Wing Commander Rebellion - Chapter Two (Reconstruction)

Quarto

Unknown Enemy
<Sigh> What did I get myself into this time?
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Well, let's reconstruct Primarch's story.

[Several minutes later]
There. And not one italic out of place.
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Now I just have to do all the replies...


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Here's the next chapter...
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Prologue
Chapter One

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Chapter Two

Hostile Intent


2681.314
PYRENNES SYSTEM
HUMBOLT QUADRANT
GEMINI SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1300 CST

Four Vampires flashed by Casey's cockpit, Tachyon beams slicing through the darkness. Dropping his own Vampire down and the pulling sharply around, he fired full guns, catching the leading Vampire square in the engines, blasting through the shields and taking a large chunk out of its armour. The hit must have damaged the afterburners as it suddenly dropped speed.
Casey rolled to avoid a collision, activated his autoslide and twisted around one hundred and eighty degrees. With the damaged Vampire in his sights he fired off another full burst from his linked Tachyon and Particle Cannons, mirroring the damage he did to the engines before releasing a single Artemis.
By the time he deactivated the autoslide, the enemy Vampire was an expanding ball of fire. Immediately pushing his afterburners to full, he narrowly missed another stream of Tachyon fire from one of the remaining three Vampires.
Casey suddenly cut the afterburners and pitched the nose of his fighter down, before reactivating them and shooting off on a new heading. The three tailing Vampires overshot and by the time they recovered he was out of weapons range.
Casey looked down at his missile count, then selecting Trackers he switched to dual fire. Turning his autoslide back on he rotated the fighter around and let all four Trackers go two at a time. The three Vampires instantly saw what was happening and went evasive as the Trackers split.
The individual missiles released by the Trackers were nothing more than nuisances to a Vampire, but they were all the distraction Casey needed. Going back to full burn, he followed the missiles in. The three Vampires, dodging the sixteen Friend or Foe's, while at the same time releasing decoys, missed Casey's approach as he swung in behind one of them.
Emptying his guns into the back of the fighter, he shredded the shields and armour then pressing down on the second trigger, he fired another Artemis. The resulting explosion almost blinded Casey as he snap rolled to avoid the burning debris.

De'Cora and Spyder watched the ensuing battle from the Simulator Control Room on the large display.
"He's good." De'Cora commented. "That's eight and he's hardly been scratched yet."
Spyder nodded as he watched Casey strip the shields off one of the last two remaining Vampires. "One of the best I've seen. He's already clocked up over six hundred kills."
"Christ...I was a ten year veteran before even reaching five hundred."
Spyder laughed. "Me too, times change."
"Yes they do. Sergeant, what's left in Lieutenant Casey's loadout and fuel?"
The technician running the simulator glanced at a side display. "Four Pilums and three Artemis left sir... fuel level at point four."
De'Cora scratched his chin. "Load up Mission File Eighty-nine Beta. Insert it fifty thousand kilometres from the Lieutenants Vampire when he gets the last target."
"Aye sir."
"What's Eighty-nine Beta?" Spyder asked.
"A little something to see how good he really is." De'Cora responded smiling.

