Homestar Saga

Chapter 156: Smart Humans and Stupid AI

Yvian didn't understand the Captain's hasty instructions, but the first wave of Vrrl ships started their jumpdrives before he finished speaking. Either Warmaster Scathach knew something she didn't, or his faith in the Scargiver was stronger than she thought.

"First wave deployed," Kilroy reported. Two million Vrrl ships disappeared in a flash of blue light. "Second wave deploying in twenty four seconds."

"Let's hope it's enough," said Mims.

"How can it be enough?" asked Lissa. "There are three hundred million ships firing on the Queens right now. They'll be dead before the Vrrl get there."

"Negative," said Kilroy. "This unit estimates the Peacekeeper Queenships can survive up to six minutes of sustained fire."

Yvian blinked. "They can?" She knew the Queens were tough, but...

"The meatbags are using outdated technology," Kilroy explained. "Sixty three percent of their weapons are ineffective."

"They must be using the Stockpile," Mims realized. "The emergency reserve. Some of those ships are five hundred years old."

"Affirmative."

"So... what?" Lissa asked. "Their guns are too old?"

"Not exactly." Mims was staring intently at the holodisplay. "Up until the second Vrrl war, Federation Capital ships all used some variation of Point Singularity Projector."

"Singularity?" Lissa's brows went up. "You mean black holes?"

"That was the original idea, but they couldn't make it work." Mims scratched the back of his helmet. "What they ended up with was almost as good. Fast, powerful, and versatile as hell. The projectiles could be set for all kinds of effects, from plasma and ion to gravity distortions and molecular disruption."

"They were devastating weapons," said Scarrend, "until we learned their weakness. The effect happens on impact, regardless of what it hits."

"Means they can be shot down," Mims agreed. "Nearly cost us the war. After that we switched to Photon Pulse Cannons. Not as destructive, but a lot harder to stop. With our Stingers filling the space around the Queens with charged particles, PSPs are basically useless." Something about the set of his shoulders told Yvian he was worried. More worried than he'd been before.

"First wave is entering Aldara Sector," Kilroy reported. "Second wave deployed. Third wave deploying in twenty two seconds."

Yvian leaned in, peering at the holodisplay. She focused on the East Gate. Three hundred million Federation capital ships formed a dome roughly fifteen thousand kilometers from the Gate. Another two hundred million fighter class vessels had launched from carriers. A near unfathomable amount of firepower rained down at the Peacekeeper ships, but the enemy was so far away the first shots were only now making impact.

Two million ships of the Vrrl Starfang Empire were sliding out of the Gate. It would take them twenty to sixty seconds to emerge completely, but the Vrrl weren't about to wait. Roarcannons blasted columns of concentrated ion. Hundreds of millions of turrets and cannons fired in all directions. It was as if the Vrrl were trying to shoot every Federation ship at once.

"They're doing what you said," Yvian remarked.

"Shooting fucking everything?" Mims bobbed his head slightly. "Good."

"They're not gonna do any damage that way," Lissa pointed out.

"They're not going to do damage anyway," said Scarrend. "At that range, dodging even our Roarcannons is a trivial matter."

"They don't have to," said Mims. "The AI controlling each ship will prioritize whoever's shooting at it. If we can get most of them shooting at the Vrrl it'll take the pressure off our Queens."