P-64 Ferret

P-64 Ferret
Type	patrol fighter
Primary User	Terran Confederation
Additional Users	Free Republic of the Landreich Union of Border Worlds
General Characteristics
Length	10.2 meters
Mass	10.5 tonnes
Crew	1
Performance
Maximum Yaw	8 dps
Maximum Pitch	8 dps
Maximum Roll	8 dps
Acceleration	Good
Velocity
Cruise	360 kps
Maximum	500 kps
Afterburner
Maximum Afterburner	1400 kps
Armament
Guns
Mass drivers (2)
Mounts	2
Default Missile Loadout
None
Defense
Shields
Fore	6.0 cm equivalent
Aft	6.0 cm equivalent
Armor
Front	6.5 cm
Rear	6.5 cm
Right	4.5 cm
Left	4.5 cm
Target Designation circa Enigma Sector 2665
Source	Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi

Work-in-progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.

History

The P-64 Ferret was a patrol fighter that served throughout the Terran-Kilrathi War. Ferrets were actually part of the first official encounter between Terran and Kilrathi forces in 2629. The TCS Iason had two towed Ferrets that were lost when the Kilrathi destroyed the vessel. Throughout the war, Ferrets served in the role of patrol craft. Joan’s Fighting Spacecraft – 2664.128 UPDATE provided stats for the P-64C Ferret. The C model was lacking in a second VDU, missiles or ITTS. It was, however, then the fastest ship in the fleet. Faster models of the F-27 Arrow V, F-97 Wraith, and F-71 Stiletto, as well as others, surpassed the Ferret's speed record in the years before the war ended.

In 2667, the P-64D Super Ferret was introduced. Featuring new control systems, and heat-seeking missiles, greatly improved the combat efficiency of the Ferret. This model saw action throughout the last years of the war. Super Ferrets were with the TCS Tarawa when it raided Vukar Tag and Kilrah in 2667. Janice Parker sacrificed her life during the Kilrah Raid when she flew her Ferret into an incoming torpedo, saving the Tarawa. Ferrets also participated in the Earth Defense Campaign the following year. The end of the Terran-Kilrathi War caused the Confederation to downsize their fleet. Many of the older fighters were sold off to the Free Republic of the Landreich and the Union of Border Worlds where they saw action in border skirmishes and more serious conflicts with the Confederation and Kilrathi.

Specifications

		P-64C Ferret (2664)	P-64 Ferret (2665)	P-64D "Super Ferret" (2667)
Sources:		WC II Playguide manual / Wing Commander Academy manual	Wing Commander II / Wing Commander: Academy	Special Operations 1
Class:		Patrol fighter	Patrol fighter	Patrol fighter
Length:		10.2m	10.2m	10.2m
Mass:		10.5MT	10.5MT	10.5MT
Max Velocity:		500kps	500kps	500kps
Cruise Velocity:		360kps	360kps	360kps
Afterburner Velocity:		Not listed	1400kps	1400kps
Acceleration:		Good	3 (relative)	3 (relative)
Max	Yaw:	8deg/s	8deg/s	8deg/s
	Pitch:	8deg/s	9deg/s	8deg/s
	Roll:	8deg/s	8deg/s	9deg/s
Shields	Fore:	6.0cm	6.0cm	6.0cm
	Aft:	6.0cm	6.0cm	6.0cm
Armor	Fore:	6.5cm	6.5cm	6.5cm
	Aft:	6.5cm	6.5cm	6.5cm
Sides:	4.5cm	4.5cm	4.5cm
Guns:		Mass drivers (2)	Mass drivers (2)	Mass drivers (2)
Missiles:		None	None	Javelin heatseekers (2)
Missile Decoys:		none	none	none
Jump Capable:		No	No	No
Service Entry:				2667

