Z
Zack
Outskirts of the star system Toehold
Vier's drones arrived first, a pair exiting FTL just outside of the Toehold system to confirm that a trap wasn't waiting for the rest of the fleet.
A few seconds later, the rest of the ships would follow, a large number of armed C5 drones along with the Queen's Slave, Uso's own ship.
The Elysians were quick to respond,
"Nice of you to join us," The voice paired with the transmission was that of Mrs. Castiel, Raphael's own mother, and the one behind this operation. "Please bring your auxillaries along-side my ship, The Unyielding Determination, Once we finish destroying the target planet you will be released from your duties here."
The Elysian fleet was large. It easily outnumbered USO's own ships in number and size, totally nearly 200 ships in the battleship size class. Each had the same standardized blue diamond design, hovering over the intensely bright point of light that served as the ship's reactor.
Intermixed with the Elysian ships were additional auxillaries, some small rocket-like escorts, larger wedge shaped ships armed with a single massive turret on the underside, even a white cylinder that seemed to be breaking up, deploying a series of round drones that looked oddly akin to a sleek, saucer-like, C5.
The ships were spaced out along a nearly 5000km wall of cracked rocks that had been accelerated into the system at nearly .1c This provided some cover for the Elysian ships as they approched their target... a massive gas giant. Their path to the planet was clear of other stellar bodies and for the moment all that appeared to be arrayed against them were a dozen older NMX ships.
As Vier moved her ships into position, Uso looked over the avalible data,
"That's a small NMX force. I guess the party hasn't started yet..."
Soon another group of ships would be ripped back into real space as they exited slipspace, the black hulls of six Broadsword light cruisers and five Indigo class guided missile frigates. The ships were arranged with the Indigos flying in a V formation, with the Broadswords arranged into a V formation of three above and below the Indigos.
"Saber fleet to USO fleet, this is the USV-Pathfinder, awaiting for tasking. Please advise?" the comms officer announced on an open local frequency.
"Hey boss, what's the plan? we forming up, or flying independant?" Jack said over the same frequency.
At the rear of the fleets appeared the distinct white hulls of the Frontier Service Corporation's combined fleet. 8 Broadsword Cruisers, 30 C5 drones, and Caravan Heavy Freighters with pairs of octo-gatling turrets on both their top and bottom sides. Their combined total of starfighters included 75 YV1 Interceptors and 75 U-1 variable mecha, all still docked with their assigned ship. Support craft included 10 C5b sensor drones, 35 C5c cargo drones with ten carrying box mines, and 10 C5d drones for concealment.
"We have arrived, Miss Tasuki," Mr. Donovan introduced, "we have munitions, fuel, and Medical Services standing by."
In another flash, another heavy carrier transitioned back into normal space while closely following it a stealth frigate exited foldspace MASC, an Iromakuanhe ship that hadn't let the dust settle since Aashi left Uso's planet in order to re-acquire her.
"This is the Fenrir, we are ready for battle." Said the voice of Ulysses Werner. "Let's wrap this up quick." He said to his bridge crew. "CAG launch all fighers, systems I wants all power to forward shields. Tactical load tubes with swarm missiles and ready the railguns!" He ordered.
"Aye aye!" His crew replied.
Aashi nearly stood to give her privateer-run ship orders but stayed where she was, simply opening a line between Uso and Werner only and said simply, "Can't wait to win this, honey..."
Other Auxillary ships were still warping in as well. Clearly not Elysian in design... many of the ships quite different in design from eachother as well. The dagger-like shape of the Itano exiting only a few thousand kilometers from the Fenrir. its own small cloud of defensive missiles starting to surround the ship.
The main communication channel was certainly full of interesting chatter.
"This is Keller Dietrich of the Kingdom of Cavalon. We have arrived and are ready to participate."
"Huh... How'd she get a ship... B7R doesn't have the facilities..." Uso thought outloud...
Of course the Elysians wasted no time in giving orders.
"Keller, bring your ship along side The Romanticism of Animosity... you will escort it to our Objective."
"M.I.C. drones, you are straying from your assigned area. Maintain a tight grouping with The Poetry of Reciprocity."
*FZZZZT*
A signal came in quite strongly from the planet in question, cutting through the chatter on the all hands channel.
"THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING. LEAVE, OR WE WILL HUNT DOWN EACH OF YOUR HOMES, AND KILL EVERYTHING WE FIND."
The Elysians themselves seemed unphased, their ships continuing to approach the planet. Powerful energy beams easily slicing through the handful of older NMX ships that were in their path.
"All hands weapons free, deploy U-1's, Broadswords and Indigos open fire! All units, repeat, engage." Jack shouted to the bridge crew and his fleet, causing black U-1's to leave their hangars as the trace of starfire shells were unloaded into NMX targets as well causing bright flashes as impacts were made reducing shields to zero and hulls to slag as the few ships and their smaller escorts were ripped apart under the continous salvo of fire.
"All U-1's hold off on approach, let us soften them up before mop up operations commence. you can have whatever stragglers are left, or any hostiles that manage to get close." Jack reported to the fighters now flying in wings of five along with the ships of the fleet.
"This is Captain Luka Tachi," he announced on his shipping fleets channels, "all freighters hold back, prepare your cargo bays and support teams and prepare the last of our EMP cruise missiles."
"Broadsword Cruisers, hold your fire unless absolutely necessary," Mr. Donovan ordered from a cargo container turned CIC on Prosperity Dawn, "our current priority is to get our sensor drones into position, ensure that they reach their destinations."
As orders were given five people gathered around a holographic table in the makeshift war room began tasking C5b drones to different positions to the relative sides of the battlefield accompanied by a C5 drone and box mine carrying C5c. The data made available would be shared with the USO and Saber.
In the voluminous cargo bay of Prosperity Dawn a small crowd of fighter pilots dressed in diverse space gear, including powered armor, congregated around a single YV1 Interceptor as technicians made final preparations for the launch of their fighters. While this meeting was taking place on only one ship it was being broadcast to the rest of the fighter squadrons.
"Attention everyone," Candon addressed the pilots as he climbed onto the wing of his flat black YV1 with shark teeth painted on the nose, the helmet of his Spectre PA removed(a very new feature!), "in a few minutes things are going to be getting heated out there. I want everyone to remember who are allies really are before we fly. The USO, Saber, and basically anyone who isn't with the Fake Elysian Empire."
The comment would be met with heavily subdued expressions of humor from the ones familiar with the Empire mentioned and even Masumi, in the crowd, let her eyes squint and lips upturn at the comment. Candon had earlier tried to convey a summary of there conflicted relationship with the 4th Great Elysian Empire. Many were still a little confused. To Masumi, though, he had spent a little more time explaining the personal connections to the people invested in USO.
"I don't want to see anyone going out of their way to help the Elysian fleet. Ourselves and our allies are the most important assets out here. I want to see as many of the Elysian ships sink as possible without putting ourselves in danger so if you see one of their ships depending on you and none of our ships depending on them, leave," He ordered, "trust me, the Elysians are not friends. If we take too many losses here there is a large chance that they will try and take 188 back. I know a lot of us are concerned about the NMX threat, with good reason. I'm telling you as someone with experience in this, those animals won't find our homes if we burn there's with them in it. Bring the sake"
On each ship a member of the ground crew brought a tray of glasses filled with sake, one for each pilot. They were passed out, with instruction not to drink yet. Masumi held hers in her right hand as her left held her right arm's elbow in front of her busty chest, unsuccesfully toned down by the U-1's pilot suit.
"An ancient Yamataian legend tells of brave pilots who were willing to give their lives, crashing there their aircraft into enemies to protect their home from the invasion of a greater power."
Masumi flinched at the mention of the 'divine wind' of old and remembered her times in battle already. What would happen if she was hurt in the same way she had been hurt on the Eucharis. Whose body would she inhabit if she dies out here on the fringes of known society? She continued to think on this deeply while looking at the floor until she realized Candon had continued and she refocused her attention on her hot presently philosophical boyfriend.
Candon said, "Now unlike them we plan to survive this encounter, but we share similarities. Our enemies are far more powerful than ourselves and yet we will fly against them anyways to protect our families and homes. Before flying out these pilots would drink one last glass of sake with their fellow pilots and recite a poem." Candon claimed the last glass on the tray for himself.
"Both the victor
and the vanquished are
but drops of dew,
but bolts of lightning -
thus should we view the world."
Raising his glass higher Candon concluded, "live or die, we shall strike as lightning, for our home!"
A brief cheer ended in a drink, followed by the pilots heading back towards their fighters parked in two rows of ten with a space in the center for ground crew movement and taxi toward the still closed cargo bay doors.
Masumi took a long yet quick sip that drained the sake while her blue eyes were trained on Candon, who did the same. Stepping off of his fighter's wing Candon approached Masumi, absorbing the sight of her deep into his mind for the coming conflict. As he drew closer the strain of her spacesuit became more apparent creating mixed feelings of concern and passion, passion being the greater force to focus on as his concerns would only stand to sink the confidence he needed for the first battle he would ever experience from a starfighter.
"When we get through this we should go shopping. Get you some fitted space gear and powered armor," he offered, then asked, "how was that pep talk? You don't think that they'll be trying to ram stuff, do you?"
"I just wish more people had the opportunity to hear you," Masumi told Candon. "It was a perfectly rousing speech. I can't imagine the ones that did hear being anything but the best fighters they can be." She looked at her feet, then at him, "I want you to be safe today. All days. But on mission days, especially."
Candon smiled softly. "Only months ago I would have gone out there and fought with total disregard to my own safety," Candon confessed, his armored hand gently pushing her chin back up, "I had nothing to live for, but now I do. I will come back to you."
