CH. 11: INVASION FORCE

-03 Oct. 2010

The Wardog squadron, nuggets and all landed back at Sand Island well after dusk that night. And once more Blaze nearly had a few heart attacks when three nuggets nearly crashed. One descended too short and had to pull up. When he turned away he nearly clipped into the tower. "Damnit!" Blaze shouted. "Those kids are going to kill us all before the Yukes have another chance at us. And then they'll have an easy picking at the coast."

"I couldn't agree more, Kid," Chopper said as the four senior pilots sat down in front of the TV that night.

"They got some more intel on those missiles the Scinfaxi used at Eglin," Blaze said. "They're guessing they use multiple warheads that emit both an explosive force equal to that of a MOAB and a strong electro-magnetic pulse."

"That explains why all those planes fell out of the sky," Grimm said.

"Yeah," Blaze nodded. "Looks like the effective radius of the pulse is nearly one full mile. Couple that with the explosive force of those warheads, it's no wonder those ships buckled under those attacks." Blaze, thinking somber thoughts, moved towards the nuggets to straighten them out.

As Chopper and Grimm discussed rock and roll bands and Blaze mingled with the nuggets, giving them last minute pointers and chewing out the pilots who repeatedly kept screwing up on their landings Nagase sat on the sofa with her red book. She tried to focus onto the pages but found it difficult. She couldn't get her mind off the night at Heirlark on the last day of September. When the two of them practically slept next to each other and woke up nearly on top of each other.

She had never been so embarrassed or ridiculous in her life. She got all flustered just thinking about it. Blaze seemed to bring out emotions in her that she could barely control. This person, this attractive man, had literally flown into her life from out of the blue and turned her world upside down. No one had ever had this effect on her, not even her high school and college boyfriends. He was a kindred spirit. A person she felt a connection to ever since they first met.

But as she began to analyze her feelings for her Captain (now official with the bars to prove it) she knew the likelihood of a deep relationship with him was low. He was her superior officer. And that was something that was frowned upon by the bureaucracy and code of the military. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her half-Belkan captain off her mind. 'And it couldn't happen at a worse time,' she thought as more war news came onto the TV. 'Why did it have to happen here? And why did it have to happen now?' She went to bed that night moping over her raging emotions.

XXXXX

-04 Oct. 2010

The next morning the Wardog pilots had yet another crisis on their hands. "Looks like it's finally happening," Blaze said as he and Nagase met in the briefing room.

"What's finally happening?" Nagase asked.

"A Yuke fleet has been detected approaching Sand Island," he said. "And it's too large to be nothing more than a probing or feint attack. Amphibious assault ships, cruisers, guided missile destroyers, the works."

"You mean…they're going to invade?"

"Looks that way," Blaze said as Perault entered.

"Eh, you people are like the plague. You know that?" The geezer groaned at them.

'Nice to see you again too, fat ass,' Blaze griped inwardly.

Blaze got his pilots geared up and ready for combat. He equipped the nuggets' F-5's with 1,000 lbs free fall bombs and his flight's F-16's with air-to-air missiles and a pair of 500 lbs bombs. "Listen, gang," he instructed his flight. "Because these nuggets are so green and half-trained I want each of us to lead a group of three of them."

"Great," Chopper groaned. "I've got to baby-sit more rookies."

"Shut it, Chop," Blaze snapped. "I'll lead blue flight. Nagase is red. Chopper, green. And Grimm is yellow. Keep a close eye on them and guide them through the enemy. We've got to do as much damage to that fleet as possible. Make sure they make their shots count. And keep them away from enemy fighters. If those greenies get into it with fighters they'll drop like flies." Nagase knew what he was talking about. It would be just like that group of fighters that ambushed Wardog just before Blaze arrived. "Now, let's go do this."

XXXXX

-03 Oct. 2010

"Holy crap," Chopper muttered as they saw the radar picture of the enemy fleet. It seemed to stretch for miles form the forward landing force ahead of them to the supply ships and flagships in the rear. "Look at the size of that fleet!"

"Knock it off, Chopper!" Blaze ordered. "The nuggets don't need to hear that!"

"Captain," a nugget spoke up. "How are we going to beat these guys?"

'Damnit,' Blaze cursed inwardly. 'Can't have these greenies locking up out here.' "We may be outnumbered nuggets but we can still win. Their objective is to capture or cripple Sand Island."

