"You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are."
~Yogi Bhajan
 ___________________________________________ 

Genette

I had this bright idea to place a video camera in the corner of my room. It'd be great for B-roll and to capture interviews. I didn't know if I'd ever have a chance to show this footage to the world, but I wanted to have it on hand to be safe. You never knew what could happen. Of course, I didn't plan on having it rolling the entire time, because not only was that a waste of film and memory, but it was also just plain creepy. 

Satisfied with the camera's position, I hit record and backed away. I showcased the room, showing its decent size for such a small base. I needed to say something, but I hadn't thought this through enough before my 'bright idea.' I groaned and tipped my back head back, mulling over something that wouldn't sound too stupid. I chose simple was the best. Rolling my neck, I showcased the room once more, saying, "This was the room, or the cell, I had been assigned to." I figured that was enough for now. I could always shift to other photos or videos and have voiceovers to go over it, to make it seem less abrupt. 

Calling it a 'cell' wasn't far from the truth. I had to stay in here until the higher-ups allowed me my freedom again.  However, my friends were given permission to visit. I'm pretty sure it was through Blaze's doing that my accommodations were as good as they were. I'm sure the last thing on the Base Commander's mind was having a room set up for some mainland journalist telling a story about his least favorite person on base: Bartlett. I wondered when the captain would be coming back, or if they'd even found him yet. Was he okay? Was he alive? What would I do if he didn't return? What would happen to my story then? I didn't want to return to the mainland, but I also didn't have a good enough story to stay here and write about with Bartlett gone. It'd be hell trying to convince my boss otherwise.  

I sat on the edge of my bed, and for about the millionth time, I glanced around in my room. There was a bunk bed and a nightstand in one corner, a desk at the foot of the bed, and a couch and dresser on the opposite side.  The barren place only increased my anxiety and extreme boredom. Despite it being the afternoon, Chopper, Blaze, and Nagase were all asleep, so asking them to join me was out of the question. I couldn't even leave to see Pops or call my family. I just wanted someone to talk to, but Perrault ordered that my phone be confiscated to make sure I wasn't a spy. It was bullshit, but I figured letting them see whatever they wanted to see would clear my name faster than fighting them on it. They'd be bored with what they saw. All I had on my phone were pictures of my friends and family, and pictures of soldiers and planes for my articles. Even my texts were dry, other than the snarky banter I shared with my sister and Chopper. 

God, or maybe some other higher power, heard my whining about wanting company. It wasn't who I had in mind, but I was pleasantly surprised to see who it was: Captain Hamilton. Unlike his superior, the Base Commander, who locked me in here, he's been very reasonable with me. He even got my camera and phone back, which he handed to me immediately upon his arrival.  I gratefully took them, glad to have them again.  Hamilton told me that if his uncle wasn't a soldier, he would've liked to have a job like mine. His green eyes glittered with amusement when I responded by saying the job had its perks until you were locked up for something outside your control.

"He's not exactly the most reasonable man sometimes," Hamilton remarked, moving over to my window and peering out, "but I've learned how to work him when I need to."

"Then you have an enviable gift." I wanted to ask him about Bartlett, but before I could, the landline in my room started ringing. Hamilton answered it, and I could hear the Base Commander's irritated voice on the other end. I watched Hamilton's expression fall and harden the longer the conversation went on. When he put the phone back down on the receiver, he tapped the back of it lightly once, twice, three times... then practically smashed his finger into the phone. His sudden burst of anger shocked me. Hamilton rarely showed any emotion other than stoic calm. 

Turning to face me, he said, 'Well, we don't have any reason to hold you anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Yuktobania just declared war. They've launched an offensive simultaneously, too," he answered gravely, fixing his hat. I stood up, stunned by the news. As Hamilton strode out of my room, he added, "Our naval port at St. Hewlett is getting bombed right now."

My heart dropped to my stomach at his words. If we were at war with the Yukes now, then that meant we were the first line of defense. I was literally in the middle of a war zone, and their first priority wouldn't be to get me off base. Even though the idea of being on the frontlines was frightening, I didn't want to leave. I had the opportunity of a lifetime to write about the war from where it all started. 

Jet engines captured my attention, and through the shock of it all, I failed to remember one thing. Something more important than any news article I could write. My sister and friends were now soldiers in an active war. They were Osea's first line of defense. Thinking of them, I peeked through my blinds just in time to recognize the planes of Wardog Squadron taking off. There were only three of them now...

___________________________________________  

Nagase

The three of us raced toward Port St. Hewlett in our F-5Es. We hadn't had a briefing before we left. We'd just been rudely awakened, told we were at war with Yuktobania, to get our asses in our planes, and to head to Port St. Hewlett because it was being bombed. Blaze, Chopper, and I sprinted to the hangar, where Pops had our planes ready and waiting. The three of us swiftly did checks to make sure all systems were a go before taking off. The entire way to Port St. Hewlett, I wondered what the situation was, what we were supposed to be doing. I assumed it'd be air support, but what kind of enemies were we facing? Fast, maneuverable fighters? Slow but sturdy bombers? Any ground forces? All of the above?  

Within a short period of time, Port St. Hewlett became visible on the horizon, and Thunderhead announced, "Due to the pressing circumstances, I'll be issuing an emergency in-flight briefing."

