Shireroth

Sirens sounded at the SDI Facility in Novaya Sorensk, the echo reverberating across the launch complex.

Inside the facility’s control bunker a gaggle of scientists, technicians, MoMA officials and liaison staff from the Elwynnbrigaden stood around starring at the array of nine telescreens mounted on the far wall. Each telescreen monitor was carrying its own distinct set of data; weather conditions at launch site and target, projected telemetry, ground radar images on a live feed from the Panopticon Horus, so on and so forth.


"T minus five seconds. Main engine start"

The individual telescreens now changed their images so as to show on each a segment of a much larger composite map of Benacia which encompassed the entire wall space. Everybody present stood in awe, the map showed the Ikol’s intended trajectory, arcing up from the facility, to a point somewhere over Syrelwynn, followed by separation from the booster rocket and the terminal death plunge of the ramjet and solid fuel propelled ‘kinetic kill vehicle’ (that’d be a missile in a sane layman’s terms) down onto target in down town Vijayanagara. That was the theory at any rate.

The overrun on the project’s schedule had been mortifying – the rocket had been plagued by technical failures and outright sabotage, indeed it was difficult to know where one began and the other ended. However, now at last, order discipline and efficiency, or at least the outward form of the same, had been restored in the facility and the dreaded Ikol was ready for its outing.

A dull rumble drowned out the sirens. Everyone in the bunker was deathly still and silent.

"Five, four, three, two, one....... liftoff"

The nine screens cut to a live feed revealing the image of the rocket slowly climbing clear of its launch silo, leaving a column of flame flailing in its wake.

“If we don’t win now” one of the Elwynnbrigaden liaison officers was heard to say “we deserve to get our arses kicked.” Nobody was in a frame of mind to contradict him.

The screens cut back to telemetry displays and the technicians returned to their stations. Now the hard part would begin.

"Condition R", crackled the loudspeaker. The booster broke free of the Ikol missile somewhere over Syrelwynn which accelerated on ramjet power on its northward course.

“Telemetry indicates lateral drift. Adjust trajectory.”

“Eliria Ground Radar confirms tracking.”

“Initiate transfer of command protocols.”

The Ikol was in the hands of the Khan now.