"If we can take out their landing ships," Nagase joined in. "And cause damage to their support gun ships they'll be forced to turn back."

"That's right. We neutralize their ability to win."

"This is AWACS Thunderhead," the eye in the sky called out. "All units listen carefully."

"Ah, I missed that sweet voice," Chopper purred.

"Aw, jeez," Blaze groaned as he snapped his mask on.

"Say, you get that from you're momma's side of the family?" That time Blaze couldn't help but smile at the comment.

"Cut the chatter. First enemy wave bearing two-eight-zero degrees. You are cleared to engage on sight."

"Roger," Blaze replied. "Wardog Squadron, break and engage the enemy units in your sectors. Remember target the landing ships and bombardment ships first. Don't worry about the supply and escort ships. Make your shots count."

"It's too risky for the nuggets here," Nagase said as she aw the size of the fleet.

"I'm with you on that," Chopper agreed.

"Maybe so," Blaze nodded. "But four planes wouldn't be able to carry all the necessary ordinance to cripple the fleet."

They broke the engagement line and each flight dove for the waves, hoping to use the radar reflections off the water to mask themselves from radar guided SAMs. "Go in fast and hard," Blaze ordered the squadron. "Target the key ships, drop your ordinance and break away fast. Hit and run tactics!"

"ROGER!" The flight leaders replied.

"Okay, blue flight," Blaze called to his nuggets. "We've got a landing ship and a missile destroyer ahead of us. Larkin, take point as we go after that landing ship first."

"Affirmative, Captain," Larkin nodded as he nudged his plane forward.

"Remember to lead the target so that your bomb falls on top of it. Not behind it."

"Do you ever get scared, Captain?" Nelson, the tail end nugget asked.

"I'm human, junior," Blaze replied lowly.

"I see…so you're just like us?" True, Blaze could fly into the worst of situations without batting an eye. But that didn't mean he wouldn't be scared shitless.

Larkin took the lead as he got a bearing on the lead landing ship. "Come on," he whispered. "Almost…there…"

"Bring your nose up," Blaze coaxed him. "That's it. Lead it off!"

"Pickle!" The bomb drop away. "Oh, shoot!" Blaze was about to ask what it was when he saw the bomb overshoot the ship and land in the ocean. "I'm sorry, Captain! My hand jerked."

"Forget it, Larkin!" Blaze replied as he dropped one of his bombs.

"Nice pickle, Captain!" Beamer cheered as the bomb detonated at the head of the enemy ship.

"Get a bearing on that destroyer."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

"I said forget about it," Blaze snapped. "Concentrate on your current target. That's all you've got to think about."

"Roger, Captain."

"If you don't like the sight picture, break off and try again. Or let one of the others try. Make your shots count." This time, Larkin remembered to keep his hand steady when he dropped the bomb. The destroyer went up in a ball of flame as its magazines exploded. "Nice one!" He then turned his flight north towards a pair of cruise missile cruisers. "We've got two missile cruisers due north," Blaze announced. "We'll knock them out simultaneously. Beamer, fly along side Larkin. You take the rear cruiser. Larkin the lead cruiser."

"Roger, Captain."

"Yes sir."

"Hover craft have landed on the coastline!" Sand Island defense forces reported. "We're meeting intense fighting!"

"I know!" Perault shouted. "All units! Do everything you can to stop them! If you can't protect this island what'll we tell our great heroes in the sky?"

"What the hell is he smoking?" Blaze asked himself.

"'Great Heroes'?" Grimm muttered. "What's with him?"

"I'll bet he's got a different script for us when we get back," Chopper chuckled.

'For once he's right,' Blaze commented as his flight drew near to the cruisers. "Hold it steady, nug-." He was cut off by Edge's frantic voice.

"Missile fired form enemy sub!"

"What!?" Grimm shouted.

"Shit!" Blaze swore. "It's the Scinfaxi!"

"Get out of there, Grimm!" Nagase shouted.

"Climb! Climb! C'mon!" Chopper quickly followed.

"Everyone drop what you're doing and climb!" Blaze ordered the squadron.

"I've almost got it…Captain," Beamer replied as he continued towards the cruiser.

"Break off, Beamer! That's an order!"

"Pull up, everyone! Get your altitude above five thousand feet!" Chopper called out.

"Move you're asses!" Blaze ordered as he got his flight into a climb.

"Wait…" Thunderhead came on. "We're getting a command override from somewhere…'Data link to A-Sat targeting system'. What is this?"

