It's me again. Seriously, who else could it be? Actually… don't answer that. Well I doubt anyone would be surprised by the fact that I still don't own Ace Combat, H&K, BMW, MiG, Northrop-Grumman, etc. I'd also like to take my usual moment to thank the people how are still reading my story; you guys are great for putting up with me. Well, here is chapter 8. Also if a Mr. K.D. is reading this, hi.

Chapter 8: Acceptation

"Today, the 30th, we will attack an Ustian defensive position here on the map" said Herr Major von Klugg point to somewhere in northwestern Ustio with a laser pen. "Grau and Braun Squadrons will provide the ground attack runs and we'll provide the main fighter cover. We also must make sure that we protect our amour from enemy fighter-bombers. Here on the forward slope of this mountain is number of Ustian AT guns and machine gun positions. The rocks should provide the enemy with decent cover, but Grau and Braun should be any to deal with this. Any questions? Nein? Well then I will turn this over to you von Klein."

Von Klugg stepped down from the platform he was standing on and hand von Klein the laser pen. Mieke, Krauss, everyone else, and I were staring at a screen that a projector was… well… projecting images of the battle plans.

Von Klein started talking in his usual serious emotionless voice, "Triple A threats will include surface to air missiles, light rapid fire AAs, heavy flak guns, and, of course, fighter planes. Osean built MIM-72/M48 Chaparral seems to be their main SAM. Bofors 40 mm L/70 are their main AA guns. You guys aren't really going near the ground defenses, so worry about the fighters and hostile air support. Fighter planes will likely F-4s and F-5s. There is also a squadron of A-4M Skyhawk II are in the area and may attack our amour. Keep an eye out for them and shoot them down. You guys just need to keep above and out of the bombing runs and watch for hostile planes, understand?"

"Jawohl" everyone shouted together.

He nodded, "Sehr gute." He stepped down and left the room.

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I just finished suiting up and sat down at my desk waiting for Mieke. I noticed a book in a bag that I'd left on my desk. I'd forgotten about picking it up from town when we were allowed a 6 hour leave. Pulling it out, I opened my brand new copy of 'The Science to Understanding Attraction and Relationships'. Being the logical person I am, I decided I needed answers to what I was feeling towards Mieke. I began to read the first chapter when I heard the bathroom door being unlocked. I tossed the book on my bed out of sight and tried to look calm.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Ja" she answered.

I followed Paul down the tarmac to our planes. Paul hasn't been acting like himself lately. Truth be told, I haven't been myself lately either. I'd never wanted to be close to other people very much, but I wanted to be very close to Paul. I couldn't understand why though. I even tried stealing some of Paul's psychology books and reading what they had to say about 'human interaction'. Unfortunately, Paul doesn't seem to own books on attraction. Oh well, I've got more important things to worry about right now.

I climbed into the 08 plane and closed the canopy. I turned on the power and started the ignition. Hearing the noise of the turbine and the jet engine roaring to life I let my plane warm up. I checked to see if everything was ready. Fuel, power, radar, hydraulics, controls, weapon systems, ammo, targeting systems, and everything else are in the green.

"B flight, move into the taxiway. Over."

I waited for Freiman, Krauss, and Paul pull forward and then followed. I saw Braun Squadron's Tornados take off on runway 02. Up headed A flight started to move onto the runway and we stopped on the taxiway waiting for our turn. A flight sped down the runway and after a few seconds we took up position on the runway.

"Blau Squadron, B flight, you're clear for take off. Over." Said someone in the tower.

"Jawohl, B flight is off. Over and out." Said Herr Hauptmann Freiman.

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Blau Squadron flights' were in finger four. A flight was on our left and C flight was on our right. (AN: This is called a wall. Where the ladder in a few flights following each other, the wall is a few flights next to next to each other.) We were 20,000 ft in the air with Braun and Grau 1,000 ft below us. Braun was in front with their MiG-21s in wall like us and their Tornados trailing behind their Fishbeds; also in a wall. Grau was 500 yards behind them in the same formation. Their Fishbeds were loaded with AIM-9 sidewinders and Hydra 70 rocket pods. Their Tornados were loaded with AGM-65 Mavericks and CBU-87 cluster bombs. We were packing AIM-9 sidewinders on all four of our pylons making a total of 12 missiles for us.

