Eve of Destruction

From Acw

EVE OF DESTRUCTION

Red Sun Rising

“Admiral, we have emerged from the Krasnikov tunnel and final post-jump checks are complete. We are ready to commence final approach to insertion orbit.”

“Excellent. Reports from the Nevsky and the Stalin?”

“The Nevsky sustained some slight damage in the jump, but both are moving into flanking positions now”

Behind Vasilly’s head, Admiral Petrova could see the sleek crimson hull of the battlecruiser Nevsky glide past the bridge’s viewing panes as it slid effortlessly down through the void towards the planet below. The Nevsky was in the process of deploying its son ships; its four giant outriders taking up positions at the edge of the formation and countless interdictors streaming from its gaping docking bays. The capacitors of its railgun arrays began to glow as it completed its final pre-battle check cycles. Streams of tracers zipped away as the masses of kinetic point defence cannon cleared their barrels. The Nevsky was preparing in case they met opposition. He knew if he turned his head, he would see the Stalin mirroring the Nevsky’s preparation. The formation spread itself out thinly, with only a small fighter screen below the three massive ships. The third Soviet extrasolar fleet was preparing to enter contested atmosphere.

“Compute final trajectory and commence descent. Please radio Generals Brusilov and Samsonov to meet me in the dropbay bridge. Commisar Antonov?"

Antonov, the constant thorn in Petrova's side, inclined his head to indicate his concurrence.

"Good. Vassily, you have the con.”

As she strode from the bridge, Antonov dogging her heels like a shadow, it occurred to Admiral Petrova that calling the giant hold of the Maxim Gorky a ‘dropbay’ just didn’t do it justice. It was the largest dropship ever constructed. The two generals she was going to meet commanded a Corps each, and every soldier and support troop of those two Corps were on this ship.

As she walked onto the dropbay bridge and was greeted by the sight of endless rows of insertion pods, it occurred to Petrova that the Nazis below her would never know what hit them.