"~~~~" "~~~~" "Home Base, this is Soarin'Hornets." "No enemy activity to report." "Currently 7. 5 M. S. K. 's out." "Hey, Brandt, count you in for poker later?" "Boys, some things in life are inevitable." "The sun'll rise, the Niners won't make the play-offs, and I'll lose my shirt at poker." "That's a negative." "Come on, Brandt." "Come clean." "The 35th is flying in tonight." "You know you want some time with Captain Oakes." " I'll neither confirm nor deny." " The Faithful's flying in too?" "It seems like every squadron in the Fifth Wing is being called to the Saratoga." "Rumor has it the brass has something big planned." "Okay, lose the scuttlebutt over the radio." "You know better." "This is Yellow Jacket." "I got an angel on the LI DAR." "Confirm." "Negative." "Roger that." "Negative." "Just a Toga at 5. 8 M. S. K. 's." "Juke right!" "Juke right!" " What happened?" " I got no bandits, visual or HUD!" " What the hell is going on?" "  Someone talk to me. !" "Good-bye, John." "We thought we were alone." "We believed the universe was ours." "Until one night in 2063,  on an Earth colony six light years away...  they struck." "And now, we're at war." "My name is Lieutenant Colonel T. C. McQueen." "I'm an InVitro" " A race of artificially gestated humans." "I command a Marine Corps squadron" " The 58th." "They call us the Wild Cards." "We fight when called- in space, on land and at sea." "To lose this war means more than defeat." "To surrender is to never go home." "All of us must rise to the call above and beyond." "~~~~" "~~~~" "You're working that olive like it had bought you jewelry." "Well, I'm over this month's limit, but I know... there's another drink's worth in this pimento." "Shame the nun there still has this and last month's limit." "Oh, but it's goin' fast." "Hey, Shane, what's with you?" "You've been, I don't know, kind of weird... ever since they said the 35th was flying in." "I don't know." "I" "I can't help this feeling..." "something's gonna happen, you know?" "Somethin's comin'." "Is this 'cause of all the talk... about the old man planning a big offensive?" "No." "I think I know what her problem is." "Seven months in space can make a girl fidgety." "And this ship is looking awfully gray and cold." "And I, for one, am getting sick and tired... of looking at nothing but rivets." "Ace to the king." "Three to the Finn." "Queen to the joker." "And a bullet to G. I. Geequed." "And I don't even need to see another card." "I'm out." "What?" "You guys are seeing my cards in a mirror or something, right?" "Ahh!" "I thought InVitros were supposed to be bad gamblers." "Well, don't look at me." "Talk to McQueen." "Talk to Colonel McQueen." "~~~~" "~~~~" "Corner pocket." "Are you sure?" "I'm gone." " Can I buy in?" "  Pull up a chair, marine." " You guys seen any action?" " We're the 58th." "Not bad." "I'm with the 35." "What do you hear about why all these squadrons are being called in?" "Ante up." "I ordered a double shot ofJ." "D." "Well, sorry, zoomie." "No billet, no fill it." "I'm here to drink to the memory of a pilot who this very day was killed in action." "You think you're gonna stop me 'cause I don't have a drink ticket?" "Listen up, you maggot." "You got about a heartbeat... to set me up with a double shot ofJ." "D. So that I can honor that memory." "You reading' me loud and clear?" "Set us up." "Friend of yours?" "More than a friend." "Then here's to Lt. Brandt." "You look older." "You don't look like a boy anymore." "I'm not." "He disappeared about a hundred of these ago." "A hundred "more than just a friend"?" "She's the only one I've ever felt this way about... since you." "Some soldiers we talked to at Fort Bradley said... they heard we're going to land an invasion force at Hermes... then planet-hop to a full-scale invasion of the Chigs' home planet." "They don't know the Chigs' home planet." "That's not what I heard." "I think we go in around Cerces." "They're calling all the squadrons in for an air strike at Cora." "There's not gonna be any air strikes if they don't figure out what's going on out there." "The entire 42nd Squadron got it today." "Killed Captain Oakes'girlfriend, Lt. Brandt." "No one knows what hit 'em." "There was no Chig squadron on the LI DAR?" "Nothin'?" " It's no squadron." "One plane." "" "Chigs always fly in groups." "Not this one." "Air force guys in the Feynman region are calling it "Chiggie Von Richthofen. "" " Chiggie what?" "  Manfred Von Richthofen." "German ace of aces in World War I. They called him the Red Baron." "Have they seen it?" "They say don't even look." "'Cause if you see it, you're dead." "You might as well be talking about ghosts and werewolves, because there is no such