Chapter 289 Outpost Battle (Part 1)

"Buzz"

The plasma propulsion array spit out a burst of blue light, and the silver-white HCP cut through the dark starry sky, looking like a fleeting meteor from a distance.

"Didi!"

Three beeps sounded in the cockpit of GAX-A12 block 1 ‘Priest’.

Lieutenant Larry Scott of the 809th HCP Squadron of the Royal Navy of the Star Dragon Empire glanced at the multi-function display on the lower left.

His three-aircraft formation (a squadron under the squadron) had just passed the eighth checkpoint on the track. After automatic correction, the navigation system gave an 'economic route' to the ninth checkpoint.

Lieutenant Larry turned his head and looked at the right rear of the all-circle display. There was a light green inverted triangle logo there, and there was a similar logo on his left rear.

The words '80 kilometers' are marked on the sides of the two inverted triangle signs, which is the straight-line distance between the two signs and him.

Under the mapping of the control operating system, he simultaneously looked at the main monitor on the right rear side of his head, and quickly captured the image of Lieutenant Larry's pupil locked area.

A small window suddenly popped up on the Quanzhou Tian monitor, inside which was an image synthesized by another cleric - this was the integrated detection module integrated into the main monitor on the head.

The captured cleric seemed to realize that his lead aircraft was looking at him. He raised his left robotic arm and waved it. A young voice also came from the team channel in the blue-green laser communication mode. .

"Venixing 1, what's the problem?"

This is Second Lieutenant Jeff, who is in the same squadron as Lieutenant Larry. He is a young man who has just been assigned to the squadron. In layman's terms, he is a 'rookie'.

He is also one of his wingmen.

"It's okay, it's just that every time I see the originally elegant 'clergyman' look like with these 'burdens' on his back, I feel like my 'coordinated beauty' has been desecrated."

The burden Lieutenant Larry refers to is the 'disposable conformal superconducting battery pack' mounted on the outside of the cleric's calf and on both sides of the plasma propulsion array on the back.

When conducting long-distance cruising missions away from the mothership such as CSP (Combat Space Patrol), these additional superconducting battery packs will be used to maintain the low-power operation of the airframe and main propulsion array.

As the "Priest" who plans to replace the "Zealots" batch by batch in the future and become one of the next generation general HCPs of the Star Dragon Empire, he continues to carry forward the exquisite and beautiful features of the empire's equipment.

If a zealot is a dismounted knight wearing heavy armor, then a cleric is a knight lord wearing tailor-made plate armor.

But these bloated battery packs obviously destroy this aesthetic to some extent.

Because the troops of Duke Hastings and Artesia had been on standby on the border of the empire before.

Therefore, some of the HCP squadrons in their fleet were replaced with a group of 'priests' earlier than other units.

Although Larry's 809th Squadron was an HCP squadron attached to a reconnaissance unit, it unexpectedly caught the tail end of the major equipment change and used the new airframe in advance.

According to the above statement, it seems that this new model of HCP is being tested for its suitability for various long-distance reconnaissance missions.

"Hahaha, you are indeed an 'extreme aestheticist' as others in the team said."

"Commonly known as patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder."

Another deep and hoarse voice sounded in the team channel, and the owner of the voice was another member of the team, Lieutenant Bob.

As the oldest people in the entire squadron, both Larry and Jeff were very curious as to why this pilot, who had not served for a short time, was still only a second lieutenant after so long.

"Tsk Venus No. 3, I think it's because of this mouth that you are still only a second lieutenant after all these years."

"Hmph, a second lieutenant is a second lieutenant. I wish they would kick me out of the army!"

Lieutenant Larry did not continue to answer because he knew that if he continued to talk, this middle-aged man who was nearly 50 years old would start to imagine the scene of returning to his hometown and tossing his plantation again.

"Venus 1, do you think we will find something in this CSP mission?"

"Personally, I hope nothing is discovered."

Lieutenant Larry curled his lips. His 'rookie' wingman's voice was always so energetic, and his content was still so innocent.

However, he also understood why Lieutenant Jeff would ask such a question. After all, his reconnaissance team consisting of three reconnaissance ships had been conducting continuous reconnaissance in this area for more than ten days, but found nothing.

Currently, the two battle groups of the Imperial Royal Navy, temporarily organized into A and B, are joining forces in this galaxy for "back-to-back" rest and recuperation.

A large number of reconnaissance detachments composed of 3 to 5 reconnaissance ships or modified frigates are scattered at a distance of 600,000 to 700,000 kilometers from the main force to perform peripheral reconnaissance and security missions.

