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Flyboys (Part One)
Date: 25 August 2008, 9:16 pm
1742 hours, April 27th, 2546 (Military Calender)/Genesis Theater of Operations
"Say good by split-chin." Captain Robert Lang thumbed the fire button on the joystick and let loose one of the four ASGM-10 missiles on his C709 Longsword interceptor, Bravo-16, and watched as it collided with a Covenant Seraph fighter. The missile blew through the small craft's shields and destroyed a portion of it's armor. Robert then fired a small burst from his ships 110mm rotary guns and watched the Seraph be ripped apart by the heavy rounds. Robert then put the ship into a tight roll to avoid the wreckage of the ship floating in space and then dived under a nearby UNSC destroyer, the Apache.
"Nice one Bravo-16," said Robert's wingman, Bravo-17, "that was some nice shooting."
"Thanks, but cut the chatter. There's still more work to do."
"I here ya. Forming up."
Bravo-17 then followed Bravo-16 as they flew towards the main battle. The covenant had arrived in system 2 hours early with a carrier, a destroyer, and 7 frigates. The 5 UNSC ships stationed at Genesis had either been cripled or destroyed in the battle but had managed to destroy 3 of the covenant frigates and prevent the covenant from glassing the planet. The UNSC ships managed to send a distress signal to all nearby force and reinforcements had been quick to arrive. The Yorktown battlegroup had arrived and had immediatly engaged the covenant fleet. The battlegroup consisted of the UNSC Yorktown, a Marathon-class cruiser, the UNSC Concord, a carrier, 5 destroyers, and 7 frigates. Robert and the other Longsword pilots had immediatly gotten into their ships and had flown out to help destroy the covenant ships.
A bright light suddenly flashed through the ships cockpit, illuminating Robert and his copilot 1st Lieutenant Vincent Melia. Robert looked out the starboard window to see the UNSC Constantinople, one of the frigates, explode as it suffered multiple hits from plasma torpedos.
"Oh shit, did you see that Rob?"
"Yeah, I see it Vinny. How's the fuel levels look?"
"Fuel levels are at 85% sir."
Suddenly a trio of Seraph fighters flew past the cockpit chasing Delta-11, one of the other fighters.
"This is Delta-11! I need support now! I've got a trio of serpahs on my tail and I can't shake 'em!"
"Roger that Delta-11, this is Bravo-16, we'll get them."
Robert then gunned the engines of his fighter and chased after the fighters. He fired opened up with the 110mm and fired at the lead ship. It's shields weakened under the barrage of bullets and then failed, allowing the bullets to rip through the ship and blow it apart. One of the other Seraphs peeled off while the other stayed on Delta-11's tail.
"Bravo-17, get that fighter that just flew off."
"You got it sir, I'll get the bastard."
Robert then chased after the Seraph that was still in hot pursuit of Delta-11.
"Vinny, can we get a missle lock on this guy?"
"Working on it."
Robert tried to shoot down the fighter but the seraph but only managed to destroy it's shields.
"Any day now Vinny."
"We have a lock."
Robert fired the ASGM-10 missile which collided with the seraph destroying it, but not before the Seraph fired pulse lasers a Delta-11. Robert watched as the lasers collided with Delta-11's port wing and blew the wing off.
"I've been hit! Port wing's gone! I can't control it!"
Delta-11 then flew out of control and collided with the shields of the covenant frigate.
"Damn it!" Robert pulled up and flew past the edge of the frigate. Robert then saw the UNSC ships fire their MAC guns towards the covenant ships he just flew past. Robert then pressed a button which broguht up the ship's stern camera view onto the display screen. Robert watched as the remaining covenant frigates were ripped apart by multiple MAC rounds and the destroyer was took a direct MAC hit to it's reactor and exploded in a ball of flame.
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!"
"Don't celebrate yet Vinny, we still have to take out that carrier."
The covenant carrier was still intact, but it's shields were down and it was deploying more and more seraph fighters. The 9 UNSC ships that hadn't been destroyed or severly damaged then fired hundreds of Archer missles at the covenant carrier, and small explosions appeared all over the side of the carrier.
"All ships, this is Rear Admiral Richard Ippoliti. Concentrate all fire on the carrier. All fighters concentrate on those seraphs and keep them away from our ships."
