War of the Skies
Chapter 1
"This is boring," Amy said.
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, ignoring the 100th stupid comment that Amy said. She concentrated back on the mission, to scout over FOI (Federation of Independence) airspace. So far no TOU (Tyranny of Unions) planes been sited. She and Amy are the only ones out here; she would hate to run into a squad of TOU bastards.
"TOU has created so many planes and shit, and we've only created one stinking plane" thought Kaitlyn.
"Humph," groaned Amy in boredom.
Kaitlyn gripped the joystick tightly in frustration, annoyed at all the things Amy did. She turned her head so that Amy could see her in the mirror and said "will you shut up, before I eject you from your seat".
"You wouldn't do it".
"You wanna test me".
"Sure, I know you; you wouldn't eject one of your comrades if your life depended on it".
Kaitlyn looked at Amy with an evil glare, jaw clenched. Amy just stared back eyebrow raised and with a teasing smirk. Amy stared a few more seconds then looked up and her eyes widened.
"Oh shit".
Amy then looked down to her gun and started to prep it up.
Confused, Kaitlyn looked up past the mirror and saw what Amy saw. Her eyes widened also. A convoy of 4 Colosos-758 bombers, 3 Hurricane-88s, 2 Borkan-1s, and 1 Thunderbolt-61 fighters. Kaitlyn quickly checked all systems.
"C'mon we can take them, no problem".
Kaitlyn glanced back at Amy, shocked at what she said. "I knew you had guts but I didn't think you would want to do this".
"I haven't shot anything in weeks, and this would be fun," Amy said with a little smile on her face.
Kaitlyn thought about that, it's true they haven't shot down anything in weeks but its 6-1 not including the bombers.
"C'mon Katie we can do it," Amy pleaded.
Kaitlyn hesitated then turned the plane in the other direction.
"Ha I knew it was just rumors," Amy said while disarming her gun and relaxing in her seat.
Kaitlyn's face turned red, but kept silent all the way to the airbase in Kasempa. When they arrived at the base they scanned around to see what shape it was in. The 2 hangers, living quarters, HQ, and communications outpost are in good shape. Four planes were stationed in the airbase, two in front of each hanger. Kaitlyn recognized one Kalash-5 that's in front of hanger 2 but the three other planes she doesn't recognize.
"FOI airbase this is Staff Sergeant Kaitlyn Morrow do we have clearance to land over," Kaitlyn said into her comm.
"Staff Sergeant Kaitlyn Morrow you have clearance to land over, welcome to Beta-8," responded a female voice.
Kaitlyn maneuvered into a semi-circle then dropped down and landed onto the tarmac in front of hanger 1 behind the two new planes.
"Not much of a welcoming committee," exclaimed Amy.
Kaitlyn looked to her right and saw two figures coming. Kaitlyn and Amy climbed out of their plane and walked towards the two people.
"Welcome to airbase Beta-8, I'm Private Riley Lawrence," said the guy on the right.
As Kaitlyn and Riley shook hands she noticed a pair of golden wings attached to his shoulder.
"So you're the ace around here," she said.
Riley looks to his wings and while adjusting one says "Why yes I am, shot down 31 planes so far".
"Impressive," Amy remarked.
Riley nodded to her.
"And this is Private Chris Whiteely," Riley says while introducing the other guy.
"Yo," Chris says unenthusiastically.
"Hello I'm Staff Sergeant Kaitlyn Morrow and this is Specialist Amy Chen," said Kaitlyn shaking Chris's hand.
"Before I show you around our glorious base, to make things clear I'm showing you who is stationed here. You can go around and explore yourselves and ask for help and so on and so forth, ok," Riley said.
Kaitlyn and Amy looked at each other then nodded their heads.
Riley began to give his tour around the base, while Chris on the other hand went straight to the living quarters.
"What's up with him," Amy said while lighting a cigarette.
"Oh don't mind him, he likes to be alone" Riley said while staring after him.
Riley first began with hanger 1, the main hanger. As they approached the main the doors Amy asked "What types of planes are these?"
