The Gamma Hounds were once again in the lounge. This time eating breakfast.
“…so we’ll start with four person drills in the simulator room after breakfast and we’ll do that until lunch.”
Emerald laid out the day plan for the rest of the team who for their part were doing their best to wake up. They were listening well enough because she was at least met with nods when she finished. With Nia and Evan having the hardest time.
Emerald looked at their newest member. The human’s head fur was scattered in every which direction and he almost seemed to struggle to bring a spoonful of the brand name cereal to his lips.
“You alright man?” Ratchet asked the human with some concern.
Evan looked down at him and shrugged. “Not really a morning person.” He stated unconvincingly.
This got a sympathetic pat on the back from the fennec. Emerald noticed Evan tense up for just a fraction of a second. However, just as quickly as the reaction came on, it passed.
“That’s just part of being a team, gotta follow a schedule now, my dude.” Rachet explained.
Nia lazily shook her head in disagreement “Nah, I’m sure Evan agrees we can stand to wake up later. Besides its two against two now, I say we don’t start until lunch.”
Evan swallowed his spoonful of cereal before responding. “Does it work like that?” He said hopefully.
“No.” Emerald said leaving no room for debate.
The tiny bit of hope died in Evan’s eyes. Nia just playfully shrugged “Worth a try.” Evan nodded in agreement.
The table went quiet for a bit before Nia decided to break the silence. “So, Evan. I have to say I’m personally looking forward to flying with you. I’ve never seen anyone handle an Alis like you. What made you pick that over say an Argonaut?”
The Persian shot Emerald a playful look as she broached the topic. Emerald noticed Evan’s cheeks turn slightly pink at the question, though she had no idea what that meant.
“My mentor told me it's the hardest to learn, and I felt like I had something to prove.”
Emerald and Nia both took on surprised looks at that while Ratchet just looked confused. “What’d you have to prove?” He asked.
Evan frowned “I’d never flown a fighter before and all my previous flight experience was on simulators. Simmy told me that would never translate and that I was delusional. Looking back I’m pretty sure she was using reverse psychology.”
Emerald gave him an understanding nod “We were all hot headed when we were young. I’ve definitely heard of worse reasons to choose a fighter.”
Evan looked at her confused “This was only three years ago.”
Everyone at the table turned to look at Evan. “But you said you’d never flown a fighter before this.”
Evan nodded still not sure where the group was going with this. “You’ve been a bounty hunter for two years. Are you saying you learned to fly like that in less than a year and went straight into bounty hunting?”
Evan took on a contemplative look “My mentor was very much of the sink or swim mindset. She put me through the wringer and when she thought I was ready she sent me off with a factory new Alis.”
The entire team now sported impressed looks. Emerald managed to keep her expression schooled, but despite the subtle smile she had a predatory look in her eyes.
“So how’d you get by for two years without showing your face for two years?” Nia asked.
“I pretty much lived out of my fighter. In between bounties I would sometimes get a hotel room so I could shower. In regards to exercise I got more than enough when my bounties required me to go on foot.
“You did ground missions solo?” Ratchet asked to which Evan shook his head.
“No, I rarely went planet side as they usually did ID checks.”
Rachet cocked his head “Why would that be an issue?” He asked.
Evan gave him a flat look before motioning to his own face.
“Oh, so did you just not go after bounties that you couldn’t complete in your fighter?” Nia followed up.
Again Evan shook his head. “Usually when I was on foot it was tracking someone down on a space station. You’d be surprised how many people fail to realize an energy shield doesn’t work against a knife backed by a power suit.” He said darkly.
Emerald would be lying if she said she didn’t want to hear more, but there was only so much time in a standard cycle. Seeing everyone was done with breakfast she stood. “Everyone go get geared up and head down to the simulators. We’re burning daylight.”
She ordered which got a snicker from Ratchet “But we’re in space.” He corrected while laughing as if he told a much funnier joke.
Emerald struggled to keep her response to a deep nasally inhale.
Evan
I must admit the simulators they had on board the carrier were impressive. We got started a bit later than my new team leader would have liked as Ratchet hadn’t had time to upload my ships specs into the sim. Now that I was sitting in the simulator pod I was impressed at how accurately it mimicked the highly customized nature of my fighter. It even had the custom made triggers and switches I had added a weeks back.
