The human cost of space warfare
or put simply
"why I wouldn't want to be a star fighter pilot ever"
"The average life span of an EarthHope Fighter pilot is 1 minute 35 seconds" - as I have said elsewhere.
From the moment the two fleets drop out of hyperspace and engage in combat there is barely a couple of minutes survival time for one of the fleets' entire crew.
In space there is nowhere to hide, nowhere to run. Once one of the fleets gets on top of the other there is little hope of survival for the losing team.
The first few moments of battle are tense as the two fleets approach, at this stage there is no sign or indicator as to which side is going to come off second best. And second best means death in a space battle.
As the opposing line of fighters approach one another the EarthHope pilots expression changes to one of horror as they realise the AioSenti craft have been set to ram. With no time to change their course one by one a series of bright flares illuminate the night sky as each pair collides.
A handful of EarthHope pilots escape this fate only to find themselves all alone in a sea of combat. Their directives are to attack the larger capital and cruiser vessels. Flying directly at the nearest cruiser one of the fighters is torn to shreds by a burst of rockets launched from the forward weapon mount on the enemy cruiser.
The remaining fighter pilot glances around the battle space - his capital ship is ablaze and taking heavy damage from AioSenti bombers, the cruisers can offer no support against the enemy light craft but they too are damaged heavily. Outnumbered and outgunned by what remains of the enemy fleet the EarthHope fighter dodges and weaves knowing it is only a matter of time before he too will become one with the vacuum of space.
The radio chatter has gone silent, all signs of human life in this sector of space vanquished. The vacuum reigns supreme over the battlefield.
The first few moments of battle are tense as the two fleets approach, at this stage there is no sign or indicator as to which side is going to come off second best. And second best means death in a space battle.
As the opposing line of fighters approach one another the EarthHope pilots expression changes to one of horror as they realise the AioSenti craft have been set to ram. With no time to change their course one by one a series of bright flares illuminate the night sky as each pair collides.
A handful of EarthHope pilots escape this fate only to find themselves all alone in a sea of combat. Their directives are to attack the larger capital and cruiser vessels. Flying directly at the nearest cruiser one of the fighters is torn to shreds by a burst of rockets launched from the forward weapon mount on the enemy cruiser.
The remaining fighter pilot glances around the battle space - his capital ship is ablaze and taking heavy damage from AioSenti bombers, the cruisers can offer no support against the enemy light craft but they too are damaged heavily. Outnumbered and outgunned by what remains of the enemy fleet the EarthHope fighter dodges and weaves knowing it is only a matter of time before he too will become one with the vacuum of space.
The radio chatter has gone silent, all signs of human life in this sector of space vanquished. The vacuum reigns supreme over the battlefield.
Well written and atmospheric.
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