It was a couple of days later that the aircraft promised by Osea arrived at Valais Airbase. The three squadrons became increasingly active with their new aircraft, training and practicing flight and becoming used to the new flying styles of their aircraft. Soon enough, the call came through for Cipher and Foulke to head to the briefing room. The mercenaries entered and sat with Fenrir.

"The mountain town of Solis Ortus is located just outside Ustio's capital, Directus." The intelligence officer explained. "The Allied Forces will deploy airborne troops, comprised primarily of Osea's 122nd Airborne Division over Solis Ortus, in a surprise air and ground attack on the Belkan Forces. This operation will play a critical role in Ustio's liberation. Your mission is to provide aerial support for the airborne troops."

"Destroy Belka's surface-to-air defence network and all interceptor aircraft, securing a safe drop zone for the airborne troops." He looked at Cipher and Foulke. "Be aware of civilians still inside Solis Ortus. Your actions will determine their fate."

Cipher and Foulke nodded. The pilots in the room stood and began to leave.

"Good luck." The Lieutenant General said as they left.

In the alert hanger, the mechanics loaded the fighters with the loadout instructed by their pilots. Foulke noticed Cipher's decision to not use bombs, and frowned.

"No bombs?" He asked his flight lead.

"Bombs can cause collateral damage to anything around where they hit." Cipher explained. "I don't want to accidently kill civilians."

"How will you engage ground targets?"

"The old fashioned way." Cipher grinned and gestured to the muzzle of his 20mm cannon.

Foulke shrugged and copied his flight lead's load of four AMRAAMs and six sidewinders. The two Eagles were the first taxiing as usual and Cipher's rear wheels had just left the runway when Fenrir's F-16 Fighting Falcons began to taxi. Cipher and Foulke circled the airbase as the new Fenrir fighters took off.

The six aircraft headed to the mountain town in three formations of two aircraft. It was early dusk, and the light was beginning to diminish. The sky was turning orange. Along the way, Cipher noted the flight path of four C-130 Hercules transports used by the 122nd Airborne. The flight of Ustio fighters merged with the first such transport just outside the combat airspace.

"Escort planes, this is the 122nd Airborne, now entering the operational airspace." The co-pilot reported. "We can't return to base until we empty this transport. We're counting on you."

"Cover the transports until they reach the drop zone." Eagle Eye reported.

"Get your asses in gear people!" A sergeant in the transport growled the order. "You gotta jump or you're of no value to this unit!"

"Charming." Foulke muttered as he and Cipher began a slow dive towards the first drop zone. Cipher's radar picked out the locations of three AA sites and two SAM's.

"Anyone showing weakness will be left behind!" The sergeant continued the drilling.

The AA guns opened fire on the mercenaries as they past low and fast over the town. Pulling up high, Cipher observed the town. "The town's split into three sections." He told Foulke who was busy shredding the AA guns with his own bullets. "It follows the valleys in the mountains."

"Copy that." Foulke banked around, creating sharp contrails in the sky as he turned for another attack run.

"Use that anger to get fired up and take them out, understood?" The sergeant yelled over the sound of wind. "Now go get them!" Cipher saw white parachutes appear in the wake of the C-130. He counted about sixty parachutists before diving and strafing the last remaining AA gun, which exploded as its ammunition went off.

A white puff of smoke trailed from a SAM launcher in the first section of the town and streaked towards the C-130. Cipher watched the Hercules fire off countless flares sideways and downwards, lighting up the sky like an angel of death. The missile exploded harmlessly in the sea of white-hot projectiles.

"He's mine." Henderson dived and loosened an AGM-88 HARM missile at the Anti-Air weapon and destroyed it before it could fire again.

"Nice of you to join the party." Foulke joked.

"Couldn't let you guys have all the fun." The Ustio flight lead replied humorously.

"Look out, there's Belkan SAM launchers stationed in the mountains." Fenrir Two warned.

"I wasn't informed there would be such a large disposition of troops!" A panicky paratrooper called out over the radio.

"Move onto the second section." Eagle Eye said. Foulke and Cipher followed the shallow mountain valley. On his radar, Cipher saw the second transport enter the combat airspace.