As the last Vampire vaporised in front of Casey's fighter, he called into his helmet pickup. "Is that all you got Colonel?"
"Don't get too comfortable Lieutenant." A reply came through his ear. "One more to go."
Casey was about to protest, saying that he had finished all ten, when he spotted another red blip on his scanner.
"What's this, a bonus round."
Casey glanced over his controls, checking his fuel and weapons status before activating his afterburners and closing in on the new target. His sensors indicated that the new target was another Vampire so he knew straight away that a head to head was not on the cards. Angling his fighter slightly, he continued closing. His target mimicked the action.
He had closed to twenty thousand klicks when suddenly the enemy Vampire launched a pair of Trackers. Instead of panicking, Casey held his course as just over a second later they split.
Trying to keep one eye on the approaching eight missiles and one on the Vampire, Casey waited until the last possible second before evading. He immediately released a pair of decoys as the eight missiles shot past his starboard nacelle. The locking alarm went silent and he could not help a tight grin; usually he only managed to lose half the missiles with that technique.
Before he had time to do anything else he was in gun range and after exchanging a flurry of shots, the pair of Vampires shot past each other at full burn. Both of them lost nearly a full meter of shields in that single pass, as well as a piece from the side armour.
Casey flipped his fighter over and pulled away, coming around on a perpendicular course to the other Vampire. He immediately noticed the non-standard green stripe on the space-frame as well as the Screaming Eagles insignia where the Confed Emblem should have been on the tail.
Cursing softly, he kept his course and within seconds both Vampires were performing a scissors manoeuvre, strafing past each other at full burn. On the third pass Casey scored a direct hit on the other's starboard engine nacelle, knocking it into a spin. Capitalising on this, Casey spun around and fired a full burst into the exposed underside, missing completely as the other Vampire performed a seemingly impossible turn and flew right over him.
By the time he had recovered his wits the lock tone sounded, and before he could even release a decoy the missile impacted his rear shields. Flipping over, Casey went to full burn and attempted to lose the attacker who had now stubbornly fixed himself to his six o'clock.
The missile had stripped away his rear shields completely and he could feel each impact from the other Vampire's tachyons gouge chunks into his armour. Casey looked into the rear display and swore more loudly; any closer and that fighter would be in his cockpit.
At that moment he remembered something he had been told once and switching to Pilums he let two go along with a pair of decoys. The Pilums as expected immediately changed course, looping over his fighter and towards the other Vampire as it veered away, dropping its own decoys.
The Pilums impacted anyway as Casey flipped over and then under the other fighter, which itself was turning. Casey quickly turned again in an attempt to get behind, but instead found himself facing the guns of an inverted Vampire on autoslide. Within an instant, he had lost his forward shields and armour.
Partially blinded by the light show, Casey was unable to manoeuvre in time and the lock tone sounded. Again, it impacted before he could release a decoy, ripping off his starboard armour in the process. Every possible alarm in the tiny cockpit seemed to sound off at once. Guns showed one hundred percent damage, as did the shields. The core damage had suddenly leapt to sixty percent and the fighter now handled like a Shrike, indicating that one of the engines had been badly hit.
In the space of a second, Casey had gone from being in control to being a sitting duck. The other Vampire, still virtually untouched performed a simple manoeuvre, lining up his guns with the crippled fighter...but instead of firing it simply shot past overhead and jumped out of the system leaving Casey staring dumbfounded at empty space.


2681.314
PYRENNES SYSTEM
HUMBOLT QUADRANT
GEMINI SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1319 CST

A crack of light appeared at the bottom of the canopy as it lifted to its full height revealing De'Cora and Spyder standing at the doorway, both trying to keep the grins off their faces. Taking off his helmet, Casey placed it on the side before lifting himself out of the simulator.
"Not to bad Lieutenant. Shame about the last one." De'Cora commented.
"Yeah." Casey replied. "Just out of curiosity, why didn't it vape me?"
De'Cora allowed the grin to show. "Ah...well, you see, when I made that simulation, the subject made me add a few restrictions to make it more realistic. One of them was not shooting down a defenceless pilot."
"I'd say you were pretty defenceless there Case." Spyder spoke up.
Casey ran his hand through his sweat soaked hair. "Who was the pilot?"
"You just met and I think it's safe to say, was very nearly vaporised by Brigadier General Marin...congratulations."
"That was Marin..." Casey stared back at the Colonel.
"So far I've kept him out of the sim missions, but I wanted to see how good you really were." De'Cora clapped him on the back. "I wouldn't worry to much, you lasted longer than anyone else who's gone up against that sim."
"Thanks." Casey responded.
"By the way, what was with the decoys when you fired the two friend or foe's?"
This time Casey grinned. "Something Hawk told me once...'when you've got a fighter right on your tailpipes, drop a few Pilums to distract him and a few decoys to blind him'."
"Well, unfortunately the sims aren't one hundred percent realistic...might have worked if it was a human pilot though..." De'Cora paused as he realised what he just said. Neither Spyder nor Casey noticed as they made their way out of the sim room.
'Christ this kid's good...' De'Cora added to himself.


