215
Goodbye to the 58th
Two weeks had passed since the peace talk's disaster and the war was once again raging. Operation Round Hammer was now dead and buried. The Chigs had fortified their home moon and Round Hammer was now impossible to complete. But the UEF still held and had reinforced Ixion and this was now one of their greatest assets. As great military blunders go this was one of the biggest ever and when the dust dies down those responsible who are still alive must face the consequences.
West and Hawks were summoned to the Saratoga's conference room. There Admiral Ross gave them new orders. These orders stated that Lieutenants West and Hawks were to return to earth immediately and were not to discuss these orders with anyone. Admiral Ross said very little to them except to remind them of their orders. Before they were dismissed Ross warned them that when they got back to earth they would almost certainly be court marshalled. Ross again warned them that they were not to discuss with or divulge any information to anyone about what happened on the Saratoga or the Alien moon. If anyone asked why they were leaving they were to say they were being reassigned to duties on Earth. Before they left Ross wished them luck. Hawks and West saluted him and left the room. Within three hours they had packed all their kit and said farewell to the Saratoga, their home for the last year and to the remaining wings of the 58th squadron, they then boarded an ISSCV and were on their way home.
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Star Carrier Kiev. Sirius region. (Nine months later)
West woke up in his bunk. "Eight hours of sleep-not bad" he thought to himself. The rest of the squadron was also stirring and getting out of their bunks. Just then the alarm rang, not the ship wide alarm but their own alarm for the third eight hour shift or the third watch as it was more commonly known onboard, which they were assigned to work. It was just for them, they preferred to get up and have breakfast before the mess got too packed in the rush for food. The squadron got cleaned and dressed quickly wasting little time. A quick wash and a shave if it was required is all they needed. They were out of there quarters in less than thirty minutes leaving it tidy behind them as they left, which was easy to do as they kept their personnel possessions to absolute minimum. They then headed down to the mess for breakfast, which they had about half an hour to eat, one of the few times they have in the day to sit down and relax. The squadron was seated along one table. As they were beginning eating the ship wide revally for the third watch was sounded. About twenty- five minutes later the rest of the squadrons on the carrier started filing in for breakfast. As the other pilots walked in and queued for food some would look over at the 215 who were always finishing as they were coming into the mess. Ten flyers all under sentence. The 215 Squadron was a penal squadron.
Finishing breakfast they cleared their table and walked out of the mess. Hawks could feel the ice looks on his back. He knew what they were thinking and if he were in their situation he would be doing the same, why would two hot shots from the 58th squadron be sent to an outfit like the 215. Hawks just prayed that they would never discover the true reason.
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215 Squadron. The Black List
When Nathan and Cooper had touched down on earth the military police were waiting for them. They were immediately taken into custody. Their court martial took place in secret 10 days later and out of guilt they both pleaded guilty to the charges against them. They were immediately sentenced to fifteen years in prison. However they were given a choice on how they would serve it. That is how they had found themselves transferred to the 215th squadron, The Black List. The first penal squadron to fly since the Second World War. Nathan before he left was given the opportunity to go and see his family before he was transferred to the 215. With a tear in his eye he said fair well to his parents and younger brother. He knew this would be his last time to see them for at least five years. He called on Kaleen to say goodbye, she promised to write but Nathan knew that they were now completely different people and had drifted apart. Hawks just went to see the grave of his old friend Paggs. Paying his respects he returned to the base with the military police and waited with West for their dispatch orders to come.
They did not have to wait long. The next morning they were given there orders and posted to the two hundred and fifteenth attack squadron. Both of them had never heard of it before but within the hour they were on a transport heading west over the Pacific Ocean bound for Siberia. Their new squadron operated under Russian command and flew the new generation of mig fighter-bombers and they had to learn to fly them first before they could join the rest of their squadron. The other members of the 215 had all volunteered for the squadron like the two former members of the 58th. Their offences ranged from gross insubordination to endangering the lives of others and possibly manslaughter. Their crimes were kept secret from each other; they only knew each other's sentences.
Life in the 215 was hard. When a dirty operation would come up it was usually the 215 that would volunteer for or be assigned the mission. When dangerous missions were completed a pilot under sentence usually received, but not always, a reduction in their sentence. If he was killed during the mission he usually got a pardon from the military. The 215 were made up of all nationalities from around the world, but most were from the American, Russian and European forces. This squadron had the highest turn over of pilots in the UEF, but considering the mission they were assigned this was not surprising.
