Chapter 1: Start of a Long War
1st JULY 2015 -
1415hrs
MIRAMAR NATIONAL AIR FORCE BASE- OSEA
It was a late Monday afternoon when Raven "Maverick" Mitchell landed his Grumman F-14D Super Tomcat on the long runaway of Miramar National Air Force Base, an Osean Air Force base located near the border of Osea and Equestria to the south of the country. The recently promoted First Lieutenant taxied his fighter to a 4 large hangers under order by the Air Traffic Controller and eventually by ground crews and powered down his twin General Electric F110 engines parking outside facing the taxiway to the runaway. As he climbed out of his cockpit and did his post flight checks, he watch as 3 Black Hawks carrying the ponies of Equestria that agreed to support Osea during the ongoing Belkan Conflict then he made his main building from the briefing. Along the way Maverick met a cyan pegasus pony with a rainbow mane and tail that just arrived in one of the Black Hawks
"You must be Rainbow Dash." He commented as the pegasus mare turned around and spotted him
"How did you guess?"' Rainbow Dash smiled at Maverick, her voice cool. She was in his late twenties, with rose-rimed eyes, well known to be the only pegasus pony to perform a Sonic Rainboom and the element of Loyalty "I'm guessing you're here for the same reason as me?"
"'Well that depends if it's just for excitement or a serious cause."
"is it bad to choose both?"
"Then I guess we're both here for the same reason. I hear the pegasi of Equestria are decent fliers."
"Yeah, they say that we pegasi are some of the best fliers." Rainbow Dash smiled and extended her hoof 'you can call me Rainbow if you like."
Maverick shook Rainbow's hoof "The name's Raven Mitchell but you can call me Maverick."
"That's an awesome name Maverick. I heard stories about you, They say you were unstoppable during your times at the Fighter Weapons School." Rainbow grinned
"I didn't realized I was that famous." Maverick smiled
"You are, the cadets at the Wonderbolts Academy are inspired by your calm and aggressive flying skills." The pegasus clapped on the man's shoulder as a gesture of goodwill.
An Osean airman threw open a door to a large but nearby and urgently called them to the briefing room. Maverick and Rainbow were the ;ast to arrive, the room was already occupied by 8 pilotx and pegasi clad in silver flight suits and an older officer, a Lieutenant General acting as the intelligence officer of the base.
"Maverick, Rainbow." He announced as they entered and took a seat in a loud and calm voice "Welcome to the 10th Air Division."
"Okay listen up! We have a situation in our hands." the map zoomed in the area of Miramar to the north east of Osea and the icy mountain near the border of Belka "A major squadron of Belkan bombers has crossed our border and is making its way here, to Miramar Air Base. Apparently, they intend to attack our base in an initiative to gain hegemony over the entire Federation of Osea. Miramar is our country's and the Equestrian border's strongest line of defense. If our base falls, no one will be left to stop Belka from taking over North Osea. Your mission is to destroy the squad of bombers and defend our base. Belka's invasion must end here. Dismissed"
Maverick and Rainbow were on there feet and hooves racing towards their planes, both grabbing their flight helmets along the way They saw Osean and Equestrian technicians waiting for them. Maverick's white and black Super Tomcat was ready for launch armed with 4 AIM-9 Sidewinders and 6 AIM-54 Phoenix and standing next to Maverick's plane was a cyan tinted McDonald Douglas F/A-18A Hornet fulled armed with 4 AIM-9 Sidewinders and 4 AIM-7 Sparrows.
"Whoa." Rainbow gasped in awe "is that my plane?"
"it sure is. The Hornet is decent plane to choose" Maverick replied while getting in his cockpit
"This is it, Time to Fly!" Rainbow exclaim in an exciting tone. she started her Hornet's twin General Electric F404 and she began taxiing with Maverick to the runaway.
"Tower this is Maverick permission for both of us to take off." Maverick asked
"Roger Maverick, you cleared for take off." the man in the control tower replied in a calm voice as Maverick and Rainbow lined up to with the white line on the runaway and pressed a button on their control panel. The HUD came to life, green light showing their altitude, speed and attitude. Also, if a target is close enough, a pipper for the cannons.
