Ch. 34: Beginning of the End: Aces
A/N: Two Steps From Hell – Jump required when battle starts. That is all.
Sudentor, North Osea, 2221, December 30,2010
They refueled about 20 minutes ago and where now closing in on Sudentor, moving northeast, with no idea was about to happen or if they were going to have help. Blaze made a bet that the control system was in the tunnel and they had to blow it up. Grimm took him up. They knew that Barracuda and Sparrow were en route but it would take some time before they came. The flight was silent. No witty banter, no chatter, nothing. Something came up on Blaze's radar.
"Those are Yuke fighters." Grimm reported.
Blaze readied his weapons. No chances.
"Hold fire!" A Yuke voice said. "This is the Yuktobanian 703rd Squadron. We heard the President's speech. We will fight with you."
Four SU-27's circled around the Razgriz and fell into formation on the left and right sides. Someone started whistling The Journey Home and another voice started la-la-ing along.
"Welcome 703rd Squadron."
"Glad to be aboard."
The kept going, the outskirts of the city starting to come into view below them.
"Let us sing that song too. We're going with you."
"Report in."
"This is 23 Fighter Group. Are you…"
"The Razgriz? Yes."
"Awesome."
"So are we."
Two Typhoons rolled in on the left and stayed above the formation while two F-16 Block60's filled in the middle behind Blaze. 12 planes now were flying over the city. Not to mention that 8 more planes were rolling in behind them. Whenever they decided to get into the fray.
"This is Osean First Fighter Wing. We just knocked out the Brigade Commander. We'd like to help."
Six helicopters were flying under them heading for the city. By now, the song was getting stronger and stronger with each new addition.
"This is Yuktobanian 172 Fighter-Bomber Squadron. We love that song too. We brought an AWCS with us."
Before anyone could give their thanks, as if on cue, a thick voice spoke out.
"La-la-la-la! Listen to our beautiful voice! This is AWACS Oka Nieba. That would mean 'Sky Eye' in your language."
Blaze looked up to see anE- 767 accompanied by an SU-32 Strike Flanker, a F-15E Strike Eagle and two JAS Gripens. Blaze chuckled at the sight. If he ever had to do a bombing run, he had to remember that combination. Ultimate destruction!
"We got a message from your boss. I'll patch it in."
Pops took his cue.
"The SOLG just docked with the last cargo shipment from the mass driver. It may be fully operational soon. The Andromeda has tracked down its transmission link. It's still coming from Schenze. I'll be briefing you, so pay attention."
The city was getting closer and closer. Bartlett better talk fast.
We will attack the SOLG control system, located in the giant tunnel under the Waldreich Mountains. The tunnel entrance is located at the foot of the mountains, and the entire area is located by mountains and waterways. First an armored force-
Blaze fired on the first tank he came across.
"Hey Pops. You talk slow. Does everyone have their assignments?"
"Yes."
"That's all I need to know. RAZGRIZ BREAK!"
Blaze kept going and destroyed another tank before looping around and repeating the process. It started raining and it was torrential. Enemy fighters seemed to have just come from out of nowhere. Blaze located the tunnel complex and was met with SAM and anti-air gun towers. This place was expecting a war.
"Gründer Industries has detected your approach and they're asking for help from the warmongers still left in both Osea and Yuktobania."
"Let's not disappoint them."
"Said they'd give up the third V1 tactical nuke in exchange. They're hiding the more powerful V2 from them. Now listen, they're gonna be sending fighter jets."
Hamilton.
Blaze had begun a bombing run alongside one of the friendly JAS fighters. After going separate ways, every plane looked the same. Thank God of IFF. He hunted down an F-22 but had to break off as a missile was fired at him.
"This is sky that will determine our fate." Swordsman muttered.
"We have to win this battle and bring back peace!" Edge strongly added, passion in her voice.
Sudentor was now in full fledge war mode. Enemy Yuke and Osean troops were not only attacking each other but also those in the 'Chorus' as Oka Nieba called the Razgriz and their Osean-Yuke allies.
