Ace Combat: Skies of Deception
Flashback 13:From Nemesis To Gryphus
Ángel Román was trying hard to get used to his new life as an Aurelian. The citizenship exam and the training were not so hard for him, while the nighmares tormented him most of the nights. Every morning, he woke up covered in cold sweat and tears. On August, he became an Aurelian citizen and an Aurelian Air Force pilot.
Phuku Lagolla Base, Aurelia, August 3rd 2019, 09:00 hours.
Ángel Román met his second cousin, Crístofer Hammond, in the cafe.
-I did everything I could, but you'll have to work your way up from zero.-said Crístofer.-At least I managed to destine you to a base far away from here, so that any possible Leasathian spy cannot find you.
-Don't sweat it, Crístofer.-said Ángel, with his sad look on his face.-You've done more for me than anyone alive with that.
-I'm sorry for your beloved ones.-replied Crístofer.-None of them deserved their fate.
-The worst thing is that they're paying for MY sins.-retored Ángel.-Even Julieta. She was the sweetest, kindest, smartest, and most beautiful woman I ever met. I would gladly switch places with her.
-In that case, she would feel just like you, cousin. She would feel as if life had taken her heart and had shattered it in front of her.-said Crístofer. He was three years older than Ángel.-You wouldn't do her a favor if you die. You have to stay alive. It's the only way you could keep her memory alive.
Crístofer still remembered a hideous scene he had witnessed the last week. Ángel had had an especially horrible nightmare and he had went to the toilets to cut his wrists with a razor. Luckily for him, Crístofer had stopped him before he could have done it, and comforted his morally shattered cousin.
-But, even if I keep her memory alive, the sole memory will bring me nothing but pain and melancholy.-replied Ángel.
-Ángel, I understand how you feel, but you can't focus on the negative side of your life.-retorted Crístofer.-If you do so, those feelings will consume you and you'll turn into someone you despise, or you'll commit suicide. Staying alive for her, your family and your friends, and keeping on is the only way to make sure that your beloved ones didn't die in vain.
-I have to admit it, you've got a point.-said Ángel.-So, which base will I be destined to?
-Aubrey Base.-said Crístofer, giving him a dossier with the report.-It's a small base with just a handful of pilots, and the squadron stationed in that base is tasked for border defense. The name is 207th TFS, codename "Gryphus". Its existence is classified, so the pilots are in the guise of training pilots. It will not be hard for you to become a top ranked pilot in that base, even though those pilots are well-trained.
-In other words, had you explained me the existence of that base and that squadron before, you would have killed me, right?-asked Ángel.
-You're right.-said Crístofer.-I see that you still have some sense of humor. That's a good sign.
-"I was not trying to sound funny at all."-thought Ángel.
-A XC-01 will take some supplies to Aubrey Base tomorrow.-continued Crístofer.-You will go in that plane. And don't worry about not having a plane. There are some spare F-4Es in Aubrey Base. You'll be provided with an uniform this afternoon.
-Thanks.-Ángel answered.
That afternoon, he found an uniform on his bed. Instead of the two-tone grey digital camo, it had a two-tone light blue digital camo. Also, it had a small Aurelian flag on its left arm, just below the shoulder.
In the same place as the green and red Leasathian flag on his old uniform.
His new life would surely be hard for him. The guilt and shame he felt never abandoned him.
The photo of his family was on his pocket. Thankfully, it was not damaged. It would be his reminder of what he had lost forever, along with his necklace.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, August 4th 2019, 10:51 hours.
The base commander, Colonel Joaquín Hawkins, had been told that a new pilot would arrive to the base that morning. The four pilots of the 207th TFS were waiting for the new guy near the hangars.
-The new pilot is surely taking his time to get here.-said a black man with short hair, whose name was Roy González, and was the oldest pilot in the squadron. His callsign was Gryphus 2, and his voice was rather deep.
-We don't know if the new pilot is a man or a woman.-said a man with brown eyes and the ordinary military haircut, called Rick López. He was Gryphus squadron's leader, and despite his carefree attitude and cool demeanor, he was a very skilled pilot, going so far as to use an F-1 Kaizen more than the F-4E Phantom II of the squadron.-If the new pilot is a woman, I'm sure as hell that I'll ask her out.
-As if you had the chance.-said a grumpy pilot. He had red hair and yellow eyes. His name was Alan Bellanco, a.k.a Gryphus 4, and he was a rather surly individual, being in odds with almost everyone in the base. However, he felt respect for everyone, and he was not a clumsy pilot at all.-I have the feeling that I'm not going to like the new one.
-Oh, relax, 1st Lieutenant Bellanco.-chimed a young auburn-haired and green-eyed pilot. He was the youngest pilot in the squadron, despite being Gryphus 3, and his name was Ignacio Wellington. He was much more easy-going than Alan, being also rather cunning and cool-headed.-At least make sure you know him before disliking him.
