A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I know I owe updates on other stories but inspiration for this story just hit me as I read a new comic book series that I bought today! I own 4 of the 6 comics in the series so if you have red 5 and 6, please no spoilers. Especially about Cola and Tug!

Any way the Comic series is called "Wild Blue Yonder" and I couldn't find a category for it on line so I marked it down as PJO when it is really an X-over.

For toughs who don't know WBY back story, the earth is all but dead from radiation. The ground conditions are horrible so humanity build air ships to escape the radiated ground. Unfortunately there is not enough room on the ships for every one and they still need food and supplies so the rest of humanity are basically forced to produce stuff for the ships. Life in the sky is no pick nick though. Pirates trying to steal ships and supplies and "The Judge's" fleet trying to rule all the supplies in the world make life difficult for every one.

Roomers began to spread about a ship that is completely solar powered called the Dawn. It can fly forever without needing to refuel. Naturally every one wants this ship.

In the air the ships have few options of defense. Old air planes and "Guns". "Guns" Are people that strap on jet packs with limited fuel and stack any planes, ships, or people that pose a threat to their ship.

"Guns" Usually are paired with a pilot of one of the planes. The Gun will hitch a ride on the wing of the plane and then jump off over the target and cause havoc. Then when they are done the use their small amounts of fuel to shoot themselves to a collision course with their plane and try and grab the wing of the plane to hitch a ride back to the ship.

Ships are hard to come by and Planes are even rarer. These are nothing compared to trying to find a good ship commander, plane pilot, engineer to fix them and a Gun who doesn't die after two missions.

In my fanfic the crew of the Dawn will be replaced buy PJO characters. I feel this is the one thing the comics got wrong. There is no Percabeth!

Enjoy!

Heads up [ ] is for raidio chatter instead of " "

Chapter 1: Gun Hunt.

POV: Annabeth

[ Just pull out and return to the Dawn!] Athena was screaming through the radio. [He's as good as gone! Pull back to the Dawn before we loose that plane too!]

I was flying strait with my left wing dipped down to see my Gun, Luke, causing havoc on the deck of the pirate ship that was attacking the Dawn.

The flight deck of the ship was in flames and their Guns were starting to surround luke.

[Negative!] I screamed into my mic. [I'm not leaving him there to die!]

It was about this time that the other Gun, Jason, came running out from the bridge of the enemy ship. He was closely followed by a huge explosion that told me he planted the bombs to destroy their ship.

[ Jobs done!] Luke shouted. [ I'm jetting to passes lead!]

[Copy.] I answered.

I pulled back on the throttle of my modified P38 lightning so I wouldn't over shoot him. If he had called a four pace lead then I would have been fine but those are tricky to do and often result in a few broken bones.

As I came in closer to the ship to pick up Luke all the actual guns on the ship opened up on me and tracer flew every which direction past my open cockpit.

I could tell one of the larger ones had a bead on me so I needed to do some thin fast or get blown to shreds.

[ I think it's time to play catch!] I told Luke.

[Shit!] He screamed as I rolled all the way over so I was up side down and then I pulled up into a steep dive.

Once diving I rolled over so that my cockpit was facing the direction that Luke would be falling in.

[ Annabeth pull up!] Athena screamed at me. [ He won't make it if you pull that shit!]

[ Neither of us will make it if I don't!] I screamed back.

[ Our left side is exposed!] Athena yelled. [ Thalia already picked up Jason but is taking a lot of heat from their pilots! I need you to fall back and cover them!]

I looked up to see the enemy ship explode as a small figure tumbled out of control below it. I pulled up to intercept it but it was going to be dicey. The explosion had knocked Luke off balance and now he couldn't fire his pack without winding up gods know where.

[No can do mom!] I shouted. [ Luke is air born and in a tumble spin!]

[Annabeth!] Athena was shouting. [ I see him from the bridge, you need to pull up now! The gap between you two is too great, he won't make it! Thalia and Jason still need you though! This is sacrifice one to save two!]

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Luke was my Gun. Pilots and Guns watch each other's backs. There was no way I was abandoning him!

[Luke, if you can hear me I'm going to lessen the dive by five degrease to grab you.] I called out trying to keep my voice calm. [ Just hang in there.]

[Are you sure?] He asked. [That is more of a intercept then a grab!]

[ I'm all ready doing it.] I replied.

So I quickly pulled up to lessen the dive and throttled up to maintain speed.

He was closeing in fast, but I knew I could get him.

9 seconds.

Every thing is fine.

6 seconds.

[Thalia needs you!] Athena called. [Pull up!]

For a spit second, I was unsure if what I was doing was right. And in that split second, Luke hit my left wing. I reached out my hand to grab him but he was already gone.

I rolled my plane inverted to try and catch him but I could tell from where I sat that his pack was damaged and he was bleeding profusely. He's probably dead.

I should have been screaming for him but to be honest I was kind of numb. Like this wasn't happening.

[ Annabeth!] Athena's voice interrupted. [ Thalia and Jason need you!]

And so I rolled over and pulled up to rejoin the fight, rolling left and right to dodge flaming chunks of the wrecked ship as it fell from the sky. I could see Thalia's P51 mustang zipping through the sky above me with a British spit fighter on it's tail.