"I know you will," Masumi spoke quietly but confidently as she looked at him, "And I know how important what you live for is, because I have you..."
Being very careful to not hurt Masumi with his powered armor Candon kissed her, ever conscious of keeping his mechanized suit from snagging her hair, the fastest way of ruining the moment they may not have for the rest of the month should the battle go poorly.
Ulysses smiled as he saw Aashi pulled alongside the Fenrir. "Yes dear. Let show them what happens when they cross us." He replied over their link. "We'll lead the way. I'm diverting Slephnir flight to cover you." He told his wife.
He then turned back to his crew. "Alright! Target the closest enemy vessel and fire the swarm missiles, Tactical. Helm bring us into formation. Engines to 50%." He ordered.
"Aye!" Came the report as the launchers fired their swarm missiles towards the closest NMX vessels.
"Get a firing solution for the cannons ready. CAG, have our flights engage the escorts. Today we kick the NMX in the teeth, and show everyone what the Fenrir can do!" He yelled.
"We have a lot of friends on the field today," Aashi said to her crew of men and women from the Iruotl system that were on the bridge of the Devata and over comms to those in the VANDR and hangar bays. "So let's hold ourselves at arm's length until we understand their battle tactics."
The combined fleet numbered in the hundreds, the Elysians confidently pushing into the star system, the large wall of debries they had formed out infront of the fleet providing additional protection to their own ships, while the numerous allies they had brought with them... one way or another... bolstered their numbers.
The trip from the edge of the FTL exclusion zone to their target would only take about ten minutes, the Elysians doing their best to retain a cautious confidence as they approached their target. Against such numbers, the few NMX ships in their way were little more than target practice. Their hulls turning into bright, rapidly expanding clouds of gas as they got within weapons range of any part of the fleet.
And then they were finally within range.
The Elysian ships set their weapons to Aether Shock Cannon mode, and as they approached the planet, the hulls of the ship would glow white for just a moment.
Onboard the The Unyielding Determination, one of the Seraphs was already explaining what happened to Mrs. Castiel.
"The NMX are using a wide ranging anti-gravity field to jam our Aether Shock Cannons......"
She would nod, "Switch to beam mode, and continue the atta..."
Before she could finish, intensely bright lances would pierce upward from the gas giant and nearly a dozen Elysian battleships were destroyed outright from the hail of fire... followed by millions of missiles, thousands of battle pods, and hundreds of Mega-mishhu that seemed to pour out of the gas-giant's skies and into space.
Ulysses and the Fenrir continued to mop up what the Elysian's had left behind, letting them do most of the heavy lifiting. But when several of the battleships exploded and the NMX came out of the wood work, he sprang into action.
"Bring shields to full! Tactical, load all tubes with swarm missles and target those battle pods. Get targeting solutions for cannons and fire on the Megamishu! Fire at will!" He ordered.
The hull of the carrier was alight as all the missile batteries fired a barrage of swarm missiles towards the battle pods. Then the ship shuddered as the four dual-barrled railguns began discharging their kinetic payload.
"Keep us between the Devata and those Mishu." He ordered his helmsman, crossing his arms and standing from his seat. Things were not looking good.
Aashi saw what Ulysses was doing and decided to make things a bit less complicated by keeping her position and doing what made the most sense, attack with all they had.
"Missile barrage, now!" Aashi shouted as she herself sat at the Devata's seat of power and waited to see what these great enemies had to offer Uso and her compatriates.
Chatter from the fleet buzzed from Candon's armor. It was obviously not going well. Turning from Masumi he yelled to the starfighter personnel, "all hands, to your stations!" The cargo bay immediately came to life as pilots and ground crew began rushing to get engines started and cockpits sealed.
Looking back to Masumi he took her hand. "Are you ready?"
"As I always have been, Candon," Masumi replied. "I have to admit... I like this."
Her lover cringed a bit, "Iust wait until we open that door. It's sounding rough out there.. though on guess rough is on your menu now and then."
"That's on my menu," Masumi said, head bobbing a little as she got prepared, thinking back to the enemies she had faced and that formative first time she had been shot in combat. She was so much more different now, stronger because of it. "But so are you... So come back to me today, Candon, alright?"
Candon pointed to the new art on the tail of his interceptor,
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Masumi gave a quiet gasp as she saw the hiragana, then looked to Candon, "Love... That's what I feel for you."
"My love for you will keep me alive out there," he promised with a kiss. In a moment they would have to part and she would see the same hiragana on the tail of her U-1, which made her inhale quickly as her pink brows went up. She turned back to say something to Candon once she had fully approached her U-1 and had laid a hand on it.
Oshiro Masumi was able to catch his eye before he was in his Kōku Wahoo fighter. She pointed to the letters that spelled out their mutual feelings and then to her lips she brought her hand and she blew a kiss his way.
From his seat in the stunt fighter Candon looked upon Masumi one last time before donning his helmet. The canopy closed down over him, hissing as it sealed. The sound of mighty vacuum cleaners whined from his left and right as the twin gravity engines spooled to life.
Smiling to nobody now but herself, Masumi thought for a moment about the time she had seen Candon walk away from her with purpose and intent unlike any other moment in their year-ish together. It made her realize, now, as she watched him leaving her once more, that it would never again hurt like it had then.
For either of them.
Jack cursed loudly on the bridge as both their view screens and his HUD which was linked to the ship.
"All hands! Damage teams move to the ready, all weapons are to focus on the new arrivals. Everyone make ready to abandon ship if need be!" Jack shouted over the Saber fleet comms.
"Uso, Candon, I think lady luck just gave us the bird. This is not going to end very well. I've prepared the crew for escape procedures, but if worst comes to worse, I'll have them abandon ship and lock the fleet on a collision course. Our munition magazines are loaded with starfires, so at least we'll leave them with a surprise they soon won't forget. If this is the case, my people will need retrieval. If either of you have any ideas, I'm open." Jack now spoke throught the USO fleet comms detailing his plan as everything went to hell.
"Light 'em up!" Captain Huang Lin of Phoenix.2 shouted, cannon fire ripped from the 8 white cruisers flying in formation ahead of the Kouken-class escort, all sensor jamming smoke shells. The screen that now lay before the ships made accurate detection positron shells set to detonate in case they missed. Starjammer and heavy laser turrets sprayed from the nine ships as they made an overt attempt to support allied ships.
"Director Pine, this is Captain Huang Lin of the FSS Phoenix point two. We have two recovery ships on hand if needed. Please fall back and join us, we will cover your retreat.
The battlepods barely seemed to dodge, and when they did it would involve large groups all making the exact same manuver at the exact same time. Sometimes they would juke and dodge a good second or two after the swarm missiles impacted their formation, sometimes it before, like the entire group was distracted with something else.
It certainly made the Fenrir's kill count look impressive.
It also was quite obvious what the NMX were focusing on.
In the time it took for the Pheonix.2's lasers to travel to their target, another pair of Elysian battleships had been destroyed. The rapid, constant, weapons fire between all of the groups was enough to make the center of the battle area start to glow a bright white, almost like a second star. The splashback from the weapons fire being more than enough to start ignighting the surface of the gas giant, an entire sky worth of flame spreading outward from the side of the planet facing the battle. Elysian ships were being destroyed almost exclusively, and they were losing them almost as quickly as the NMX were losing Megamishhu.
However there were quite a few more Megamishhu than Elysians.
Uso was tapping her fingers on the display table, the Queen's Slave still quite a ways away from the front lines.
"Well. Fuck."
Uso opened up her channels to her own allies.
"This isn't going to last long, but we won't be able to bring these kind of numbers again for a while. I think we should kill as many as we can WHILE heading out."
Some of the other Elysian allies clearly had the same idea. Non Elysian ships were already breaking formation and heading to the edge of the system so that they could jump out.
"Uso better be buying tonight!" Aashi said over comms while her own ship broke the line, then to her crew, she said aloud, "Sorry for bringing you along for such a nightmare. Let's get out of here, but work some magic with the weapons while you can, Paknir," she said, speaking to a crew member. "Ulysses," Aashi said, "get safe!"
Ulysses cursed as the entire formation began to scatter. "Helm, bring us about. We are getting the hell out of here." He then turned his attention to Aashi's order. "Aye aye, dear. I will follow you out." he replied before turning back to tactical. "Keep firing the swarm missles, and keep the big guns pumping out shells. CAG get our fighters back on the deck. We are leaving!"
"Hopefuly that won't be needed if we're lucky." Jack mumbled to imself, "U-1's return to ship, Indigoes fire full spread as we retreat as I want a offensive barrier between us and them, and Broadswords keep up the fire and focus more on persuers and projectiles. All ships make ready to retreat, heading 180 vertical right, 20 horizontal down." he shouted to his forces.
"I'm the one that's going to need the drink..." Uso said to herself, as she watched more ships turning away from the fight on her display screen. She could hear a small chuckle from Aashi's comms.
At this point even the Elysian fleet could see the writing on the wall, breaking off into two groups and heading away from the main NMX thrust. USO's own ships all heading for the edge of the system at the same time. The first few ships from the combined fleet reaching the edge of the system would jump directly back home.
"Guys, the NMX are gona go after everyone else next... head to deep space first to throw off their tracking. Don't bring them right back to 188604!"
"Understood. All ships engage slipspace fold jump! Set coordinates to designated destination, wait til we're well out of the system. Close all hatches, doors, and hangars. Lock down and prepare for jump." Jack ordered as he watched events on a 3 dimensional display of the current event as it unfolded, hoping to gleem as much as he could about their enemy as he could for the future battles to come.
Mr. Donovan stared blankly at the holographic display of the battlefield, in reality he was immersed in a live datastream. The retreat was depressing to watch since his calculations were correct. With a stable base of operations and a fleet this size the NMX would easily wipe out each faction present... but what if their base wasn't stable?
