The Price of Sight

[jammi]

Break left! Attack! There was a thumping recoil as my weapons discharged for the first time in anger. A Stiletto banked sharply to avoid the salvo, dipping under the energy beams. I cursed and wheeled around to try and get on his six. Live combat was far harder than the sim-pods would let you believe.

I could see Jose duelling with two Stilettos, dropping ones shield and mauling its hull. I watched the Rhienlander scum careen into an asteroid and explode, the pilot screaming his last in his foul language. There were a few sparse cheers over the radio as other combatants diverted their attention for a second.

Then I was thrown forward as my shields were hit, static electricity buzzing over my hands as I yanked on the controls to bring the ship around. Blazing at the attacker I managed to chase him away.

There was a sharp intake of breath from the radio. Hermanos! Look out, weve got Odins undocking! Intel was wrong! There was a triumphant cheer from the bases defenders as the Hessian elite fighters closed the distance. With a snarl of rage Jose disengaged from his hapless prey and headed for the new hostiles. I stuck on his tail, blazing at the remaining Stilettos with my rear turret as I went.

Our two lines clashed in a blaze of firepower. Jose singled out the leader of the enemy wing, leaving me to fight a different Odin with another member of my wing. I could feel the battle rage flowing through my veins I felt invincible!

The illusion was shattered as a group of fighters targeted me, shattering my shields. Shot after shot fell on my armoured bulk. Now I felt fear. The computer screamed over and over hull integrity failing! I throttled the thrusters, trying to dodge the lethal shots that rained on me until my taxed shield generators could reactivate.

Too late I saw it. A near invisible wafer directly ahead of me, primed to explode and too late to avoid. I closed my eyes as it struck me with a blinding light, then darkness engulfed me.

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