The briefer, whose name I failed to find out after all this time, started to inform us of our mission. "Our naval port at St. Hewlett reports that Yuktobanian aircraft have launched a surprise attack on the port. The situation there is critical and with widespread panic. Ships from the 3rd Osean Naval Fleet docked at the port are currently under attack and taking heavy losses. Hurry to port St. Hewlett and provide air cover for our naval vessels attempting to escape the bay. Among these ships is the aircraft carrier Kestrel. It is the flagship of the 3rd Naval Fleet and a critical combat asset. You must protect the Kestrel at all costs."

I'd heard of the Kestrel. It was a legend in the Osean Navy. Although I certainly wasn't looking forward to a battle, I was excited and honored to be fighting alongside the Kestrel and her crew. They were the best of the best, and I wanted and needed to be on the top of my game. We wouldn't let the enemy sink her, no matter what.

"Thunderhead to Wardog. Edge, you lead the formation."

"Negative. You take the lead, Blaze," I said, swerving up and over to the left of Blaze and falling behind her. "I'll fly on your wing."

"You sure?" Blaze asked hesitantly. 

"Positive." Being made the lead of the squadron and turning it down was basically passing up a promotion, but I didn't care about that. I wasn't ready for that responsibility. If I couldn't protect my first captain, then I sure as hell wasn't ready to lead my own squadron and protect my wingmen. Bartlett had positioned Blaze as his six for a reason, and I trusted Bartlett's judgment. It was a lot of responsibility, but I knew Blaze could handle it.  We needed her calmness right now, otherwise, I would've suggested Chopper since he had more seniority over both of us. I loved him dearly, but he didn't always know when to be serious. I'm pretty sure Chopper could be knowingly flying to his death and still be making wisecracks. 

"Second Lieutenant Nagase, follow your orders," Thunderhead snapped.

I bit my tongue, barely stopping myself from calling him 'Dunderhead,' the nickname Bartlett had given him, and one we adopted in kind. We never said it to his face, but we thought it often, mainly during times like these when he acted either irrational or stubborn. Or both. Like now. Making sure I didn't slip up, I argued, "No, Blaze is leading. I'll protect her six 'o'clock. And I'm not gonna lose another flight lead."

"Quit Screwing around, this is war. The enemy's all over, they're gonna eat you alive!" Swordsman barked, flying over us at a breakneck speed. I'd heard of Swordsman before; his real name was Marcus Snow. He was one of the captains based on the Kestrel. His appearance surprised me, though. Why had he come from behind us when the Kestrel was in front of us? Had he been somewhere else when the port bombings started? And why did I know of him? I racked my brain, trying to come up with the answer. Then it dawned on me. The story came from Chopper, who apparently got in Captain Snow's way one day, and Captain Snow cussed him out pretty well.

Thunderhead must not have wanted Blaze as captain because he started to say, "Captain Davenport, you take-"

"Aaah..." Chopper interrupted immediately, "I'd better stick to the trail position, thanks."

"Looks like I'm the leader then," Blaze said, albeit uncertainly. 

"This is Captain Snow, callsign Swordsman. Engaging next enemy formation. Give me a position."

"This is the AA cruiser Excalibur. The ship blocking us up ahead, you've got to move away! We can't use our SPY radar!"

I could see the smoke in the distance, rising up in black columns from dozens upon dozens of places. It was a terrible sight. I mean, I knew it would be rough when we arrived, but never did I imagine it would be like this.  Explosions were going off everywhere, people were shouting chaotically, and planes filled the sky, friendly and enemy alike. It was hard to tell who was who without my radar. 

"Cleared to engage," Thunderhead informed, sounding less than happy with the arrangement that had been made. "Blaze, engage."

"Blaze, engaging," she confirmed. 

Chopper and I followed suit, with me adding, "I'll cover your six. All right, Blaze?"

"Okay." She sounded slightly distracted.  I couldn't tell if it was from focusing on the rapidly approaching fight, from keeping track of us, from worrying about being captain, or all of the above. Regardless, Blaze appeared to be handling the new responsibility pretty well overall. Much better than I would have. 

Still, she lagged between me and Chopper rather than pulling ahead. It prompted me to add, "Blaze, you take the lead. I'll go trail and follow." 

That seemed to jar her to her senses, and she took the lead. I opened my mouth to give her some encouragement, but an Osean shoulder shouted over the mic, "The tanker next to us just exploded! Where is the fireboat? It's spreading to our ship! Help us!" 

"Nobody saw them coming?" Another demanded when we finally arrived at the heart of the battle. Blaze immediately dove down and got behind an enemy plane, trailing it like a fox. It kept trying to shake her off, but she wouldn't let them out of her sight. I tried to keep up with her but found the task impossible. She flew too fast and unpredictably. I watched Captain Snow try and join her, but he couldn't accomplish it either. The only person managing to do so was Chopper. I'd have to ask him what the secret was later on.

"Their ships are just sitting at anchor. This is like target practice," A Yuke snarled. The voice made my blood run cold. We were picking up enemy transmissions again!

"I have some choice words for these people," Blaze growled, "but I don't want to be dishonorably discharged for saying them."

"Well, now we have to hear it!" Chopper said enthusiastically. He proceeded to try and persuade our captain to spill, but she adamantly refused to give in. It took a full two minutes of back and forth and an irate intervention from Thunderhead telling them to shut up before Blaze and Chopper finally came to a compromise. Blaze agreed she would speak those choice words once they were on the ground and away from prying ears.

"That's the last we'll speak of it." I could hear the grin in her voice when she added, "That's an order."

"Speaking of orders..." Chopper began, going up in a loop and shooting at an enemy plane with gunfire. He hit it repeatedly, and it wasn't long before it exploded. "Captain, do you know how to give your commands?"   

Blaze bristled. "Yes, I know how to give commands."

