Brandon waited for Commander Eagle to give him orders as he cruised toward the bomber. Without his missile systems working it was impossible to take it down.

Brandon stared at his control panel. Once again, he felt so useless. Just like in Academy training when they had done group missions.

You're not useless.

Brandon's head snapped up. That was what Eagle had told him after he had revealed his feelings to the commander. Memories flooded into Brandon's brain.



"But I'm not any good at this. Especially with my twitch."

Eagle sat on the wing of the cockpit simulator. "Nonsense. You're just not trying hard enough."

"No offense, sir, but please don't let this be an 'it's all in your head' speech."

Eagle smiled. "Of course not. What I'm trying to tell you is to think this: 'The other pilots are trying their best to help me, so I should do the same for them.'"

"But I have been doing my best."

Eagle shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. Your scores on the individual missions almost qualify you for assignment to Alpha Unit One. You're just not applying your skills with a group. Do you know why?"

Brandon thought about it for a moment. "No sir, I don't."

"You're too scared to let others see you fail. And then you do fail. So then you feel even worse, and you continue this downward spiral until you hit rock bottom. Unfortunately for you, this is an 'it's all in your head' speech. So get over it."

Eagle rose to leave. "Remember this: There is always something you can do."



Brandon saw the bomber growing larger as he approached it. There is always something you can do. But what could he do?

Suddenly his engines exploded, and Brandon was pushed forward by the shockwave slamming his rib cage into the control stick. A quick radar check showed anti-air batteries in the trees below. Brandon swore.

He looked up and saw the bomber. As pieces of his fighter began to fall off, Brandon sat back in his seat, grabbed the control stick and moved it front to back. The jet sluggishly responded. Good, the vertical rudders were still working.

Brandon stared at the bomber and pulled up on his control stick straining to bring the jet into line. If he was going to go down, he might as well do something.

The jet slammed into the bomber's engines. The bombs intended for Gelstop Airbase fueled the explosion created by the collision.



Alpha Two Four winked out on the radar display. Eagle shook his head. Brandon had made a helpful sacrifice, but losing a pilot was never easy.

The senior radar officer spoke up. "We're losing contact with Mu Unit Four. Three Medium tanks gone already. The remaining two report rocket units here." A fourth dot lit up on the main radar display.

Eagle closed his eyes. "Order Nu Units Three and Four to take care of the rocket units. Try to get Omega Unit Two in the air ASAP."

"Yes sir."

The communications officer stood up with a confused look on his face. "Sir, I'm receiving an urgent communications request for you."

Eagle looked at the officer. "Another attack?"

The officer shook his head. "No sir. Transmission strength and quality suggest a transmission from Orange Star Central Command. The encoding appears to be a new version of Orange Star's latest communiques."

Eagle frowned. The Orange Star CO sure had guts. "What kind of transmission is it?"

"Visual."

Eagle straightened his back and crossed his arms. "Put it on the main screen."

The communications officer spoke into his headset then pressed a button on his console. The radar display faded out on the main screen and was replaced by-

-a kid?

Eagle slammed his fists into the console in front of him. "Who are you? What kind of stupid joke is this?"

The kid ran a hand through his brown hair and grinned. "I'm Andy, the newest and best CO in the Orange Star Army."

Eagle scowled. "Don't play with me, boy. Let me speak to Nell."

"Nell's busy at the moment. Say, I was wondering, where do you think the best vacation spot in Green Earth is? After I take your country over, I think I'll go on a vacation - but not because it was hard work taking Green Earth over. I just think a victory break would be in order-"

"Go to hell, you spiky haired little punk!"

Andy shook his finger. "Temper, temper!"

Eagle felt his face heat up. "You've got some nerve! Violating the treaty! I-"

Andy waved his hand. "Oh, shut up."

Eagle clenched his fists. "After this is over, I'm going to hunt you down myself."

Andy gave a superior smile. "After I'm done with your forces, you won't have anything left to hunt me down with. In fact, I believe Alpha Unit One will be leaving you shortly."

Eagle felt a chill run up his spine. He turned to the communications officer. "Get me Alpha Unit One." The officer nodded.

"You can't do anything to save them now." Andy gave Eagle an evil grin.

Eagle glanced at the screen and muttered under his breath. "Just watch me."

Eagle heard a small pop in his headset and then jet engines in the background. "Alpha One One, come in. This is Eagle."

"Eagle, this is Alpha One One. What seems to be the problem?"

Eagle grimaced. That was Brun, always being formal. "Brun, kill the formalities. Alpha Unit One is heading into an ambush. You need to deviate from your present course."

"Are you sure? We're flying over some plains right now, and there's nothing around for miles."

Eagle looked at the main screen. Could the kid be lying?

Andy smiled and answered Eagle's unspoken question. "No, I assure you I am not lying." He turned and spoke to someone outside the screen's view.

Eagle turned away from the screen. "Brun, get out of there now!"

"Eagle, calm down. Everything is fine."

Eagle wiped his forehead. "No! Trust me!" Eagle sensed officers staring at him. He paused. "Katrina!"

A female voice came over his headset. "Yes Command, this is Alpha One Two."

"Just listen to me! Get back to base!"

There was a pause. "I think Brun is right."

Eagle slammed his fist into the console. "Damn it, Brun! I order you to return to base!"

"Alpha One Four! I have a missile lock on me!"

Eagle felt his gut go cold. Peter. "Evasive now!"

"It's too fast! I ca-" Static.

Alpha One Three and Alpha One Five came on the radio at the same time. "Where's it coming from?" "I can't se-"

More static.

Brun came over the radio. "I'm sorry Eagle. I guess I-"

Eagle felt dizzy. "Katrina!"

Eagle heard a sob. "I'm so sorry. I-"

Static.

"I told you."

Eagle closed his eyes. Andy.

"You're just a sad excuse for a CO."

Eagle felt his arms shaking. Damn him.

"Now that I've taken out your best fighters, you have nothing left. No army, no friends."

Eagle felt the rage building.

"No lover."

Eagle snapped. He yanked the chair out from under the surprised communications officer and spun around. Other officers dove for cover as he hurled the chair at the screen. "DAMN YOU!"

The chair bounced off the screen. Andy started laughing. Laughing.

Eagle pulled out his service pistol. "DAMN YOU!"