1Lt Tilleger, K. Day 1, 0800 Hrs
"Talon 2, spun up and ready to go," Lt Kate Tilleger announced over the radio as she finished her pre-flight console check. In the gunner seat to the front, 2Lt Ansley conducted his onboard weapons check. Kate flipped a switch and her Sparrowhawk prepared for takeoff. Glancing outside the canopy, she saw her wingman nod and give her a thumbs-up.
"Copy that Talon 2," her flight leader affirmed over the radio, "Tower this is Talon flight, four Sparrowhawks, lifting off and commencing patrol."
"Talon flight this is Tower, you are clear for take-off. Godspeed today."
"Roger that Tower, Talon out."
Kate settled back in her seat and took the controls in her hands. She applied the thrust, and with a whir, the Sparrowhawk lifted into the air. The engines ignited with a boom, shooting a steady wave of heat and flame as the aircraft rose in altitude. Pushing forward on the controls, her vehicle tilted forward and she maneuvered it into formation beside Talon 1. Talon 3 and Talon 4 pulled up beside them as well.
The four AV-22 VTOLs commenced their patrol over the cityscape of Victory City. Flying in formation, they passed over downtown, flying over the reservoir and residential districts to the northwest, before turning east and skirting the northeast edge of the valley. Both pilot and gunner kept their eyes open, scanning the crest of the mountains for signs of Covenant aircraft.
Ansley was getting anxious, so far as Kate could tell. Despite having already checked the weapons for maximum operability, the gunner continued to switch between each system and re-evaluate them every few minutes. Their AV-22s were equipped with a 20mm minigun under the nose, two 30mm autocannons beneath the wings, two air-to-ground missiles, two air-to-air missiles, and two rocket pods on the ends of each wing tip. They had launched with a full load that morning, and Lt Ansley was simply trying to reassure himself that if the need arose, they would be able to expend every ounce of their munitions. He was skilled at his job, but relatively new and less experienced than her.
Lt Tilleger wanted to reassure her co-pilot, but she was unable to work up the nerve to do so. She was anxious about today as well – more than anxious, it felt. The reports of enemy movement during the morning, the briefing before their flight, the urgency of all personnel on the ground only told her one thing. Letting out a breath to calm her nerves, Kate tried to focus solely on her controls.
After a while, Ansley spoke up, "Gonna be another day in the office."
Kate took her eyes off the cockpit's HUD. "Huh?" she asked, having not heard him.
"I said it's just another day at the office."
She smiled politely, "Yeah."
"So when we get off this rock, who's buying the drinks?" He asked, not taking his eyes off his controls.
Kate chuckled this time. "That would be you."
"Me? Buy for these other clowns flying up here with us? But I'm just starting to get sick of them." He was grinning, Kate couldn't see it, but he said it as if he were.
"So you'd just buy me a drink?" she teased.
"Don't even! You're horrible! I'm still gonna get you back for that tattoo on Reach."
"Oh, I'm just glad to be of service."
They were silent for another few minutes of flight. Then Talon 1 transmitted over the radio, "Talon be advised, Flint Base to the north is currently under air attack by the Covenant. Keep your eyes peeled for bogeys crossing the mountains."
"Sir," Talon 3, a gruff, older, British voice asked over the radio, "Are we moving to assist Flint Base at all?"
"Negative. Command wants us to hold formation over the valley."
Tilleger flipped through the radio frequencies, scanning other unit's channels. The infantry units below were digging in, civilians were being placed into shelters, and command was in constant traffic with reconnaissance units throughout the valley. One particular report caught her attention. A recon team operating to the city's southeast reporting Covenant aircraft flying fast and low towards the city. Just then, the flight commander came in over the radio.
"Talon. We have multiple Covenant bogeys approaching from vector 1-6-0. Correct your heading and move to engage."
Tilleger made the necessary adjustments with her aircraft, then replied, "Talon 2 here. Copy that." She started taking long, deep breaths in order to keep herself composed. She pushed forward on the thrust, and the jets on the AV-22 rocketed the aircraft on an intercept course with the enemy craft.
Ansley gripped his controls. "Here we go, Tilleger."
She kept silent, focused solely on piloting the craft and scanning for the Covenant. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see other aircraft responding to the threat as well. A flight of five Hornets sped past them on the right. Several other squadrons were well ahead of them. Over the radio she heard another pilot call out in alarm, "Tally ho! Tally ho! Enemy aircraft, dozens of 'em!"
Tilleger sat up and scanned the other end of the valley, just as another voice called in on the radio asking for a more precise report. Several mid-air explosions rocked the clouds at the far end. Then, whatever composure she had maintained up until that point was swept from her.
Emerging into the sky as if it had been hidden in the ground, a Covenant corvette rose menacingly from the clouds over the city's industrial district. It maintained its altitude well below that of the mountain range, avoiding the traverse of the MAC cannons. Within seconds, it began a destructive bombardment of the ground below, and dozens of Covenant landing craft poured out of its hanger.
Talon 1 called over the radio, "Talon flight! Fall back to defensive pattern! Do not engage that corvette."
Lt Tilleger yanked on the controls and pulled her hawk away from the intercept course. The corvette was exchanging blinding bolts of plasma with the UNSC's point defense guns and anti-air missiles. A path of fire followed beneath it as it slowly cruised towards the city. Phantoms broke formation from around the Covenant ship and began descending upon the space port and the main urban areas. They were just within range of her aircraft.
"Uh Talon 1, this is Talon 2. We're gonna engage those Phantoms at two o'clock." She adjusted her flight and locked in a path behind one of the alien dropships. "Ansley!"she yelled.
Lt Ansley stammered stressfully, "G-got it." He activated one of the air-to-air missiles, waited for Kate to lock-on, and when they acquired tone, he jammed the trigger as hard as he could. "Missile away!" A missile rocketed out from the rightside pylon; it collided with a phantom and sent it bursting into a ball of flame and plasma.
Ansley cheered through grit teeth, but Tilleger was calm. "Okay, next target." Ansley armed the second missile. Kate lined up the target, another Phantom, and the gunner let the missile loose. The alien craft spun wildly out of control, slamming into a wide, six story building and burning up in flames.
Several Banshees broke formation and turned to counterattack. They had no more air-to-air missiles. Ansley switched to the chin-mounted gun. The rest of Talon flight flew to join them. Kate grimaced, and the Banshees closed in.