"Oh you haven't seen these yet?" he asked.
"No, we've been moving from base to base and haven't had time to catch up with new installments," Kaitlyn responded.
"Well these planes," knocking on the side "we got them a week ago, there called Bardock-5," Riley said.
"How do they fly?" Amy asked while exhaling a cloud of smoke.
"Well... there ok. Not as fast as the Kalash, but can take more damage".
Riley then continued for a few meters then reached the hanger and met up with two other people.
"Brett, Emily, Megan I like to introduce you to Staff Sergeant Kaitlyn Morrow and Specialist Amy Chen".
Three people approached them. One obviously a pilot and the other two mechanics (the guy had blue hair).
"Interesting," muttered Kaitlyn.
"Beg pardon," said the women pilot
"Oh, I was just curious as to why so many different hair colors that I've seen so far," said Kaitlyn.
The male mechanics glances at his hair and chuckles.
"Well what else can you do," said the male mechanic.
"Back on task," Riley interrupts "This is Brett Van Rooyen," pointing to the male mechanic.
"Hello," he says smiling.
"This is Brett's wife Emily Van Rooyen," pointing to the other mechanic.
"Just call me M, everybody does".
"And this is Private First Class Megan Armstrong," pointing lastly to the pilot.
"Ma'am," she salutes.
A cough is heard behind Kaitlyn, interrupting Riley. Kaitlyn glances back and immediately stand at attention; Megan, Amy and Riley do the same.
"Aren't you going to introduce me?"
"Oh right; Kaitlyn, Amy this Commander Kelsey leader of this airbase," Riley said.
Kelsey and Kaitlyn shook hands, locking gazes for a couple of seconds then brook off. Kelsey then shook Amy's hand but in a rude way.
"Pleasure to meet you, sorry not to give you the tour myself but I've got work to do," Kelsey said.
"That's okay, Riley's doing a fine job," said Amy.
The general looks to Riley, he does a sheepish grin. She then looks to Kaitlyn for a few more seconds, salutes to the group and then walks away towards the HQ before the other pilots could salute back.
"Wow it's been awhile since anybody has locked gazes with the commander," said Riley.
"Who was the first," said Kaitlyn, still staring after the commander
"Oh nobody," Riley said.
"C'mon," Kaitlyn says while turning to him "who was it".
Riley shares a quick glance with Megan "she was our last ace that was stationed here," he says while shifting his feet in an uncomfortable way.
"Well where is she?"
"I don't know, she went out flying one night. She loved to fly, always stayed up till the gas was below empty then would wait till it was filled up then quickly went out to fly again. She never came back so after a few weeks we presumed her dead".
Silence slowly fell on the group of people.
"Well this has been entertaining, but my wife and I have to go back to work," Brett said as he grabbed Emily's hand and they walked back to their work.
"And I have to do uhh paper work," Megan said, she saluted then walked to the HQ.
"Well let's continue with the tour," said Riley as he led them towards the living quarters. As the trio approached the living quarters, Kaitlyn observed the building. It was a four story rectangular building. One window was either side of the double doors that were in front. A row of stairs, five steps high, led straight from the doors. A porch went around the building wide enough for a couple of patio tables and simple enough chairs lying around.
Two people were standing by the staircase, talking amongst themselves; it was a boy and girl. Another boy was sitting on the window ledge, red hair, third story left window (from Kaitlyn's left), and he was reading a newspaper. And finally a woman, not older than 18 years, was smoking and drinking a beer laying on one of the patio tables enjoying the summer breeze.
"Hey Mathew, Joseph, Taylor, Layne come meet the new people" shouted Riley.
Kaitlyn, Amy let me introduce you to...," He looks to Mathew "this is Sergeant Mathew Dykstra my co-pilot".
"Greetings" he said nodding to Kaitlyn and Amy.
"This is Corporal Joseph Gillespie".
"Hello" he says with a smile.
"This is Private 2 Taylor Grimaldi"
All she does was nod.
"And finally this is Private First Class Layne Rickets. She is our communications expert," Riley finished.
