Retriever CIC.

"This is Hound five to Doghouse, enemy carrier is launching aircraft! Multiple bogey's headed south! Repeat, enemy carrier has launched aircraft"

"Get out of there Hound Five!" says Raven

"Too late, they've got target lock on me----"

"Hound Five? Hound Five, come in!"

"He's gone off my scope." says Patton

"This is it." says Bengal "Is Mutt Squadron armed and ready to fly?"

"At your command, captain." says Raven

"Battle stations. All pilots to their planes."

"Yes sir."

*****

Mutt Squadron ready room. The pilot's and navigators of the squadron are lounging around, ready for action. The ship's alarm klaxon sounds and the P.A. blares.

"Pilots dog your planes! General quarters, general quarters, all paws dog your battle stations!"

The Mutts race out of the room and join the other crewdogs out onto the flight deck, crewdogs lean against the bulkheads as the pilots rush to their planes. On the forward catapault, Caboose and his navigator, Train, a Newfoundland, ready for takeoff.

"Ready for action, Train?" says Caboose

"Let's show those werewolves what a few mutts can do!"

"Let's get 'em airborne!" says Klondike.

A crewdog stands to one side of Caboose's plane moving his finger in a circular motion. Caboose revs his engines up and the crewdog salutes, Caboose returns it and the crewdog ducks, touches the deck and points forward.

Mutt Leader is shot across the deck and into the air. The process repeats three more times as the first four planes of Mutt Squadron takes off.

"Got 'em on my scope, boss." says Train

"Mutt Two, you copy?" says Caboose

"Roger that." says Apache

Mutt Squadron, this is doghouse." says Bengal "Hold off those jets as best you can. Our escorts will take care of any that slip through."

"Copy that, doghouse." says Caboose

"They're locked onto to me!" shouts one pilot.

"Break formation, Mutts! Let's take 'em!"

*****

CIC, Bengal and Taiko are in their chairs listening to the air battle.

"Fox Two! Bullseye!

Get this guy off me!

He's locked onto to me!

Break right, Mutt Seven!

Got another one!

Two MiGs sneaking through! Mutt Four to Doghouse!"

"We see 'em Mutt Four!" says Bengal "Rufus, your ship is closer, take them out!"

"Aye sir!"

The Fallujah launches two anti aircraft missiles at the incoming jet's. Both launch two missile's each at the Retriever and break off. One is destroyed on the way out.

"Hotshot's missile's wont do any good at this close range!" says Roscoe "Gatling guns, fire!"

*****

Gatling Gun # 3 near the stern of the ship. Rika and Kenai back away as the gun turns but dosen't fire.

"It's jammed!" says Rika

"I thought you fixed this thing!" says Kenai

"I did!"

"Gun #3, open fire blast it!" comes the frantic voice of Roscoe.

"Get out of here Rika!" says Kenai

Kenai climbs up it, detaches the gun and aims it himself.

"Kenai! Are you insane?!"

"Yes! All right you ship killers, come on!" he shouts.

Kenai pulls the trigger and the gun goes off. He's forced to shoot from the hip and two of the missiles streak for him! All the time, he's roaring at the top of his lungs!

*****

Back in CIC, everyone watches as Kenai fires the gun himself.

"What's he doing?!" says Taiko

"Saving our butts!" says Bengal

Three of the incoming missiles are destroyed, one by Kenai, but the fourth slips through and blasts into Kenai's position and explodes. The whole ship shudders from the blast.

*****

Bengal's office. Taiko, Ivory, Namib, Rika, Sparkplug and Granite are here.

"The Barrage also took a hit in her aft compartments." says Taiko "Captain Bayou reports they'll have the damage to their engines fixed in a day or so."

"Including Kenai" says Ivory "We have three dead, and 6 injured."

"The detonation caused a small fire on the hangar deck but we put it out no problem." says Sparkplug.

"Gatling Gun #3 is destroyed, and the elevator #3 is out of commision for the time being." says Namib

"Three planes from Tiger Squadron were either damaged or destroyed." says Rika "One of our F-15 squadrons."

"Mutt Flight also suffered casualties." says Taiko "We lost two planes, both crews managed to bail out."

"Are Lycoan and Red Dog squadrons ready to launch?" says Bengal

"Yes sir." says Taiko

"Then let's hit the Soyuz while we still can. Get them up in the air."

Taiko leaves the room.

"Well, Granite, looks like your in charge of ordnance." says Bengal

"I'll do my best, captain. Delta and her geeks tell me they'll be finished in two days."

"Good. Dismissed."

*****

Red Dog Squadron, over the Black Sea. Red Dog Leader, Hutch in pilot seat, Typhoon in B/N seat.

"There she is chief." says Typhoon "Soyuz dead ahead."

"Red Dog Leader to Lycoan Leader, we're starting our attack run. Keep us covered boys!"

"Roger that Red Dog. Good hunting!"

Red Dog Squadron dives in on the small fleet array out in front of them as flak comes up to meet them. A warning tone sounds through Red Dog Leader.

"Red Dog Five to Leader, bandit on your tail!"

"Damn! Where'd he come from?!" says Hutch

"He's got a lock!" shouts Typhoon.

"Red Dog Leader take evasive!"

Red Dog Leader explodes in a shower of fire and broken steel.

"Red Dog Five to Doghouse! Lost Hutch and Typhoon!"

"Copy that."

"Lycoan Three here, this sucka's mine!"

"Smoke 'im Harlem!"

"Red Dog Two, missile away!"

"Hey look, they got numerous planes on the flight deck ready for take off!"

"Red Dog Two calling Five, three's been shot down, four had to abort! Don't you miss Butch!"

"Roger. Let's do it Moose!"

"Right beside you, chief. Steady now....hack!"

"Missile away!"

As the missile streak on, Red Dog five is buffeted from a SAM missile. Seconds later, their own missile plows into the crowded deck of the Soyuz igniting fuel, ordance, planes and werewolves in massive fireball.

"Bullseye baby!"

"You did it, Butch! Look at her burn! Yaaaahoo!!!"

"Red Dog Six here, aiming for the water line. Fireing!"

"Yeah!!! Look at her go!"

"Red Dog Two to Doghouse, scratch one flattop!"

"Affirmative Two. Everyone here is dancing in the aisles. Time to head home."

"Roger that!"

*****

Retriever. Bengal is sitting up on Vulture's Row watching the planes land. Raven comes out and join him.

"The LSO (Landing Signals Officer) just called. Butch took a heavy hit during his run."

"How bad?"

"Moose is dead, half his electronics are shot away and one engine gone. He's positive he can make it."

"Is he sure?"

"He told him and I quote 'make sure everything not nailed down is out of my way when I land'."

"Very well, its his call. They making a Ready Deck now?"

"Yes sir."

On the port side of the stern, the LSO, an Old English Sheepdog named Archie, guides Butch in.

"That's it, Butch, nice and easy. Come a little to your left. That's it. Steady.....Butch your too low! Wave off! Butch, now!"

Butch's landing gear is smashed as he hits the end of the deck. The whole plane lifts up and comes crashing onto the deck and explodes in a fireball several yards across. Sparkplug's team races to put the blaze out.

Bengal's office. Taiko and Akira are with him.

"He was a good pilot." says Akira "Shall I write a letter to Commador Bowser?"

"No. I'll do it. Status on the Soyuz?"

"Sunk." says Taiko "She took two support ships with her."

"Good. Now let's get back to stopping Alura's werewolves."

to be continued......