Ace Combat: Joint Assault
Chapter 11:Nightwatch
London, United Kingdom, March 21st 2016, 18:00 Hours; Weather: Sunny, few clouds
Marlene Davenport and Hansel Foulke had arrived to London on March 19th, after receiving an unnerving intel report.
The Spiridus was scheduled to reach London on March 21st, at 20:00 hours. According to the IUPF, the Spiridus was escorted by a group of F-16Fs and MiG-29Ks, and supported by a group of F-15Es and Su-34s, and a smaller group of A-10s and Su-25SMs.
Davenport was more than eager to take out the Spiridus. That aircraft had been slipping through the IUPF's fingers since the first day of the Valahia Crisis. London was covered with military vehicles, and Royal Air Force patrols over the area were frequent; the RAF was on red alert in case the Valahia launched their attack prematurely.
She and Foulke were waiting for Frederick Burford in the briefing room of the base they were in. The base itself was fifteen miles to the west of London.
-What kind of weaponry can we expect the Spiridus to use?-asked Foulke.
-I think we can expect the Spiridus to use the railgun at some point.-answered Davenport.-But I don't think we have seen all of its weaponry.
-You mean, apart from the SAMs, the AA guns and the flaks?-said Foulke.
-Yep. Even more.-replied Davenport.
-I see. This is going to be easy.-said Foulke.
-This is where the fun begins.-chuckled Davenport.-At least for us.
-In the best case scenario, we may be able to trample the Valahia into submission.-guessed Foulke.-But, in the worst, we may get them even angrier. And since they have the Rigel squadron on their side, that's something we're better off not doing.
-So, you're saying that we're better off letting the Valahia destroy London?-asked Davenport.
-I never said that, and you'll never hear me saying such a foolish thing.-answered Foulke.
Shortly after, Burford entered the room. He then started the briefing.
-The Valahia is expected to launch their attack on London tonight. The RAF will be offering support in this operation.-said Burford.-It's been confirmed that the Spiridus will be involved in the attack. So far they haven't revealed any new weaponry other than what we saw in Tokyo, but stay sharp. Fortunately, analysis of data suggests the Spiridus lacks mobility due to its massive size. You can use a fast aircraft for hit-and-run tactics, or a high spec one for close range attacks.
-The Tornado F.3 is a good plane for hit-and-run attacks, and the Mirage 2000C is much more agile, and since, ideal for close range attacks.-said Davenport.
-I'm calling dibs on the F.3.-said Foulke.-You'll have to make due with the Mirage.
-No problem.-said Davenport.-The Mirage 2000 series has proven to be very good.
-Davenport, Foulke, you two are ordered to destroy the Spiridus once and for all.-said Burford.-Please, come back ALIVE and VICTORIOUS!
-You can count on us!-said Foulke.
-It won't get away from us this time!-added Davenport.
-Glad to hear it.-said Burford, proud of his pilots.-Prepare for launch!
Davenport and Foulke headed toward the hangar. A grey Tornado F.3 with dark grey radome and a blue and white Mirage 2000C with grey radome were stored there.
At 19:30 hours, Davenport and Foulke took off from the base and headed to London.
London, United Kingdom, March 21st 2016, 20:00 Hours; Weather: Nighttime, clear skies
Antares 1 and Antares 2 were flying over London, with a squadron of four Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons providing support. It was night, and a full moon lit the sky.
-RAF squadron, can you hear me?-asked Canopus.-This is Burford, from the M42 squadron of Martinez Security.
-This is Dragoon 1, Mayor Evans, of the 14th squadron of the RAF.-replied Dragoon 1.-We're tracking two formations. One seems to be a handful of escort fighters, and the other one a group of attack planes, both heading towards London from the northeast. We're thankful for your support, Martinez Security.
-Antares squadron, you've heard the man.-said Canopus.-You must stop the bandits from reaching London at any cost.
-Antares 1, understood.-said Antares 1.-You'd better have our pay ready and waiting.
-That's if we both make it through this alive, Antares 1.-said Antares 2.
An MPG appeared in the upper right corner of their HUDs, with the label "London" in it.
-Damage to London will be shown on your MPG.-reported Canopus.-Do not let that gauge fall to zero.
