Evangeline Anastasia McDowell

[Bazza]

Entry#: 078
Date: 17 - 03 - 818 AS @ 19:17 SUT
Title: Well that was fun.

A couple days ago, I was happily enjoying some private time with Misaka, when, out of bloody nowhere, Rall appears at the catwalk of my ship, demanding to be let in.

After donning a level of clothing more appropriate for standing before a Major, I opened the airlock and let him in. He didn't seem one bit happy.

He demanded, behind a lightly-blushing face, that I put some clothes on and come with him right away to help him with something exceptionally important which he couldn't explain to me then and there.

"What's in it for me?" I asked, putting on my famous flirtatious persona.

Rall, being the innocent-minded young lad that he is, responded with "Well, what do you want? Credits?"

"I want..... you." As I attempted to capture the young major in a crushing bear hug by launching off the bulkhead behind me.

Rall, after deftly avoiding the latest of my advances promptly replied with "Damn it Eva, this is important. People's lives are at stake!".

Way to kill the mood, Major.

"What's the problem and why do you need me to fix it" I asked, adjusting myself from my recent failure, bearing little more than panties and a singlet on my person.

Rall divulged the situation in detail, the abridged version being the RNC Altenburg had come under attack in Bremen by a group of Libertonians known as the "Gold Wing"; that there was a total lack of immediately available fighter pilots and he needed me to jump in one of his ships and help him out.

Never one to turn down a potential pay cheque I donned my space suit and after a few minutes had passed I sat in the cockpit of a Wraith Rheinlander fighter.

I was taught combat basics over the radio as Rall, myself, and a random assortment of Valkyries and Reservists thundered towards the Bremen System. The Altenburg had been in contact with Mecklenburg for the duration of the battle however transmissions worryingly ceased as we approached the jumphole.

Once on the other side we quickly flew to the orbit of Planet Bremerhaven, where the Altenburg had been engaged by the Gold Wing.

We got there just fast enough to bear witness to the ship cracking apart and falling into the planet's atmosphere.

Once we reached the scene of the battle, Rall and the experienced members of the ad interim fighter wing broke out of formation and engaged the Gold Wing pilots. I, having basically no idea what I was doing, dove in and started shooting at what I hoped was the enemy.

I learnt this later, but the target I had picked was an Upholder Liberty Bomber, a sluggish but torpedo-capable version of the Liberator. I begun unloading green plasma up the arse of the thing like a lime jelly enema, and he was none-too-pleased, I quickly earned myself some lasers from another fighter called in to get me off the Bomber.

After the fight I was told my avoidance technique was up there with the best of pilots, but at the time I just randomly flailed the ship around whilst maintaining a hold on my target. Despite being under fire from a fighter right behind me, I relentlessly pummelled the bomber in front until it lost control, spun over on itself and exploded.

One down, a dozen to go. I located the other of this slower, meatier type of ship and started laying into it, the second bomber suffering the same fate as the first, falling to the bolts of green plasma.

Gunnykins and Putzi - Hans Putzkammer - were having their own little adventure dealing with an onslaught of real fighter craft. The Major was fairing quite well, but Putzi, on the other hand... wasn't. Of all fourteen ships on the Rheinland side, he was the only one who bailed. His Wraith copping the bad side of a Nuclear Mine forced him to abandon it and take up residence in an escape pod. Luckily for him the Gold Wing chose to abide by the rules of war regarding escape pods - most others would shoot it or smear it across the front window without second thought.

Although Putzi had been served a slice of humble pie, the rest of the gang were fairing better. We had the number advantage, Liberty had skill - but not quite enough.

Two of their fighters suffered the same fate as Putzi, the numbers now reading thirteen on our side and ten on theirs. It became apparent that we were beginning to overwhelm the remaining pilots.

The Gold Wing leader broke off and attempted to leg it back to safety, with the rest of his team in tow. One more Liberty ship would be destroyed after being hit with a cruiser disruptor missile and consequently being utterly swamped by fourteen angry Rheinlanders.

Almost as quick as they had appeared, the enemy force vanished - ran back to the safety of the Liberty Police State, to lick their wounds and no doubt contemplate their vengeance.

I, being the generous soul that I am, volunteered to bring Putzi back to base, his Wraith now decorating the surface of Bremerhaven. I scooped up his escape pod and together we trundled back to Braunschweig.

Once on board I was treated to some much-needed alcohol from Rall's private collection and a stern talking to from my beloved Misaka - I'd left her in a very compromising position in our quarters several hours ago. I didn't have the balls to tell her what I'd really been up to and instead made up some bull**** about highly classified paperwork, which, luckily, Rall parroted when asked.

So it looks like I'm a combat fighter pilot now.

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