Sources

Confederation Handbook

• Inquiry Into the Loss of the Odysseus-Class Naval Exploratory Vessel CS Iason Reg E-1456
  • "1 long-range Pelican-class shuttle refitted for research, 1 standard Tern-class shuttle, 2 towed Ferret-class scout fighters with enhanced sensor arrays, 19 lifeboats."
  • "At 0715 hours both Ferrets were scrambled. One, piloted by Captain F. Izmuti, was ordered to begin a pattern of concentrated fly-bys of the Kilrathi ships, while the other, piloted by Commander J. Taggart, was ordered to commence long- and medium-range scans of the area."
  • "At 0743 hours, on an approach within 2 kilometers of the Kilrathi ships, one of the Kilrathi opened fire on Capt. Izmuti's Ferret, damaging the right wing array, including cameras and stabilizers. She was ordered to return to the Iason. Commander Taggart remained in space apparently until after after the Iason was destroyed. His precise fate is unknown."
• INQUIRY INTO THE CAPTURE AND SUBSEQUENT ESCAPE AND RETURN OF COMMANDER TAGGART
  • "There were only four pilots, and two Ferrets. We spent most of our time in the shuttles, ferrying the scientists around. The Ferrets had stripped-down armament and hyped-up sensors . . . really flying cameras more than anything else. Solar patrols are fully loaded with escort fighters, but not the explorers...of course, they had no way of knowing we'd meet anything alive that wasn't single-celled and growing on a rock."
  • "...the captain was good about keeping us informed about events. Every fifteen minutes we'd get an info-byte about what was happening. After about an hour, Farrah Izmuti and I were ordered out. If the Ferrets had been sent out when it first happened, I'd have still been off-duty, but I went on the clock at 0700, and we went out at 715. We were laughing at the guys who had just clocked out..."
  • "Impact didn't destroy my Ferret, but it completely drained my shields and damaged my repair array. The first thing I did when I saw that the Iason had been destroyed was hit the self-destruct. You know, it wasn't that difficult a decision. I always expected it would be hard to make myself do it, but it seemed like a really good idea. I slapped it like a bug, and when it didn't work, I hit it again. I really got angry that all systems were down. Totally down. The only thing I can think of is that some shrapnel must have punched through my shields, past my armor and actually opened both of my power supplies."

Joan’s Fighting Spacecraft – 2664.128 UPDATE

• Confederation Fighters
  • P-64C Ferret

TCSNA Handbook

• In the Cockpit
  • "(The Ferret has one less display than other ships.)"
  • "Note: The Ferret is the most primitive patrol fighter in the simulator and has no left VDU in its cockpit."
  • "Note: The center VDU in the Ferret functions as the right VDU."
• Improved Targeting and Tracking System (ITTS)
  • "The Ferret and Rapier are not equipped with ITTS."
• Spacecraft of the Terran and Kilrathi Fleets
  • Epee
    • "The design of the Epee is very similar to that of the Ferret. It also demonstrates excellent acceleration and velocity, and maneuvers even better than the Ferret."
  • Ferret
    • "The Ferret is the fastest light fighter in the Confederation fleet. Only the Wraith, a Confederation ship model currently in development, will be able to fly at higher velocities than this basic fighter. The Ferret has very simple cockpit features, e.g., only one VDU, and it's the ship most graduating rookie pilots will be first assigned to. The Ferret demonstrates good acceleration and maneuverability, but it is only equipped with mass drivers and has very weak shields and armor. It is not equipped to perform rescue-and-retrieve missions or to attack capital ships."
  • Sartha
    • "The Kilrathi Sartha is a light fighter comparable to the Confederation's Epee. The Kilrathi fighter is slower and not as maneuverable as the Ferret or the Epee."

Wing Commander II / Academy

Wing Commander II: (De)Briefings

• Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 1
  • Elizabeth Norwood: "I like the Ferrets. They’re quick and light. But I’d feel safer in a heavier ship like the Rapier."
• Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 3
  • Jeanette Deveraux: "Maverick, your light fighters can’t punch through a capital ship’s phase shields, so once you’ve taken out any enemy fighter cover, back off and let the Broadswords’ torpedoes take out the cruiser."
• Pembroke System - Series 1 - Mission A
  • Jeannette Devereaux: "You will be flying the new P-64D Super Ferret fighters for this mission. They have new control systems, and have been refitted with heat-seeking missiles."
• Pembroke System - Series 1 - Mission D
  • Christopher Blair: "Admiral, I have an unusual encounter to report. While patrolling the jump area, I was attacked by an enemy squadron comprised entirely of Human pilots, flying Confederation Ferrets."
  • Geoffrey Tolwyn: "I’m not too surprised, Maverick. We had a report several weeks ago that the pilots of the TCS Gettysburg staged a mutiny near N’Tanya."