2681.314
PYRENNES SYSTEM
HUMBOLT QUADRANT
GEMINI SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1450 CST

"Captain we are approaching the Callisto Jump Point." Commander Fiest reported.
Wilford looked over his shoulder from his position near one of the bridge viewports. For the past hour, he had been watching the steadily increasing traffic that was now passing the Midway. "What's the traffic like at the Jump Point?"
"Busy sir. When we queried the Jump Buoy it signalled that there are seventy three ships on the Callisto side waiting to get through." Fiest replied. "I don't suppose that anyone wants to be in the Avalon Sector when it turns into a fully fledged shooting match."
"No, I don't suppose they do. Transmit our Ident and Transponder Codes to the Buoy to bump us to the top of the list...oh and Commander, make sure that those ships on the other side know that we're nearly two kilometres long. I don't particularly want to run into anyone on the way through."
"Aye sir." Fiest acknowledged the order before turning. "Helm, reduce to jump speed. Comm, transmit Transponder Codes and a general warning that we are coming through the Jump Point. Engineering prepare to bring Jump Engines online."
The bridge crew began to carry out the First Officer's orders with practised ease as Fiest moved to his own chair near the Captain's. Both spent a moment watching as several transports hastily moved out of the Megacarrier's way.
"I received a communication from the Captain of the Illustrious earlier, he has sent a pair of destroyers to clear a path for us to the Jericho Jump Point." Wilford stated.
"Did he say what it was like in the Jericho System sir?"
"Not as busy as it was before news of the succession got out." Wilford replied.
The Jericho System was one of the systems along a major trade route between the centre of the Avalon Sector and the Gemini Sector. As such it had an unusually high amount of traffic. Most of that traffic now seemed to be moving through Callisto into the Gemini Sector.
"Captain, we are on final approach to the Jump Point. ETA is thirty seconds." The Helmsman reported.
Wilford acknowledged him with a nod of his head as he unconsciously glanced out of the viewports, using his eyes to reassure him that all of the transports had in fact moved clear of his ship.
The small console on Wilfords armrest now displayed a countdown. "Commander."
"Aye sir." Fiest signalled to the comm officer.
A moment later the ship intercom sounded. "All hands prepare for jump, repeat all hands prepare for jump."
The countdown reached zero and the Jump Point opened swallowing the massive warship. For a brief moment everything seemed to stop, as if frozen in place and then suddenly they were through. Several members of the bridge crew lurched forward from the result of the jump-shock, which was just as disorienting as ever.
Wilford was so used to it now it barely even affected him anymore, not like the first time he had experienced it. That time he had thrown his lunch up all over the console he had been manning.
"Status."
"All sections report green Captain." Fiest replied. He too seemed relatively unaffected by the jump-shock effect.
Looking out of the bridge viewport, Wilford could see transports of every size and description imaginable from beat up civilian freight haulers to the newer Pelican Class Transports.
"Helm, set course for the first NAV Point. Engineering, give me best speed..."
"Captain I'm picking up multiple contacts emerging from the convoy to starboard." The sensor officer interrupted.
"Size and composition Mr. Reynolds." Fiest asked.
"Fighter class...fifteen, no eighteen vessels moving in on an attack vector."
"Where?" Wilford said.
"Approaching from zero-nine-zero mark zero-three-one...distance is eighteen thousand kilometres."
"Sound battle stations, flight control, launch the ready-line." Wilford ordered. "Power to shields and weapons."


