Knightfall
World of Kulan DM
Part Three (cont.)
In the Tears of Selune:
Breakwater moved his interceptor expertly through the field of asteroids all around him. His ship wove between floating rocks of death barely two halflings high distance from his cockpit window. He fired his ship’s laser blaster destroying several small chucks of rock heading toward him.
It was his job to make sure there was a clear path through the field for the dropship, Vector 1, lumbering behind him. Well, as clear as he could make it. The dropships had little to worry from the small chunks of rock Breakwater had fired upon. He had done it to make it easier for Fathom 12 and Fathom 4 to both dodge asteroids as protect the dropship from behind.
“”Fathom 2 to Vector 1, check your pitch! There is a huge asteroid coming your way at point zero eight and closing fast.” Breakwater was sweating up a storm, as he typed in new passage coordinates and transferred them to Vector 1.
“Understood Fathom 2,” the voice of the man known as Elgard Merril came back over the Comm. “Adjusting pitch and feeding in new coordinates.”
Breakwater watched through his rear monitor as the dropship fired its retrorockets and just managed to slip past a huge asteroid spinning wildly by. He was glad that Elgard was as good a pilot as he had first seemed when Breakwater had met him a year earlier.
“Fathom 12 and 4, watch yourselves. Enemy ships on your six.” Elgard’s voice rung out over the Comm once again. “There are four of them.”
“I see them,” Fathom 12 responded. “They’re trying to weave in past that cluster of rocks at point three two. Freddy, watch yourself.”
“No problem,” Freddy angled his interceptor behind a slow moving asteroid no larger that Vector 1 just in time to avoid the laser fire coming from the dragon wings. “They can’t hit what they can’t see.”
Freddy came out from behind the huge rock and locked on to the lead dragon wing. He fired his lasers and the dragon wing exploded in a fiery ball of light.
“Ooh, that’s gotta hurt,” Freddy brought his interceptor back into formation just as the turret guns from Vector 1 picked off two of the other dragon wings.
The last dragon wing pilot’s luck ran out. He crashed his ship into a spinning asteroid that came out of nowhere, while he was trying to avoid the wreckage of the other dragon wings. It exploded leaving hardly a trace it had been pursuing them.
“Tough way to go,” Fathom 12 gave full salute towards the remains of the destroyed dragon wing. “A fighter jock shouldn’t die that way. It’s not right.”
“Keep your mind on the task at hand, Fathom 12.” Breakwater’s voice rung out through the Comm. “You’ve more company coming in directly behind you.”
“Damn, there’s so many of them.” Fathom 12’s voice remained calm under pressure but Breakwater knew he was tired. They were all tired.
The dragon wings hadn’t hesitated to follow them into the asteroid field and the pilots behind the sleek, dragon-shaped machines were as good as the pilots of Fathom Wing. Reports had come in early of large flights of dragon wings breaking into packs of six to twelve. Fathom Left had lost three interceptors already and one dropship had been immobilized and crashed into a large asteroid. They couldn’t hope for survivors.
Six more dragon wings came up behind Fathom 12 and 4 firing several laser blasts. One of the blasts glanced of the shields of Freddy’s ship. Another struck the back of Vector 1 dead on.
“Damn,” Elgard’s voice broke through the Comm. “One more hit like that and we’re done like dinner.”
“Fathom 12 and 4, bank away. We’re going to give those Imperial bastards a little surprise.” General Bartleby’s voice came over the Comm.
“Sir?” Freddy didn’t like the idea of leaving Vector 1 wide open.
“Just do it,” The general’s voice had the tone of an order. “And cover your ears!”
Fathom 12 and 4 banked away from Vector 1 just as the dropship dropped out two strangely shaped objects from the undercarriage of the ship. The two objects quickly fell out and towards one of the larger asteroids near the dragon wings. The first object hit and an explosion took place that sounded like a pipe organ imploding. The weapon released a shock wave that destroyed four of the dragon wings and ripped the asteroid apart. The second device hit the debris field of the sundered asteroid and exploded with the same audible sound. The other dragon wings tried to avoid the effect but only one of them managed to escape.
“What the hell were those?” Breakwater had been surprised by the sound they made. In the depths of space, most exploding weapons made little or no sound at all. In space, such a sound should have been impossible.
“Sonic disruption charges,” General Bartleby’s voice came over the Comm again. “They’re mainly used in an atmosphere but I figured they’d do some damage in space as well.”
“That was so cool,” Freddy was chuckling.
“We’ve still got one dragon wing on us,” Fathom 12’s voice came over Breakwater’s Comm. “Don’t get sloppy, Freddy.”
