Wolves on the Border: A Star Wars Alternate Universe Story
By: The Merry Prankster
Author's Note: Here is the second Star Wars story concerning US servicemen finding themselves involved in the Star Wars Universe. In this story two USAF pilots find themselves going from a reheated conflict in Korea to the skies over Yavin IV. The first part of the story deals with air combat over the skies of Korea and will later end up in the Star Wars universe.
Cast of Characters:
Captain Glenn "Wolfman" Powers: USAF fighter pilot assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron 'Phantoms'
First Lieutenant Jack "Thump" Hagans: Power's wingman and training records officer for the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
First Lieutenant Jason "Snoopy" Beagle: Pilot in the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Colonel Michael "Jaws" Herrman: Commander of the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Glossary:
DMZ: De militarized zone: The border between North and South Korea
HUD: Heads Up Display: Think combination gunsight, radar, air speed indicator, and altimeter rolled into one. It allows the pilot to keep his head out of the cockpit during a fight.
IFF: Identification, Friend or Foe
Niner-Xray: Pilot slang for AIM-9X Sidewinder Air-to-Air missile.
Twenty Mike Mike: Slang for 20mm cannon
Viper: Nickname for the General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon.
Chapter 1. Night Strike
Visiting Officers Quarters Kunsan Air Force Base, Korea December 24, 2002 1900 hrs:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Brrrrring, Brrrrrring
A hand reaches out from under the covers and picks up the phone. "Hello?" asked the half-asleep pilot.
"Wolfman, get your but over to operations. Headquarters has issued a general alert and cancelled all leaves effective immediately! All flight crew are to report to their units now. It looks like this may be the real thing."
Korea was beginning to heat up again into a hot war. What many Americans back home in the United States did not realize was that the Korean War had never truly ended. There was no peace treaty signed in 1953. Instead a simple cessation of hostilities had been declared. Since, then there had been numerous confrontations between North Korea and the alliance of South Korea and the United States. The latest blowup was between the navies of the two Korean states in June 2002. (A/N: This really did happen, check the papers). A food shortage in North Korea had led the communist government to turn toward outside reasons for North Korea's collapse. The conquest of their prosperous southern neighbor offered two enticements. First, they could loot the south and second, reunite the two countries into one Korea, ruled by a Communist dictatorship. Standing in way of this conquest was the armed forces of the United States and the Republic of Korea. However, the attention of the world's last super power was focussed on Iraq and Islamic terrorists. To the aging rulers of North Korea, now was the perfect time to strike.
Captain Glenn "Wolfman" Powers was one of the rising stars in the United States Air Force. Following his graduation from the Air Force Academy and flight school, he attended Fighter Weapons School, at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Fighter Weapons School teaches it's students how to employ effectively all types of ordinance. Only the best pilots in the USAF qualify for admission. His wingman Lieutenant Jack "Thump" Hagans was fresh out of college, having been commissioned through AFROTC. Both pilots had just joined the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, a distinguished unit nicknamed "The Wolfpack" and were staying in temporary quarters.
Wolfman picked up Thump and drove to the squadron area on the base. The muffled crumps of multiple explosions shattered the still air and multiple glows lit the horizon. The high pitched roar of jet engines filled the air. Both pilots looked up to see a single engine jet fly overhead. It's afterburner filling the air behind the fast moving jet with a bright blue flame. Little balls of yellow light flew from behind the jet as it released flares to try and decoy any ground based missiles. Within seconds the plane was out of sight.
"Shit, looks like the balloon has gone up" stated Powers.
"It don't look good from here" replied his wingman.
A security policeman stopped the two officers and directed the aircrew to the squadron theater. Snoopy came up and told the pilots to get in the building now! "Shadow would be giving a mass briefing. The airmen had jus settled down in their seats when a Sergeant yelled out "Attention". Colonel Herrman approached the stage and motioned the crews to sit back down.
" Gentlemen: Less than thirty minutes ago, North Korean military forces have launched a major attack all along the DMZ. This base has been hit, I don't know how many aircraft were involved. The Phantoms is going to total base defense until we have some idea of what is happening. Flight leaders will take charge and stack at five thousand feet increments starting at fifteen thousand feet. We are surging anything that can fly."
