First Principles: Samair in Argos: Book 3 Read Online Free PDF

commander.  “I have Leader Korqath on the line, ma’am.”
    “Aplora Lead here, Cavalier ,” the zheen spoke up.  “Go ahead.”
    “Bring your ships aft, Leader,” she told him.  She checked her displays.  The initial salvo from the corvette hammered the battlecruiser’s aft section, and the capital ship started to change vector, diving “down” below the plane of the ecliptic to bring more of its weapons to bear.  “Helm, keep us in their aft.”  Her display showed four heavy laser cannons on the battlecruiser’s aft section shooting back at the corvette.  The ship rocked with each hit to the shields.
    “Forward shields are losing power,” Garidhak called out.  “Twenty-two percent and falling.  But the battlecruiser’s aft shields are spotting.  Firing again!”
    “Ma’am?” Korqath asked.
    Tamara blinked.  “Sorry.  Bring your fighters around and launch a missile salvo.  But make sure you all target the same spot.  One missile each.”
    “Roger that,” the zheen pilot replied.  “And if that puts big enough holes in the shields?”
    “Hit the big bastard again,” she told him firmly.  “But make sure you stay in their after section.  At least until and unless we can disable their main propulsion.  After that, I’ll release you and your Aploras to strafe the rest of the ship.”
    “Roger that !” Korqath crowed happily.
     
    “Now this is so much fun!” Hukriss, second in command of the Aplora squadron and leader of Second Flight, crowed.  “Boss, we need to do this more!”
    “Can it, Hukriss,” Korqath ordered, though he was unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.  “We got work to do.”  He keyed the squadron channel.  “Aploras, this is Lead.  Converge on the aft section of the battlecruiser, prepare to receive targeting telemetry.  On my mark, you will all launch one missile on the following coordinates.  And by the stars make sure you don’t get shot down.  Their weapons in the after section aren’t as heavy as those on the flanks or the forward quarter, but they don’t need much to shoot us down.  Those heavy lasers are more than enough to vaporize one of us, to say nothing of the turbolasers.”
    The nimble fighters looped around, diving and slipping and rolling around the battlecruiser and it attempted to maneuver for position against the far more maneuverable company ships.  In seconds they made it to the after section and a quick one eighty on their position found them facing the eight large main propulsion units, only five of which were lit.  Odd, Korqath thought, but it was well known that the Leytonstone had been all but derelict for decades.  Several months had been spent on refitting the ship, but a surprisingly small amount of work appeared to have been completed.  Of course , he mused, emitting a hum of amusement, I’ve gotten spoiled by watching Captain Samair and the company’s work ethic. Also its industrial capabilities.  With its constructor ship Samarkand and the engineering teams on the mining station as well as the bulk freighter Grania Estelle , FP has a huge segment up on the locals.  Hell, I’m a local!  When did I stop thinking of myself as a local?  If I hadn’t seen the Captain do her work, I would never have believed that it would be possible.  Wonder how much work would have gotten done on this battlecruiser if Captain Samair and Supervisor Sterling had been allowed to do their thing.
    The four heavy laser cannons in the after section tried to swat down the fighters and even the Cavalier when it looped back into range.  The battlecruiser’s own maneuvers had been less than effective against the company ships.  They were simply too large and lumbering compared to the much lighter vessels they were facing.  And the fighter pilots loved every second of it.  As Korqath pulled up his missile targeting system, locking the reticule on center of the aft section, an alarm went off.  He yanked the pilot’s