thing." "There is no Chiggie Von Richthofen." "You sound like a bunch of old women at a quilting bee." "If the admiral has plans,  we'll know about it soon enough." "Till then, I raise two." "The worst thing is,  why isn't she here tonight?" "No one will tell me." "It wasn't a classified mission." "There was no reports of alien activity." "No asteroids in the area." "No one will say why." "Even if you had a detailed report, you'd still be wondering why." "It's the most-asked question." "Why did things turn out this way?" "Thanks for the drinks." "Gentlemen, the mission you are about to undertake is classified "compartmentalized. "" "The objective is to deploy... a miniature intelligence- and-reconnaissance-gathering satellite... into a polar orbit over the planet Helios in the Ceres region." "As you know, this is deep in enemy- occupied territory." "Sir...  we've heard talk about an alien craft." " Is there anything" " There is no such craft." "Aye, aye, sir." "Stand by for Hammerhead launch sequence...  in 10, nine, eight...  seven, six, five...  four, three, two, one." "Launch." "Ooh." "What the hell is that?" "Thesecondplane was shot down moments afterwards." "Rumors of its existence are rampant." "At what point do we inform our people?" "Inform them of what?" "Our pilots never had time to describe it." "It's cloaked or scrambled the D. M. S. So no one can see it on playback." "We don't know what it is." "All we know is what it can do... and we appear to be helpless to stop it." "Atten- hut. !" "Be seated." "Now, I'm here to ask an entire squadron... to volunteer for a classified mission in the Ceres region." " Sir, I volunteer the 58th Squadron." " I volunteer the 35th Squadron." "Sir, you specified an "entire squadron. "" "Regretfully, the 35th is down a man due to a recent casualty." "Sir, the 35th Squadron has flown extensive missions within the Ceres region." "Respectfully, we have more experience, sir." "Experience is what we need." "You get the call, 35." " Thank you, sir." " Sir." "In that case, I volunteer to fill in the 35th's vacant slot." "Colonel?" "This is an important mission." "Vansen's an excellent pilot." "Very well." "35, Colonel McQueen and Lt. Vansen... remain in the "O'"room for briefing." "All others, dismissed." "~~~~" "I've been looking everywhere." " Time to go?" " In a few minutes." " Let's go back inside." " When this is out here?" "Right there, right in the top center area... the Sea of Serenity." "That's where I did my marine corps high-intensity survival training." "Mmm." "It must have been even more beautiful to stand up there and look back." " ~~~~" " Only 'cause I knew you were back here." "Thissongwasbroughthere  on an optical disk so I could play it tonight." "This is for Marine Lt. John Oakes and Shane Vansen." " ~~~~" " What is this?" "It's 95 years old." "It's sung by a woman named Patsy Cline." "It was playing the night that my dad proposed to my mom." "And now, it's playing the night that I propose to you." "Shane, will you marry me?" "I mean, maybe not now, if you don't want." "It looks like I'll be stationed on the U. S. S. Lincoln for a while." " Baby" " Shane, I know what it's like to be away from you." "For months, let alone." "I can't take it." "I can't envision a life without your eyes looking into mine." "I have no doubt, no fear..." "I could happily belong to you..." "forever." "Look at the moon." "Tomorrow night, it'll set in a different spot." "A week from now, only half of it will shine." "In two weeks... you won't even know that it's there." "All that I believe is that... no one can know how things will be different, how things will change." "The only certainty is now... and I sure don't believe in forever." "So... that's a "no"?" "No." "That's a..." ""Let's see where the moon is in five years. "" "~~~~" "35th,youareabout to participate in Operation Shadow Watch." "The objective is to deploy...  a miniature intelligence- and- reconnaissance- gathering satellite...  into a polar orbit over the planet Helios." "Gentlemen, respectfully..." "I was briefed on Operation Shadow Watch." "I am not questioning the validity of the mission nor its objectives." "However, the use of an entire squadron... to deploy one MI RG and the nature of the directives... indicates to a veteran pilot... that the rumors of an alien ace out there are true." "It does exist." "And, gentlemen, respectfully... my senior officers appear scared." "We believe it is a new form of fighter... and there is most likely just one being tested." "Then that's what our pilots need to be told." "It's imperative to keep this under wraps." "We're not keeping anything under wraps." "We simply cannot have any cause for hesitation during engagement, Colonel." "Hesitation?" "These are our people!" "You give us everything you've got, and we'll go out and hunt it down." "And what are you gonna look for, Colonel?" "No one has ever lived to see it." "Our pilots will never know unless they are told of this situation." "Sir, respectfully... you're sending them into the dark without a light." "Colonel." "What I am about to divulge... is our greatest military secret." "I expect you to act responsibly with the information." "Deployment of the MI RG satellite is the first small step in ending this war." "Sometime in the coming weeks,  the forces of Earth...  