His Majesty's Dragons: The Battle of Britain

[Cynical Cat]

"A good idea Captain Rankin," said Nathan. "There is one kind of bait that will work superbly with Bayeux. Frostfell will be rested in the morning to carry a light bomb load a reasonable distance, which is more than enough for chaff. A heavyweight dragon is a prize and a threat they can't ignore. Once they have visual on Frostfell, the Germans will come hard and I can drag them east, away from Bayeux. He's also a target that they'll need to bring out a lot of mediums or heavies to secure, and that's if they believe he's alone and that would be crazy of us to deploy.

"With a light crew, which I have, and excess equipment stripped Frostfell will be very hard to catch by anyone who would want to tangle with a heavy. I can lead them on a merry chase and hopefully loose them back across the channel or in the clouds if I need too. As a bonus, I'm a psych case who's still useful, so me doing something crazy is believable and deniable.

"Lastly, its the best use of my talents," Nathan rasped. "I haven't been much good to most human beings for a long time." He looked at Rankin. "You need someone to lead the rescue and despite my skills and my record I don't have the respect of the men and the dragons. No one else has my skills or the experience, so we'll have to go with the leader they'll follow if this has any chance of success. That's you."

[LadyTevar]

Lothar might or might not have understood her, but fortunately Fulminatus growled a couple more times and hissed out a few words in broken German. "Sie will ihr Drachen," he said, and while his accent was atrocious, the point was apparently taken. Lothar nodded to the guards, who approached several paces with their guns, then turned back to Judith and gestured towards the cage containing Jebediah, inviting her to approach her dragon. With five armed men in the room, plus Albatros, there was no risk there.

Judith was only too happy to retreat to Jebediah's side, reaching through the cage bars to touch him for comfort. Jebediah, unable to reach through the bars with wing or claw to touch her, contented himself with giving her a gentle lick. Together, they listened as Fulminatus translated the on-going argument.

"He says we're sub-dragons," said the American Reaper. "Can't say I like the sound of that."

"Apparently he thinks we're prisoners," commented Fulminatus, indicating the Bavarian. "Seems to have the idea that if they don't treat us like prisoners than the others won't wanna surrender in the future. Imagine that..."

"He says they have a responsibility towards the future of the Luftwaffe...
Fulminatus smirked. "He disagrees."

Fulminatus raised an eyebrow. "He's threatenin' to write him up, best I can tell."

Albatros laughed almost contemptuously. "Das ist möglich. Kein Zweifel, sie wollen wissen alle, wie Sie weigerte zu gehorchen Bestellungen in der Mitte der Schlacht. Ich glaube, Pflichtverletzung ist eine Straftat innerhalb der SS, nicht wahr?"

Fulminatus chuckled and was about to explain, when a new voice cut across the warehouse like a knife through tissue paper.

"Wir hatten unsere eigene Pflicht."

The voice sent shivers down Judith's spine, like the buzz of a rattlesnake in the vines. Jebediah also shivered, closing his wings tightly to his back as if trying to make himself smaller to hide.

"Jesus Christ..." whispered Fulminatus finally to no-one in particular. "... it's a Stuka."

"Christ got nothin' ta do with -that-," Jebediah whispered, more a breath of prayer as he once again tried to slowly and carefully slip a claw out between the bars so he could pull Judith inside with him and further way from the black nightmare before them.

"Ist dass der Kapitän?" it finally said, its voice as smooth as silk and as sharp as a razor, the chilling sound of it enough to make one of the guards near Judith take in a sharp breath and clench his weapon tighter. If the Stuka noticed, it gave no sign, for its eyes had fixed themselves on Judith, as Albatros looked back at her, and gave a short, curt nod.

"Ja," said Albatros. "Das ist ihr."

The Stuka took a long, slow breath, as though digesting that information, and then raised one foreclaw slowly, and unmistakably beckoned Judith over towards it, a summons it would no doubt be dangerous to obey...

... and perhaps even more dangerous to refuse.

There is an ancient legend that snakes mesmorize their prey, so that birds are frozen in place and unable to move as the snake eats them. Worse, some legends claim that the snakes can make their prey walk into their jaws, unable to help themselves. Judith suddenly felt like one of those little birds. Hesitantly, she took one step forward, and then another.

