If there is one thing I have learned while fighting with the Peloran, it is that they are utterly ruthless in battle. They may seem like nice little tree huggers, the kind of old men and women you would trust your babies with, but once they get into battle, they are relentless. They will never strike where expected, and they will never hold ground that must be held. They practice deception like an art. Sometimes I wonder if Sun Tzu asked them for tips.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jack looked out into hyperspace through the transparent hull of the Guardian Light\u2019s<\/em> observation deck. Gravity ripped and twisted around them, dim red waves slamming into the battleship again and again until it thrummed and set his teeth on edge. The battleship\u2019s deflection grid plowed through the deep darkness of the deepest gravity well Jack had ever seen. A dim red wake of disturbed gravity fanned out behind them towards the rest of the fleet.<\/p>\n Jack turned to see the other fifty-one ships, assorted destroyers, cruisers, and light carriers, displayed in all their holographic glory on the walls of the observation deck. They followed in the Guardian Light\u2019s<\/em> wake, riding the waves of gravity broken by the battleship\u2019s relentless charge. Man wasn\u2019t meant to fly this deep in hyperspace. Man wasn\u2019t meant to be in hyperspace<\/em> at all, but they were too deep when the gravity waves were all dull red over a blackness<\/em> so much darker than any black he\u2019d ever imagined.<\/p>\n Jack swallowed carefully, not wanting to disrupt any of Hal\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n \u201cCharles, I need the Cowboys ahead of the task force. Surface, relay what is there, and engage if needed at your discretion.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a little deep,\u201d Jack said and waved a hand at the red bow wave ahead of them.<\/p>\n Aneerin smiled. \u201cYour fighters are better than you think.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack gave him a disbelieving look. \u201cI think they\u2019re pretty good, actually, but this is a whole new definition of crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n Aneerin sighed. \u201cYou should speak with your fighter. You will find that we have performed significant upgrades to her capabilities during our time at New Earth.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned at the statement and turned to look over at where Betty and the other cybers stood against one wall. She turned from their conversation and nodded towards Jack. Then she glanced towards Aneerin. It was a non-too-subtle suggestion that he should get back into his<\/em> conversation. He sighed and turned his attention back to the planning session.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we are going to be the diversion?\u201d Jay rumbled.<\/p>\n \u201cPossibly a diversion. Possibly the main attack. Definitely a test,\u201d Aneerin said with a pointed look at Jack.<\/p>\n Charles and Jay followed his gaze and Jack sighed. \u201cFor all of the new recruits?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d Aneerin answered with a nod.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd for the upgrades?\u201d Jack asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d Aneerin repeated with a knowing smile.<\/p>\n Jack returned the smile with interest. \u201cAnd unless we detour to play whack-a-Wang along the way, that\u2019ll be it before the Hyades?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed. Though I can think of no Chinese targets along the way as important as the Hyades,\u201d Aneerin returned and nodded towards the rear of the ship. \u201cDo you believe them ready?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack looked at Charles, the question written on his face. Charles smiled and cleared his throat. \u201cAll of the Cowboys are veterans, new and old alike,\u201d he supplied and stepped up to stand next to Aneerin. \u201cEvery single one has fought and lived. I only worry how we will fight as a group. That said, we are at least as prepared as when we first deployed. I think the Cowboys on this ship are more than a match for the Cowboys who fought at Fort Wichita. Before factoring in the technological upgrades and our expanded numbers.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgreed,\u201d Aneerin whispered. \u201cYou have chosen well, I think.\u201d Aneerin paused to take in a long breath, and Jack could see him studying the deep red waves of hyperspace intently. Aneerin finally nodded and turned a face determined to them. \u201cIt is time.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles echoed Aneerin\u2019s action and nodded to Jack and Jay. \u201cWe should return to Cowboy Country now,\u201d he ordered and turned to walk towards the lift. Jack gave Aneerin an informal salute and followed his commander. The door closed behind a thoughtful Jay and the lift began making its way towards Cowboy Country.