Read Operation Hellfire for Free Online Page B

your role as wingmen."
    He placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
    "You kicked serious ass out there, and the kills for the Knighthawks are racking up. But it's the Squadron and its pilots that I'm more interested in. Let's keep working together, and make sure we all make it back to civilisation in one piece."
    With that last part of his speech, his tone softened, and the other pilots appeared to relax. Lieutenant Commander Saffron Holder listened to the speech with interest. The cadets had performed well, no one could argue with that. And Hawkins’ assessment of their fast and loose approach to combat was exactly what she would have said herself.
    "There might be hope for them yet."
    She paced the deck while more than a dozen medics and technicians waited on the portside deck as the elevators finished their ascent from the central landing deck. Her uniform was pressed and tight as always, and her long, dark brown hair hung down loosely at her shoulders. On her third pass an arm reached out and blocked her movement. It was the gruff Captain Cornwallis.
    "That will do. They'll be here soon enough."
    The young officer gazed at the rough face of the Captain. Unlike hers, it was pockmarked from years of hard living and hard fighting. A thin layer of grey stubble served as a reminder of the hardships all the crew were going through. There was little free time on the ship, and most were serving excessively long hours, to the detriment of their health and capabilities.
    "At least the girl got out in one piece. She was lucky."
    He lifted his right eyebrow, the one that twitched due to the damage sustained to his ocular cavity at some point in the past. She followed his gaze and nodded upon seeing Cassandra Hurley being helped onto a stretcher. She sat upright and joked with several of her friends who had been waiting nearby. She wanted to go over to speak with her, but there was something more important right now.
    "There."
    The Captain pointed at the elevator as it moved up to the deck. Atop the metal plating was the smoking shape of Ensign Lewis' fighter. Much of the metal was covered in fire retardant foam that clung tightly to the battered and broken shape.
    "Pilots, stay back. Leave this to the deck hands."
    Captain Cornwallis' voice boomed loudly, much like a seasoned sergeant major. Not one of the pilots moved closer; even the twins stayed back and watched for signs of Nate. Technicians surrounded the broken fighter and sprayed it with a clearing agent. The special fluid cleared the foam, yet retained a silky finish to the metal that would stop flames from taking hold, as well as nullifying any chances of electrical sparks.
    "Nate?" Cassandra called out.
    She tried to get down from her stretcher, but Rex was there and held her back. Steam spread out around the base of the fighter, and then with a painful cracking sound the hinge plates snapped open. Two of the crew used metal tooling to pull the cockpit apart, and then they were helping Nate out. To the astonishment of every single person on the deck, he was conscious and even able to support his own weight. Both Captain Cornwallis and Lieutenant Commander Holder moved closer.
    "Son, you hurt?" Captain Cornwallis asked.
    As he asked the question, his damaged ocular cavity twitched uncomfortably. He might have been worried for his pilots, but not once did he betray his feelings. One of the crew tapped the side of Nate's helmet; another carefully removed it while checking for damage. The last thing any of them wanted was to cause further damage. After some careful manoeuvring, it lifted off Nate's sweat-covered face. He blinked several times and then wiped his brow.
    "That was...intense."
    A medic approached but before he could speak, Nate looked over towards Cassandra.
    "Did we all make it back in one piece?"
    Cassandra couldn't quite hear him from further back, but her friendly wave, and the fact that she was sitting upright with Rex alongside her, reassured Nate. The other