"Don't worry about the Yuke fighters. Just get the Wardog ghosts!"
Hamilton.
"Whoa, Hamilton's here." Grimm was amazed. Where'd he come from?
"Bring it on Hamilton! We will settle this tonight!"
"I always get my mark."
"YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!"
40 planes came out of the north, from Belka, led by a green and white MiG 1.44.
Hamilton.
Where the frig was Sparrow and Barracuda?
Blaze found himself circling way above the city, picking off enemy fighters that were daring to dive onto the allies who were busy with the ground fight in the freak rain storm.
"Just take out that lead plane and all this will be over." A voice with Hamilton chided with confidence.
"They'll learn soon enough. Our ace can't be shot down." Grimm smiled with pride.
Eight planes from the 40 with Hamilton exploded.
"Hey Razgriz! I guess we made the party!"
"Bout time Havoc!"
"Barracuda 1 here. Let's plow the road!"
The battle in the air raged harder than expected. Ground forces stopped to look up in attempt to pick out the fighters and fighter-bombers that were mixed up in the fray but all they could see was exhaust flames and contrails if they were lucky to see that. Blaze led the way, pulling and dodging enemy fire as if he knew exactly where the enemy was going to fire before circling and downing whatever plane that came across his crosshairs. Sparrow and Barracuda squadrons were holding their own. Their fresh bodies and planes made the battle easier until one of each had to bug out from their planes, an F/A-18 Hornet and a SU-33, took considerable damage. Many of the enemy were either bugging out, bailed or died in the fury that was led by Blaze. Nothing could have prepped them for that.
"Where are you Hamilton?" Blaze gritted through his teeth.
"Still looking for me, boy?"
Nothing.
"If you're so desperate to die then fine. I'm on the east side of the city taking on all comers."
Blaze knew what was going to happen: a game of chicken. And he was not about to lose.
On the ground, soldiers on both sides were finally being reached by President Harling and Prime Minister Nikanor. Reporters were trying to tell the story to the world about what was going on but kept on getting cut off by explosions, power losses and soldiers telling them to move some place save. Enough innocent blood had been spilt. No more by overly courageous reporters were needed.
Blaze knew it was time and started to head toward the east side of the city from 10,000 feet in a low degree dive to be at 7,000 when he reached the other side. Hamilton did the same but from about 8,000 feet. Both kicked in their afterburners and were now reaching the 1,000 mph mark, ready to crash when Hamilton rolled out the way and started a steep climb to reach the other side the clouds. Blaze glanced back, smirked and completed a u-turn and followed Hamilton, who rolled over and dived back into the storm. Blaze kept tail.
"Damn, looks like we really did open the gates of Hell. How could we have come to this? It's them… they were the ones that dragged us all into this-the Wardog ghosts, the Ghost of Razgriz!"
"Yeah, let's get em!"
Blaze was unfazed. The truth was already out and Hamilton will die tonight.
Banking right out of his dive, Hamilton applied the brakes and switched directions causing Blaze to overshoot. He started a right banked turn and go into a climb to only anger Hamilton.
"You gotta try harder than that to make me mess up."
Hamilton gritted his teeth and followed not realizing that he lost his target.
"Damn it, where did you go?"
That was when the targeting alarms went off. Crap.
The hunter was now the hunted and their aerial battle was getting hot. The other jets were no longer trying to shoot down each other but were now flying in circles over the city and forming a flying battle arena keeping the two combatants inside as much as possible. Even those on the ground stopped fighting or reporting to try to witness the heated madness above them. The best part was, not one shot was fired. It was just a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
No matter what he tried, Hamilton couldn't shake the younger pilot. He banked left, Blaze blanked left, same with going right. Even though Hamilton had a superior jet that had thrust vectoring nozzles and canards, he still couldn't shake the Typhoon. Even the Top Gun move didn't work all that well. Blaze managed to find him before he could go in for the kill shot. But he still had one trick left. Hamilton pulled into a slow climb and killed the throttle.
