DocTomoe
Well-Known Member
ON: Nyli II - Artificial Island Base
The skies above Nyli II were as rich of a blue as the oceans which covered the majority of the planet, the star over head shined brightly and brought about a comfortable warmth to the air as the salt-rich breeze washed over the artificial island which drifted lazily on the surface of the vast ocean. The only things which broke the peace of the day were the dark thunderheads on the horizon, and the sound of fusion thrusters screaming during a test-run.
On the island itself, a rather important series of events were about to take place, enough of an event to attract a group of Lorath Self Defense Force's brass to the island's control tower to observe the event at hand.
"This is flight control to test pilot A0012, please complete your preparations and report to the primary hangar complex." The message was shouted throughout the artificial island, and it set the day for the selected pilot into motion.
There was a crisp wince of air as the test-pilot's pressure-suit molded about her figure, distinct plating over the chest, wrist and thighs. Color was troublesome in the shadows of the hanger. The pilot set her foot against the telescopic ladder of the craft, hoisting herself over the lip of the cabin and into the cockpit where she settled herself into position.
Belts fastened and connections established, she warmed up the communications before the other systems to confirm her position. "A0012, five by five, tower. Relay checklist from controller, over."
The controller was glad to have such a well trained and most of all efficient pilot handling the test flight for the day, of course though, this pleasure could not be conveyed as the controller spoke over the communications channel.
"A0012, receiving you clearly... we'll begin with the initialization of cockpit operating systems, environmental systems, and power supply, followed by ARIA unit initialization and check." The controller's voice stated over the line as he observed the Hawk's systems being at an fully off position at the moment, which the test pilot would soon change, if all went well... either that, or the thing would explode at the first flip of a switch, after all, thats what they were here to test.
The test-pilot pulled the hood of her flight-suit up over her head, carefully tucking her hair beneath it in the darkness of the cockpit. The respirator about her neck was lifted and locked over her chin up to the bridge of her nose. A visor was the final part of the puzzle, which rested over the respirator that covered her lower-face, the mask completed that covered her face entirely.
A slow sigh rolled through the respirator as her fingertips began the startup sequences, satisfying clicking sounds over the radio wavering with her well trained voice. "A-Double-Oh Twelve, conforming instructions. Initializing Cockpit Operating Systems..."
With the final switch, the cockpit came to life. Teal fairy-lights and displays broke up the darkness as the canopy slid over the canopy and locked into place with a pressurized crunch. "Cockpit Operating System... Normal. Cabin pressure stabilized and environmental systems nominal. How's the weather, tower?"
"The weather is looking stable to the east, we got a stiff wind coming in from the west, along with some nasty looking thunderheads... would be good to test the Hawk's EM shielding." The controller's voice then broke into a soft chuckle as he read off the 'to-do-list'. "Alright A0012, initialize your ARIA... we'll be testing the full-blown ARIA version this run... once she is confirmed sane-and-stable, we'll know that the environmental system is clear for use."
The pilot silently nodded to herself, eyes on a red series of curved bars that gradually grew like rainbows and then back again into a series of rings in the lower left of her vision that faded. Her suit-enclosed hands rose the polished black visor up out of her vision as she extended her hand past the throttle on her left to hold down a switch. A count sounded in tones, slowly rising.
As the tones hit a soft bell-like E, the sky-night-star illumination was swallowed up as the cockpit awoke and the ARIA announced it's presence with a series of debug-logs, flowing in the corner of the pilot's vision as the Neural Interface system was formally activated.
She made careful note of the numbers before releasing the button, tapping another switch first before she did so. "ARIA is wide awake and physical, tower. ICS are active... ECS is green. CNIS ready. The mesh is toasty."
"Confirmed, transition from suit environmental to cockpit environmental, activate cockpit pressurization at your leisure. Once adjusted to the environmental systems, you are clear to initialize the unit's primary and secondary power systems, followed by utilization of fusion engine systems to taxi to the runway." The controller sounded quite positive at the current progress... after all, the first ARIA prototype they had worked with had threatened to stab the scientists that attempted to work with her if they were to touch her.
Again, another nod, a murmur in the pilot's voice as she spoke to herself. Before she could reach over to the environmental control, the ARIA on board had already made the appropriate changes. A faint smile of bemusement sat beneath the pilot's respirator as she plucked it away to settle about her neck like a scarf.
The fusion drive awoke with a low sonic thump followed by a gentle near-silent hissing sound. External of the Hawk, the sound roared through the 100-decimal range. Power systems followed by themselves, the hanger-doors slowly sliding away into the ceiling above.
The locking blocks before the tires slowly withdrew into the floor as the form of the fighter lethargically slid out into the glimmering Nyli II daylight. The light glimmered off the craft's hull, a distortion of heat behind as it rolled to line up with the run-way.
The ARIA announced the progress.
The control operator had to force himself to remain on edge to maintain a constant watch over the data, but it was difficult since there were no problems indicated so far, it almost lulled him into a false sense of ease. "Control confirms operational status as relayed by ARIA, A0012, your job is looking easy. Prior to take off, please state your preferred call sign for this test-sortie."
"Apologies, Tower. She seems anxious this morning." was the echo as the pilot's hands settled against the cold metallic throttle and stick, feet set into the pedals. Carefully, she lent the stick over, noting a diagram of the craft populate itself with color to confirm everything was functional.
Outside, the long albatross-like wings of the Hawk rose and fell against their respective shoulders, curving ever so slightly as the different air-control surfaces flexed and rotated. Slowly, the engines let out a faint purr of purples and oranges as they warmed into burners. "This is A-Double-oh-twelve, call sign Black-wolf, launching." she announced, easing off the breaks and opening the throttle. The craft rose and skimmed across the ground as the wiry fingers of the landing gear curled up into the fist that was the Hawk.
"Air control surfaces are confirmed operational, gravitational manipulation systems are confirmed operational, thruster systems are confirmed operational, additional fight essential systems are green, you are good to depart the run-way and ascend beyond take-off altitudes. Once beyond twenty-five kilometers from the island, we will begin test procedures." The control tower replied as they activated the proper tracking equipment to monitor the Hawk's every movement through the skies.
"Understood". Blackwolf's fingers slowly tensed as she noted the altimeter climb along with the speedometer. She eased the throttle back, counting the numbers to herself as the ground dissapeared beneath her toes, displayed through the volumetric displays all about her. A mechanical whir announced the wings folding back into interception configuration.
"In position to begin" Blackwolf announced over the comm, leveling out from her climb. About to tweak her middle-finger over a control on the throttle, the neural connection beat her hands to the punch, a window displaying the test-checklist. A ring before the first line of text declared tower had to confirm.
"Checklist access confirmed, systems all green and remaining steady. We will begin the test sequence with a simple test of the unit's speed, Blackwolf, engage gravitic thruster systems and place fusion engines on stand-by, we'll start out slow and work our way up." The controller instructed as he watched the instrument panel before him with both his eyes and his neural connection.
Blackwolf reluctantly slid her left hand on the throttle to close the throat of the engines, a soft stutter as her thumb brushed over one of the many hat-switches, thumbing through a menu to engage the gravity based engine. She then eased the throttle forward but the primary engines didn't respond, asleep in stand-by. A buzzing sound like shearing glass slowly rose, the exterior of the craft glistening ever so slightly as the craft began to stabilize: falling forward without falling down. "We're good, tower. Grav is go."
"Blackwolf, since we'll be taking it slow, we'll use this opportunity to get you warmed up to the neural interface for the Hawk... commence acceleration, followed by basic maneuvers... well basic to you, Blackwolf." The controller's voice carried a soft chuckle before the comm-line cut him off.
"Roger" Blackwolf muttered. Again, she was reluctant, ginger to do so but her hands crawled back off the throttle and stick, crossing before her. A slow sigh washed over her lips as she felt a twitch in the wings, her own response. She felt her fingers slowly flex, her mind filling in the gaps as the purple stilettos of distorted light and air behind the Hawk flared, dipping and turning against one another as the craft sharply banked and twisted to throw itself into a spin then sharply correct itself: Now inverted and flying against the influence of its engines with the rear of the craft in front.
Blackwolf's eyes were on the numbers, checking that everything was in the limits of normal operation before she continued: coming about with the nose swinging beneath, facing the ground as the craft turned and twisted in a smooth sweep like some kind of exotic dancer on ice through the cold morning skies. Tendrils of cloud were pushed aside as this maneuver was again repeated in half the time with the nose forward this time in a normal flight posture. "Wolf to tower. Everything checks out."
"Tower control confirms, Blackwolf, you are clear to repeat gravitic engine maneuvers with tactile controls, then follow up with deactivation of gravitic engines and begin fusion engine maneuver tests." The control tower replied as they went over the data from the gravitic engines.
"Copy, tower." Noting the water beneath, Blackwolf chose to descend into a rather heavy dive. If the numbers were right, the Hawk would park on a dime and respond like a baby. She counted the altimeter, going beyond what would be the point of return in a normal fighter: Mach 3 in a plummet towards the ocean. Finally, her hands met the controls in the last kilometer, easing back and opening to the throttle.
Water sprayed across the hull of the Hawk which sat perhaps six to eight feet above the still ocean. A whistle sounded over the radio as the engines began to warm, hurling the craft into forward flight.
"Hull stress is normal, engines are checking out green... you're clear to accelerate to maximum output Blackwolf." Control stated as the Hawk leveled out and skimmed along the water, leaving behind a rather impressive wake.
She eased the throttle open. Again, she hesitated. Why? The throat of the beast widened to capacity, purple thrust becoming a distinct white twinkle with no trail or observable thrust but the distortion of air. She felt herself pushed back into her seat, but it was a soft push which was just a hint of what it would have been without the G-Force cancellation equipment.