"Judith!" Jebediah hissed warningly, but shut up with a snap as the ebony dragon's eyes flicked over him. He could only watch as his lil girl walked unsteadily forward, step by step, towards the Stuka. Only when she got close to Albatros did she pause, feeling that once she passed the Bavarian she was going to be beyond anyone's aid, German, British or American.

[Charon]

Kunja was quiet for a moment after Nathan finished before he shook his head. "No, whoever does take this mission can't do it alone. The enemy formation will spot Frostfell and do one of two things, engage, or realize that it's some sort of trap and fall back. If they fall back this is all for nothing. If they engage they'll probably have six dragons low-end, that means plenty of Leuchtkaffers, Bavarians, and Swabians. Maybe even Albatros. Frostfell can swat most lights and middies out of the sky, but those Leuchts and Swabians will catch up to you and harry you, slowing you down enough to drop a Kampfritter or Jotun on you. From what I saw Frostfell's in no condition to take on one of those and win, let alone be capable of flying home afterwards. The odds get even worse if Albatros is there. You're going to need a dragon to support Frostfell and keep the Lights off of him, Captain Reynolds."

[Cynical Cat]

"The lights won't engage," said Reynolds, "and a heavy is a prize they can't ignore. No one would be insane enough to send a heavy out alone so they'll believe there is a formation nearby. They'll have to scramble after him. I have no intention of fighting any heavies," said Nathan.

[General Havoc]

Rankin snarled to himself. "I do not like the idea of hitting the train. For one thing, it gives up our night advantage. For another thing, it places us deeper within Nazi territory than hitting Bayeux itself. For a third, we've no way of knowing how the dragons and their captains will be secured aboard train, and derailing it runs the risk of injuring or killing them. Granted, we won't know how the dragons or captains will be secured in Bayeux either, but I find a daylight operation much less to my taste."

He thought some more and continued. "Frostfell can swat aside most lightweights normally, but a pack of them is another matter. Should they send heavy forces, Captain, I don't foresee Frostfell being able to fight them off. A Kampfritter probably couldn't catch him, but a section of Swabians easily could, and in his present condition, I don't see how Frostfell could fight them off if they did, especially if aided and abetted by Lightweights. They'll tear him apart like a school of sharks.

He fell quiet again as he considered everything, then stood up suddenly and faced the Wendigo's captain. "Captain Reynolds," he finally said, "I should have preferred to take this assignment myself, but yours is the heavier dragon, with more SOE experience. Do you believe that Frostfell and yourself can draw off enough dragon weight to give us a fighting chance to escape with the captives? I am not certain if we will engage the train or not, nor at what point we attack, but we will need a diversion of some sort, it is clear. I would like a frank assessment of Frostfell's capacities in this regard.

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

"I wouldn't..." hissed Fulminatus, and there was a desperate urgency in his voice as he said it, but Judith ignored him and walked slowly up to Albatros' position as if hypnotized. The Stuka seemed to grin almost hungrily as it stared down at the young American captain, even as the various German guards and personnel unconsciously edged away from the Stuka.

The large middleweight took a step forward, towards Albatros and Judith. Albatros did not move aside, but neither did he move to hinder the Stuka, watching both it and the American carefully, his wings stirring on his back.

"What is your name, child?" said the Stuka softly in english, a distorted, whispered english, like the voice of a wraith or a creature that was only partly real. Its eyes bored in like brands of fire as it lowered its head slowly, rows of razor-sharp white teeth gleaming from its mouth as its tail swished back and forth slowly. "Why have you come to this place?" Hissing like a snake, the dragon loomed over Judith, as though trying to decide whether or not to gobble her up in one bite.

[LadyTevar]

Once the Stuka spoke, Judith's urge to walk forward into it's teeth and claws evaporated. However, now she was stuck with it far too close, Albatros not close enough, and Fulminatus and Jeb much too far for comfort. That she thought of Albatros as an ally against this black nightmare said much about how it scared her.

