>>5593603The silence is so tense on the bridge that you could hear a pin drop. Your crew seems to hold their breath as you watch the main screen, waiting for the results of the impact to resolve. No matter how many times you've all been through the motions before, nothing builds anticipation quite like being made to wait.
The screen blips an update and you get your answers.
"Kekehe, only five left from a volley of ten, these guys are amateurs." Your Ops officer's squeaky rasp of a laugh ushers in a wave of relieved sighs and confident chuckles.
Formality slipping he continues, "Those decoys are toast, Dal! They shoulda waited till they were closer to try that trick. Now they've got nothin'!"
"TFA is showing only two groups remaining, Captain!" Your Science Officer reports enthusiastically, "Signature size indicates a cluster of two and three torpedoes respectively. 97% confidence."
"Yes, our technicians' intercept profiles were slightly above the predicted average, moreso taking into account the decoys." Your Tactical officer comments quietly.
"I'll let them know you were singing their praises, La'afette." Isobel calls across from the comms station with a bright smile. "It'll mean the world to them coming from you."
The stoic Laedra officer snorts slightly, and turns back to his station. Truly a rare display of mirth from the man, you think wryly.
"Well done all, keep that up and we'll put these bastards in their place in no time." You automatically slip into your 'commander mode', as Kiro calls it, as you simultaneously attempt to inspire the crew while staring intensely at the main screen replaying what you saw in your mind's eye.
"I was watching closely, Cap!" Cleo notes your attention and grins toothily, a glint in her eyes. "Execution was flawless. Our nukes cut their emissions at the exact moment the conventionals finished their lightshow. Unless they watch the exact wrong place while all the action happens elsewhere, our torps might as well be stealthed for all the chance the sneaking wyrms will have of finding them again.
"Now we just have to encourage them to stay roughly on the same course." She finishes, with a self-satisfied smirk.
You come to much the same conclusion as your Nav officer, despite her lack of training in the tactical elements of voidship combat, her theory was sound. You are certainly glad your opponents actually stealthed torpedoes are emitting SCRAM signatures or else you’d be having just as much trouble finding them.
You shake your head to clear your thoughts, best not to invent more problems for yourself.
