Ch 1
Ms Frizzle looked at the massive rail guns, all of them bearing the signs of battle.
"You're telling me that these eight guns were built to destroy an asteroid?" she asked.
"Why would you do that?" Dorothy asked.
"The Ulysses asteroid was discovered in the late 1990s, around 95, maybe 97. Anyway, it was predicted that the impact would kill everyone on the planet. So, steps were taken to prevent such a disaster. The Stonehenge rail-gun network was made to destroy the asteroid as quickly as possible. It worked, and it didn't work." Trigger said.
"How could it work, and not work?" Arnold asked.
"So, these guns were supposed to aim up and shoot the asteroid down. What if the asteroid broke apart? Multiple targets would make it much harder to hit." Ms Frizzle said.
Trigger sighed, remembering all the wars that occured thanks to the asteroid. Countries were ruined economically and the people inside snapped.
"But you destroyed the asteroid?" Ralphie asked.
"We did." Trigger said.
"That must have been cool!" Ralphie said.
"Cool?! Over half a million people died in the initial strike! The death count is most likely in the millions! And if that wasn't bad, the countries who were destroyed by the asteroid snapped and invaded their neighbors, increasing the body count. Is that cool enough?" Trigger asked, looking like he was about to strangle Ralphie on the spot.
The tension was thick, as everyone began to realize the cost these weapons created. Against her own judgment, Ms Frizzle asked Trigger a question.
"Trigger, did you see these guns in action?" she asked.
"A little. During the lighthouse war, we used the last stonehenge gun to destroy the arsenal bird. One hell of a fight." Trigger said.
"Last gun?" Phoebe asked.
"The first seven were destroyed during the continental war, over a decade ago. The ISAF ace, Mobius 1, blew them to hell. Of course, this was long after Stonehenge blew the majority of ISAF's pilots to hell. Of course, there was one superweapon that was more dangerous than Stonehenge." Trigger said.
"There are more superweapons?" Carlos asked.
"Plenty were made in the past, and all were destroyed. Let me put it to you this way. This world goes thru superweapons and fighter jets quicker than a starving man goes thru food." Trigger said.
"Trigger, I would like to see stonehenge at work." Ms Frizzle said.
"Nope. It was a bloodbath. You really want to see that?" Trigger asked.
"Oh, come on. I've been fascinated by railguns, and i've always wanted to see one in action." Ms Frizzle said.
"Fine. But if i say we leave, we leave." Trigger said.
"Excellent. Where to?" Ms Frizzle asked.
"We'll need your bus. And listen to my instructions. Head 10 kilometers south of the network. Travel back in time to August 19, 2019. And wait." Trigger said.
Ms Frizzle followed Trigger's direction, and traveled back in time to the date. She looked down, and saw a massive firefight going on. She shrank the bus to a smaller size and watched as Trigger and his fellow pilots were destroying the Erusean air and ground forces, seeing a row of generator trucks, all hooked up to the last working rail gun.
"Is that going to work?" Ralphie asked.
"It is. Head to my plane, it's the three striked aircraft. Then fast forward 5 minutes." Trigger said. A missile flew past the school bus, as Ms Frizzle struggled to stay in formation with the MiG-29 that had three strikes painted on it, as the pilot made mincemeat of the Erusean forces.
"Guys, we got trouble!" Arnold exclaimed, pointing to the rear of the bus. An Erusean MiG was on their tail, firing at Trigger. They watched as the three striked aircraft suddenly out-maneuvered the MiG, getting on the tail of the enemy bird, finishing him off with a missile.
"Thanks for saving our skin, Trigger." Keesha said.
"We're not out of this yet." Trigger said, sitting in the driver's seat. He accelerated towards his past self, all but crashing thru the canopy. Ms Frizzle fast forwarded thru time five minutes, and waited for Trigger's orders.
"Sit back, and watch the show." Trigger said, as they watched the arsenal bird launch dozens of MQ-101 drones.
"Trigger, what's going on?" Tim asked.
"The arsenal bird is launching fighters to destroy stonehenge. Hold onto something!" Trigger exclaimed, as his past self engaged the drones and took down two in the first past. Everyone waited for the rail-gun to destroy the arsenal bird.