"Cool, I'm ready for 'em anytime, so just say the word. You hadn't ordered us to do anything, so I wanted to double-check."  

"You know, Chopper, I may be blonde, but I'm not that stupid."

He snorted. "Oh, that's debatable."

"Just because I forgot the word for 'pony' the other day does not mean-"

"It's not because you forgot the word for it," he interrupted in a very matter-of-fact tone. "It's because when you couldn't remember the word, you called it 'compressed horse.'"

"You knew what I meant, which means you're either smarter than you let on, or you operate on the same brain wavelengths I do, which is probably not a compliment by some standards."

I shook my head. Despite the chaos right now, their bickering eased my nerves, and I felt compelled to jump in, if not just to insult them both by saying, "You two share one brain cell."

"Yeah, and I have it right now," Blaze said, getting a lock on the enemy in front of her and firing at it. It was a direct hit.  She seemed to ignore the bandit behind her. Blaze either didn't know it was there, or she did but didn't care. Only when it locked onto her did she say much too casually, "Chopper, get this asshole off me."

"I'm working on it," he promised, his normally chipper tone edged with concern, a sharp contrast to just moments ago. Chopper had become noticeably more protective of Blaze since she arrived on Sand Island, even more so than when we were at the Academy. I wondered if it had to do with Blaze currently leading the charge, or if it had to do with his potential feelings towards her. I always suspected there was something between them- a shared yet silent reciprocated love- ever since school. "The little shit won't let up. Does he have a personal vendetta against you or something?"

"Yeah, I know he won't let up.  He's been trailing me for the last five minutes!" 

Ah, so she had known it was there.

While Chopper helped Blaze, I tried to find another bandit. One happened to be above me. I slowed down, allowing the enemy to pull ahead of me. This gave me a clean shot as long as they didn't move. Fortunately for me, the plane didn't realize I was behind them until after I fired. Unfortunately for them, there was no escape. My missile hit their left engine, and the jet exploded in midair.

"The fireboat got caught in the explosion," An Osean ship hollered. The news and the loudness made me grimace. "Two... no, three ships are burning now."

"This is not a drill," another soldier said, eerily monotonous. Was he not concerned about the air battle raging above our port? Or the damage being done to civilian and government property right now? Or the very real possibility that this day could be his last? Because I was. 

"Oh, thanks for the heads up, you idiot!"

"I think we've already noticed this isn't a drill," remarked Blaze.

Chopper huffed. "Yeah, did he seriously just notice that?"

"Your target is the enemy aircraft carrier and the large surface combatants surrounding it," A Yuke directed.

I was about to ask my captain to see if she could help me out, but decided against it when I saw Blaze taking evasive maneuvers to get away from missiles being fired at her. All the spinning and weaving had to be making her dizzy. Suddenly, she slammed on her brakes and went up while the enemy plane shot past her. She regained control and fired at them, hitting the jet between its engines.  Without even hesitating, she flawlessly switched targets and chased after another plane.

Meanwhile, Chopper occupied himself trailing a plane attempting to bomb buildings lining the shore. It wasn't working out too well for the enemy because my wingman kept getting a missile lock on them, and they had to keep evading.

I circled the Osean Fleet, particularly keeping a close eye on the Kestrel, in case an enemy tried to bomb it. Before long, a plane shot past me. I made a sudden sharp turn to follow. Realizing I was behind them, they tried to shake me off. They were so busy trying to get rid of me that they failed to see Blaze coming head-on from below at a breakneck pace. A missile erupted from her plane, and then she disengaged and banked to the right to go help Chopper protect the shoreline. The projectile Blaze sent hit the enemy plane's wing, and it plummeted downward. I was stunned. How the hell had she hit them from that position? Did she know the missile would hit, and that's why she left? Or did she fire just to distract it to give me time to shoot it down if need be? I'd have to ask her later.

"Don't let them escape port," a Yuke barked. His deep, menacing voice sent a chill down my spine. "Sink them all."

Our comrades below must've picked up the enemy transmission too because it was soon followed by an Osean shouting, "Protect the Kestrel at all costs!" 

"It's time for our Aegis ship to live up to its name. Thanks, everyone. We request your cover until we break out of this port!"

Chopper sighed deeply. "Fuck me, how many planes did the Yukes send over? Their entire Air Force?"

"I swear if you shoot one down, two more appear to take its place," Blaze replied, evidently irked.

"I know. They won't stop coming!" Chopper griped as he turned his plane around to follow her. She was well ahead of him, closing in on my location.

"Blaze, this is Edge. Have you located the carrier Kestrel?"

"Yes, I have it in my sights," she responded.

"I've picked it up as well. Looks like it's still all right." I glanced down at the massive aircraft carrier below gliding through the dark waters. It dwarfed all the other ships in the surrounding area. Even though I wasn't in the Navy, I knew of the Kestrel's reputation. I'd met a couple of naval aviators while at the Academy, and if there was one thing I learned from them, it was that everyone wanted to be on the Kestrel. It was to the Navy what Sand Island was to the Air Force: an honor to be assigned to.

"Good. I'm almost there. Just have to take care of these bogeys real fast." Not far from the Kestrel, Blaze flew away from me and towards the south, taking on three enemies flying towards the Kestrel. She shot two missiles at the two separate planes and then fired her guns at the middle one. The first one, struck by her missile, went down. The third avoided destruction and abandoned going after the Kestrel. Chopper, having finally caught up with Blaze, veered off to go after that last plane. I watched in awe as the two of them destroyed their respective targets with ease. I wanted to be on their level one day. I had to be if I wanted to keep up and survive.

