VIPER COMBAT TRAINING ABOVE NORTHERN POLE OF PICON
The two Viper Mark 7s formed up into a combat echelon as they began a Dradis search for their prey.
"Scorch this is Weasel!" said one of the Viper pilots over the wireless. "I got something on our 3 o'clock low position...It's him. Break! Break! Break!"
"The two Vipers turned on their sides and pulled away from each other as a third Viper darted between them and turned toward Scorch's Viper.
"He's on me!" yelled Scorch as he banked hard trying to get the Viper to overshoot but the more experienced pilot kept with him and within a few seconds several small red beams of light hit Scorch's Viper as it was 'painted' in training rounds. "Frack!" screamed the infuriated Scorch.
Wanting to avenge his wingman Weasel went full burn in pursuit of the Viper as it dived toward the planet. Weasel's eyes fixed on the Viper as a faint orange glow began to appear around it with the friction of the planet's atmosphere beginning to build up on its leading edges. Scorch waited as the Viper moved closer to the cross hairs on his display. Just three seconds and I got him! Two seconds! Suddenly the Viper in front cut its engines. With the enormous friction from the planet hitting it the Viper suddenly cartwheeled back up into space straight past Weasel's Viper. As it did so the Viper riddled Scorch's craft with training rounds. He was dead!
The Viper had just performed a manoeuvre called the 'Bounce' which meant using the atmosphere of a planet to throw the Viper back into space. It is one of the most difficult moves for a Viper pilot to achieve.
The three Vipers formed up on each other. Weasel looked out at the victorious Viper to see the arrogant smile Leigh Adama, callsign Apollo.