Breakwater could see the end of the asteroid field. They would soon be out in open space again. Reports were coming in from the other groups. Two were already clear of the asteroids while the others were just approaching the edge. Roughly two dozen dragon wings were still in pursuit of the convoy from all available data but Breakwater knew that number was most likely misleading.
“General Bartleby, we’re approaching the edge of the asteroid field. Inform the other members of the convoy to break for the planet’s atmosphere. We will cover you as best as possible.”
“Understood, Fathom 2.” The general’s reply was somber and serious.
“But first, I’m going to get rid of this dragon wing.” Breakwater’s interceptor broke the edge of the Asteroid field. Breakwater tapped a key on his console in front of him and the interceptor moved up at a ninety-degree angle. Breakwater watched from a position above his group as Vector 1 passed beneath his ship then Fathom 4 and 12.
Then came the dragon wing.
“Oops,” Breakwater throttled his ship forward and down lining up the dragon wing. “Forgot to check his scope.”
“Nail him, cuz!” Freddy yelled out as Breakwater fired his lasers. The dragon wing exploded in a ball of light.
“Nice maneuver, BW.” Fathom 12’s voice was calm and confident.
“Thanks, but we still have a job to do. Fathom Left form two groups, designations – Firebirds 1 and 2. An even split boys. Those with me are Firebirds 1. Fathom 8, you point of Firebirds 2.
“Copy, Fathom 2.” Sandal Wingstrom’s voice crackled through Breakwater’s Comm. Fathom 8 was one of the few pilots left in the group with the experience to lead Firebirds 2. He was a good pilot, for a human.
“Firebirds 1, this is Breakwater. We’re cover for the dropships. Black Beholder formation. Firebirds 2, you’re the run and gunners. Take ‘em out!”
Breakwater led the interceptors of his group towards the dropships as they formed into a convoy again. Several dragon wings banked for the dropships but found the ships of Firebirds 2 already in position to meet them. The dogfight lasted until the edge of the atmosphere. Breakwater loss several good friends. Their numbers were now too small to fight the dragon wings effectively. Luckily, the ships of Firebirds 2 had taken out two dragon wings fro every Fathom interceptor lost.
“Fathom 2, we’re preparing to line up the dropships for descent into the planet’s atmosphere. Keep them off out backs a minute longer.”
“Understood general.” Breakwater banked his interceptor to meet the remaining dozen dragon wings and the ships of Firebirds 1 banked with him.” Fathom 8, what’s the situation on the perimeter?”
“What perimeter,” Sandal’s voice came across the Comm. He sounded desperate.
“Try to remain calm, Sandal. Where are you?”
“Approaching your left flank sir. Twenty two degrees down, forward plane. I’ve got two dragon wings on my tail. I can’t shake them.”
“Hold on Fathom 8, we’re coming.” Breakwater looked out and down towards where Fathom 8 should be. His ship went from a speck in the distance to nearly filling his entire window.
Breakwater fired destroying one of the pursuing dragon wings. The other ship banked right towards Fathom 12. Breakwater didn’t have time to warn his wingman before the dragon wing impacted the other ship. Both ships exploded in a ball of flame and light.
“Damn them all to the Reaper’s womb!” Breakwater lined up another dragon wing and fired. He missed but Freddy followed up from his secondary wingman position.
“Decker,” Freddy’s voice choked out the name of their dead friend. “I’ll miss you buddy.”
“Sandal, you’re my secondary wingman. Freddy, over to primary.” Breakwater angled his interceptor towards the dropships. They looked posed to begin the descent.
“Fathom 2, we’re ready to go.” Elgard’s voice confirmed it.
“Fathom Left, form up. We’re hit the atmosphere at full throttle. That should keep those blasted Imperials off our tail. Vector 1, you have point.”
“Breakwater, are you sure the engines will turn over at that speed?” Sandal’s voice sounded worried.
“Don’t worry about it Sand, my man. Breakwater and I use to do this all the time at home. Isn’t that right, BW?” Freddy was trying to lighten the mode after Decker’s death. It was his gift.
“Right Freddy,” Breakwater knew his cousin knew it was a small risk but they needed time to put some distance between them and the Imperial dragon wings once they had passed threw the upper atmosphere of the planet.
Breakwater ordered the remaining ships of Fathom Left, no more than six, into the atmosphere just as the dropship convoy entered the upper atmosphere. The darkness of space evaporated in a flash of engines roaring then cutting off to switch the mix and turn over to atmospheric operation.
Breakwater's interceptor stalled.
