The upper screens flickered as many of the soldiers closed their eyes in fear, the view seemingly from a low flying drone or even bird, sweeping across deep blue lakes and fertile green grass, large forests skirting a fast flowing narrow river with waterfalls. Fahimian figures below waved upwards from smiling faces in the brilliant sunlight, animals racing across the fields as the strange craft swept overhead, Riaz staring upwards at the surreal images in rising relish, his heart pounding in longing to visit the lands as Shino and Debra on either side clenched their eyes.
Tregan stared in awe through the reinforced alloy cockpit windows, the Fahimian blast shields of a transparent resin and reducing the need for a raised projected display. The two small pilots before him were both dressed in commando uniforms, shining silver armour interspersed with thick black padded uniform, their faces concealed by reflective visors as they tensed against the controls.
Tregan’s eyes widened as he saw the vast ship above and to the right, bright laser blasts belching from upper and lower guns towards the Trevakian ships far to the left. He grimaced as he glimpsed one burning brightly, the cruiser slowly progressing away under what seemed to be low power, rear guns still firing out defiantly at the distant warship.
Dots swept across the front of the vast ship above, the Fahimian and Trevakian fighters and bombers now engaging in sporadic dogfights with the reservist Morgon vessels, the smaller pilots screaming in glee at the inexperience of their foe as one by one burning, crippled or shattered black craft attempted to land back on the warship, or make the earth’s atmosphere below. There was no escape, the flashing crimson vessels pursuing any escaping enemies and disabling or destroying them, several spinning and permitted to burn up in the atmospheric ring as the Morgon commander shrieked with rage from his bridge…now understanding the insubordinate engineer was right…he had indeed sent too many craft to the planet below, now they were alone.
The outer shield shimmered and flashed, powerful missiles and laser fire from the Trevakian fleet now targeting weaker spots as more and more energy was diverted to the protective outer layer, the warship engines roaring as engineers worked feverishly to reinforce weaknesses. The ensigns on the bridge flicked their gloved hands across screens in numerous frantic diagnostic checks, the white armoured commander screaming for more powerful fire to be brought on the attacking ships, many continually moving to thwart or confuse the automatic targeting devices, Fahimian engineers endlessly attempting to break into the Morgon network and corrupt the systems.
Aboard Galactic Freedom’s bridge, the admiral spun round in his chair, staring at the flustered ensigns, his voice low and determined, ‘How soon before we puncture their shields? I need it now!’
The lead ensign looked up briefly, then scowled at the scrolling report below, ‘They are able to divert their energy across the shield…they seem to have some sort of reserve power and its vast…the ship’s engines may be the source, but they have the ability to reinforce very quickly.’ She glanced up once more, frowning, ‘We are weakening them slowly…but are taking damage, the Pirrigan is disabled and withdrawing, other ships report integrity loss and shield damage themselves…it is only a matter of time before they break the Fahimian jamming codes and gain reinforcements from the surface.’
The flushed admiral nodded, a hand rising to his chin as his chair revolved back to face the main battle screen, his eyes narrowing in dread as he whispered to himself, ‘Perhaps we have thrown everything against their shields…and this is where it all begins to unravel…’
With all their efforts, the Fahimians and Trevakians knew any window of opportunity was closing…they needed a breakthrough on the attack.
Tregan gasped as tracers swept past the craft cockpit windows, the small vessel bouncing and manoeuvring further, his eyes straining as he glimpsed two explosions near the outer shield, the Fahimian pilots ramming a Morgon fighter protection screen. The Trevakian’s voice was shaking as the dropship bounced and jerked from side to side violently, the Fahimian pilot running his small hands across small flashing lights, ‘C-can they see us?’
The co-pilot shook his head dismissively, his voice seeming almost laboured and mechanical behind the visor, ‘Negative…cloaking and stealth still enabled, we should pass without detection…’ He instinctively flicked one of the red flashing lights below, ‘Transponder frequency changing…initiating new code…’
The pilot nodded in agreement, Tregan holding his breath as further flak and lasers swept out from the immense warship, the outer shield still shimmering from impacts, his muscles tensing in apprehension as the numerous craft swept onwards, Fahimian fighters accelerating above and readying to uncloak as a protective shield.
The drop ship bounced and then surged forward, flying through streaming space dust, several more explosions from the dogfights erupting across the defensive shield, the Fahimian pilot grimacing beneath his visor, ‘Attack codes received…we go!’
Tregan slumped backwards in his seat, swallowing hard as the humming engines seemed to increase in intensity, the craft shaking and vibrating violently, the co-pilot reaching forward, flicking one of the screens, ‘Hold to red…re-evaluating transponders once more…detection scrambling in effect.’ The co-pilot drew a wheezing excited breath beneath the visor, ‘Now is the time…’
The rear compartment of the drop ships were plunged briefly into darkness, then flickered in pulsing crimson, the screens going blank as the sound of rifles powering up resounded across the gloom, several sharp intakes of breath as the marines readied, Debra whispering to the two soldier next to her, ‘Stay with me…we should be home soon!’
Shino swallowed in rising nervousness, her body shivering as the craft buffeted on a flak explosion, Captain Dugachard’s voice rising, ‘Ready all weapons…stay calm and remain with your squads and sections…keep your heads down as we disembark! There will be incoming fire!’
Shouts rang out as the drop ship banked suddenly and sharply, engines almost