'What the hell is an A-Sat?' Blaze searched his memory banks. Thunderhead then started a countdown.

"5…4…3…2…1…" Just then Blaze saw a beam of blue energy shoot down from the sky and a ball of flame appeared in mid air right next to it.

"What was that!?" Chopper shouted.

"I saw it!" Blaze cried out.

"Was that the Arkbird?" Nagase asked out loud.

'Of course: A-Sat is the callsign for the Arkbird,' Blaze remembered now.

"Missile destroyed by laser beam fired from orbit altitude." Thunderhead cheered. "It's the Arkbird! We've got the Arkbird!"

"Alright!" Blaze cheered. "All planes, resume the attack! Send those ships to the bottom!"

"ROGER!" The squadron cheered.

A minute later more of the blips from the enemy fleet had disappeared. "Enemy fleet forty-five percent destroyed," Nagase did a quick calculation.

"Keep it up, Wardog!" Blaze ordered. "If we can deal more damage to their landing force they'll be forced to retreat!" Larkin and Beamer had emptied their bomb rack and were now flying behind Blaze as Nelson took his turn. The Scinfaxi fired another missile that was promptly destroyed by the Arkbird. The orbiter was aided by a P-3 anti-sub plane codenamed 'Blue Hound'.

"If we keep this up we'll be able to turn the tide of battle," Grimm commented cheerfully.

"Reminds me of the Battle of Midway," Blaze added.

"Oh, no," Blue Hound groaned. "They're launching more missiles…number 3…number 4…number 5!"
"Son of a bitch!" Blaze shouted.

"Come on, Arkbird!" Nagase screamed. "Use your lasers!"

'There's no way the Arkbird can fire its laser that fast.' As the first missile was vaporized Blaze pulled up. "All planes, climb!"

"They're coming!" Chopper shouted as the second missile came down. "They're still coming!"
"All Wardog planes! Climb! Get above five thousand feet!" Blaze ordered.

"Follow the flight leads!" A nugget agreed. But they were two late.

"Three…two…one…" Thunderhead counted. The effect of two Scinfaxi missiles detonating over the squadron did horrible damage.

"The eject handle's stuck!" A nugget cried out.

"Wing's damaged!" Nelson shouted. "Losing altitude!" Blaze could only watch his radar in vain as all of the nuggets' planes disappeared from radar.

"Damnit!" Chopper cursed.

"Damn," Blaze shouted as he looked down at the enemy fleet. "There's got to be a way for us to neutralize that sub! We can't keep this up by ourselves."

"The enemy fleet is re-gathering their momentum," Nagase observed as the four Wardog pilots rejoined.

"There's no choice," Thunderhead called out. "Just weave through the missiles and continue attacking the ships."

"That is the worst idea ever!" Blaze shouted back.

"What are you nuts?" Chopper agreed. Blaze took another look at the enemy fleet. Several landing ships had already been sunk but a few remained. There was also still a pair of frigates firing rockets towards Sand Island. As Blaze did a quick tally of his squadron's stores Arkbird got on the radio with Blue Hound.

"Requesting sonar buoy data-link," the orbiter requested.

"Stand-by," Blue Hound responded.

"Weapons check," Blaze asked his wingmen.

"Two 'winders and one bomb," Chopper replied.

"Same here," Nagase replied.

"I've got one sidewinder and two bombs, Captain," Grimm gave his. He had knocked out an assault helicopter with his missile.

"Arkbird, we're sending the data now," Blue Hound called. "What're you going to do?"

"Enemy fighters approaching," Blaze spotted a flight of Su-33 Naval Flankers. "Engage!"

"Roger!" His squadron replied. As he and his flight tangled with the Yuke fighters Blaze nearly flew into a column of blue light.

"Holy shit!" He cursed as he banked around it. The Flanker that was pursuing him wasn't so lucky. It was vaporized when it failed to turn in time.

"The Arkbird shot a laser into the ocean!" Grimm called out.

"Explosion in the water!" Blue Hound called out. "It damaged the submerged Scinfaxi!"

"Hell yeah!" Blaze cheered."That's what I call air support!"

"Picking up sounds of main ballast blow! The Scinfaxi is surfacing!"

And sure enough, a few seconds later the Wardog pilots saw a ship the size of an Aircraft carrier bob out of the ocean blue. "My God," Nagase moaned. "It's huge!"