Antares 1 and Antares 2 headed toward the escort fighters. They were eight F-15Es and eight Su-34s. The Su-34s had a two-tone blue camo with black nose stripe and white radome, and the F-15Es had a three-tone grey camo with tiger stripes.
-Antares 2, take out the Su-34s.-ordered Antares 1.-I'll take care of the F-15Es.
-Understood.-said Antares 2.
-Antares squadron, we'll take care of the attack planes.-said Dragoon 1.-Keep your eyes peeled for the Spiridus.
-Roger that, Dragoon 1.-answered Antares 1.-Good luck out there.
After that, Antares 2 headed toward the group of Su-34s. She switched to SAAMs, locked on to one of them and fired. The Su-34 was shot down, while the other ones fanned out, trying to surround Antares 2. Antares 2 attacked a couple of them using the SAAMs, shooting them down. However, a couple of Su-34s got on her tail and fired, trying to shoot her down. Antares 2 managed to evade, and used her SAAMs to shoot them down. A sixth Su-34 strayed too far from the cover of his squadron, and Antares 2 used her last SAAM to take it down. The other two Su-34s tried to regroup and attack Antares 2 from both sides, but she counterattacked with a couple of QAAMs, taking them out.
Antares 1, meanwhile, engaged the F-15Es. He switched to XMAAs, locked on to four of them, and fired. The four F-15Es were shot down, while the other four broke away in panic. Antares 1 followed a couple of them, locked on to them with the XMAAs, and took them out. The other two F-15Es tried to shoot Antares 1 down in retaliation, but Antares 1 evaded the attack and shot them down with his last two XMAAs.
The Dragoon squadron were taking out a group of four A-10s and four Su-25 meanwhile. It was easy for them, since the Typhoons were extremely agile and their advanced weaponry. They shot down the whole flight in a matter of minutes.
However, their joy was a short-lived one; the Dragoon squadron spotted the Spiridus flying over the southeastern sector of London. It was targeting London with some kind of yellow laser that came from a dish on the right wing. A couple of seconds later, the laser turned red, and a huge lightning-like wave hit London a single second after that.
-Impact within city limits!-reported Dragoon 1.-London is burning!
-What!?-asked Canopus.-Is it the Spiridus?
-Affirmative.-replied Dragoon 1.-It used some kind of lightning against London!
-A lightning!?-asked Antares 1.
-It seems like a laser guided the current to the target.-reported Dragoon 1.-Sort of.
-So, we can dub this weapon as "electrolaser cannon", right?-asked Antares 2.
-In any case, there's no way we can stop the Spiridus' raid on London without taking out the electrolaser cannon.-said Canopus.-Try and damage the base of the electrolaser cannons to stop them from firing.
Antares 1 headed towards the Spiridus, with Antares 2 following him closely. There was a blueish light surrounding three dishes on the wings and the lower rear fuselage. It created some sort of jamming around the dishes, protecting the electrolaser cannons from enemy fire.
Suddenly, the electrolaser cannon's "shield" faded, and it began to emit a yellow laser from it. Antares 1 and Antares 2 targeted the laser and fired four missiles on it, shutting the laser out.
-It seems to be protected by an electromagnetic shield.-said Canopus.-Attack when it's recharging.
A group of four F-16Fs and MiG-29Ks attacked the Antares squadron.
-Antares squadron, take care of the fighters.-said Dragoon 1.-We'll take care of the Spiridus' anti-air weaponry.
-Roger that, Dragoon 1. Thank you for your support.-replied Antares 1.
-This battle is ours, too.-replied Dragoon 1.-The Valahia has violated our airspace to launch this attack.
Antares 1 attacked the F-16Fs with QAAMs, shooting two of them down in one pass. The other two split up and tried to surround him, but Antares 1 counterattacked with his last QAAMs and destroyed them with ease. Antares 2 attacked the MiG-29Ks using QAAMs too. Two MiG-29Ks were shot down, and the other two got on her tail, trying to shoot her down with their guns. Antares 2 pulled a barrel roll and used her last QAAMs to take them out, succeeding. Meanwhile, the Dragoon squadron attacked the Spiridus with a huge barrage of missiles, taking out SAM launchers, flak guns and AA guns with a salvo of sixteen missiles.
