His Majesty's Dragons: The Battle of Britain

[LadyTevar]

"This is the real thing, gentlemen. This is what we are all here for. The Germans believe that we are down to our last dragons, scraping the bottom of the barrel to throw in anything against them. They may well be right, but I have no intention of showing them anything but the door back to France. Good hunting."

For a moment, Judith was frozen in shock. Now? Already? They were coming? Captain Rankin was leaving. Captain Nathan gave orders, and his crew left their food where it was, scrambling out the door, as he made his own sharp exit. It had to be real.

"Land sakes........" she muttered, unable to think of anything else to say as she stumbled to her feet. Six weeks of training was just barely enough to get her moving. Armor first. Jeb needed his armor. Did she even have a groundcrew here? Yes... someone had helped her remove Jeb's armor when they got here. Were they assigned to her, or just anyones? Judith didn't know.

Didn't have time to find out, as she stumbled out the door of the mess hall. What now... where... Yes. there was where the armor had been left. Two fingers were placed to her lips, and she let out the piercing whistle that her Paw taught her long ago.

----
Jeb, over with the dragons, couldn't help see FrostFell's movements. Nothing that big could really be missed. "Now where n' tarnation's he goin'," Jeb asked the other dragons wonderingly, even as a small boy came running top speed over to Æquitas and breathlessly spit out his message. Before Æquitas could relay it, a piercing whistle snapped Jebediah's head around, and got him in motion.

"Judith? Wha' n' tarnation's th' ruckus about?" he asked, meeting her as she ran for the barracks they'd picked out when they landed.

"They' a-comin', Jeb. We gotta get that blast'd armor on ya right quick!" Judith answered, rushing to grab an arm-full of the heavier harness. She was intercepted by one of the older men on the field, who gave her a shove inside to get her own flight gear on.

"Oi'll tak' care o' yer dragon, lass, be sure Oi will," the man said, calling over three younger men. "OY Now! Getta movin'! Watch tha straps there!" He looked up at Jeb and doffed his hat. "Don' you worry, gov. We'll hav' ya fix'd up quick assa blink, we will."

[Agent Fisher]

Jack had done this dance before. He scrambled to his feet and took off running, with his limp, for his cot. Just as he reached it, he heard the customary siren start to wail, alerting the Captains and crew to report to their mounts. He grabbed his bag and quickly donned his gear, and grabbed his personal weapons. The British captain was one again running, now towards Godfrey, who was almost ready, thanks to the quick work of the ground crew. Climbing onto his seat, Jack hooked himself on and leaned in and spoke to Godfrey. "Ready to give 'em hell, Godfrey?"

"Always Jack."

[Charon]

Jake got to his feet with a holler. "Alright, bring 'em on!" Then with a leap over the tables the pilot was out the door and running for the stables. Kunja had by now realized what was going on and had also made his way for the ground-crew.

Kunja laid down and sighed as the ground-crew began to place the armor on him again. "You know how much I hate this Jake."

Jake only grinned as he started slipping into his flight uniform. "And ya also know that it'll be the only thing to keep ya safe when the fightin' starts. Lets keep close to Cap and the Specials until we're told otherwise. Any Germans get by we should be able to intercept and get them in a position for Godfrey or Cap to take their shot."

Kunja nodded slowly, interrupted rudely as a wide-eyed young man stood infront of the dragon to help place his helm on. The dragon snapped jokingly at the man who cowered.

[Cynical Cat]

Armour and the howdah-like dragon saddle were secured to Frostfell's body. "Tighten that strap, McKinnley," the dragon rasped. "And hurry up with the gun mounts."

"Easy my wyrm," said Nathan as he climbed on. "We'll be ready to go in no time flat." He took one end of the twenty and helped move it into position, locking it down with practiced moves just in front of his seat.

"Everyone secure your safety lines and make sure your have your knives," he said.

"Yes mother," said Riley.