<\/p>\n \u201cAneerin is a dangerous adversary,\u201d the big man said very slowly.<\/p>\n \u201cIndeed,\u201d Charles responded with a nod.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019d want to fight him,\u201d Jack put in his own two cents.<\/p>\n \u201cThank the Great Spirit he\u2019s on our side,\u201d Jay added.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he?\u201d Charles asked and met the other two men\u2019s surprised looks. \u201cIs he really<\/em> on our side?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed and considered the question as they sped down the spine of the kilometer-long battleship.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has to be,\u201d Jay said. \u201cThink about it. He could have contacted any<\/em> nation when he came. He chose the British Commonwealth. That\u2019s not a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Charles returned with a shake of his head. \u201cThat was not a mistake. He had his reasons for Contacting them.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay frowned. \u201cWhat do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot as much as I would like,\u201d Charles said with a shake of his head. \u201cBut I believe he made Contact with the British for a purpose. Have you ever noticed that the Peloran language has\u2026interesting similarities to one of English\u2019s root languages?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Jack asked in surprise.<\/p>\n Charles smiled. \u201cSome have described English as a mixing of various Continental words and terms laid over a Welsh sentence structure.\u201d Charles chewed on his lip for a moment before continuing. \u201cThe Peloran language is\u2026very similar to Welsh. Similar enough that many do not believe it is a coincidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed. \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you\u2019re a Contact Truther?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am not,\u201d Charles said with a definitive tone. \u201cI do not claim to know anything<\/em> about why they came. I merely have questions about facts that seem strange.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook, if what you say is true, why haven\u2019t we heard about it before?\u201d Jack asked in an exasperated tone. \u201cThey\u2019ve been here a hundred years!\u201d<\/p>\n Charles aimed a serious smile at him. \u201cThat is a very good question.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack\u2019s spine tingled as one of Aneerin\u2019s favorite statements rolled off Charles\u2019 tongue. He licked his lips and shook his head, trying to clear the unease that question brought to mind. \u201cYou really are a conspiracy theorist, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI actually have very few theories,\u201d Charles corrected with a shake of his head. \u201cWhat I have are questions that most people are either too scared or too unwilling to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy did they really come?\u201d Jay asked and Charles nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. That is the question I ask myself on a daily basis,\u201d Charles said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou talk to yourself a lot, then,\u201d Jack quipped.<\/p>\n Charles raised an eyebrow at Jack. \u201cOnly on days I wish to have an intelligent conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack gave him a surprised look, caught between laughing and being offended. Then he saw the twinkle in Charles\u2019 eyes and fell into laughter. He gave Jay a look and smiled. \u201cWould you look at that? He\u2019s turning into a regular comedian in his old age.\u201d<\/p>\n Jay smiled but was saved from needing to comment when the lift came to a halt and the doors opened into Cowboy Country. He stepped out with a swift stride that took him through the main room in seconds. The walls of Cowboy Country weren\u2019t a clean white like the majority of the Guardian Light<\/em>. Symbols and flags and other decorations festooned the bulkheads, reminding the Cowboys that they were all American. The United States Marine Corps symbol, an eagle standing atop a globe with an anchor driven through it, dominated one wall in all its silver and gold glory. Another wall hosted the American, Texan, and Marine Corps flags, and the other two walls sported honors that Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 had received from her creation in World War II, the wars in the Middle East, the Drug Wars on the old Mexican border, and numerous skirmishes across the Western Alliance and beyond until the Battle of Fort Wichita and the Battles of Alpha Centauri.<\/p>\n The first two battles at least. They were about to add a new one to the bulkhead. The thought that they might lose never occurred to him. He was Jack. They were Marines. And he had Betty and Jasmine on his side. He glanced back and forth at them with smiles that they answered. Not to mention Hal and his<\/em> guns, of course. With all of that arrayed against them, the Chinese didn\u2019t have a chance.