"It's a sitting duck!" Blaze called out.

"Blast it out of the water!" Thunderhead voiced exactly what Blaze was thinking.

"Wardog!" Blaze called out. "Form up on me. We're going to take that ship out!"

"What about the rest of the fleet?" Nagase asked.

"If we can knock that sub out the enemy will lose its strong hand," Blaze replied. "Now let's take it out!" They dove at a forty-five degree angle for the ship. As they neared the release point Blaze noted that several planes were being launched from the ship's aft.

"Enemy fighter's taking off," Nagase observed. "They're MiGs."

"I don't have a picture!" Blaze said as he noticed he'd over shot his release point. "You guys take the Scinfaxi! But watch out for those SAMs!" He wasn't kidding either. As the pilots dropped all four bombs several missiles leapt from the enemy ship. They shook them off, no problem. But only two of the bombs hit the ship the other two landed short and beyond the sub.

"Two direct hits!" Nagase called out. "But we're out of bombs!"

"Enemy fighters, coming around!" Grimm called out. "Turning to engage."

"Arkbird, firing laser," the orbiter called out. A blue beam of light ripped into the ship's aft and tore a massive hole.

"Direct hit! It ripped a massive hole!" Thunderhead called out.

"There's its Achilles Heel," Blaze noted after he bagged a MiG. "I've got one bomb left, I'm going to have to make it count!"

"We've got the fighters covered, Blaze," Nagase spoke up. "Leave them to us."

"Right, I'm going down there. Keep those fighters off my back!" He broke formation and dove for the deck. He pulled up and skimmed the water only twenty feet above the waves. If he could use the radar reflection of the waves to mask his radar cross section then those SAMs would have a hard time picking him out among the noise. He'd just have to worry about the AA guns instead. "I'm punching it, full throttle!" He hit his afterburners and raced towards the super sub, kicking up a rooster tail of sea water behind his plane.

His plan worked. The radar guided missiles launched from the sub couldn't lock onto him. The ocean waves reflected too much radar noise for the guidance systems to pick him out. It also made it difficult for the radar sighted AA cannons to shoot him as well. Instead the submarine crew adopted a 'spray and pray' tactic, throwing every last round they could in his general direction.

"Just a little closer," Blaze breathed into his mask.

"Pull up, Blaze!" Nagase cried out. "You won't be able to hit if you're too low!"

"I'm on it!" Blaze called back. "Just a little more!" He saw a flash and a missile shot past him and exploded. It didn't do any serious damage but knocked out his bomb computer. "Damnit! I'm breaking off!" He pulled away, cursing inwardly.

"Hey Kid! Are you alright?" Chopper asked the Ace.

"Yeah," Blaze replied as he slowed his speed. "But my targeting computer was knocked out." He looked back at the leviathan of a ship. 'But if I don't take it out this would've been for nothing. All my nuggets will have died in vain!' "I'm going back in! One more time!"

"W-HAT!?" Chopper shouted as Blaze rolled back in. This time he approached from the Scinfaxi's aft, hoping it would be a blind spot. "Target in sight!" Blaze called out. "Lining up!" He eased his plane to the left, bringing it nose on directly for the hole in its hull. "I only have on shot at this!"

"Come on, Blaze!" Nagase cheered him on as she watched from a thousand feet up as his plane streaked across the ocean. "You can do it!"

"Bringing the nose up!" He knew he'd have to release the bomb as precisely the right angle and right distance from the ship in order to get a direct hit. Nothing else would do. "Come on!" He shouted as AA tracers arced past his wings. "COME ON!" 'Bingo!' "PICKLE! PICKLE!" He released the bomb and shot over the streamlined conning tower of the sub as the 500 lb bomb dove into a perfect hole in one. The explosion caught the ammo magazines and aviation fuel stores and the resulting explosion doomed the super sub.

"Direct hit!" Thunderhead cheered as the column of flames erupted from the ship's aft like a volcano. "Target destroyed!"

"Nice going, Captain!" Grimm yelled.

"Alright, Blaze!" Nagase cheered.

"Yeah! That's one for the home team!" Chopper roared.

"The enemy force has abandoned its attack, they're retreating!" Thunderhead called out. "Mission Accomplished, return to base!"

As the Wardog pilots circled back around and flew over the sinking Scinfaxi they watched as it slipped beneath the waves. A second later a column of water shot into the air as the crippled vessel exploded one last time.