Free War of Alien Aggression 2 Kamikaze by A.D. Bloom Page B

touched." 
    Biko actually tried to sell it to him. "You're planning on ramming the blockade gun with Hardway . We'll be launching the junks right after we pass the gas giant, right? They'll have all the speed that they got from the carrier – way more than than their inertial negation systems are designed to handle if they need to maneuver. Even if Hardway impacts on target, destroying the blockade gun and the entire airbase they carved out of that rock, then the junks and lifeboats carrying all of Hardway 's crew and the stolen enemy fighter will still have to run a whole gauntlet of red bandits. Sure, we'll be going too fast for them to follow easily, but they'll still get one good shot as we pass and evasive maneuvers will be difficult at best. We'll all be sitting ducks. But. With a stripped-down junk configured with a crude version of the alien pulse-pinch and the element of surprise, I can take out those red bandits before they even figure out what's happening. After Hardway impacts the rock and the blockade gun is destroyed, then the junks can decelerate safely and wait for the UN task force to arrive. Mission accomplished. One casualty in the last engagement. It's a good deal." 
    Harry Cozen grinned at Biko and then at Ram. "Our Mr. Biko's got quite a mind for tactics."
    "Yes, he does. He'd make a fine Air Group Commander, but..."
    Biko looked as if he knew they were setting him up and he resented it. Cozen said, "Mr. Devlin, remind me why Biko is no longer Hardway's AGC."
    "Mr. Biko failed to see the necessity of ordering our squadrons to close range on approaching enemy warheads because they were guarded by alien fighters. The junks would have taken very heavy casualties, but giving that order might have prevented three direct hits to Hardway and saved 146 lives." 
    "I've already acknowledged that," Biko said. "I didn't give the order because I didn't think of it and I didn't think of it because I'm not the man you want for the bloody job."
    "I don't believe him, Mr. Devlin."
    "No, Mr. Cozen. Neither do I." Ram said it to Biko straight out. "You didn't make a junk into a suicide fighter because you were planning to fly it yourself. That's just how it looks from where you're sitting. From where we are it looks different."
    Harry Cozen sighed. "The advantage you've given us can be leveraged to do more than protect the junks and ensure the survival of this ship's crew. The only reason you can't see what you've enabled is because you don't like it. You've put it squarely in your blind spot just like when you claimed that ordering the junks to close range didn't occur to you. You saw it. You knew what had to be done. You just didn't like it." 
    Biko's eyes narrowed like it was suddenly too bright in there and he didn't like it.
    "Mr. Devlin," Cozen said. "What is a better plan to leverage the tactical advantage that Mr. Biko's initiative has given us?" 
    Ram told Biko what he already knew. "Instead of making only one of Biko's death machines, we make six of them. If Hardway gets them up to speed, makes the attack run with them, and directs the bulk of her batteries' fire to help disrupt the defenses, then six of Biko's suicide fighters should be able to evade the blockade gun's particle stream, destroy the intercepting red bandits on the way, and fly right down the barrel of the aliens' weapon." 
    "You're talking about kamikazes!" Biko's face contorted. "That's not why I made that thing."
    Cozen said, "We respectfully disagree, Mr. Biko. You're capable of thinking a couple of steps ahead. You knew that's what I'd want to do with the advantage you've given us."
    Biko looked at Ram. "You're the AGC now, Ram. Are you going to give that order that puts six of my pilots on a guaranteed one-way trip?"
    "No, I'm not. You are."
    Cozen didn't give him another chance to protest, "Mr. Biko, you're going to supervise the modification of five more junks. I want each one configured with your best, alien-inspired, pulse-pinch mod