"Why isn't it firing?" Wanda asked.
"Just wait." Trigger said, as his MiG suddenly rocketed towards the enemy, towards the monster bird.
"You're going to take on that monster by itself?!" Ralphie asked.
"In a manner of speaking. I destroyed the main propellers, and Stonehenge did the rest." Trigger said, as his past self charged the arsenal bird, taking missiles and gunfire along the way. His plane shook as a missile hit the bottom, removing what was left of the armor.
"Shit." past Trigger said, veering off from the murderous fire. Trying a second attack, he gunned it forward, firing everything he had left at the propellers, eventually destroying them. Trigger broke away, chasing the drones that were engaged in a slugfest against the Osean forces. The shields of the arsenal bird activated, and everyone broke away.
"That thing has shields?! That's impossible!" Keesha said.
"It's not." Trigger said, as he saw one of the fighters shoot a missile at the shield; the shield easily stopped the missile dead in its track.
"Okay, i'm convinced." Keesha said.
"And here we go." Trigger said. The last working stonehenge railgun fired one last shot, piercing thru the shields and destroyed the arsenal bird in one shot.
"Holy damn." Ms Frizzle said, as they saw the remains of the arsenal bird crash onto the ground, blowing up.
"And that's only a fraction of its true power. Ms Frizzle, take us back to our original time." Trigger said.
…
Ms Frizzle looked over Trigger as he went thru records of Stonhenge attacking ISAF's pilots during the war. He settled on one mission, it was a large scale attack on an array of solar panels that were providing energy for the Erusean war effort. Stonehenge killed more ISAF pilots during that raid since the start of the war.
"Ms Frizzle, you want to see Stonehenge's power, here it is." Trigger said, pulling out a piece of paper, handing it to her.
"What's this?" Ms Frizzle asked.
"Write your will. I'm only taking you on this op, and there's a chance we won't be coming back." Trigger said.
"You're just pulling my leg. Right?" she asked.
"I'm not. And i can tell you right now, you don't have the guts for this. I've flown alongside pilots braver than you. Men and women who had their chance yet did nothing. Your conviction doesn't mean shit at that moment. It leaves you. Because when it's your life on the line, all you want is to not get shot. If you're truly serious about this, write that will." Trigger said.
Ms Frizzle held the pen over the paper, and then gulped. She looked at Trigger, trying to hold back tears.
"Do you think… you believe this is a suicide mission?" she asked.
"Yes. If you want to travel in the past and go on this, I'll take you there. But i've made my bed. I suggest you make yours." Trigger said, standing up and leaving.
Ms Frizzle watched as he headed to an F-5F, checking it for maintenance problems. She had always gone on dangerous adventures with her students and Trigger, but she had never thought any of those adventures would end up in her death. But Trigger had always saved their asses, and there were times when Ms Frizzle had saved their asses as well. Maybe things wouldn't be different.
Gripping the pen, she wrote the will and folded the paper. She didn't want her students to follow her.
"Trigger, i'm ready." Ms Frizzle said.
"Grab a flight suit, and follow me." Trigger said.
As they were busy departing for their one-way mission, Dorothy picked up the paper and read it. With eyes wide open, she gathered the rest of the class and read it.
"Dear students, I'm sorry to say this, but I'm going on a personal mission with Trigger in the past. Trigger says there's a good chance we could die, and i have no reason to not trust Trigger. Stay here and wait for my return. If i don't make it, take care. With all my love, Valery Frizzle." Dorothy said.
"Ms Frizzle!" the students exclaimed, running across the hanger. They stopped at the tarmac, seeing an aircraft with the now familiar three-strikes on the tail fin. The plane roared down the tarmac and pulled up to the sky, disappearing from view.
"Wait, the school bus. We can follow them." Carlos said. The class headed to the school bus, and started up the engine.
"Guys, we shouldn't be doing this." Arnold cautioned.
"Come on, Arnold. We have to save Ms Frizzle." Keesha said.
The kids transformed the school bus into a sleek jet and went after Trigger and Ms Frizzle.
