Read Online Rumors of Glory (The System States Rebellion Book 1) by Dietmar Wehr - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Dietmar Wehr
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volley had
hit the third one. “Comp, evaluate results of first volley of missiles. Why
didn’t our missiles hit the lead target?”
“Tracking indicates that second vessel moved in front of
target. Missile terminal guidance did not have enough time to maneuver around
it,” said the electronic voice.
Son of a bitch! That squadron commander
ordered his other two ships to maneuver in order to take the hits meant for
him! Drake waited to see whether his second and third volleys would still go after
their assigned targets or go after the leader. Either alternative was possible.
The missiles had been aimed at a point in space where the targeted ships should
be IF they continued to accelerate in the same direction, but the number two
and number three ships were no longer accelerating at their maximum rate of
7.7Gs. One was down to only 3.1Gs, and the other was down to 4.4Gs. Both ships
had obviously suffered damage to their maneuvering engines. That meant that
they wouldn’t be at the interception point by the time the second and third
waves got there. Those missiles would turn on their own terminal guidance
radars during the last few seconds of flight, and those radars would see no
target at the anticipated location and three possible targets at other
locations. Drake wasn’t familiar enough with the guidance system’s programming
algorithms to know which new target they would select. And since Boomer’s
second and third waves were coming in on a different angle from his, it was
entirely possible that all the missiles from both waves and both boats might
just converge on the leader.
That didn’t happen. Both of his waves hit one of the
damaged ships, and both of Boomer’s waves hit the other damaged ship again. The
two ships immediately stopped accelerating.
“Comp, did the two damaged ships position themselves in
our missiles’ path again?”
“Affirmative.”
Drake banged his fist against this chair’s armrest in
frustration. The lead ship now had a good chance of getting away if Boomer’s
KEs didn’t damage its power plant or hyperdrive. If the lead ship continued to
accelerate in the same direction, there was a possibility that all 15 of
Boomer’s KEs would retarget against it, but after a couple of minutes, it
became obvious that the lead ship had changed direction. It was trying to
maneuver so that one of the two damaged ships would be in the path of at least
one and maybe even two of Boomer’s missile volleys as they tried to adjust
their trajectories to hit a target that was no longer where it was supposed to
be.
Drake had to give that FED Commander credit. He or she
was good, very good in fact, but also ruthless to a degree that made Drake
shake his head in dismay. Deliberately sacrificing two thirds of his or her
command in order to getaway was a decision that Drake could not have made.
Before Boomer’s KE missiles reached their targets, that
incoming wave of 30 FED missiles reached the 101 boat. The com channel between
the boats was still open. Drake heard Boomer warn her crew of the impending
hits, followed by a rapid series of bangs that reminded Drake of a string of
firecrackers going off, only much louder. He thought he heard Boomer yell out
‘son-of-a-bitch!’ but wasn’t sure. The tactical display showed that her missile
boat was still accelerating with no obvious damage.
“Are you okay, Boomer?” asked Drake.
“Yeah, we’re okay. None of the impacting warheads broke
through the armor, but the sound and the vibration was scary as hell! But now
it’ll be our turn again in a few seconds.”
The maneuver by the lead ship to avoid some of Boomer’s
missiles worked. Only the first volley was able to stay locked on to its
intended target. The other 10 KEs shifted to one of the coasting wrecks. God
help anyone left alive on it , thought Drake when those missiles passed
through what was left of the outer hull and ripped through the
hit the third one. “Comp, evaluate results of first volley of missiles. Why
didn’t our missiles hit the lead target?”
“Tracking indicates that second vessel moved in front of
target. Missile terminal guidance did not have enough time to maneuver around
it,” said the electronic voice.
Son of a bitch! That squadron commander
ordered his other two ships to maneuver in order to take the hits meant for
him! Drake waited to see whether his second and third volleys would still go after
their assigned targets or go after the leader. Either alternative was possible.
The missiles had been aimed at a point in space where the targeted ships should
be IF they continued to accelerate in the same direction, but the number two
and number three ships were no longer accelerating at their maximum rate of
7.7Gs. One was down to only 3.1Gs, and the other was down to 4.4Gs. Both ships
had obviously suffered damage to their maneuvering engines. That meant that
they wouldn’t be at the interception point by the time the second and third
waves got there. Those missiles would turn on their own terminal guidance
radars during the last few seconds of flight, and those radars would see no
target at the anticipated location and three possible targets at other
locations. Drake wasn’t familiar enough with the guidance system’s programming
algorithms to know which new target they would select. And since Boomer’s
second and third waves were coming in on a different angle from his, it was
entirely possible that all the missiles from both waves and both boats might
just converge on the leader.
That didn’t happen. Both of his waves hit one of the
damaged ships, and both of Boomer’s waves hit the other damaged ship again. The
two ships immediately stopped accelerating.
“Comp, did the two damaged ships position themselves in
our missiles’ path again?”
“Affirmative.”
Drake banged his fist against this chair’s armrest in
frustration. The lead ship now had a good chance of getting away if Boomer’s
KEs didn’t damage its power plant or hyperdrive. If the lead ship continued to
accelerate in the same direction, there was a possibility that all 15 of
Boomer’s KEs would retarget against it, but after a couple of minutes, it
became obvious that the lead ship had changed direction. It was trying to
maneuver so that one of the two damaged ships would be in the path of at least
one and maybe even two of Boomer’s missile volleys as they tried to adjust
their trajectories to hit a target that was no longer where it was supposed to
be.
Drake had to give that FED Commander credit. He or she
was good, very good in fact, but also ruthless to a degree that made Drake
shake his head in dismay. Deliberately sacrificing two thirds of his or her
command in order to getaway was a decision that Drake could not have made.
Before Boomer’s KE missiles reached their targets, that
incoming wave of 30 FED missiles reached the 101 boat. The com channel between
the boats was still open. Drake heard Boomer warn her crew of the impending
hits, followed by a rapid series of bangs that reminded Drake of a string of
firecrackers going off, only much louder. He thought he heard Boomer yell out
‘son-of-a-bitch!’ but wasn’t sure. The tactical display showed that her missile
boat was still accelerating with no obvious damage.
“Are you okay, Boomer?” asked Drake.
“Yeah, we’re okay. None of the impacting warheads broke
through the armor, but the sound and the vibration was scary as hell! But now
it’ll be our turn again in a few seconds.”
The maneuver by the lead ship to avoid some of Boomer’s
missiles worked. Only the first volley was able to stay locked on to its
intended target. The other 10 KEs shifted to one of the coasting wrecks. God
help anyone left alive on it , thought Drake when those missiles passed
through what was left of the outer hull and ripped through the
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