BtH44

==Chapter 44 - By the Horns==
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DropShip Vixen
En route to Proximity Point, MacLeod’s Land
Taurian Concordat
November 17th, 3025
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Archie pulled himself onto the bridge of the Overlord-class DropShip. “Status,” he said quietly.
“Lots of firepower coming our way, Mac,” the DropShip skipper answered just as quietly. “Two waves of fighters and gunboats . . . but we may have an advantage here,” he said as he activated a holographic projector that showed the icons of incoming aerospace fighters and small craft—dozens of icons. Archie walked over, joined by a third officer dressed in a flight suit.
“The Taurians have launched fifty-two fighters and sixteen of their gunboats . . . but they are sending in their lighter fighters ahead of the second wave—and there are just twenty of them.”
“Twenty?” Archie mused with a sudden grin. “About time we caught a break. What’s their composition?”
“Wave I has twenty Hellcats . . . . Wave II is an even mix of sixteen Thunderbirds, sixteen Havocs, and sixteen Defiance gunboats.”
“Our own birds?” Archie asked.
“We took some losses, but we can still put about sixty up for operations from all three wings,” the skipper responded.
“Options?”
“Mac,” the third person present spoke up. Major Sarah Carmichael was the senior fighter pilot left among the Big MAC, and Archie knew her well. “I recommend two waves as well—we outnumber the Taurians and all of our fighters are heavy-weight sluggers. Sure, those Hellcats are dangerous, but we’ve got Eagles and Transgressors of our own that can match them in acceleration. We hold back a full Wing—thirty-nine fighters—and send the remaining twenty-one to engage the Taurians. Sure, it’s even odds in numbers, but our fighters are heavier, better armed, better armored, and we have better pilots.” She paused. “We should be able to defeat their lead element in detail AND have the time to get back to the ships as the second strike launches—with full loads of fuel and external ordnance to engage Wave II. While that happens, we rearm, refuel, and relaunch our first strike to take care of any stragglers.”
“Do it,” Archie ordered, and then he bit his lip. “Twenty? That’s an odd number for Taurians . . . and they don’t normally fly Hellcats.”
“Taurians operate in divisions of four birds, Mac,” Sarah answered. “That’s five divisions—probably one division shy of a reinforced wing. And the Hellcat is a common fighter out here—sure, not all Taurians fly them, but there are some in service.”
“You’re sure you can take them, Sarah?”
The pilot laughed. “Mac, those Taurians are brave—but these aren’t Reunification War veterans we are flying against. The TDF and TCN don’t have good training programs—that is why they have imported those Outworlders to teach basic flight and combat at their Flight Academy on Samantha. They’re brave, I’ll give them that—but frankly, they don’t know jack shit about flying.”
“Okay,” Archie said slowly and he looked at a shaking hand. “Go out there and get them, Sarah—and then we are getting the Hell out of this hellhole.”
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