Chronicles of Sol: The Fall-Chapter 233 One Ninety-Four SF-1204 First Flight

July 23rd, 007 SDE:

Several figures gathered in the Starboard hangar where three planes sat ready to fly. Countryman noted Sali in full flight gear standing next to White. He smiled, "Hey Sali. Somehow managed to rate this flight?"

The girl grinned, "I did, Instructor White picked me as her wingman, and Eri managed to get the other slot. I think she just wanted something to fly. Not like the Enterprise is going anywhere."

"Well, a full plating overhaul does take some time. The fighter update program was easier."

Sali nodded, "Right, so White was kinda sketch on it, but what did that involve?"

Richards stepped up, "Our Captain here was apparently doing more than just dying during the last two years. He spent what moments he could working on improving our engines. We've designated his new drive scheme, the Mark II."

"Well my engine isn't the only change. We made a number of adjustments based on pilot feedback. The main fusion reactor was updated and the fuel cells were switched over to a more energy-dense form. The result was that we maintained the original storage capacity and increased the overall available power by twenty percent. In addition, we freed up some extra space for other systems.

"The Mark II Pulse Wave Engines are much more efficient than the old version, and have slightly better performance metrics. Other than going further on less fuel, you won't notice much difference. One interesting quirk is during testing we noted a thirty percent reduction in our graviton wake, combined with the new generation of wake reducers we put on the 1204, you will have a near zero graviton wake. Something to keep in mind when you go dark.

"The armor is largely the same, we have updated it with the storm refits we are doing for the Enterprise, nano channels for limited self repair and a better conductor matrix so you can draw energy directly from the storm. Higher density capacitor cells, let you store and quickly release that energy as required. Several sections of the spaceframe have been reinforced based on combat data from previous conflicts over the last seven years.

"Now for the real changes, with all the extra space, we were able to mount two pulsar launchers on the 1204, without sacrificing previous armament. Each of these planes now had four particle cannons, four missile launchers, two pulsar launchers, and two torpedo tubes. Magazine space was also improved, sadly we couldn't find space for another full missile reload, but we did manage to fit two more torpedoes into the lower bay and a couple more missiles. Bringing you from a standard load of eight and six to ten and eight.

"Inside the cockpit, we've made a number of minor alterations based on pilot feedback. I'll leave those for you to make something of, but the cockpit should be more tolerable on those long flights. Flight controls and HUD weren't touched at all, as we'd received no complaints about them."

Sali frowned, "I'd be surprised if you did, it's pretty good and the HUD does come with customization options. I found they worked well, in both simulation and actual flight."

"Glad to hear it," said Countryman.

Eri slipped into view, the flight suit doing nothing to hide her figure. She seemed happy though as she took in the fighters, "So Sali? White? Excited to be the first to actually fly these things?"

The girls shared looks, and then Sali said, "I just want to fly, who cares about firsts?"

White chuckled, "I'd say she's a real pilot there."

"Well, are you three ready?"

"Sure, anything we need to know?"

"This is an extended shakedown cruise, the original configuration could operate for about seven days before needing to refuel. The new mark two engines get fifty percent more thrust per megawatt spent, which dramatically improves their fuel consumption and the modifications to the hull plating allow you to draw power from the storm. One of the goals of this cruise is to determine how long the SF-1204 can operate in the storm without refueling."

Sali blinked, "Does that mean we are going to be stuck in a fighter for a week?"

White chuckled, "You did well on the extended flight sims. The 1204 is outfitted for it, even if it is less than stellar."

Countryman just shook his head. "Yes, but the recon flights pointed out a while ago that it is less than optimal. A 1205 in recon configuration will be joining you, we've given her the same engine and armor updates, along with a few other minor updates for testing."

Eri blinked, "How did I not hear about that!? I'm on the council!"

Richards grinned, "Oh that's perfect, did you get that sir?"

He just shook his head, "You happy?"

"Sure am! It was so worth keeping her in the dark!"

Eri glared at Richards, "You!"