The sensor drones focused their scans on the planet to catch a glimpse of the hardest part, the solid core. With data transmitted the sensor drone teams began heading away to an area they could jump from as the information was compiled and relayed to FSCorp's distant broadsword cruisers.
"Fleet, this is Mr. Donovan. If we leave them with their planet they will have no trouble coming for us later. Broadswords shoot for the planet's core. It is a long shot but we must slow their ship producing capabilities, even if temporary. Shipping fleet, come about and prepare to evacuate."
"We are NOT retreating!" Candon shouted over Donovan before broadcasting on an open channel to the combined fleets, "we cannot leave now, they will follow us to our homes! Captains, do not leave, we will drive them back. Form up and focus fire on the designated targets!"
The 8 Broadswords trained their bows towards the planet's core. Maybe total destruction wasn't possible but any bit of disruption on the enemy base would help. The cruisers double tapped two volleys each before returning to cover their allies from Saber. With luck they could all leave together.
Aashi, hearing this over comms from Candon and his robo-bud, said, "We won't turn tail if they don't turn tail!! Disengage MASC drive preperations and turn this beaut around!!! PREPARE planetary core assault!" She had really never done this. She felt a kick in her belly as she realized that and she called out over open comms, "Ulysses!"
Much of the others didn't seem to share Candon's enthusiasm for staying to fight. The Elysian's allies were quite happy to run away, attempting to save themselves as ship after ship reached the edge of the system to jump out.
The Elysian fleet wasn't far behind, fighting a running battle with the NMX. Leaving a trail of destroyed starships behind.
The NMX didn't seem to be interested in the FSC ships, at least not until they joined in with firing at the planet. Their projectiles diving into the atmosphere of the gas giant before exploding, sending a violent bubble of rock and gas upward. The entire planet seeming to bulge with firestorms as the weapons fire began to tear it apart.
A pair of Megamishhu would break off from the group attacking the Elysians to head toward the FSC group. Each was about the same size as one of the Broadsword cruisers, but with them came a swarm of nearly 200 battlepods, each arranged into two seperate groups. There didn't seem to be any individuality in how they moved. When one pod turned, they all turned, moving as group, shooting as a group.
They would start to close range with the FSC ships, the battlepods volley-firing out infront of the FSC ships, trying to get them to manuver, meaning less of their speed would be used for escaping, and the NMX could get closer.
"Alright new plan fleet, all Indigoes break off and cover the FSC fleet. Broadswords, hammer that core with everything we have. Let's add some extra fusion to it. We'll roast these sons of bitches alive. Move to code black, all non-essential personel are to find secure areas and strap in. Set all escape pods to standby." Jack shouted with a grin as his fleet began to execute their assigned maneuvers. Jack silently hoped they would survive this, and that they would make it home.
"The fight is here and now gentleman, let's give em hell. For home, family, and the people. We can not fail. For those of us who do not survive this day, "Peace to the fallen!", and to those who fight on in their stead "Retribution for the enemy!"." Jack gave one last communication before focusing his attention on the battle at hand, as he synched full to the ship, feeling the particles that ran past the hull, and feeling the guns firing one by one. He focused the fire being put out by the USV-Pathfinder hoping to speed their progress.
Ulysses cursed as he saw the few ships turned back to re-engage. "Gods damn it." At hearing Aashi, he replied. "Right! Helm bring us to the same heading. Tactical, load the tubes with swarm missiles. Switch shells to depleted uranium." As he scanned the battlefield, he realized his carrier was the biggest ship they had. "All ships remaining to fight, get behind the Fenrir. We'll clear a path!"
He looked to his crew. "Helm! Full speed ahead. We are going to blast a hole. CAG launch the fighters and have them target the battlepods. Tactical, fire everything!!!"
The hull lit up as every single missile tube launched their payload of swarm cluster missiles, and the four dual barrled rail guns launched shell after shell of the heavy duty rounds down range. "All shields double front, kill them all!!!" Ulysses yelled.
The bay doors began to slide open, but only enough for the fighters to exit. Several armed ashigaru mecha on each cargo ship began pushing a trio of gravity sleds each armed with an octogatling later turret into position to cover the opening door while the light Mecha took up defensive positions.
The deafening whistle of 20 pairs of gravity powered jet engines filled the massive cargo bay as U-1 and YV1 starfighters, 10 of each, prepared for takeoff. Two by two the fighters VTOL'd into position for quick departure as the door.
"All fighters, launch immediately and take the mass defense formation," Mr. Donovan ordered.
From her place in the cockpit of the snug but comfortable U-1, the scientist slowly and methodically initiated the launch sequence.
Thrusters roared as the the mass of Fighters rocketed into space where 120 starfighters formed an organized wall, ships staggered from the ones next to them to allow room for maneuvering. Streaks of lasers were left behind as the waves of ships began opening up with their primary lasers. Joining the frenzy, the 24 octogatling turrets on the freighters hulls opened fire on the approaching hoard, the large ships using their hexagonal formation to maximize turret coverage.
Oshiro Masumi's deep onyx mecha moved with the group just behind before tearing apart before the organized wall was form. Never one for behaving in large groups, she was away from them soon thereafter. Stealth systems completely online, she lay in wait for a target worthy of her U-1 mecha's attention, all the while pin-pointing Kōku Wahoo.
The broadsword cruisers fired yet another salvo on the planet while the Kouken class escort turned to face the approaching megamishu.
The majority of the NMX fleet appeared to heading in other directions, leaving only the two Megamishhu along with their large swarms of battle pods directly in the path of the combined fleet. Their point defense weapons starting to engage the starburst rounds that were being fired towards the planet, once they realized what was going on and just how much damage the fleet was trying to do.
But before the ships could deal with the megamishhu, they would first have to go through the swarms of battlepods.
The hundreds of battlepods were split into two groups, each pod having a few hundred kilometers between itself and the next pod in the formation. Every ship in each group would perform the same turns as its brothers, jinking out of the way of the large slugs being fired by the Fenrir, only for dozens to be destroyed by the swarm missiles or the combined fire of the USV-Pathfinder and small craft being launched by Mr. Donovan.
"Ulys-ee-oh..." Aashi murmured as she saw the slugs heading for his ship. "Thanks for that, guys," she said to the Pathfinder and, of course, Mr. Donovan.
As each group of pods started to close distance, they would take aim at Ulysses ship and unleash a massive torrent of fire. The small projectiles exploding against the ship's shields, the repeated explosions blinding the ship entirely with a screen of hot-plasma blasts... however the ship's shields were just strong enough to weather the attack... one that would have quickly chipped away the protection provided by the Broadswords.
At the speed they were closing, the fleet would soon fly right through the battlepod's formation.
"Laser arrays at maximum output! We're not letting them," Aashi nearly growled as she took over piloting of the ship from her chair of command and spun the Devata around from its position to make the ship a moving target that could take out pods quickly and decisively.
"All fighters prepare for launch, I will be down shortly. All fighters are to assist both the FSC and Elysian forces as needed. You have trained for this. Focus on point defense for now though." Jack said on the comms before unsynching from thre USV-Pathfinder's systems, "Alright continue current action until I return, or if they redirect their attack at us, then get our people out of here."
Jack quickly before making his way down to the equipment room to suit up in a Revenant undersuit then board his black with red markings U-1 custom, Black Reaper.
"Reaper One to bridge, commence launch. All units are green for take off." he said as the hangers opened, and 60 U-1's all in black, took off from three Broadsword hangars of the Section 6 fleet.
"All units form up!" Jack gave over the squadron channel as they began an arced flight path to strafe the incoming battle pods from the flank.
Metallic smoke billowed from the rear of the Caravan freighters a moment before they applied three seconds of heavy reverse thrust. The smoke swept over the freighters and fighters which momentarily held their course until the cloud had past.
Seeing eruptions across the planet the Broadsword cruisers maneuvered around to face off with the pair of Megamishu. Running low on munitions the 8 cruisers turned slightly quicker than usual and opened fire on the megamishu with their main guns while calling for reloads.
From the Caravan cargo ships flew 8 large cargo containers, each retrieved a pair of U-1s equipped with graviton projectors who began towing them to the Cruisers
The FSCorp fighters split up as twenty YV1 interceptors began pursuing each cluster of battle pods while the U-1s moved into position to protect the fleet from the battle pods. The rest of the Wahoo interceptors formed up around the U-1s transporting the reload containers, Shield booster pods activated on the fighters equipped with them.
The Broadswords each launched their wings of YV1s which rushed to meet up with the incoming resupply crowd, flying in staggered V formations of 5 trailing smoke screen to cover the path of the incoming ordinance.
The Fenrir rocked as salvo after salvo slammed against her shields. Ulysses gritted his teeth. "Oh... you think that's all we got?" He yelled at the screen, displaying the Megamishu and battlepods. "Tactical! Synchronized fire. Load the antimatter rounds and shove it down those Megamishu's damn throats. Fire next salvo of swarm missiles!" He then looked to his Helmsman and System operator. "Put us right between those bastards. We will run right between them. Systems, divert all non critical power to the shields." He ordered.
As the Fenrir plowed through the battlepods, the fighters that had just landed on the flight deck were immidately rearmed and reloaded onto the catapult, spitting them back out into the fight. The fighter's formed up into 2 flights and broke off to engage the battlepods, launching their own cluster missiles into the volley that the Fenrir was continuing to launch.
The hull of the Fenrir rocked as the four cannons fired their anti matter payloads in unison over and over at the Megamishu. "Now they learn what happens when you piss me off and harm my crew and family. Now die!!!" Ulysses roared.