A comm screen opened unbidden at the bottom of the cockpit’s hud. In it Rachet sat with a wide smile. “I can’t see your face but I assume you like it?”
Rather than Nod I follow up with a question. “How'd you get it done so accurately?”
The fennec’s smile widened “Ahh I did a deep scan of the interior, so it’s not accurate, it’s a carbon copy.”
Two more screens popped up, predictably filled with my other teammate and my new leader. “Stop bragging and get in gear Ratchet. For our first simulation we’re going to be escorting a cargo hauler. The enemies will be the usual pirates in standard Hewards and maybe an occasional Argo. When we engage I want us to form into a cross formation.”
I felt my brows furrow “Alis doesn’t work in a standard cross.” I state plainly.
“Maybe not, but we need a baseline. You’ve also never flown squad.” Emerald countered.
I could press the issue, but she is right. Emerald watches me for another moment before she focuses back on something I can’t see. Likely putting the values for the simulator.
After a moment I hear a low thrum and suddenly the void outside of my simulated cockpit shifts into the inside of the carrier’s hangar bay. Soon alarms start to blare followed by a monotone voice. “Warning 14 unregistered ships approaching escorted vessel.”
Everyone takes on a serious expression. “Hounds, Ignition procedure.”
Each of my teammates begin flipping switches. I watch as different systems boot on their fighters.
“Shadow.” Emerald says with a bit of frustration when she sees my failure to follow suit.
“Extend a bit of grace please. I won’t fall behind.” She gives me a nod and doesn’t press the issue.
Soon I see the exhaust start to flare on each of the Argos. I guess it’s time. I reach out to grab the thruster control with my right hand. Then with my left I reach to a large green button and press. All at once Alis’s systems hum to life. Each of the other pilots has a surprised look.
“A sync switch?” Ratchet asks to which I nod.
Due to most pilots working in squads standard ship models have system switches that allow for each system on a fighter to be started one at a time. A sync switch simply activated systems rapidly in a set load order. The reason they weren’t favored was due to the need to set up a load order which varied from model to model. For most pilots it wasn’t worth the learning process or the time investment needed to set it up. Especially given the fact that anytime you ran a diagnostic check you would need to redo the load order.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
With nothing else to say our leader gave the command “Launch.” Our fighters flew out of the hangers vacuum layer and into the void. The simulated cargo carrier we were guarding was a mid sized one, about the size of a large commercial warehouse. “Positions.”
For a group of pirates to make off with loot from one of these the first thing they would need to do would be to disable the thrusters. The simulated pirates did not disappoint and appeared to be on a path to converge there. The Hounds got into formation and flew to intercept.
It didn’t take long to converge on the path of the closest pirates. As per usual the pirates were in some Hewards. At a glance they had six ships that were the standard mishmash of colors you’d expect to see with unaffiliated pirates.
“Ratchet, send in the navigation and maneuver data.” Emerald barked.
“On it” Ratchet responded, shortly thereafter information appeared on my navigation console.
Right away I noticed an issue. “This is maneuver data for an Argo.”
Emerald clicked her vulpine tongue. “Then do what you can to follow and stay in formation.
The pirates began to fire before us, their low quality blaster beams dispersing on our energy shields. “Move in close then retaliate.”
My position was at the back of the cross due to my model being the odd one out. Rachet and Nia opened fire taking out the two lead pirates, while Emerald charged her blaster. The next two pirates banked upwards before they got too close, but the charged shot ate through theirs shields all the same.
I sat there watching them and feeling useless as it was too far to manually aim my kinetics, and my twin linked blasters would hit the Hounds’ energy shields.
As the last two pirates split off in opposite directions, four pings showed behind us, meaning the other simulated pirates were coming to reinforce the group we intercepted.
“Nia, Ratchet you two pursue and blast those two to pieces. “Shadow, with me. We have 4 flankers, show us what that Alis can do.”
With permission to break formation I pressed my thruster forward to max and locked it. This gave it analogue movement and turned it into a secondary flight stick. This allowed for omni-directional movement and was the biggest appeal of the Alis. I rapidly approached one set of two pirates while Emerald moved to engage the others.
