Ekatya watched the ground pounders on the Caphenon’s bridge display and reflected that she’d never before fought a battle with only half the display active. There was no reason to activate the floor panels. It was disquieting, as if she were fighting half blind. On the other hand, it also felt a little too easy. Their targets were moving at relatively slow speeds and falling toward a distant location, rather than flying straight at them. They were also far larger than any missile or rail gun projectile. The Caphenon’s sensor grid had no problem tracking them, and the Alseans were doing an excellent job of firing when the grid told them to. There were a few blank spots in the grid, due to nanoscrubber or crash damage, but Roris and her team were covering most of those sections. Their manual targeting was the best in the Fleet.
In fact, she really didn’t have much to do. All of her work had been in the preparations, and in steadying her new crew when their nerves began to show. Even the most trained and hardened warriors could falter when an overwhelming alien force appeared in their skies, but they’d shaped up nicely. None of the ground pounders were getting through.
No sooner had she thought it when she saw one slip past.
“Target entering grid alpha-four-two,” she said. “Manual fire.”
“I can’t!” The warrior sounded frantic. “There are three more in my grid, I can’t get them all!”
“That’s all right. Get the ones you can; our backup will take care of the rest.”
It was a good thing she’d been in so many battles. She no longer had to fake her calm the way she had in her younger days. Half of her job right now was simply projecting serenity, assuring the sensitive Alseans that everything was under control. If she’d been faking it, they would probably have imploded by now.
The ground pounder was on the other side of Blacksun, too far for Candini or Baldassar. She tapped her earcuff, activating the pre-coded link.
“Lancer Tal, you’ve got one coming your way. Sending coordinates now.”
“We’re ready.”
She checked the grid against the map of Blacksun Basin spread out on her lap and punched the Alsean coordinates into her wristcom. “Here you go. Good hunting.”
“Finally, something to do. You’re putting on quite a light show here. We were beginning to feel useless.”
“I can hardly think of a word less likely to describe you. Be safe.”
“Don’t worry, we will.”
Ekatya signed off and returned her attention to the display, not quite as calm as before. It didn’t matter what Lancer Tal said. She was going to worry.