The mass of battle pods didn't fair too well against the fighters. While the swarm could deftly dodge one or two ships firing at them, those manuvers in unison wouldn't help a whole lot against the massed fighters that quickly began to cut down on the battle pod's numbers. The point defense fire from one of the Megamishhu even started to drop off a bit, while the battlepod's tactics started to get a bit better...
... Though that megamishhu seemed too focused on something else, as the FSC's first barrage seemed to catch it unaware. The megamishhu didn't even try to dodge, getting torn apart by the first volley from their main guns.
The second Megamishhu seemed to snap to attention after the death of its friend. The swarm of battlepods turned towards the combined fleet formation and just sailed forward without dodging, creating a hail of battlepod obsticals for the fleet to have to manuver around. A large number of them smashing into the Fenrir's shields, the cannon shells and missiles the ship was sending out were having a hard time getting through the sheer bulk of destroyed material ending up infront of the ship.
The Second Megamsihhu also clearly chose its target, heading right for the FSC's broadsword cruisers, closing the distance at its top speed and giving them only seconds to react, the tendrils extending in all directions as it plotted a colision course, pushing its shields completely to the front as blisters along the top opened up to unleash guided plasma towards the FSC's caravan cargo ships.
Ulysses cursed once more as the battlepods and debris smashed against the sheilds. "Helmsman, bring us on an intercept course with that big bastard." He ordered.
The ship began turning, moving on an intercept course with the megmishu.
"Fire next swarm salvo at the megamishu. Launch barrage!" Werner yelled.
More missiles streamed from the hull and the cannons kept spitting out slug after antimater slug at the massive target. Ulysses then opened a link to his fighters. "Slephnir flight! Clear us a firing line through that debris." He ordered.
"Slephnir 1 copies." The lead replied, leading his flight towards the debris feild, finging cluster missiles at the debris feild around the target.
"Woo, finally!" Cheered the pilot of Phoenix.2 as he punched the throttle down. Staffed completely by crew that had been uploaded into android bodies and tasked with the original purpose of the ship during the operation on B7R the vessel lunged at the chance of a 'close encounter' with the megamishu. Heavy lasers zeroed in on the creature as the missile launchers pumped as much of the payload as they possibly could while the entire hangar bay of fighters and two Alligator gunships launched, fleeing the path of the incoming enemy.
None of those weapons compared to the power of the twin positron cannons the ship unleashed toward the incoming megamishu.
The Broadsword cruisers took aim at the incoming enemy but did not fire as the Kouken escort charged, avoiding a Friendly Fire incident. Instead they opened fire with their secondary weapons while launching their U-1 fighters, loaded with EMP rockets. The fighters set course for the megamishu.
The mass of fighters reached the waiting Broadsword cruisers, splitting up and transforming to mecha mode to carefully deliver their large container into opened cargo bays. They would join the swarm of Wahoos that traveled at their highest output to flank the megamishu as formations if of 5 fighters each took different vectors, opening up many lanes by which to fire.
The wahoo interceptors pursuing the battle pods eventually managed to heard them into a position where the octo-gatling laser turrets had overlapping fields of fire. With careful aim they released a hellish hailstorm of pinpoint fire onto the pods, taking as many as possible.
The 20 wahoos who'd destroyed their battle pods earlier had joined in the attack on the megamishu, pushing up quickly at full burn.
With shields favoring their front side the caravan freighters would brace for the incoming attack from the megamishu, closing doors with crew taking cover.
The Megamishhu would change its trajectory right towards the Pheonix.2... the closest target... its shields warding off the smaller strikes from fighters as it closed the distance. The point-defense blisters on the creature striking down the incoming auto-cannon fire as the FSC's lasers raked its surface. Large gouges were dug into the creature itself until it could make its pass at extreme close range, tenrils extending out in all directions behind the creature as it passed by the Pheonix 2. Despite the Pheonix's manuvers, the Mishhu would adjust its trajectory to pass right by it, using the tendrils to smack the ship. The high speed impact turning the tendril itself into a rapidly expanding cloud of dust...
... The megamishhu just continued forward, its skin starting to unravel, its surface glowing from the repeated laser strikes as it started to cook from the inside out. The ship no longer actively manuvering.
The nearby battlepods were quickly being torn apart until only a handful were left, flying dumb as if they were no longer piloted. The NMX's gas giant world was still infront of them and getting close, asteroids, starships, and debries forming a mushy grey cloud near the planet that was being illuminated by the fires burning in its atmosphere.
While there was no one defending the planet... the NMX fleet was taking notice. The Elysians were leaving, and the main fleet was turning its attention to USO's group, turning towards them and accelerating..
Mr. Donovan, plugged into the USO fleet network me and taking the initiative to send orders to the allied ships, assembling the independent fleets into one formation. With the approaching hoard of angry megamishu the time had come to depart from the battlefield.
Mr. Donovan calculated the optimal course away from the system. Finding the fleet was already carrying significant velocity towards the planet the the idea of turning around was not appealing. It would simply take too long to perform even a 90° turn, since the enemy was already accelerating they couldn't afford to lose their current speed.
A new course was plotted and relayed to the surrounding ships and the USO fleet, one that took them further towards the planet and used it's gravity well to accelerate them away from the battlefield. But since they were in the neighborhood, Donovan relayed targeting data to the broadsword cruisers for a parting salvo on the planet.
The roar of the YV1's twin thrusters filled the cabin of Candon's Kokū Wahoo as he kept pace with the flight that had eliminated the battle pods as they made their pass across the megamishu. An almost sarcastic chuckled escaped him as he watched the giant creature get swarmed by the fire of 9 ships.
"These Mish are pathetic, they're nothing like the armies I fought in the wars," Candon judged, "swarming never works. They ought to know by now."
"I don't know Spectre," one of the squadron members rebutted, "that swarm at ten o'clock might do the trick." The movement of mass Mishu was easily visible, even at their range.
"Copy that- uh, Backdrop," Candon agreed, checking the chatter log for his ally's name, "That'll work right their."
"Red Squadron, form up, we're going to look for survivors and escape pods while the fleet maneuvers," the squadron flight captain ordered, a chorus of acknowledgement ensuing. The cluster of fighters began combing through the wreckage of two AF-27 Lich carriers for escape pods and distress beacons.
"Caper to Red Leader, someone is alive on the bridge of the carrier, the one missing it's deck, a pilot reported.
"It's not worth our time, it's probably just an Elysian captain," Red Leader answered, "focus on allied ships."
Candon thought back on his limited training as a starship engineer before SAINT found him as he mentally assessed the damage. From the looks of it his Kouken escort was damaged worse when he picked it up. "Mr. Donovan," Candon radioed on a private channel, "munitions were expensive. I want this ship towed home to recoup the loss. Send C5c drones and an FTL tug."
No verbal response would come from Donovan, who was busy. Rather, the C5c drones that had returned to the fleet released their boxmines and made their way over to the wreck while a pair of tugs launched from separate Caravan freighters followed.
"Reaper one and Arrow squadron to FSC flight. Hey Candon, want some backup? Got another 60 U-1's with pilots itching for some more flight time. And I kinda miss flying." Jack joked lightly over the fleet wide comms, in a way happy to be able to participate in heavy combat again, "We've may not have seen eye to eye, but I would never leave a brother in arms to fight alone. Arrow squadron is on station and awaiting tasking, give the call and we got ya covered."
Several such pilots chimed in.
"Reaper three. Hell yeah, let's get some payback on the squids."
One pilot said, "Reaper ten. No man left behind, no battle left unfought."
"Reaper sixteen. Brothers at our backs, enemies ahead and victory on the horizon," said another pilot.
"See, besides, who's gonna make sure you get back home to make snarky comments at me other than Uso if I don't." he added as if in emphasis.
"We're glad to have you, Jack," Candon answered, "keep an eye out for escape pods or disabled allies. I think Donovan is pulling us out." The double flash of the twin rail guns from the white and blue Broadsword Cruisers caught Candon's eye. He could easily tell what they were doing, in a few minutes even the fighters would be running to keep up. Steams of autocannon fire began searing though space toward the clusters of distant enemies, too far out of range for energy weapons to reach. It probably wouldn't hit much but forcing the enemy to evade would definitely slow the hoards.
"Red squadron, this is Spectre, I'm going to board that carrier and see if I can't get the engines running," Candon informed his flight and Jack's as he gently brought his Wahoo into a landing on the flat, elevated surface just below the elevated bridge. As the wheels of his landing gear touched down the two graviton projector pods created a pull between the fighter and hull to keep It parked.
Air hissed out of the cockpit as the cabin depressurized before the clear diamond dome tipped forward, opening quickly with neither gravity nor air resisting it. The silvery, cleanly modified Anthedon suit departed from the closing fighter craft, floating over the battered hull.
It didn't take long for the first of the enemy battlepods to arrive. Several swarms of 20-30 pods moving in unison would approach reaper squadron head on, releasing a wide torrent of fire, plasma bolts flying around...
... and POPing...
One of the reaper squadron pilots had brought EMP pods, and Vier was remotely controlling them, sweeping energy across the battlespace to ground the electrical fields that kept plasma bolts together... forcing the pods to rely on their slower moving missiles.
Of course, even disarmed, the pods were a threat, and they would have no qualms about closing to point blank range just to try and ram the reapers.
They would certainly be able to buy Candon a minute or two.
The carrier didn't look like it was in great shape. something had moved right through the flight deck at very high speeds, a large hole going right through the ship Candon had landed on. Up above him the bridge looked mostly intact. There seemed to be one space suited individual trying to bring systems back online... while the rest of the crew seemed to be unmoving and situated entirely on the floor.
More than half of the FSCorp fighters began converging on the battle pods at high speeds right until they entered weapons range, the squadrons of star fightersfighters slowed to attack speeds a began focusing their fire on the battle pods most likely to be dangerous...
