"Condor coming in for landing, stand by."
Ivan dipped the nose of the plane and throttled back as he dropped it onto the runway. He had gone over to the old airstrip in the north with another pilot to recover his and Nikki's planes, and bring them back to base. As the bomber hit the tarmac he nudged the breaks and slowed the plane to a crawl, nosing it towards the hangar.
He taxied in and came to a halt, then jumped out and commenced checking over the plane's systems and fuselage, making sure everything was in good working order. As he was working he heard the hangar door open and someone step into the room...
(OOC: This can be anyone...)
SX poked his head out. "Knock knock. Sorry to walk in on a, but Nikita just called my radiophone and told me to get you and the others's asses to the briefing room. Also, watch out for Nikki, I think it's her time of month. Seeya!" SX walked off...
...And into the briefing room, now talking on a cellular phone. "No, damnit! Why does everyone think I'm out to marry and/or screw every woman I talk to? I'm faithful to my four wives, damnit! Listen, gotta go. Talk to you later. Bye." SX looked up to see Nikita and a guard staring at him. "Whaaat?"
Ivan finished checking over the plane then jumped down to the floor. Wiping his dirty hands on a rag, he followed SX towards the briefing room.
When he arrived the fox was already there, talking to the others, looking like he was trying to explain something to them. Ivan didn't bother listening to the conversation and simply sat down in one of the seats around the large table, leaning back in the seat and closing his eyes...
BOSS stepped into the briefing room, and immediately all noise died down. He was the most respected man in all of the Sky Warriors, after all.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Let me get straight to the point," said BOSS, his voice ringing loud and clear in the room. The projector was turned on, and satellite footage of the Ukraine could be seen on the screen. "This is the Ukraine. We have been called into battle, and they are involving us in this war. The previous battle resulted in the retreat of more than 100 armoured vehicles, and they have gathered with the bulk of the forces behind them. Right now, the Ukranians want us to assist them. The Second Guards Tank Army is making their way there as we speak, and we will have to take off, and land here, in this airbase. It's not on any maps, but it's there. We will then refuel and take off to the battle, and assist them where they need us."
"What sort of resistance can we expect?" asked Ivan quietly. "Any air targets, or is it purely land based?"
BOSS cleared his throat. "There will be much heavier resistance than before. Previously, there were only ground units. This time, they have an entire tank army parked in the Ukraine, accompanied by their Luftwaffe. They have Su-35s as well, so beware. If you cannot outgun them, disengage as quickly as you can. We leave in 20 minutes, and our first sorties will commence at 0655."
"BOSS, why 0655?" asked Talietzin. The strange timing caught his attention.
"That's when they plan to amass their forces. We do have spies, you know. While they're grouped together for an attack, we bomb the hell out of them!"
SX sighed. "Aw great, air support. This sounds like FUN. Ah well, after all the russkies here kick some ass, can I nuke Tokyo?" He got more of a reaction then last time, however; someone DID throw a granola bar at SX. "Oww! What, I'm kidding! ...Oooh, Granola." SX picked up the bar and pocketed it, and went off to chat with a few of the other pilots...
Ivan stood up and salutes smartly. "Is there anything else sir, or should we prepare for takeoff?" He wanted to finish checking over his plane before they set off...much as he hated to admit it, he was nervous...
"Of course there is... Take care of yourselves. We don't want anyone dying. That will be all. Prepare for takeoff," announced BOSS.
"SX... About your four wives. Are you a Mormon or something?" asked Talietzin, curious. The Mormon comment was simply to play around with SX's mind.
"What is it about you people that makes you want to think about my relationships with my four wives?!" snapped the fox, evidently not very happy.
"I was just asking..." he said as he shrugged. He then turned, following Olga out of the briefing room to ready his plane.
SX blinked. "Relax, Nikita. No, I'm not a Mormon. So when do we head out again? I'm ready to kick some ass. In any case, I just need to get my flight suit and I'm ready. Who am I going to cover, again?"
"How about one of your wives?" muttered Ivan quietly, provoking a chuckle from the pilots around them. SX just raised an eyebrow, not looking particularly inpressed.
