Welcome back again everyne! I'm sorry for how long this chapter has taken to put out, but when I say the summertime flying has been tedious, I'm not joking in the slightest! Regardless however, I'm happy to have some time off now and am finally able to post a new chapter! Still am writing when I can so expect more updates as things start to cool down. Thanks as always for the support, and Blue Skies!
Day of F-14 Test Flight, 0745 hours, Hull of newly modernized Zuikaku
David and Zuikaku smiled at one another as they made final adjustments on their flight gear.
Both were dressed in olive drab flight suits complete with survival vests, G-suits, and Nomex flight gloves with the only difference being Zuikaku's hair now tied into a low pony-tail to allow her to wear her helmet more easily.
On the shoulder of both of their flight suits also rested a new patch that resembled many an F-14 pilot's during the 1980's.
The famous Anytime Baby! patch had been modified with the same cat mascot and a giant crane bird with wings spread behind it, and both the Eagle Union and Sakura Empire flags.
Finally, the moniker below the patch read, Old Times Baby!
Satisfied with their preparations David turned to his lover.
"All set Z?" he asked.
"Of course! I've been ready for this since we conjured that fighter!" Zuikaku responded excitedly.
David smiled in response.
"Well then, let's give em' all a helluva show!" David said.
With that the two climbed the stairs to the flight deck and were met with the rising sun and the host of other naval personnel and Kansen.
Walking forward to greet the pair were the heavy cruisers Takao and Atago.
"Takao! You never told me you'd be here this morning!" Zuikaku said happy to see her friend.
"I was unaware I would be able to attend until yesterday evening. Your sister petitioned the Admiral for permission for both mine and my sister's presence this morning." Takao said with a smile.
Zuikaku nodded in response.
"Thank you for being here Takao, this means a lot!" Zuikaku said.
"We're friends are we not? Of course I would be here to support you in something as major as this!" Takao said offering her hand to Zuikaku.
Zuikaku shook the cruiser's hand before Takao turned her attention to David.
"Shikkikan-dono, I must ask respectfully as Zuikaku's friend that you watch out for her today. I am aware of her abilities, but I must still ask on her behalf." Takao said.
David smiled and nodded.
"You have my word Takao, we'll both be careful." He responded.
With that both made their to the waiting F-14.
It looked like something out of a movie with the sun rising just behind it and its canopy raised, and both pilot and Kansen felt their hearts race with excitement.
Near the Tomcat were Admiral Brubaker, Enterprise, and Shoukaku who were all dressed in Navy deck crew equipment complete with helmets, goggles, and gloves.
David and Zuikaku saluted smartly before speaking to Brubaker.
"All set for the test flight sir. Permission to proceed?" David asked.
"Granted. Show us what you can do!" Brubaker responded with a salute of his own.
Shoukaku gave her sister a quick hug before the pair began ascending the ladders to their respective cockpits.
The pair then donned their helmets which were red in color with a white crane logo with spread wings on the back, and their respective callsigns on the front left of the sun visor housing in white.
David's callsign of "Dusty" remained and Zuikaku had been graciously given the callsign of "Lucky" in part to her name but also her luck.
In addition, a small green four-leaf clover was displayed on the right side of the sun visor housing of Zuikaku's helmet.
With the two finally strapped in and oxygen masks latched on to their helmets, they began their prestart procedures.
Shoukaku and Enterprise had connected both the external power and air for start, and waited for David's signal that they were ready for engine start.
"ICS Comm check?" Zuikaku said over the intercom.
"Loud and clear Z." David responded.
"Copy, INS aligning." She replied.
David pulled up the repeater screen in the bottom display in the front cockpit and was amazed at how fast it was accomplished.
"INS check complete, that was fast!" Zuikaku said.
"For sure! Not even my F-18 could do it that fast!" David chuckled.
"Canopy?" David asked.
"Clear." Zuikaku responded before David flipped a switch to close the canopy.
With the canopy now down and locked, Shoukaku took her place at the front of the aircraft.
She then raised her left hand and made a twirling motion with her finger to give David the signal to start their Number 1 engine.
