The Eagles Above
Prologue
Sakura Markow gazed to and fro from the cockpit of her lightning fighter, "White Tiger flight, this is White Tiger leader, turn 40 degrees east on my mark." "Copy leader," said her top wing mate, White Tiger 34, Vanessa Espere. "Awaiting further orders ma'am." Responded her 5 o'clock wingman, White Tiger 34A, Johnatan Fursose. "Operations this is White Tiger 33, we're heading home. 3…2…1 mark!" The three fighters lurched to the right, heading back home, Masost MAB east. "White Tiger Flight, we're reading 4 bogeys, they're headed right for your formation!" Sakura looked at her radar, "Confirmed, Operations, permeation to engage." "Clear," Sakura flipped her frequency, "You heard 'em guys, let's go get some kills." Johnatan, a new recruit screamed into the mic, "Woohoo!" Vanessa sat quietly and said, "Just a few more kills to add to my career…" At the speed White Tiger Flight was moving, Sakura could feel the Gs pushing her into her seat, she took her brace position she had learned in the Academy back on Valhalla. "We're coming in on those bats!" Sakura said over the rush of their turbofans. "Heh, got you, you bastard." Sakura said as she heard her targeter, Target Lock, Target Lock. She loosed off a missile, as they passed each other, the bats were locusts, painted in Death Falcons colors, blue and gold. One of the bats exploded in a hailstorm of debris, another took a square hit from lascannon fire and then began to spin down into the snow, Vanessa, her 14th kill total. Johnatan fired off a few shots, all missed, "Save your ammo until you have a lock soldier!" Vanessa yelled to him through the vox, "Cut the chatter, those two bats are coming back around!" Vanessa pulled a sharp inverted turn to face the threat, Sakura followed suit, they both fired a missile, a bat was firing its cannons at who knew what, but it blew into pieces along with the other, "I've got trouble guys!" Sakura heard Johnatan say. "Can you hold her?" Sakura asked, "I think so." They all fell back into formation, Vanessa looked over at 34A, "34A, your trailing thick black smoke, are your readings correct?" "-Think-Can-Hold" They heard him say, "For Emperor's sake eject! Eject!" Sakura yelled at him, C'mon, get out of there, get out of there, I want to see a 'chute. Sakura thought to herself. The canopy of the fighter came off and they saw a white chute flutter open, "Operations, this is White Tiger 33, we've lost a bird over the Astorina mountains, he has ejected, requesting rescue mission." "Permission granted, a flight of Valkyries is lifting off as we speak."
Sakura hopped out of the canopy and took off her helmet, letting her short, lightly colored, hair flow; it was high in the back and became lower to her chin at an angle. She walked over to Vanessa, who liked her hair in a pony-tail instead of letting it tangle in her equipment, "15 kills, nice work as usual," Sakura said to Vanessa as they walked to the barracks, "Well, you still beat me by 3." Sakura smiled, "Well, nothing like hard work." They entered the mess hall where they were greeted by the rest of White Tiger Flight, 35, 36, 36A, 37, 38, and 38A. "Hey you two, how was your joy ride?" asked 35, Tara Markov, the leader of White Tiger flight 35, 16 kills total. 36 ran over and shook Sakura's hand, "Do you remember me?" Sakura hugged him, "Of course." Darrow Getterang, 16 kills total, a replacement of the former 36 who was lost two days ago. "18 kills, eh, Sakura! It looks like you finally beat me," Darrow said in congratulations. "Nothing works better for me than the Lightning!" she said as she raised a glass of joiliq into the air. "To White Tiger flight and our victory of the air war to retake Sagnius IV from the chaos scum!"