Nathan zipped up his jacket and secured his ammo cannisters for the Chopper. He threw on his scarf and lowered his goggles before settling into place. He turned around. All his crew were in position, weapon's ready. "Take us up, oh Lord of the North."

Frostfell sprang into the air, rising swiftly with powerful beats of his wings. "Let the slaughter commence," the dragon bellowed. The Artic was an unforgiving enviroment and those who prospered there whether man, beast, or dragon were not strangers to death or violence. Frostfell would show these soft southerners how a true predator fought.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Richard was fairly calm, but quick as he got up and left the mess. The orders arrived before he could get a word in edgewise about Waldwanderer, but such was the universe, he supposed.

He worked with the groundcrew to get Walwanderer in a combat harness and armor, and put on his own flight suit and replace the vest he always wore which contained a compass, knife, and other survival impliments.

"You ready for this?" Walwanderer asked him as he clambered up the dragons back

"As ready as I can be... You?"

"Everyone always thinks they are ready. I will not display such overconfidence" him and the dragon shared a chuckle.

[LadyTevar]

Judith was settling herself onto Jeb as Frostfell roared to skyward. "Ain't he jis fulla piss n' vinegar," Jeb drawled, watching the white dragon soar. Judith just snorted, making sure she had her straps tight, as well as securing the Tommygun and the pump shotgun within easy reach, a netbag of extra ammo tins for the Thompson also nearby. Unlike the medium and heavyweights, Jebediah had no crew, just his Captain.

"A'right, Jeb," Judith said, sitting down astride his neck. "Lez go."

"Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that strive with me; fight against them that fight against me," Jebediah quoted as he leapt into the air, his voice resonating with his wingbeats. "Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I -am- thy salvation." Higher and higher he rose, gaining altitude far faster than Frostfell, his voice carolling downwards. "Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the Angel of the Lord chase them!"

[Charon]

Jake climbed on the back of Kunja, doing some final checks even as the mighty Victorian stepped free, fully armored and ready for battle.

"Think you'll be doing another dive Jake?" Asked the dragon as it spread out it's wings, preparing for take-off.

Jake grinned as he patted the dragon on it's metal covered neck. "Nah, let's ease this flight into the way we work."

Kunja snorted. "You're just looking to impress that female."

Jake shrugged as he finished checking over his gun.

One of his new groundcrewman came over to them. "You're all set sir." Then the crewman seemed to notice something and paused. "Uhh, sir. Shouldn't you strap yourself in?"

Jake looked at the man with the mad grin that was slowly being taken on by the dragon he rode as well. "Nah, this way's more fun."

With that the dragon beat it's wings and launched the pair into the air, Jake hollering as he clamped on tight to hold on to his dragon. The pair wasted no time gaining altitude, passing the other dragons at a breakneck speed before levelling out quickly. Jake finally hooked himself in, wrapping his scarf around his neck a few more times.

[frigidmagi]

"Let's go! Damnit! Jerry's coming and he ain't gonna wait for you slow fuck ups!" Paul cried as they put Lydia's gear on her. Lydia stood patiently as they set her armor on her. He's loaded his Browning Automatic Rifle with a box magazine and checked the seating of his K-bar knife. Lydia already had a 12 gauge shotgun strapped just forward of where he would be sitting.

"You gonna be okay, we just finished a long flight." He said quietly to his dragon.

"I'll be fucking fine, I'm not gonna miss a fight Paul! It's why we came here isn't it?" She declared in her 'whisper' voice which of course could be heard by anyone within 20 feet.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Just as he was about to take off, one of the ground crew ran up to him and tossed a bag to him. As Waldwanderer opened his wings and took to the air, Richard opened it, it contained a Thompson, several ammo drums, and a 12 gauge with extra ammo.

"Almost forgot about these"

"You have a rifle dont you?"