The bearded Russian stepped back into the hangar and recommenced checking over his plane with a methodical, almost millitery style search. As he did so he began to think of his father...what would the old man say if he could see him now?
============================================================
"I still can't believe he's going along with it!" exclaimed Ty, shaking his head. "How can he?"
"Like it or not Ty, he is Russian." replied Nikki, sat on the bed with her feet up, leaning on one arm. "If this was America they were attacking, how would you react?"
Tyree resumed pacing up and down his small quaters. "I wouldn't do anything!" he exclaimed. "I'm a stunt pilot, not a millitery pilot!"
"Russians have a history of being patriotic..."
"But not Ivan! His father's in the Russian air force, but he didn't join him! Why not if he wanted to do his bit for his country?"
Nikki shook her head. "I don't know, but at the end of the day it's his decision, and he has to make it."
Tyree fixed her with a gaze. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
She sighed. "Yes, I think so."
Tyree gritted his teeth. "Man I'm never gonna forgive myself for this." he muttered. "Come on, let's go." Turning, he stepped over to the door and opened it, marching through quickly. Nikki jumped to her feet and followed...
SX was leaning on the wall of the hangar his plane was in, when he saw Ty and Nikki run by. "Wonder where they're heading..."
The two made straight for Ivan's wings, spotting the figure knelt by the undercarriage of the craft.
"Beef man..you can't be serious about doing this!" started Tyree. "I understand you wanting to do your bit, but you aren't a millitery pilot!"
Ivan looked round as he spoke, his eyes once again hidden behind his dark shades. "Not now Ty." he rumbled. "I'm buisy."
"There may not be another time!" retorted Tyree. "Think about this man, you could be killed out there!"
"I have."
"And...?"
"I have no choice."
"Yes you do!" Tyree replied, shaking his head. "We aren't taking part! You know it's too dangerous man!"
Ivan stood up suddenly, towering over Ty and looking down at him. "You don't understand." he muttered, then he turned and made his way round to the back of the plane and started chacking over the engines.
"Ivan, we do understand." said Nikki, following him round the aircraft. "We know that your country is important to you, but there are others, who are better trained! You aren't experienced in combat flying...we...we don't want anything to happen to you!"
"This has nothing to do with Russia." replied Ivan gruffly, not looking round at her.
Nikki cocked her head to one side. "Then what is it about?"
Ivan paused, and sighed a long sigh, looking down at the floor. "It's my father." he replied quietly. "He was so mad when I left the airforce...he disowned me and we haven't spoken since. I...I've always wanted to please him...to make him proud of me somehow, but the only way of doing that would be to prove myself a millitery pilot, and I can't do that because of my height!" He suddenly punched a fist at the metal of the plane in front of him. "Like it's my fault!" he shouted angrily.
"If he's that uncaring, why do you want to please him???" exclaimed Tyree in supprise.
Ivan looked round, frowning at him. "Because he's my father!" he replied. "Anyway, this is my chance, possibly the only one I'll ever have, of getting his attention...of making myself mean something in his eyes...I can't miss that!"
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and leaning on the plane as he calmed himself down. "I appreciate your concern, Ty, Nikki, but I have to do this. I'm sorry."
The other two exchanged knowing glances. Tyree stepped forward and nodded slowly. "Okay." he replied. "Of course, you know where that leaves us..."
Ivan raised his head. "What?"
"Raptor Wing has never flown seperately throughout it's whole existance." Nikki spoke up, stepping alongside Ty. "We can't let you go up there on your own."
Ivan looked from one to the other, "No...no you don't have to do this! It could be dangerous..."
"Out minds are made up Beef." replied Ty resolutely. "Either we all go, or we all stay, and you've made it clear you can't stay, so we go. I'll get them to give me another plane, and Nikki can use her own...we're flying with you, Condor."
BOSS stepped into the hangar, and looked at the three.
"Do you need planes?" he asked calmly. "We have a plethora of them."
Tyree eyed him strangely for a moment, but spoke soon. "Yeah, I need one."
