Chapter 214

I apologize for the late update. This is a long one, as it marks a good stopping point for the current scene.

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The cockpit was a cramped, vibrating metal box filled with the high-pitched whine of an engine. To Taiki—ace of the Plum’s carrier-based bombing squadron, the "Cats," and a proud member of the Kato Tribe—that whine was music. He could tell just by the pitch that the machine was in decent shape.

"Top-notch. Not bad at all," he purred.

His oversized ears, poking through dedicated holes in his flight helmet, twitched and danced in a rhythmic, good-natured jig. Humming a little tune, he breezed through the hull checks with the practiced grace of a veteran. If I make it back in one piece, maybe I'll use the combat bonus from this sortie to buy that thing I’ve been eyeing, he mused.

[MOTHERSHIP: LAUNCH PREPARATION – STANDBY]

Taiki glanced at the text scrolling across his BISHOP visor, then shifted his gaze to the ten drones trailing his craft. From the outside, they looked like standard units, but a peek inside would reveal cockpits stuffed to the gills with relay equipment. A drone couldn't handle BISHOP’s predictive maneuvers on its own, but by using Taiki’s ship as a localized relay to the Battleship Plum, they could fake it well enough to be deadly.

"Processing the Future Maneuvers for forty ships simultaneously... even with an optimization program, the guy’s a total monster."

He pictured the company President—the man currently serving as the central processing unit for this entire relay system—and let out a smirk. It was his own irreverent way of showing respect.

"Are you talking about the President? Yeah, he’s definitely a freak of nature," Cha’s voice crackled over the comms. "By the way, have you heard the rumors? The exploration team is making a huge fuss about finding that planet the President has been looking for. If it’s true, I really want to see those 'cats' he’s always talking about. I wonder if they actually look like us."

"Not interested," Taiki grunted, though secretly, his curiosity was piqued.

"He did say the phrase 'to borrow even a cat’s hand' comes from them," Yuki, the oldest of the group, chimed in. "Though, if they’re the gold standard for being useless, maybe humanity didn't get along with them all that well."

Taiki nodded. "There’s also the saying 'casting gold coins before cats,'" he added cynically.

"Hey, the fireworks have started. Focus up, runts."

Gon, the team leader, popped up on the visor display, thrusting a paw toward the camera in a silent command. Acknowledgments flooded the comms, and Taiki fell in line.

"Watch the situation carefully. I’m not here to play babysitter."

"I don't remember asking for a dad, Father Gon," Taiki retorted. "I can see the show above us. I’m ready to dive in whenever. Oh, and do me a favor—tell the Boss later that these new helmets are fine, but the belts need to be made of something that actually breathes. I’m sweating like a pig in a sauna over here."

"Oh, this thing? Yeah, it is pretty stuffy," Gon admitted. "I'll put it in the suggestion box."

"Appreciate it. Tell him if the itchiness gets any worse, I won't be able to aim. That’ll get it fixed by the next mission... damn, that’s not even a joke. I’m actually dying here."

Taiki squirmed in his seat, reaching back with a hind leg to give his neck a frantic, undignified scratch. Long, shed hairs drifted through the zero-G cockpit, eventually getting sucked toward the air recycler.

[MOTHERSHIP: LAUNCH PREPARATION – BAY OPEN]

The cockpit lights dimmed until the world was swallowed by shadows. Taiki forced his pupils to dilate, allowing him to see the monochrome interior of the cockpit with crystal clarity for one last check.

"It’s decided. When I get back, I’m buying the whole maintenance squad a round of drinks. This ship is a five-star ride today."

Satisfied, he watched the drone bay doors slide apart. Blinding light flooded in from the gap, turning his vision into a white void. He narrowed one pupil into a slit while keeping the other wide, his brain feverishly stitching together the overexposed and underexposed views.

