We get confirmation that the F14 is getting closer and closer but they are running into challenges. Radar picked up two bandits which initiated a dog fight. As they lost the bandits Rooster, in the back seat I presume, was able to get them in contact with the ship. Although it didn't last long until another bandit was spotted alarming them.
Hangman and I are sitting in our planes. He was given the approval to set off and help them out. Me, I was advised to stay back unless necessary. I knew the limits of the F-14 and considering they had a dog fight with two fifth generation fighters I knew they'd run out of ammunition and missiles as well as flares.
We glance at each other and as I put on my mask I say to him, "bring them home." He nods understandingly and in moments time his engines are fired off and he flies into the air running into their position.
I let out a rattly breath hoping for the best. The command center reaches me through my comms. "Dagger-Spare 2 there are two bandits west of Dagger-1. You have permission to intercept."
Finally, some action.
I roll out onto the runway preparing for take off. I turn on my engines and within a minute I am thrusted forward lifting off the ship. I head into the direction of the bandits watching them on my radar. I keep Rooster and Hangman in mind as two red dots are planted on my screen with a third nearest to my father.
"Dagger in pursuit of bandits. Kamanchi, radar check."
"Dagger, Kamanchi, bandits ten miles out coming fast."
"Copy."
Increasing my speed I fly higher closer to the clouds thinning the air. My plane connects me to the other too and I am happy when I see an explosion and one of our friendly F-18s come out of the smoke. I'm closer than anticipated. To my right I find the bandits flying east towards my dad, Rooster and Hangman.
In a cocky tone I hear, "good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, this is your savior speaking, please fasten your seatbelts, return trade tables to their locked and upright positions, and prepare for landing."
"Hey Hangman, you look good."
Tears brim my eyes hearing my brother's voice for the first time in what feels like days. "I am good, Rooster, I'm really good."
"I'm glad you guys are okay," I say to them.
"Viper?"
"The one and only," I turn roughly, coming over the top of one of the bandits. "As great as it is I need to take care of these bandits that are ready to intercept you guys."
There's a pause for a moment, "do you need a hand?"
I target lock on one of the bandits, releasing a missile blowing it to smithereens. They curse at the sight spotting me to the west. "Nope," I state blankly. I dive down avoiding the guns being shot at my tail. Swerving left and right I announce to the group, "get back to the base I'll see you back on deck."
They listen to the command and head back to base.
I won't lie, this is currently one of my fears. Solo mission in taking down bandits. It reminds me a lot of my mission seeing as I'm flying over the ocean. It's hard to push aside that reminder and focus on the task at hand.
I bolt south closer to the ship watching Hangman land safely back on deck and my father flying around it planning his plan of landing. Everyone rushes to bring up the barricade and lift the nets to catch them as they have no landing gear.
I pull my lever up and back, having me soar above the last bandit landing behind him. I take my shot shooting him with a missile in which he deflects with flares. "Seriously?" He takes a left as I follow, getting the upper hand on him. Using my guns I shoot rapidly, nicking him but it has no intense damage. I groan in frustration seeing as this is turning more difficult to complete. I manage to get a target lock once again, shooting him with my ammo. He does some weird pilot shit doing a three sixty spin looking like some weird ass cart wheel popping up a mile behind me. "Oh shit."
Getting a good angle of the ship I see dad and Rooster have safely landed with many people surrounding them.
Good for them.
I shake myself out of the thought of looking for the plane again. I soar upward and away from the ship hoping for a better visual which only ends up putting a target on my back, or my face I should say. At some point the plane got in front of me coming from below and shooting towards the nose of my plane damaging my landing gears.
"Fuck! Command Center. My landing gears have been damaged and I won't be able to land."
"Dagger eject and get back to base."
I shake my head to myself, "no, not with a bandit in the sky."
3rd POV:
Maverick and Rooster were celebrating on deck with the others apologizing silently through a long hug that was long overdue. Hangman gave his congratulations through a handshake before falling into the background. Putting his helmet back on and sitting in his plane he listens to the ongoing conversation between Kamanchi and Viper.
