I pulled back on the stick, hoping to get this annoying bogey of my tail. Without a split-second of hesitation, my aircraft sharply angled its nose upward and toward the opposite direction.

The VF-25 Messiah was the epitome of variable fighter design that had roots dating back to the swing-wing F-14 Tomcat and the venerable VF-0 – the very first variable fighter to be developed. This stunning piece of machinery is essentially similar to the F-14, except that it tucked a large gun pod under its fuselage and has notable lack of horizontal stabilizers. To make up for the missing tailplanes, its tailfins slanted outward in addition to similarly oriented ventral fins. Instead of the conventional turbojet engines, the VF-25 used two thermonuclear thrusters that produced a brain-jarring amount of boost. For space flight, a 'Super Pack' is equipped to provide additional thrusters for more maneuverability and speed.

I came face-to-face with what seemed like a large golden mechanical cross between a stag beetle and a hammerhead shark coming at me at break-neck speeds. But instead of wings and six legs, it had a long glowing tail that probably acted as its propulsion. I groaned as I jerked the stick to the left, avoiding a collision. Before I could loop around, I felt an explosion behind me. I wasn't my aircraft – no alarms were screaming – so I hoped that it was one of 'them'.

"Oi, Lockhede, you're getting slow," said Leon. He was being as obnoxious as ever.

"Not as slow as you! Heads up!" He was able to stop just as two bugs almost cut his aircraft in two. His fighter transformed into what looked like a knight – except that it was much leaner, had a helmet with two "antennae" sticking out of the sides and a green visor over its 'eyes.' It held a large Gatling gun on one hand and a small shield mounted on the forearm of the other. The thermonuclear thrusters now formed the legs and the forward fuselage formed the torso. The wings and rear fuselage folded behind. He aimed and gunned down one of the two.

"That's for trying to get me!" said Leon, cocky as ever. I rolled my eyes thinking that this was not the time to pop his over-inflated head.

I boosted in his direction after the second bug. My systems beeped – tracking its movements as it darted back and forth on its seemingly random flight path. I fired, trying to catch it. It looped and rolled, dodging every projectile.

So damn fast... I thought. Just then, the beeping changed to a single tone. It was a lock. I let my micro-missiles loose but I have already flown too many times to know not to rely on them, especially against an enemy this agile.

It dodged the first few with its unpredictable maneuvers then released what seemed to be their equivalent of electronic countermeasures. None of my missiles got through. I let loose another wave of 30-mm shells, again hoping that at least one might stun it long enough. Fortunately this time, not one, but a few landed on their mark. Apparently these things can't multitask well. I finally got the break I needed and fired multiple salvos at it. About time it went down... or up... or... Outer space can be so confusing.

Suddenly my systems seemed to go crazy, cursing at the unobservant pilot that another one was right at his tail. Judging from the amount of rounds it was trying to bury in my VF-25 I'd say it was one of the 'squad leaders' if that's what they're called. I pushed my engines to full power hoping to put some space between it and me. But my systems continued blaring, indicating that I was not going anywhere away from it.

"Shit!" I cursed as the massive red one – nearly ten times larger than the golden one – came on top of my plane and wrapped its six legs tight around me. It looked like a gigantic scarab beetle with a spike almost as long as its body mounted on its back. I tried transforming to battroid mode but it still held on like a praying mantis clutching a struggling moth.

Damn it... if this continues... I thought.

"Ansel!" I felt shockwaves as Leon, with his conceitedness miraculously gone, riddled the bug with shells. It let go upon the impact of shells. Fortunately my aircraft was not damaged... at least not too heavily. But I had more pressing matters. That thing was going to pay. I drew my own Gatling gun and rushed toward the distracted bug. Before it could react I rammed my gun in what looked like its mouth and opened fire with every round I had left.

"DIE BUG!!" I yelled as it spasmed with every shell I forced down its throat. But it wasn't over yet... before it finally went down it took an almost involuntary swipe at me with its large 'hand'. Busy as I was shoving shells down its head, the claws caught my battroid in the torso, ripping the HUD from my cockpit and sending a large piece of shrapnel deep into my gut. I gritted my teeth in pain as I clutched my bleeding wound. What was left of my opponent was a shorting piece of space junk. Then it dawned on me that it was about to turn into a fireball and I had seconds to get out or be fried. This day just can't get any worse...

"Ansel!!" It was Leon's olive-green battroid rushing toward me with an arm extended. With every inch of my will fighting the pain, I instructed my battroid to extend its arm. The last thing I remember was the fireball inches from my cockpit and the sudden impact of Gs.