February 23rd, 2017, 1110 hours [11:10 AM]
Juan arrived at the ready room; Anthony and Kim were already there.
"What's cracking, folks! Told ya I was comming in a jiffy, didn't I?", he chuckles while greeting both.
"We've been waiting for you, man! What took you?", Anthony asked.
Kim chuckled. "Well, Anthony...this was his first carrier landing. It's not as easy as riding a bike. Glad you trapped in one piece, Stutz."
"I got the #2 wire, so it was good enough. So...is the General coming along?"
"Yes, in 2 hours.", a man came into the room. His uniform indicated he was the captain. Everyone saluted. "At ease. I'm Charles Weaver, Captain of the HKMS Exxelsior. Glad for you Boomslangs to be here. Who's the leader?"
Anthony stood up and saluted. "I am, sir. Captain Anthony Cleroux of the Royal Kesalian Air Force. Prosperian Air Force's Kimberly Meitzen is Boomslang 2 and Wyvernian Air Force's Lieutenant Stutz is Boomslang 3...I guess you can say that we're a multinational unit", Anthony added with a chuckle.
"It's an honor to have you aboard my ship. Make yourselves at home and fix some coffee or tea for yourselves until the General arrives." Captain Weaver said.
"Yessir, thank you!", Juan replied while going straight to the coffee machine.
-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------
1320 hours [1:20 PM]
The General's helicopter finally arrived at the carrier. Captain Weaver went to inform the Boomslangs.
"Everyone, the General is here. Please take your seats and prepare for the briefing.", he said.
"Yessir!", they complied.
In a matter of minutes, the General entered the room, greeted the Captain and proceeded for the proper briefing.
"Thank you, Captain Weaver. It's good to see you all again...but as we know, time is now a luxury we don't have. The Ruvanian fleet is headed to meet us and will be within attack range in about half an hour. Their objective will be to decimate our fleet and take the ports on the Kesalian coast. If they succeed, they'll be able to provide reinforcements and resupply the occupational forces in the capital. We must prevent that at all costs, the Boomslangs will be spearheading the fight against the enemy.", General celuchu said as he took a breath to continue. "If we do manage to defeat their fleet, then we can prepare for our final operation to take back our capital. This is all I have to say. Any questions?"
"When do we launch, General?" Anthony asked.
"Immediately, Mr. Cleroux."
"Yes sir! Boomslang's get to your birds...this operation is a go!" Anthony said as he grabbed his flight helmet.
"Aye, Captain!", Juan said.
"This is it, guys!", Kim added.
-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------
1325 hours [1:25 PM]
A Navy crew chief approaches the trio as they enter the hangar
"Greetings, Boomslangs! I am Petty Officer Third Class Gonzalez. Seeing as how your third pilot already has his own plane, I'm going to be assigning you two a couple of F-14D's from my Squadron...they may not be Raptor's, but they get the job done.", the officer talked to Anthony and Kim.
"Cats are awesome!! Let's not waste any more time!", Juan said as he headed to his R-2E.
Anthony chuckled. "Can't wait to fly my first Tomcat! I always dreamed of flying one."
"Now's your chance, man. Go for it!", Juan spoke through his comm, already inside the Whirlwind's cockpit.
Kim then let off a nervous laugh.
"Well...my first carrier launch, here goes nothing!"
"Anthony, let her go first. We'll follow right after! After all...ladies first.", Juan chuckled, starting the engine.
"You jerks!" Kim said over the comm.
"Relax darling, you'll do fine."
Kim taxied to the first catapult and the crew tied down her plane.
"Boomslang 2, you are cleared to launch, set engines to military power but do not engage afterburner."
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Kim is launched off the carrier from zero to 200 knots in just a few seconds.
"Oh my God oh my God!!", she then pulled back on the stick and gained altitude.
"Let...let it be the LAST time I agree to operate from a damn carrier!"
"You gotta land too, you know." Anthony replied.
"SHIT!!" Kim shouted.
"At least you have 4 chances for a catch when landing...", Juan waited for Anthony to take off.
"Brilliant! How the hell can you miss, then?" Kim said sarcastically.
Anthony taxied to the catapult and waited for the signal to launch.
"I'm staying out of this one...because it looks like Juan freed Kim's inner smart ass...", he replied while trying contain his laughter.
Anthony was soon launched into the air after Kim.
"WHOOOO HOOOO!! Ah man, I should've joined the Navy!"
Juan aligned his plane for launch.
"Easier said than done, Miss! It's not a simple task to land a 10, 15-ton jet on a mobile runway while making sure you hit the exact spot...", the crew tied him down to the catapult.
"Boomslang 3, cleared to launch, set engines to military power, but do not engage afterburner."
"Aye aye, sir!", he saluted to the crew team. Like Kim, he's launched from 0 to 200 knots in mere seconds. "HOOOOYAAAAAAAAHH!"
-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------
1342 hours [1:42 PM]
After they were all in formation, a quick heads-up from the AWACS.
"Darkstar to all planes, this is it...the Ruvanian fleet is approaching. As said in the briefing, Tomcat units will provide top cover for the F-18's and F-35's engage the fleet. I wish you all the best and a safe return."
"Understood!", everyone replied.
"Boomslang 10 to Boomslang 1...any idea what we'll face out there?"
"Not too sure, Boomslang 10...SU-33's and MiG-29K's might be the norm or they might send some J-31's our way."
5 minutes later, the first contact blipped on Juan's radar.
"Boomslang 3 here, looks like we'll have the answer in a jiffy, guys! I got 2...3...8...no, make that 24 contacts at 12 o' clock, 130 miles! Boomslang 1 nailed it, SU-33's and MiG-29K's. No signs on J-31's, fortunately.", Juan spoke to the squadron.