"You heard him boys," said Major Scott Craig, the squadron leader, "give em hell."
"Roger that Major."
Robert and the rest of the squadron then engaged the neaby enemy fighters.
1925 hours, April 27th 2546 (Military Calender)/fighter pilot barracks of UNSC Concord, Yorktown Battlegroup
"God am I tired."
The men of the 48th Naval Air Squadron relaxed in the barracks on the UNSC Concord. Robert looked around and saw his fellow squadmates as well as other relaxing, eating, excersising, and one or two men where sleeping.
"Hey Mikey. You made it!"
"Yeah, looks like those damn aliens still can't kill me."
Mike Marmo was one of Robert's child hood friends. They had both grown up together and had both joined the Naval Academy. They both became Longsword pilots and were both quickly promoted due to their excellence in piloting. Now they were both wingmen.
"Hey, did you read the casulty report Rob?"
"I try not to."
"Here," Micheal went to the nearby computer and accessed the casulty report, "read it."
Robert scanned the casulty report. The battle had been a victory for the most part, if several thousand dead is a victory. The 5 UNSC ships already at Genesis had been almost completly destroyed. Two of the three frigates were utterly destroyed while the two destroyers were heavily damaged. It would take almost a year to make them spaceworthy again. One of the friages however had only been moderatly damaged, but would still require months of repairs. The Yorktown battlegroup was much luckier. The lost only one destroyer and three frigates. One destroyer had been severly crippled while the rest of the fleet suffered minor damage. The entire covenant fleet had been destroyed and they had luckily not glassed the planet.
"How are the marines doing?"
"They're clearing up the covenant troops that managed to land on the planet. They're also preparing to evac the civilians."
"Why, we won."
"Yeah, but the covenant knows we're here, so they'll probably come back, but in greater numbers."
"Same as always."
"Let's hope the fleet can hold the line. I heard that our battlegroup's heading back to Reach while Admiral Gerov's fleet stays here and hold the line."
After the battle had ended, Admiral Gerov arrived with 20 ships to supplement the ships already there.
Suddenly the ship's intercom came to life.
"Prepare for slipspace transit. All nonessential crew members head to cryo-chambers for freezing."
"Great. Alright guy's, let's head to the freezer."
The rest of the men lazily got up and headed to the cryo chambers for freezing.
Flyboys (Part Two)
Date: 3 September 2008, 4:00 pm
1400 hours, July 14th 2546 (Military Calender)/Arcadia space port
Lieutenant Robert Lang sat with the rest of the men and women of the 48th Naval Air Squadron. They had arrived at Arcadia two months ago and had spent the last two months relaxing. They had been engaged for the past two years and had gotten barely any R&R, so any time they got was welcome. Arcadia was one of the best places to go on shore leave, the planet was well know for it's many entertainment complexs and is known to be a tropical paradise. As a reult, it was one of the most populated worlds in the human-explored galaxy.
"Hey Robert," said Lieutenant Vincent Melia, "Did you here what happened to Admiral Gerov's fleet?"
"No, what happened."
Vincent's always cheerful face turned into a depressed frown.
"They got practically wiped out. Only 3 ships made it."
Robert gasped.
"Are you kidding me? They had 20 ships!"
"Yeah, but the covenant had 30.
"Goddamn it," Robert exclaimed, "did they get to evacuate the civilians?"
Vincent shook his head. It had been like this for years. The Covenant would just show up and blow whatever ships the UNSC had in-system and then they would just glass the planet. Sometimes they even sent in their ground forces to slaughter the civilians. The UNSC was losing, despite what the altered news said. The Outer colonies were practically wiped out, except for at least 100 worlds.
Robert looked out the spaceport window and saw the transport that would take the pilots up to the UNSC Concord, the carrier they were stationed on. Major Scott Craig, the squardon leader stood up.
"Alright flyboys! Let's get going."
'Flyboys' was the nickname for the 48th Naval Air Squadron. No one knows when the nickname was made, but it stuck and the squadron has been known as 'The Flyboys' ever since.
Robert got up and grabed his things.
"You heard the man Vinny, let's go."
