Speech/Intercom"
"Raido"
"Thoughts:
LOCATION-SKYS NEAR YINSHI VALLEY
DATE-JULY-12-2019
TIME-1450
OPERATION-TWO PAIRS
"So this is gonna suck worse than usual isn't it?"
"Oh yeah now I really wish we had a Hornet again."
"Why?"
"As long as you didn't use the radio you could take a few hits from lightning and it wouldn't mess with anything important."
"Really this thing got anything to help with lightning."
"Maybe one on an actual base we're lucky it even flys."
"Yeah that's fair so how well you think the old girl can handle those valleys."
"No clue but we'll find out once we get there, but you have an idea right I saw you staring at the map before we left the briefing room."
"I've got an idea, yeah i'd better see what Tabloid thinks of it before we get to the AO." I said as I noticed the clouds growing darker and the looming rock formations growing ahead. As I looked off my left wing I saw Tabloid flying in a loose formation with me and keyed up my mic in between Champ and Counts arguments about kill counts.
"Tabloid."
"Yeah Trigger whats up?"
"I got a plan here and wanted your opinion on it before we get there."
"Oh look guys, looks like Triggers got another brilliant plan acting like the squadron leader again."
"Jesus Count what's your problem his last plan worked out just fine."
"It didn't help Highroller did it."
"That's a low blow Count and you know it, but Trigger what's your plan." Tabloid said.
"Well it's another simple one but it's a bit more dangerous than the last, with how big the wings are on my Tomcat I'm not to confindit in being able to hit the AA sites and radars in one pass."
"So you want me to take the AA guns this time?"
"Yeah your birds a fair bit smaller so you can maneuver better than I could."
"Got it, want to hit the east west side of the AO first?"
"Yeah that can work."
Before we could finish finetuneing the plan Bandog came in. "Alright convicts you just entered the AO we need this to be quick we have a schedule to keep now get to work and remember."
"Yeah yeah we know you try to leave you get shot down." Some random pilot said.
"Alright Spare 10 looks like that one earned you a free trip to solitary.
"Lovely start this has been but let's go Tabloid you lead i'll follow."
"Copy that Trigger."
Switching back to the intercom I said "Alright Brownie it's go time keep us on the AIM-9s I don't see any air targets right now, and be ready on those flares we won't have much room to fly in there."
"Yeah I got you LAAMs on standby and flares are at the ready." came her quick reply.
Following Tabloid was harder than I had assumed it was going to be from the second we started our first run. While he made a straight dive at the radar site from above and was able to straighten out as soon as he made his pass I had to pull straight up and back above the rocks, because insane or not my wings would not fit in between the formations he could.
"Damn you alright back there?" I asked Browine as we cleared the top of the rocks.
"Yeah I'm good I think just wasn't expecting that."
"Neither was I." Keying up the radio again I said "Tabloid mate could you possibly warn me about spots like that, i'm not sure my luck can hold out much longer at this rate."
"Yeah sorry about that im not used to leading myself much less anyone else." came his sheepish reply.
"It's good just some heads up would be nice, now lead on to the next."
While it took two more sites for us to get our rhythm down we were feeling more confident in this op. The only other problem I could see happening was the other pilots getting in the way but they ended up chasing some Apachies that showed up. Once the choppers were dealt with they hit the few sites in the open and Count showed some skill when he took out a site by riding the cross wind instead of fighting it like the others. The rest of the fight was relatively smooth and boring once we got the hang of dodging rocks, the most interesting part was halfway through when the allied squadron radioed us to say they were nearly here, and the amount of snark their flight leader gave Bandog was priceless.
"Spare 15 fox two."
"Radar site silent, that's the last one."
"Good we just got here as well but I got bad news here comes the UAVs." came Cyclops 1 before we could celebrate.
"All spares intercept the UAVs get Cyclops and Strider squadrons out of there."
"Tabloid let's split up there's a lot to cover and it doesn't sound like the others are going to be much help." I said after hearing the rest of the Spares start complaining Count and Champ especially
"Copy Trigger stay safe."
"Alright Brownie bring the LAAMs and hang on the storms picking up as well."
"LAAMs are up."
"Well here we go." was all I said as I throttled up to full power and went after the UAVs chasing some of the F-15s farther away from the main group. The first few I fired at went down easy enough but the next one I started chasing dived into the valley and into the storm clouds. Steeling my nerves I followed after and finally hit it after lightning struck it and caused it to slow down.
"Holy hell those things cant take lighting." I said watching my missle hit and sending it down in a ball of fire.
