{"id":341,"date":"2011-10-10T00:01:12","date_gmt":"2011-10-10T05:01:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=341"},"modified":"2013-02-25T00:09:51","modified_gmt":"2013-02-25T06:09:51","slug":"the-mighty-avengers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=341","title":{"rendered":"The Mighty Avengers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 All my life I wanted to loaf around home on my boat wearing shorts and sandals with a guitar strapped over my shoulder impressing all the girls with my mad musical skills.\u00a0 But I also thought flying would be fun.\u00a0 Hollywood kept showing us \u201creal men\u201d in Hellcats vanquishing the bad guys, so when I realized I might just be<\/em> a pilot, I wanted to fly Hellcats.\u00a0 Then some politician with a hankering for pork got a reinstated reserve squadron assigned with some new Avengers\u2026.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Mighty Avengers<\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jack studied the fighter in front of him and the other pilots.\u00a0 It was big, much larger than the Hellcat the United States Marine Corps had been adopting over the last fifteen years.\u00a0 It was aerodynamic, obviously designed to fly in atmosphere, with a long nose that flowed into a large fuselage behind the cockpit.\u00a0 Long wings spread out on either side, with what looked like an engine above and below them.\u00a0 And of course there was the heavy weapons turret, housing four repeating laser arrays, hanging below the nose.<\/p>\n

That was twice the firepower of a Hellcat, assuming similar weapon ratings, but the Hellcat had two turrets.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t like the idea of having all the weapons on a single turret.\u00a0 It would be too easy for a lucky shot to blow them off, and then anyone piloting this thing would be in serious trouble.\u00a0 Jack pursed his lips and turned to the other pilots, wondering if they were as worried about this fighter as he was.\u00a0 One look was all it took.\u00a0 They were.<\/p>\n

A colonel stepped forward, and every pilot and cyber came to attention, saluting him automatically.\u00a0 The colonel saluted back and frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt ease,\u201d he ordered and the pilots and cybers relaxed.\u00a0 \u201cI am Lieutenant Colonel Mathew Johanson, commander of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112, the Cowboys.\u00a0 For those of you for whom the news blackouts actually worked, the Shang attack destroyed all squadrons in California and near Washington DC.\u00a0 All regular and reserve squadrons have already been called to duty, protecting what we have left.\u00a0 The Cowboys have been reinstated and we are recruiting new pilots.\u00a0 You have not yet been assigned a squadron.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure you understand your reason for being here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johanson scanned the line of recruits like he\u2019d bitten off a particularly sour grapefruit.\u00a0 \u201cI understand that many of you have expressed a preference to piloting Hellcats.\u00a0 The Cowboys are not a Hellcat unit.\u00a0 We have been assigned the first Avengers off the production line, by the supreme intelligence of the United States Congress and the personal politicking of the Senior Senator of the Great Republic of Texas.\u00a0 Oorah.\u201d\u00a0 Johanson waited until he received a ragged series of Oorahs before continuing.\u00a0 \u201cWe are looking for volunteers to fly in this revitalized unit.\u00a0 Please note that my superiors have informed me that if we do not get enough volunteers, there will be voluntolds<\/em>.\u00a0 Congress has spent a crapload of money building the Avengers and they want them in space.\u00a0 Understood?\u201d\u00a0 The ragged chorus of Oorahs was even more ragged this time.\u00a0 \u201cNow that we understand each other, Congress has sent us an expert on the Avenger to brief us on its abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack groaned at the last statement.\u00a0 The rest of the pilots around him groaned as well, realizing with him that they were about to get a speech from a political animal.\u00a0 Johanson waved a man forward and the pilots groaned again.\u00a0 Not a political animal.\u00a0 It was worse.\u00a0 It was an egghead, and it wielded one of the weapons of their trade like a sword.\u00a0 A laser pointer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am Doctor Kevin Parrish, from the Office of Naval Research.\u00a0 Pilots, please refer to your pads for more information.\u00a0 Cybers, you should be getting the datadump now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack glanced down at the pad on his chair arm and his eyes narrowed.\u00a0 There were lies, damned lies, and statistics, and he trusted them all equally.\u00a0 He did not pick up the pad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the Grumman F-12 Avenger,\u201d Parrish said with a wicked slash of his laser point across the fighter.\u00a0 He then settled it down by pointing at one of the fighter\u2019s four main engines, on the wings.\u00a0 \u201cThese are gigawatt-class fusion torch drives, the most powerful ever built into a fighter.\u00a0 They can generate right angle maneuvering while in combat, making the Avenger very hard to hit.\u201d\u00a0 He aimed the pointer at the main fuselage, behind the cockpit.\u00a0 \u201cThe gravity drive here can accelerate from zero to one percent of light speed in five point three seconds without losing gravity wave cohesion.\u00a0 It can also translate into hyperspace on its own.\u00a0 No capital ship required.\u201d<\/p>\n

