Operation Hellfire Read Online Free Page B

heading right for him.
    Mines!
    Quite why Nate hadn't thought of it before he would never know. He double-checked the distances involved and then immediately detached two missiles from their hardpoints. At the same time, he increased foreword thrust to pull ahead of them.
    "Knighthawks, give me some room."
    The twins rolled away in opposite directions just as Nate lifted the nose of his fighter while still flying ahead on his original course. Once in position, he activated his burners and instantly felt the boost. The engines glowed white as he blasted ahead, leaving a streak of flame glinting behind. The expelled heat and flame would last just a moment in the void, but it was enough to detonate the two impotent missiles, both of which exploded. The enemy missile ran directly into the blast and joined them, creating a mini inferno that vanished as quickly as it had arrived.
    "Nice flying, Knighthawk Leader," said Jaren, "The fighter squadron is heading for the big birds, though. We're running out of time."
    The three moved back together and rushed closer to the capital ships, where the formation of enemy fighters was also manoeuvring. Because of the change in ship positions, they had adjusted their course to above ANS Relentless. A Mahingan fighter moved too high and strayed into the line of sight of ANS Blackfish. Nate punched the air as he watched the destruction of the powerful fighter. It was instantly vaporised by three streams of gunfire. The other five dropped back down and kept Relentless between them and Blackfish.
    "Okay, we've got a chance here. Follow me in."
    The remaining Mahingan fighters came in fast and towards the bow of Relentless. The other two formations circled at a distance of nearly thirty kilometres away and continued to launch missiles, but Nate couldn't give them much thought. He had to stop this one group from getting to the stern of Cardigan Bay. They moved in close so that they were just above and nearly a hundred metres behind the Mahingans.
    "Take them out."
    All three fired and were rewarded by seeing two explode. The other three spun away as though knocked off from the blast and headed off in different directions.
    "Get the wingmen. I'll take the leader."
    The twins split up, and Nate hit his burners, shifting the fighter from left to right to get the best lock on his opponent. The pilot was good and moved so close to Relentless that the ship's guns were unable to target it. Then as quickly as it had arrived, it burst away from the ship and into the open space between Relentless and Cardigan Bay. It was a narrow gap, and ANS Blackfish managed a short burst before they were flying along the flank superstructure of the landing ship. The Mahingan raked its surface with its eight 13mm automatic cannons. They made a mess of the hull but did little major damage, as far as Nate could tell.
    Hurry up! Stop him.
    They were now past the stern of the ship, and the Mahingan spun around so that it was flying backwards, yet pointing its nose at the rear of the massive landing ship.
    No!
    Before he even had the fighter lined up, Nate pulled the trigger. Both Gatling guns opened up and filled the space around the fighter with hundreds of hardened slugs. Most missed, but enough struck to make it shudder, and when it fired, the onboard medium-velocity mass driver managed to miss its target by only three metres.
    "Yes!"
    Nate put his fighter into a roll and chased the Mahingan as it pulled up and performed a tight figure-of-eight manoeuvre.
    "Knighthawks, I need help here."
    Turret fire from the ships flashed all around him, but being so close to the Mahingan, they were unable to use shrapnel rounds. The fighter straightened up and spun around backwards so that it was facing him. All eight guns opened up, and at the same time, Nate pulled his own trigger. The two fighters exchanged a deadly burst of fire, both taking heavy damage from the projectiles. Warnings sounded through his craft, and then a screaming