"Hell-ooo" she says childishly.
"So there you have it".
An awkward silence appears then "Where were you last stationed?" Mathew asked Kaitlyn.
"Delta-8".
"Oh, that's a long distance from here. Is the stationed located at Mongu?"
"Ya," Kaitlyn replied.
"Why the transfer?" asked Mathew.
"Well...that's private if you don't mind".
Mathew and Joseph looked at each other."Wont question you any further"
Kaitlyn nods. Amy looks at Mathew and Joseph questionably, then takes one more drag of her cigarette and flicks it to the ground near Mathews boot.
"Where are you going to show them next?" asked Layne.
"The HQ" Riley replied.
"Ok, I would join you but I can tell the General is in a weird mood and the air around that place is awkward and unwelcoming".
"That's ok".
Riley, Kaitlyn, and Amy say farewell to the others as they leave to go to the HQ. Amy falls back with Kaitlyn a foot or two behind Riley. "I don't trust those guys".
"Who?" Kaitlyn asks.
"Mathew and Joseph, they seemed odd".
"And why would you think that?"
"Because the way they asked you about our transfer".
"Oh don't be so cautious, it's all right to question a person you just meet; that's how you get to know them and trust them".
Amy stops talking and thinks about what she's heard, but in her mind it's still not right but she agrees with Kaitlyn and they both catch up with Riley. As they approach the HQ they see two fighter planes coming towards them. They immediately went into cover man oeuvres but then relaxed as they saw which planes they belonged to it was two Kalash-5s with the FOI stamped on the tail of the plane. They got up and continued heading toward the HQ.
As they approached HQ one of the doors opens and a guy walks out, he stops and looks at them then walks towards them.
"Hello Glovanni," Riley says.
"Bonjour"
"I like you to meet two new pilots to our base, Kaitlyn, Amy this is Private 2 Glovanni".
"Bonjour"
"Hello," Kaitlyn and Amy say.
Glovanni looks to Riley then begins to walk off.
"Oh Glovanni," Riley calls out.
"Oui?"
"Is there anybody else in the HQ besides the Commander?".
He shakes his head then continues to walk off.
"Well then our final stop is the communications outpost"
In about 30 minutes they reach the comm outpost. But there's already a man waiting for them in front of the outpost.
"Heard you had new recruits, so I decided to wait out here for you".
"How did you know? Did your brother tell you" Riley begins to smile.
"Of course, were brothers, we tell each other everything," the other guy also begins to smile.
"Kaitlyn, Amy may I finally introduce you to the last member of our troupe Private Kody Gillespie".
"Hello," he says.
"Are you-,"begins Amy.
"Yes, I'm Josephs brother; younger brother to be precise".
"Not to sound rude but you look nothing alike, except the brown eyes," Kaitlyn says.
Kody laughs "yes that's true, our parents had very different appearances, also we went to our own fashion".
"Oh, ok"
"Do you have business here?" asks Riley.
"No I was just waiting for you, I have to go meet my brother and talk about adjustments to our plane".
"Ok I'll see you in a bit," Riley says.
Kody nods then walks off to the living quarters.
"So you've met everybody...but before I let you go. Let's recap on the people you've been introduced to.
Kelsey: Commander of Beta-8
Eric & Emily Van Rooyen: Mechanics
Riley Lawrence: Pilot (Bardock-6) Orange-6
Mathew Dykstra: Back gunner (Bardock-6) Orange-6
Joseph Gillespie: Pilot (Bardock-6) Orange-9
Kody Gillespie: Back gunner (Bardock-6) Orange-9
Megan Armstrong: Pilot (Bardock-6) Orange-67
Taylor Grimaldi: Back gunner (Bardock-6) Orange-67
Chris Whiteely: Pilot (Kalash-5) Green-5
Glovanni: Back gunner (Kalash-5) Green-5
Kaitlyn Morrow: Pilot (Kalash-5) Green-527
Amy Chen: Back gunner (Kalash-5) Green-527
"Well there you have it. This ends the first chapter of War of the Skies".