September 27th, 2010
2:33 PM
We were rearmed and refueled and then launched back out to assist in the defense of Port St. Hewlett. No one had issued a briefing yet, and we didn't have a lead plane either. We were flying into battle blind, deaf and paralyzed.
Ten minutes later after running as fast as we could towards the port, we had arrived in the combat zone, where, surprise surprise, Thunderhead was waiting for us.
"Due to pressing circumstances, I'll be issuing an emergency in-flight briefing.", Thunderhead informed as our radios crackled to life and a map popped up on our HUD showing the battle area, the locations of the Third Fleet, and the path of the Yuke forces. Thunderhead informed us that the bulk of the Yuke forces were A-6E attackers, slow and heavy, easy for us to intercept and shoot down.
"Our naval base at St. Hewlett reports that Yuktobanian aircraft have launched a surprise attack on the port. The situation there is critical and there is widespread panic. Ships from the Third Naval Fleet docked at the port are currently under attack and taking heavy losses. Hurry to Port St. Hewlett to provide air cover for our ships attempting to leave the bay. Among these ships is the aircraft carrier Kestrel. It is the flagship of the 3rd Naval Fleet and a critical combat asset. You must protect the Kestrel at all costs."
After the briefing, our almost always annoying and monotonous AWACS actually tried to do something useful and assign as a lead for this sortie.
"Edge, you take the lead."
"Negative. Blaze, you take the lead. I'll fly on your wing."
"Second Lieutenant Nagase, follow your orders!"
"No, Blaze is leading. I'll protect his 6 o clock. And I'm not gonna lose another flight lead."
"Uh, guys, I don't know if I wanna do that"
"You'll be fine, Blaze. Come on, would you rather have me doing it?", Chopper broke in
"Quit screwing around, this is war! The enemy's all over and they're gonna eat you alive!", This time a different and new voice, "Swordsman to Thunderhead, I've arrived at the port, give me a position!"
Then Thunderhead butted back in, "Wardog, begin your mission. You are cleared to engage."
"Uh...roger. Wardog, engage!", I ordered my squadron nervously. This is gonna take some getting used to.
"Edge, engaging"
"Chopper, engaging."
"Baja, you are now Wardog Four. Got it?", I directed as I flew in behind a Yuke attacker and launched a missile at the cockpit. Am I really aiming to kill? I've never been a violent person but here I am killing and not even thinking twice. I made a mental note to reevaluate my priorities when I got the chance.
"Yeah, I got it. Baja, engaging.", my 4th pilots voice brought me back into concentration. I looked around trying to find more Yukes but only saw a fuel tanker on the docks explode.
"The tanker next to us just exploded! Where's the fireboat, it's spreading to our ship! Help us!", a new voice on the radio screamed, probably the ship next to the tanker, obviously. I looked above me and saw an enemy about 500 feet over me. I yanked back on the stick and fell in behind the big, heavy slug of a plane.
"Fox two!", I heard from the radio as a missile flew by my canopy and the attacker burst into flames and started spiraling towards the ground.
"Thanks for that, Baja. Damn near killed me", I remarked
"Can't let you have all the fun, can I?", she replied
"The fireboat got caught in the explosion! Two, no, three ships are burning now!", again that same ship I assumed. Sounded like the same guy. Glad I'm not on the ground, that must majorly suck. I brought myself out of insane and irrelevant thought as 6 new blips appeared on my radar screen. Guess its time to take charge as Blunderhead had gone silent, "New formation spotted on radar, low altitude. Bearing 270. Wardog, fly out to intercept."
"Edge, roger"
"Baja, roger"
"Hey, Chopper, can you even hear us?", I inquired
"Wha? Oh, yeah, Chopper, engaging new formation", he replied sounding like he just woke up. Maybe he had. Wouldn't surprise me.
"This is not a drill!", another new voice, probably some official down on the water. Sometimes I wish the radio would just shut up and let me concentrate.
"Oh, thanks for the heads up you IDIOT!", came the other unknown voice's reply. It's almost comical...
"Blaze, this is Edge. Have you located the Kestrel?", Nagase's voice, again, bringing me back into focus. I gotta work on that...friggin ADD.
"Yeah, I see it now. Looks like its still alright."
"Thank God.", came Nagase's relieved response
"The entire gulf is in flames!", a very worried Baja exclaimed as I watched her chase a Yuke fighter over the fleet.
"Man, what happened here. This is worse than even I imagined.", Chopper said in awe. He's not wrong however, I know his imagination. This is worse than he could even think of.
"This is the Port Captain. All vessels leave the port immediately! Vessels nearest the exit first!", a very official sounding voice squawked out of the radio. Seems like they should have said that earlier, but that ain't my problem.
"This is the aircraft carrier Kestrel, approaching port exit." Finally, some good news. I wished they'd hurry up but its not like a 100,000 ton ship can move that quickly. God, I need to focus. Attacker, right there. I barrel rolled over and down to face it head on and launched two missiles into the engine intakes. "Fox two, fox two! Splash one attacker!"
"All friendly aircraft, protect the Kestrel for us!", there's that port official again, stating the obvious.
"This is Swordsman, on my way! That's my ship!"
"Negative, this is AWACS Thunderhead. Swordsman, remain in the Eastern Sector. Protect our territory and continue battle.", an oddly absent Thunderhead broke back in and took charge, giving orders.
"But that's my carrier!", Swordsman protested
"Wardog, provide cover for the Kestrel.", Thunderhead ordered us
"Dammit, you pigheaded!...Alright, I'm counting on you Wardog. Don't lose our ship!", Swordsman began to object but knew he couldn't win.