At 11:00 hours, an XC-01 landed on the runway, taxiing to one of the hangars. After the supplies were taken out of the cargo bay, the four pilots spotted the shadow of a man sitting in a dark spot. The man turned his head to the pilots and exited the cargo bay.
The new pilot had a black-haired mohawk and a scar on his right cheek, and his brown eyes looked like those of a wolf whose whole pack had been killed by sadistic hunters. He was neither too thin nor too bulky, and he looked at the pilots with great sadness.
-"This guy must be the new pilot."-Rick thought.-"Whatever happened to him, it was either too bad or too dark. Those are not the eyes of a soldier, but he seems like a man who has been through a terrible war."
-Gentlemen,-said Joaquín, as he exited the HQ building. Everyone, including the new pilot, saluted.-I am delighted to introduce you to our new pilot, Ángel Román. 2nd Lieutenant Román, these are 1st Lieutenant López, 1st Lieutenant González, 1st Lieutenant Wellington, and 1st Lieutenant Bellanco. Your callsign will be Gryphus 5 for now. In this base, we train to gain our promotions and positions in the squadron, as we are a top secret squadron, and standard promotions would earn us too much attention to the public. Both Colonel Davis and Captain Hammond stated that you performed excellently in your flight tests, but that won't earn you any special treatment. Have a good day.
After that, Joaquín returned to the HQ.
-Hold on.-exclaimed Alan.-Who exactly are you? You don't seem like a trustworthy guy!
Ángel turned to Alan.
-I'm an Aurelian citizen.-he replied. Even his voice sounded sad.-I'm not going to talk about my past, since I don't want any more trouble.
After that, he headed for the HQ building, looking for his room.
-You could cut him some slack.-said Ignacio.-He has just arrived and you're already messing with him!
-I don't like him.-said Alan, nonchalantly.-Judging by what he said, he seems to have a stained past.
-You don't like anyone, Alan.-replied Roy, frowning.-That guy didn't seem like a bad person to me.
Meanwhile, Ángel had already arrived to his bedroom. There was some water in a jug and a glass on a desk. The room itself looked rather plain.
He poured some water in the glass and saved his family's photo in a drawer. He took a look at the necklace and placed it on the desk. When he was about to take a sip of water, he took a glance at the necklace. Younger versions of Julieta and himself stared at him, happy and oblivious to their fate.
Ángel's grasp aroud the glass tightened, and suddenly, he threw the glass to the wall. After that, he fell on top of his bed and cried.
-"Why? Why am I still alive?"-he mused, as he punched his bed.-"What kind of fate is this? Everyone I love is dead, and now I have to live here in Aurelia, instead of Leasath, which is where I was born."
After his breakdown, he stared into the blue sky. The climate in the area, despite being cold, didn't help his mood.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, August 24th 2019, 11:20 hours.
Ángel Román had been integrated to flight regime the day after his arrival to Aubrey Base. The base commander and most of the pilots stated that there was true genius in his flight. They even claimed that he was more experienced than he looked.
Ángel couldn't help but notice the smirking condor, with the Southern Cross held with its beak, on the F-4E's rudder. Rick said that it was the emblem of the Gryphus squadron, and he told him that, if the bird could laugh someone off, that guy was still a rookie, and he also stated that the emblem didn't seem to unnerve Ángel. For Ángel, the fact was that there would be something smiling in his craft, as he was not happy at all. However, Alan Bellanco didn't get on well with Ángel.
And, on August 24th, things would get worse.
Alan Bellanco noticed that Ángel Román was at the gym, practicing hand to hand combat with the punching bag. Ángel was virtually beating it out, as if he was fighting against someone that only he could see. Some minutes later, Ángel kicked the bag so hard that it tore in half.
However, Ángel felt horrible flashbacks after he saw the remains of the bag spread over the floor, and sat against the wall, panting in despair.
-Hey, Román.-said Alan, mocking at Ángel.-It seems like you're just a crazy guy. You've punched the bag to pieces, but after that you crawl away from it as if you had made something terrible.
-Please,-begged Ángel, panting because of the workout and the grief.-leave me alone.
-I can't believe someone like you could have been allowed to come to this base.-continued Alan, smirking.-You're just a coward.
Ángel snapped.
-What?-he asked, frowning.
-You're a coward.-Alan repeated.-In case you blockhead don't know what it means, it means that you run away at the slightest hint of danger, leaving everyone else behind.
Everything happened in a split second. Before Alan could react, Ángel got to his feet, pulled his arm back and punched Alan on the nose, throwing him to the ground.
-Don't you dare to call me a coward ever again!-shouted Ángel, snarling.
Alan was flabbergasted by Ángel's outburst. His shock soon gave way to rage.
