Authors Note: Time for me to make a new story. But that doesn't mean I gave up on The Great War and Blood and Honour. Those two are on hold for now.
Disclaimer: I don't own Ace Combat in any way. That's all I have to say.
"We were in the base's mess hall when an announcement on the PA system turned on saying, "All units, get your weapons!" We were confused at first and it continued, "Belka has declared war its neighbors, including Osea. Wesson has been attacked by the Belkan Luftwaffe. Forces of the Belkan Army have also begun to invade our territory." We then scrambled to our weapons to prepare for the dreaded Belkan Reichsheer." - Major (ret.) Van Spurling, in an interview to Albert Genette in 2019
"It was like the Belkan Expansionist War of 1943-45 all over again. We were attacked. It wasn't like the Kalugan-Romny War of 1949-52 or the Rascan War of 1964-69. We were attacked." - 1st Lieutenant (ret.) Alanna Hermanson, in an interview to Albert Genette in 2019
"We were all part of an endeavor that was to lead through the campaign in South Belka. The unproven warriors of our generation, spoiling for a fight and happy that our time had come." - Captain (ret.) Fiona Spurling, in an interview to Albert Ginette in 2019
ACE COMBAT
A Bond Forged in War
Written by Christopher Manson
Chapter 01
The Mission Begins
Robeson Air Force Base, Osean Federation
May 11, 1995 - 1230 Hours
It has been almost two months since the Belkans began their blitzkrieg on its neighbors. During that time, the efforts of the Osean, Yuktobanian, Ustian and Sapanish forces, in conjunction with foreign mercenaries, halted the Belkan advance and began to drive them back. Also during that time, the men and women of the 101st Airborne Division 552nd Infantry Regiment have been training for an airborne invasion. But they never knew where they were going to be dropped.
That was until a week ago, when they were briefed on Operation Varsity, in which they were to be dropped into the Ustian town of Solis Ortus.
On the day they are to be dropped, the soldiers of Charlie Company of the 552nd Infantry Regiment were preparing for the drop, checking their gear. Due to the uncertainty of what they would be up against when fighting Belka, gear for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare are included.
One of the soldiers going through their gear is Sergeant Wilfred "Wilf" Jakeman. And he was not pleased with the amount of gear he has to carry.
"Chocolate bars, charms, candy, powdered sugar, matches, compass, bayonet, entrenching tool, ammunition, NBC gear, bag of extra ammo, my weapon, my .45, canteen, mines, tank grenades, smoke grenades, C4, this bullshit," he listed, throwing down a bundle of rope, "and a pair of nasty skivvies." he finishes throwing down a small bag in his right hand on the ground.
The paratrooper next to him, Seargeant Duncan Haley, who is also going through his gear, asks Wilfred, "So what's your point?"
"This stuff weighs more than I do. And I still got my chute, my reserve chute, my Beretta M9 and my M16A2." He replied, still irritated.
Elsewhere on the air base's apron, another paratrooper, Corporal Cody Rogers receives a letter from one of the other paratroopers. He calls over his superior officer and Charlie Company's leader, Captain Christabelle Romilly, and informs her, "Ma'am, you know Rose Kruse, right? Her parents keep tabs on what's been going on. Her mom received this note from the Osean Air Force this morning regarding Rose's older sister, Jetta, whose an F-16 fighter pilot."
"So what happened?" Christabelle asked.
"Killed in Action two days ago over South Belka." Cody replied.
"My God... Does Rose know of this?" Christabelle asked her junior ranking officer.
"I doubt it, ma'am." Cody replied with doubt on his face.
"Put it in her jacket. I'm sure she'll find it." Christabelle ordered.
In the background, an officer is shouting to inform the paratroopers that if they didn't make a Last Will and Testament, that this is their last chance to do so.
At another spot on the air base's apron, another paratrooper, Sergeant Lawrence "Lawrie" Crawford receives a letter. He begins reading the memo, imitating the Army general back in Oured. "Soldiers of the Airborne. Today is the day... of days." He stopped imitating the general, "Today as you read this, you'll be en route to the great adventure for which you have trained for years and prepared for almost two months."