David then moved the 'Crank' switch to the 'L' position and watched the RPMs rise just enough before he moved the left throttle forward slightly to introduce fuel into the engine.
It then accelerated up to speed and they got a good start.
"Good start on one, good temps, volts, and pressures." Zuikaku called from the back monitoring the start as well.
The process was then repeated for the other engine, and Enterprise and Shoukaku removed both the ground power and air supply.
David engaged the nose wheel steering and then checked in with Zuikaku.
"All set to taxi Z?" he asked.
"Hai, all set!" she responded with excitement.
"Air Boss, DEFENDER 1 ready to taxi." David radioed the Admiral.
"DEFENDER 1 taxi to CAT 1." Brubaker said over his handheld radio from the bridge.
David then flashed the nose mounted taxi light to signal Shoukaku they were ready to taxi to the catapult.
The elder crane sister then guided them onto the left catapult and once they were in position, she raised both her fists in a signal for David to set brakes.
She then hugged both arms to her chest before sweeping both outward again giving the signal to sweep the Tomcat's wings forward.
David complied and he and Zuikaku finished the remainder of their pre-takeoff checks.
"Never done a catapult shot before Dave, what's it like?" Zuikaku asked.
"Well it's basically being thrown into air from a dead stop, but it's quite a rush!" David answered honestly.
Zuikaku chuckled albeit nervously.
"Ah, well I don't think I ever had anything like this for my Zeros. This'll be quite a new experience!" she responded.
"Hey don't sweat it! Been a while since my last CAT shot as well, so I'm right there with you!" David said recalling how the Siren war had almost nullified any conventional carrier operations.
The blast pad had now been raised up behind David and Zuikaku, and the catapult attached to the Tomcat's nose landing gear.
David ensured the wings were swept fully forward, flaps set for takeoff, brakes released, and all systems in the green.
Shoukaku then raised her hand once more and gave a twirling motion to signal David to run the engines up to power.
David complied and all on the flight deck covered their ears as the Tomcat's engines spouted its white-hot exhaust.
"OK, engines are run up, here's the control wipe-out: left, right, forward, aft, free and correct. Good engines, good oil, good vibes, engines are up, ready in the back Z?" David asked as he finished the last takeoff checks.
"Hai! Let's do it Dave-san!" Zuikaku said excited.
"Alright, let's give em' our salute!" David replied.
Both pilot and Kansen lowered their sun visors before snapping off a salute to Shoukaku.
The eldest crane sister then knelt down before making a shooting motion with her hand, and the Tomcat was then sent rocketing off the flight deck.
All on board the ship were wide eyed with wonder and Shoukaku, though just as wide eyed, smiled to herself.
"Fly high Onee-chan!" she said.
In the cockpit Zuikaku was ecstatic.
"SUGOI!" she exclaimed as the pair rocketed skyward.
David had to chuckle as he raised the landing gear and flaps and watched the speed accelerate.
"Good shot, all systems normal." David said.
"Hai, I concur, no abnormalities or warning lights." Zuikaku responded.
"Alright, time for the first test of the day, climb rate!" David said as he plugged in the afterburners and pointed the Tomcat's nose up nearly ninety degrees.
The wings swept back to their full aft position, and the Tomcat climbed like a homesick angel.
Zuikaku looked at the rate of climb indicator and called out incredulously, "Rate of climb exceeding eight-thousand feet per minute, and we're still accelerating Dave!"
David smiled as he rolled over the top and leveled off at the incredible altitude of 60,000 feet.
"This thing climbs like crazy!" David said.
"Hai! We need to test its top speed next!" Zuikaku said referencing the flight plan she had on her knee-board.
"Alright, plugging in the burners one more time!" David said as he pushed the throttles into the afterburner detent.
The speed seemed to increase instantly and both David and Zuikaku were pushed back against their seats.
"Approaching Mach 1….1.5….1.6…1.7…1.9..Mach 2…2.2..2.3…2.4…2.5….Dave we're still accelerating!" Zuikaku said in wonder.