"Okay Rainbow I've got the lead, follow me north east and let's show the entire base what we're made off." Maverick said in a calm yet excited tone
"You've got it Mav!" Rainbow replied a huge smile formed on her face
They slowly increased the throttle to maximum throttle. Both the Super Tomcat and Hornet roared and began to accelerate down the runaway taking off a few seconds later
"Tower. We've cleared the tower now heading towards the Belkan border." Maverick confirmed
"Roger that. God speed and good luck."
"Maverick, Rainbow your now assigned as the 109th Tactical Fighter Squadron Skyfighters. I say again you're now members of the Skyfighter Squadron." the base commander proudly announced causing both of them to exchanges excited looks
"I-I-I can't believe it!" shuttered Rainbow after hearing what the base commander had said "We've got a own squadron now."
"Well I guess this is going to be an eventful year for all of us." Maverick replied a huge grinned forming on his face "Rainbow Dash, you're Skyfighter 2, follow my orders at all cost and remember that unauthorized engagements is strictly prohibited during combat."
"Roger that Skyfighter 1." Rainbow saluted not only she was in a newly formed squadron but has a famous airman as her flight lead "Shout at me once your ready."
During the 20 minute flight to the border they formed up with a group of F-15C Eagles and MiG-29s escorting a squadron of F-20 Tigersharks, they've soon realized this mission is not going to easy.
1435hrs
OSEAN- BELKAN BORDER, OSEAN AIRSPACE
The squadron from Miramar had just arrived at the border and began circling around for any signs of bandits, high in the air was an ISAF Boeing E3 Sentry AWACS that was on surveillance and circling the border before the squadron entered the airspace. Suddenly 6 TU-95 Bear bombers appeared on radar escorted by 10 F-4 Phantoms headed for the direction of Miramar and the Osean-Equestrian Border.
"AWACS here. Callsign Sky Ranger. Do you read?" The young Usean AWACS Operator asked
"Skyfighter 1 and 2. reading loud and clear>"
"Red Moon flight awaiting orders."
"Sharko Squadron standing by."
"Devil Team on standby."
"Miramar to all aircraft. We can't send more forces to the area so we're pretty much sitting ducks over here." the Air Controller at Miramar said before 16 blips appeared on the IFF
"Six Bombers on vector 360 confirmed. Continue to intercept." Sky Ranger ordered having to spot the bombers on radar "Today day's my birthday! A victory sure would be nice."
"And you'll get it Sky Ranger." Maverick replied positively before turning his attentions to the fighter escorts and bombers "Sharko Squadron engage fighters with us while Red Moon and Devil Team takes care of the bombers."
"This is Sharko 21 callsign Whiplash acknowledge." the 29 year old Emmerian pilot replied before dispersing with Maverick and Rainbow Dash to intercept the F-4 Phantoms. Red Moon and Devil Team were approaching head on the bombers and fired their AIM-9 Sidewinders, some of them missed but two Sidewinders managed to destroy one of the TU-95 Bears.
"Bomber down!" a Belkan pilot exclaimed shocked
"That's our welcoming party." another Belkan pilot commented before his Phantom was shot by Sharko 21
"Whew. Nice kill." Rainbow Dash whistled , she engaged a 2 Phantoms that was pursuing a friend of her's, a pink pegasus mare with flame blue mane and tail named Firefly. Rainbow Dash managed to kill a bandit using her cannons at close range then shot down the second bandit using a AIM-7 Sparrow "Oh Yeah! Got 2 in a row!"
