As if to answer his question, in the squadron CO, one Major Nico Philepos, arrived in their ready room. As everyone was already standing, they naturally assumed a position of attention when their superior officer entered the room. This was quickly waved away by the young commander, with a quick "At ease" to ensure the three pilots knew they could relax. He made his way to one side of the ready room, to a wall-mounted screen that was normally used by the pilots to watch movies when they were forced to stand at ready for hours, but was officially used for briefings and presentations.
"I suppose you're all wondering why I came here to see you three by myself?" Major Philepos began, the dark-haired, olive-skinned man pressing a nondescript section of the wall to cause it to bring up an image of Hetra, with what looked like a basic battle plan superimposed over the globe that was displayed.
"Well, it seems that some members of the Hetran planetary guard have revolted, allying themselves with an anti-nonhumanoid terrorist group. They have siezed the port and the drydocks there, and are holding Terran Naval vessels and crews hostage, as well as taking control of the Marine garrison and holding everyone who won't join them as hostages. While most of Wendigo squadron, as well as the other squadrons, will be focused on the space battle, and securing orbital assets, you three have been tasked with entering the atmosphere, and stopping a group of enemy fighters from destroying the Drathonian battleship that is in drydocks there. not only will it be a major blow to the UGR Navy, but it will also likely kill thousands of innocent civilians." The Squadron commander handed August a datacard labeled 'FOUO: CLASSIFIED'
"Lieutenant Kerning, this is your battleplan, please stick to it, and ensure that those craft are disabled, or brought down safely with minimal collateral damage. You'll be fighting in atmosphere, over a populated area. You three were chosen because your academy scores and continual training showed you all to have a high skill in atmospheric flight, so make sure you live up to that and don't make me look like an idiot by sending Green flight out by itself."
********
FIVE MINUTES LATER
Rally jumped into the seat of her
Talwar fighter, as Cecil and August did the same to theirs. This would mark the first flight in her primary spacecraft since the tussle with the bandits, as it had been in heavy need of repair. It looked now, just as it had before, though a bit cleaner and the replaced panels lacked the signs of wear that most fighters wore as a badge of honor, showing their rigorous duty in the line of defense in the Galaxy, against evil forces, both without and within. Today, they would be fighting those within. The briefing had gone on to explain that the enemy they would be facing were flying
Gladius Starfighters, which, while fairly dated and primitive, were still quite dangerous, as they carried a heavy loadout that included modern anti-starfighter missiles more than capable of taking down a Talwar with a good hit.
"Ya guys ready fer a good fight? In atmo, with no support, tryn'a stop a battleship from fallin' over! Sound's excitin to me!" Rally babbled, as she strapped herself in and closed the canopy, going over her pre-flight checks as the crew chief below her checked all the external workings of the fighter before it was cleared to leave.