-Chapter 5: It Begins..-
"Command post to Argos Flight. Maintain present altitude and cruising speed." said Yui over a radion from the tracking computer.
"600 seconds until operation start point." said another Lieutenant.
After the new ARGOS flight stepped into their TSFs, they were just about ready for the incoming exercise. It was a bright, sunny day and conditions for training were damn near perfect.
However, Akihiro was having trouble trying to adjust to the Practice TSF, Fubuki's oversensitive nature. It felt loose and almost unstable. He opted to use a practice unit after he mentioned to that he had not piloted a TSF in six years and will need a refresher. Yui suggested that he pilots the Practice TSF in order to get a feel for the new TSF's technology.
"Kh! This thing's way too oversensitive!" exclaimed Akihiro as he tried to set his TSF upright. This did prove to be an almost-impossible task as he was falling behind from the rest of the team.
"Keep up, Top Gun 2!" said Valerio in the F-15 Active Eagle.
Akihiro cringed again after hearing that. He just managed to lift the Fubuki to avoid the trees, albeit barely. However, just as they were heading for the training grounds, an all too familiar nightmare that would prove to be all too real would struck the team.
A mix of Grappler and Destroyer Class BETAS were approaching the squad. They discovered that these were not part of a simulation, but were infact real BETA.
"Shit! Argos Flight, Grappler and Destroyer classes at 12 o'clock!" said Akihiro over the radio.
Valerio, Fiona and Stella reacted with horror as they realized that what intended to be a simple training exercise would turn into a real battle with BETA.
"White Fang 1 to Argos Flight, Get out of there now!" said Yui from the Yukon Base Headquarters.
"Belay that. I want to see what they are truly capable of." said Ridley, who was sitting in the main chair with a confident grin.
"But-!" said Yui in desperation.
"Belay the order, Lt. Takamura." said Ridley.
Yui sighed and reluctantly nodded and turned her attention back to the Argos Flight over the radio.
"White Fang 1 to Argos Flight, stand your ground."
"Is she insane?! Argos 1, we can't fight them off, we have to turn back!" said Fiona over the radio.
Akihiro had flashbacks of the time where Ridley had his entire squad sold out to the BETA. He refused to let that happen again.
"...Argos 3, Follow your orders." replied Akihiro.
"Are you serious?! Argos 4, are you hearing this?!" " Fiona replied frantically. Was this really happening? Akihiro is actually electing to go through with this?! Stella sighed and gave her reply.
"It looks like we don't have a choice here.." replied Stella over the radio.
The new Argos flight got in formation and prepared to fight the oncoming BETA. Everyone at HQ were now depending on them. Four pilots. Two new and two familiar were ready to take on the BETA.
"IKE!" yelled Akihiro as he speeds in with only a combat knife, which Fubuki was equipped with. He slices down the BETA, Brutally and one at a time.
"Just as I said, Akihiro. Your skills have gotten worse.." said Ridley over the radio.
Before Akihiro could reply, his TSF was knocked over by a Destroyer class BETA.
"Gagh!" Akihiro exclaimed in pain due to the heavy impact.
The team were quickly getting overwhelmed by the BETA. It seemed that it was all over. The CX4 project would all be for nothing...Until hope came in the form of a Predator-class TSF.
It shot and killed the BETA with a hailstorm of bullets. Soon after, it flew down and sliced more of the BETA in half with it's equipped chainsaws. Akihiro could barely believe that it was taking down the BETA at such a lightning fast rate. The rest of the Argos flight looked on in awe as this occurred.
"What is that thing?.." Akihiro thought to himself.
"Leave here at once.." said a dark female voice.
The unknown TSF speeds off into the distance and heads towards another hangar.
"Wait!" Akihiro called out, but to no avail.
"Argos 1, are you alright?" asked Stella over the radio.
"Been better.." replied Akihiro.
"You sure took a beating back there!" said Valerio over the radio.
The Argos Flight arrived back in their damaged TSFs. They emerged from the cockpits and stepped out. Akihiro stumbled due to feeling a little shakened from eariler. Lt. Takamura was among to first to rush to Akihiro.
"Ensign Flynn, are you alright?!" Yui asked with genuine concern.
"Just about.. Ya know, this wasn't really how I hoped things would go.." replied Akihiro as he walked slowly.
"I'm impressed that you survived out there, Akihiro." said a familiar voice. It was none other than Ridley Abbott. He walked in, looking calm and collected.
"..Did you have something to do with this?!" Akihiro asked angrily.
"You could have gotten us killed back there! It's not funny!"
"I wanted to see how you would fare. ..But it seems that I overestimated you." said Ridley in a condescending tone.
"You son of a bitch..!" Akihiro replied angrily.
"But still, there is room for improvement. If you study the new technology thoroughly, you will be able to grasp it just in time for the actual test day. Until then, practice and study the machine you have been given. Tomorrow, that machine will be a standard edition Shiranui. Now go and get some rest and be up by 6:00 am." said Ridley before walking off.
Akihiro clenched his fists and looked on in anger. This felt just like ABNIA all over again. Like a full circle.
Yui was now more worried than ever about how all of this would turn out. She noticed that he was incredibly hostile towards Abbott. Was it something truly horrible that happened in the past?
Akihiro walked down the Base's main runway. He ended up walking into an alleyway. Along the way, he bumped into a mysterious young girl who had long, snow white hair and blue eyes.
"Hello?" asked the girl as she blushed.
Akihiro turned around and saw the girl. Who was this? Why was she blushing like that?
"Can I help you?" he asked.
"..You remind me of someone I know." said the young girl.
"..Really? Who's that?" asked Akihiro.
"Yup! His name's Yuuya!" said the young girl with an enthusiastic tone.
"Yuuya?.." Akihiro asked curiously.
"Yuuya"? Could this guy be the "Top Gun" Valerio was referring to? Or is it just a coincidence? Either way, Akihiro had to find out.
"Inia!" a female voice called in the distance.
"I have to go now..Bye bye!" said the young girl before she ran off while giggling.
Akihiro felt a little strange after that encounter. But he shrugged it off and walked back to the base and back to the room he was sharing with the Argos Flight. He had a long day ahead of him as he would have to test the new Shiranui unit before he could move onto the Type Second.
-To Be Continued-
