“Alpha Sierra, three-zero-five, go ahead.”
“Are you in touch with three-zero-two?”
This was an unusual question. Trench is in 302. Is he okay? she thought as she keyed the mike. “Negative, but I can be. What’s the difficulty?”
“Three-zero-five, Alpha Sierra. Three-zero-two is reporting he’s blind.”
Annie let the fishing fleet pass underneath as she let the message sink in. Blind?
“Alpha Sierra, is he lost-plane?” Trench had a combat cruise under his belt, and Annie was incredulous that Trench could be lost and unable to find his way back to the ship, especially on this gorgeous day.
“Negative, three-zero-two reports that the pilot is blind, cannot see, and needs assistance. He’s talking to Strike.”
Stunned, Annie began a climb, and on the tactical frequency transmitted, “Annie’s, go squadron tac.” On Comm 1 she told Alpha Sierra they were on the way. “Alpha Sierra, Firebird three-zero-five flight switching Strike.” For Big Jake’s benefit, she added, “Annie’s, go button three.”
“Two,” her wingman responded.
As if pushing preset buttons on an automobile radio, nimble fingers flew over the UFCs in both cockpits, punching in the new frequencies. After a few seconds on Strike frequency, Annie keyed the mike. “Annie check?”
“Two,” Jake replied. Satisfied her wingman was up the proper frequency, Annie keyed the mike again.
“Strike, Ridgeline three-zero-five flight with you on Mother’s two-six-zero for thirty-five, passing angels five. We understand three-zero-two needs help.”
Miles away, Trench heard the exchange. Overjoyed when he recognized the calm and welcome voice of XO Schofield coming to his rescue, he keyed the Comm. 2 mike.
“Annie, Trench. You up tac?”
“Yes, got you loud and clear, Trench. We’re comin’ to ya.”
The three Firebird pilots were all up the same two frequencies, and the chances of “stepping on” each other when transmitting were reduced. However, the ship was not monitoring the squadron tactical frequency, and before Annie could respond to Trench, they called.
“Three-zero-five, Strike, radar contact. Ridgeline three-zero-two reports he’s blind approximately eighty miles south of Mother. We are looking and have several aircraft in that vicinity.”
Big Jake was now close enough to Annie to use hand signals as she led them up. Using triangulation geometry — thirty miles west to eighty miles south — she figured a heading of 150 would put them on a vector to intercept Trench and banked the formation right. Both she and Jake had their radars searching in the 80-mile scale to find their stricken squadronmate.