CH. 5: LET THE WAR BEGIN

-26 Sept. 2010

Blaze hardly got along with anyone with a higher rank than him. His bouts with Colonel Perault were becoming issues of legend behind closed doors on Sand Island. The Base Adjutant Commander, Captain Hamilton, was little better at dealing with Blaze. The two had their disagreements but they weren't anywhere as intense as the arguments involving the Colonel. "The Colonel wants me to sit in on your instruction classes from now on," Hamilton informed Blaze that evening. "To check that you're sticking to the SOP."

"You mean he wants you to spy on me?" Blaze retorted knowing full well why Perault wanted Hamilton there.

"I can't speak for the Colonel, but it is procedure for you to stick to the SOP he lies out. He's been hearing rumors that some of your points are not aligned with the standard training syllabus."

"If he wants to teach my classes he's welcome to," Blaze shot back. "But of course he can't because that fat slob has never sat in a cockpit in his life. So what the hell does he know about flying fighter jets?" He then shoved past Hamilton and walked on towards his quarters.

XXXXX

-27 Sept. 2010

It didn't take long for Bartlett to hear about the latest tug-of-war match between Blaze and Perault regarding the training syllabus. He found Blaze on the beach behind housing with an Astroturf mat driving golf balls into the sea. "It seems I can't go a day without hearing about a new rumor of 'Blaze vs. Perault' at morning chow," Bartlett said grabbing the nine iron from the bag and joining Blaze. "If he didn't like you before he absolutely hates you guts now."

"Like I care," Blaze replied as he hit the pimpled sphere two hundred yards into the cerulean ocean. He stepped aside and let Bartlett give it a try.

"Damnit, Kid," Bartlett moaned. "Antagonizing him isn't going to help your case any." He smacked the ball sending it into a strong slice.

"I'm not doing a damn thing," Blaze said shoving the three wood into the bag and picking out the five iron. "Except my job. That's all I ever wanted to do."

"That may not be enough, Hannibal," Bartlett said using Blaze's birth name in an attempt to reach him. "You may have to do more than that. You'll have to do something to make Perault get off your back."

"The only way he'll be happy is if I roll over and play dead for him," Blaze growled as he grabbed another second rate ball from the plastic bag. "I'll do my job and follow my orders; but I'm sure as hell not going to be that obese prick's lap dog." He forcefully sent the ball flying across the water causing it to skip three times before sinking a hundred yards away. "I've had to deal enough of that shit growing up. Well, no more."

Over the past two days, despite the confrontations with Perault, things were starting to cool down. And then just like that things heated up again. An unidentified vessel was spotted in the waters off Sand Island and was launching recon drones. The four Wardog pilots scrambled and took to the air, not knowing that fate was awaiting them.

"Wardog, this is Thunderhead. Unmanned recon drones returning to spy vessel. Shoot them down before they get back to the ship."

"Sure thing, you got that gang?" Bartlett replied in his mask. Somewhere, in the back of his head, something was telling him that something bad was about to happen.

"Roger, boss," Blaze replied.

"Alright, let's go!" They kicked in their afterburners and raced towards the drones. "Our orders are to not fire on the ship, understood?"

"Understood."

"Good. Aim only for the recon planes. Show me what you got kid." Bartlett sent Blaze ahead when the drones appeared. Blaze raced ahead and opened up on the drones. He didn't waste expensive missiles on the drones and instead ripped them apart with his cannons. "How ya doin' kid? Pretty easy huh?"

"Like shootin' fish in a barrel," Blaze responded.

"Okay let's hurry up and finish this." Within another minute two more drones were shot down.

"Time for a competition in kill scores," Chopper challenged as he raced to catch up with Blaze.

"Sounds goo to me," Blaze accepted.

"I'm glad there aren't any people in these things," Chopper said as he met up with Blaze over the spy vessel. "Aren't you?"

"Like I said: easy pickings," Blaze replied. True they weren't a challenge but he didn't like taking lives. But that didn't mean he wouldn't if he had to. He'd still prefer dog fighting in practice missions where no one would die but they could still fly as hard and fast as they wanted.

"So we can just shoot them down and not worry about it," Chopper said as they split to take the last four drones. Within another minute all the drones were down.

"Damn," Blaze said as he looked at his radar. "Look's like we've got uninvited guests."

"Warning high speed bogey's inbound." Thunderhead confirmed this.

"Same attack axis as before?" Bartlett inquired.

"That's confirmed. Bearing 280 degrees. Same vector as last time."

"Shit, how many planes they got lined up at the border?" Bartlett was thinking the same thing Blaze was. This was all planned. "We have only four on our end. We'd better abort." The squadron turned and headed back towards Sand Island.

"Move your ass, Chopper!" Blaze shouted as Chopper took a little too long to turn away.

"I can't make it!" He said as he banked to evade the MiG-21's. "They're running me down!"

"So you're taking the trail position today, rock and roller?" Bartlett teased. "Hold on. I'll clear your six o'clock for ya."

"I'm on it!" Blaze joined in.