1440 hours, July 14th 2546 (Military Calender)/bridge of UNSC Concord
Captain Zachary Jessup looked out of the viewport of the bridge. He saw several merchant and civilian ships floating in orbit as well as 8 other UNSC ships in orbit. There was the Yorktown, one of the UNSCs mighty cruisers, the Saratoga, one of the UNSC's many destroyers, the Lexington, another destroyer, the Normandy, one of the UNSC's frigates, the Gettysburg, the Commonwealth, the Gorgon, and the Ardennes all in orbit.
"Captain, we're ready for slipspace transition."
"Roger that, prepare to..."
"Captain," the officer at one of the stations on the bridge exclaimed, "we have slipspace ruptures nearby!."
Zachary turned to the lieutenant.
"Bring it up on the main screen."
The image of a slipspace portal appeared on screen. Then, to the horror of the men on the bridge, 10 covenant warship came out of slispace.
"My god..."
"Sir, getting priotority message from the Yorktown, patching through."
Zachary then saw the face of Rear Admiral Richard Ippoliti popped on screen.
"All UNSC ships in near Arcadia regroup at Rally Point Alpha. Covenant forces have entered the system and headed towards Arcadia."
The message then disapeared from screen. Zachary and the rest of the bridge crew were in silent for a bit. Zachary then stood up.
"You heard the man! Move to Rally Point Alpha now! Execute Cole Protocol and wipe the navigation database. I want the MAC gun charged and Archer pods 1-10 ready to fire! Get everyone to battlestations now. Scramble all fighters. Do it now!"
1403 hours, July 14th 2546 (Military Calender)/starboard hanger A-2 of UNSC Concord
Robert and the rest of the squadron walked off the shuttle and into the open hanger of UNSC Concord. Robert looked through the crowd and saw Micheal Marmo several yards ahead of him. He jogged over to him.
"Hey Mikey, how was your shore leave."
"Eh, it was okay."
"Okay? Anything exciting happen?"
Micheal smilied and replied, "Well, I did meet someone."
"Really," Robert nudged Micheal with his arm, "what's her name? That is, assuming it is a she."
"Screw off Rob," Micheal then pushed Robert, "it's a girl, her name's Christina."
"Well maybe you can keep in touch with her."
"Maybe, I jus-"
The ship's intercom then crackled to life.
"All hands to battlestations, the covenant have arrived in system. Scramble all fighters!"
"Shit," Robert turned to Vincent and Micheal, "well, let's get to it."
The rest of the men and women of the squadron increased their pace and ran to the figher pilots baracks where they quickly changed into their flight suits. Everyone then ran through the hallways to the hangers where their fighters were. Robert ran into the hanger where his fighter and two more were located.
"Come on Vinnie, let's go!"
Robert and Vincent clambered up the ramp into their C709 Longsword fighter. They then ran into the cockpit and got into their respective seats. Vincent then closed the boarding ramp and started the engines while Robert made sure that the weapons were active and fully loaded.
"Back hatch is closed, engines warming."
"Rotary guns are fully loaded, ASGM-10 and Scorpion missiles are armed."
Robert then saw the two other fighter's engines light up as well. A light then lit up on the display panel indicating he was clear for take off. Robert increased the throttle and the space fighter rocketed out of the hanger, followed by the two other fighters in the hanger.
Robert then flew his fighter in formation with the rest of his squadron. The com then crackled to life.
"All wings, report in," said Colonel William Shephard, the commander of the 17th Naval Air Wing. The rest of the squadrons then gave their callsign over the com.
Robert then looked at one of the display panels in the cockpit. It showed that their were 10 covenant ship, 2 carriers, 3 destroyers, and 5 frigates accelerated towards the UNSC fleet. Robert also noticed that from the Covenant ships, about 200 covenant Seraph fighters flew towards the UNSC battlegroup ahead of the warships. There were only about 100 C709 Longswords however, which meant the odds were against the human pilots.
"Here they come!"
The two groups of fighter accelerated towards each other at top speed. The Longswords fired their 110 rotary guns and fired a salvo of ASGM-10 and Scorpion missiles.
"Every one, break formation and attack all enemy Seraph fighters until further orders are given."
The 100 fighters broke formation and tried to evade the incoming fire from the Seraph fighters. Robert glanced at the display as he dodged a small plasma torpedo fired from a seraph, the covenant's version of the ASGM-10. He noticed about 90 of the seraphs were destroyed in the opening salvo but about 80 of the Longswords had been shot down when they broke formation.