<\/p>\n Jack left the main room behind and walked into a long corridor leading to the launch bay. Hatches on either side opened into the sleeping quarters belonging to each pilot. Sixteen private rooms in all. He idly wondered how Hal had built them. There had only been ten the last time he was here, one for each Cowboy on the Guardian Light<\/em>.<\/p>\n Then the hatch at the end of the corridor opened into the launch bay and they stepped through into it. Jack scanned around the cramped chamber, taking in the stacked ranks of Avenger and Hellcat fighters in their cradles, ready to launch at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n \u201cGood of you to finally show up,\u201d Jesse said, his voice coming from the small speaker in Jack\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you know what they say,\u201d Jack answered with a big smile, looking towards Jesse\u2019s Avenger. \u201cFashionably late and all that. And my fashion sense is fantastic<\/em>.\u201d Jack bypassed the ladders and walked to where his Avenger rested, not really wanting to abuse his aching muscles.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly if the judges are cows and corn,\u201d Jesse noted with a shake of his head.<\/p>\n \u201cFarms are good places to start with, you know,\u201d Jack responded with a smile. \u201cBut I prefer the girls<\/em> to judge my fashion.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 He glanced at Betty, she smiled, and he felt the gravity melt away. He kicked against the deck, sending him floating up through the gantries to where their Avenger waited. He grabbed a bar to arrest his motion, spun around it, and landed next to his cockpit.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue,\u201d Jesse acknowledged as Jack came to a stop.<\/p>\n Jack chuckled and stepped down into the cockpit. \u201cAnd you know the girls love<\/em> a man in uniform.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse\u2019s face appeared on one of the displays with a shake of his head. \u201cYou really do have a one track mind, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat else would I join up for?\u201d Jack asked with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Truth, Justice, and the American Way?\u201d Jesse returned.<\/p>\n Jack chuckled, sat down, and began locking his restraints. \u201cThat sounds great in a comic book, but this is real life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI like<\/em> comic books,\u201d Jesse said. \u201cThe villains are much easier to recognize.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue that,\u201d Jack answered with a shrug. \u201cAnd the girls are more properly thankful to the hero of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Jesse rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cAll Cowboys,\u201d Charles interrupted their banter. \u201cPrepare to launch.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned and scanned his displays, making certain that all systems reported online. \u201cWe\u2019re still too deep. I don\u2019t want to surf these rapids.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. The dangerous waves are always the most fun,\u201d Ken Banno interjected with a chuckle.<\/p>\n \u201cCut the chatter and report readiness,\u201d Charles ordered with a sigh.<\/p>\n Jack looked at Betty and she nodded. But he had an important question of her. \u201cUpgrades?\u201d<\/p>\n She smiled and a display came to life with the weapons systems he recognized. There was a gravitic cannon in each wing and four laser pods on either side of the cockpit most often used for point defense. Then the display shifted and the gravitic cannons moved towards the outer wing assembly. Another cannon appeared on the tip of the nose, and a quad barrel laser turret came to life under the nose. And finally a pair of missile pods appeared in the wing where the gravitic cannons had once been. Jack blinked and realized they might be able to challenge Pre-War frigates for a test of firepower. Aneerin hadn\u2019t been joking when he\u2019d said there were upgrades.<\/p>\n \u201cMischief, here,\u201d Katy interrupted his thoughts with her report. \u201cWe\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBuckaroo Flight is ready,\u201d Ken\u2019s voice said next, reporting for himself and the new recruit he<\/em> was charged with acclimating to the squadron.<\/p>\n \u201cDutchman Flight is go,\u201d Jesse added.<\/p>\n That made all six fighters of his division ready to fly. But he still had questions. \u201cAre all<\/em> of our fighters upgraded like this?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty smiled. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy God, they\u2019re never going to know what hit them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPrecisely,\u201d Betty said with pleasure.