An Ace's Last Flight
Five Su-37 soared through the shattering sunset skies as they went into the capital of Erusea. Smoke and wreckage was all the squadron leader could see. It seemed to him that he, the one who turned this winning war into a losing battle for Erusea was here. The Ribbon.
The Grim Reaper.
The faint shadow of dread lingered above the graveyard of tanks, planes and what was left of the Erusean military. Swooping down from their height advantage, the squadron leader ordered his men to never attack alone then he switched his radio frequency to an open channel.
"So this is the Ribbon I've heard so much about. I was hoping to face someone like you."
Leading the attack, the squadron leader was the first to shoot at the Ribbon. The Ribbon went faster than what he was expecting, making the leader overshoot along with his squad.
"And this is the demon squadron I've seen so much. Nice to face you again." The Ribbon's tone was mocking, like he already knew the outcome of this battle. The squadron leader noted what his men said at the destruction of Stonehenge.
He was like a machine. He would know every move we would make before we would even make 'em.
Taking this to mind, the squadron leader with his whole squad looped back to face the lone Ribbon. But like a ribbon he was pulled out of their sight, making them open a Pandora's box.
Putting their heads on a swivel, the whole squadron couldn't find a spec of thread to trace the Ribbon.
The sudden missile warning blared across the squadron's planes, making them break into different directions.
The roar of the F-22's cannons chew through the air as it stuck down one of the Su-37s. Turning back, the squadron leader could finally see the faint outline of the Ribbon, bathing in the sun's light like a gazelle. Graceful and full of tricks.
Aiming his shot, the F-22 abruptly banked to the left. The squadron leader broke off, remembering his own orders and knowing that he doesn't have the time to line up his shot as the Ribbon twisted and turned like it was wrapping a present.
Two of his squadron started to attack the Ribbon. The two Su-37s used every maneuver in the book trying to capture the Raptor but with each maneuver there was a counter and it seemed like the Ribbon knew every one of them. Even with two planes chasing him, the Ribbon flew with grace and pride with each maneuver.
The squadron leader and the other Su-37 went into the furball, fiercely trying to bag the elusive Ribbon.
-0-0-
Even a legend couldn't evade a four man killing machine forever. So the logical step for Mobius 1 to take was to retreat. Banking towards ISAF forces, he took a look back and see the sight of four angry Terminators.
The constant blare of missile warnings and gunfire put Mobius 1 into overdrive as he evaded every bullet, missile and whatever Yellow Squadron was throwing at him.
Sweat itched all over Mobius 1's body as he pulled another maneuver. He could swear he heard the flight stick pulling out of it's socket but he figured that he only has time to unfuck this situation, not to fix his stick.
Evading another attack Mobius 1 dived down near the ground, trying to use the buildings on the ground to his advantage. Barely weaving through buildings, Mobius 1 glanced back to see Yellow Squadron pulling up into the fragments of twilight skies. Breaking out from the pattern of going back and forth from skyscrapers Mobius 1 banked out of their sights, being swallowed towards the same shattered skies that his enemies are nesting in.
-0-0-
The whole squadron hovered itself over the city, eyeing their prey like a eagle. The squadron leader ordered that they should regroup seeing that chasing the Ribbon like wild dogs wasn't going to help them close this war. The squadron kept their sights on the Ribbon, making sure he won't surprise them like last time.
The squadron leader ordered the rest of his squad to break off and surround the loose thread. It's time to pull the ace out of ISAF's sleeve.
The squadron got into position as the Ribbon was being pulled into their trap. At the right moment they all boosted towards the lone Ribbon, knowing that there is no way in hell he is able to survive this.
As they were closing in on their target the Ribbon noticed them at the last few seconds before they attacked, and banked towards one of the Su-37s. Once the F-22's nose was pointed at its intended area, a flurry of bullets ripped the Su-37's right wing off, making it spiral into the urban streets below.
-0-0-
Luck seemed to be with Mobius 1 today. First he got a Yellow with a simple distraction tactic using his 4AAMs and now he got one flying towards him at high speeds. Mobius 1 doesn't want to know when this luck ends but he hope it doesn't end now.
Knowing that Yellow Squadron could be up his ass at any second, Mobius 1 booked it using every possible maneuver he knows. Glancing back, he sees three Terminators coming for him. Thankfully, they're not equipped with lasers or a good Arnold Schwarzenegger impression.
Mobius 1 had to chuckle at the thought though as he banked right to dodge the volley of fire that was heading his way. He continued his banking, making him and Yellow Squadron into a turn fight.
The squadron tried to escape the Ribbon's wraps like they were trying to open a present from the inside. With each attempt through, the fury of the F-22's cannon rip the air behind them like a child opening boxes.
The next attempt, the whole squadron coordinated breaking off of the loop at the same time. With the execution, two of the Yellows went right while the squadron leader went left. The Ribbon saw this, he went for the bigger prize pot. Turning faster than his enemies, Mobius 1 fired off a round of shots, chewing up the two Su-37 like it was just pulled pork.
The radio buzzed with ISAF chatter that Mobius 1 ignored but he can hear the mellow and calm voice of Yellow 13.
"I know this would happen." Mobius 1's eyes scanned the broken skies like a radar. "The news of your skill and wit told me that."
A fury of bullets went through the air, luckily missing Mobius 1. "Stonehenge must've been an easy feat for you if you were able to kill Yellow 4 even with her limited equipment."
Mobius 1 flew his F-22 like a wild animal, not letting Yellow 13 getting a clear shot on him. "Yeah, well she flew like you right now." The Ribbon grunted, turning his head around and seeing his aggressor. "Like a damn hawk."
Yellow 13 grunted in response, letting himself smile a bit. "Not surprising." He tried to line up the shot but Mobius 1's twisting and turning prevent him from getting a clear shot. Yellow 13 fired some pot shots at his enemy, missing them completely.
Mobius 1 seeing that the Su-37 is closing on him, grinned. It's time to pull what Yellow 4 pulled on him while she was his target.
The F-22 suddenly pulled up, committing to a Pugachev's Cobra. Yellow 13 turned to aim his sights on the stalled aircraft but the distance was too short for him to not crash. Pulling his Su-37 out of the way, Yellow 13 pulled up to gain height of the Ribbon.
Mobius 1 keeping his eyes on the Terminator, put his afterburners on, tried to push his plane down enough to be parallel to Yellow 13. After his F-22 dipped towards the ground and in speed, it roared upwards going towards the Su-37 when it turned back and blasted towards him. Mobius 1 felt his grin went even wider and said into his radio: "If you want to tango, let's tango!" And he let his Raptor heat up the sky with its gun. The Terminator clawed back, shooting bullets at him like he was on the ground at operation Bunker Shot.
/-/-/
It felt like a flip of a coin from god was spinning in the air as both Aces burned through their ammo. And then the coin finally got to the ground, as Yellow 13 fell back into his chair and his Terminator fell out of the sky.
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The F-22 crashed along with the Su-37 as onlookers saw the dogfight. And they could only see one parachute floated down from heaven as one saw the small ISAF patch on his outfit. That person cheered and then the crowd around him went into a wild frenzy singing the Hymn of Liberty.
The pilot smiled. At his victory and theirs.
Fin
A/N:
So, this is the first fanfiction I've made in a while and this story has been sitting on my computer for a few months and I thought I should show it to people.
Thank you for reading.