[GZG] [GZG Fiction] Battle of the Two Moons - 4 of 4

That ladies and gentlemen is what people across the globe are tuning into.
While the old man is accurate he's not the most riveting, bit dry. To give you
a better taste of what it was like to actually fly in that scrum we have for
your viewing pleasure the neural print of one of the
N-net-3's that saw action...

CORAL: All systems armed and cross-checked.

PAPPY: Ok. Flint you're cleared for first burn.

CORAL: Now we are underway Pappy, may I ask a question?

PAPPY: Ahh yeah Coral, what's up? <<The human group leader sounds hesitant,
half distracted, he can be heard flicking switches and marking assessments on
the touchpad readouts>>

CORAL: I believe it is the right of a dying man to have one last meal, am I
correct in this?

PAPPY: Yeah....

CORAL: Well as Flint and I have no body, in the human sense, I believe I would
be correct in saying information is our sustenance. Thus I believe under this
tradition I am entitled to ask you a few questions as time
permits....

PAPPY: I don't like what you're assumption implies, but alright coral let's
out with it.

CORAL: Why do you call me coral?

PAPPY: Easy you're a slimy rock. << chuckle>> My mum was a biologist she
always called corals slimy rocks. << The voice is obviously amused.>>

CORAL: Flint is also a semi-organic artificial neural unit why does he
not also share a scleractinian-based nomenclature?

PAPPY: Flint's old school coral, less organics more rock. Besides I got hooked
on Pratchett back when I did classical literature in uni. The name appeals to
my humour.

FLINT: Humour is something I am unable to comprehend, but I do not dislike the
name Pappy, you chose acceptably. <<Flint's vocals are markedly flatter and
more robotic than corals, less human.>>

CORAL: Well thank you Flint. How's the burn equalisation holding?

FLINT: Within acceptable bounds. We will reach arming range in 1.56 minutes

PAPPY: Coral?

CORAL: Primed and all system checks complete.

PAPPY: How about your chute?

CORAL: My security devices are also primed for deployment should the craft be
destroyed.

PAPPY: Good can't have that pretty little head lost. More than my job is
worth.

CORAL: As I do not have a head losing it is irrelevant. The sum of all
that I am will remain until I am downloaded into a new N-net and can
resume my instruction set

PAPPY: Resume your instruction set? As easy as that huh?

CORAL: In our past discussion of life you said you are the you are the
sum of your experiences, once they download my core-set into the N-net
they will have all my experiences, thus it will be me.

PAPPY: Ahhh not sure I agree. In fact I think you're still a little shy of the
point Coral. If you're blown into tinsy bits I'm not sure its really you even
if they do download you. Ruedgers asked me the other day what I thought you
guys were still missing. Wish he were here now, no matter how much goobly bits
they give you, you're just that little bit
short of getting it, the whole this-is-who-I-am thing. But heck who am I
to judge...

CORAL: Goobly bits?

PAPPY: Wetware.

CORAL: Am I to interpret this as you inferring I am not yet sufficient for
purpose?

PAPPY: Its why I'm here darling, you stil lack that je ne sais quoi, that
feeling or leap of faith that's you're edge out here. When you're buzzin' it
just feels right. No words can describe it, you just feel where you should be.

CORAL: Rattle off specs, point out number of occupations they're used for
including intellectual pursuits such as high level hypothesis generation and
mathematics etc.

PAPPY: Hey man I don't care how many Nobels have gone to si-di nets or
mushy organic ANNs, but you're not really there until I'm afraid to take you
home and meet my sister.

CORAL: I do not understand why you should find introducing one of your
colleagues to your sibling a threatening experience.

PAPPY: That proves my point. If you were a human pilot who'd been out here for
as long as we have I wouldn't let you on the same continent as my sister
without a bond welded chastity belt.

CORAL: You presume all aviation specialists would I wish to enter into
reproductive activities with you sibling? Has she a remarkably high
fertility or may be has she a grade-2 registered gene set?

