AHA 2 Ch.6
(A/N: Prom was fun lol. Anyway, remember what I said. Dogfighting scenes take a while to make. Also, this week is my school finals week. I'll be back soon.)
NOTE: Errors may be seen because of autocorrect. My apologies.
Chapter 6: The Red Flag, Part 1.
Let the games begin!
"Attention all personnel," The voice of Seishin was heard all across the Albatross' speakers. "Neon Nimbus has given the order for all participants of The Red Flag to prepare for launch. I repeat, General Neon Nimbus asks all participants to be ready for launch."
Next to the Albatross' runway, was HandyFlash standing in front of his entire squadron; including his student, Samantha. Now all dressed in their flight suits, HandyFlash was giving a quick brief to his team about The Red Flag. They have already knew the experiences of battle, but he told them this is just a drill. Don't be too aggressive to the other pilots; especially the nuggets. They were there to teach the new flyers. Not dominate them repeatedly like a dog and his toy. Teaching them properly and showing them how it's done is the best way. Then, you can make them act like aggressive pilots later.
All pilots on the runway were in their pairs of teams, as their squad leader was giving them a quick brief like what HandyFlash was doing. Their planes getting checked and ready for cat shot by the mechanics. Arion Squadron's aircrafts were still in Canterlot Air Base because for repairs by the Sunspot Weapon incident. So they were going to use standard versions of their aircraft.
"I still would've preferred my old plane." Thunderlane sighed.
"You can use your wings instead of flying in a jet. You know, if a storm comes, or perhaps a typhoon." Blossomforth teased.
"*Ahem* You know, I can actually do that." He nudged her. "Remember? Special Wing Service?"
Samantha whistled. "You three can actually do that?"
HandyFlash nodded. "Yeah. We were taught how to fight in extreme weather. Anytime, anywhere."
"Speaking of which," Cloudchaser tapped her chin. "can you three tell us more about the Special Wing Service? How do they train you? What do they do to you?"
Dumbbell shook his head. "Sorry. There is a heavy restriction that we can't tell any classified information to anypony. Not including our own squadron."
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "Classified, Shmashified." She groaned.
"You couldn't think of another word that rhymes with 'classified'?" Derpy asked.
"It doesn't have to rhyme, Derpy."
"Lock it down." HandyFlash said as everypony of them stayed silent. "Listen, this is just a drill. Not a real dogfight or furball. Don't be so rough on the nuggets, because we're only here to teach them. Not showing any acts of aggressiveness. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" They all saluted.
"Same as the top pilots of the different nations." He added. "Show some respect to them, because Celestia knows how much work they did just to be listed as a top squadron."
"Of course." Fluttershy nodded.
"Alrighty then," HandyFlash walked towards his standard aircraft. "Let's give the pilots a show."
Samantha rose her fist up to the sky. "Yeah!"
"Let's go bratha!" Thunderlane patted Dumbbell's back.
"Hoofah!"
Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash and smiled. "Are you ready?"
"I'm always more than ready, Fluttershy." She smirked.
Around seven minutes have passed after HandyFlash has given a short briefing to his team. After, they all went into their aircrafts and had double checks on them for safety. Their planes weren't their old ones from last year, but it's better than nothing. As they checked on weaponry, shields, hull integrity status, and everything else, each of them put on their half masks and turned on the HMD visor. The HUD automatically turned on and displayed their aircraft's stats and altitude level.
Samantha inhaled deeply and looked at the controls. She was familiar with a lot of them, but she was just a bit nervous about flying in her first Red Flag Exercise. As her hands held onto the stick firmly, to get used to he grip, her comms turned on and heard the voice of her teacher. HandyFlash.
He cleared his throat. "Samantha? Callsign: Scarlet, can you read me?" HandyFlash asked.
"Scarlet copies. Loud and clear." Samantha told him.
"Good. You're going to need it when we're in the air." While in his craft, he waved at Samantha as she did the same. "Alright, just pay attention to me while in flight. Also, please don't blast music on your plane."
"Aw… okay." She frowned.
