The Earth Conundrum: Book 1 of the Alliance Conflict Read Online Free
Author: Jeff Sims
of every fighter for himself. There hadn’t been an actual dogfight in the 38 years since the Hiriculans left the Alliance and Captain Solear doubted there would be one today.
He was wrong.
The enemy fighters in the lead group launched attack missiles. The two trailing wings launched counter attack missiles and prepared to loop. The loop was a classic maneuver. The upper fighters swoop up and then down and the lower fighters swoop down and then up. This aligns the nose of the fighter with the body of the opposing fighter and gives the pilot a devastating shot.
Commander Arean couldn’t believe the enemy had actually launched missiles. He was stunned, and for a moment couldn’t move. Fortunately, he remembered his training and said, “All fighters you are free to engage the enemy. Attack at will.”
The Alliance fighters launched an initial barrage of missiles and split formation to avoid the on-coming loop. Counter missiles sought missiles, missiles sought fighters and fighters tried to establish a lock on enemy fighters. The enemy fighters had broken past the initial engagement. Since both sets of fighters were facing each other during the initial pass, they were for the most part, now tail to tail. As the Alliance wing was turning for another pass, the enemy fighters had a choice – turn back toward the Alliance fighters or continue toward the Alliance cruisers.
Captain Solear tried to influence the enemy’s decision by ordering a full round of anti-fighter missiles to be fired. The enemy fighters turned away from the Alliance cruisers and up and away from the remaining Alliance fighters. It was clear the Hiriculan fighters were leaving.
The Alliance fighters easily had the range and speed to catch the enemy fighters before they rendezvoused with their ships. He considered ordering his fighters to pursue, but paused a moment. He said, “Computer, analysis.”
…The enemy fighters are retreating, but retain full combat capability. The Alliance fighters can engage them, but will be unable to do so until they are in range of the enemy’s capital ships. There is an 85% probability that our fighters will suffer nearly 50% casualties in a second pass…
That decided it. “Clowy, signal all fighters to return. Launch the recovery shuttle.”
“Should I directly signal the fighters to return?” she asked.
“Yes,” he responded, then said, “Carank, do you have a count on the fighters.”
Carank said, “Not yet. We are still receiving telemetry. I can confirm though that there are several life pods that need to be retrieved.”
As the fighters neared the cruisers and prepared to dock, Carank had finished the tally from the battle. The pass had literally decimated the Alliance fighters - six planes had been destroyed; their pilots dead. Eight more fighters had been destroyed, but their pilots had ejected in time. Eight others had been damaged to varying degrees, but were still flyable.
The enemy had fared much worse. Eighteen of their fighters had been destroyed, with no surviving pilots. Three others had been lightly damaged and were able to return to their fleet. The destroyer and the two cruisers picked up the remaining fighters and headed back toward the hyperspace lane that led toward Hiricula.
It was a tradition for the weapons officer to give a formal account of the battle when all surviving fighters were aboard. Carank stood and the other four crew members on the bridge joined him. He broadcast throughout the ship, “Today we launched 20 brave and noble fighters. They fought valiantly, scoring a total of 7 hits and 6 kills. Fourteen fighters returned and three additional pilots were recovered in life pods. Three were killed in the battle.”
After a moment of silent reflection by the bridge crew, Clowy announced, “We are receiving a hail from the Justice. ”
“You’re welcome,” answered Lorano as he strode onto the bridge. “I have fixed the communications system. It was the secondary
He was wrong.
The enemy fighters in the lead group launched attack missiles. The two trailing wings launched counter attack missiles and prepared to loop. The loop was a classic maneuver. The upper fighters swoop up and then down and the lower fighters swoop down and then up. This aligns the nose of the fighter with the body of the opposing fighter and gives the pilot a devastating shot.
Commander Arean couldn’t believe the enemy had actually launched missiles. He was stunned, and for a moment couldn’t move. Fortunately, he remembered his training and said, “All fighters you are free to engage the enemy. Attack at will.”
The Alliance fighters launched an initial barrage of missiles and split formation to avoid the on-coming loop. Counter missiles sought missiles, missiles sought fighters and fighters tried to establish a lock on enemy fighters. The enemy fighters had broken past the initial engagement. Since both sets of fighters were facing each other during the initial pass, they were for the most part, now tail to tail. As the Alliance wing was turning for another pass, the enemy fighters had a choice – turn back toward the Alliance fighters or continue toward the Alliance cruisers.
Captain Solear tried to influence the enemy’s decision by ordering a full round of anti-fighter missiles to be fired. The enemy fighters turned away from the Alliance cruisers and up and away from the remaining Alliance fighters. It was clear the Hiriculan fighters were leaving.
The Alliance fighters easily had the range and speed to catch the enemy fighters before they rendezvoused with their ships. He considered ordering his fighters to pursue, but paused a moment. He said, “Computer, analysis.”
…The enemy fighters are retreating, but retain full combat capability. The Alliance fighters can engage them, but will be unable to do so until they are in range of the enemy’s capital ships. There is an 85% probability that our fighters will suffer nearly 50% casualties in a second pass…
That decided it. “Clowy, signal all fighters to return. Launch the recovery shuttle.”
“Should I directly signal the fighters to return?” she asked.
“Yes,” he responded, then said, “Carank, do you have a count on the fighters.”
Carank said, “Not yet. We are still receiving telemetry. I can confirm though that there are several life pods that need to be retrieved.”
As the fighters neared the cruisers and prepared to dock, Carank had finished the tally from the battle. The pass had literally decimated the Alliance fighters - six planes had been destroyed; their pilots dead. Eight more fighters had been destroyed, but their pilots had ejected in time. Eight others had been damaged to varying degrees, but were still flyable.
The enemy had fared much worse. Eighteen of their fighters had been destroyed, with no surviving pilots. Three others had been lightly damaged and were able to return to their fleet. The destroyer and the two cruisers picked up the remaining fighters and headed back toward the hyperspace lane that led toward Hiricula.
It was a tradition for the weapons officer to give a formal account of the battle when all surviving fighters were aboard. Carank stood and the other four crew members on the bridge joined him. He broadcast throughout the ship, “Today we launched 20 brave and noble fighters. They fought valiantly, scoring a total of 7 hits and 6 kills. Fourteen fighters returned and three additional pilots were recovered in life pods. Three were killed in the battle.”
After a moment of silent reflection by the bridge crew, Clowy announced, “We are receiving a hail from the Justice. ”
“You’re welcome,” answered Lorano as he strode onto the bridge. “I have fixed the communications system. It was the secondary
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