Ch 14 Operation Battle-axe
"Orders have come in for an emergency sortie. A major air engagement is taking place as we speak between Belka and the Allied Forces near the border, in the B7R airspace, which Belka is committed to defend at all costs."
"B7R, commonly known as the 'Round Table', has long been a symbol of Belka's political, military and industrial might. However, at noon today, along with its lightning-quick commencement of Operation Battle-Axe, the Allied Forces officially announced the permanent abrogation of its nonaggression treaty at the Assembly of Nations, and simultaneously attacked B7R with a massive fighter squadron. This mission may be our chance to finally end the Belkan War once and for all. I wish you luck." Olivier said.
The pilots ran towards their aircraft, eager to end the war with Belka. Olivier stayed behind, but had reservations. Were her pilots some of the best in the world, Yes. But that wasn't the problem. With everyone's attention on the round table, it would be easy to overlook something else.
And that something else, could take the form of a Belkan attack, whether by paratroopers, or fighters/bombers. Whatever it was, she had to be prepared.
"Get our anti-air guns ready. I want my F-18 ready for air-to-air combat. Has Osea sent their anti-stealth radar?" Olivier asked.
"No, sir. They haven't. They don't even have it ready for their frontlines. If the Belkans use stealth aircraft, no-one can stop it." An aid said.
Menawhile, the Ustio mercs dove into the fray.
"Incoming message from allied forces HQ. 40% of allied air forces already lost." Eagle Eye said.
"Damn it. There's too many of them! We can't handle them all!"
"Where are the reinforcements?!"
"I've never been in an aerial battle of this scope before." PJ said.
Nikita saw a Belkan MiG shoot down two F-16s, and he gave chase. Acquiring lock, he pulled the trigger, and sent a missile at the Belkan fighter, destroying it
"Still no reinforcements from base. If only they'd get here, we could put an end to this all at once." A Belkan pilot lamented.
PJ chased after a Su-27, only for the Flanker to perform a Pugachevs Cobra, and ended up chasing PJ.
"Nice one, PJ." Nikita muttered, as he was forced to rescue his wingman.
"Do not underestimate them. The Belkan war machine is still strong." Nikita said.
Word soon spread of the Ustio reinforcements.
"IFF confirms its Galm. The reinforcement team is Galm." An Osean pilot said.
"Aw shit. The guy who pulled out the sword is here. Be careful." A Belkan said to his wingman.
"We still gotta get the job done." Pixy said, turning to intercept a MiG-29. When the MiG entered Pixy's crosshairs, he pulled the trigger, and a sidewinder missile blew apart the MiG.
"Splash 1." Pixy smirked.
"Wizard one, the enemy has broken formation. Take them out."
"Larry, can you read me?" Wizard One asked.
"It's happening, just like you said. It's time we got out of this dead end job."
"Not just yet." Larry said, wanting a few more kills.
"Get a good eyeful of this flying! Let it sink in." PJ said, as he outmaneuvered his Belkan opponent.
"Lets blabber across the whole damn area and let the Belkans know where I am. Clever. Really like it." Nikita said.
"Reinforcements still haven't arrived. What is our country doing!?" a Belkan shouted, as he fled before Cipher.
After Nikita killed two more Belkans, Eagle Eye gave a report.
"Nice work. Enemy forces have dropped to under 50%. Just a little more."
"Sorcerer one to all units. That's the Galm and Alchemy team. Watch and learn." Sorcerer one said.
Nikita sighed in frustration. If the Oseans they were sent to help had trained harder and better, than they'd have a greater chance of survival. It's a cancer to rely on others. It gets you soft and weak.
"Galm's not fighting alone. Lets show them what the Osean air-force can do." An Osean pilot boasted.
"Hey cocksucker! Your precious air-force was almost shot out the sky when we got her. You Oseans are the same. All talk, and no fight. Quit boasting, and start shooting!" Nikita retorted.
After Pixy shot down a Su-37, the Belkans were losing cohesion.
"The commander's plane is gone! Confirm out chain of command!"
"They're attacking without mercy! Do they plan on destroying everything?"
As the allied forces watched the battle turn into their favor, an Ustian pilot made a remark about Cipher.
"That kind of a pilot. They call a demon lord."
"Wizard one to all units. Belka's days are over. Lets finish this up."
"I fight for peace. That's what I'm up here for." PJ said.
"While you're fighting for 'peace', tons of blood is being shed on the ground. Some peace, kid." Pixy retorted. Nikita had to agree with Pixy.
"And I'm here to put an end to it." PJ said.
"You think you can stop bloodshed by shedding more blood? Flying with all those ideals swimming in your head is gonna get you killed." Pixy said.
"How the hell did PJ survive this long? He should be dead, considering he's oblivious to the fact we're in a fucking war." Nikita said.
"Galm team, multiple craft approaching! Something's wrong… stay alert." Eagle Eye said.
8 MiG-31 Foxhounds appeared on the battlefield, chasing after a pilot called Huckebein.
"That plane, is that the Vulture?" Pixy asked.
"There's an annoying fly in the enemy. All right, change of plans. We'll deal with the escapee craft later."
"Guess they've come to pick on the dead again." Pixy said.
"Pixy, who are they?" Nikita asked.
"The Schwarze squadron. Their commissioned as escape killers. If you're branded a traitor, they go after you." Pixy said.
Nikita moved to intercept Huckebein, while everyone else fought against the Schwarze squadron.
Nikita looked on his radar, and saw 3 planes chasing each other. Looking up, he saw an Su-47 chasing an F-14D, which was chasing a MiG 21.
"That Huckebein is flying real strange. I wonder why." Pixy said.
Nikita witnessed the Su-47 fire its missiles, and brought down both the F-14 and the MiG 21. Knowing he was next, Nikita locked onto the Su-47, and fired his last missile. The missile tore into the Berkut and brought it down.
"Guys, I'm Winchester on ammo. Returning to base." Nikita said.
"Copy that. We're almost done with the Vultures." Pixy said.
Little did Nikita know, the 3 planes he just saw had pilots who would play pivotal roles in the next war. The F-14 carried Jack Bartlett. The MiG-21 carried Peter N. Beagle. And the Su-47 carried Ashely Bernitz.
"The demon lord born of the round table." An allied pilot said.
"The demon lord of Ustio." Another said.
"What's going on, over their?" Nikita asked, crossing the border into Usito territory.
"The battle's over. We shot down every single Belkan fighter in the area. The round table is ours." PJ said.
"That's a relief. See you back at base." Nikita said.
"Yo buddy. You still alive?" Pixy asked.
"Yeah. Still alive." Cipher said, heavily breathing.