To be continued!...
Vier's drones arrived first, a pair exiting FTL just outside of the Toehold system to confirm that a trap wasn't waiting for the rest of the fleet.
A few seconds later, the rest of the ships would follow, a large number of armed C5 drones along with the Queen's Slave, Uso's own ship.
The Elysians were quick to respond,
"Nice of you to join us," The voice paired with the transmission was that of Mrs. Castiel, Raphael's own mother, and the one behind this operation. "Please bring your auxillaries along-side my ship, The Unyielding Determination, Once we finish destroying the target planet you will be released from your duties here."
The Elysian fleet was large. It easily outnumbered USO's own ships in number and size, totally nearly 200 ships in the battleship size class. Each had the same standardized blue diamond design, hovering over the intensely bright point of light that served as the ship's reactor.
Intermixed with the Elysian ships were additional auxillaries, some small rocket-like escorts, larger wedge shaped ships armed with a single massive turret on the underside, even a white cylinder that seemed to be breaking up, deploying a series of round drones that looked oddly akin to a sleek, saucer-like, C5.
The ships were spaced out along a nearly 5000km wall of cracked rocks that had been accelerated into the system at nearly .1c This provided some cover for the Elysian ships as they approched their target... a massive gas giant. Their path to the planet was clear of other stellar bodies and for the moment all that appeared to be arrayed against them were a dozen older NMX ships.
As Vier moved her ships into position, Uso looked over the avalible data,
"That's a small NMX force. I guess the party hasn't started yet..."
Soon another group of ships would be ripped back into real space as they exited slipspace, the black hulls of six Broadsword light cruisers and five Indigo class guided missile frigates. The ships were arranged with the Indigos flying in a V formation, with the Broadswords arranged into a V formation of three above and below the Indigos.
"Saber fleet to USO fleet, this is the USV-Pathfinder, awaiting for tasking. Please advise?" the comms officer announced on an open local frequency.
"Hey boss, what's the plan? we forming up, or flying independant?" Jack said over the same frequency.
At the rear of the fleets appeared the distinct white hulls of the Frontier Service Corporation's combined fleet. 8 Broadsword Cruisers, 30 C5 drones, and Caravan Heavy Freighters with pairs of octo-gatling turrets on both their top and bottom sides. Their combined total of starfighters included 75 YV1 Interceptors and 75 U-1 variable mecha, all still docked with their assigned ship. Support craft included 10 C5b sensor drones, 35 C5c cargo drones with ten carrying box mines, and 10 C5d drones for concealment.
"We have arrived, Miss Tasuki," Mr. Donovan introduced, "we have munitions, fuel, and Medical Services standing by."
In another flash, another heavy carrier transitioned back into normal space while closely following it a stealth frigate exited foldspace MASC, an Iromakuanhe ship that hadn't let the dust settle since Aashi left Uso's planet in order to re-acquire her.
"This is the Fenrir, we are ready for battle." Said the voice of Ulysses Werner. "Let's wrap this up quick." He said to his bridge crew. "CAG launch all fighers, systems I wants all power to forward shields. Tactical load tubes with swarm missiles and ready the railguns!" He ordered.
"Aye aye!" His crew replied.
Aashi nearly stood to give her privateer-run ship orders but stayed where she was, simply opening a line between Uso and Werner only and said simply, "Can't wait to win this, honey..."
Other Auxillary ships were still warping in as well. Clearly not Elysian in design... many of the ships quite different in design from eachother as well. The dagger-like shape of the Itano exiting only a few thousand kilometers from the Fenrir. its own small cloud of defensive missiles starting to surround the ship.
The main communication channel was certainly full of interesting chatter.
"This is Keller Dietrich of the Kingdom of Cavalon. We have arrived and are ready to participate."
"Huh... How'd she get a ship... B7R doesn't have the facilities..." Uso thought outloud...
Of course the Elysians wasted no time in giving orders.
"Keller, bring your ship along side The Romanticism of Animosity... you will escort it to our Objective."
"M.I.C. drones, you are straying from your assigned area. Maintain a tight grouping with The Poetry of Reciprocity."
*FZZZZT*
A signal came in quite strongly from the planet in question, cutting through the chatter on the all hands channel.
"THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING. LEAVE, OR WE WILL HUNT DOWN EACH OF YOUR HOMES, AND KILL EVERYTHING WE FIND."
The Elysians themselves seemed unphased, their ships continuing to approach the planet. Powerful energy beams easily slicing through the handful of older NMX ships that were in their path.
"All hands weapons free, deploy U-1's, Broadswords and Indigos open fire! All units, repeat, engage." Jack shouted to the bridge crew and his fleet, causing black U-1's to leave their hangars as the trace of starfire shells were unloaded into NMX targets as well causing bright flashes as impacts were made reducing shields to zero and hulls to slag as the few ships and their smaller escorts were ripped apart under the continous salvo of fire.
"All U-1's hold off on approach, let us soften them up before mop up operations commence. you can have whatever stragglers are left, or any hostiles that manage to get close." Jack reported to the fighters now flying in wings of five along with the ships of the fleet.
"This is Captain Luka Tachi," he announced on his shipping fleets channels, "all freighters hold back, prepare your cargo bays and support teams and prepare the last of our EMP cruise missiles."
"Broadsword Cruisers, hold your fire unless absolutely necessary," Mr. Donovan ordered from a cargo container turned CIC on Prosperity Dawn, "our current priority is to get our sensor drones into position, ensure that they reach their destinations."
As orders were given five people gathered around a holographic table in the makeshift war room began tasking C5b drones to different positions to the relative sides of the battlefield accompanied by a C5 drone and box mine carrying C5c. The data made available would be shared with the USO and Saber.
In the voluminous cargo bay of Prosperity Dawn a small crowd of fighter pilots dressed in diverse space gear, including powered armor, congregated around a single YV1 Interceptor as technicians made final preparations for the launch of their fighters. While this meeting was taking place on only one ship it was being broadcast to the rest of the fighter squadrons.
"Attention everyone," Candon addressed the pilots as he climbed onto the wing of his flat black YV1 with shark teeth painted on the nose, the helmet of his Spectre PA removed(a very new feature!), "in a few minutes things are going to be getting heated out there. I want everyone to remember who are allies really are before we fly. The USO, Saber, and basically anyone who isn't with the Fake Elysian Empire."
The comment would be met with heavily subdued expressions of humor from the ones familiar with the Empire mentioned and even Masumi, in the crowd, let her eyes squint and lips upturn at the comment. Candon had earlier tried to convey a summary of there conflicted relationship with the 4th Great Elysian Empire. Many were still a little confused. To Masumi, though, he had spent a little more time explaining the personal connections to the people invested in USO.
"I don't want to see anyone going out of their way to help the Elysian fleet. Ourselves and our allies are the most important assets out here. I want to see as many of the Elysian ships sink as possible without putting ourselves in danger so if you see one of their ships depending on you and none of our ships depending on them, leave," He ordered, "trust me, the Elysians are not friends. If we take too many losses here there is a large chance that they will try and take 188 back. I know a lot of us are concerned about the NMX threat, with good reason. I'm telling you as someone with experience in this, those animals won't find our homes if we burn there's with them in it. Bring the sake"
On each ship a member of the ground crew brought a tray of glasses filled with sake, one for each pilot. They were passed out, with instruction not to drink yet. Masumi held hers in her right hand as her left held her right arm's elbow in front of her busty chest, unsuccesfully toned down by the U-1's pilot suit.
"An ancient Yamataian legend tells of brave pilots who were willing to give their lives, crashing there their aircraft into enemies to protect their home from the invasion of a greater power."
Masumi flinched at the mention of the 'divine wind' of old and remembered her times in battle already. What would happen if she was hurt in the same way she had been hurt on the Eucharis. Whose body would she inhabit if she dies out here on the fringes of known society? She continued to think on this deeply while looking at the floor until she realized Candon had continued and she refocused her attention on her hot presently philosophical boyfriend.
Candon said, "Now unlike them we plan to survive this encounter, but we share similarities. Our enemies are far more powerful than ourselves and yet we will fly against them anyways to protect our families and homes. Before flying out these pilots would drink one last glass of sake with their fellow pilots and recite a poem." Candon claimed the last glass on the tray for himself.
"Both the victor
and the vanquished are
but drops of dew,
but bolts of lightning -
thus should we view the world."
Raising his glass higher Candon concluded, "live or die, we shall strike as lightning, for our home!"
A brief cheer ended in a drink, followed by the pilots heading back towards their fighters parked in two rows of ten with a space in the center for ground crew movement and taxi toward the still closed cargo bay doors.
Masumi took a long yet quick sip that drained the sake while her blue eyes were trained on Candon, who did the same. Stepping off of his fighter's wing Candon approached Masumi, absorbing the sight of her deep into his mind for the coming conflict. As he drew closer the strain of her spacesuit became more apparent creating mixed feelings of concern and passion, passion being the greater force to focus on as his concerns would only stand to sink the confidence he needed for the first battle he would ever experience from a starfighter.
"When we get through this we should go shopping. Get you some fitted space gear and powered armor," he offered, then asked, "how was that pep talk? You don't think that they'll be trying to ram stuff, do you?"
"I just wish more people had the opportunity to hear you," Masumi told Candon. "It was a perfectly rousing speech. I can't imagine the ones that did hear being anything but the best fighters they can be." She looked at her feet, then at him, "I want you to be safe today. All days. But on mission days, especially."
Candon smiled softly. "Only months ago I would have gone out there and fought with total disregard to my own safety," Candon confessed, his armored hand gently pushing her chin back up, "I had nothing to live for, but now I do. I will come back to you."
"I know you will," Masumi spoke quietly but confidently as she looked at him, "And I know how important what you live for is, because I have you..."