<\/p>\n Jack smiled and reported their status. \u201cChief, Jester Division is ready to fly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcellent,\u201d Charles transmitted after a few more seconds, presumably after getting Jay\u2019s report. \u201cLaunch as soon as Hal gives us a green light.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRoger that,\u201d Jack answered, leaned back in his seat, and let out a long breath. He glanced over to Betty and she cocked her head the side. \u201cDivision,\u201d he said and she nodded, bringing the entire division into a single conference line. \u201cLooks like it\u2019s time to do what we do best,\u201d Jack announced. \u201cHurry up and wait until we get the green light.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you have experience with that too?\u201d Katy asked.<\/p>\n Jack shrugged. \u201cNot as much as you\u2019d think, actually. Aneerin ain\u2019t one to have everyone stand at attention because he has the rank to demand it. I think his men would laugh<\/em> at him if he tried that one,\u201d he finished with a snort.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do they maintain discipline?\u201d Ken\u2019s recruit asked. Jack glanced at a display to confirm her identity. Dawn.<\/p>\n \u201cThey don\u2019t,\u201d Jack said with another shrug. \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly how it all works, but they really are<\/em> genetically engineered super soldiers. They go from calm and collected tree hugger to stone cold killer in an instant.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s fine if you want a mass of killers,\u201d Katy interjected. \u201cBut how do they train them to fight together without proper discipline?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled at Betty and she shrugged back. \u201cWell, you remember all those regulations we had to memorize that tell us how to stand or act when we\u2019re interacting with anyone from a civilian to the commanding general\u2019s wife\u2019s foo foo dog?\u201d<\/p>\n He thought he heard something that sounded like a snort from the other end. \u201cI remember,\u201d Katy finally said, sounding suspiciously like she was trying to keep from laughing.<\/p>\n Jack raised an eyebrow at Betty. She smiled back. \u201cThe Peloran don\u2019t teach themselves that. They are born<\/em> knowing it. And outside of a very few individuals, they are all very\u2026team oriented. Put five Peloran together, and they\u2019ll move as one by instinct. They don\u2019t have<\/em> to be trained to fight together. They do it without thought. It\u2019s kinda scary, actually. I think that\u2019s why their ambassadors always walk alone. They don\u2019t want us to see a pack of body guards that remind us of sharks swimming through a school of fish.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Katy whispered with dawning comprehension. \u201cThat might make people question their peaceful tree hugger ways.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExactly.\u201d<\/p>\n The light turned green.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s time!\u201d Jack shouted. \u201cLaunch, launch, launch,\u201d he ordered, slammed the throttle forward, shut his eyes, and hoped to God that they were high enough to maintain control on exit.<\/p>\n They shot out into hyperspace and bucked and rolled through the twisting gravity wake around the Guardian Light<\/em>. But they did not die. He opened his eyes in relief to see the kaleidoscope of colors twisting through hyperspace. He saw the other Cowboys shooting out with him, and then frowned as something caught his attention. Each of the fighters had a different icon associated with them. Charles had the face of a wolf, Jesse a fox\u2019s face, and everyone else had another animal. He had the face of a deer.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is that?\u201d Jack asked, waving a hand at the icons.<\/p>\n Betty smiled. \u201cThose are our Peloran callsigns.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned, not liking the way this looked. \u201cWe already have<\/em> callsigns,\u201d he reminded her, letting a little too much of his annoyance get through his voice. He\u2019d earned<\/em> his callsign after all.<\/p>\n She raised an eyebrow at him. \u201cA Peloran callsign is an honor, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight. I\u2019m not an animal.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty sighed. \u201cSo the Peloran have a thing for animals. But they picked ones that fit your personalities. It\u2019s an honor<\/em>, Jack.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack\u2019s frown deepened. \u201cI\u2019ve hunted<\/em> deer. There\u2019s nothing<\/em> honorable about being food on the hoof.