At that moment, the electrolaser cannons on the wings began to emit their lasers. Antares 1 attacked the laser on the left wing, while Antares 2 attacked the laser on the right wing. The laser on the left wing was deactivated, but the electrolaser cannon on the right wing exploded.
-electrolaser cannon confirmed destroyed.-reported Antares 1, who saw his wingman destroy the cannon.-Two remaining.
-Be careful out there.-warned Canopus.-You're finished if that thing even scratches you.
-Not bad, Antares squadron.-cheered Dragoon 1.-You're very good. We may be able to win this.
-We would be in serious trouble without your support, Dragoon squadron.-answered Antares 2.-The Spiridus wreaked havoc over Tokyo.
The Spiridus' remaining electrolaser cannons turned on, ready to fire on London again. Antares 1 attacked the left electrolaser cannon again, while Antares 2 fired on the rear cannon. The left cannon exploded, and the third one was deactivated.
-electrolaser cannon confirmed destroyed.-said Canopus.-One remaining.
-The Spiridus will never be defeated.-claimed the Spiridus' captain, defiantly.
-Aim for the cannon while it's recharging.-ordered Canopus.-We can't allow any further attacks on London!
The last electrolaser cannon began to emit its laser. Antares 1 and Antares 2 attacked the laser dish at the same time, causing it to explode.
-All electrolaser cannons confirmed destroyed!-reported Antares 1, as he and Antares 2 flew by below the Spiridus.
-Good. I'll try to analyze the Spiridus for weak spots.-replied Canopus.
Meanwhile, the captain of the Spiridus was beside himself.
-Damn them, open the AA gun ports!-he ordered.-Switch fire controls to aerial suppression!
-The Spiridus is the pride of Valahia!-stated a member of the crew.-It won't be stopped!
-They've underestimated us.-said the captain.-It's time to teach them that size does matter!
A yellow laser, which rapidly turned red, aimed at the Dragoon squadron.
-What's that?-Dragoon 1 wondered. He realized what it was too late to react.-Ahhhh!
It turned out to be the laser of the electrolaser cannon, which fired on the Typhoons and shot them down. Antares 1 and Antares 2 watched the scene helplessly.
-Allies down!-said Antares 2.
-An anti-air electrolaser cannon!?-said Antares 1.-You've gotta be joking!
The Spiridus deployed four AA guns over each upper wing.
-Antares squadron, start by neutralizing the Spiridus' anti-air weaponry. Aim for those fire control units on its surface to shoot down those AA guns.-ordered Canopus, as the FCUs appeared as targets in the Spiridus' upper wings.-Watch out for that electrolaser cannon as well.
At that moment, the Spiridus' anti-air electrolaser cannon aimed for the Antares squadron.
-Just stay still, will you?-said a member of the Spiridus' crew.
-Keep firing!-ordered the captain.-Don't let them get close.
Antares 1 and Antares 2 dived to avoid the electrolaser cannon, which, after turning red, fired. It missed, and the electric current was shot into the sky.
-That red laser helps them to lock on to targets. Avoid it at all costs.-reported Canopus.-Fly lower than the Spiridus to avoid its attacks.
Antares 1 and Antares 2 tried to attack the FCUs, but the electrolaser cannon tried to target them again. They dived just in time to avoid the deadly current. The Antares squadron turned around as fast as they could and fired two missiles and a gun burst on the FCUs, destroying them just before the electrolaser cannon was fired again. The AA guns were destroyed when the FCUs were taken out. However, the Spiridus deployed more AA guns.
-Confirming deployment of additional AA guns.-reported Antares 2.
-Destroy them all and whittle down the Spiridus' weaponry.-ordered Canopus.
The Spiridus had deployed ten AA guns and six flak guns spread all over its fuselage. There were also three FCUs, one over each wing and one on the rear fuselage.
-Hurry up and switch defense systems!-ordered the Spiridus' captain.-Deploy all available weapons!
-This won't get any easier.-observed Canopus.-Don't let your guard down.
The Spiridus was spewing black smoke by its rear fuselage.
-Target is emitting smoke.-said Antares 1.-Damage confirmed.