Being very careful to not hurt Masumi with his powered armor Candon kissed her, ever conscious of keeping his mechanized suit from snagging her hair, the fastest way of ruining the moment they may not have for the rest of the month should the battle go poorly.
Ulysses smiled as he saw Aashi pulled alongside the Fenrir. "Yes dear. Let show them what happens when they cross us." He replied over their link. "We'll lead the way. I'm diverting Slephnir flight to cover you." He told his wife.
He then turned back to his crew. "Alright! Target the closest enemy vessel and fire the swarm missiles, Tactical. Helm bring us into formation. Engines to 50%." He ordered.
"Aye!" Came the report as the launchers fired their swarm missiles towards the closest NMX vessels.
"Get a firing solution for the cannons ready. CAG, have our flights engage the escorts. Today we kick the NMX in the teeth, and show everyone what the Fenrir can do!" He yelled.
"We have a lot of friends on the field today," Aashi said to her crew of men and women from the Iruotl system that were on the bridge of the Devata and over comms to those in the VANDR and hangar bays. "So let's hold ourselves at arm's length until we understand their battle tactics."
The combined fleet numbered in the hundreds, the Elysians confidently pushing into the star system, the large wall of debries they had formed out infront of the fleet providing additional protection to their own ships, while the numerous allies they had brought with them... one way or another... bolstered their numbers.
The trip from the edge of the FTL exclusion zone to their target would only take about ten minutes, the Elysians doing their best to retain a cautious confidence as they approached their target. Against such numbers, the few NMX ships in their way were little more than target practice. Their hulls turning into bright, rapidly expanding clouds of gas as they got within weapons range of any part of the fleet.
And then they were finally within range.
The Elysian ships set their weapons to Aether Shock Cannon mode, and as they approached the planet, the hulls of the ship would glow white for just a moment.
Onboard the The Unyielding Determination, one of the Seraphs was already explaining what happened to Mrs. Castiel.
"The NMX are using a wide ranging anti-gravity field to jam our Aether Shock Cannons......"
She would nod, "Switch to beam mode, and continue the atta..."
Before she could finish, intensely bright lances would pierce upward from the gas giant and nearly a dozen Elysian battleships were destroyed outright from the hail of fire... followed by millions of missiles, thousands of battle pods, and hundreds of Mega-mishhu that seemed to pour out of the gas-giant's skies and into space.
Ulysses and the Fenrir continued to mop up what the Elysian's had left behind, letting them do most of the heavy lifiting. But when several of the battleships exploded and the NMX came out of the wood work, he sprang into action.
"Bring shields to full! Tactical, load all tubes with swarm missles and target those battle pods. Get targeting solutions for cannons and fire on the Megamishu! Fire at will!" He ordered.
The hull of the carrier was alight as all the missile batteries fired a barrage of swarm missiles towards the battle pods. Then the ship shuddered as the four dual-barrled railguns began discharging their kinetic payload.
"Keep us between the Devata and those Mishu." He ordered his helmsman, crossing his arms and standing from his seat. Things were not looking good.
Aashi saw what Ulysses was doing and decided to make things a bit less complicated by keeping her position and doing what made the most sense, attack with all they had.
"Missile barrage, now!" Aashi shouted as she herself sat at the Devata's seat of power and waited to see what these great enemies had to offer Uso and her compatriates.
Chatter from the fleet buzzed from Candon's armor. It was obviously not going well. Turning from Masumi he yelled to the starfighter personnel, "all hands, to your stations!" The cargo bay immediately came to life as pilots and ground crew began rushing to get engines started and cockpits sealed.
Looking back to Masumi he took her hand. "Are you ready?"
"As I always have been, Candon," Masumi replied. "I have to admit... I like this."
Her lover cringed a bit, "Iust wait until we open that door. It's sounding rough out there.. though on guess rough is on your menu now and then."
"That's on my menu," Masumi said, head bobbing a little as she got prepared, thinking back to the enemies she had faced and that formative first time she had been shot in combat. She was so much more different now, stronger because of it. "But so are you... So come back to me today, Candon, alright?"
Candon pointed to the new art on the tail of his interceptor,
Masumi gave a quiet gasp as she saw the hiragana, then looked to Candon, "Love... That's what I feel for you."
"My love for you will keep me alive out there," he promised with a kiss. In a moment they would have to part and she would see the same hiragana on the tail of her U-1, which made her inhale quickly as her pink brows went up. She turned back to say something to Candon once she had fully approached her U-1 and had laid a hand on it.
Oshiro Masumi was able to catch his eye before he was in his Kōku Wahoo fighter. She pointed to the letters that spelled out their mutual feelings and then to her lips she brought her hand and she blew a kiss his way.
From his seat in the stunt fighter Candon looked upon Masumi one last time before donning his helmet. The canopy closed down over him, hissing as it sealed. The sound of mighty vacuum cleaners whined from his left and right as the twin gravity engines spooled to life.
Smiling to nobody now but herself, Masumi thought for a moment about the time she had seen Candon walk away from her with purpose and intent unlike any other moment in their year-ish together. It made her realize, now, as she watched him leaving her once more, that it would never again hurt like it had then.
For either of them.
Jack cursed loudly on the bridge as both their view screens and his HUD which was linked to the ship.
"All hands! Damage teams move to the ready, all weapons are to focus on the new arrivals. Everyone make ready to abandon ship if need be!" Jack shouted over the Saber fleet comms.
"Uso, Candon, I think lady luck just gave us the bird. This is not going to end very well. I've prepared the crew for escape procedures, but if worst comes to worse, I'll have them abandon ship and lock the fleet on a collision course. Our munition magazines are loaded with starfires, so at least we'll leave them with a surprise they soon won't forget. If this is the case, my people will need retrieval. If either of you have any ideas, I'm open." Jack now spoke throught the USO fleet comms detailing his plan as everything went to hell.
"Light 'em up!" Captain Huang Lin of Phoenix.2 shouted, cannon fire ripped from the 8 white cruisers flying in formation ahead of the Kouken-class escort, all sensor jamming smoke shells. The screen that now lay before the ships made accurate detection positron shells set to detonate in case they missed. Starjammer and heavy laser turrets sprayed from the nine ships as they made an overt attempt to support allied ships.
"Director Pine, this is Captain Huang Lin of the FSS Phoenix point two. We have two recovery ships on hand if needed. Please fall back and join us, we will cover your retreat.
The battlepods barely seemed to dodge, and when they did it would involve large groups all making the exact same manuver at the exact same time. Sometimes they would juke and dodge a good second or two after the swarm missiles impacted their formation, sometimes it before, like the entire group was distracted with something else.
It certainly made the Fenrir's kill count look impressive.
It also was quite obvious what the NMX were focusing on.
In the time it took for the Pheonix.2's lasers to travel to their target, another pair of Elysian battleships had been destroyed. The rapid, constant, weapons fire between all of the groups was enough to make the center of the battle area start to glow a bright white, almost like a second star. The splashback from the weapons fire being more than enough to start ignighting the surface of the gas giant, an entire sky worth of flame spreading outward from the side of the planet facing the battle. Elysian ships were being destroyed almost exclusively, and they were losing them almost as quickly as the NMX were losing Megamishhu.
However there were quite a few more Megamishhu than Elysians.
Uso was tapping her fingers on the display table, the Queen's Slave still quite a ways away from the front lines.
"Well. Fuck."
Uso opened up her channels to her own allies.
"This isn't going to last long, but we won't be able to bring these kind of numbers again for a while. I think we should kill as many as we can WHILE heading out."
Some of the other Elysian allies clearly had the same idea. Non Elysian ships were already breaking formation and heading to the edge of the system so that they could jump out.
"Uso better be buying tonight!" Aashi said over comms while her own ship broke the line, then to her crew, she said aloud, "Sorry for bringing you along for such a nightmare. Let's get out of here, but work some magic with the weapons while you can, Paknir," she said, speaking to a crew member. "Ulysses," Aashi said, "get safe!"
Ulysses cursed as the entire formation began to scatter. "Helm, bring us about. We are getting the hell out of here." He then turned his attention to Aashi's order. "Aye aye, dear. I will follow you out." he replied before turning back to tactical. "Keep firing the swarm missles, and keep the big guns pumping out shells. CAG get our fighters back on the deck. We are leaving!"
"Hopefuly that won't be needed if we're lucky." Jack mumbled to imself, "U-1's return to ship, Indigoes fire full spread as we retreat as I want a offensive barrier between us and them, and Broadswords keep up the fire and focus more on persuers and projectiles. All ships make ready to retreat, heading 180 vertical right, 20 horizontal down." he shouted to his forces.
"I'm the one that's going to need the drink..." Uso said to herself, as she watched more ships turning away from the fight on her display screen. She could hear a small chuckle from Aashi's comms.
At this point even the Elysian fleet could see the writing on the wall, breaking off into two groups and heading away from the main NMX thrust. USO's own ships all heading for the edge of the system at the same time. The first few ships from the combined fleet reaching the edge of the system would jump directly back home.
"Guys, the NMX are gona go after everyone else next... head to deep space first to throw off their tracking. Don't bring them right back to 188604!"
"Understood. All ships engage slipspace fold jump! Set coordinates to designated destination, wait til we're well out of the system. Close all hatches, doors, and hangars. Lock down and prepare for jump." Jack ordered as he watched events on a 3 dimensional display of the current event as it unfolded, hoping to gleem as much as he could about their enemy as he could for the future battles to come.
Mr. Donovan stared blankly at the holographic display of the battlefield, in reality he was immersed in a live datastream. The retreat was depressing to watch since his calculations were correct. With a stable base of operations and a fleet this size the NMX would easily wipe out each faction present... but what if their base wasn't stable?