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty laughed and shook her head. \u201cNo, silly, it\u2019s a heart<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack raised an eyebrow at her before scanning the displays with a skeptical eye. \u201cNo. I\u2019m pretty sure that\u2019s a deer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook at the antlers, Jack!\u201d Betty shouted and laughed. \u201cIt\u2019s a heart<\/em>. H-A-R-T. Hart!<\/em> An old stag. The King of the forests. A noble<\/em> animal!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack pursed his lips as he came to terms with the word she was using. \u201cYou mean a buck?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty blinked and sighed. \u201cYeah. It\u2019s an Old English term for a buck.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack snorted. \u201cI speak American, not Old English.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be difficult, Jack,\u201d Betty whispered.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not<\/em> being difficult,\u201d Jack protested. \u201cI earned<\/em> my callsign.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, you did,\u201d Betty said with a beaming smile. \u201cYou earned both<\/em> of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned at his logic being turned back on him.<\/p>\n Then his displays flickered again and he looked over to see more fighters launching from the bays or peeling off the Guardian Light\u2019s<\/em> outer hull. The Peloran fighters assumed wedge-shaped formations and slotted into position near the kilometer-long battleship.<\/p>\n The American fighters cut through the gravity wake and flew out to meet Jack and the other Cowboys and Jack gave them a long look. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 had begun The War with twelve fighters. They had lost four pilots during the Battles of Fort Wichita and Alpha Centauri. He had helped Charles screen new applicants and now eight new recruits doubled their surviving numbers.<\/p>\n Major Tom Rogers had been flying longer than Jack had been alive, and Captain Ed Case was a transfer from the first frontline squadron to fly Avengers, the Black Sheep Squadron of World War II fame. Both of them flew Avengers. The other six new arrivals flew the Hellcats they were qualified with, making this one of the more unique formations he\u2019d been part of in his very short military career.<\/p>\n And now nearly two hundred drone fighters identical to the American Avengers and Hellcats in every way began slipping into formation around the manned fighters. That was equivalent to the firepower of an entire Marine Wing<\/em>, and far more firepower than the entire Fourth MSW that the Cowboys belonged to could have boasted when The War began. Jack idly wondered if they could even properly be called<\/em> a squadron anymore. He frowned as the idea stopped being idle at all.<\/p>\n That was when Jasmine\u2019s twenty-centimeter tall hologram flickered into existence on the console next to Betty and brought Jack\u2019s attention back to more important matters.<\/p>\n \u201cGood to be back in the saddle again?\u201d he asked with a smile.<\/p>\n \u201cUnbelievably good,\u201d she said with an answering smile.<\/p>\n Charles voice cut into their witty repartee. \u201cCowboy One to all Cowboys. Fan forward, follow your beams, and watch for enemies\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRoger that,\u201d Jack answered as their beam appeared on the main display and looked to the one that showed Katy\u2019s fighters. \u201cMischief, you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m five by five,\u201d Katy answered his question.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d he said and frowned at hyperspace ahead of them. \u201cStay on my six.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m tight on your tail,\u201d Katy acknowledged. \u201cJust lead the way.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAlways,\u201d Jack said with a smile and nodded towards Betty. She smiled and began accelerating away from the Guardian Light<\/em> and he looked at the displays to see the Cowboys approaching New Washington. \u201cI\u2019m sending a drone up to scout for us. You stay in hyper for now. Hellcats aren\u2019t supposed to be able to transit on their own, so let\u2019s not let them know the rules have changed yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it, Boss,\u201d she acknowledged, her voice betraying just how much she was going to enjoy showing them the new rules.<\/p>\n Jack turned to Betty. \u201cSend a drone through.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded and he watched one of the drones moving forward. He glanced at it, focused on it, and watched as it disappeared in a maelstrom of roiling gravity. A second later, the displays of his fighter filled with information transmitted from normalspace.