Horizon

Chapter 1

Nothing could be heard but the whirring of plane engines. A simple humming that rattled the inside of Aircraft. Henry Gujet leaned against the side wall, the radio in his hand ready to receive incoming transmissions. It was a simple search and recover mission for a civilian aircraft. The highlands radio tower had lost contact with tour blimp at 1400 hours. It was suspected that is landed somewhere in the DMZ, that was why an entire fighter squadron and 2 bombers were sent to investigate. Though there was a ceasefire it had technically ended a week ago so an attack was imminent. Especially a bombing raid on Highlands tower, the only radio tower within 300 miles of Daurdburg.

Henry was the radio man/navigator for the Albatross bomber B8-16. Also on board the plane are the pilot Murdoch, co-pilot Sam Dakins, the 4 gunners, and the 2 bombardiers. Henry was 28 and had served in the air force 3 years now, he was the least experienced of anyone on that plane. Henry had pale skin dirty and dirty blonde hair. He was a handsome lad charming facial features and fit. Born to a poor widow years before the war, 24 years exactly. His mother left him for dead in the streets, but a lieutenant had rescued him and taken him as his own. This man was Charles Gujet now a renowned Admiral in the Air-force. He knew no other way to raise a buy then the military way, strict house rules, martial arts training, and military history. Henry learned only the basics of math and science, he had always planned to follow his father into the military, which of course he did. Charles did not immediately promote him to an officer which Henry always resented him for, Charles wanted him to learn it through experience. Henry graduate from the academy when he was 24 just in time to join the war. But instead of fighting on the front lines, Henry carried dispatches and acted as assistant to his father, this was very disappointing to him. This ended when the ceasefire started.

The ceasefire was planned to end the bloody war, or at least that's what the council promised. It didn't thought the Emperor had no intention of stopping his advances into Alliance land. So the summits ended and after 3 months and tensions rose. Who would strike first? Charles personally made sure that Henry was stationed on an aircraft as he was.

"Any orders Gujet?" asked Murdoch turning his head back.

"Nothing we are too find the tourists dead or alive, keep our course."

Suddenly Henry could make out words from his radio he held it up to his face, they were repeated hard to make out, Your---not--alone! Henry stood up shocked. He climbed up to the cockpit and tapped Murdoch on the shoulder. Murdoch pulled his headphones off.

"what? Dakins watch us." Murdoch said

Dakins: "yesir!"

Henry: "I think you should hear this" He held the radio piece up to Murdoch's ear. Those 3 words repeated over and over, the radio went to static. "That doesn't sound good, go tell everybody to keep an eye out, we might have company. Henry ducked out of the cockpit. "This is B leader, we've just received a strange transmission as im sure you have we could be in for more than a rescue mission. Load your weapons and report to...What the h*** is tha--"

20 Imperial fighters emerged from the clouds ahead. "There not in combat formation, dont fire unless fired apon." Murdoch radioed to his crew. everyone watched as they came closer and closer. The whir of their propellers grew increasingly louder. They passed right overhead, zooming past them. Henry sighed in relief as he stood in the middle of the plane. Murdoch: "just a patro-" he is cut of as the plane shakes. Henry is violently forced to the ground by the shock. The Imperial fighters have attacked from behind. Henry rushes to the window. The window and side are covered in bullet holes and smoke drifts from where the wing meets the body. "we've been hit!" He shouts towards the cockpit. Murdoch sharply turns the plane around to the Imperial fighter sweeping in from above. He watches as they shoot down 2 allied fighters. "Gunners! fire at them!" The fighters are easily able out maneuver the bombers machine guns. B8-16 drifts into a cloud, two enemy fighters approach from behind are maintain heavy fire on it. The wing tears off and send the plane on its side. Henry slams against the wall.

