8392. The Cooperative Attack/Defense Logic Mode, or CADLM software is designed to increase AEGIS effectiveness against Abyssals. It isnot going to turn on us like Skynet. People, you've watched Terminator too many times.
The Pacific Ocean, approximately 50-60 miles SW of Hawaii Defense Perimeter. Convoy PSJ-24L2
"We are screwed."
'That's it, Indy." groaned Midway. "You're a true beacon of optimism."
"Our AWACs show only two bomber squadrons. We already have the CAP on the escort, and the DDGs are about to open up on the bombers. And even if any of them break through, Forrestal's fighters are orbiting us at the five mile range, and a finally, a flight of Air Force F-22s are ten minutes away. Short of a nuclear bomb going off, we are fine." said Renaissance.
"It's not the Abyssals I'm worried about." said Independence, pointing at one of the DDGs in the convoy. "It's the floating Skynet's next to us that I'm afraid of it."
"Skynet?" asked Renaissance. "What's that?"
Midway sighed. "It's an old sci-fi movie where a U.S AI program becomes self-aware and triggers a nuclear holocaust. And apparently since those DDGs have those new smart missile control systems, they're automatically going to go rogue and kill us all."
"Seriously?!"
"Of course I'm serous!" shouted Independence. "You make weapons smarter, and suddenly they decide that the smart thing to do is stage a rebellion, and boom! Instant apocalypse!"
Her two squadmates just looked at her as if she had grown a second head.
"That's not how it works you idiot!"
"CADLM isn't an AI, Indy." groaned Midway. "AEGIS tracks and evaluates threats by itself. All the CADLM does is form a link between the separate AEGIS systems so they can target the Abyssals more effectively. All of our ships here have VLS tubes, which you can't reload while at sea. So, if several of our DDGs all fire at the same targets, then a whole lot of missiles get wasted. With the CADLM, that's not a problem, if it works."
"30 mile marker!" called out Forrestal, focusing everyone's attention back to the incoming planes.
"Guess we're about to find out." said Renaissance.
Combat Information Center, ROKS Sejong the Great
"Confirm successful Handshake." called out the DDG's weapons officer.
"Handshake successful with Benfold."
"Successful handshake with Chokai."
"Systems linked with Hobart."
"All ships linked in." said the weapons officer.
"Weapons Officer, you may fire when ready." replied the Sejong's Captain.
The weapons officer took once last glance at the AEGIS display, and as soon as the Abyssal planes breached the 30 mile marker, he pressed the fire control command. The Sejong vibrated as two missiles left her forward VLS cell. Two hundred yards astern of her, HMAS Hobart's silhouette was illuminated as another Standard leapt out of its tube to join its brothers. Behind her, USS Benfold added two of her own Standards to the party. Finally, at the end of the convoy, the last two escorting destroyers, JDS Chokai and USS Fitzgerald, waited for the last transport to clear out of the line of fire before the Chokai added two more missiles, rapidly catching up to the others. Fitzgerald, being the only DDG to not have the CADLM equipped, held her fire, waiting for the Abyssals to reach the 20 mile limit before engaging, lest she waste her weaponry on already doomed targets.
The Arado's saw the missiles coming, but at the rate of closure, time only allowed for last-second erratic maneuvers, none of which had good odds at succeeding. And for six out of those seven bombers targeted by the first salvo, the odds were simply too great to overcome. Sejong, Hobart, and Benfold all got clean sweeps from their first launch, and as for Chokai's birds, coming in later, one of the Arado's hit its flaps had, cutting in behind the bomber trailing it, using it successfully as a shield. The CADLM took in all the data from the five different inputs and readied the next salvo. Once again, the night sky was filled with light as another seven missiles shot towards the remaining bombers. This salvo was a sweep, and the remaining eleven Arado's power dived, trying to get under the radar view. Noticing the maneuver, the software readied the Standards' secondary infrared trackers, and the next salvo streaked away, joined this time by three birds from the Fitzgerald. Five Arado's survived that one, and they broke into two groups of three and two respectfully, the larger one heading toward the rearline while the other two attempted to face the Sejong head on. They failed, as a pair of Sidewinders from Forrestal's F-14's ripped them from the sky. The remaining three included the one that survived the first salvo, and as they bore straight on for the Chokai, it positioned itself behind its consorts, using them as another shield. When Chokai's next salvo roared in, the two leading Arado's disintegrated, their wreckage acting as improvised chaff for the last one. Just as it was about to drop its skimming bomb, however, it staggered in the air as a shell from the Fitzgerlad's main gun sliced it's wing off, right before the Chokai's forward CIWS mount chewed through it's nose, detonating the bomb and flinging shrapnel in all directions, including the Chokai. The old destroyer shook as debris pierced her hull, but fortunately, it didn't kill anyone.
"Wow." said Midway. "I guess it does work."
Pearl Harbor, 14 hours later...
"Did you see those salvos? I've never seen something so in-sync." said Independence.
"Whatever ever happened to "floating Skynet's?" laughed Renaissance.
"Oh, that?" scoffed Independence. "I was just kidding. I knew all along that there wasn't any danger."
"Terrific. Indy, you're the bravest carrier that ever lived." said Midway, opening her sleeping mask. "Now, can you go to sleep? The convoy leaves for San Diego in the morning, and I'd like my squadron to not be asleep while on duty. It makes me look bad."