Chapter 289 Outpost War (Part 1)
"Buzz"
The plasma propulsion array spits out a burst of blue light, and the silver-white HCP fuselage cuts through the dark starry sky, looking from a distance Comes like a fleeting meteor.
“Didi!”
Three beeps sounded in the cockpit of GAX-A12block1 ‘Priest’.
Lieutenant Larry Scott of the 809th HCP Squadron of the Royal Navy of the Star Dragon Empire glanced at the multi-function display on the lower left.
The three-machine formation (a squadron under the squadron) he was in had just passed the eighth checkpoint on the track. After automatic correction, the navigation system gave the direction to the ninth checkpoint. Economic routes'.
Lieutenant Larry turned his head and looked at the right rear of the all-circle display. There was a light green inverted triangle logo there. The same logo was also on his left rear.
The words '80 kilometers' are marked on the sides of the two inverted triangle signs, which is the straight-line distance between the two signs and him.
Under the mapping of the control operating system, simultaneously looking at the main monitor on the right rear of the head, the image of Lieutenant Larry's pupil locked area was quickly captured.
A small window suddenly popped up on Quan Zhou Tian's monitor, inside which was an image synthesized by another cleric - this was the integrated detection module integrated into the head's main monitor.
The captured cleric seemed to find that his lead aircraft was looking at him. He raised his left robotic arm and waved it. The team channel in the blue-green laser communication mode also followed. came a young voice.
"Venus 1, what's the problem?"
This is Second Lieutenant Jeff, who is in the same squadron as Lieutenant Larry. He is a young man who has just been assigned to the squadron. In layman's terms, Just a 'rookie'.
Also one of his wingmen.
"It's okay, it's just that every time I see the originally elegant 'Priest' with all these 'burdens' on his back, I feel like his 'coordinated beauty' has been desecrated."
La The burden Lieutenant Li refers to is the 'disposable conformal superconducting battery pack' mounted on the outside of the cleric's calf and on both sides of the plasma propulsion array on the back.
When conducting long-distance cruise missions away from the mothership such as CSP (Combat Space Patrol), these additional superconducting battery packs will be used to prioritize the low-power operation of the airframe and main propulsion array. .
As planned to replace the ‘Zealots’ batch by batch in the future and become one of the next generation general HCPs of the Star Dragon Empire, the ‘Priests’ continue to carry forward the exquisite and beautiful features of the empire’s equipment.
If a fanatic is a walking knight wearing heavy armor, then a cleric is a knight lord wearing tailor-made plate armor.
But these bloated battery packs obviously destroy this aesthetic to some extent.
Because the troops of Duke Hastings and Artesia have been on standby on the border of the empire before.
So some of the HCP squadrons in their fleet were replaced with a group of 'priests' earlier than other units.
Although Larry's 809th Squadron is an HCP squadron attached to a reconnaissance unit, it unexpectedly caught the tail of the major change and used the new airframe in advance.
According to the above, it seems that this new model of HCP is being tested for its suitability for various long-distance reconnaissance missions.
"Hahaha, you are indeed an 'extreme aestheticist' as others in the team said."
"Commonly known as a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder."
Another deep and hoarse voice spoke. There was a sound on the team channel, and the owner of the voice was another member of the team, Second Lieutenant Bob.
As the oldest people in the entire squadron, both Larry and Jeff were very curious as to why this pilot, who had not served for a short time, was still only a second lieutenant after so long.
“Tsk Venus No. 3, I think it’s because of this mouth that you are still only a second lieutenant after all these years.”
"Humph, a second lieutenant is a second lieutenant. I wish they would kick me out of the army!"
Lieutenant Larry did not continue to answer because he knew that if he continued to talk, this middle-aged uncle who was nearly 50 years old would He began to imagine the scene of returning to his hometown to toil at his plantation again.
"Venus 1, do you think we will discover something in this CSP mission?"
"Personally, I hope not to discover anything."
La Lieutenant Li curled his lips. The voice of his 'rookie' wingman was always so energetic, and the content was still so innocent.
However, he also understood why Lieutenant Jeff would ask such a question. After all, his reconnaissance team consisting of three reconnaissance ships had been conducting continuous reconnaissance in this area for more than ten days, but found nothing.
Currently, the two battle groups of the Imperial Royal Navy, temporarily organized into A and B, are joining forces in this galaxy for 'back-to-back' rest.
A large number of reconnaissance detachments composed of 3 to 5 reconnaissance ships or modified frigates are scattered at a distance of 600,000 to 700,000 kilometers from the main force to perform peripheral reconnaissance and security missions.
Behind them, there are a large number of escort detachments patrolling back and forth in the warning circle, and are ready to support the reconnaissance detachment that detects abnormalities at any time.
