(This is my first Ace Combat fic so be nice to me. I have only played AC4 so If I get things wrong let me know.)
"Angel-one Angel-one fighter on your six break hard right!" A fighter pilot yelled into her headset. "I have lock-on."
Angel-one broke hard throwing the fighter off her tail just as a missile slammed into its tail sending fragments flying. Angels one and four watched as the pilot ejected and his shoot deployed.
"This is Angel-one all enemy fighters have been destroyed. Fallen Angels are returning to base." Angel one said into her headset.
"Rodger that Angel-one congratulations on your victory." Came the reply from the ISAF command back at the base.
"Angels lets go home." Angel one said and they formed a V shaped formation minus one fighter that went down early in the fight.
The pilot Emily Anderson, Angel-five never knew what hit her because one minute she was flying a routine patrol over a mountain range and the next she was gone. Forever to patrol the sky's over the mountains with her own wings.
ISAF base
The six remaining Fallen Angels landed safely back at base and went to their debriefing. It was the usual bullshit: how many fighters were there, how many got away, how many casualties and so on. Finally after three hours of debriefing they were released on twenty-four hour leave as was customary after losing a team member. Anna Hamilton (Angel-one), Rebecca Callahan (Angel-two), Amanda Harris (Angel-three), Sarah Braska (Angel four), Linna Asaragi (Angel-six) and Kathryn Anderson (Angel-seven) were seated on the only bar on base drinking that watered down piss the bar called beer in silence. The bartender slowly worked on a engraving machine that was behind the bar carving name of the fallen fighter pilot that had died that day and finally switched it off. He pulled a bottle of whisky out of a locked cabinet and poured seven shots worth. He handed them out to the team and turned to a wall that was lined with pictures and names. He lifted a picture of Emily and hung it on a special spot that was reserved for Fallen Angels only and there were several pictures on it already. He hung the name tag below it and placed the remaining shot beneath the tag.
"To Emily, Anna said raising her shot. "Until the day we join you in the clouds."
They all raised their shots and drank to her memory.
"I'm have to go." Kathryn said standing up with tears in her eyes..
"Are you ok?" Linna asked.
"Yea Linna I'm just fine." Kathryn said. "I just watched my sister get blown to pieces, I'm fucking great."
She turned and walked off before anyone could say another word. Linna looked at the bar and shook her head.
"She's just upset." Anna said putting her hand on Linna's shoulder.
"No that was a stupid fucking question." Linna said slamming her fist on the bar and started to cry.
"This beer must be stronger than I thought." Sarah said looking at her beer. "She's almost hammered."
"Come on lets get you home." Anna said helping Linna to her feet.
"Good night Captain." The others said as they headed for the door.
"Night." Anna said. "Get some sleep we still have a job to do."
Anna walked Linna all the way to their apartment complex and helped her into her room.
"I'm ok Anna. "Linna said sitting on her bed.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Ok."
Anna stood up to leave but Linna grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her back down.
"What is it?"
"Stay with me. Just for tonight."
"Linna if anyone found out about us we'd both be arrested and kicked out of the Air Force."
"I don't care. I saw the way Emily died. I think about it happening to you and it scares me."
Anna sighed and put her arm around Linna's shoulder and squeezed her softly.
"You know that won't happen. We are the best fighter pilots of the squadron."
"It can happen to any of us."
Anna leaned her head on Linna's head and just held her as the night passed away.