read:"The Fires of Magellan"

the fore of our ships we called razors
stared straight at the hundreds of hardened synthmonds
of gold, green and black
pointed at us, at our rock, the Magellan

three against us, hours away from any help.

'our training' they say will save you

and so it will
no one spake, there was no need
the ports were quiet, motion was all the noise
fuel cells loaded, munitions stocked
we didn't make eye contact, we knew it was the end
and only 22 survived of 10754

three stood against us, not even firing
hoping to take us without a fight
but it was a strategy soured
for they did not know us and our resolve
not one on the ship said otherwise

but 'fight' soundlessly awoke

sidearms were readied if it were to go ship to ship

they gave only seconds, and seconds was all we needed
and the pre-solute gave its all, focused on the two
while nav pulled to starboard, making a wall between it and the last
90% was given

followed by us razors, a hundred screamed to the fore
'find a break in the dam' and so we did
the Magellan lunged at the nearest, a hulking fire

two ships unloaded their fury at it
(but they reserved again) 

and half of our core was lost
the crew in a furnace, but we did not pause
in memorial, not yet, fingers still on weapon control

and our ships were picked off one by one

"Alpha" came the call sign
the second lieutenant the last left aboard the bridge
we all could see, betwixt lasers and explosions, the Magellan
a fire of fury and anger driving to the fore
at both capitals, screaming with fury

they say a few saw them through the break
the Cap'n at the bridge, frozen to his console

and the last could do little
our contigent harassed it as it fled

two capitals went orange, below conditional
twenty two razors remained
they we call the 'witnesses'
the third Fed ran, never firing a shot

running

the Magallen forced through the dying hulls of two
out the other side
and toward the third, we don't even say its name
for it is cowards and cowards are no luck
in space

pushed through and onward and that's the way Magallen'll stay
a flotilla of tribute, a rock of honor
black as night, some say embers remain upon it

two Fed ships down, the other horrified
and the twenty two went on to fight for other sticks
and take down more

the Magellen! we cry each time we kill
the dark star sitting among the jewels