Operation: Pacifica, Man (and Beast) versus Machine
by Warrior Aphrodite Perspehone (alexbell@iastate.edu)

	 The fighter squadron pulled slowly away from the tanker, before
  fading into the dense cloud cover.  In the cramped cockpit of her F-18
  Eagle, Persephone stretched, glad to be moving again.

	 *I'd rather be flying myself. I hate these tin cans.* a blunt voice
  interrupted her thoughts.

	 *I know, Zaph.  We've been through this a zillion times already.
  It isn't _that_ bad, is it?*

	 *You just say that because you're in control of this darn death
  machine.*

	 The Warrior sighed.  *Can you relax for a minute?  Sheesh. The way
  you talk, one'd think you wanted to be proven right... Calm down.*

	 Still grumbling, the dragon finally relented, retreating to a far
  corner in their mind.  Smiling, Persephone glanced around, enjoying the
  serenity of the skies.  Suddenly, a heavy weight fell over her mind.
  *Something just doesn't seem right,* she thought quietly to herself. *I wish
  these dang clouds would let up a little.  Everything just looks so... I
  don't know... white, oppressive.*

	 The radio crackled a bit as Yearnshaw muttered, "Can't see a damn
  thing through this cloud cover."

	 Pers silently agreed with his uneasiness and felt the invisible
  walls close in tighter.  [...Nothing can penetrate the cloud walls
  surrounding your fighter... you're alone, isolated from the world... there's
  nobody else around and never will be again... you're trapped here... utterly
  alone... never to return home...]

	 *P E R S E P H O N E !* Zaphyre broke in with a loud scream, *Snap
  out of it!*

	 Pers shook her head briskly, wondering what had happened.  She
  glanced down and groaned, glaring at her blatantly empty RADAR screens.
  *Well, Zaph, looks like we've found that interference they mentioned...*

	 *That's not all we've found.  That interference isn't natural.*

	 *Oh really, Einstein?  I never would have guessed that one...*

	 *Oh, shut up!* Her 'voice' turned thoughtful, *There seems to be
  some faint twinges of Power in it... I don't quite understand how... Oh!
  Your trance was mixed up in there too... hmmmm....*

	 Persephone paled visibly. "Admiral," she radioed, "I'm getting a
  bad feeling about this..."

	 J-Rock answered, "Who isn't?"

	 Suddenly awash in anger, Pers replied sharply. "Sir, this is
  serious..."

	 Before she could finish reporting Zaphyre's findings, DarkSide
  broke in.  "We have contacts! Bearing three-one-four, ten miles, 800 knots."

	 "How many?" J-Rock demanded.

	 DS' reply filled the Warrior's heart with dread. "Fifteen."

	 *Sheesh.  Even _I_ wouldn't have the gall to go up against a foe
  with three to one odds....*

	 * at least not before now....*

	 * eek! *

	 Then the enemy was upon them.  Almost immediately, the cockpit was
  filled with noise as the lock-on alarms went off.

	 "Jett your drop tanks now! They're locking on! Break and Attack!"
  J-Rock ordered.

	 "Oh Grimace, help me...." Persephone gasped quietly, as she
  released her tanks and fell into a rolling dive.  She sent her (Eagle)
  through twists and turns, neatly evading the incoming missiles.  As she
  straighted out of her last twist, the cockpit was filled with another type
  of noise.  The Warrior glanced quickly at the damage reports while reaching
  for the eject lever.

	 *Hey Persephone? You're not going to fly without your left wing,
  are you?*

	 Grinning at the eagerness in her Companion's tone, she yanked on
  the lever. *Nope. I guess that means it's your turn.*

	 The dragon howled as the Warrior's body was expelled brutally from
  the falling aircraft. *That hurts! We're neveer dooing this agaiiin!!*

	 *We'll see about that, my friend.*  Persephone replied, smiling as
  their chute opened.  While they glided softly downward, she reached up and
  neatly sliced through the chute's chords with her emerald talons.  Her body
  fell swiftly, and was soon enveloped in a blue fog.  Seconds later, the fog
  cleared, and the human was gone.  In her place, a large, azure dragon
  steadily flapped its wings.

