Thread: Seeing myself through her eyes [AU Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies Fanfic]

Federal Erusean Air Force - Yellow Squadron December 31, 2004 Operation Starstruck Side A Comona Islands Airspace Oh hell..... I breathed, my repainted F-15ACTIVE lagging a bit behind the Charlie group of Yellows I found myself with as I picked up the wall of ISAF fighters inbound to the Riass Space Center, This'll be a massacre.... My F-15 had been repainted from the ISAF colors it had sported prior a few days ago to the matching levity of the Su-37s in formation with me. Commonsense had told me that I should have taken a Mig-29 or a Grey Su-37 but I'd been stubborn in sticking with my jet. I was regretting it now as according to my radar, I was the only F-15 in the area. That meant I was a prime target. Break and engage all ISAF forces. Secure air superiority until the B-2s arrive. I heard from Yellow 15, my assigned flight leader, as all the Yellows scattered and left me like a deer in headlights, Leave none alive to run back home!! Both forces merged, and the massive air battle above the space center began in earnest. I mostly just skirted the battle, trying to keep myself out of the way while not really shooting at anyone. I still got harassed though by an ISAF F-16 that seemed intent on annoying the hell out of me. It was getting to the point where I was legitimately considering going offensive on him when a QAAM from a fellow Yellow tore the wing of my harasser and sent him into the drink. My savior, whom formed up with me, had a yellow 4 on their plane's nose. We've got your six. I heard, her voice cutting through the unbridled panic welling up in me as I see another Yellow with the number 13 on its nose slid in neatly on my right wing, If you've got plane trouble, We'll escort you west halfway out of the combat zone. That was my out, and I knew it. Yet, the pilot of the Yellow 13 Terminator seemed to be analyzing me. As if seeing if I would do it while judging my character. The knowledge that my mind seemed to sense that made me angry. I wasn't gonna make myself look like a coward by bugging out. I'm good. I say, knowing in my gut that my words were sealing my fate, I was looking for high level threats. Don't see much worth in wasting ammo on small fry. Spoken like a true mercenary. An older man's voice came over my radio, chilling me to the bone as I looked over at the Terminator with the Yellow 13 on its nose, You've got XMAAs on that bird right? Yes sir, full complement. I replied, pitching up and over to my right as to replace the Yellow 13 Terminator as the trail position. Alright, consider yourself part of my flight. The older man spoke, the Terminator I suspected him to be in angling out into an orbit of the outer edge of the furball as I followed, Dissuade as many new entries by the opposing side as you can but don't get careless. Just call if you need help. I heard her say, the Terminator to my left waggling it's wings as space started to open up between me and the leading Terminator, We will assist you if we can. I don't acknowledge her words, but I know she knows I understood as both Terminators seem to enter into a near simultaneous left turn with their afterburners lit. I pitch away from them, lost in my own world briefly. I hadn't fired a shot this whole time. Which I guess was a bad thing if I was trying to ingratiate with the Erusean Military. I didn't have anything to prove really until now. My weapon stores were as such Guns 900 Missiles 78 XMAA 22 Not bad for anti-air operations, but I had limited offensive ACM experience. The XMAAs would help but I'd be pushed into a dogfight eventually. It wasn't a concept I liked to consider. Still, if I was to hold my own, I had to do it. It was my only option. Alright, Yellow 9 engaging. I breathed, toggling my weapon systems as I found myself locked on a group of 3 F-18Cs and an climbing F-14A, Fox Three, medium. XMAA count down 22 to 18 For some reason, I disabled my radio transmitter while tuning over to the ISAF's comm channel spectrum. My ears lit up with the frantic chatter of the ISAF pilots as I saw all of my fired missiles hit their marks. I immediately wished I hadn't, since I think my ears have started to ring from the clammering pilots. It's clear, despite the boasting from some of the Yellow pilots I heard earlier, that the ISAF pilots aren't willing to give this area up without a fight. They're braver than me.... I murmured, leaving another F-14A in my dust as I outturned his duet of sidewinders almost without me noticing he'd fired on me until I saw one go in the drink below, Far braver than me.....