Disclaimer: I do not own Ace combat
The Octagon
Oured
September 14th 2019
08:13 am
David north sat down at his desk as news reports flashed across the screen saying Osean joint chiefs and president and vice-president moved to safety.'"Here's a question Alex can we stop Captain Matias Torres?" David's voice sounded tense as he knew that today might be his last. Some of his other colleagues had talked to their loved ones.
"Depends on if you treat the Captain or Three Strikes as a singularity." Alex despite being an AI had known David long enough to detect that he was worried.
He responded to her comment with a question of his own."Both are. What happens when two singularities exist on the same field?"
"That requires seven months calculation with current resources." the simulation ended with the white eagle and black submarine facing each other over the white king which David suspected was Oured.
"We'll just have to trust the guys in the field." David sighed knowing it was out of their hands now.
He stared at the blueprints of the Alicorn class submarine cruiser "David evacuate!" Alex chimed wanting David out of harm's way.
"No I still have to finish up here." a picture of an f-15 with three claw marks was in the middle of the screen "Three Strikes we need you now more than ever."
New arrows air base briefing no.1
10:30am
The pilots had gathered in the briefing room each already dressed in their flight gear, all eager to get airborne and end this hunt once and for all, David was already on the line "The Erusean military finally sent part of the Alicorn's specs. Its basic capabilities listed here were as we predicted."
Trigger had a feeling that they were about get told something not good.
"What's interesting is but also bad news...over here."
David's words didn't sound good "In addition to main guns, they have a 600mm or 128 calibre rail cannon. The barrel exceeds 70 meters! Its range is over 3000 kilometres. That matches what we calculated from the bombardment on Anchorhead bay."
The group looked at each other concerned at that information.
"The mini-nuke they seem to have obtained has a yield of 1 kiloton. it'll destroy anything within a 400 meter radius of ground zero. Casualties are to be in the tens of thousands." they watched the 3d Alicorn fire a shell and watched the shell hit with red indicating nuclear fallout and the number of causalities but Trigger having seen from the briefing that the mini-nuke would kill 87,920 people which was well short of Torres's insane target.
"According to my calculations they'd need to fire 11 shells to reach their target goal." Trigger suspected that some external factor would be coming into play.
David knew Trigger had gone into his stepping back and seeing the bigger picture moment "According to our intel that our special ops team got we know they only have two nuclear shells."
Trigger couldn't help but think after he remembered a documentary about a mid-air collision that had occurred between an osea west passenger jet and an osean marine corps phantom in 1981. "David if I was a betting man I'd bet 20 zollars that are there anti-war demonstrations going on at the moment?"
David was about to answer Trigger's question when Skald interrupted "I know some things are better left unsaid, but let me say it. that's less damage than I expected.
David held his finger over the button "Nice catch remember this speech?"
The voice of the captain rang out over the briefing room speakers "This boat has the means to end this hideous war, in a definitive and elegant manner. The world shall be horrified by the number of lives we will take. Only then will they let go of their weapons…Weapons that would have taken the lives of ten million."
David had run Trigger's calculation with Alex who came to the same number as Trigger did "The imagery invoked by those words and the actual predicted damage just don't match..."
"David hold on a sec why does the Alicorn need to collect nuclear shells when they likely have enough nuclear fuel and shells to make some?"
The others looked at him as David sighed "They had to because the Alicorn doesn't have the facility onboard that makes nuclear shells."
"So here's a question!" Count asked having spent some time practising his quiz show voice.
"Sorry got no quizzes for you today. They will launch the nuke on September 19th." Count was not surprised that David wasn't going to be bring his game show host to this briefing.
"Why are you sure?" Huxian having been quietly listening to the briefing asked him.
"Because that's the anniversary of the end of the continental war. Anti-war demonstrations and victory parades are in full swing in Oured."
Trigger pressed his face into his hand as Laura and Avril placed a hand on his shoulder. "Shit I hate being right."
"You'll stop him Scott we know you will after all your Three Strikes and you are a bad omen to them." Avril told him trying to reassure him "And you'll be giving them a nasty surprise too."
Wiseman looked at Avril wondering what she did when David resumed his talk "There's about a million participants in total. That number will rise on the anniversary. However this nuke isn't that powerful. They'd have to thread through the eye of the needle to achieve the desired result."
"Terminal guidance would be needed." Skald suspected that Torres would fire from long range so would need uavs to act as his eyes.
"Right. How do they intend to achieve it when GPS won't work…?" David was about to continue when Avril decided to drop her two cents into this conversation knowing Trigger's original plan for the Alicorn.
"You're all thinking too much. If we sink the submarine it's problem solved." Avril commented knowing the obvious and simplest solution.
"Crude but effective." David knew that sometimes simpler was better.
"Crude?" Avril looked at Huxian who had the same idea.
"Alright look at this. The Alicorn's expected course. We know it was off Anchorhead bay and has to get to Oured within range before September 19th. They must avoid being detected by Osea and its sound surveillance system and ships. Also avoid the Erusean navy too since the king of Erusea ordered the Alicorn to be hunted down and sunk.
Trigger had expected that cause the Alicorn had basically attacked both sides so they'd both want to sink the Alicorn. "Taking into account its maximum operating depth this is the only possible route. The Alicorn will move along the azalea seamount chain and reach a blandy named body of water called px80443. The waters here are shallow due to an undersea mountain range and nearby islands. This is where it'll be. We also know roughly when they'll arrive in the area."
"Quite the prediction you have here." Jaeger noted as the map changed to the ao.
"Indeed. But if it makes it through, then you're looking at peony trench. The sub's max operating depth is 600 meters. Tracking it would be impossible."
"Right. Now I'm gonna give you the mission details, so listen up. Our mission is to cooperate with the patrol aircraft to find the Alicorn. In the first phase of the mission, multiple patrol aircraft will drop sonobuoys to build a sonobuoy barrier. Then, in the 2nd phase, we narrow down the possible location of the Alicorn by analysing the data from the sonobuoys. The results of our analysis will be data linked on an overlay on your radars."
Wiseman was about to continue when a new caller added himself "Good morning Three Strikes." the group looked to see Matias on the screen.
Everyone in the room stopped in their tracks as Matias Torres was on the Osean frequency and was calling them "I got the frequency form the former brigadier general a useful pawn nothing more."
Trigger got up from his chair "What do you want Captain come to surrender and save us the trouble and fuel to hunt you down?"
"Oh no Captain Scott Hansen I won't surrender to a traitor to his own country like you, the death of a million is worthwhile cost." each of the LRSSG looked at Trigger "I heard you killed Harling well I'd expect that from a criminal like you."
Trigger clenched his fist the rage growing "I read your file that I also got from Clements happy birthday shame it will be your last." the sound of Torres's laughter filled the room disturbing everyone. "I wonder what your father would say if he knew you were a traitor to the very country he served and died for."
Laura looked her brother who was reaching for their dad's revolver "You fucking bastard I will end you and your cult today even if I have to wreck my plane to do it!"
Avril, Laura and Wiseman knew what Torres was doing and were disgusted. "I wonder to myself what he'd think if he could see you having to grow without him and you become nothing but a criminal I bet he would not be proud of you at all.
Avril grabbed Trigger's arms moving his hand away from the revolver and Trigger relaxed into her touch but glanced at Torres giving him a death glare since he had gone too far.
"Heed my words Captain this plan of yours will be stopped and I intend to walk all over it with my dirty boots! Over the crisp, white sheets of your bed that you just made!"Trigger could hear a growl from the captain who hung up. But David told that they were unable to trace the call.
Wiseman could easily see the anger and rage that was coming from Trigger and he could understand Trigger's anger at what Torres wanted to do but Avril had set up a nasty surprise for the Alicorn's crew.