"yes but it is less useful in actual combat." he said, leaning close to the dragons ear as he strapped the 12 gauge to the dragon's harness and took up the thompson

"Never used one of these"

"Oh this will be interesting... just dont shoot me with it"

"Wouldnt dream of it"

[SirNitram]

Semmemnon was already exhorting his ground crew to secure the harness and check the gun on his back as Phil and Blackthorne ran up to his side, scaling up the dragon with the ease of constant practice.

"The hunt has come, young ones." The dragon rumbled. "I trust you are both prepared to face combat for the first time?"

"Not a chance." Phil said, strapping himself behind the heavy Vicker's gun and checking the ammo.

"No." Blackthorne said as he swung into the Captain's position. "But at least that proves we listened to your lessons about the first time, no one is ready."

"Indeed. We will launch at first opportunity."

[General Havoc]

The crew was already swarming over Æquitas like a herd of african driver ants as Captain Rankin approached, glancing around at the other dragons making ready for combat as he did so. Æquitas had been through this a hundred times before, and was relaxing in these last few moments before the battle, readying himself for what was to come next. The crew however were all clearly on edge, saying very little and speaking in undertones. Captain Rankin felt the same.

"All lies well, Michael?"

Rankin took in and let out a long, deep breath and popped open the breach of his sawn-off double-barrelled hunting shotgun, to check that the shells inside had not magically teleported out.

"Stop that,"

Rankin looked up. "Stop what?"

"Stop checking your weapon," said Æquitas. "It makes you look nervous."

"Hrmph," said Rankin, but he lowered the shotgun into its holster and did not open it again.

"You'll do fine. They'll all do fine. The Germans are no more prepared than we."

"Is that supposed to be re-assuring?"

"It is, actually. But nothing ever helps until you actually get into it."

Across the way, Captain Kelly was settling himself on Capricorn's back, and Capricorn was happily babbling away about cows or some other innocuous thing, and smiling as his Captain patted him on the side of the neck before Capricorn leapt into the air.

Rankin said nothing, as he watched the scene, but simply patted Æquitas' shoulder as the crew finished attaching the armor. "I know," said the dragon to Rankin's unspoken comment. "But we're not all that lucky."

"I suppose not," said the Captain, and he stepped into Æquitas' waiting paw and was lifted onto the dragon's back, even as the last crew scrambled up into position.

"All lies well?" asked Rankin.

"All lies well," replied the dragon semi-automatically. "Let's get this over with."

"You're the boss," said Rankin under his breath, before tapping Æquitas' neck with his boot. The dragon gave a lunge and a leap and suddenly was airborne, soaring up into the sky after the dragons that had preceeded him, and circling above the airbase as he gained altitude.

Rankin picked up the radio microphone from where it was holstered next to him, and nodded to the radio operator who dialed in the correct frequency. "This is Æquitas," he said, in conformation with the standard radio protocols. The short range of the broadcast wouldn't reach more than a mile or so away, but that was enough for all the dragons to hear it. "We've got a moment or so before the Germans make landfall, so let's use it for weapons tests and to form up. I'd like the middleweights up front, the lights on the flanks, the heavies above and behind, and the special weapons in the center, if you all please. And for god's sake, be careful of where your gunners aim while testing their guns. I don't want any casulties before we even get into the fight."

"All Captains and Dragons acknowledge signal," This would test the radios and microphones, both the handheld ones that the captains carried, and the oversized headsets fitted over the heads of the dragons themselves, which would allow them to communicate if need be by activating the microphone with a flick of their foreclaws. Dragon microphones often were clawed to bits or smashed apart during a battle, but at least they offered some means of communication beyond yelling until then.

And far below on the ground, Fulminatus watched as, one by one, the other dragons took off into the sky, their crews and captains aboard and ready for combat. It was not until the last one had taken off, that the mottled American Reaper trotted over to the side of the clearing, and in one bound took to the sky, and flew off after them, the ground crews casting odd glances in his direction as the middleweight dragon launched with neither harness, nor crew, nor armor, nor weapons... nor even a captain.