Robert then gunned the engines and fired the 110 rotary guns on trio of enemy fighers and watched as their shields failed and they exploded soundlessly is space. Robert then maneuvered behind a Seraph fighter and fired one of his ships unguided Scorpion missiles. The missile flew towards and connected with the fighter before it was able to dodge the missile.
"Nice shot Bravo-16?"
"Thanks Alpha-5."
Robert then saw plasma fire shoot past the cockpit.
"Shit," Vinny yelled and brought of the stern camera view on one of the screens. It show a duo of covenant fighters right on their tail.
"This is Bravo-16, I got to Seraphs on my tail."
"Roger that Bravo-16," said Major Scott Craig, "this is Bravo Leader. We'll get 'em for you."
Robert then dodged the plasma weapons as best he could, narrowly missing several of the small plasma torpedos.
"Bravo Leader, I could use some help."
Robert got no response.
"Bravo Leader do you copy! This Bravo-16, I've got two bogeys on my tail, I can't shake 'em!"
Robert still no response.
"Shit, we're gonna die Robert."
"Shut up Vinny!"
Robert then did a barrel roll.
"Anyone, this is Bravo-16, I need help, I got two bogey's on my tail. I CAN'T SHAKE THEM!"
Suddenly Robert saw two ASGM-10 missiles streak past the cockpit towards the two ship behind him. He saw the two fighters explode on the dispaly screen in front of him.
"This is Bravo-17, you okay down there Robby."
"Thanks Micheal, I owe you one."
"No problem."
Robert then fired his 2 remaining ASGM-10 missiles which homed in on the nearest covenant ships and blew them to pieces.
Robert then turned towards the UNSC fleet. He saw the ships firing their MAC cannons and firing Archer missiles. He then looked at the Covenant fleet, which was surprisingly closer to the planet, and watched as they fired pulse lasers and plasma torpedos at the fleet. He watched the MAC rounds explode into the Covenant ships, but less half of the ship were destoryed. That left 1 carrier, 1 destroyer, and 4 frigates left to deal with whatever UNSC ship survived.
He then saw the torpedos and pulse laser impact the fleet, utterly destroying several ships. The Concord, Gorgon, Commonwealth, and the Lexington were hit by plasma torpedos and were utterly destroyed. The Ardennes took a pulse laser to her port and the side of the ship seemed to light on fire as the plasma burned. The ship quickly vented atmosphere from the breached sections, but the ships was horribly damaged. The Yorktown took a plasma torpdedo to it's starboard hull but was able to hold together, despite the massive burning hole in it's side. The Gettysburg and the Saratoga also suffered damage from pulse lasers, but not as severe.
Suddenly, 16 more covenant ships arrived in system. A message was then broadcast on the priority channel.
"This is Rear Admiral Richard Ippoliti, all units retreat at random vectors. All fighters head to nearest ship and dock immediatly. We're pulling out."
Robert immediatly gunned the engines towards the Yorktown.
1437 hours, July 14th, 2546 (Military Calender)/hallway of UNSC Yorktown.
Robert just stodd in the hallway looking out into space. Technically it wasn't even space because the Yorktown was now in slipspace, a realm between realms. Robert heard foot steps behind him and saw Colonol William Shephard. Robert turned and saluted.
"At ease Lieutenant."
Robert lowered his arm.
"Shouldn't you be at the cryo chambers."
"I was going to ask you the same thing sir."
"Good point. Anyway, I have a propostion for you."
That caught Robert's attention.
"What might that be Colonol?"
"As you probably know, Major Scott Craig was shot down."
Robert sighed.
"Yes sir, he was a good squadron leader, one of the best pilots of ever seen."
"Yes, yes he was. However, with his unfortuante death, that leaves the position for squadron leader open. You're one of my best pilots, I want you to be the new leader of the 48th Naval Air Squadron."
Robert was slightly surprised.
"Sir, I'd be honored to command the 48th."
Will smiled.
"Good, I'll get the paperwork settled and you'll be promoted when we get back to Reach. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to speak with the captain."
The colonol then walked towards the bridge whil e Robert headed to the cryo chamber.
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