I looked down at the port, orange infernos and billowing black smoke greeted my eyes. I don't know why I didn't notice it before, but now, I couldn't take my eyes off of it. All I could say was, "The entire gulf is in flames."

"I can't believe this is happening," Blaze said sadly. "Why didn't we know they were coming sooner?"

"I was thinking the same thing.  With our radar systems, we should've seen them approaching before it got to this point."

"Man, what happened here?" I'd never heard Chopper so dejected, which reinforced the reality I now found myself in: at war and fighting for my life and those of my allies. "This is worse than even I imagined."

"I don't get it," Blaze remarked. "This doesn't make sense. Why would Yuktobania create a war with us? We didn't-"

Chopper frantically cut her off. "Blaze, look out!" 

"Oh, shit!" She rolled, banked, and looped, not necessarily in that order, trying anything to lose the six missiles and three planes hunting her. Miraculously, all the projectiles breezed past her plane in a blur. I don't know how she escaped being hit. It shouldn't have been possible. Someone, or something, must've been watching out for her, and sadly, it hadn't been anything due to mine and Chopper's doing. Mortified I hadn't been helping my captain, I raced over towards Blaze on the heels of Chopper. We were desperate to get to the enemies before they got her because I'd be damned if I was going to lose another flight lead. However, before we could reach her, Captain Snow and another Osean pilot appeared out of nowhere and took out two of the three bandits. The third bailed, and Chopper went after them with a vengeance.

"Thanks, y'all," Blaze said graciously as I fell into formation with her. "I owe you."

"You're welcome...?" The Osean pilot left the question hanging.

"Callsign's Blaze."

"You're welcome, Blaze.  I'm Blizzard. You know, that callsign suits you."

"How's that?"

"You're blazing fast. It was hell trying to catch up to you!"

"Oh, thank you!" Blaze replied bashfully, taken aback by the compliment. "I think."

The infatuation in the pilot's voice was clear when he said, "Anytime, miss. Just let me know whenever you're in trouble."

Chopper joined us and cleared his throat. "You can leave her protection to us, Blizzard. We won't be straying from her side again."

Blizzard started to respond but was cut off by, "This is the Port Captain. All vessels leave port immediately! Ships nearest exit first!"

"I don't care if we take hull damage," an Osean barked. "We're clearing out of here any way we can. Escape the port and take evasive action. No mistakes!" 

My heart ached for the people below, both soldiers and civilians alike. They'd been having a normal day, minding their own business and enjoying life, only to have their day ruined by this newfound war. As a soldier, I kind of expected to have days like this. As a civilian, the current situation would be the last thing I'd expect, and it would be absolutely terrifying to not know what was going on, why it was happening, and where to hide from the shrapnel, fallen planes, and stray missiles and gunfire. 

At that moment, Chopper, Blaze, and I saw three enemy planes about to go over the bridge. We lined up and went head-on. All of us, including the enemies, shot missiles simultaneously. We didn't intend for them to strike their targets, and only Blaze's did, but it scattered them. I had my back to my wingmen, tracking the bandit relentlessly. I would not let them near my captain or the Kestrel.

While I focused on my target, Blaze assisted Chopper with his, encouraging, "Shoot now!" Blaze ordered.

"From this angle?" Chopper demanded hesitantly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Just trust me!" He must have been persuaded because a couple of seconds passed and Blaze praised, "Nice one, Chopper!"

I could hear the pride in his voice. "Thanks! How did you know the missile would hit?"

"I don't know," she confessed sheepishly. "I just had this... gut instinct."

"That's one hell of an instinct!" 

"This is the aircraft carrier Kestrel. Approaching port exit."

"Roger, Kestrel," The Port Captain responded almost instantly. "The Kestrel takes top priority! That barge over there, move it!  I know you want outta here, but open up a path! That carrier's valuable!"

Fighter jets still roamed the skies. Enemies and allies blended together, only distinguishable by radar or if you were close enough to see the country's flag on the jet's tail. Judging by the hits on the radar, the Yuktobanian's were being shot down at a much faster pace than our allies. I couldn't tell how many Osean pilots had been taken out, but at the same time, I didn't want to know.

The battle started to blur together. An enemy flew in front of me and was in the perfect position for me to fire, so I did. Blaze somehow managed to demolish four more enemy planes and get three more on her tail again. She pulled some incredible maneuvers just like she did last time, and it worked temporarily, but the enemy always found their way back to her, seemingly refusing to bail on such a difficult target to go after an easier one. 

"I'm on my way, Blaze!" Chopper promised, closing the small distance between them. I piped up with the same sentiment, but Blaze wouldn't hear of it.

"No, take out that enemy you're after," she said firmly.  

Chopper vehemently started to argue. "Absolutely not. I-"

"That's an order. Captain Snow and Blizzard, want to give me a hand? I'll help give you guys a good shot."

"Already on my way," Blizzard said.

"If she gets shot down or worse because of you, your ass is mine," Chopper warned sharply. "We already lost one captain, and we're sure as not losing another."

"No need for that." Blizzard sounded smug, which I knew would rub Chopper the wrong way even more than this pilot already had. "Bandits are already off her tail and in their watery grave. We're just that good."

"I appreciate the help, boys!" Blaze chimed in, interrupting the tension between the two men. "Chopper, Nagase, where are y'all?"

"Right next to you," Chopper said, both of us falling into formation behind her. "Hey, I have a question."

"Yes?" 

"How the hell did you manage to get three enemies on your tail twice in one battle?"

