Chapter 216

Nimitz

Nimitz and Perth, having exited hyperspace, were joined by Aeneas. In formation, the three Tauri vessels descended into the atmosphere. Raised shields protected each vessel from the intense build up of both heat and friction, resulting in the luminous and streaking balls of fire those on the ground far below were staring at in horror and fascination. Like the previous vessel to bare the Nimitz name, she was speeding into harms way.

Throughout the massive vessel, crewmembers sat ready at their battle stations. Aircrew alerted while orbiting the gas giant sat in their aircraft. These 302's, along with their unmanned counterparts awaited the go order to launch. All told, eighty manned and unmanned fighter interceptors sat ready for launch. As Nimitz passed through sixty thousand feet, that order would come, as the aircrew had been briefed.

Over the shipboard communications channel, the order to commence launch operations came from the Air Boss. Protective doors over the eight designated aircraft launch lanes opened. Moving through a highly orchestrated series of events, eighty F-302's of the four hundred aboard catapulted into the atmosphere. This first wave of aircraft engaged their cloaks the moment they passed through Nimitz's shield, and raced away towards their interception point. A second wave of launches would take place at lower altitude, with those aircraft forming a barrier combat air patrol around the battle group.

Elsewhere on the carrier, a platoon of Marines exited the armory. Weapons in hand, the men assembled into formation. Seconds later, the Asgard transporter enveloped the warfighters in ethereal light, and they vanished.

Outside and well away from the carrier, F-302's sliced through the atmosphere. Moving at five times the speed of sound, these lethal hunter killers would cross the distance to the Bedrosian attack craft in less than a quarter of an hour.

Conference Area

Fifteen meters from the highly polished conference table, an eruption of silver light appeared. Seconds later, the silver flash faded; leaving in its place thirty-nine armed and highly motivated Marine's standing in formation. Needing no prompting, the men spread out to assume defensible positions around the garden complex. Those at the conference table saw this, and were somewhat shocked at the men's sudden appearance. Where had they come from?

Seeing this, Rigar instantly felt an icy ball take shape in the pit of his stomach. This was not how things were supposed to be unfolding! All of this must be an Optrican fabrication, some type of ruse. How could this be?

"What is the meaning of this?" Rigar demanded excitedly.

"By this do you mean the vessels above, or the Marine's in the garden?" Barnes asked lightly.

"Answer me!" Rigar shouted.

"Please clarify the question if you don't mind." Barnes asked while maintaining his cool.

"This is an act of war!" Rigar bellowed.

"On Earth, diplomatic personnel and envoy's physical safety is assured by international law. Harming one is an act of war. The team you captured many years ago was on a diplomatic mission, and you proceeded to put them to torture. That being what it is, you're in no position to scream what and what isn't an act of war." Barnes explained.

"You're insane!" Rigar accused.

"Insanity is waging a war of aggression against nations that don't share your beliefs of just where humanity was created. Minister Rigar, your nation is not equipped to fight a war as Earth's equal. To think you can is the height of insanity, I assure you. Now, I suggest you contact your inbound attack craft, and order them to return to their respective bases." Barnes suggested.

"If I don't?" Rigar demanded.

"That is something I doubt you wish to contemplate." Barnes hinted.

Looking at his surroundings nervously, Rigar was unsure what was coming, and what he should do. The end of the war was within his grasp, but it was suddenly slipping away and evaporating like mist. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he decided what must be done.

"I will contact Bedrosian military command." Rigar stated.

"Very well Minister. You're doing the right thing." Barnes said.

Taking a deep breath, and then straightening his collar, Rigar reached for the communications device held in his aide's outstretched hand. Closing his eyes for a moment, Rigar steeled himself for what he was about to do. Bringing the device to his mouth, he pushed the transmit button activating the device.

"Bedrosian military command, this is Minister Rigar." The Minister began.

"We hear you Minister."

"I require that you relay a message to our craft." Rigar stated.

"I am prepared to do as you wish Minister."

"Tell them to press the attack! Destroy the Optrican capital! Leave nothing standing!" Rigar yelled with urgency.

Before a reply came, Rigar dropped the device to the ground at his feet. Bringing his heel down on it with force, he ensured that the device could not be used to relay a conflicting message to the oncoming attack shuttles.

"That was a mistake Minister. You have done nothing more than doom those aviators coming this way. I promise you that." Barnes stated with a trace of sadness in his voice.