They were in view before even 5 seconds had passed. Unlike the other pirates these were in Heward Mid-lines. Certainly a step above the MPs. These also looked to be equipped with wide area explosives. They wouldn’t hurt the ship, but they’d knock out targeting for my blasters.
As I zoomed into close range I engaged the twinlinked blasters. The energy weapon roared loudly even from the cabin and the overcharged battery behind my seat hummed ominously. One of the pirates banked downward out of the stream of fire. The other one tried but I remained lasered in on him. After another half second of sustained fire the shield broke. He banked sharply to the right causing me to shoot past him.
This didn’t matter though, turning and twisting both flight sticks my fighter made a rapid 360 turn. I only took a moment to unleash another blaster spray on the now unshielded midliner. I made a sharp 90 degree turn straight up, and good thing too as the wide area explosives detonated at the same time the fighter went up in flames.
I didn’t have visual on the other fighter so I checked my nav console and saw he was heading to cut off Emerald. I let out a curse and raced after him. Looking at his speed I was going to catch up to him. But if that was before or after he began to unload on Emerald was anyone’s guess, I wouldn’t bet on it though.
Emerald was currently engaged with the other two pirates so sent an audio only message. “Incoming. I’m going to use kinetics before he reaches you.”
I engaged the kinetics and lined up a shot. I held for a moment until emerald shot downward sharply. With a grin I unloaded into my old target. The kinetic rounds tearing it apart like paper maché.
I quickly swapped back to energy rounds as one of the other pirates swapped to me from Emerald. I was about to unload into him with the twinlinks but a charged blaster shot came from below and blew the cockpit wide open.
The last pirate tried to retreat but was taken out by blaster fire from the returning Nia and ratchet.
“Four pirates remaining. I’m going to send out a deep pulse.” Ratchet said.
A moment later a small rod emerged from the front of Ratchets Argo. It then sent out a pulse. My navigation console zoomed and near the new further edge four red dots.
“That’ll be their Aces. Everyone choose a dance partner and engage. If they try to gang up call for back up. When you take out yours move to help your teammates.” Emerald stopped for a moment “The hell am I kidding, when you take yours out move to help Ratchet.”
The normally upbeat fennec didn’t verbally respond but did stare daggers at the woman through the comm-screen. I’m not too prideful to admit I was smirking under my helmet.
Using the nav computer I marked my target and saw each of my teammates choose theirs. “Mind if I go for first blood?” I asked.
Emerald took on a predatory smirk which I assume is an ok. Once more I set my thrusters to max and engage omnidirectional movement. I reached the Aces well before the others.
Unlike the other simulated pilots these were in older Argonauts. Which meant this fight would be a bit tougher. Or it would have been.
I take my right hand and reach behind my seat. I touch the top of the battery and blindly flip a switch. The gentle hum of the battery is now a deafening drone.
As I get closer two of the Argonauts move to engage me. These were me and Ratchet's targets. They fly side by side which is the opposite of what I want. I break my straight line and try to bait the two fighters. It works as they follow me, one of them falling behind just by virtue of being in a slightly worse position to pursue the angle I took.
I see the straggler start to catch up and pull the biggest no no in fighter piloting. I make a 180 and put my thrusters towards the enemy. The lead pirate ace puts his thrusters to the max and speeds towards me, but for all the Argonauts strengths it’s not as fast as an Alis. That doesn’t mean I’m safe as my thrusters still have the weakest shielding.
I weave as the pirate begins to unload, doing my best to avoid the shots. The roar from the battery is now loud and the dangerous glow it's emitting is beginning to light up the entire cockpit. I look at the nav console and see my pursuers are lined up perfectly. With a smile I fully inverse both control sticks and pull a near instant 180.
My I hear a ding over th roar indicating my targets are locked. I pull the trigger and my whole ship lurches as a dark sickly green and oversized blaster bolt annihilates both fighters leaving little in the way of debris.
I smile to my self and after a moment stabilize my craft. I see my teammates are engaging the other two aces in a 3v2 so I know the fight will be over soon. “Both pursuing Argos destroyed. My blasters are out of commission for the next 15 minutes.”
I hear a triumphant laugh from Ratchet as one of the other Argos explodes. Less than 2 minutes later I see Nia make a long range charged shot from her blaster that ends up being the killing blow.
