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Legendary Aces
Chapter 2: Open War
Amidst the eternal waves of time
From a ripple of change shall the storm rise
Out of the abyss peer the eyes of a demon
Behold the Razgriz, its wings of black sheath
-Blaze-
Sand Island
1213hrs. 26 September 2010
It had been a few days since our little scrap in Cape Landers. Both Nagase and Chopper came to talk to me about my inability to pull the trigger. I know they are right. I can't wait for somebody else to do the job for me. Bartlett had remained silent about the matter, but I knew he was watching me.
We flew at least one training sortie a day to cover any ground we may need. We had a mock battle where the only rules were to trail your target for five seconds to earn a "kill." He paired Chopper and Nagase up and had me follow his lead.
I knew what he was doing, and I knew he wasn't going to keep quiet after my performance in the air.
"Kid! How are you doing that?" Chopper whined. "I can't even get behind you! Man, if you were an enemy I'd be dead right now."
"You both would've been dead a while ago," Bartlett said. "Wardog 4 has you both ten to zero. Tomorrow, we're doing this again and splittin' up the teams. For now, back to base."
"Roger," the three of us chimed in together.
I was the first to land. After parking my plane, I quickly jumped out and headed for the hangar where Pops usually could be found working on something. I sat down on the bench in front of the hangar and waited. I knew the Captain wouldn't be far behind.
Pops noticed me right away, but he didn't say anything. He just kept busy with... well I'm not quite sure what he was doing, but it involved standing on the other side of a plane and the occasional sound of tightening something, probably a bolt.
After the Captain landed and had finished talking to Chopper and Nagase, I was next. I watched as he walked over from the planes. His expression wasn't the happiest; actually, it was pretty far from happy. Enough so to make me somewhat nervous.
"Just what are you tryin' to pull, Kid?" He said. He was rather angry. I was afraid to answer, but I didn't get a chance to just yet. "Chopper and Nagase are good, but they couldn't even touch you. You care to explain to me why you didn't get a single kill the other day? You trailed every target long enough to kill them twice over and never let any of them get a lock on you. Why didn't you fire?"
"I..."
"You pull a stunt like that again and..."
I don't know what I was thinking, but I cut him off. "I couldn't do it."
"You couldn't do it?"
"My trigger finger froze up every time I got a lock. There were people in those planes. I couldn't do it."
"I know Chopper and Nagase have talked to you about this."
"Today's mock battle was to put me in the spotlight wasn't it?" I asked.
The Captain sighed and sat down next to me. "Look, I know how you feel about flying. I can see it in you. We aren't the only ones that fly this sky. There are others out there that wanna take it from us."
"They can't have it."
"If you don't fight back, they are gonna just take it, like it or not. You are good. If I just met you after watchin' that mock battle and somebody told me you were just a nugget, I'd call 'em a liar."
The Captain's words hit me hard. Harder than any missile ever could. But he was right. We weren't alone up there.
"Remember, getting the team back alive is what counts. If you can't fight back and protect your wingmen that might not happen."
"I'll do it," I said. My hands were shaking at the thought of killing somebody, but the thought of losing my sky or my friends... I couldn't bare it.
"Good girl," Bartlett said as he stood up. "I expect this to be done with, but listen... If you can't handle it, if you're not ready... I'll ship you off to North Point. If you think I'm a hardass, you won't want to train under Allison."
I cringed as he turned around and headed toward the main building.
Chopper and Nagase had been watching from afar and rushed over as soon as the Captain was out of sight.
Kirk came out of the hangar right as Chopper and Nagase reached me. He had his frisbee in his mouth and nudged it into my hand. I laughed softly and threw it for him. I threw it high so he would have time to catch up to it before it hit the ground. He ran as fast as he could and jumped up just as the frisbee lost momentum and started falling, catching it with ease.
"Good boy." I said as he brought it back to me, wanting me to throw it again.
"So what'd he say to you?" Nagase asked.
I threw the frisbee again before answering. "He confronted me about not shooting the other day. He kinda used you two to test me."
"And?"
"I don't know if I passed or failed. He was kinda pissed at first. I told him I couldn't do it. He softened up a little and talked to me about protecting our skies and getting the crew back alive. He made a lot of sense."