"And for the final phase…Trigger if you can calm your head for a moment, you're going to look for the submarine. Something I believe you did."
"Yeah I do remember an exercise like what I'm being tasked with." Trigger thought back to that experiment.
"We acquired one special magnetic anomaly detector pod for this. It will be on your jet even with the weapons you're taking. Fly over where we expect the Alicorn might be. If the submarine is right beneath you, your mad will detect it. You'll also have nautical charts on your radars so use them. Once its found, our fleet will commence a unified attack with ASROCs and sink it."
Trigger walked up to the podium "Okay the order is simple stop the Alicorn, kill Matias Torres and shoot down every last Erusean son of a bitch that gets in our way."
"And if we miss?" Skald inquired curiously wondering what the plan was if the ASROCs didn't hit.
David jumped back into the call "Four ships will be joining the operation. There won't be a 2nd salvo."
Jaeger turned to Wiseman "So who's flying Wiseman?"
Wiseman looked at them "Everyone except myself, Fencer and Tailor Now get your fat asses moving."
The pilots began to get up but Count and Avril looked at each other as another voice came over the base speakers "Attention, Attention this is operations alert scramble, scramble, scramble."
Trigger and the other pilots raced over to the hangar climbing into their planes as the ground crews pulled the covers off the planes.
Trigger climbed into his jet but Avril climbed up the steps stopping at the edge "I wish I was going with you." Trigger quickly checked the flight controls. "Everything work okay?"
"Yeah it looks great." he responded to her as the wheel chocks were pulled away.
"Trigger come back alive will ya." Avril asked him sounding very worried about this op.
"Oh I will Scrap Queen." he buckled into his seat.
She knew he wasn't going to change his mind "Good luck Trigger and take care."
Avril put her ear defenders on as Trigger fired up the engines.
The low rumble of F100 engines echoed throughout the bases as the jets taxied across the field.
Trigger rolled the eagle out of his hangar with the viper zero of his sister ahead of him. The jet's turbofans powered up pushing the jet down the runway. Avril watched the Super Viper Zero depart as the Eagle lined up.
The eagle roared as the two turbofans pushed it down the runway until it lifted off. Avril watched the jet disappear "Well There they go. I know as long as Three Strikes is in the air they've not won and I know he'll succeed."
Spring sea
17:05pm
The Alicorn was parked on the surface as Matias Torres stepped onto the deck wanting to stretch his legs before the battle to come but noticed a sacs pilot was also out on deck.
Torres knew the coming battle would decide the fate of millions but in the back of his mind he knew he was asking his crew to betray their country but he remembered that this war had to end and he was going to be the one to do it "Lieutenant enjoying the last sunset we'll likely see?"
Louis turned around seeing Matias "Yeah sir beautiful isn't it." the setting sun's rays reflected off the submarines hull.
Matias had seen all the crew's wills except Louis's "Captain Louis Barbieri I heard you are yet to write a will and congratulations on your promotion."
Louis sat down on the edge with Torres doing the same "Thank you Sir but I don't feel like celebrating."
Torres looked at the calm ocean "Why?"
Louis sighed to himself "I lost all my family in the war sir, my mom and dad died when the Oseans bombed the Artigillo port from what a colleague told me the plane that did it had three lines on its tail then my childhood girlfriend was killed when Three Strikes shot her down during our first encounter with him she was flying one of the growler planes. All I have left is Erusea and its armed forces." Louis tried to hide rage and sadness but Torres knew better.
"You want vengeance don't you for what Three Strikes did don't you?" Torres knew what the lust for revenge was like after his battleship had been destroyed by the Grim Reaper. Matias knew Louis was planning. "Three strikes revels in killing."
Louis looked over to see two Rafales waiting on the elevator. "Three Strikes will pay for what he did to me." his words were laced with venom "You know Captain if we succeed why don't we hit Three Strikes where it really hurts by destroying his home with our big gun."
Torres couldn't help but smile. "Perfect plan Captain Barbieri!"
The two men walked back towards the side door "You shall be part of our salvation! Go get ready for take off and kill Three Strikes."
"Aye, Aye sir!" Louis raced inside as the Rafales taxied to the catapult.
"Should we clear the baffles captain?" the cdo asked captain who was still looking at as he came outside.
"They won't chase by sea the pursers will be airborne." Torres however hadn't forgotten about the navy ships likely going in to find them.
"I bet they'll get frustrated searching. It will be nearly impossible to find us in these open seas." The cdo scoffed sounding very confident but Torres knew that you should never underestimate your enemy.
Torres stepped inside "Come Hunting if you dare Three Strikes."
17:45pm
after several in flight refuels, the lrssg flight and Serpentina entered the ao but Laura raised her visor "Just look at that sunset stunning." The sunlight glisten off her aircraft.
Long caster checked his radar seeing it clear but knew it wouldn't stay that way for long "Alright Strider, Cyclops, Serpentina listen up I want you guys to know that we'll all be watching you out there, we all know what's at stake. Failure is not acceptable. So to all of you good luck and happy hunting. Oh and I'll keep score."
As the flight closed in on the rest of the osean forces. Count laughed quietly to himself "Thanks Long Caster now its time for some treasure hunting Trigger."
"Arrh me hearties let's find that mutinous dog Captain Torres and send him down to meet Davy Jones Arrh." Trigger said trying to do his best pirate impression. Some of the crew on the AWACS and Specter quietly laughed.
"Aye aye Captain Trigger." Laura replied enjoying her brother's pirate attempt.
"Oh boy I'm excited." Lanza couldn't wait to get the mission started but Huxian wasn't amused cause to her this was serious and they were joking and bantering.
"Stop screwin around!" Huxian chided not amused by Trigger's antics.
"Don't be such a hothead Huxian! We all know what will happen if we screw up." Count responded as Trigger flew ahead of them spotting the p-1 patrol planes.
"Yeah millions of lives depend on us so we need to bring our A-game." Trigger scanned the sky looking for bandits. But the cloud cover wasn't helping.
"OMDF Specter Squadron this is Strider 1 of the LRSSG do you read me? We're approaching you guys from the south we should have visual contact with you any moment now."
"Yes Sir This is patrol aircraft Specter 1. we'll deploy the sonobuoy barrier! we're all prepared to buy the farm, and that's why there's so many of us. According to calculations only one aircraft is needed to find it." Trigger didn't like that one bit. The feeling was mutual among the others.
Trigger flew past the p-1s but Trigger eased the throttle drifting into formation just ahead of them seeing that these jets were very different to the Orions that the OMDF use to fly.
Count scowled at hearing Specter 1's words "Those aren't the sort of calculations we like are they Trigger?"
"Damm right! same goes for the rest of us too!" Huxian jumped in voicing her displeasure which even Wiseman and Long Caster hated the fact that Specter was thinking they'd not make it.
Trigger noticed six glints at low level "Specter Squadron you will all be getting home alive today that I promise you."
He looked where he saw the glints which had now become the outline of jets "Tally ho we got company." Long Caster scanned his radar picking out the blips.
"Detecting hostiles they're here as predicted. Definitely fighters form the Alicorn! six Rafale m confirmed hostile, weapons free cleared to engage!"
Long caster updated their HUD as Trigger selected his AMRAAMs, each of the jets armed their weapons "What are they a suicide squad, I'll make their death wish come true."
Trigger pressed and held his missile fire button "Fox Three!" He advanced the throttles breaking formation to charge headfirst at the enemy fighters. The AMRAAMs radar guidance lead them right to the Rafales and obliterated them.
"Trigger you take the lead the patrol aircraft must be protected! all aircraft follow Trigger!" Wiseman announced as Trigger dove on the far right Rafale zero 5.
