Reading: "CATACLYSMAL" (A.Glass 2017). Footage of a B52 Stratofortress crew.

 

“And we'll lose the counter strike advantage...” The EW officer says, shaking his head.

Captain Ravas holds up his right index finger up, indicating for Cornell to remain quite, at the same time he doesn't look at his Electronic Warfare officer.

“That's an order, increase speed...” Captain Ravas looks at his watch. They will be moving into Japanese airspace in five minutes. Cornell still looking at his superior officer places his right hand on the crew issued handgun.

The huge bomber begins to veer left towards the mainland of Japan with two of its thermonuclear one megaton cruise missiles primed and set to be launched.

Captain Ravas looks at the radar screens in front of him on the battle station readouts, he sees the West coast of Japan near the Stratofortress.

“Attention unidentified plane entering Japanese airspace. Identify and verify your position. If unable to comply with request within sixty seconds we will fire on your position.”

“Deactivate. NOW!” The Captain orders as both he and Cornell turn their keys back to safe mode for the missile launch. The EW officer at the same time voids the code, resetting the PAL arming system. Captain Ravas quickly gets up rushing back to his cockpit flight-chair.

“Move it right!” He orders as he and his co-pilot steer the plane back away from the Japanese coast.

“This is Captain Frank Ravas of the US air-force sixty ninth squadron based at Anderson airbase Guam. We are on route to Eielson airbase in Alaska, our responders have been down and we temporarily lost radar positioning. Please confirm.”

“We note your change of course and resumption of route onto the North Pacific...”

“Sir, we have all radar, SATCOM and systems back on line…looking for verification of a first strike on Japan. There was nothing. No attack occurred,” Cornell says into his com-link to Captain Ravas.

“Contact the Momsen, relay our information to them even if there systems are back on-line...Lets hope that we and them were the only ones that read it all wrong,” Captain Ravas says, looking around the cockpit at the communication commands that are all in the normal ranges

“Yes sir.”

“Our apologies Tokyo, resumption of correct course has been rectified. We are now leaving Japanese airspace.” Captain Ravas replies, talking into his helmet mouthpiece.

“Resumption noted and verified. You are cleared to proceed on current course.”

Captain Ravas and his co-pilot ascend the bomber back to cruising altitude.

“We have an urgent communique from the SS Momsen” Cornell says into his com-link, he precedes to read out the message from the Destroyer.

“Acknowledge satellite glitch, stand down on strike has been ordered as a broad protocol for all military assets within the Pacific region. No actions have been recorded or expected. Direct orders from the President and Secretary of Defense. This is a high level security issue, no media contact and/or communication to civilian networks. All official responses will be processed through the Pentagon.”

The massive bomber begins to level out once again at its cruising altitude. The Second in commanding officer Wilson Hansen sets the autopilot. Captain Frank Ravas leans back and exhales. Staring into the night-sky from the cockpit window. All three men remain quite.

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Reading:  "CATACLYSMAL" (A.Glass 2017)