Sideshow Alley Read online

  ‘Jack, of course.’

  The afternoon think tank didn’t seem as productive—the consensus being that whatever formation the Lizards flew in it would come down to salvos on the day. Likewise, if a group of five fighters could target one of the enemy and then another, hopefully it would reduce their numbers sufficiently to ensure a rout.

  The Colonel dropped by before they were finished to check on their progress, and Eric took the opportunity of voicing his opposition to Colin’s idea of Alpha One risking itself—if the occasion were to arise.

  ‘Whoa! Let’s have the plan in its entirety before judgements are passed,’ the Colonel said.

  ‘Eric has suggested that the Lizards might try to swamp Alpha’s quadrant and rip through the other three, similar to what happened to the Resolve in the Battle of Ardis,’ Colin told him.

  ‘I’m impressed. You boys have really done your homework. It was a particularly bloody battle as I recall.’

  Eric picked up on it immediately, ‘You were there?’

  ‘Hell yes—only a handful of us survived to make it back to the ship that day.’

  ‘So what happened afterwards?’ Colin asked.

  ‘Well, the Resolve wasn’t going to slink away like a whipped puppy, no Sir-ee. The Legion asked for volunteers from all of the other Carriers around, and got them too. They ferried them over and we went straight back in and smashed them. I got me a Carrier that day and with nowhere to go, we wiped out every last Lizard fighter on the battlefield,’ the Colonel said, with a faraway look in his eye.

  ‘But I digress. What is this plan of yours?’

  Colin went to the whiteboard and drew the scenario as he spoke.

  ‘So far we have a list of possible actions that rely on Alpha Squadron going out as usual. They will fire at least one salvo before turning back. Alpha One will go to one side and draw some of the Lizards away while others will no doubt target the drone. Meanwhile Delta and Golf Squadrons will have gone high to strafe the enemy from above. Juliet Squadron can either come from behind or out of the sun, we’re not sure yet. Then once the Lizards are engaged Bravo and Charlie Wings can swing back to help mop up, while Alpha comes back to help us.’

  The Colonel sat rubbing his chin, deep in thought.

  ‘I like it. However there are a few more options. If you split Delta into three wings for the strafing run, you could have Golf attack from behind and then Juliet can go high to come out of the sun. Also Command will have to move another drone across as soon as the other one is taken out, so you would have visuals and safety arcs still in place.’

  ‘Yes, but what about Alpha One?’ Eric persisted.

  ‘I assume that your concern is for the Red Alpha pilot,’ the Colonel said, pointedly.

  ‘Naturally—the lives of all my colleagues are equally important and should not be squandered.’

  ‘Should all your colleagues look so pretty, but it’s a case of dividing our enemy to overcome them, hopefully without the loss of Alpha One.’

  The Colonel turned to address the alpha crew, ‘I’m sure there will be a hefty bounty on you after the last battle.’

  He drummed his fingers on the table for a moment.

  ‘You might try removing the Proton Torpedoes from Alpha Squadron. I don’t think they’ll be needed next time out and it would give them another ounce of speed. They’re going to need it if the Lizards try to pull that stunt again.’

  ‘How long do you think we’ll have to wait?’ Kyla asked.

  ‘Well, I wouldn’t hold my breath,’ the Colonel replied.

  ‘Lizard Command likes to pore over their plans until they’re positive of the outcome, even using time itself as a weapon to try and catch us unaware. Nobody in their right mind would send another Carrier against the ‘Top Dog’ just days after a slaughter and they’re still blooded. No, I think we’ll have a week or two’s grace. Now, was there anything else before I go?’

  ‘How would you go about downing a Carrier?’ Colin asked.

  The Colonel looked at him a moment and shook his head, ‘Now that’s just the sort of question I’d expect from you.’

  He looked around at the expectant faces, ‘That’s what the Proton Torpedo is there for. Ideally it would be good to place it somewhere inside the enemy’s Carrier midship, but unfortunately there aren’t any openings to enable us to do that. All we have to work with are the hangars themselves. If you place one in there you stand a good chance of setting off a secondary explosion that may well take-out the Carrier or at least bring it to its knees.’

