Omega [REDUX]

Chapter 22

"This is hardly fair."

"I think it's completely fair."

"No it isn't."

"And why would you think that?"

"No Command Cruiser is deployed without anti-marking options."

"This one was."

"You can't just make exceptions as we go along!"

"Why not? Real combat has many exceptions."

"Yes, but at least we go to war prepared. Sending a fleet into the effective range of a plasma cannon without any means of cloaking, scrambling, or anti-targeting measures is suicide! Bloodbath is meant to be chaotic, not ridiculous!"

"Chaos and ridiculous aren't necessarily separate."

"Still—"

"Look, if we really want to see what she's capable of, then we need to stretch her boundaries. Throw her into situations that we know no other person would be able to handle."

"And jeopardise the scores of every other student on her team with a basically hopeless scenario that they could not possibly beat? That even our own officers have no idea how to survive?"

"It's worth it."

"We risk kicking out about 500 recruits at a go!"

"As a matter of national security, I think it's a perfectly acceptable loss. It's even statistically justifiable."

"Statistically…?"

"You know, the number of civilians and soldiers she killed probably match up the number of recruits we will possibly displace."

"Now that's just bordering on insensitive."

"This is the real world. In war, no one gives a shit about your feelings."

"Nonetheless—"

"Look, even if she doesn't pass this specific test, your fears about the recruits can be allayed. We'll just tell them that the simulation was meant to be an impossible one, and that they'll be evaluated based on how they responded to such a scenario. Ta-da."

"But all this just to test our field subject?"

"Have you forgotten that the enemy have forced our hand? She isn't one of our soldiers. She was cooked up by Empyrean in an attempt to screw us over. Now we finally get a chance to fight fire with fire, to secure the lives of the soldiers fighting for us, and you want to let that go?"

"…"

"That's what I thought. Let this, "impossible" simulation proceed. If she really is as capable as we believe, we might just stand a chance against Empyrean."

"And if not?"

"Then may God have mercy on us all."

"For that matter, how do you know she'll even be willing to fight for us?"

"You kidding? We fricking pulled her out of that hellhole. She knows what to be grateful for."

"Yeah, but pulling her out from a place that gave her no free will back into civilization where we're not going to give her any free will about where she wants to proceed from here doesn't seem like a very logical choice."

"How so?"

"She still has no control over her life."

"A necessary sacrifice."

"Then what makes us different from Empyrean?"

"The difference is, Officer, that we have millions – billions – of citizens to protect. Empyrean wants to commit every single one of its people into fighting us. We are not a fighting force; we are guardians of the greater good, and we have a duty to save lives. Her humanity was already taken away from her; at least the rest of her life will be used to protect humanity."

"May I speak candidly?"

"…go ahead."

"I know we serve the greater good. But doing all of this to one girl in the name of the greater good? This still disgusts me."

"Like I said, this is the real world. In war, no one gives a shit about your feelings."

"Even hers?"

"...even hers."

The plan they came up with in 5 minutes looked to be ridiculous. No one that Anna knew would even attempt such a plan. But given the circumstances, and the fact they were in a simulation with not much to lose, Anna didn't see much of another choice.

Scared, she was.

Especially when Elsa assigned her to deploy. "What?!"

"I need you on the ground to direct the efforts."

"But I—"

"Anna, you're the only one who knows the intricacies of this plan; frankly, I don't trust anyone else on this bucket to carry it out. Once the other ship captains hear of this plan they'll consider insubordination because of how absolutely stupid this will sound."

Another explosion rocked the ship, and Anna made a grab for the metal railing to stabilize herself. "Structural integrity at 77%!" she heard the officer call out.

She felt Elsa grab her by the shoulders. "This is your chance to prove your point," her friend said. "Not just to everyone, but also to yourself. You've got this."

Anna managed a nod in reply.

"Good. Here's what I need you to do."

"Systems booted. Initiating startup procedures."

Anna nestled into the seat of the fighter craft, taking deep breathes as she placed her hand over the controls. It was awkward trying to fit into a cockpit with a suit of powered armor covering her bodice, but it would have to do. Everything she was about to do was crazy.

To begin with, she didn't know how to fly one of these thigns.

What the bloody hell have I gotten myself into?

"All fighters, initiate comms uplink and establish connection with squadron," the Command Cruiser's hangar administrator declared. "Launching in t-minus one minute."

Anna reached over to the console with one hand, clutching the joystick with the other as she tapped in the necessary commands. "This is Blue Leader, over."

"Blue Leader, this is Blue Twp." Merida.

"This is Blue Three." Rapunzel.