She counted the mach-meter, a series of rings like before, slowly close to completion as the numbers within it rose like a scurry of ants in the decimal field. There was a brief sensation of light-headedness as mach 4 passed. "Apex velocity reached, tower. Mach 5.
"Tower receives you, ARIA is reporting fusion engines are reporting green, you're clear to engage high speed maneuvers." The controller stated as he watched the readout... everything was looking acceptable.
Blackwolf eased the throttle further open, noting the many dials flicker as the plane calibrated itself for high-speed flight maneuvers, the wings tipping further back like a cat's ears rolling back before a fight.
Carefully, she pulled back on the stick, rather ginger as she counted the Gs climb. It was bewildering for her not to feel any of them, the number flickering into the red at 11 quite happily as she pulled back to make a immelman turn at a speed that would normally destroy an aircraft.
"Hull stress is showing several tons of pressure.... structural mesh is holding... well done Blackwolf, continue as you are and procede at your leisure to the area indicated for munitions testing." The controller instructed.
"Roger, tower" she said. It felt no different from the simulator: Only the neural-link could tell her otherwise. After a sharp bank at speeds that normally should have asphyxiated her in a classic Lorath Fighter, she moved toward the live fire area, a faint mumble and a lick of the neural control system warming up the fire-control system. "In position in 20 seconds."
"Stationary targets are deployed, you'll be shooting down compressed hydrogen filled stonethread balloons... we'll open up with testing the L-Mark-Two units, then try the missile systems." The controller instructed as he opened up another monitor screen, this one indicating a target list.
Nyli II - Testing Grounds - Live-Fire Test Range.
Black Wolf's gaze shot from the targeting information up to the reticles fixing on each of the targets as she accelerated into attack speed. Before she could squeeze the trigger, the ship read her intentions and the act was done: The hawk's fuselage briefly flickering open like an eyelid to expel a cluster of tubes that lit up and shot ahead of the Hawk, rushing toward the horizon. Flashes of hydrogen were the reward as she prepared the gattlings.
The balloons instantly ruptured into plumes of flame as the training missiles impacted into them. Now a set of balloons skittered along the horizon, propelled by a fans... they were slow, dumb, but small targets.
"Control counts four targets down, two mobile targets to go." Came the familiar controller's voice.
Though the buzz from the gattlings would have normally thundered deep, there was a brief pop and chirp as well placed rounds of yellow hot 40mm ordinance were sent reeling into the targets.
"Wolf to tower. confirming destruction of targets."
"Control confirms destruction of targets... training ordinance tracking indicates that only five percent of the munitions did not impact the targets... well done for expelling a hundred rounds that quickly." Control replied.
On the horizon, the stone thread balloon spiraled down to the waters below, torn to shreds by the bullets which tore through the stronger-than-diamond fabric.
"Blackwolf, proceed to next training area, and charge live ordinance."
The pilot silently nodded, adjusting her course. The unused training rounds were expelled from the hull, dashed across the water below on floats as it roared to intercept the targets.
"Blackwolf, we will be sending up Non-SI ARIA controlled fighters to intercept you at the next training area. They will be using live ordinance, as will you... your job is to shoot them down obviously... now detecting you entering the target area. Control ceasing comms during mock-battle, good luck Blackwolf." The comm-line closed on the controller's end.
Beyond the horizon, a number of QnS Aerodyne fighters acceded from small launch-pads which floated upon the ocean waters. The fighters quickly accelerated in the direction of Blackwolf's Hawk. Their plasma reactors roared as they broke mach three. Two of the fighters charged their plasma weapons, the other two prepared their solid munition weapons. The Non-SI ARIA aboard each assessed the situation as a 'Search and Destroy' mission, obviously intent on searching for Blackwolf's Hawk.
Blackwolf slowed to half her speed, hands darting over the controls as she made a note of positions and numbers. Her right hand sharply jerked the joystick to bank into the left, thumb riding the hat-switch atop as she pushed the throttle into full, switches still set to combat speeds. The Hawk rotated over onto it's belly, the cockpit up against the water beneath, maybe an inch over. The doors eased open, the delivery rack spewing a torrent of missiles. A sharp motion upward trickled vertigo through Blackwolf's temples as she corrected herself and separated from the white fingers with glistening tips that split and darted for their targets.
Blackwolf was not dealing with petty pilots, but well trained machines of war... the incoming missiles were quickly registered by the QnS fighters and soon the ARIA aboard each fighter went about their responses. Two of the fighters went about utilizing their defense turrets to rip through the incoming missiles, while the other two deployed chaff. The combination worked nicely, resulting in most of the Hawk's missiles being torn to nothing as they either skittered off course, or were torn apart by gun fire... except for one of the missiles which promptly lodged itself in the cockpit of one of the Aerodyne fighters, and detonated with a brilliant explosion of plasma fire which sent chunks of the Aerodyne in every direction. One down, three to go.
She counted the numbers silently to herself. It would be a further 9 seconds before she approached targets. She chose to exercise the on board Aria, using the psionic interface to bounce messages back and forth with it. Three seconds in and no response. And then a smattering of code in the upper left of the heads-up display. Shielding came to life with a flicker of color, a bean of light about the unit that faded into obscurity after it's awakening. The relayed information from the SI to her consciousness was a surprising sensation when it finally kicked in: It was is if she had never seen in color before and was now finally able to.
The Aerodyne fighters separated from each other, each coming at the origin of the missile fire which took out the one unfortunate member of their wing. The three ARIA units consulted one-another on their situation. "Hostile location detected, high energy reaction detected... analyzing potential source... shield system found to be most probable source. Plasma weapon equipped units engage target, missile equipped target will serve as a decoy... firing range entered..." The units continued to speak to each other, even as the missile armed Aerodyne soared above the Hawk's altitude as it fired missiles down at Blackwolf's Hawk as it painted the Hawk with a targeting beam which the missiles followed. The other Aerodyne fighters remained close to the choppy seas below as they closed in.
The Hawk's barriers lit up with white hot plasma, obscuring the beam that the Aerodyne fighter tried to paint across it, rendering the marker utterly invisible and the missiles unable to track. It turned about sharply through an elaborate combination of the gravitic and plasma thrusters, a burst of thrust throwing the large bomber in the direction of the two units to intercept at a closer range. Blackwolf felt confident.
The Non-SI ARIA units lacked an essential component, emotional depth. The logic of Blackwolf's assault eluded them, but the key point that they noted was that their decoy was ignored. The twin intercepting Aerodyne units then charged their plasma cannons and began to fire at the Hawk, a stray beam seared into the waters below, billowing steam from the impact location. The ignored Aerodyne above swooped down with an intent of maybe approaching the Hawk from behind.
The microwave emitters of the Hawk came to life, the beams scanned and scored across the sky-line. They were used more out of curiosity of effect than to jam by the pilot. A build-up of plasma built up beneath the barrier behind the Hawk, lugged along like a shopping bag which it finally released with a brief lapse in the shields, sending the hot plasma in the direction of the target behind. It was followed with chaff. A large chunk of chaff particularly was difficult to recognize.
The Aerodyne behind the Hawk quickly evaded the plasma, but was scorched slightly just by the proximity of the burning glob as it seared the waters below. The two fighters ahead encountered a sum of tracking difficulty due to the EM interference given off by the microwave emitters, but quickly they veered off from their head-to-head route, peeling off in opposing directions as they allowed the Hawk to charge between them.
The larger segment of chaff flickered to life, detonating as it swung beneath the following Aerodyne like a mine. None of this would have been possible without the careful control that the psionics and the ARIA granted the pilot who almost felt the need to look back and confirm the explosion with her own eyes as she heard the faint "pop" of the explosion through her pressurized cabin. Immediately, the main guns came to life once more, hurling high-velocity pain at the remaining enemies.
The Aerodyne behind was damaged by the missile hidden in the chaff, but it was not destroyed as it smoked to the waters below and skimmed along the choppy waves, it soon fell to pieces as its hull exceeded the maximum stress it could endure as the water pounded against it. The other two Aerodyne units veered off and began to perform various maneuvers to avoid the pins and needles sent their way.
She almost felt the need to be competitive. Another explosive belch of thrust threw her into the vicinity of the two units on the defensive. Switching over to the main gatlings, she started peppering on the first unit, swerving to stay behind it. There was a mental pause as she realized she wasn't actually flying perfectly straight, banking to the side to keep the unit in her sights much like a helicopter would. For a fighter pilot so used to traditional air combat, this was an eerie experience.
Blackwolf's knowledge of the traditional could only prepare her for the havoc which the gatling units utilizing live-ammo could do. A mere two shots from the gatling which impacted had committed the Aerodyne fighter to it's fate as the antimatter payloads within the slugs reacted with the atmosphere and the Aerodyne's hull to produce a blinding white flash of an antimatter explosion which reacted with the atmosphere and produced an effect which would be comparable to a tactical nuclear weapon being dropped right on the Aerodyne... needless to say, the fighter combusted into a plume of melting metal and vapor. One last fighter to go... and this one was ascending as high as possible while attempting to make a break for the horizon.
Blackwolf flinched, her hands off throttle and stick. The bright light left her eyes sore, colors distorted. It hurt but regardless, the psionic link kept her informed. Still tending to her eyes with a silent wince, the Blackwolf banked and span, now running in reverse as the gattling hammered at the last target.
The ARIA aboard Blackwolf's Hawk gave Blackwolf a small scolding about not utilizing the cockpit's built in systems to reduce the brightness of explosions. Apparently, the ARIA aboard had decided to give Blackwolf a round-about scolding for her arrogance.