The questions were simple, but getting the answers past the lump of fear in her throat was not. "Ju... Judith Ma-ma-mac... McClung ... ... sir." Her best manners, adding the honorific. Not bein' polite was going to get her far more than a smack upside her head this time, she knew it in the depths of her soul. The next question she gave her plainest, most truthful answer. "My dragon an' Ah were captured by Albatros of th' Loof-waffle, fair' n' square."

[General Havoc]

The Stuka's smile broadened as it crept forward silently, hunching over the American captain to the point where even Lothar made a move as if to step forward, but was restrained by a single glance from Albatros.

The Stuka did not bite... not yet at least, but instead inclined its head like a cat considering a helpless mouse. "Why... did you come to Europe?" it asked, its voice off-key like a mis-tuned instrument, a whisper-soft voice as fine as a steel wire, capable of dissecting its enemies like a surgeon.

[LadyTevar]

The average person has only seen dragons from afar, flying over their heads as they go about their daily lives. Some may never even see one that close. What these people never get to know is one major truth: Dragons are Big. Even Jeb, who was one of the smallest dragons, would loom over the average person.

The Stuka was bigger than Jebediah, meaner than Jebediah, and looked very ready to eat Judith if she even thought about lying to him. He was also giving her a crick in her neck looking up at him. As much as she wanted to run away, back to Jebediah ... hell, back to Gauley River! ... she couldn't move and couldn't lie. " .... Ya'll were beatin' up on En'land... an' it wer'nant raight."

[Charon]

Kunja muttered grimly to himself for a moment, "Jake's gonna want my hide for this..." Then the dragon looked up to Rankin. "Permission to join Frostfell's diversion sir, he's gonna need something to keep those lightweights from swarmin' him. 'Cause if they figure out he's alone out there they'll be more than happy to risk a couple lightweights to bring in another heavy."

[General Havoc]

The black dragon seemed, if anything, amused by the antics of its prey, and its head lowered ever so slowly as it hissed in reply.

"England... is ours... for the taking..." it said, its teeth opening wide to reveal a long forked tongue, black like the rest of it. The tongue stretched down towards Judith like a constrictor snake as it hissed the rest of its line. "... as are you..."

"ENOUGH!"

The snake-like tongue stopped inches above Judith's head before a brown blur shoved its way between her and the black dragon, and a scaly wing shoved Judith backwards hard enough to throw her off her feet ten feet onto the ground on her back, and then suddenly Albatros was standing where Judith had been a moment ago, staring defiantly up at the Stuka and muttering to it it German. Several tense seconds went by before the Stuka snarled loudly and reared its head up and spat a single word down in some language that was clearly not German, or even human, but held such malevolance within it that even Albatros recoiled as if struck physically. And then with one fell sweep, the Stuka turned and stormed out of the enclosure, Colonel Lorenz following it after aiming a savage glare at Albatros and Judith.

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

Rankin opened his mouth to reply, then hesitated, staring the Victorian in the eyes for a moment. "If your captain is in agreement..." he said hesitantly, "then... you have permission. If you do go with Frostfell, then I'd recommend carrying anything that will increase your signiature on Radar. Dragonscale reflects it well, but metal does better. Armor yourself up and... see if the quartermaster has a set of wingblades they can issue you." He paused for a second and glanced at the Victorian's wings. "You're a bit larger than a Greyling, but... the artificers should be able to manage something."

[LadyTevar]

For a long moment Judith could only lie where she'd fallen, quivering in fear and gasping as if she'd just ran a mile. When a hand appeared, she clutched it as if a lifeline, allowing herself to be raised to her feet, then latched onto the person for dear life, shaking and shivering as she buried her face in the person's chest.

She never even realized it was Captain Lothar von Richtoffen as the tears started rolling down her cheeks and she started sobbing.

+++

"Albatros... sir," Jebediah's quiet rumble broke the silence left by the Stuka's absence. "Let me hold my lil' girl.... please...." The request was humble, filled with a dragon's need to comfort and protect their captain as best they were able. It was also the voice of a father wanting to hold his child and wipe away her tears.

