Disclaimer: Ace Combat does not belong to me. It belongs to it's respective owners, namely Bandai Namco Entertainment.

Valais Air Base, Tyrann Mountains, Republic of Ustio, Osean Continent, Planet Earth.
March 29th, 1995.

In one of the three aircraft caverns of Valais Air Base, a light grey F-15C Eagle with blue trims on the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and the Ustian Air Force emblem on the wings and forward fuselage sides was being pulled out by an aircraft tug towards the runway.

The aircraft had a full load of 30mm ammunition for it's M61 Vulcan cannon, 2 AIM-9 Sidewinders and 2 AIM-7 Sparrows, but had also received modifications to carry air-to-ground ordnance if the situation required it, due to the request of it's pilot, as the Eagle did not have the ability to carry air-to-ground armaments (it's designers having envisioned it to be a air superiority fighter through and through).

Reaching the enormous runway, the tug soon manoeuvred the aircraft into position, ready for it to launch right down the runway and up into the air.

And as the ground crew made their final pre-flight checks, the pilot clipped the oxygen mask into the correct position on his face, then slipped the visor of his flight helmet down, before he flicked a switch and the Eagle's twin Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan engines were coaxed awake, before the pilot gripped the throttle and gently pushed it forwards, in order to prompt his Eagle slowly forward.

As his aircraft gently set down the runway, it seemed to take forever, until the pilot reached a certain point on the runway, and pushed the throttle hard, prompting the engines to go full thrust.

Approaching the end of the runway, which was near one of many cliffs in this particular spot in the Tyrann Mountains, the pilot then gently pulled the flight stick back and it caused the Eagle to point it's nose upwards slightly.
And with the combination of the massive acceleration provided by the turbofans, and the aerodynamics of the plane, the Eagle started lifting off the ground and into the sky, before it then finally reached the end of the runway.

Even though the runway had been built to allow aircraft to take off without even needing to pull the flight stick back, hence you could just use the engines, shoot straight across and fly straight off the end of the runway without needing to pull up, it was generally accepted practice in the Air Force to follow the procedure and pull the flight stick back, and lift off before you hit the end of the runway.

Once the F-15 was in the air, the pilot scanned the horizon, despite it being the early hours of the morning, looking out for Belkan aircraft, as the Belkans had total air superiority over the entire country, and could fly their aircraft around at will.
Despite not seeing any in sight, the pilot still hogged close to the mountains and cliffs, as it was his best chance of survival out here.

The pilot then recited the mission briefing he had been received back in the briefing room in Valais Air Force Base on the ground,
"This intelligence just came in from the Ustian resistance up near the town of Barteburg. Belkan General Ludwig Heinecke, commander of the Belkan 4th Army in Sapin, is about to arrive by a transport plane arriving at 0530 hours at Barteburg Airport. You and your wingman, are to penetrate deep into Belkan occupied Ustio, and shoot down his plane. If you do, we'll be able to put a significant dent in the fighting in Sapin, eliminating one of Belka's top generals and proving that even under the yoke of Belkan occupation, we're still able to help our allies in need. For this mission, you are to take off and join 2nd Lieutenant Larry Foulke, callsign 'Pixy'. He'll be your 'provisional wingman' for the duration of this mission..."

Approaching Barteburg International Airport, Southern Ustio, Osean Continent, Planet Earth.
March 30th, 1995.

Larry Foulke, a Belkan mercenary pilot known as 'Solo Wing Pixy', or just simply 'Pixy', was a veteran mercenary of conflicts across the globe, ever since leaving the Belkan Air Force after becoming dissatisfied with the direction Belka was taking after Waldemarr Rald took over the country.
But Larry was more famous for when the right wing of his F-15 was ripped right off in a mid-air collision, and yet he managed to land safely.

As such, Larry's F-15C Eagle, carrying an full load of 30mm M61 Vulcan ammunition, 2 AIM-9 Sidewinders, 4 Mark 82 unguided bombs and 1 AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface (for it had received modifications to allow air-to-ground armaments), had it's right wing painted in red.

Now, he was awaiting his new flight lead for this assignment.
The pilot, he had been told, was Ronald Maurice, an Usean mercenary pilot known simply by his callsign of 'Cipher'.
Now holding a provisional rank of 1st Lieutenant, just as much as Pixy himself was a 'provisional commissioned officer' within the Ustian Air Force (like all mercenaries in the Air Force, who received provisional commissions) as a 2nd Lieutenant, Pixy was eagerly looking forward to meeting 'Cipher' himself, as he had heard all sorts of stories about him.
Before he had answered the call from the Ustian Air Force, Cipher had seen action throughout the world, much like Pixy.
From the Verusan continent, to the Osean continent, from Usea to Africa and Eusia.
But even more famous, were his exploits in downing the infamous 'Fearsome Five' mercenary squadron during Operation Smokeshell, providing air cover for the South Africans. With an F-86 Sabre.

"Pixy, this is Cipher. I'm inbound to your position on your five o'clock position. Do you read me, over?"

Getting onto comms, careful to not say too much or the Belkans would pick up on the transmission, Larry responded, "Cipher, this is Pixy. I read you, over", before checking his currently switched off radar, then flicking a switch to turn it on, and getting a reading on the airspace around his aircraft.
And behind him, was an fast jet inbound from his right.
Turning off the radar, as it would be picked up by the Belkans, Pixy turned to look to the right, to look behind, and saw another Eagle like his, passing him from the right.