At that, the pilots and cybers alike shifted around in surprise.\u00a0 Jack frowned.\u00a0 Fighters were short-range jobs.\u00a0 This was\u2026something else.\u00a0 He glanced at Betty and she returned his gaze, mulling something over in her mind, for a second before looking back to the fighter.<\/p>\n

The laser pointer moved to the turret under the fighter\u2019s nose.\u00a0 \u201cShe carries a turret with four laser emitters, that can fire in all directions in both anti-ship and anti-missile modes, allowing her to slot into a capital ship\u2019s anti-missile system network seamlessly. \u00a0She also has two gravitic cannons designed to penetrate a deflection grid,\u201d he continued, aiming the pointer at a large port just under the cockpit on the forward edge of the fighter\u2019s port wing.\u00a0 \u201cIn squadron strength, when focusing fire, a squadron of Avengers will be able to bring down even a capital ship\u2019s deflection grid.\u00a0 No torpedoes required,\u201d he noted with emphasis.\u00a0 \u201cFor protection, she is covered with laser reflective armor and can generate a deflection grid more powerful than any other Terran fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

The doctor smiled at them and brought the laser pointer down to the floor with a wicked slash.\u00a0 \u201cIn short, the Avenger is faster than the Hellcat, more maneuverable than the Hellcat, carries twice the firepower of a Hellcat, is harder to kill than the Hellcat, and is capable of destroying capital ships in squadron strength.\u00a0 This is the ultimate heavy fighter, a new generation of ships that we will use to kick the Shang\u2019s asses across the universe,\u201d the doctor said with what could almost have been a wicked smile, if the man had known how to make one.<\/p>\n

Jack glanced at the other pilots to see what they thought.\u00a0 They seemed to think the same as him.\u00a0 The Avenger was too big to be a proper fighter.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t believe it could actually maneuver the way the doctor said, not with all that mass to move.<\/p>\n

Johanson stepped up quickly.\u00a0 \u201cDoes anybody have any questions?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack looked around at the others again before sighing.\u00a0 \u201cLook, I\u2019m certain there is a really good presentation in here,\u201d he said with a wave towards the pad.\u00a0 \u201cHow many gigawatts the main reactor can dish out and all that stuff.\u00a0 But she\u2019s just too big<\/em> to be a proper fighter.\u00a0 And I don\u2019t care what he says, a Hellcat\u2019ll turn circles around this thing.\u00a0 It\u2019s designed<\/em> to kill torpedo bombers.\u00a0 This is just\u2026a torpedo bomber without the torpedoes.\u00a0 How can this turkey fight a Hellcat, let alone a Shang<\/em> fighter?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPerhaps I<\/em> can answer those questions,\u201d a calm voice said from the fighter.<\/p>\n

Betty smiled and Jack narrowed his eyes at her.\u00a0 She nodded towards the fighter.\u00a0 Jack pursed his lips, not wanting to listen.\u00a0 She lowered her chin and put both hands on her hips.\u00a0 She was not<\/em> going to take no for an answer.\u00a0 He sighed and turned to the fighter.\u00a0 \u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you come from the Showme State?\u201d the fighter asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul Bunyan\u2019s State actually,\u201d Jack returned without missing a beat.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh.\u00a0 Of course.\u00a0 You are familiar with tall tales then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard a few in my time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u00a0 I will not need to explain the concept then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack smiled at the fighter\u2019s amused tone.\u00a0 \u201cI think I get it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I assume you think my\u2026press agent\u2019s claims are such?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI am not<\/em> a press agent!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPotato, potato,\u201d the fighter said with a sigh.\u00a0 \u201cYour presentation works well on politicians, not so well on pilots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack frowned at the interplay, still considering the fighter\u2019s question.\u00a0 Something about the fighter made him realize it was waiting for him again.\u00a0 He smiled at it.\u00a0 \u201cYes I do, but perhaps you can show me I\u2019m wrong,\u201d he said, laying the challenge out for the fighter.<\/p>\n

