His Majesty's Dragons: The Battle of Britain

[Charon]

Kunja grinned as he turned over on his back and patted his own chest as an example for Frostfell. "Just look yourself. You look pretty in blue."

Kunja rolled over again and Jake was sitting in the saddle, grinning like a madman.

[LadyTevar]

Jeb slowed down matching Kunja's speed and getting a good look at Frostfell's belly. "Frostfell... he hit yer bombs with som'thin', there's paint all o'er ya. Ah think ya blue up while killin' him."

Judith couldn't help but laugh as she realized what Kunja and Jake had done. She switched the radio over so she could talk to Nathan. "Captain Reynolds, ya'll've taken a grenade in the bomb net. Ah think Kunja jis' killed ya'll from the grave."

[Cynical Cat]

"That would depend," said Nathan as he got confirmation of the hit from the belly gunner. "What kind of ordinance was placed in Frostfell's bomb net?"

[Charon]

Jake spoke up on his radio after spitting out some blood mixed with saliva. "Got ya with a sticky-bomb Captain Reynolds. As I understand it high explosives don't react too well to other high-explosives goin' off next to 'em."

[Dark Silver]

Hermeticus had leveled himself off as Jeb went following the two spiraling dragons.

Before Hermeticus could move in response, Judith declared Frostfell and Kunja both dead.

It didn't settle well with captain or dragon at the word, but the manuvers being pulled off they couldn't get into a better position to help.

As it stood, the formation was more important, and Thomas clicked his radio, "Hermeticus returning to Formation. Jebediah and Captain McClung are in retreat."

With that, Hermeticus' great bulk winged about, and headed back on the previous course for the formation.

[LadyTevar]

Judith overheard Hermeticus, since her radio was set to that frequency to converse with Captain Reynolds. She'd not declared herself in retreat, but looking at Jebediah's hide, she had to shake her head. "Thanks Hermeticus," she radioed. "The way Jeb's torn up, Frostfell migh'swell call it two kills."

Jebediah took a moment to look himself over, and had to admit the truth. "Hellfires... Ah'd be lucky ta land..."

[Cynical Cat]

"Then you have us," said Nathan. "Well done. Of course, sticky bombs being the tempermental pieces of shit they are, you had a good chance of killing yourself with the shrapnel even if Frostfell hadn't grabbed you. Remember that you're taking your dragon's life in your hands when you deal with one of those things. Keep that in mind."

[LadyTevar]

Judith switched her radio over to the Lightweight's frequency. "Jebediah to Æquitus. In full retreat from injury.... Frostfell 'n Kunja dead."

Let the Malachite chew on that one for a while and wonder how it happened. She switched her radio back to the Heavy frequency, in deference to Captain Reynolds. "Since we're dead, Captains... can we land now?"

[Charon]

"Then you have us," said Nathan. "Well done. Of course, sticky bombs being the tempermental pieces of shit they are, you had a good chance of killing yourself with the shrapnel even if Frostfell hadn't grabbed you. Remember that you're taking your dragon's life in your hands when you deal with one of those things. Keep that in mind."

Jake grinned and patted Kunja on the side. "We knew the risks captain. Figured it was better to take you out then to give you two lightweights and leave you able to catch up with your formation."

Jake swore under his breath as he heard Jeb was out of the fight too and now Hermeticus was goin' back. Hopefully Godfrey was still around somewhere and was returning to help the others too.

Kunja looked around himself and chuckled, even assuming the bomb hadn't gone off and killed him, the injuries he'd sustained from the fight would definately have brought him out of the sky after that grapple.

Jake looked over at Judith and grinned, signalling that he was going in for a landing. Kunja stopped flapping suddenly and dropped limply through the sky turning slowly the dragon straightened his wings out again as he closed on the ground and pulled him out of his drop, scraping along the ground.

[Cynical Cat]

Frostfell half flew, half glided to the ground. "At least I can get rid of this fucking bomb harness now," he grumbled. He was a glass half full kind of dragon.

[LadyTevar]

Jebediah rather sympathized with Frostfell. "Iffen yer crew needs help gettin' it off, Ah'll give it a tug ta help ya," he offered for politeness' sake as Judith stowed her stuff before climbing down. She had a few words to say to Jake in private about using his radio and talking to his wingman.

[Charon]

Jake slowly got off of Kunja's back, gingerly rubbing all of the spots on his body that were getting sore. Kunja himself has quite a few small puncture marks from where he'd grappled with the much larger Frostfell. Both of them, for being dead, were still in obviously great spirits.

[LadyTevar]

Judith walked right up to Jake and slugged him as hard as she could in the upper arm. "Idjit! Next time use th' damned radio an' tell us wha' yer doin'!" Her flashing eyes looked up to Kunja in real anger. "Tha' goes fer you too!" At least she did not try punching the dragon like she did his captain. "Hellfires... ya'll ain't the sense gawd-gave-a-goose, an' none th' brains!!"

[Charon]

Jake had seen Judith coming and grinned as he'd walked up to greet her. "You were amazing up- OW!" Jake was cut off when she slugged his already bruising arm.

