Ch 8 Diapason

The pilots gathered in the ready room. Only yesterday, did they drop troops on Solis Ortus. Now, they were taking back the capital of Ustio. If it went successful, the war would be over.

"Alright, listen up. Today's the day we kick the fascist Belkans out of Ustio!" Olivier said.

"Fuck yeah!" a pilot in the back yelled.

Everyone smiled in response. Of course they were excited.

"Leave the celebrations for after the fight." Olivier said, with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I will now brief you on the Ustio's 6th air division's role in liberating the capital. Directus is split into 5 different administrative roles centering on the River Crescere."

"Powerful weapons have been placed in each ward, and have been bolstered by the survivors of Solis Ortus. This battle will determine our fate, as the annihilation of the enemy forces will mean liberation for the nation of Ustio. The enemy forces are comprised mainly of ground troops, but we've received word, although not confirmed, of a squadron of high-tech Belkan fighters."

"Your orders are to destroy the Belkan forces and liberate Directus. We can't afford to lose. To that end, I'm flying with you guys." Olivier said, shocking the pilots.

"You serious, general?" PJ asked.

"Yes, I am. I'll be flying with the alchemy squadron. Nikita, you're still in charge." Olivier said.

As the pilots headed to their fighters, Olivier grabbed some small arms from the armory. She took the Armstrong sword, and a MP5K submachine gun, along with the standard USP .45 handgun.

The mercenary pilots wasted no time in scrambling their fighters. And to add to that, the ice queen herself was flying and fighting with them.

"All forces, take down the Belkan forces." Eagle Eye said.

Nikita locked onto a SAM site, and fired a missile, destroying it.

"Belkan fighters, are incoming. Galm team, intercept." Olivier said, dripping cluster bombs on a group of Belkan tanks.

"Sector B is out of our hands. Ustio fighters are over our head." A Belkan said.

"They got MiG-29s and Typhoons." Pixy said, firing a QAAM missile and destroyed an enemy Fulcrum.

"We took down Typhoons before. These pilots aren't as good as the ones over B7R." Cipher said, chasing one of the Typhoons, and firing a missile up its tail pipe.

Spurred on by the victories that Ustio pilots were gaining, the citizens of Directus began to fight back.

"We've lost sector 1, and the citizens are rising up in the sectors 3, 4, and 5." A Belkan said.

"Ustio tanks and fighters are moving onto sector 2. We can't hold out." A Belkan said, panicking, before the radio cut out.

"Enough of his blabbering." Olivier said, having dropped bombs onto the Belkan's position.

"Cipher, looks like the citizens are rising up." Pixy said.

"Get the fuck out of our cities!" an Ustio man yelled, as he grabbed a Belkan FN2000 and sprayed it into the soldier's face, killing him. "Everyone, grab whatever weapons you can. This city is ours again!"

"General, we need orders. We're losing the city. General!" A Belkan yelled.

"Looks like someone's cowering out." Olivier smirked, comparing the Belkan's cowardice, with the Ustio's bravery and strength.

A Belkan CH-47 attempted to leave, only for Cipher to shoot him down.

"Splash one Belkan general." Cipher said.

"The Belkans are running! Now towards the other sector." A civilian shouted over the radio. A group of people broke into the church tower and started ringing the bell, a signal of freedom.

"Look at that." Olivier said, smiling at the people from her cockpit. She flew overhead the city, firing missiles and bullets at the Belkans she came across. The citizens cheered and waved at the Ustio pilots, as they flew overhead.

"That's the sound of freedom. Looks like this battle is almost over." PJ said.

"We've lost sector 3. What the hell is that ringing?" a Belkan asked.

The Belkans could only watch as the city seemed to rise with the Ustio and Osean armed forces, driving the Belkan army back and back, right into the fourth sector.

"That sound take me back." A pilot said, as he strafed a line of Belkan tanks, dropping napalm on them.

"Ustio mercenaries are doing as they please." A Belkan muttered, seeing the carnage unfold in front of him.

"The enemy is attacking without mercy!" a Belkan said, as storage tents and buildings were quickly destroyed, leaving the Belkans with little to fight with.

"Belkan ground forces in sector 4 have been eliminated. The people here are ringing their freedom bells!" An Osean soldier said.

The Belkans, on the other hand, were in complete confusion.

"We've no longer means of escape! Mass together all troops and regroup!"

"Belkans get out! Get the hell out of our city!" a civilian yelled in anger.

"What is that ringing? What idiot could be doing that?"

"This city is ours again! It belongs to Ustio!" a civilian yelled over the radio, engaged in a shootout with Belkan soldiers.

Olivier quickly tracked where the voice came from, and dropped 2 bombs onto the Belkan positions.

"Whoever you are, thanks!" the civilian said, saluting Olivier's F-18.

"This is Eagle Eye. Looks like all sectors have been liberated." Eagle Eye said, as the last of the Belkan fighters were destroyed, and the remains of the Belkan army either surrendered, or tried to escape.

"We've lost. The Belkan army… has been defeated." A Belkan said in surprise.

"This city has fallen to the allied forces. Any soldier's left, open up an escape route!"

"We got our city back!" a civilian yelled, raising a Belkan M16.

"Looks like they got a reason to fight. This battle's over." Pixy said, flying next to Cipher.

"All pilots, form up on me. Lets give Directus a celebration." Olivier said.

The Ustio mercs lined up behind Olivier and flew over the city, and the citizens and allied soldiers cheered in celebration.

"We did it!"

"Fuck yeah! We owned those Belkans!"

Suddenly, Eagle Eye gave disturbing news.

"Warning, warning. Enemy reinforcements approaching." Eagle Eye said.

"What? Now?" Pixy asked.

Gelb Team

"Two craft approaching at high speed." Eagle Eye said, as the two Su-37 terminators approached the allied forces.

"Lets take care of them." Pixy said.

"They're faster than anything we've come across. Eliminate the Belkan fighters and secure air supremacy." Eagle Eye said.

"It doesn't look like they'll let us head back to base, until we take out these two planes." Pixy said.

Pixy chased a Terminator and fired a missile, only for said missile to follow the flares dumped by the Su-37.

"Damn it." Pixy muttered.

The Su-37 pulled a Cobra and started chasing Pixy. Cipher chased the terminator, and took him down with a burst of 20mm gunfire.

"Gelb 1 down. Am I the only one left?" Gelb 2 wondered, as he dodged missiles and gunfire.

"Fox 3." PJ said, firing a sparrow. The missile hit the cockpit of the Terminator, destroying it completely.

"It's over. It's over." Cipher said, exhausted from the ordeal.

"We've taken back this sector. Belka is no longer in control!" a civilian said.

"If those Belkans leave, I can open my shop. And I'll make sure Directus is filled to the brim with flowers." A female civilian said, over the shouting and cheering of the city.

"Cipher, you hear those people cheering? That's where we come in." Larry said, as he, Cipher, and the rest of the Ustio pilots flew over the city one more time.

"Directus is free of any threats now. Lets head back to base." Pixy said.

"You guys head back to base. I got some loose ends to tie up in the city." Olivier said.

"What kind?" PJ asked.

"Family matters. Nikita, you're with me." Olivier said.