“Oh crap.”
* * *
In the Tears of Selune:
Breakwater moved his interceptor expertly through the field of asteroids all around him. His ship wove between floating rocks of death barely two halflings high distance from his cockpit window. He fired his ship’s laser blaster destroying several small chucks of rock heading toward him.
It was his job to make sure there was a clear path through the field for the dropship, Vector 1, lumbering behind him. Well, as clear as he could make it. The dropships had little to worry from the small chunks of rock Breakwater had fired upon. He had done it to make it easier for Fathom 12 and Fathom 4 to both dodge asteroids as protect the dropship from behind.
“”Fathom 2 to Vector 1, check your pitch! There is a huge asteroid coming your way at point zero eight and closing fast.” Breakwater was sweating up a storm, as he typed in new passage coordinates and transferred them to Vector 1.
“Understood Fathom 2,” the voice of the man known as Elgard Merril came back over the Comm. “Adjusting pitch and feeding in new coordinates.”
Breakwater watched through his rear monitor as the dropship fired its retrorockets and just managed to slip past a huge asteroid spinning wildly by. He was glad that Elgard was as good a pilot as he had first seemed when Breakwater had met him a year earlier.
“Fathom 12 and 4, watch yourselves. Enemy ships on your six.” Elgard’s voice rung out over the Comm once again. “There are four of them.”
“I see them,” Fathom 12 responded. “They’re trying to weave in past that cluster of rocks at point three two. Freddy, watch yourself.”
“No problem,” Freddy angled his interceptor behind a slow moving asteroid no larger that Vector 1 just in time to avoid the laser fire coming from the dragon wings. “They can’t hit what they can’t see.”
Freddy came out from behind the huge rock and locked on to the lead dragon wing. He fired his lasers and the dragon wing exploded in a fiery ball of light.
“Ooh, that’s gotta hurt,” Freddy brought his interceptor back into formation just as the turret guns from Vector 1 picked off two of the other dragon wings.
The last dragon wing pilot’s luck ran out. He crashed his ship into a spinning asteroid that came out of nowhere, while he was trying to avoid the wreckage of the other dragon wings. It exploded leaving hardly a trace it had been pursuing them.
“Tough way to go,” Fathom 12 gave full salute towards the remains of the destroyed dragon wing. “A fighter jock shouldn’t die that way. It’s not right.”
“Keep your mind on the task at hand, Fathom 12.” Breakwater’s voice rung out through the Comm. “You’ve more company coming in directly behind you.”
“Damn, there’s so many of them.” Fathom 12’s voice remained calm under pressure but Breakwater knew he was tired. They were all tired.
The dragon wings hadn’t hesitated to follow them into the asteroid field and the pilots behind the sleek, dragon-shaped machines were as good as the pilots of Fathom Wing. Reports had come in early of large flights of dragon wings breaking into packs of six to twelve. Fathom Left had lost three interceptors already and one dropship had been immobilized and crashed into a large asteroid. They couldn’t hope for survivors.
Six more dragon wings came up behind Fathom 12 and 4 firing several laser blasts. One of the blasts glanced of the shields of Freddy’s ship. Another struck the back of Vector 1 dead on.
“Damn,” Elgard’s voice broke through the Comm. “One more hit like that and we’re done like dinner.”
“Fathom 12 and 4, bank away. We’re going to give those Imperial bastards a little surprise.” General Bartleby’s voice came over the Comm.
“Sir?” Freddy didn’t like the idea of leaving Vector 1 wide open.
“Just do it,” The general’s voice had the tone of an order. “And cover your ears!”
Fathom 12 and 4 banked away from Vector 1 just as the dropship dropped out two strangely shaped objects from the undercarriage of the ship. The two objects quickly fell out and towards one of the larger asteroids near the dragon wings. The first object hit and an explosion took place that sounded like a pipe organ imploding. The weapon released a shock wave that destroyed four of the dragon wings and ripped the asteroid apart. The second device hit the debris field of the sundered asteroid and exploded with the same audible sound. The other dragon wings tried to avoid the effect but only one of them managed to escape.
“What the hell were those?” Breakwater had been surprised by the sound they made. In the depths of space, most exploding weapons made little or no sound at all. In space, such a sound should have been impossible.
“Sonic disruption charges,” General Bartleby’s voice came over the Comm again. “They’re mainly used in an atmosphere but I figured they’d do some damage in space as well.”
“That was so cool,” Freddy was chuckling.
“We’ve still got one dragon wing on us,” Fathom 12’s voice came over Breakwater’s Comm. “Don’t get sloppy, Freddy.”