He moved to his pulse lasers firing a short burst but the sturdy Rafale absorbed the punishment. The eagle shot past the Rafale but Trigger pulled hard right while deploying his airbrakes and was on Zero 5's tail who fired a missile "Zero 5 bandit on your tail." Zero 6 tried to warn his squadron mate but could do nothing.
Trigger fired his lasers again tearing the Rafale apart.
"Five kills in what less than 30 seconds he's good." Specter 2's co-pilot who had watched Trigger dispatch five aircraft in quick succession and was already on lining up for his sixth kill of the day firing a burst when zero 6 suddenly pulled into the vertical while trailing smoke.
"Hey Huxian I let you take this one." Huxian went vertical with the Rafale weaving around trying to get into the clouds.
She locked onto the erusean jet with her missile and fired her first which struck Zero 6's tail sending the jet into a vertical nosedive. "Splash one Rafale."
Wiseman wondered just how many jets they'd have to shoot down today so turned to Mr North "David here's a question just how many naval jets can the Alicorn carry?"
"Twenty to Thirty depending on what model of carrier jet but its unconfirmed intel could be more." David felt hope swelling so decided to roll with it "Given your intel has reported only Rafale m. However with Three Strikes, you'll reduce them to a single digit."
"We'll do more than that." Trigger boasted as Specter 1 called in that the barrier was 20 percent complete.
"Debris form the downed aircraft is landing in the water." one of the submarine crew told the captain as eight SLUAV launched from the sub.
They split into two pairs of four heading for Specter 1 and 4 "Let me know when the bodies…I mean the debris stops raining." Torres looked at his monitor as the drone's video feed came in.
Long caster's voice came on the radio "We're detecting additional uavs! Intercept them!"
The Strider squadron broke formation with Count and Trigger heading for the pair while Jaeger and Huxian went for the group heading for Specter 4.
Trigger spotted the uavs crossing his path but couldn't line up a laser cannon shot so choose his ASRAAMs and fired his first which destroyed the drone "Well another drone down just one less in the world."
Count was hot on the second SLUAV which was a little slippery but a quick AMRAAM dispatched it. "Right them where are the other two?" Count looked for the other two but couldn't see them.
"Specter 3 has a bandit closing protect Specter." Lanza's call was clear as Trigger and Count turned around and accelerated towards Specter 3. Trigger got good tone from his ASRAAM and fired his second one turning the third into scrap.
Huxian was pursuing the fourth SLUAV as the passed Specter 2 when the UAV which fired a missile but Huxian destroyed the little pest with her cannon.
Jaeger had the fifth UAV on his six but barrel rolled then pulled a vertical loop and got behind the UAV which like his teammates he destroyed with a missile.
The sixth UAV fired a missile on Specter 4 but Skald's first missile caused the UAV to break off and Skald blew it out of the sky with his second.
"Do you have a moment?" David asked unaware of the battle going on between the UAVs and the LRSSG.
"What's up?" Count asked the analyst as Lanza downed the seventh UAV with a burst of 20mm cannon fire.
"Two groups of demonstrators have clashed! People are running away!" Trigger wondered how he knew that "I see lots of signs held up! There are even banners flying in the air! They're advertising drones."
Trigger thought for a minute as he found the eighth and final UAV taking care of it with his lasers "Hostile confirmed down!" the voice from Specter sounded female and happy upbeat one too.
Another voice who Trigger suspected was one of the flight crew spoke up "Told ya so! Three Strikes has got our back!"
Count realised the only way David could know what was going on down on the ground "What, you're in Oured?!"
"Well Yeah I live here! I haven't solved the terminal guidance mystery either." both Trigger and Count knew what David should be doing but Trigger thought about those advertising drones.
"I meant, why aren't you running?" Count thought David should be getting to safety and beyond the impact radius of ground zero.
David however had expected this "Hey you guys aren't running, are you?"
Huxian let out a laugh "Damm Right."
"Running?… wait running? Yes those drones aren't running away!" David's words told them that he was onto something.
"What do you mean?!" Count asked him but Trigger rolled his having had his suspicions confirmed that the advertising drones were the terminal guidance markers.
"I call you back!...Alex, I need you to check something!" no sooner had David finished when Specter 2 reported that the barrier was at 45%
Wiseman from looking at the radar knew it was quiet but wouldn't stay that way for long "Trigger, the other guys are standing their ground, but in the end its all down to you. Do us proud!"
Trigger liked hearing Wiseman's words of encouragement when another Specter radio call came in "70% of Sonobuoys dropped!"
"Just a little more!" Count sounded very hopeful but the calm reprieve was about to end as more uavs appeared on radar.
Long Caster's call was not what Trigger wanted to hear "All aircraft be advised. Our radar picked up new hostiles. ten SLUAV."
Trigger had a plan forming in his mind "Long Caster send the targeting data to the other eagles, Strider, Cyclops once you get the data let' em have it with all your AMRAAMs."
The AWACS operators worked to send the data to the eagles who immediately opened fire with nine separate explosions filling the air. "Nice shooting there is still one left!"
Trigger barrel rolled his eagle spotting the UAV making a run on Specter 1 but quickly like the others destroyed that one too.
Long Caster felt his stomach growl but his attention was immediately drawn to the eight contacts that had just shown up "Confirming eight new hostiles its the Alicorn fighters must be the rest of them."
Huxian looked for the jets and spotted one of them Zero 7 and went on the offensive. Zero 8 could see the fight below "Break zero 7."
She fired her second missile which exploded near the wing root of the right wing sending it down in a spiral till it hit the water.
"Zero 7 is down." Zero 8 lowered his visor but noticed the ships turning towards them but Skald already had missile lock on him and fired his third AMRAAM destroying Zero 8 who ejected but Skald knew bailing out was also certain death.
"Zero 8 has been shot down" Two-1 called as the osean fleet entered radar range. He spotted Trigger climbing away from him "The aircraft with three scars... We've lost many because of him!" he thought that he would have an easy kill unaware that of Trigger's plan.
Zero 9 broke off and targeted Trigger "Zero 9 has taken the bait kill him!"
The canary's vls battery opened up One-0 saw the missile trail and frantically radio "Zero 9 missile missile!" The ESSM missile made short work of him."Damm it zero 9 has been shot do-" One-0 never finished his radio call as a SAM from the destroyer rooster took him out.
"Friendly down its one-0-." One-1 barely got in his transmission as he hit the water from a hit by a SAM form the seagull.
"Shit one 2 is do-." One-2 were promptly shot out of the sky by SAM form the Grebe.
Lanza had the last Rafale Two-1 in his cross-hairs firing a second missile sending the last Rafale into the sea.
A missile warning screeched in Trigger's cockpit as six mica em missiles streaked towards him "Trigger break." Jaeger called as Trigger dumped countermeasures. A lone Rafale m approached ignoring everyone else.
"Its time to die Three Strikes, your time to die!" voice shouted gunning it for Trigger who banked hard ducking into a cloud. Trigger knew his lasers would be useless but his cannon wasn't. Trigger dropped below the clouds.
"Is it those dammed bats again?" Count asked wonder if they were back for round 3.
"No you fucking idiot!" the voice sounded more pissed.
"Well Captain Louis use that anger to take him down and avenge everyone he's killed." Torres wanted Trigger dead.
"What the hell did I do you Louis!?" Trigger had no idea what he did to this man to make him so angry.
"You killed my family you bastard they were at Artigilio when you bombed it and then you killed my girlfriend at the same place 10 days ago so how about I kill that sister of your to make it even." Louis turned his jet towards the fleet.
"You are not harming anyone motherfucker, no-one threatens my family and lives!" Trigger saw Louis's jet cross his path and firing multiple laser blasts into the fuselage.
Trigger banked hard right popping his air brakes and spotted him firing another burst of pulse laser fire. Louis's jet exploded as Trigger banked hard left to avoid the debris but 30mm bullets hit the airframe. the destroyed Rafale flew by Trigger's jet inches from his tail. Louis's jet crashed into the rocky island mountains shattering into little bits.
