Well, another day, another chapter. October is rapidly passing us by and for the United States the time for elections has come. You know the part I love most about the elections? The ending. Because I know that I have voted for the people I believed were right for the country and that FINALLY I can actually sit down and eat my lunch without sixteen different calls coming through asking me who I'm voting for.
I mean, seriously, you know those signs you can put on your door or out in your yard that read:
NO SOLICITING
We are too broke to buy anything.
We know who we are voting for.
We have found Jesus.
Seriously, unless you are giving away beer,
PLEASE GO AWAY!
Wish there was something like that but programable on the land line of the home phone. Heh, anybody come up with something like that around election time, they'd make a fortune. Anyway, on to the story.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.
Chapter 55: The Titans of Rotiart Part 1
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Josh looked over the Rotarian planes as the deck crews worked to repair and refuel them. Underneath the wings of the twin engine night fighters were fitted two bombs. Though it had been explained to him, he still found the idea of guided munitions an impossibility. After trying again and again to understand it, he finally decided to take Kronan's explanation at face value and instead concentrate on something else. All the Rotarian planes had nearly the same markings.
The base paintjob was a black undercoat mottled with grey. The ID tags and numbers along the fuselage were painted stark white. The only actual color on the planes was the black and grey diamond on the nose, the black and orange triangle on the wings, and the solid orange rudder. Kronan told him this was the standard paint and markings of the RAAF. If the Rotarians were to fight alongside the Syllians and others, they needed a way to be told apart.
There was too little time to repaint all the planes, so, Josh reasoned, a change of emblems was neccessary. The trick was, what emblem would the Rotarians approve of and still stand out enough that there could be no mistake? He held a small pad of paper in his hand with a small collection of his paints beside him. Of the twelve sketches so far, none had seemed fitting. He was also aware of one of the wounded griffons who, with a sprained wing, was unable to follow the others to the dragon carrier, was perched by the island bridge and watching him with keen interest.
Josh finally sighed and glanced back to the griffon.
"I don't suppose you have any ideas about how to make the Rotarian planes different from the enemy?" The griffon cocked its head and then looked to the planes. Josh, figuring the griffon didn't understand, shook his head and returned to the pad.
"The flag..." Josh turned back with a start.
"I beg your pardon?" The griffon smiled.
"It was said in ancient times, when Rotiart was a wholesome land, it did have the dread pinnions fly over it as it does today. No, it had a tricolor flag of gold, white, and silver. It was under this flag that rows upon rows of knights bore a four-pointed star of silver with a gold octagon embedded within. Under that flag, Rotiart knew peace. We may not have been considered an empire, but that didn't matter."
As Josh listened, he drew on the paper. When the griffon finished speaking, he felt it look over his shoulder at the drawings.
"Remarkable. However, there's only one thing. The colors on the flag ran horizontally, not vertically. Still, for a six-thousand year old design that only exists by being passed on by memory and story, it's a remarkable replica." Josh nodded and made the adjustment. When the griffon looked a second time, it nodded.
Josh had drawn a small square with gold, white, and silver marks running from left to right. In the middle was a four-pointed star painted silver and within it was a golden octagon. One of the pilots running by saw the emblem and nodded.
"It won't be much, but I think it'll be enough to keep our new allies from blowing us out of the sky by accident." As an alarm rose from one of the outlying escorts, Josh turned to the deck crew.
"I want every Rotarian plane painted with this emblem before they take off. No exceptions!" The roaring of machines overhead heralded the CAP moving to engage the dive-bombers and torpedo bombers that had apparently been launched to soften up the fleet for the Rotarian fleet's arrival.
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The depth gauge read 864 feet. The steady pinging of the sonar the only sound as the Olympia navigated the deep water trench that lay beneath the ocean surface. For the sake of maintaining silence, Captain Frank Lightoller had only two engines running ahead slow speed, which for a sub of this size meant five knots. He currently had a special headset linked to the deep-water radio the Olympia was prototyping and testing.
In theory, a radio beacon is released as a floatation device with a long length of cable tethering it to the sub. This allowed the submarine to send and receive radio messages even if operating at it's maximum safe depth. However, waves were buffeting the cable making the signal choppy. One thing was clear to Captain Lightoller: Things topside were going FUBAR.
