{"id":533,"date":"2011-12-05T00:01:19","date_gmt":"2011-12-05T06:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=533"},"modified":"2013-02-25T00:14:38","modified_gmt":"2013-02-25T06:14:38","slug":"gunfight-at-alpha-centauri-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/?p=533","title":{"rendered":"Gunfight at Alpha Centauri"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 I was one of the first ten Cowboys.\u00a0 A lot more came after.\u00a0 We\u2019re all American.\u00a0 We all flew with the Peloran.\u00a0 Others flew with them too.\u00a0 British, Scottish, French, Polish\u2026in the end, every nation in the Western Alliance sent pilots to fly with the Peloran.\u00a0 And they were not called Cowboys.\u00a0 I remember when I met the first German to fly with us.\u00a0 That Teutonic fellow always did<\/em> consider himself a knight in shining armor.\u00a0 It\u2019s no surprise what they\u2019re called now.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gunfight at Alpha Centauri<\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jack sat in the cockpit of his Avenger, watching the multicolor bands of hyperspace drag the wreckage of the battle away.\u00a0 Pieces of Chinese warships floated away and disappeared into the distance, where they would almost certainly be lost for all time.\u00a0 Nothing lost in hyperspace ever came back.\u00a0 His screens showed the other half of the Chinese fleet hanging in normalspace, scanning desperately for the enemy who had somehow found them in hyperspace.\u00a0 Jack winced as the Peloran warships accelerated towards the wreckage of the Chinese fleet in hyperspace.<\/p>\n

The comm. panel flashed and Aneerin appeared on it with a satisfied smile.\u00a0 \u201cNo mercy,\u201d Aneerin said, gave a swift nod, and the comm. screen faded.\u00a0 The Peloran squadron flew past Jack\u2019s location, close enough he could see them with the naked eye, their gravitic drives causing eddies of darkness in hyperspace.\u00a0 They flashed out of hyperspace before his eyes, flashed back into existence inside the Chinese formation on his screens, and all Hell broke loose.<\/p>\n

The Peloran Battle Squadron slashed through the Chinese on his screens, firing gravitic cannons, missiles, kinetic lances, and lasers on their way through.\u00a0 Fighters launched to meet the Chinese fighters and normalspace filled with the explosions of fighters and warships.<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn,\u201d Jack whispered and shook his head.\u00a0 There were still nearly one hundred Chinese warships surrounding the six Peloran warships.\u00a0 Or not.\u00a0 The Peloran squadron shot out of the Chinese formation, their rear grav cannons and lasers smashing through the grids of ships that had been frantically forcing power to their other deflection grids until moments before.\u00a0 The Peloran warships turned and came back, forward weapons firing until the weapon ring glowed as it dissipated heat into space.\u00a0 The forward edge of the weapon ring fired a nearly constant barrage of pulsing lasers that ripped into one Chinese warship after another.\u00a0 Their deflection grids already ravaged by the grav cannons or breacher missiles, the lasers burned deep into the Chinese ships, causing puffs of atmosphere to escape.\u00a0 \u201cRemind me to never piss off the Peloran,\u201d Jack said with a shudder as two more heavy cruisers fell out of formation, spinning and shedding wreckage and atmosphere into space.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t go down alone though.\u00a0 One of the Peloran cruisers on the Guardian Light\u2019s flank shuddered as several hits penetrated its deflection grid.\u00a0 The upper grav cannon exploded under the punishment, and the weapon ring connecting it with the other two cannons peeled away.\u00a0 Those two sections of the ring went dark, the lasers failed, and more missiles began to rain down on her.\u00a0 Or him.\u00a0 Jack frowned, annoyed that he didn\u2019t even know who that ship\u2019s cyber was.<\/p>\n

That was when hyperspace flashed behind him, and a few moments later the German cruiser squadron appeared on his screens.\u00a0 Their missiles and grav cannons ripped into the Chinese flank, and more ships spun away from their formation.\u00a0 Jack glanced back to see the wounded Peloran cruiser, the rest of its weapon ring ripped away and atmosphere billowing out of its flanks, flash and disappear from normalspace.<\/p>\n