"Avril's not going to be happy about this." Trigger thought to himself.
"All sonobuoys dropped! Barrier completed!" Specter 1 called as Count knew that all of Specter were alive."All of us getting out alive wasn't in our calculations! we owe you!"
Count laughed lightly musing that another squadron made it out alive so far thanks to Trigger "You really can't calculate outcomes when you've got an x-factor with you."
The Specter crews worked through the data "Signal analysis complete! Data linking the Alicorn's navigable zones!" a green ring appeared on Trigger's HUD.
Long caster held his finger over the button to send the signal to the mad pod "The Alicorn's somewhere inside that ring! Activating the mad pod!"
"The submarine may be huge but it's still gonna be like looking for needle in a haystack." Trigger rolled his at Lanza's comment.
"Lanza you have an unsurpassed talent for understatement." Trigger was looking for the submarine from the sky but couldn't see anything.
Skald while continuing his scan for any threats "Do titanium hulls even leave magnetic footprints?"
"With its size, it would be impossible not to. All the deperming measures in the world won't change that!" Jeager chimed in as he scanned the sky for threats.
"Would've been so much easier if it could sing and let us know where it was." Count scoffed as Trigger knew what movie Count was referring to.
"They were in silent running. Doubt they even breathed let alone sang." Jeager replied having seen the same film.
A mad icon appeared on Trigger's HUD "Trigger do you know how to use the mad?" Trigger tried to remember but couldn't.
"Sorry Long Caster its been years since I did this so a refresh would be nice." Long caster and Wiseman had expected that given how long it was since the experiment.
"Do you see the waveform indicator above your HUD?" Trigger leaned back climbing to 5500 feet while accelerating to 490 knots. The mad went red.
"The Mad won't function at high speeds. Fly slower than 430 knots." Long caster noted Trigger's altitude "Trigger your altitude is too high descend to 600 feet."
Trigger throttled back and descended towards the sea "Fly over the search area and look for a location that induces a change in the waveform.
Trigger levelled off at 600 feet as his speed dropped to 400 knots. He could hear the beeps much better than he did years ago "This is going better than it did years ago." Trigger listened to the mad frequency getting a clear sound.
"All aircraft except Trigger you're on contingent combat air patrol." Long Caster wanted Trigger protected while he looked for the submarine.
The beeps got louder as Trigger turned to a 75 degree heading "Okay Trigger. Your mad's getting something. The waveform should have peaked."
Trigger listened for the hum of mad giving off strong signals "Trigger your mad's showing a stronger reaction. The Alicorn must be near."
Skald felt like they were going fishing right now "You set the hook now just got to reel it in!"
Trigger looked on his HUD as the Alicorn appeared "Picking up a magnetic signature." no sooner had Long Caster finished talked when suddenly the hud glitched and a sharp buzzing ran through the helmet.
"Ahh!" Trigger reached for the audio control to turn down the volume."
"Trigger you alright?" Laura asked concerned for her brother ran clear in her voice."
"Trigger! You okay speak to me dumbass!" Trigger recognised the voice right away. He didn't need ringing in his ears to know she was worried about him.
"Signature lost! I'm seeing a strong noise from the mad's signal!" Trigger had to wait till his ears stopped ringing.
"Yeah I'm fine sis, Avril and no shit Long Caster!" Trigger held his course looking for the buoys since he had a feeling this would happen cause this was the one of the tricks the Emmerian navy had done during the original experiment.
"Shit! they predicted we'd use an mad!" David said but Trigger wasn't surprised at all.
"Seems like this is our contingency." Count's response fell on deaf ears as Trigger steadied himself, his frustration growing seeing history repeat itself as it did years ago.
Trigger's response with filled with frustration "Well of fucking course they would you dumbass, the navy experiment I took part in is in my air force file and below it was a grade and evaluation on my performance with the mad!" he dropped to 500 feet looking for the telltale ripples of the buoys breaking the surface.
"Shit!" Wiseman hated that Trigger's own file was being used against them.
"Does anyone see the source of the noise on the ocean surface? It's likely similar to a buoy!" Trigger noticed multiple splashes on the surface as buoy popped up.
"I don't have a window, so I don't know about buoys, but I'm detecting strong radio sources!" Long Caster only made Trigger more annoyed.
"For fuck's sake there are six jammer buoys near my position destroy them now!" Everyone even on the navy ships could tell Trigger wasn't happy.
"Correct! That's it!" David's tone didn't help as Serpentina streaked across the water.
"Sending the location of the jamming devices, Destroy them!" each of the pilots HUDs updated with the locations of the jammers. Count dove on the first buoy sinking it with a short cannon burst.
Trigger winced as his ears began hurting and ringing again as the sound of an underwater explosion echoed through the mad to both Specter and Trigger "Sorry Boss Jaeger knew too many loud noise posed a risk to Trigger.
Laura targeted the second buoy with her GCS-1 dropping and pulled away as the munitions struck the buoy sinking it. "What the…?! A huge explosion just went off underwater!"
Trigger couldn't make out Count's radio call as his ears were still ringing. "An explosion?! Patrol aircraft, what's happening underwater?"
Specter 2's news was not what anyone wanted to hear "Underwater listening is impossible! We're only hearing explosion echoes and our mad operators are complaining of ringing through the headsets like Three Strikes was."
"The Alicorn will use the noise for cover and head out at full speed!" Laura wanted to say something at David for stating the obvious but chose not to.
Jeager fired on the third buoy with his cannon while the fourth one was destroyed by Laura's second GCS-1.
Long Caster jumped in again "Destroy the jamming buoys before the submarine escapes!"
"Full speed ahead!" Torres told his helmsman who advanced the power.
"Aye sir." the helmsman responded watching as the speed increased
Count knew that they'd fail if the sub got into the trench seemingly forgetting about the osean naval mines. "Don't let them get away."
"Damm it! Specter, I need you to recalculate the submarine's location once the noise dies down!"
Trigger couldn't hear much of David's words over the buzzing of buoys.
Long Caster and Wiseman watched as Skald destroyed the fifth buoy while Lanza sank the sixth one with burst of cannon fire.
One of the crew spotted objects ahead knowing just what they were "Shit minefield ahead!" Torres expected this and knew what to do.
"Hard to starboard full reverse on the engines." The Alicorn crew worked frantically to turn the huge behemoth away from the mines "We'll have to go along the trench to find an opening."
"Can we make it?" Huxian asked as the jamming noises ceased but Trigger waited till his ears stopped ringing."Where are you metal shark?"
"The last jamming buoy has been destroyed!" Long Caster's words were music to Trigger's ears as the mad was quiet.
Lanza asked how things were and Specter 3 told him that they were waiting for the sonobuoys to respond much to Huxian's frustration when Specter called in again.
"Analysis done! Data linking!" Specter 2 sent the data to Long Caster who sent the location to Trigger. He brought his jet around throttling up and racing to the search zone at speed.
"The Alicorn has almost reached the trench! Time's running out!" David's comment didn't help him as he approached the search area.
"It's okay, Trigger's already on the hunt!" Count watched his flight lead race on the deck.
"Strider, Cyclops. We don't have much time left!" Wiseman's words were not subtle but Count thought about what he could say.
"Don't you worry! Trigger will find it!" Wiseman felt a little reassured.
Eight more uavs launched from the Alicorn "Confirming more hostile UAVs! They just launched from the Alicorn!" Long Caster's words shocked everyone cause that was impossible.
Huxian couldn't believe that the submarine had launched them from underwater "It can launch them underwater?!"