It was a rather painful lesson. Her eyes still stung and colors weren't entirely clear, the last of her sight shuffling off as things went black. There was a shiver in her hands as she tried to make out light but with the exception of the burning sun and slithers of light off the waves, there was little she could do. She'd have to get them fixed when she got back. Her frustration was funneled as she corrected her aim, rounds sweeping through the cockpit of the enemy.
The L-Mark-Two gatling units made closing the gap easy as indeed the rounds tore into the Aerodyne's hull, resulting in yet another explosion... but this one was automatically dimmed by the ARIA. "Pilot Blackwolf, your optic organs have been damaged... administering regenerative nanomachines into cockpit atmosphere gel." With that, the cockpit became slightly murky for a moment, but soon Blackwolf's vision was being returned to normal... if not better.
There was a slow sigh of annoyance as she considered having a new ARIA fitted but then she changed her mind: It did this knowing she would be able to recover. "That... Wasn't in the specs, tower. " ...At least not the ones I was given. "Request permission to RTB."
Control replied as soon as Blackwolf spoke. "Request denied Blackwolf, you have one more combat test.. and nice work on those Aerodyne, but your next target will be a bit more difficult."
Blackwolf Replied; "Understood."
"Blackwolf, we are forwarding you target specs..." Control stated as a data feed was initiated. Within a second, an image of the intended target was displayed in front of Blackwolf.
"The hell is this, tower?" Blackwolf grumbled. "It wasn't on the mission spec."
"What it is, is that the Fyunnen back on Lor want to know what they're going to order to increase their defensive line... engage the target, live ammo. We have been authorized to inform you that the unit is utilizing a full ARIA unit." The controller sounded a tad stressed... which may have been caused by the towering hulk of a Fyunnen warrior which stood beside him, making him look like a small monkey beside a gorilla.
"Is the target using live ammunition, tower?" Blackwolf requested as she checked to make sure everything was working. The last thing she wanted was a systems failure.
"Target is confirmed hot. Full payload... you are now instructed to ascend to stratosphere level... Blackwolf, good hunting. Communications to be terminated now." The controller sounded genuinely worried.
There was a trembling sigh as she considered her options, sifting through the specs. There was a pause as she saw it, a tiny twinkle dancing like lightning over the horizon. Her first move was to bank sharply upwards, putting everything out the engines were capable of giving to ascend.
The Winter which floated in the skies above looked down at the ascending Hawk, the ARIA within grinned maliciously as she shifted the Winter's surfaces and charged the plasma thruster system. The massive plasma saber the beast of a power-armor held in it's hands glowed to life as she looked at her 'prey', so she was taught to think of her enemy by the Fyunnen which developed her personality. "ARIA unit 'Crimson' to Blackwolf, do you read me?"
"Blackwolf to Crimson." she responded, noting the altimeter rise in the corner of her vision as she ascended over the clouds.
"Blackwolf, my developers have taught me it is proper manners in Lorath tradition to greet and converse with your enemy prior to a one on one confrontation. Thus I am following in this tradition, and will continue until one of us is unable to breathe anymore." Crimson stated as she analyzed the target... her Winter had not been updated with the specifications of the Hawk, thus she was left to analyze it on the fly. "Do you agree to this traditional practice?"
There was a pause, a low rumbling of engines behind her as Blackwolf thought for a moment. "A machine is not subject to tradition unless it has proven itself otherwise" a flat voice returned.
"I am subject to tradition, if you do not wish to adhere to your people's traditions, I can implement my ordinary operating routine..." The ARIA named Crimson replied as she continued to hover, watching the quickly approaching Hawk. Hard-wired programming shouted at her to begin maneuvers, but her own personality remained stubborn.
"I see." Silently, she worked out her advantage and worked to plan a way to capitalize on it. "Hesitance is a bad trait for a pilot, regardless of whether or not she is real." and with that, the communication was concluded. She looked back to see the tiny spec as the skies around grew darker toward the heavens, the optic zoom revealing it's humanoid form. She couldn't fathom how such a thing could meet it's specifications.
"Cocky woman." Crimson muttered into her cockpit before she turned off her personality subroutine. With that, the Winter ignited it's plasma engines as the structural mesh twisted the thin air around it as it accelerated rapidly to Mach... then beyond, it quickly closed the distance with the Hawk. As it closed in, it began to fire it's rail cannon at the Hawk, each shot was packing enough destructive force to break the Hawk's shields, but not enough to destroy the Hawk with a mere single hit.
Meanwhile, aboard the Hawk, the SI quickly made the Hawk descend sharply. "Advising pilot to remain out of the eleven to one o' clock position of the enemy unit, and at least twenty meters distance."
"So they put one of whatever that is against someone who's used to shooting fighters for a living. What the hell am I supposed to do?" she exclaimed as she banked to face, a burst of thrust sending her downwards, every weapon she had creating a yellow hail of weapons fire.
The Winter sharply accelerated to where it was behind the Hawk, it unleashed another flurry of slugs at the unit as it accelerated to close in on the Hawk from behind.
The SI within the Hawk began to flash warnings within the cockpit. "I suggest, Blackwolf, that you ascend beyond atmospheric limitations. Analysis indicates the Winter unit relies on manipulation of air current flows to increase mobility, and it is lacking a dedicated space flight system."
"Noted." she chimed, pitching the nose of the Hawk skyward, the bright white twinkle behind it propelling it up into the upper atmosphere at speed. The cockpit rumbled, as BlackWolf's hands paddled and motioned over the controls free of the stick and throttle. Another build-up of plasma beneath the shields released in a hail of burning white napalm-like heat that showered toward her foe like a warning.
The Winter which followed closely behind slashed at the plasma cloud with it's saber, scattering the cloud and charging through the center of the gap it had cleaved. The gap between the Winter and the Hawk began to close... until the skies around the two units became dark as they left the atmosphere of Nyli II, the Winter then lost it's advantage as the ARIA controlled power armor raised it's rail gun equipped arm and attempted to place a shot on the Hawk's aft section.
Quickly, the microwave system flickered to life, faint twinkles of light through markings of the Hawk's belly and head. The pilot took a few moments, trying to think of a proper course of action. Her mind silently chanted "shit" to itself as she had to plot against Nyli's gravity in her motion which conflicted with the graviton control system in the low orbit of the dense world as she turned the Hawk about. Opening with the Linear gattling as a scatter shot, the MKII kicked in through the shotgun like mask of rounds to deliver the intended blow.
As the microwaves passed through the space between the Winter and Hawk, the slugs which traveled at the Hawk were caught in the microwave beams, resulting in them being prematurely detonated due to the intensity of the microwaves causing the metals of the slug casings to break down.
The Winter piloted by the ARIA dubbed Crimson had little trouble recalibrating for the microwaves which interfered with it's scanners only slightly. The microwaves however caused her EM shielding to weaken slightly... and then she saw the Hawk make it's turn and she made her attempt at evading but found it difficult to get enough distance from the Hawk before it unleashed the barrage from the L-Mark-Two MKII gatling units. The only choice available was to drop to the planet or to ascend to higher altitudes. The atmospheric stress would cause the Winter to lose precious seconds, thus it accelerated into the blackness of space. Unfortunately, the sheer speed of the L-Mark-Two's fired slugs resulted in a hand full of the rounds impacting into the Winter. As the Winter flew away, the ARIA, Crimson, noted that her systems were reporting increased structural mesh temperatures and armor stress. The slugs which exploded against her shields had released the force of small antimatter explosions which were far less than what they'd be in atmosphere, but enough to make the Winter's shields buckle under the strain.
After moving from the Hawk's line of fire, the Winter then charged at the Hawk from above, in hopes of potentially grabbing onto the Hawk and lashing at what seemed to be the cockpit.
BlackWolf's mind crunched the numbers and counted. At the final count, the gravitic systems and the aligned magnetic defenses forced the plasma of her thrust to one side in a sudden sharp blow of speed as the Winter very narrowly missed the Hawk. Remaining at speed, she opened fire again, a cluster of missiles twinkling but not a trail of smoke nor the missiles seen as they went dead shortly after leaving the unit. She seemed to be retreating.
The Winter raised it's arm equipped with the FMS-1. A few dozen shots were quickly fired at the missiles which were left behind. The resulting hits caused the missiles to explode, and the Winter soon charged through the aftermath of the explosion to pursue the seemingly fleeing Hawk.
Through the explosion, the Hawk opened fire, the bright light blinding the Winter's sensors momentarily. The accelerator cannon had already began to charge and released it's payload in a thick heavy beam.
Crimson's eyes went wide as her sensors screamed at her, and at that very moment she activated the combined shield systems of the Winter while crossing the Winter's massive arms before the cockpit in hopes of keeping herself safe as all of her sensors and comm equipment went blind and deaf.
Outside of the Winter, the shields of the unit became a pale but opaque electric blue as the streaming beam from the Hawk's centerline cannon impacted against the shields. The hyperspace/subspace shielding of the Winter caused the antimatter beam to lose it's charge, but the particles could still be seen interacting with the plasma of the shields, resulting in billions of tiny little sparks and explosions dancing over the shield bubble.
Crimson knew the shield would not hold, and the seconds ticked by as well... she rapidly charged her plasma engines and then shut down the combined shield as she quickly descended down to the planet... but her decent was not fast enough as a surge of the antimatter beam slammed into the shoulder of the Winter. The result was the massive arm which housed the FMS-1 and which held the beam saber to be torn from the joint and lost to space as the Winter took it's plunge.