"And this is Blue Four." Belle.

"We've got the whole gang here, as far as we're concerned." Merida's voice carried a small hint of amusement. "With the exception of our resident ice queen."

"Elsa," Anna said, with a lot of emphasis on the single syllable, "is directing our forces efforts to attack, and thus cannot join us."

"Oooh, look at that, getting all defensive when we bring Elsa up to her," Rapunzel teased. "How much time in the bedroom did it take for her to teach you that?"

"Shut up," Anna groaned. She did not need fantasies of Elsa to distract her at this critical juncture.

"T-minus 30 seconds to launch."

"Come on guys," Belle chided. "Let's focus here. We probably shouldn't be joking on a big test. Anna, what's the plan?"

"Bridge is dispatching orders as we speak," Anna replied, pulling up a display containing the instructions from Elsa. "Alongside Red and Green Team, we're escorting three convoys of Turtle-class dropships to establish a forward base."

"THREE Turtles?" Belle asked.

"Yes," Anna replied. "That is correct. At least one of them needs to get down there."

Murmuring filled their comm chatter as the hangar doors began to open, letting the light of day stream into the hangar. Anna squinted, even as her teammates started speculating about the legitimacy of the plan, looking as the receding doors of the hangar revealed another cruiser flying alongside the Command Cruiser.

And then a blue beam ripped through its side with a massive explosion.

Anna flinched visibly, watching the flames engulf the side of the Assault Cruiser, which began to keel promptly and dive. Just before it disappeared from her line of sight she saw the signature popping of escape pods, along with scattered groups of aircraft managing to escape the doomed ship.

Everything going… decently according to plan, I suppose.

"All units," Anna spoke into her comm unit, "this is Blue Team Leader, Deputy Commander of forces on-site. Prepare for initiative phase."

She shut off the comm unit, engaged the ignition on her fighter craft. Her Lightning-class fighter roared to life, and she could feel the vibration even through her powered armour suit.

"Launch, launch, launch," the administrator droned.

Anna gunned her fighter, engaging the afterburners and pushed her craft into a fast arc, gaining velocity even as she steered toward the city. She engaged her HUD, allowing the onboard computer to locate the convoy, and marked it out on the display.

Time to show these people what I can do.

"Initiative phase has begun, commander."

Elsa nodded, still looking at her display. "Give me an update on the situation with the Assault Carrier we just lost."

"Entire payload of weaponry has gone down with the ship," a bridge analyst reported. "What survived were remnants of the soldiers and bridge crew, alongside a surprisingly large number of combat-ready aircraft. All of which are en-route to the city now."

Elsa heard the explosion from the ship that had just crashed, and nodded. "Is the program ready?"

"Yes commander."

"Good. Dispatch the program to all remaining cruisers. Tell them to initiate it immediately after they know they've been marked. The only cruiser that can survive a direct hit from that cannon is this one, and we cannot afford to lose all the manpower we've got here."

"Commander, enemy forces launching from the city."

Her eyes narrowed. "Bring it up on the display. Ready all battle-stations, automated only." Elsa leaned forward from her post over the railing to look through the bridge windows, which had already begun marking out the swarms of fighters that were appearing within effective firing range. Her analysts brought up a render of their forces, the city, and the newly-appeared hostiles.

"That's… a lot of fighters," she heard someone on the bridge mutter.

Elsa peered at the display, just as a detailed analysis of the live count of Mosquito gunships and Lightning fighters came up. Whoever had organized the defense intended simply to rush the fleet until they were crippled. Elsa assumed the gun was meant for mop up, or vice versa.

Either way, their fleet remained in a difficult spot.

"Prep all escape pods now," Elsa barked. "Let's move it people! We're fast-forwarding our plan due to extreme circumstances."

Little shockwaves peppered the bridge as the whooshing of enemy fighters completing their firing runs reached Elsa's ears. "Hull integrity dropping, commander!" she heard someone yell.

"Backup generators coming online now, commander," another officer reported. "Bringing our defensive shields up again." A wispy blue glow materialized outside the bridge windows. Elsa let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding; now they'd bought themselves a little more time to get the plan done. If this even counts as a plan at all.

"Hull-based turrets activated and returning fire. All available counter-measures online and at your disposal, Commander." Another series of shudders rocked the bridge. Elsa clasped the metal handrail a little tighter. One more plasma beam ripped through the space above them.

The only way that could have missed is if their firing crew is either very nervous, or extremely incompetent. OR they're not taking this very seriously.

Either way, I can take advantage of that.

