PROLOGUE

/02 November 1995, 09:03 hours, Nilenian Airspace, F104 Starfighter; Wizard 01/

Major Geoffrey Frost looked with a happy expression at the clear white clouds below him as he shot through them with his F104 Starfighter. He was the wingcommander this flight and it was clear skies all the way.

His radio crackled: "Smooth sailing ey sir?"

He looked at his right, his wingman Captain McDowell was also flying a similar F104 fighter.

He gave a thumbs up sign to the captain, who, in return, waved at him and asked:

"How's it with your kid Geoff. I haven't seen him last time Debby visited the base."

Geoffrey looked at the small picture of his wife Debby and his 5-year-old son Michael.

He had put the photograph next to the radar display. He smiled as he gently touched the photo with his gloved fingertips.

Putting his oxygenmask back into place, he was planning to answer the captain but the radio began bleeping, a incoming message. With a sigh he finished fastening his mask and gave a apologetic look at Wizard 02 Starfighters as he raised his shoulders.

"Hang on Wizard 2, seems we've got a call from the base."

"Roger that lead, Wizard 0-2 shutting up."

"Thanks Mac." He said with a grin as he changed radiofrequencies.

The voice of a slightly panicking air traffic controller filled his ears.

"This is Minella Air Defence Control to Wizard 01 do you copy!?"

"Roger Minella Control, Wizard 01 is receiving you, over" He answered with a frown, probably still a rookie.

/02 November 1995, 09:05 hours, Minella, AFB Main Tower/

"New orders Wizard 01, 4 high speed bogies have entered Nilenian Airspace at grid sector 3."

Back in the Minella AFB Main Tower the air-traffic controller took a quick look at his radar screen checking the readings it was displaying before continuing:

"Bogeys are bearing one-one-zero, altitude 6000."

The young controller coughed as he looked over his shoulder at the base commander who gave a silent nod, he swallowed and again tapped the communications button, which would put him in direct contact with Wizard Flight.

But just as he was planning to start talking a large hand was gently put on his shoulder.

"I'll take this one corporal." The commander mumbled.

"Yes sir." The corporal said as he gave the headset to his superior.

/02 November 1995, 09:06 hours, Nilenian Airspace, F104 Starfighter; Wizard 01/

"Intercept and identify unknown bogies."

A new lower and much calmer voice came through the radio.

"Hold you're fire, I repeat do not engage unless fired upon . . . copy Wizard lead?"

Major Geoffrey Frost looked at his flight map and noticed that sector 3 was just in front of their patrol route.

He also noticed that it lay close to the Osea - Yuktobania war zone.

"Great. . ." He mumbled under his breath before turning his attention back the waiting air-traffic controller.

"Copy that Minella Control, Wizard flight, intercepting unknown bogies bearing one-one-zero, altitude 6000."

Damn this was turning to be a really bad day. He looked at his right where Wizard 02's Starfighter still was flying in perfect formation, they were only with 2 fighters against 4 potential hostile fighters.

'Maybe it will work out' He thought with a sad grin knowing that it was only a illusion to keep his mind in check.

"Back to business" he mumbled flipping the radio frequency back to normal.

"Heard that Wizard 02?"

"Yeah, just the way I like it." Mac replied sarcastically through the communications link, he probably had also noticed that they were a bit outnumbered here.

"Copy that Wizard 02 . . . stay close." With a sad grin still plastered on his face he flipped his visor and pushed his control stick to a hard right making his F104 Starfighter bank sharply to its side as it dove through the white clouds.

/02 November 1995, 09:23 hours, Nilenian Airspace, F104 Starfighter; Wizard 01/

Clearing the higher clouds the F104's entered a lower portion of their first flightpad.

The clouds here were a lot darker, perhaps a bad omen, or was it just his imagination playing tricks on him? Major Frost thought as he checked his target radar the bogeys should be in visual range shortly.

As they made a slow turn Wizard 02 spoke up:

"Bandits at 5 o'clock, looks like . . . two pair of MIG 21's"

Looking over his shoulder, while finishing their slow turn he also noticed the reflections of four dark green fighters flying in a tight square formation only several hundreds of feet below their flight path.

"Roger that Wizard 02 hold your position, no need to provoke them."

He turned his radio to a more commonly used frequency clearing his throat he pushed the radio button:

"This is wizard flight leader to unknown MIG 21's you're entering restricted Nilenian Space." No reply.

"This is Wizard flight you're in direct violation of Nilenian sovereign airspace, stand down and return to your own space." Again no reply he felt a speck of sweat running down his cheek.