"Come on now. If something bad happens to you, it'll make me feel like a terrible teacher." HandyFlash said.
"I know. Don't worry about it." She gave a thumbs up.
"Arion 1 to Arion flight, are we all set?" HandyFlash asked his entire team.
"Arion 2; Fantasy copies." Rainbow Dash said.
"Arion 3; Archangel understands." Fluttershy spoke.
"Arion 4; Striker, ready to follow your orders." Thunderlane confirms.
"Arion 5; Floweret preparing for catapult." Blossomforth noted.
"Arion 6; Bubbles, I got it." Derpy said.
"Arion 7; Ringer confirms green." Dumbbell shows green.
"Arion 8; Wave standing by." Flitter awaited.
"Arion 9; Turbulence is all set." Cloudchaser says.
Samantha cleared her throat. "HandyFlash's student, Scarlet is ready."
They confirmed their situation to HandyFlash by using the Squadron Number, and Callsigns. Samantha told him everything was all set in her plane. Since she's flying with the top squadron of the entire Equestrian Royal Air Force, she promised not to screw anything up.
As the flight deck crew gave the order to move forward, HandyFlash led the way as his team followed him.
"All aircraft, hold short. Arion Squadron will be launching first. Standby until successful cat shot." A stallion from the flight control tower told all units.
"This is Tera Squadron, copy that. Stopping our tracks." Emerald Night said.
"Prepare yourselves, Thermal Flight. It's gonna be raining metal when they're up there." FireBlaze told his entire squadron.
"Morte 2 to Morte 1, when are we getting catapulted? Is it all in some sort of order?" Spettro asked Culgan.
"I don't know, Spettro." He answered. "Just be patient and wIt for our turn."
"Roger."
Neon Nimbus contacted Quill Squadron. "Quill 1-1, please stand by until Arion Squadron has been launched."
"Quill copies." Rainrunner responded. "Alright, you heard the lady. We launch on my go. Quill 1-2, follow me in closely when we're in the air. Same to all of you, team."
"Quill 1-2 copies. Ready on your go, sir." Dust Storm started up her BBG-1 VTOL. "What are your orders after we reach our destination?"
"We're the starters of The Red Flag. So we just wait for the General's signal to begin operation." He said.
FireBlaze picked up. "So after your attack, we just attack the markers on our radars?"
"Correct." Rainrunner nodded.
"That means don't attack before Quill Squadron attacks, sis." Vampiric Heavens told his sister, Angelic Heavens.
"You think I wouldn't know about that? And I'm surprised you remember it." She rolled her eyes.
"Guys, this is a serious drill. No arguing or fooling around. Understood?" Dust Storm cut those two.
"Yes, ma'am." They both answered.
"All units, keep the runway cleared confirmed." Flight control said. "Arion Flight, begin taxing."
HandyFlash responded. "Arion Leader, roger."
"The skies are yours, Arion Squadron."
"Then let's get to it." Rainbow Dash nodded.
Agreeing with Rainbow Dash, HandyFlash pushed the throttle as his afterburners shined brighter and brighter. The load roar and fire blew out as the heat was felt by the deck crew. The mare pegasus in the front gave them a signal that the catapult was all set. HandyFlash gave a salute, as the rest of his flight did as well. She pointed her hoof at the front end of the runway to launch. All units waiting for Arion Squadron's launch saluted for a simple good luck. Suddenly, LAUNCH!
HandyFlash felt a sudden hard push back to his seat. His plane dashed forward as the ledge of the runway came closer to him. After two seconds, the feeling of his plane on the ground was no longer there anymore. Turning his head to the left, he saw his standard type CPB-86 was off the runway. He grabbed the stick and gripped it firmly. Turning it right, his plane banked in the same direction; as the same thing happened in the opposite side. Looking at the read view mirrors above him, he noticed his squadron and Samantha were beginning their catapult launch. The ones already off the runway was Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. The next ones were Thunderlane and the rest.
After a while when his team was all up, HandyFlash pulled up to the front, next to the ACC-113 Albatross's left wing. His entire flight remained in a Delta formation as they had visual on The Iron Wing Islands. They ascended again, and HandyFlash contacted the tower.
