Lampert sprints off the flight line, phone in hand as the dial tone rings in his ear, "Come on, please pick up." He whispers.
His gear helmet swings by his side, swinging his balance as his gear weighs him down. The phone clicks and Kei's voice answers very faint, "James?"
"It's Marcus! James is in a bad spot. He's not hurt but I don't think he can get back unless he gets something!" Lampert gasps running towards the small tents set up for the residents of the temporary airfield.
Kei sighs, "What did he tell you?"
"You don't understand ma'am, he passed out in the middle of a dogfight. I don't know what happened but the only reason he'd here is luck."
Kei is silent on the other end of the line time slowing to a crawl. Her mind racing as it tries to reconcile the situation. Finally, she speaks, her voice cracking in fear, "One, just one," she whispers quickly hanging up. Lampert looks at the phone slowing as he approaches the tents, "I'm sorry." He mumbles.
Lampert throws the tent flap open and sees several young, enlisted men sitting playing cards all with drinks sitting beside them? Lampert rushes forward and grabs one that's still mostly full, "Sorry, I need to take this he mumbles before jetting out of the tent as quickly as he came in. The men playing cards all staring at the space he momentarily took up. "What the hell was that all about?" one of them asks.
"Bastard took my beer," one says sadly looking at the empty space his beer once sat, the only evidence it once existed is the small water ring left on the makeshift table.
James lies on the ground staring at the sky as he struggles to breathe. "You're an idiot." He says to himself. The sound of heavy footsteps approaches as Lampert stops, catching his breath as he held out the beer. "It's all I could find on short notice." He gasps through short breaths. James looks over at the young Lieutenant.
"I shouldn't." James whispers holding his head.
Lampert stares at James in disbelief before exploding, "Are you fucking kidding me! Of all the times to act like a responsible adult! We have a fight to finish! The ground forces can't take the fortress without us, and you pick now! I can't let you go up there and die because I made a promise but for god's sake man!"
James grabs the beer from Lamperts hand and holds it, staring down at the bottle. "You have my back?" James asks looking back up.
"Yes! You've asked me this a thousand times! I will keep your six covered." Lampert exclaims.
James shakes his head, "I didn't ask if you've got my six, Lampert. I asked if you've got my back. You can't just be there in the air; you've got to be there all the time. Like a family."
Lampert quickly calms, realizing what James has been asking him all this time. "I've got your back."
James nods and sets the beer aside. "Let's go."
"McA- James," Lampert says grabbing the beer, "It'll be ok, you need this, physically. You aren't using it to hide or run from the past or whatever you were using it for before. This is to get you home safe. Drink it, Kei understands."
James smiles weakly, "Thanks kid."
Garuda team flies north out of the airfield, their planes loaded up with as many bombs as they could carry. "Garuda, you're re-entering the combat zone. Allied forces are slowly advancing on the fortress. Snake Pit is still on station providing support. Avalanche team has cleaned up the skies." Ghost Eye says.
"Garuda team copies, Talisman, how are you holding up?" Shamrock asks.
"Better, now let's get to work. What are our targets Ghost Eye?" Talisman asks as they approach the mountain.
"Wait one, still waiting for the latest data from Snake Pit." Ghost Eye replies.
Talisman and Shamrock push the throttle forward burning more fuel to accelerate towards the battle. "Garuda, Snake Pit has identified several enemy command structures. We want you to engage them be aware, they are surrounded by several anti-aircraft units."
"Affirm Ghost Eye, engaging enemy command structures." Talisman switches to his guided bombs as they close on the battle raging ahead. Several command structures highlighting as targets on their Heads-Up Displays.
"Alright Talisman, let's mop the floor." Shamrock jokes.
"Sounds like a plan, Windhover, we'll take it from here." Talisman says as they each release a bomb the guidance package taking over directing the bombs to the target penetrating the thin walls of the building and detonating inside. The quick one-two punch leaving a smoking pile of rubble in its wake.
Windhover peels off heading back to the airfield, "Copy that Garuda, make sure you leave some for the rest of us."
"Good luck with that, Talisman over here takes all the glory for himself." Avalanche One teases.
Talisman chuckles softly at the banter as the two pull around, diving on another command center releasing another set of bombs before pulling up over one of the many ridges on the mountain.
"Warning! All units, we're picking up to fast moving fighters closing on the combat area. They're SU-33's!" Ghost Eye shouts over the radio.
Talisman and Shamrock form up climbing to a higher altitude, "Talisman, do we need to pull back?" Shamrock asks.
Talisman looks over his instruments taking in is fuel level, and ammunition, "Jettison your bombs Shamrock. We'll take these guys on, the ground forces will have to rely on Avalanche."
The remaining bombs on both aircraft fall from the sky smashing into the ground after being disarmed scattering remnants along their flight path. The two Strike Eagles bank left turning north towards the incoming fighters. "Talisman, are you sure? We don't have any missiles." Shamrock asks nervously.