I was enjoying the view of snow covered mountains. Even in spring, it was still cold and often snowed in Belka, Ustio, and Sapin. Being from Dinsmark, the capitol in the northern part of Belka, I wasn't bothered too much by the cold weather. According to my tacmap we were just crossing the border into Ustio. I looked up only to see clouds. Von Klein wasn't with us; he was at the base looking into reports on a mercenary flying a red and silver F-15.

"Achtung, this is AWACS Looking Glass. ETA to combat zone is 5 minutes. All aircraft make a final equipment check. Over." Said the AWACS.

Looking over my HUD and panel I determined that nothing was wrong and reported I was ready. We began to descend towards the ground. I could see a valley ahead. The mountain on the opposite sloped gently up; I recognized it as the one the enemy was supposed to have dug into. Getting closer I could see our tanks and ACPs getting ready for their assault. Judging by the battle scarred ground I guessed this wasn't the first attack.

"ETA 60 seconds. All aircraft go clean now. Over" Ordered our AWACS.

"Going clean" everyone shouted almost at the same time. (AN: Going clean means that a plane is dropping their disposable fuel tank from their pylon.)

I saw Braun and Grau descend onto the battlefield while we stayed couple thousand feet above watching for fighters. My radio was picking up pieces of chatter from the ground troops on both sides in addition to Braun and Grau.

"Achtung, Blau Squadron we have in coming fighters. About 36 Phantoms closing from vector 262. Altitude 9,500. Speed mach 1. Engage and destroy. Over." Looking Glass order. We immediately turned to engage the fighters coming from the southeast. B flight was coming from 7,000 ft to attack the enemy from behind and under.

"Fox Two." Someone yelled.

"Rader Spike." Someone else yelled in a panic.

"Scheißen! Missile shot trashed! OH NO he's firing!"

I knew the others were already engaging above us. I saw Herr Hauptmann Freiman pulled up in full afterburners and we followed. I could see were coming right behind a group of unsuspecting Phantoms. A tone started beep as my plane started to lock on a Phantoms. The tone became loud and solid and turned red on my HUD.

"Fox Two!" I yelled.

"Missile? Where?! Where…?" The enemy pilot's radio was cut off as my missile plowed into his tail, destroying his plane. I fired to more missiles and destroyed two more planes. A forth had realized I was there and tried to escape, but Paul blew his wing off with one of his missiles.

Suddenly I saw a tracer fly past my cockpit and I jinked right. A small buzzing sounded and I knew someone was trying to lock onto me. My HUD suddenly light up red, the buzzing became loud and constant, and my heart stopped. A missile.

"Tempest! Drop counter-measures and jink left!" A voice shouted in cold panic.

Suddenly I came to my senses and I pressed a button for my flare. I immediately jinked left and started to dive.

"Splash Two" shouted the same voice, sounding more relieved at getting the planes off me.

"Tempest!" I realized that the voice was Paul's and he sounded pissed, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING!?! You could've died! You could have…" His voice trailed off and I thought I heard a sob.

In a pleading voice Paul said, "Please, be a little more careful."

"Sorry, and I will." I said guiltily. After my heart rate slowed down I realized that…

"Grey Wolf that was your fourth and fifth kill. You're an ace."

"Huh?"

"You made ace."

"Oh… you just one more right?"

"Ja."

"Here come more planes. Take your shot, but be careful." He rolled over and behind me, giving me the lead. I saw two planes on someone's tail below us. I dived with Paul behind me. My plane started to acquire a target when he broke right. I follow, but lost a lot of speed in a high-G turn. He was too close for a missile, but for guns…

"Guns." I said after lining up the Phantom. I saw the tail rip apart and the engine die. I rolled to the side to avoid crashing into the F-4.

"He bailed" Paul said, I could tell something was really bothering him.

I said, "Danke."

"This is the 4th Panzer Regiment, our fighter-bombers have finished their runs and we're beginning our attack over." The ground forces are now starting to advance. Suddenly to the north, I notice planes flying low at our tanks.

"AWACS, this is Blau 08, I've sighted hostile planes from the north. Bogey dope. Over."

"What the…? Scheißen! Incoming hostile fighter-bombers. Closing 360 at 600 knots. Engage now!" Looking Glass yelled. We all turned to the north to meet the Skyhawks that von Klein warned us about. We hit afterburners to get them before they could attack our amour.

"Tally oh on those bandits. Over" Order Herr Major von Klugg.

