Spoiler Alert! If you haven't seen the movie Planes yet, this story is not for you. You have been warned. Also excessive use of OCs. Also the ships I use are fictional. So if a design inconsistency pops up its because it doesn't really exist in the real world.
It was the middle of the day. It was also the middle of the changing of shifts and Strika watched with slight amusement as the humans ran around to get to their places before someone reported them late or maybe just to get off shift faster. Her time here, while still missing her actual home and other friends, was opening her eyes. These humans were handy little things, doing all the things the forklifts did, and a little more. She learned that humans were alive in a different way than herself, but just as intelligent. They also seemed to like fighting and she had seem a few humans actually punching each other before the shipboard police had come to break them up.
She smiled as thought about the newest symbol which had been painted onto her fuselage, right behind the cockpit. The eight-pointed star which idenified her as a friendly to all supporters of StarNight was a nice edition and if they had to put into port before she got home, she could fly around with relatively little problem and not have to worry about being targeted by any one of StarNight's supporters who might thing she was a decoy craft.
It made her wonder about what she'd been discussing with StarNight. StarNight was smart, if not a little odd at times, but she came to realize that the US navy captain was certainly a character to say the least. But she was also very serious... like about the fact that she wanted to keep the fact that aircraft were alive a secret. She had said that humans were curious creatures and sometimes that curiosity would go too far. For years since the first plane flew and Kitty Hawk, no one ever considered machines alive, just things with wires and metal meant to be exploited for use. But what would happen if it was brought out that aircraft were alive, with thinking brains and the ability to reason? Would aircraft be shuttled off to secret places and torn apart to be studied? Would civilians protest their 'exploitation' for military use and demand they be 'set free?' That they should all be killed because it was dangerous to let a thinking thing not under our control fly up thousands of feet off the ground and defend their homes? To StarNight it was too much of a risk. She even went as far to say that people who owned aircraft would abuse them to get them to act properly if the aircraft was refusing to start or something similar.
Strika mentally shook her head. It was so much to think about anyways...
She suddenly felt a tingle of heat as she felt Calypsi nudge a bit closer to her spot on the flight deck. Ever since the two had gone out for a fly, or a 'date' as StarNight called it, Strika had felt less urgent about going home. Sure she still wanted to get home, but Calypsi was here... and she didn't really want to leave him. Strika had only one short-live fling with a fellow classmate while training, and that hadn't worked out, that guy hadn't been real nice, he actually had been a jerk and show-off. He eventually got dismissed and would probably a airshow aircraft, one who flew around to airshows to try and gather support for the military in ways the Blue Angels couldn't.
She 'frowned' slightly at that. She wondered how Tango was doing. He was probably worried over her, but hopefully he wasn't too devastated. She wouldn't want him to not do his duty as a Blue Angel. In her opinion, he was the best Blue Angel in the sky.
Do you want to go for another fly? Calypsi asked in a voice that dripped a seductive note and she mentally rolled her eyes at it.
As long as you don't use that tone of voice anymore Calypsi. She replied and she could actually hear a few nearby fighters and a helicopter laugh.
Alright then. Calypsi said, turning around to purposefully ignore the laughing aircraft and go over the catapult.
Strika gave a small laugh herself and the F-35 whom she had befriended in the hangar deck(who was now called 'Fae' by Strika despite constant protest from said craft,) spoke. I've never seen that lump of metal so happy. You're a great influence, can you stick around a little longer?
Strika gave a mental shrug. I'll try my best Fae.
Ugh and cal you please stop calling me that! She protested and Strike just directed a mental grin her way.
Never, Fae, Never. She called as she watched Calypsi shoot off the flight deck and human directed her into place. She felt excitement as she was launched into the air and opened the throttle to chase after Calypsi. She admitted to herself the aircraft was hard to catch and was definitely modified with speed and quickness in mind, not that it affected some of his other skills, she thought, feeling that odd tingle in her wires again.
She twisted around. The clouds were a bit low today, but bright, white and fluffy. As the two flew around above the the ships below she turned and skimmed through a cloud watched as Calypsi dove right into one and came out in an impressive maneuver she would never be able to pull off.
Calypsi settled in on Strika's wing, comfortably close enough that she felt safe despite being a machine of war herself. You know, I love you Calypsi, even if Fae does call you a lump of metal.
Oh, that F-35 doesn't know rudder from a cow's utter. She nice, but I dislike her about as much as she dislikes me. She really thinks she top-line, and she is, but not as top-line as I am. Calypsi's voice held a note of disdain which she easily recognized as joking.
Well I certainly think you're top line. Strika put careful emphasis on 'top line' and the other aircraft gave she a gentle wing tap as he realized what she'd implied.