" Most of your Vipers have a full load of twenty mike mike and two niner xrays. A An-2 biplane, carrying commandos, has crash landed halfway down the runway. We think we got most of them. Keep a sharp eye out when taking off. Do not go below five thousand feet without clearance from Command and Control. Anti aircraft crews have authority to .........."
"BRAAAANG" filled the building as the alert klaxon went off. The pilots raced out of the theater and headed for the alert shack. Wolfman and Thump quickly suited up and moved out to the flightline. The ops officer rushed up to the two and yelled out.
"Wolfman you have five seven eight sitting in shelter I. Thump, you have one zero two six in shelter H. Both birds are fully armed, fuelled, and ready to take off. God Speed."
On the way to the hardened aircraft shelter, they passed by the collapsed remains of shelter E. Outside the bombed out shelter, was a form lying on the ground covered by a jacket. The enemy aircraft had come and gone by the time the pilots had reached their Vipers. Wolfman shouted out to the crew chief as he climbed into the F-16.
"Anything I should know?"
"No sir, everything checks out. Good hunting."
Wolfman performed a shortened pre flight on his Viper, started his engine, and moved out of his shelter. Two other aircraft in his flight followed closely behind. Powers radioed to his wingman:
"Where is "Snoopy?"
"He got caught out in that last air raid and was wounded."
"Okay, we will just have three instead of out usual four plane flight. Tower, this is Jedi with three Vipers"
"Roger , Jedi, the runway has been cleared for all outbound Falcons. You are number one to takeoff"
The three F-16s slowly taxied up to the runway. Wolfman radioed to the other aircraft.
"Jedi flight, Combat Departure, GO!!!!"
Afterburners on all three F-16s lighted up the night air with bluish white flames. Brakes were released and the three aircraft rocketed down the runway. Even with being lightly loaded and having full burners going, the aircraft barely missed the wreck in the middle of the runway.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jedi Flight climbed to it's assigned altitude of twenty thousand feet. They began circling the base and kept an eye out for any approaching threats. Before they were through their first orbit, the pilots heard their call sign.
"Jedi, this is Spy Glass. Steer zero four five" Wolfman and his flight made the assigned couse corrections. Wolfman began to feel that the enemy was coming this way. Spy Glass was the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control (AWACs) aircraft orbitting about twenty miles south of the embattered airbase.
"Jedi, Austin, Buick, Cadillac, Dodge, this is Spy Glass. Multiple bogies at ten thousand to fifteen thousand. raid count forty, speed five hundred at sixty miles. Steer zero three two, buster."
"Oh shit", thought Wolfman. Forty aircraft, probably a quarter are escorts. We have only twenty three.
Buster means full throttle and Jedi flight accelerated on the assigned heading. Five minutes later, Wolfman picked up a contact on his radar. The F-16s computer locked onto the nearest plane. Fifty miles out, closure rate of 1000 knots. "Spy Glass, Jedi has lock"
"Roger, Wolfman. Cleared to engage. Take them out."
"Thump, take the bandit to the left. Snoopy, the bandit on the right. I'll take out the center aircraft. Clear to fire niner xrays at max."
The three Falcons approached the oncoming aircraft. All of a sudden, the threat receivers began sounding off. The enemy had a radar lock on the Americans. "JEDI FLIGHT BREAK HARD RIGHT"!! Suddenly and light streaked by and contacted Snoopy. A bright flash filled the sky.
"Wolfman, Snoopy is gone!!!" reported Thump.
Powers looked at his radar. Radar homing missiles, could be Mig 23s or Mig 29s, thought Powers.
"Thump, Bandits at zero three zero are probably the fighters" He locked onto the nearest enemy fighter. The target was enclosed by a green lighted diamond on Wolfman's HUD. At the same time growling sound filled the pilots headset as the missile seeker head attempted to lock on to the target. The diamond turned red and Wolfman got a good tone. He fired his missile at the enemy aircraft. "Jedi leader, FOX 2". The missile shot off the wing tip with a loud whoosh and moved toward the enemy aircraft. Wolfman was able to identify the bandit as a Mig 29 by the twin glows of its engines and its twin tails. The missile impacted the Mig and blew off one wing. Turned into a big ball of fire, the enemy aircraft began it's journey to the ground. Seconds later, Saint heard Thump's call:
"Splash two"
Wolfman pulled his Viper into a hard right turn onto the tail of another enemy aircraft. He was beginning to line up on the bandit. The welcome growl of the sidewinder showed it was locking onto the target whe....
