The Bug Wars by Robert Asprin

I was pleased. The brief encounter had prepared me for battle far more than any mental exercise I could have devised. New energy coursed through my veins, adding that all-important extra split second of speed to my reflexes. Instead of developing it in the first pass, I would now be entering the conflict in a controlled battle frenzy.

For the first time I began to entertain hopes of emerging from the battle alive.

Then we were at our target zone. At my signal the formation expanded, each Tzen increasing the distance between his flyer and his teammate’s. Then, as a unit, we climbed toward the treetops and the Bug War began.

The combat, like any combat, soon became too fast-paced for conscious thought. We had trained with our flyers and weapons until they were a part of us, and their use was as unthinking as flexing our talons. Our minds and senses were focused on the Enemy and the terrain.

Thoughts became a flashing kaleidoscope of quick impressions and hazily remembered instructions. Use the cold-burn rays as much as possible…less effective than the hot-beams, but they’ll damage the forest less…we’ll want to settle here someday…Swarm massing to block flight path…burn your way through…don’t wander more than five degrees from your base course…sweep three nests simultaneously with a wide beam…if you wander you’ll end up in a teammate’s line of fire…turn ninety degrees…turn right, always right…Kor is on your right…don’t trust her for a left turn…avoid the tree trunk and burn the nests as your weapon bears…Enemy on the wing tip…roll…burn the nests…don’t wander from base course…