  ‘What do you mean by secondary explosion?’ Colin persisted.

  ‘It all depends where the torpedo explodes. It’s going to takeout a few decks for sure and depends largely on what is stored there. Or alternatively, if there are armed fighters in the hangar at the time, with torpedoes of their own—you can imagine the combined damage they would do!’

  ‘Any idea of where we’ll be going on our rotation?’ Kyla asked.

  ‘We haven’t thought that far ahead. Perhaps you’d better concentrate on getting through these next few weeks. One thing’s for sure though, it’s not Verdi, the planet below us. The Lizards have systematically targeted it for a number of years and its residents have taken to the hills,’ the Colonel explained. ‘Well, everything seems to be under control, I’ll see you all later.’

  Colin watched him go before addressing the others, ‘I’m happy with the plan so far. What say we meet daily at 0800 hours to discus anything else that comes up, otherwise it’s very much a waiting game I’m afraid. Oh, there is one thing. Kyla is going to organise a volleyball grudge match between pilots and fighters. The idea is that each wing nominates their best players from Green and Red, with the view of fielding the best team possible to play-off.’

  ‘We’ve already beaten you once, wasn’t that enough?’ Eric asked.

  ‘In view of all the time we have on our hands, it should help relieve some of the boredom for the crews, if nothing else,’ Kyla explained.

  ‘We’ve done it once, we can do it again,’ Eric said, before departing. The others followed him out of the mess while the poker players drifted in to claim the tables.

  The mood in the mess that night hadn’t changed any, the crews still buoyed by their latest success. Because of the confidence they exuded, the older fighters were a huge influence on the newer ones. Along with their swagger and tattooed torsos, most wore an earring in the left ear and sported razor-style haircuts, so now Sami had his work cut out for him as the new crazes swept the mess. It was only ever the fighters though, the pilots didn’t bother.

  News of the volleyball grudge match circulated also, with the pilots all taking Eric’s stance and not understanding why, however the fighters thought it a good idea.

  The following days were partially taken up by the selection process of the teams. Twenty-four fighters were nominated from amongst their ranks. The pilots warmed to the idea and did likewise, with Eric personally taking the helm. Tiddles was given the job of selecting the four fighters’ teams and culled any suspect player ruthlessly, shuffling them about until he had all the best in the one team, the second team showing promise as well. The coming match dominated talk in the mess each night as the various merits of each player was discussed and compared with others.

  Because of the rivalry generated, the opposing teams were kept apart—the pilots practicing in the gymnasium of a morning and the fighters in the afternoon. Tiddles and Eric took it so seriously that those about wondered if it would spill over and affect them as a team, but Colin laughed at any such suggestion. He was of the opinion it would bond them more, if anything. At least it alleviated any worry within the crews as to when the Lizards would attack.

  On the day of the volleyball showdown twelve days had elapsed since the last battle and both pilots and fighters were screaming for blood in the gym as the teams faced off. Captain Jorgen was seconded to officiate and Sami was already there working the spectators.

  Kyla turned
to Colin, ‘You’ve really started something here. I assume you have money on them?’

  ‘No way—not even with the odds Sami is giving.’

  ‘But why not, you backed me?’

  ‘That was different, there was more at stake. Besides, I feel as if I’ve already won.’

  The teams had been matched in such a way that the strongest were pitted against the opponent’s weakest team, so there were no real surprises. The money was only ever bet on the outcome—pilot or fighter. The playing commenced and the two weakest teams on each side were eliminated, with the fighters’ second team just scraping through. It was a much different result than that of only a few weeks before and now the pilots saw a real threat to their supremacy on court.

  The second round was much the same, keeping the best teams apart for the final clash. With four other fellows of similar physique and stamina, Jack had led his team through to a finals berth.

  Colin looked at the team wistfully, ‘I’m sorely tempted to back them, but how about you? Jack is Alpha, after all?’ he asked Kyla.

