Chapter 1
Commander Bill Grey stared at the house, wondering how, or why, an Air Force Captain had managed to buy such a large and expensive abode at an exclusive suburb away from Katina City. The ferret, Captain Jim Cordan, or 'Sticks' to his friends, was single, had no-one to raise or help keep his home.
Sticks was a stock market whiz, and he claimed to have gotten all the funds he needed by investing cash in the right companies. The only reason why he was still in the Air Force was because of his love of flying, not of combat. He also seemed to be quite good at finding out information from the Top Brass before anyone else knew about it, and Bill had a suspicion that the invitation he got was going to end up being a little bit more than 'a friendly get-together'.
Bill pressed the doorbell, then looked up at a black speck in the door, waving and grinning like a maniac. Somebody within the house laughed, then the door slid open.
Bill made his way past formal dining and guest areas before emerging into the living rooms of the house, which seemed much more welcoming for their homeliness. A chorus of greetings met him as he walked into the midst of half of Husky Squadron and two members of Fang Squadron. A couple of the pilots were still wearing their squadron jackets, no doubt having headed over straight after the Squadron's tactical exercise.
"Well look who finally decided to show up."
Bill glanced towards the back door. There was Sticks, holding a bottle of beer in one hand and a keetburger in the other. He looked every bit his namesake, brown-furred and skinny as a twig, but he had a sharp mind and could easily figure out most problems with minimal worry. "Glad to see you're finally here, Bill. There's beer in the fridge… Yeah, go for it Harry."
A cold bottle sailed through the air towards Bill, and with the reflexes only a fighter pilot could manage Bill's hand snapped out and caught it. Then with a flick of his wrist he whirled the bottle around, opening it and pressing it to his lips in one smooth movement. Cheers and noises of amusement filled the room, and someone yelled "Look at that, boys! Bill thinks he's good!"
Bill gulped down three bitter mouthfuls then gave a superior stare to everyone in the room, then raised his bottle high. "I am good."
More cheers. Sticks, Harry and Phil, the other member of Fang Squadron, didn't really get it, since it was something of a Husky Squadron catch-cry, but they chuckled to themselves nonetheless.
"Hey Bill, Come out here, help me with the rest of these keets."
Bill nodded to himself. That was code for 'Now I'll tell you why I really invited you'. He followed Sticks outside and smiled as the familiar scent of keets on the barbecue filled his nostrils. "Hey Bill, have I got good news for you. Your request went through."
Bill paused. "Wait, you mean…"
"Yep. I got word from a friend in High Command, the entire Katinian Defence Force is going to be re-equipped with Kodiak fighters. Looks like your chat with the president counted for something."
Bill was a little too surprised to show his full elation. For months he had been campaigning to replace the ageing LF-220's that had been in use since the war with Andross seven years beforehand. Seven years of peace had made the politicians lax, and defence spending had been gradually reduced to nearly nil. Now, all of a sudden, there seemed to be a sudden interest in the resumption of defence spending, and the fact that the government was pumping in enough money to replace the whole military's tactical fighter force with the most advanced production model available made Bill suspicious. Certainly his meeting with the President of Katina hadn't been enough to implement such a huge change in policy.
"Are you sure about that?" Bill asked.
"Sure as sure can be." Sticks replied. "And, your squadron's getting the first shipment."
"So that's why the others were so bouncy just now. You told them first."
"Yep. Here, take these inside." Sticks handed Bill a plate of burgers. Bill grinned and carried the plate back to the other pilots, who tore into them hungrily. Yet even as Bill began chewing into his own burger, a nagging problem remained at the back of his mind- why did the government really order the new fighters? He could tell the same thing bothered Sticks, but no rational explanation came to mind. I'll have to ask the General some things before I find anything out. Thought Bill.
"Hey Bill! Get over here! The Game's starting!"
Bill smiled. I'll worry about affairs of state later. Savoring the fruits of peace, ESPECIALLY the Speedball Finals, comes first now.