[Dark Silver]

Thomas, for the entire time, stood silent, knowing from the past his input would not be welcome, or even wanted. They would fly with him because or orders, only grudgingly, but very few Caucasian Captains associated with a Colored Captain.

But when the plan was spoken by Captain Reynolds, Thomas cleared his throat, "With due respect to Captain Reynolds and Frostfell...their not 100%. Neither if the Victorian here and his Captain. Flying screen for Bayeux are likely to get them killed or shot down in their present condition. Even with a night's rest." Thomas' eyes were hard, as he looked from Rankin, to Reynolds then to Kunja, "I volenteer Hermeticus and myself in their steed, we're uninjured, and quicker on the fly than Frostfell. And honestly sir, we haven't met a Jerry yet we couldn't out run or out outfox when we put our minds to it."

[Charon]

Kunja nodded at Rankin then looked to Thomas. "Hah! This little scratch I got was nothing." Kunja looked to his arm where he had recieved the worst of his wounds during the fight and even that was rather minor." Kunja took a few steps back then. "Either way, I need to be wherever Albatros is most likely to be." Kunja was quiet for a second after that. "I'm the only one here who can even try to keep up with that slick bastard." It was obvious that wasn't the only reason that Kunja wanted to meet Albatros in battle again.

"Now I need to find my captain." With that Kunja turned away and moved away from the tiny gathering, looking around for where his captain might be.

[Cynical Cat]

"You'll need at least one heavyweight with the rescue group," said Reynolds. "The captives will be restrained and you'll need brute strength to get them out quick. Although some corrosives and picks to go along with the explosives wouldn't hurt either."

[General Havoc]

The guards nervously glanced at one another, the vast majority unable to understand English, but clearly perceiving the tone of the American Lightweight's request. Lothar von Richtoffen, despite being the purported commanding officer, did not reply, and turned his head to Albatros, who was still standing stock still, staring after the retreating form of the Stuka with his gaze narrowed, quietly whispering something to himself in German in tones so low that Fulminatus could not understand it.

When finally the lightweight turned back to his captain, to survey the scene, he said nothing, but glanced quickly between Lothar, Judith, and Jebediah, before turning back to Lothar and nodding wordlessly. Lothar returned it and gestured to one of the guards, who unlocked and opened the cage Jebediah was in, the other guards standing with weapons ready in case the smaller dragon used this as an opportunity to escape. With his captain at gunpoint, and Albatros still in the room, it was unlikely, and in fact so unlikely was it that Albatros didn't bother to watch the proceedings, sitting down in the middle of the floor and adjusting his wings as he watched the sun setting over the English channel and said nothing. Lothar and the guards quickly escorted Judith to the cage, letting her into it and closing it shut behind her.

"Albatros," said Fulminatus, and with a middleweight's volume, his voice rumbled through the large enclosure, "Was bedeutet der SS möchten mit uns?"

His accent was terrible, and he hesitated and stumbled over the words, but Albatros clearly understood the meaning of the question, and he grunted softly and turned his head back to the American middleweight.

"Ze SS believes zat you are unterdrakken... sub-dragons, ja? Vhat do you imagine zey vant vith you?"

Fulminatus didn't answer, narrowing his eyes and growling softly in reply, making a few more soft tugs at the chains restraining him, before settling down once again on the ground, leaving Albatros to turn and walk back over to the cage.

"I am afraid zat if ze Standartenfuhrer receives authorization from ze SS High Command, zen there vill be very little I can do."

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

Rankin thought in silence for a few moments, considering everything that had been said. Off to the side, the medics were loading Captain Kelly into an ambulance to take him to a waiting medical facility, and were trying without much effect to convince Capricorn that there wasn't room enough for him in the ambulance along with his captain, advice that the Venomspitter seemed entirely unwilling to take, for he persisted in trying to squeeze into the back of the ambulance despite the medics' ever more frantic protests.

"Thank you Captain," said Rankin, though it wasn't initially obvious who he was speaking to, "but in this case, Captain Reynolds is correct. We will require Hermecritus when we endeavor to liberate the captives, and we will have greater need of speed even than the diversion force. As the only undamaged Heavyweight left, we will need you with us. Frostfell and Kunja can provide enough of a distraction on their own."