"The rest of you quit gawkin' and start shootin'," Bartlett ordered as Blaze got into the fight. He rolled right in behind a MiG as Bartlett and Nagase each locked onto one.

"Wardog, you are not cleared to engage at this time!" But it was too late; Blaze, Nagase and Bartlett had already downed one fighter each. "You just splashed an enemy without clearance to engage. What are you thinking Wardog?"

'Here we go again,' Blaze grumbled to himself as he shot down another MiG. Four more bandits popped up on radar and Blaze turned to engage. "More MiGs incoming!" He looked out his port side to see four MiG-29 Fulcrums racing towards the fight.

Nagase formed up on Blaze's wing and both rolled in to engage from above while Bartlett approached head on. Bartlett and Nagase bagged one while Blaze's missile missed its mark. As Nagase lined up behind one MiG the other MiG got behind Blaze. "Blaze! Evade!" Nagase cried out to him as he rolled and banked to evade the fighter.

"Shoot them all down," they heard an unidentified accented voice over the radio.

'Who the hell is that?' Blaze thought as he banked hard. He looked up to see Nagase turn a MiG into a ball of fire.

"Bandit down!" Nagase said. "Blaze!" She screamed when she saw his bandit open up on him.

"I'm hit but not bad," he replied. The shells only skimmed his fuselage not doing any damage that would affect his flying. "It's just a scratch, but I could use a little help!"

"I got ya, Blaze!" Chopper said as he finally got into the fight. Blaze pulled up and brought the MiG after him, giving his wingman a perfect aft shot. "Bye, bye!" Chopper said as he loosed a sidewinder into the MiG's engines.

"Picture clear. All hostile aircraft destroyed," Thunderhead reported.

Then the worst case scenario happened. There was a warning still in effect and the pilots continued circling and scanning the skies. But they forgot about the ship below them. A missile threat alarm went off in Nagase's plane as a SAM was fired on her.

"Edge!" Blaze shouted as she banked hard but the missile stayed with her. She grunted as she rolled to try and evade. She put on the speed to stay ahead of it. Then Bartlett did the unthinkable. He flew straight down behind Nagase and between the missile causing it to follow after him. He rolled to try and throw it off but it impacted on his port side.

"Captain!" Nagase cried out.

"Hey, save the waterworks." Bartlett snapped. "I'm just gonna bail out here. We can replace these things; it's getting the crew back alive that counts. Scramble the search and rescue copter and my reserve plane, okay?" He leveled his F-4 off and yanked on the ejection handle. Since his RIO had been replaced by avionics it was only him who ejected into the blue sky.

"Warning! Warning!" Thunderhead came over the radio as Bartlett's chute opened up. "Wardog Squadron, return to base immediately."

"But the rescue helicopter isn't here yet," Nagase argued as she took the lead.

"Leave that to them. Get back to base and rearm. The enemy has declared war on us!"

"What enemy?" Blaze asked as he watched Bartlett drift in the wind. "The only thing across the ocean is…"

"Yuktobania declared war two minutes ago! Now RTB and refit, now!"

XXXXX

Genette was grounded since the encounter on the 23rd. He was restricted to Chopper's quarters until he was let go. On the phone was Captain Hamilton; he was having what seemed like an important call coming in for him from the Commander. Genette couldn't make out much but he did make out the words 'war', 'naval port' and 'attack'.

"Well," Hamilton said after setting the phone down and tapping on it. "We don't have any reason to hold you anymore."

"What happened?" Genette asked as personnel scurried about outside.

"Yuktobania just declared war…" things would never be the same. And Genette would be getting a second row seat to it with the squadron that would become famous in a very short amount of time.

Outside on the tarmac, enlisted personnel refitted Blaze's F-5 with more missiles, 20mm shells and even 1,000 lbs Mk.83 bombs. Pops ran over to his plane after talking to Nagase and Chopper. "What the hell's going on?" Blaze shouted as he removed his mask.

"St. Hewlett is under air and naval attack," Pops shouted up to him. "They were caught with their pants down! You three are going to have to come to their aid! Thunderhead will give you further details in the air!"

"Is it the Yukes?"

"Without a doubt! Their war minister just sent a disturbing message to the President it seems. In essence it was a declaration of total war! Now get up there and show them what you got, Blaze! Make sure Bartlett wins that bet he has with me!" And he ran out of the way so Blaze could taxi to the runway and take off with Nagase and Chopper.

Inside the building Genette picked up his camera and notepad and followed after Hamilton. "Why would Yuktobania attack Osea?" He asked Hamilton when he caught up to him.

"Beats me," Hamilton shrugged. "All I know is that St. Hewlett was taken by surprise. Hell, everyone has been. Now if you'll excuse me," he pushing away, "I have to go manage some ringing phones."

Genette returned to the room and looked out the window. He saw enlisted personnel, including Pops, moving forklifts and trailers filled with various ordinances. Bombs, missiles and fuel tanks were brought out from storage and readied along the flight line. Genette was a civilian and no expert on military doctrine, but he knew that the declaration of war was not a joke or a drill.

This base is going to get busy really quick,' Genette realized instantly.