Act 1, Chapter 6: The Big Jump

0845 hours, 12 July 2004…

12 days ago, Major General Jacob Vanderhall gave me the investigation documents regarding the invasion of Sauveterre by the Grey Men that disguised as the Zalanthian soldiers. Although Major General Vanderhall told me the Grey Men’s majority were from Brista, I still had to plunge myself into the abyss further and try my best to not get caught by the latter for conspiracy.

But still, we must deal with the invading Valus forces that are attacking some places in my home country. Because in the end, truth is the first casualty of the war, where war started with lies and deceit. And after both sides are exhausted, the Grey Men will take control of everything.

In the briefing room, all pilots were sitting in a quiet manner, which kind of rare in everyday mission briefing. After a few seconds, the commander arrived and started the mission briefing with a clear but stern voice.

"Good morning, pilots. Here's your current sitrep.”

Commander Vanderhall then turned on the LCD with its blue light and kept forth with his presentation as he showed us the pictures taken by our Satcom.

“Following their failed attempt to retaliate at Valoria Harbor, the Valusian Royal Forces are regrouping and intent on avenging their defeat. Recon from Kalina Satcom has identified the incoming threat of Valusian jammer aircraft with their escort fighters, en route to attack our mining facility at Kingswood Hill, Brenton.”

“Intelligence confirms these transports are carrying advanced ground vehicles intended to seize control of the mining site. This facility is critical—they aim to use its coal reserves to refuel their fleets docked at the Axxon Oilrig off the eastern coast of Gregoria. This would give them the big jump to launch another major offensive.”

“Failure to neutralize this threat will jeopardize the safety of our mainland. Ground reinforcements are not an option due to the unforgiving terrain and weather conditions in the area. This leaves us with a narrow window to intercept at 62 miles (100 km) before they reach the facility.”

“This is an air-to-air combat mission. Long-range missile strikes are paramount to engaging the enemy from a distance. If your signals are jammed, rely on your guns to take them down.”

“Wyvern, Pegasi, and Rexus will deploy together under the Independent Elite Tactical Fighter Squadron (IETFS) banner. Your objectives are to eliminate the jammer aircraft, the fighter escorts, and their transports. Reserve squadrons will remain on standby to support if the situation escalates.”

My excitement increased immediately whenever the commander deployed our squadron on another mission. But simultaneously, it bugged my excitement after they put me together with the Rexus squadron. Considering how much bitterness I've had with Gordon and the rest of his Jocky friends.

“This is your chance to turn the tide! IETFS, launch!”

After the mission briefing, all of us were on our way to the way into the hangar. All the while Beck clapped my back and surprised me with a doubtful whisper.

"Hey, dude! Don't you know who we are with?"

I give him a side-eye glance with a hint of confusion.

"Pegasi and Rexus squadrons?"

"Of course! But don't you know what kind of squadron Rexus squadron is?!"

But before I could respond, Gordon just worsened my mood as he looked back and pointed at us like a typical gangster from the hood, threatening us for money.

"Hey, kid! Are you sure you're still invested in flying with that shitbox?"

"Go fuck yourself, dumbass! Being a pilot is about life or death!"

Unfortunately, my frustration just fueled his fire of cockiness. Where he even further jested with a gesture, together with his squadmates that joined the flexing competition like the typical high school jock that constantly bullied the nerds.

"Hahahaha, well, sucks to be you! Because every time you're about to farm some kills, I've already been one step ahead, before you've accomplished the mission."

“Hawkeyes rules! 225 kills since 1972!”

"So, good luck out there, son. Before those bogeys pissing your pants!"

Gordon and his Rexus’ jocks were on their way to the hangar with sardonic laughter. Despite his exceptional skill, which he inherited from a family with 100+ kills, that won’t save up his image where he’s ever committed a public indecency after getting drunk in the club.

Just as I stopped my step and clenched my fist in a frustration at their childish cockiness, Beck then patted my back as he tried to chill down my frustration from erupting.