Razor Two Zero

Cutting through the air at five times the speed of sound, the formation of manned and unmanned F-302's sped towards their prey with ease. Unseen due to the engaged cloaking devices, the interceptors were thus far undetected. Sitting in his as always uncomfortable armored seat, Lieutenant Commander Len Dawson was ready for whatever he was heading into. His only hope was that all of the aviators under his command would survive the maelstrom they were potentially flying into.

"Razor two zero, this is Nimitz Six." Admiral Clancy Grant said over the encrypted communications channel.

"Razor two zero go." Dawson replied.

"You are directed to attempt wave off of bandits. Should you be engaged, you are clear to fire if fired upon. Acknowledge." Clancy prompted.

"Razor two zero acknowledges wave off, and fire if fired upon." Dawson responded.

"Good hunting Razor. Nimitz out." Rear Admiral Grant finished.

"Razor flight, this is lead. Attempt wave off of inbounds. Fire if fired upon. Go subsonic in sixty seconds, and position for intercept." Dawson radioed to the other craft of the flight element.

As the assorted elements of Razor Flight acknowledged the instructions give, Dawson went through last minute checks in the c.o.c.kpit. Weapons armed? Check. Countermeasures? Check. All was ready. Seconds later, the flight of advanced interceptors rapidly decelerated. Breaking into two separate bodies of aircraft, the 302's maneuvered unseen. Half assumed high top cover above and behind their prey. The other half of Razor Flight descended to six thousand feet, paralleling the course their targets were currently on.

Razor Two Zero, and his wingman Razor Two One, broke away from the paralleling fighter element. Matching speed with the Bedrosian attack craft, the two ship 302 element eased to within three hundred feet of the lead shuttle. Tuning his onboard radio to the frequency passed along by Aeneas, Dawson keyed his microphone.

"Bedrosian aircraft, Bedrosian aircraft, you are nearing Optrican airspace. Immediately alter course, and return to Bedrosian airspace. Please acknowledge." Dawson stated slowly, and clearly.

"Identify yourself!" The Bedrosian flight commander replied testily.

"Bedrosian aircraft, this is Razor Two Zero, of the United States Navy. Alter course immediately." Dawson repeated.

"Clear this channel Optrican. Your bluff is meaningless. If you are real, then show yourself." The Bedrosian flight commander challenged.

Five seconds later, Razor Two Zero and his wingman Razor Two One powered down their cloaking devices. The sudden appearance of the two craft unlike any before encountered so close to the formation caused a momentary panic. Attack shuttles veered away from the two new appearances rapidly. Seeing that they greatly outnumbered the new arrivals, arrogance quickly washed over the Bedrosian pilots. Of their own accord, three of the shuttles began to maneuver in hope of taking station behind the two F-302's.

Well aware of what the shuttle pilots would attempt, Razor Two Zero and his wingman swiftly maneuvered away. Dawson found himself instantly irritated. If this is how you want to play this, fine he thought.

"Bedrosian aircraft alter course immediately. Do not attempt to engage or you will be fired upon." Dawson said clearly into the radio.

In the airspace surrounding this developing situation, the remainder of the 302's present powered down their cloaks. While possible that this sudden appearance of so many aircraft would scare the Bedrosian's into compliance, that hope was far from certain. Sadly, the effect was far from the one hoped for. Within seconds, attack shuttles diverged in all directions. Some turned and climbed, others dove, and still others attempted to get into optimum attack position. Seeing this rapidly unfold, Razor Two Zero and Two One broke off and climbed away rapidly. That is when the situation went from bad to worse.

Two shuttles managed to get off multiple poorly aimed shots of their onboard energy weapon. Tangerine colored beams of excited energy blazed past the now retreating 302's. Seconds later, all hell broke loose. Due to their automated nature, the unmanned 302's were the first to respond to the escalation. Their weapons system armed, two of the AI controlled UCAV's let loose two AIM-9X heat seeking missiles. Closing at several times the speed of sound, the two heat seekers quickly closed on their targets. Fifteen seconds later, as both missiles closed to within two meters of their targets, the twenty-pound fragmentation warheads exploded. Fragments tore through the two targeted shuttles, leading one to explode entirely, while the other plummeted towards the ground largely intact though disabled.

Seeing blood drawn, the aerial fur ball erupted. Bedrosian shuttles swept into tight turns, looking for targets near them. F-302's followed suit with aggressive flight profiles also. As the situation quickly unfolded, shuttle pilots frantically radioed Bedrosian military command. Three of those shuttles were blotted from the ski by UCAV directed rail gun fire.

In the distance, the looming and frighteningly large mass of Nimitz was beginning to come into view. Sighting reports of this craft unlike any before seen soon filled the radio channels of the Bedrosian command.

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