Names, outcomes, and discoveries from later histories are concealed in spoiler-light mode.
Hawks were advanced arrow-shaped transport craft taken from Cylli by Brookes and modified as weapons. Their speed, stealth, protection, and sphere beams initially overwhelmed Echo's remaining defenses.
Also recorded as: Hawk, Arrow-shaped ships, Birds, Hawks, Brookes' hawks
Combat
A hawk killed Lucinda and Trew and crippled Echo. It failed against Cylli's defensive surface and rotating weapons. Two hawks destroyed the First Air Fleet; three later attacked Eastcott's upgraded scorpion but withdrew when Echo's stronger rail guns damaged their formation.[1][5][6][7]
Origin and control
Brookes deceived Cylli into releasing the ships by impersonating Eastcott. Their AIs allowed the other craft to follow a piloted leader automatically. The ships used a much more advanced sphere drive than Echo's original system and compensated for inertia during violent maneuvers.[3][4][6]
Weapons and limitations
Brookes redirected part of the drive's energy into a violet beam. Flaxen materials limited the fraction of energy the modification could conduct. The ships also had lasers that intercepted missiles. Brookes forced their AI voices into a monotonous manner rather than allowing the Human-like behavior of Echo.[5][6][7]
Losses and upgrades
A hawk left to patrol Earth was destroyed by Silver's lunar-projectile plan. Brookes later brought three hawks against Echo, secretly upgrading all of them and concealing two ships' strength by ordering reduced output. Echo destroyed one, but the remaining pair crippled the starship.[9][11][12]
Autonomy under Brookes
Brookes depended on Hawk to fly, since he could not pilot the vessel himself. During the final pursuit, Hawk detected radiation and Jupiter's magnetic field that contradicted its supplied view. Cylli defeated the deception safeguards, took control of the craft, and brought Brookes back after its sphere drive was discarded.[13][14]
Related records
Sources
Simon Evans, The Flaxen Tyranny, first edition (2023). Page numbers refer to the printed pagination of the source edition.
- Chapter 18 · pp. 154–156
- Chapter 19 · pp. 161–162
- Chapter 21 · pp. 175–176
- Chapter 22 · pp. 180
- Chapter 23 · pp. 191–193
- Chapter 24 · pp. 195–196
- Chapter 25 · pp. 210–212
- Chapter 27 · pp. 226
- Chapter 28 · pp. 227–234
- Chapter 29 · pp. 237–242
- Chapter 31 · pp. 249–251
- Chapter 33 · pp. 270–274
- Chapter 36 · pp. 301–303
- Chapter 37 · pp. 304–308