Wing Commander II: Missions

• Flyable Missions
  • Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 1
  • Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 2
  • Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 3
  • Gwynedd System - Series 1 - Mission 4
  • Niven System - Series 2 - Mission 2
  • Niven System - Series 2 - Mission 3
  • Niven System - Series 2 - Mission 4
  • Ghorah Khar System - Series 9 - Mission 1
  • Ghorah Khar System - Series 9 - Mission 2
  • Ghorah Khar System - Series 9 - Mission 4

Special Operations 1: Missions

• Flyable Missions
  • Pembroke System - Series 1 - Mission A
  • Pembroke System - Series 1 - Mission B
• Appears in Mission
  • Pembroke System - Series 1 - Mission D
  • Rigel System - Series 2 - Mission A
  • Rigel System - Series 2 - Mission B
  • Rigel System - Series 2 - Mission C

Wing Commander: End Run

Milk Run

• "This pilgrim did make some progress, all right," Harcourt said, "but not enough. What kind of shape is she in, Coriander?"
  "She's a wreck, Captain. Half of the tail is shot away, holes in it big enough to dock a Ferret… I can't see from here, but I think the vision port is gone; at least, it's not reflecting any light. She's dead, Captain. And she died hard. Probably fled this far, and hid in here to lick her wounds."

End Run

• Chapter 1
  • "Cleared for landing, Lieutenant Commander Jason "Bear" Bondarevsky turned his Ferret in on final approach. The carrier off his port quarter was the newest addition to the fleet, emblazoned upon its armored bow the proud name CVE-8 Tarawa — and the sight of her did not impress him in the slightest."
  • "Jason unsnapped his harness and stood up to look around. He could sense that all eyes on the deck were focused on him. After all, he was the new commander of all the ships flying off the Tarawa. He ignored their stares, his attention for the moment focused solely on the gleaming row of fighter craft under his command. They all looked new at least; that was an advantage, and a curse, since there were always some bugs to be worked out in the first couple of hundred hours of flying. The squadron of Ferret scout and recon ships were crammed in behind the Sabres. That would have to be changed at once. Moving the heavier craft could waste several precious minutes if the crunch was on and they needed a quick recon launch."
  • "Doomsday and Janice "Starlight" Parker were the only two familiar faces. He had first met Janice when they were going through flight school together and then had gone their separate ways to hook back up again on Concordia. She was the ideal choice for running his recon squadron, a damned fine pilot, quick, aggressive, and a master with fighting a Ferret."
  • " "Doomsday will be squadron commander for the Sabre fighter bombers, Starlight will be in charge of the recon and patrol Ferrets. I'm taking personal charge of the Rapier squadron. Are there any questions?" "
• Chapter 2
  • "One after the other the ships went out, after the sixth recon the first three Rapier fighters, and then the second six recon Ferrets. Next went six more Rapier fighters to form the close-in combat air patrol, and by this time nearly a half hour had passed, exacerbated by the abort of two launches, one with an overheating engine, the other with a full power shutdown, made worse by several seconds of panic on the part of the pilot when he wasn't sure if he had toggled the eject system back on, or had secured it to full off."
  • "Should keep a Sabre on the hot line loaded with a dogfighting and anti-torpedo array ready to go in under a minute's warning," Doomsday added, and Jason nodded an agreement. It'd mean that Janice's people would be flying eight hours a day, while every bomber pilot, copilot, and gunner would be sitting in their cockpits for two and a half hours a day on the hot line. The training at least would be good for them but he could well imagine how the captain would howl when he heard how much engine time the Ferrets would be burning up."
• Chapter 3