will engage in a major offensive...  landing a massive expeditionary force...  in the Ceres star system." "The fifth planet from Helios... we have learned, is the enemy's home." "We will attack aggressively... and drive the Chigs to defeat and surrender." "Yes, sir." "Aggressively, sir." "This plan cannot be diverted... by an obstacle that no one can substantiate." "Gentlemen, until it is clear what we are up against...  we are not to reveal the existence of this alien craft." "In the 35th, we prefer to patrol using a defensive combat spread." "Since the Chigs fly in swarms, we attack using... a strike- rejoin- strike,  loose deuce engagement." "Why not a bracket attack?" "It keeps the squadron fighting as a team." "In all honesty, Sullivan is a great wingman." "Chambers is okay." "Some of the others are weak." "Sullivan and me can do more damage using the others as support." "I don't have that problem with the 58th." "I'd fight with any of'em." "Yeah, well, we fly in hotter zones." "The competition is tougher." "That's why I want you to hang back on our six." "I'm told you fly a tight tack turn." "If me and Sullivan get in a fur ball, you'll be there for me." "Won't you?" "You know I will." "So why did you volunteer?" "It's my duty to volunteer for any assignment." "One minute, you're competing with me using the 58th." "The next minute, you turn your back on them." "I would never turn my back on them." "I just hope you're not risking your life in order to make it up to me." "'Cause if you are, don't go." "Now you're one of them?" " Lieutenant." " Sir." " Good luck." " Thank you, sir." " Lieutenant." " Sir." " Good luck." " Thank you, sir." " Lieutenant." " Captain." "Remember, I want you to remain on my maximum six in formation." "Yes, sir." "I know pilots never wanna talk about this... but for me, prior to each mission I like to shake everyone's hand... in case it's for the last time." "Never told any of the others that." "Then why are you telling me, sir?" " Is that mike hot?" " No." "For telling you this, I could be court-martialed." "There is something out there." "An alien ace, or a new weapon." "Suspect everything." "Assume nothing." "If engaged, get the hell out." "Consider anything you see compartmentalized... and then report back only to me." "" " Colonel." "Am I doing the right thing?" " This is an important mission." "You're an outstanding pilot." " Am I doing the right thing?" "You mean if you're doing it just for him?" "There has to be something beyond this war." "15,000 M. S. K. 's from Helios." "Commencing radio silence." "The MI RG got waxed!" "I'm goin' hot!" "Vansen, maintain radio silence." "LI DAR'S reading a malfunction in the payload assist module." "Bogey, 9:00 low, movin' back on our six." "I got nothing on the HUD." "Confirm." "Confirm. !" "Confirm. !" "It's locked on. !" "Chaff andjink. !" "Fox one!" "Bogey dope." "Engage A. C. M." "Negative!" "Negative!" "Enemy is superior!" "Get the hell out of Dodge!" "Roger that." "Return to Home Plate." "You broke radio silence." "You revealed our position." "I had visual contact of an enemy craft!" "Our orders were not to divulge our presence!" "I saw no such craft." "What the hell else killed those men?" "If you hadn't" "Sullivan saw no such craft on HUD or visual!" "If you had listened to me instead of the damned HUD..." " there would be three marines standing here with us!" " We don't know that!" "Now, I was the commanding officer, Vansen!" "For once, I'm supposed to call the shots between us!" "At ease, both of you!" "Speak, Captain." "Lt. Vansen claims to have visually contacted an alien aircraft." "Neither myself, Lt. Sullivan nor LI DAR saw any such craft." "Lt. Vansen broke radio silence... abandoned formation... and then the lieutenant told us to turn tail and run." "Now, I don't know if that's how the 58th flies, but in the 38th" "I said, get back!" "I was there for you, as ordered." "Lieutenant." "You were ordered not to reveal your position." "Now, what evidence did you have of enemy activity?" "I am not at liberty to discuss such evidence at the present