"One's behind at your four , break right!" Wolfman pulled his aircraft into a tight turn.
"Can you get a shot?"
"I'm going to guns. Turn harder, he's lining up on you!"
The airspeed began to bleed off , as the turn got even tighter. Wolfman put his bird into a dive to build up more airspeed and pulled the stick back even harder. His body was pressed into the seat by the equivalent of gravity increasing nine times. It felt his arm was welded to the side console.
"Get him Thump."
"Rog"
"Now would be a good time, Thump."
"Rog"
Wolfman continued his evasive maneuvers. He had started at ten thousand feet and was now at six. Suddenly Thump shouted out over the radio: "Shooting"
Out of the corner of his eye, Wolfman saw the enemy aircraft exploding into flames. From the light, he could identify it as a Mig 23. Quickly, he returned to his original target and blasted it with his second missile. He checked his radar and did not see any more threats.
"Spy Glass, Jedi, splash four high-performance Migs. Vector, over."
"Roger, Jedi, steer two seven five, bandits exiting the strike area. Buster, over."
Wolfman and Thump orbited the area for another hour before being cleared to return to base. Upon approaching the airfield, they were directed to hold off while some wreckage was cleared off the runway.
The two men entered the operations shack for debriefing and to the cheers of the ground crew. Wolfman noticed that Thump was staring at his back.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking to see how wet your seat is"
"Very funny" drawled Wolfman.
Thus ended their first combat mission.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC
Author's Note: My first story, "Enter the Stalkers" involved US Army soldiers getting involved in a ground fight during Episode I. This story will be focused more toward air and space combat. Unlike the last story, expect the first two chapters of "Wolves on the Border" to take place in the skies over Korea. There will be even more fighting in Chapter 2. Chapter 2 will have the main characters flying a strike mission that will eventually lead them into Episode IV: A New Hope. Keep up the reviews and tell me what you liked and disliked about this story.
Merry Prankster, Out.
Author's Note: Here is the second Star Wars story concerning US servicemen finding themselves involved in the Star Wars Universe. In this story two USAF pilots find themselves going from a reheated conflict in Korea to the skies over Yavin IV. The first part of the story deals with air combat over the skies of Korea and will later end up in the Star Wars universe.
Cast of Characters:
Captain Glenn "Wolfman" Powers: USAF fighter pilot assigned to the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron 'Phantoms'
First Lieutenant Jack "Thump" Hagans: Power's wingman and training records officer for the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
First Lieutenant Jason "Snoopy" Beagle: Pilot in the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Colonel Michael "Jaws" Herrman: Commander of the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Glossary:
DMZ: De militarized zone: The border between North and South Korea
HUD: Heads Up Display: Think combination gunsight, radar, air speed indicator, and altimeter rolled into one. It allows the pilot to keep his head out of the cockpit during a fight.
IFF: Identification, Friend or Foe
Niner-Xray: Pilot slang for AIM-9X Sidewinder Air-to-Air missile.
Twenty Mike Mike: Slang for 20mm cannon
Viper: Nickname for the General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon.
Chapter 1. Night Strike
Visiting Officers Quarters Kunsan Air Force Base, Korea December 24, 2002 1900 hrs:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Brrrrring, Brrrrrring
A hand reaches out from under the covers and picks up the phone. "Hello?" asked the half-asleep pilot.
"Wolfman, get your but over to operations. Headquarters has issued a general alert and cancelled all leaves effective immediately! All flight crew are to report to their units now. It looks like this may be the real thing."
Korea was beginning to heat up again into a hot war. What many Americans back home in the United States did not realize was that the Korean War had never truly ended. There was no peace treaty signed in 1953. Instead a simple cessation of hostilities had been declared. Since, then there had been numerous confrontations between North Korea and the alliance of South Korea and the United States. The latest blowup was between the navies of the two Korean states in June 2002. (A/N: This really did happen, check the papers). A food shortage in North Korea had led the communist government to turn toward outside reasons for North Korea's collapse. The conquest of their prosperous southern neighbor offered two enticements. First, they could loot the south and second, reunite the two countries into one Korea, ruled by a Communist dictatorship. Standing in way of this conquest was the armed forces of the United States and the Republic of Korea. However, the attention of the world's last super power was focussed on Iraq and Islamic terrorists. To the aging rulers of North Korea, now was the perfect time to strike.