He stood up from the maps. "Time is of the essence gentlemen. We must engage the enemy as quickly as possible in order to have any chance whatsoever. I have to see to Captain Bader and Captain... Lawrence, and try and convince them to assist us, as well as determining what's left of our ordinance and equipment stores. I suggest you all prepare yourselves. Full briefings will be prepared within two hours."

[LadyTevar]

Judith was still shaken and crying, unable even realize she was being guided until Jebediah softly called her name. Only then did she raise her head and clear her eyes enough to stumblingly run into the cage and collapse against him in fresh tears. Jebediah crouched cat-like inside the cage, and closed a wing protectively over his lil girl, like a hen guarding her chick. It would not be the first time she had cried herself out under his wing; as a child she had often ran to Jebediah for succor. After all the events of the day, Jebediah would not be surprised if she cried herself into an exhausted slumber.

The SmokeDevil listened carefully to Fulminatus questioning Albatros. The answer did not reassure him. "From th' way them black-guards are talkin'... we'll be treated lik' a nigger flirtin' with a lady." They were lucky if the upstanding white men of the community didn't string them up in a tree for their presumption. If they were unlucky, it would be an even slower death.

"Wha' o' Judith?" Jebediah demanded. "Or is she 'unter' too?"

[Cynical Cat]

Nathan flexed his scarred hands. They grew stiff too easy, were too sensitive to the cold, and even a mild bump could send agony shooting through his body. I should have died the day before, thought Nathan. Or there in the harness. But I didn't have a gun or a knife then. Die now, the Greeks used to chant. Die at the height of your abilities and triumph, in a life unspoiled by failure and disgrace.

He picked up the pen to write the next letter. The next lie. Your son died quickly and painlessly while fighting for his country and defending his comrades. A lie, of course. But what good would the truth serve? Your son panicked and because of that he died screaming as hydroflouric acid burned the flesh off of his bones. Or your son was unlucky and was cut in half by a 20mm cannon. He was dead in under a minute.

So he wrote the lies. Too many of them today. The White Devil's luck had run out or maybe not. They hadn't been aboard Frostfell when they died. One last letter to write.

Dear Vivian, My beloved whore

You have often been in my thoughts. Without you and Frostfell I would have blown my brains over the wall years ago. Opium does make the pain somewhat less. I hope my letter finds you well. If you've taken a lover, I hope he makes you happy. God knows that I'm no prize, even for a Chinese whore whose family disowned her. The war is hard, but I'm doing well. High command is still fucked up. The German High Command is less fucked up, because they lost the last war and their butchers aren't still setting the tone. Their politicians are crazier though, which makes up for a lot.

I can't believe I was lucky enough to end up with you. That's the truth. I'm glad I got one person out of hell. I hope living with me wasn't too hard. I haven't been the best of husbands, I'm afraid the pain doesn't bring out my best side and I'm certainly not handsome. I never raised a hand against you and my absences were probably not too terrible for you. And I was kind. I do love you and I did my best to show it. Should I die, be happy in whatever way you can.

Love,

Nathan

Truth, all of it, even if it was dressed up and some more truth unsaid. He sealed the letter and twisted his wedding ring. Gods, he could use a drink.

[Dark Silver]

Dismissed from Rankin's presence, Thomas headed back to find Hermeticus. The awkwardly built dragon had shifted to pacing as Capricorn and his Captain had disappeared.

"Cap is upset..." the dragon growled low. "We should have been here Thomas..."

Thomas nodded as he walked next to Hermeticus' neck, and stroked it lightly. "I know, we should have, but we had orders. Let's get back to the crew, we've got orders. You need to get some food and rest, we've a mission to go on."

"What mission?"

"Rankin wants to go after the Jerry's who took two of ours. We're the only fully ready crew."

The Longhorn Reaper growled low, his entire body shaking as he scooped Thomas up, and set him on the thick neck. With that, the man and his dragon went to their clearing, to ready the crew.

The two hours would pass quickly.

[Charon]

Jake was rubbing his forehead as Capricorn tried once again to squeeze into the ambulance. "No, Cap. You aren't gonna fit Cap." There wasn't much protestation in his voice and it was clear he was simply saying it to keep up appearances.