time." "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" " Now she's just trying to cover her ass." "" "Make a report, Captain." "It was approximately 17 meters." "Equal-distant tri-wing." "Span: 10 to 15 meters." "Angle of attack was much more pronounced than standard enemy attack spacecraft." "I did not detect any indication... of the craft's position on my SA-43 LI DAR." "And I believe that it is capable of broadcasting false information." "The craft had a fuselage." "It was bullet- shaped." "And I didn't get a very good look...  however, the nose had been marked." "Writing" " English- and a crude human skull." "Could you discern its message?" "It read..." ""Abandon All Hope. "" " Aces over eights." "" "I ain't doin' as good as I was the other night." "It's 'cause Vansen's back." "And for as much as she hates the A. I. 's,  she sure gambles like one." " Who's light?" " Vansen." "You in?" " Vansen?" " Let her go." "~~" "That jukebox has every Patsy Cline song but ours." " ~~~~" " It's just as well." "Look, I checked out the cockpit's D. C. L. replays and read Sullivan's report." "I just cleared my head... and I know...  you were there for me... this time." "I've always been there." " ~~~~" " I hate the words you said to me that night." "Because I've come to believe them." "It all started that night." "We drifted away after I could never imagine you being out of my life." "The war began... after everyone thought there'd never be another." "Promotions, reassignments." "Shane..." "I've seen so many people die." "John, I'm so sorry that she's not here." "But I'm not sorry that I am." "~~~~" "Do you still not believe in forever?" "Yeah." "Only, unlike that night, I'll no longer surrender to it." "The more something in life seems inevitable, the harder I fight it." "And I now know that giving your life to someone doesn't have to mean dying." "And I always wished that night, I had given you mine." "Hey, guys, it's true." "There is a Chiggie Von Richthofen." "Ross announced that we're all to report to a briefing at 0700." "They believe one alien fighter is responsible... for wiping out the 19th,  the 31 st and the 42nd Squadrons." "They confirmed it's what killed Lt. Brandt." "~~~~" "Somewhere out there in the darkness...  hiding...  is an enemy craft that has killed your comrades." "If not destroyed,  it will kill you." "Not this day." "This morning, you will participate in Operation Red Baron." "Now, hear this, C. F. B." "Your objective is to search for and remove this enemy spacecraft from my sky." "Colonel." "Naval engineers have theorized the Chigs are experimenting... with an advanced LI DAR signaling processing technology... which allows this fighter to cloak itself to our electronics." "Sir." "How do we detect it?" "When a plane in your formation goes down... you'll know you're in the school yard." "All our plans are on hold until this Chig is destroyed." "We do not intend to wait around while the enemy advances... watching people die... until a group of pencil-pushing, rear-echelon engineers... can develop a new technology to combat the enemy." "Today, you will go out there... find this bastard, and you pile on!" "Captain." "For this mission, we thought you might want this." " Welcome aboard." " Thank you." "Clear the flight deck." "Prepare for Hammerhead engagement series." "Fighting Finns, this is Saratoga." "What is your position?" "Saratoga,  this is Finns." "We are 15 M. S. K. 's from Helios heading 0-niner." "I'm taking fire!" "Two planes are down!" " I can't see any- " "Well, we found him." "What's the nearest squadron to that region?" "It's the 58th Squadron, sir." "The Wild Cards." ""Abandon All Hope" my ass." "Saratoga,  this is Wild Cards." "Current position is five M. S. K. 's above Helios, currently" "It's him!" "Bandit, 5:00 low!" "Jink!" "" " This is Oak Tree." "I'm hit." "Hold on, John." "I'm comin' for you." "Negative, negative." "My weapons are disabled." "I'm losing power." "I got a visual." "He's on our six!" "Regroup!" "Regroup!" "We're on his six." "Bring smoke!" "I've lost contact." "He's locked on Vansen." "The cannons ain't doin'jack!" "I can't shake him!" "John." "We have 20 SAR teams already on the planet." "Shane." "I saw a flash beneath the clouds." "I bet he ejected his cockpit." " They'll find him." " His Hammer didn't explode on impact with the Chig." "I'm sure he made it." "Colonel McQueen." "SAR 10 reporting in, sir." " Queen Six to SAR 10." "What do you got?" " Found him, sir." "SAR teams have found no remains of Chiggie Von Richthofen." "He eluded the kill." "He's still out there." "John?" "Where are you going?" "To fight the inevitable." "~~~~" "~~~~" "~~~~" "Watch your hands." "Watch your hands."