The Hawk rolled about, it's ceiling aimed at the planet now above as Blackwolf noted the flickering red racing toward the planet. She thought it best to leave the thing, simply watching. "...Nobody briefed me on that."
Blackwolf's relent in her assault gave Crimson the opportunity she needed. She raised the remaining arm of the Winter as she steadied the arm by locking the structural layering and meshing systems into place as she controlled the air flow around her unit. The Hawk's warning alarms screamed at Blackwolf as a barrage of 30mm slugs screamed at the Hawk.
A short sharp burst of thrust threw the Hawk free of the rounds. Seconds later, she returned fire with the MK II again.
The Winter was back in it's element again as it locked the surfaces of the exterior and quickly bolted out of the path of the L-Mark-Two gatling fire which screamed through where it once was. Crimson had hopes that Blackwolf would be dumb enough to follow her back into the atmosphere of Nyli II.
The only response, now that the accelerator had replenished was a sharp peppering of antimatter once more. The Blackwolf kept it's distance.
Unfortunately, the antimatter simply reacted with the atmosphere of Nyli II, resulting in a rather dangerous but pretty light show to dance over the atmosphere of the planet.
"Blackwolf, antimatter ordinance does not function in atmosphere, the atmosphere also prevents the plasma function of the cannon from reaching the enemy... I suggest the utilization of the primary missile system."
"Remind me how a round can achieve escape velocity from the planet and hit me from up here with that rate of fire." she noted, watching the light-show shimmer across the planet as she maneuvered out of her original position to an angle the Winter might not expect. The missiles were activated, regardless.
The SI then began an explanation of subspace and electromagnetic accelerator technology... this was the difference between the SI and Non-SI units, this one apparently could not understand sarcasm.
Crimson meanwhile continued to speed through the atmosphere of Nyli II, she was making a fast approach to a massive storm system which swirled upon the horizon and flashed with brilliant flares of electrical discharges.
Blackwolf grumbled to herself. "She wants me to follow her... Balls to that. Aria, if ordinance is fired, automatically evade accordingly but do so in a manner the other unit least anticipates. Do not repeat patterns."
The SI quickly responded. "Confirmed, random evasion calculation engaged. Maintaining held position until weapons fire is registered. Continuing target tracking... enemy Winter unit is entering the edge of the storm."
"Do we have any warheads aboard?"
"Missile racks one, two, three, and four have expelled their ammunition capacity. Countermeasure launchers at 75%. Primary missile system is charged, 'XL' sized missile ordinance is available, Antimatter warhead, system includes subspace accelerator, shield generator, countermeasure package, gravimetric drive, multiple sensor packages, and a Non-SI guidance system."
"What would best disrupt the storm? Preferably atomize it and everything within it."
As Blackwolf consulted her Non-SI ARIA, Crimson piloted her Winter into the depths of the storm. Her Winter's plasma collection systems began to quickly intake the ionized particles and the abundant hydrogen and oxygen. Her plasma systems were quickly being replenished. Just a little longer... Crimson thought to her self.
The Non-SI of the Hawk quickly replied. "The antimatter warhead of the XL munition is capable of creating an explosive force and resulting release of radiation to nullify the storm system. The resulting explosion will directly influence an area of twenty-five miles, additional effects will reach to five hundred miles."
"Would the Winter be able to escape the blast radius?"
The Hawk's Non-SI quickly crunched the numbers, but found it to be difficult to come up with an absolute response. "Probability of survival is 5%, depending on the Winter's shield strength, structural mesh strength, structural layering system strength, plasma system fuel availability, and pilot reaction time. However, there is a one-hundred percent probability of damage."
She'll hate me for not dying Blackwolf silently thought to herself. "Load all counter-measure tubes. Assign primary warhead XL munition to cluster six of 7 dummy-counter-measures, all designed to appear as six of the bomb."Blackwolf commanded in a calm cold voice. "She doesn't know how many we're carrying or the yield. Make it look like a cluster-bomb. I don't want her to panic."
"I can not confirm her lack of availability of knowledge, the XL weapon system is externally mounted and due to magnetic confinement systems, there is a probability of her unit detecting the payload... however countermeasure systems have been programmed, XL-Missile programmed with proper tracking information... missiles prepared to fire on your command Blackwolf." The Non-SI reported as she provided the proper information to her pilot.
"Then our bay doors and keep them open for 6 seconds after launch. I want her to have the impression they were internally launched from us. Do it."
"Confirmed." The Non-SI replied.
Crimson meanwhile observed the timer on her shield systems... the combined shield was nearing the point of being re-usable, and the plasma stores were being rapidly resupplied by the storm which raged around the Winter... all there was to do was to wait.
"Move us after launch. If she rises up to evade, hit her with the accelerator, anti-matter configuration." Blackwolf finally sighed. "Commence operation."
"Confirmed, launching." The Non-SI replied as the Hawk's bay doors opened and the barrage of countermeasure munitions screamed from the Hawk... and then the heavy XL-Sized missile deattached from the hull of the Hawk and then roared to life as it screamed into the atmosphere along with the countermeasures. To the sensors of the Hawk and the Winter, it would appear as a mere cluster of missiles.
"Give me a count-down to detonation, Aria."
"ETA for missile, fifteen seconds due to atmospheric stress."
"Ten"
Crimson continued to float where she was, then her sensors identified the rapid approach of cluster ordinance. Her calculations then quickly began to analyze the situation...("Five") and then the benefit of her SI kicked in as she closed her plasma intakes and made her last desperate maneuver...
"One"
"Zero"
The explosion was intense, it made the sun of the Nyli system look like a mere lit match... the surface of Nyli II was lit by an explosion which resulted in the storm on the planet below to be scattered to every end of the horizon, the seas blow quaked and raged as the heat and radiation released from the explosion caused the skies above the impact area to become clear of any moisture. The flare of radiation screamed into space, creating a massive flare which the Hawk's Non-SI quickly dimmed. The skies around the impact area became dark as the sky went from blue to black as the air itself was scorched. Then suddenly there was silence as a vacuum existed in the location of the explosion for several seconds, even the skies above shined with the stars overhead as the atmosphere of Nyli II was ripped open for that very moment... then a sudden roar as the surrounding atmosphere closed in on the event and caused the seas and sky to rage with the planet's fury of being so brutally assaulted... and there was no shimmer of the Winter to be seen as the Hawk made it's approach.
Blackwolf's communication system then kicked in. "Control to Blackwolf... Fyunnen observer requests that you do a confirmation fly-by over the impact area... our sensors and receivers are not detecting the hostile Winter unit."
"Understood" came the response. A flicker of bright white that lit up the internal barriers of the Hawk chucked it toward the planet, inertia carrying it downwards as it moved over the eradicated area like some great satellite in resonance, nose facing the planet. "Aria, give me a survival probability, evidence of target destruction and possible reasons or methods target may have used to survive with it's given capabilities."
The Non-SI quickly began to explain. "Due to the explosion's intensity, there is a high probability that there would be no sign of wreckage. However, survival probability remains at 5%, and methods of survival would include the usage of combined shielding, hiding in the deeper portions of the waters below, or ascending above the atmosphere while utilizing the shield systems... sensors are having difficulty cutting through the radiation, request that pilot approaches impact area to confirm kill."
Blackwolf wearily tipped the stick to one side and eased the throttle open before letting it slide closed, letting the gravity of the planet do the work. In moments, things grew warm about the Hawk, a bastion of color and fantasia thundering as the cabin shuddered with the force of re-entry. "Draw a marker to indicate the required range bracket."
Before the Hawk's ARIA even had an opportunity to do so, a series of bright flashes erupted before the Hawk, and the communication lines roared to life. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Came the hoarse voice of Crimson... the Winter rushed through the explosions caused by the detonation of a number of its own plasma containers. The Winter quickly closed on the Hawk and grasped onto the fighter right where the cockpit pod was located. The badly battered and ravaged machine raised it's arm as the plasma saber embedded within it raged to life.
Within the cockpit, a warning light blazed in Blackwolf's vision, requesting that the pilot confirm usage of the FMS-1 defensive systems.
There was no need to confirm, Blackwolf's own panic sending a neural message that was base-level of any carbon based life form. Kill it.
The four small doors which surrounded the pilot pod quickly sprung open, and four sets of FMS-1 barrels peered out and just as soon as they appeared, they all began to fire an unrelenting barrage of linearly accelerated needles.
Within the battered Winter, Crimson released a blood curdling scream as she attempted to plunge the plasma blade down onto her target, then, her cockpit was breached and a needle moving at many times the speed of sound plunged straight through her eye, followed by several hundred more needles ripping through her flesh, bone, and circuits. The Winter then fell limp and dead as it skidded along the hull of the Hawk and then fell to the ocean below.
The ARIA aboard the Hawk sent a positive feedback signal into Blackwolf's neural receiver as she said flatly; "Kill confirmed."
The sudden shock had the Hawk's pilot catching her breath, heart pounding. This wasn't something a fighter-pilot typically saw, let alone survived through. "Fuck, those things are tenacious. Hahh... ... ... This.. This is Blackwolf to tower, copy?"
The radiation which blanketed the area caused her communication line to release a series of pops and whines, but soon a satellite bounced a laser transmission to the Hawk. "Control to Blackwolf, ARIA reports confirmed kill. You are cleared to return to base. Confirm pilot health?"
"Pilot health confirmed" Blackwolf rasped, a faint ache between her temples. These were unusual circumstances for a test-pilot. "Returning to base. ARIA, set vector all zeros, alert me at proximity and perform automated landing sequence. My nerves are..." she began, peering down at her hands. She expected them to tremble, the experience having frightened her. She was horrified to find they did not.