Behind them, there are a large number of escort detachments patrolling back and forth in the warning circle, and are ready to support the reconnaissance detachment that detects abnormalities at any time.

Of course, Lieutenant Larry knew very well that if they really encountered the enemy, the weak combat effectiveness of the "two or three kittens" of the reconnaissance team would probably not be able to support the escort detachment.

So he prayed silently in his heart every day.

Pray that the reconnaissance team he was in could detect the enemy's movements early and retreat smoothly.

At the same time, he also prayed that his team's daily CSP mission would not encounter the Federation warships or HCPs sneaking in in the 'stealth action mode'.

"Morning Star 2, 3, let's take a look at the asteroid rubble belt in front, and then prepare to return. Pay attention to keeping distance and avoiding rubble.

Especially you, rookie, I don't want to go back and write a humiliating cause of death like 'impacting asteroid rubble' in the team member's death report."

Lieutenant Larry said as he looked at a piece of asteroid rubble belt marked 15,000 kilometers in front of the body, which was also the location of the ninth checkpoint.

According to the straight-line distance and relative speed marked on the full-circle display screen, the Morning Star team will enter the periphery of this rubble belt in less than 10 minutes.

"Morning Star 2 received!"

"Morning Star 3 received."

Hearing the replies from others in the team channel, Lieutenant Larry switched the working mode of the control operating system from 'cruise' to 'combat maneuver'.

In this mode, the pilot will have a more thorough attitude control over the HCP, and can use a maneuver called ‘AMBAC’ (Active Mass Balance Auto Control).

Using this maneuver, the pilot can quickly adjust the direction of the aircraft without using the vector nozzles on the aircraft while keeping the course unchanged.

Three meteors flew through this quiet space quickly. After entering the periphery of the asteroid belt, the three pilots switched the detection unit to close-range detection mode according to the combat regulations, and then activated the weapon unit.

The asteroid belt has a great interference with the detection unit of the aircraft, and the dense asteroid fragments provide a natural shelter for the warships and HCP hidden in it, which can be called an excellent hiding place.

It is also a rare excellent ambush point in space.

Although the three members of the Morning Star team were a little absent-minded about the stereotyped CSP missions these days, they were still not vague when they should be vigilant.

"Hmm? Something is wrong. Why haven't we captured the signal of the probe yet?"

Under the transparent visor of the driving helmet, Lieutenant Larry frowned and raised the 57MM electromagnetic machine gun for HCP in his hand.

"Is the signal interfered by the asteroid rubble belt?" Lieutenant Jeff's voice immediately became nervous, but he still hoped for the better possibility.

"No, no, no, it's so close that it's impossible not to detect it."

Lieutenant Larry was now completely alert, "Prepare for battle, we may have guests!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a 'light spot' flashed inside the asteroid rubble belt in front of him.

The next second, a blue-white beam of light hit the torso of the priest directly, which made the other two people in the team feel nervous.

But the suddenly ignited arc quickly split the attack, and countless broken metal particles were deflected to the surrounding asteroid rubble, leaving dark red burning marks.

"Fuck fuck fuck!!!"

Lieutenant Larry, who survived the disaster, turned around almost subconsciously and quickly hid behind a huge ice crystal in the blue light of the plasma propulsion array.

If the combat auxiliary AI had not activated the deflection force field and set it to "automatic defense mode" when Lieutenant Larry switched the control operating system to "combat maneuver".

At this time, he and his body were cut off by the heavy particle cannon.

"Encountered enemy attack! Warn the mothership!"

Larry, who had already completed the gun and shield, carefully used the grappling hook on the bottom of the mechanical foot and the carbon fiber cable shot out from the torso to temporarily fix the body on the ice crystal, and then issued an order in the team channel.

The other two bodies of the Morning Star team also reacted when he was hit and hid behind other rubble. The two pilots were looking at his direction in shock.

After hearing the familiar voice in the team channel, Lieutenant Jeff finally breathed a sigh of relief, but soon he found another problem.

"Morning Star No. 1, the enemy has launched electronic suppression, and long-distance communications have been interfered with! Unable to contact the mothership!"

"Flare! Quick! Fire flares!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three red flares were fired by Lieutenant Jeff, and two orange-red lines of fire immediately chased out from the depths of the rubble belt, sweeping towards the location of the flares.

But the asteroid rubble belt obviously affected the performance of the enemy pilots. After several rounds of sweeping but failing to hit the target, the enemy pilots hiding in the depths of the asteroid belt also gave up the move to shoot down the flares.

At this time, Larry knew that the reconnaissance ship behind must have discovered the flares they fired, but it was unknown when the support would arrive, and their team had to consider self-rescue first.