The Peloran Battle Squadron slashed back into the Chinese fleet, sowing confusion and keeping them from organizing a missile-spewing wall of battle that would have overwhelmed the point defense of the German squadron.\u00a0 Normalspace flashed again and Jack flicked his gaze over to see the French squadron slinging missiles and grav beams into another<\/em> flank of the Chinese fleet.\u00a0 He had to hand it to them.\u00a0 They knew how to jump into battle at the right time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess these guys forgot their white flags at home,\u201d he said in an impressed tone as one Chinese cruiser and two destroyers exploded under the French guns.<\/p>\n

\u201cHush, Jack,\u201d Betty answered and slapped him again.\u00a0 \u201cBe nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he whispered and shook his head.<\/p>\n

Between the Germans and French bombarding the Chinese from long range, from different vectors, and the Peloran slashing through them again and again, Jack watched the Chinese formation fall apart.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t fall alone of course.\u00a0 Jack winced as an entire swarm of missiles engulfed a single French cruiser and exploded.\u00a0 When he could see again, the cruiser was simply gone.\u00a0 A German cruiser broke in half in a spectacular flash, and Jack wondered if its ammunition bunker had blown.\u00a0 A Peloran destroyer ate a salvo of missiles of its own that sent it spinning out of control.\u00a0 Jack sucked in a deep breath as the ship spun into a Chinese destroyer and ripped through it like a buzzsaw.\u00a0 It came out the other side of the expanding debris, still spinning with its weapon ring and grav cannons trailing it in an expanding field of its own wreckage.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoly crap,\u201d Jack whispered and licked dry lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re running!\u201d Betty shouted and Jack shifted his eyes as a series of flashes appeared in the middle of the Chinese fleet.\u00a0 He waited for the beacons to appear on the screens but nothing happened.\u00a0 He frowned.<\/p>\n

\u201cForward!\u201d Charles shouted.\u00a0 \u201cFan recon now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOorah!\u201d the Cowboys answered and accelerated out of the wreckage that remained of the battle in hyperspace.\u00a0 Jack held on to the throttle and stick and watched the Cowboys spread out in a giant fan as they flew towards where the Chinese ships had jumped back into hyperspace.\u00a0 He wondered if they\u2019d found the beacons and turned them off or if the beacons had just died of old age.\u00a0 Whatever the case, this had just become a lot more difficult.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got them!\u201d Cowboy Seven\u2019s cyber shouted and the screens filled with a sight of two Chinese heavy cruisers escorted by five destroyers running for dear life.\u00a0 They\u2019d almost gotten away.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep them in visual range!\u201d Charles ordered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOorah!\u201d Jack and the others answered and the Avengers accelerated to follow his orders.\u00a0 \u201cGreat,\u201d Jack said in a more reserved tone.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve got them.\u00a0 Now what do we do with them?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook on the bright side,\u201d Betty said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cThe Germans kept up so we have double<\/em> our normal number of fighters to deal with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack glanced at the screens that showed the German fighters assigned by the German commander to make certain the Cowboys didn\u2019t screw up struggling to keep up with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat.\u00a0 They\u2019ll be so much help,\u201d Jack said in a sarcastic tone.\u00a0 He looked at the screens showing normalspace and gulped.\u00a0 They were blank.\u00a0 The Cowboys had gotten out of range of the comm. drones.\u00a0 They couldn\u2019t tell anyone where the Chinese were running.\u00a0 \u201cWell, this sucks,\u201d Jack added as the Chinese began to fling missiles back at them.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019re on our own, aren\u2019t we, Chief?\u201d Jack asked, counting on Betty to transmit the question.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fleet\u2019s too busy,\u201d Charles answered after a second.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ll have to do it ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat.\u201d\u00a0 Jack gulped as their lasers began shooting down missiles far short of the squadron.\u00a0 \u201cLittle ol\u2019 us and a squadron of warships.\u201d\u00a0 He shook his head as a really bad idea came to mind.\u00a0 \u201cAre you thinking what I\u2019m thinking, Chief?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think so, Jester.\u00a0 But what are we going to do with all the pieces?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack winced.\u00a0 \u201cHope we\u2019re not the smallest ones?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly,\u201d Charles answered.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this is why firing grav cannons in hyperspace is a really bad idea.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack gulped.\u00a0 So Charles had the same idea.\u00a0 \u201cGreat.\u00a0 Just wanted to make certain we were on the same wavelength here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDesperate times and all,\u201d Charles answered and clicked his tongue.\u00a0 \u201cAll Cowboys, spread out and close to firing the range.\u00a0 We\u2019re only going to get one shot at this so make it count.\u00a0 Sternwaffa; fall back.\u00a0 You do not<\/em> want to be close when we do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVhat are you doing?\u201d the commanding German fighter shouted as the Cowboys banked and broke their defensive formation, spreading out into attack formation.\u00a0 \u201cVe are fighters!\u00a0 Ve can\u2019t take on varships alone!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou<\/em> are fighters,\u201d Charles corrected with an iron tone.\u00a0 \u201cWe<\/em> on the other hand are Avengers<\/em>.\u00a0 We were built<\/em> for this.\u00a0 Now fall back and give us room.\u00a0 We\u2019re going to need a lot<\/em> of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack jiggled the stick in his hand, feeling the Avenger shift around him in nervous anticipation of the battle about to start.\u00a0 The missiles were getting closer with each wave before exploding on the point defense fire the squadron lay down.\u00a0 Soon they would be on the squadron.\u00a0 He watched the Germans fall back until they faded into the multicolored bands of hyperspace.\u00a0 Only the comm. drones they dropped kept the two squadrons in communication.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll Cowboys,\u201d Charles began as targeting solutions appeared on the screens.\u00a0 \u201cBring deflection grids to full power.\u00a0 Concentrate forward.\u201d\u00a0 He paused as the Avenger hummed up to full power around Jack, and all deflection grid power shifted to the forward screens.\u00a0 \u201cOpen fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHang on,\u201d Betty ordered and the grav cannons began to twist gravity on either side of him.<\/p>\n

