Three Strikes [✓]

Reunion

Chapter Nineteen: Reunion

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New Arrows Air Base, Eastern Usea.
August 5th, 2019.
1905hrs.

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The arrival at New Arrows Air Base was nothing like Naomi had been expecting. The base was much larger than the 444th had been, and it was also larger than Fort Grays. Not to mention much livelier than both of those bases. The runway was massive, lined with several hangars on one side. At the end of the row of hangars was a flagpole with an impressively sized Osean flag attached to the top of it. Then, on the other side of the runway were several other buildings, including two control towers and what Naomi could assume were housing for the base personnel. There was a lot of greenery, too, mostly pine trees that towered over the buildings. Naomi and Count both circled around the base in the air and got a good look at it as they waited for Cyclops Squadron and McKinsey's transport to land. The E-3 Sentry that Bandog was aboard had already landed, leaving them to follow.

After Cyclops Squadron landed, McKinsey was guided in, and then it was Count and Naomi's turn. Count went first, carefully landing his Su-33 and following the other aircraft outside one of the empty hangars. Naomi followed, finding the controller guiding her in to be much nicer than the ones at Zapland. She was happy about that, but she'd only been getting more and more nervous so the relief and joy was overshadowed by her anxiousness. As soon as everyone was landed and Naomi and Count were out of their planes and flight gear, they joined Cyclops Squadron beside McKinsey's transport, where Bandog was waiting as well. McKinsey exited, followed by several soldiers, all armed and eyeing Count and Naomi with suspicion.

"Colonel McKinsey, welcome to New Arrows Air Base," Wiseman greeted with a smile, his hands clasped together behind his back. Naomi and Count nearly laughed as Wiseman, unbeknownst to McKinsey, made a carefully disguised jab at their commander, "I know it's not as glamorous as you might be used to, but it gets the job done." There was a pause as McKinsey looked around at his surroundings, almost impressed. Wiseman was quick to speak up again, gesturing to a pilot with tanned skin and curly black hair as he did, "Commander, if you'd please follow our lieutenant here, he'd be happy to show you to our commander. And if it's alright with you, I'd like to have a word with your escorts as well as Bandog."

McKinsey considered this for a moment, eyeing the lieutenant that stepped forward with a friendly, relaxed smile. "Very well, then, Major," he said with a nod. He glared daggers at Count and Naomi as he passed them, turning away from the hangars. "Remember not to say or do anything you'll regret. You're still under my command for the time being and I expect even the pair of you to understand that." Just like that, he left them with Wiseman, following the lead of the friendly lieutenant that gave both Count and Naomi a sympathetic smile.

Once they were out of earshot and as soon as McKinsey's soldiers went back inside the transport, Wiseman turned away from the plane and led them to the hangar where Cyclops Squadron had parked their incredibly good looking aircraft. Naomi and Count followed after them as Wiseman motioned for them to follow. Naomi looked around at the other pilots that had flown with Wiseman that day. Lieutenant Dave Winters and Lieutenant Erika Hirose. Both of them known better by their callsigns, Fencer and Húxiān respectively. Fencer muttered something to Húxiān as both of them regarded the Spare pilots and Bandog with some concern. Húxiān said something back to him before giving a friendly, reassuring smile to them.

When they entered the hangar it was much clearer to Naomi how out of place they were. Naomi and Count wore brighter green flight suits that were discolored with dirt and other grime, with a prisoner number on one arm and a Spare patch on the other. No name or any form of identification aside from that. Bandog was the same, wearing simple OADF fatigues with a Spare patch and an Osean flag. Whereas the crew and other pilots in the hangar all looked like regular soldiers. Their flight suits were more of a grayish-green that Naomi was used to seeing in the IUN and they wore a patch above their breast pocket with their wings and full name and rank. On one shoulder was the Osean flag and an LRSSG patch, and the pilots all wore a patch on their other shoulder that was the emblem of either Cyclops Squadron or Strider Squadron.