The skies above Nyli II were as rich of a blue as the oceans which covered the majority of the planet, the star over head shined brightly and brought about a comfortable warmth to the air as the salt-rich breeze washed over the artificial island which drifted lazily on the surface of the vast ocean. The only things which broke the peace of the day were the dark thunderheads on the horizon, and the sound of fusion thrusters screaming during a test-run.
On the island itself, a rather important series of events were about to take place, enough of an event to attract a group of Lorath Self Defense Force's brass to the island's control tower to observe the event at hand.
"This is flight control to test pilot A0012, please complete your preparations and report to the primary hangar complex." The message was shouted throughout the artificial island, and it set the day for the selected pilot into motion.
There was a crisp wince of air as the test-pilot's pressure-suit molded about her figure, distinct plating over the chest, wrist and thighs. Color was troublesome in the shadows of the hanger. The pilot set her foot against the telescopic ladder of the craft, hoisting herself over the lip of the cabin and into the cockpit where she settled herself into position.
Belts fastened and connections established, she warmed up the communications before the other systems to confirm her position. "A0012, five by five, tower. Relay checklist from controller, over."
The controller was glad to have such a well trained and most of all efficient pilot handling the test flight for the day, of course though, this pleasure could not be conveyed as the controller spoke over the communications channel.
"A0012, receiving you clearly... we'll begin with the initialization of cockpit operating systems, environmental systems, and power supply, followed by ARIA unit initialization and check." The controller's voice stated over the line as he observed the Hawk's systems being at an fully off position at the moment, which the test pilot would soon change, if all went well... either that, or the thing would explode at the first flip of a switch, after all, thats what they were here to test.
The test-pilot pulled the hood of her flight-suit up over her head, carefully tucking her hair beneath it in the darkness of the cockpit. The respirator about her neck was lifted and locked over her chin up to the bridge of her nose. A visor was the final part of the puzzle, which rested over the respirator that covered her lower-face, the mask completed that covered her face entirely.
A slow sigh rolled through the respirator as her fingertips began the startup sequences, satisfying clicking sounds over the radio wavering with her well trained voice. "A-Double-Oh Twelve, conforming instructions. Initializing Cockpit Operating Systems..."
With the final switch, the cockpit came to life. Teal fairy-lights and displays broke up the darkness as the canopy slid over the canopy and locked into place with a pressurized crunch. "Cockpit Operating System... Normal. Cabin pressure stabilized and environmental systems nominal. How's the weather, tower?"
"The weather is looking stable to the east, we got a stiff wind coming in from the west, along with some nasty looking thunderheads... would be good to test the Hawk's EM shielding." The controller's voice then broke into a soft chuckle as he read off the 'to-do-list'. "Alright A0012, initialize your ARIA... we'll be testing the full-blown ARIA version this run... once she is confirmed sane-and-stable, we'll know that the environmental system is clear for use."
The pilot silently nodded to herself, eyes on a red series of curved bars that gradually grew like rainbows and then back again into a series of rings in the lower left of her vision that faded. Her suit-enclosed hands rose the polished black visor up out of her vision as she extended her hand past the throttle on her left to hold down a switch. A count sounded in tones, slowly rising.
As the tones hit a soft bell-like E, the sky-night-star illumination was swallowed up as the cockpit awoke and the ARIA announced it's presence with a series of debug-logs, flowing in the corner of the pilot's vision as the Neural Interface system was formally activated.
She made careful note of the numbers before releasing the button, tapping another switch first before she did so. "ARIA is wide awake and physical, tower. ICS are active... ECS is green. CNIS ready. The mesh is toasty."
"Confirmed, transition from suit environmental to cockpit environmental, activate cockpit pressurization at your leisure. Once adjusted to the environmental systems, you are clear to initialize the unit's primary and secondary power systems, followed by utilization of fusion engine systems to taxi to the runway." The controller sounded quite positive at the current progress... after all, the first ARIA prototype they had worked with had threatened to stab the scientists that attempted to work with her if they were to touch her.
Again, another nod, a murmur in the pilot's voice as she spoke to herself. Before she could reach over to the environmental control, the ARIA on board had already made the appropriate changes. A faint smile of bemusement sat beneath the pilot's respirator as she plucked it away to settle about her neck like a scarf.
The fusion drive awoke with a low sonic thump followed by a gentle near-silent hissing sound. External of the Hawk, the sound roared through the 100-decimal range. Power systems followed by themselves, the hanger-doors slowly sliding away into the ceiling above.
The locking blocks before the tires slowly withdrew into the floor as the form of the fighter lethargically slid out into the glimmering Nyli II daylight. The light glimmered off the craft's hull, a distortion of heat behind as it rolled to line up with the run-way.
The ARIA announced the progress.
The control operator had to force himself to remain on edge to maintain a constant watch over the data, but it was difficult since there were no problems indicated so far, it almost lulled him into a false sense of ease. "Control confirms operational status as relayed by ARIA, A0012, your job is looking easy. Prior to take off, please state your preferred call sign for this test-sortie."
"Apologies, Tower. She seems anxious this morning." was the echo as the pilot's hands settled against the cold metallic throttle and stick, feet set into the pedals. Carefully, she lent the stick over, noting a diagram of the craft populate itself with color to confirm everything was functional.
Outside, the long albatross-like wings of the Hawk rose and fell against their respective shoulders, curving ever so slightly as the different air-control surfaces flexed and rotated. Slowly, the engines let out a faint purr of purples and oranges as they warmed into burners. "This is A-Double-oh-twelve, call sign Black-wolf, launching." she announced, easing off the breaks and opening the throttle. The craft rose and skimmed across the ground as the wiry fingers of the landing gear curled up into the fist that was the Hawk.
"Air control surfaces are confirmed operational, gravitational manipulation systems are confirmed operational, thruster systems are confirmed operational, additional fight essential systems are green, you are good to depart the run-way and ascend beyond take-off altitudes. Once beyond twenty-five kilometers from the island, we will begin test procedures." The control tower replied as they activated the proper tracking equipment to monitor the Hawk's every movement through the skies.
"Understood". Blackwolf's fingers slowly tensed as she noted the altimeter climb along with the speedometer. She eased the throttle back, counting the numbers to herself as the ground dissapeared beneath her toes, displayed through the volumetric displays all about her. A mechanical whir announced the wings folding back into interception configuration.
"In position to begin" Blackwolf announced over the comm, leveling out from her climb. About to tweak her middle-finger over a control on the throttle, the neural connection beat her hands to the punch, a window displaying the test-checklist. A ring before the first line of text declared tower had to confirm.
"Checklist access confirmed, systems all green and remaining steady. We will begin the test sequence with a simple test of the unit's speed, Blackwolf, engage gravitic thruster systems and place fusion engines on stand-by, we'll start out slow and work our way up." The controller instructed as he watched the instrument panel before him with both his eyes and his neural connection.
Blackwolf reluctantly slid her left hand on the throttle to close the throat of the engines, a soft stutter as her thumb brushed over one of the many hat-switches, thumbing through a menu to engage the gravity based engine. She then eased the throttle forward but the primary engines didn't respond, asleep in stand-by. A buzzing sound like shearing glass slowly rose, the exterior of the craft glistening ever so slightly as the craft began to stabilize: falling forward without falling down. "We're good, tower. Grav is go."
"Blackwolf, since we'll be taking it slow, we'll use this opportunity to get you warmed up to the neural interface for the Hawk... commence acceleration, followed by basic maneuvers... well basic to you, Blackwolf." The controller's voice carried a soft chuckle before the comm-line cut him off.
"Roger" Blackwolf muttered. Again, she was reluctant, ginger to do so but her hands crawled back off the throttle and stick, crossing before her. A slow sigh washed over her lips as she felt a twitch in the wings, her own response. She felt her fingers slowly flex, her mind filling in the gaps as the purple stilettos of distorted light and air behind the Hawk flared, dipping and turning against one another as the craft sharply banked and twisted to throw itself into a spin then sharply correct itself: Now inverted and flying against the influence of its engines with the rear of the craft in front.
Blackwolf's eyes were on the numbers, checking that everything was in the limits of normal operation before she continued: coming about with the nose swinging beneath, facing the ground as the craft turned and twisted in a smooth sweep like some kind of exotic dancer on ice through the cold morning skies. Tendrils of cloud were pushed aside as this maneuver was again repeated in half the time with the nose forward this time in a normal flight posture. "Wolf to tower. Everything checks out."
"Tower control confirms, Blackwolf, you are clear to repeat gravitic engine maneuvers with tactile controls, then follow up with deactivation of gravitic engines and begin fusion engine maneuver tests." The control tower replied as they went over the data from the gravitic engines.
"Copy, tower." Noting the water beneath, Blackwolf chose to descend into a rather heavy dive. If the numbers were right, the Hawk would park on a dime and respond like a baby. She counted the altimeter, going beyond what would be the point of return in a normal fighter: Mach 3 in a plummet towards the ocean. Finally, her hands met the controls in the last kilometer, easing back and opening to the throttle.
Water sprayed across the hull of the Hawk which sat perhaps six to eight feet above the still ocean. A whistle sounded over the radio as the engines began to warm, hurling the craft into forward flight.
"Hull stress is normal, engines are checking out green... you're clear to accelerate to maximum output Blackwolf." Control stated as the Hawk leveled out and skimmed along the water, leaving behind a rather impressive wake.
She eased the throttle open. Again, she hesitated. Why? The throat of the beast widened to capacity, purple thrust becoming a distinct white twinkle with no trail or observable thrust but the distortion of air. She felt herself pushed back into her seat, but it was a soft push which was just a hint of what it would have been without the G-Force cancellation equipment.