Jack released the stick and throttle and grasped the shock frame in the cockpit.\u00a0 He licked his lips as the grav cannons came up to full power, punching through their forward deflection grid and ripping into their target, a Chinese destroyer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh God,\u201d Jack whispered and held on tight as hyperspace itself bent to the will of their weapons.\u00a0 Looking at anything in hyperspace was always an exercise in trying to focus on something that was by definition out of focus, especially at longer ranges where it became impossible to correct for the light bending.\u00a0 Everything just went completely out of focus until it blurred into the background multicolored hue of hyperspace.\u00a0 Even at short range, you had to squint and concentrate to see anything clearly.<\/p>\n

When the Avenger\u2019s twin gravitic cannons fired and hit the Chinese destroyer, they calmed hyperspace.\u00a0 They brought order and as the gravity bands bent to his fighter\u2019s will, the Chinese destroyer came into perfect focus ahead of him.\u00a0 He watched the grav beams pierce the deflection grid and saw them rip armor panels off the warship.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetty?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on,\u201d she answered and her lasers began to fire in rapid-fire pulse mode, sending a spray of destruction through the holes to punch deeper into the destroyer.\u00a0 Atmosphere belched out, flash freezing into crystals that reflected the multicolored hues of hyperspace that seemed to rage against the edges of the gravitic beams.<\/p>\n

\u201cHolding on,\u201d he answered, swallowed, and set his teeth.<\/p>\n

\u201cRelease!\u201d Charles ordered and ten Avengers disengaged twenty gravitic beams in unison.\u00a0 Hyperspace lashed back into the calm enforced on it, gravity bands whipping through anything in their way.\u00a0 Deflection grids shorted out in instants, armor buckled, bent, and ripped, and the Chinese warships came apart as hyperspace slashed through them in dozens of places.<\/p>\n

Those same bands of gravity ripped down the path left by the grav cannons and snapped into the formation of Avengers at its origin.\u00a0 Deflection grids failed and whips of gravity lashed through the Cowboys.\u00a0 Jack saw the nose of his fighter split open and the left wing sheer off.\u00a0 And then another whip snapped just short of them, sending the Avenger tumbling backwards through hyperspace.<\/p>\n