	 Zaphyre trumpeted a challenge across the sky, propelling herself
  towards the enemy.  Roaring, she sent a huge ball of flame at one of the
  approaching Luv Fighters.  Seconds later, the minion-pilot screamed as
  flames licked at his trapped body.  Zaph howled joyfully as she heard his
  cries and tore eager eyes away from the wreckage for only a second, as she
  mentally claimed her rightful place among the clouds...

	 *DON'T MESS WITH THE ORIGINAL MASTERS OF THE SKY!*

	 *Um... Zaph?* Persephone quietly interrupted.  *I think that one is
  determined to challenge you...*  She mentally nodded towards a missile just
  launched from the other fighter.

	 Zaphyre laughed in disdain, yanking her wings in tight against her
  body.  She plunged quickly towards the sea, letting the missile pass
  harmlessly overhead. Filled with the lust for battle, the dragon spread her
  wings and began to fight her way back towards the enemy plane.

	 *Zaphyre!* Pers managed to break into the dragon's frenzy.
  *Charc's bailed! And it looks like the Welcome Wagon's waiting for him!* She
  forced the dragon's attention towards the falling Dobermensch and the small
  boat trolling the waters below him, a boat obviously armed with more than a
  few fishing poles.

	 The dragon glanced longingly back towards the remaining Luv
  Fighter, then snarled and switched directions.  *Warn him that I'm coming,*
  she told Persephone grumpily. *I don't want the fool attacking me as I pick
  him up.*

	 Gathering her strength, Pers tried contacting the Trooper.

	 [Charc - Zaph and I are coming to get you. Watch out for the
  nasties below...]

	 *Hope he heard that, Zaph.  Oh, oh... looks like that boatful sees
  us too...*

	 Glancing down, Zaph sped furiously across the sky.  Reaching the
  Dobermensch, she snagged his chute with her talons and sent a blast of flame
  towards the boat below.  The unfortunate minions screamed and dove into the
  sea, seconds before the craft exploded. *Well, that's one less nuisance to
  worry about,* the dragon claimed smugly.  Relaxing, Zaphyre headed calmly
  back towards the DTT Freedom, glancing back once to see how the battle
  fared.

	 *Yike-ees!* she squealed, dodging abruptly to the left.
  Charcharadon glanced up irritably, but found himself at a loss for words as
  a missile sped by on their right.  He squirmed around to look behind them
  and gaped at the spectacle that met his eyes.  A sponge minion, clad in the
  unglorious nagenta of the HellWyrm, was _waving_ at him from the cockpit of
  a Luv Fighter just off of Zaphyre's tail.

	 "Why don't you just flame the fool!?!" he hollered.

	 [Because, I'm assuming you'd like to make it back to the Carrier...
  I don't have enough strength to do both... Hold on!] she warned.

	 Zaphyre dove deeply, zigzagging back and forth as the Luv Fighter's
  machine guns blazed.  Charcharadon clambered higher, grasping the dragon's
  legs, to keep from falling into the icy seas.

	 Knowing the possible peril, she sent a mental message ahead to the
  Carrier. [DTT Freedom, this is Zaphyre.  I'm on my way back with a passenger
  and company. Could use assistance.]  Her breathing became more labored, as
  she tired.  She faltered suddenly, her right wing dipping into the waves.
  Zaph squealed in agony as the Minion's guns pelted her tail.

	 The Trooper looked around desperately, hunting for hope.  Then he
  grinned. "Look!" Charcharadon shouted up towards the dragon, "The Freedom!"

	 Glancing ahead, Zaphyre gathered the last of her flagging strength
  and flew swiftly over the Carrier's side.  As Zaph released Charcharadon -
  letting him fall safely onboard, the deck guns behind her opened fire.  She
  glanced back just in time to see the pesky Minion's craft disappear into the
  sea.

	 Breathing a sigh of relief, the dragon landed gently and collapsed
  - exhausted.  A gentle, blue light soon highlighted her draconic form.  It
  slowly began to shift, section by section, until it was replaced with the
  body of a young, unclothed woman.

	 Persephone awoke.  She sat up, shivering, and yawed.  "What's
  everyone staring at?" she asked the men gathered around her.  Glancing down,
  her cheeks grew warm. "oh."

	 "I don't suppose one of you could find me a new flight suit?  And
  maybe a couple cans of Jolt[tm}"

...To Be Continued.

Copyright 1996 AlexBell