"status of our wing?" asks Murdoch "Its...gone, d*****! its gone!" responds Henry. Murdoch stands up and leans against the wall the radio to his mouth "Bail out, its time to aban-" the plane jerks downwards taking Slamming Murdoch and Dakins against the cockpit window, the glass cracks. "s***! Ok, if we move an inch this glass will brake and we will die, Dakins stay calm. Gujet! climb up and get the para-" he is cut off when a gunners dead body falls down and lass, Dakins screams and falls the plane falls past him, Murdoch grabs a metal beam hanging from the cockpit, but oil drips from the back of the plane to his hands making him slip slowly down to his death. He cusses and grasps at the beam with his other hand desperately. "Go get the parachutes! hurry!" he screams at Henry. Henry cautiously climbs up the floor stopping to see a bombardier hanging on to lose netting meant for cargo a huge piece of shrapnel sticking of his leg. He moans reaching for his gun beside him. Henry climbs up to him and grabs two parachutes from the compartment next to the wounded man. Henry throws on on him. The old man laughs faintly then coughs up blood. "Its no use boy im going to die, do me a favor and shoot me in the head with my pistol." Henry "nonsense come on you'll make it you can put that parac-" "Nope, I can only move my left arm, the guns on my right side." "No I-I--wo-nt!" Henry desperately tugged at the man. He could hear Murdoch shouting from below. "Coward!" The old man pulled the piece of shrapnel out holding in shrieks of pain. "No! no!-" cried Henry. The man thrust the shrapnel into his heart. Blood spewed out of his mouth thick as vomit, then he died. The netting snapped and Henry tumbled down, but the body got caught in it it's lifeless eyes staring down. Henry fell out of the plane with parachute on his back to other in his hand, just then Murdoch let go and was pulled behind the plane with Henry. They watched as the Bomber smashed into ground 300 feet below them. Henry ignited his parachute and Murdoch slamming against him grabbing the parachute from Henry. Both men safely parachuted to the ground.

Murdoch unsnaps his parachute and climbs out from under it. He stares into the distance a funnel of smoke rising from the wreckage. He sees Henry stand up, and walks briskly towards him. "We surv-" Murdoch slaps him across the face before he can finish. "ow! what was that for?" Murdoch: "For almost getting us killed! In the time you wasted trying to save the dead man Hopkins, we could have crashed and died!" Henry responds: "I could have saved him, if he had let me!" "No you couldn't have, and even if you did I know Hopkins the minute he got down here he would've stuck that pistol up his mouth instead of slowly bleeding to death. From now on do exactly as I say, nothing else. I am still your commanding officer." he said walking past Henry. Henry frowned then walked after him. "We'll head to the wreckage, see if we can radio Highlands tower. The wreckage is just over these hills!"

Henry looks up to see an imperial fleet of Bomber Zeppelins,bombers, and fighters passing overhead. They frantically duck behind a rock. "Imps are probably headed for Highlands tower, which is relatively defenseless" exclaimed Murdoch "their too high to see us, We have to radio the tower from our wreck now." They rush towards the wreck.

****Attention! This is B8-16-over.

Yes B8=16 this is Highlands tower, we have lost communication with your squadron what are your coordinates?

-228.6/34.12, thats not important though! There is an Imperial fleet headed your way they plan---on--deci--mating y-our-base. ove-r. we-wer-e-shot-dow-n!

The radioman stood up and ran out of the door into Colonel Deveks office.

Deveks: "what is it?" radioman: "sir we have made contact with squadron B-11 they were shot down near these coordinates by Imperial forces" he said as he shows the coordinates to the colonel.

The colonel stands up and goes to his intercom. "D***** soldiers this means war! Everyone to battle stations, The Empire has destroyed one of our squadrons and they are headed this way with a fleet. Since the closest place of evacuation is 60 miles away we wont even try, So lets give em a h*** of a stand! Any cowardous deserters will be shot on spot!"

Colonel stands up and reluctantly puts on his hat. He leaves his office and walks down the hallway towards a viewing platform. Sirens glare and wail but he seems not to notice he has every intention of dying...