Tweet
MAY 23,
2029
Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The morning of May 23 was like any other at the Cape Kennedy Spaceport. Payloads were launched, and re-entering vehicles received. The dull monotony of everyday life hung like a thick, choking fog over all aspects of life at Kennedy. Occasionally, however, this monotony would be dispelled by a "special launch payload." And the 23rd was such a day.
A huge tracked vehicle, reminiscent of a tank without it's turret, rumbled slowly down the main road to the spaceport. Slung on top of the payload carrier was a huge cylindrical pod. What the pod contained was a great mystery...
But it must have been valuable, for there were many who wanted it's contents...
And that was ample justification for the security surrounding the object.
"Easy...easy there...easy does it..."
A man in an orange jumpsuit stood on the road, slowly backing away as the carrier approached. He motioned with his hands, in order to help the driver keep the carrier in balance.
Behind, in front and around of the carrier were an entire company of MBT-44 main battle tanks. These were the most powerful ground combat vehicles known to man, each being four times as a squad of late 20th century tanks.
The crews were confident that they were more or less immortal here.
Of course, this worked in the favor of the attackers...
"Den Mother to Grizzly Cub, do you read me?"
"Grizzly Cub to Den Mother, affirmative..."
Hiding in the bushes next to the road was an entire company of exoskeleton infantry. Their job was to secure the road after the carrier had passed, cutting off the main escape route.
The task of actually seizing the payload would happen in mid- orbit. It was to be the responsibility of a squadron of space fighters.
And so, after a few minutes, the carrier and it's escort had passed.
"Fan out, and secure the perimeter..." the commander ordered.
One of the infantrymen jumped out of hiding in the bushes, and lay prone in the center of the road.
Soon, his fellow infantrymen followed suit. Within a few moments, all of the main thoroughfares were secured and covered. Nothing could come in or out of the spaceport without the knowledge of the infantrymen.
****
As this was happening, the payload was being ready for launch. It had already been attached to it's orbital maneuvering shuttle, and it was now attached to the vertically pointed rail launcher.
"Rail launcher charged..." one of the launch operators in Mission Control said.
"Permission to transfer charge to launch magnets?" he asked the chief operator.
"Permission granted."
The operator looked down at his computer, and with a click of the mouse, initiated the software sequence designed to activate the launch system.
A light fixture that had been on the ceiling flashed red, then glowed green.
"We have charge transfer...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1. Orbital velocity peaked...launch structure separation. We have lift off!"
Every operator in the room cheered. Considering future events, it was incredibly ironic...
As the payload was launching from Cape Canaveral, a squadron of space fighters belonging to the U.S. space force was gathering overhead. They were to provide escort for the shuttle and it's valuable cargo.
"Little Friend One, this is Big Daddy, over..." said the pilot of the shuttle.
"Big Daddy, this is Little Friend One. Proceed to orbit as usual," said the commander of the squadron charged with escort duty.
"Roger!"
The shuttle activated it's maneuvering thrusters, rolling until the payload pod was pointing upwards, and the vertical fins on the shuttle downwards, toward Earth.
“Thruster firing initiated.”
One of the main thrusters aboard the shuttle fired a brief burst. It was enough to set the shuttle and the pod moving at over 4000 miles per hour.
Suddenly, aboard one of the space fighters, one of the pilots spotted a radar return. It was not the shuttle…
And it was not the fighter escort…
“Oh my god…”
The radar contacts lined up…
“We’re under attack!” yelled the pilot, just as the unidentified contacts fired their missiles, then accelerated forward.
Instantly, one of the missiles locked on to the commander’s craft. It’s rocket thrusters increased power, and the missile slammed into the fighter, automatically detonating the shaped charge warhead. The fighter never stood a chance.
Without their commander, the squadron of fighters fell into confusion. Most were annihilated in the hail of missiles, but a few managed to escape.
The shuttle was now defenseless…
After the escort fighters had gone, the enemy fighters swooped in.
