Chapter 605: Murder (1/2)
The Old World, Bronze Mountain 281st Cartel Air Fleet, The Bronze Picker
Cartel Lord Boldstar turned his attention away from the boarding action of the Loose Confed merchant airship and gave an order to the helmsman. ”Bring us away from this place! Resume course to Waterfall Cove!”
”Yes, my Lord!” The helmsman replied as he spun the wheel. The heavy sky cruiser turned and pointed its nose towards the direction of the cove and its air screws powered up, pushing the heavy sky cruiser forward between the clouds.
”Inform me when we reach our location,” Lord Boldstar yawned as he left the bridge. ”I shall be in my cabin!”
The bridge crew saluted and returned to their duties while Lord Boldstar went into his cabin to get some much needed sleep, totally unaware of the situation that had befallen his crew onboard the merchant ship.
-----
Pelan was a skywatcher onboard the Bronze Picker. He had just turned fifteen summers this year and was proud of the fact that he had made junior sky hand and was posted as a skywatcher whose job was to watch the skies surrounding the airship.
He was also proud that his performance was highly praised by his team leader and this morning, he was the one that spotted the merchant airship. Lord Boldstar had even given a rare word of commendation to him earlier and he saluted him like the rest when he left the bridge.
He returned to his job of scanning the skies with the huge farseeing device when he passed over a cloud before he jolted in surprise. He looked closely at the cloud again that was just several ship lengths of distance away and to his horror, he realized that something was hidden inside it.
”Sir!” He called out quickly. ”Th- There's something in that cloud! Six points to the helm!” He cried out. ”I do not know what is it!”
The Second Lieutenant who was in command of the bridge stepped over with a frown. He wanted to berate the skywatcher but he kept it down as he recognized the boy as one of the more competent crew. ”What is it?”
”Look sir!” Pelan gestured to the cloud. The Second Lieutenant bent down and looked through the bulky farseer and a confused expression appeared on his face.
”What in the mountains...” The Second Lieutenant barely finished his sentence when there was a mighty boom and the whole ship shook violently.
”Rock and stone! We are under attack!”
-----
The Old World, UNS Icarus
”Tango Alpha holding steady,” The weapons officer intoned. ”All guns ready and awaiting command.”
”UNS Daedalus reports guns ready and locked on,” The XO reported next. ”They are waiting for your lead, Sir!”
”All guns...” The Captain of the Icarus snapped. ”Fire!”
”Aye, aye!” The weapons officer replied before he spoke into his comms. ”All guns open fire at Tango Alpha!”
Almost instantaneously, the two turrets housing a pair of 88 mm long guns thundered. The shock wave of the cannons, blew off part of the cloud cover, exposing the gun turrets. The UNS Daedalus's guns followed a short moment after and shells slammed into the side of the Cartel airship without any warning.
The 88 mm shells designed to be able to punch through magical monster hides and armored steel, easily ripped through the iron armor of the Cartel airship. Balls of explosions rolled out from the flanks of the airship as it was bracketed by shellfire.
The Cartel sky cruiser was a symbol of absolute might on the skies of the Old World collapsed from the skies on the fourth volley, the crew barely even able to power up whatever magical defenses they had nor even fire a shot back in retaliation.
”Old Ugly, Old Ugly, this is UNS Icarus,” The captain of the Icarus keyed the comms and made his report. ”Tango Alpha has been destroyed.”
”Roger that, Icarus,” The reply came back a moment later. ”Check for survivors. Out”
The captain of the Icarus turned to the display screen where the image of the Cartel airship was shown shattered all across the land below. He sighed and ordered, ”Send a Search and Rescue party down to see if there are any survivors.”
He shook his head as he looked at the shattered remains of the Cartel airship and mumbled to himself, ”How can there still be anyone surviving in there after getting blown to pieces...”
-----
The Old World, The Old Ugly
Blake turned to Trism and asked, ”Any wounded?”
”Surprisingly there were only a few bruises and minor cuts on our side,” Trism replied. ”I think we really took them by surprise.”
”And the Cartel?” Blake asked next.
”Twenty six KIA and fourteen wounded and captured,” Trism reported. ”All fourteen are currently recovering in the brig.”
”Interrogate them once they are health enough,” Blake said when there was a knock at the bridge hatch and a Marine dressed in a civilian wear stepped in.
”Sir, the dwarvan specialists are requesting an audience urgently,” The Marine said as he saluted.