-So, you finally got the bollocks, huh?-said Alan, grabbing Ángel by the collar.-OK, tough guy, you'll be flying against me this afternoon at 16:00 hours. If you don't honor the challenge, I'll break your legs.
After that, Alan went out of the gym. His nose was bleeding a bit, but he didn't care at all.
At 16:00 hours, both pilots were on the F-4Es' seats and prepared for a simulated dogfigh over the ocean. It was a simple exercise: one lock, one kill. They had 5 minutes to achieve victory. They used their respective callsigns.
-Gryphus 5, Gryphus 4, you are clear to begin the exercise.-said Joaquín from the control tower.
After that, they engaged in a dogfight. Ángel was trying to keep it together, for it had been a long time since he had done such a thing, and it brought him bad memories. However, a comment from Alan gave him the motivation he needed.
-So I guess it's true after all.-he said.-You're just a lowly coward.
Ángel snapped again and went all-out, just as he did when he was known as Nemesis. He kicked in the Phantom II's burners and headed for the clouds, with Alan in tow.
-Don't you think you'll defeat me with such a silly maneuver.-Alan said, confident that he would defeat Ángel.
However, when he crossed a cloud, Ángel's F-4E was nowhere to be seen.
-What the...?-Alan said, just before his lock on alarm blared in his cockpit.
-Splashed!-said Ángel. He was panting, but this time, with relief.
-"Wow, I've never felt like this since the Civil War. For the first time since I lost my family, Julieta and Lucía, I've felt alive!"-he thought.
After they landed, he was approached by Alan.
-You've earned my trust and respect as a pilot,-he said.-but I still don't like you as a person.
After that, they took their respective paths.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, October 1st 2019, 11:00 hours
(One year before Day Zero)
Ángel was having a better time now. Despite Alan not being quite fond of him, everything else was going well. Rick, Roy and especially Ignacio were better to him, and they also recommended him some decent shops to get some stuff for his room. He bought posters of fighters and a poster of Queen to put on his walls, and a dartboard.
However, on September 24th, a newspaper article made his heart sink:
Leasath Republic negotiations failed. Navarro demands unconditional surrender.
Ángel had tried to follow the progress of the Civil War in case he needed to report the existence of the XB-337, since, due to his lack of evidence, he couldn't just claim that Navarro had created a superplane that could destroy anything within seconds. People might see him as a paranoid pilot, and he didn't want to be put in the spotlight. However, the Gleipnir hadn't been used again, not even against the Air Force. That night, he nailed the page whit the news about Leasath to the dartboard with a dart, and tossed the rest of them to Navarro, hitting his eyes, mouth and putrid heart with chilling accuracy.
A week later, Leasath surrendered to Diego Gaspar Navarro. After four months of suffering and three months of failed negotiations, Leasath had lost, and evil had won.
However, Navarro seemingly resigned some weeks later, passing the government's control to an apparently neutral "president". Ángel knew for a fact that it was a mere ruse, that would help Diego Navarro earn the sympathy of those who he hated. The Aurelian government fell for it and sent humanitarian aid, but, despite the unceasing aid, the citizens were still in conditions of extreme poverty.
As far as Ángel was concerned, it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that it was Diego Gaspar Navarro's fault.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, November 23rd 2019, 13:00 hours
(312 days before Day Zero)
For Ángel, November 23rd had never been a sad date, but, since Julieta's death, it became a very sad one, since she would be 25 by then, and thanks to the Gleipnir and his selfish attitude she had died and left him behind.
Ignacio Wellington met him during chow time.
-Hello, Ángel.-he said, in a cheery demeanor.-Shall we have a dogfight?
-I'm a bit sad, Ignacio.-Ángel answered.
-I don't know why you're sad.-said Ignacio.-But I do know that, when you're up there, you're a very different person. You almost seem happy.
-You've got a point there.-Ángel said.-So, 17:00 hours?
-It's perfect for me.-replied Ignacio.-By the way, in case no one told you, as you defeated Alan Bellanco, you're now known as Gryphus 4.
-Why?-asked Ángel.
-We have our own little system here.-said Ignacio, who was a year younger than Ángel.-After a dogfight, the winner gets the callsign of the defeated person, or keeps it in case the victor has the preceeding callsign. In other words, if I defeat you, I'd keep my callsign as Gryphus 3, but, if I lose to you, you'll be known as Gryphus 3.
-I see.-said Ángel.
At 17:00, Ignacio and Ángel had started the dogfight. Ignacio was very skilled, and put Ángel against the ropes in more than one occasion, but, after 3 minutes 51 seconds, Ángel achieved victory, thus becoming Gryphus 3.
At night, Ángel went to the beach. He had managed to scan a photo of Julieta, and he had made a small paper boat.