Just as he was planning to ask command what to do next several warning lights began to flicker. A distorted voice broke into the main communications frequency:

"This is flight leader to Strike 2 flight engage enemy Nilenian Starfighters."

"What the hell!" While looking in shock the 4 MIGs broke their formation and headed towards their higher intercept position at 8000 feet.

"Lead! Incoming missiles!" Wizard 02 rumbled turning his eyes of the incoming fighters to the two smoke trails heading in front of the fast approaching fighters.

"Control we're being fired upon!" he yelled through the microphone before quickly turning his attention back to the direct problem.

"Wizard 02 break and attack, I repeat engage the enemy."

"Copy! Wizard 02 breaking formation!" He was glad to see that Mac's F104 already was making a sharp turn showing its white belly and the 4 Sidewinder missiles it carried while veering off from his own fighter.

Releasing some decoy pods he slammed the throttle to full and made a sharp turn away from the incoming missile trajectories, with some luck they would go for the decoys.

The engine roared as the Starfighter sped towards the still approaching MIGs with full afterburners. The enemy missiles shot past him hitting nothing but thin air.

They wouldn't die that easily Frost thought with an evil grin as his F104 moved in closer.

Using the sun that broke momentarily through the clouds he cleared the gap and selected his M61 vulcan-canon.

"DIE MIG DIE!" He roared while pointing his gunsight, at the lead enemy fighter, squishing the trigger hard.

20-Mm grenades blasted out of his vulcan-canon and streamed to the most forward MIG21 ripping away its armour plating and slashing into the enemy fighter internal systems.

As the lead enemy fighter began to break into two, its fuel beginning to ignite, the enemy pilot screamed in total despair knowing death's cold dark glare was upon him.

"NOOOOO This cannot be . . . THIS CANNOT BE . . . AAHHHHH!!! Krzzzzzzztttt

With a bright yellow flash the MIG exploded cutting the enemy fighter pilot's scream.

"Take that scum!" He heard Mac yell as he saw Mac's fighter shooting through the dissipating debris of another MIG 21 which had died with a well placed Sidewinder.

/Wizard 02/

"Nice shot lead!" Mac yelled as he blasted through the debris of what was once a MIG21. "2 Down!"

Looking for a new target he noticed that the unfortunate MIG pilots' wingman had moved behind Geoff's fighter.

"Shit Geoff! Watch it! Enemy fighter at your six!"

But his warning was already too late.

Mac could only watch in terror as the MIG21's belly canon flamed up, delivering its deadly payload of 23mm grenades at Geoffrey's fighter.

"Eject Geoff, EJECT!" He screamed as he saw his friends' plane began to break apart as grenades began ripping apart the slim rocket shaped body of the F104.

/Wizard 01/

'The sky was so bright, so blue and serene'.

'Only a single white bird was flying through the air.'

'If only that screaming noise would stop . . .'

With a white flash he woke up and looked around, still a bit dazed, then it all had come back, his entire life had shot past him in a mere second.

The end must be very near he thought with a pained grin as the last scene seemed to unfold before him.

Looking down he saw a pair of mutilated and bleeding legs. His own legs he realised with a sad logic, a grenade must have blasted straight through his plane. Also the shilling air that roared through the cockpit was real enough, not that it mattered much more. His knew he was dying as he felt that life leaving him . . .

His final thoughts were with Debby and Michael, as he looked at the photograph, he felt regret that he wouldn't see his son grow up.

"This ones for you Michael!" Geoffrey rasped as blood seeped out of his mouth and nose

With his last strength Major Geoffrey Frost made his fighter stand up vertically and he raised Wizard 02:" MAC! Tell . . .

/Wizard 02/

. . . Debby that I love her!" Were the last words Mac heard from his friend as he watched the pursuing MIG21, unable to evade, crashed into the burning starfighter, exploding in a bright yellow and red flash as the two fighters collided.

. . . farewell Geoff . . . he whispered as he closed his eyes.

Opening his eyes a second later a red blur was all he saw as a savage fury took over.

Rolling his fighter to a sharp turn towards the two remaining enemy fighters only one thought remained: They would pay!

TO BE CONTINUED

This is my first try at making a Ace Combat fanfic, so advice is always liked. I'm not very familiar to the Ace Combat Universe but when I saw pictures of the new Ace Combat 5 I immediately wanted to have it, even though I don't have a PS 2. Have to wait a bit though (Am Europian so it won't be out until early 2005) but I'll defenitaly buy it when it comes out. Still I hope this epilogue is a good start. I'll propably put in some more action scenes in the near future.