As Kunja approached he came to a slow stop, stifling a chuckle at the ridiculous scene. Jake spotted his dragon and looked pleadingly to him for a moment. Finally Jake sighed. "Does anyone here have some goddamn dragon tranqs?"

Kunja chuckled as he came up to his captain. Jake glared daggers at his dragon. "Yes, har har very funny. What's up?"

Kunja grinned. "We're going to go get the others back."

Jake rolled his eyes. "Yeah, we already decided that."

"No, I mean the squadron is gonna go get the others back."

Jake blinked once or twice. "We actually got orders to do that?"

Kunja paused for a second. "Yep." Technically that was correct. Rankin had ordered them to do it.

Jake was smiling, "Alright. We'll get Judith back, and Fulminatus."

Kunja shook his head. "Actually, we're with Frostfell on distraction."

Jake paused. "What?"

"Rankin needs somebody to distract the dragons that are guarding the others. Reynolds volunteered himself, and I volunteered us."

"WHAT?! But what about Judith?!" Jake was about as pleased as Kunja thought he would be.

The dragon sighed. "Technically, you have to give the ok for it."

"Well that sure as hell isn't happening!"

"No, listen. We're the only lightweight left really. Frostfell's gonna need somebody to watch his back."

"Horseshit, that greyling is here and would do a hell of a lot better job."

Kunja shook his head. "We need somebody who can stall middies, and that's us."

Jake pointed a finger at Kunja. "You just want another chance to fight Albatros!"

Kunja shrinked back some at this, making it even more apparent that it was true. Then the dragon came back at his captain. "And you just want to go in guns blazing to save your latest squeeze!"

Dragon and Captain glared at each other for several seconds before both looked away. Jake spoke first. "Alright, fine. But if anything happens to her it's on our heads."

Kunja sighed and laid his head down next to his captain. "She'll be fine Jake."

[General Havoc]

Albatros shook his head slowly. "Nein," he said to Jebediah. "Ze SS has no authority over human prisoners. She vill be sent to a prisoner of war camp until ze fighting is over in a couple of months. She vill zen be repatriated to America."

The Speckled Bavarian did not so much as glance back at the cage as he said this, and there was a... hollowness to his words that indicated quite clearly that the veteran combat dragon wasn't even certain if he believed his own words, at this stage.

"Zere vill be a train to escort ze lot of you to Germany leaving tomorrow," he said finally. "I must contact ze Luftwaffe command unt make certain of vhat sort of reception you vill receive on your arrival. Ze SS must not be permitted to interfere in Luftwaffe concerns. It vould set a... Vorentscheidung, er... precedent... zat vould be most unfortunate..."

It could not be determined if Albatros was even still talking to Jebediah or Fulminatus or was simply speaking aloud, but after another moment's pause, the Bavarian glanced to Lothar, and then walked out of the hangar without another word, its wings twitching on its back as it whispered something to itself in a voice too soft to be understood. Lothar von Richtoffen said nothing, indeed it was clear he did not know enough English to say much at all, but with one final look back at Jebediah that might have almost been sympathetic, he followed his flagdragon out of the hangar, leaving Fulminatus, Judith, and Jebediah alone with the guards.

Fulminatus growled low as the two German officers vanished around the corner. "Should'a taught these Krauts their lesson back in '18..."

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

"Captain Rankin?"

Rankin raised his head and turned to his side, not because of the voice that had spoken, but because he had felt Æquitas' muscles tensing up beneath his scales. He knew who had spoken before he raised his head, and he swallowed his gut reaction as the enormous black form hove into view.

"My lord," said Rankin with the slightest nod. "Thank you for..."

"Tolkien said that you were to guard your part of the shore."

Tolkien. Not 'Admiral' Tolkien, but simply Tolkien. This told Rankin everything he needed to know about how this conversation was going to go. "Did he?" replied Rankin carefully, playing his cards close to his chest.

"Yes," replied the enormous dragon. "But your crews and dragons are arming themselves, and you asked to see me."