"Take your pick," he said, pointing outside. They followed his finger, and only now noticed the many planes that stood along the runway, in their hangars. These were planes that were on display, to show the different kinds of planes available.
They had everything from F-14s to Su-37s! Where were they getting these planes? How could they possibly fund something like this without being found out by some government? Ignoring his thoughts, Tyree dashed for a Su-37, whereas Nikki went to her own aircraft.
Meanwhile, Talietzin had already taken off, and was forming up with Olga, SX and the rest of the Taigas.
"All five Taigas, plus one new one... Right. Where are the other three?" enquired Olga.
"They should be up here before too long," replied SX, looking behind instinctively. "Though I might be able to nu-"
"Enough about nuking Japan, damn it!" exclaimed an annoyed Talietzin. He was not one to lose his cool, but it was far too annoying as it was!
"Calm down, Nikita. It isn't going to help," said Zach. "Let's circle once and wait for them."
"All right." Olga turned, and the rest of the Taigas followed. One round, and that's all that they would do. After that, they would be flying directly to the airbase BOSS had directed them to.
"Eagle to Taigas, hope we didn't keep you waiting too long all." called Tyree as his plane lifted from the runway. "I don't want to be here, but since I am, let's just get this over and done...hope that's okay with you guys."
Talietzin glanced at the three ascending planes as they circled above. "Exactly what we're trying to do Eagle...you seem to have a nack for stating the obvious."
"Oh and one more thing." continued Tyree a little sarcasticly. "We refuse to fly in the same wing as our mutual friend SX. He's with you, and we're seperate, got that?"
SX laughed over the radio. "You're being way too childish about this. But whatever you want, I'm keeping my callsign of Foxboy One. And for once, Nikita, I was not about to say something about nuking Japan. But YOU cut me off. Anyway, ETA to target?"
"Our destination shouldn't be too far away. We should be there in about twenty minutes..." estimated Zach. "I can already feel my spine tingling at the thought of a real battle."
"Keep your thoughts to yourself, Zach. Let's go," commanded Olga as they adjusted their headings. "The other wings are already way ahead of us. Particularly, the 18th Bomber Wing..."
"The 18th? What the hell are they doing here?"
"Apparently, they're being paid a huge sum to bomb the hell out of the Germans. God knows how big the paycheque is."
"Whoever's paying has one hell of a Swiss Bank account," commented SX as he re-entered the formation. "Okay, let's go."
SX sighed into the radio. "Man, I hate flying static..."
Tyree took a deep breath as he listened to what was being said, but he said nothing. He still didn't feel right doing this, but he had no choice...he couldn't let Ivan go alone.
When he finally got out of this though, he would even be considering giving up flying permanently!
"Eagle to Condor," he called into the radio absently, "when we get to the battle, you go in and do your stuff, and we'll take flanking positions, watching your back. Anything comes at you we'll deal with it. Just get in and get out again, quick as possible."
"Don't worry, Eagle. We'll be watching you guys too," stated Zach. Talietzin couldn't converse very well in English, if at all, but he was learning.
"Yeah, but I don't want anything to do with that traitor," came the reply. SX sighed, but made no reply. As long as Tyree was going on about the 'traitor' business, there would be no end to it.
"Don't worry about it. Taiga Four's got his tail covered."
"I sure hope so, because I'm not helping him."
"Hey, I can take care of myself, damn it," retorted SX. He had to defend his pride, and he did so.
"That's enough," declared Olga in Russian. She proceeded to mumble more in Russian, so that only the ones who could converse in Russian laughed. Ivan laughed so hard that tears squeezed themselves out of the corners of his eyes!
"What's the joke, Beef?" asked Tyree, baffled.
"You don't want to know," he replied. Talietzin spoke in Russian once again, but knew that Tyree wouldn't understand, but SX took the initiative.
"It's a Russian thing," translated SX, chuckling a bit more for good measure. "You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."
Tyree narrowed his eyes slightly. Another reason to add to the ever-growing list of reasons he didn't want to be here. Focus Ty...you're here for Ivan...nothing more, nothing less.
