Chap 7

23 0 0
                                    

Three days after taking the Revenge, Midway appeared on our scopes. Once we sent out reconnaissance craft though we realized that we may have bitten off more than we could chew. Along with heavily fortified islands there were several dozen aircraft carriers, destroyers, and patrol boats. A few formations of fighters patrolled the perimeter of the Atoll. The enemy appeared to have been rather busy before the initial invasion. However it did appear that a few of the larger craft had been commandeered from the invaded countries. No matter how you we looked at it this was not going to be an easy fight. 

We stayed just out of radar range from the island watching and waiting. Ships and aircraft came in regularly, carrying supplies, and bringing in troops and equipment. After four days of monitoring the island we launched our own invasion. 

The first thing we did was launch an air offensive. The first wave consisted of the two F-14s, and the A-10. Brandon and John piloted the two fighters while Devon flew the A-10. Each F-14 carried one bomb, two missiles, two hundred and fifty rounds of .22 caliber bullets fired from the forward facing machine gun. The Warthog however carried three bombs, two missiles, and approximately four hundred rounds of .22 caliber bullets. 

While the pilots prepped their planes I went into the radar room to watch the battle. On one wall there were t.v. screens that received signal from video cameras positioned on the underside of the fuselage of every UAV allowing others to watch the progress of the battle. Jared joined me while everyone else prepped the other planes or prepared their own equipment. 

It didn’t take long for the pilots to get their aircraft prepped for flight. Soon they were rolling towards the runway on the top deck. Brandon and John had no trouble getting off the ground. They circled around the ship while they waited on Devon who was having some trouble. His engines refused to fire for some reason. Once they did he almost didn’t get enough speed to get into the air. After getting into the air he nearly ditched into the sea but managed to correct it.

Once he was in the air the two F-14s punched the accelerator and sped off to find potential targets. The slower A-10 followed but was unable to keep up with faster fighters and soon fell way behind.

When the F-14s arrived at the islands I realized that we might have had a problem. The islands where even more heavily defended than our original scouting trips had suggested. The first thing to greet the incoming fighters where the ships who were positioned to meet any hostile aircraft. Further in where the anti-aircraft guns and batteries positioned on the main islands. Anything that did manage to punch through the original defenses would have problems staying there much less getting out. 

Brandon and John set to work on one of the aircraft carriers. They were amazing dodging the artillery fire from both ship and land born guns. They came at her off her starboard side, machine guns blazing, strafing the runway. The .22 caliber guns did only slight damage though. I did see a couple of fuel tanks positioned next to a helicopter erupt in flame, sending flaming fuel onto the flight deck eventually setting fire to a helicopter. Damage control teams quickly suppressed the flames. John then let loose his bomb on top of the bridge putting a gash in the metal but not causing a whole lot of damage. Brandon set his down on the runway punching a good hole in it. 

I got on the intercom and spoke to them, “Don’t damage them too much. We need the supplies that they hold.”

“Roger.”

“Ten-four.” 

“Got  it.”

Just then alarms started blaring and red lights started flashing everywhere. “What the....?”  I looked at the radar screen. A squadron of fighters was coming at us fast off our port side. 

Blood Shattered Skies Book One: RevengeWhere stories live. Discover now