Epilogue : When the sound of war drums rise again…
Lossiemouth RAF Station, Scotland, February 2012…
Eight months had gone by since that day in Germany when I heard of Harris and Rider's deaths. In fact, they were still alive and well, so I heard from the head of MI-6 after signing the Secret Service Act. They were now Jonathan McKittrick and Thomas Harrisson, both serving as RAF pilots in the Falkland Islands, at Mount Pleasant RAF Station. I met Rider-McKittrick back in Leuchars, where I was welcomed by his family to his home where I stayed for the four weeks of my operational conversion with my wife and son. We both trained on the brand new FGR-4 fighter-bomber variant of the Eurofighter Typhoon, along the way becoming friends. A month later, he left for Stanley as I got back to Lossiemouth, prior to a new deployment in Libya.
In this early afternoon of february, snow coated the hills and mountains of Scotland, giving the landscape here in Lossiemouth a magestic look. I was back from my deployment in Trapani Air Base, Scicily, enjoying some quality time with my wife as our son Alan was in school, when the phone suddenly rung.
"I'll get it, Honey !", I told Janet, getting up to answer the call.
"All right, Jim, but don't forget though that we're to go to see Richard tomorrow…"
"Don't worry, Love", I answered her, picking the phone up, "Squadron Leader Alexander."
"Jim, this is Wing Co Stephenson.", my C.O. Answered. " We've got quite a situation on our hands right now. The Argentinian have invaded the Falklands again, and both the 12th and 617th squadrons are to move in two days time to Wideawake in Ascension…"
"Damn those blasted Argies ! OK. I'll be at the station in fifteen minutes, Sir !"
"OK. See you then, Jim !"
As I hung up the phone, I saw Janet watching me with worry in her eyes…
"Sorry, Love, but it seems that Ritch and me won't be able to be there tomorrox… We're at war with Argentina, they invaded the Falklands again and both my squadron and Ritch's one are to move to Ascension to join the fight."
As I then saw my wife turning white, worrying as myself about our friend Jonathan who was based there, I got ready to leave for our first briefing and what I knew was to be one of the thoughest operations I will ever be part of…
To be continued in :
"Codename : Excalibur"
A.N. : Here we are, that's a wrap. This story is now finished, but I'm planning to come back to the Libyan conflict later with a story from the point of view of a French Navy Rafale Pilot aboard the Charles de Gaulle and also from the POV of various French Air Force and Coalition pilots involved in the operations. Of course, James Alexander may then reappear for his second deployment there prior his departure to the Falklands... And, of course, there is the "follow-up" of this story, Codename Excalibur. A "remake" of the Falklands, 30 years after the first conflict... this time with even more at stake...
Thanks again to all my reviewers and all the ones who left me messages about this story and the one-shot "The last flight of the Blue Falcon" that's related to it... Hope you've enjoyed both stories and that you'll enjoy Codename Excalibur.
Your Author, Eric J. Alderson.