801st TTS Airbats - 4th Strike "Dreaming In the Clouds"
      Episode 1 (8) "Airplane Food"
        By Kionon (Kevin Callahan)

 The body rolled clumsily to one side, making an "oomph"
sound as it hit the floor. The face on this crumpled form opened
it's eyes and looked up.

 "Ohaiyo!" Haneda proclaimed as she entered the room with
a tray full of breakfast foods. "Isurugi, I made all this for
you. A strong guy like you needs all the food he can eat," she
frowned at his lack of movement. "Oh not quite up yet? Here, let
me help you," she cut a piece of pancake and put it on a fork.
Sliding it towards his mouth she continued speaking, "This should
help you--"

 "--WAKE UP--AHHHHHHHHH!!!!" screamed Captain Konishi as
the teeth clamped down on his fingers. "Isurugi!! Ow! Ow!"
Running out and across the base in usual Anime fashion, Konishi
headed towards the medical bunk, while Isurugi became aware and
awake.

 "Huh? Ooh boy.."

 [Opening theme and title sequence]

Ano(hi) Kaze ga fuku oka ni suwari
sora o miteta
Ima mo wasernai
Yume wa zuutto,
chiisana kono muni ni,
kagayaite iru yo

Nani mo kamo umaku yukazu ni,
nemure nai yoru mo aru keredo mo
Tokimeku koto o,
yamecha ike nai
Tori no yoo ni,
jibun dake no tsubase shin-ji yoo

I DREAM ON

Sora Kyanbasu ni ukabu niji ni naatte miita
Itsuka kono yume ga kansu toki wa
Watashi o daki shimete Ai o uketootte



 Haneda entered the conference room, and sat down. She was
on time, as was Captain Konishi, Sgt. Shimorenjaku, Sgt. Saginomiya,
and Colonel Kangamine. Mitaka and Isurugi were late, as usual. Heads
turned as Isurugi and Mitaka walked through the door. "What do
you mean cooking? We all usually go out to eat. I mean what do we
have here to cook anyway? Is there a reason you want to cook? Are
you really a gourmet?"

 Mitaka shook her head. "You moron, I mean let me cook
dinner for the two of us," spying the look on Haneda's face, she
amended quickly, "Only the two of us."

 "Uhm, that's very nice, uhm, I accept. I'd love to,"
replied Isurugi as he sat down. "Sounds very nice. I look forward
to it." Mitaka flashed a sinister sneer in the direction of
Haneda, who replied by sticking out her tongue.

 "AHEM! Can we please get to the meeting?" asked Kangamine
as he walked over to the blackboard. "General's orders, we are to
practice for an air show we are doing here with the German air
display team. The SkyHawks. They will be coming this weekend, and I want
you all on your best behavior. Got it? This is a very big deal for the
Japanese Self Defense Force. We want to promote a good image to Europe.
Any questions?"

 Haneda spoke up, "Does that mean we have to replace
Mitaka to avoid an international incident?"

 "Grrrrrr."

 Captain Konishi put up his hand. "Now, now, ladies, we
will have the standard team. Any other questions?" He scanned the
room. "No? Good. Dismissed." The group stood, and pushed in their
chairs.

 Haneda turned to Mitaka, "Go ahead, cook your dinner,
whatever you do I'll do better. We will see who comes out of this
the owner of Isurugi's heart!"

 "Bold words, Haneda. Very well, we'll make a contest of
it. May the best chef win."

 Sakura smiled as she turned from the table. "I'm now
taking bets on who Isurugi will choose! Line starts here."

 Isurugi sweatdropped. "I'm not worth this competition,
really. You're both equally great. You both have strong hearts.
Besides, you both like airplanes!"

 "Grrr.... Isurugi.... I'm in love with an idiot..."
Mitaka grumbled as she walked out of the room. "The things I do
for him... Why do I bother?"

 "You do it because you love him..." Captain Konishi
walked out of the room. "Now, how about let's go party!?!?!"