"Think you'll be okay next time?" Chopper asked.
"I don't know. I told him I'll do it, but I don't know. Saying something when we're here on the ground is different that when the situation actually happens."
"I'll try to cover for you if I can," Nagase said. "But you're going to have to do it yourself eventually."
"I know," I muttered. I glanced at both of them. Neither one of them was angry. In fact, they both had smiles on their faces. I jumped up and hugged them both. "I won't let anything happen to us. I promise."
-Briefing-
The next morning, we were called to the briefing room. Our training mission today had suddenly turned into a real mission.
The briefer started as soon as everyone was present. "A ship of unknown origin has been detected approaching the Sand Island coastline. We've confirmed that this ship has launched numerous unmanned aerial vehicles probably used for reconnaissance. The UAV will likely return to the launch ship for retrieval after completing their spy operations. You are to halt this operation by intercepting and destroying these recon drones before they can be recovered by the ship. However, do not attack the ship until further orders are transmitted."
There were eight UAVs in pairs of two on the screen. They were heading for the ship.
-Mission Start-
-Blaze-
Sand Island
1133hrs. 27 September 2010
I had to make up for the other day. Our targets were unmanned so I could take them out without worry.
"Wardog, this is Thunderhead. Unmanned recon drones returning to spy vessel. Shoot them down before they get back to the ship."
"Sure thing. You got that, gang?" Bartlett asked.
"Yes, sir," I said. Chopper and Nagase didn't respond, but the Captain knew they were ready.
"All right, let's go." As soon as the Captain said that, I hit my afterburners and rocketed ahead. I was determined to give the others an easy mission if all it took was downing some drones.
"Our orders are to not fire on the ship. Understood?" Bartlett asked.
"Right," I responded.
"Good. Aim only for the recon planes. Show me what you've got, Kid."
I had already closed in on the first two drones and opened up on them with my guns. They went down quickly.
"How you doing, kid? Pretty easy, huh?" the Captain asked.
"Like sitting ducks," I retorted as I sped toward the next two.
"Okay, let's hurry up and finish this."
"Guess this is a good time to have a little competition of kill scores!" Chopper said.
He wasn't getting any of the drones. They were all mine.
"The targets are small, so aim carefully," Captain Bartlett said.
"I'm up to four," I called out as I gunned down the next pair.
"I'll keep watch out here. You guys go play with those toys," the Captain ordered.
"Roger," the three of us said together.
"Other recon crafts have probably reached the mainland, too," Nagase said.
"I sure hope not," Bartlett replied.
"Same," I replied. I hit my afterburners to close the distance to my next target. The last four were further up ahead. Chopper and Nagase had started to close the distance between us so I had to hurry if I was going to take out all four of them.
"I'm glad there aren't any live people in these things. Aren't you?" Chopper asked.
"Yeah," I said. "I sure am."
"So we can just shoot 'em down and not worry about it."
"Yeah." I destroyed two more and swooped toward the last two.
"I'd hate to be in a dogfight with these guys," the Captain retorted.
I held back a giggle as I closed in on the final two targets.
"Hey, Kid, leave some enemies for me, okay?" Chopper asked.
"Uhh..." I muttered. "Might be a little too late... heh."
"You already destroyed them all?"
I almost felt bad now. I did hog all the kills.
"Warning! Multiple bogeys inbound, closing fast." Thunderhead reported.
"Same attack axis as before?" the Captain asked.
Thunderhead confirmed him. "280. Same vector as last time!"
"Geez, how many planes they got lined up at the border?" Bartlett said rhetorically. "We've only got four on our side...we'd better abort. This way. Think you can stick to my tail?"
"Yes, sir," I said.
"Good girl."
I turned and headed toward the Captain and saw Nagase doing the same. I didn't see Chopper, so I checked my radar.
"I can't make it. They're running me down!" Chopper called out.
"Oh, you're takin' the trail position today, Rock 'n Roller? Hold on, I'll clear your six o'clock for you."
"Dammit, why'd I have to draw the short straw today?"
I followed the Captain as he chased after one of the bogeys.
"Everyone else, quit gawkin' and start shootin'!" the Captain ordered.