"Range to bay exit, three miles!", more good news from the Kestrel
"Wardog, this is Thunderhead. We need you to take care of the Kestrel.", the AWACS ordered again, repeating himself
"Roger Thunderhead, we're on it.", I responded as I chased a fighter under the suspension bridge on the west end of the battle zone.
"Good, we're counting on you Wardog. Don't take your eyes off the carrier.", the broken record player known as Thunderhead advised
"Chopper, Nagase, fly close air support for the carrier. Don't let anyone near it."
"Roger Captain, moving to intercept enemies over the carrier.", Chopper responded, obviously more focused than he was 15 minutes ago
"Edge, roger.", Nagase came over the radio in a very focused, determined tone as I shot down the last plane on radar
"Last plane gone from radar in this sector, good job Wardog. The Kestrel's almost out.", I notified my squadron as the man from the Kestrel started talking
"We've cleared the bay exit. We ask for your continued cover.", he said as I formed my squadron up and we flew towards the open sea.
"Enemy blockade located on radar, 15 miles out.", Thunderhead noted as I looked down. I shouldn't have looked...
"Those...those are people floating in the waves.", Nagase confirmed my suspicions
"Let's get out of here...", I managed to croak out in shock as we followed the fleet into the open water outside Port St. Hewlett. I had seen fellow soldiers and pilots in that water...and civilians. Children, somehow...I looked away just as the Yuke attacker hit the water. This is just a bad dream...someone stop this.
We flew for a minute or two in total silence, even Thunderhead was silent as a stone.
Chopper was the first to speak, "Kid, did you see that?"
"Yeah...", I radioed quietly, almost a whisper as I still couldn't believe what I saw
"We're not done yet. Enemy planes detected on radar, inbound to the fleet.", Bri broke in and snapped me back into combat mode
"Roger Baja", I acknowledged and then ordered my squad, "Wardog, engage!"
"The carriers entering the ocean. Come on, whoever's out there, help us get that bucket of bolts out of here.", Chopper practically begged
"Splash one.", a very focused Bri radioed
"This is the captain of the aircraft carrier Kestrel.", I heard a very grandpa-like voice as my radio once again crackled to life, "My congratulations to all ships that managed to escape the port. As Captain, I will now form a provisional battle fleet. The enemy's built a blockade with their fleet just ahead of us. We have to break through this and escape to safer waters. Friendly aircraft, your support is requested."
I keyed my radio, "Roger Captain. Wardog, special weapons authorized.", I ordered as I armed the unguided bomb release switches and dropped two on the rear deck of a Yuke frigate.
"Blaze, this is Thunderhead, are you clear on the mission objective?", AWACS Dipshit inquired
"Roger, destroy the blockade, protect the fleet. We're on it.", I responded
"Roger, begin at once.", he radioed back even though we'd already sunk one or two ships each and shot down at least 2 planes each.
"Range to blockade line confirmed at four miles.", another man from the Kestrel radioed in the information
"Long range bomber down.", I reported as I finished off a Nimrod and watched the massive jet drop into the ocean and set off to track a missile boat down
"One frigate, sunk!", I heard from Chopper as I saw an explosion off to my left
"Guns, guns, guns!", I yelled as I strafed a Yuke destroyer. Then, my HUD lit up red and my missile warning alarm went ballistic. "Missile on my tail! Moving to evade!". I yanked back on the stick, turned hard left, and then dove down and evaded the missile.
"Taking AA gun fire! Controls sluggish!", my heart sank as I heard this from Bri but I regained my composure and took control of the situation
"Roger Baja, climb to high altitude and stay out of the fight. We're not losing another plane. Go green."
"Roger, Wardog Four staying out of the fight and going green."
"Fox two, fox two!", Chopper yelled as a Yuke plane exploded over my head. Are they all trying to kill me today?
"One frigate sunk.", Nagase reported after she sunk what I'm pretty sure was the last ship. Radar confirmed this.
"All enemy ships and aircraft confirmed destroyed, good job Wardog!", I praised, then asked "Baja, you alright up there?"
"I think so, I should be able to nurse this thing home.", came her very nervous and shaky reply
"Picture clear, we made it!", Thunderhead sounding very un-blockhead-like and more excited than I've ever heard.
"Thanks to the brave warriors of the sea and air, we've made it through the blockade.", the captain of the Kestrel said sounding very relieved.
"Wardog, form up. Let's go home.", I said feeling accomplished because we didn't lose a single plane under my command.
"One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. Count 'em up man, we're all back safe. I can't wait to tell the captain once they pluck him out of the ocean.", Chopper exclaimed excitedly as we headed home.
3:21 PM
We landed at Sand Island 25 minutes later, exhausted. Our planes were beat up, battle worn, and almost empty on munitions and fuel. We pulled into our hangar, shut down and hopped out. We stepped into the briefing room and sat down as we were debriefed.
The aircraft carrier OFS Kestrel has survived the attacks and has broken through to open waters. Although the Third Osean Naval Fleet sustained considerable damage, the fleet is still combat capable.
After we were dismissed from the briefing room, I went to my room and passed out.
A/N: Wow, really stepping up my game here. Gonna pull out the PS2 and get the dialogue down for First Flight now, and if I bust my ass, it'll be up tonight. Snow days=writing days, I guess. Keep reviewing and reading! Thanks to the two reviewers of the last chapter. To one of them, I beat your chapter deadline by a day. I don't know where this motivation came from, but its here and I'm writing. Peace.
