Name: Nagase, Kei
Age: 23
Height: 5' 6"
Weight: 104 lbs.
Hair color: black
Eye color: brown
Blood type: A
Background: Second Lieutenant Kei Nagase is an excellent pilot; seem to be cool under pressure. Kei Nagase is the 108th Squadron's only female pilot, which seems to spend most of the time by herself. She is extremely loyal to squad members; particularly Captain Jack Bartlett and Second Lieutenant Adam Blaze.
While awaiting briefing for there coming flight, Blaze thought up a poem about one of his favorite figures of legend. He wrote:
Amidst of the eternal waves of time
From a change of a ripple the storm shall rise
Out of the abyss peer the eyes of a demon
Behold the Razgriz, it wings of black sheath
Blaze stopped his pen and looked up, wondering what to write next. It was at that moment that Bartlett had entered the room with Captain Allen Hamilton and Lt. Colonel Orson Perrault.
Blaze had very low opinion of both men. Perrault was egotistical, arrogant, and a bit sexist. He seemed to feel that Nagase didn't belong there because she was a woman. It was part of the reason that she was the only female on the base.
It was his sixth sense that caused Blaze to dislike Hamilton. He was a great officer; good natured, thou had a cool demeanor. It was his eyes that Blaze did like. There was something in them that he couldn't identify. He didn't like it. Hamilton's opinion of him wasn't much different. They didn't like each other.
Blaze just listened as the two of them briefed them. While he paid attention the briefing, Blaze look at the poem. He had the first verse but need time to think up the next. He would have to wait until tonight or tomorrow to finish the next verse.
"Second Lieutenant Adam Blaze" Perrault called out.
"Yes, Sir." Blaze called out.
"Are you listening to the briefing or writing poetry?" Perrault asked with annoyance.
"Both, Sir." Blaze said. "Do you wish me to repeat what you and Captain Hamilton said to prove that I was paying attention, Sir?"
Nagase, who had been beside him, looked for a moment. So did many of the other nuggets in Bartlett's command. None of them thought he was the type for poetry. Then again, the only hobby that anyone had ever seen of him was kickboxing.
"Please." Perrault said, excepting him to fail at it, making him the laugh stock of the squadron.
Bartlett smiled. He knew what was coming. "Very well. 'An unidentified aircraft was spotted…" Blaze began.
Nagase stared at him in shock. Bartlett's smile grew larger. Blaze was, literally, repeating very words that Hamilton and Perrault used in the briefing of the mission. Then stopped.
"Continue." Perrault said.
"Very well, Sir" Blaze said, shrugging, "'Second Lieutenant Adam Blaze. Are you listening to the briefing or writing poetry?' After I ask you if youif you wanted me to repeat everythingthat you siad. you answered,'Please.' And at that point I started repeat the briefing to prove that I was paying attention, Sir."
Perrault's jaw was on the ground. Even Hamilton was staring at this point. "Man, you're a genius!" Chopper said.
"I know. Everyone keeps telling me." Blaze said. "Naming those people that tested my I.Q. rating."
"What was it registered at?" Chopper asked.
Blaze gave the question some thought. "Hmm… between 200 and 300, I think. I wasn't really paying them much attention." Blaze answered.
"What in the hell are you doing on an Air Force Base? You…"
"I should be many things, but I want to be a fighter pilot." Blaze said, "I don't think the briefing is done. Shouldn't we be going back to it?"
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When the four planes got into the sky, Bartlett got them into formation, He in the front, Nagase left, Chopper right, Blaze in trail position. Nagase was edging after the last dogfight, only a day before. She wasn't sure how she was able to keep her cool.
She wondered what kind of many Blaze was. After all, if his I.Q. was a high as he said it was, she would have seen him making aircraft instead of flying them. Then again, just yesterday she could see him as a professional weightlifter or fighter instead of a pilot, too. What kind of man chooses to get into the cockpit of a fighter and risk his life when he could be just about anything else?
"This is Heartbreak One of Wardog Squadron. We are approaching the target and have him on radar." Bartlett's voice said over the radio, cutting off Nagase's thoughts.