 Mitaka shook her head. "Nope, gotta go grocery shopping
at the commissary. Thanks anyway though." She walked out and
jumped on her motorcycle. Starting the engine, she got
comfortable on the seat and put on her helmet. "Alright let's
get this contest on the road." With that she kicked up the
kick stand and flew down the base.

 Elsewhere on the base, more specifically the Airbats'
hanger bay, Haneda was approaching a working Isurugi. "You know
this contest won't prove anything if you don't choose one of us.
You can't keep putting us on the same level. You can't love both
of us. It doesn't work that way."

 Isurugi turned a confused face to the woman below him.
"Huh? What did you say? Sorry, I was deep in the manifold system
of this T-4. Mind repeating?"

 Haneda shook her head. "Nevermind, it wouldn't make any
difference anyway. Goodbye Isurugi..." Walking out briskly, she
hid the tears gleaming in her eyes. "He's so utterly clueless.."

 Isurugi turned back to the plane and began working on it
once again. He had to make sure all the planes were in proper
working order for the weekend. He couldn't have them breaking
down in the middle of the show. That wouldn't be good. Not good
at all.

 * * *

 300 miles away, a 737 was on it's way from Germany,
General Kohl of the German Luftwaffe was settled comfortably in
his first class chair. Pulling at a black bag, he revealed the
side of a dark gray laptop which he pulled out and set up on the
chair's tray. After starting Windows (German Version) he opened
up a spreadsheet of profiles. The profiles of the Airbat members,
as provided by a German officer already in Japan as an exchange
officer.

 "Ah.. Mitaka and Haneda will do badly if anything should
happen to Private Isurugi. We've found their weakness." The
general pulled out a cell phone an dialed a number. "This is
General Kohl, put me through to Luftwaffe HQ.... Yes, this is
General Kohl, I believe I've found a way to win. Get Shnitz on
the telephone now... Ah, Shnitz.. this is the plan..."

 * * *

 "Oooh, that Mitaka... Thinking she can just steal my
Isurugi. Well, I'll show her," Haneda thought outloud as she
looked about the store for different foodstuffs. After finding
such staples as noodles and rice, she began to search for more
exotic and expensive items. After finally getting a jar of
pickled vegetables and a fine, but affordable vintage of sake,
she headed towards the cash register.

 Her thoughts still on Isurugi, she missed the descent of
the German fighter heading towards the nearby base. Had she
known who was aboard and why they were here, she might have paid
more attention.

 * * *

 Captain Shnitz opened the canopy of her Typhoon fighter. She
stepped out onto the ladder that had been put into place by
Japanese air techs. She tore off her helmet and let her long
blonde hair unfurl into the wind. She laid the helmet inside the
cockpit and went down the ladder.

 She was greeted by a short man wearing a General's
uniform. "Ah, Captain, we are so glad to have you here on Iruma
Base. You are a bit early."

 "Hai, however, I like to be more than punctual," she
replied in perfect Japanese. "Now, then General, where are my
quarters? I would like to sleep awhile." The General nodded and
started towards a bunker at the far side of the base.

 Mid-trip they were picked up by a tall short haired woman.
Sakura, was her name. The name sounded familiar. /Ah Yes/
thought Shnitz, /She's one of the Airbats. Good. Good./
"Excuse me, General, when will I be able to meet the rest of the
Airbats?"

 "Tomorrow, Captain, at 0900. We will rendezvous at the western
helicopter platform in front of your quarters." He pointed slightly off
from the direction the jeep was headed. When the jeep came to a
complete stop, the group got out. They were standing in front of a
concrete building that read in Japanese "Iruma Base Guest Bunker."
"Captain, your quarters are the third door on the left on the second
floor. If there is anything you require, there is a phone linked
to our switching board on the first floor. Simply ask the operator
for my office and I'll do whatever I can to help."