"Alright alright I'm sorry. Just got caught up in the moment, we'll try not to do it again!" Jake attempted to placate her anger as best he could while Kunja just laughed at the sight of his captain who had with a glad heart taken on a dragon three times their size now be cowed before a woman who was shorter than him.

Jake waited for Judith's pause in her ranting at him before saying. "You're even more beautiful when you're angry." He winked at her before going on. "And you did real good up there keepin' Frostfell occupied."

[LadyTevar]

The compliments and the wink derailed Judith's rant, wrecked her train of thought, and left her flustered and blushing as her mind tried to salvage something from the wreckage. "Oh... wel...Ah... uhm..."

Behind her, Jebediah was smirking, his tail curling up in amusement. "Boy's as quick with his wits as on th' wing," he dragon-whispered to Frostfell -- which meant Nathan and the closest of Frostfell's crew also heard the muttered aside. Jeb had to admit he was impressed by Jake. The boys back home were half-scared of Judith even without having a (to them) large dragon for a protector. That thought made Jeb chuckle even more, thinking of how the boys would piss themselves if they saw Frostfell winging over the hollers.

Hearing Jeb made Judith blush even more, throwing him a dirty look over her shoulder, but it freed up her tongue to speak -- and she said the first thing on her mind. "You horse's rear," she said to Jake, and behind her Jebediah suddenly rolled over on his side whooping in laughter.

Later, Jeb would explain to Kunja that 'horse's rear' was what Judith's mother would call her father when he'd say something that flustered and embarrassed her. One half endearment, one half exasperation, Maggie never said it in anger and Jack would sneak a kiss or slink out the door sniggering at tweaking her.

[Cynical Cat]

"Boy tries that trick in the air and you're likely to be down a captain," growled Frostfell. "My belly gunner didn't even try to shoot at him, but he would have done it in a real fight. Even if it had worked, do you know what shrapnel does to human flesh?"

"Be nice," said Nathan. "The kill was made fair and square."

"I'm sorry," said Frostfell, "but I don't know how." His crew chuckled.

[Charon]

Jake grabbed a quick kiss from Judith after her horse's rear comment and grinned at her before moving past her towards Nathan and Frostfell, followed by Kunja who was laughing at the display and still proud of himself for the way he held up in combat, even if he died.

Jake waved towards Frostfell and Nathan. "Captain, Frostfell, it was a pleasure to combat you in the games, maybe we'll get another chance some time."

When Kunja heard Jeb explain the comment he couldn't help himself but to laugh uproariously.

[Cynical Cat]

"Games are games," said Nathan. "You did good up there, but you still got your dragon killed. Learn from it and remember that rubber bullets can kill so be careful when you're shooting up there."

[LadyTevar]

Much like the compliments to her beauty and fighting skills, the brief kiss totally derailed whatever thought might have been forming in Judith's head, giving Jake and Kunja the time to slip away and talk to Nathan and Frostfell.

She had just got her mind working again when Jebediah walked over and gently nuzzled her back. "No throwin' things at him now, jis' cause he embarrass'd you," Jeb teased.

Judith was getting annoyed at being flustered, by Jake or by Jeb. But getting mad and throwing things, as much as she'd like to right now, would only make her look even more like an idiot. "He's still a horse's rear," she said sulkily, reaching up to unbuckle Jebediah's armor.

"Ayah, that he is...," Jeb agreed with amusement. "But ya like him an'ways." There was nothing Judith could say to that.

[Cynical Cat]

Freed of his bomb harness and his armour, Frostfell rammed his shoulder into a tree with a loud crack. He rubbed his shoulder against the tree, sending chunks of bark flying. "Better," he growled.

[Charon]

Jake only nodded to Nathan in acknowledgement of what he said before he turned back to Kunja and laughed. "Hell Jack, it's gonna take us an hour to get all this paint off of ya."

Kunja snorted. "If we had the time to take a quick dip it wouldn't be an issue."

Jake glanced towards Judith, an idea forming behind his eyes for a moment before Kunja, chuckling, blew on his captain and toppled him over. "You're impossible."

[Cynical Cat]

"Go swim it off," said Frostfell. "Which reminds me . . ."

"No," said Nathan. "When we get leave. Not before."

"I'll be quick."

"No you won't. And it'll be colder that a witch's tit."

"If you were Inuit you would-"

"Still say no, Great White Seal Eater."

"You're no fun," Frostfell said in a sulky tone of voice.

[LadyTevar]

The last bit drew Judith's attention towards the menfolk. "What -are- ya'll talkin' about, Frostfell?" she had to ask, walking closer to hear the answer as Jebediah paced beside her. He had to stiffle a snicker at the small splatters of blue paint that stood out against Frostfell's pure white scales.

[Cynical Cat]

"He wants to go swim in the North Sea. Maybe get in some whale hunting," said Nathan.

"It's not like this isn't a bloody island," said Frostfell. "It's all coast!"

[Charon]

Kunja chuckled as Jake got back to his feet. "My thoughts exactly. It's like a smaller colder Australia." Kunja glanced up at the sky to make sure Rankin wasn't in sight and then looked at Jake.

"Wait till I at least get all the important stuff off of ya, I don't think they'd ever forgive me if you went swimming with all that expensive equipment on you."

Kunja grinned as Jake began to quickly strip the gear off of his dragon.