But then they had heard the rumors...

[LadyTevar]

The smaller dragons had an easier time talking to their Captains. "Ah guess that means Ah gotta use this here contraption, then," Jebediah griped. Judith patted his neck soothingly, although she was just as nervous as she picked up her own bulky microphone. Now... how was she supposed to answer...?

Oh yeah... "This is Judith ... Ah read ya loud an' clear, Æquitas." As she spoke, she looked around and saw Capricorn to her right. Worked for her. "We have th' Left Flank, Æquitas." Clicking off the mike, she yelled at Jeb to match up with Capricorn.

Jeb muttered as he used a foreclaw to activate his microphone, wings tilting to move into formation off Capricorn's left wing. "This is Jebediah ... readin' loud an' clear, Æquitas. In position."

Might have only been six weeks, but obviously radios had been a good part of the training. Pity the radio couldn't do a thing for the hick accents.

[General Havoc]

"Copy that, Jebediah," said Rankin, the Apalachian name rolling awkwardly off his tongue. "Waldwanderer, take the left flank with them. Kunja, please take up the right." The Australian miniature Queen Victoria's was large for a lightweight, practically a middleweight himself. It would make more sense to give him a flank alone, rather than either of the other two.

"Did you understand a word of that, Michael?" asked Æquitas, keeping his microphone switched off. Rankin smirked and patted his dragon's neck.

"If I can interpret your ramblings," said the Captain, "I can manage an appalachian or two, don't you think?"

"Spoiled brat..." said Æquitas with a smirk.

"And we have who to thank for that?" asked Rankin rhetorically, prompting the dragon to chuckle.

Capricorn meanwhile took the opportunity, as the slightly larger Smoke Devil took up position to his left, to turn his head and wave his foreclaw at the Apalachian dragon, causing his Captain to laugh and pat him on the side of the head, just to ensure he didn't accidentally veer off course.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"This is Waldwanderer, in position Æquitas" Richard replied as he finished winging next to Jeb

"I read you loud and clear Æquitas" Walwanderer replied directly

[Cynical Cat]

"Frostfell, already in position," said the Wendigo.

"Reynolds here, my crew is ready," said Nathan. "I suggest having Frostfell engage and draw off enemy heavies if we engage superior enemy numbers."

[Charon]

Jake heard his orders come in and was kind of shocked. His commanding officer said please. With a pat on Kunja's neck and a careful nudge with his shoe Kunja recognized the order and flipped up, rolling in a great circle to get into position. Clear of other dragons Jake then test fired his gun.

Jake spoke into the set "This is Jake and Kunja, Rankin, we are in position. Gun is clear and ready."

Kunja tried his unit as well. "Testing, testing, one. Two. One. Two. Jerrys eat retarded goats, testing."

[LadyTevar]

Capricorn meanwhile took the opportunity, as the slightly larger Smoke Devil took up position to his left, to turn his head and wave his foreclaw at the Apalachian dragon, causing his Captain to laugh and pat him on the side of the head, just to ensure he didn't accidentally veer off course.

Jebediah chuckled, waving back to Capricorn. Judith watched Waldwander take position, and gave them a wave as well.

Jake spoke into the set "This is Jake and Kunja, Rankin, we are in position. Gun is clear and ready."

Kunja tried his unit as well. "Testing, testing, one. Two. One. Two. Jerrys eat retarded goats, testing."

That got Judith laughing, looking across the distance towards the right flank. It was a little too far to wave to Jake and Kunja as the dragons took up formation, but she did look their way. Somehow, she didn't think Captain Rankin would appreciate her trying to talk to them over the radio. It wasn't like the radios had settings, from what she'd seen.

Now, she was supposed to test fire her gun? Waste of ammo, far as she was concerned. The rest of the flight could think what they want of her background, but when it came to GunCare and GunSafety Judith knew her business. She did doublecheck the Thompson, making sure the safety was on before removing the drum, checking that the barrel was clear and the action was sliding smoothly. She then reattached the drum magazine and chambered a round. When they got ready to engage, she'd clear the safety.