<\/p>\n New Washington dominated the view, a cold blue pearl in the starry night. Icons appeared around it, first a dozen, then two dozen, and more. Scores, and then hundreds of ships filled the skies around New Washington, and Jack swallowed the frog that appeared in his throat. The Chinese ruled the skies, surrounded by the wreckage of orbital stations and defense ships. It was Yosemite all over again, only this time the enemy was sticking around to make certain the point was made.<\/p>\n \u201cGirls?\u201d he asked and began to chew on his lip. This was bad. Real bad.<\/p>\n \u201cYes?\u201d Betty and Jasmine returned, their voices sounding as nervous as his.<\/p>\n Jack licked his lips. \u201cWe\u2019re going to need a bigger fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCowboy One to all Cowboys,\u201d Charles began transmitting, interrupting his train of thought. \u201cThere appear to be a few more attackers than we expected.\u201d<\/p>\n A dark laughed escaped Jack\u2019s throat at the understatement, and he heard it echoed back through the communications channels from the other Cowboys.<\/p>\n \u201cI agree,\u201d Charles said in an answering growl. \u201cAneerin needs a diversion to get their attention. I told him that we could do that. Are you ready to go in first like proper Marines<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOorah!\u201d the Cowboys shouted in unison.<\/p>\n The Shang formation closer to New Washington blinked on the displays. \u201cThat<\/em> is our target<\/em>,\u201d Charles said in a commanding tone. \u201cIf you have any questions, ask them now<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n Jack swallowed and gave Betty a worried look. She shrugged. \u201cHey, Chief,\u201d he began. \u201cThat\u2019s fifty war<\/em>ships, and we don\u2019t know how<\/em> many fighters. We don\u2019t have the firepower<\/em> to kill them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe do not have<\/em> to kill them, Jester,\u201d Charles answered with what sounded like a shrug. \u201cWe simply need to get their attention.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Jack said in a doubtful tone. \u201cAnd while we do that, what about the Chinese?\u201d<\/p>\n A dark chuckle came over the communication system. \u201cAneerin will deal with them. Now follow me.\u201d<\/p>\n Charles accelerated forward and the rest of the Cowboys followed him through hyperspace. They snuck around the main Chinese formation, just close enough to examine the fleet while staying far enough away that they would not be detected.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve painted my drone,\u201d Betty reported, annoyance written on her face.<\/p>\n Jack scowled. So much for not being detected. \u201cGet out!\u201d he shouted as weapons fire from a squadron of Chinese fighters and a scout craft bracketed her drone.<\/p>\n \u201cToo late,\u201d she answered, returning fire with her gravity cannons. The Chinese scout craft belched wreckage-filled atmosphere, even as the drone maneuvered to avoid the twenty fighters, spilling decoys to draw off or blind the enemy weapons. There were simply too many, though, and she was flying alone. Only ten percent of the missiles held lock, but they were enough to rip the drone apart as Jack watched.<\/p>\n Then the displays showing normalspace winked out and Jack sighed. The displays came back up after a second, showing information coming in from the other scouts the Cowboys had sent through. A quick look showed that the Chinese had killed two more scouts at the cost of heavy damage to six patrols. Three Avenger drones accelerated away from badly wounded scouts along with the other undetected drones.<\/p>\n \u201cShould I send another drone?\u201d Betty asked.<\/p>\n Jack licked his lips, but shook his head. \u201cNo. But\u2026\u201d he trailed off. If they sent someone to investigate in hyperspace, it would be bad. \u201cMischief, move to screening positions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOn it, Boss,\u201d Katy returned and her Hellcat and drones peeled off to surround the Avengers.<\/p>\n If anybody came through, the Hellcats could destroy them with missiles before they knew what happened. The Avengers hadn\u2019t been designed for fighting in hyperspace, a fact Drew\u2019s death had brought into sharp focus. Jack glanced at Jasmine with a worried look, but she pursed her lips and six of their drones moved forward to hold position between the Hellcats and Jack\u2019s Avenger. Jasmine smiled at Jack\u2019s questioning look. \u201cJust in case,\u201d she explained, and Jack turned to ask Betty if she approved. She nodded and he leaned back in his seat, relaxing as he waited for the reports to come in.<\/p>\n They detected no one diving into hyperspace to find them and Jack smiled. The displays actually showed the Chinese turtling up to make themselves harder to attack. And that was all right by him. The Avengers flew deeper into New Washington\u2019s gravity well and the multicolored hues of hyperspace darkened as gravity strengthened. The Chinese held the outer orbitals behind them, while the Shang held the inner orbitals below them. The Cowboys were well and truly surrounded, even if the rock behind them wasn\u2019t moving. Still, rocks had been used as anvils in the past, and a Shang fleet was a real good hammer.