Captain Glenn "Wolfman" Powers was one of the rising stars in the United States Air Force. Following his graduation from the Air Force Academy and flight school, he attended Fighter Weapons School, at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Fighter Weapons School teaches it's students how to employ effectively all types of ordinance. Only the best pilots in the USAF qualify for admission. His wingman Lieutenant Jack "Thump" Hagans was fresh out of college, having been commissioned through AFROTC. Both pilots had just joined the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, a distinguished unit nicknamed "The Wolfpack" and were staying in temporary quarters.
Wolfman picked up Thump and drove to the squadron area on the base. The muffled crumps of multiple explosions shattered the still air and multiple glows lit the horizon. The high pitched roar of jet engines filled the air. Both pilots looked up to see a single engine jet fly overhead. It's afterburner filling the air behind the fast moving jet with a bright blue flame. Little balls of yellow light flew from behind the jet as it released flares to try and decoy any ground based missiles. Within seconds the plane was out of sight.
"Shit, looks like the balloon has gone up" stated Powers.
"It don't look good from here" replied his wingman.
A security policeman stopped the two officers and directed the aircrew to the squadron theater. Snoopy came up and told the pilots to get in the building now! "Shadow would be giving a mass briefing. The airmen had jus settled down in their seats when a Sergeant yelled out "Attention". Colonel Herrman approached the stage and motioned the crews to sit back down.
" Gentlemen: Less than thirty minutes ago, North Korean military forces have launched a major attack all along the DMZ. This base has been hit, I don't know how many aircraft were involved. The Phantoms is going to total base defense until we have some idea of what is happening. Flight leaders will take charge and stack at five thousand feet increments starting at fifteen thousand feet. We are surging anything that can fly."
" Most of your Vipers have a full load of twenty mike mike and two niner xrays. A An-2 biplane, carrying commandos, has crash landed halfway down the runway. We think we got most of them. Keep a sharp eye out when taking off. Do not go below five thousand feet without clearance from Command and Control. Anti aircraft crews have authority to .........."
"BRAAAANG" filled the building as the alert klaxon went off. The pilots raced out of the theater and headed for the alert shack. Wolfman and Thump quickly suited up and moved out to the flightline. The ops officer rushed up to the two and yelled out.
"Wolfman you have five seven eight sitting in shelter I. Thump, you have one zero two six in shelter H. Both birds are fully armed, fuelled, and ready to take off. God Speed."
On the way to the hardened aircraft shelter, they passed by the collapsed remains of shelter E. Outside the bombed out shelter, was a form lying on the ground covered by a jacket. The enemy aircraft had come and gone by the time the pilots had reached their Vipers. Wolfman shouted out to the crew chief as he climbed into the F-16.
"Anything I should know?"
"No sir, everything checks out. Good hunting."
Wolfman performed a shortened pre flight on his Viper, started his engine, and moved out of his shelter. Two other aircraft in his flight followed closely behind. Powers radioed to his wingman:
"Where is "Snoopy?"
"He got caught out in that last air raid and was wounded."
"Okay, we will just have three instead of out usual four plane flight. Tower, this is Jedi with three Vipers"
"Roger , Jedi, the runway has been cleared for all outbound Falcons. You are number one to takeoff"
The three F-16s slowly taxied up to the runway. Wolfman radioed to the other aircraft.
"Jedi flight, Combat Departure, GO!!!!"
Afterburners on all three F-16s lighted up the night air with bluish white flames. Brakes were released and the three aircraft rocketed down the runway. Even with being lightly loaded and having full burners going, the aircraft barely missed the wreck in the middle of the runway.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jedi Flight climbed to it's assigned altitude of twenty thousand feet. They began circling the base and kept an eye out for any approaching threats. Before they were through their first orbit, the pilots heard their call sign.
"Jedi, this is Spy Glass. Steer zero four five" Wolfman and his flight made the assigned couse corrections. Wolfman began to feel that the enemy was coming this way. Spy Glass was the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control (AWACs) aircraft orbitting about twenty miles south of the embattered airbase.