Over the many loud voices he stood up looking at Maverick and bellows, "MAVERICK!"
The surviving pilot looks up to him seeing the disquiet expression plastered on the young lieutenant's face. He jogs over disconnecting his mask from the plane, allowing communication to be heard by both men.
Hearing the struggles of his daughter, Maverick sends out a command clearing the deck. Hangman, Maverick and Rooster run up to the glass room of the ship where Admiral Simpson and Bates are still conversing with Viper.
"What's going on?"
"The bandit hit her landing gear. Since we used the net for you, it won't be ready for her to land. She's running out of options. She was commanded to eject but she refuses to do it until the bandit is out of the sky. She's still going after it."
The woman in the plane dodges quickly, taking another hit to her plane. She mumbles something incoherent under her breath as she flies back. Her engine light pops on making her roll her eyes.
"It's always the damn engine." She initiated her final plan of attack quickly by decreasing her speed, rolling under the fifth generation fighter. She pops the nose of the plane up keeping a good distance. Target lock is activated and she takes the shot. Successfully she hits the plane, blowing it up.
"Contact made, bandit destroyed."
Facing hardship in turning the plane around to head back closer to the ship, her second engine goes out.
"Second engine has also gone out, there's no way to recover."
"Viper..." That voice she recognized instantly. She swings her head around watching the ship as her plane descends quickly towards the water in a nose dive. In fear she gulps seeing herself approach it faster and faster. "Viper, we have you, it won't be like last time."
Her mind jogs recalling the tragic event nearly ending her life years ago. The pain, the cold, the blood. It surfaces to the front of her mind unintentionally making it the only thing she can think of."
"Devyn," the sound of her name snaps her to the present and she sighs, "don't think, just do. You don't have to be afraid."
"Mav-"
"I promise you," he says slowly, "it won't be like last time."
The reassurance of her father's voice eases her mind and heart. Her heart beat regulates as she sucks in a breath, leveling her wings and ejecting out of the plane.
Being ejected from her plane she watches as there's no explosion, no shrapnel and her chute catches her. The plane crashes into the water making a large splash. About a hundred feet away she plunged into the water. She swims to the top gasping for air as she floats. She leans her head back as the helmet contacts the water, breathing calmly, closing her eyes. She is safe. She is okay.
Not even five minutes later she hears the howling of wind over her. She looks up, spotting a helicopter above and a ladder extending down. She straightens up keeping herself swimming above the water as a man lowers himself down to her. The name on his helmet makes her eyes widen until he shouts down to her.
"Are you okay!"
She nods, answering his question. He lends a hand to which she happily obliges and pulls herself up, disconnecting herself from the chute. They climb into the helicopter, her dripping wet. He sits beside her grasping onto her hand tightly as navy doctors attend to her.
"Dev, are you sure you're okay?"
She smiles kindly letting out an exasperated sigh. "I'm okay, I'm just cold." A medical person wrapped her in a BoPET, allowing heat to resonate in her body rather quickly.
They landed back on the hard deck soon after. People lined up applauding and cheering her name. She smiles softly as her dad leads her inside where she is seated on a cot to be overlooked more thoroughly.
A man steps close to her with a worried but relieved look. She smiles up at him. "I seem to remember something like this happening not too long ago."
He chuckles, "I'm glad you're okay. You scared me up there."
"No injuries, just cold. I promise you I'm okay."
"That's good to hear." She stands up swinging her arms around his torso clinging to him as if the world might end at any moment. He secures his arms around her, placing his chin on her head that's curled into his chest. "It's nice to hold you, Dev."
"It's nice to be in your arms, Jake."
He smiles into the embrace not daring to leave it. "Where do we go from here?"
She tightens her grip, closing her eyes and sighing. "Home." Afterwards thinking, in his arms the only thought that came to her mind was:
I am home.