pointed out. “Yet the Aurora took it apart, ship by ship.” He looked at his aide as he took his seat again. “I assume Admiral Toliva is aware of this scout?”
“Of course,” the aide answered. “He is quite confident in the Ton-Conoc’s ability to withstand any attack.”
“Let us hope his confidence is not misplaced, like so many other commanders that have faced the Aurora before him.”
The general’s aide nodded, then turned to exit.
“Have my ship made ready,” the admiral added, “just in case.”
The general’s aide turned back and looked at him, a combination of surprise and confusion on his face. “Of course, General.”
* * *
“Jump complete,” Mister Riley reported as the Aurora’s jump flash subsided.
“Multiple contacts,” Mister Navashee called from the sensor station, “two groups of seven Falcons, sir. Jump flash. The Celestia just jumped in, fifty kilometers to starboard.”
“How are those revisions coming, Lieutenant?” Nathan asked.
“Updates to the battle plan will be completed in thirty seconds, Captain,” Lieutenant responded.
Nathan glanced at the tactical display window located along the bottom center of the main view screen. The assortment of blue icons told him that his attack group was in position at the rally point. “Very well.” Nathan took in a deep breath, “pass the word to all ships, set general quarters.”
“General quarters, all ships, aye,” Naralena answered.
“Calculations complete,” the lieutenant reported. “The battle plan has been updated to account for changes in target positions, Captain.”
“Combat jump one, plotted and locked, sir,” Mister Riley reported.
“Very well,” Nathan replied, his tone smooth and relaxed. He cleared his throat. “Remember, by the numbers. We jump in, fire, jump out. As little time as possible in each kill zone.”
“All stations report manned and ready,” Naralena reported. “The XO is in combat, and the chief of the boat is in damage control.” Naralena glanced forward toward her captain. “The ship is at general quarters, sir.”
“All ships report general quarters, sir,” Lieutenant Eckert reported from the tactical station. “All weapons, charged and ready.”
“Alert all ships to start their battle clocks on our jump flash,” Nathan ordered. “Mister Riley, let’s go do some business. You may execute combat jump one when ready.”
“Aye sir,” Mister Riley acknowledged, fighting back a smile as he checked the countdown timer on his jump status display. “Executing combat jump one in twelve seconds.”
“The Aurora has jumped,” Ensign Kono reported.
“Battle clock has started,” Luis reported from the Celestia’s tactical station.
“Ten seconds to combat jump one,” Mister Jakoby added.
Cameron glance at the time display on the center console between her navigator and helmsman directly in front of her. Beneath the green time display the red battle clock display was counting upward from zero. Below that, a third time display that indicated the time remaining before their next jump also counted down.
“Five seconds.”
Cameron placed her hands on the arms of her command chair, appearing as relaxed as possible. From her first day in the Academy, all she had ever wanted to do was to command a ship. Now, she was not only the first woman to command an EDF ship, but she was also the youngest person to ever command one. She should have been happy, but the only thing she felt was concentration… Intense and focused.
The Celestia’s jump flash washed over the bridge.
“Jump one complete,” Mister Jakoby reported.
“Contact!” Ensign Kono reported from the sensor station. “Frigate two, ten kilometers out and one above, slightly to starboard. Transferring track to tactical.”
“Mains are at zero,” Ensign Hunt reported, “bringing our nose onto the target.”
“Five seconds to firing solution,” Ensign Delaveaga said.
“Triplets on all
“Of course,” the aide answered. “He is quite confident in the Ton-Conoc’s ability to withstand any attack.”
“Let us hope his confidence is not misplaced, like so many other commanders that have faced the Aurora before him.”
The general’s aide nodded, then turned to exit.
“Have my ship made ready,” the admiral added, “just in case.”
The general’s aide turned back and looked at him, a combination of surprise and confusion on his face. “Of course, General.”
* * *
“Jump complete,” Mister Riley reported as the Aurora’s jump flash subsided.
“Multiple contacts,” Mister Navashee called from the sensor station, “two groups of seven Falcons, sir. Jump flash. The Celestia just jumped in, fifty kilometers to starboard.”
“How are those revisions coming, Lieutenant?” Nathan asked.
“Updates to the battle plan will be completed in thirty seconds, Captain,” Lieutenant responded.
Nathan glanced at the tactical display window located along the bottom center of the main view screen. The assortment of blue icons told him that his attack group was in position at the rally point. “Very well.” Nathan took in a deep breath, “pass the word to all ships, set general quarters.”
“General quarters, all ships, aye,” Naralena answered.
“Calculations complete,” the lieutenant reported. “The battle plan has been updated to account for changes in target positions, Captain.”
“Combat jump one, plotted and locked, sir,” Mister Riley reported.
“Very well,” Nathan replied, his tone smooth and relaxed. He cleared his throat. “Remember, by the numbers. We jump in, fire, jump out. As little time as possible in each kill zone.”
“All stations report manned and ready,” Naralena reported. “The XO is in combat, and the chief of the boat is in damage control.” Naralena glanced forward toward her captain. “The ship is at general quarters, sir.”
“All ships report general quarters, sir,” Lieutenant Eckert reported from the tactical station. “All weapons, charged and ready.”
“Alert all ships to start their battle clocks on our jump flash,” Nathan ordered. “Mister Riley, let’s go do some business. You may execute combat jump one when ready.”
“Aye sir,” Mister Riley acknowledged, fighting back a smile as he checked the countdown timer on his jump status display. “Executing combat jump one in twelve seconds.”
“The Aurora has jumped,” Ensign Kono reported.
“Battle clock has started,” Luis reported from the Celestia’s tactical station.
“Ten seconds to combat jump one,” Mister Jakoby added.
Cameron glance at the time display on the center console between her navigator and helmsman directly in front of her. Beneath the green time display the red battle clock display was counting upward from zero. Below that, a third time display that indicated the time remaining before their next jump also counted down.
“Five seconds.”
Cameron placed her hands on the arms of her command chair, appearing as relaxed as possible. From her first day in the Academy, all she had ever wanted to do was to command a ship. Now, she was not only the first woman to command an EDF ship, but she was also the youngest person to ever command one. She should have been happy, but the only thing she felt was concentration… Intense and focused.
The Celestia’s jump flash washed over the bridge.
“Jump one complete,” Mister Jakoby reported.
“Contact!” Ensign Kono reported from the sensor station. “Frigate two, ten kilometers out and one above, slightly to starboard. Transferring track to tactical.”
“Mains are at zero,” Ensign Hunt reported, “bringing our nose onto the target.”
“Five seconds to firing solution,” Ensign Delaveaga said.
“Triplets on all
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