Ace Combat: Demons and Ghosts
Chapter Four: First Flight
Sand Island Airforce Base
Blaze left Edge's quarters the moment that the air raid sirens hit, and by the sounds of it, everything had gone completely to hell. "What the hell is going on?" One officer responded. The door burst open. "We're under attack, everyone get..." He didn't finish that sentence, before he was hit dead on by a volley of bullets as a fighter strafed the Officer's Quarters. Windows shattered across the building,
Blaze hit the deck with Edge just in time. "Son of a..." Edge stated in shock. Blaze crawled toward a dead guard and grabbed his M-4 Carbine.
"Blaze we're going to need something more than these things to shoot those fighters down." Edge stated.
Blaze nodded, "It might be good for cover fire reguardless, and it's better than a kick in the ass. Which our asses will be if we don't get to our planes." Several more officers with M-4's crawled up. Blaze then spoke. "Alright, we're making a break for the hanger when the shoot past. We move, and we provide as much cover as we can before they come around again. Pilots head for the Hangers, Everyone else gets to the Anti-aircraft batteries. When the AA people get there, provide as much cover fire for our fighters as possible. You got that people?" Blaze got a series of nods from the officers. "Alright, lets go!"
The sounds of jets came around again. With it came the explosions and gunfire of another attack run. "Alright! Lets go!" Blaze stated. The Group ran out of the Barracks, firing off as much rounds as possible into the sky to provide at least some cover. Another fighter came in low and began a strafing run on Blaze's group. Several were hit, but one officer, a military air traffic controller, was shot in the leg. The group managed to make it into one of the hangers, but Blaze turned to go back for the controller. Edge noticed this and spoke, "Give him some cover!" The group opened fire toward several fighters that shot past.
Blaze grabbed the controller's arm and forced him up. "On your feet Lieutenant!" He screamed in pain as Blaze forced him to walk. "On your feet soldier!" He kept on repeating as he literally forced him to walk. Finally, he got the wounded man in the Bunker.
"Wow, you managed to make it." Chopper walked up, holding an M-4.
Blaze responded, "What do we have in this hanger that's flyable?"
Pops responded, "The Four Tigers that have been here since god knows when." The Mechanic came up holding an M-4.
Chopper responded. "Awww! Not these rust-buckets again!" he whined. "I want to fly something modern."
Blaze responded, "These rust-buckets will save your butt pilot!" He then turned to Pops. "Are they armed?"
Pops nodded, "Full load, all four of them, and fully fueled as well.
Blaze took a look around., "And we only have three pilots here. Alright, I guess this will have to do. Alright, listen up. I'll go up with Edge and Chopper to establish air defense, but we need some cover while we taxi to the Tarmac. Any ideas?"
"Lieutenant." A Technician spoke, "We have two Avengers in near the carpool, they're equipped for remote targeting and firing." He opened his laptop computer. "We can fire them from here, that will give you some time to take off ." He began to type on his computer. "I got them! We are armed and ready to go."
Blaze nodded, "Good thinking, do what you can with that. Alright, lets get these planes moving!"
The Hanger opened and the F-5's began to taxi. Almost immediately, the Avenger's began to launch their missiles at several Yuke aircraft that tried to flank them. The F-5's moved as quick as they could, with one Yuke fighter falling from the sky nearby the taxing aircraft. "God almighty. Keep us clear! We're not airborne yet." Blaze stated over the Comm system.
Finally the Tigers turned onto the tarmac. "Sand Island Control, This is Blaze, We're taking off." The F-5's began to accelerate down the runway. "We're running out of missiles here on the Avenger! Hurry up!" The Technician stated. As the squadron accelerated, one Yuke fighter came in low and began to fire on Blaze.
"Tech, target my fighter and prepare to fire. I got one on my ass. Fire on my mark." Blaze poured on the afterburner as his fighter lifted off, he veered somewhat toward the avenger. "Mark." The Avenger fired and the missile streaked toward blaze. He then broke off at the last minute and the missile overshot Blaze's fighter and hit the Yuke fighter.
"Control Tower to Wardog, Intercept the Bombers. Don't let them attack the runway!" Blaze nodded. "Wardog, you've heard the man, get on it." Blaze fired off a missile at an approaching F-4. The missile hit the cockpit head on, vaporizing the first part of the fighter. "I see you've managed to make it up, is your plane alright?" Blaze nodded, "You did good pops, as usual."
"Glad to hear it, looks like keeping it in good shape has paid off." Pops concluded.