The sensor drones focused their scans on the planet to catch a glimpse of the hardest part, the solid core. With data transmitted the sensor drone teams began heading away to an area they could jump from as the information was compiled and relayed to FSCorp's distant broadsword cruisers.
"Fleet, this is Mr. Donovan. If we leave them with their planet they will have no trouble coming for us later. Broadswords shoot for the planet's core. It is a long shot but we must slow their ship producing capabilities, even if temporary. Shipping fleet, come about and prepare to evacuate."
"We are NOT retreating!" Candon shouted over Donovan before broadcasting on an open channel to the combined fleets, "we cannot leave now, they will follow us to our homes! Captains, do not leave, we will drive them back. Form up and focus fire on the designated targets!"
The 8 Broadswords trained their bows towards the planet's core. Maybe total destruction wasn't possible but any bit of disruption on the enemy base would help. The cruisers double tapped two volleys each before returning to cover their allies from Saber. With luck they could all leave together.
Aashi, hearing this over comms from Candon and his robo-bud, said, "We won't turn tail if they don't turn tail!! Disengage MASC drive preperations and turn this beaut around!!! PREPARE planetary core assault!" She had really never done this. She felt a kick in her belly as she realized that and she called out over open comms, "Ulysses!"
Much of the others didn't seem to share Candon's enthusiasm for staying to fight. The Elysian's allies were quite happy to run away, attempting to save themselves as ship after ship reached the edge of the system to jump out.
The Elysian fleet wasn't far behind, fighting a running battle with the NMX. Leaving a trail of destroyed starships behind.
The NMX didn't seem to be interested in the FSC ships, at least not until they joined in with firing at the planet. Their projectiles diving into the atmosphere of the gas giant before exploding, sending a violent bubble of rock and gas upward. The entire planet seeming to bulge with firestorms as the weapons fire began to tear it apart.
A pair of Megamishhu would break off from the group attacking the Elysians to head toward the FSC group. Each was about the same size as one of the Broadsword cruisers, but with them came a swarm of nearly 200 battlepods, each arranged into two seperate groups. There didn't seem to be any individuality in how they moved. When one pod turned, they all turned, moving as group, shooting as a group.
They would start to close range with the FSC ships, the battlepods volley-firing out infront of the FSC ships, trying to get them to manuver, meaning less of their speed would be used for escaping, and the NMX could get closer.
"Alright new plan fleet, all Indigoes break off and cover the FSC fleet. Broadswords, hammer that core with everything we have. Let's add some extra fusion to it. We'll roast these sons of bitches alive. Move to code black, all non-essential personel are to find secure areas and strap in. Set all escape pods to standby." Jack shouted with a grin as his fleet began to execute their assigned maneuvers. Jack silently hoped they would survive this, and that they would make it home.
"The fight is here and now gentleman, let's give em hell. For home, family, and the people. We can not fail. For those of us who do not survive this day, "Peace to the fallen!", and to those who fight on in their stead "Retribution for the enemy!"." Jack gave one last communication before focusing his attention on the battle at hand, as he synched full to the ship, feeling the particles that ran past the hull, and feeling the guns firing one by one. He focused the fire being put out by the USV-Pathfinder hoping to speed their progress.
Ulysses cursed as he saw the few ships turned back to re-engage. "Gods damn it." At hearing Aashi, he replied. "Right! Helm bring us to the same heading. Tactical, load the tubes with swarm missiles. Switch shells to depleted uranium." As he scanned the battlefield, he realized his carrier was the biggest ship they had. "All ships remaining to fight, get behind the Fenrir. We'll clear a path!"
He looked to his crew. "Helm! Full speed ahead. We are going to blast a hole. CAG launch the fighters and have them target the battlepods. Tactical, fire everything!!!"
The hull lit up as every single missile tube launched their payload of swarm cluster missiles, and the four dual barrled rail guns launched shell after shell of the heavy duty rounds down range. "All shields double front, kill them all!!!" Ulysses yelled.
The bay doors began to slide open, but only enough for the fighters to exit. Several armed ashigaru mecha on each cargo ship began pushing a trio of gravity sleds each armed with an octogatling later turret into position to cover the opening door while the light Mecha took up defensive positions.
The deafening whistle of 20 pairs of gravity powered jet engines filled the massive cargo bay as U-1 and YV1 starfighters, 10 of each, prepared for takeoff. Two by two the fighters VTOL'd into position for quick departure as the door.
"All fighters, launch immediately and take the mass defense formation," Mr. Donovan ordered.
From her place in the cockpit of the snug but comfortable U-1, the scientist slowly and methodically initiated the launch sequence.
Thrusters roared as the the mass of Fighters rocketed into space where 120 starfighters formed an organized wall, ships staggered from the ones next to them to allow room for maneuvering. Streaks of lasers were left behind as the waves of ships began opening up with their primary lasers. Joining the frenzy, the 24 octogatling turrets on the freighters hulls opened fire on the approaching hoard, the large ships using their hexagonal formation to maximize turret coverage.
Oshiro Masumi's deep onyx mecha moved with the group just behind before tearing apart before the organized wall was form. Never one for behaving in large groups, she was away from them soon thereafter. Stealth systems completely online, she lay in wait for a target worthy of her U-1 mecha's attention, all the while pin-pointing Kōku Wahoo.
The broadsword cruisers fired yet another salvo on the planet while the Kouken class escort turned to face the approaching megamishu.
The majority of the NMX fleet appeared to heading in other directions, leaving only the two Megamishhu along with their large swarms of battle pods directly in the path of the combined fleet. Their point defense weapons starting to engage the starburst rounds that were being fired towards the planet, once they realized what was going on and just how much damage the fleet was trying to do.
But before the ships could deal with the megamishhu, they would first have to go through the swarms of battlepods.
The hundreds of battlepods were split into two groups, each pod having a few hundred kilometers between itself and the next pod in the formation. Every ship in each group would perform the same turns as its brothers, jinking out of the way of the large slugs being fired by the Fenrir, only for dozens to be destroyed by the swarm missiles or the combined fire of the USV-Pathfinder and small craft being launched by Mr. Donovan.
"Ulys-ee-oh..." Aashi murmured as she saw the slugs heading for his ship. "Thanks for that, guys," she said to the Pathfinder and, of course, Mr. Donovan.
As each group of pods started to close distance, they would take aim at Ulysses ship and unleash a massive torrent of fire. The small projectiles exploding against the ship's shields, the repeated explosions blinding the ship entirely with a screen of hot-plasma blasts... however the ship's shields were just strong enough to weather the attack... one that would have quickly chipped away the protection provided by the Broadswords.
At the speed they were closing, the fleet would soon fly right through the battlepod's formation.
"Laser arrays at maximum output! We're not letting them," Aashi nearly growled as she took over piloting of the ship from her chair of command and spun the Devata around from its position to make the ship a moving target that could take out pods quickly and decisively.
"All fighters prepare for launch, I will be down shortly. All fighters are to assist both the FSC and Elysian forces as needed. You have trained for this. Focus on point defense for now though." Jack said on the comms before unsynching from thre USV-Pathfinder's systems, "Alright continue current action until I return, or if they redirect their attack at us, then get our people out of here."
Jack quickly before making his way down to the equipment room to suit up in a Revenant undersuit then board his black with red markings U-1 custom, Black Reaper.
"Reaper One to bridge, commence launch. All units are green for take off." he said as the hangers opened, and 60 U-1's all in black, took off from three Broadsword hangars of the Section 6 fleet.
"All units form up!" Jack gave over the squadron channel as they began an arced flight path to strafe the incoming battle pods from the flank.
Metallic smoke billowed from the rear of the Caravan freighters a moment before they applied three seconds of heavy reverse thrust. The smoke swept over the freighters and fighters which momentarily held their course until the cloud had past.
Seeing eruptions across the planet the Broadsword cruisers maneuvered around to face off with the pair of Megamishu. Running low on munitions the 8 cruisers turned slightly quicker than usual and opened fire on the megamishu with their main guns while calling for reloads.
From the Caravan cargo ships flew 8 large cargo containers, each retrieved a pair of U-1s equipped with graviton projectors who began towing them to the Cruisers
The FSCorp fighters split up as twenty YV1 interceptors began pursuing each cluster of battle pods while the U-1s moved into position to protect the fleet from the battle pods. The rest of the Wahoo interceptors formed up around the U-1s transporting the reload containers, Shield booster pods activated on the fighters equipped with them.
The Broadswords each launched their wings of YV1s which rushed to meet up with the incoming resupply crowd, flying in staggered V formations of 5 trailing smoke screen to cover the path of the incoming ordinance.
The Fenrir rocked as salvo after salvo slammed against her shields. Ulysses gritted his teeth. "Oh... you think that's all we got?" He yelled at the screen, displaying the Megamishu and battlepods. "Tactical! Synchronized fire. Load the antimatter rounds and shove it down those Megamishu's damn throats. Fire next salvo of swarm missiles!" He then looked to his Helmsman and System operator. "Put us right between those bastards. We will run right between them. Systems, divert all non critical power to the shields." He ordered.
As the Fenrir plowed through the battlepods, the fighters that had just landed on the flight deck were immidately rearmed and reloaded onto the catapult, spitting them back out into the fight. The fighter's formed up into 2 flights and broke off to engage the battlepods, launching their own cluster missiles into the volley that the Fenrir was continuing to launch.
The hull of the Fenrir rocked as the four cannons fired their anti matter payloads in unison over and over at the Megamishu. "Now they learn what happens when you piss me off and harm my crew and family. Now die!!!" Ulysses roared.
