Wings of Love
Kingdom of Kaluga, February 14th, 2020.
"Listen up!" the wing commander shouted. "Radar control has detected several Romni bomber and fighter squadrons approaching Kyoshi Airbase. All personnel are to report to their hangers to launch interceptors immediately!"
Happy Valentine's Day, Captain Suki Qiumi, callsign Katana, thought bitterly as she ran towards her F-15F Advanced Eagle. Granted she was single, but the idea of the Romni ruining Valentine's Day for people who were in a committed relationship gnawed at her all the same.
And it did not help that Kyoshi Airbase was more or less the last line of air defense for Kaluga. The Romni invasion began on New Year's Eve of last year, just when the majority of the Kalugan Armed Forces were on holiday leave. Suki elected to stay at Kyoshi, as she was a single child and her parents were killed in a car accident on the way to visit her when she received her wings.
After Suki and her weapons system officer, Lieutenant Ty Lee Yokina callsign Cherry, strapped themselves into their fighter and began to taxi onto the runway for takeoff. Suki looked around at the other fighters, most of which where flow by mercenaries hired by Kaluga. After the surprise attack on Kaluga, many military personnel including flight crews were listed as missing in action. The only way Kaluga could liberate itself is by using whatever aid possible, even if they were mercenaries. The Union of Yuktobanian Republics was also lending aid to Kaluga in supplying aircraft and munitions, along with forces of their own
Suki was unsure of the mercenaries. They had a reputation to attack any target on the battlefield, whether or not if was a threat. She hoped as their squadron leader she can keep them on a short leash.
But she had the feeling she will fail at that.
"Shadow Two as cleared the runway" the Airborne Warning and Control System, or AWACS, aircraft said over the radio. "That's the position you're taking Dao and Dagger. Form up on Shadow one."
"Roger that Farseer" Dao acknowledged for the AWACS as he climbed up to meet Suki.
Suki recognized the callsign. It belonged to Zuko Kasai, a mercenary from South Sotoa. Records state he fought in the Emmeria-Estovakia War for the Republic of Emmeria, where he was shot down and earned a burn along the left side of his face. He later fought for the Federation of Osea during the Lighthouse War, earning an impressive kill record against the numerous unmanned aerial vehicles used throughout the war, alongside the manned aircraft from the Kingdom of Erusea.
Despite that kind of resume, Suki could not bring herself to trust him while he followed her into the sky in the Kalugan F-15F provided to him.
And to make matters worse, Lieutenant Mai Kurai callsign Dagger, who was also Suki's best friend and Ty Lee's girlfriend, was the weapon system officer for Zuko. Suki hoped that she can keep him reined in by controlling the majority of the weapons, but that does not help the fact that Zuko was still in control of the aircraft itself.
Rumor has it he once used an aircraft as a battering ram in the Emmeria-Estovakia War, though for what purpose was not made clear to Suki. Rumors range from him doing it on accident to being in a fit of rage. The one rumor that concerned Suki the most was that the weapon system officer in the backseat refused to fire and Zuko in turn rammed an enemy aircraft.
Hopefully it was just a false rumor all together just to add to Zuko's reputation as a mercenary.
Suki set that thought aside as she spotted the enemy fighters.
"Escorts spotted" she said over the radio after spotting Mig-29s. "Commencing attack."
Ty Lee armed their medium range missiles and locked onto three targets. "Fox three, fox three!" she shouted before firing. Two of the fighters went down in balls of fire, but a third one managed to dodge the missile. Zuko went after the fighter, choosing to engage it with his guns.
"Firing guns!" he shouted, striking the aircraft in the engines. The aircraft did not burst into flames but broke off and attempted to exit the combat zone.
To Suki's surprise, Zuko broke away and formed up alongside her to engage other targets.
"You didn't shoot him down" Suki said wearingly.
"He's not a threat anymore" he simply replied.
Suki did not comment on it for she had other things to worry about.
A formation of four enemy bombers came into visual range, along with several escorts. A fifth bomber was losing altitude. After a moment it changed course and attempted to leave the combat zone.
"Why would he leave after getting this far?" Zuko asked.
"Don't know" a mercenary replied in a F-16C Fighting Falcon. "But he's mine!" He sped off to intercept the bomber.
"Think again buddy" Zuko growled and chased after the mercenary. "If you shot down that enemy bomber, you're next."
"You can't be serious!" the mercenary cried out.
Zuko answered with a burst of gunfire past the mercenary's aircraft. The mercenary yelped and broke away to engage an actual threat.
Suki was surprised at that. She never expect a mercenary to be compassionate to their enemy, even if that meant firing at his supposed allies.
Perhaps Zuko could be more reliable that she thought.
After shooting down eleven bombers and fifteen escorts, not counting the one bomber and five fighters leaving due to battle damage, the Kalugan fighters landed back at base. Suki and Ty Lee accounted for six aircraft shot down, making them aces in a day.
"You two did good" Zuko said to Suki and Ty Lee, though he and Mai shot down two more targets than they did. "And you did well too" he said to Mai.
Mai rolled her eyes at him. "Did you expect any less?"
"No, it's just some wizzos can be unreliable."
"Well Mai isn't unreliable" Ty Lee said defensively, deepening her voice to mock Zuko.
"It's just prior experience" Suki said trying to keep her people in line.
"Whatever" Mai said before she and Ty Lee left the hanger, the latter clinging to the former.
Zuko raised his eyebrow in confusion and looked at Suki.
"They're dating" she said, wondering how he will take that.
"Oh" he said gloomy. "I was kinda hoping to take Mai out for a drink."
Suki rolled her eyes at that, though she felt a twinge of jealousy at that. Zuko was rather handsome, she admitted to herself, and he conducted himself with honor today.
"I could go for a drink" she said before realizing it.
"Really?" Zuko said. He had to admit, Suki was very attractive, even in her flight suit.
Suki shook her head. "Never mind" she said bashfully before walking away. Zuko reached out for her.
"I'd be honored to take you out for a drink" he said with a smile.
Suki looked at him in skepticism. She should not do it because it could affect how they fly together.
But if Mai and Ty Lee can do, why not her?
"Sure" she finally said with a smile, thinking to hell with common sense because they were at war.
Zuko smiled at her, happy to have a moment with someone in a very long time.