One one side, Mechanos, the man who every sailor on this sub had swore loyalty to, ordering them to engage and destroy the enemy fleet, even if they had to use the V4 Nuclear rockets to do so. On another, a constant report from the Syllian flagship Leviathan, stating that a silver griffon had been discovered and that their oaths to Mechanos were no longer valid. The last was from the flagship Kronos ordering the sub to begin underwater sweeps for sea dragons and other subs ahead of the fleet. The last having been followed by an immediate 'Do Not Engage' order.
What was thoroughly damning was that Mechanos had supposedly ordered the silver griffon be killed before it could safely reach shelter.
If he had indeed issued the order, it would be in Lightoller's opinion that he should wash his hands of Mechanos and defect with his sub to the Syllian fleet. But there was a problem with that plan. Most of the crew with him were like minded but required something more than a radio broadcast to make them believe. So, risking Mechanos' ire, Captain Lightoller opted to heed the last transmission and forgo the V4 bombardment and try to sneak so close to the Leviathan that he could surface right alongside her without risking attack from the nearby escorts.
Once surfaced, they would board her, and, if the rumors were true, they would surrender, if not, well, he was sure Mechanos would love the chance to flout the crown jewel of Syllia's 5th fleet under Rotarian colors.
Either way, if he played his cards right, he and his crew would survive to see the end of the war. They may not thank him for it, but that was the burden that he chose to bear.
The radioman looked to him, eyes searching for something, anything, that might tell what he intended to do. Captain Lightoller patted the young man's shoulder and turned back to the Con.
"Adjust heading to zero-nine-zero. Maintain speed and depth, rig for silent running. Radio, withdraw the line." The XO looked at him.
"Captain, I feel I must protest this. First we dive below our ordered attack depth. Then, he had moved out of the protective circle of the fleet. Now you are ordering us to sever our last mean of communication? Sir, I will not pretend to know what you are doing but may I ask why?" Captain Lightoller gave him a flat look.
"No Mr. Ister, you may not. Our orders are... 'conflicted' at best. I would prefer to get a better grasp of the situation before I give the order to launch those city-busters to sink a few tin cans and a carrier. In the deep we are well below range of depth charges, and we are also below the thermal layer meaning their sonar cannot detect us but we can still hear their's."
"Sir, our orders, as I understand them, are cut and dry: Engage the enemy fleet with the V4s and SHOW NO QUARTER OR MERCY." Captain Lightoller looked around to the crew and motioned for Ister to follow him. The Captain's cabin was a little ways down the hall and was soundproof.
Once the Captain came in and motioned for Ister to shut the door, he rounded on him, eyes blazing with fury.
"What ARE you doing?! How DARE you question me in front of the crew! You do realize, don't you, that the majority of the crew no longer knows what we're fighting for? They have been cussed out, dragged down, embarrassed, humiliated, and who knows what else; and for WHAT?" Ister gaped for a moment before regaining his composure.
"Sir. Our orders from Emperor Mechanos-"
"Are garbled and unclear. I am not going to risk my ship and crew on some act of revenge. Now then, if you have any further objections, I'll personally carry you to the forward torpedo room and launch you into the deep blue." He then placed a hand on the XO's shoulder and leaned in extra close to him and dropped his voice to a whisper.
"And if you ever question my orders before the crew again, I shall have you arrested for attempted mutiny. Dismissed."
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The rounds from the cannons ripped through the thinly armored dive bomber moments before the plane pressed the release on the weapon. The bomb fell but missed all the ships, slashing harmlessly into the water. Below, Gerald could see the Rotarian planes on the Leviathan's flight deck just starting to get into the air. Dieter's group, newly bolstered with more defectors, forming up into a new CAP over the carrier. Kronan's group, armed with the special explosives, were waiting for the last of the CAP and escort fighters to get airborne.
So far, Gerald's group and Reyson's group was doing pretty good, having downed what appeared to be thirty percent of the hostile aircraft. The ships from Tullinar had linked up with the fleet, bolstering their numbers considerably.
The Tullinar Navy, with both Damoneni and Callinar as neighbors, had made many efforts to bolster their naval strength. To that end, they used everything from purchased Praetorian ships, salvaged Damoneni vessels, and combined Syllian and Praetorian designs to create their own ships.
The Praetorians, once they saw the size of the Tullinar capital-class ships: the carriers, battleships, and battlecruisers, they were green with envy.