David kept his eyes on the Heads up Display and scanned all engine parameters and everything seemed normal.
"Wanna keep going Z?" David asked.
"Hai! I'm feeling the need for speed!" She replied.
The airspeed finally started to show signs of stabilizing, and once it finally did, the Tomcat had hit an incredible straight and level speed of Mach 3.6!
David then pulled the throttles back and let the Tomcat decelerate to a more normal cruising speed.
"Sugoi! David-san, this plane's speed is unlike any I've ever seen!" Zuikaku exclaimed.
"Same here! I only know of maybe one other that could do that, and by all rights, this thing shouldn't be able to!" David said incredulously.
Zuikaku then smiled under her oxygen mask.
"But it's no ordinary Tomcat Dave-san, it's our Tomcat!" she said.
David smiled in response.
"Damn right Z! And if it's us together, there's nothin' we can't do!" he replied.
"DEFENDER 1, SEA LORD." The radio came to life.
"SEA LORD, DEFENDER 1, go ahead." Zuikaku replied.
"Be advised, Alpha X-Ray advises you descend and maintain Angels 30 for phase two of the flight test." The E-2 Hawkeye replied.
"Copy, Angels 30." Zuikaku replied.
"Alright, now I guess is a good time to see how well that radar works eh Z?" David asked as he rolled over and began their descent to 30,000 feet.
"Hai! I've already picked up that Hawkeye, and it looks like another two smaller contacts about 30 miles east of it. Judging by their speed and radar signatures, probably F-18's." Zuikaku responded while looking at the radar screen in the rear cockpit.
David smiled.
"Well, looks like the Admiral came through on finding some schmucks to play bogies for us. Chances are they think we're flying a museum piece and we'll be an easy kill, but how wrong they'll be." David said.
"DEFENDER 1, OUTLAWS 26 and 27 are on station and lookin' for a fight. You game?" came the voice of Caveman through the radio.
David smiled.
"OUTLAW 26, DEFENDER 1, always! Though I think this fight could be over pretty early!" David said.
Caveman smirked but it immediately turned to a look of horror when his Radar Warning Receiver went off indicating that he had a missile locked onto him and Gooney!
"That's impossible! Dusty and Lucky are like 200 miles out!" Caveman said in disbelief.
Zuikaku couldn't help but smile as she had both Caveman and Gooney locked up.
"I read the range of the original AIM-54 Pheonix was 100 miles, but we're still approximately 170 miles from them and it's locked them up like they were at 10!" Zuikaku said proudly.
Caveman and Gooney both shook their heads.
"Well don't think we were just gonna stick to BVR, let's form it up and try some real dogfights!" David said.
With that Caveman looked to Gooney, "Hey Gooney, you're the better dogfighter, you take him on first!"
Gooney nodded and formed up on David and Zuikaku's right wing once he was within visual range.
"Alright, standard dogfighting rules apply. Speed and Angels on the right." Gooney said indicating he was at the proper entry altitude and airspeed.
"Speed and Angels on the left." Zuikaku responded.
"Break!" Gooney called as both fighters split from each other.
"Fights on, fights on!" David called.
Gooney, knowing his Hornet had superior turning capabilities, tried his best to turn inside David and Zuikaku for a missile shot.
Inside the Tomcat however, David knew a few tricks from many a book he'd read regarding that same aircraft.
"He's coming around to our 3 Dave, we need to turn!" Zuikaku warned.
"I got him, hang on!" David replied.
He then swept the wings forward manually, and applied differential thrust with the throttles, which caused the Tomcat to turn even more sharply than the Hornet.
Gooney couldn't believe his eyes as he then pitched his nose down in a futile attempt to escape and regain his lost energy.
David and Zuikaku were quickly on his tail, and Zuikaku was able to lock the radar onto it instantly.
"Good tone!" Zuikaku called.
"Bingo Gooney, you're dead!" David called.
Gooney recovered from his dive and looked incredulously at the Tomcat.
"Don't worry Gooney, I'll get him for ya!" Caveman reassured his wingman.