For the shotgun, again, safety engaged before she inspected it, catching the unfired shell as it kicked out with practiced ease as she checked the action, then reloading the shell in the butt after a new round was chambered. Six shots in the tube, one in the chamber, safety remained on until needed. Since the shotgun was a close-fighting weapon, Judith really hoped she didn't need it.

[frigidmagi]

"All Lies well, now get the fuck on!" Lydia cried. The crew scrambled on in a bare moment and they lifted off. They gained on the formation steadily and slotted into their place.

"Lydia, testing, 1...2 testing." The large dragon said into her mike.

[Comrade Tortoise]

Both Walwanderer and Richard returned the wave, trying to hide their trepidation and do his part to keep morale out of the doldrums.

[SirNitram]

Semmemnon took to wing and slid into position with the formation almost effortlessly, long-trained skills coming to the fore. "This is Semmemnon. All crew ready and we're looking good." The Malachite rumbled, even as Phil complained under his breath about the sudden chill of taking to the air.

[General Havoc]

Semmemnon fell into position to Æquitas' right, and Rankin glanced back to see the unmistakable form of Frostfell looming behind them like an arctic storm, and behind him, the even less mistakable form of Lydia, the Nebraskan Amberback. He picked up the radio microphone and called back to Frostfell's query.

"Do as you think best," he said to the Canadian captain and dragon. Wendigo were rare enough... and strange enough, that he did not feel comfortable assigning one a place in the squadron sight unseen, nor in hamstringing it with overintricate orders. Mighty though the Wendigo looked, it was a light-heavyweight, and a Kampfritter would outmass it by nearly ten tons. Lydia was similar enough in formulation to be employed as Rankin would a Regal Copper, but Wendigo were entirely different beasts, and it would probably be best to give the masked captain his head for this one.

"Remember Captain," he said, intent on giving SOME direction at least, "our primary objective is to repell the German raiders. If you get sidetracked with an enemy heavyweight and drawn away from the squadron, you leave the rest of us open. The Germans will almost certainly outnumber us, and if they force us to fight them one on one and seperated, then we will be destroyed peacemeal."

He put down the radio, and checked his sidearm one more time. The navigator signalled to him that they were less than ten minutes from the intercept plot.

*-----------------------------------------*

It was seven before they spotted them.

The German squadron was just nearing the coast when the lookout cried out, and every eye aboard Æquitas, including the two belonging to the dragon itself, turned to see what was about. The Germans were emerging from a rain squall into the bright, unclouded sky, and Rankin raised a pair of binoculars, and counted quickly.

There were thirteen.

The lightweights were spread out in a broad net in front of the main formation, and Rankin counted three Leuchtkaffers and only a pair of the more rugged Speckled Bavarians. The middleweights were in a cluster around the center of the squadron. Four of them, two Swabian Lightning Bolts in the rear, and two Prussian Bluejackets in the front. Within their protective corner positions flew a line of four dragons in line abreast formation. The outer two were heavyweights, Kampfritters, slate grey and loaded with men and equipment and large protrusions on their undersides that could only be bombloads. This would limit their speed unless they cut loose, but only to a certain extent. Kampfritters were incredibly powerful beasts, and could simply ram their way through most assailants. The inner two were smaller than the Kampfritters, roughly Æquitas' size, but their markings could not be mistaken. Aufsehers. Acid-spitting Special Weapons beasts.