The flagship of the Tullinar fleet, Ullysses, easily dwarfed their battleship, Magnificent across the board. The Magnificent had twelve inches of steel plate protecting her hull, Ullysses had seventeen. The Praetorian main guns were sixteen inch diameter, Tullinar had somehow created eighteen inch diameter cannons. The top speed of the Magnificent was 25 Knots, Ullysses, again, trumped them with 34 Knots. Based on the amount of flak she was putting up it was fair to say the Tullinar ships had the Praetorians beat in the AA defence department as well.
The Rotarians, the hostile ones, had not expected such fierce resistance and actually flew into the range of fire, expecting an easy kill. If Gerald was correct in his assumptions, the Tullinar Navy had learned the hard lessons with the loss of the battlecruiser Eclipse during the early days of the war when both Callinar and Damoneni invaded. Thirty divebombers dropped two 500lb bombs each almost right on top of the ship that had a AA defence of ten dual-mount anti-air guns and whatever small arms the crew could muster.
The wreck was still visible in Quentinville harbor. A sad reminder that times were quickly outpacing nations and the men who defended them. He vaguely gave a thought as to what things would be like 25, 50, 100 years from now.
His thoughts were interrupted as a flight of torpedo bombers flew carelessly under him, right into his gunsights. Holding the trigger, he yawed the rudder and walked the rounds from the right-most aircraft to the left-most one without them even breaking formation. A completely rookie mistake.
(Just what kind of pilots are they throwing at us? These guys probably have little to no combat experience.)
He voiced this through the radio and immediately got a response from Kronan.
"They must be a part of the 32nd Corps. Damn Mechanos! He's sending kids into battle who have more patriotic furvor for their country than common sense!"
"Can we try to force them down somehow?"
"Maybe. What did you have in mind?"
"I need to get a line to the dragon carrier in the fleet."
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While the aircraft from the carriers were flying above protecting the fleet. Gojani and the rest of the dragons found themselves sharing quarters with the griffons that had defected. Normally, though there was an attack, the dragons took the time to rest. recover, eat, and replenish their energy. A few of the younger dragons had not gotten anything to eat and instead watched the griffons with either wary or curious expressions.
The younger griffons had opted to do the same thing but their curiousity was directed at the dragons.
It wasn't until a griffon who wore a plate around its neck came over near the dragons and lay down with its lunch, a large fish one of the sea dragons had caught and the crew had seared to what Gojani thought was absolute perfection, and started eating, all the while eyeing the little griffon observing a large female ice dragoness and then chuckled as his own shadow, a young lightning dragon who was crouched just a little ways away, blushed as his stomach growled audibly.
Using a talon on his foreclaw, the griffon carved a large section from the fish and slid it over to the young dragon who eyed it a little unsure at first but once the griffon gave a reassureing nod, dove into the fish wholeheartedly. Gojani couldn't help but chuckle.
"You know he's going to be standing around you whenever it's time to eat from now on until we go home." The griffon chuckled.
"I don't mind. To be honest this was more fish than I could have eaten at once anyway. He's young. Plenty of time when you're young to sate that curiousity. Besides, if we're going to be working together, our two races need to learn to coexist on this ship if we are to coexist in the world once this all blows over." Gojani nodded and gazed upwards to the sky.
"Does it ever bother you? Knowing that while you're here, humans from our countries are up there, dying, I mean." The griffon nodded.
"I've seen many things in my life. Some pleasant, others less so. Humans will always fight for what they believe is right. The same way that, once this war is over, we gold griffons will likely still be fighting the dread griffons. At least you dragons don't have any threats to worry over." Gojani gave an uneasy chuckle.
"Not so. Apparently you never heard of Malefor or Vekx."
Just as the griffon started to ask what he meant, an alarm blared and a creman came running for Gojani, who eyed the crewman worriedly.
"What's wrong? Is the carrier under attack?"
"No sir. But we recieved word from Captain Kronan and Captain Ross that the pilots up there, the enemy, they are from a group called the 32nd Corps, which, I am told, is mainly kids fresh from the academy." Gojani saw the griffon flinch and utter a curse in griffonspeak.
"Likely Mechanos ordered them into combat before their training was complete. What are we supposed to do?" The crewman turned to him and spoke as if he were addressing another dragon and not a griffon.
"Mainly fly and try to bring the planes down as intact as possible. If we can save the pilot and crew, the better. The sea dragons in reserve have already deployed to save what pilots are in the water." Gojani looked to him.