\u201cChallenge excepted,\u201d the fighter said with what sounded like a smile.\u00a0 \u201cNow if you will allow me to demonstrate, I will show you why I am far better than any mere Hellcat<\/em>,\u201d the fighter finished with a verbal sneer.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t like the Hellcats?\u201d<\/p>\n

The fighter harrumphed.\u00a0 \u201cThey are too full of themselves.\u00a0 Stuck up jocks who think they are the best thing since the recycler.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPot?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n

Betty smiled.\u00a0 \u201cKettle?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK.\u00a0 Fine.\u00a0 You got me,\u201d the fighter said in annoyance.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe we\u2019re just built to know we\u2019re the best, but I\u2019ve seen<\/em> the Hellcats\u2019 stats and I know<\/em> I\u2019m better than they are.<\/p>\n

Jack gave the fighter an appraising eye.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re bigger than they are.\u00a0 You won\u2019t maneuver as good in a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got better maneuvering thrusters than they do.\u00a0 And my main generator gives me better control over gravity than Hellcats have.\u00a0 I make up for the bulk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cInteresting.\u00a0 So you think you can match them in combat?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMostly.\u00a0 I have better deflection grids than they do, though in pure numbers they have some<\/em> maneuvering advantages,\u201d the fighter said, reluctance in its tone.\u00a0 \u201cI do make up for the bulk, but they have a lower starting point.\u00a0 They will however never be as good as I am in anti-ship operations.\u00a0 If all you ever want to do is fight other fighters, the Hellcats are great for you.\u00a0 If you want to kill big ships, I\u2019m the fighter for you.\u00a0 Also, I can translate through the hyperspace barrier.\u00a0 Fighters are real hard to see in hyper.\u00a0 Do you like sneak attacks?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack gave the fighter an evil smile.\u00a0 \u201cI love \u2019em.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, imagine all the things you can do with a fighter that can fly through hyper and kill a warship when it arrives, without being detected through the barrier.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m imagining.\u00a0 I like what I\u2019m imagining.\u00a0 How \u2019bout you?\u201d he asked, turning to Betty.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe too,\u201d she said with a smile aimed at the fighter.\u00a0 \u201cYou do a good job selling yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSomebody<\/em> has to,\u201d the fighter said with a bit of a growl.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay I?\u201d Betty asked and stepped forward, her hand held up.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d the fighter returned.<\/p>\n

Betty walked up to the fighter and put her hand on it.\u00a0 She stood there for several seconds before turning to glance at each of the other cybers.\u00a0 She waved them forward and they followed her example.\u00a0 After a few minutes of low murmurs back and forth, Betty strode back to Jack, confidence in every step.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fighter isn\u2019t exaggerating, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d he said slowly.\u00a0 \u201cI just don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI do,\u201d Betty said without hesitation.\u00a0 \u201cI want to fly that fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack frowned and looked at her for a long time.\u00a0 She returned his stare without blinking.\u00a0 Not that she really needed to blink of course, but it was real unnerving when she just stopped it altogether.\u00a0 \u201cAre you certain?\u201d he finally asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hellcat\u2019s a short range fighter, Jack.\u00a0 Only good for killing things.\u201d\u00a0 She waved an arm at the Avenger.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s got hyper.\u00a0 He\u2019s got fuel stores that are amazing.\u00a0 We can go <\/em>places we\u2019ve never been with him, Jack.\u201d\u00a0 She finished, her gaze challenging him to dispute her.<\/p>\n