"Are they unmanned, too?" I asked. I figured these planes were manned, but I wanted to make sure.
"Yes," the Captain said. "Take 'em out, Kid."
"Roger." I turned toward the one on Chopper's tail first. "Blaze, engaging."
Thunderhead didn't agree with the order. "Captain Bartlett!"
"Enemy fire confirmed, turning to engage." Nagase said. "Edge, engaging."
"Heartbreak One, engaging."
"Well, if they're unmanned, then I don't feel so bad about splashing 'em. Chopper, engaging!"
I took out the bandit on Chopper's tail in seconds. I saw another plane fall off my radar. I checked to see who destroyed it. Nagase.
"Break right, bandit on the Captain's tail. I'm on it," Nagase said. She was too late. "Or Blaze is on it."
The Captain destroyed the fourth target, but as soon as he did, four more appeared on my radar.
"Where'd they come from? Are they with that other group we ran into?" Chopper asked.
I didn't bother with an answer. I was too focused on taking down the targets.
I destroyed two more targets, and then I heard something I didn't want to hear... The enemy spoke up on the radio. "Do no pursue the enemy across the border into Osean territory."
My heart sank. They weren't unmanned. I was a mix of angry and horrified. I probably killed the people in the planes I destroyed. "There were people in those planes!"
"Yeah, and there are people in our planes," the Captain said. "It's us or them. I pick us."
"The enemy has no reinforcements. Hurry up and eliminate them," an enemy called. "Concentrate your attack on the one straggling aircraft."
They were chasing after Chopper. "Dammit, Kid! Hurry up and help me out here!"
I had already started chasing after one of them and had a lock out, but my finger wouldn't move. I wanted to pull the trigger to protect Chopper, but I couldn't. I spooked the target right into Nagase's sights, at least. She took it out immediately. The Captain destroyed the last bogey. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed that I froze up again.
Thunderhead reported in to confirm that was the last bogey. "Picture clear. All hostile aircraft are destroyed."
"Well that's good," the Captain said. "Kid, you remember what we talked about?"
"Yes, sir," I said.
"I'm callin' her when we get back to base."
He did notice.
"I-" I began, but Thunderhead took over the radio again.
"Warning still in effect. Keep your heads on a swivel."
I looked around for another target, but didn't see one at first. Then it hit me. The ship!
Nagase was in range of the ship, but the Captain beat me to the punch. "Watch out, Nagase! They're down below us, too!"
The ship fired a missile at Nagase. She did her best to lose it, but couldn't manage to get away. The Captain swooped in between the missile and Nagase, causing it to turn on him.
He lured it away and tried to lose it himself, but his F-4 couldn't maneuver as well as he wanted. The missile hit his right wing, but he was still able to stay in the air, but his time was limited. He was losing altitude.
"Captain!" Nagase said.
"Hey! Save the waterworks," Bartlett said. "I'm just gonna bail out here. We can replace these things, it's gettin' the crew back alive that counts."
He said that to me yesterday.
"Make a call to scramble the search and rescue copter and my reserve plane, okay?" He bailed out a few moments later, leaving his F-4 to plummet to the sea.
I planned on staying out here to watch over the Captain until the rescue team arrived, but Thunderhead ruined that idea.
Thunderhead sounded urgent, though. "Warning! Warning! Wardog Squadron, return to base immediately!"
I started to argue with him, but Nagase beat me to it. "But the rescue helicopter isn't here yet."
"Leave that to the rescue team! Refuel and rearm at the base, and get back in the air immediately! The enemy has declared war on us!"
I was conflicted. I wanted to stay and watch over the Captain, but I couldn't ignore orders. I reluctantly turned toward the base and headed back. Chopper and Nagase were already in route. Whatever it was Thunderhead was sending us to do, I had to do it quickly. I couldn't leave the Captain out there for long!
-Post Mission-
The reconnaissance UAV and the unidentified fighter aircraft that bounced us during the mission have been shot down. The country of origin of the ship is still unknown but it has ceased operations in our maritime defense zone and has departed the area. Once we sanitize our coastal waters we will conduct a search and rescue mission to find Captain Bartlett, who was shot down. Furthermore, the Union of Yuktobanian Republics has officially declared war on the Osean Federation.