"This is Arion 1; Callsign, Dragon. Successful cat shot. Altitude reaching Angels twenty." HandyFlash noted the flight control tower.
"Roger. Arion Squadron, altitude restrictions have been canceled. Report to the north of the islands and stand by." The stallion in charge of the tower told them.
"Affirmative. Arion Squadron, gear up."
"Arion 2 through 9, all ready done." Rainbow Dash waved at his plane.
"Callsign: Scarlet is all set. Remaining on standby." Samantha told him.
"Okay." HandyFlash smiled to himself. "Everything checks out. Follow me."
"Right behind yah." Derpy told him.
HandyFlash banked right and pulled the stick to move out of the AAC-113 Albatross's way. As his squadron followed, he looked behind him and saw a few pilots in the Wing Stalkers Elite Group prepare for take off with the nuggets. Boosting the throttle again, he and his team headed straight towards the islands; shaped like a pair of wings. Passing by a few clouds, they reached around half a mile away from the shoreline of the islands.
Looking back at The Albatross and The Titan, they saw more planes being catapulted out as they flew in correct formation.
"All flights are in the air. Good work!" Chime said on the comms.
"Captain? Should we help them warm up for a bit?" Neon Nimbus suggested.
"I concur." She agreed to it. "All units, I'm sending in some drones. Have fun!"
HandyFlash called on all channels. "All units, this is Colonel HandyFlash of Arion Squadron. Remember, these drones are armed with just dummy missiles and plastic pallets, which can't really penetrate through your shields. So don't consider it to be a real fight. Also, everypony stay above two thousand feet. I don't want any of you crashing. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." They all confirmed.
"UAVs launched. I repeat, UAVs launched." Chime warned them.
"Quill Team, I'm directing your IFF to display the targets in the shorelines of the islands." Neon Nimbus told Rainrunner. "Cleared to engage. Begin!"
Rainrunner flew towards the islands as his team followed. "Roger. Quill 1-1, engaging."
"Alright boys. Let's make some zeros on the ground." Dust Storm said.
FireBlaze, of Thermal Squadron chuckled. "I thought that was Cipher Squadron's motto."
"Hey. They're not here in the exercise, so nothing to worry about." She shrugged while flying her VTOL craft.
"Thermal Leader, you're vanguard. Take them out." Culgan told him.
"Thermal Squadron, engage."
Arion Flight was now in game as soon as Thermal Squadron started their attack. HandyFlash detected five bogeys on radar at six o'clock. He turned around by doing a Split S as his team did the same.
"Thermal Flight, we're leaving the those drones to you. We'll handle the rear." HandyFlash said.
"Copy that."
He then contacted Rainrunner. "Captain, you need some help with the targets?"
"Negative. Don't worry about us. I'm sure we can take on more of them if there was a few more dozen." Rainrunner said as the sounds of gunfire from a 30mm cannon was heard in the background.
Dust Storm chuckled. "I agree, but don't get too cocky, Captain. If these were real AA guns, our crafts would be Swiss cheese in about ten seconds." She reminded him.
"That actually depends on how close you guys are." Angelic said while she circled around the island with her team.
"How about you come closer and join the fight?" Dust Storm dared.
"We'll pass, ma'am. Right now we're focusing on our job." Vampiric declined.
Back to Arion Squadron, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy decided to head first into the other flight of drones. Samantha was told to move next to HandyFlash's craft.
"Watch and learn, Scarlet."
Rainbow Dash pulled up when she was head on with another test drone. She hit the breaks and pulled the stick to perform a sharp turn upwards, to where she was inverted. The drone passed her craft as it reached to the point where it was in her crosshairs for her auto cannons. Firing as the bullets blazed, any of them struck the drone and confirmed a splash.
"Arion 2, confirming hostile taken out." She said.
"Coool!" Samantha commented.
Next, Fluttershy was on afterburners heading toward four test drones. HandyFlash knew what she was about to do, since he taught her this. When she was about dangerously close, she went invert and launched multiple missiles towards them. In one strafe, they exploded and head down into the salty waters of the ocean.