Another voice came onto the radio. "This is Wardog leader, Lieutenant Colonel Ford. Apporaching Sand Island. What's your current status?"
"Here comes his highness from the mainland now." Chopper noted.
"This is base control. We're under air attack. Repeat, we're under air attack." The Tower noted.
"I trust you can hold the runway until we arrive?" The Lt. Colonel noted.
Blaze responded, "Sure thing Colonel." He stated wondering where in Osea this man came from. He sounded like a desk jockey, and something inside Blaze told him that he was right. Blaze began to tail one of the Bombers, which looked like a B-1B left over from the Belkan War, or perhaps a B-1 knockoff
During the war, Osea signed a lend-lease agreement with Yuktobania for their support. Yuke and Osean Aircraft got shipped all over the world to anyone who were allied against the Belkans. It was not uncommon to find Yuke built aircraft in the Osean military. The Bombers were easy targets, especially for the guns, but it was the Yuke fighters that put up most of the resistance. Especially when they were given aging equipment.
"Blaze, this is Pops, I have a good amount of our wounded and medics on board a transport. I'm going to see if I can get them to McNealy Base." The Mechanic stated.
Blaze responded, "Understood, Edge, get Pops out of the combat zone." Blaze was suddenly interrupted by Chopper, "Whoa, who pulled that out?" Blaze turned his head to look toward the base to find the fourth F-5 emerging from the hanger. "This is Airman First Clas Grimm, I'm preparing for takeoff."
Chopper responded, "Like hell you are. Is there any other pilots around there?"
Grimm responded, "I didn't see anyone..."
Edge spoke, "We have no choice. Grimm, we'll cover your takeoff."
Grimm's fighter began to taxi quickly, however something appeared on Blaze's Radar. "Grimm, we have additional yuke bogeys on an attack vector. Step on it." Blaze stated in a forceful tone. Blaze began to approach the incomming bogeys with Chopper at his side. "Alright Bro, we're going to have to draw these yukes out into a long, drawn-out dogfight until Archer can get airborne. Lets do it."
The two fighters approached the Yuke Fighters and then shot passed them. They came around toward the Yuke fighters, and a withering dance of death ensued for missile and gun locks.
"Control systems are... okay." Grimm stated. The Dogfight was really taxing Blaze's senses. Finally, he got a lock. A missile was fired, followed by gunfire toward the enemy fighter. It exploded above the base and a piece of it landed right into what appeared to be the Pilot's Barracks.
"Dammit! My collection was in there." Chopper complained.
"Ejection system is Okay..." Grimm stated.
Blaze finally spoke, "Grimm, screw the checklist and punch it! We cannot keep them off you forever."
"Right, I'm beginning to accelerate now. It that's alright with you." Grimm stated. The F-5 began to take off from Sand Island's runway. "C'mon, climb rookie, we could use you up here." Grimm's fighter finally took off, but a lone yuke began to tail him.
Blaze spoke, "Grimm, you've got one on your..." Grimm cut his thrust and pitched up hard. Using the drag to slow him enough so that Yuke overshot him. He then punched his afterburner, executed a quick stabilizing maneuver, and began to tail the yuke. Grimm's fighter fired a missile toward the yuke and it hit dead on.
Blaze was absolutely astonished. Was this a reserve pilot he was seeing? No... he had some training somewhere, he handled that fighter like a pro. But there was something familiar about it. Some of the manuvers he used, Blaze saw Belkan aces use at Airspace B7R.
Blaze spoke, "Grimm... Where did you learn to do that?" He asked.
"I'll explain later Sir." Grimm stated nervously. "Control tower. This is Airman First Class Grimm, Callsign Archer, I'll be joining Wardog Squadron."
"Understood, Take care of them for us Blaze." The Control Tower stated.
Blaze did not have time to explain how Grimm was flying. His style of flying was signature Belkan, and not just average, no... it was the moves of a master.
"This is Wardog Leader. Sand Island, I'm out of fuel request clearance to land." The Lieutenant Colonel suddenly stated.
The Control Tower responded. "Negative Lieutenant Colonel. You can't land. We're under attack." Blaze was beginning to wonder if this guy was for real.
"All friendly aircraft, cover me while I land." The Lieutenant Colonel stated.
Chopper spoke again. "What are you, Insane?"
"Second Lieutenant Davenport, is that you?" Ford replied.
"Yes, Sir." It was all Chopper could say in this situation.
Ford spoke again, "I'll make sure to write you up after I lan..." A yuke fighter managed to score a direct hit on Ford's fighter. It began to spin to the ground while trailing smoke.
