The Legend of the Voronov
Part V
The Rock
Shek Sunrunner and Lelos Somm walked down one of the passageways within the Rock. The two swordmasters, out of habit, were taking a somewhat indirect path to hanger section 3. They would take a direct way back, also out of habit, once they were finished. The only habit you need ever have, the warprophets of the Sarpi War Academy had said, is the habit of unpredictability. Of course, it remained up to the individual swordmaster how to achieve that unpredictability. There was only one test. And they were still alive.
I do not like this, Shek, Lelos commented.
Look, you remember just as well as I do that Dech is reliable. Hes trustworthy.
Yes, I know, I know. And yes, I also know Vorik High Command said to use whatever means necessary to acquire the weapon. Id just rather be doing the job myself.
And do you think you could hack through the security nets here? Itd be like trying to crack the VSD. Besides, we know no one here, aside from him. He can help us, through those he knows.
Lelos Somms only reply was silence.
Do not worry, my friend. We will succeed. But we have something of immediate interest to deal with at the moment.
After a few more minutes of walking, the two Durachi arrived at hangar section 3. They entered, moving with the effortless deadly grace that marked all Durachi swordmasters, and all elite warriors of any culture, for that matter. They quickly took in the hangar bay, committing to short-term memory the locations of various objects that might become suddenly useful in combat.
Yet there seemed to be no sign of this mysterious woman with long, red hair.
Isled Naval Research Institute, Isled System
Fleet Commander Irayev examined the report the Isled Engineer had given him. The new specifications of his fleets frigates were impressive. Irayev began to understand, considering the new technology, the true implications of Operation Shadowstorm.
This isnt just a conquest of the Emalgha By Borb what are we about to do?
The Voinian 7th Fleet had been the first to have its frigates refitted with the new generators. Theyd have to come back, of course, once the rotocannons were ready, but for now, all fifty of the Border Fleets would receive the upgrade and then return to their posts, their combat power significantly augmented.
The V. I. S. Thorokovsky, Voinian-Emalgha Border
So the Emalgha scum still maintain their border pickets.
So it would seem, sir.
Visible on the Thorokovsky s tactical display were the shapes of four Emalgha warships, a significant increase over previous operating procedure. Apparently the ships theyd killed earlier had managed to warn the Elders about new Voinian technology.
Whatever the case, four warships would, at best, leave some dents in the Thorokovsky s armor. At least, so long as the rotocannons delivered. The battle would be tricky.
This is an instance, Borb IX thought to himself, in which Id like to have at least some fighter support. Out loud, he said, Prepare to engage the lead picket ship.
The Thorokovsky s crew, already at their battle stations, checked their instruments and weapons one final time. They trusted their ship commander, since he had told them why he had taken on the job of field tester. You will always be aboard the Empires most capable, well-equipped ship. He cared for their lives. And when the battles came, they gave everything they had, because they knew that the ship commander would only risk their lives when he deemed it was essential to the Empires survival.
The Emalgha ships had moved closer to the frigate. They werent venturing outside the protection radius of one anothers weapons, which left Borb with few options. Rockets might be the best way to try and disperse the formation. The rotocannon, unfortunately, had little to no range improvement over the conventional neutron cannon.
Flood rocket tubes 1 and 2. Target the middle two warships.
The combat control center (CCC) aboard the frigate moved quickly. Rockets armed, sir.
Fire. Re-flood tubes, and spin up rotocannons.
Aye, sir.
The rockets streaked towards the lead two picket ships. One of them impacted the second warship, but the second one missed its target. However, it still detonated, causing some damage to the third and fourth warships.
Soon the warships were within range of the frigates main weapons, and the frigate was within range of the Emalgha weapons as well.
Open fire with all weapons! Focus fire upon the most damaged targets!
The rotocannons spewed out thousands of rounds of neutron fire amid the hail of Emalgha mass driver slugs and two more Voinian heavy rockets. The second warship was soon a burning husk in space, and soon the fires extinguished themselves, after all the air aboard the ship had been consumed. The frigate was taking a hammering, though. Already theyd had to switch to their secondary grid, and it would fail soon too. The primary grid was only charged back to 60% when they had to switch again.
The rotocannons, thankfully, were doing the job their developers had promised. Soon the third warship was disabled, and the fourth was unable to avoid two rockets that holed the ship. The first warship managed to bring down the frigates shields.
Sir, we have hull breaches in the armor! Sections 9 and 51 have been breached. Secondary airlocks and blast doors have been secured.
Re-flood tubes. Concentrate rotocannon fire upon the final ship.
The neutron bursts rapidly took down the Emalgha shields. The two rockets were fired, and, remarkably, although it happened often enough, both missed. And all the while, the armor of the frigate was failing.
Re-flood tubes!
Aye sir! Tubes flooded.
Nail em!
This time, both rockets pierced the Emalgha hull and detonated inside.
Bring us around. Prepare boarding parties for the disabled ship. Vorik has some questions for the vermin.
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Hear the Myth, Feel the Glory
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