She counted the mach-meter, a series of rings like before, slowly close to completion as the numbers within it rose like a scurry of ants in the decimal field. There was a brief sensation of light-headedness as mach 4 passed. "Apex velocity reached, tower. Mach 5.
"Tower receives you, ARIA is reporting fusion engines are reporting green, you're clear to engage high speed maneuvers." The controller stated as he watched the readout... everything was looking acceptable.
Blackwolf eased the throttle further open, noting the many dials flicker as the plane calibrated itself for high-speed flight maneuvers, the wings tipping further back like a cat's ears rolling back before a fight.
Carefully, she pulled back on the stick, rather ginger as she counted the Gs climb. It was bewildering for her not to feel any of them, the number flickering into the red at 11 quite happily as she pulled back to make a immelman turn at a speed that would normally destroy an aircraft.
"Hull stress is showing several tons of pressure.... structural mesh is holding... well done Blackwolf, continue as you are and procede at your leisure to the area indicated for munitions testing." The controller instructed.
"Roger, tower" she said. It felt no different from the simulator: Only the neural-link could tell her otherwise. After a sharp bank at speeds that normally should have asphyxiated her in a classic Lorath Fighter, she moved toward the live fire area, a faint mumble and a lick of the neural control system warming up the fire-control system. "In position in 20 seconds."
"Stationary targets are deployed, you'll be shooting down compressed hydrogen filled stonethread balloons... we'll open up with testing the L-Mark-Two units, then try the missile systems." The controller instructed as he opened up another monitor screen, this one indicating a target list.
Nyli II - Testing Grounds - Live-Fire Test Range.
Black Wolf's gaze shot from the targeting information up to the reticles fixing on each of the targets as she accelerated into attack speed. Before she could squeeze the trigger, the ship read her intentions and the act was done: The hawk's fuselage briefly flickering open like an eyelid to expel a cluster of tubes that lit up and shot ahead of the Hawk, rushing toward the horizon. Flashes of hydrogen were the reward as she prepared the gattlings.
The balloons instantly ruptured into plumes of flame as the training missiles impacted into them. Now a set of balloons skittered along the horizon, propelled by a fans... they were slow, dumb, but small targets.
"Control counts four targets down, two mobile targets to go." Came the familiar controller's voice.
Though the buzz from the gattlings would have normally thundered deep, there was a brief pop and chirp as well placed rounds of yellow hot 40mm ordinance were sent reeling into the targets.
"Wolf to tower. confirming destruction of targets."
"Control confirms destruction of targets... training ordinance tracking indicates that only five percent of the munitions did not impact the targets... well done for expelling a hundred rounds that quickly." Control replied.
On the horizon, the stone thread balloon spiraled down to the waters below, torn to shreds by the bullets which tore through the stronger-than-diamond fabric.
"Blackwolf, proceed to next training area, and charge live ordinance."
The pilot silently nodded, adjusting her course. The unused training rounds were expelled from the hull, dashed across the water below on floats as it roared to intercept the targets.
"Blackwolf, we will be sending up Non-SI ARIA controlled fighters to intercept you at the next training area. They will be using live ordinance, as will you... your job is to shoot them down obviously... now detecting you entering the target area. Control ceasing comms during mock-battle, good luck Blackwolf." The comm-line closed on the controller's end.
Beyond the horizon, a number of QnS Aerodyne fighters acceded from small launch-pads which floated upon the ocean waters. The fighters quickly accelerated in the direction of Blackwolf's Hawk. Their plasma reactors roared as they broke mach three. Two of the fighters charged their plasma weapons, the other two prepared their solid munition weapons. The Non-SI ARIA aboard each assessed the situation as a 'Search and Destroy' mission, obviously intent on searching for Blackwolf's Hawk.
Blackwolf slowed to half her speed, hands darting over the controls as she made a note of positions and numbers. Her right hand sharply jerked the joystick to bank into the left, thumb riding the hat-switch atop as she pushed the throttle into full, switches still set to combat speeds. The Hawk rotated over onto it's belly, the cockpit up against the water beneath, maybe an inch over. The doors eased open, the delivery rack spewing a torrent of missiles. A sharp motion upward trickled vertigo through Blackwolf's temples as she corrected herself and separated from the white fingers with glistening tips that split and darted for their targets.
Blackwolf was not dealing with petty pilots, but well trained machines of war... the incoming missiles were quickly registered by the QnS fighters and soon the ARIA aboard each fighter went about their responses. Two of the fighters went about utilizing their defense turrets to rip through the incoming missiles, while the other two deployed chaff. The combination worked nicely, resulting in most of the Hawk's missiles being torn to nothing as they either skittered off course, or were torn apart by gun fire... except for one of the missiles which promptly lodged itself in the cockpit of one of the Aerodyne fighters, and detonated with a brilliant explosion of plasma fire which sent chunks of the Aerodyne in every direction. One down, three to go.
She counted the numbers silently to herself. It would be a further 9 seconds before she approached targets. She chose to exercise the on board Aria, using the psionic interface to bounce messages back and forth with it. Three seconds in and no response. And then a smattering of code in the upper left of the heads-up display. Shielding came to life with a flicker of color, a bean of light about the unit that faded into obscurity after it's awakening. The relayed information from the SI to her consciousness was a surprising sensation when it finally kicked in: It was is if she had never seen in color before and was now finally able to.
The Aerodyne fighters separated from each other, each coming at the origin of the missile fire which took out the one unfortunate member of their wing. The three ARIA units consulted one-another on their situation. "Hostile location detected, high energy reaction detected... analyzing potential source... shield system found to be most probable source. Plasma weapon equipped units engage target, missile equipped target will serve as a decoy... firing range entered..." The units continued to speak to each other, even as the missile armed Aerodyne soared above the Hawk's altitude as it fired missiles down at Blackwolf's Hawk as it painted the Hawk with a targeting beam which the missiles followed. The other Aerodyne fighters remained close to the choppy seas below as they closed in.
The Hawk's barriers lit up with white hot plasma, obscuring the beam that the Aerodyne fighter tried to paint across it, rendering the marker utterly invisible and the missiles unable to track. It turned about sharply through an elaborate combination of the gravitic and plasma thrusters, a burst of thrust throwing the large bomber in the direction of the two units to intercept at a closer range. Blackwolf felt confident.
The Non-SI ARIA units lacked an essential component, emotional depth. The logic of Blackwolf's assault eluded them, but the key point that they noted was that their decoy was ignored. The twin intercepting Aerodyne units then charged their plasma cannons and began to fire at the Hawk, a stray beam seared into the waters below, billowing steam from the impact location. The ignored Aerodyne above swooped down with an intent of maybe approaching the Hawk from behind.
The microwave emitters of the Hawk came to life, the beams scanned and scored across the sky-line. They were used more out of curiosity of effect than to jam by the pilot. A build-up of plasma built up beneath the barrier behind the Hawk, lugged along like a shopping bag which it finally released with a brief lapse in the shields, sending the hot plasma in the direction of the target behind. It was followed with chaff. A large chunk of chaff particularly was difficult to recognize.
The Aerodyne behind the Hawk quickly evaded the plasma, but was scorched slightly just by the proximity of the burning glob as it seared the waters below. The two fighters ahead encountered a sum of tracking difficulty due to the EM interference given off by the microwave emitters, but quickly they veered off from their head-to-head route, peeling off in opposing directions as they allowed the Hawk to charge between them.
The larger segment of chaff flickered to life, detonating as it swung beneath the following Aerodyne like a mine. None of this would have been possible without the careful control that the psionics and the ARIA granted the pilot who almost felt the need to look back and confirm the explosion with her own eyes as she heard the faint "pop" of the explosion through her pressurized cabin. Immediately, the main guns came to life once more, hurling high-velocity pain at the remaining enemies.
The Aerodyne behind was damaged by the missile hidden in the chaff, but it was not destroyed as it smoked to the waters below and skimmed along the choppy waves, it soon fell to pieces as its hull exceeded the maximum stress it could endure as the water pounded against it. The other two Aerodyne units veered off and began to perform various maneuvers to avoid the pins and needles sent their way.
She almost felt the need to be competitive. Another explosive belch of thrust threw her into the vicinity of the two units on the defensive. Switching over to the main gatlings, she started peppering on the first unit, swerving to stay behind it. There was a mental pause as she realized she wasn't actually flying perfectly straight, banking to the side to keep the unit in her sights much like a helicopter would. For a fighter pilot so used to traditional air combat, this was an eerie experience.
Blackwolf's knowledge of the traditional could only prepare her for the havoc which the gatling units utilizing live-ammo could do. A mere two shots from the gatling which impacted had committed the Aerodyne fighter to it's fate as the antimatter payloads within the slugs reacted with the atmosphere and the Aerodyne's hull to produce a blinding white flash of an antimatter explosion which reacted with the atmosphere and produced an effect which would be comparable to a tactical nuclear weapon being dropped right on the Aerodyne... needless to say, the fighter combusted into a plume of melting metal and vapor. One last fighter to go... and this one was ascending as high as possible while attempting to make a break for the horizon.
Blackwolf flinched, her hands off throttle and stick. The bright light left her eyes sore, colors distorted. It hurt but regardless, the psionic link kept her informed. Still tending to her eyes with a silent wince, the Blackwolf banked and span, now running in reverse as the gattling hammered at the last target.
The ARIA aboard Blackwolf's Hawk gave Blackwolf a small scolding about not utilizing the cockpit's built in systems to reduce the brightness of explosions. Apparently, the ARIA aboard had decided to give Blackwolf a round-about scolding for her arrogance.