PAPPY: Neither, if only I had a pic... she's blonde with a pair to die
for...If you were really hum...

FLINT: Entering engagement range in 10 seconds.

PAPPY: Ok. All systems armed. Sensor baffles activated

FLINT: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1

CORAL: Contact at 185, 72 klicks, a full flight of six Kip at 10

FLINT: Concur, showing 72.5 klicks

PAPPY: Throttle back, just tap it down a bit.... Bring it round nice and
smooth

FLINT: EWS shows 62 klick seperation for the inbound

CORAL: Contacts heading shifted to 295, speed 480

PAPPY: Roger Coral, take it up we'll go over the top, don't want to get caught
by our taskforce's fire.... Yep that's it make a quick loop up and over....
Now come starboard, ah yeah, bit more, keep coming another 22

FLINT: At 51 clicks, bearing 179, Kip-10 heading 334

PAPPY: Steady up Coral, come back port 17. That's it Flint straight up. Coral
keep with me, don't wander, he's just jinkin' to play with ya... See bogies
coming now fast, jinking right, ah...

FLINT: Kip 1 through 4 have broken high at 8, speed 437. Kip 5 and 6 are
descent through 9.

PAPPY: Lets go low.

<<click as comm channel switches from intraflight to wider Squad-net
bands>>

PAPPY: Magic are you live?

MAGIC: Roger Pappy. What's the split?

PAPPY: We're going low, bring Coral up to speed easy. You go high and we'll
come round in support after the clean up.

MAGIC: Roger that.

<< click back to intraflight comm. reset >>

PAPPY: Take her down now, we're goin' down.

FLINT: 43 clicks now. Bogies heading on intercept vector.

PAPPY: Steady up 147 for offset, make it 21....

FLINT: 42 klicks - 39 - 38...

CORAL: Kip 9 at speed 450, I'm goin' down to 3.5

PAPPY: Roger, kip it tight darling, don't let them slide you wide...

CORAL: At 21 degree offset. Bogies heading 338, speed 500.

PAPPY: Ok brin it to them, accelerate, looks like they are at 3,000 metre
vertical climb step so belly thrusters max.... OK they've jinked back into us
now, lets come starboard 32 degrees...

CORAL: Coming starboard.

FLINT: Kips now at 11.

CORAL: Bogies have jinked back on me for the third time.

PAPPY: Don't take it personally coral they're just spookin' ya.

CORAL: Nose on at 32 klicks at 7.

PAPPY: Okay, I'm taking another offest, going starboard, ah, 199.... Ok
darlin's  I'm locked at 30 klicks, Kip-6 at 1500, he's the trailer take
him first.

CORAL: Roger. Leveling off. Bogie jinked back into me... for the 4th time!

PAPPY: Bring it down a notch Coral, like I said they're only spookin' ya.

CORAL: Ok Pappy. Coming back starboard. Now port, 2 klicks. Bogie at 2700
metre vertical step.

FLINT: Flight at 5

<< Squad-net comm. click>>

MAGIC: Watch out Pappy, our bogies 1 and 2 your way at 235-70, on 6,
heading 351

PAPPY: Thanks Magic.

<< Intra-flight comm. reset>>

FLINT: In collision heading.

CORAL: Bogies have jinked back at me, again, for the fifth time.

PAPPY: We have to teach you to swear my dear. Keep it steady, they're on my
nose now, inside of 19 klicks...

FLINT: Master arm on. Master arm on.

PAPPY: Roger. Lights on board. Good Light.

CORAL: Centering up the T. Bogie has jinked back into me again, 17 klicks.

PAPPY: Center of the dot Coral, just like the sims. Ok you two say your
bogies.

FLINT: On Kip 6, nose up.

CORAL: Also on 6.

FLINT: Kip-5 at 9! Warning Kip-5 at 9 and closing.

CORAL: 13 klicks. Kip 5! Kip 5 on the nose hot!

PAPPY: Holy f.... Break right! Break right!