He opened his mouth and shut it, remembering what he\u2019d told her.\u00a0 He looked down at her feet, seeing the white sandals she still wore, a small rebellion against the uniform standards even cybers had to follow when on duty.\u00a0 The sandals she\u2019d first worn right after he told her about going places he\u2019d never been in the Boundary Waters.\u00a0 Right after she\u2019d told him she did not<\/em> want to be caught in a never-ending cycle of vengeance with him.\u00a0 He sighed and looked back up at her with a smile.<\/p>\n

\u201cUsing my own words against me I see.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take every advantage I can get,\u201d she answered with a wink.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my girl,\u201d Jack said and patted her on the shoulder.\u00a0 He turned to the fighter and waved a finger at it.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not saying yes.\u00a0 But my partner\u2026well….\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe\u2019s a smart cyber,\u201d the fighter supplied.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah.\u201d\u00a0 Jack turned to take in the other pilot teams and frowned.\u00a0 \u201cAh, fighter?\u00a0 You wouldn\u2019t happen to have enough ships here for everyone to work with would you?\u201d<\/p>\n

The fighter laughed.\u00a0 \u201cDo you really think we would come here without enough for that purpose?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe work for the government,\u201d Jack said, deadpan.<\/p>\n

\u201cTouch\u00e9.\u00a0 Yes there are enough of us.\u00a0 In the hangar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they haven\u2019t been briefed<\/em>!\u201d the doctor wailed.<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up,\u201d the fighter ordered and the man stepped back to the wall again.\u00a0 \u201cColonel?\u201d the fighter asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI agree,\u201d Johanson answered, giving the fighter an approving nod.\u00a0 \u201cProceed as you will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent,\u201d the fighter said, lifted a few centimeters off the floor, hovering on its grav plating, and turned towards the wall.\u00a0 The wall split open, revealing a hangar full of fighters beyond the briefing room.<\/p>\n

\u201cNice.\u00a0 You did<\/em> come prepared,\u201d Jack mumbled in the direction of the hangar.<\/p>\n

Betty followed the fighter, her hand on its wing possessively.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetty?\u00a0 A boyfriend already?\u201d<\/p>\n

Her cheeks blushed crimson.\u00a0 \u201cNo!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd here I thought I was everything you wanted,\u201d the fighter said in a hurt voice.<\/p>\n

She glared at the fighter for several seconds before turning it on Jack.\u00a0 \u201cNot<\/em> a boyfriend<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOK, OK.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take your word for it,\u201d Jack said, holding his hands up in defense.<\/p>\n

She continued to glare at him before finally letting it go away.\u00a0 She replaced it with a sly smile.\u00a0 \u201cFine.\u00a0 You want to know?\u00a0 He\u2019s big, he\u2019s strong, and he\u2019s got big engines<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEngines?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, it\u2019s your<\/em> fault.\u00a0 You<\/em> made me want to go places! \u00a0And engines do<\/em> that!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack looked at the fighter for a moment before returning his gaze to Betty.\u00a0 \u201cTouch\u00e9,\u201d he said with a nod.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d the fighter said, sounding very smug indeed.<\/p>\n

Jack rubbed his temple with the fingers of one hand, considering again that he\u2019d really never considered what life would be like with a cyber before he jumped in feet first.\u00a0 When he looked back up, he stopped in his tracks as the scene finally caught his attention.\u00a0 A dozen Avengers hovered on their grav plating, engine pods flush with the wings for atmospheric operations, their noses facing towards the hot Texas landscape shimmering outside the hangar doors.\u00a0 They looked ready to fly, ready to kill.\u00a0 They looked dangerous.<\/p>\n

Jack smiled.\u00a0 He could live with that.\u00a0 If they flew well of course.\u00a0 Jack smiled at the fighter.\u00a0 \u201cI do<\/em> hope you fly as good as you talk.\u00a0 I am so<\/em> ready to kick the Shang\u2019s asses across the universe if you can.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 All my life I wanted to loaf around home on my boat wearing shorts and sandals with a guitar strapped over my shoulder impressing all the girls with my mad musical skills.\u00a0 But I also[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2304-forge-of-war-1stdraft","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-jack"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=341"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":663,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/341\/revisions\/663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=341"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=341"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=341"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}