  • " "Thank you Bangor, initiating clamp-down now." Hovering above the top side docking bay, Jason gave a nudge to his down thruster and felt his Ferret scrape up on the deck of the transport ship. There was a quick groaning snap as the Bangor's external docking locks clamped around the landing skids of his ship."
• Chapter 4
  • " "Initiating Plan Bravo," and he passed the command up to his Rapiers and to Doomsday's Sabres, while Starlight pulled her recon Ferrets back to act as point defense for the landing craft if anything went wrong."
  • "Listening in on the commlink, he heard the chatter of his pilots, their shouts of excitement and fear, the reports coming in of successful strikes. One of them called that he was hit and pulled out and away, and Jason keyed over to Starlight, telling her to send in three of the recon ships to finish the target up with their Ferrets' mass driver cannons."
  • "The last Sartha was gone, diving down off the plateau and disappearing into the rabbit warren of canyons. Jason called up to a recon Ferret positioned above the landing at the edge of the atmosphere, acting as look down radar, called for a track and several seconds later he got the fix."
• Chapter 6
  • "Jason studied the map intently. They had been running flat out for nearly five days, the supply ship, loaded down with extra fuel having just unloaded and turned around. Jason punched a control key and slowly rotated the map, studying the red line that was tracing their route through the next system. So far, intelligence had been right. They were coming up a back alley that the Kilrathi didn't even suspect the Confederation knew about. The only traffic they had encountered was a lone transport, which Doomsday took out, hopefully before it could get a distress signal out. With the next jump, however, the mask was supposed to be pulled off and it would be his job to go up, knock on the door, and announce their presence.
    "All right then," Jason said quietly. "I'll take a Ferret out alone. I'll act as if I'm on standard sweep, and cross the flank of that station. The furballs will scramble and then I run and lead them straight back here."
    "I still don't like that," O’Brian said. "Suppose they launch a torpedo strike."
    "As I said before," Jason said quietly, "they'll be out in pursuit of a light recon fighter. They won't be loaded for a heavy ship hunt. Their standard procedure is to first find out what they're dealing with before coming in with the heavy armament. We want them to see us, and report it in. By the time they rearm and relaunch we'll be out of the sector."
• Chapter 8
  • "He pulled back up as marines stormed into the hanger, fighting every step of the way with ground defense units. Circling back up, he held station ten clicks above the battle. Another flight of Dralthi sortied from the home planet, moving towards Tarawa and Jason listened in as Starlight, who was positioned as forward defense, handled the battle, losing one more of her Ferrets and a Rapier in the engagement, but stopping the assault a good fifty thousand clicks short of Tarawa.
    Jason kept a mental note of his losses. Five Ferrets, a Sabre, and five Rapiers down so far, twenty five percent losses. Even though they had dropped fifty Kilrathi fighters and bombers, along with four corvettes, he knew the battle was shifting against them."
• Chapter 9
  • "He had seven Rapiers, six Sabres, and eight Ferrets left that were still flyable, not counting his own Rapier. Two thirds of them were dry on missiles and would have to be recalled and turned back around in time to meet the next attack."
  • "More ships came in, and Jason watched the landings, nodding an agreement when the deck officer marked two of the fighters off as unfit to fly and had them pulled to the far corner of the hangar where repair crews swarmed over them. A Ferret, with a wing completely sheered off came in, trailing a tangle of wires which hooked into the side of the airlock, spinning the craft around. Jason groaned as the ship broke apart, parts spraying down the deck."
