Into Unknown Territory

by Kirb

Chapter 1

All was silent over Bermuda. The only thing one could hear was the whistling of the wind blowing through the trees.
Five fighter planes flying in formation above the island broke the silence. As they barrel-rolled, the words US Air Force shone on the sides. The leader of the training flight radioed the other planes.
"This is Colonel Farrell calling all units, over."
"Lieutenant Crombie, over."
"Lieutenant Edgar, over."
"Captain Nesmith, over."
There was a pause.
"Major Evans, over."
"Alright, this flight right here is to prepare you for the actual battle," said Col. Farrell. "In actual combat, remember, there's a possibility that you'll get shot down. But we're not preparing for that right now. Let's go! Over and out!"
The five planes flew into the gray sky ahead of them.
"It's too bad Lieutenant Tullard wasn't here today," said Captain Nesmith after a while. "What a time to break his leg, over."
"Yeah, but we can live without him, over," said Lt. Crombie.
"Remember," Major Evans said, "if we get this right, General Parsons will let us fly in combat and blow up real assholes! Who cares if Tullard isn't a part of the fun? Over."
"Well put, Evans," radioed Col. Farrell. "Okay, get ready to break formation! Over."
As the planes diverged in separate directions, raindrops started hitting their windows.
"Hey, guys?" said Lt. Edgar. "We got what appears to be a storm brewing up ahead. Are you sure we should fly into it? Over."
"Relax," said Col. Farrell. "It will be alright. Plus, even if there is lightning, it will prepare us for real combat! Over."
"Yeah!" said Major Evans. "A little rain isn't going to kill you!"
Suddenly, a large thunderbolt, seeming to come out of nowhere, hit one of the thrusters of Major Evans' plane.
"I'm hit!"
"Whoa! Didn't see that coming," said Lt. Crombie.
"Okay, we’re clearing out. Turn around and follow me until we've cleared the storm," Col. Farrell ordered.
As the planes flew away from the storm, the wing on Major Evans' plane caught on fire, sending the plane into a tailspin.
"Mayday, mayday! I'm going down!" Evans shouted.
He heard no response from the other planes.
"Mayday, do you read?"
Still no response.
"Damnit! The radio must be fried."
Evans’ only thought was to land his plane. He jabbed the button that lowered the landing wheels. The smoke from the burning plane made it impossible to see where he was going. What if I land in the water? What if I’m no longer over land? The thought hit him: the Bermuda Triangle.
Thinking fast, Evans pushed the eject button. The force threw the seat clear of the plane. He yanked the cord of his parachute and felt the tug of the air pulling on it as his flaming plane hurtled to the ground. As he landed, thankful for his survival, his seatbelt buckle came loose, flinging him face-forward on the ground, the last thing he saw before he passed out.
...
Meanwhile, miles away, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane flew through a brightly-colored town, passing other brightly-colored ponies. The loud explosion sounded like it came from only a few miles away. She looked toward it and saw a large cloud of black smoke rising from the ground in that direction.

"Oh no."

Comments

[Production Run]

Sorry, but airplanes don't just blow up when they get hit by lightning. The lightning strike can leave a burn mark, but even a strike on the engine won't knock the plane out of the sky like that.