The mass of battle pods didn't fair too well against the fighters. While the swarm could deftly dodge one or two ships firing at them, those manuvers in unison wouldn't help a whole lot against the massed fighters that quickly began to cut down on the battle pod's numbers. The point defense fire from one of the Megamishhu even started to drop off a bit, while the battlepod's tactics started to get a bit better...
... Though that megamishhu seemed too focused on something else, as the FSC's first barrage seemed to catch it unaware. The megamishhu didn't even try to dodge, getting torn apart by the first volley from their main guns.
The second Megamishhu seemed to snap to attention after the death of its friend. The swarm of battlepods turned towards the combined fleet formation and just sailed forward without dodging, creating a hail of battlepod obsticals for the fleet to have to manuver around. A large number of them smashing into the Fenrir's shields, the cannon shells and missiles the ship was sending out were having a hard time getting through the sheer bulk of destroyed material ending up infront of the ship.
The Second Megamsihhu also clearly chose its target, heading right for the FSC's broadsword cruisers, closing the distance at its top speed and giving them only seconds to react, the tendrils extending in all directions as it plotted a colision course, pushing its shields completely to the front as blisters along the top opened up to unleash guided plasma towards the FSC's caravan cargo ships.
Ulysses cursed once more as the battlepods and debris smashed against the sheilds. "Helmsman, bring us on an intercept course with that big bastard." He ordered.
The ship began turning, moving on an intercept course with the megmishu.
"Fire next swarm salvo at the megamishu. Launch barrage!" Werner yelled.
More missiles streamed from the hull and the cannons kept spitting out slug after antimater slug at the massive target. Ulysses then opened a link to his fighters. "Slephnir flight! Clear us a firing line through that debris." He ordered.
"Slephnir 1 copies." The lead replied, leading his flight towards the debris feild, finging cluster missiles at the debris feild around the target.
"Woo, finally!" Cheered the pilot of Phoenix.2 as he punched the throttle down. Staffed completely by crew that had been uploaded into android bodies and tasked with the original purpose of the ship during the operation on B7R the vessel lunged at the chance of a 'close encounter' with the megamishu. Heavy lasers zeroed in on the creature as the missile launchers pumped as much of the payload as they possibly could while the entire hangar bay of fighters and two Alligator gunships launched, fleeing the path of the incoming enemy.
None of those weapons compared to the power of the twin positron cannons the ship unleashed toward the incoming megamishu.
The Broadsword cruisers took aim at the incoming enemy but did not fire as the Kouken escort charged, avoiding a Friendly Fire incident. Instead they opened fire with their secondary weapons while launching their U-1 fighters, loaded with EMP rockets. The fighters set course for the megamishu.
The mass of fighters reached the waiting Broadsword cruisers, splitting up and transforming to mecha mode to carefully deliver their large container into opened cargo bays. They would join the swarm of Wahoos that traveled at their highest output to flank the megamishu as formations if of 5 fighters each took different vectors, opening up many lanes by which to fire.
The wahoo interceptors pursuing the battle pods eventually managed to heard them into a position where the octo-gatling laser turrets had overlapping fields of fire. With careful aim they released a hellish hailstorm of pinpoint fire onto the pods, taking as many as possible.
The 20 wahoos who'd destroyed their battle pods earlier had joined in the attack on the megamishu, pushing up quickly at full burn.
With shields favoring their front side the caravan freighters would brace for the incoming attack from the megamishu, closing doors with crew taking cover.
The Megamishhu would change its trajectory right towards the Pheonix.2... the closest target... its shields warding off the smaller strikes from fighters as it closed the distance. The point-defense blisters on the creature striking down the incoming auto-cannon fire as the FSC's lasers raked its surface. Large gouges were dug into the creature itself until it could make its pass at extreme close range, tenrils extending out in all directions behind the creature as it passed by the Pheonix 2. Despite the Pheonix's manuvers, the Mishhu would adjust its trajectory to pass right by it, using the tendrils to smack the ship. The high speed impact turning the tendril itself into a rapidly expanding cloud of dust...
... The megamishhu just continued forward, its skin starting to unravel, its surface glowing from the repeated laser strikes as it started to cook from the inside out. The ship no longer actively manuvering.
The nearby battlepods were quickly being torn apart until only a handful were left, flying dumb as if they were no longer piloted. The NMX's gas giant world was still infront of them and getting close, asteroids, starships, and debries forming a mushy grey cloud near the planet that was being illuminated by the fires burning in its atmosphere.
While there was no one defending the planet... the NMX fleet was taking notice. The Elysians were leaving, and the main fleet was turning its attention to USO's group, turning towards them and accelerating..
Mr. Donovan, plugged into the USO fleet network me and taking the initiative to send orders to the allied ships, assembling the independent fleets into one formation. With the approaching hoard of angry megamishu the time had come to depart from the battlefield.
Mr. Donovan calculated the optimal course away from the system. Finding the fleet was already carrying significant velocity towards the planet the the idea of turning around was not appealing. It would simply take too long to perform even a 90° turn, since the enemy was already accelerating they couldn't afford to lose their current speed.
A new course was plotted and relayed to the surrounding ships and the USO fleet, one that took them further towards the planet and used it's gravity well to accelerate them away from the battlefield. But since they were in the neighborhood, Donovan relayed targeting data to the broadsword cruisers for a parting salvo on the planet.
The roar of the YV1's twin thrusters filled the cabin of Candon's Kokū Wahoo as he kept pace with the flight that had eliminated the battle pods as they made their pass across the megamishu. An almost sarcastic chuckled escaped him as he watched the giant creature get swarmed by the fire of 9 ships.
"These Mish are pathetic, they're nothing like the armies I fought in the wars," Candon judged, "swarming never works. They ought to know by now."
"I don't know Spectre," one of the squadron members rebutted, "that swarm at ten o'clock might do the trick." The movement of mass Mishu was easily visible, even at their range.
"Copy that- uh, Backdrop," Candon agreed, checking the chatter log for his ally's name, "That'll work right their."
"Red Squadron, form up, we're going to look for survivors and escape pods while the fleet maneuvers," the squadron flight captain ordered, a chorus of acknowledgement ensuing. The cluster of fighters began combing through the wreckage of two AF-27 Lich carriers for escape pods and distress beacons.
"Caper to Red Leader, someone is alive on the bridge of the carrier, the one missing it's deck, a pilot reported.
"It's not worth our time, it's probably just an Elysian captain," Red Leader answered, "focus on allied ships."
Candon thought back on his limited training as a starship engineer before SAINT found him as he mentally assessed the damage. From the looks of it his Kouken escort was damaged worse when he picked it up. "Mr. Donovan," Candon radioed on a private channel, "munitions were expensive. I want this ship towed home to recoup the loss. Send C5c drones and an FTL tug."
No verbal response would come from Donovan, who was busy. Rather, the C5c drones that had returned to the fleet released their boxmines and made their way over to the wreck while a pair of tugs launched from separate Caravan freighters followed.
"Reaper one and Arrow squadron to FSC flight. Hey Candon, want some backup? Got another 60 U-1's with pilots itching for some more flight time. And I kinda miss flying." Jack joked lightly over the fleet wide comms, in a way happy to be able to participate in heavy combat again, "We've may not have seen eye to eye, but I would never leave a brother in arms to fight alone. Arrow squadron is on station and awaiting tasking, give the call and we got ya covered."
Several such pilots chimed in.
"Reaper three. Hell yeah, let's get some payback on the squids."
One pilot said, "Reaper ten. No man left behind, no battle left unfought."
"Reaper sixteen. Brothers at our backs, enemies ahead and victory on the horizon," said another pilot.
"See, besides, who's gonna make sure you get back home to make snarky comments at me other than Uso if I don't." he added as if in emphasis.
"We're glad to have you, Jack," Candon answered, "keep an eye out for escape pods or disabled allies. I think Donovan is pulling us out." The double flash of the twin rail guns from the white and blue Broadsword Cruisers caught Candon's eye. He could easily tell what they were doing, in a few minutes even the fighters would be running to keep up. Steams of autocannon fire began searing though space toward the clusters of distant enemies, too far out of range for energy weapons to reach. It probably wouldn't hit much but forcing the enemy to evade would definitely slow the hoards.
"Red squadron, this is Spectre, I'm going to board that carrier and see if I can't get the engines running," Candon informed his flight and Jack's as he gently brought his Wahoo into a landing on the flat, elevated surface just below the elevated bridge. As the wheels of his landing gear touched down the two graviton projector pods created a pull between the fighter and hull to keep It parked.
Air hissed out of the cockpit as the cabin depressurized before the clear diamond dome tipped forward, opening quickly with neither gravity nor air resisting it. The silvery, cleanly modified Anthedon suit departed from the closing fighter craft, floating over the battered hull.
It didn't take long for the first of the enemy battlepods to arrive. Several swarms of 20-30 pods moving in unison would approach reaper squadron head on, releasing a wide torrent of fire, plasma bolts flying around...
... and POPing...
One of the reaper squadron pilots had brought EMP pods, and Vier was remotely controlling them, sweeping energy across the battlespace to ground the electrical fields that kept plasma bolts together... forcing the pods to rely on their slower moving missiles.
Of course, even disarmed, the pods were a threat, and they would have no qualms about closing to point blank range just to try and ram the reapers.
They would certainly be able to buy Candon a minute or two.
The carrier didn't look like it was in great shape. something had moved right through the flight deck at very high speeds, a large hole going right through the ship Candon had landed on. Up above him the bridge looked mostly intact. There seemed to be one space suited individual trying to bring systems back online... while the rest of the crew seemed to be unmoving and situated entirely on the floor.
More than half of the FSCorp fighters began converging on the battle pods at high speeds right until they entered weapons range, the squadrons of star fightersfighters slowed to attack speeds a began focusing their fire on the battle pods most likely to be dangerous...
To be continued!...