2681.314
CALLISTO SYSTEM
FOSHKO QUADRANT
AVALON SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1500 CST

Casey sat in his fighters' cockpit recovering from the jump-shock. For the past week he had managed not to get assigned CAP duty, after all there were plenty of other pilots on the Midway. Unfortunately today he had drawn the short straw and was waiting patiently in the launch tube.
Suddenly his comm screen activated and he looked down surprised to see the CAG's face. "Lieutenant we have inbound fighters on an attack vector, you are cleared for immediate launch, keep them of our backs."
Before Casey could even reply he was pushed back into his ejection seat as the Panther shot down the launch tunnel at nearly twice its maximum velocity. Within a second, he was clear and dropping off speed. Automatically he looked down at his scanner and saw eighteen red blips.
He pushed the flight stick hard over, yawing the Panther onto a new vector and kicking in the afterburners. Once he was on the new heading he looked down at the Tactical Navigation Map and selected the Midway. Immediately he saw eight red lines leading back to a flight of Thunderbolt VII's.
"CAP-One to CAP Wing, sound off."
"CAP-Two coming around on your six." Zero confirmed his presence.
"CAP-Three on your eight low." Maestro added a moment later.
Casey nodded to himself as he looked at his sensors. "Zero, stay with me, we'll go after the Thuds. Maestro keep those other fighters clear." Casey ordered as he selected the nearest Thud to his position. "And watch your fire, there are a lot of civvies out here...Midway, how long until we get backup?"
"Gamma and Charlie Wings are almost in the tubes...launch in twenty seconds." The reply came.
"Casey...I'm only picking up eight Thuds." Zero cut in.
"Yeah?"
"They think they'll sink the Midway with only eight Thuds?"
"Eight can still do a lot of damage...Break and Attack." Casey replied as his target came into visual range.
The Thunderbolt must have spotted him as he suddenly went evasive trying to shake off the Panther. Casey stayed on its tail easily and found himself having to reduce speed to ensure that he did not overshoot. Because time was of the essence, he switched to the Artemis LR Image Recs and quickly gained a lock. As he did the Thunderbolts rear turret opened up, its laser trying to blast through his shields.
Shrugging off the hits, Casey pressed down on the missile trigger and released the first Artemis, which detached and shot off straight towards the attacking bomber. The Bomber released a pair of decoys but the missile flew straight through them and impacted hard against the heavy fighter's aft shields, which collapsed instantly, as did its rear armour.
Before the first had even hit, Casey had released a second. This one found no resistance as it hit the Thunderbolt, ripping through the hull and blowing the fighter into pieces.
"One down." Casey commented before selecting another Thunderbolt and hitting his afterburners to catch up.
Within seconds, his targeting systems had locked the ship and he released another Artemis just as the lock tone sounded in his own cockpit. Pulling hard on flight stick he went evasive, releasing his own decoys in the process. Glancing in the rear display, he saw a Bearcat fixed firmly on his tail.
"Damnit Maestro you're supposed to be keeping these guys off us..."
"Hey I'm tangled with a pair of Excals and three Bears here...give me a break." An indignant reply came a second later.
"CAP-One I've got you covered, break right on my mark..." Spyders voice sounded over the comm. "Mark..."
Casey twisted hard to starboard as a pair of missiles blew past him and into the unsuspecting Bearcat.
"Thanks Spyder." Casey called as he returned to his chase of the Thunderbolt.
His HUD showed that the Thunderbolt was struggling. Its aft shields and armour were non-existent thanks to the Artemis he had already fired. Dropping in right on its tail Casey switched to full guns and fired off two volleys, turning the bomber into a ball of fire and shrapnel.
His targeting computer automatically switched to the nearest target, which as luck would have it, was another Thunderbolt. Unfortunately, this one had already turned onto its bombing run, straight for the Midway's port engine.
Before he could even get into firing range he watched it launch a torpedo. Cursing he manoeuvred onto an intercept course and switched to single fire Ions. Because the targeting computer could not lock onto something as small as a torpedo, he had to eyeball it.
Pressing down onto the trigger, he let a stream of blue fire out towards the projectile and with what some would call skill and some would call luck he clipped it, detonating the torpedo before it could hit the Midway.
Flipping over he almost collided with a second torpedo that had followed the first in. Slamming hard on the autoslide he spun around and let loose another volley and again through either skill or luck he hit the small target. At the same moment out of the corner of his eye he saw the third and final torpedo fly past just as he was knocked forward into his restraints by fire from the Thunderbolt determined to have at least one of its deadly cargo hit its target.
Ignoring the attack by his tormentor he lit his afterburners and continued on after the torpedo, Ion and Tachyon fire wearing down his shields all the time. Instead of firing blindly, he closed to nearly point-blank range before letting off a short volley.
The Valiant Light Torpedo exploded brightly nearly blinding him as he flew through the space it had once occupied, already activating his autoslide and spinning around. Without thinking, he launched a pair of Pilums straight at the onrushing Thunderbolt as well as a barrage from his full guns.
The Thunderbolt pilot, himself nearly blinded by the explosion did not have time to react and met his end as quickly as the torpedo.
Casey looked down at the NAV Map and saw that the other Thunderbolts had been taken care of by Zero and the pilots from Gamma Wing. The five surviving fighters, two Excaliburs and three Bearcats were fending off Maestro and Charlie Wing under Spyder. With the sudden lull in action, Casey was able to think about this situation. He immediately hit the comm system.
"CAP-One to Midway...do you have any idea where these fighters came from?"
The CAG's face appeared on his comm screen a second later. "We think we have located their point of origin, standby..." Commander Drake's face disappeared, before reappearing a moment later. "Lieutenant we have a confirmed launch point, a Pelican Class Transport. Transmitting co-ordinates to your fighter now."
Casey looked down and one of the multiple light blue blips on his scanner turned yellow. He selected it on his targeting computer and turned his Panther around to face it. His Heads-Up Display highlighted the transport and gave its distance as forty thousand klicks.
"Midway we'll need some bombers out here if we want to stop it."
"Already on the way out." The CAG responded. "Just keep it busy until they get in range."
"Copy Midway...Zero, Maestro form up, we've got a transport to stop."
Casey received their replies a moment later and he hit his afterburners to catch up to the target. Within a minute, he was in range of the transport, which unsurprisingly opened fire on the trio of fighters.
"Case its moving towards the Jump Point." Maestro called out.
"I see it...lets knock these turrets out." Casey replied as he released a hail of fire into one of them.
The turret blew up within seconds as he shot past on full burn before bringing the fighter around for another pass. Three passes later and all five turrets had been knocked out.
"Well that's our job done, but I don't think these guys are goin' to stop for nothin." Zero stated.
"No kidding... Midway, where are those bombers, this freighter will clear the Jump Point in two minutes."
"CAP-One this is Delta-One, we're on route, ETA forty seconds." The voice of Pinpoint, one of the Black Widow pilots, stated calmly over the comm.
"Copy Delta-One" Casey answered as he took up station off the fleeing transports bridge tower.
Forty seconds later and Pinpoint's voice sounded over the general comm. "Freighter Marburg this is the leading Shrike approaching on your starboard quarter, you have exactly ten seconds to power down you engines or it will be done for you...respond." There was no reply. "I repeat we have Torpedoes locked and will fire...power down your engines now."
The freighter completely ignored the warning and carried on at its full speed. Pinpoint switched back to a secure channel and called out. "Delta-One...Fox Four."
The other pilots in the wing sounded the same warning as a single Lancer Light Torpedo leapt from each of the four Shrike Bombers directly for the fleeing transport's engines. Each torpedo slammed into its target, two to starboard and two to port, resulting in a massive explosion that ripped through the engines, literally blowing them apart.
The freighter, now without any propulsion at all, lost complete attitude control, its bow dipping down as it began to slowly cartwheel end over end.
"Delta-One to Midway, target is disabled." Pinpoint stated.
"Understood Delta-One, good shooting. Marine LC Storm is leaving the Midway and will arrive in two minutes for boarding operation. CAP, Charlie and Gamma Wings hold position until relief wings are launched, good job. Delta Wing you are cleared to return."
"Copy Midway, Delta Wing is en route."