"Fox Two! Fox Two!" I said firing two missiles. Both of them missed. I fired my guns as the Skyhawks and I passed each other. 'I think I damaged one' I thought.

Turning around and pulling into formation with Freiman, Krauss, and Paul I waited for a missile to lock.

"Fox two!" That time it did hit. I saw the pilot bail out just in time to avoid burning alive in a fireball. A burst of guns took out his wingman. I felt a pang of guilt as I saw he failed to bail out. Looking for more targets I saw the few remaining planes were retreating.

"Picture clear. Enemy planes are retreating. All aircraft RTB. Over and out."

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I was in my room. I striped off my flight suit and tossed it aside. Final count for our flight was Freiman: 8, Krauss: 5, Paul: 6, and me: 7. I smile at that, I beat Paul… where was he? I heard the door behind me slam and someone grabbed me and wheeled me around.

"YOU!" He yelled for some reason.

"Huh?" I couldn't understand why he was mad at me.

"You froze up today!" he yelled shaking me.

I was scared. I never had seen him show this much emotion, let alone anger. "I'm sorry, I panic" I stammered. He took a deep breath and his rage was replaced by something else. He seemed to be deflating.

"You know who scared I was? Your very important to…me, you know?" His voice trailed off. He looked down at the floor, his hands still on my shoulders. He started to slump and I could see he was calming down some, but he still was very upset. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't help, but be a little flattered by the fact he care that much.

I gently said, "I'm sorry. I'm not dead. I'm still here. Everything will be okay."

The next thing I knew Paul had pulled me into a hug. One of his hands on the back of my head, the other around my back. I rested my head on his chest and waited for him to say something. 'He smelled nice, I like resting my head like this, I don't want him to let go of me' I thought and I wondered, 'Paul does this make your heart race, your insides warm, or your body shiver?'

He let go and walked and climbed onto his bunk.

"Pa… pa … Paul? Ar… are you feeling okay?" I asked, realizing those words sounded insensitive, really of course he ins't okay.

He paused on the ladder and without looking at me he said quietly, "I'm not really sure what I'm feeling these days… but I'll tell you when I know." He climbed into his bed and pulled the curtain, hiding him from view.

I quickly left the room to think. I thought about Paul. I thought about how he made me feel, so warm, important, and needed. I started to fantasize staring into those green eyes, him pulling me into deep embrace, hearing kind words spoken into my ears, and… WHAT I AM I THINKING!?! I leaned against a wall wrapping my arms around myself. 'Why am I thinking these things? Am I in… love? Do you love me Paul because... I think... I love you' I though.

I groaned when Mieke left the room. 'Of course she asked if I was okay, I've must be acting like I'm crazy' I thought depressed.

I opened my book and started to read. The more I read the more it confirmed the theory I'd been forming since Mieke left the room.

After a few hours of reading... I was… without a doubt… in love with Mieke. What do I do now? I don't think I can tell her, especially after the way I yelled at her, but I thought I was going to lose her. Her words, 'I'm still here. Everything will be okay' kept echoing in my head. I thought, 'Well… at the least we can still be friends.'

I must have dozed off because I woke up at the sound of a door close. Checking my watch I saw it was almost 6:00 p.m. I heard Mieke walking to her bed.

I sighed and said, "Sorry... friends?"

She pulled my curtain back and looked me in the eyes. I tried to smile and she did the same, "Don't be sorry. I understand. I wouldn't have yelled at you, I would have killed you if you did something like that and of course we're still friends."

There was an air of nervousness and an awkward silence fell. She looked at something on my chest and asked, "What are you reading?"

I looked down and felt my face turn red, "Uh… well you see… um… I needed this to learn more about the human mind and social behavior." It was the best I could think of on the spot.

She shifted nervously and said blushingly, "Uh… are you done with it? Because if you are… can I read it? I curious about... um uh... something and I kinda..."

I didn't know why she wanted it, but I handed it to her and she lowered herself onto her own bed. I wish I could tell you how I feel, but it's for the best we stay friends. She smiled in a such a sweet way I swear I was melting before her. Well... whatever is happening now, our relationship is now getting much more complicated.

To Be Continued

Well that's it for now. Stay tuned for more folks. Please tell me what you think? If you got any questions just call me at 410-like-hell-I'm-gonna-tell-you (AN: not my area code either.)

Respectfully

J. H. Kamiya