377 Widowmakers Gonna Widowmake

“How much longer until the deadline?” the captain of the Heidrek asked as he gazed at the incoming attack.

“Fifteen seconds, sir,” the comms officer replied.

“If they don’t surrender by the—”

The captain was interrupted by his comms officer. “Signal from the flag, sir. Admiral Gutierrez sends, ‘sink the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group. God speed and good hunting, gentlemen.’”

“Well, let’s not disappoint the admiral, shall we? Heidrek, please clean my sky,” the captain ordered.

{Aye, sir. Sky cleaning in progress,} the ship’s AI replied, then sounded a brief maneuvering alert. {Brace for maneuvers in 3... 2... 1. Maneuvering.}

The Heidrek rotated in place on the ocean like a spinning top, allowing her to bring both her fore and aft metalstorms to bear on the incoming jets and ordnance. While there were only two of them, compared to the hundreds of air defense options in the much bigger Edenian reaction fleet, they were also being targeted by far fewer attackers.