  ‘Yes, I know—but I’m also a pilot or haven’t you noticed?’

  The spectators lined the edges of the court when the main game began, with the two trainers pacing about nervously, yelling orders to the teams as they played. The fighters played an energetic game and kept the ball in play to feed their players on the net, slamming the ball down viciously to take out the first game. Eric was beside himself, calling for retribution of the worst kind—alternatively egging and cajoling his team across the line for the second.

  ‘You can do it!’ he shouted, while at the other end of the court Tiddles was doing the same as he screamed himself hoarse.

  The crews lining the court were beside themselves as the third and final match was played out. The pilots were serving towards the end and kept the ball low, leaving the fighters no option but to put it high in the air, the pilots returning it too hard and fast for them to respond.

  Once the spectacle was over, the crews dispersed—leaving Captain Jorgen to congratulate both teams on the closely contested game. ‘I can see that with a bit more polish on your opponents’ serve we might have a different result than we did today—and in the not too distant future,’ he said, when presenting the plaque to the winning team.

  Colin went over to Tiddles and put a hand on his shoulder, ‘That was really close. Maybe next time,’ he said, consoling him.

  Eric responded to Colin’s words by shoving the plaque under Tiddle’s nose. ‘Anytime!’ he said.

  During the midday meal the result was scrutinised more closely, the pilots realising they might have some competition at long last. Kyla sat with her friends as usual and watched Eric as he bathed in the morning’s glory. These days he didn’t pester her as much as before, the sudden dose of reality she had meted out seemed to have found its mark and he had changed noticeably.

  The volleyball finals had all but faded from conversation in the mess that evening, leaving the newer fighters lulled into a false sense of security, but the older ones looked about uneasily. They knew there would be reckoning before too long and a price to pay along with it.

  Kyla sat with her friends as they watched the movie, but towards the end of the night she left them to mingle with the crews, stopping briefly to talk to Colin before conversing with others from her wing. She watched entranced as Sami created a piece of art on the arm of a fighter and then spoke to Queenie briefly before departing the mess altogether.

  Moonlight bathed the two lovers as they embraced in the planetarium, their two hearts beating as one as they watched Verdi turning slowly beneath them.

  ‘It’s so peaceful here,’ Colin said, looking out to the distant moon. ‘This is the time I look forward to.’

  ‘Do you mean sitting here with me or watching the moon?’

  ‘Alone time with you of course—without you the moon would be nothing.’

  She kissed him before replying, ‘We have two weeks leave coming up, maybe we could get to see a sunrise together.’

  ‘I’d like that. Perhaps when we know where leave is to be spent you can make the arrangements.’

  They stayed together as long as they dared before calling it a night.

  Verdi

  The Redemption endured another whole day of peace as it silently prepared for the inevitable. The next morning there was pandemonium in the sleeping quarters when the launch sirens greeted the crew awake instead of the usual bosun’s whistle. The fighters scrambled to dress as Pee Wee jumped into his orange coveralls and streaked away with shoes in hand, to help man the ship’s defences.

  Colin wiped the sleep from his eyes and ran a hand over his short hair as he sprinted up to the hangar, along with the others. Kyla was already waiting for him. Once aboard he belted up and pressurised the cabin space before establishing comms with Battle Command.

  ‘What have we got?’ he asked.

  The Colonel responded, ‘It looks like Eric was right. We’re looking at four waves of Lizard fighters approaching through your patch Ace, and I think they’re out for blood. Good luck!’

  Colin relayed the information to Eric and told him to confirm it on his Battle Screen once he was out. He watched as the last of the drones were deployed and then held his breath as they sped down the ramp and out to the forming-up point. He brought the Battle Screen online while waiting for the other fighters and saw the might of the Lizard Carrier advancing towards them through their quadrant.

  ‘Alpha Squadron, this is Alpha One. Do you see what I see? Remember, stagger formations and load proximity. Red and Green pick your targets, two quick salvos on my command and then hightail it out of there, got it? Let’s go!’