A ding is heard “Targets eliminated simulation complete.”
Soon the area outside the cockpit turns to black again. I take a wire out of my suit and my vision turns back to a typical simulation chamber. I step out and see 3 of the other 5 pods open. My teammates step out.
Emerald is wearing a big smile as she makes her way over to me. “Good job, recruit. You followed orders and listened to call outs.” She said as she punched me in the shoulder.
I reached up and went through the process to remove my helmet. “Recruit?”
This got a giggle from Nia and an eyeroll from Ratchet. “Everyone’s a recruit until their first real mission with the team.”
Emerald still held her mischievous smile “You could stand to bitch a little less.”
I felt my expression flatten. “I…”
She held up a finger to silence me. “But, you were right. You can’t function well in a standard cross. We’ll take a 30 minute break for now. In the mean time I want you to think of the formations you think you’d perform the best in. Preferably one that allows the three of us to remain in tri-tetsudo. While you do that we’ll review the footage. Because I want to know how you took out two Argos right as we engaged the others.”
I opened my mouth to explain how but was once again silenced by a padded white furred finger “Shut it, I just said I’m going watch.”
With that she left with the other two while I sat down and contemplated what formation I think we’d work best with.
About 20 minutes later towards the end of our break I hear a commotion from the other room “What was that!” followed by a “Holy shit, two at the same time.” Lastly I hear a distinctly male voice “Hey just like Nia.”
A snort escaped my lips just before the unmistakable sound of someone getting slapped was heard.
Excerpt from an energy shield safety manual.
Energy Shields & You!
A quick, practical guide for civilians, hunters, and crew across the Nova System.
What’s an energy shield?
An energy shield is a deployable field that absorbs and disperses the heat-energy from blaster bolts. On impact, the bolt’s energy is spread across the entire field—so the person or hull behind it stays unharmed.
- Commonality: Second only to hand-blasters in personal defense.
- Scale: Available in sizes from personal belts/bracelets all the way up to super-heavy carrier arrays.
How do they work?
- Dispersion, not deflection: Shields absorb/disperse superheated blaster energy.
- Drawbacks:
- Overloaded: Sustained fire will overwhelm a shield.
- Overpowered: A single sufficiently powerful shot can collapse the field instantly.
What shields don’t stop
Energy shields are great vs. blasters, but not against solid projectiles or handheld objects.
- Kinetics: Solid rounds pass through energy fields. (Handheld kinetic weapons haven’t been mass-manufactured for ~3 centuries, but they still exist.)
- Blades & blunt force: Knives, batons, and improvised tools are not stopped by energy shields. Stay situationally aware.
- Countermeasures exist (hybrid fields/armors), but they’re rare and often cost-prohibitive.
Pro tip for hunters: Few bounty hunters train hand-to-hand anymore. Consider basic H2H or baton/blade defense to cover this gap.
Safety first: radiation risks
Many shield units interface with fission-powered systems. If your shield casing cracks (impact, overheating, sabotage):
- Power down the unit if safe to do so.
- Evacuate the immediate area; limit exposure time.
- Seek medical care immediately.
Severe radiation exposure is survivable with prompt treatment.
Remember: If you don’t treat it, you can’t beat it.
Quick myths vs. facts
- Myth: “Shields make me invincible.”
Fact: Overload and single-shot collapses are real; don’t face-tank fire. - Myth: “Kinetic weapons are obsolete; nobody uses them.”
Fact: They’re rare, not gone—and they bypass shields. - Myth: “If I feel fine after a small casing crack, it means there isn’t a radiation leak.”
Fact: Radiation symptoms can be delayed. Get screened.
Use & care checklist
- Before deployment: Run diagnostics; confirm field stability and functional cooling unit.
- During action: Watch the load meter; rotate cover; avoid tunnel vision.
- After action: Inspect housings for hairline cracks; log any overheating events.
At a glance
- Best vs. blaster energy.
- Vulnerable to being overloaded or overpowered.
- Ineffective against solid projectiles and handheld weapons.
- Radiation risk if casing is compromised—treat immediately.
Stay sharp. Stay covered. And remember: a good shield is only as smart as the person behind it.