-Attack the fire control unit!-ordered Canopus.
Suddenly, the Spiridus fired a handful of purple flares from its rear fuselage.
-Explosion confirmed behind target.-reported Antares 2.-What is that?
-Deploy IRCMs! Nullify enemy armament!-ordered the captain of the Spiridus.
Antares 2 targeted the FCUs and fired a couple of missiles, but they flew in erratic patterns, missing the target.
-Sly mongrels... most likely some kind of flare that knocks out a missile's seeking capabilities.-swore Canopus. He then talked to the Antares squadron.-Antares squadron, that explosion will disrupt your missiles from locking on. Look for an opening and then counterattack.
The Spiridus kept deploying the IRCMs at regular intervals, preventing the Antares squadron from taking the FCUs out. The electrolaser cannon was also fired time and time again in an effort to shoot them down, but thankfully, Antares 1 and Antares 2 were flying lower than the Spiridus. The electrolaser cannon missed them, but they still got goosebumps every time the cannon fired.
-Dammit!-swore Antares 2 after the fifth barrage of IRCMs.-At this rate, we won't be able to take out the Spiridus!
-Leave that to me.-said Antares 1.
Antares 1 waited for a moment until the IRCMs faded and rushed toward the Spiridus. He fired a couple of missiles and a gun burst on the central FCU, destroying it. However, the IRCMs were deployed just after the missiles hit their target. Some of them were sucked into the engines of Antares 1's aircraft.
-Scheiße!-cursed Antares 1, as he turned left to avoid colliding with the Spiridus, flying between its wings.
Antares 2 saw that her flight lead had problems with his aircraft. The plane was spewing grey smoke, and it was flying much slower than usual.
-Antares 1, what's wrong with your plane?-she asked.
-I think that some of those flares got sucked into the engines.-replied Antares 1.-I can still fly, but apparently, I can't use my afterburners.
-Return to base, then.-said Antares 2.
-Negative, Antares 2.-replied Antares 1.-I'm not leaving until this mission's over. That's final.
Antares 2 gave up. She knew Antares 1 was too stubborn to listen to reason once he made up his mind.
-OK then.-she said.-In that case, if you think you can, try and help me as much as you can. I don't think I can take out enough anti-aircraft weapons alone.
-Roger that.-answered Antares 1.-I'll take out the FCU on the left. You take care of the one on the right.
Antares 1 and Antares 2 attacked the FCUs. Since Antares 2 could still use her afterburners, she managed to take out the FCU before her flight lead.
Nonetheless, Antares 1 managed to take out the last FCU before the electrolaser cannon fired on him. All anti-aircraft artillery was taken out when the FCU was destroyed.
-Hostile anti-air weaponry disabled!-chimed Antares 2.
-Damn it, you've gotta be kiddin' me.-swore a member of the Spiridus' crew.
-Focus all remaining armament on bandits!-ordered the Spiridus' captain.-Smash those scorpions into the ground!
-Those IUPF pilots are good.-observed another member of the Spiridus' crew.
The Spiridus deployed its last six AA guns, two SAM launchers, and four flak guns. Since there were no FCUs, the Antares squadron had to destroy them individually.
-The Spiridus has taken heavy damage.-reported Antares 1.-The electrolaser cannon is now vulnerable to attacks.
-Good, disable the Spiridus' AA guns ASAP.-said Canopus.-Don't get too distracted by those AA guns or you'll fall victim to the electrolaser cannon.
Antares 1 and Antares 2 attacked the flak guns first, shooting a missile on each of them.
-Fire is preading too fast!-said the captain of the Spiridus.-Shoot down the enemy NOW!
The Spiridus' crew tried to shoot down the Antares squadron with the electrolaser cannon. Antares 1 and Antares 2 dived and evaded the current. The Antares squadron turned around after evading the electrolaser cannon and attacked the SAM launchers and two AA guns, destroying them with a missile each.
-Those bastards are very well coordinated! They almost seem like an aerobatic team!-complained a member of the Spiridus' crew.
-Damn scorpions...-swore the captain.-Just shoot them down already!