"How are we supposed to bring down planes? I thought our orders were to leave the planes to the CAP?"
"According to Kronan, these dive-bombers and torpedo-carriers are an older design. One of the reason they can down them so easily is because they can't break the two-hundred miles per hour mark. They're maneuverable but not very durable. The pilots can incapacitate the plane and from there it falls to you to get to the plane, break the canopy open, and save the pilot and crew." The griffon looked to Gojani.
"Well, sounds like we've got a fun time ahead." Gojani nodded reluctantly.
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Josh stood ramrod straight as he gazed through the binoculars and watched as the battleships and other capital ships of the fleet started moving off to intercept the incoming fleet. He took a moment to glance as the Rampant Lion, Walker's ship, saluted with a horn blast as it sailed by with the Prince Obël, Damocles, Queen's Decree, Temeraire, and Lohengriin following along in it's wake.
He didn't like the idea of seperating the fleet, leaving the carriers behind with all light escorts and other ships too lightly armored or armed to make much of an impact in the battle, while all the heavy hitters and heavy escorts went forward into the battle. If had hadn't known better, he'd have suspected that perhaps the reason his Father had given him command of a carrier was to minimize the risk of him being in a direct engagement. Still, he felt that he was doing his former XO and comrades a disservice. Here he was, a combat naval officer, stuck on a carrier while the other vessels went into battle.
He was torn between his dragon instincts wanting action and his human instincts dreading it.
He felt someone tap his shoulder and saw Anne looking at him.
"Are you alright Josh? You spaced out on us." Josh shook his head and looked apologetic.
"Sorry, I was woolgathering. What was it?" Anne pointed to the radar.
"We've detected a large, four-engine plane and several smaller two engine planes inbound towards the fleet. They're confirmed Rotarian but for some reason the four engine plane is broadcasting a distress call." Josh nodded and turned to the radar.
"Open comms with the plane, put it on the squawk." The radar operator nodded and flipped a switch.
"Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is Ritter calling Syllian fleet. I am requesting assistance, escort and permission to land." Josh picked up the transmitter.
"This is Captain Joshua de Launces of the RNV Leviathan. Pilot, state your name and intention."
"My... My intention is to defect. I am flying a plane filled with people Mechanos has classified as 'political enemies of the state'. As for my name, I cannot say it otherwise the RAAF may choose to intercede quicker than normal." Josh immediately became serious.
"Leviathan copies Ritter. Come to course 155 and approach. How many souls on board?"
"Uh... sixty at last count. We were shot at as I took off so we have some wounded. I have one engine damaged, and I'm leaking fuel from somewhere." Josh nodded to the Air Boss and turned to the flight comms officer.
"Notify the CAP we've got a wounded bird incoming. I don't know if his story checks out but I'm not going to risk it." He turned back to the transmitter.
"Ritter we are clearing the flight deck and sending escorts to you. Now, I need to confirm something. I have no choice but to ask you your name again." There was a sigh on the other end.
"Is Dieter Muntz there?"
"Negative, he's up with the fighters going after the fleet; why?"
"My name is Kaleb Muntz, Sergeant with the 14th Aerial Transit Corps. I'm Dieter's son." Josh's jaw dropped as did most of the people on the bridge.
"Okay Sergeant. Now then, who exactly do you have on board?"
"I have my mother, my sister, the Voss family, Adeline Kronan, and many other families whose lives were... altered... by my Father's original defection." Josh checked the radar screen and back to the radio.
"If you like I can have Dieter diverted to you, he's close by."
"No! I- I mean negative... I... I don't think now would be a good time for me or any of my family to see him-" At that moment, a woman's voice broke through the radio.
"Kaleb Dieter Muntz Junior, don't you DARE start THAT again! If your Father is the closest pilot to us then, by God, you will ask him for his help." Josh just barely managed to stifle a laugh at hearing who was obviously Kaleb's mother using his full name over the radio. Then there was another voice, this one younger.
"KD, is it true? Dad's nearby somewhere?" Josh keyed the radio.
"This is Captain de Launces, I am contacting Major Muntz and patching him through. Hold a moment." He looked over to the FCO who nodded and flipped a switch. Immediately, Dieter's voice came on the radio.
"Kaleb? Kaleb is that you?" Kaleb's voice was hesitant but the younger voice was not.