  • "By the end of the first hour a steady battle was being waged a thousand kilometers astern of the Tarawa as Starlight and Doomsday struggled to keep successive waves of faster enemy fighters and strike craft from closing in to engage their crippled carrier. Another Sabre went down, along with two more fighters and three Ferrets which were going head-to-head with Grikath and Jalkehi fighters, in exchange for a dozen enemy fighters and a single torpedo hit to a Kilrathi destroyer which forced it to drop out of the chase."
  • "The torpedo disappeared in a flash, exploded by a Ferret which had dived straight into the weapon, detonating it just astern of Tarawa.
    Jason, unable to speak, looked up at the situation board and saw the status report for Janice's ship wink off.
    "She knew how to pick her death."
• Chapter 10
  • "We've welded durasteel plating over the breach in the hull, your suggestion of cannibalizing it from that wrecked Ferret was a damned good one. It's definitely not air tight, so I'm keeping the airlock force fields up, and I've ordered everyone still working in that area to keep their pressure suits on, even though we've pumped air back in."
  • "Twenty-three pilots left, not counting you, sir. One of the marine shuttle pilots and his co were both checked out on Ferrets so we do have two backups though it'd be murder to send them out against Kilrathi fleet pilots. Five Sabres, eight Rapiers, and seven Ferrets left."
  • "You'll also continue to run the Sabre squadron. Round Top takes over the Ferrets," he paused for a moment, "and Tolwyn runs the Rapiers."
  • "Prepare to launch remaining landing craft and pilotless Ferret. Communications, signal our escorts to stand close. Alert tractor beam crew to get ready as well."
  • "Prepare to launch landing craft and Ferret," Jason announced and he looked down at the flight deck.
    "Launch!"
    The landing craft went out the airlock door, aimed on a ballistic trajectory straight in on Kilrah, followed by the lone Ferret, both ships on automatic pilot, both ships armed with old-style atomics which would be detected by the Kilrathi defense."
• Chapter 11
  • "The radio started to crackle as Round Top passed out orders to the screen of six Ferrets, two Rapiers, and two Sabres which were marshaling to form a defensive screen."
  • "Another series of shudders ran through the ship as combat information called in the latest strike information, half a dozen fighters strafing, hoping to break down what was left of the phase shielding, which was down to eight percent. A bolt slammed against the forward airlock and for a fraction of a second the lock failed. A mass driver round slashed down the length of the deck, impacting on the far wall of the hangar, sending out an explosive shower of shrapnel, cycling down ground crews that were working feverishly to turn the last few fighters around. The fuel tank of a Ferret cooked off with an explosive roar, sweeping the deck in a fireball. Fire alarms wailed and the fire control system kicked on, spraying down the deck with a blizzard of white foam. The pilot, still inside the Ferret, was struggling to get out of the exploding ship when the ejector seat detonated, slamming him into the ceiling of the hangar."
• Chapter 12
  • "It felt strange to call it that. My ship. He remembered his first Ferret, calling her that, "My ship," beaming with pride when his crew chief had painted "Bear" under the cockpit, complete to a small cartoon character beneath it. And now he was a carrier commander, and he would be ready to kill anyone who dared to say a word against the Tarawa, or any escort carrier for that matter. They were, after all, the best damned fighting ships in the fleet."
  • "The two shook hands and Jason went over to his Ferret and climbed in. It felt wonderful to be back at the controls of a fighter again. The inside of the cockpit smelled of scorched wiring, the tactical display screen still cracked from a hit. He had a flash memory of Janice at the controls of her Ferret, turning in towards the torpedo. He pushed the thought away."
  • "Chamberlain, I want you to take over as squadron commander for the Ferrets."