"This is Force Commander to all remaining fleet ships," Elsa spoke into her console's comm unit. "Execute random altitude corrections, and leave the program on repeat. Have all firing solutions integrate this new program. Maintain current course, and do not deviate from the plan."

"Ma'am, hostile fighter fleet is breaking off the assault, likely pulling back for another run."

Now she leaned forward. This is where it's critical. "Monitor our own fighters and our convoys. Make sure that at least one convoy makes it down there; we're all going down in a hellhole if that doesn't happen."

"Enemy cruisers!"

Elsa watched with despair as the display lit up more, larger markers. She peered through the windows as the shields flared under fire. Five Assault Carriers. Their fleet still had eight ships, but that number was bound to drop. Fast. "Weapons control, ready the main lance gun. Prep missile chambers 1 thru 20, arm with frag missiles. Bridge analysts, give me a firing solution for a missile barrage."

"Aye, Commander."

Another plasma beam arced through the sky, grazing one of their ships. Escape pods popped, and its payload of fighters and dropships evacuated the hangar, all bound towards the city, engaging the swarm of enemy fighters as they went. The ship, its side still on fire, groaned as its thrusters struggled and strained, but managed to stay on course, albeit abandoned.

But Elsa wasn't interested in the fate of those fighters.

Is there really a pattern in the firing of that cannon?

I mean, some people take some time to aim and fire…

…but whoever is firing that cannon seems really nervous…

…or is firing the beam at the cannon's max speed—

As if on cue, another plasma beam arced through the air, barely missing another one of their ships. Panicked chatter came roaring through the comm channel.

That was all Elsa needed. "Navigations, prep emergency thrusters."

"Ma'am—"

Elsa rounded on the hesitation in the officer's voice. "Do it now, officer!"

The boy gulped, "Yes ma'am," and turned back to his console, fingers becoming a hastened blur.

She narrowed her eyes once more as she turned back towards the window, the black exterior of the cannon slowly coming into view, its tip glowing bluer and bluer with every second.

Anna had studied various forms of weather patterns. The most violent ones she'd seen were thunderstorms and blizzards.

She probably missed out the phenomenon of "lead hailstorm".

"Shit!" A deadly hail of fire lashed out from underneath her, missing by a hairline. Reactively, Anna pulled her craft into a climb, pulling the fighter up and away from the trail of 50mm rounds. Around her, firefights broke out, as a swarm of enemy gunships and fighters engaged their own fleet.

"This is not good at all," Rapunzel swore.

It'll be worse, Anna thought, if at least one of those Turtles don't make it to the city. She regained control of her craft, locking onto the nearest enemy target. "Blue Leader to Blue Three, kindly observe proper radio protocol," she smirked.

Her console beeped as the missile lock engaged. She clamped her finger down on the trigger, feeling two thumps as twin missiles streaked white trails towards her target, then pulled her fighter into a roll as lead rounds zipped past the craft. "Shit! I've got hostiles on my tail, can't shake them!"

"Copy that. Blue Two, moving to engage." Her HUD showed Merida dropping into a dive, engaging the bogey on her tail. She heard the craft beep out a missile warning; Anna proc-ed off flares, spinning her fighter into a barrel roll and pulling up in the same motion. Twin explosions shuddered her craft as she pulled into a climb. "Sorry Blue Leader, gonna need a sec."

"Don't take too long," she responded, "cause if not I'mma forced to pull air brakes."

"Do it," came the reply, "I'll stay clear."

Anna yanked on a lever in her cockpit; her emergency thrusters popped on the front of the craft just as the flaps came up, dramatically slowing her velocity, causing her to jerk forward in her seat. Next to her, the enemy aircraft that was on her tail barely managed to avoid her, zooming by in a blur. Almost instantly her HUD got a proper lock-on. Time to return the favour, you bastard.

"Heads up, all units," a familiar voice came through her comm unit. Elsa. "Uploading movement tracking of the plasma cannon to all HUDs. Make sure the Turtles avoid those beams at all costs."

Anna held the trigger on her joystick down, hearing the gun mounted on her Lightning whirr as it spun, spewing lead at her target. Orange flashes leapt outwards from her plane, splashing against the enemy Lightning, culminating in a larger, more prominent fireball that began to arc downwards toward the ground. "Target neutralized."

On her HUD, the upload completed. A singular red column appeared in the middle of her HUD amidst the whole firefight: a simulated firing path based on where the cannon was currently pointed at. Anna yanked back on the joystick, pulling her craft up and away from the red column just as blue plasma rushed through it. Through her helmet, a muffled explosion could be heard.

"Damn," she heard Belle mutter. "Grazed the Command Cruiser."