I heard Blizzard chuckle. "That is not where I thought that question was going."

Ignoring the remark, Blaze responded to Chopper. "Good question. Wish I had an answer for you."

"My guess is that you must be causing issues for the enemy, so they keep trying to take you down because of it. I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned."

"Both. Both is good. What's the status of the Kestrel?"

"The Kestrel is in open waters!" An Osean announced cheerfully, bringing welcome relief to all of us. The new surely meant that the mission would soon be over. "Bon Voyage, guys!"

The Port Captain came on and said, "All friendly aircraft, protect the Kestrel for us!"

"This is Swordsman. On my way. That's our ship."

"Negative! This is AWACS Thunderhead. Swordsman, remain in the Eastern Sector. Protect our territory and continue battle."

"But that's my carrier!"

"Wardog, provide cover for the Kestrel," Thunderhead instructed. Judging by his tone, everyone knew there would be no debating the decision.

"Dammit, you pigheaded..." Snow trailed off before he finished his rant, disappointing me. I would've paid good money to hear what he'd been about to say! "All right, I'm counting on you, Wardog. Don't lose our ship!"

"You can count on us," Blaze assured. "Chopper, Nagase, how you two holding up?"

"I'm good on missiles and bullets," Chopper answered. 

I nodded until I remembered she couldn't see me. "I'm good too."

That was a partial lie. My nerves were shot from this mission, and my stomach ached from tensing up. Compared to the first two dogfights I'd been in, they barely compared to the scale and intensity of this one. Maybe if I'd had more practice, more experience, I wouldn't be feeling as stressed as I did now. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep flying in my state, but I had to. I made a promise to myself and to Blaze. I wouldn't lose another flight lead. The reminder kept me going.

"AWACS, bogey dope!" an allied fighter requested. "Give me a target!"

"Bogeys inbound from vector two-eight-zero... It's no use! There's too many of them!" Thunderhead shouted.  The loudness made me cringe. I was already stressed enough about the situation. Having my AWACS shouting in my ear didn't help matters. "Get a hold of yourself. Your radar control is critical!" 

"I'm abandoning ship. We're sitting ducks over here," An Osean soldier said.

"Come back here! You coward!" The soldier scoffed in disgust, adding, "Is he trying to kill us? What kinda captain is that?"

"A bad one?" Blaze suggested.

"That's putting it nicely," I said.

"Range to bay exit, three miles," the Kestrel informed.

A flurry of chatter came over the radio from Osean soldiers saying, "Hurry up and drop the lifeboats!", "What're you doing?! Hurry up and get out of here!", "This is it. It's over!", and "Man, this is the worst day of my life..."

Chopper responded to the last one, agreeing. "Mine too, man, mine too."

"Missile impact 600 feet off port bow," the Kestrel said.

"Wardog, this is Thunderhead. We need you to take care of the Kestrel."

"Yes, sir," Blaze said.

"Good, we're counting on you, Wardog. Don't take your eyes off the Kestrel."

"Wasn't planning on it in the first place," Chopper retorted. "Although I kind of have to take my eyes off once in a while to make sure I'm not going to crash into anything. And to make sure I don't get shot down. And to-"

"Davenport, this is no time for you to shoot your mouth off. If I-"

"What's the status on the ships?" Blaze intervened, cutting our AWACS off effortlessly.

"The ships are finally starting to move," I replied, tracking the ships on my radar and through my line of vision.  Then under my breath, I urged, "Get out of the gulf, fast!"

Blaze went up and around, going after an enemy fighter that had popped up in front of us. Chopper and I turned and burned after her, barely managing to keep up. She swiftly closed the distance between her plane and the bogey. I swear I only blinked, and in that short amount of time, he'd locked, fired, and hit the enemy jet. She circled back towards the Kestrel, diving down low, low, low to the water and towards the bridge. Was she going to pull up in time?!

"Blaze, what are you doing?" Chopper demanded, diving after her. Not wanting to be left out, I joined. "You're going to crash! You're-"

Chopper and I leveled out before we went under the bridge, passing over it instead. The blood pounding in my ears deafened me as time slowed down. I saw Blaze pass underneath the bridge. A missile erupted from her plane, and she lifted up into the sky. Down below, the missile struck an enemy plane I hadn't even seen.

"Target down," Blaze said, pulling in front of us.

"I'm not sure if I want to kiss you for how impressive that was or kill you for the coronary you nearly gave me," Chopper commented drolly. Blaze laughed but noticeably didn't give an answer, not even a sarcastic comeback.

I did it for her. "Whichever one you choose, you'll end up dead by Genette anyways."

"He's probably going to kill me for even bringing that up, isn't he?"

"Nah. He'll have to get through me first," Blaze said.

Chopper snorted. "All he has to do is bring Kirk along because we all know you focus on nothing but that dog when he's around."

"Uh, have you seen how cute Kirk is?"

"I'm cuter."

"Debatable."

At that moment, a Yuke fighter interrupted their banter. "'A' flight, engage the enemy ships. 'B' flight, attack and destroy the gulf facilities. 'C' flight, fly top cover. Establish air superiority. You got that?"

"Enemy attack! Return fire!" An Osean soldier yelled.

"Calm down! Just calm down!" Another one tried to console. It failed miserably.

"Enemy anti-ship missiles launched! Begin Phalanx fire!"

"No! Stop! You're firing on the docks!" 

We made a few runs over the Kestrel, making sure we kept the air above sanitized of any enemies. As we made our fifth run overhead and were making our way towards the bridge, I noticed debris in the waves below.  I inadvertently flew closer to the water, which was my first mistake. My second mistake was watching a plane crash into the debris, only for the debris to swim away from the site of impact. 