A paratrooper next to him, Sergeant Alanna Hermanson replied in a grim tone, "So that's why they gave us steak and eggs..."
Captain Christabelle Romilly, stood up on top of a M551 Sheridan light tank to give an announcement.
"Charlie Company, listen up!"
The paratroopers of Charlie Company gathered around in front of the Sheridan. Christabelle then informed, "The Solis Ortus area is experiencing a thunderstorm! Heavy rain, wind and lightning over the drop zone! No jump today!"
Everyone started to groan, as Christabelle continued, "Operation Varsity has been postponed! We are on a twenty-four hour standdown!"
Several hours later, everyone is in a tent watching a movie. The movie in question being the James Bond film, License to Kill. Alanna was watching the movie when she noticed a letter inside her field jacket. She got it out and found out that it was the letter meant for Rose Kruse. "My dear Rose?" She then turned to the paratrooper next to her, "Someone put this in the wrong jacket." Her mention received nothing but a shush. She continued reading to herself, "I found out that Jetta was shot down and killed in action two days ago..." She was speechless when it said that Rose's sister was "killed in action two days ago over South Belka."
Meanwhile, a paratrooper with black hair and amber-colored eyes, Corporal Van Spurling, steps out of the tent, obviously bored and wanting to take an evening stroll. The chilled evening drizzle making his breath turn to steam as he walks.
"Weather's clearing up." a feminine voice said from behind Van. He turned to see Corporal Fiona Babineaux sitting on a crate. A female paratrooper with short blonde hair and dark blue-colored eyes, Fiona is someone that Van had a crush on since they met three years ago in training. So far, they became close friends. Fiona gets off the crate and follows Van.
"So what do you think, Van?" she asks, only to get a slightly negative reply from Van.
"I don't think it is. Besides, we are past our launch window for today."
"I think it's clearing up." Fiona replied with optimism. She then turned to Van and asked, "Still feeling nervous about tomorrow?"
"Yeah. I'm really worried that something will go wrong and we get killed." Van replied with a hint of deep worry.
"Don't worry. We'll be in good hands." Fiona replied in a promising gesture.
"Thanks, Fiona." Van said, now filled with optimism.
Robeson Air Force Base, Osean Federation
May 12, 1995 - 1230 Hours
The scene was a grim one. The paratroopers of Charlie Company kept wondering who was going to live and who was going to die in the drop on Solis Ortus. They even wondered if they themselves would be the unfortunate one. Some of them had grim determination on their faces. Others were just grim faces.
As a number of them were putting their gear on, Alanna walks over to Rose, who was helping someone put his gear on.
"Hey Rose." Alanna called out.
Rose walked over to Alanna, who gives her the letter.
"Cody put my jacket by mistake." Alanna told Rose.
"You read it?" Rose asked.
Alanna nodded, "I'm sorry about your sister, Rose."
"It's alright. We're in a war right now. We can't let that hold us back." Rose replied.
"I know." Alanna said.
Upon finishing with their gear, the men and women of Charlie Company's Second Platoon sat in front of a C-130 Hercules, with Corporal Van Spurling standing between them and the plane. The paratroopers being given pills to prevent air sickness.
"Second Platoon, listen up." Van told everyone in front of him. "Good luck. God bless you. I'll see you on the ground."
He then began helping his men and women up, one by one, until Fiona was left. He helped her up and nodded to each other. The men and women of Charlie Company boarded their C-130s.
"Damn. The air sick pill is making me loopy." Wilfred said to Duncan, who nodded in agreement.
The C-130's engines started up, one by one. The paratroops showing nervousness as the Hercules they were on started taxiing to the runway. It soon got clearance to take off. The C-130s started down the runway and got in the air and turned onto their course for Solis Ortus. The C-130s were then joined with other Hercules' carrying paratroops of the 122nd Airbore Division, also en route to Solis Ortus.
Their mission, that will start with the Liberation of Ustio and will take them through South Belka, has begun...
Well, that's the end of the first chapter for my new story. The next chapter will take place in the mission over Solis Ortus from ACZ.
Also, I made a reference to two of my favorite anime characters through two of the main characters. (Try guessing who) Anyway, please leave a constructive review for me, since it has been a while since I posted a story.