Her heart skipped a beat as she trained her sights on another target. Was Elsa hurt? Was she okay? So many doubts and worries filled her mind, her heart unsettled at the prospect of Elsa going down in combat.

She shut the distractions out, and focused on the task at hand. Gunship. This one won't be a problem. She let fly twin Hammerhead missiles, not waiting to see the result as she dived to avoid incoming fire from other aircraft.

Then she watched one of the Turtles get blown out of the sky by a missile, watching the resulting fireball engulf the main carcass that began to drop towards the desert plains below, debris flaking off every second, taking with it a little bit of hope that the entire force had for the mission.

Fuck.

"Ma'am, we just lost one of the Turtle dropships."

Elsa slammed her hand down on the console; when she lifted her hand, there was an imprint on the metal. "Shit. Status on the other two?"

"Other two are splitting up from their pre-assigned formation, as are their convoys. Additional Lightning squadrons have redeployed to escort the new formations."

Elsa forced herself to keep her cool. It wasn't a totally hopeless situation yet; heck, as long as there was one Turtle still in the air they still had a chance to make it. But from the murmurs aboard the bridge she realized that slamming her fist had been a big mistake; she lost her cool momentarily, and the officers could tell.

Now they too, were both demoralized and afraid.

She forced herself to take a deep breath, to clear her mind, to plot out her next course of action.

"Emergency thrusters have been prepped, Commander."

"Alter course by vector 2-2-3," she ordered. "Get us behind the nearest enemy swarm."

"Yes ma'am."

"All units," she spoke into fleet-wide comms, "Draw enemy fighters into vector 2-2-3, but prep emergency measures to escape the vector in a moment's notice." If the enemy was really as exploitable as she would expect, then after having gained one successful hit on the Command Cruiser, they were bound to try again. "Analysts, are we still marked by the cannon?"

"Yes ma'am, we're still being targeted."

"Excellent."

Now that set off a resounding murmur, again. Elsa cursed inwardly. "How long before the cannon is ready again?"

"Fifteen seconds."

"Prep thrusters to fire on vector 1-7-4. Redirect power from main engines to forward shielding temporarily, and send a temporary over-charge to the emergency thrusters." She found her knuckles turning white from how hard she was grabbing the metal bar on her command post. "I don't want to take too many chances."

"Cannon is charging again, ma'am. 25%."

"Notify me at 90%. Navigations, fire the thrusters on my mark, and not a moment before."

"Roger that."

"Everyone else, strap in. This is going to be a bumpy ride."

"What the hell is she doing?" she heard Rapunzel ask as their squadron regrouped with one of the Turtle-dropships. For now, enemy forces were a little distracted by the sudden movement of the majority of their team's craft, but they were still on high alert; enemy fighters could still turn on them at any minute.

"What's who doing?" Anna asked back.

"Our dear commander. She's moving the Command Cruiser sideways, and re-diverted power to the forward shield. She's not going to shake the cannon in any way!"

Anna watched through her own display, watching the big red column follow the Command Cruiser's path as its forward shield glowed ever bluer, thrusters pushing it on a vector so illogical Anna didn't even comprehend what was going on. This wasn't part of the plan! What the hell is Elsa thinking?! We're wasting time!

"Shit, cannon's charging again."

She turned her head to look at the big, black barrel of the cannon, just in time to see it glow bright blue.

Wait a second. Anna's head whipped back around. Something seemed to click.

Everything fell into place when she watched the enemy fighter swarm engulf the big red column.

"90%!"

"Navigations, fire!"

The Command Cruiser had come with emergency thrusters in various forms; a few were built into the craft, while the others that had been prepped were a one-off, but fired with explosive force, literally pushing the Command Cruiser in a totally different direction.

Still strapped in her seat, Elsa first heard the loud bang, and a split second later felt herself being thrown to the right. A whine, and she watched a blue beam slice through the air in which the cruiser had previously occupied.

And straight through the cloud of enemy fighters.

Cheering erupted on the bridge as the enemy live count dropped dramatically. Elsa quickly checked their own live count; she'd managed to execute that maneuver with minimal losses, and maximized enemy casualties.

Thank god. She might have just bought the time they desperately needed. "All units, this is our window. Get the Turtles down on the ground ASAP. We're not out of the woods yet. If we don't take care of that cannon, it's still going to tear us apart. Force Commander authorizes the activation of the assault phase."

"Ma'am, enemy cruisers nearing effective engagement range." Elsa looked up from her console once more. The city was much closer now, but so were the enemy cruisers. All five of them.

All right, she thought. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get. Let's see what you bastards are made of.