It was a rather painful lesson. Her eyes still stung and colors weren't entirely clear, the last of her sight shuffling off as things went black. There was a shiver in her hands as she tried to make out light but with the exception of the burning sun and slithers of light off the waves, there was little she could do. She'd have to get them fixed when she got back. Her frustration was funneled as she corrected her aim, rounds sweeping through the cockpit of the enemy.
The L-Mark-Two gatling units made closing the gap easy as indeed the rounds tore into the Aerodyne's hull, resulting in yet another explosion... but this one was automatically dimmed by the ARIA. "Pilot Blackwolf, your optic organs have been damaged... administering regenerative nanomachines into cockpit atmosphere gel." With that, the cockpit became slightly murky for a moment, but soon Blackwolf's vision was being returned to normal... if not better.
There was a slow sigh of annoyance as she considered having a new ARIA fitted but then she changed her mind: It did this knowing she would be able to recover. "That... Wasn't in the specs, tower. " ...At least not the ones I was given. "Request permission to RTB."
Control replied as soon as Blackwolf spoke. "Request denied Blackwolf, you have one more combat test.. and nice work on those Aerodyne, but your next target will be a bit more difficult."
Blackwolf Replied; "Understood."
"Blackwolf, we are forwarding you target specs..." Control stated as a data feed was initiated. Within a second, an image of the intended target was displayed in front of Blackwolf.
"The hell is this, tower?" Blackwolf grumbled. "It wasn't on the mission spec."
"What it is, is that the Fyunnen back on Lor want to know what they're going to order to increase their defensive line... engage the target, live ammo. We have been authorized to inform you that the unit is utilizing a full ARIA unit." The controller sounded a tad stressed... which may have been caused by the towering hulk of a Fyunnen warrior which stood beside him, making him look like a small monkey beside a gorilla.
"Is the target using live ammunition, tower?" Blackwolf requested as she checked to make sure everything was working. The last thing she wanted was a systems failure.
"Target is confirmed hot. Full payload... you are now instructed to ascend to stratosphere level... Blackwolf, good hunting. Communications to be terminated now." The controller sounded genuinely worried.
There was a trembling sigh as she considered her options, sifting through the specs. There was a pause as she saw it, a tiny twinkle dancing like lightning over the horizon. Her first move was to bank sharply upwards, putting everything out the engines were capable of giving to ascend.
The Winter which floated in the skies above looked down at the ascending Hawk, the ARIA within grinned maliciously as she shifted the Winter's surfaces and charged the plasma thruster system. The massive plasma saber the beast of a power-armor held in it's hands glowed to life as she looked at her 'prey', so she was taught to think of her enemy by the Fyunnen which developed her personality. "ARIA unit 'Crimson' to Blackwolf, do you read me?"
"Blackwolf to Crimson." she responded, noting the altimeter rise in the corner of her vision as she ascended over the clouds.
"Blackwolf, my developers have taught me it is proper manners in Lorath tradition to greet and converse with your enemy prior to a one on one confrontation. Thus I am following in this tradition, and will continue until one of us is unable to breathe anymore." Crimson stated as she analyzed the target... her Winter had not been updated with the specifications of the Hawk, thus she was left to analyze it on the fly. "Do you agree to this traditional practice?"
There was a pause, a low rumbling of engines behind her as Blackwolf thought for a moment. "A machine is not subject to tradition unless it has proven itself otherwise" a flat voice returned.
"I am subject to tradition, if you do not wish to adhere to your people's traditions, I can implement my ordinary operating routine..." The ARIA named Crimson replied as she continued to hover, watching the quickly approaching Hawk. Hard-wired programming shouted at her to begin maneuvers, but her own personality remained stubborn.
"I see." Silently, she worked out her advantage and worked to plan a way to capitalize on it. "Hesitance is a bad trait for a pilot, regardless of whether or not she is real." and with that, the communication was concluded. She looked back to see the tiny spec as the skies around grew darker toward the heavens, the optic zoom revealing it's humanoid form. She couldn't fathom how such a thing could meet it's specifications.
"Cocky woman." Crimson muttered into her cockpit before she turned off her personality subroutine. With that, the Winter ignited it's plasma engines as the structural mesh twisted the thin air around it as it accelerated rapidly to Mach... then beyond, it quickly closed the distance with the Hawk. As it closed in, it began to fire it's rail cannon at the Hawk, each shot was packing enough destructive force to break the Hawk's shields, but not enough to destroy the Hawk with a mere single hit.
Meanwhile, aboard the Hawk, the SI quickly made the Hawk descend sharply. "Advising pilot to remain out of the eleven to one o' clock position of the enemy unit, and at least twenty meters distance."
"So they put one of whatever that is against someone who's used to shooting fighters for a living. What the hell am I supposed to do?" she exclaimed as she banked to face, a burst of thrust sending her downwards, every weapon she had creating a yellow hail of weapons fire.
The Winter sharply accelerated to where it was behind the Hawk, it unleashed another flurry of slugs at the unit as it accelerated to close in on the Hawk from behind.
The SI within the Hawk began to flash warnings within the cockpit. "I suggest, Blackwolf, that you ascend beyond atmospheric limitations. Analysis indicates the Winter unit relies on manipulation of air current flows to increase mobility, and it is lacking a dedicated space flight system."
"Noted." she chimed, pitching the nose of the Hawk skyward, the bright white twinkle behind it propelling it up into the upper atmosphere at speed. The cockpit rumbled, as BlackWolf's hands paddled and motioned over the controls free of the stick and throttle. Another build-up of plasma beneath the shields released in a hail of burning white napalm-like heat that showered toward her foe like a warning.
The Winter which followed closely behind slashed at the plasma cloud with it's saber, scattering the cloud and charging through the center of the gap it had cleaved. The gap between the Winter and the Hawk began to close... until the skies around the two units became dark as they left the atmosphere of Nyli II, the Winter then lost it's advantage as the ARIA controlled power armor raised it's rail gun equipped arm and attempted to place a shot on the Hawk's aft section.
Quickly, the microwave system flickered to life, faint twinkles of light through markings of the Hawk's belly and head. The pilot took a few moments, trying to think of a proper course of action. Her mind silently chanted "shit" to itself as she had to plot against Nyli's gravity in her motion which conflicted with the graviton control system in the low orbit of the dense world as she turned the Hawk about. Opening with the Linear gattling as a scatter shot, the MKII kicked in through the shotgun like mask of rounds to deliver the intended blow.
As the microwaves passed through the space between the Winter and Hawk, the slugs which traveled at the Hawk were caught in the microwave beams, resulting in them being prematurely detonated due to the intensity of the microwaves causing the metals of the slug casings to break down.
The Winter piloted by the ARIA dubbed Crimson had little trouble recalibrating for the microwaves which interfered with it's scanners only slightly. The microwaves however caused her EM shielding to weaken slightly... and then she saw the Hawk make it's turn and she made her attempt at evading but found it difficult to get enough distance from the Hawk before it unleashed the barrage from the L-Mark-Two MKII gatling units. The only choice available was to drop to the planet or to ascend to higher altitudes. The atmospheric stress would cause the Winter to lose precious seconds, thus it accelerated into the blackness of space. Unfortunately, the sheer speed of the L-Mark-Two's fired slugs resulted in a hand full of the rounds impacting into the Winter. As the Winter flew away, the ARIA, Crimson, noted that her systems were reporting increased structural mesh temperatures and armor stress. The slugs which exploded against her shields had released the force of small antimatter explosions which were far less than what they'd be in atmosphere, but enough to make the Winter's shields buckle under the strain.
After moving from the Hawk's line of fire, the Winter then charged at the Hawk from above, in hopes of potentially grabbing onto the Hawk and lashing at what seemed to be the cockpit.
BlackWolf's mind crunched the numbers and counted. At the final count, the gravitic systems and the aligned magnetic defenses forced the plasma of her thrust to one side in a sudden sharp blow of speed as the Winter very narrowly missed the Hawk. Remaining at speed, she opened fire again, a cluster of missiles twinkling but not a trail of smoke nor the missiles seen as they went dead shortly after leaving the unit. She seemed to be retreating.
The Winter raised it's arm equipped with the FMS-1. A few dozen shots were quickly fired at the missiles which were left behind. The resulting hits caused the missiles to explode, and the Winter soon charged through the aftermath of the explosion to pursue the seemingly fleeing Hawk.
Through the explosion, the Hawk opened fire, the bright light blinding the Winter's sensors momentarily. The accelerator cannon had already began to charge and released it's payload in a thick heavy beam.
Crimson's eyes went wide as her sensors screamed at her, and at that very moment she activated the combined shield systems of the Winter while crossing the Winter's massive arms before the cockpit in hopes of keeping herself safe as all of her sensors and comm equipment went blind and deaf.
Outside of the Winter, the shields of the unit became a pale but opaque electric blue as the streaming beam from the Hawk's centerline cannon impacted against the shields. The hyperspace/subspace shielding of the Winter caused the antimatter beam to lose it's charge, but the particles could still be seen interacting with the plasma of the shields, resulting in billions of tiny little sparks and explosions dancing over the shield bubble.
Crimson knew the shield would not hold, and the seconds ticked by as well... she rapidly charged her plasma engines and then shut down the combined shield as she quickly descended down to the planet... but her decent was not fast enough as a surge of the antimatter beam slammed into the shoulder of the Winter. The result was the massive arm which housed the FMS-1 and which held the beam saber to be torn from the joint and lost to space as the Winter took it's plunge.