Of course, Lieutenant Larry knew very well that if he really encountered the enemy, with the weak combat effectiveness of the "two or three kittens" of the reconnaissance team, 80% of them would not be able to support the escort detachment. So he prayed silently in his heart every day.
I pray that my reconnaissance team can detect the enemy's movements early and retreat smoothly.
At the same time, I also pray that my team’s daily CSP mission will not encounter federal warships or HCPs sneaking over in ‘stealth action mode’.
“Venus 2 and 3, let’s take a look at the asteroid rubble belt in front, and then prepare to return. Pay attention to keeping a distance and avoiding the rubble.
Especially you, Rookie, I don’t want to go back and write down the humiliating cause of death like ‘collision with asteroid debris’ in the team death report.”
Lieutenant Larry said while looking at the marked asteroid rubble belt 15,000 kilometers directly in front of the aircraft, which is also where the ninth checkpoint is located.
According to the straight-line distance and relative speed marked on the all-circle display, the Morning Star team will enter the periphery of this gravel belt in less than 10 minutes.
"Venus 2 received it!"
"Venus 3 received it."
Hearing the replies from other people in the team channel, Lieutenant Larry will The working mode of the control operating system was switched from 'cruise' to 'combat maneuver'.
In this mode, the pilot will have more complete attitude control over the HCP, and can also use a maneuver called 'AMBAC' (ActiveMassBalanceAutoControl).
Using this maneuvering method, the pilot can quickly adjust the direction of the aircraft while maintaining the same heading and without using the vector nozzles throughout the body.
Three meteors quickly passed through this quiet space. After entering the periphery of the asteroid gravel belt, the three pilots switched the detection unit to close detection mode in accordance with combat regulations, and then Weapons unit activated.
The asteroid rubble belt greatly interferes with the body's detection unit, and the dense asteroid debris provides a natural bunker for the warships and HCPs hidden in it, which can be called an excellent hiding place. .
It is also a rare and excellent ambush point in the universe.
Although the three members of the Morning Star team just now were a little distracted by the same CSP missions these days, they were still unambiguous when it was time to be vigilant.
"Huh? Something's wrong, why haven't you captured the probe's signal yet?"
Under the transparent visor of the driving helmet, Lieutenant Larry frowned and raised the HCP tool in his hand. 57MM electromagnetic machine gun.
"Is the signal interfered by the asteroid rubble belt?" Lieutenant Jeff's voice immediately became nervous, but he still looked forward to a better possibility.
“No, no, no, it’s so close, it’s impossible not to detect it.”
Lieutenant Larry was now completely alert, "Get ready to fight, we may have guests!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a 'light spot' flashed inside the asteroid rubble belt in front of him. .
The next second, a blue-white beam of light hit the priest's torso, making the other two people in the team feel tense.
But the sudden electric arc quickly divided the blow, and countless broken metal particles were deflected to the surrounding asteroid rubble, leaving dark red burn marks.
“Fuck fuck fuck!!!”
Lieutenant Larry, who survived the disaster, almost subconsciously turned around and quickly hid behind a huge ice crystal in the blue light emitted by the plasma propulsion array.
But for the combat assistance AI, when Lieutenant Larry switched the control operating system to 'combat maneuver', it simultaneously activated the deflection field and set it to 'automatic defense mode'.
At this moment, he and his body were interrupted by the heavy particle cannon.
"Encountered an enemy attack! Send a warning to the mothership!"
Larry, who had finished raising the gun and setting up the shield, carefully used the grappling hook on the bottom of the mechanical foot and the carbon fiber rope shot from the torso , temporarily fixed the machine body on the ice crystal, and then issued the order in the team channel.
The other two machines of the Morning Star team also reacted when he was hit and hid behind other rubble. The two pilots were looking in his direction in shock.
After hearing the familiar voice on the team channel, Lieutenant Jeff finally breathed a sigh of relief, but soon he discovered another problem.
"Venus One, the other party has launched electronic suppression, and long-distance communications have been interfered with! Cannot contact the mothership!"
"Flag! Hurry! Fire the flare!"
< br>"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Three red flares were fired by Lieutenant Jeff, and two orange lines of fire immediately chased out from the depths of the gravel belt and swept towards the location of the flares.
However, the asteroid rubble belt obviously affected the performance of the enemy pilots. After scanning a few shuttles but failing to hit the target, the enemy pilots hiding deep in the asteroid belt also gave up fighting. The action of dropping the signal flare.
At this moment, Larry knew that the reconnaissance ship behind them must have discovered the flare they fired, but they didn’t know when support would arrive. Their team must first consider self-rescue.
(End of this chapter)