Chopper spoke again. "The Lieutenant Colonel's gone down, he's trailing fire."
Blaze could not believe this. That the Osean Air Force would send someone so incompetent to command a front-line squadron, and inside, he was wondering what desk was missing its idiot somewhere. He could not contemplate this for long, as another wave of fighters and bombers were incoming.
"Alright Wardog, we've got another wave incoming, Engage them." Blaze stated. Taking command as usual.
The Squadron took the Yukes head on, fighter after fighter was shot down by these four pilots, until the last bomber was taken out.
Colonel Orson Perraut stared Blaze in the eye. "You're a real hotshot aren't you Marshall?"He stated. Blaze had been in this office since they landed, and right now, Perraut's office was in disarray.
"Permission to speak freely Sir?" Blaze asked.
"Get it out Lieutenant." Perraut stated.
Blaze spoke. "Considering I, and my people, just saved all of our asses, I'd expect some gratitude."
Perraut stared at Blaze in the eye and then spoke. "You've got a serious attitude problem lieutenant, just like Bartlett!" Perraut got in Blaze's face, but he did not flinch toward this man.
"I'm also the best you've got, sir." Blaze stated without fear.
"I would have your wings by now if it was not for this." Perraut handed Blaze a letter from General Matthews. "It appears that the stunts you pulled, at Port St. Hewlett, got some attention. You've been promoted to lead Wardog Squadron. "It appears that you, and your pilots, are amougst the few fully trained combat fighter pilots we have right now."
"Thank you sir." Blaze stated.
Perraut responded, "Now get out of my sight."
Blaze left Perraut's Office. Chopper, Archer, an Edge stood and approached Blaze. "It was real quiet in there Bro. I was beginning to wonder if you were still breathing." Chopper stated.
Blaze responded, "Well, it's like this. Only in war do you get your ass kicked and promoted at the same time. I'm now Wardog Leader." He gestured his pilots to follow him.
"So, when are we getting reinforcements man?" Chopper stated.
Blaze responded, "We'll we're getting fighters at least, but pilots are coming up a little short. So, General Matthews has authorized anyone with flight experience, trainee or otherwise, be promoted to full flight officer status. Osea's scraping the barrel for pilots, and sending them to Hierlark" Blaze stated.
Chopper responded, "Good thing we have you in command Bro. His highness, from the mainland, wouldn't have lasted long anyway. Considering that he flew like a cadet."
Blaze nodded, "I think he was a pure desk jockey guys. Because anyone worth their wings knows that its suicide to try and land during an engagement. Best thing to do when you're out of fuel, in combat, its to punch out. We can replace fighters, we can't replace pilots. Especially now."
The pilots nodded, as they managed to comprehend the lesson they've heard their new leader echo.
Blaze began to change his t-shirt in his room. With what was left of Chopper's Rock and Roll Collection playing on the stereo system. He spoke to Grimm. "So where did you lean to fly like that? That is not something they teach you in reserve pilot training."
Grimm finally spoke. "Both of my uncles... flew for the Belkan Air Force." Archer stated. "My father fled to Osea when the rightists took over and began to nationalize everything, but my uncles stayed and fought for Belka. After the war only one of my uncles survived, and he came to live with us in Osea. He taught me everything he learned when he took me up in his crop duster when I was a kid."
Blaze was absolutely amazed. "So that explains your ability to fly."
Grimm nodded. "But being the son of a Belkan and a Osean has not made life any easier for me. You have no idea how it feels to be ridiculed because of my name in school, and to be called a traitor because of my blood. The Belkan War was hell for those of us who couldn't fight. I've been passed up for every promotion I could imagine because of my name."
Blaze spoke again, "So, why join the air force?"
Grimm responded, "Because of my brother. He was the only one who stood up for me when I was a kid. When he joined the Military, I wanted to join also. So I could make him proud. I was better at flying than him, so I joined the Air Force." Grimm stated. "Not that he's had it any easier that I have in the Military, he's had a hell of a time trying to make Staff Sergeant."
Blaze smiled, "For what it's worth Archer, I'm glad you're on Wardog Squadron. I want you here, at my side. Only one thing, don't keep secrets like this from me. We're family now."
Grimm smiled, "Uh... Thank you Lieutenant... This means a lot to me."
"Oh, and I'm going to drag you to the officer's lounge with Chopper tomorrow, and you're going to learn how to loosen up." Blaze mentioned.
"Yes sir." Archer Replied.
Author's Note: I thought Grimm needed more character development.