"You have guns, don't you?" Talisman replies, silencing Shamrock's hesitation.
"Y-yeah." Shamrock replies.
Two small dots appear before Garuda Team rapidly growing larger, a single alarm appearing in the cockpit, "Talisman, they have radar lock!" Shamrock announces.
"Go to full afterburner Shamrock, we need to close the distance on these guys."
Both planes lurch forward loud cracking filling the air behind them as they break the sound barrier. The four aircraft merge, giving Shamrock a glimpse of the enemies, "The reapers emblem! Talisman, these are the fighters that attacked Gracemeria!"
Both sets of aircraft pull up climbing into the sky trying to gain the advantage. "Stick with me Shamrock!" Talisman grunts over the force pushing his body into his seat.
The red and black Sukhoi fighters hover in relation to Garuda's F-15E's filling the sky with their menacing outline, the canards sticking into the air like knives ready to slice their enemies' throats. The aircraft cross paths again each coming within feet of the other. Talisman pulls into a diving turn hoping to get his nose on or through one of the enemy fighters.
Shamrock grunts in pain trying to keep up with Talisman. Something had changed within his flight leader. Talisman's movements showed no hesitation, and no mercy. Meanwhile Shamrock struggles to keep up with Talisman falling behind.
Talisman and one of the enemies perform a deadly dance through the sky, several allies watching in amazement as twin trails appear from their wingtips, tracing their paths through the sky. The Sukhoi pulls tight as Talisman manages to slot in behind him. "Damn, these guys are good," Talisman mutters as his weight increases and decreases multiple times through the deadly ballet.
Talisman pulls his nose ahead of the enemy preparing to squeeze the trigger only to feel the shaking of cannon shells hitting his Eagle. Squeezing the trigger for a split-second Talisman yanks the stick back into his gut the trailing Sukhoi shoots past him. Talisman rolls left chasing after the second enemy as Avalanche shouts over the radio, "Did you guys see that! Talisman downed a reaper!"
Talisman focuses entirely on the remaining enemy, satisfied with his aerial victory. The last reaper begins moving erratically, hoping to shake Talisman from his tail. Talisman measures his breathing carefully focusing on the adversary before him. Shamrock struggles to catch up to the two master pilots.
"Talisman, how are you moving like that? I can barely keep up!" Shamrock cries out.
Talisman doesn't answer, his hand moving expertly within the cockpit keeping pace with the much more maneuverable enemy. The reaper pilot was getting exhausted, his maneuvers slowing. Talisman took the chance to dig his teeth into his prey, closing the distance and carefully tapping the rudder pedals sliding the crosshair over the Sukhoi. Talisman squeezes the trigger and twenty-millimeter rounds smash against the thin aluminum of the Estovakian ace igniting the fuel tanks and shredding its engines. A small puff of white smoke comes from the cockpit and the pilot ejects passing directly over Talisman.
The Emmerian ground forces had already taken the fortress, the survivors of the battle watching in awe as Talisman levels his wings being joined quickly by Shamrock. "This is Ghost Eye, all enemy units have been neutralized! We drove the Estovakians from Khesed! All aircraft return to base!" Ghost Eye exclaims.
Talisman pulls his mask off and takes a deep breath, "Shamrock, damage check." He says shakily.
Shamrock looks over at Talisman's aircraft, gasping as he takes in the damage, "Talisman your right vertical stab is shredded? When did that even happen?"
"One of those bastards got a few hits on me is all."
"Looks like more than a few…" Shamrock mutters.
"Kei is gonna kill me." Talisman mutters under his breath.
The two aircraft sit silent on the flight line at Compagna Airfield. James and Lampert climb out and take a closer look at the damage to James' plane. Large holes litter the right vertical stabilizer just in front of the rudder, revealing why James hadn't felt any loss in control. "Talisman, you are one lucky guy." Lampert chuckles slapping James' back.
"Yeah, lucky…" James whispers turning and walking off the flight line.
As James walks out of the hangar Kei sits waiting for him with her face buried in a book. "I saw you land." She says without looking up.
James nods as he sits beside her, "Didn't go according to plan. Got a few hits into me."
Kei smiles, "Sounds like it was pretty rough."
"That's nothing. I'm back to square one," James says quietly.
"I wouldn't say that." Kei replies as she folds the book closed looking at James, "Don't worry, I know. Marcus called me. Why'd you have that drink?"
"Because I couldn't fly without it, I don't know how I made it out of there alive. They should have killed me." James whispers.
"Well, how do you feel now?" She asks placing her hand on his leg.
"Like I'm about to get chewed out." James mumbles.
Kei laughs and stands up, "James, I'm not going to yell at you because you made a mistake, clearly, you're already beating yourself up over this. That's a step forward, it means you actually want to get better."
James sighs and buries his head in his hands, "Kei, three weeks. I've been on this for three weeks and I hardly feel like I've made any progress."
Kei grabs James' hand and pulls him to his feet, "You're doing great. I've already seen good changes in you. I hope you realize that."