2681.314
CALLISTO SYSTEM
FOSHKO QUADRANT
AVALON SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1630 CST

Wilford stood over the flight control station watching as the Marine LC entered the hangar. Onboard the craft were the fourteen surviving crewmembers from the crippled transport that had foolishly attempted to run.
After the first five minutes of the attack, he had realised that it was nothing more than an attempt to slow the Midway down. Eighteen fighters were not nearly enough to sink a Megacarrier with a full fighter compliment, but they could have taken out an engine and they nearly did if it was not for the quick thinking of the pilot flying CAP-One.
"Marine LC is secure sir, Major Horn is transferring the prisoners to the brig." The Flight Control Officer at the station in front of him stated.
"Good." Wilford answered turning back to his chair. "Commander, get us under way."
"Aye Captain. Flight Control, instruct escort fighters that we are moving out. Helm, set course for NAV Point One, ahead full."
"Helm, aye." The helmsman responded as he brought the massive carrier onto a new heading.
"All patrols have reported in sir."
"Very good. Commander, you have the bridge. Please inform the CAG I would like a word with her."
"Yes sir."


2681.314
CALLISTO SYSTEM
FOSHKO QUADRANT
AVALON SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1745 CST

Casey walked into the pilot rec-room to find it unusually quiet. A few pilots were playing a card game and somebody was inside the simulator, but other than that, it was empty. Moving over to the bar, he filled a glass from the nearest bottle at hand and turned around. As he did, he spotted another person sitting quietly nursing a drink at a table in the corner.
A smile crossed his face as he had a moment of déjà vu, which then it turned into a frown. Walking over he stood in front of the table.
"Still quietly communing with your drinks?"
Zero looked up. "What...oh. No, just trying to clear my head."
"You've got that look again." Casey commented as he sat down opposite his friend.
"What look?"
Casey rested his glass on the table. "That look you always get when you're worried. You know what they say, a problem shared..."
"Is a problem doubled." Zero finished. Casey took a sip of his drink and struggled to swallow it...boom-boom. Zero laughed. "Maestro's in the sim."
"I still don't know how he drinks this stuff...its like straight meths." Casey answered coughing. "So, what's bothering you...women problems?"
This time Zero only gave a half-hearted laugh. "I wish it was that simple...no, I suppose I'm just thinking about going up against other Confed pilots..."
"Hey...they fired the first shot remember. You saw what they did to the Yamato." Casey responded, with more force than he intended. "If anything it's more like going up against pirates..."
"You know it's more complicated than that Case...for all I know I could be trying to shoot down people I went to the Academy with...or you did for that matter. I mean pirates are one thing but this is something completely different." Zero rubbed his hand over his face and gave an exasperated sigh. "Christ, I thought all this secessionist crap finished with the Border Worlds."
"Nothing's that simple...not in this galaxy anyway. If it isn't Kilrathi it's pirates, if it isn't pirates its Bugs. There is always something and someone ready to crawl out of the woodworks to ruin the peace. This time it's a rebellion...or whatever you want to call it. And when this is over it'll be something else."
"Yeah, well they way things are going it will probably be a civil war."
"You don't think it's that serious yet...do you?"
"I don't know Case. Avalon must have been brewing for ages...it's not like one day you wake up and decide to secede. If Avalon's been thinking about it, why not somewhere else?"
A moments silence followed before Casey spoke, "Great, now I'm depressed."
Zero grinned. "You know what Drago thinks."
"What?"
"It's all about money. He thinks Confed's just pissed cause Avalon seceded with a couple of billion credits worth of hardware."
"I suppose he has a point." Casey shrugged. "I mean what have they got; a couple of top of the line carriers, half a dozen cruisers and destroyers that probably haven't been out of the construction yards two years, plus whatever fighters that came with them...all told that couple of billion credits is probably closer to fifty."
"Well, maybe they'll send a nice fat check in the post and we can all go home." Zero deadpanned.
"We're not that lucky." Casey replied. "Besides there is still the crews. No matter what else happens, Confed won't forget about the Yamato or the Horatio."
"No, I don't suppose that they will."
"Welcome to the wonderful world of armed aggression eh..." Casey downed the last of his drink, managing to control the cough.
Before Zero had a chance to respond the overhead speaker sounded. "Lieutenant Casey, report to the main briefing room."
"I thought you were off for the rest of the day?"
"So did I." Casey replied as he stood up. "I'll see you later."


