"Well, then, let's not waste any time. Bring us in low and fast."
She signalled to Captain Cornwallis, her new CAG. He waited next to his own series of displays, along with a diagram that showed the layout of the fighters and gunships of the three squadrons on board. Glowing lights indicated that a mixture of both already sat on their launch rails, waiting for the order to go.
"Get the birds ready to launch. It's going to be a tight window."
"Aye, Captain."
As the men and women on board the ships made their last few changes, they began their final rotation of the planet. They had already passed more than a dozen moons, as well as three occupied and fully armed orbital stations. Had the flotilla been travelling at their normal approach speed, they would have been forced to engage them for hours, perhaps even days. Instead, they skimmed the atmosphere and hurtled past like a comet, leaving a trail of flame and smoke behind them.
"Captain, we've got something. A ground battle near the spaceport."
Captain Galanos smiled.
"Good, very good. Pass on the coordinates and alter our trajectory. It's time."
* * *
Nate waited patiently inside the Bullnose Gunship. As always, Billy sat right next to him as they looked at the forward screen. The virtual cockpit unit actually showed the view as though there were no partition walls between them and the cool air of the planet below. It was difficult to see quite what was going on, as the outer hull continued to heat up due to the high-speed entry into the upper limits of the atmosphere.
"This is one hell of a ride!"
"You can say that again, Billy."
The ever-calm voice of Commander Higgins spoke calmly over the network. Though Captain Cornwallis would be commanding the aerial operation, command over the ground assault escort mission had been passed to Commander Higgins, and he'd already laid out multiple paths for every pair of spacecraft.
"Knighthawk Squadron, your objective is still the Nozu-Kuba Spaceport. We will have more accurate information when we get closer."
An aerial view of the spaceport appeared, with a myriad of roads, rail lines, and buildings in all directions. A series of long landing strips as well as massive landing platforms spread out on all sides of the city. Red and green symbols popped up over identified combat units, as well as two landed ground transports.
"Clear a landing ground for the marines, and hold off the enemy long enough for our people to extract the target."
His face vanished, and once more the two friends were alone in the quiet and waiting. Flames and smoke lashed outside, but already they were beginning to fade.
"I can't believe we just did a slingshot around the planet and then came right on down. That is some next level flying."
Nate laughed. They were using just two Bullnose gunships this time, mainly due to the fact that all the others were badly damaged from the previous battle. The other six Knighthawk pilots were now all sitting inside their single-seat Lightning IIA Fighter-Bombers. With so many pilots from Thunder Squadron out of action, there was conveniently a surplus of fighters on board so Knighthawk Squadron.
"Knighthawks, are you ready?"
One by one the eight pilots called in, and Nate was pleased to hear that each of them sounded confident and up for what proved to be a very challenging battle. The minutes moved slowly, as did the flames and smoke around the ship until finally it cleared, and Nate saw open skies below them. Billy was far more interested in the streaks above them, each showing a vapour trail from an enemy fighter.
"Just look at that. The Admiral wasn't kidding when he said we were outnumbered."
Nate ignored that and did a final check of their system as the counter appeared on the forward display. At the same time, a more detailed assessment of the landing site popped up, as well as multiple ground missile systems, artillery platforms, and infantry.
"Fifteen seconds, people. Be ready. Remember, this is a ground support operation. Leave the dog fighting to the Corsairs."
The seconds ticked by, and then it was at zero.
"Launch!"
The triple door system flicked by as the fighters were ejected from the side launch rails. As soon as the gunship left the ship, it was hit by violent buffeting. Atmospheric flight was nothing like flying in space, and the impact of hitting solid air was like crashing into water. Lightning fighters launched simultaneously from both flanks, and two pushed off from the vertical launch deck.
"Yeah. Let's do this," said Billy.
Nate rolled them to the left and dropped down to follow their approach vector. The six other fighter-bombers formed up in three pairs, each separated from the other to avoid mutual destruction should they be targeted and hit by anti-aircraft fire. One pair followed Nate's gunship, while another pair chased directly after Hawkins’ gunship. The other two moved slightly ahead of the others. Hawkins took over, directing them to their targets.
"Okay, Knighthawks. We have ground artillery to deal with, and then we clear the landing strips. Good hunting."
The group of spacecraft dropped from the sky like rocks, all while Relentless loaded on the next batch of fighters and continued to send out fighter after fighter in action. Corsair Squadron stayed at the same height as the carrier and other smaller ships, providing aerial cover for the operation. Even the Bay class landing ship stayed high for now, not wanting to risk itself to the guns on the surface just yet.
The squadron made it to within two kilometres of the spaceport when the defensive fire started. Nate had expected missiles, but they faced something much more primitive. Multi-barrelled gun platforms tracked the fighters, and then hurled a mixture of flak shells and armour piercing slugs up at them.
"Hit them!" Ensign Hawkins ordered.
The fighter-bombers opened up with their Gatling guns, but the chin-mounted cannons of the gunships did the real work. Flashes of orange marked multiple impacts as gun mounts and towed artillery units were blasted apart. The three groups of spacecraft lifted up and away from the target, adjusting their course to move to the next location.
