Borrowed Time [Bradley Bradshaw]

Dagger Attack

Cyclone nods at her when she enters the room, sitting down beside Hondo. He smiles at her, patting her hand briefly. Then she hears Maverick's voice over the coms.

"Dagger One, up and ready on catapult one," he says.

Then Hangman's "Dagger spare standing by."

"Dagger four, up and ready," Payback says.

"Dagger three, up and ready." Phoenix says.

And, finally, Rooster says, "Dagger Two, up and ready."

"Support assets airborne. Strike package ready. Standing by for launch decision." One of the comms officers says, waiting for Admiral Simpson's clearance.

"Send them."

"Dagger One away." She says as Maverick launches. "Dagger Two away." A pause. "Dagger three away." One last pause. "Dagger four away."

"Comanche, Dagger One. Standby check in," Maverick says.

"Comanche 1-1, set. Picture clean. Recommend Dagger continue." The officer answers.

"Copy. Daggers descending below radar." Maverick says.

The comms officer inside the control room says "Daggers now below radar. Switching to E-2 picture."

"Here we go." Maverick breathes. "Enemy territory up ahead. Feet dry in 60 seconds. Comanche, Dagger One. Picture."

"Comanche. Picture clean. Decision is yours."

"Copy." Maverick answers. "Dagger attack."

"Tomahawks airborne."

"No turning back now." Warlock sighs.

Crystal is breathing rapidly, barely able to contain her nerves. It's an alien feeling for her. Maverick is one of the best pilots she knows, she had seen him fly several times, but this one was different. This time she had just lost her father, the mission was unprecedented and there was a good chance that her godfather wouldn't come back alive. There was a turmoil of emotions swirling inside of her.

They assume the attack position, entering the enemy territory.

"Thirty seconds to Tomahawk impact on enemy airstrip," the comms officer says.

"Dagger, Comanche. We're picking up two bandits. Single group, two contacts."

"Where the hell do they come from?" Cyclone asks, looking at Warlock.

"Long-range patrol?" Warlock muses.

"Comanche, what's their heading?" Phoenix asks.

"Bull's-eye 090, 50, tacked southwest."

"They're headed away from us. They don't know we're here." Rooster says.

"The second those Tomahawks hit the air base, those bandits are gonna move to defend the target. We have to get there before they do. Increase speed." Maverick responds.

"We got you, Mav. Don't wait for me." Phoenix says.

"Sir, Daggers Two and Four are behind schedule. Time to target, one minute twenty." One of the comms officers says.

Then a second one counts down for the Tomahawk impact, announcing that the enemy runaway was successfully destroyed.

"They know we're coming now." Cyclone says, his worried expression lightened by the screen lights.

"Bandits are switching course to defend the target." Comanche warns.

Maverick asks, "Rooster, where are you?"