Antares 1 and Antares 2 took out the last AA guns, leaving both the Spiridus and the electrolaser cannon open for an attack. Once the electrolaser cannon targeted them, Antares 1 and Antares 2 unleashed a deadly barrage of standard missiles and bullets over the electrolaser cannon's base, disabling it.
-We stopped the electrolaser cannon, but it's not destroyed yet.-reported Canopus.
And he was right. The electrolaser cannon was reactivated. Antares 1 and Antares 2 weren't in a good position to fire on the electrolaser cannon, and dived to evade the attack, which took place just a second after they reached a safe altitude. After that, Antares 1 and Antares 2 pulled up and waited for the electrolaser cannon to target them again. Once it did, Antares 1 and Antares 2 fired everything they had on it, finally destroying it.
-All hostile electrolaser cannons have finally been silenced.-reported Antares 2.
-Take your final shot.-ordered Canopus.-End this, Antares squadron.
-Damn it! Valahia will not lose to such insects!-said the captain of the Spiridus.-Ready the Balaur.
-Sir?-questioned one of the members of the Spiridus' crew.-Sir, please reconsider. The Balaur hasn't been fully repaired since Tokyo.
-Can we fire it or not!?-asked the captain.
-We can, but just once before it overheats critically, and it will take some time to fully charge it.-answered the crew member.
-One shot is all we need. Prepare to fire!-ordered the captain.-Charge the Balaur while ascending. We'll turn London into a smoking hole in the ground!
The Spiridus' engines began to increase their power, and it pulled up.
-The Spiridus is gradually gaining altitude.-reported Antares 1.-Could they be retreating?
-I doubt it.-replied Antares 2.-More likely they intend to fire the cannon they used in Tokyo.
-Just as I feared.-muttered Canopus, as the Antares squadron's MPG changed from "London"to "Recharge".-Antares squadron, the fate of London is now in your hands. Throw everything you've got at them, and do not let that weapon fire!
Antares 1 and Antares 2 aimed for the railgun's heat vent and fired missiles and bullets. However, the Spiridus was getting close to transonic flight.
-IUPF pests!-growled the captain.-Just try to stop the strike of the Balaur if you can!
The Spiridus reached Mach 1, leaving Antares 1 behind.
-Antares 2, I can't reach the Spiridus.-he said.-You'll have to take it out by yourself this time!
-With pleasure!-answered Antares 2.-That thing's not going to escape this time!
Antares 2 hit the burners and attacked the Spiridus relentlessly.
-What are you doing? Complete the charge already!-ordered the captain.-Forget the enemy's attacks! Just gain altitude!
Antares 2 was firing missiles and bullets like a bat out of Hell. Her attacks finally began to take their toll on the heat vent, as it began to overheat.
-We're taking critical damage!-cried a member of the Spiridus' crew.-The Spiridus won't last much longer!
-"About damn time!"-Antares 2 thought, triumphantly.
-Silence! We cannot fall until we have delivered justice to our enemies!-barked the captain.
-"Such a beautiful dream!"-Antares 2 mused, as she kept firing.-"However, just like unfair rules, dreams are meant to be broken!"
Just before the Spiridus and Antares 2 reached thirty thousand feet, Antares 2 managed to destroy the heat vent, which resulted in a huge explosion, causing the Spiridus to suffer a chain reaction that caused it to fall. She managed to get in the clear before the Spiridus fell.
-Main engine output falling!-reported a member of the Spiridus' crew, panicked.
-Maintain altitude!-ordered the captain.-Aim the cannon at the capitol building!
-Impossible, sir!-replied the crew member.-Unable to maintain altitude!
The explosions succeeded in a maddening order, as the Spiridus tilted from side to side, losing control.
-All fuel tanks are burning! No response from the second bridge!-reported another member of the crew.
The Spiridus began to fall towards the Thames River, out of control.
-She can't hold on!-said a member of the crew, breaking down.-We're going down! AAAAAAHHH...!
The radio was saturated with static, as the Spiridus' left wing crashed into the Thames River, followed by the Spiridus itself. The whole city of London was shock by the explosion.
-I got visual on the winged behemoth crashing into the Thames River.-said Canopus.-Good job, Antares squadron!
Antares 2 rejoined her flight lead, panting. Antares 1 was impressed by his wingman's prowess.
