“This is Gold Flight Leader, I am engaging the enemy hostiles.”
“Gold Leader this is Crete, acknowledged, reinforcements from Leon and Cadiz base have been launched.”
“What about the orbital ring, we can have another dozen craft launched if you can get that online, plus our reserve of the older Legionairre and Centurion models.”
“Sorry no luck yet it seems to be jammed.”
“We're entering into attack range, Wing 1 and 2 concentrate your fire on the enemy battleships, we're using our precious reserve of sunslayers, all other groups, keep the fighters off our backs.”
The craft broke off into the pounding guns of the NOMAD fleet, eight battleships were in front of them and over two hundred fighters, including several dozen of the new types. Gold 2 and 4 burned up nearly instantly. Gold Leader and three kept going making their strafing run on the battleship. Their Salmanca's pounded away at the shields as they got in close.
“Bombs away.” three said. As the two in near perfect coordination each let off a salvo of sunslayers which exploded in bright white flashes as the shield bubble of the NOMAD ship exploded.
“Three form up, and lets finish this thing off.”
“Copy sir.”
The two formed up in a pair as they went over the vessel dropping about a dozen screamers into the center of the NOMAD warships hull splitting sundering it at the midsection. As they went away a bright azure shockwave ripped through the fleet behind them as ships got out of the way.
“Gold leader here, scratch one battleship.”
As the leader of the flight said that his ship exploded followed by three's from fire from one of the unknown NOMAD vessels.
Wing 5 formed up, they were the heavy anti-fighter wing. “5-1 here, Lock firestalkers on the NOMAD's main fighter group.”
“5-2, locked.”
“5-3, locked.”
“5-4, locked.”
“Missiles away boys”
The ships accelerated with after burners as they approached moved in at fast speed on enemy NOMAD fighters, as they were about to pass the group unleashed missiles, all but three found their mark, the ones that did cause bright white explosion flashes as they incinerated the NOMAD craft.
“We got 'em. Count 22 dead rat bastards.” they exclaimed.
“This is Gold 3. I'm taking command of the squadron. Concentrate all your firepower on the larger fighter craft.”
The remaining about 15 Titans broke off from their targets and began assailing the new NOMAD ships. The hits were few but they managed to hit several down. Meanwhile the Titans were paying a heavy cost of ignoring everything else, though doubtlessly Gold 3 had made the correct judgement. 6 more Titans were downed at that time.
“This is Corsair command, all craft return.”
“We can't we are surrounded.” replied Gold leader.
As they said that two chromuim hulled battleships decloaked openning fire into the NOMAD fleet with massive columns of energy from the rear. The two rear battleships the NOMADs had were torn to pieces by the warships piercing bolts.
On the bridge of the seemingly newer of the two newly arrived battleships a familiar but much aged face sat in the commanders seat overseeing the assault.
“This is Commodore Edison Trent of the Order Battleship Horus, all Titan craft, we will cover your retreat. Decloak boys!” the man said.
Two entire flights of Anubis VHF decloaked from the sides. They poured out missiles and torpedos into the NOMAD fleet as the Titan's attempted to escape. They didn't even to bother to wait for orders from HQ. The NOMADs began a full retreat immediately as they were cut down by the better positioned Order vessels, to many had been lost in that first attack to mount a comeback and then deal with the arrival of reinforcements, which they supposed would probably be arriving any time now. Gold 3 openned a transmission to the Horus.
“This is Commander Uther Kun of the 2nd Corsair Flight. Thankyou.”
“Don't mention it. You better reassemble their forces, that was only a scout force, they will be back with probably thrice that amount for the second attack.” the commodore replied.
Just as Uther and the remaining defenders of Crete landed their fighters at Tripoli for repair a giant rumble was heard. Trent openned a commline to Uther, he explained about the silent decades old war being waged on the fringes of Siruis, about the NOMAD origins, and many other think. Then he said something interesting, “the artifact that was taken from the Corsairs, it must remain secret, it must remain safe. We believe the new units which dispatched your Titan's are somehow generated by combining the power of many of their smaller fighters into one of those killing machines, via this type of artifact. Wait a second I'll be right back...”
A transmission came into the base.
“This is Commodore Trent, Commander Kun get back out here, the NOMADs are launching their second wave it is four times the size!” the transmission came. As the transmission was received Corsair guards walked into the hangar and raised their weapons. The omni present annoying chief counselor of the Elder walked in. “Commander Kun, your duties are over, a deal for the lives of Commodore Edison Trent and his men in exchange for sparing the Corsairs the wrath of the NOMADs has been reached between the Elder and the head of the NOMAD armada. Against such a force there can be no victory.”
Kun shook his head the quickly closed his cockpit, as soon as his weapons came online he fired his turret around shooting up the guards. They had been infected then he left the hangar port to fight, Crete would not fall, he only hoped reinforcements would arrive. His place was by the Orders, dying for his homeworld. But there was always his brother, Triyun. He sent an encoded transmission of what was really going on, he only hoped it would reach him in time.