"Four downed by Arion 2, Archangel." Fluttershy noted.
"I'm proud of you two." HandyFlash said.
"Thanks!"
HandyFlash boosted forward as Samantha stayed close.
"Alright, Samantha. You ready?"
"Yes, Colonel."
"That was a dumb question. Of course you are." He chuckled.
"Hey, flight lead! What're you planning on doing next?" Flitter asked.
"I'll take care of a few. Watch this."
HandyFlash boosted pass the drones without even firing any rounds or missiles at them. This causes the drones to follow him on his tail.
"Alright Samantha, watch closely. Here's one of the tricks I always use." He said. As the drones were still behind him, he banked his aircraft right. Then, he went inverted and continued to roll until he was banking left. He did a sharp side Immelmann and saw the drone in his sights. "Fox 2! Fox 2!" HandyFlash said as one missile destroyed one.
"Wow…" Samantha stared.
"Dragon, three bandits on your twelve o'clock." Blossomforth warned.
"I got 'em."
The test drones stood in formation as they launched missiles each after two seconds of the other. HandyFlash scissored in the air as each missile barely hit his plane. Having a clear path, he shot one missile at the test drone in the far right, shot down. Firing his auto cannons at the one in the middle, shot down. And the third one… he switched his shields to maximum power as the entire aircraft glowed. Everypony was expecting a crazy move, and mare where they right. He went on a mid-air collision as the drone just got obliterated. This apparently causes HandyFlash's aircraft to temporarily lose control. Thanks to the gyro stabilizers, he successfully had regained full control of the craft.
HandyFlash laughs. "My heart is still pumping after that!"
"Look who's talking." Neon Nimbus mumbled on the comms.
"Pardon?"
"Uh… nothing."
Samantha was amazed by her teacher's skills,… and how crazy he can be to shoot one drone down. She thought to herself: 'If he can do that, maybe it's possible for me too.'
"Alright. Give it a try Scarlet." HandyFlash told her.
Samantha spotted one test drone flying down towards her from her right. She immediately did a sharp break right and boosted down, then pulled up to avoid violating one of HandyFlash's rules in the exercise; being forbidden of going below two thousand feet because of the risk of new flyers crashing into the island or waters.
HandyFlash contacted her. "Lieutenant? Can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Colonel."
"Good. Let me see what you're capable of doing to avoid getting hit and shooting down that bug." He circled his craft around the area, while looking up at her aircraft being chased by the test drone. "Can you perform a Hammerhead?"
"I guess so. Why?"
"Well, what do you think?" He laughs.
"Oh, right. Derp."
Pulling the stick, she began to ascend to a higher altitude. Looking at how far she was in the air, it displayed twenty seven thousand feet. Thinking it was a good time to stall, Samantha hit the breaks and felt her body and aircraft shake. Suddenly, her plane dropped like a rock as she felt the butterflies swarming in her stomach. The altitude meter was dropping fast, her HUD showed her the Stall Warning, and the clouds where coming past her. Immediately, she hit the throttle until she felt the plane stop stalling. It was like a sudden jerk pulling you up.
"Oh man. Oh man." Samantha inhaled deeply and saw the drone that pursued her before. Now was her chance to fire at it. The box containing the drone on the HUD turned red as the eerie ringing was heard. "I got tone!"
"Then, Fire!" Thunderlane told her.
"She knows that, dummy." Blossomforth rolled her eyes.
Samantha pushed the button to launch a missile. She saw a glowing orb come out of her aircraft's wing as it headed towards her target. Three seconds later, BOOM!
"Niiice…" Rainbow Dash commented.
After leveling her plane, she cheered. "WHOOO! Did you see that?!"
"Nicely done, Lieutenant." HandyFlash smiled.
"Good job, Samantha. But don't think that will be your last drone to shoot down." Neon Nimbus said.
"LOOK OUT! Three drones heading towards your plane!" Blossomforth yelled.