Unfortunately for him, however, he ended up in a similar predicament.
Caveman made the mistake of trying to outclimb the Tomcat, and David quickly got into parameter for an easy guns kill.
"Trigger down, trigger down! Caveman, you're dead!" David called.
Both Hornet pilots had to laugh in spite of themselves.
They had both always known David to be a good stick, but now with Zuikaku and the Tomcat they later agreed he'd be nearly unstoppable.
"Good fight boys, thanks for the workout!" David called on the radio.
"More like a walk in the park for you two DEFENDER 1" Caveman responded causing both David and Zuikaku to laugh.
"Well, that's it for air to air, what have we got left Z?" David asked.
"Just the carrier landings it looks like." Zuikaku responded.
"Alright, we'll lets head back to your hull then, I'm sure Enty and your sister will be in for quite a show!" David replied.
The Tomcat then banked right and headed back out towards the water.
Once Zuikaku's hull was in sight Zuikaku called up Enterprise.
"AIR BOSS, DEFENDER 1 inbound." Zuikaku said.
"DEFENDER 1, cleared for the overhead report turning final." Enterprise responded.
Zuikaku had to laugh.
"What's so funny Z?" David asked.
"Maybe two months ago if you had told me Enterprise would be aboard my hull, I would have never believed it! But….all this….it's all thanks to you Dave! And I know with this new plane and my new rigging we can stop the Sirens for good!" Zuikaku replied.
David smiled in response.
"Hey it's not just me Z, you had just as much part in this too ya know? I never would have made it this far without you. I'll always be grateful to have you by my side, you know that right?" David said.
"Hai, that I do Dave-san. Now let's show them how a real deck landing is done!" Zuikaku said.
"Damn right!" David replied.
As the pair got closer to the carrier, David smirked.
"Hey Z, you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" he asked.
"Sierra Hotel?" Zuikaku asked mischievously.
"Sierra Hotel!" David replied.
On board Zuikaku's hull, the host of Kansen were all waiting for the Tomcat's return and had been listening to David and Zuikaku's progress via a radio.
Atago was the first to spot the incoming Tomcat and pointed it out to the host.
"Ara, here they come!" she said.
Enterprise trained a pair of binoculars on where Atago had pointed and her eyes wet wide.
"Idiots!" she exclaimed.
"Enterprise-san, what's wrong?" Shoukaku asked worried.
The silver haired carrier sighed as she lowered her binoculars.
"They're going for the Sierra Hotel Break." She said in response.
"Sierra Hotel?" Shoukaku asked curiously.
"It's Navy slang for 'Shit Hot' meaning they fly the overhead pattern faster than the normal speed. It's supposed to be a way to show off, my pilots used to do it all the time much to my annoyance." Enterprise said.
Shoukaku sighed in realization as well.
"My Onee-chan was always a bit brash." She said placing her hand on her forehead.
"Ara ara, or maybe it's thanks to David-san that she feels the need to show off? Or maybe our Shikikan feels the need to show off for her!" Atago said with a giggle.
"Nee-san, please don't encourage them!" Takao said in response.
"Oh? Perhaps maybe you could learn a thing or two from them Takao-chan! Your shoulders are always so stiff!" Atago said grasping her sister's shoulders from behind.
"O-Onee-chan!" Takako squirmed in protest.
All chuckled at the pair's antics before the F-14 cam roaring overhead.
Inside the cockpit, David and Zuikaku watched carefully for the right moment.
Once they were ready Zuikaku called, "Break!"
With that David rolled sharply left and bled off the excess airspeed and checked that the tail hook was down, wings sweeping forward, and speed within flap and landing gear range.
Once established on the downwind leg abeam of the carrier, David lowered the landing gear, and wing flaps.
Both pilot and Kansen then judged their rate of descent perfectly and turned their final approach leg.
David completed his pre-landings checks and Zuikaku made their radio call.
"AIR BOSS, DEFENDER 1, Tomcat, Ball, Six point Five." She said denoting their aircraft type, visual contact with the Optical Landing System, and their fuel remaining in pounds.