 "Thank you, General. I shall be going up now. I will see you
at 0900 then. Goodbye, sir." She saluted, and he saluted back. He was
always partial to blondes. Ah, well, it wouldn't be good policy to sleep
with another country's combat pilot. He got back into the jeep and he
and Sakura drove off toward the other side of the base.

 Captain Shnitz walked into the dark building. Finding the steps
she proceeded to the second story. There, she found her quarters and
walked in. The place was small, but it worked. It had everything she
needed. Bathroom, phonejack, bed, lamp, desk, all was there. She quickly
pulled out her mini-computer from her flight suit and hooked it into the
phonejack. She dialed the phone number and it rang.

 A voice crackled over the computer. "~Shintz, what do you have
to report?~"

 She shook her head knowing her reply would not be welcome. "Sir,
besides the fact that the General is pervert and Sakura knows when to
mind her own business, I don't have much to report at all. However I am
meeting with the rest of the Airbats aerobatics team tomorrow at 0900. By
then I should have much more of a feel for the team. Anything else sir?"

 "~Just don't screw this up, Shnitz. Just don't screw it up~"

 "Aye sir," she responded as she touched the button to cut the
connection. She took in a breath slowly. "I won't fail you..."

 * * *

 Mitaka pushed Isurugi down into a seat at the conference table.
It was ladened with food of all sorts. A line of scotch tape divided the
food. To the right lay Mitaka's food. To the left, Haneda's dishes
awaited. "Really, this isn't nessicery, you're both good cooks, I'm
sure of it. Do we really need to do this?"

 Together Haneda and Mitaka screamed, "YES!"

 Isurugi sighed and began eating. Sakura, just recently back,
once again was up taking bets. The betting was pretty much equal, half of
the base thinking Haneda was the better cook, and half to scared of Mitaka
to go against her. Stats like those were pretty much to be expected.

 For two hours Isurugi did nothing, but eat, and eat, and eat.
Mitaka and Haneda taking turns between prodding him and attacking each
other. Konishi had torn them apart several times. Finally, Isurugi finished
at the two female combatants looked at him.

 "So," started Mitaka.

 "Who's better?" finished Haneda.

 Isurugi looked up at them and utter three words. "I GOTTA PUKE!"
Isurugi scrambled out of his chair and ran out of the room.

 Sakura looked dismayed as she began to count out money. "Hmm.. seems
here that the money goes to Captain Konishi, who bet that you two would
make him sick before he gave his answer. If he indeed will give one." She
proceeded to hand Konishi the money. He laughed as he counted it.

 "Alright! Daddy's going to the races tonight!" Konishi half-hopped,
half-skipped out the door as he counted his money.

 Mitaka and Haneda sighed unison and collapsed in chairs opposite
from one another.

 * * *

 High above the Sea of Japan, a group of elite German Typhoons came
screaming towards Iruma. They were dark figures against the clouds until
darkness came. When the sky turned black, the group faded from view. The
Airbats would have little chance against them if Shnitz did her job. Then
the German SkyHawks would be one step away from being synonymous with the
ThunderBirds or the Blue Angels.

 The three planes took the form of a trefoil as they made their final
and complete descent. The group landed under the cover of darkness. They
were ready to face the Airbats, no matter what they had planned. They would
crush them and bring glory to the SkyHawks.

 The three figures headed down their ladders attached to the Typhoons'
cockpits. They flagged down a passing jeep and one gave a muffled command in
Japanese through a dark non-reflective helmet. The officer asked for clearance
and after checking followed the pilot's command. The group was dropped of at
the guest bunker.

 They headed up the walkway and into the building. At the foot of the
stairs, Shnitz was waiting for them. They removed their helmets, their hair
springing outas they did so.

 "Hello, Girls, have a nice flight?"

 * * *

Author's Revised Silly Notes:

Thanks for all the C&C I've been given. I expect more.
Due to the feedback I've recieved and the general shortage
of Airbats fanics, this has now taken precedence over BSST.

- Kionon