Cloudchaser did a break to her right, where Samantha was flying. "Arion 9, engaging." Having tone as soon as she was close enough, she launched a missile. "Fox 2." Faster than her plane, her heat seeker dashed towards its target and hit it directly in the front. The impact was critical, as it went through half of the drone before exploding it into shreds.
"There's still two more!"
"This is Morte 1, Me and Morte 2 will handle this." Culgan said as he and his wingman dashed towards the test drones.
"Morte 2, launching missile." Spettro launched as his missile headed towards his target. A direct hit in the front. "He's not gonna make it." He chuckles.
"Guns Guns." Culgan fired many bullets to the drone until flames came out of its engine. It lost control and swooped past him in a near miss. "Bandit down."
Blossomforth whistled. "Nevermind."
"Floweret, how's the radar?" HandyFlash asked Blossomforth.
"Picture is clean as a whistle."
"What? Already? That was quick." Spettro sighed.
"And to think I was having fun." Vampiric said.
Dust Storm contacted all units. "Quill Squadron has taken care of he islands."
"So, we're actually done?" Flitter asked.
"Not yet. All units, let's begin the next game." Neon Nimbus said on speaker. "Oh yeah. Arion Squadron, we got some squadrons we'd like you to meet."
(OCs included to the stories)
These OCs belong to some of the readers of this story. Please don't think I own them all. Because I don't. And yes, OC submissions are still open. Owner's names may change. But I'm sure they'll know who they are.
(*Owner*) *Character(s) Name*- *Squadron Name*
-LEGENDS-
*= New recent OC
X= Wing Stalkers Elite Group Member
V= Was in the prequel of AHA
V (alfa68048) Captain Rainrunner- Leader of Quill Team, 2nd VTOL Fighter Squadron.
V X (Emerald Night 117) Captain Emerald Night and 1st Lieutenant Rachel Blur- Only members of the 4th QRF Fighter Squadron, Tera.
X (Black Umbra) Captain Culgan and 2nd Lieutenant Spettro- Members of Morte Team, 5th QRF Fighter Squadron.
V (Maleun) 2nd Lieutenant Angelic and Vampiric Heavens- 12th Night Fighter Squadron, Shadow Team's number 11 and 12.
(The Arch-Admiral) Lieutenant Samantha "DJ Strawberry" Clarke- Human pilot from the Southern Isles.
V (Heatrules) 1st Lieutenant Dust Storm- Second member of Quill Team, 2nd VTOL Fighter Squadron.
V (Dragon Roberts) Major FireBlaze- Leader of Thermal Team, 20th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
!MORE OCs ARE COMING! DON'T THINK I FORGOTTEN YOURS IF HE/SHE DIDN'T MAKE AN APPEARANCE IN A CHAPTER!
-Known Fact-
There are a few known types of games in The Red Flag Exercise.
1.) Air Superiority- Simple. You and your squadron needs to shoot down as many drones, and soon hitting as many other squadrons as they can. *Shields prevent injury or actually being shot down.*
2.) Team Annihilation- Two teams have to compete with each other to destroy as many targets as possible. Whichever team gets the most points wins. The MVP in the winning team gets 400 Bits (Equestrian Currency), or their certain country's currency.
3.) Chase that Ace- One pilot is randomly chosen to become a target. If you're the target, all flights will try to take you down. A test to see how long you can last in the air.
4.) Top Gun- Two teams each have one chosen pilot as a V.I.F (Very Important Flyer). Takeout the V.I.F to gain points for your team.
5.) Shields and Swords- One team has to defend a certain objective, as the other team is in the offense, trying to destroy the defender's objective.
-And many other games.
(Question of the Wings: "From the 'Known Fact' above, which would be your favorite type of game in The Red Flag?" Rainbow Dash asked you.)
(Question of the Chapter: "How do you like the feel of getting back on your aircraft?" HandyFlash asked you.)
("Hope you guys are liking this so far." -HFHoofHammer.)
(BTW, I just found this out. My plane (United #1243) to New York about four or something weeks ago almost collided with another plane during landing. I'm still okay! Yay! *Although I still feel airsick and "traumatized"*. Worst landing of my life.)