Everyone fired their remaining AMRAAMs taking out six of the eight but two avoided the missiles. "If you can splash even one it will make it that much easier for Trigger. The two uavs passed Trigger who promptly destroyed them with the laser cannons
Huxain felt a little guilty having seen her flight lead do so much and yet her AMRAAMs missed and went after Trigger. "Trigger's given me so much cover and I still...Shit I'm just pathetic!" Trigger wanted to say something reassuring to Huxian but couldn't find the words.
Wiseman's voice was stern knowing time was running out "Double-time it, Trigger! We're counting on it!" Trigger altered course till he was at 243 degrees with a strong reaction from the mad pod.
The beeping got louder as Trigger flew that head when the Alicorn appeared again on everyone's radar "You've reeled it in! Positive hit on the mad!" Count was overjoyed "Strider 1 found the Submarine Alicorn!"
Cheers erupted among the patrol aircraft crew "All that flying around paid off" Specter 1 and Long Caster forwarded the data to the navy ships.
Count knew the job wasn't finished yet "We ain't done yet. Give it the finishing blow!"
"Target co-ordinates received. Commence preparations to fire the VL-ASROC!" the commander of the canary called over the intercom as the captain got a call form the anti-submarine that there was not problems.
"VL-ASROC ready for launch!" the canary captain called as Trigger begin turning away form the Alicorn. His nimble jet was out the strike zones.
"Line of fire is clear. Ready!"
"Fire all missiles!" the commanders on each ships pressed the button. "Fire!" in the glow of the setting sun twenty-four ASROCs launched from the three destroyers. The canary's VL-ASROC cells opened up firing all twenty. Seahawk helicopters launched from the Canary intending to act if any ships got sunk by Alicorn. "All anti-submarine missiles launched."
The ASROCs reached a certain height beginning their descent in parachutes as Trigger climbed in a slicing bank turn at full power "Report the results!"
The ASROCs hit the water exploding one after the other. "Did we get them?" one of the rooster's crew asked out on the deck.
Onboard the sub
The submarine shook violently "Captain we've been hit damage to the UAV launchers." one of the deck crew called out as alarms rang throughout the bridge.
"Do we have any coolant leaks?" one of the crew asked who got a panicked response "No but we have four in critical condition in reactor control."
"We'll have to fight them above the surface." Torres ordered, the sub crew started the surfacing process.
On the surface
The bow of the alicorn broke the surface climbing as if it were going up a hill while seawater drained from the forward ballast tanks. The bow hung in the air for a few seconds before dropping back into the water "Alicorn spotted; Its surfacing!"
The water sent into the air in water looked like multiple underwater explosions glowing in the fading light of the sunset as the sub settled on the surface. The sub turned towards the osean fleet as the small railguns emerged. "Shit osean ships move it."
"Surfacing?! We haven't sunk it?" Lanza's comment fell on deaf ears as Skald saw what was about to happen.
"It's attacking our fleet!"
Count hit his canopy frustrated "Son of a…! We didn't hit 'em!"
"You're wrong, Count! We've backed them into a corner and damaged their UAV launcher!" The LRSSG could only watch as small guns open fire gutting the canary and seagull, sailors ran off the deck jumping into the sea.
Trigger accelerated to mach 1 firing laser cannon blasts at the starboard rail gun scoring hits "They're vulnerable now that they've surfaced! Follow up on Trigger!" the missile alert blared as the vls opened up.
Each of the LRSSG acknowledged the order as frantic call were heard from the canary "Crew prepare to abandon ship!" Trigger mentally kicked himself for not being faster.
"We can't drain it! Evacuate-" the call coming from the seagull cut off as the ship sank quickly aft first.
"We've lost Destroyer Seagull and Aegis vessel Canary!" the captain of the rooster called out over the radio as the grebe and rooster and Seahawk helicopters moved in to rescue survivors.
Trigger came around firing his lasers on the no.2 forward ballast tank getting cwis bullets into his plane for good measure but pulled out of his attack run but came around firing on the no.2 rear ballast tank "The two years that we fought at the bottom of the sea… I will not allow our perseverance to desecrated!"
The small railguns moved tracking Trigger's movements "You're being locked onto by the railguns! Increase your speed and run Trigger!" Long Caster didn't want Trigger to become another victim of the railguns.
Trigger's lasers burned the hull as he snap turned into a climb adding power knowing it would cost him fuel "If one of those railguns hit us, we'll be torn into a million pieces! Throttle up!"
Count's words were sharp as what he heard next from Wiseman. "They'll be looking for aircraft as well! Don't flutter about!"
Trigger continued turning pulled hard using his air brakes to increase his then dove on the alicorn as the railguns fired then pulled up. "It's using its main guns for anti-air combat!" Trigger rolled his eyes ignoring Skald's useless radio call."
Huxian came in low firing her missiles destroying both rear SAM launchers.
Trigger pulled another slice turn as he heard a faint transmission form the submarine 'Engine room 1 is flooding start draining asap.' just he came around for another attack run the Alicorn began to dive beneath the waves.
"The Alicorn is diving!" Jeager as Trigger aborted his attack run levelling off and formed a new plan.
The submarine slipped beneath the water "The ballast tanks should be damaged! It will have to surface again soon!" Trigger wonder to himself how David knew that but didn't have a chance to ask.
Torres came over the comms again much to Trigger's displeasure as he'd hoped the ASROCs had killed Torres who was clearly too stubborn to quit "There's no means of retreat! We'll have to kill them all if we are to live! If you wish to live, then you must let go of your life!"
"Specter Squadron will continue surveillance! We might be able to locate it if its about to surface." Trigger waited for the submarine to come up and thought up a plan.
Long Caster watched his radar like a hawk when the patrol plane radio sounded "We've picked up the Alicorn underwater!" Trigger came around seeing the Alicorn surfacing.
"Need to destroy the cwis..Specter are you guys armed with anti-ship weapons?"
The Specter pilots looked at each other confused as to why they were being asked "Affirmative we have four ASM-3 cruise and ASM-1C anti-ship missiles why?"
"Well i have an idea and you'll have to trust me on this Long Caster send the targets to Specter now!" the crew of the AWACS data linked the targets to the P-1s. "Specter squadron fire ASM-1C missiles 1,2,3 and 4."
The ASM-1Cs dropped off the p-1's wing streaking towards the Alicorn whose cwis guns destroyed the first, second and third waves of ASM-1s but the fourth wave destroyed all four cwis guns "Nice shooting now fire cruise missiles and destroy the ship guns."
An ASM-3 dropped from each plane heading for the ship guns and taking them out.
The main gun battery fired again "That's it! Keep firing! Crush their lives under the weight of your lead!" the guns fired again but missed the Super Viper Zero.
"Concentrate all firepower on the assaulting aircraft!" one the gunner told his colleague who spammed the fire button launching shell after shell.
Multiple UFO like uavs launched from the Alicorn "Flying objects have been launched from the Alicorn! They have different signatures from the uavs we've seen!" at the moment that Trigger approached the uavs, Specter opened fire with a second volley of ASM-3 cruise missiles.
Trigger's HUD id them as barrier drone which burst open small em barriers like the ones he'd seen on the arsenal birds bathing the eagle in an eerie green glow "The small uavs have activated em barriers!"
The cruise missiles that Specter fired hit the barriers destroying them Huxian recognised how they looked "I have visual! They look similar to the arsenal bird's defense system!" Trigger knew instantly what to do having seen the fate that befell Skeleton squadron over Chopinburg when they got caught in the field.
Lanza's cheerful excitement seemed to wain upon seeing that "What do we do then?! We don't have Stonehenge to bust through them." the sound of a railgun firing broke Trigger's train of thought as he looked back to see the Alicorn diving again.
Trigger knew on his next attack run he was going for the small railguns cause they posed a big threat to the squadrons when everyone's insane sea captain started up "My fellow submariners! Your lives carry weight! It gives you the right to take the lives of others!"
