The best feeling in the world, for a pilot, is flying off a carrier. You know you’re the top of the game when the Top Brass let you fly something that goes at 2.5 Mach speed, that also has the firepower to take down planes, land structures and boats alike.

The feeling of being pressed back in your seat as the catapult releases and throws the hunk of metal you are sitting inside of the edge of a twenty-four-storey drop is almost as good.

“See you in the air, guys.” Night-hawk’s plane was lined up and attached to the catapult. He followed and replied to the yellow and green catapult operator using hand signals. He got the final ‘go’ signal and the catapult released to send him down the runway at 266km/h. He accelerated off the edge of the carrier to hit the air with a ‘whoop’. He headed out to the rendezvous point so Tiger could takeoff. He did so with a shocked look on his face.

“That was the most amazing thing I have ever done and possibly the scariest too.” He spoke over comms to Nighthawk, “How do people live without doing this?”

Nighthawk chuckled, “I don’t know Tiger, I just don’t know.”

Free-fall was lined up for the catapult; smile on his face and in the mood to do some tricks. He motioned to the catapult operator and the yellow and green woman dropped into the firing position as the catapult released, sending him flying down the short runway and off the edge. He headed out the rendezvous spot to get out of Wildcat’s ‘space’. She didn’t particularly enjoy taking off into an incoming breeze and would complain about it later if he was still in her ‘personal plane space’. He zipped past the waiting to land Hellcat, checking the call sign as he went by, ‘Black Jack’. The F-18 was next in line to land and Black Jack waggled his wings as a sign of respect to the older pilot. Free-fall did so in return as he flew past, heading to the pre-decided rendezvous point.

Wildcat was up next, annoyed at the incoming breeze screwing with her plane. She hated taking off in the breeze as it made the turn towards the rendezvous point become a difficult point instead of the normal turn. She flew up just as a F-18 Super Hornet came down on the opposite side of the carrier. ‘They must have been out on maneuvers’ she thought to herself as she pulled the 90° turn to the left.

Angel, lined up and ready go, beat G.Dragon to the catapult spot. She waved at the nice operator who got her in the spot while she heard G.D’s sigh over comms. “Got you, again. Perhaps you should try and be nicer to the operators. See you up there.” She took of with a whoosh as her plane thundered down the runway to hit the sky at a perfect angle.

G.D sighed; Angel beat him to the catapult spot again. She was always so nice to the operators that they gave her the spots needed ahead of everyone else. He shifted in his seat, ready for the catapult release and nodded at the operator who dropped into the fire position. The catapult released and the ers of G.D’s plane kicked into gear, pushing him down the runway at an incredible speed.

Sea Eagle chuckled, G.D and Angel at it again. He didn’t mind being last and that way Nighthawk knew someone would make sure the others got up and away safely. He hoped the rookie wouldn’t make a complete fool of himself. At this point, all the squad’s planes were out and either at or traveling to the rendezvous point. Only Sea Eagle, G.D and Angel still had to arrive and Nighthawk was schooling Tiger at a 360-turn trick he learnt from the master, Key.

The rest of the squad arrived to a sigh of ‘finally’ from Seungri, who had managed to master the 360 tricks within several minutes.

“Ok guys, switch to formation.” Night Hawk was all business now the whole squad had arrived. “ After that we’re going four on three, Eagle, G.D and Angel versus me, Tiger, Free-fall and Wildcat.”

“Four on three is so not fair. Even if we have Angel.” G.D complained as they moved into the new formation that none of them particularly enjoyed.

“Gee, thanks G.D I feel so good about myself now.” Eagle said as he slipped into his new spot off the edge of Angel’s right wing.  

“You know that we have the rookie right?” Wildcat spoke from her position off G.D’s right wing and behind Tiger. “Look no offence Tiger, but we’ve been doing this for longer.”

“True, but we’ll win anyway.” Tiger looked across his right wing to Free-fall, sitting a good 60 metres away.

Ok. Short chapter, but double update later this afternoon. I just figured you guys might want a bit now to tide you over till later this afternoon *writing on the bus like a boss*!

Lioness Over and Out!