"It is advisable to be armed and armored when on patrol," said Rankin carefully. And I wanted your opinion of how best to..."

"Captain, you despise the sight of me, and would not ask to speak to me unless the world were ending," said Temeraire. "What are you doing?"

There was no escaping Temeraire certainly, and the briefing wasn't for ten accursed minutes. He had sent runners to ask the captains to meet on the tarmac with their dragons fully armed and armored, as the briefing hut had been destroyed, and he wanted to leave as quickly as he could thereafter, though the precise timing would be hashed out there. Accordingly, he sat up straighter, keeping one hand on the back of Æquitas' neck, as though the 25-year veteran needed re-assurance of some sort.

"We're going on an excursion," he said simply, and Temeraire gave a very good impression of raising a non-existent eyebrow.

"To France?"

"I've heard tell that the weather is more hospitable in Normandy this time of year. It seemed the sort of thing to be determined first-hand."

The dragon did not immediately reply.

"Normandy?"

"Yes, Normandy," said Rankin. "With some dispatch, I might add."

Temeraire's eyes slowly narrowed as he stared down at Captain Rankin.

"Trying to keep up the family tradition?"

That one caught Rankin by surprise. "I'm... certain I don't know what you..."

"I recall that your ancestor also had something of a taste for excursions to the coast of France."

... oh.

Æquitas' head rose sharply enough that Rankin nearly fell, and he snarled softly at the larger Celestial. Temeraire slowly switched his gaze down to Æquitas, though still undoubtedly addressing Rankin. "I should hope you don't intend the same actions, should it come to - "

"That is just about everything I intend to hear out of you," snapped Æquitas, rising to all fours and unfurling his wings. "It was my decision to go to France, and if you even dare to - "

"Æquitas!" shouted Rankin, loud enough to stop the Malachite Reaper from saying something irretrievable. Æquitas growled like a petrol engine, but said nothing further, and Rankin raised his head and quickly spoke, before his dragon could finish the matter.

"You know as well as we what fate attends those dragons left in France," said Rankin quickly and plainly. "Our squadron has been decimated, and we have not enough force as it stands to cover our assigned section of the coast. Within several days, the Germans will send a force over as large as the one today and blot us out of the air, unless we can retrieve our prisoners, and hopefully deal them a blow along the way. We've a single intact heavyweight to do this with, and another injured. The reason I wished to speak to you is that you would nearly double the firepower of our strike force alone, and immeasurably increase our chances. Captain Bader must return to his squadron, our Venomspitter is down, and we're to be extremely shorthanded for this run."

Temeraire said nothing, but then Rankin did not intend to give him time to speak his piece. "You're not a part of the squadron, nor even RAF, so I can't issue you orders. Assist us, don't assist us, do whatever you must, but that is what I wanted from you. Short of dispatching the entire squadron at once, there is no way for you alone to stop us from going, and Tolkien is too far away to set the MPs on us before we leave, not without telephone or radio communications, neither of which we have. I don't personally care, Lord Temeraire, what you think of me or my family name, but this is what we are to do, alone if necessary, with as much force as we can muster if possible."

He tapped Æquitas on the side of the neck as a signal, and blessedly, the dragon understood it, walking away from Temeraire towards the center of the tarmac where he had asked the other dragons to gather. "I leave the matter in your claws, Lord Temeraire," he said in parting, leaving the pitch black Celestial by himself as Æquitas walked slowly across the still smoking covert.

"What the devil was that about?" whispered Rankin once they were out of earshot.

"What?" replied Æquitas.

"It was not your idea to go to France. You've been trying to talk me out of it for an hour and a half."

There was a venom more poisonous than Capricorn's in Æquitas' mouth as he responded. "I will not have him insinuating that you are taking me out to die and be discarded like a... like some damned cart horse. I would sooner he believe that I was the originator of this foolish crusade of yours..."

Rankin was brought up short by the intensity of his dragon's hissed whisper. "Æquitas... you... you know I would never..."

"Oh bloody Hell, Michael, of course I know that," exploded Æquitas a bit louder than he had intended to. He lowered his voice somewhat before continuing. "How could you even imagine that I did not?"

"There is... grave risk involved in what we are doing..."