[CATAPULT LAUNCH – STANDBY] [REDIRECT – READY]

The craft lurched as it locked into the catapult. Taiki gave his paw a quick lick and rested it on the ball-type control device. While BISHOP could fly the ship, most bombers kept manual backups. In a close-quarters dogfight, there was no such thing as "time for repairs." If the computer fried, you either flew it yourself or you died.

"Alright, boys. It’s time to earn our keep," Gon commanded.

Five red lamps on the bay wall lit up. One by one, they winked out in two-second intervals until the final light turned a brilliant green.

[CATAPULT LAUNCH – EXECUTE]

The magnetic hook-type catapult snapped forward, and the bomber surged with a violent burst of speed. A normal human would have blacked out instantly, but Taiki took the G-force on the chin. The Kato Tribe lacked the raw strength of humans, but they were built for high-speed reflexes and environmental extremes.

"Report in as soon as you clear the tube! Same as always!"

Forty-four bombers were spat out of the Battleship Plum, racing into the void in a tight line. Their spherical hulls caught the starlight, and the ear-shaped sensors on top gave them a silhouette that Taiki always thought looked like a Kato tribesman chomping on a cigar-shaped beam launcher.

"Wingman status: Green. Launch was smooth. Visibility clear. Signal strength holding. How about the rest of you—" Taiki swiveled his head, his visor tracking his gaze to highlight his comrades' ships. "All clear."

"Acknowledge. Switching to auto... alright, President. We’re ready. Toss us in."

[AIRFRAME CONTROL – SYSTEM AUTO: CARRIER GUIDANCE]

Control of the bombers shifted to the mothership. The squadron began a slow, sweeping arc, eventually looping back toward the Battleship Plum. Then, they accelerated again with the same bone-crushing force as the catapult launch.

[CARRIER GUIDANCE – MICRO OVERDRIVE: STANDBY]

Behind the Plum—and directly in front of the racing bombers—the very fabric of space began to shimmer. A haze of blue light manifested. Taiki groaned at the relentless G-forces but watched in awe as the Plum transformed into a localized Stargate—the true mark of a carrier.

"Watch the inertial pull! If the relative acceleration drops, initiate a Drive-back immediately!"

[AIRFRAME CONTROL – SYSTEM: MANUAL – DELAY: 5 SECONDS]

"I've heard that one enough to make my whiskers curl, Boss! Give me some new material!"

[DRONE LINKAGE – ESTABLISHED: SYSTEM STANDBY]

"I'll think of something for the next one. If you want to hear it, try staying alive!"

[CARRIER GUIDANCE – MICRO OVERDRIVE: ACTIVATED]

A flash of pale blue light, a stomach-turning sensation of weightlessness, and then—reality returned. The Micro Overdrive had lasted less than a second, and the stars looked much the same, but the neighborhood had changed. The space around them was now packed with ships, and every single one was the enemy.

"Look at 'em! Exposing their flanks like a bunch of idiots!"

The enemy had scattered Anti-Drive Particles to prevent close-range jumps, but those particles thinned out the further they got from the source. With a Stargate-capable carrier, it was entirely possible to thread a small-mass ship—like a bomber—right through the gaps in the screen.

"I bet they didn't think we had a carrier... I've uploaded the targets. Go earn your dinner, everyone."

"Roger that! Let's get this party started!"

Adrenaline surged through Taiki’s veins. He slammed the throttle forward, pushing the bomber to the absolute limits of his endurance. The enemy ships finally noticed the intruders and began to maneuver, but it was too late. Taiki triggered a real-time BISHOP scan.

"Think of this as a housewarming gift! Take it!"

Taiki dove toward the nearest cruiser, lining up a shot at a vulnerable-looking seam in its defenses, and dropped a beam launcher. The weapon pierced the ship’s shield and detonated from the inside.

"Target 1, heavy damage. That’s one less runner in the race. Now to take out the eng—"

Suddenly, a vision of his own ship exploding flashed through his mind.