Goodbye to the 58th
Two weeks had passed since the peace talk's disaster and the war was once again raging. Operation Round Hammer was now dead and buried. The Chigs had fortified their home moon and Round Hammer was now impossible to complete. But the UEF still held and had reinforced Ixion and this was now one of their greatest assets. As great military blunders go this was one of the biggest ever and when the dust dies down those responsible who are still alive must face the consequences.
West and Hawks were summoned to the Saratoga's conference room. There Admiral Ross gave them new orders. These orders stated that Lieutenants West and Hawks were to return to earth immediately and were not to discuss these orders with anyone. Admiral Ross said very little to them except to remind them of their orders. Before they were dismissed Ross warned them that when they got back to earth they would almost certainly be court marshalled. Ross again warned them that they were not to discuss with or divulge any information to anyone about what happened on the Saratoga or the Alien moon. If anyone asked why they were leaving they were to say they were being reassigned to duties on Earth. Before they left Ross wished them luck. Hawks and West saluted him and left the room. Within three hours they had packed all their kit and said farewell to the Saratoga, their home for the last year and to the remaining wings of the 58th squadron, they then boarded an ISSCV and were on their way home.
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Star Carrier Kiev. Sirius region. (Nine months later)
West woke up in his bunk. "Eight hours of sleep-not bad" he thought to himself. The rest of the squadron was also stirring and getting out of their bunks. Just then the alarm rang, not the ship wide alarm but their own alarm for the third eight hour shift or the third watch as it was more commonly known onboard, which they were assigned to work. It was just for them, they preferred to get up and have breakfast before the mess got too packed in the rush for food. The squadron got cleaned and dressed quickly wasting little time. A quick wash and a shave if it was required is all they needed. They were out of there quarters in less than thirty minutes leaving it tidy behind them as they left, which was easy to do as they kept their personnel possessions to absolute minimum. They then headed down to the mess for breakfast, which they had about half an hour to eat, one of the few times they have in the day to sit down and relax. The squadron was seated along one table. As they were beginning eating the ship wide revally for the third watch was sounded. About twenty- five minutes later the rest of the squadrons on the carrier started filing in for breakfast. As the other pilots walked in and queued for food some would look over at the 215 who were always finishing as they were coming into the mess. Ten flyers all under sentence. The 215 Squadron was a penal squadron.
Finishing breakfast they cleared their table and walked out of the mess. Hawks could feel the ice looks on his back. He knew what they were thinking and if he were in their situation he would be doing the same, why would two hot shots from the 58th squadron be sent to an outfit like the 215. Hawks just prayed that they would never discover the true reason.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
215 Squadron. The Black List
When Nathan and Cooper had touched down on earth the military police were waiting for them. They were immediately taken into custody. Their court martial took place in secret 10 days later and out of guilt they both pleaded guilty to the charges against them. They were immediately sentenced to fifteen years in prison. However they were given a choice on how they would serve it. That is how they had found themselves transferred to the 215th squadron, The Black List. The first penal squadron to fly since the Second World War. Nathan before he left was given the opportunity to go and see his family before he was transferred to the 215. With a tear in his eye he said fair well to his parents and younger brother. He knew this would be his last time to see them for at least five years. He called on Kaleen to say goodbye, she promised to write but Nathan knew that they were now completely different people and had drifted apart. Hawks just went to see the grave of his old friend Paggs. Paying his respects he returned to the base with the military police and waited with West for their dispatch orders to come.
They did not have to wait long. The next morning they were given there orders and posted to the two hundred and fifteenth attack squadron. Both of them had never heard of it before but within the hour they were on a transport heading west over the Pacific Ocean bound for Siberia. Their new squadron operated under Russian command and flew the new generation of mig fighter-bombers and they had to learn to fly them first before they could join the rest of their squadron. The other members of the 215 had all volunteered for the squadron like the two former members of the 58th. Their offences ranged from gross insubordination to endangering the lives of others and possibly manslaughter. Their crimes were kept secret from each other; they only knew each other's sentences.
Life in the 215 was hard. When a dirty operation would come up it was usually the 215 that would volunteer for or be assigned the mission. When dangerous missions were completed a pilot under sentence usually received, but not always, a reduction in their sentence. If he was killed during the mission he usually got a pardon from the military. The 215 were made up of all nationalities from around the world, but most were from the American, Russian and European forces. This squadron had the highest turn over of pilots in the UEF, but considering the mission they were assigned this was not surprising.