First Light of a New Age

Chapter 72: The Second Orc Fleet

"Weapons green. Engage at will!"

[Thunderwing Actual, roger that. Weapons green. Engaging now!]

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The pilot of Thunderwing-1 keyed his comms to the other A-12 Thunderwing attack helicopter.

“T-1 to T-2, drop down to 100 meters above sea level, reduce speed to 60% power, and engage surface vessels. Weapons green, repeat, weapons green.”

“Roger that, T-1.” The pilot of T-2 pushed his flight stick forwards, following Thunderwing-1’s lead, and reducing his throttle, and flipped the master weapons switch.

Ensuring his targeting display highlighted the '70 mm rocket' option, he followed on the first Thunderwing flank and dropped down to 100 meters above the churning waves.

“T-1 to T-2, we’ll attack in sequence from the starboard side. Watch my run and follow when I’m clear, over.”

“Two, copies,” T-2 replied and followed T-1 craft as they looped to come in from the right side of the Orc fleet. He fell back slightly to give Thunderwing-1 room to make the first attack and provide observation before his turn. 

From his cockpit, he could see the sea crowded with dozens and dozens of orc ships with black and red sails flapping in the wind, and he had no doubt the orcs were pointing at the gunships cutting through the air above them.

“Thunderwing-1, beginning attack run!”

T-1 dipped lower, slowing further as its six pylons armed with rocket pods ignited. A hail of rockets streaked toward the orc fleet, slamming into their flimsy wooden ships. Ball of fire erupted on impact, while towering splashes of seawater marked where the rockets missed and crashed into the ocean.

Watching the destruction unfold, T-2 couldn’t help but cheer. The memory of the New Year Tragedy, when so many of his friends, family members, and loved ones were taken by demonic forces, flooded back. 

Seeing the orc ships explode in fiery chaos brought a strange, cathartic satisfaction. For once, he was the one unleashing devastation.

As Thunderwing-1 tore down the row of helpless ships, more fiery explosions followed, and the T-1’s pilot then pulled up sharply, looping around to prepare for another run.

“Wooo! Did you see that? You’re up next!” T-1’s pilot called with  the adrenaline clear in his voice.

“Roger, beginning attack!” T-2 grinned and angled his gunship for the next run. He eased back the throttle, aligning his crosshairs with the untouched row of vessels, and his finger tightened on the trigger.

Rockets whooshed from his pylons, shaking the Thunderwing slightly, making T-2’s grin even wider to the point of a maniac as he watched more orc ships go up in flames. Explosions tore through their ranks, followed by towering white geysers where the rockets splashed into the sea.

With a satisfied smirk, he pulled up at the end of the fleet and looped back just as Thunderwing-1 began its second run. Soon, the heavy bombers, the "big boys", would arrive to finish the job, but for now, the orcs would feel the full wrath of the Thunderwings.

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Jiak twitched his eyebrows in confusion as he first heard the strange roar coming from the skies, and looked up in wonder at the sight of two grayish objects flying over the fleet. The Orcs around him shouted and pointed in excitement, unsure of what they were witnessing. But Jiak’s instincts kicked in as one of the objects looped back, and a series of explosions ripped through the fleet.