“Big Daddy 1, you will follow us…”
2029
Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The morning of May 23 was like any other at the Cape Kennedy Spaceport. Payloads were launched, and re-entering vehicles received. The dull monotony of everyday life hung like a thick, choking fog over all aspects of life at Kennedy. Occasionally, however, this monotony would be dispelled by a "special launch payload." And the 23rd was such a day.
A huge tracked vehicle, reminiscent of a tank without it's turret, rumbled slowly down the main road to the spaceport. Slung on top of the payload carrier was a huge cylindrical pod. What the pod contained was a great mystery...
But it must have been valuable, for there were many who wanted it's contents...
And that was ample justification for the security surrounding the object.
"Easy...easy there...easy does it..."
A man in an orange jumpsuit stood on the road, slowly backing away as the carrier approached. He motioned with his hands, in order to help the driver keep the carrier in balance.
Behind, in front and around of the carrier were an entire company of MBT-44 main battle tanks. These were the most powerful ground combat vehicles known to man, each being four times as a squad of late 20th century tanks.
The crews were confident that they were more or less immortal here.
Of course, this worked in the favor of the attackers...
"Den Mother to Grizzly Cub, do you read me?"
"Grizzly Cub to Den Mother, affirmative..."
Hiding in the bushes next to the road was an entire company of exoskeleton infantry. Their job was to secure the road after the carrier had passed, cutting off the main escape route.
The task of actually seizing the payload would happen in mid- orbit. It was to be the responsibility of a squadron of space fighters.
And so, after a few minutes, the carrier and it's escort had passed.
"Fan out, and secure the perimeter..." the commander ordered.
One of the infantrymen jumped out of hiding in the bushes, and lay prone in the center of the road.
Soon, his fellow infantrymen followed suit. Within a few moments, all of the main thoroughfares were secured and covered. Nothing could come in or out of the spaceport without the knowledge of the infantrymen.
****
As this was happening, the payload was being ready for launch. It had already been attached to it's orbital maneuvering shuttle, and it was now attached to the vertically pointed rail launcher.
"Rail launcher charged..." one of the launch operators in Mission Control said.
"Permission to transfer charge to launch magnets?" he asked the chief operator.
"Permission granted."
The operator looked down at his computer, and with a click of the mouse, initiated the software sequence designed to activate the launch system.
A light fixture that had been on the ceiling flashed red, then glowed green.
"We have charge transfer...10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1. Orbital velocity peaked...launch structure separation. We have lift off!"
Every operator in the room cheered. Considering future events, it was incredibly ironic...
As the payload was launching from Cape Canaveral, a squadron of space fighters belonging to the U.S. space force was gathering overhead. They were to provide escort for the shuttle and it's valuable cargo.
"Little Friend One, this is Big Daddy, over..." said the pilot of the shuttle.
"Big Daddy, this is Little Friend One. Proceed to orbit as usual," said the commander of the squadron charged with escort duty.
"Roger!"
The shuttle activated it's maneuvering thrusters, rolling until the payload pod was pointing upwards, and the vertical fins on the shuttle downwards, toward Earth.
“Thruster firing initiated.”
One of the main thrusters aboard the shuttle fired a brief burst. It was enough to set the shuttle and the pod moving at over 4000 miles per hour.
Suddenly, aboard one of the space fighters, one of the pilots spotted a radar return. It was not the shuttle…
And it was not the fighter escort…
“Oh my god…”
The radar contacts lined up…
“We’re under attack!” yelled the pilot, just as the unidentified contacts fired their missiles, then accelerated forward.
Instantly, one of the missiles locked on to the commander’s craft. It’s rocket thrusters increased power, and the missile slammed into the fighter, automatically detonating the shaped charge warhead. The fighter never stood a chance.
Without their commander, the squadron of fighters fell into confusion. Most were annihilated in the hail of missiles, but a few managed to escape.
The shuttle was now defenseless…
After the escort fighters had gone, the enemy fighters swooped in.
“Big Daddy 1, you will follow us…”
What about the big battle between the exoskeletons and the super duper battle tanks? I was hoping for a nice big rumble there.
Comment