"Dad! Dad, it's us! Kaleb was so awesome! He flew the transport over the internment camp with his squadron, blasted the guard posts, landed in the middle of the road, got us in and took off before the guards even knew what hit them!" There was a startled cough from Dieter.
"Brigette, that's good dear but, I need to talk to your brother. KD, you there?"
"Yeah... Dad."
"Good, now then, I'm coming to you. I have Wolff and Voss with me and we are linking up with the group dispatched from the carrier. When we get there, we'll fall in alongside you. Don't stray from your course and don't let yourself get distracted until you are safely on the carrier. Captain de Launces, is the Leviathan long enough for a multi-engine transport to land properly?" Josh turned the question to the Air Boss who nodded.
"Yeah, we'll have to suspend our current operations and clear the deck of practically everything but it can be done. Just don't expect to be cleared to take off again. Deck's too short for a take off." There was a mutter as Kaleb came back on.
"That's fine. I doubt this damn crate'll stay up much longer, I- Damn! Engine number two is fluctuating! Harris, see what you can do with it. Mom, for God's sake get Bee back into her seat! Cut power to engine one by ten percent, adjust flaps. Ah, damn. We'll have to drop lower. Taking it down to Angels Ten. Just so you know I now only have one properly functioning engine, the others are dead or dying." Josh immediately turned to the Air Boss.
"Sound crash alarms, ready medical teams one through four. Come about heading one-five-five, rudder hard to port. Starboard engines flank speed ahead, port engines full astern. Rig barricade nets in case they land safely, notify the sea dragons in case they go into the water!"
Just as the ship started to move, alarms blared from the escorts as they started to rush towards the Leviathan. Josh glanced over the water and paled as he saw a periscope slowly gliding its way towards the carrier.
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The exchange on the radio was heard by Kronan but he paid little attention to it. His attention was entirely focused on the Rotarian warships arrayed before the still forming United Fleet below. He was just waiting for permission from the fleet commander to drop his payload against the hostile Rotarian ships. As he waited, the radio crackled and came to life.
The broadcast of the news of a silver griffon had begun.
"Attention, all Rotarian forces. This is Captain Joshua de Launces of the Syllian carrier RNV Leviathan. There have been rumors of a silver griffon being spotted on the border of Tellanos and Schildhaven. Upon investigating, we have found this rumor true and have rescued the silver griffon from assassins sent by Mechanos to eliminate her."
"Mechanos, and through him, the dread griffons, are NOT your allies. They seek only to keep you in the dark and blinded to all else that happens around you. The nation of Rotiart has suffered greatly but what has become of inflicting that suffering upon other nations that only desire peace? I ask you, soldier to soldier, cease all hostile acts and stand down. For together, we can stop Mechanos and his dread griffons and once again make the world a peaceful place."
"My Father, James de Launces, King of Syllia, wishes only that the people and soldiers of Rotiart open their eyes to the terrors that have been wrought in this world, and open their hearts to the hope that, with Mechanos removed from power, we can all work together to rebuilding our nations, and secure peace for our children, and for our children's children."
"We do not seek Rotiart's destruction, but rather it's redemption. I ask again, please stand down."
Kronan felt the emotion in the words and watched the fleet. Doubtless they had heard it but how many of them were so blindly loyal that they had turned their radios off? He was answered moments later.
"Attention, all vessels. The only thing that exists between Rotiart and Syllia and their so-called 'allies' is hatred. Their claim of having a silver griffon is false and cannot be trusted. Recognize their lies for what they are, and sink the enemy for daring to claim such travesties." Kronan growled and keyed his radio.
"Attention, Rotarian fleet. This is Captain Hans Kronan, formerly of the 12th Air Corps. I have seen this silver griffon with my own eyes and their stories are true. Mechanos had sent elements of the 666th Fighter Wing as well as an entire force of dread griffons to kill her before she could reach sanctuary. I... I cast aside my career, and everything I held dear on this rumor and now my hopes and sacrifices are vindicated." He gazed around and saw a few of the CAP fighters over the hostile fleet start circling, unsure of what to do.
"As an officer of the Rotarian Air Force, I ask you to stand down and cease all hostile actions." There was a chorus of similar statements from several other pilots as well as soldiers on board the warships. He didn't know if they were having an effect though. For a long while there was an uneasy silence. That silence was broken as a vessel, a Rotarian Kreuz-class heavy destroyer suddenly changed course from the fleet and slowly advanced on the United Fleet. He flipped through the frequencies until he found the one they had switched to.
