Ch 4 the round table

"Hey Pixy, what did you mean by having your fill of wings shot off?" Nikita asked.

"It's simple. Couple years back, I was in a nasty fight. I took a missile to the right wing, which tore it right off. Lucky that it didn't blow me to pieces. I managed to fly the eagle back to base, though I will tell you. It was pure hell. It took everything I had to stay afloat. I sure as hell don't want to go thru that again." Larry said.

"I hear you. Glad you made it in one piece." Nikita said.

Brian came in, with some other soldiers, lounging about in the room.

"I got some news. The Osean's are sending the 3rd naval fleet." Brian said.

"What?" Nikita asked.

"That's right. They're finally helping us in this godforsaken war." Brian said.

Nikita leaned back in the couch, and scowled. As much as he hated the Osean's, they needed their help. Problem was that the Osean's were arrogant. Walking around like they owned the place. Bullshit. Yuktobania and Belka were rival powers. Osea liked to pretend they were something, but they had stiff competition. And besides, the Yuktobanian's and Belkan's have been supplying weapons and arms to Estovakia, as part of a treaty. As far as Nikita knew, Osea didn't do such a thing. They were giving some stuff to the Erusean continent, but that was all.

"Okay. But if those cocky assholes play bullshit with us, I'll teach them a lesson. We stopped the Belkan advance dead when it was about to overtake us. Osea didn't." Nikita said.

"I agree." Larry said.

The three pilots were called into special briefing with Armstrong.

"Any idea what it is?" Nikita asked.

"Nope. This is the second time the three of us have been in a meeting." Brian said.

"I got news for you." Armstrong said.

"Lay it on us." Nikita said.

"Armed recon. You three are to patrol airspace B7R, which is under Belkan control. Expect heavy resistance by enemy squadrons. There's also a magnetic field in the area, which may interfere with communications, depending on how strong the field is. This won't be a walk in the park." Armstrong said.

"No shit." Larry said.

"The B7R area is located above an area rich in subterranean resources, where many conflicts, including the current one, have been fought. You're authorized to engage enemy planes upon contact. Time has come for your skills to be tested." Armstrong said.

"How come it's just the three of us?" Nikita asked.

"This is a black ops mission. Belka can't know that we're planning an offensive. If we were to send the whole base, Belka would be quick to send reinforcements, and crush us before we have a chance." Armstrong said.

The trio headed towards their fighters, armed for air-to-air combat. No-one spoke. The atmosphere was tense, to say the least. It was just the three of them, against the legendary Belkan air-force. And the Belkans put the best pilots on the round table. It was a source of Belkan pride, showing their national and military strength. And they had the history and balls to prove it.

2 hours later, they arrived.

"Galm team, this is Eagle Eye. Penetrate B7R and get a feel for the surroundings."

"Sand, sand, even more fucking sand." Nikita said.

"This job is what we're all about." Pixy said.

Extending their radar screens to the maximum, the pilots saw enemy fighters. Lots of enemy fighters.

"Damn it." Pixy said, knowing how hard the odds were.

The Belkans also took notice of the intruding mercs. They looked at the IFF, wondering why only three enemy contacts showed. Shouldn't there be more? Or was it stray aircraft?

"We will survive, Galm team!" Pixy said, arming his weapons.

Nikita plugged in a cassette player to his radio, and played Stand my ground by Within Temptation.

"What's this for?" Cipher asked

"It's psychological warfare. You got good taste in music." Pixy said.

Nikita didn't answer, because he was being chased by an F-5 tiger2. He barrel rolled his MiG, and turned the tables. He quickly gunned him down with his 30mm cannons.

Cipher climbed as fast as his jet could provide, and let the jet fall towards the earth. The Belkan chasing him overshot. Pixy blew the Belkan to pieces, covering his wingman.

Nikita noticed two MiG 21s flying under their radar, trying to suprirse them. Nikita fired two R-27 missiles, and blew the MiGs out of the sky.

"Galm team, enter B7R airspace." Eagle Eye said.

As the three penetrated deeper into enemy air-space, Eagle Eye gave them a warning.

"Contact. Aircraft coming in at high speed."

"Galm 2 to Galm team. Probably the main force. Get ready!" Pixy said.

5 Typhoons appeared, eager for blood.

"Rot 1 to all aircraft. Time to hunt some wild dogs!" Rot 1 ordered.

"Galm team. We cannot authorize a retreat. Intercept them." Eagle Eye ordered.

"I figured you'd say that. This is gonna cost you extra." Pixy complained.

"Mercenary dogs." Rot 1 said, eyeing the three enemy fighters.

"This is the round table. Dead man's words have no meaning." Pixy said.

Galm team dove into the pack of Typhoons, breaking them up. Nikita chased one, and fired his last missile. The Typhoon was unable to break away from the highly maneuverable missiles, and was destroyed.

Nikita looked, and saw another Typhoon chasing after him, guns blazing. Nikita dove towards the deck, still being chased.

"I need some help over here!" Nikita yelled.

"Fox 1." Cipher said, firing a sidewinder, blowing the left wing off the Typhoon.