<\/p>\n \u201cPrepare to surface,\u201d Charles ordered. \u201cFull emissions control. Make it quiet and gentle. We do not want to be seen until we are in position to fire.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRoger that,\u201d Jack answered and then licked his lips. \u201cYea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor we are the Republic of Texas Marine Corps!\u201d Jay shouted, and only then did Jack realize that Betty had been transmitting.<\/p>\n \u201cOorah!\u201d the other Cowboys shouted as Jack stared at Betty in surprise.<\/p>\n She smiled back. \u201cGotta love the guy,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n Jack shook his head and smiled.<\/p>\n \u201cSurfacing in three\u2026two\u2026one\u2026\u201d Charles transmitted and Jack closed his eyes as light began to build around the nose of his fighter.<\/p>\n The world shifted around him, he opened his eyes, and saw their targets in the distance. The Shang ships were bombarding the planet from orbit with missiles, projectiles, and lasers. Jack could see the explosions on the surface from space. The Shang were leveling the entire colony.<\/p>\n \u201cEngage maneuvering thrusters,\u201d Charles ordered. \u201cNo fusion drives. Keep it gentle.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack nodded to Betty and she smiled as the Avenger accelerated towards the planet. The thrusters disengaged after a few seconds and they drifted towards the Shang fleet like holes in space. Jack sat back and tried to relax as the ships continued to pummel the planet with blow after blow. The planetary networks were still transmitting and their reports flashed across his displays.<\/p>\n Super-heated lasers evaporated lakes and sent clouds roiling into the skies. Missiles exploded over buildings and their pressure waves flattened entire towns. Solid projectiles smashed into the ground at mind-boggling speeds and the world groaned in protest. A volcano erupted after a sustained bombardment and Jack watched as the blast wave destroyed the camera transmitting the images. The footage went on and on from hundreds of transmitters and Jack shook his head in disbelief. This was worse than the Washington strike. It was even worse than Yosemite. The Shang were trying to eradicate life on a planetary level.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are they doing this?\u201d a voice asked.<\/p>\n Jack frowned and looked at his displays. That came from Virginia Adams. She was one of the new Devilcat recruits.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they\u2019re Shang,\u201d Jay rumbled in response and Jack nodded in understanding. The big Indian had lost many of his tribe members when Yosemite fell all over his lands.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I mean why aren\u2019t they hitting the transmitters?\u201d Virginia clarified. \u201cThose can\u2019t hide. We\u2019re seeing everything they do from ground level. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause they want<\/em> us to see,\u201d Charles said in a grim tone. \u201cThey want everyone<\/em> to see and know the cost of opposing their will. They want us to know they have the power to destroy our worlds if we stand against them.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence answered his pronouncement and Charles gave it time to sink in. Jack shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will stop them,\u201d Charles continued after a few silent seconds. \u201cThey have given us no other choice. We either stand as free human beings now, in this instant, or we bow before them as slaves. I will die a free man before I live as a slave.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If there is one thing I have learned while fighting with the Peloran, it is that they are utterly ruthless in battle. They may seem like nice little tree huggers, the kind of old men and women you would trust[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5826","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2304-forge-of-war-earc","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-medron-pryde"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5826","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\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5826"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5826\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5827,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5826\/revisions\/5827"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5826"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5826"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5826"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}