Ace Combat 6: Garuda's Angel

Prologue

Gracemeria, The Republic of Emmeria

Apartment Building, 6:15 AM

"Wake up Talisman." A man's voice stated. A young woman rolled to her side to look at the man beside her. "Mmm... no, I'm off duty today. I don't want to wake up." The man next to her spoke, "I don't know how to say this, but Major Renolds just called on the phone. He wants you at the air base ASAP, and he won't tell me why."

She forced herself up. "Great. This better not be another damn drill." She stated as she pushed the covers off her. "And what about you Doctor? It's not fair that I have to go on duty, and you have a nice hospital to look forward to." Doctor Jason Anders smirked, "Well Lieutenant, we doctors have a life of privilege. We get to play golf, flirt with nurses, and indulge in fabulous luxury." Kristen Landsford smiled at this man. When she first meet him, she despised him. Doctor Anders had denied her flight status because of a broken bone she received when she fell off her bike during a little ride through Gracemeria's Central Park. In fact, she was quite adamant that she felt no pain in her leg after six months of rehab. And to her surprise, she still needed a few more months to get off of crutches. During that them, both of them began to see each other for more than just a checkup. They fell for each other after many more months of stubbornness and flirting. Now Kristen was wondering when Jason was going to propose, but he had gone through a lot of tragedy in his life. Loosing his first wife to cancer, and his second was killed in a car accident along with his son, who was only six months old. He was definitely frightened of the prospect of loosing someone he loved.

"If you flirt with anyone but me, I'll drop a bomb on you." She mentioned. Jason chuckled. "And the scary thing about it is, I believe you." Jason mentioned before he spoke again. "I got some coffee going. And a grapefruit to go with you as you report in."

Kristen spoke, "Can't I get an Energy Drink doc? I am a pilot here." Jason spoke, "Didn't I tell you that those were bad for you. I wouldn't be much of a doctor, if I let you indulge in your unhealthy habits Talisman." Kristen responded, "What could be more unhealthy than being a pilot. Every time I land, I get chewed out by the Lieutenant Colonel for something. Now that's unhealthy."

"Talisman!" Jason stated in a calm and scolding tone.

"Alright, alright. No crazy stunts." Kristen replied. Though she had her fingers crossed. The reason she was called 'Talisman' was because no one dared call her 'lady luck'. Sky Kid made that mistake, and it resulted in Kristen knocking his block off. It was Windhover who came up with the callsign, and made it stick. Her near suicidal maneuvers managed to get her in plenty of trouble with the brass who cared more about the cost of the fighters than the pilots. She got out of bed and walked over to the closet, producing an Air Force uniform. "So, I guess the doctor won't be available for lunch after my latest grind session?" She said as she dressed into the uniform.

Jason responded, "I can get someone to cover for me in the ER today. Maybe Dr. Kimbal, if I get her chocolates." She put on her uniform cap. "You're a charmer alright." She kissed him, grabbed a bike helmet, and walked toward the front door. "See you later love." She didn't know it, but these words would last in her mind for the next six months. "I love you Talisman." He replied. These words would sink into her mind as well.

Kristen stepped out of the door and turned to her right. And on cue, was her landlord. "Here to get the rent again?" The old and overweight man, with a pipe-wrench in his hand, spoke. "I'm fixing the... lights." Kristen chuckled. "With a pipewrench?"

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, smartass." He replied to her sarcasm. Kristen walked away with a smirk on her face. Her landlord wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he peeped on his tenants, but he didn't rent to junkies or criminals. That was a plus. She stepped down two flights of stairs and exited the building, heading toward the parking lot. Kristen approached a Harley that she got on her eighteenth birthday, and a well maintained harley that Windhover and Sky Kid always drooled over. She climbed onto the bike and rode away from the apartment building.


It didn't take long for Kristen to get onto King's Bridge, heading by the castle and then toward the Airbase. Tor her right was a schoolbus. She wasn't noticing, but several fighters shot past the bridge and sharply pulled up. "Dammit!" She swore. "They're going to catch hell from the Lt. Colonel for buzzing the bridge." she muttered. Suddenly, it seemed as if a force from behind tossed her of of her motorcycle. She landed on the car right in front of her, and the said car screeched to a stop. Kristen was lucky she wasn't to seriously injured, but it hurt like hell. The helmet took most of the damage. "Ow.. Dammit." She said as she pulled herself off the concrete, behind her was a horrific sight. A section of the bridge had collapsed into the harbor. What was left of her Motorcycle had already slid down the section of the collapsed bridge.

Before Kristen could react, she looked over to see the same schoolbus she passed teetering near the section of the collapsed bridge. "Oh, god." She rushed forward to the bus. Several civilians and police officers began to gather around the bus. The teacher had ushered the students to the front of the bus. Kristen turned to the police officers. "We need to get them off that bus!" She said as she pulled the door open and began to help the teacher and the kids off the bus. One of them was a young blond girl. Kristen continued to help the last of the students off the bus, and the bus began to tip with the reduced weight.

What happened next was horrific, they could only get the students off the bus before it slid into the harbor. "Dammit!" Kristen yelled as she looked at the bus slide into the bay, with the teacher and the driver aboard. She turned back to the children and registered the emotions on their faces. Then to the fighters above. It seemed to be a moment where time slowed down for a moment. She looked one of the policemen in the eye, as they looked at her uniform. "I need to get to the Airforce Base."