"Jedi, Austin, Buick, Cadillac, Dodge, this is Spy Glass. Multiple bogies at ten thousand to fifteen thousand. raid count forty, speed five hundred at sixty miles. Steer zero three two, buster."
"Oh shit", thought Wolfman. Forty aircraft, probably a quarter are escorts. We have only twenty three.
Buster means full throttle and Jedi flight accelerated on the assigned heading. Five minutes later, Wolfman picked up a contact on his radar. The F-16s computer locked onto the nearest plane. Fifty miles out, closure rate of 1000 knots. "Spy Glass, Jedi has lock"
"Roger, Wolfman. Cleared to engage. Take them out."
"Thump, take the bandit to the left. Snoopy, the bandit on the right. I'll take out the center aircraft. Clear to fire niner xrays at max."
The three Falcons approached the oncoming aircraft. All of a sudden, the threat receivers began sounding off. The enemy had a radar lock on the Americans. "JEDI FLIGHT BREAK HARD RIGHT"!! Suddenly and light streaked by and contacted Snoopy. A bright flash filled the sky.
"Wolfman, Snoopy is gone!!!" reported Thump.
Powers looked at his radar. Radar homing missiles, could be Mig 23s or Mig 29s, thought Powers.
"Thump, Bandits at zero three zero are probably the fighters" He locked onto the nearest enemy fighter. The target was enclosed by a green lighted diamond on Wolfman's HUD. At the same time growling sound filled the pilots headset as the missile seeker head attempted to lock on to the target. The diamond turned red and Wolfman got a good tone. He fired his missile at the enemy aircraft. "Jedi leader, FOX 2". The missile shot off the wing tip with a loud whoosh and moved toward the enemy aircraft. Wolfman was able to identify the bandit as a Mig 29 by the twin glows of its engines and its twin tails. The missile impacted the Mig and blew off one wing. Turned into a big ball of fire, the enemy aircraft began it's journey to the ground. Seconds later, Saint heard Thump's call:
"Splash two"
Wolfman pulled his Viper into a hard right turn onto the tail of another enemy aircraft. He was beginning to line up on the bandit. The welcome growl of the sidewinder showed it was locking onto the target whe....
"One's behind at your four , break right!" Wolfman pulled his aircraft into a tight turn.
"Can you get a shot?"
"I'm going to guns. Turn harder, he's lining up on you!"
The airspeed began to bleed off , as the turn got even tighter. Wolfman put his bird into a dive to build up more airspeed and pulled the stick back even harder. His body was pressed into the seat by the equivalent of gravity increasing nine times. It felt his arm was welded to the side console.
"Get him Thump."
"Rog"
"Now would be a good time, Thump."
"Rog"
Wolfman continued his evasive maneuvers. He had started at ten thousand feet and was now at six. Suddenly Thump shouted out over the radio: "Shooting"
Out of the corner of his eye, Wolfman saw the enemy aircraft exploding into flames. From the light, he could identify it as a Mig 23. Quickly, he returned to his original target and blasted it with his second missile. He checked his radar and did not see any more threats.
"Spy Glass, Jedi, splash four high-performance Migs. Vector, over."
"Roger, Jedi, steer two seven five, bandits exiting the strike area. Buster, over."
Wolfman and Thump orbited the area for another hour before being cleared to return to base. Upon approaching the airfield, they were directed to hold off while some wreckage was cleared off the runway.
The two men entered the operations shack for debriefing and to the cheers of the ground crew. Wolfman noticed that Thump was staring at his back.
"What are you doing?"
"Checking to see how wet your seat is"
"Very funny" drawled Wolfman.
Thus ended their first combat mission.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TBC
Author's Note: My first story, "Enter the Stalkers" involved US Army soldiers getting involved in a ground fight during Episode I. This story will be focused more toward air and space combat. Unlike the last story, expect the first two chapters of "Wolves on the Border" to take place in the skies over Korea. There will be even more fighting in Chapter 2. Chapter 2 will have the main characters flying a strike mission that will eventually lead them into Episode IV: A New Hope. Keep up the reviews and tell me what you liked and disliked about this story.
Merry Prankster, Out.