Gotcha boy.
Hamilton
Nothing, nothing was working. Every juke, all the jinks simply failed. Why? Even better yet, how? How was this greenhorn, this Ustian/Belkan/Osean monkey able to keep pace? This can't be real. It just can't be. I thought I had the battle in bag. I came in with reinforcements and within minutes, he managed to take down at least a quarter of them, effortlessly. Now he's tailing me in this infernal fur ball. I am a better pilot! I am fighting for my county! My honor! My mark! My mark… my… mark.
The boy. He is my mark. I feel a smirk forming. I have one last trick. The cobra!
Gotcha boy!
Blaze
After finding out who the chicken was, I gave chase. I stopped focusing on the madness of the battle going on around me and started out after Hamilton and his MiG. I didn't even pay attention to the radar and the IFF to mark him on my HUD, I was busy watching his exhaust pipes. They were different, like a car's tail lights, they might be unidentifiable to the untrained eye but to mine, it was as if his flames were green and I never lost sight of his plane. He climbed, I climbed. He dived, I went in after him. I knew I had the lower hand in a turning fight, so I kept the throttle low and kept the brakes thru the turn. Flying 101 – basics.
I haven't seen another jet in a while and all chatter seemed to be silenced.
Hamilton tried everything he could think of. Even though he did outturn a couple times, he was still being chased. I never gave him the opportunity to get behind me. This battle was going to my coldest. I never wanted to wish death on anyone but Hamilton has lived too long for his own good. And here comes his last mistake: Cobra.
Bout time!
General
Bout time!
Blaze hung back, pointed his nose up and to the right, and fired a short volley while doing so. 10 rounds struck Hamilton's plane. Six found themselves in the right side engine causing it to spit out smoke, two hit a fuel tank, one barely missed the cockpit area and the last imbedded itself in Hamilton's right hip. Needless to say, his plane was done, he was injured and needed to bug out. Blaze wouldn't allow that. People like Hamilton don't live to see the sunrise. They had to be taken out and quick. That's when the missile warning went off and Blaze broke off pursuit. The fur ball fight was back on and Blaze was hell bent on ending this quickly.
"Wait, was that Blaze?" Edge asked in wonder. Yeah, she saw the fight, but they moved so fluidly, so fast, it was amazing. Borderline freakish, but amazing.
"Amazing! It's just… I can't even begin to describe it. Just unbelievable!" Archer exclaimed.
"He's the one, no doubt. The Ace of Aces!" Swordsman smiled.
Blaze came out of his bloodlust by the words of his friends.
"Huh? Wait, what?"
"Who else, Captain Lawson? You were amazing!"
"Yeah Blaze. I've never seen flying like that. I doubt anyone else could come close, ever." Swordsman replied honestly. You simply had to see it.
"Just wow babe." That made him blush but they still had a fight to finish.
"Thanks guys, but we're not done yet. We still got ground and air forces to clean up. Remember, all weapons free. Break and engage."
For the next five minutes it was child's play. Many of the combined enemy Osean and Yuktobanian ground units surrendered and those that were left fighting were dealt with. In the air, Blaze was racking up kill after kill. If he wasn't hunting, he was assisting and getting paired kills. It was in this time frame that the tunnel was opened and enemies were far and few.
"This is Oka Nieba to Razgriz. We have confirmed the opening of the tunnel. You only have time for one shot to take out a control mainframe. So, another plane is coming in from the opposite direction to take out the control mainframe on the other side. Are you ready?"
"How long should it take?"
"At full burn: two minutes."
Blaze glanced over his wings to find that his squad formed up on him, ready to take this on. Blaze set himself on a straight path with the front of the tunnel from the other side of the city.
"Oka Nieba, we're ready to commence attack run. Sparrow, Barracuda, and fighters in the chorus, I leave the area in your hands."
Blaze got the proper affirmatives.
"Razgriz, let's go."
And cliffhanger. If you're still reading this, you're missing the next chapter. lol. ;)