A Kats Eye View, Part 8 “The Battle for Kat’s Eyes”
Interpretation provided by Che-Rene Straykat,
Kat Lady @ Large
Mate to Suralle
Primary Keeper of the Faith
“Firing Point Procedures, Master 2, formerly Echo 124”, announced newly appointed Kat Lord Anue Gats-Ton.
“Secondary Fire Control, Shoot!” shouted the Kat Lord.
“Shoot, Secondary Fire Control Aye!” responded the Weapons Specialist aboard the PDF Command Star Cruiser “Nepatal” (CSC-709).
“Fire, secondary batteries, Master 2, Echo 124.” The specialist announced over the ships 1MC.
Echoed over the fire control master communications circuit came the response, “Fire, secondary batteries, Master 2, Echo 124, Aye!”
Long had the Terran Federation known of the fact that the initial nanosecond of contact between LASER systems against shielded targets also was the time of the most damage done. Shields and Force Fields tended to strengthen at the point of intersection as energies were given and reflected back off into space. Subsequent surges in deflectors and shields literally caused damage to become minimal at that point. Hence was the Terran need for having a wingman for all required combat.
Not so for the Prydean Defense Force. The Command Star Cruiser “Nepatal” was the latest in the “Stray Kat” Class Cruisers, built specifically for war. The Pryde had access to nearly flawless laser emitter crystals grown in space-based micro-gravity chambers. Combined with their superior knowledge of electromagnetism and fast time constant inductive battery discharge. The second generation MK3 “Katsklaw” Laser Cannons were fully controlled pulsed laser cannon. Firing short nanosecond bursts in rapid sequential discharges the laser peeled back deflectors and modern combat ships shields like an experienced chef was able to micro-plane fish filets. Once the laser cannon reached the hull and limited armor of a ship, that portion of the ship to its nearest space-tight integrity boundary was rendered ineffectual, in essence becoming just more floating debris for scientific dissection later.
Above Anues command chair, the glass-wall command fire control board showed a new contact being transmitted by PDF Ring Tone (SS-18), which was on loan to the SAG (Star Action Group) from Captain Ah-Stare of the CAG (Colonies Action Group). “Ring Tone” and her counterpart SS-22 “Spotter” had taken out-of-the-ecliptic orbits along the Kats Eye Stars northern and southern poles providing 360 degree total electronics coverage for the entire star system.
Ring Tone and her class of converted heavy scout fighters were equipped with state-of-the-art radiometers, spectrometers, electromagnetic anomaly detectors (MAD), and the newest tele-photodiode controlled Identification Friend or Foe recognition software not to mention the Terrans newest Long Range Sensor and Jamming system capable of limiting the effectiveness of all known communications, detections gear and targeting systems.
Directing the primary Weapons Specialists attention to the incoming targeting data, designated Charlie 356, Anue announced, “Designate Charlie 356, Master 3, feed all targeting data to primary weapons systems.”
“Designate Charlie 356 as Master 3, Primary Fire Control Aye”, responded that weapons combat system operator. Moments, which seemed like an eternity, later the primary weapons specialist concluded and stated, “We have a closing solution, recommend firing point procedures Master 3.”
Verifying that identification friend or foe was satisfied and that the target was indeed closing for combat the Kat Lord again announced, “Firing point procedures, Master 3, formally Charlie 356!”
“Primary Fire Control, Shoot!”
“Shoot, Primary Fire Control Aye!” responded the Weapons Specialist.
“Fire, primary batteries, Master 3, Charlie 356.” The weapons specialist announced over the ships 1MC.
Echoed over the fire control master communications circuit came the response, “Fire, primary batteries, Master 3, Charlie 356, Aye!”
In less than a flick of a tail, the scrape of the claw on the selector switch, much faster even than Anue could glance over at the weapons screen, the target formerly known as Master 3, Charlie 356, simple ceased to be. The Kat Lord briefly remembered the classes he had attended back in engineering preparation school, on the deadly effectiveness of the Fourth Generation “Klawsburg” Mk 4 Dual Firing Rail Guns. 15 M amps of cold blue electric energy lanced up one side of the rail and down the second rail inducing a purpled tinged magnetic field across the armature. In the blink of a slotted kats eye, the rail guns inertial guidance contacts closed and the projectiles were launched from the guns at hyper-warp speeds.
Next thought Anue… as the battle for dominance over the Kats Eye Star System had barely begun.
W/R
Suralle Straykat
Kat Lord @ Large
This part of my writing is dedicated to the crews of the United States Submarine Force, of all their daring deeds past, present and future and to all of my brothers who still proudly wear their dolphins insignia and continue to do the mission despite losses of family, life, and luxury, I salute you all.
In special remembrance to my time aboard “USS HYMAN G RICKOVER” SSN 709.