"I owe you, Cipher." Nikita said.

"Buy me some drinks when we get back." Cipher said.

"You got it." Nikita said.

"Guys, they're known for their long range attacks. Stay close to them." Pixy said, out maneuvering a Typhoon, and shooting down one that just happened to fly into his crosshairs.

Meanwhile, Rot 1 continued to vent towards the mercs.

"Money hungry dogs, without a sense of honor." He growled, chasing Pixy. Nikita came to Pixy's rescue, firing his 30mm gun at Rot 1, piercing the engines.

"Damn it. I've been beaten." Rot 1 growled, as he was forced to eject from his burning aircraft.

"Shit, I'm out of ammo. No missiles, bullets, nothing." Nikita said.

"Head back to base. We'll take care of the last one." Cipher said.

"Copy that." Nikita said.

Nikita flew to the edge of the round table, and watched the ensuing fight.

"Am I the only one left? Requesting backup!" the lone Rot member said, who then attempted to flee from the two mercs.

"Those guys are history. Galm one, lets wrap things up here." Pixy said.

Cipher easily destroyed the last Typhoon, clearing the airspace of the Belkan fighters.

"All Belkan reinforcements are down. Mission complete. Return to base." Eagle Eye said.

The three fighter pilots formed up and headed towards Valais air-base.

"I can't believe it. We survived." Pixy said.

"More than that. We took down Typhoon fighter jets. That's something, considering the plane's we're in." Nikita said.

"Incoming message from allied forces operations command. 'Allied naval forces have begun their advance. We appreciate your work.'" Eagle Eye said.

"What?" Nikita asked.

"Looks like we were just decoys." Pixy said.

Nikita turned off his radio. He was furious. Command sent him and his wingman into the jaws of hell, against the Belkan air-force by themselves, and it was just to distract the Belkans. He and his wingmen were expandable. Command didn't care about them.

"Eagle Eye, who's naval force is advancing?" Nikita asked.

"The Osean 3rd fleet." Eagle Eye said.

"Oh. I get it. Those cock-sucking Oseans pretend to be a strong country, ready to fight. But when it hits the fan, they send others to get slaughtered before they join the fray. I should have known. All talk, and no testicles to back it up." Nikita growled.

"Nikita, Cipher. Ya'll still alive?" Pixy asked.

The three fighters landed at the base. Nikita went to the command center, and searched for General Armstrong's office. He stood outside the door, and sat in a nearby chair. He couldn't come in all angry like this.

But it was shocking. All his time in the military, he was told that the government valued the lives of the soldiers. But it was a lie. They didn't. Now, the Osean's would come in, and steal the glory, claiming that they were the ones who would end the war. While Nikita knew they needed the military and economic power of Osea to help, he couldn't help but feel that he and his comrades would be tossed aside after the war was over, despite their sacrifices.

Inside the General's office, Oliver Mira Armstrong (yes, the one from FMA: B) looked over the reports. Osea's 3rd fleet was moving up the Futuro canal, to attack the Belkans from the south. She tore the paper up in anger. How dare the Osean's use her soldiers as bait! It just proved that the Oseans had no balls when it came to fighting.

She looked at another set of papers, this time detailing another group of mercenaries coming in. Some were from Estovakia, Emmeria, and other countries. One was from Osea. Patrick James Beckett.

"Patrick. You'll be assigned to Nikita." She muttered to herself. She heard knocking on the door.

"Come in." She said.

Nikita walked through the door and saluted Oliver Armstrong. He heard of her reputation. She was called 'the ice queen.'

"Sit down, Nikita." Oliver said.

"Permission to speak freely." Nikita said.

"Granted." Oliver said.

"Is command out of their goddamned mind!? Using us as bait, so they can get the first shot at ending the war. Where the fuck was Osea when Belkan bombers were about to crater this base?" Nikita asked.

"I don't like it any more than you do. But understand this. Ustio is no longer capable of fighting Belka by herself. We've no military whatsoever. The few mercenaries at this base are all that's left of the Ustio air-force. We need Osea to help win the war. I'm not asking you to like them, giving the history between Yuktobania and Osea, but you will need to work with them. Understood?" Oliver asked.

"Understood, sir." Nikita said.

"Good. A few more mercs are coming in today. You'll be paired with Patrick Beckett. His call-sign is PJ. Don't know why. Just go with the flow." Oliver said.

"What nation is he from? Countries have different training programs for their own military." Nikita said.

Oliver stood up and pointed a desert eagle at Nikita.

"Just calm down. He's Osean." Oliver said.

Nikita clenched his fists in return of the news. Osean? He's rather fly solo, or with the Belkans. As much as the Oseans bragged at how good their training was, it wasn't that good compared to Belka. Then again, the cold war was mainly between Osea and Yuktobania, not between Osea and Belka.

"Permission to have a duel with him when he arrives." Nikita said.

"Denied. But you and him need to be in the office. I'll explain further. That's all." Oliver said.

Nikita saluted the ice queen, and she saluted back.

The roar of jet engines was heard, at Nikita saw a flight of F-16s, followed by F-18s.

"This should be good." He muttered.