"Roger. This is AWACS, callsign Thunderhead." another voice from the radio said, one Nagase never heard before today. "Escort the target to the ground. Do not fire on the target. Repeat, to not fire on the target."
"You got that, nuggets?" Bartlett called out.
"Wardog 2, Roger."
"Wardog 3, Roger."
Blaze didn't respond. Which was higher unusual for him. He wound normally respond immediately. After the silence, Bartlett screamed. "Wardog 4! Hellllooo! Can you hear me, Kid? You better be marking our trail, son!"
"Affirmative, Wardog 1." Blaze said. "I am marking your trail."
"Well you sound confident at least." Bartlett said.
However, Blaze barely heard it for his thoughts were elsewhere. Something was wrong. His sixth sense was telling him of something but he couldn't read was it was. If Emily was hear, she would tell him that bad men were coming. He knew some sort of threat was out there.
"Man I'm glad you drew the sort straw instead of me" Chopper called out of his friend.
"Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport, zip it!" Bartlett barked out, "You need a nick name too?"
"I respectfully asked to be called Chopper, sir. I'm afraid I may not be able to respond to any other moniker." Chopper answered, feeling that it was the best way to avoid a neck name.
"Hmm… that does fit you well." Bartlett said, "I have a better name for you, but I'll keep it to myself, Okay?"
"Doubt you'll keep it to yourself for very long, sir." Blaze said.
"Kid, shut that smart mouth of yours!" Bartlett called out, "and you better not teach that sister of yours how to be a smartass, either. It'll get her killed"
Blaze laughed at that. Bartlett didn't know much about his sister beyond the fact he had one. "I don't think that a 9 year old girl like Emily is going to make smartass remarks yet, sir!"
"Don't teach her, Kid!" Bartlett said. "That an order!"
"I taught myself, so if she becomes like that, she will too." Blaze said. "Sorry."
"Tally ho, we got company!"
As Wardog changed vectors, Blaze again found himself at the edge of something, his sixth sense going off like mad. Something was extremely wrong. He just couldn't shake the feeling off. Something was about to happen.
"You are forbidden of fire on the target until I say it is ok, you understand?"
"Yes, sir!" all 3 wingmen responded.
"Good!"
Blaze had got the feeling that Bartlett was taking to him mostly. Bartlett was a veteran fighter pilot, an Ace in the war 15 years ago. You don't get a rep like his without developing incredible instincts and learning when to listen to them. Blaze had the feeling that Bartlett could sense Blaze' uneasiness. He was concerned that he might fire without the go ahead.
Barlett called out, "Ok, where's 'Motormouth Chopper'?"
"What? That's you're name for me!" Chopper cried out.
"You have a knack for comic dialogue." Bartlett said in response, "Mind sending the surrender request for me?"
"Oh, Please. Age before beauty"
"In other words; I would love too." Blaze said.
Nagase laughed. She had too. She knew what Blaze just implied. "Kid, you want 'a die!"
"I think that the captain is shy around strangers, but you not." Blaze said, "Now, why don't you be a good little nugget and do as our captain asks?"
Chopper gave out a sigh. Blaze was the one person that, if he wanted, could outclass him in insults. Chopper opened a channel. "Attention, unidentified aircraft. Change course to our beckon immediately!"
Bartlett then said, "Good. Good."
Chopper gave out a nervous sigh before continuing, "We will direct you to the nearest airbase. Lower your landing gear if you understand."
"Sir, we have multiple bogeys, inbound to our positions." Blaze said.
Nagase looked at her radar. She didn't see anything. How could Blaze say…? "Wardog, bogeys inbound." Thunderhead suddenly called out, "Crossing the border at vector 280, Altitude 6,000. Coming head on."
"Crossing the pond to give cover for there spy plane." Bartlett said, reading the tactic being use, "Now there's a fighter pilot worth is wings!"
"I was going to tell you not to kid like that Blaze, but I see that weren't!" Chopper said. "How did you know about them?"
"Captain, they're hostile." Blaze said, ignoring Choppers question.
"Kid, you are not the fire till I say its okay!" Bartlett said, "You understand?"
"Yes, Captain. Over and out." Blaze said.