-Antares squadron returning to base.-he simply said, as he and Antares 2 headed back to base.
London, United Kingdom, March 21st 2016, 23:45 Hours; Weather: Nighttime, clear skies
Marlene Davenport fell over the couch in the base's lounge, dead tired from the engagement with the Spiridus. Frederick Burford had told them that, although the Spiridus had caused great damage to London, the worst case scenario had been averted. However, he had also expressed his concern about the Valahia attacking places like London and Tokyo, two hubs of economical and financial power, with high spec weaponry, since it meant that they were able to operate on too large a scale to be mere terrorists.
-Hey, you did well out there.-said a voice behind her.
Hansel Foulke had entered the lounge, and surprisingly, he was smiling. It was not a smug smirk, but a kind, friendly smile.
-Who are you and what have you done to Foulke?-Davenport replied.
-I'm being serious.-said Foulke, his smile unwavering.-You were in a very difficult situation, where I couldn't help you, and you shot down the best the Valahia could send on us single-handedly. You are a real ace, Marlene.
Davenport almost jumped from the couch in surprise.
-Wait, did you just call me by my first name!?-she asked.
-Of course.-said Foulke.-That means you've earned my friendship.
-Your friendship?-asked Davenport, still not believing her ears.
-You got it.-answered Foulke, nodding.
-I see.-said Davenport.-That's nice of you, Foulke.
-Please, call me Hansel.-said Foulke, sitting down on a chair.
-OK, Hansel.-replied Davenport.-You also did good out there. I mean, if it hadn't been by those flares, you could've taken out the Spiridus yourself.
-We'll never know.-answered Foulke.-The fact is that you took it out. And the Valahia is finally taking us seriously.
-That might end up being a problem, if they get their hands on something nasty.-said Davenport, the memory of the Scinfaxi-class submarine they had faced in the Adriatic still fresh.-By the way, are you going to answer the question I made some days ago? What do you hope to achieve on the battlefield?
Foulke was taken aback by that question.
-I'll answer that question in time.-he answered.
-What!?-asked Davenport, getting angry.-Didn't you just say we were friends?
-Calm down.-answered Foulke.-The reason I'm not answering is because I want you to mature as a pilot by the time I answer that question; it doesn't have anything to do with whether I trust you or not. Besides, some questions are better off left unanswered.
-I see.-said Davenport. She then yawned.-I guess I'll go to sleep now.
-Me too.-said Foulke.-This day's been very long. Good night, Marlene.
-Good night to you too, Hansel.-replied Davenport, as she headed to her room.
Some minutes later, after entering his room, Foulke got into his bed, but he kept staring into the ceiling.
-"This Marlene is a really phenomenal pilot."-he mused.-"She's unlike any other person I've ever met. Except Elza, to some extent. Wait, what am I doing, comparing my sweet Elza to Marlene!? She would be ashamed of me! And the last think I could do for her was to mourn her death!"
He looked at the photo of Elza he always carried with him and fell asleep shortly after.
San Francisco, California, United States, March 30th 2016, 07:30 Hours; Weather: Sunny, few clouds
Andre Olivieri was in his office, with his secretary, staring at the computer's screen on his desk.
"Media outlets across the world have just received this new footage from the Valahia. Let's take a look."
Andre Olivieri was watching the news in his computer, frowning.
The screen showed footage of Nicolae Dumitrescu, sitting on an armchair, with a couple of AK-47s resting to the right of his armchair, and a Valahia flag behind him. Dumitrescu was wearing an elegant uniform with three-star epaulettes on his shoulder.
"-In the last century, many of the communist countries in which we believed fell into decline, and the world became one of capitalism.-said Dumitrescu.-But thanks to the greedy swines bred by this very system, the once sweet fruit of capitalism is now rotten to the core. It has reached the end of its time."
Dumitrescu gesticulated, in an effort to emphasize his point of view was the correct one.
"-Let me ask you.-he said.-Are you honestly fulfilled and prospering? I do not think so. Look hard at the truth, look through the fabricated capitalist illusions!"
As Olivieri watched Dumitrescu's message, he received a phone call. His secretary picked up the phone at the third ring.