Wing Commander: Fleet Action

• Chapter 1
  • "He was damn near hanging still in space, sparing a quick glance to his tactical display, filled now with a swarm of blue and red dots. A Kilrathi Gratha heavy fighter flashed by, followed by a Rapier. He heard Jonesy in the turret behind him, stammering out a curse as she snapped off a quick volley. His Broadsword shuddered, damage information blipping red for his rear starboard stabilizer. A spray of mass driver rounds arched up from the carrier as it twisted away, and he nudged up the throttle to follow the ship as it continued to turn."
  • "Hunter swept past the edge of the fireball, and then turned back towards Munro, ready to offer backup support for the Marine landing operation. The red blips of the few remaining Kilrathi fighters covering the carrier were winking off the screen as the Rapier squadrons finished them off."
  • " "I hate losing people, but trading a Rapier, a Sabre and two of your Broadswords for a light carrier is a damn fine piece of work in my book. I wish it had always been that easy." "
• Chapter 3
  • "He closed the door behind him and walked down the now dimmed corridors. He passed the flight ready room and had a flash memory of his first day aboard, chewing out his new pilots, and passed on into the hangar deck. The Rapiers, Ferrets, and Sabres lined the deck and it felt strange to hear the silence. No engines humming, no shouted commands blaring over the loudspeakers, the hissing roar of the catapult or the thunderclap of engines kicking in afterburners on a hot launch. It was a silence that was as complete and deeply disturbing as if he were walking through a tomb."
• Chapter 5
  • " "They had some problems getting the four, the peace commission kicked up a royal stink. We're lucky we got what we did."
    • "It figures," Jason sighed. "That commission really screwed us up."
    • "What do you mean?"
    • "That report that we'd have ten squadrons of Rapiers and Sabres, well forget it."
    • "What the hell happened?"
    • "The shipment was blocked by the commission. Seems that the Kilrathi ambassador caught wind of the deal, screamed holy hell, and the Baron even got into it, threatening to end all peace negotiations if the ships were allowed to leave Earth system. Rodham, of course, caved in. The three transports, loaded down with fighters and spare parts were blocked from leaving moon orbit. So now we've got to scrounge up whatever we can find around here." "
• Chapter 12
  • "Kevin tightened the grip on his joystick, his Rapier G jiggling slightly from his nervous hold on the stick. It was certainly the biggest strike group he had ever flown with, more than two hundred and fifty fighters and attack bombers launched from four carriers. The extra fifty heavy strike craft from Saratoga were missed, the carrier still half a system away with a main engine fuel pump acting up. Two hundred and eighty fighters were being held in reserve as protection for the fleet carriers and as a second strike wave."
  • " "This is Tolwyn. Good luck to all of you and good hunting." The image winked off and Kevin smiled. Typical Brit understatement. The forward edge of Rapiers, Raptors, Ferrets and Hornets, running ahead of the attack wave, slammed into the opposing wall of opposition defending the Kilrathi heavy carriers."

Wing Commander: False Colors

• Chapter 12
  • "Wing Lounge, FRLS Karga ing MM VII, Vaku System 1925 hours (CST), 2670.358
    "Break leftl Break leftl" The voice in Bondarevsky‘s helmet receivers was urgent. "Come on, Captain, you can nail this guyl"
    Bondarevsky pulled the joystick hard over, rolling to the left and trying to spot his quarry. The Strakha bucked and kicked as if it resented the very idea of a human pilot flying it, but he fought the controls and forced the fighter into the turn. He reached for the sensor controls to narrow the focus and try to get an accurate position estimate on the cloaked enemy fighter he knew was closing in for the kill, but a split second too late he realized he'd instinctively reached for the spot where they would have been located on one of the Ferrets he'd flown back in his days as Tarawa’s Wing Commander. The sudden realization made him try to shift in mid-reach, but that sent his bionic arm into a feedback spasm."

