at closer range, halting in transposition cannon range, then firing a massive, all-out sweep with the main guns from 195,000,000 miles. The SMX take heavy losses, loosing just over half of their ships, leaving them with about 3,000,000. Taisho Ketsurui Mayame (aboard the YSS Fortitude (GB-12) ask Irim to have backup forces available. Irim selects the 6th Fleet.
0310 (+3m) The SMX angrily fires its remaining torpedoes, a total of around 540,000,000, once again tearing into the Star Army ranks. Not knowing if they will fire another salvo, Taisho Ketsurui Mayame orders her remaining forces to close in at very close range the the ships, despite being heavily outnumbered. The 6th Fleet arrives and flanks the SMX forces, but is unable to use main guns because friendly forces are entangled with the enemy. Taisho Ketsurui Sharie, commander of 6th Fleet order her fleet to charge the enemy and engage SMX ships from very close ranges. Star Army and SMX fleets mixed in a furious exchange of beam weapon fire and mecha combat. SMX and Star Army forces are about even at roughly 2,900,000 each.
0311 (+4m) Star Fortress Nepleslia (GH-02) is heavily damaged and looses control, careening into a formation of SMX vessels. SMX ships attempt to invade the fortress. Lamia and Mindy power armors are achieving a very high kill ratio against the Mishhuvurthyar Frasworstch pods, but are overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. Casualties are extremely high fore both sides. Over 100 billion Nekovalkyrja pilots loose their lives. 2nd Fleet takes heavy losses. 3rd Fleet gets word of the attempted invasion and sends its CICS ships to counter. GH-03 attempts to fold out of the battle but is rammed by a Mishhuvurthyar Ghullfrashirv through a hole in its armor, and takes severe internal damage to its core areas.
0312 (+5m) The veteran 4th Star Regiment is completely destroyed, along with 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th. 9th, 10th, and 12 Transportation Regiments, aboard the bulky Horizon-class ships are boarded by SMX forces. Most ships of the battlefields are damaged in the fierce melee, including the YSS Fortitude, which looses power to life support and all systems but auxiliary weapons pods. The crew dons spacesuits and continues fighting. Mayame gives permission for non-essential personnel to use the escape pods, but fighting is so fierce outside, most nekos feel it safer to remain onboard. They're probably right. 
0313 (+6m) Star Army and SMX forces continue to brutally reduce each other's numbers at a frantic pace. The Star Army and Sfrarabla Mishhuvurthyar Xhrafuklurp have about 800,000 ships left, making this a very close battle. Lamia and Mindy pilots from different units band together and spear their way through the pods and take out ships. 3rd Fleet is all but destroyed, and nothing remains of 7th, 8th and 9th Fleets. Star Fortress Nepleslia (GH-02) momentarily regains fold systems and initiates a space fold to Kennewes space. 2nd Expeditionary Fleet ships set up a fall-back zone for damaged Star Army ships to retreat to. The 2,027,505 ship core of the 2nd XF leaves the provisional and additional forces to man the fall-back point and heads for the battle.
0314 (+7m) YSS Fortitude takes a bad hit to the bridge from an SMX ship's heavy beam. Taisho Ketsurui Mayame and her command staff are killed, and all ST backups for the Fortitude's crewmembers are lost with the ship's computer. Remaining Star Army forces rally at the arrival of the 2nd XF, which overpowers the remaining SMX forces and begins mop-up. The battle area is cluttered with the wreckage of ships and mecha from both sides. Many small scale fights continue. The 2nd XF begins its familiar role of rescue operations. The majority of SMX forces refuse to retreat, and none surrender.
0315 (+8m)
to
0345 (+38m)		 SMX forces are broken up, and exist amongst the wreckage with only an estimated 15,000 ships. All surviving Star Army ships and mecha begin heading to a nearby regrouping point, designated "RZ Bandage," with the exclusion of 2nd XF forces who continue to mop up the area. Pantheon tallies its ships again, and Irim reviews the results with mixed feelings; her sister Anri cries inconsolably over the deaths of so many Nekovalkyrja, many of whose lives had only just started. The Empress calls for an emergency meeting at 0400.
0346 (+39m) Star Fortress GH-03 is abandoned, except for emergency personnel. Fighting continues onboard Star Fortress GH-02 over Kennewes.
0349 (+42m) GH-03 explodes.
0400 Empress Ketsurui Yui, and the rest of the Taishos and command Chujos meet. 7th, 8th, and 9th fleets are determined to be total losses. 2nd and 3rd Fleets are no longer operationally capable, so Yui and Irim decide to move all remaining forces from 3rd and 6th Fleets into the 2nd Fleet under command of Taisho Ketsurui Sharie.
0445 (+2h 8m) Fighting ends onboard GH-02. Star Army is victorious.

The new Star Army Combined Second Fleet has 772,637 ships.