ISAF air-force base
December 16, 2004
Landing at the air-force base, Trigger and Ms Frizzle were taken to the base commander, and handed him their passports.
"Major Levi Beifong, callsign Trigger. Lt. Valery Frizzle, callsign Red. You've picked one hell of a time to join." he said.
"Sir?" Trigger asked.
"We're about to commence an operation against an Erusean base. Get your butts to the briefing room." the base commander said.
"Sir." Trigger said, saluting him.
Entering the briefing room, they saw 10 ISAF pilots filling in chairs. Ms Frizzle looked around, seeing over 50 empty chairs. She began to regret this option. She looked at Trigger for solace, but he was preoccupied with looking at another ISAF pilot.
"Trigger, who's he?" she whispered.
Trigger stood up and followed the rest of the pilots out of the briefing room. Ms Frizzle pulled him aside, asking again.
"Ms Frizzle, that's Mobius 1. He's my hero! He destroyed the Erusean military by themselves! Hell, people have been calling me the next Mobius 1. I so want to get his autograph." Trigger whispered.
"Just remember, we have a mission to perform. That's what you always tell me." Ms Frizzle said.
"Bastard." Trigger growled.
Trigger stayed next to Mobius 1's F-5E, armed to the teeth with anti-ground weaponry.
"Mobius 1, engage." SkyEye said.
"Mobius 1, i'll fly your wing." Trigger said.
"Copy that. Follow me." the legendary pilot said.
Trigger only smiled behind his mask, and accelerated towards the Erusean base. He wasted no time in attacking the solar panels, while dodging anti-air guns and SAM sites along the way.
"Trigger, take out those solar panels. I'll take care of the anti-air weapons." Mobius 1 said, as flak filled the sky.
As the ISAF pilots began to fight against the Erusean forces, the school bus appeared thru the portal, right into the jaws of hell. The radio buzzed aloud with radio traffic as both sides fought ferociously.
"Break left!"
"Mobius 1, missile!"
"Trigger, take the bastards on the left! Watch out for flak!"
Flak appeared across the skies, the kids could only struggle to stay alive. A burst of flak tore through the bus, leaving a good sized hole in the ceiling.
"Oh God!" Dorothy screamed, clutching her ears tightly.
An Erusean F-16 appeared behind them getting a missile lock. Tim dove towards the ground, the enemy plane still chasing him.
"Trigger! Help us!" Arnold shouted into the radio mic.
Trigger was busy strafing the solar panels with the last of his rockets when the kids' plea for help came through.
"The fuck?" he wondered pulling up, looking for the school bus. He saw it being chased by an Erusean fighter and headed to intercept his enemy, mentally cursing the kids for such reckless behavior. Trigger pointed the nose at his enemy and pulled the trigger, firing his last air to air missile. The Erusean broke away, now realizing he was marked.
Trigger chased down the Erusean and fired his twin 20mm cannons, the fighter shaking from the recoil. The Erusean broke away, his engine in flames.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Trigger shouted.
"We came to rescue Ms Frizzle." Dorothy said.
"I suggest you shrink down and get your asses in here." Trigger said.
Ms Frizzle soon flashed Trigger a thumbs up, seeing the school bus landing on her lap.
Trigger returned to the carnage, now seeing flames from destroyed solar panels and shot down fighter jets. The mission was a success, and Stonhenge wasn't shooting at them.
"All aircraft, incoming from Stonehenge! Get below 2,000 feet and head south out of the combat zone." SkyEye warned.
"What do they expect us to do? Fly underground?" a pilot asked.
"There's a ravine just south of your position. Enter the ravine, and stay in it." SkyEye said. Ms Frizzle then saw a joystick appear in front of her, as Trigger gave control of the plane to her.
"You heard him. Get in the canyon, and stay below 2,000 feet." Trigger said, as he made himself comfortable in the cockpit.
"You're insane!" Ms Frizzle shouted.
"You wanted to see stonehenge in action. Well, here it is." Trigger said.
Ms Frizzle pointed the nose towards the canyon, watching the altimeter drop below 2,000 ft. SkyEye warned the pilots of stonehenge, counting down from 10 seconds.