2681.314
CALLISTO SYSTEM
FOSHKO QUADRANT
AVALON SECTOR
TCS MIDWAY
1800 CST

"Here are the latest sim evaluations you asked for." De'Cora said as he handed a data pad to Commander Drake.
The CAG accepted the pad and gave it a cursory glance. "Anything I need to look at now?"
"No, nothing that comes to mind. Everyone appears to be progressing as I predicted."
"Is that good or bad?" Drake asked, a slight grin appearing on the corner of her mouth.
De'Cora laughed. "I always judge everyone fairly Commander. In fact, I'd say that for the most part the pilots on this ship are probably above average."
"Well they have seen quite a bit of combat this year." Drake responded more sombrely. "Probably more than some other carriers have seen in the last ten."
De'Cora noticed the way she said it. He knew that as CAG on the Midway during the past year, she had lost more pilots than most. Pilot fatalities during the Nephilim encounters had been exceptionally high.
"I don't suppose this Avalon situation helps matters." De'Cora said.
Drake shrugged. "It was bound to happen sooner or later."
"I would have rather it been later. This is not what I had in mind for my last few months in the Space Force."
As she was about to reply the hatch slid open and Lieutenant Casey stepped in, immediately stopping just inside when he saw both of them. Drake tried very hard to keep a smirk from forming on her face as she looked at his expression, the kind that people get when they think that they are in some kind of trouble but do not know what they did.
"Err, you wanted to see me sir." Casey said when he recovered his voice.
"Yes, at ease Lieutenant." Drake responded as she put down the data pad De'Cora had handed her and picked up another together with a small metal box. "The Captain and myself have been going over your flight record following your success in the engagement today. We have decided that as of fifteen hundred hours you are officially assigned the position of Senior Wing Commander onboard the Midway. You are also promoted to the rank of Flight Captain, with all of the privileges and responsibilities that the rank entails. Congratulations Captain Casey."
Casey looked stunned. The position of Senior Wing Commander was only one step below Squadron Commander and was last held by Maniac before he transferred back to Research and Development. After a moment Casey gained his wits and snapped off a salute.
"Thank you sir."
The CAG smiled as she shook his hand and handed him the small box. "You have earned it."
Casey opened the box and took out the single silver and black Captains rank bar.
"Well done Captain." De'Cora added slapping him on the back.
 
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[And last, but most definitely not least, Quarto came by to say...]

Again, an excellent piece. The story is great, though there's a bit too much combat; particularly since you do the non-combat bits even better than the combat bits
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[Then, Matrix came back...]

5. >The actual maneuver...performed to prevent an attacker from achieving a gun tracking solution.< - You say it so well.
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11. Actually it sounded like he flipped over and went under the other fighter.

14. Oui, mais c'est tres bien.

17. It'll come with time...particularly if I nag you constantly about them.
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18. Yes, but *grin* I'd suggest: "Jericho was one of the systems along a major trade route between the centres of Avalon and Gemini Sectors. As such it had an unusually high amount of traffic."

23. Nice grid...
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24. Yes, but it kind of suggests imminent ejection. And in the new WC fighters they use pods I believe...as in the movie. Floating around without a space suit was one of the WC1/2 weirdnesses.

26.
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30. Might I suggest barrage then?

33. What!? You mean you haven't read my Recall story?
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36. LOL!

39. And when they return, the Judge will proceed with sentencing.
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42. *nod* He's quite a good actor too.

