"For once I would love to get through a briefing without the airbase getting bombed." I thought to myself as I followed one of the guards toward the hangers. The briefing had started well enough with McKinsey throwing me under the bus about why I was there. I didn't see Brownie anywhere so it was just me getting called a murderer by everyone in the room. Once that was over Mckinsey went over why we were lucky to even be allowed to fly, he then started to give us an assignment when the air raid siren went off. Once the siren was turned off at Mckinsey's command he ordered us to our planes to convince the enemy our fake runway was real. Thus it led to me being dragged along by a guard to my hanger as the Eruseans continued to pound the base with bombs.
"There, that's your bird, get your helmet on and get to the runway." The guard said, shoving me in the hanger and shutting the door behind himself.
"The fuck that thing looks like it hasnt flown in years." I said out loud looking at the F-4E that was sitting in the hanger it had what looked like AiM-9s on the side rails and UGBs on the racks. The tail had the strangest markings, it had my number from Mage on it FG 015 but it was covered by three white lines running diagonally over it.
"Your probably right but it can't be no worse than the F-5s they use in flight training right?" Brownie said, popping up from the other side of the cockpit.
"There you are, why weren't you at the brief?" I asked as Brownie tossed my helmet to me while the hanger doors started to open.
"According to the guards WSOs are not allowed in briefs but I do go to debriefs." she said plopping down into the rear seat shrugging also adding. "On the bright side all preflight checks are done, so what we doing bombing some base?."
"Ha I wish no we're part of the scramble team to intercept the bomber bombing us." I said getting into my seat myself and going through the engine start up.
" bombs on the racks?"
"Oh yeah."
"Well at least we have sidewinders."
"Yeah I think id cry trying to use nothing but guns." I said as I closed the canopy and started the taxi out to the runway. Once we were out of the hangar I saw a hodgepodge of fighters from MiG-29s and Su-33s to F-16s and F-18s. I had barely switched to the radio frequency that was on a sticky note for the tower when the tower radioed in "Trigger your callsign is Spare 15 consider it your prisoner number as well, now head to the runway and takeoff immediately."
Before I could respond, the pilot in the MiG-29 Spare 8 Champ I believe cut out in front of everyone and went for a forced takeoff. I finally made it to the runway and stopped for a second until I heard Brownie shout out in alarm as one of the others just kept going and was about to hit us. Throwing the throttle to full and pulling up as soon as I hit the right speed. "Hey Trigger, we have a problem back here." Brownie said a few seconds after our gear was up.
"That's not something I want to hear in the air but what's up?"
"Um if you look , our FCS is locked even with the master arm on."
"Shit thats what that ass hat meant by decoys."
Before Browine could get the round of curses I could tell she was preparing our new AWACS cut in "All Spares begin deception and interception you lot may not have any weapons you're still able to be pains in there asses now get to."
"Spare 2 here I'll take up the flight lead."
"Please who's dumb enough to follow you?"
"Shut up Tabloid, I'm clearly the best pilot here."
Rolling my eyes I angled my fighter toward the main group of bombers I could see and made for a head on with the lead bomber. Buzzing by the first bomber at high speed certainly worked to get the attention of the escorts as two of them broke formation to chase after me. "Looks like we got their attention, we got two SU-33s lining up on us."
"Yeah I see them." I said rolling out of one missile lock and killing some of our speed letting one of them fly past while the other tried to stay behind us and ended up alongside our left wing. Seeing my six was clear for the moment I tried to wingtip the SU that was alongside us I missed but was rewarded by the pilot flipping us off as he pulled away from us. After that it was just dodge missiles and buzz the bombers without weapons there wasn't much else we could do. That continued for about five minutes until one of the bombers split off the main group and started bombing the actual runway and towers. After a few moments of Bandog arguing with someone he addressed us specifically. "Spare Squadron, you're clear to engage and destroy the bombers, unlocking FCS now."
The second he said that I practically heard Brownie slam the master arm switch on and say "Sidewinders are up and we've got two 95s to our three o'clock."
"Yeah I see em" I replied, lining up on the first one and letting two missiles fly at the first one and gave the second a good burst from the guns and watched them both start to fall from the sky. "Spare 15 splashed two." Brownie called out.
"Hey Highroller i'll put a hundred on the murderer making it back alive."
"You got it Fullband looks like you're the only one betting for him to make it, everyone else including Bandog is betting on them going down."
"Shut up and do your jobs, I still see bombers on the radar."
The rest of the mission was simple with us getting all the bombers and the others got a few of the escorts but for the most part they just flew around aimlessly dodging missiles but eventually the enemy was drove off and we were waiting to land out of pettiness i'm sure Bandog had us marked last for landing. "Ah good old holding patterns." I said to Brownie as we continued to circle watching Count land.
"Yeah yeah it could be worse I- Shit we just got a missile lock."
"Bandog I just got locked what the hells going on?" I asked as Brownie popped flares and I moved away from the holding pattern.
There was what sounded like a yelp and a chair slamming down before Bandog responded "Um It looks like a F-15c from the west take him down before you land."
"Easier said than done." I replied rolling out of another missile lock and going for a burst of guns as the Blue and white splinter camo Eagle came into range. But he dodged it and I found him on are six again. "Brownie, keep your eye on him, will ya this thing is a flying blind spot." I asked as he flew into a spot I couldn't see him from.
"Copy that looks like he's coming in for guns."
"Fuck" I said puling in to a sharp climb the rounds barely flew past us. I continued rolling and dodging as Brownie called out his location for what felt like hours but was probably just a few minutes he finally made a mistake and over shot us. "Spare 15 guns guns." I called out watching the rounds rake across the rear of the Eagle and as one of the engines sputtered out.
"Are we going to finish him off?" Brownie asked as instead of trying to get back behind us he pulled off and started heading away from the base.
"Nah he's limping home I won't stoop to that asshole from Choppingburgs level."
"Copy that." she replied before calling in. "Spare 15 he's running airspace should be clear."
"Copy that Spare 15 you can land now and just remember you cost me a lot of money today."
"Copy that lining up for landing before something else happens." I said making our way toward the runway ready to end this long day.