Strika carefully maneuvered away a bit and slowed down and when Calypsi came a bit closer she opened up her throttle as far as she could, all the way to emergency power and rocketed away from him, leaving him in the proverbial dust. Calypsi gave chase and she banked to the right.
Strika! Watch out for...
Calypsi's warning came a second to late. That white puffy cloud which Strika had flown into was showing some odd readings on what sensors he had and suddenly he stared helplessly as the cloud turned dark grey then dissipated, leaving nothing by a bright patch of blue sky. Calypsi flew around helplessly in the are which the cloud had been, circling and searching, but not finding one trace of the aircraft he'd practically done an aileron roll for when she first kissed him in the hangar deck.
Strika wondered if clouds had something against her. She looked around as the cloud around her grew dark and lightning began to crackle around her. She felt scared, but kept her eyes open. She watch lightning almost hit her and she flinched away. She took a breath and dove down, her speed increasing as the storm around her became more violent.
Strika gasped in relief as she broke free of the clouds and saw the blue water of the ocean. She looked around and realized that, once agian, her friends, were no where to be seen.
"Damn it." She said and then suddenly gasped. She had a mouth again and she realized she also had her helmet back as well. Was she really home?
She looked around again, having no clue where she was and angled up to get a better view.
"Hey Skipper, I feel kind of bad we never found Strika." Dusty said as the two flew above the calm ocean water.
"It happens Dusty. I personally wish it hadn't been someone so young, XO let me peak at her files, and she's good at what she did, probably one of the best in her class. Losing a Hornet like that is really bad for morale." Skipper explained, glancing over at Dusty. "She was one of the newest and best and she disappears? It makes everyone seem so... bad at their jobs. I certainly felt horrible after..." Skipper paused for a moment and took a breath. "You know what I mean."
"Yeah." Dusty responded. "I know exactly what you me..." A sudden roar of a loud jet engine startled Dusty and he spooked slightly, over-correcting before he settled down. He looked to his rleft and saw an F-18 Super Hornet there. "Oh hello there, you nearly made me stall."
"Sorry Dusty." The F-18 said and he was starled when the voice turned out to be female. Dusty also realized she knew his name, but that wasn't a surprise. "Is the Flysenhower around?"
Dusty was about to ask why she would ask a question like that after all the only two places she could of came from is Flysenhower or Carl Vintage. Then Skipper spoke.
"Wait, what's your name sweetheart?" He asked in the rough voice.
"I'm Strika." She responded instantly. Dusty and Skipper shared a look and then Skipper turned his attention back to the F-18 named Strika.
"The aircraft carrier has been look for you for days now kid, everyone's been worried sick over you. Lets get you home."
As Strika came into view of the aircraft carrier she saw the surprised look of Flysenhower. Even more prominently were the cheering forklifts and other aircraft that crowded the deck to get a glimpse of her as she flashed past. Th aircraft quickly cleared the way and she dropped her tailhook and touched down on the still very crowded flight deck. Once Dusty and Skipper had landed all the aircraft practically swarmed around her and she felt embarrassed as she turned her eyes in the direction of XO as he cut a swath through the group of aircraft and forklifts.
"Strika, you have no idea how happy I am to see you again. We though we lost you forever. Welcome back. I'll debrief you tomorrow on what the hell happened to you, but you better go below. Someone there probably needs to see you more than I do."
Strika frowned at that, who could that be?
She rolled over the elevator and was greeted by a sad site. Tango sat off to the side of the room, eyes staring into the distance so much he didn't even notice her. She looked down at the spot where her picture of her and Tango had been put up along with cards and such as dedication to her. She felt her embarrassment grow, they really had thought she was dead? She looked back up to Tango.
"Tango?" She said quietly and the Blue Angel stirred, directing his eyes to focus once more and he stared for a long minute, like he couldn't believe it and then he rushed forward so fast Strika was surprised she didn't have any dents.
"Strika! You're alive!" He said he pressed hi face near hers. She could feel tears running down from his eyes. "I missed you so much Strika, you mean so much to me."
Strika was confused, they were just friends why... then he back up and she saw the look in his eyes. He loved her. Oh dear. She smiled anyways, still happy to see him again. "I'm just glad to be back Tango."
Strika turned to go back to her sleeping area before Tango stopped her.
"Would you sleep in my area tonight?" He asked tentatively.
Strika felt as though her heart was being pulled in two different directions at once, one for a charming fighter aircraft back in a different universe, and the other for the Blue Angel with her right now. But she was probably never going to see Calypsi again, her mind told her aching heart coldly, and she gave a nod.
"I'd love to, Tango."
Surprise! But do not worry my readers,this is not the end, only the beginning!
Please review, your thoughts are appreciated.
