Rolling his multiple sets of shoulders Ponif settled into the fighter, she was a beauty of modern engineering. Quad plasma thrusters with an antimatter injector for an extra kick when needed, adaptive g-force negation generators so he could pull maneuvers that would have otherwise been impossible. Four Ionic plasma cannons tunable to multiple frequencies for maximum damage, as well as two regenerative missile pods. So long as he had energy the missiles would be replicated at a rate of one every ninety seconds.
She also possessed the newest transphasic adaptive plasma channeled redirected shields allowing her to absorb shots from Federation dreadnoughts and keep on kicking.
Ponif appreciated her technical aspects, but the most important thing was that she looked. Even hanging inside of her cradle of the docking bay she looked threatening, like a predator lazily watching the prey pass it by confident that when hungry it would take no effort at all to feed.
Switching her on Ponif sighed as the gel cradle came to life cocooning him and linking him into the craft. Putting his hands forward Ponif gripped the two joysticks and settled his other hands on the control switches.
Ponif was not one to brag, but he was one of the best fighter pilots in the Federation. A survivor of more than a hundred engagements he could take down any enemy with ease. So this was just another day in the line of duty for him.
“How long until the drop?” he growled into the comm.
The controller up in the secondary bridge responded, “We’re three minutes from drop. Intel suggests that this will be an easier mission than normal. The aliens have only three small destroy class ships in our path. No fighter squadrons have yet to be identified.”
“No fighters?” growled Ponif.
“None yet, we’ve seen this tactic before Ponif they are probably hiding somewhere in the atmosphere or in one of the ships.”
Ponif grunted in agreement and cut the comm link. Closing his eyes he cleared his head and waited for the launch.
The alien species had not yielded to the Federations demands for tribute, which as a younger race in the galactic community was expected. When the Federation had threatened to force the issues the Humans had simply laughed and dared them to attack. Arrogance and disrespect of the highest degree.
They were young and arrogant, so a lesson in the ways of the universe was in order.
Ponif hardly cared, all he wanted was another fight another situation where his skills and the limits of his ship would be tested. So far he had yet to come across any species that challenged him. He doubted the Humans would be able too, he had participated in attacks against far stronger enemies in the past.
“Attention all squadrons we are dropping out in ten seconds, prepare to launch,” came the general announcement to all ships cradled in the bay.
Ponif opened his eyes and waited.
Exactly ten seconds later he was launched, the magnetic rails of the ship throwing him out into space in the blink of an eye and with enough velocity that were it not for the dampening systems he would have been a smear of biological matter on the back wall of his fighter.
Twisted the controls and ensuring that nothing was amiss with his ship Ponif looked out at the world and the enemies. It was a blue world like so many life bearing planets were and from space Ponif could see the lights of their cities, nothing particularly impressive or special.
Silhouetted against those lights were the Human’s ships. Small and unimpressive, with barely any thought put into their design they were floating rectangular masses.
“Alright, everyone form up behind me. We’re going to show this primitives that it is futile to refuse the Federation!” shouted Ponif over the comm. He was trying to keep the boredom out of his voice, the higher ups expected all combat footage to show how enthusiastic the solders of the Federation were but to be honest the constant yelling was a pain. Ponif would much rather crush the simple primitives in silence and then go back to the sims where he would face an actual challenge.
“Hoorah!” came the response from his squad with an equal amount of bravado.
The comm crackled, and a mechanical translated voice came over the line.
“This is the United Human Navy, you have twenty seconds to signal a retreat or we will destroy you.”
Ponif chuckled, at least they had guts which was more than could be said for some of the other primitives, most simply rolled over and surrendered when the forward operating fleet of the Federation dropped into their home system.
“Any fighters?” asked Ponif.
“Nothing,” said control.
Cracking his thirty four knuckles Ponif quickly began selecting targets on the primitive ships. The engines, the shields, the bridge, and any other critical systems that he could identify.
Five seconds after this fight started it would be over.
Cruising towards the human ships Ponif did several lazy aileron rolls.
Once again the mechanical translated voice filtered over the comm.
“This is your final warning retreat now or we will be forced to destroy you,” said the Humans.
Ponif ignored them, he was almost in optimal range.
“Everyone weapons free, it doesn’t look like they are sending anyone to say hello, we’re going to aid the cruisers by targeting critical systems,” said Ponif.
The squad responded and began to spread out.
It was that simple maneuver that spared Ponif, one moment he had a squad of over fifty fighters and an entire wing of over two hundred. The next moment that number had been halved. The ship nearest him in the formation exploded, several pieces of debris impacted his own.
Ponif felt the jolt as his brain poured hormone stimulants and neurotransmitters into his system. He had no idea what had just happened, how half of his men had just been eliminated.
“Evasive maneuvers, press forward!” shouted Ponif as he launched flares from his own vessel to try and confuse whatever weapon it had been that had destroyed the other ships.
His own quick action once again saved his life as a moment later another barrage destroyed the remaining ships, and barely missed his own. Whatever the weapon was it clipped him and completely destroyed his power generation and tactical systems. Inside the fighter all of the systems died leaving Ponif dead in space.
For a moment he was stunned, not completely sure of what had just happened. The humans had in the opening moments of the engagement completely eliminated the fighter wings of the Federation fleet.
Drifting now with his instruments dead Ponif looked back at the human vessels, they were advancing forwards guns firing primitive kinetic rounds. After another moment a blinding flash consumed the vessel Ponif had launched from.
Crying out in pain Ponif threw his hands up over his eyes, but even then he could see the ghostly image of his many fingers as the light penetrated his flesh.
The primitives were using uncontained atomics!
Opening his eyes and trying to clear them Ponif looked out at the Federation fleet, or rather what was left of it.
The larger ships were broken and floating venting atmosphere, the smaller escorts had been completely vaporized.
“God’s help us all,” breathed Ponif as he looked out at the destruction.
He had been confident they were the hunters, the strongest animals. The humans were above that all though, they had no use for intimidation. They knew they would win.
An animal will always lose to a gun no matter how ferocious its roar.