Forming up on his wing, he could see, however, that unlike his Eagle, with the right wing painted in red, Cipher's aircraft had blue colouring.

The flight from then on, towards Barteburg, was completely silent.
Cipher and Pixy didn't use the radio to ensure that the Belkans didn't pick them up, and thus, to ensure complete surprise.
A bit tricky, considering that the entire country of Ustio was pretty much under the dominance of Belka, but still able to be done.

And they did, managing to get within distance of Barteburg.

Once they did, Cipher got onto the radio with Pixy with a simple, "Get ready".
And Pixy, even though he didn't reply, got the message, still sticking on the right of Cipher's Eagle as the two of them manoeuvred over the hills and ridges of Ustio, awaiting for the General's plane.

Turning on his radar, Cipher then could see that there were 5 air contacts approaching from the East.
After a glance at some of the information on his radar, Cipher then turned to look at where the 5 air contacts were.
And then, he saw a lone transport plane, escorted by four MiG-21s, inbound to land at Barteburg.

Soon, Cipher had a plan, and called Pixy, "Pixy, we'll attack the General's plane as soon as it comes in to land. You take care of any air defences while I take care of the General's plane. Don't worry about the MiGs, they are not what we came out for. But if they attack, you are free to defend yourself as long as you don't play around with them".
A chuckle, and "Cipher, I don't play around. But roger that".

As both Eagles then went in for the kill, Pixy acquired a lock-on a Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun that was advancing into position with his single AGM-65 Maverick and fired, with a single shout of "Magnum!".
And while the missile launched off it's pylon, Pixy then switched to bombs and manoeuvred the aircraft to make a pass over the airfield, which was suddenly alert to the fact that they were under air attack, to take out a concentration of SAMs and radars.

While Pixy made his attack and landed a solid hit with 2 of his unguided bombs, causing a massive eruption of fire, Cipher acquired a lock-on with a single Sidewinder towards the lone transport plane, a Dornier Do 31 VTOL transport plane, which was undoubtably carrying the General, and shouted "Fox Two!", as the Sidewinder left it's pylon and rocketed right onto the transport plane, exploding upon contact and sending debris flying all over the airfield.

Immediately, Cipher and Pixy received alarms in the cockpits, to alert them that they were being 'painted' by SAMs not hit by Pixy.
Some fired up, but the both of them deployed flares in response, and they also manoeuvred wildly to avoid any SAM hitting them.

And of course, the escort MiGs, enraged at the loss of the General, had circled around the airfield and were preparing to close in on the two Eagles.
But after Pixy had dropped his last two bombs, destroying the remaining SAMs and radars, one MiG-21 came in, about to get within gun range with it's single autocannon.
"Cipher, I've got a MiG on my tail, about to engage! I need help!"

Silence, and Pixy tried to shake off the MiG, to no avail. And he wondered if Cipher had been taken down.
But his fears were unfounded, as Cipher came right in from the MiG's 10 o'clock and used his M61 Vulcan cannon to full effect, striking the cockpit and fuselage and thus, saving Pixy.
The MiG trailed smoke and with it's pilot dead from the attack, crashed to the ground in a massive fireball.

Pixy breathed a sigh of relief, "Whoa, way to make a last-minute save, Cipher".

Cipher smirked and responded with a chuckle, saying simply, "Yeah, well, you were taking your sweet time, so I decided to save the day for you. Don't worry, you'll get your chance to get even with me".
Pixy laughed, but then, his mood shifted as he then sighted two MiGs coming straight towards them at their 12 o'clock.
"Cipher, inbound bandits at your twelve o'clock!"

And immediately, Cipher shouted, "Don't break! Fire Sidewinders when I say so!"
"What?"

A slight pause, and "Pixy, do you trust me?"

Oddly enough, Pixy did, and said so with a simple "Yes".

With that, Cipher then said, "Get ready. On my mark".
There was a short pause, then, "5. 4. 3. 2. 1..."

And then came what Pixy had been waiting for.
"Fox Two!"

As Cipher fired his last remaining Sidewinder, Pixy went all out, firing all his Sidewinders with a shout of "Fox Two, Fox Two!".
Faced with all three Sidewinders coming towards them, the Belkan MiGs going in at full speed towards the two Eagles, found themselves unable to avoid the missiles and were destroyed in quick succession.

Cipher then got onto the radio and said to Pixy, "Pixy, I think we've overstayed our welcome, don't you think?"
"Yeah, we best be getting out of here".

As the two Eagles turned and made their way to get to the designated meeting point where they would contact the base about their mission, and then return to base, Pixy then said, after a long silence, "Hey, Cipher, you know, I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship..."

Couldn't resist that Casablanca reference...

I'm so going to be looking forward to when I get to the point of doing my Ace Combat Zero story, focused around Cipher and Pixy.
If whenever you're wondering if my Cipher is Soldier, Mercenary or Knight, well, I'm going to be doing a combination of those traits.

As for air-to-ground armament on Cipher's F-15, I envisioned that since Cipher performs air-to-ground missions in addition to air superiority, he's had his Eagle modified to carry such armaments, as does Pixy.
After all, the Israelis did modify their F-15 Eagles to carry air-to-ground armaments, so I see no reason why Cipher and Pixy couldn't do so either.

Anyways, don't forget to leave a review and see you next time!