Nagase was extremely uneasy. Blaze said that there were inbound planes coming and he was right. Now he was saying that they were hostile. She could feel that he would be right about that as well.
As the planes came into view, like hawks seeking there pray, they suddenly change their vectors and came strait at them. "Nagase! Sharp right!" Blaze cried out suddenly.
As Blaze predicted they were, indeed, hostile. Two missiles suddenly appeared almost out of nowhere. However, because Nagase listened to Blaze and made a sharp right, the missile didn't lock on. It just flew into the ocean. The same with the second, with lock on Blaze. Blaze rolled left and right in a quick position, causing the missile to lose it lock.
"They're firing at us." Chopper screamed.
"Captain, requesting permission of fire!" Blaze cried out, aware that he hadn't received the okay, yet.
"Wardog, this is Thunderhead! Hold your fire until further orders!"
"What did you just say!" Blaze screamed.
"Oh c'mon, man!" Chopper added, "Those aren't blanks they're firing out at us."
"Shut up and fire back!" Bartlett called out.
"The captain's orders to fire are good enough for me!" Blaze called. "Edge, there is a bandit on your left!"
"How are you doing that?" Chopper exclaimed. Blaze seemed to know what the planes were doing better then the radar!
"Wardog, I ordered weapons safe!" Thunderhead cried out.
"Shuv it!" Bartlett screamed out, "I'm not going to watch any more of my pilots die!"
Blaze didn't answer. He moves lift before he suddenly hit the brakes, almost stalling his plane. The plane which had just got a radar lock on him flashed by, Blaze hit accelerated allow him to get a radar lock on the plane. Blaze fired. The plane was no longer in the ski.
"Kill confirmed. I most say that was impressive." Copper said.
Nagase had to agree. Blaze seemed to have inhuman reflexes and reaction time. Then again, he also seemed almost psychic with his protections on what the enemy planes were doing.
Nagase radar lock went red as the plane was about to move right. When she fired her missile, it when straight into the engine. The plane went doing into the ski in pieces. "Enemy plane, shot down."
Thunderhead's voice suddenly came on the radio, saying "Unidentified recon plane down."
"Aw, what a shame. Too tried to party." Bartlett remarked.
"Hey, Chopper! How are you holding up, pal? Blaze said.
"Not nearly as well as you. You're faster then lightning, Kid!" Copper replied with obvise admiration.
"There are planes coming in on vector 280, altitude 6475." Blaze said, again making an impossible prediction. "Same as ours. Probable hostile, Captain."
"Listen, Kid…" Bartlett began.
"Bogeys, head on from 280." Thunderhead called out, true to what Blaze said.
"Kid! I don't know how you know things better then the radar, but… keep doing it!" Bartlett said. "God, I like you!"
Nagase and Chopper had to agree. It was impossible not to like a man that could do what Blaze was doing, but keep a humble opinion of himself. The plane same head on. Nagase went right as the plane burned past her. Bartlett fired on the lead plane, talking it down almost immedaitlly. As fast and skilled as always, Nagase thought.
But Blaze was even faster. No human could be flying that plane; no human had ability to fly like that. It wasn't possible… only it was. As Blaze fired a missile at the first plane, he suddenly went after a second. His guns shot holes in the enemy plane. Both planes which Blaze had engaged exploded almost at the same time. It wasn't possible… but it was.
"All enemy aircraft shot down." Thunderhead said.
"Are any more coming, Blaze?" Nagase asked, relying more on his opinion, which was a lot better.
No answer.
"Well it seems that we can still hold our own out here. Hey Kid, can you still hear me?" Bartlett asked, noting Blaze said nothing.
"Yes, Sir. I hear you just fine." Blaze said, "Nagase, to answer you question: negative. All enemies destroyed."
"Well it seems that we can hold our own out here." Bartlett said, "Hey Kid. To commend the fact that we all came out of this alive, I'll allow you to keep your nick name. Got it?" Blaze was about to answer, but Bartlett immeditly said, "Good."
"Man I swear…" Chopper said.
Amen to that, Blaze though.
All the way home, Nagase couldn't stop taking looks at Blaze's plane.