Without thinking, Taiki yanked the controls, sliding the craft sideways. A stream of anti-aircraft fire tore through the space he had occupied a millisecond prior, vanishing into the dark.

"Crap! That’s a lot of lead!"

The enemy fleet had woken up. Anti-aircraft fire filled the sky, turning the void into a kaleidoscope of lethal light. The bolts were smaller than main batteries but far larger than debris-clearing beams, and they were firing fast.

[DRONE EVASION SYSTEM – ACTIVATED]

Taiki fell back on his training, feeding the drone control data back to the Plum. This allowed him to focus on the big picture while Taro, aboard the mothership, handled the bajillion tiny calculations required for forty ships to dodge a curtain of fire.

"Sending additional targets. Don't get tunnel vision. Save at least half your launchers for the big boys."

"You want us to hit the big ones? We can barely get close in this—dammit!"

The ship shuddered violently. Taiki cursed and checked his status.

"Shield tank one is down! Status report!"

"Hold on..." Gon’s voice came through. "Tank four is venting fire. Jettison it before it blows."

"Shit, that was a full one!"

Taiki punched the release, watching the fuel-filled tank drift away. He immediately checked his logs for the jerk who had shot him. He gave me a beam, so it’s only fair I give him one back.

"E044... that’s the one. Hey Boss, I’m taking him out."

"Is that a manual gunner? Watch yourself."

Most anti-air was automated, but occasionally, a ship would have a dedicated marksman behind the trigger. Those guys didn't miss like the fire-control computers did. It was a battle of who could calculate a more accurate future in their BISHOP.

"At least there are no frigates. Too slow for a long trip, I guess. Lucky us."

Taiki ignored the way his face was being mashed into the seat by the g-forces as he pulled a sharp curve, weaving through the glowing net of fire. One of his drones was clipped and spiraled away, only to be instantly vaporized by an incineration beam.

"The President says the standard for a return gift is triple the value! I don't know if today’s the right day for it, but here you go anyway!"

Taiki flew so close he could have scratched the enemy’s paint, dropping three beam launchers in a row. Two of them just gouged the armor, but the third hit the jackpot.

"Whoa. Okay, I see you."

The rear camera showed the enemy cruiser erupting into a spectacular pillar of fire. Taiki clipped the footage and sent it to Gon. A beam launcher shouldn't have done that much damage.

"Hey Boss, I think these guys have a glass jaw."

"I see it. They’ve strapped extra fuel tanks to their backs for the long haul. New orders: Aim for the rear. There’s a sweet spot right above the engines."

"Haha! I’ll make sure they go out in a blaze of glory!"

Engaged in a slugging match with Taro’s fleet, the enemy ships couldn't afford to turn around. They were sitting ducks for the nimble bombers.

"Boss, we need to pick a main target soon. They’re starting to bunch up."

The anti-air fire was becoming a solid wall of light. The professionals were finally getting their act together.

"They aren't amateurs, that’s for sure. You don't see coordination like this with pirates," Gon said, his hand appearing on the monitor to point. "Alright, let’s go with this one. President’s request."

A marker flashed on the radar. Taiki ducked behind the wreck of a crippled cruiser to catch his breath and plan his run.

"A battleship? Taking the rear should be easy, but are we hitting the tanks?"

"No, we need the engines. Did you forget the mission? We’re here to tie their legs."

"I know, I know. Just seems like a waste of a big fish."

Taiki checked the formation’s link. Twenty percent of their drones were already scrap. They were running out of time.

"The old man is flagging... Boss, tell him to take the empty drones and head back to the Plum. We’ll take his leftover ammo."

"Got it. Old man, you—dammit! I’m hit! My attitude thrusters are gone! Take my drones too, I’m bugging out!"

"Lousy luck. Roger that. Guess it’s just me and Cha against a battleship... I don’t like those odds."

Taiki sighed at the loss of their leader. With their numbers halved, a three-pronged attack was out of the question.