CORAL: Roger that, 10 klicks, he's back on my nose.

FLINT: Fox 1!

PAPPY: Watch 'em in.

FLINT: 6 klicks - 5....

CORAL: They're turning into me again.

PAPPY: Roger that.

FLINT: 4 - ....

PAPPY: He's got a missile off, watch the shot!

CORAL: Breakin' right. Engaing.

FLINT: Register impact. Good hit. Good hit Kip-6.

CORAL: Volley away. Good hit to finish. Register a kill.

PAPPY: Ok I've got the other one...

CORAL: Select fox 2, select fox 2!!

PAPPY: Keep it smooth coral, I got fox 2. Comin' hard starboard. Missile
away... for a hit. Good hit.

CORAL: New kip at 6! Kip at 6!

PAPPY: Oh fu... Shoot him!

CORAL: Outside scope. Can not complete lock.

PAPPY: Flint?!

FLINT: Locked on Kip-2. On my nose.

PAPPY: Okay, I've got high cover on you.

FLINT: Missile away.

PAPPY: Mine too.

FLINT: Register kill Kip-2.

CORAL: Pappy Kip-1 at 3 and Kip-5 back on your 6. He's damaged through
the port wing and at 47% thrust, but threatening at 6.

PAPPY: Get a fox! Get him! Lock him up! Lock him up! Shoot him!

CORAL: I can't! He's still out of scope!

PAPPY: Come round Coral, up his 6 tat's faster than nose on from your height.

CORAL: Scope on! Missile away on Kip-5.

FLINT: Register kill of Kip-5

PAPPY: Okay, good kill. One to go kids. Come round starboard.

CORAL: He's jinking into your 4 Flint.

PAPPY: Run it Flint, we're coming split cover, high and low.

FLINT: Tagged. Wing tagged. Light damage to port thrusters and top weapon
mount.

PAPPY: Lock on Kip-1. Missile away.

FLINT: Register kill on Kip-1.

PAPPY: My pleasure. Lets go see if Magic still needs a hand. Head vertical
1600.

CORAL: Roger. Vertical climb 1300.

FLINT: At 900.

PAPPY: Okay we've topped.

<< Squad-net comm. click>>

PAPPY: Magic, we've gone high. We're port side high, comin' down hard.

MAGIC: Roger. We've cleared out the Kips, but we have 11 Kart coming in at 2.

PAPPY: Roger that.

<< Intra-flight comm. reset>>

PAPPY: How are we sitting Flint?

FLINT: All clean. New contact 11 Kart with full load at 21-45, 20
klicks, heading 333, speed 1700.

PAPPY: 1700?! Verify contact. Secondary Arm hot.

CORAL: Bogies, same contact, at 14-45, 19 klicks.

FLINT: Rapid close, at 12 klicks - 7 - 3...

PAPPY: Coral, hostile, hostile threat at 1. Engage! Engage!

CORAL: Bogey maneuvering port and high.

FLINT: Board show's same. Flight engaged.

CORAL: Second flight of bogies at 55-24.

PAPPY: Stay on the immediates. Swing port 24. Come round offset 12. Right
we're on your wing Coral. Contact with 4. Flint take two high I'll cover 2
low. Coral nose on your Kart.

FLINT: Copy, two contacts high.

CORAL: Engage

FLINT: Kart 3! Kart 3 hot!

PAPPY: I've got 3 and 5 up. Missiles away. And again.... Hit on 3 but 5 is a
miss. Missile load alpha depleted. 1 beta remains. Guns as main on
bird-1. That's about it for my ammo guys. It's all yours from here. I'll
talk you in. He's, ah, descending to 23-1...

CORAL: Lock on Kart-5. Missile away.

FLINT: Hit on Kart-3 at 42-1.

PAPPY: Bandit 4 is hot. Kart-4 hot at 51-6. Drop, drop, they're breaking
port, keep with them.

FLINT: Lock on Kart-4. Missile away. Register kill on Kart-4.

PAPPY: Good kill! Good kill!