Trigger watched as the Alicorn surfaced then he made his move throttling up towards the railguns. The gunners had no time to rotate the guns as Trigger pressed the button releasing his first and second unguided small munitions. The first smashed into the guns punching a hole in the port turret knocking it out. "Shit direct hit on main gun its wrecked!"
"Awesome that's one horn snapped off." Skald sounded very eager but knew the second munition was yet to blow.
The second small unguided munition hit the starboard turret splitting it open "We've lost both of our main guns!" Torres looked miffed.
Torres came back on "What we have to do is simple! I give the orders and you snuff out the target! Fire all weaponry at Three Strikes! Ignore all other aircraft!" The Alicorn vls opened with all its missiles heading for Trigger who spotted a pair of rock mountains and gunned it for them ducking behind them as missiles exploded on the rocks.
"All railguns have been destroyed." Long Caster's call was uplifting to everyone and Wiseman felt a swelling of hope that they'd win.
"Hahaha! Trigger tore both of its arms off!" Trigger could tell Count was confident but Jaeger knew that the Alicorn might have more than one pair of railguns.
"Don't let your guard down! There's no guarantee that monster only has a pair of them!" Trigger could understand Jaeger's caution and was ready to call on Specter or Serpentina to destroy them if they showed another pair.
Laura start an attack run coming dropping her first large unguided munition on the port vls cell then pulled up as the munition hit its target wrecking the vls cells and dropped her second large unguided munition on the starboard cell with the same result "Shit captain we've lost rail guns, cwis, ship guns and now the vls."
More barrier drones launched and burst open as Trigger aborted his attack run swiftly manoeuvring his way through the em field.
Trigger brought his jet around but the Alicorn dove once more. "Dammit Captain surface I'm sick of waiting for you."
a new but familiar voice returned to the radio "Hello this is North. What is the situation over there?"
"We've got a moment or two sit-rep?" Count asked him as he looked up at the drones.
"It's the advertising drones! these guys are doing terminal guidance!" David's words confirmed Trigger's suspicions.
Lanza could hear the nerves in David's voice "Hey, hey chill!"
"There are advertising drones flying above the demonstrators! They're perfect for Terminal guidance! but your opponent is that captain... I'll call you back!...Alex, how far away is the closet air base?" he asked his ai who went to work.
"Roughly 51 miles." the voice sounded female but Trigger had a better idea.
"Better idea shoot those drones down and you terminate his terminal guidance." David mused on Trigger's suggestion as he went off radio.
Torres watching the events above and onboard knew the endgame would be soon "Yes don't you see the lives being lost? Completion is at hand! The souls of the dead are coming together like a puzzle!" Trigger didn't have to wait much longer as the Alicorn surfaced again.
Trigger snapped roll and raced towards the Alicorn targeting the first rear ballast tank releasing his third small munition then pulled up. The munition struck the rear ballast tank puncturing it.
The ship listed slightly as the shockwave spread throughout the sub "Bomb hit! The pressure hull near the ballast tank has sustained damage but how?!"
Avril knew how "Special delivery bastards straight from the Scrap Queen to your hull. Trigger how do you like the armour piercing munitions?"
"I love them where can I get some for later?" Trigger grinned loving the custom weaponry he had gotten form the Scrap Queen as he bombed the second rear ballast tank.
Huxian flew alongside the sub seeing burn and impact marks "Trigger's attack hit can visually confirm hull damage!" Lanza fired two of his missiles into the hull causing more damage
"Fissures in the pressure hull Shit Keep the drain pump running at full power it will be a while before we sink." The crewmen worked hard to keep the ship afloat."
One of the reactor controllers turned to his colleague "Do we have any coolant leaks?"
He looked at the levels which were dropping fast "Yeah but don't worry the boat won't survive if it goes under now."
The reactor controller looked at the radiation gauge then back at her colleague "Check the radiation level every 5 minutes."
Over in another part of the submarine it was chaos. One injured crew-member looked at the rear ballast tanks "Mbt is taking on water we're leaking from multiple locations."
The intercom blared "Multiple casualties on deck number unknown!" followed by a frantic call "Oxygen generator damaged we can no longer supply oxygen!"
"We're sinking even if the reactor's no good! Focus on anti-air combat!" one of the gunners looked at the command duty officer with aghast.
"With what exactly all our aa weapons are either destroyed or damaged." the console overloaded and exploded behind the gunner killing him instantly.
Torres could tell that the ship was in chaos as the ew crew activated their defenses "The outer hull has been damaged and we have water flooding into the main ballast tanks." a 5th crew-member radioed as the crew continued damaged control.
Outside the ship
Jeager flew over the ship when his HUD glitched out "Long caster my HUD is glitching! Trigger, Count, How are things over there?"
Trigger and Count told Jaeger that they had the same problem when Long Caster's tired voice waltzed in "We've identified the source of the jamming signal its the Alicorn!"
Count groaned now realising just how hard sinking the sub was turning out to be "And i thought sinking a surfaced sub would be easy!"
"Trigger, the drones can be destroyed before they activate their barriers." David's words made Trigger quickly think of something as he came around seeing more barrier uavs but as he made his pass he destroyed two more uavs.
"That's a pretty small window! But I know Trigger can pull it off!" Trigger couldn't help but feel lifted up by Lanza's encouragement.
Specter ripple fired their 3rd and 4th ASM-3 but just like before the em drones blocked them frustrating the Specter crews.
The hud updated with the jammer but Trigger was already on it but the Alicorn slipped underwater before Trigger could fire his lasers "Damm it."
"The Alicorn has submerged! Wait for the next opportunity to attack." Trigger was growing more tired at the Alicorn submerging and surfacing since he knew they were stalling to avoid their destruction.
Trigger checked his fuel gauge seeing he had under half his fuel tank left so throttle back to conserve fuel when the friendly neighbour hood analyst came back "Hello!"
"We're in the middle of a search. How are things?" Count asked him as Trigger thought about what the osean military would do.
"We're going to jam this entire region using the air force's ew aircraft and shoot down the advertising drones as per Trigger's suggestion!"
"Woah" Lanza's comment of surprise was natural to David as no-one had attempted to jam an entire city's airspace before due how impractical it was.
Trigger had a good idea what the OADF and OMDF would be using "So the new EF-111F Ravens and navy EA-18G Growlers will be used I bet."
Skald tried to imagine what that would look like in his head "That's a big bang!"
David knew the only major drawback "All radios will be disabled! Controlling the drones and terminal guidance will be impossible! its crude but effective."
"Bastard!" Huxian called amused that the analyst was using crude tactics now.
"Cell phones will stop working too. This might be our last call!" David prepared to hang up but Count quickly wanted to say one thing.
"Trigger do you think you can attack the jamming devices?" Jaeger could guess that Trigger would do it anyway but felt it best to ask him beforehand.
"Leave the rest to us!" David went off as Trigger rolled in firing a burst destroying the jammer antenna as the Alicorn dove again.
"Ballast tanks have been damaged we can't maintain full buoyancy." the Submarine crewman could see that the submarine was more sluggish when surfacing.
Long Caster having seen the jamming disappear from his screen he knew what had happened "Trigger destroyed a jammer! Jamming signals no longer detected!"
"Quick at Work, just as always!" Lanza commented amazed at Strider 1's work.
"Thanks Trigger!" Huxian followed up on Lanza's praise as the sound of a telephone echoed on the frequency.
"Hello this is North What is the situation over there?" Count and everyone was taken back that David was talking to them when the phones would be out by the jammer planes.
Count wondered how so spoke up "I thought you couldn't make calls any more?"
David's tone sounded cheerful "I'm using a pay phone! for the first time, too!"
