Very nice, they just keep getting better.
Got a few comments, as always
I was a little saddened that the Black Wasp version of the Wasp armed with the dust cannons didn't replace the WCP version. Personal preference
Casey talking about mission critical information over a "public" comm channel to his wife doesn't sit well with me. The Kilrathi could have intercepted this (no matter how improbable) and got the hell out of dodge. Plus, I don't think Confed would look kindly upon this practice at any time.
Just a note, Frieze is the CAG, but a Captain. The only CAG we see is a Commander (Drake), but his higher rank can be explained away as the Vesuvius-class carrying 4 wings to the Midway's roughly 2 and 1/2. More wings, more responsibility, higher rank?
A Bhantkara carrier is an even match for a Lexington-class carrier (a Concordia is a little lacking), but definitly not a Vesuvius.
IIRC, the Matterhorn is a relatively new carrier. A new carrier has a rattling lift?
Shroud was the name of the Excal partial cloak, apparentlyBlackfish is the full cloak on board the Dragon. This could be explained away that, in 15 odd years, Confed probably upgraded their cloak a bit and called it the Shroud II. Maybe?
A carrier as large as a Snakier probably has Prophecy-type phase shields (especially if the Fralthi from the last chapter had them). If this is the case, a Vampire from the Screaming Eagles wouldn't be able to do much to it, much less destroy it (unless they have a bomber loadout). You refer to the Eagles taking out the Carrier, what did you need the Shrikes for then?
Why are pilots in dark brown dress uniforms?
Nichols seemed to be on his way back to the Carrier in a fighter that a tight turn would have done in, what would Nichols have done in that situation where he would have panicked? That explaination seemed a little too convienent to me. Casey held his hand till he was outside the combat area, if anything a stray Kilrathi fighter did him in, not his inexperience.
Otherwise, no problems. This is a great chapter. Keep them coming
C-ya