[Thalia, roll left on my mark!] I shouted as I positioned my plane to shoot where the enemy would soon be. [Mark!]

The P51 broke left as I unleashed my machineguns with a three second burst that shredded the enemy plane. It burs into flames, rolled right and started into a spiraling nosedive. As it passed me on it's way down I could see the pilot slumped over in his seat, clearly dead.

[ That was reckless Annabeth.] Athena growled. [You almost hit Thalia.]

[But I didn't.] I countered.

The fack was if you were a pilot you didn't have time to second-guess your self. That's what my mom never understood. She has never been a pilot. My father on the other hand was a great pilot before he retired to being the Dawn's cook. He used to fly this old biplane that was long ago salvaged for parts but back in his day he must have shot down fifty planes and completed one hundred Gun pickups.

Sure there weren't as many fights back then but back then there was a lot more supplies that there are now so people weren't as inclined to steal.

After doing a perimiter sweep I landed on the flight deck of the Dawn and climbed out.

"Yo Annabeth!" Jason called out from across the deck. "Nice shot!"

I nodded my recognition as he trotted over.

"Where's Luke?" He asked in surprise as he drew neared. "He was right in back of me when I jetted off."

I just stared at my boots.

"No." Jason gasped, taking a step back. "No, not him."

I just shook my head as tears filled my eyes.

"I shallowed the angle to get him faster and then I double guessed my self right when I was supposed to grab him!" I sobbed out. "He knew it was a bad idea, he tried to tell me!"

Jason just stood there in shocked silence.

"He just slammed into the wing between the cockpit and the left motor." I continued. "I got him killed."

I continued to stare at my feet. After a moment I felt Jason's hand on my shoulder.

"Listen to me, Annabeth" He said in a determined voice. "This was not your fault. Luke knew what he was signing up for and the risks involved."

I shook my head.

"But it was me that…" I began.

"No." Jason cut me off. "Out there it's gut instinct or nothing. You made the right call. You just need to trust your self more. This wasn't your fault. If Luke was here he'd be telling you the same thing."

Time Break

Two weeks later.

Pollux's bar was a small, dingy place on to of a mountain but it had the best booze in the north east of what used to be North America.

"Hi, Annabeth." He greeted as I walked in through the front door. "Haven't seen you if almost a year! How've ya been?"

I shrugged.

"Mom's keeping the Dawn moving a lot." I told him. "We're looking for a new crew member though so if you know any one…"

He nodded.

"Mind if I ask who left the ship?" He asked.

"Luke didn't make it." I said somberly.

Pollux's eyebrows went up in surprise.

"If any one would make it I was sure it would've been him." he said.

I nodded in agreement.

We stood in silence for a moment before he spoke.

"I think I know a guy crazy enough to be a Gun." He said at last. "His name's Percy. He comes around about once a day after his shift in the fuel mines." He paused before he continued with a surprised excretion on his face. "Well speak of the devil." He chuckled. "There he is right now."

He was pointing to a boy about my age who was walking up the path to the bar. The kid was tall with a tan and raven black hair. What astonished me though were his eyes. They were the deepest shade of sea green.

He walked into the bar and sat down on a stool two seats down from mine and ordered a drink.

"Are you Percy?" I asked him.

He eyed me suspiciously while taking a drink.

"Who wants to know?" He asked

"My name's Annabeth." I told him. "My ship has an open job slot that Pollux hear said you would be interested in."

Percy frowned at me for a second before replying.

"Oh really now?" He asked. "And just what would I be doing on this ship?"

I gave him a smile.

"If I told you, you would say no." I said in a teasing way.

"Uh-hum." He said, nodding his head. "So it's a Gun you need."

He obviously knew a bit about ships.

"Yes." I said flatly.

He nodded one more time before continuing.

"Well I always said I wanted out of the mine so I'm in." he said.

I gave him a smile.

"Then come with me." I told him as I walked to the door.

Once we were out side I pointed to the P38 retro fitted with a rear turret (look in the comic if you want a picture) and told him that it was my ride.

He nodded and climbed into the back.

[So what ship are we going to exactly?] He asked as we took off.

[The Dawn.] I told him.

I glanced back to see the shocked look on his face.

[ The Dawn?] He spluttered. [It's real?]

I laughed and nodded.

[Yup.] I told him. [And now it's your job to defend her.]

I knew the Dawn was just to my left but for dramatic effect I kept it hidden behind a cloud until I was ready to land.

[Dawn this is Annabeth,] I said. [I have a new Gun with me and were ready to land.]

[I'll tell Thalia not to shoot you down.] My mother's voice came through on the mic.

[That would be nice.] I replied as I turned left and flew through the cloud.

When we emerged from the cloud we were flying right at the Dawn on final approach. I glanced back to see Percy gawking.

[It's real!] I heard him murmur as we touched down on the flight deck.

I laughed as I pulled off my head set and climbed out of my plane.

"Come on." I told him. "Lets get you inside and ready for bed. Tomorrow you start training."

He nodded and followed me to the bridge entrance.

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: Like it? Then post a review. One review gets you one chapter. Two reviews puts it higher on my update priority list.