44. Ah. I wasn't paying attention.

Yes it did take a while, since I re-read all three carefully - but it was worth it.
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[When suddenly... Primarch replied...]

Well, I've gone through the chapters and made the changes...considering how much I wrote, there wasn't that many errors.
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And Nighthawk...I actually spotted that mistake when I edited them.
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Stay tuned for Chapter 3...coming soon.

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[In a flash of lightning, Nighthawk returned to say...]

Matrix: The effect described as jumpshock is mentioned in all of the novels, I think.

Primarch: Another nit to pick!
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Even Matrix didn't notice that one:
"Commander Drakes face disappeared before reappearing a moment later." - Guess what is missing?
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[To which, Primarch replied...]

1. Thank you.
2. And so it begins.
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3. See...

4. I'll have another look at it.

5. The actual maneuver is called a Jinkout Maneuver (hence Jink, Jinking, Jinked etc.) and is a series of changes in roll, pitch, and G performed to prevent an attacker from achieving a gun tracking solution. I also found out that this maneuver is not effective against missiles...better check some of my combat scenes.

6.

7.

8.

9. Cursing softly, and then swearing loudly...it follows.

10.

11. I'll reword. I meant over and under as in looped...I think.

12.

13. Gotcha.

14. Déjà vu.
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15.

16.

17. No kidding...

18. Try this...The Jericho System was one of the systems along a major trade route between the centre of the Avalon Sector and the Gemini Sector. As such it had an unusually high amount of traffic...?

19. I am unsure if jump-shock is cannon or not. I've heard of it somewhere.

20. Typo

21.

22. I'm sure that's a typo, and I meant eighty...but I'll have to re-read it.

23. B5 again

24. As I recall they are called ejection seats in modern fighter craft...though I may be wrong.

25. Copy.
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26. He can take 'em...Maestro's well 'ard.
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27.

28.

29.

30. I'm getting sick of volley too.
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31.

32. Yup.

33. I'll take your word for it.
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34.

35. Might have been a typo...don't remember.

36. You love it.
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37. Right.

38. Must pay more attention.

39. Jury is still out on that one.

40. Damn...

41.
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42. You noticed that as well!!

43. Okay, maybe I need a break in that one.

44. It depends. In WCP they were small silver rectangles with different lines/position of lines to indicate rank.

Well, I've spent two and a bit hours replying to all three posts, though I get the impression you spent longer.
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I will attempt to use better punctuation in future...I promise.

I was quite proud of that little conversation between Zero and Casey...I'm not usually good at that sort of thing.

PS...The missions are for Secret Ops
biggrin2.gif
.

PPS...I'll go through the entire story and make any changes when I get chance.

---------------------------------------------
[Matrix launched a full spread of nitpicks...]

[Italics ignored due to sheer laziness]

