Chapter 9
By the time he reached the airfield ten of their ships were
rolled out and ready. He climbed into the cockpit of the first
one and slammed it down. "Air control," he cried,
"we've got ten ships ready to rise. Are we clear?"
"Stand by!" McQueen answered. "We've got some
unfriendlies near the field waiting for any ships attempting to
rise. We are now engaging. Stand by!"
Several minutes passed and McQueen came back. "AI flight
one, the sky is yours! Go! Go!"
Robinson gunned his engine and shot down the runway. One by one
his ships came after him. They had briefly got out of the
atmosphere when a dozen Chigs came after them. The ships twisted
and turned, rose and fell, pounding at each other. One AI ship
headed back to the ground smoking. Another disappeared in a fiery
flash. But one by one The Chigs were blown to pieces.
"AI One," McQueen's voice came "enemy transport
lifting from northwest sector, believed carrying enemy
commanders."
"Anderson, take command!" Robinson snapped "The
transport's mine! Get after those two warships above us."
"On our way!" his wing mate answered.
Robinson spotted the transport and came down on it fast. As he
skimmed the atmosphere, his hull began to glow, but as he rose
back up into the coolness of space it cooled off.
The transport zigged and zagged, rose and fell, trying to shake
the incoming ship. A fighter shot by firing desperately but its
weapons missed. Robinson paid no heed to the transport's fire as
he closed, though one shot made him rock violently he steadied
his ship.
Finally he pressed the firing stud. Two of his missiles roared
away and he climbed. The missiles hit the back of the transport.
It lit up with a tremendous FLASH, seemed to hesitate for a
moment, went on a bit, then became a blazing fireball.
"Transport engaged and destroyed!" Robinson snapped.
"Heading back for the fleet."
"Break left!" a voice screamed, "Break left! Five
Chigs on your tail!" Robinson recognized the voice and threw
his ship hard over. Volleys of fire poured by him then five Chig
ships shot passed followed by five hammerheads with playing cards
painted on their sides. A few moments later there weren't any
more Chigs.
"Good shooting, 58th!" Robinson snapped.
"Not bad, yourself!" Vansen answered. "Fall back
in our V. Safety in numbers. "
They fought on for a few more minutes then the sky seemed
strangely empty.
"All squadrons," came McQueen's voice, "stand
down. Return for refueling and rearmament. All enemy fighters
destroyed. Major enemy ships withdrawing. From commander to all
squadrons, well done!"
"We've got a couple of extra slots in our bay," Vansen
snapped. "That ship looks like a hammerhead. Will lt
fit?"
"Sure will!" Robinson answered.
"Then come on in!" Vansen ordered.
A few minutes later they were climbing from their cockpits. An
officer approached Robinson and saluted. "Commander's
compliments, sir. He would like to see you on our bridge."
"Thank you," Robinson acknowledged. "On my
way." He turned back to the pilots . "And thanks,
58th!" He hurried off.
The next days were confusion as the fleet destroyed what was left
on Hercules then withdrew. Two weeks passed and Capt. Vansen
returned to her quarters one day to find a strange looking
apparatus being attached to the wall.
"What in the blazes is that?" she asked.
"Your new pilot's bunk!" the technician moaned.
"They sleep standing up. This special gizmo takes pressure
off their joints. Never thought I'd be putting one of these in
pilot's quarters!"
When the technicians were done the other pilots gathered around.
"I've seen one of these!" Damphousse suddenly remarked.
"It's an AI recharge unit."
"AI?" Wong stammered.
There was a movement at the door and they all turned to see
Robinson 326 standing there in a fresh new flight uniform. He
came to attention and saluted. "Orders to report to the
captain, ma'am. I have been assigned to your squadron as an
advanced scout."
Vansen noticed the AI wore captain's tags. As if in answer to her
unspoken question he continued "You are senior officer,
ma'am. My captain's rank is only over the other members of the
scouting force assigned to this ship. And only over other members
of the squadron when you see fit."
The captain nodded. "But the rest of the members of the
squadron," she snapped, "better pay attention to that
rank. The corps would not have given it if they did not feel it
appropriate."
The other officers came to attention. "Yes, ma'am!"
they snapped.
"At ease!" Vansen snapped back. Then they all broke
into laughter.
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