Instantly, Rankin deduced that this was not a standard German Battlegroup squadron. For one thing it was half the size of a Battlegroup, and for another, the composition was too highly tilted towards the faster, lighter german breeds. This was a Spearpoint squadron, the smaller of the two standard german formations, used usually to penetrate weakly-defended lines and areas and make high-speed strikes against important targets. The good news was that Spearpoint Squadrons were much smaller than Battlegroups. The bad news was that they tended to be better led, and with a higher proportion of veterans. Still... it was better than nothing, and indeed, this one was understrength even for a Spearpoint, with only two heavyweights instead of the regulation three, and five Lightweights rather than six. Most squadrons were usually missing a dragon or two due to illness, injuries, or other issues however, but it made the odds thirteen to ten in the Germans' favor, and most of the advantage was in Lightweights. Not bad odds at all, considering they were the attackers, hampered by their bombloads and their need to press towards a target.

"This is Captain Rankin," said Rankin into the radio. "German Spearpoint Formation, one o'clock center. They'll be aiming to push past us and hit whatever target they were assigned. Select your targets and prepare to engage!"

[Charon]

Jake looked carefully through a pair of binoculars upon recieving the coordinates. "I don't think they were expecting us Rankin. Their specials are still out in the open, their main concern is being hit from the front. Hell, they even have the Swabians in the back. If we can use the clouds to come up from behind them we should be able to cut them to ribbons."

Jake continued to look through the binoculars, letting Kunja do the steering, the young man's trained eyes now searching the clouds for any tale-tell sign of a dragon or two in hiding.

[LadyTevar]

Judith lowered her binoculars and wondered which of the Germans to attack. All of them looked mean, nasty and very dangerous, even the lightweights. Second thoughts and third thoughts again washed over her, wishing she had never had the bright idea to come fight the Jerrys. "Jeb... Ah'm a very stupid woman..." Judith said, just loud enough for her dragon to hear.

Jebediah was older, wiser, and fully aware of his own lack of combat experience. But like every dragon, even he felt the thrill of combat. "Wahl, Judith... Ah'm thinking might help iffen we were ta get above 'em. Dive on 'em lik' a falcon on doves, scatter 'em a bit." That was what SmokeDevils were built for. That was how they hunted, how they fought, how they'd lived in the Americas since the Appalachian Range was formed.

Jeb's claw touched the contraption on his head. "Æquitas? Ah think Ah can get above 'em afore they reach us. Think they'd scatter when Ah dived 'em?" Jeb didn't wait for the answer, already beating upwards in a climb for altitude, trusting his blue-white rippled hide for camoflage.

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Jebediah. it is a natural reaction to scatter. At least a few will scatter or drop to avoid you" Waldwanderer replied

Richard got on his own link

"Æquitas this is Waldwanderer, with your permission I will go with Jebediah, see if we can disable one of their lightweights with the tail club before they can counter attack." Waldwanderer was already winging upward, but not so fast that he couldn't correct his course if his suggestion was refused"

[LadyTevar]

"Much abliged, WaldWander... but ya tain't gonna keep up wit' me," Jebediah answered back bluntly. Indeed, he was already winging upwards faster than most light-weights could with an updraft and a tailwind helping. Smoke Devils didn't have size or special weapons to aid them, just speed and the ability to turn on a dime and give back change. "B'sides.. Capricorn needs ya coverin' his flank."

Judith listened in to the conversation as she readied the tommygun, then picked up her binoculars again. The Jerry's lightweights were at the head of the spear, in front of the acid-spitters. She and Jeb would have to break right or left when they came out of the dive to avoid retaliation, and try to regain height as quickly as they could. Still... they'd have try to do more than just scatter the lightweights...

"Jeb, when yer stoopin', think ya kin break th' wing of the speckled one onna right?" One of the Speckled Bavarians, although Judith didn't know the breed's name, was just slightly right of the center of the Jerry's formation. Hitting that one would give them room to swoop down and under the rest, out of the acid-spitter's range.

Jebediah looked down, still gaining the height he wanted for his stooping dive. "Ah reckon Ah could ..." Jeb answered. "Yer up ta som'thing, tain't ya."

"Aya...," Judith answered, explaining her plan. "And then, iffen we kin get 'nother chance ta stoop down, try fer one 'o th' middlin' ones in the rear corner."