"Fine. We’ll just have to be reckless. Hey, Cha! Follow my lead and don't you dare lag behind!"

Now the acting leader, Taiki’s visor showed Cha’s panicked face as he looked around frantically.

"I’m surrounded by enemy drones! What do I do!?"

"Ignore 'em! Without a pilot, they’re trash. Even with a pilot, they’re just humans. They can't handle our turns!"

Taiki lunged out from behind the wreckage, dodging fire from every direction as he burned toward the target. One of his drones took a direct hit intended for him, shattering into pieces.

"Are you crazy!? This 'attack route' goes right through the middle of the fleet!"

"Shut up and stay close! The manual gunners won't shoot if we’re this close to their own ships. They’re too scared of friendly fire!"

Taiki grazed the hull of an enemy ship so closely he nearly scraped off his own antenna. He was a blur of motion, weaving through the superstructure.

"There she is. Semi-kilometer class... damn, they’re tight. Look at that formation."

The battleship was flanked so closely by cruisers they were practically touching. No autopilot would ever be that daring. Taiki had to give credit to the enemy pilots' guts.

"Can't get to the tail... Hey Cha, you recognize this ship?"

"What? That’s a YAMATA Archishima II! The high-speed model from before they went heavy-armor... stop shooting at me, you jerks!"

"YAMATA? Didn't they use non-modular builds? Is that one in front of us a module type?"

"The II used modules for everything but the primary drive, why does that matter right now!?"

"If you're sure... Change of plans! We’re hitting the thrusters!"

Taiki abandoned the engine run and focused on the attitude control thrusters dotted across the battleship's hull.

"I’ve only got five drones left! We have to go back!"

"Shut up! Me too! Dammit, my neck is so itchy!"

Taiki flew straight into the storm, his vision flashing with the glare of exploding shells. He was terrified, but fear didn't pay the bills.

"You don't need to kill the engine to stop a ship."

He sacrificed a drone to draw the fire, then banked toward the battleship’s bow—the one place they wouldn't expect an attack. The massive structure blurred beneath him. The main turrets were frantically retracting into their bays to avoid being hit.

"My sensor! You blew off my ear, you bastards!"

A proximity blast shattered one of his external arrays, making his radar go haywire. Taiki ignored the vibration and leaned into his monitor, his eyes fixed on the target.

"Drop everything! Once they’re gone, we’re out of here!"

He released every remaining beam launcher. Three were picked off by incineration beams, but five hit home.

"I'm empty! Did we get 'em?"

Taiki glanced back at Cha’s call. Several pillars of fire were erupting from the battleship. If Cha was right about the non-modular drive, they weren't fixing that in the middle of a battle.

"No time to celebrate! If we slow down, we’re dead. Keep accelerating! We’re going over the top!"

"Don't get hit by the big guns... oh, screw it! I'm right behind you!"

They punched through the enemy’s front line, screaming for a pickup. Now that they were clear of the fleet, the enemy had no reason to hold back. Fire rained down on them from every angle. Another drone evaporated.

"President! Get us out of here! It’s getting real hot!"

Taiki shoved all power to the rear shields, watching the levels drop at a terrifying rate.

"Aye-aye! Pulling you in now, just hang on a little longer!"

The President’s voice was far too calm. Another drone went up in smoke. If you have time to talk, you have time to jump us! Taiki screamed internally.

[CARRIER GUIDANCE – MICRO OVERDRIVE: ACTIVATED]

The world turned blue. The weightless tug returned, and a moment later, the chaos vanished. Taiki scanned his surroundings with bloodshot eyes.

"Hah... hah... damn... if he tells me to go back for a second run, I’m shooting him."

There were ships nearby, but they were friendly. Safe. Taiki listened to the thumping of his own heart for a moment, then ripped his helmet off and began to scratch his sweaty neck with reckless, ecstatic abandon.