Given Tempest’s usual pride, it might have come as a surprise to learn that she was one of the last ships to signal readiness to the network. In her mind, carriers had the most diverse arsenal. If anyone would fire that weapon, it would most likely be Aegis, but it wasn’t hard to imagine someone like her being next in that line. Just the possibility of it got under her skin.
As expected, the combined mass of fighters was able to shred the weakened hostile vessels.
A series of new hostiles appeared, likely as a further part of the simulation. This time, they were a force of 6 carriers surrounded by 24 frigates.
“Hostile carriers, bearing 217-mark-49. Everyone engage ECM and ECCM, ready SPEAR grids. Reserve bombers until enemy escorts are down. If anyone’s got ECM drones, send them in. Frigates are primary.” Aegis called out.
Tempest quickly ejected two flights of ECM drones out of the porthole on the side of her rigging.
“Expect a lot more fighters. Let’s get some interceptors out there!” She suggested, preparing more bolts. She’d decided on an extra four fighter squadrons, and two interceptor squadrons as well.
“Frigates, cruisers, tac-jump in Cascade pattern. Ready SPEAR, fry any hostile fighters. Carriers, engage hostile escorts in 3…2…1. Mark!” Aegis’s voice called out across the battle network.
As one, several of the shipgirls, including Hope and Lumi, vanished from where they’d been, reappearing in a wide sphere around the enemy vessels. Their SPEAR grids blazed as dozens of needle-thin red-white antiproton beams blasted any launching enemy fighters into nothingness.
The two carrier shipgirls beside Tempest launched more interceptors and fighters as well, their gazes focused as information flew across the battle network and their own local fighter control.
The ECM drones Tempest and some others had launched came into play, jamming enemy targeting systems and making their other (simulated) systems go haywire.
Tempest tasked the interceptors to spread out and protect the fleet. At the same time, the Enact fighters turned their wrath to the frigate escorts.
In her mind’s eye, she’d split the 24 frigates into three groups of eight, and shared this information with the other two carriers. “One group each?” She suggested.
“Works for me.” the first replied. “Their targeting’s out of whack, so it’ll be a walk in the park. Ready when you are.”
The second took a bit longer to respond herself, busy managing the escorting fighter screen. “No issue with that. Fighters are status green. Drones clear across the board.”
With the enemy escorts in chaos and the hostile carriers having lost their launched fighters to SPEAR fire from the orbiting frigate and cruiser shipgirls, the swarm of Enact fighters was poised for a lot of assured eliminations.
Aegis was on hand for more instructions, her tone clear and precise. “Once escorts are down, turn ECM on the enemy carriers. Then send in the bombers.”
Tempest loaded three bomber-bolts in preparation. Perhaps that was a bit overkill, but it wouldn’t hurt. Well, wouldn’t hurt her at least. The enemy, on the other hand…
With deadly precision, the eight squadrons of Enact fighters she had currently fielded worked their way through the escorting frigates, their lasers lighting up the astral battlefield. With the chaos she’d helped create, destroying them would not pose much issue.
“Launching bombers now.” She dutifully reported, firing off the metaphysical projectiles. As per routine, the bombers immediately cloaked, where they would hide until ready to strike.
Despite their small size, the Enact fighters’ pulsed antiproton beams and light missiles dealt enough damage to the enemy frigates to destroy them.
Now the carriers were on their own, and with ECM drones tying up their sensors and targeting systems even their few regular weapons and point-defenses were of little to no use.
“Shields on enemy carriers are still down. Bombers, clear to engage!” Aegis declared over the network.
At last, her favourite moment. While she always loved watching Enact fighters dancing to the tune of her will, there was nothing more beautiful than witnessing the power of the bombers.
They appeared seemingly from nowhere, the ethereal shimmering serving as an unpleasant warning of the pain to come.
All of Tempest’s bombers had focused fire upon the lead ship. She even muttered a silent prayer for her enemy carrier; it wouldn’t stand a chance.
With the shields down on all enemies from the earlier torpedo spread barrage, that many bombers was definitely more than enough.
The bombers from the other two carrier shipgirls struck at the same time as Tempest’s, space being lit by the flares of drive core failures and subsequent detonations from the now destroyed enemies.
“That’s all of them, good work girls!” Aegis praised as the simulation ended and the surrounding space dissolving back into the familiar holodeck. “Alright, that’s a wrap for today. Tomorrow, we’ll cover some advanced uses of your weapons and tricks for short-range combat. Class dismissed!”
Aegis smiled as she looked at Tempest and the other two carriers beside her. Nearby, Hope and Lumi remained close to each other.
Initiative Archival Network 