“He’s always like this, so don’t let that bother you.”

But then, I let go of his embrace as I walked straight to the hangar with a still bitter tone.

"Yes, yes, yes, you don't have to remind me! We have a mission to accomplish, dumbass!"

He then walked by my side as he let out a brief chuckle of my bitterness. And on our way to the hangar.

“As you wish, flight leader~”

It’s obvious that the Rexus squadron was no pushover squadron at Ephrata Airbase. They have prevailed over the 1990s Gulf Crisis and even 2001’s nuclear crisis right after the 5/7 attack. Their notorious air superiority lies with their fighter jet themselves, the C-15 Hawkeye. And even unwavering skill that rivals us even harder.

But that won’t matter anymore, because war is all about who's still left alive.

***

1040 hours, 2 July 2004…

The stage is set, and land has braced itself to face the wrath of the storm.

All of us just finished to refuel our plane in midair due to the long journey that would waste our fuels with an estimated time of arrival around 2 and a half hours.

Rain showered the sky as the altocumulus cloud slightly shook our planes from the turbulence. It was bizarre that this summer was showering like autumn.

I can’t take my eyes off that beautiful scenery from below. But it gives me a bad feeling about it at the same time. Because these beautiful sceneries are about to be ravaged by the downed planes that will damage this scenery and the civilians.

When I was setting my RWR to detect the bogeys from a distance, AWACS Capricorne suddenly called us out.

"This is AWACS Capricorne to all units! We've detected 14 transport aircraft, escorted with 7 jammers, and the 35 fighters."

"And just a reminder that your missiles will be useless when you're getting close to the jammers. So, get close to their six and use guns."

"IETFS, heads up!"

Gordon (Rexus-2) then called the entire unit on the comms channel with his usual, loud cockiness.

"You guys heard the AWACS? It's our time to rock and roll! Yeehaw!"

Wasting no seconds, I pushed my C-16’s throttle into maximum and charged toward the enemy lines with the latter.

When I was getting closer, around 1,600 yards (1,463 meters), my radar detected 7 jammer planes and 35 fighters in front of me. Luckily, I got a 4 perfect lock toward 1 jammer and 3 fighters from the distance. I pressed the shoot button and sent them to hell.

"Wyvern-1, Fox-3!"

After 4 missiles away, I broke left to prevent getting shot by the enemy fighters. And finally, the radar confirmed that I've downed 1 jammer and the 3 fighters from the 4 long-range missiles.

Just as the latter bagged the bogeys in front of us, Gordon just worsened my mood with his usual cockiness.

"Heh, not bad for a pussycat like you, eh?! How about this?! Fox-3!"

He then sent 4 long-range missiles toward the 4 intercepting fighters, dead on his 12s. And it was a predictably flawless kill, despite them flaring hard.

"This is Rexus-2! Piece of cake!"

Whilst the latter was dealing with the intercepting fighters, I'm chasing 2 intercepting Valusian Phantasmus and get a multiple missile lock. However, right before my finger is about to press the button, Rexus-3 already downed those 2 bogeys in front of me and stole my kill.

“Better luck next time, wyvern kid!"

I slapped my stick in massive frustration because those Rexus Jocks constantly spouted their arrogance after bagging more kills than I wanted to.

Just as I was tailing the remaining intercepting fighter, AWACS Capricorne suddenly called us through the comms channel with a more cautious tone.

"This is AWACS Capricorne to all units! The transport aircraft are charging through the crossfire and about to drop their convoys. Destroy them all before it’s too late!"

Despite there being 26 Valusian fighters with 5 jammers remaining. I still have lots of chances to get another kill with no interruption. But before I was about to charge the line, Pegasi-1 suddenly ordered all units with a stern tone, just as he was tailing the Valusian’s bogeys.

“This is Pegasi-1 to all units. Rexus squadrons, take care of the fighters. And wyvern nuggets, take care of the transport! We’ll handle the rest!”