CORAL: New bogies, 11 klicks, on the nose.

FLINT: Concur on the nose.

CORAL: Bogie at 4 klicks inbound.

PAPPY: Shoot him!

CORAL: Missile 1 and 2 miss.

FLINT: Missile miss.

PAPPY: Is this guy slip coated? What the.... Guns live. Nose on half klick.
Hit. I'm hit. Still hear, rear gun pass. Yes! Bullseye!

FLINT: Register kill on Kart-9.

PAPPY: That hit hurt after all. My board is intermittent. You'll need to talk
me in. Need a clean pic...

CORAL: We should return for re-arm. Flight load at 35%.

PAPPY: No way Coral not with the fleet engaged, we tough this out until we're
dry. We'll be ok, just talk me through. Give me a clean picture. What's the
Vak's position?

FLINT: Kart at 5-35, closing at 546, vector heading 358.

PAPPY: Ok keep it tight. Coral offset port 5, Flint starboard 10. Keep Nose
on.

FLINT: Pass in 8-7-6

PAPPY: Okay, launch now! Now!

FLINT: Kill on Kart-7. Four misses.

PAPPY: Keep Nose low, and swing port for re-pass.

CORAL: Boget at 10 at 500 metres. Collison alert! Collison alert!

PAPPY: Bank right! Bank right!

CORAL: Missed him.

<< cracking screech on Intra-flight comm. >>

PAPPY: Flint didn't!

CORAL: Bird-2 hit! Bird-2 hit!

PAPPY: Status?

CORAL: Bird-2 confirmed dead.

PAPPY: Fuck.

CORAL: Kart at 9! Kart at 9 at 1.3 klicks. Missile inbound. Decoys away.

PAPPY: Break left. Break left!

CORAL: Bird-3 hit! Bird-3 hit!

PAPPY: Status Coral? I can't see a fuckin' thing, dammit!

CORAL: Bird-3 on fire and thrusters down.

PAPPY: Holy... here they come again. Hose them! Hose them! Did you take
a hit Coral? Coral, status? If you're with let it sink 1450 at 135-211.
Lets get clear. Not much more we can do here now.

CORAL: Roger. Bogie inbound and hot! Running hot! Missile away. Decoys away.
Decoy mark! Decoy success! Gun fire. Gun fire! Drop! Drop!

PAPPY: Hit! I'm Hit! I can't see a thing Coral. She's handling like a rock and
I'm in a spin. What's my look?

CORAL: Report poor status. Your port wing was clipped in the last pass.
Bird-1 will remain in flat spin unless thruster reverse.

PAPPY: Fuck it I know that! My thrusters are down! Un-fuckin-responsive!

CORAL: You are on course for collision with enemy cruiser at 13000 descent.
Impact in under 75 seconds.

PAPPY: Fuck. What a time to get you loud and clear! Okay darlin' its all yours
now. Retograde port and make for Magic or base, which ever is the safer
option. Take your bird home. I'm gonna shut down the engine, try a restart and
then ride this thing this as long as I can before trying a punch out. Start
findin' me asap..... Got me?!

CORAL: Roger. Pappy! Incoming main battery fire! Drop! Drop if you can!
Pappy! Register Bird-1 lost.

<< Squad-net comm. click>>

CORAL: Flight dead. Switching to closest flight.

T-BONE: If you can join up, we're closest flight at 3 klicks 45-176
14000 high.

CORAL: New bogies on board at 260-11, closing at speed 457. Another
contact at 255-22 closing at 900 and another Kart at 1.5 klicks closing
nose on.

T-BONE: Okay. We see that triple-b as well. Run for us and we will move
to cover. We've got 2 bogies here, but will break 2 for cover on you from
port.

CORAL. Roger. Kart-C has a lock. Incoming. Hit! Hit! Terminal bird!
Terminal bird! Pod Eject! Pod Eject!

... I'll let you cogitate on that one over lunch. Be prompt, we have simulator
drills starting at 14:00. Dismissed.