My heart dropped to my stomach at the epiphany. "Those... those are people floating on the waves."

Silence ensued over the radio by everyone, allies and enemies alike. Maybe they were having the same realization as I did just moments before: This was really happening. Chopper broke the quiet, saying shakily, "Kid, did you see that?"

"Yes..." Blaze's voice was barely above a whisper.  Up until this point, I think we all believed the planes we were shooting down were unmanned or drones, just like the ones that attacked Sand Island. The moment we saw those people floating in the waves was when it brutally struck us that we fighting living, breathing people.

"So, you saw it, too... that sea..." Chopper trailed off. We'd all seen someone die during our time at the Academy, but they had been accidents. We understood those happened. But losing one person was a far cry from seeing an ocean filled with bodies- some dead and some alive- and the sight struck a different chord with us. 

I remembered telling Blaze a few years ago that I thought a war was coming. Osea had a tendency to enter one every ten or fifteen years. Of course, I prayed it didn't, and I even started to believe my own prayers. We'd been at peace for so long, it led me into a false sense of security. I thought the most I would do would be some reconnaissance and maybe fight the occasional remote-controlled plane, but not this. Never this.

"We're out of the gulf, but stay alert," An Osean captain admonished.

"The carrier's entering the ocean," C'mon, whoever's out there, help us out! Get that bucket of bolts out of here," Chopper prayed.

"Chopper, check your six!" I warned.

Chopper grunted. "Shit! How'd he get back there?!" 

"Nagase, can you help him?" Blaze asked worriedly. "The Kestrel-"

"Takes priority. Don't worry, I've got him covered," I promised, banking to the left and flooring it over to Chopper. He wasn't having too much difficulty staying out of the enemy's grasp, but who knew how long he'd be able to keep it up. "Chopper, on the count of three, level out your plane and let the enemy try and get a lock on you. I'm coming up behind them from below. I'll be able to get a clear shot!"

"Roger that!"

"All right. One... two... three!" On my cue, Chopper stopped his evasive maneuvering and flew straight ahead. The enemy plane took the bait, unaware of my presence below him. By the time he realized it, it was too late. I'd already gotten a lock and fired, hitting the target dead center. "Bogey's off your tail Chopper!"

"I owe you Nagase!"

"This is the captain of the aircraft carrier Kestrel. My congratulations to all ships that managed to escape.  As Captain, I will now form a provisional battle fleet. The enemy's built a blockade with their fleet in front of me."

Blaze sighed heavily. "I hope he's not planning what I think he's planning."

"What do you think he's planning?" Chopper asked.

The Kestrel Captain provided the answer. "We have to break through this and escape to safer waters. Good luck, everyone. All friendly aircraft, your support is requested."

"He's planning what I thought he was planning," Blaze confirmed. "Well, you heard the man. Let's provide air support."

"Blaze, this is Thunderhead. Are you clear on the mission objective?"

"Did... did you not just hear what I told my wingmen?"

"Roger. Begin the mission at once."

"Range to blockade line confound at four miles," the Kestrel informed.

"Their formation's centered around that carrier. Begin operations," the enemy naval fleet observed. "This is the perfect chance to improve our battle record. Let's go."

"The hell you are!" Blaze retorted. " You're not touching a bolt on that little ship."

"Blaze, you need a dictionary because we have drastically different definitions of the word 'small,'" Chopper said. Unable to think of a good comeback, Blaze simply told him to shut up, which made him laugh.

"There's gotta be an enemy aircraft targeting the carrier from beyond the horizon," An Osean said uneasily. I worried his words might hold some truth to them because the Yuktobanians certainly weren't letting us win without a fight, especially with their blockade. Chopper and Blaze teamed up and took out one of the enemy's destroyers in one swift swoop. Then they went after separate planes. A new enemy formation approached from behind the blockade, so I took them head-on. I fired two missiles at the first one I locked onto and skewered it. I proceeded to flip my plane behind another one. I fired two more missiles, but they both missed. Being in such close proximity to them, I switched to guns. With some effort and good aim, it didn't take long before the plane exploded.

"Nice one, Nagase!" Blaze praised.

Her compliment surprised me. I didn't think she'd even noticed having been focusing on enemies herself. Still, Blaze's comment filled me with pride. "Thanks!"

"Stay on the lookout for inbound long-range anti-ship missiles," one of the Kestrel members cautioned.

"Blaze just shot one down!" Chopper cheered.

"Took me long enough," she griped. "Asshole wouldn't fly straight for me." 

I chuckled. "If that's the criteria for being an asshole, then they're all assholes."

"Not all of them. The A-6E's are easy to shoot down.  It's those other ones like the Nimrods that are being a pain in the ass.

"I'm not gonna let them sink us here!" An Osean shouted vehemently.

"VF-10, they're gonna lock on you! Get out of there!" Snow ordered.

"Too slow, man!" Chopper added.

Down below, the Osean fleet was fighting for their lives. "Watch the Phalanx fire from your right! Missiles incoming from aft starboard! Two of them!"

"Dammit, they got the captain's plane!" A Yuke growled. I wasn't sure who the enemy was talking about, but it had to be Blaze or Snow who pulled off that feat. They were the ones wreaking absolute havoc on the battlefield. 