-Hey, what's going on?-asked a voice over the phone.-It this part of the plan? Talk to me!
Before the secretary could answer or pass the phone call to Olivieri, Olivieri's mobile began to ring. He picked it up.
-Olivieri, you are the biggest disappointment of the century!-shouted an outraged voice over the phone.-You need to make sure they don't spill even a word of the details of our plan! You'd better take care of the media, and those thugs you've unleashed. Or the whole world could turn against us!
Olivieri stood up once he heard the voice. As he listened, he stared into the window of his office, getting more and more angry by the second. When the voice said "turn against us", he threw his mobile into the floor, breaking it into pieces. His secretary hung up the phone and left the room without saying a single word. Dumitrescu's message continued.
"-We are prepared to sacrifice everything to establish a nation of our own.-Dumitrescu said, standing up.-The nuclear warheads and ICBMs now under our control should be more than enough to prove our resolve. It is with great pleasure that I declare the creation of our own new nation by our hands!"
Footage of an ICBM in a Uzbekistan missile silo was shown.
"-Dissidents will be consumed by flames, as we march toward the birth of a nation!-said Dumitrescu. He then casted a Kubrick Stare at the camera.-Finally, allow me to offer a warning to those who know us well."
Olivieri's eyes twitched as he waited for the warning.
"-Beware the "Golden Axe".-muttered Dumitrescu, snarling wildly."
Olivieri took out a P229 from his pocket and fired at the screen, aiming for Dumitrescu's mouth. He panted as he stared at the broken screen.
-Well, that's that...-he sighed. Olivieri then let out a dry chuckle.-I still have another iron axe I can throw into the spring...!
He threw the pistol into the fish tank and left the office, slamming the door behind him.
Meanwhile, in Paris...
Marlene Davenport, Hansel Foulke and Frederick Burford watched the news in shock.
-Nuclear missiles!?-gasped Davenport.-This is insane! The Valahia's gone too far!
-Now this is what I call drastic measures!-said Foulke, shaking his head in disbelief.
-And I can guess Sulejmani and his men are still with the Valahia.-said Burford.-This is definitely NOT gonna be a walk in the park.
Meanwhile, in Uzbekistan...
Nicolae Dumitrescu had already sent his message to the global community. He then contacted the Varcolac squadron members.
-Mister Sulejmani.-he said, once he contacted the squadron.-The IUPF will be taking actions against us very soon. And the Red Scorpions will probably get involved into this, too. I want them out of the picture. 3 millions for each one of you if you shoot them down; four if you kill them. I've sent you new aircrafts for that purpose. Use them wisely.
-Understood, Mister Dumitrescu.-replied Sulejmani, darkly.
Meanwhile, in Romania...
Milosz Sulejmani gathered Daniel Oruma, Faryd Gaviria and Tolya Kiriakov, and once they met, they headed to the hangar in the base they were in. Inside the hangar there were a MiG 1.44, an A-10, a MiG-31B and an Su-37. They all had the Varcolac squadron's paintjob.
-Hmm, sweet rides!-chimed Oruma.-That A-10's surely gonna beat some asses!
-Nothing compares to the mighty MiG-31!-added Gaviria.-Those IUPF pigs will never know what it them!
-The Su-37 is second to no aircraft in the world.-observed Kiriakov.-I'm really looking forward to see Foulke and Davenport again. For the last time.
-The conditions are these: four millions for each one of us if we kill the Antares squadron members.-said Sulejmani.-Three if we shoot them down.
-Who cares about money?-asked Kiriakov.-I'd shoot them down for free!
-Let's just take the reward anyway, hombre!-said Gaviria.
-Combining work and pleasure again, huh?-said Oruma, smirking.
-Still, Dumitrescu mustn't find out why are we actually working for him.-warned Sulejmani.-Our "sponsor" wants us to inform them of any movement of the Valahia.
-Damn right.-said Oruma.-But I still think that guy's a wacko.
-A war that just helps them make more money...-sighed Gaviria, shaking his head.-If we weren't getting paid as good as we are for being their moles, I might be still with Burford.
-This conflict is a farce.-said Kiriakov.-And those goody-goodies took the bait just as they predicted.
