Chapter 1: Hostile Air

Me: I'm not good at writing battles; I'll leave what they look like to your imagination.

G.U.N. Airfield: Dagger Squadron's hanger

"So what you're trying to say is that someone shut down our early warning radar systems and we have lost contact with multiple outposts?"

Tyber nodded, "Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Now they want us airborne so we can respond to any assault that the aggressors send at us."

"Do we have any type of support for this? Without our radar, we can't see anything they send at us."

"We'll have an AWACS aircraft airborne so we can get some warning in case any hostile aircraft decide to show themselves. Now let's get in the air, so we can maintain air superiority for G.U.N."

One of the pilots's stepped up next to Tyber and looked toward the others, "You heard the hedgehog, let's get in the air and show them what we're made of!"

As they got in their planes and took off their radios buzzed, "This is Central City Air Command, and we are under heavy attack! All available forces respond, Emergency Code Zero."

Tyber's blood ran cold, Emergency Code Zero was the highest alert in G.U.N. it meant that a primary base was threatening to be overrun, at which point Tyber grabbed his radio, "This is Dagger Squadron Responding to Code Zero, ETA five minutes."

Above Central City: five minutes later

Tyber looked around at the damage, 'What could have done this?' he thought to himself as he saw the smoke rising from various points in the city.

"Hey Tyber, What's the call sign for the AWACS?"

"The call sign is Citadel."

And right as Tyber said that they heard over their radios, "Dagger Flight this is Citadel, be advised we've detected a large group of fighters heading your way, vector five one zero. IFF is non-responsive. You are authorized to engage and destroy all hostile fighters."

"Copy that Citadel, we'll take them down." One of the other squadron members said.

Tyber looked in the direction the AWACS radar system said the hostiles were coming in from. And he did not like what he saw, "Dagger Flight this is Dagger Lead, I've spotted ten Su-37 Flankers moving in. Not sure if they've seen us."

"Copy that Dagger Lead, engaging hostile fighters now."

"Dagger Lead this is Dagger Five, those fighters seem to be armed with an air to ground configuration. They should pose little challenge."

"Dagger Lead copies engage and destroy all hostile fighters. All squadron members, you are weapons free."

"Copy that dagger lead, engaging."

Three minutes later

"That was too easy Dagger Lead, think anyone else is up here?"

Tyber was about to respond when another voice broke through the communications channel, "What the, incoming missile, evading!" Tyber saw the plane explode; he didn't have any time to evade the missile. "Dagger Squadron this is Dagger Lead, be advised hostile aircraft have stealth capability, use visual confirmation to ID the targets."

"This Dagger Two, all aircraft get above the cloud layer, they'll be easier to spot without all the ground clutter."

Tyber pulled back on the control stick and his X-02 began climbing at high speed, a few seconds later he was above the cloud layer, and he saw multiple aircraft that he didn't recognize as G.U.N. fighters. "Hostile Forces spotted, what the, they're using SU-47's, I thought those were Russian prototypes."

His wingman called back, "They are, any ideas on how those pilots got their hands on them?"

"Don't know, don't care. Right now all I want to do is go hunting, who's with me?"

"I'm in."

"Let's go knock some planes to the ground."

These responses and a few similar ones were heard over the radio. Tyber smiled, "Let's go hunting."

Tyber angled his fighter into attack position, "Dagger Squadron form up on me, Dominator formation."

Dominator formation was unique to Dagger Squadron; it was a variation on the standard wedge formation. The fighters would go into a loose-wedge formation, and then split off, each one going a different direction. It was meant to strike fear into Dagger's adversaries by showing how coordinated they were, even in the heat of battle.

The planes got into position, "Break off, engage and destroy anything that isn't ours."

The G.U.N. aircraft broke off and started attacking the SU-47s.

Radio chatter was prevalent throughout the battle.

"This is Dagger Two; I have a lock, Fox 2."

Me: Ok, Fox 2 means that he fired off a Sidewinder Air-to-Air missile.

"Dagger Lead, Fox 2."

"This is Dagger 3: I can't shake this missile, deploying flares."

After about five minutes Tyber leveled out his plane, "Citadel, anything on radar?"

"Dagger Flight this is Citadel: All hostile fighters are leaving the area. Good job, all fighters return to base to rearm and refuel."

"Hey Dagger lead, doesn't this seem a bit too easy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they sent enough air power to level a good size chunk of the city, and yet they ran almost as soon as we showed up."

Tyber bit his lip, "You're right something's off, I don't know what though."

"All Aircraft this Citadel: be advised you have a large airborne abject heading toward Ruby City, estimated speed to be mach 5, whatever that thing is its no aircraft."

"Copy that Citadel, we're heading there now."

Above Ruby City

"Uh, Dagger Lead you sure this is the place?"

"Yeah, Citadel, check those readings again, we don't see anything."

"Copy, it's still on our radar, it's heading toward you now. Course hasn't changed."

Tyber aimed his plane toward the object and hit the throttle, "I'll intercept whatever this is and meet back up with you guys later."

Dagger 2's voice came back, "Copy, good hunting."

Tyber soon reached the object and his blood ran cold, "Citadel, contact Omega Corps HQ and G.U.N. Tell them Code Black, they'll know what it means."