  Colin ordered the salvos laid as they approached the threat and then on completion the Legion fighters turned tail and fled. He afforded a smile afterward, when viewing the result onscreen—the leading wave of Lizard fighters resembled a jagged jaw line after his fighters had landed the first punch.

  For their part the Lizard formation never faltered once. They came at them doggedly, despite their losses, and retaliated with rocket fire of their own. The retreating Alpha fighters deployed ARDs in their wake, causing the gulf between them to erupt in short-lived flame.

  Alpha One sped off to the side and a depleted wing of Lizards gave chase, while another made a beeline for the unprotected drone. Eight enemy fighters pursued Kyla relentlessly, loosing rockets as fast as Colin could deploy the ARDs. The Lizards realised the rockets were ineffective and poured laser fire on the fleeing craft, causing it to take evasive action and lessen the gap between them.

  Delta Squadron commenced their strafing run above the main Lizard formation and caught them unaware. The Legion fighters lost their Battle Screens, but kept on firing at the enemy below them as they broke in all directions. Golf Squadron deployed behind the enemy and fired salvo after salvo to deplete them, while Juliet Squadron came out of the sun to decimate the enemy wing that had taken out the drone—the Battle Screens going back online soon after.

  With no chance left of outrunning their pursuers Colin said, ‘Let’s get amongst them and do some damage of our own.’

  Kyla dove in a short loop to come up behind the Lizards and Colin opened up a murderous burst of fire. She peeled away just as the surviving Lizards did the same, coming up on where the Legion craft had once been. The chase pushed them further and further from the main battle as Alpha Wing searched for them. Four Lizards remained to chase the Red Leader as Kyla looped again. Suddenly only two of the enemy craft remained with Kyla in hot pursuit, dogging the closer of them relentlessly until he was downed also. When she searched the screen for the remaining fighter she realised her mistake and immediately peeled to the left.

  The manoeuvre undoubtedly saved their lives, but not before half of the fighters’ tail was shot away, along with its signal. The Battle Screen went blank and with it, the position of the enemy behind them. They had taken other hits as well, to the fairings on the starboard side.
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  ‘How bad is it?’ Colin asked.

  ‘It doesn’t get any worse,’ Kyla informed him.

  ‘Can we make it back?’

  ‘No way—we couldn’t hope to get this thing back onboard in one piece,’ then as an afterthought she asked, ‘do you trust me?’

  ‘And then some. Whatever you have in mind, go for it,’ he reassured her.

  Expecting death with every second she pointed the crippled fighter downwards towards Verdi, tumbling erratically through space until it hit the outer layer of the planet’s atmosphere. The Lizard fighter followed, unable to get a clear shot and unwilling to let the Legion craft escape destruction.

  ‘So what’s the damage?’ Colin asked.

  ‘Limited steerage, communications are gone, but we still have oxygen and power.’

  ‘That’s all we need,’ Colin said, trying to be cheerful, ‘besides, Alpha Wing will be looking for us.’

  ‘I don’t think so, not without a signal—they’ll think we’ve been dusted. And if you look out your canopy there’s a Lizard still following.’

  ‘Why doesn’t he speed up and shoot us?’ Colin asked.

  ‘Probably because he can’t,’ she explained, ‘we can only descend into a planet’s atmosphere at a slow rate. Any faster and we’d burn up.’

  ‘So what do we do now?’

  ‘Well as soon as we’re down, we hit the deck running. He’ll put a rocket into us for sure!’

  As Alpha Wing sped towards Kyla her signal disappeared from the screen, leaving only the one Lizard fighter that had now descended into the atmosphere of the planet below. Ben and his pilot stared ahead in disbelief before relaying the information back to Battle Command.

  On hearing the news the Colonel thumped the table in front of him and swore. He turned to the Admiral and said, ‘Sometimes life can be so cruel,’ then went to the radio to speak to the fighters on the battlefield.

  ‘Now hear this. Now hear this. Alpha One is down. I repeat. Alpha One is down. Delta One will assume command as of now!’