"Knighthawks, you've got trouble. Fifteen Star Empire fighters are coming your way. Stay low, we're coming for them."
Nate looked up at the identified threat and quickly found them. It was a mix of the light and medium fighters they'd faced before, as well as several unknown craft that moved more quickly than the others.
"Affirmative," said Hawkins, "Keep them off our backs, Corsair Leader. We'll clear the path for the landers."
Nate lifted his eyebrows in surprise at the words from Hawkins. Even Billy seemed surprised at what he heard.
"We need to watch our backs."
"Maybe," said Nate, "But what about them?"
He pointed off to the right where a series of Hammerheads and multiple Maulers had just launched from the fat belly of the Bay Class landing ship. While the fighters from Corsair Squadron used their burners to chase the newly arrived Star Empire fighters, the remnants of Thunder Squadron moved to the Bay Class ship to protect the marine landing parties. A Mauler then launched from Relentless to join the others in a single massed landing formation.
"The Byotai are pinned in the dome structure, and the enemy are about to breach the walls. We need to buy the marines some time," said Commander Higgins, "Drones show the key threats are here."
Red target icons appeared over multiple threats.
"Here are your targets, Knighthawks. Four heavy ground crawlers and a pair of captured armoured assault vehicles are coming from here."
Nate examined them both; all were converted from industrial vehicles. He'd heard about the Byotai doing this before but had never seen it in practice.
"Hit them before they reach the dome, or the Prince will be dead before the marines get on the ground."
Ensign Hawkins tagged the vehicles and another target further to the East.
"Another transport has just landed, and they’re unloading a lot of troops. I mean a lot. I'll take care of them. You clear thos
e at the dome."
"Understood," said Nate.
"Three and Four with me."
Matilda and Rex piloted Knighthawks Three and Four respectively, and they formed up on Nate's flanks.
"Ready."
The formation dropped their height and then increased their forward speed. At the same time, a pair of the dreaded Mahingan fighters came into view. Whatever speed and agility they had in space appeared to have been magnified in atmospheric flight. Their slight bodies and thin wings gave them substantially higher performance than any of the Alliance craft.
"Hit them!" said Nate.
Matilda and Rex launched missiles, but the pair of fighters easily jinked past them and then rolled into a head on attack against the three spacecraft.
"Break and give chase. We'll hit the ground targets."
Both Lightning fighters rolled in opposite directions just as the incoming fire struck nearby. Nate refused to flinch, and both enemy craft aimed where they had expected him to escape to, thereby missing him with their mass-driver shots. Nate took his time and fired, sending a single blast from his main guns right into the nose of the first of them. There was no great explosion. Its wings collapsed inwards like the legs of a dead spider, and then it fell from the sky.
Roll!
With a quick tug on the stick, he rolled to the right, narrowly avoiding the second fighter as it screamed past.
"Okay, we got the ground targets. Missiles are locked in and ready," said Billy.
"Fire!"
The missiles detached from their hard points and accelerated at even faster speeds. Each used a mixture of passive sensors to track their targets, and Nate was unable to contain a smile as the first batch struck. One massive vehicle that moved on a series of four separate caterpillar tracks exploded in a massive fireball. The second ran into the back, and dozens of soldiers jumped out, many looked like they were on fire.
Focus on the mission.
Nate shook his head to clear his mind. It was one thing shooting spacecraft, but quite another when there were people on the ground. More of the missiles struck their selected targets, and then they were close enough to use their guns. Nate lined up the cannons and fired continually, putting at least twenty heavy slugs into the armoured vehicles before they flashed by overhead. He then hit the burners and lifted the nose to move around for another pass.
Okay, what next?
Something flashed ahead and then several systems died. Red lights blinked on the left, and then Nate knew what had happened.
"We've been hit!"
Nate looked to Billy, and to his amazement his friend was still alive. Wind howled through the breached side of the craft, and alarms sounded repeatedly.
Need to eject.
Nate reached for the crew module ejection handle, and to his dismay found the ejection failure light. It said little more than there was a problem. That could mean anything from a faulty wire through to the explosive charge being damage. By activating the breaching charge, he could kill them both in an instant.
"Great. Hold on, Billy. We're going to have to put her down!"
The electronic systems began shutting down until even the virtual cockpit completely failed.
"Billy, manual override!"
"On it."
Billy activated the procedure to blast away the protective screen in front of the cockpit. It was like a great metal tombstone that protected them from heat, gunfire, and debris. With a firm yank on the final override lever, the unit ripped off and exposed the front of the gunship to any new dangers.
"Find me somewhere to land."
Billy was already scanning the horizon, doing his best to ignore the myriad of smoke trails and fires that seemed to show in every single direction. Every few seconds a heavy gun would launch a shell up into the sky, that would then plummet down and create a massive puff of smoke. As Billy spotted one of them, he found just what they were looking for, a pair of lone roads that ran almost the entire length of the spaceport.
"There, right next to that dome."
