CNC Spirit Sight

High orbit, Tharkad

Donegal Province
Lyran Alliance

"Kerenskys blood!" Star-Commodore Leroux jumped to his feet, the magnetic plates in the end of his shoes only just keeping him from floating away, "What fighters do we have in that area?"

"Echo 4-18 and Echo 4-19 are on C.A.P. 200-km outside of Tharkad City." The Air-Boss reported, "Shall I order them it intercept?"

"Aff: tell them to do what ever it takes to stop that train before it reaches the city." Leroux kicked off the deck and floated over to the navigation table, "Helm, bring us into position to fire on the maglev line."

"Confirmed Delta-Vee change." The helmswoman grabbed the yoke tightly, "60-degrees down on the bow. Full power to main engine."

"May Poseidon dam Word of Blake to the 10th level of hell!" Leroux cursed, "Move this, ship or I swear by the eternal night of space I will make you get out and push!"

Militia HQ, Costa Mesa
Tharkad, Donegal Province
Lyran Alliance

Cairo bounded along to corridor leading to the final stairwell to find an intense firefight already in progress. He ducked into a side room, narrowly missing a laser bolt. Gripping the commandeered rifle tightly, he poked it back round the corner and pulled the trigger. The high-velocity tungsten rounds slammed through a pair of heavy oak doors that had stopped lesser bullets and dropped a guard on the other side.

Spendlove had taken cover behind a large metal filling cabinet, and poking one pistol over the top and the other around the side, opened fire. The intense heat set one of the doors alights, the thick varnish going up like gasoline.

"Get your bloody heads down!" A voice yelled from behind Cairo, and he ducked back just in time to see Robert Dancer lift a RPG to his shoulder and fire it along the length of the corridor. It went thorough the battered door and exploded on contact with the wall beyond, sending burning splinters raining down on the commando team.

"Fire in the hole?" Dance shrugged, reloading.

500-km outside Tharkad City

Tharkad, Donegal Province
Lyran Alliance

The pair of Clan Visigoth-B OmniFighter's of Echo flight crossed the open farmland at hypersonic speed, sensors tracking the speeding Maglev train as it raced towards the distant city.

"This is Echo 4-18 to Lancaster: we have the target in sight. Commencing attack run." Star Captain Janet reported in, arming her quartet of Large Pulse Lasers, "Ok William, follow me in."

"Roger Major." Star Commander William, a Clan Nova Cat pilot, closed the gap between the two fighters, "I have your 6."

The stream of laser bolts kicked up clouds of dust as they races towards the train, before finally busting through metal skin of the transport. Smoke and flame burst out of one of the carriages, but the train didn't even slowdown. Janet pulled back, raising the nose of her fighter and bleeding of some of its speed.

Williams's attack run likewise tracked its way across the fields before finding its target. This time a laser found something flammable, making the last carriage explode violently, breaking the coupling between it and the rest of the train.

"Lancaster, this is Echo 4-18: we have a single carriage braking away from the rest of the train and slowing down." Janet circled round, "Tell the local Militia to cordon it off until the HASMAT team arrives."

"Roger that Echo 4-18." Leroux sounded unimpressed, "One more run, and then we will be in position."

Militia HQ, Costa Mesa
Tharkad, Donegal Province
Lyran Alliance

Cairo took the stairs two at a time, not even noticing that only Dancer and Spendlove where left to follow him. He set is rife it full-auto, spraying the final stretch of corridor with deadly fire, cutting down the few guards left. The gun jammed, and Cairo dropped it, pulling a 9mm from his belt as he kicked open the last door.

Grissum stood behind Spendlove's old desk, gun in hand, barrel pressed firmly against Sinade's head. Jack Cameron's body lay on the floor, blood still flowing from the hole in his left temple. Several other men and woman lay around the office, all dead.

"General, Colonel, Major; do come in." Grissum smiled, "I've waiting for you…"

To Be Continued…