"Where are the Belkan fighters?" Cipher wondered aloud.

"They weren't expecting us." Foulke answered. "Guess we'll see how good their reaction time is."

They soon came to the second section under Belkan control. Cipher noticed that the section was defended by four AA guns and two SAMs based in parks and clearings throughout the town, picked out by his radar and shown on his HUD.

"Galm Two, engage the AA guns." Cipher ordered. "Watch out for civilian buildings."

"Galm Two roger." Foulke broke away from his port wing and dived lower to strafe the Belkan weapons. Meanwhile, Fenrir's HARM missiles destroyed the SAMs, clearing the way for the Galm Team.

"Good work Fenrir." Cipher said. "Begin attack on the third section, I don't want SAMs firing at me when the fighters come."

"Wilco!" Fenrir One ordered his flight around as they began their attacks. Cipher meanwhile had spotted an AA gun firing at his wingman, the orange projectiles narrowly missing the red wing of Foulke's Eagle. He dived at its back and loosened his own volley of gunfire, his underbelly meters above the roofs of the houses.

"Now's your chance! Go! Go! Go!" The encouragement from another loadmaster in the second C-130 signalled the arrival of the transport over the section Galm Team were fighting to supress. White parachutes appeared and floated to the ground like snowflakes. The Belkan AA weapons had also spied the 122nd Airborne, and opened fire. To Cipher's anger, parachutes began to crumble.

"We're gonna be shot full of holes before we even hit the ground!" A paratrooper said in dismay.

"We're the best! We're the best!" A soldier chanted.

"You'll be hard pressed to find a group of soldiers with more pride than them." Fenrir Four commented as he followed his flight lead to the third section.

"They're a brave bunch of soldiers, I'll give them that." Foulke agreed

"Galm Two, get that other AA gun!" Cipher shouted the order as he came in for another pass at the third weapon. The gun team saw him coming and opted to abandon the AA weapon before it was shot up by accurate 20mm cannon fire.

"Got another." Foulke said. "This is harder than I thought!" He formed back on Cipher's wing as the pair circled at 10,000 feet. They monitored the progress of Fenrir as they dealt with the Belkan Anti-Air defence network in the final section.

"Galm Team, incoming fighters." Eagle Eye said.

"Roger I see them." Foulke said. Cipher noted the incoming fighters coming from the north-east and north-west and converging on the third section.

"Galm Two, our job is to keep the enemy planes busy." Cipher said. "With me." He banked harder to engage the four coming in from the north-west.

"The Belkan air defence network is down." Henderson said. "The rest is up to the ground forces; protect the soldiers in the chute drop!"

Cipher saw the four fighters coming in on his HUD, the distance closing rapidly. Subconsciously, he switched to his AMRAAMs and launched all four.

"Fox Three!" He called. The four missiles split and tracked their individual targets with varying success. Two aircraft were transforming into flaming wreaks and tumbled to the ground, their pilots ejecting.

"Mayday, mayday…someone help us out!" A C-130 pilot cried for help.

"Galm Two disengage and go to help." Cipher ordered as the two flights shot past each other. Foulke complied and left Cipher to deal with the Belkan MiG-29 fighters who were trying to chase Foulke down. Cipher pulled hard on the flight stick and came about onto the rear of the two MiG's, and a sidewinder shot at the lead fighter discouraged the chase.

"Meteor One, respond!" The last Fulcrum pilot requested as the sidewinder hit the starboard tailpipe of Cipher's target. The mercenary pilot chased the Belkan air defence fighter and shot it down with a few bursts of gunfire.

"Fenrir Three was shot down by a SAM!" Henderson cried.

"Fenrir One, could you hunt down those SAMs in the mountains?" Cipher asked as he sped towards his wingman on full afterburners.

"Already on it." The Ustio pilot replied.

Cipher spied Foulke's red wing amongst a group of Belkan fighters. "Galm One, engaging." He announced as he threw his jet onto the tail of the MiG-29A Fulcrum threatening to shoot down Foulke. A missile and twenty rounds of deadly accurate cannon fire later, the aircraft was spiralling down to the mountains below, spewing flames from its engines. Foulke bagged two more fighters and Cipher finished up the last with a sidewinder shot.

