"Speech/Intercom"

"Thoughts"

"Raido"

"Ah come on Trigger why don't you wanna make a bet." came the voice of Footpad over the radio.

"No thanks i'm tasked with ground attacking im not taking a bet on air to air kills,"

"Just because you're carrying bombs doesn't mean you can't get air kills." Boggard added in.

"Alright boys were just about to hit the AO so let's settle down and get ready to swap to the AWACS channel." Knocker came in, cutting what I'm sure was going to be another attempt to get me to join in the betting. No, I'm not against betting. I just figured I'd save myself the loss since I was packing GPBs instead of the heavy air to air loadouts the others had, "Besides I'll put fifty on Trigger getting more kills."

"Well thanks for the vote of confidence there Knocker, i'm swapping to channel 5 for AWACS." That's not how I expected Knocker to handle that, especially seeing as he knew my job was ground attack, we had been tasked with taking out an Erusean base around Scofields Plateau. Golem had been assigned to securing the air space while I was tasked to ground attack with Clown was to be my cover.

"Attention all craft this is Skykeeper you are entering the combat area, Trigger im pushing all radar and SAM sites to you as priority. Golem squadron you have AH-64s and MiG-21s inbound, break off and engage."

"Copy that Skykeeper, let's do this, Trigger , I've got your back."

"You got it Clown i'm gonna hit em hard and fast to keep these SAMs from locking think you could suppress the AA guns?"

"Yeah Just like we planned I'll do a pass to get the AA and you finish them off, Golem good luck Mage is going hunting."

As we hit the first set of radars and SAMs it became apparent our intel was right that this area was their weak point on the front, their response time was slow and what resistance they had was disorganized. " Mage 2 bombs out." I called as I leveled the first site and made the climb and turn for the second group. Pulling the same move as before Clown strafed the guns and I took out the SAMs did the same for third site. The fourth took A little more care since it was on a railcar and was trying to move away, but it went up in flames like the others. "All Right all im seeing is the airbase's defenses, are the skies clear enough for Trigger to start hitting the airfield?" "Clown asked as we started closing in on the base.

"Affirmative, there's only two MiGs left your clear to begin hitting the base. By the way, Trigger how many splashes do you have?"

"Well Footpad if we are counting choppers Im at three you lot missed a MiG." I said lining up on the control tower. On my first pass I took out the control tower and the AA guns by the runway, and made a second run taking out fuel tanks and what looked like radar installation.

"Trigger I see some C-17s trying to take off. I'm busy with this MiG, why don't you get them."

"Copy that i'll hit em on this next pass.'' Moving into another run I hit the first two with missiles and as I let loose with the guns on the last one I hit the cargo area on it and instead of the usual explosion there was a blue flash and my Viper was jerked up violently from the force of whatever had just gone off. "Holy shit what was that?"

"What the- Trigger are you good?" Clown asked, sounding like he caught some of the blast himself.

"I'm good , just a little shook up. What in the world was that?"

"I don't know but are you sure you're good that looked like you were in the blast?"

"Don't worry Brownie I'm still in one piece-, wait one second there moving containers down there, no they are launching something."

"What do you- shit those are UAVs, all squadrons engage that base is out of commission there all that stands in your way."

"All Golem pilots you heard the man first one to get a UAV I'll buy them a beer." Knocker said, trying to rally his flight to finish this fight.

"Alright Trigger lets get in on this, how's your ammo stores?"

"Got one bomb left and almost full on missiles, and got half my gun left."

"Dump that bomb on the launch containers and lets get in there. They look like they're having some trouble."

"Copy that dropping last bomb and moving in to engage.'' Once the launchers were a pile of scrap I made for a full burn toward the ongoing furball. Being the last one to engage I got the chance to notice something while the UAVS or MQ-99s as the IFF showed were clearly better at turning and maneuvers they seemed to lack top end speed. "Boggard, get that one you're chasing too straighten out."

"You got it here he goes."

"Yeah, that's what I thought Fox two."

"Alright the first ones down good job Mage 2." Skykeeper called as my missile hit its mark and destroyed the UAV. moving into the furball again I managed to snag another one as Clown took one and Brownie managed to get the other two.

"Alright guys that's the last of them, let's get above these clouds and head- Wait Trigger look out!"

As soon as I heard Knocker call out I tried to maneuver not knowing what was happening but still ended up getting hit. But it wasn't a missile or cannons that got me, the dick straight up tried ramming me from the clouds in A yellow MiG-29. "Holy fuck im hit."

"Hey where'd he go?"

"Dived for the deck he's gone Knocker, How are you holding up Trigger?"

"Well a little more roughed up than last time you asked, and i'm missing a chunk of my left wing tip."

"Shit are you gonna bail?"

"Negative Clown I can limp her home."

"Alright but if anything changes alert us immediately, and just in case you know your proper bail out procedure?"

"Yeah dont worry im already a member of the Tie Club."

Chuckling Clown said "yes because that makes it so much better, but on to better things Skykeeper who won our little competition."

"Ah yes well that's just the thing no one did."

"What?" came from a very confused Footpad.

"Oh yes that's because it's a tie between Brownie and Trigger here with 8 kills a piece, everyone else got 6 or less."

"Well since there's a tie, who got the least?"

"That would be Boggard with four."

"Well looks like he's paying for drinks tonight."

"Dammit."

"See thats why I try not to bet." I said with a laugh and slowly caught up with Clown above the clouds and made for base dreading the landing. Looking back it was a successful mission but something didn't sit right, why did they have such weak defenses on their front. It wasn't till our next sortie that we would find out and the price to learn why was steep.