Countryman sighed, "Well, antics aside, it made sense to expand the fighter update program to the rest of the fleet. After the first promising tests, we discussed them during that one meeting you were a little late for. The X-1204 was picked first, to become the SF-1204. The X-1205 and the Artic were also picked as early contenders. The X-1208 Sparrow was considered, but we won't start update work until next week. Although we do have a project header, SFB-1208 Sparrow should be largely unchanged aside from an armor update and new engines."

Eri let out a breath, "Well at least I can check her out when we dock." Then she paused, "Right, who are our spares?"

Taking only a moment to check his mental copy, "Pilots Harris, Mitchel, and Fujiwara. They'll be swapping with you three on rotation, so you can get a few hours sleep on the shuttle."

"Sounds fun, sir."

Countryman chuckled, then saw them off, as they went about getting ready to launch. Engineers joined for a final set of checks before the ships were set to launch.

Sali watched her sensors and kept an eye on the walls as the fighter rushed down the tunnel. She'd passed the tunnel force shield projectors and airlock a while ago. The shield projectors had been a new addition, they were a little power hungry but they allowed both airlock doors to be opened without compromising the port. That was quite useful for this launch, but it wasn't a proper solution. The real purpose for the shield was to serve as a temporary patch in case the doors were compromised. They'd already started work on a portside hangar facility that would allow the port to recover and launch fighters. The launch bays would be on the storm side of the main facility airlock and would include the same facilities found on the Enterprise to quickly stow and service fighter and shuttlecraft. A pair of tunnels would lead to the main port, allowing for craft, and personnel to be transferred directly into the port facility or from the facility to the portside hangars.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

White appeared in her hud, "We've just launched and I can already feel the difference. Engine readings show she is using less fuel than I'm used to."

Sali nodded, "I'm getting the same, I'm at one-half throttle, and barely drawing on the reactor. Hell, reactor draw seems to be going down the further down the tunnel we get."

"We are heading into the storm, more power out there. Makes sense to me," commented Eri as she joined the chatter.

"I'm sure the council will be excited about that one. They are doing these upgrades to the Enterprise aren't they?"

Eri nodded, "I've heard some chatter about that. They are getting the work started at least, but these trials are being closely watched. If you know what I mean."

Sali just smiled, she knew, "I think we both know and I don't blame them. The rumor mill is full of concerns that we might be facing another energy crisis soon."

"We are, but it's a slow one, we have time. Projections show we have years before the lack of new fuel sources becomes critical."

White commented, "I figure the fuel worries aren't too big. I think it's more about maintaining a reserve. I'm more worried about those damn eddies. Did you see what one of them did to the hull?"

Sali shuddered, "I'm glad that was the Enterprise and not my fighter."

The other two shuddered, "Um, yeah, let's not think about that."

Sali decided to change the topic, "So I don't really know the pilots the captain mentioned, anything you two can tell me?"

Eri nodded, "I've flown with them a couple of times, they are all good pilots. Top of their class, numerous combat sorties, highly rated on the X-1204. Mathew Harris was a fresh faced pilot when he joined the crew, his first combat sortie was in the Sol system. He and a number of other pilots went on a long-range strike mission against a retreating Cathamari fleet after the battle of Earth. During the battle, he scored his first combat kill, a Cathamari Destroyer. During the Conflict with the Confederation however, was when he found his colors. He participated in numerous combat missions during that time. He has nine hundred forty-seven confirmed combat kills, including nine cruisers and thirteen destroyers."

White chuckled, "Been slacking hasn't he? I passed a thousand a while back."

Sali gulped, "Um, uh..."

"Don't worry, you'll get your blood soon enough. We all do."

"That's a lot of kills," she finally said.

"Well, we were constantly engaged against superior numbers. Thankfully most Confederation pilots are dogshit. They have great technical skills but no understanding of the craft."

Sali sighed, "Well to be fair, when I was one, all I ever fought were pirates."