The Hawk rolled about, it's ceiling aimed at the planet now above as Blackwolf noted the flickering red racing toward the planet. She thought it best to leave the thing, simply watching. "...Nobody briefed me on that."
Blackwolf's relent in her assault gave Crimson the opportunity she needed. She raised the remaining arm of the Winter as she steadied the arm by locking the structural layering and meshing systems into place as she controlled the air flow around her unit. The Hawk's warning alarms screamed at Blackwolf as a barrage of 30mm slugs screamed at the Hawk.
A short sharp burst of thrust threw the Hawk free of the rounds. Seconds later, she returned fire with the MK II again.
The Winter was back in it's element again as it locked the surfaces of the exterior and quickly bolted out of the path of the L-Mark-Two gatling fire which screamed through where it once was. Crimson had hopes that Blackwolf would be dumb enough to follow her back into the atmosphere of Nyli II.
The only response, now that the accelerator had replenished was a sharp peppering of antimatter once more. The Blackwolf kept it's distance.
Unfortunately, the antimatter simply reacted with the atmosphere of Nyli II, resulting in a rather dangerous but pretty light show to dance over the atmosphere of the planet.
"Blackwolf, antimatter ordinance does not function in atmosphere, the atmosphere also prevents the plasma function of the cannon from reaching the enemy... I suggest the utilization of the primary missile system."
"Remind me how a round can achieve escape velocity from the planet and hit me from up here with that rate of fire." she noted, watching the light-show shimmer across the planet as she maneuvered out of her original position to an angle the Winter might not expect. The missiles were activated, regardless.
The SI then began an explanation of subspace and electromagnetic accelerator technology... this was the difference between the SI and Non-SI units, this one apparently could not understand sarcasm.
Crimson meanwhile continued to speed through the atmosphere of Nyli II, she was making a fast approach to a massive storm system which swirled upon the horizon and flashed with brilliant flares of electrical discharges.
Blackwolf grumbled to herself. "She wants me to follow her... Balls to that. Aria, if ordinance is fired, automatically evade accordingly but do so in a manner the other unit least anticipates. Do not repeat patterns."
The SI quickly responded. "Confirmed, random evasion calculation engaged. Maintaining held position until weapons fire is registered. Continuing target tracking... enemy Winter unit is entering the edge of the storm."
"Do we have any warheads aboard?"
"Missile racks one, two, three, and four have expelled their ammunition capacity. Countermeasure launchers at 75%. Primary missile system is charged, 'XL' sized missile ordinance is available, Antimatter warhead, system includes subspace accelerator, shield generator, countermeasure package, gravimetric drive, multiple sensor packages, and a Non-SI guidance system."
"What would best disrupt the storm? Preferably atomize it and everything within it."
As Blackwolf consulted her Non-SI ARIA, Crimson piloted her Winter into the depths of the storm. Her Winter's plasma collection systems began to quickly intake the ionized particles and the abundant hydrogen and oxygen. Her plasma systems were quickly being replenished. Just a little longer... Crimson thought to her self.
The Non-SI of the Hawk quickly replied. "The antimatter warhead of the XL munition is capable of creating an explosive force and resulting release of radiation to nullify the storm system. The resulting explosion will directly influence an area of twenty-five miles, additional effects will reach to five hundred miles."
"Would the Winter be able to escape the blast radius?"
The Hawk's Non-SI quickly crunched the numbers, but found it to be difficult to come up with an absolute response. "Probability of survival is 5%, depending on the Winter's shield strength, structural mesh strength, structural layering system strength, plasma system fuel availability, and pilot reaction time. However, there is a one-hundred percent probability of damage."
She'll hate me for not dying Blackwolf silently thought to herself. "Load all counter-measure tubes. Assign primary warhead XL munition to cluster six of 7 dummy-counter-measures, all designed to appear as six of the bomb."Blackwolf commanded in a calm cold voice. "She doesn't know how many we're carrying or the yield. Make it look like a cluster-bomb. I don't want her to panic."
"I can not confirm her lack of availability of knowledge, the XL weapon system is externally mounted and due to magnetic confinement systems, there is a probability of her unit detecting the payload... however countermeasure systems have been programmed, XL-Missile programmed with proper tracking information... missiles prepared to fire on your command Blackwolf." The Non-SI reported as she provided the proper information to her pilot.
"Then our bay doors and keep them open for 6 seconds after launch. I want her to have the impression they were internally launched from us. Do it."
"Confirmed." The Non-SI replied.
Crimson meanwhile observed the timer on her shield systems... the combined shield was nearing the point of being re-usable, and the plasma stores were being rapidly resupplied by the storm which raged around the Winter... all there was to do was to wait.
"Move us after launch. If she rises up to evade, hit her with the accelerator, anti-matter configuration." Blackwolf finally sighed. "Commence operation."
"Confirmed, launching." The Non-SI replied as the Hawk's bay doors opened and the barrage of countermeasure munitions screamed from the Hawk... and then the heavy XL-Sized missile deattached from the hull of the Hawk and then roared to life as it screamed into the atmosphere along with the countermeasures. To the sensors of the Hawk and the Winter, it would appear as a mere cluster of missiles.
"Give me a count-down to detonation, Aria."
"ETA for missile, fifteen seconds due to atmospheric stress."
"Ten"
Crimson continued to float where she was, then her sensors identified the rapid approach of cluster ordinance. Her calculations then quickly began to analyze the situation...("Five") and then the benefit of her SI kicked in as she closed her plasma intakes and made her last desperate maneuver...
"One"
"Zero"
The explosion was intense, it made the sun of the Nyli system look like a mere lit match... the surface of Nyli II was lit by an explosion which resulted in the storm on the planet below to be scattered to every end of the horizon, the seas blow quaked and raged as the heat and radiation released from the explosion caused the skies above the impact area to become clear of any moisture. The flare of radiation screamed into space, creating a massive flare which the Hawk's Non-SI quickly dimmed. The skies around the impact area became dark as the sky went from blue to black as the air itself was scorched. Then suddenly there was silence as a vacuum existed in the location of the explosion for several seconds, even the skies above shined with the stars overhead as the atmosphere of Nyli II was ripped open for that very moment... then a sudden roar as the surrounding atmosphere closed in on the event and caused the seas and sky to rage with the planet's fury of being so brutally assaulted... and there was no shimmer of the Winter to be seen as the Hawk made it's approach.
Blackwolf's communication system then kicked in. "Control to Blackwolf... Fyunnen observer requests that you do a confirmation fly-by over the impact area... our sensors and receivers are not detecting the hostile Winter unit."
"Understood" came the response. A flicker of bright white that lit up the internal barriers of the Hawk chucked it toward the planet, inertia carrying it downwards as it moved over the eradicated area like some great satellite in resonance, nose facing the planet. "Aria, give me a survival probability, evidence of target destruction and possible reasons or methods target may have used to survive with it's given capabilities."
The Non-SI quickly began to explain. "Due to the explosion's intensity, there is a high probability that there would be no sign of wreckage. However, survival probability remains at 5%, and methods of survival would include the usage of combined shielding, hiding in the deeper portions of the waters below, or ascending above the atmosphere while utilizing the shield systems... sensors are having difficulty cutting through the radiation, request that pilot approaches impact area to confirm kill."
Blackwolf wearily tipped the stick to one side and eased the throttle open before letting it slide closed, letting the gravity of the planet do the work. In moments, things grew warm about the Hawk, a bastion of color and fantasia thundering as the cabin shuddered with the force of re-entry. "Draw a marker to indicate the required range bracket."
Before the Hawk's ARIA even had an opportunity to do so, a series of bright flashes erupted before the Hawk, and the communication lines roared to life. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Came the hoarse voice of Crimson... the Winter rushed through the explosions caused by the detonation of a number of its own plasma containers. The Winter quickly closed on the Hawk and grasped onto the fighter right where the cockpit pod was located. The badly battered and ravaged machine raised it's arm as the plasma saber embedded within it raged to life.
Within the cockpit, a warning light blazed in Blackwolf's vision, requesting that the pilot confirm usage of the FMS-1 defensive systems.
There was no need to confirm, Blackwolf's own panic sending a neural message that was base-level of any carbon based life form. Kill it.
The four small doors which surrounded the pilot pod quickly sprung open, and four sets of FMS-1 barrels peered out and just as soon as they appeared, they all began to fire an unrelenting barrage of linearly accelerated needles.
Within the battered Winter, Crimson released a blood curdling scream as she attempted to plunge the plasma blade down onto her target, then, her cockpit was breached and a needle moving at many times the speed of sound plunged straight through her eye, followed by several hundred more needles ripping through her flesh, bone, and circuits. The Winter then fell limp and dead as it skidded along the hull of the Hawk and then fell to the ocean below.
The ARIA aboard the Hawk sent a positive feedback signal into Blackwolf's neural receiver as she said flatly; "Kill confirmed."
The sudden shock had the Hawk's pilot catching her breath, heart pounding. This wasn't something a fighter-pilot typically saw, let alone survived through. "Fuck, those things are tenacious. Hahh... ... ... This.. This is Blackwolf to tower, copy?"
The radiation which blanketed the area caused her communication line to release a series of pops and whines, but soon a satellite bounced a laser transmission to the Hawk. "Control to Blackwolf, ARIA reports confirmed kill. You are cleared to return to base. Confirm pilot health?"
"Pilot health confirmed" Blackwolf rasped, a faint ache between her temples. These were unusual circumstances for a test-pilot. "Returning to base. ARIA, set vector all zeros, alert me at proximity and perform automated landing sequence. My nerves are..." she began, peering down at her hands. She expected them to tremble, the experience having frightened her. She was horrified to find they did not.