The universe spun around them, alternating bands of color that never ended, and Jack shut his eyes to keep himself from throwing up all over the cockpit.\u00a0 The motion he could handle, but there was something about spinning in hyperspace that made his stomach go into flips.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t know if it was the thought of being lost in space, never to be found, that did it, or if passing through so many bands of gravity without control just physically made him sick.<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason, he held on tight and concentrated his mind on a bonfire on a beach with people partying.\u00a0 It was a beautiful sun, amazing music, and good friends.\u00a0 He held that vision as he felt his knuckles go white.\u00a0 After an eternity of tumbling, they slowed down and came back under control.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks,\u201d Jack whispered, gulping for breath and blinked his eyes, focusing back on the here and now.\u00a0 A meter in front of him, the nose of the fighter was a jagged hunk of metal and wires.\u00a0 He looked over to the left and saw their wing twisted, with most of it ripped away entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat wasn\u2019t me,\u201d Betty returned and pointed up.\u00a0 \u201cAlmost all my systems are fried.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack followed her finger and looked up to see a German fighter hanging directly above them.\u00a0 \u201cAh.\u201d\u00a0 The German must have grabbed them using his grav drive.\u00a0 He waved at the fighter.\u00a0 \u201cHey, thanks,\u201d he said weakly.<\/p>\n

\u201cMein Gott mensch!\u201d the German shouted, his voice sounding like he was clearing his throat while talking.\u00a0 Jack always had subscribed to the idea that some jokes were based on a kernel of truth.\u00a0 \u201cHow do you do this vith fighters?\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack smiled at Betty, took a deep breath, and answered.\u00a0 \u201cClean living and American engineering.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty smiled and slapped him.\u00a0 \u201cHush, Jack.\u00a0 You never had a clean life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack gave her his best offended look.\u00a0 \u201cBetty, I will have you know that is baseless liable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms, and tapped a toe on the console.\u00a0 \u201cYou know I\u2019m just quoting their fathers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack shrugged in a dismissive manner.\u00a0 \u201cWell, there it is!\u00a0 They\u2019re always biased, thinking their poor innocent daughter would never<\/em>-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou two quarrel like married couple,\u201d the German interrupted with a growl.<\/p>\n

Jack blinked, looked at Betty, blinked again, and looked at her again.\u00a0 She returned his gaze, arms still crossed though her foot wasn\u2019t tapping anymore.\u00a0 He cracked a smile and pulled in a breath to say some joke about why they were just no good for each other.<\/p>\n

Betty uncoiled like a viper and aimed a finger at his nose.\u00a0 \u201cOne word and I will strangle you in your sleep,\u201d she said with a glare.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, ma\u2019am,\u201d Jack said quickly.<\/p>\n

\u201cHa!\u201d the German said with a laugh.\u00a0 \u201cYou even-\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut up!\u201d Betty ordered.<\/p>\n

\u201cJa fraulein!\u201d he said without hesitation.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter,\u201d Betty said in a huff.\u00a0 \u201cNow the truth is, we really aren\u2019t<\/em> just fighters.\u00a0 We\u2019re Avengers<\/em>.\u00a0 We\u2019re designed<\/em> to kill capital ships.\u00a0 The only reason we\u2019re not designated bombers is because the military wanted fighter<\/em> pilots to perform the initial testing and God knows fighter pilots would be too proud to fly a mere bomber<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jack opened his mouth to protest and Betty glared at him.\u00a0 He shut his mouth again.\u00a0 She nodded her approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cIch sehe,\u201d the German said in what Jack thought might be a thoughtful tone.\u00a0 It was certainly a less \u201cstrangling stray cats\u201d growl than his normal tone.\u00a0 \u201cVe had trouble keeping up vith your maneuwers.\u00a0 Do you alvays manuewer like this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhenever she wants to impress someone,\u201d Jack sneaked out under Betty\u2019s glare.\u00a0 He gave her an innocent smile and she rolled her eyes.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou fly like a fighter,\u201d the German transmitted.\u00a0 \u201cI think the name is good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty smiled and gave Jack a \u201csee, that\u2019s how you talk to a girl\u201d look.\u00a0 Then she answered the German.\u00a0 \u201cWhy, thank you, kind sir.<\/p>\n

