Venomous
Chapter Three
At 0600 hours, it was time for everyone to get ready for action. The barracks erupted in a flurry of activity as all the pilots on duty that day showered and suited up, heading to the Mess to catch a hearty breakfast before Pre-Flight. CG, Connor, Kaveman and Cole could all feel their adrenaline kick in as they prepared for launch.
Climbing into their Arwings and getting strapped in, they all made sure they had good reception on their headsets. Connor and Kaveman showed no sign of their previous animosity, minds strictly on business, as all four ships were taxied into takeoff position. Engines ignited, the team catapulted out of the hanger at full throttle, clearing the housing. Following Kaveman's lead, they pitched sharply upward, gaining altitude at a rapid rate as the ground quickly fell away beneath them.
Falling into formation, Connor and Cole flanked out to to both sides of Kaveman, Connor on the left and Cole on the right, just visible to Kaveman as he looked over his shoulder on either side. CG pulled up to form the rear point of the diamond, just below Kaveman's position and far enough back to be able to spot all three ships.
Kaveman made the call and hitting afterburners, the team jumped from sub-sonic to Mach 1.
As they climbed, enemy blips appeared on their radar screens and pulling into defensive position, the four leveled out, switching to weapons and preparing to engage.
Six single pilot ships came rapidly into view, breaking formation and flanking the four comrades, then cutting in sharply, opening fire. Cole and CG cut right, taking on three ships and Connor and Kaveman cut left, zeroing in on three more.
Connor went low, allowing Kaveman to engage two ships on high. The third shot past her and Connor pulled up sharply, making a vertical 360, rolling at the top to right herself, and took off in pursuit.
Cole and CG, side by side, took out two together, and CG cut low to catch the other who had dodged left to avoid Cole. The enemy and CG were coming straight at each other, and CG opened fire, catching and igniting the ship just as it pulled up to bank over.
Kaveman was able to tag one ship but now the other had shot right and doubled back, forcing Kaveman to pull evasive as the enemy opened on him. Connor had fragged her target and came around, seeing the enemy doggin' Kaveman's tail. He spotted her and banked sharply right to cut in front of her.
Connor watched him shoot past, and let loose on the enemy, damaging his ship as he whipped past in persuit of Kaveman. Connor went 45 vertical and leveled off as Kaveman skid turned and opened up on the damaged ship, taking him out, then jamming into a radical horizontal 45-left, rolling smoothly to right himself and continue on their previous course.
Coming around, Connor shot down to flank him port-side, CG and Cole coming in from the right and falling into formation, starboard and aft, as they sped on to their target zone. Connor let out a Rebel Yell, rolling her ship quickly, making Kaveman laugh as he then corkscrewed three times in succession, making Connor howl gleefully over his headset.
CG was laughing, pulling rolls back and forth behind them, as Cole pulled back and matched his timing. Everyone laughed heartily. This was gonna be a blast!
Kaveman, still laughing, called for Mach 2 and the four pilots went sonic on his mark, leaving nothing behind but four vapor trails.
Over a distant horizon, enemy blips appeared in mass over the team's radars and Kaveman, checking in with Connor, CG and Cole, led them down as a huge conglomeration of strange buildings came into view.
At least a dozen enemy fighters could be spotted, weaving in and out between the structures. Cole broke right and Connor, left, as CG and Kaveman dove sharply, coming in together, straight down the pike.
It was tight, all four team members finding themselves putting their flight skills to the test as the tight turns and sharp banks came at them with breakneck speed. Cole took out two with a smart bomb as he felt enemy fire ping off his port flank. Before he could call for assistance, however, the enemy exploded behind him, as Kaveman had snuck up behind him and opened up.
Connor, chasing an enemy between buildings, rolled vertical just in time to slip between two narrow buildings and nearly collided with two more enemies, cutting in front of her trajectory with CG on their tail.
Pulling up sharply and banking over the top of another building looming swiftly in front of her, she caught the ship she'd been pursuing, jammin her burners to cut through the firebomb that erupted as it crashed into a building and exploded.
Kaveman shot over Cole and rolled sharply to cut left, back into the buildings, looking for more prey. Tagging a ship that whipped past him, he heard CG scold him over his headset, laughing.
"Hey! I spotted him first!"
Kaveman grinned.
"Oops! Sorry, CG!"
Connor launched a smartbomb at three ships that swooped down to cut her off, and pulled up, banking at 12 o'clock high, rolling to catch up with the one that had escaped the blast. Two more pulled in behind her, shooting at her starboard flank. Kaveman came over her headset.
"Keep after the one, I got ya covered."
Connor corkscrewed, firing and connecting with her original target, swooping down with a gasp as the fiery fuselage from the fragged enemy hurtled straight for her, narrowly missing collision. Kaveman shot overhead, having taken out one and on the tail of the other.
Cole and CG spotted each other, jumping out parallel from between two buildings. There were three enemies right in front of them, clear of the structures. The two went after them, pulling dogfight manuevers, fragging them swiftly. Connor swung around from the left, seeing they didn't need assistance and made a wide sweep to watch the proceedings. Kaveman shot out, low, from between the buildings, watching too, accelerating to meet up with Connor as CG and Cole finished up their task and the four pulled into formation, speeding away from the now cleared zone.
They were getting low on fuel, so Kaveman set them on a course to the nearest base, keeping the team low and subsonic.
"Everyone ok?" Kaveman inquired over the comm link. CG replied yes, Cole had some damage on his ship, but nothing major. Connor replied affirmative.
Kaveman smiled to himself. Yep, he thought, I think we'll do ok...
on to Chapter 4