Clone Saga: Final War Ch. 03

"I think we should keep going, make sure our virginity is well and truly gone." said Jan. Mia smiled at her, both of them were young and fit, they could keep going at it for hours. It sounded like a great night.

******

The next day, the Hornets left the base and were out training near one of moons, over on the far side of Lis. Zac and Mia had taken the Van Halen out and joined them around the large icy moon. The surface was white with a reddish tinge from the systems' red sun. It looked quite smooth from space, except for the great mountain ranges that ran over the surface like thick veins.

The fighter squadron was practicing manoeuvres over the moons surface. The triangular crafts looked like red and white spearheads darting about in formation. The two Gnat bombers were pod shaped with wide, curved wings. They were more manoeuvrable than they appeared and were capable of delivering a payload of small, but devastating xenoform bombs.

After a few hours out there, Jan was ready to head back to base, "Good work Alpha Squadron. Let's wrap this up. I'll shout you all drinks back at Sunnydale."

"Are the fighters holding up okay out here?" asked Zac over the comm.

"Yeah, they're doing fine bro. They're powerhouses, but they handle like a dream."

"How about a race back to the base then?"

"Against the Van Halen? You'd win."

"I've never known you to admit defeat so easily Sis. We'll give you a head start."

"Maybe I'm interested. What's the coarse?"

"We fly to each of the planets' seven moons and then back to the base. You gotta get within a hundred kilometres of each moons' surface."

"Okay, and you have to wait until we reach the first moon before you start."

"Okay fine, and there's a bottle of Single-Malt for the winner."

"I'll have a bottle of top-shelf Vodka thanks. You're gunna wish you never challenged me Dufus."

"Talk the talk while you can Sis."

"Good luck Blacky, you're gunna need it." said Mia.

The six Hornets formed up and then soon shot away, heading toward the furthest moon, over on the other side of Lis. Zac tapped at the command console and brought down the Van Halens' shields.

"What are you doing?" asked Mia.

"Giving the engines more power. Those fighters can move, we're gunna need every edge we can get."

"I think it's against regs to fly around without shields."

"Are you going to report me Sis?"

"You're being reckless." She gave him a smile. "I think I'm starting to rub off on you Bro. Let's beat her."

Some time later, back over at the Sunnydale base, one of the Hornet fighters was first to cross over the invisible finish line, getting within a hundred kilometres of the base. Another Hornet wasn't far behind it, and a few seconds later, the Van Halen crossed.

Zac opened up a comm to Jan, "You cheating bitch! You could have got us killed!"

"Yeah, I could have easily. What kind of idiot flies around without any shields?" replied Jan.

"If one of those laser blasts had hit us..."

"I made sure they didn't. Don't be a sore loser Zac. Your 'fastest ship in the galaxy' came in third place. I'd like that bottle of Vodka sooner rather than later thanks."

Zac was fuming, but Mia smiled next to him in the Van Halens' cockpit. Jan had fired at them in order to scare Zac into powering up the shields again, and it worked. It gave her the slight edge she needed to beat the Van Halen, but her stunt cost her the lead. "Who came in first?" asked Mia.

"That would be young Kira. Well done Private."

"Thanks Captain. That was fun. It was beginners' luck I guess."

"Yeah, must have been. How about I shout you dinner as a reward?"

"Cool, I look forward to it."

"Hey, not fair!" came Jackos' voice, "I think my Hornet had a faulty stabilizer, can we run the race again?"

Then the console in front of Mia beeped. "Were getting another hail, ...it's from Dad."

"Oh shit!" said Zac. Did he know how reckless they were being out there? "Put him on." General Boltons' stern moustachioed face appeared on the viewscreen. "General."

"I need you to return to base right now Captains."

"We weren't doing anything." said Zac defensively.

"We just got word from Captain Anders on New Heidi. Sergeant McKenzie is MIA."

.....