Breakwater could see the end of the asteroid field. They would soon be out in open space again. Reports were coming in from the other groups. Two were already clear of the asteroids while the others were just approaching the edge. Roughly two dozen dragon wings were still in pursuit of the convoy from all available data but Breakwater knew that number was most likely misleading.
“General Bartleby, we’re approaching the edge of the asteroid field. Inform the other members of the convoy to break for the planet’s atmosphere. We will cover you as best as possible.”
“Understood, Fathom 2.” The general’s reply was somber and serious.
“But first, I’m going to get rid of this dragon wing.” Breakwater’s interceptor broke the edge of the Asteroid field. Breakwater tapped a key on his console in front of him and the interceptor moved up at a ninety-degree angle. Breakwater watched from a position above his group as Vector 1 passed beneath his ship then Fathom 4 and 12.
Then came the dragon wing.
“Oops,” Breakwater throttled his ship forward and down lining up the dragon wing. “Forgot to check his scope.”
“Nail him, cuz!” Freddy yelled out as Breakwater fired his lasers. The dragon wing exploded in a ball of light.
“Nice maneuver, BW.” Fathom 12’s voice was calm and confident.
“Thanks, but we still have a job to do. Fathom Left form two groups, designations – Firebirds 1 and 2. An even split boys. Those with me are Firebirds 1. Fathom 8, you point of Firebirds 2.
“Copy, Fathom 2.” Sandal Wingstrom’s voice crackled through Breakwater’s Comm. Fathom 8 was one of the few pilots left in the group with the experience to lead Firebirds 2. He was a good pilot, for a human.
“Firebirds 1, this is Breakwater. We’re cover for the dropships. Black Beholder formation. Firebirds 2, you’re the run and gunners. Take ‘em out!”
Breakwater led the interceptors of his group towards the dropships as they formed into a convoy again. Several dragon wings banked for the dropships but found the ships of Firebirds 2 already in position to meet them. The dogfight lasted until the edge of the atmosphere. Breakwater loss several good friends. Their numbers were now too small to fight the dragon wings effectively. Luckily, the ships of Firebirds 2 had taken out two dragon wings fro every Fathom interceptor lost.
“Fathom 2, we’re preparing to line up the dropships for descent into the planet’s atmosphere. Keep them off out backs a minute longer.”
“Understood general.” Breakwater banked his interceptor to meet the remaining dozen dragon wings and the ships of Firebirds 1 banked with him.” Fathom 8, what’s the situation on the perimeter?”
“What perimeter,” Sandal’s voice came across the Comm. He sounded desperate.
“Try to remain calm, Sandal. Where are you?”
“Approaching your left flank sir. Twenty two degrees down, forward plane. I’ve got two dragon wings on my tail. I can’t shake them.”
“Hold on Fathom 8, we’re coming.” Breakwater looked out and down towards where Fathom 8 should be. His ship went from a speck in the distance to nearly filling his entire window.
Breakwater fired destroying one of the pursuing dragon wings. The other ship banked right towards Fathom 12. Breakwater didn’t have time to warn his wingman before the dragon wing impacted the other ship. Both ships exploded in a ball of flame and light.
“Damn them all to the Reaper’s womb!” Breakwater lined up another dragon wing and fired. He missed but Freddy followed up from his secondary wingman position.
“Decker,” Freddy’s voice choked out the name of their dead friend. “I’ll miss you buddy.”
“Sandal, you’re my secondary wingman. Freddy, over to primary.” Breakwater angled his interceptor towards the dropships. They looked posed to begin the descent.
“Fathom 2, we’re ready to go.” Elgard’s voice confirmed it.
“Fathom Left, form up. We’re hit the atmosphere at full throttle. That should keep those blasted Imperials off our tail. Vector 1, you have point.”
“Breakwater, are you sure the engines will turn over at that speed?” Sandal’s voice sounded worried.
“Don’t worry about it Sand, my man. Breakwater and I use to do this all the time at home. Isn’t that right, BW?” Freddy was trying to lighten the mode after Decker’s death. It was his gift.
“Right Freddy,” Breakwater knew his cousin knew it was a small risk but they needed time to put some distance between them and the Imperial dragon wings once they had passed threw the upper atmosphere of the planet.
Breakwater ordered the remaining ships of Fathom Left, no more than six, into the atmosphere just as the dropship convoy entered the upper atmosphere. The darkness of space evaporated in a flash of engines roaring then cutting off to switch the mix and turn over to atmospheric operation.
Breakwater's interceptor stalled.
“Oh crap.”
* * *
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