He left the boat on the water, put on his MP4's headphones and listened to "Who Wants to Live Forever", which, to him, was one of the most touching songs of Queen, as the boat headed to the open seas.
-"This song really fits this moment."-Ángel mused, as the paper boat headed away. He left the tears fall over his cheeks.-"Just as McLeod in Highlander, I lost the love of my life, but, unlike him, I could have done something to prevent her from dying. I don't deserve to be loved again."
When the boat was out of sight, he returned to his bedroom.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, December 25th 2019, 09:00 hours
(280 days before Day Zero)
Ángel Román couldn't enjoy the Christmas season as much as his wingmen. Most of them had gone to visit their families, but he had no one to visit.
Except Crístofer, his second cousin. On December 23rd, Joaquín told Ángel that Crístofer Hammond was taking a leave to visit his family in Griswall, and Ángel decided that it was time to pay him a visit. Ángel called his cousin to tell him that he would be paying him a visit for Christmas, and that he needed him to catch him at the airport.
After taking a two hours flight from Cape Aubrey to Griswall and 15 minutes of driving, Ángel arrived to Crístofer's house.
A blonde woman, a brown-haired girl and a younger blonde boy were waiting for him. It was certain that Crístofer's daughter had inherited his hair.
-Ángel, these are my wife Clara, my daughter Isabel, and my son Oscar.-said Crístofer.-Family, this is my second cousin, Ángel Román.
Ángel was greeted with joy and warmth. The whole city was covered with the colors of Christmas.
-I've got something for you.-said Crístofer after they all had lunch.-It's not that much, but I hope you like it. I bought in in a souvenir shop that sells Leasathian products.
Crístofer gave him a small gift. It turned out to be a small figure of his former MiG-29C, with the same livery he used to sport when he was an aggressor pilot. Despite the memories it brought, Ángel was very happy to see that plane.
-Thanks, Crístofer.-said Ángel, smiling as he saw his plane.-I'm sorry I didn't get something for you in return.
-Forget it, Ángel.-replied Crístofer, returning the smile.-This was not a favor I want you to return. Merry Christmas, by the way.
-Merry Christmas to you and your family, too.-said Ángel.
He spent the Christmas and New Year festivities with the Hammonds, and then, he returned to Cape Aubrey. However, in New Year's Eve, he seemed a bit sad, as it would have been Ángel and Julieta's tenth anniversary in their relationship.
When he got to Aubrey Base, he left the MiG-29C figure on his desk, facing the distant sky. It was a painful but beautiful reminder of why he was still alive.
Aubrey Base, Aurelia, February 1st 2020, 12:00 hours
(243 days before Day Zero)
Ángel Román kept flying the F-4E Phantom II for long. He complained about the lack of maneuverability of the F-4E, stating that "piloting that plane was not too different from dragging a brick over mud". Hawkins replied that some F-16Cs were scheduled to be delivered on November, but not anytime sooner than that, since most of the Air Force and Navy were trying to purchase higher-end planes, but, due to the crisis, they could only buy them in small amounts.
Roy González approached them, as he had heard Ángel's remark about the F-4E.
-Ángel,-he said.-it's not the plane what makes the pilot.
-I know that.-Ángel replied.-But the F-4E was outdated 5 years ago. Only third line pilots have to use them.
-In case you don't know, we're such pilots.-said Roy.-Besides, these planes have been upgraded so that they're better than the original Phantoms. The AAF F-4Es would give the originals a pretty run for their money. You'll find out today at 16:00 hours. You against me.
That afternoon, Roy and Ángel faced off, with Roy showing that what he stated about the F-4Es of the AAF was, indeed, true. Despite not being nearly as good as the MiG-21-93 Ángel had piloted while in the RLAF, these F-4Es were more maneuverable, stable, and despite having a sturdier armor, they weren't slower than the original F-4Es.
The dogfight lasted four minutes, and Ángel was the victor, although he admitted that Roy had put up quite of a fight.
-Well, as of today, you'll be known as Gryphus 2.-said Roy, who was impressed by Ángel's skills.-I don't know if there are more like you, but may God have mercy on those who may wage war on us.
-War is delightful to those who have not yet experienced it.-said Ángel.-I just wish I don't have to see civilians being slain just for mere cruelty.
-You mean, like during the Leasathian Civil War, right?-Roy asked.-But, what do you know about it?
-Too much for my comfort, and everyone is better off not knowing what I know.-replied Ángel, as he returned to HQ to spend the rest of the day.
Thirteenth flashback. Sorry for it being so short and so little detailed, but I wanted to get this off my chest as soon as possible so that I could get more relevant stuff for the next flashbacks. On the next flashback, there will be a much more detailed dogfight between Rick and Ángel. I've updated the prologue, too, so you may want to take a look at it. The Day Zero part, of course, refers to the day the Aurelian-Leasathian War begins. Good luck and take care. See you next time