Trigger couldn't resist smiling as he spotted the destroyers Grebe and Rooster come across the battle after having spent the last hour rescuing survivors from the destroyed osean ships but then had to pick up Seahawk crew who had to ditch their helicopters which opened fire.
5 inch shells flew through the air as the gunners tried to determine the range until a shell from each ship hit the forward ballast tanks rupturing them.
Jaeger flew along side the submarine taking look at the damage done from all the attacks "The enemy submarine's hull is severely damaged! It won't be able to dive like that!"
Torres leaned back in his chair know most of his crew were injured or dead and that the submarine was defenceless. "We surrender."
Everyone was caught off guard but to Trigger something felt wrong about this. Count knew it too.
"What?!" Huxian felt blind-sided cause the captain was doing the exact opposite of his goal.
"What's going on." Lanza asked jumping in.
"I know this voice." Skald commented as Trigger flew by the submarine.
"This is the submarine aircraft cruiser Alicorn. We surrender! Stop shooting!" Torres pleaded knowing that they could sink him at any moment.
"All aircraft cease fire!" Long Caster announced but at the back of his and Wiseman's minds they couldn't believe what they were hearing but asked themselves is this real.
"That's a con man talking I should know as I was one." Count commented knowing every trick and this was one of them.
In Huxian's mind these men didn't deserve to surrender given the number of lives they had taken during the raid on Anchorhead and to her they needed to be stopped "Let's just sink it."
"Negative! We can't attack those who have surrendered. It's a breach of international law." Long Caster looked at Wiseman who looked unsure since as much as he wanted to uphold international law the submarine posed a huge threat.
"I repeat we surrender!" Torres repeated while below the crew loaded the first nuclear shell into the cannon
"What do we do?" Huxian had no idea what to do as she had never had to deal with something like this before.
Long Caster grew frustrated with the pilots who were protesting this except Trigger and Serpentina who had gone quiet "Weapon use is prohibited."
Count scoffed know that this was a ploy to keep them from interfering in his scheme "Why hold international law so dearly?"
Jaeger had taken a step back and thought about what would happen if they opened fire "We'll no longer be soldiers the moment we do."
"Then I'll happily quit my career." Count argued back not happy at all he wanted this over as much as everyone did.
"DO NOT ATTACK!" Long Caster shouted which surprised everyone cause they never heard this from their AWACS before. Trigger quietly formed up with his sister.
"We will surrender!" Torres pressed a button on the console "We are currently making preparations to be disarmed."
Trigger still felt like something was off but at the moment knew there wasn't much they could do "To all Strider and Cyclops and Specter aircraft hold your fire but keep whatever weapons you have left armed in case this whole surrender act is a lie."
"Sis select your ASM-3 and standby I don't trust this surrender at all and change to a different channel." Trigger wanted Long caster to hear that before he adjusted his frequency. Laura switched to a different radio frequency both knowing that Long Caster would hear them anyway.
"So Scott what's the plan?" Laura asked him knowing he had a plan.
"Simple Laura if the Alicorn reveals its rail cannon which I would expect form this slimy snake, I'll attack the barrel to stop it form firing while you let him with cruise missiles."
Laura knew in her heart that was the only way but a nagging thought occurred to her "Isn't that disobeying orders which if I remember rightly would be a one way ticket to another penal unit."
Wiseman and Long Caster listening in knew what they were doing was against orders but Wiseman knew that Trigger was right this was going end one way or the other. "It probably would be but frankly I don't fucking care this ends today and I will do whatever it takes to end this here and now!."
"Scott if we do this then I'll gladly take the court martial with you as family." Laura knew where she stood if they had to break the law to save lives then so be it.
"I'm David North, an analyst at the Osean Intelligence Agency. Captain, we have already jammed your terminal guidance over Oured and shot down your drones. Your shot will miss the mark."
Torres started recount a story from the usean rebellion as Trigger observed movement The Alicorn's deck opened up revealing the massive rail cannon which raised up towards Oured "Your plan was elegant until Three strikes ruined it."
"David the cannon!" Laura called out as Trigger started moving towards the ship intent to stop them.
"They have no intention to surrender! Stop them, Trigger!" Trigger saw the cannon preparing to fire and punched the throttles all the way up to full power "Hit the barrel Trigger hurry!"
"Sis let's em have it." Trigger called as Laura without hesitation fired her ASM-3s that left her wing streaking at supersonic speed as Trigger sped towards the Alicorn. Trigger focused on the cannon blocking out everything since if he didn't find a way to stop that cannon then thousands of lives would be lost, men, women, children, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers all snuffed out in pointless act.
He'd not let that happen no mater what "This ends now!" He shouted over the radio as the eagle broke the sound barrier he didn't care about the rules or his fuel state that was irrelevant all that mattered with human life.
"Wait Trigger." Lanza said in vain seeing Trigger had made his Sophie's choice.
Long Caster saw Trigger's jet charging towards the alicorn at near mach 2 "Stop attack immediately."
Trigger ignored both of them focusing on his target as the ASM-3s hit the barriers as Trigger got in close enough and simultaneously fired both his missiles into the barrel then pulled into a slicing left hand climbing turn firing a burst of cannon and laser fire as the barrel dropped firing off its shot.
"It fired!" Skald sounded horrified that they'd failed as Trigger levelled off but David knew Trigger had done part of what he needed to do.
"Its okay, the shell will miss!" he told them as an osean navy ship broke over the frequency.
"This is the satellite tracking ship Silver eye! the nuclear shell is heading for the Spring sea!" Trigger felt relief that the first shot had missed and now was ready to end this.
"What happened?!" Torres asked his crew surprised at what he'd just seen. "Load the next shell!"
"That's a blatant violation of direct orders you dumbass but you made a statement right there, didn't you Trigger?" Count scoffed chuckling lightly to himself.
Wiseman knew that international law no longer applied now that the Alicorn fired "All aircraft destroy the Alicorn! I'd hate to be in that submarine right now."
Everyone responded as Trigger moved in firing lasers before breaking off for another attack run "Aim for the base of the rail cannon!" the Rooster and the Grebe opened up with their naval guns pounding dents into the hull.
The gunnery officer to use to use the fire control system but it wasn't responding "FCS error we can't raise the elevation of the barrel and the capacitors are damaged!"
"Three Strikes in the sky is the sign of an ill omen!" he said as everyone looked at him know the end was near.
"Captain!" the injured command duty officer was in horror as water and steam filled compartments.
An explosion threw the gunnery officer from his chair as Torres took the seat "All slow ahead! Flood the aft trim tanks!" Laura brought her jet around firing her missiles and lasers weakening the rail cannon base.
"Sir the boat will sink aft first the reactors have gone into meltdown!" the command duty officer felt it was all over but couldn't overrule Matias.
"And that will give the gun the elevation it needs!" he laughed evilly as 5 inch perforated the hull blowing out values and starting fires. Lanza fired his last missile hitting the barrel. "Don't you see Three Strikes? Ten million lives will be saved at the cost of a mere million lives!"
David could tell Torres was insane as Skald fired his two remaining missiles and cannon further damaging the rail canon base "You liar You're nothing more than a mass murderer! We won't let you!"
Long caster's radar showed hits being scored on the rail cannons "Good! Your attacks are hitting the base of the rail cannon!"
"A powerful boat, a powerful gun, powerful ammunition! Add in lots of people and a precise aim! Then sprinkle death over it and the formula is complete!" Matias stayed in his seat as systems continued failing.
Trigger getting tired as he circled again cause the angle wasn't right for his bomb run "You're nothing more than a killer!" David retorted at Matias who growled as the capacitors slowly built up their energy.
"Then indulge me North! What makes Three strikes any different form me? He's going to kill the three hundred men on this boat to save a million. How is that any different!?"