1. >Four Vampires flashed by Casey's cockpit, Tachyon beams slicing through the darkness.< - Nice.
2. >he fired full guns catching the leading Vampire< - Comma after guns.
3. >linked Tachyon and Particle Cannons mirroring the damage< - Comma after Cannons.
4. >The three Vampires, dodging the sixteen Friend or Foe's while they released decoys, missed Casey as he swung in behind one of them.< - That sentence is a little screwy. It seems like the FoFs are releasing decoys. And missing Casey suggests they were aiming at him and not overlooked his presence.
5. >jinking.< - Hmm. Looks like I need to get me a better dictionary.
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6. >on the others starboard engine nacelle,< - Other's.
7. >By the time he had recovered his wits the lock tone sounded and before he could even release a decoy the missile impacted his rear shields.< - Comma before and...or after wits.
8. >from the other Vampires tachyons< - Vampire's.
9. >swore more loudly;< - More unnecessary methinks.
10. >any closer and that fighter would be in his cockpit.< - Brilliant.
11. >The Pilums impacted anyway as Casey flipped over and under the other fighter, which itself was turning.< - Definately a comma before and. Otherwise it sounds like he fliped over and under.
12. >handled like a Shrike indicating that< - Comma after Shrike.
13. >staring dumbfound at empty space.< - Dumbfounded. Dumbfound is the verb.
14. >A crack of light appeared at the bottom of the canopy< - I'm getting flashbacks.
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15. >this kids good< - Kid's.
16. >the First Officers orders< - Officer's.
17. >near the Captains.< - Captain's...You really need to work on those apostrophes.
18. >The Jericho System was one of the systems along a major trade route between the centre of the Avalon Sector to the Gemini Sector and as such it had an unusually high amount of traffic.< - If it's between, then it's and...but then requires some shuffling to sort out the two ands.
19. >jump-shock,< - Hmm. What d'I miss? Was this mentioned somewhere or is it your contribution to the WC universe?
20. >Wilford was so use to it< - Used.
21. >he had experienced it, that time< - I'd turn the comma into an en-dash or a full-stop.
22. >distance is eight thousand kilometres.< - 8000 klicks may be a little close.
23. >weapons grid.< - Mmmm. Grid.
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24. >he was pushed back into his ejection seat< - Hmm. I think I'd skip ejection to be on the safe side.
25. >as the Panther shot forward down the launch tunnel at nearly twice its usual maximum velocity.< - Two oddities. "Forward down" and "usual maximum." Watch out for verbal diarrhoea. I'd kill the first word of each one.
26. >Maestro keep those other fighters clear.< - Heh. One against ten is hardly fair play?
27. >the heavy fighters aft shields< - Fighter's.
28. >fired off two volleys turning the bomber into a ball of fire< - Comma after volleys.
29. >he flew through the space where it had once occupied,< - The where messes things up here. Removal advised.
30. >volley from his full guns.< - How about all his guns for a change?
31. >nearly blinded by the torpedoes explosion< - Torpedo's.
32. >Commander Drakes face disappeared before reappearing a moment later.< - You might want a pause (comma/dash) after disappeared for timing.
33. >confirmed launch point, a Pelican Class Transport.< - Well this time I was first to use the idea.
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34. >forty thousand klicks< + >afterburners< + >Within a minute, he was in range< - Matches perfectly.
35. >a secured channel< - Secure. Secured has a somewhat different meaning.
36. >the fleeing transports engines.< - *sigh* Transport's.
37. >Delta Wing is on route.< - Also written as en route.
38. >the Marine LC entered the hanger.< - LOL! It's hangar...unless they store LCs in a closet/wardrobe.
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39. >Marine LC is secured sir,< - Hmm. I wonder...
40. >Nothings that simple...< - Nothing is...nothing's.
41. >If it isn't Kilrathi it's pirates, if it isn't pirates its Bugs.< - Well they have to give you someone to aim at in the game.
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42. >immediately stopping just inside when he saw both of them.< - Ah yes. The thing he does in the cut scenes when he's late for a briefing.
43. >"The Captain and myself have been going over your flight record to date and following your success in the engagement today we have decided that as of fifteen hundred hours you are officially assigned the position of Senior Wing Commander onboard the Midway.< - Eep! She said that all in one breath?
44. >the single silver and black Captains rank bar.< - Er, has this changed? In Claw Marks it shows the Captain's rank as dual bars.

Another thoroughly enjoyable piece. It shows intimate knowledge of strategy and the WC universe at the time of WCP/SO.
The conversation between Casey and Zero was great. Say - you don't live in the WCP universe do you?
smile.gif

Hmm, if the missions are as kickass as the story then I need to reinstall WCP.

---------------------------------------------
[Nighthawk swooped in to say...]

Finally I found some time to read the whole story! I think I read the prologue some time ago, at least.
Pretty good story! As Matrix already stated it's nice to see the original characters/ships used in a story. Although I am not a big fan of Casey (
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) I enjoyed reading it.
IMO, the story has a good pace and the line of events progresses rather nicely.
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Keep up the good work!

---------------------------------------------
[Primarch popped back in, and joyfully replied...]

Thanks for the compliments
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, it's always nice to know people are reading your work.
I hope to be able to keep the battles original, especially considering there will be plenty of them.

And please, pick away...but be gentle.
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---------------------------------------------
[Matrix jumped in-system and said...]

Smart. Those back links are a darn fine idea. I did go back and read the Prologue and Chapter One first.

As for the story - Good. Very good. So far you have show aptness in making battles non-boring - a nice balance of pace and descriptiveness. I'm wondering how long you can get away with it.

Nice to see the original characters and ships used to effect. Maybe your story is a little cliche, but it has depth enough. I myself am of the opinion that there's always trouble around the corner to keep Confed busy, and that some planets would openly rebel.

Well I was too busy enjoying the story to go about nitpicking, despite there being several nits to pick in all three parts. But let me know if you want them picked and I shall attend to it in the near future.
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Story... check.
Comments... check.
Nitpicks... check.
...Checklist complete.
Awaiting further posts.

But now you'd better run along and read every single chapter of my story, and post comments, Primarch.
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Quarto: Just out of interest - How did you manage to keep the smiley faces and take out the italics?
 
It's really quite simple, Matrix. I put the smileys back in myself. It's all done through simple text cut-and-paste. In your case, there was simply too many italics to bother with... particularly since I'd just gone through Primarch's story italicising Midway all over the place
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.

Primarch: No problem. It only took a half-hour or so
wink.gif
. Now go, read.
 
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