"This is the heavy destroyer RPS Challenger. Sir, I request permission to act as a go-between. Maybe there is something to these rumors if so many Rotarian soldiers and pilots have already joined them?"
"Negative Challenger. Get back in formation, the Army and Air Force may tolerate these... TRAITORS but the Navy will not. Cease your course and return to the formation."
"Commander, sir, please. Order a temporary cease-fire... we... we don't know what we're doing anymore! If there IS a silver griffon then it's existance must be made known! Sir, I repeat my request to act as a go-between to better understand the situation."
There was a long pause.
"I understand the situation perfectly. Attention, all vessels. A traitor is blocking our path to the enemy. Attack the heavy destroyer Challenger immediately! Once it is out of the way, begin plotting trajectories on the enemy capital ships!"
Kronan saw the lone destroyer, Challenger, start to take evasive maneuvers as it's Captain pleaded with the fleet commander but to no avail. He watched with horror as shells from the large Titan-class battleship in the middle of the formation turn it's entire complement of guns onto the destroyer and unleashed a broadside at the same time as three Tyrann-class battlecruisers, completely obliterating the ship and setting it ablaze.
Down below, men screamed as they jumped from their burning ship into the water, already burning with the fuel that had leaked out of the ship's hull. The bow of the Challenger lifted upward to the heavens, then slowly sank as she flooded compartment by compartment. Kronan dropped his head, surely after such a display of brute force, no man among the Rotarians would surrender now.
"Attention, all vessels. This is the Titan-class battleship Harbinger of the glorious Rotarian Navy, we cannot follow a fleet commander willing to sink one of his own ships for exercising caution! We shall soon see for ourselves if this story of a silver griffon is truth or lie soon enough. All ships who are with us, change course and follow us!"
Kronan looked down in amazement as two of the massive Titan-class battleships, two Tyrann-class battlecruisers, six cruisers, and four destroyers broke away from the main fleet and started making their way towards the United Fleet. The radio crackled to life again, the once cool and collected fleet commander, now incensed beyond belief, yelled into his radio.
"ANY vessels that do not follow the flagship WILL be fired upon! Our orders are from the Emperor himself! We are to sink the engage the enemy vessels long enough for the Olympia to get within range to launch her payload at the enemy carriers! Disobediance to Mechanos is treason to Rotiart!" Kronan paled as he heard that and flipped the radio back to the Syllian frequency.
"Alert! Carrier forces and escorts! Hostile submarine, Olympia, is nearing your position for a sneak attack!"
"This is the TNV Jamestown, we have detected the enemy sub but have not enaged. They... I can't believe this... They've surfaced almost right beside the Leviathan and have stricken their colors. I repeat. The super submarine Olympia has surrendered. They wanted to see if the rumors were true. Now they are surrendering their vessel." Moments later, another voice came through the radio.
"This is Captain Lightoller of the submarine RPS Olympia. I have confirmed what the radio report was saying as truth. A silver griffon is currently on board the RNV Leviathan. We have taken up with the escorts to protect the vessel from harm. All Rotarian vessels loyal to your homeland, and I mean Rotiart, NOT Mechanos, strike your colors and surrender immediately!"
There was more swearing from the Rotarian vessels that apparently, were loyal to Mechanos unto death and started firing, not at the United Fleet, but their own vessels that were defecting. The first salvo from an enemy Rotarian battlecruiser struck the first ship to defect, RPS Harbinger, across the stern and blew away part of her aft radio tower.
The stern guns of the massive battleship immediately answered, dropping three massive eighteen inch diameter shells through the deck of the offending vessel, striking the magazine and blowing the bow out and the forward turret upwards, out of the housing. Kronan watched as the large turret flipped through the air like a bottlecap and came down almost on top of a nearby cruiser.
The ceasefire was over, and now the battle was on.
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Next Chapter: Titans of Rotiart Part 2
FYI: The naval maneuver in which a ship throws one engine in reverse and keeps the other going foward is a maneuver used in the event of an emergency. I don't know what it's called but apparently, the purpose of the manuever is to assist the rudder in making a tighter turn by keeping the engines on the inside of the curve going in reverse while keeping the outside engines full ahead. This maneuver is also used at slower speeds when docking or leaving port.
Well, if you like how this is going so far, please PM me, review or comment.