David was tired of all as was everyone else. Count fired all four of his missile further damaging the rail cannon base which had a noticeable dent in the hull "Trigger give him the answer! Have him take it to the bottom of the ocean!"
One of the wounded crewmen looked at the gauges "Supercapacitor at 45% reactor temperature rising fast! Pitch angle at 2 degrees! Shit Three Strikes is wait for the right angle Captain close the aft trim tanks."
His pleas fell on deaf ear to Matias as another crew member kicked the capacitor trying to help get it to full power. "60%"
"Trigger destroy the sub." Wiseman's voice were clear that Trigger had carte blanche to sink the submarine.
"Don't hesitate! They quit being soldiers the moment they faked their surrender!" Jaeger knew what had to be done and that Three Strikes was the only one who could."
Torres let out a maniacal laugh "Don't you see?! Don't you see?!" he ranted on about landing a clean shot on a difficult target and how it was elegant and beautiful but to Trigger it was none of those things.
"Finish him off, Trigger!" David shouted knowing Trigger would strike as the other LRSSG members gave Trigger more encouragement.
The crew still on the bridge watched as the bridge filled with steam while the capacitors continued powering up "At plus 4."
"Alas you don't see, Three Strikes! Of course you wouldn't!" Trigger flew under the barrel and brought his jet in a wide 90 degree slice turn.
Trigger knew the best way to hit the base although it was the most dangerous when Wiseman came over his radio "Trigger end this!"
He pulled the Eagle out of its slicing turn now aligned dead with the base of the cannon.
"At plus 5 full charge everyone grab something." The submarine crewman shouted out but saw Trigger closing in and sat down knowing his fate was sealed.
Trigger charged at the cannon base firing laser and cannon rounds "Captain time to go!" Trigger releasing his last two unguided bombs which dropped into the base of the cannon punching through the base unit deep inside the ship.
"Commence firing!" Torres ordered reaching for the button but the two bombs exploded tearing through the cannon base as a fireball shot into the sky.
Trigger's Eagle climbed away in vertical slicing turn slightly sooting the belly and magnetic anomaly detector pod.
The Eagle and Super Viper Zero formed up as the cannon collapsed "Confirming explosion the rail cannon has been destroyed Trigger that was a reckless thing for you to do you could have been killed." Huxian sounded annoyed at him for being so reckless with his life.
Everyone cheered as Torres reached for the mic "Don't you see? One million! One million lives!"
They could all hear the sounds of laughter while seeing small pillars of red flame and electrical surge flow around the ship followed by explosions bursting from the hull.
Trigger looked back as a massive explosion tore the ship in two."A powder magazine must have exploded. The Alicorn has split in two!"
Huxian was silent for a moment as she took in what happened "He really pulled it off." she couldn't believe that Trigger was capable of all that "That was unbelievable."
"Yeah it totally was." Count knew what he witnessed was way out of his league as much he hated to admit to himself Trigger was way better than him.
"And that's our final answer." David despite not being there knew that Three Strikes had saved them all.
The Alicorn's two halves pitch forward as the stern section sank beneath the waves followed by the bow the titanium groaned as it slipped beneath the waves.
Moments later a massive underwater explosion rocked the Rooster and sent a huge column of water high into the sky which started raining down on the two remaining Osean ships.
Trigger knew the explosion had to be the two nuclear reactors exploding."Those ships and the crew who got soaked will need decontamination procedures since that water was probably radioactive."
Trigger and the others formed up as Trigger scanned the sea for any survivors of the Alicorn but couldn't see any "I see multiple floating objects in the waves. I don't think there are any survivors Wiseman!"
Jeager checked the sea himself and only debris "I concur with Trigger looks like the Alicorn went down with all hands lost Wiseman."
"Copy that. The enemy submarine has been destroyed. Operation is complete." Wiseman leaned back to catch his breath as everyone fell quiet but Trigger started calculating the best height to conserve what fuel he had left cause he knew it wasn't enough to make it all the way back.
David's voice when he came back calm and collected "There are those who send those around them to their doom. Like Captain Matias Torres, who was devil incarnate. But there are others… Others who show the way to everyone else. Those who stand at the forefront to cast a light. Those who follow them can't help but feel that they're in the right hands. That they'll make it. This is an era where there isn't a singular answer like a quiz question. The world awaits a hero to keep the torch aloft, banishing the darkness."
Count liked the poetry but felt it was too long "Quite the poet but I can sum it up in a single sentence. Stick with Trigger and you'll make it."
Jaeger knew in his heart that he had two stories for his kid but the adventure they just completed didn't feel right that he told it "That's a story, I'm gonna have to tell my kid but this story the hunt for the submarine is one I'll let Trigger tell my kid."
Trigger smiled pulling a barrel roll then climbed vertical settling at 30,000 feet Trigger knew he had a fuel problem but didn't want to spoil things.
"All aircraft and David, the operation is complete. Return to base and get some rest. Oh man finally time for some munchies. Could you hand the burger over there?" One of the AWACS crew placed the plate in front of Graham who licked his lips but knew he couldn't eat the usual way "Oh, and the knife and fork too, please." Wiseman handed him the cutlery.
Trigger looked around to the clear sky all round "Enjoy your dinner Long Caster." Trigger said to himself as he looked ahead seeing only sea for miles.
Count's stomach rumbled "Once I get back to base I'm heading to the mess hall."
Trigger couldn't help but agree since he hadn't eaten all day "Yeah once we get back I'm getting into my birthday treats guys."
"Happy birthday Scott!" Laura told him as the AWACS operators played happy birthday over the frequency.
"Thanks guys but I need your help now I'm really low on fuel so we need a tanker asap but I can get to just beyond Tyler island." Trigger throttle back a bit hoping to make it.
An hour later
As the flight came over Tyler island "Wiseman I hate to be bother I need the tanker I'm almost out of fuel!" Trigger didn't like the prospect of having to ditch in the ocean but watched as he descend through 10,000 feet levelling off.
A white and grey voyager tanker appeared off the starboard wing "Iun tanker 015 we received your call Trigger hold position we'll give you fuel.
The tanker positioned itself ahead of Trigger and he moved his jet into position opening the fuel tanks "Contact established I need as much as you can spare!" the boom operator pumped jet fuel into the tanks of Trigger's bird while multiple extenders refuelled the others.
Count after separating from the refueller noted a name on the aircraft's nose "Who's Nathan Hansen?"
Trigger felt a tear roll down his cheek at hearing that name "He's me and Trigger's father." Laura told him as Trigger separated from the tanker.
'Thanks dad' he said to himself as the tankers peeled off.
The group watched as the P-1 heading for their base.
New arrows air base
East Usea
22:00pm
The jets touched down with Trigger's Eagle being the last one. The only light Avril could see was the eagle's lights. The hangar lights illuminated only small amount of the outside as a familiar low whine came her way.
Avril watched as Trigger brought the jet in. she stopped in her tracks at seeing multiple bullet holes in the fuselage but what worried her the most were the holes in front area. She without any hesitation hurriedly walked over to the jet as the engines shut down and the canopy came up.
She pulled the ladder down and climbed up it as Trigger disconnected his mask and harness "You stupid dumbass are you alright?"
Trigger could read how worried she was and knew given the bullet holes near the cockpit but smiling know that she was being affectionate by calling him that. "Yeah I'm fine although I might need the doc to check my hearing."
Trigger pulled himself from the cockpit standing still to get his bearings as a surge of pain filled his head "Care to help me to the med bay?"
"Of Course you dumbass!" she saw in the corner of her eye that he was smiling when she called him that. The hangar doors closed as they left for the medical bay.
A/n
I hope everyone enjoyed the action packed chapter and I've far surpassed 225k and 250k words written onto 275k now there is just the epilogue to go but I want your opinions should I show the day Trigger retires from the military in the epilogue?