"Nice work Galm Team." Eagle Eye praised. "More fighters incoming."

"Fenrir One to Galm Team." Henderson contacted the mercenary team. "We'll take the north-east group."

"Galm Team roger." Cipher and Foulke banked about to meet the second wave of fighters scrambled too late to stop the landing.

"We can't afford to give up air superiority!" Fenrir Two said.

Cipher locked on to the flight lead of the three plane formation he was engaging. He fired but the MiG-31 interceptor banked away sluggishly, and the projectile trailed off and missed.

"Foxhounds!" Foulke muttered. "Don't let them outrun you."

Cipher banked about, bringing his Eagle onto the tail of the large heavy Belkan fighters. The interceptors pulled away rapidly and Cipher swore as they downed the third 122nd Hercules transport as it tried to escape the combat airspace.

"Get them as they come about!" Foulke said. "We can turn tighter than they can!"

"Roger that." Cipher replied. "Galm Two, use your AMRAAMs."

"I only have two left." Foulke advised.

The Belkan interceptors were banking about in a wide circle. Cipher and Foulke applied their afterburners on full and turned sharper, bringing the back two fighters into sidewinder range. Cipher loosened two such missiles at the two rear aircraft and shot them down. Foulke detached a medium ranged AMRAAM at the last and the two pilots bailed out as the aircraft was struck in the port engine.

"AWACS, any more fighters?" Cipher asked as he slowed his F-15C and turned towards the centre of operational airspace.

"Negative, all enemy forces are down." Eagle Eye said. "The rest is up to the ground forces. Galm Team, return to base."

Cipher and Foulke turned their jets back towards Valais Airbase. Their job here was done. As he flew back silently, Cipher watched the sunset bathe the land in a growing darkness.

"I can see why the place is a popular tourist resort." Foulke said. "The view is fantastic."

"It is." Cipher agreed.

The mercenary pair reached Valais Airbase just before nightfall. Foulke landed first while Cipher circled until the Belkan had taxied off. Then he turned onto finals.

"Galm One, you are cleared to land." The Air Traffic Controller said.

Cipher lowered his landing gear and set his flaps to 'LAND'. Two lines appeared on his HUD, one vertical and one horizontal. He aligned his fighter until the crosses intersected in the centre of his HUD, indicating a perfect glide slope.

"Two miles to touchdown." The ATC said.

Cipher felt a small crosswind shift his aircraft slightly and quickly applied a little yaw to the left to counter.

"One mile to touchdown, slow down. You're coming in too fast."

Cipher applied his airbrake, a large hydraulic flap behind his cockpit. His speed rapidly dropped and he felt the Eagle begin to lose altitude.

"You're on the money." The ATC said, indicating he was all clear.

The rear wheels touched down with a jolt and screech. He quickly applied his wheel brakes as well as his airbrakes, and the nose wheel came into contact with the tarmac soon after. His speed slowed quickly until he stopped on the runway.

"Nicely done Galm One. Taxi to your hanger."

The mercenary parked in front of the hanger. He was then towed into the hanger in front of Foulke by the ground crew, and there he conducted his post flight checks and helped disarm his last AIM-9. Then he proceeded to his debrief.

"Operation Varsity succeeded!" The Lieutenant General was very pleased as the two squadrons entered. "Ground troops are now en route to Solis Ortus. It won't be long now until Ustio is liberated."

As Cipher left the room, the base felt different. The air was still icy cold, enough to force the mercenary to don his jacket and still shiver. The sky was dark, and the lack of clouds allowed him to gaze at the stars…so what was it?

It was only when the pilots of Fenrir passed that he realised.

"What's up buddy?" Foulke asked as he came up behind Cipher.

"The atmosphere." Cipher smiled. "It's better. The guys actually believe they can do this."

It was true. When the mercenaries had arrived, you could've cut the tension with a knife. Everyone had been on edge, ready to retaliate at anyone and anything. Now, it was lighter. Everyone was smiling. He could already hear the chatter and laughter from the bar.

"Our victories have really boosted their morale." Foulke said. He slapped his flight lead on the shoulder. "C'mon. I'll meet you at the bar in twenty minutes."