The Scarman Enigma

[|Scarecrow|]

Wing Commander Liz Gaunt dashed across the bustling hangar bay towards her stationary ASF-X2a Typhoon. The interceptor sat on its landing struts, the canopy open and beckoning to her. It had been too long since she had fought in open combat and she was almost high on adrenaline. Her wing, the Freedom Fighters renowned Umbra flight group had been engaged with the Zeta during the battle of Omicron Alpha almost a year ago. During that battle, most of Umbra had been dragged through the rift in time and space along with the rest of the fleet. Several hadnt made it however, and it still stung Liz even after such a long time. She jumped into her cockpit and powered up the main drive. She paused for a moment and stroked the picture of WC Stuart Beech. He smiled up at her, as he always did. Beech had been her lover back in their home universe, and her Commanding Officer. During the battle for Omicron Alpha however, he had disappeared without a trace. Even now Admiral Marcus Scarman, who had once flown with Umbra himself, had returned, no light had been shed on what had happened to Stuart.

She took a deep breath and sealed her cockpit, waiting as the canopy folded over and slotted into position. She powered up her main systems and charged her weapons cells. The Typhoons powerful Avenger cannons gave an angry whine as raw energy pulsed through their power converters, hungry for the enemy.
Flight control, this is Umbra, requesting a clear exit. She voxed her clearance across to the command deck, gripping her fighters controls in anticipation.
Roger that Umbra one, you are clear for exit, good luck out there.
Liz gunned her engine and her Typhoon lifted off its landing struts, the narrow legs folding and retracting back inside their berths on the hangar floor. She eased the throttle and moved her ship out into the centre of the hangar bay. The massive twin bulkheads set in the floor began to slide apart as warning sirens began to wail. Skillfully, Gaunt dropped her fighter out into space, missing the opening bulkheads by mere inches. She was followed by five other fighters; the remainder of Umbra flight.

Umbra report in, She spoke into her wing channel.
Two standing by, The voice of Dan Rosenthal, brother of the late Umbra veteran Jake Rosenthal reported neatly over her speakers.
Umbra three is in the green, Replied the voice of Flight Lieutenant Chris Andrew.
Umbra four locked and loaded, Pete Abrahams, Umbra four, was a bold young pilot who had been fresh from the academy just before the battle against the Zeta.
Five standing by, Umbra five was under the operation of another young Flight Lieutenant by the name of Yorke. Charlotte Yorke had graduated from West Point as the top fighter pilot in her class, earning gold stars with flying Patriots, Defenders and Elite Defenders.
Six, reporting in, The last pilots voice to reply over Gaunts earpieces was another young woman called Samantha Hardy. Hardy was a veteran of Kodiak flight, Umbras sister squadron who had been totally destroyed during the Freedom Fighters conflict with the divided Federal Republic of the Sigmas, back in their home dimension. She had joined the Freedom Fighters at the same point as Gaunt, back in the Imperial Conflict.

All fighters move into attack position, inverse V. Gaunt ordered over her commlink. Lets take down these bastards.
Umbra listen up, The voice of Fleet Admiral Merlow crackled over all of the Typhoons commlinks. You will shortly be joined by Able flight as soon as they are kitted out. Your first priority is protecting the civilian transports under attack by the Black Flag Corsairs. We can hold off the hostiles here for the moment.
Understood sir, Gaunt spun her ship around to face the distant flashes of the combat taking place by the Los Angeles docking ring. Umbra, converge on my new targets, best possible speed.

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| S C A R E C R O W |

"See you space cowboy..."