User blog:Heatedpete/Story Mk.II - Skies Above

This is my short story about another part of the world war in SSD's Story Mk.II It follows a multinational group of pilots (known as 999 Squadron) aboard a US Carrier.

For the Record...

 * A Flight is 4 planes
 * A Squadron is 3 Flights

999 Squadron
Major Carl Timmons (USA)- Squadron leader, Flight leader of 999-001

Captain Timothy White (USA)- Flight leader of 999-002

Flight Lieutenant James Padwick (UK)- Flight leader of 999-003

Lieutenant Oliver Taylor (USA)- Pilot

Flying Officer Peter Heath (UK)- Pilot

Lieutenant Nelson Martens (RSA)- Pilot

Chapter 1
The catapult belched steam as another FA/-18 Hornet was slinged off of the Carrier's deck. Naval hands began to work hurriedly as the next plane was brought up for launch. Timmons watched as his plane was slowly connected to the catapult, the nose being raised for maximum lift, the tail cable being hooked on, and the blast barrier raised.

'999 Lead, this is Regan Flyco, standby for go from Flight Operations.' came the call

'999 Lead copies. Standing by for go.' replied Timmons, as he adjusted the flight harness. All instruments are showing green, weapons are green, control surfaces green, he thought, so what's the delay for? Seconds felt like hours as steam leaked from the catapult, with the deck hands covering their faces from the blistering heat.

'999 Lead, we have, err, a problem here. We are ordering a stand down and recovery of all 999 planes'

'What? Please repeat Flyco'

'We are standing down the squadron for a high speed return to Pearl Harbour. War has been declared on the Mongol Empire, and Fleet Command is ordering a regroup.'

'Oh, right.' Timmons switched from Flyco's channel to the squadron's, wondering how to break it to the guys. '999, this is Timmons. We, we have to stand down and recover. Fleet's ordered all US forces to regroup at Pearl Harbour. See you on the ship gentlemen.'

3 days later...

'All right 999, here's the skinny. Soviet submarines attacked one of our naval vessels, sank it with all hands lost. Then a Mongy fighter attacked one of our Carriers in the Gulf of Tonkin, blew a hole in the flight deck. Now, the White House has declared that the Mongolian Empire has attacked the USA and is therefore an enemy of the state.'

'So we're just going to sit here in Pearl Harbour and wait for the Soviets to send some Aircraft Carrier to sink us all in Pearl Harbour II then?' complained Flight Lieutenant Padwick. 'Not what I transferred for.'