Checking my surroundings, I found Chopper in the process of firing at an enemy, but he couldn't finish it off before a bogey chose to get behind him. He quickly took evasive action. Before Chopper could even ask for help, Blaze was flying head-on at him, lifting her plane up ever so slightly and zipping right over his canopy. She locked onto the jet trailing him, fired, and evaded before the bogey ever knew what happened. 

Meanwhile, was trying to get one away from the Kestrel, but they were dead set on destroying the carrier. "Oh no, you don't! No... you... fucking... don't!"

"Nagase, who are you talking to?" Chopper asked innocently.

"A plane set on destroying the Kestrel."

"Well then, by all means, talk away."

"Bring all the wounded inside! We don't have time to treat them!" An Osean soldier shouted.

"We're gonna break through the middle of that fleet!" Another one said, acting way too cheerful under the dire circumstances. I'd like to have whatever he was having...

"Guess we'll have to accept the loss of a few ships," one of his comrades mumbled. He started to say something else but was cut off by Blizzard shouting, "You've gotta fly faster! We're gonna get slaughtered!"

"I gotta admit, the enemy's got great pilots," A Yuke said. I couldn't help the surge of pride.Us, Captain Bartlett's nuggets, with minimum battle experience, were not only still alive and kicking, but we were getting compliments from the enemy. That had to say something of our abilities, right?

"I'll take the compliment," Blaze said, echoing my thoughts, "even if it is from the enemy."

"Our fighters are providing great top cover. We can do this!" An Osean encouraged. All right, we're about to hit the blockade. All hands give me everything you've got!"

"This is the Kestrel. Maintaining current speed and heading. We're breaking through the center."

Chopper whistled. "Good luck. You're gonna need it."

"Moving to support the carrier," Snow notified.

"Osean fleet approaching!" A Yuke shouted.

"The enemy fleet is coming head-on. What are they thinking?" Another one demanded in incredulity.

"I don't think we are," Chopper muttered so quietly, I doubt anyone else heard him. Otherwise, he surely would've had a reprimanding from Thunderhead. We weren't supposed to question the judgment of our superiors. We were meant to keep our heads down and do as told. I never liked that idea, nor had Blaze and Chopper. It's why we all loved serving under Bartlett so much. He questioned things, and if he didn't like the orders he was given because they jeopardized his crew, he ignored them. I couldn't wait for them to get Bartlett back...

"Keep your head in the fight! If you manage to keep the fleet safe, you might just score yourself a medal!" Blizzard heartened. Then, a few moments later, he shouted, "The enemy ship's coming in fast! Engage, engage!"

The threat from Yuktobania's naval and air fleet was steadily decreasing. Ever since the Kestrel made the decision to barge straight into the blockade, Blaze had shot down at least five planes, Chopper four, and me six or seven. My wingmen also destroyed numerous ships in the process, which helped our odds immensely.

"Enemy ship approaching the carrier's port side! Engage," a Kestrel guy said. 

"Captain Snow, we entrust the sky above us to you," the Kestrel's captain said.

"Roger, Captain Andersen."

"We're here to help too," Blaze said sincerely. "Whatever you need, let us know."

"Thank you, miss.  We're going to need it.  What's your name?" Andersen asked. His tone was filled with nothing but kindness and calm. It evoked a sense of peace in me. It made me feel like no matter what happened, we would survive this. It was a talent rarely found, and I understood why everyone wanted to be on the Kestrel. I started to believe it had less to do with the magnificent ship itself, and more to do with the captain that ran her.

"Blaze.  It's an honor to work alongside you, sir."

"You're too kind. You're Wardog's interim captain?"

"I am," she answered bashfully.

"You're doing great. Now let's blast Yuktobania back to where they came from!"

"Great balls of fire!" Chopper yelled with mirth, barrel-rolling his plane next to mine.

"Almost there! We're almost through the blockade!" a soldier announced, sounding borderline hysterical from anticipation.

"Warning! We've got one tough bandit here!" A Yuke pilot said. "Be careful! This guy's the real deal!  It's the captain of the squadron with the dog on the tail!" 

"Blaze, what are you doing to those poor Yukes?" Chopper questioned, barely hiding his mirth. 

"Kicking their ass," she replied confidently. I almost felt bad for the enemy hearing the determination in her voice. Almost. "I'm tired, I want to go home, and they're not letting that happen."

"The only the scarier than a tired Blaze is a just-woken-up Blaze."

"Don't remind me," I said, flashing back to our time during the Academy. "My jaw still aches whenever I think about her punching me when I tried to wake her up for lunch one weekend."

"I'm sorry!" Blaze exclaimed sheepishly. "I don't have any memory of it, but you know I wouldn't have-"

"I know, I know. I'm just messing with you."

"This is what we've trained for! We can do this!  As long as we're still afloat, we have a fighting chance!" One of our ship members declared.

"Yahoo!" One of our pilots bellowed happily. "We did it!"

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

"It broke through! That's one tough boat, man! Yeah!" Chopper gave a sort of breathy, surprised laugh. I shared the sentiment. I doubted anyone thought the tactic would work, but it did. Andersen was one hell of a captain. Switching gears, Chopper asked, "So, Kid, does it feel good to be the flight lead?"

"It feels great," Blaze confessed.

"Good, glad to hear it!"

"Not going to lie, though. I'm definitely looking forward to Bartlett taking back his mantle. I'm too young for the stress of leading a squadron. It's going to give me gray hair prematurely."

"No, that's going to come from Chopper," I told her cheekily.

He didn't get a chance to respond. Andersen came over the mic, saying, "This is the captain of the aircraft carrier Kestrel. Our fleet has successfully escaped to safe waters.  My thanks to our brave warriors of the sea... and in the air."