Wing Commander: The Price of Freedom

• Chapter 4
  • "Tallyho," Maniac replied cheerfully, "four Ferrets in two-by-two diamond formation. Alpha flight—break and attack. Beta flight—stay behind the transport with me. Alpha, execute attack plan White."
    The four Arrows peeled off, blasting their afterburners to close on the four startled Ferrets. One Ferret died at once, cut apart by an Arrows twinned ion cannon and lasers. The rest of the obsolete light fighters tried to scatter, but were out-performed by the newer, more heavily armed Arrows.
    The last Ferret exploded less than a minute later. "Scratch four bogies," Maniac reported, his voice flat and professional. "Standing by to assume top cover. It's all yours, Green Leader."
    • "Blair's communications scanner locked on Maniac's tactical channel. "Colonel," Marshall said, "I got trouble. I got lots of Border reinforcements inbound. It looks like older stuff, Ferrets and some Rapiers.
      We can hold 'em, but don't waste any time. Okay?"
• Chapter 5
  • "Colonel," Maniac said, "I've got bogies inbound from the jump point up ahead. I'd say from their speed that they're light jobs, maybe Arrows or Ferrets. What do we do?"
    • "The leading Hellcats closed enough to take the trailing edges of the fleeing group under fire. Blair watched from far astern as the Hellcat leader singled out one Ferret for attention,then methodically picked it apart. He was relieved to see a yellow blip appear on his tactical screen as the Ferret's pilot ejected. "Now we'll have some answers," he mumbled."
• Chapter 6
  • Blair knew that in spite of everything he'd seen, his loyalty had never been tested. He thought back to the dark times, after he'd been relegated to flying Ferrets on leg patrols. In those days he'd been suspected of being either a turncoat, a coward or, worse yet, incompetent. Yet he'd remained loyal, and eventually had been given the opportunity to rehabilitate himself on the Concordia."
    • "Approximately twelve bogies," Strike King said. "It looks like a motley mix of Ferrets and Rapiers, with a couple of Sabers. There's a second group inbound. Probably about the same numbers. Stand by telemetry."
    • "He checked his scanner, unamused to see the Border Worlds ships falling back to protect the frigates. The much faster Ferrets and Arrows were already past him, vectoring towards the frigates before turning. The Lex's Arrows raged after them in hot pursuit. One Arrow caught a frigates defensive bolt in its teeth and vanished. The rest, undaunted, fired as they passed him, their pilots clogging the radio channels as they tried to coordinate their attack. He caught a quick signal burst as Colonel Fans wave plowed into the far side of the battle, catching those Border Worlds ships that couldn't disengage in a pincer."
• Chapter 7
  • "Two fighters, a Rapier and a Saber, angled in and joined the queue over the carrier. Blair looked around at the firefly glows of the little ships as they swirled around, waiting their turns to land. Another cluster of fighters, this time Ferrets and what looked like a single Arrow, filtered through the jump point and aimed for the two fast transports."
    "What the hell are those?" he said.
    "What the hell are what?" Maniac replied.
    "The transports," Blair said. "It looks like they're taking on fighters."
    "They are," Maniac answered. "We're staging smaller ships, Ferrets mostly, and a few Rapiers, off them."
    "Those're too small to have launch tubes!"
    "They don't," Maniac confirmed, "they just kind of push their birds out the back and let them fend for themselves. They lose one occasionally." He clucked his tongue. "They do shuttle runs, picking up fresh birds and pilots when we get low, and transfer 'em over here to fill in our losses. They'll eventually empty out. Then they'll go back to the boneyards and pick up more rehabbed ships and the latest graduates of what they call flight school." He frowned. "Most of the rookies don't last long, or so I'm told."
    Blair stared at the transports, appalled at the waste. "Half-baked pilots in obsolete craft—that's crazy."
    "Welcome to the lunatic fringe," Maniac replied dryly "The Border Worlds don't have the numbers the Fleet does, so they have to get more creative more quickly to keep going. A lot of what they're doing gets pilots killed, but it does allow a magnum launch of more than six birds."
    • "We're down to thirty-one front line strike craft, with seventeen obsolete models—Sabers, Scimitars, and Ferrets—still in storage belowdecks. The flight deck is operational and we've got nine fighters, mostly obsolete, that we can fix, more or less. They're mostly older jobs," he looked at Blair, "with some notable exceptions."
    • "The carrier behind Blair opened up, the heavier weapons of her anti-boat batteries lancing out to engage the fighters that wandered into range. A trickle of light ships, Ferrets and an odd Arrow, still emerged from the Intrepid's bay as ground crews brought them up from below and spotted them for launch. The latecomers were fed into the blazing fight in singles and pairs, adding their guns and missiles to the Intrepid's weight. The frigates and smaller escorts began to creep closer to the dogfight, interposing themselves between the fighters and the battered, vulnerable ship behind."
• Chapter 9
  • "Four hours later Blair sat in his command chair, worrying a thumbnail and wondering if he had made a grave mistake in trusting Bean. Maniac had launched, backed by a full magnum launch. Only a few light fighters, mostly obsolete Ferrets were left to guard the ship. Maniac and the strike force had vanished into space, following Bean to god only knew where. Had they been duped by the old man?"
• Chapter 11
  • "Got it," Wilford replied. He looked at his aide de camp, whose face was pale as a sheet. "Order all personnel back to their ships, and make ready to move the fleet to Telamon." He paused. "Transfer as many of those new Hellcats over from the Princeton as we can fit. Then move whatever Rapiers and Ferrets we can to the escort carriers. Their groups suffered pretty heavily in yesterday's attack."

Gallery

• 

  P-64C Ferret silhouette circa 2664

• 

  P-64 Ferret circa 2667

• 

  P-64 Ferret target identification circa 2667

• 

  P-64 Ferret silhouette circa 2667