[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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can take out a Kilrathi battle group this easily, then how does Confed brass
expect to stop her?"
"We haven't taken out this group yet," Santyana reminded. "Move it."
Complying with a burst of thrust, Maniac soared up beside Blair's Rapier.
They darted over the two remaining cruisers and dove forty-five degrees toward
the Ralari-class destroyer in the rear. The ship's two turreted lasers wreaked
equal opportunity destruction and had already crippled three of the seventeen
Rapiers escorting the bombers. Another three Rapiers had broken off to tractor
in those pilots who had ejected.
Still, the destroyer's lasers weren't the most serious threat.
Her twin-barrel antimatter gun swiveled and tracked the bombers, then belched
out a humbling and steady flow that had the entire group suddenly dispersing
as salvos ripped through the phantoms of those crafts.
A flash from the radar scope now showed a band of red blips that represented
a full squadron of Dralthis coming in from Maniac's six o'clock low. "Multiple
hostiles bearing four-two-four by six-one-three. Range: one point five Ks.
They'll reach us first, Blair. My little sweetheart AI counts nineteen."
"Reverse course on my mark," Blair said, his masked face abruptly lighting
the VDU. "Let's tie 'em up for a while."
"You want to play chicken with nineteen Dralthi? Look, I've noticed that you
can't use your 'Pilgrim' call sign here. Makes for a little confusion. But now
I'm thinking you deserve mine. No way in hell am I going to play chicken with
nineteen Dralthi."
"We'll kill thrusters and hit the brakes about a hundred meters out for a
little over and under S and S."
"Now you're talking. But we haven't pulled that one since training. What the
hell. I get top, clockwise rotation."
"And I got control. Steady now. Mark!"
They peeled away, with Blair banking to port, Maniac to starboard, and came
around to reassume their formation flying abreast. The Dralthi hurtled toward
them like a heated braid of silver and tarnished copper that would for a few
seconds wholly deceive the casual observer.
"Range: six hundred meters."
"Oh, God," Blair said through an audible shiver. "Back there this seemed like
a good idea."
"Hey, I say that myself usually when I'm climbing out of her bed the next
morning and can't remember her name. Range: four hundred meters."
Hungry for their first kill, the cats opened up with wing-mounted laser
cannons. Bolts perforated the vacuum around Maniac's Rapier, and a trio
spattered across his forward shield and sent shock waves ripping through the
ship. He thought better of adjusting course, though. Any change would ruin
their ploy.
"About ten seconds now," Blair cried. "Merlin says that the odds of us taking
out all nineteen are "
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Unless he's taking bets, tell the old geezer to shut up."
Maniac fastened his gaze to the nav clock and its pretty green numbers that
blithely ticked off the final seconds.
Chapter 19
Vega Sector, Robert s Quadrant
LeavingAloysius System
CS Olympus
2654.114
0055Hours Confederation Standard Time
Hard brake. Cramp in shoulders. Damned harness. Velocity zero. Holy& They're
right on top of us! Maneuvering thrusters: fire. Commence rotation. Neutron
cannon engaged&
Maniac had positioned himself about ten meters directly over Blair. They held
their coordinates and broke into clockwise and counter-clockwise flat spins,
creating deadly girandoles of fire. The tactic, dubbed a "sit-'n'-spin,"
worked well if you were alone and well away from your comrades since whatever
entered your cone of fire would wind up dead meat, whether you wanted it dead
meat or not. Not many pilots would attempt a duel spin since one misfire of
manuerving jets could result in point-blank friendly fire certainly no way to
get friendly.
But Maniac and Blair had perfected the maneuver. With the tap of a switch, he
had turned over maneuvering to Blair as the Dralthi fanned out and climbed,
seconds away from swooping down and attacking them from above. Blair rolled [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
Page 150
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
can take out a Kilrathi battle group this easily, then how does Confed brass
expect to stop her?"
"We haven't taken out this group yet," Santyana reminded. "Move it."
Complying with a burst of thrust, Maniac soared up beside Blair's Rapier.
They darted over the two remaining cruisers and dove forty-five degrees toward
the Ralari-class destroyer in the rear. The ship's two turreted lasers wreaked
equal opportunity destruction and had already crippled three of the seventeen
Rapiers escorting the bombers. Another three Rapiers had broken off to tractor
in those pilots who had ejected.
Still, the destroyer's lasers weren't the most serious threat.
Her twin-barrel antimatter gun swiveled and tracked the bombers, then belched
out a humbling and steady flow that had the entire group suddenly dispersing
as salvos ripped through the phantoms of those crafts.
A flash from the radar scope now showed a band of red blips that represented
a full squadron of Dralthis coming in from Maniac's six o'clock low. "Multiple
hostiles bearing four-two-four by six-one-three. Range: one point five Ks.
They'll reach us first, Blair. My little sweetheart AI counts nineteen."
"Reverse course on my mark," Blair said, his masked face abruptly lighting
the VDU. "Let's tie 'em up for a while."
"You want to play chicken with nineteen Dralthi? Look, I've noticed that you
can't use your 'Pilgrim' call sign here. Makes for a little confusion. But now
I'm thinking you deserve mine. No way in hell am I going to play chicken with
nineteen Dralthi."
"We'll kill thrusters and hit the brakes about a hundred meters out for a
little over and under S and S."
"Now you're talking. But we haven't pulled that one since training. What the
hell. I get top, clockwise rotation."
"And I got control. Steady now. Mark!"
They peeled away, with Blair banking to port, Maniac to starboard, and came
around to reassume their formation flying abreast. The Dralthi hurtled toward
them like a heated braid of silver and tarnished copper that would for a few
seconds wholly deceive the casual observer.
"Range: six hundred meters."
"Oh, God," Blair said through an audible shiver. "Back there this seemed like
a good idea."
"Hey, I say that myself usually when I'm climbing out of her bed the next
morning and can't remember her name. Range: four hundred meters."
Hungry for their first kill, the cats opened up with wing-mounted laser
cannons. Bolts perforated the vacuum around Maniac's Rapier, and a trio
spattered across his forward shield and sent shock waves ripping through the
ship. He thought better of adjusting course, though. Any change would ruin
their ploy.
"About ten seconds now," Blair cried. "Merlin says that the odds of us taking
out all nineteen are "
Page 151
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Unless he's taking bets, tell the old geezer to shut up."
Maniac fastened his gaze to the nav clock and its pretty green numbers that
blithely ticked off the final seconds.
Chapter 19
Vega Sector, Robert s Quadrant
LeavingAloysius System
CS Olympus
2654.114
0055Hours Confederation Standard Time
Hard brake. Cramp in shoulders. Damned harness. Velocity zero. Holy& They're
right on top of us! Maneuvering thrusters: fire. Commence rotation. Neutron
cannon engaged&
Maniac had positioned himself about ten meters directly over Blair. They held
their coordinates and broke into clockwise and counter-clockwise flat spins,
creating deadly girandoles of fire. The tactic, dubbed a "sit-'n'-spin,"
worked well if you were alone and well away from your comrades since whatever
entered your cone of fire would wind up dead meat, whether you wanted it dead
meat or not. Not many pilots would attempt a duel spin since one misfire of
manuerving jets could result in point-blank friendly fire certainly no way to
get friendly.
But Maniac and Blair had perfected the maneuver. With the tap of a switch, he
had turned over maneuvering to Blair as the Dralthi fanned out and climbed,
seconds away from swooping down and attacking them from above. Blair rolled [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]