"Boomslang 1 to Darkstar, rules of engagement?"
"You are cleared to engage any and all Ruvanian aircraft! MiG-29K's take top priority.", Darkstar replied.
"One, 3 here. Permission to switch to mini-AWACS mode.", Juan asked Anthony.
"Go for it, 3." Anthony replied.
"Boomslang 2 here...activating IRST...these Tomcats may look old but they have some serious goodies...", Kim added.
Juan switched his aircraft's radar to "mini-AWACS" mode, in which he can track up to 40 targets and designate them accordingly to the entire squadron, via datalink.
"Alright, folks. Each one takes a bandit. All of you already got your targets, now let's splash them! Boomslang 3, Fox Three!", he fires an AIM-140 Stormbreaker.
"Boomslang 1 Fox Three!"
"Boomslang 2 Fox Three! Come on baby, don't miss..."
Sure enough, all 3 missiles hit their targets.
"Hooyah!"
Everyone fired their missiles, but some of the enemies managed to avoid them. A MiG was chasing one of the allies.
"Boomslang 11, I got a bogey on my tail! I can't shake him!"
"Hang on, 11! 3 is on the move!", Juan replied as he flew towards the enemy chasing his ally. "I got you now...", he turned on his IRST and locked on the MiG..."Fox Two!", he fired a "Cukiro" missile.
The MiG popped flares, but...it didn't work. *kaboom*
"Bogey down, you're good to go, 11!", Juan told the fellow Boomslang.
"Thanks, 3! I owe you one!"
-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------/////////-----------------------
1353 hours [1:53 PM]
Meanwhile...
"Boomslang 1 here, I'm engaged with two MiG-29's; one is carrying an air-to-surface load...he's my top priority...GUNS GUNS GUNS!", Anthony said as he fired the 20mm at the MiG.
"3 copies that, 1. 2, I'm sending you the other one, splash him!", Juan spoke to Kim while locking on the other MiG and sending the data to her plane.
"Boomslang 2, roger that...Fox Two!", The missile hits its target.
"Boomslang 6 here...my plane's been hit and I can't eject. Please tell my wife and child...I love them...*static*", an F-18E exploded in mid-air, carrying air-to-surface ordnance.
"DAMMIT! We lost a pilot..." Kim shouts.
Without a word, Juan tracked down the aggressor and took it out of the sky with the HITEBE laser, cutting the SU-33's fuselage in two, like a samurai cutting bamboo. Only then he proceeded to say something.
"...understood.", was all he said.
Without a word, Anthony and Kim moved to their next targets as well. But things were about to get worse...
"Attention! Boomslang 3 to all units, I'm picking a hell lot of new hostiles, but they have a signature pattern I've never seen before...could be a new model!", Juan told his friends.
Out of nowhere, a Prosperian Rafale exploded!
"THIS IS IRON MAIDEN SIX, SHE'S BREAKING UP!!", screamed a Prosperian pilot.
"Where the hell did that shot come from?!" Anthony said.
Not long after, a Wyvernian Gripen was the next to blow up, not even giving time for the pilot to report. The new foes came into visual range: small, very agile UCAV's, armed with lasers!
"Shit, drones! Everyone, evasive maneuvers! I repeat, EVASIVE MANEUVERS!", Juan instructed the group while trying to avoid direct fire.
Anthony and Kim threw their Tomcats into full power and headed for the deck.
"Darkstar, anyone! Requesting a sitrep!!" Anthony said.
Then, a familiar voice spoke on the radio.
"Boomslangs, this is Nosey. Avoid contact with the enemy! Retreat!"
"Boss?!", Juan asked.
"My boy! Your planes are no match for these drones, stand back!"
"Roger that, Nosey...Boomslang 2 and 3, close up formation!", Anthony and the trio then began their retreat.
Kim sighed and looked at her hand as it shook...a sign of stress and fear.
"We need to come up with a game plan, guys...any ideas?" she asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine...Kimmy.", Anthony replied.
Suddenly...
"BOOMSLANG 4 HERE, I GOT A DRONE RIGHT AFTER ME!"
This was serious...Izumi! Juan didn't think twice before breaking formation from the group with a Pugachev's Cobra and heading to help his girlfriend.
"4, hold on! I'm coming for ya!", he threw his R-2E into afterburner and went straight towards the target. Right before his eyes, the drone was relentlessly firing its laser at her F-16XL. He locked onto the drone and fired two infrared missiles...and the bastard dodged both! It was about to fire at her again, but...!!!!
*sound of explosion*
"JUAN!!", Izumi screamed in fear as she looked back and saw his R-2E, who was between her plane and the drone, with everything after the main wing missing, the entire rear engulfed in a fireball and the bird beginning to fall in spiral, nose pointed to the sea!
"Darling...I did what I had to...I...I lo-*static*"
"BOOMSLANG 4, 3'S BEEN SHOT DOWN!! JUAN, NOOOOOOO!!", she burst into tears.
"BOOMSLANG 3!! JUAN....DARKSTAR I NEED SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS ASAP!!", Anthony shouted.
"Negative, Boomslang 1....rescue teams are advised to stay at the rear of the fleet because the airspace is too hot."
"This is a load of BULLSHIT!", Kim added.
"Look! Don't tear me a new one because i'm following procedure...this is war and unfortunately one single pilot is an expendable asset." Darkstar replied.
"Darkstar...I am severely disappointed in you...I thought my servicemen were better than that.", said a familiar voice...it was King Armistead himself!
There was a moment of silence on the radio. And then...
"Nosey here. Initiating SAR operations. Screw the battlefield, we're not giving up!!", Nathan stated and began to descend his BO-733 to sea level; quite dangerous, but it was a risk he was willing to take, for the sake of his friend.