Eleventh chapter. As a celebration for reaching the halfway point in the fic, I'll make a little omake-esque ending for the fic, in theater style:
(AurelianAce enters the stage.)
AurelianAce: Hello, readers. I'll take this section as a chance to explain myself. Some of you might wonder why are some of the chapters different from Ace Combat Joint Assault's missions. It's because I want them to feel both familiar and new, and because some of this missions have some flaws. For example, in Nightwatch, Burford states that they have no information about the electrolaser cannons during the briefing, and just in the beginning of the mission, he explains how the electrolaser cannons works as if he already knew. Also, I added a little dogfight in the beginning of the chapter, to spice things up.
(Ángel, Julieta, Crístofer and Sara, characters from my previous fic "Skies of Deception", enter the stage.)
AurelianAce: Hey, look who are here! Hello, guys!
Ángel, Julieta, Crístofer, and Sara: Hi, AurelianAce!
AurelianAce: How are you guys doing?
Ángel: Not bad, but it could be much better. People are not reading or reviewing your fics as much as we'd like. Especially Operation X. I feel a little bad for you, after all the effort you put in writing them.
Julieta: Yeah, it's pretty sad. The competition with the rest of the fics is really tough, though. Especially when it comes to competition with Ace Combat 04, 5 and Zero. Those fics are dominating FanFiction.
Crístofer: By the way, when are you going to write the spin-off you planned to write after you completed "Skies of Deception", huh? You know, the one you intended to base on Skies of Incursion.
AurelianAce: When Half-Life 3 comes out!
Sara: What!? Don't be so mean to my husband!
AurelianAce: It's called sarcasm! I intend to write it after I finish this fic. But I also have some projects based on this fic, too. So please, be patient. However, since Skies of Incursion was removed from the App Store, and since I didn't have the chance to play it, I'll have to dig out as much info as I can from the Ace Combat wiki. So don't expect the Skies of Incursion-based fic to be 100% accurate.
Crístofer: I see. Just keep your promise!
AurelianAce: Have I ever let you down before?
Julieta: Well, I can still find typos in your previous fics. Does that answer the question?
AurelianAce: Hey, that's mean! I have many things to do in real life!
Ángel: Like, what? Watching movies, taking walks over the city, and sleep?
AurelianAce: Those and many more! Unlike you, I can't say I have much free time, you punk!
Julieta: Don't you dare to insult Ángel, you lazy bum!
AurelianAce: But he's a punk! I mean, look at his mohawk! It's screaming "Hey, I'm a punk, and I'm proud of it"! Not that it's something bad. Just saying. Also, sassy chick...
Ángel: Watch your mouth! If you insult Julieta, I'll punch your teeth out!
AurelianAce: SHUT THE FLYING FUCK UP! As I was saying, I'm waiting to see if I've been admitted in the university. If things go well, I might get admitted in Biology.
Julieta: Biology? What do you want to be when you graduate?
AurelianAce: A paleontologist.
Julieta: Just like me! At least we've got something in common.
AurelianAce: Yep. That's it.
Ángel: By the way, what do you think about the new Ace Combat Infinity?
AurelianAce: It makes me regret I don't have a PS3. Of course the pay-to-win system pisses me off, but still, they're adding quite a nice arsenal to ACI. Now they only have to add the F-1 Kaizen, a variant of the Tornado, the F-15SE, the Su-30MKI, and the MiG-27, and we're fucking golden.
Crístofer: You know that's unlikely to happen, right?
AurelianAce: Can't people have dreams?
Sara: The author is right. If he likes those planes, he's got right to dream about it.
AurelianAce: But I lost my shit when I heard Godzilla's roar in the update trailer. Not that it's wrong, but what the Hell is Godzilla doing in Ace Combat!?
Ángel: We'll have to wait for the next update of ACI to find it out.
AurelianAce: OK, people might have get bored of this for now. So just get back to Strangereal. Have a good time!
Ángel, Julieta, Crístofer, and Sara: Goodbye, AurelianAce! Hope to see you soon.
AurelianAce: Ah, they're like kids.
Well, that's all for now. Read and review all my fics, please! And tell me if I make some mistakes. I don't bite, you know. Good luck and take care. See you next time
