Decisive Battle at Kira (IV)
Skrand-Sharp-Bick's Claw Fleet began closing in relentlessly. At this moment, the Death Star escort fleet, already nearly driven mad, unleashed a frenzied bombardment against them.
The effective range of turbolasers was generally around ten light-minutes, but that distance was actually the locking range of the Galactic Empire's standard Fire Control Radar. The superheated plasma energy discharged by turbolasers could still inflict damage at distances exceeding twenty light-minutes.
And this was the attack the Claw Fleet was now facing.
But Skrand-Sharp-Bick was utterly fearless. What he needed now was to close the distance as much as possible, using the carrier formation's constant advance to carve out three hours of preparation time!
The Sova-class carriers were equipped with main guns and fired back as well, though such return fire could only be described as better than nothing.
To maintain speed, the Claw Fleet's warships performed as few evasive maneuvers as possible, concentrating shield energy at their bows and forcibly enduring the Imperial fleet's fire.
The two sides traded fierce fire across dozens of light-minutes. This exchange was clearly extremely unfavorable for the Claw Fleet. Skrand-Sharp-Bick carefully adjusted the fleet formation, having the carriers take turns surging forward to absorb the Star Destroyers' long-range fire.
Four hours later, half the Claw Fleet's carriers had their shields breached, their hulls ablaze.
But... they were only one step away from the calculated distance!
[The interceptors have entered terminal guidance phase. According to calculations, the carrier formation needs to advance another 0.74 light-minutes.] Mojo, commander of the Protoss interceptor formation, sent a communication.
"General, the Consul-class carriers' drone formations have approached and are executing the guidance procedure," an officer came over and reported.
More than ten minutes later, Skrand-Sharp-Bick, standing on the bridge, saw a vast silver-white cloud suddenly appear beyond