"DEFENDER 1, Roger ball, cleared for trap." Enterprise responded.
All aboard the flight deck watched as the Tomcat approached right on the glide path and finally plopped down onto the deck, its tail hook cleanly grabbing the third of the four arresting cables.
Enterprise shook her head but smiled.
"Shit Hot DEFENDER 1! I don't know how you managed that, but head over to the catapult and give me two more just like that!" Enterprise said over the radio.
David and Zuikaku both smiled under their oxygen masks.
"Nice landing Dave!" Zuikaku complimented David.
"Couldn't have done it without you Z!" David replied.
The duo then made two more CAT shots and deck landings before taxing to a parking spot under the guidance of Shoukaku.
They then shut down their engines and descended from their plane with wide smiles.
The couple then removed their helmets and saluted the Admiral smartly before he shook both of their hands.
"Congratulations Commander and Lieutenant! You are now both operational!" He said addressing the pair by their ranks.
The couple then embraced one another as they knew what this meant, and it only further seemed to bond the two that much closer.
"Excellent flying Zuikaku! Color me impressed!" Takao said as she approached.
"I second my sister's opinion, that was quite the show!" Atago agreed.
"That it was, but it was still a bit brash going for the Sierra Hotel break on your first trap!" Enterprise said with a smirk.
"Well, my sister has always been a bit brash, or maybe she was just trying to impress a person or two?" Shoukaku teased her sister.
"Onee-chan!" Zuikaku said blushing beet red.
Shoukaku then rubbed her sister's head before saying, "But I'm very proud of you Zuikaku-nee."
Zuikaku smiled and replied, "You don't have to treat me like a little kid Onee-chan!"
"Onee-chan donken desu!" Shoukaku replied in her native tongue which only caused Zuikaku to blush even deeper.
"Well an excellent job to everyone here, and thanks once again Enterprise and Shoukaku for the assistance on the flight deck. For now, let's RTB and begin preparations for our main objective. Commander, did you have that list I requested?" Brubaker asked David.
"Yes sir, I discussed it with Zuikaku and these are our choices." David replied handing the Admiral a piece of paper with the names of the requested Kansen.
As he looked them over, he raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you certainly chose some interesting personalities Commander, but if anyone can convince those girls to work together, I believe you can." He said in response.
David was just about to reply when he noticed Zuikaku stiffen and become wide-eyed.
He then felt as if he knew the reason why and felt as if someone were trying to reach them somehow.
"What is it Z?" David asked the Crane girl.
"I'm picking up an IFF from a Sakura Empire surface fleet! It sounds like they're sending a distress call as well!" Zuikaku responded before bounding back into the rear seat of the Tomcat.
Thanks to her new rigging coupled with the F-14, the RIO seat had both aerial radar and surface radar capabilities.
Switching the radar from 'AIR' to 'SFC' she data-linked the information from her hull to the Tomcat's display and confirmed what she had felt.
"It's a surface fleet alright, and it looks like they're being pursued by Siren forces!" Zuikaku said looking to David.
David then looked to the Admiral who nodded.
"Go and see what's going on Commander. Enterprise and I will return to the base and sound the alarm as well as send you some reinforcements." Brubaker said.
Enterprise nodded and summoned her own hull in response.
"We'll accompany you Zuikaku! The Sirens shall not torment my countrymen while I yet live!" Takao said courageously as she and her sister deployed their riggings and leapt from Zuikaku's hull.
"I'll be just behind as well Onee-chan. I'll send some scouts out but I'm fairly certain you both will arrive on scene first!" she said with a chuckle.
"Thank you Onee-chan! Let's go Dave-san!" she said as David had just strapped into the front of the Tomcat and donned his helmet and oxygen mask.
Zuikaku did the same before David closed the canopy once more.
Soon they found themselves back on the catapult which now was operating fully automated thanks to Zuikaku's rigging.
The two were then rocketed off the carrier once more and once they were airborne Zuikaku's hull glowed blue before de-materializing into hundreds of blue cubes and vanishing into the fuselage of the Tomcat...