"There is that. Now who was next? Right, Mitchel. Samantha Mitchel fought in the Cathamari War, and before that she was an ace pilot in Earth's Military. She was one of the first pilots to fly the SF-1137 Nighthawk and her record with it is generally impressive, especially during the Cathamari War where she torpedoed a carrier in the middle of launching fighters. Downed the entire ship, hell, she was so good at it, that she did it again two months later and a third time later that same year. Of course, Cathamari fighters are... outmatched by ours to put it mildly so our fighter pilots did rack up quite the kill count on them during the war. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"After she joined the Enterprise and rated a 1204 she did quite well. She didn't get to go on the Sol system sortie, but she did get a number of flights during the Valorian conflict and flew combat missions during both the Raid at New Valoria and the Telgros Raid. Her carrier sniping resumed during that period as well. She has nine confirmed carrier kills, and almost two thousand confirmed combat kills in general."

"She sounds pretty impressive."

"Right, well Fujiwara isn't a slouch either. Graduated from Academy as valedictorian. Her career as a fighter pilot began shortly before the outbreak of the Third Colonial War. Her first sortie was a combat air patrol on the Earth-Titan trade route, her carrier had been assigned to the escort of a particularly vital convoy. The mission was going well until a pirate vessel attacked, during the fight she scored her first combat kills, three near-peer enemy fighters. It was later learned the pirates were actual privateers outfitted by Mars. Following the outbreak of war, she volunteered for the Sky Wolves unit."

"Sky Wolves?"

"I was getting to that. They were an elite unit, took on the most dangerous assignments, had the lowest survival record of any unit in the fleet. Fujiwara is one of only three pilots to survive the entire war in that unit and she racked up one of the highest kill counts in history which at the time wasn't too crazy but then she took things a step further in the Cathamari war. I wouldn't want to face her, personally."

Sali frowned as the tunnel opened up, "You know kill counts like that are honestly insane, but if someone makes even crazy people like you blush I really don't want to fight her."

"Are they?" commented White.

"Yes! Over a thousand really? My previous instructor had 57 after fifteen years of service and that was already considered high."

Eri chuckled.

"Give her a break, they were not fighting wars. Fighter combat is a bit of an art and if you have the talent to succeed you can end up getting up there. It's just a matter of how often you get sent into battle and what the enemy sends at you. Good hardware helps, but it's no substitute for real skill and instincts. Besides you've got really good simulator scores and those opponents? They were programmed with AGI technology, they learn and adapt based on what you do."

Sali blinked then groaned, "No wonder they were always so tough."

White smiled, "When I met Rose, I practically begged Countryman to make an AGI for our simulators. I think it was worth it. Our pilots all loved it, the thrill of a good challenge keeps us sharp."

"I guess you are right about that."

"Try to sound more excited. Those simulations give you an edge, and you have us old dogs watching your back. You'll be fine out here."

"I guess," she replied as she turned the fighter out into the storm, one of the DP-12 Sentinels came into view, but she barely gave it a look. Instead, her gaze fell on the weapon's console, where a pair of Pulsar launchers were listed.

"So did either of you read the specs on these?"

They shared looks, "We both did," replied Eri. "What do you want to know?"

"Do they match up with the Sparrows?"

"Officially, they are classed as light pulsar launchers. They have the same range, and the recharge rate is somewhat better but they have twenty-five percent less power in each shot. In tests we noted higher velocities and better responsiveness to guidance. They track agile targets a bit better. In the end, they aren't as good against capital ships, but better for use against lighter targets. Perfect for the 1204, and they should help plug a gap we've all been annoyed about."

White interjected, "Tell me about it. Can't tell you how many times I had a big one in my sights. Only for its shields to shrug off my last torpedoes, leaving me unable to scratch it. A few pulsars would help, big time."

Sali just nodded, she'd felt that too. Mainly in simulation but she'd gone through hundreds of them by now.

Eri spoke, "Okay, time to focus on our boards, we are leaving the perimeter now."

Sali glanced at her sensor display, "I see our shuttle approaching now."

"I see it too, they are requesting permission to join our formation. Hmm, looks like Fujiwara is flying."