"A fact I fully intend to remind you of, many times once we have all returned," said Æquitas. "This is a fool's errand at best, but I will not have you trying to shield me from danger because of century-dead ghosts. I know why you are doing this."

"Do you?"

"Because you are irredeemably thick."

Despite everything, Rankin chuckled. "I suppose you would be the expert on that state, wouldn't you?"

"Quite," replied the dragon curtly. "Now I would take it as a kindness if we could stop discussing our imminent deaths for the time being."

Rankin took a deep breath as they reached the center of the tarmac. "As you wish," he said as he patted the side of his dragon's neck, and then swung over and down onto the ground, signalling his crew to begin loading themselves aboard as he awaited the remaining dragons and captains of the Tangmere squadron.

[Charon]

Jake had finally managed to come up with a solution to the Capricorn problem. Namely drugging the poor dragon until he was out cold and would be out cold for the next few hours. It let the doctors get to work both on him and his captain, though Jake had threatened the entire medical staff with death if they fucked this up.

Kunja had meanwhile been hastily fitted for wingblades, much to the annoyance of the lightweight, who constantly complained about how heavy they were and how much it was going to slow him down. By the time Tangmere squadron had to assemble both dragon and captain were present. Jake was in as much uniform as he ever was, though it looked even more disheveled than usual. Kunja looked slightly more pristine with shining armor and the new, though not perfectly fitted or particularly nice looking wingblades. There were also a dozen thick wire cables running down much of the length and bredth of the Victorian, which helped to further make the pair look messy. Both looked very relaxed as they spoke softly to one another as they waited for the meeting to start.

[LadyTevar]

One has to wonder what the Germans are thinking right now, as a deep bass voice can be heard singing throughout the encampment.


"~Amazzzzzin' Grace, how sweet th' sound/ That saved aaa wretch lik' me!
Ah wonce wazzzz lost, but now am found/ Wazzz blind, buuuut now Ah seeee!"

Only those close to the cage can hear the clear contra-alto singing along with him in counterpoint.

"T'was Grace tha' taugh' my heart ta fear/ An' Grace tha' fear relieved!
How precious did tha' Grace appear/ Th' hour Ah first belieeeeved!"

There was a unique harmony and dignity to the hymn, sang in duet by human and dragon.

"Thru man-y dangers, toils, n' snares/ Ah hav' alreeedy come!
T'was Grace tha' brough' me safe thus far/ An' Grace will lead me home!"

The duo ignored everything around them, eyes closed as they sang together, both trying to comfort each other and the American Reaper lying nearby.

"When we've been there ten thou'and years/ Brigh' shinin' as th' Suuuun!
We've no less days ta sing God's praise/ Than when we firs' begun...."

[General Havoc]

Fulminatus lay motionless in the cavernous warehouse-turned-holding pen, shifting every so often with the barest clink of the heavy iron chains bound around his neck. Mostly however he laid wide awake, staring out the open hanger door at the reflected moonlight on the fog-damp covert ground, and the faint smell of salt air that blew in from the north. He did not move or turn his head towards the cage from whence was emitting the soft singing, nor did he attempt to disrupt it, merely listening without a word until it was done, the last faint sounds echoing over the base, leaving behind a calm stillness punctuated only by the chirping of crickets.

"They teach you that in church?" asked the twenty-ton midweight suddenly, in a tone that was barely a whisper for him, but still filled the room.

[LadyTevar]

"Yeap." Jebediah answered. "But Ma McClung sang it ta me n' m' shell."

[General Havoc]

Despite everything, the American Reaper chuckled softly, though whether it was at the prospect of a dragon learning church hymns as a dragonet or something else entirely was anyone's guess.

"Was singin' all they did?" he asked without turning his eyes to the iron cage. "I never knew a dragon to preach the good book, but then it's been a hundred years since I could fit in a church..."

He trailed off for a moment, the soft clinking of his chains rubbing together the only sound.

"Whereabouts is it they bring dragons to listen to hymnals, anyway? Been a hundred years since I was through Virginia either."

He did not explain why the sudden questions, nor what he had been doing in Virginia a hundred years ago.