CROSSFIRE - Atlantis DSV - New Cape Quest

It was a shocking, but deliberate act of supreme sacrifice the likes of which Ainsley
had never seen. An uncountable number of torpedoes buried themselves in to the massive,
exposed keel of the winged heavy cruiser, ripping it asunder piece by piece. So many
torpedoes tore in to it that she flooded completely and instantly, and didn‟t even have time to
implode as had her sisters. The missile strikes continued, the ship stubbornly lingering for
several seconds that all but saved the carriers beyond. Those officers on the UEO side felt
something stir in them as they witnessed the actions of those who knew they could not win,
and had given everything to make their deaths matter.
Matter it did, as the two Alliance carriers continued to pull away with ever-increasing
speed, the sacrifice of the cruiser and the fighters that stubbornly remained behind to
continue their futile duels against the combined forces of three UEO Carrier Sea Wings.
“We‟ve lost guidance lock on the carriers, Captain,” the tactical officer reported.
“Attempting to reacquire-”
“Belay that,” Banick cut in. “What‟s the status of those Chaodai cruisers?”
The tactical officer looked up from his console and shook his head, the shadow of his
brow casting a telling a darkness over his eyes. “Still coming. They‟ve assumed battle
formation and have deployed fighters.”
Admiral Ainsley was staring blankly at the plot, and the fading sonar return of the
dead Macronesian cruiser. “The Chaodai never retreat, Captain... Mister Jones, what was
the name of that heavy cruiser?” he asked, raising his voice over the din of the CIC‟s combat
chatter. The officer in charge of the operations post looked surprised as the Admiral called
for him, and hesitated for several seconds. The Admiral then looked up. “I asked you a
question, Lieutenant,” he snapped impatiently.
“I... I don‟t know, Admiral,” replied the operations chief apologetically.
Ainsley straightened, and Banick took a step back to look at the officer before adding
firmly, “Then find out, Lieutenant.”
Banick forgot about it quickly as he looked back at the fast-approaching Chaodai war
cruisers. “Helm, bring us about to zero-seven-zero, steady at six-two knots.”
“Aye, Captain.”
Roberts couldn‟t believe her eyes as the groans of tortured hull metal, tearing and
contorting, continued to ring throughout the sea around her. The massive Alliance heavy
cruiser still reeled in its death throes as the four UEO juggernauts passed silently overhead,
the great silhouettes standing out starkly against the light of the ocean‟s surface. It had been
a slaughter, but it was not over as her fighter continued its long run back through and around
the UEO taskforce. There were now dozens, if not close to a hundred subfighters assuming
formations around the great battlecruisers – the combined weight of three battle groups, plus
those that had arrived from the nearby seaQuest and Enterprise. She took a breath as the
rest of the VF-107 Rapiers settled in around her fighter, and then led them up to come back
around on the UEO fleet – slipping in to place effortlessly at the head of the fighter formation.
She looked across at the black-hulled fighter next to hers and saw the number
beneath the canopy.
“Bouncer; Deadstick - what‟s your count?”
After a moment, the radio crackled in her ear. “Deadstick; Bouncer – no casualties.”
Roberts nodded in relief and then looked back at the approaching mass of Chaodai
subfighters on her sonar, just two miles distant and closing fast.
“This is Roulette – bingo fuel. Returning home. All flights be advised, Warseer is
assuming battlefield control. Good hunting.”
Roberts felt a small rush of relief with that news, but nonetheless keyed her radio
again. “Understood, Roulette. Thanks for the help. See you back at the barn.”
“This is Warseer to all strike units. Tally-Ho on thirty-five bandits, closing on heading
zero-seven-zero at speed one-five-zero knots. All fighter group commanders assume attack
formations and engage. Cover the taskforce until ordnance delivery has been achieved. This
is going to get loud.”
- 113 -