“Wilco!”

Wasting no seconds, I and Beck pushed our throttles to maximum and charged right into the enemy lines to destroy the transport, according to Pegasi-1’s plan.

Although our signal may be interrupted by the jammers, we’re already one step ahead of the latter. And that gives me a chance to stay focused on facing the enemy in front of me with no interruption from my squadmates.

After my brief afterburner, I braked hard right after I was on one of the Valusian transport’s six. I switched to a gun and easily decimated them with a burst shot.

And that was too damned easy for me. 4 of their transport planes were decimated in midair, together with their ground vehicles that were dropped above 10,000 feet before their demise.

Just as we were carelessly bullying the transport planes until all of them reduced into ashes, all of us got a sudden missile warning, where we had to jink hard whilst pre-flaring.

“Wyvern bzzt dude! bzzt missile! bzzt"

Although the jammer had messed up our communication, I still jinked hard as I looked back and forth to find out the bogeys. Just as I witnessed their missile that was passing through my cockpit and crashed into the ground, I finally found out there were 3 intercepting aircraft that were still chasing all of us.

They might have confused me with their backup forces. But still, I had to mow down the latter jammer by emptying the clip. After all of us finally cleared the jammers and our signals, like freed from our shackles, Beck then yelled at my comms channel with a massive worry if I might get shot.

“Wyvern-1! Wyvern-1! Dude! Can you read me?! You’re still flying, right?”

Just as the 3 intercepting Valusian aircraft were still hot on my six with missile warning blared in my cockpit, I then warned him whilst jinking hard.

“Enough yapping! More killing!”

“Roger that!”

I tried to jink back and forth, but the Gs almost blacked me out to the point I almost dropped out. But to my surprise, Pegasi-2 saved my ass by shooting down the 3 intercepting aircraft behind me. It was as if she was returning the favor after I saved her ass back in the Valoria Harbor.

“Don’t worry, we’ll cover you, wyvern boy.”

With unwavering confidence, all IETFS were easily mowing down the remaining transports and the intercepting fighters into the ashes. An eye for an eye, and blood for the blood. That’s what our motto is!

I do not care if the fighters we downed were begging for mercy. War is all about life or death. Ranks and final words mean nothing.

And the result? All of them had crumbled into the ground as if they were facing the wrath of the storm itself. It was as if we, IETFS, were the storm itself. Just as the rain was subsiding and the sun had shone through the cloudy sky like a revelation of God, AWACS then announced the entire IETFS with excitement.

“All transport, jammers, and escort fighters have been destroyed! Good job, IETFS!”

Cheering blared throughout the entire comms channel that almost deafened my ears. It was as if this mission was like a walk in the park to us. But in the end, a win is a win despite the difficulties.

“That’s a roundup! Let’s go home! And beers on me!”

That’s what I would expect. However, AWACS Capricorne sounded like he was detecting some anomalies that we couldn’t see on our radars.

“Wait… that’s weird…”

That in turn silenced our temporary cheering like we were expecting the 2nd wave of the previous transport aircraft with jammers and the escort fighters.

“AWACS?! What’s wrong?!”

Right after Beck’s anxiety and together with the latter’s confusion, AWACS Capricorne then informed the entire squadron with a firm tone.

“We’ve detected 3 Valusian fighters, coming in hot on the bearing 0-7-6, on the northeast!”

When everyone was checking hard their RWR to find the bogeys at the designated coordinates, it was true! There were 3 Valusian fighters coming in at a somehow sonic boom speed that looked like no pushover.

But that won’t hinder us, as we could outmatch them with our sheer numbers and sheer will. All the while Gordon yelled at the comms channel with a tinge of cockiness.

“If that’s what they want, we got this!”

Wasting no second, I then went full throttle and intercepted those 3 incoming bogeys with a sonic boom speed and wished to end it all in no time.

Or perhaps that’s what I would have thought.