CROSSFIRE - Atlantis DSV - New Cape Quest

“As I said, ensign... Make the call.”
Callaghan was already walking back to the command deck when the ensign finally
shook his head and keyed the 1MC. “General Quarters, General Quarters, set condition one
across the ship. Alert-Five prepare for launch. Captain Banick, report to the bridge.”
The battle klaxons started wailing as soon as the ensign had finished his
announcement, and Callaghan fell in to his chair to begin acknowledging stations as they
checked in.
It took nearly a minute for the ship to report as battle-ready, at which time Captain
Banick walked on to the bridge with Now-Captain Corinn Roderick close in tow. Bells rang as
the clam-doors began to close, and sealed shut with a solid “thump” and snap-hiss. “What
do we have?” Banick asked as he walked up the stairs to the command deck. Callaghan was
already standing up to head in to the CIC that was directly next to the command deck
through folding glass doors.
He stepped in line with Banick and Roderick as the three officers entered the Combat
Information Centre, and the doors closed behind them. “Unknown, sir. Sonar just lost contact
with one of the WSKRS in the Folly, and we‟ve been unable to bring it back online.”
Banick looked at the large glass chart at the centre of the CIC, which had noted on it
the locations and positions of the Commonwealth and its battlegroup. Less than fifty miles
south of them, Challenger lay as a massive, open hole in the Earth. The Chaodai carrier they
had been hunting for a week was said to be operating out of the Abyssal, where its ability to
launch attacks and then hide again had dogged the UEO fleet for the better part of a month.
Commonwealth had been called in to deal with it, but so far had only driven the enemy
warship further in to hiding. Swordsman‟s Folly was the last in a series of ravines that
opened in to the low plains immediately south of Commonwealth – a notoriously winding and
complex passage that made tracking the movements of fighters with any degree of reliability
all but impossible.
“I take it we‟ve had nothing on our own sensors then?” Banick asked.
“No sir, not a thing. But without that WSKRS, that‟s one hell of a huge hole through
which you could slip almost anything. They could be on top of us and we‟d never know it.”
Roderick nodded silently, but didn‟t seem convinced. “It was your call then?”
“No ma‟am, it was Ensign Drusetti‟s, but I supported it.”
“Good enough for me,” said Banick. “Have the Dark Angels move in from CAP to
cover the alert fighters. Have them do a sweep of the approaches of the Folly, but do not
engage unless ordered. I want to know size and disposition, nothing more.”
One of the CIC operators removed his headset and turned to face the Captain. “Sir,
Fall River and Tripoli have reported battle ready and have taken position on our quarters at
one mile. Alert fighters are launching now.”
~
Commander Dustin Coyle cleared the starboard-bow of the Commonwealth and
pulled in to a tight banking turn that brought him straight on to the wing of a red-pinstriped
Raptor from the 173 rd fighter squadron – the Griffons. “Griffon three, this is Dark Angel one,
check your nine, I have your wing.”
“Commander Roderick? Your voice seems to have gotten deeper. Balls finally
dropped?”
Coyle smirked and kicked up his throttles to break out ahead of the flight of Raptors
making up Commonwealth‟s five-minute Alert-squadron. “Na, they just got larger. You now
have my wing. Take up formation on my six and try to watch who you‟re shooting.”
Griffon Three‟s laughter was cut short by the firm but collected voice of Warseer – the
SEWACS in charge of flight operations.
“Alright – Bouncer, Nimbus, cut the chatter. We‟ve lost contact with a WSKR near
Swordsman‟s Folly, and the Captain wants us to find out why. Dark Angels – you have point.
- 53 -