A massive explosion ripped thru the air, and Ms Frizzle looked up, seeing ISAF planes fall out of the sky, the pilots unlucky to get to safety.
"Oh my god!" she exclaimed, as another barrage of nuclear-tipped tungsten was thrown in their way. This time, the shells came much closer and the shockwave almost caused Ms Frizzle to crash into the rockface. She quickly turned her head around, seeing a fellow pilot suffer the fate she just barely avoided.
The class inside the school bus looked outside, seeing the skies seemingly burst into flame. Trigger and Ms Frizzle were frantically trying to stay alive in this new hell. It was as if God himself was trying to strike down the fleeing ISAF pilots. Nuclear tipped shells detonated just above the pilots, breaking planes and pilots apart into pieces, and those whose nerves had fried either crashed into the canyon or pulled up in a desperate bid for freedom, only for Stonhenge to claim their lives.
The carnage continued, as helicopters in the canyon were picking off anyone that got in their way. Another barrage of railgun fire was heard, and all Ms Frizzle could hear was the screams and sobbing of pilots who were about to die any second. Ms Frizzle was close to tears, as she struggled to keep them alive.
"Mobius 1, Trigger. You're almost at the return line. Head south, and stay below 2,000 feet." SkyEye said, as a final barrage of tungsten was fired at them. At this point, Ms Frizzle gave control of the plane back to Trigger.
"Trigger, i want to go home." she said, tears down her face.
"Then get us out of here." Trigger said, scanning the skies ahead for Erusean threats.
…
Upon landing back at the base, Trigger climbed out of his plane and helped a shell shocked Ms Frizzle out of the cockpit. She collapsed on the ground, hugging her knees tight.
"I told you, Ms Frizzle." he said, kneeling in front of her.
"That's not fair. You're trained for this." She said, her body shaking from shock.
"No amount of training can prepare you for shit like that." Trigger said, holding his hand up in front of her. It was also shaking as well.
"I… i think we should put off exploring your world for a while." Ms Frizzle said.
"Amen on that." Trigger said, pulling her up.
Ms Frizzle walked past her students with a shell-shocked look on her face.
"So, would you guys mind telling me why you disobeyed your teacher and followed us into hell?" Trigger asked.
"We wanted to make sure she was safe." Arnold said.
"She wrote a will, telling you guys to stay here and not follow us. I take it you saw stonehenge in action." Trigger said.
"We sure did. I'll have nightmares for a long time." Phoebe said.
"Good. Maybe it'll teach you kids not to disobey your teacher." Trigger said.
...
Back at home, Ms Frizzle couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, as images of Stonehenge killing her plagued her mind. The sound of lightning caused her to curl up into a fetal position, pulling the covers over her in a vain attempt to protect herself. When the lightning died down, she grabbed a photo of her and Trigger and looked at it.
"I wish you were here right now, Trigger." she said.
Weeks passed, and Ms Frizzle finished teaching her class. She calmly excused them for the day, and stayed behind. Other classes were leaving, and Ms Frizzle heard a door slam shut. She quickly ducked under her desk with a frightful shout, clenching her hands in fear.
"Ms Frizzle." Trigger said, entering the room. She walked out from under her desk, seeing Trigger and another pilot.
"Oh God, Trigger. I can't go on like this! Every time i hear a door slam or a car backfire." She said, letting out tears as Trigger pulled her into his embrace.
"It's alright. There's someone I want you to meet." Trigger said.
"Hello, Ms Frizzle. I'm Mobius 1." he said, shaking her hand.
"So, you're the pilot who took on Stonehenge." she said.
"Correct. And you're the lunatic teacher Trigger is talking about." Mobius 1 said.
"Guilty as charged." she said, chuckling, but without her warmth.
"Anyway, if you don't mind, I'd like to know the woman Trigger cares for." Mobius 1 said.
"Well, i'd like to know more about the man Trigger says is his hero." Ms Frizzle said.
"Well, i'll let you two get to know each other. I've got some loose ends to tie up back home." Trigger said.
"Fucking Belkans. Be sure to give them my regards." Mobius 1 said.