\u201cI vould like a test flight.\u00a0 Vould that be possible?\u201d the German asked, his tone betraying a lot more yearning than he probably wanted to admit.\u00a0 Either that, or he had a pain in his stomach.\u00a0 Jack couldn\u2019t tell for certain what with the accent.<\/p>\n

Jack shrugged and looked at Betty.\u00a0 This was all her decision after all.<\/p>\n

Betty sighed and looked out on her ruined structure.\u00a0 \u201cAnything for a kind sir like you.\u00a0 Just wait for the Peloran to fix me up first.\u00a0 I\u2019m not presentable right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, fraulein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty pursed her lips and gave Jack a questioning look before continuing.\u00a0 \u201cYou do realize by the way that the only way you would get to fly something like this is if you fly off a Peloran ship?\u00a0 There is no way your ships could repair or otherwise support something like it.\u00a0 They don\u2019t have the infrastructure.\u00a0 Hell, I couldn\u2019t fly off an American<\/em> ship the way my systems are wired right now!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJa, fraulein.\u00a0 I understand.\u201d\u00a0 There was that same tone.\u00a0 Jack didn\u2019t think the guy was in pain.\u00a0 Or at least not the kind of pain you got from bad food.\u00a0 Maybe the kind of pain you got when you realized you were riding a dinosaur when a Corvette shot by though.<\/p>\n

Betty frowned at Jack, seeming deep in thought.\u00a0 \u201cAnd this is acceptable to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a long pause this time, before the German answered.\u00a0 \u201cJa, fraulein.\u00a0 For the purposes of cooperation among allies of course, fraulein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty gave Jack a sly smile at that.<\/p>\n

Jack rubbed his chin and suppressed a chuckle.\u00a0 Cooperation among allies was not<\/em> his primary concern here.\u00a0 Not at all.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Betty said in a pleased tone.\u00a0 \u201cCooperation of course.\u00a0 Well then, prepare to have your mind blown.\u201d\u00a0 She chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m told I\u2019m very good at that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom vhat I see today, I vould believe it, fraulein.\u201d<\/p>\n

Betty smiled at Jack.\u00a0 \u201cSee?\u00a0 He<\/em> knows how to talk nice<\/em> to a girl,\u201d she mouthed towards him.<\/p>\n

Jack rolled his eyes.\u00a0 \u201cLook, this is fun and all, but ve really\u2026.\u201d\u00a0 Jack cleared his throat as Betty laughed at him.\u00a0 \u201cWe<\/em> really need to get\u2026somewhere,\u201d he finished, at a loss for words.<\/p>\n

The German laughed, a deep guttural laugh that would have made a row of beer steins, Honest to God German<\/em> beer steins, clatter against each other on a shelf.\u00a0 \u201cNo vorries for you,\u201d he finally said.\u00a0 \u201cVe are carrying you to battle site.\u00a0 Your fleet can pick you up there.\u00a0 You did not fail as the Flottillenadmiral expected.\u00a0 Ve are pleased to fly vith you vhenewer ve get more chances.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat.\u00a0 Ve\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Jack cleared his throat and glared at Betty as she laughed on the console.\u00a0 \u201cWe<\/em> didn\u2019t fail.\u00a0 So glad to know we had such a low bar to pass.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVell, as I said, ve vill be happy to fly vith you again.\u00a0 After you are all presentable of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d Betty said with a smile.\u00a0 \u201cThank you for your consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlways, fraulein,\u201d he said in a very earnest tone.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is such<\/em> a nice guy,\u201d Betty mouthed and Jack brought a hand up to rub his forehead.\u00a0 He had the feeling that this<\/em> was going to be a long day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 I was one of the first ten Cowboys.\u00a0 A lot more came after.\u00a0 We\u2019re all American.\u00a0 We all flew with the Peloran.\u00a0 Others flew with them too.\u00a0 British, Scottish, French, Polish\u2026in the end, every nation[…]↓ 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-533","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\/533","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=533"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1834,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/533\/revisions\/1834"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}