Risen: Darklight

Proof is in the Pounding

My vision swam for a moment then cleared.  Although 'cleared' was a relative term.  Yes, I could see clearly, but my vision was now filled with a virtual heads up display that showed a storm of information.  Then a motion out of the corner of my eye caught my attention and I turned my head to see what it was.

Instantly the HUD miniaturized with my attention off it, giving me an almost clear field of vision.  And with that vision, I found myself studying the powerful, heavily armed aircraft slicing through the green-tinted air beside me.

For lack of a better description, it looked like a cupped hand from the side, curved both from side to side and from front to back.  An armored cockpit was a blister on the leading edge then it was all maneuvering thruster vents and weapon ports from there to the over-sized thrusters in the back.  Charcoal grey, I watched it shimmer in the pale light cutting through the kelly green clouds all around us, telling of a tight field energy shield in place.  Damn.  That thing looked like it meant some serious business.

Wait a minute.  Green clouds??

"All wings, all flights."  A taut voice hissed into my ear.  "We've got penetration of our atmospheric envelope in sectors A17 through D246."  Well, it didn't exactly say 'A' or 'D' but apparently that's what my brain translated the alpha numerics to.

"Command has cleared all units to go weapons blue."  There was a soft chime then: "Forward units, you are closest to the enemy ships entering our airspace.  You are instructed to advance and engage."

"Acknowledged."  My voice said and the HUD spun for a moment in my vision as I turned back to the front and reached out with three fingered hands to let my fingers dance over the control surface.  "We are going max burn and moving to engage, control."

With thruster flares of purple flame stabbing out from its maneuvering vents, my craft banked hard and I saw hundreds, if not thousands of warplanes joining me in the light green sky.  All were heading downward and into the clouds.  A heartbeat later we were diving into the bright green clouds and for a moment I was blind.  Well, physically; my sensors were showing large masses in front of us.

Then we were through and I saw no less than five velkin titan-class battle cruisers moving through the air in front of us in loose formation.

"Control, we've sighted the enemy vessels."  I heard myself saying as my HUD grew a blue tint around its yellow lettering.  "We are weapons blue and we are moving in to engage."  Then my fingers were dancing once more over my control surfaces.

"Basher Flight."  I looked to either side at the clusters of warplanes all around me. 

"Let's go get some."

Thrusters snarling, we moved in hard, firing salvos of rockets first that darted in almost too fast to even my sensors to track before they penetrated the nearest battle cruiser's shields to slam into the hull with ripples of concussive force.  An eye blink later the warheads were detonating, ripping city-block sized holes in the massive vessels.

"Takka Wing, move in and expand those holes."  I growled, streaking over top the damaged velkin warship to target the next one in formation.  Rockets were away before I was even clear of the first ship, then flares of light on either side announced close quarters weapons were firing, sending steady streams of deadly particulate light screaming towards the battle cruiser swiftly growing in my view.

A bong in the upper part of my right side hearing caused me to look up in that direction to see an all too familiar shape begin its descent through the clouds.

"Control, we've spotted another vessel entering the upper atmosphere.  It's under heavy escort and appears to be angled for a landing.  Please advise."