"You're very welcome," Blaze said. "It was an honor to serve with you. Chopper, Nagase, let's head home."

The three of us fell into standard formation, directing our planes back towards Sand Island. Seeing Blaze in front and Chopper to the side, pride surged through me. Despite the horrific scenes we witnessed, the chaotic mess we entered into, we'd survived. By some miracle, we'd made it through.

"One, two, three..." Chopper counted. "One, two, three planes! Count 'em up, man, we're all back safe. I can't wait to tell the captain once they pluck him out of the ocean!"

"Same here!" Blaze agreed, but there was a catch in her voice, a tone I couldn't quite place. Was she worried they weren't going to find Bartlett? Or had she been lying earlier about not wanting to lead a squadron? Did she want to continue being captain? Knowing Blaze, she would never tell.

I allowed myself to relax on the way back. I thought about making myself a nice cup of hot tea and continuing to work on my little side project of refurbishing an old book of mine. It was tedious work, trying to remember every line and phrase and verse, but I'd managed it. I guess that's what happened when you read the book daily for years as a child. For the places I was stuck, I thought about going to Genette. He had taken an interest in my endeavor, and for better or worse, I found myself taking an interest in him. We'd steadily been getting closer since he came on base. It turned out we had a lot in common, more than I initially realized when I first met him four years ago. It was a shame he was Blaze's brother because that meant he was essentially off-limits. If Blaze had feelings for Chopper, I understood the turmoil she was going through because I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't like Genette as more than a friend, but I also couldn't bear the idea of ruining not just my friendship with him, but Blaze too if things went wrong.

___________________________________________  

Chopper

I shouldn't have looked. When that enemy plane crashed and covered the water in flames, there were people floating right there. I could see their faces... so many of them. The ones looking up at me wore mixed expressions of terror and rage. The ones that weren't... they weren't moving at all. I had to force myself to look away, thinking: Somebody stop this. I can't take it anymore. 

I couldn't let my shock show, however. I had a reputation of being the guy who kept the mood light. I kept everyone else from going to dark places, and having heard Blaze and Nagase's shaken voices, I forced myself and my brain to shift gears, cracking jokes and getting the job done. I could mull over it in private later.

The briefer came on, clearing his throat and stating in his usual monotonous voice, "The aircraft carrier Kestrel has survived the enemy attack and has broken through into open waters. Although the 3rd Osean Naval fleet sustained considerable damage, it is still combat capable."

Genette was anxiously waiting for us with Pops when we climbed out of our planes in the hangar. He hurried over to us, demanding, "Are you okay? What happened? Are any of you hurt?"

"We're fine. We're all okay," Blaze placated, glancing over at me as if to check to make sure her words were true.

I clapped her on the shoulder and squeezed it affectionately. "All thanks to you. You made a great captain." 

"Thanks, but give yourself some credit. I wouldn't be here if you and Nagase hadn't come to my rescue a few times."

"Or Blizzard," Nagase chimed in, smirking. "I think he might've been in love with you."

Jealousy rose up in my throat, but I pushed it down. I'd already let my feelings get the better of me during battle. I couldn't let them show again, especially in front of Genette. Instead, I changed the topic of conversation, suggesting, "What do you say we go grab some food? All this flying has made me hungry."

The girls and Genette agreed. We strolled to the dining hall and grabbed our meals. You would've thought the Demon of Razgriz was trying to take our food away from us we scarfed it so quickly, like ravenous beasts who hadn't been fed in ages. Afterward, we shuffled to Blaze's room since it was closest. Blaze crawled onto her bottom bunk while Nagase took the top. Genette and I took the couch. 

Blaze rolled over onto her side so she could face us. Econtemplative, she said, "We've barely been at war for what? Five, maybe six hours? And they've already attacked us."

Nagase sighed, massaging the sides of her head. "It doesn't make sense.  How were they able to mobilize so quickly without us noticing?"

"Why would Yuktobania declare war on us?  We're their ally.  It makes no sense," Genette remarked, voicing the question we all were wondering but had no answer for.  We all went silent, all of us racking our brains for a possible explanation we may not have thought of yet.

"Maybe there's something- or someone- else behind this whole thing," Blaze suggested quietly, her eyes fluttering shut.

Genette cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

"I know what she's saying," I said, the idea striking me in a flash. " She's saying what if another person or country is creating this debacle between Osea and Yuktobania.  Maybe that country made Yuktobania think Osea did something that we didn't-"

"-and so Yuktobania declared war on us for something we didn't do, and we don't know it," Blaze finished.

Genette leaned back against the couch, nodding. "I see what you're getting at now. I mean, that's a possibility, but who would want to do that? Why not just attack us directly?"

"Maybe they're wanting to weaken both sides before they do. We're superpowers in the world after all. Maybe this unknown enemy could take on one of us, but not both of us, not unless Osea and Yuktobania were struggling at the same time," Nagase theorized, yawning. "Is that what you think, Blaze?"

No response.

"I think she's asleep," I said.

"Well, I think that's my cue to leave," Genette remarked, standing up and stretching. "Nagase, are you staying or leaving?"

"I'm staying," Nagase replied tiredly. Her eyes were already closed, and I had a feeling she'd be asleep within the next few seconds. Bidding her goodbye, Genette and I left Blaze's room. We were halfway to mine when Hamilton stopped us. His long face and hard green eyes gave me an uneasy feeling.

"I have news about Bartlett," Hamilton said flatly. Genette and I traded dismayed looks, Judging by the Adjutant Base Commander's tone, we knew what was coming.