Nate brought the gunship in low and activated the landing system one unit at a time. With the engine gone, they were coming in fast, and all he had left were the control surfaces that proved less than perfect at controlling their descent.
"We're falling like a stone. Not good."
Their height dropped off so quickly that they managed to skim along the roof of a medium size building as they hurtled towards the road system. Nate had left the gear until the last minute to avoid creating too much drag and bringing them down early.
"Gear...now!"
The skids dropped down at the exact moment Nate saw the quadruple gun mount pointing right at them. It flashed twice, and half of the nose was ripped clean away. The last few systems went dead, and they hit the ground. Nothing prepared Nate for the impact, as they slammed down hard. There was nothing between them and the ground but the metal armour of the gunship.
This is it. No respawn this time.
* * *
Nate's eyes were still wide open as he sat there, jammed into his seat. Crash foam filled the front of the cockpit, and he was relieved to see Billy's head was supported by a large section of the soft material. It was dark inside, the only light coming from a hole in the left of the spacecraft where the gunfire had penetrated.
"Somebody's coming. Your weapon, grab it!"
Billy floundered about, while Nate reached down to the gun pouch and flipped out the M6 Navy Pattern autorevolver. In his tired arms it felt heavy, but the weight also gave it a reassuring feel. He lifted it before remembering that it was unloaded to prevent accidents. A quick glance showed the multiple autoloaders were still in their place next to the pouch. He grabbed one, flipped open the weapon, and pushed the unit against the chamber. It made a gentle clicking sound just as the left door of the gunship ripped open. A face appeared, and Nate extended his arm. His finger pulled on the trigger.
"Don't shoot!"
The voice was robotic, artificial, and yet familiar in some way. Nate paused, and that was enough for a golden shape to move to the breach. A hand pulled away more of the door. As the hole enlarged, the bright light poured in and almost blinded him. The visor on his PDS helmet activated late, but as it darkened, he just about made out the face.
"Byotai?"
Another of the figures was there. They were ceremonial Byotai soldiers, resplendent in heavy black armour and covered in golden detailing.
"Get out, the enemy are coming."
Again the voice was completely artificial, yet the sense of urgency was only too clear. Nate detached the straps and climbed for the breached side of the fighter. As he reached the opening, he looked back to check on Billy. To his astonishment, both were unharmed other than for the dirt and burn marks all over their lightweight PDS gear.
"Come with us," said the armoured figure.
The two pilots dropped to the ground and atop the shattered masonry. They ran after the armoured soldiers while rockets and missiles flew overhead. As they passed a broken building, Nate looked over his shoulder. A sea of shapes was coming towards them. Ahead of the horde were scattered individuals, many carrying banners atop tall poles. One even bore the burnt symbol once borne by the Biomechs.
What the hell is going on down here?
"Nate, the transport!"
He looked up. Billy pointed to the Landing Ship off in the distance as she moved back into formation with the other ships. From here it looked completely black against the sky. Vapour trails showed where a dozen fighters from both sides were still busily blasting away at each other.
"We failed, Nate. They never made it down."
An armoured hand grabbed his shoulder, and once again they were moving. The ground rose slightly as they approached a circular two-storey building. Like most Byotai architecture, it was a little dull in design, with the preponderance for columns and flat wall sections. The upper floors had been covered in square windows, most of which were now shattered gaps. A pair of thick
metal doors creaked open, and in the small group ran.
"Who are you with?" asked a more friendly voice.
This time it was a natural voice, yet laced with a thick Byotai accent. Nate stopped and panted for a second as the doors shut behind them. The entire ground floor of the circular building was open plan and filled with overturned cabinets, desks, and computer systems. Scores of gold armoured soldiers dragged pieces of heavy equipment to the breached wall to create further barricades. That was when Nate saw him.
"Prince Kratha?"
The figure was clearly Byotai. That much was obvious from his large torso and raised, bony head. His clothing was as exquisite as the black armoured soldiers, but with a flamboyant cloak hanging down from his shoulders. In his right hand was a gleaming sword, like the kind of weapon a hero from an ancient myth would carry. For all his equipment, the Byotai noble was still little bigger than Nate, and clearly one of their younger royals.
"Yes. I am Kratha. And you are?"
Nate extended his hand, and the Prince took it.
"Ensign Nathaniel Lewis, Knighthawk Squadron, Alliance Navy, Sir."
At that very moment, the ground shook violently. One thud after another marked the arrival of artillery shells. Each piece of heavy ordnance crashed against the stonework. The shells exploded on impact, creating breaches and cracks in a dozen different places. Nate stood there open mouthed as the alien continued to speak in thickly accented English, like an exchange student at the Academy.
"Thank you for honouring our treaty. Sadly, I am afraid you've arrived to see the end of the Empire. We are surrounded and outnumbered more than a hundred to one."
His mouth twitched and then opened as he called out in Byotai to a much older warrior. This one bore similar armour to the others, but he was bigger and groaned as he moved. Resting on his arms was a single weapon, a gun of some kind and heavier than anything Nate had seen before.
Star Crusader: Knighthawk Squadron Page 23