My moment of revelation was over as soon as it came when I felt my hair stand up and then a boom with a bright flash of white. With the UAV gone the only chunk of medal in the air was my bird so the universe decided to say hi."
"Spare 15 was struck by lightning." Came a garbled call over the radio from someone.
"Calm your asses down Spare 15 check for any errors and get back in the fight."
"Easier said than done my instruments seem to be fine just waiting for the HUD to reset, how about our weapons Brownie?"
"Waiting on the HUD reset as well looks like the safeties kicked on automatically when the lightning hit, guess the old girl does have some safety measures after all."
After that it was Choppingburg all over again take out one move on to the next and keep every one alive. I for the most part ignored anything other than calls for help over the radio trusting Brownie to let me know if I missed anything important and climbed after the last UAV. As I neared it the pilot it was chasing radioed. "Pilot in the Tomcat this is Wiseman I've got an idea after we pass this rock I'm gonna break left hard hopefully that will throw it off long enough for you to get a shot."
"This is Trigger I read you loud and clear on your mark."
"And…..NOW." Wiseman called as he put his F-15 into a hard left turn.
"Fox two, fox two" I called firing and hiring the UAV.
Pulling away with a slight wing waggle Wiseman radioed back to me "That was some good team work all my guys are clear let's get out of here."
"Alright Spare squadron your jobs complet return to..Wait a second Spare 8, Champ hostile closing on you fast."
"I got this."
"Negative Champ break off no dogfighting."
"Shit Brownie, let's go I got a bad feeling about this." I said chasing after Champ, just when we thought we were about to make it, Champs blip disappeared as a ball of flame appeared where he was just a second ago. Cursing out loud I barely heard Brownie gasp, and I quickly saw why coming out of the wreckage was an Su-30 with orange wing tips. The second he cleared the valley he fired twice and managed to hit two more craft before we could do anything.
"Spare 10 lost and he got one of the Striders and...shit another one."
"Trigger get in there with that monster we can't lose any more craft, Tabloid Count you two take the escorts coming in."
"Negative Bandog our jobs done remember, i'm not sticking my neck out anymore than I already have." came Counts' reply as he and every one but Tabloid turned tail and ran.
"Godamn it Count you fucking coward im stating to see why you got your ass shiped hear." I said finally snapping at his attitude.
"Don't worry Trigger i'll distract the goons you handle him."
"Thanks Tabloid, stay safe, you get hit fall back, I'll be fine."
Breaking off from Tabloid I fired a burst at the Su-30 to get his attention and mentaly prepared myself remembering last time I fought him." you good back there Brownie?"
"Yeah let's bag this sonuvabitch."
Grinding at those words I dived after him into the valley and firing at every chance I could. We continued through the valley for a while dodging rocks and outcroppings all the while at one point he dived under an arch and came back up behind me. Thinking fast I remembered a tip my first squadron leader told me all those years ago, if you can't dodge a missle let it hit somewhere non critical. So with a quick prayer my luck would hold. I gave it a shot and let it hit my tail hook.
"Holy shit are we good," I said, scanning my instruments as our opponent flew past us.
"Everything is green here." Brownie said, sounding as shocked as I was.
Getting my bearing again I began my pursuit again pushing the throttle to full weaving in and out of the valley finally hitting him as he barely dodged a lightning strike, but he continued on unfazed. As we conutend and I followed him into the clouds again I caught a glimpse of Count helping Tabloid. Once I saw that the part of me that was worried about Tabloid on his own finally relaxed and I put my full focus on my target. Our fight continued on for what felt like forever with us trading blows he finally loosened up and I thought I had him, but he instead pulled up as soon as I fired into the clouds and disappeared off radar.
"Damn it Bandog he got away, did we lose any one elyess?"
"Negative Spare 15 and the other fighters have left as well the rest of you return to base, recon squadron follow them. I doubt you have enough fuel to make it through."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, but who was that that worked his ass off wasn't his name Trigger?"
"Yeah the biggest dumbass in the squadron but I wouldn't get involved if I was you."
Flying near the back off the pack I sank down in my seat finally relaxing and feeling the fatigue hit me like a truck. "Dammit he got away again Brownie."
"Yeah this sucks he's two for two on ruining our day isn't he."
"Yup that he next time we'll get him, but for now let's see if I can make it through the debrief without falling asleep."
"Man some sleep sounds good right now, but dammit the mechanics aren't gonna be happy about the holes in the plane now."
Hitting my helmet on my seat I let out a sigh and started to prepare for the wrath of the ground crews, the Scrap Queen especially." I almost forgot about that but that comes later for now though let's try to beat this storm back to Zappland."