"Thanks Skyfigher 2 I owe you one." Firefly thanked Rainbow Dash for assisting her while she was in trouble
"Agh I'm Hit!" shouted Red Moon 4 getting hit by cannon fired from a bandit right behind his MiG-29, luckily Maverick was close enough to launch two missiles at the Phantom
"This isn't your day you Belkan S.O.B." He fired at the enemy plane directly hitting both of the engine causing the F-4 to lose control as it slammed nose first into the ground
"Thanks Lieutenant, I guess I owe you a drink eh." Red Moon 4 thanked Maverick
"Whiplash. Fox 3!" Whiplash launched his 6AAM taking down 4 bandits at a time as Maverick downed another F-4 but the last remaining enemy fighter got behind him
"Maverick you have a bandit behind you. I'm coming to help." Rainbow said before Maverick halted her
"No stay there I've got this covered. I'm gonna show him a little tick I've learnt." Maverick decreased his throttle and as the bandit got close he pulled back hard on the control stick causing his aircraft to pitch up 90 degrees before turning his rudder sharply to the left making the F-14 to tightly loop back around the enemy fighter gunning it down with his cannon
"Whoa. what maneuver was that?" Whiplash asked as everyone saw the almost impossible maneuver in awe
"I call it the Lightning Flick Turn, it's a maneuver I've invented a while back." Maverick answered
"That's a damn good name for it."
It took them less then five minutes to wipe out the Belkan bomber squadron and nothing was on the picture, Osea was in the clear for now but soon the Belkans will attempt to doing it again
"Sky Ranger. this is Miramar all pictures are clean. no hostiles. be sure to thank to guys and girls up there." the air controller of Miramar congratulated them
"Wait. Hold it!" Rainbow suddenly shouted "I see another contact on radar just north of our positions."
"Roger. I've got him heading on vector 087, target is an F-16 Fighting Falcon with Osean identification confirmed a hostile." Sky Ranger reported "All allied aircraft let the Skyfighters take care of it, return to base and wait for your next sortie."
Maverick and Rainbow dispersed from the main group and laded an intercept course after the unknown contact
"A hostile F-16, did one of our guys go postal or what?" Rainbow asked
"If we find him asked him yourself." Maverick replied
The radar showed that the F-16 was nearby however nothing can seen on the horizon, at first it thought to be a false alarm until...
"There he is. he's hiding behind the clouds, looks like he's play hide and seek." Rainbow reported having to spot the F-16 high above the clouds
"Copy that. find out what his mission is while I'll radio for orders." Maverick responded
"Copy. what's up man hiding in the shadows, Skyfighter 2 to F-16 what is your mission?"
"Miramar this is Skyfighter 1. F-16 located up heading 110 level 380 awaiting orders.'
"Miramar to Skyfighter 1. control the unknown jet."
"What does control means?"
"It means improvise."
"Oh all right, Skyfighter 2 to F-16 request that you follow us." Rainbow Dash waved at the unknown pilot for a response but much to her annoyance the pilot showed a fist at her "The jerk just gave me the fist!"
The F-16 quickly break left with Rainbow Dash pursuing close behind, the Fighting Falcon suddenly pulled up making a tight loop going behind Dash's Hornet
"He's tailing me, He's tailing me." Rainbow Dash quickly took evasive action
"Hang in there Dash I've got you covered." Maverick activated his Tomcat's targeting systems and looked for any suspicious moves "Skyfighter 2 is being tail by the hostile F-16, permission to fire a warning shot."
"Stand By Skyfighter 1." The operator at Miramar replied, they were trying still trying to identify the F-16 however after it's been identified an urgent message come on the radio "Skyfighter 1. You're cleared to engage, F-16 is a Belkan with Osean identifications."
The F-16 was still chasing Rainbow Dash, the pilot has started to lock on to her Hornet and Rainbow quickly deployed flares "He's gonna fire! Decoys away!"
"Screw around and I'll cut you in two!" Maverick focused his eyes on the F-16 noticing a missile on the right wing was lighting up, he fired his Vulcan Cannon shredding the enemy plane in pieces " You're okay Rainbow? that got a little hairy huh come on let's head back to base."
"Without you I was history." Rainbow rolled her plane the right side of Maverick's plane and give him a small salute as sign of thanks "Thanks Maverick."
"Thanks to you, Belka's attack on Miramar Air Base has failed. You efforts will be rewarded soon and that your actions will decided on who will win the Belkan War, I, for once, will be counting on you, However Belka isn't going to give up just yet so I advise you all to be prepared as the day comes."
1800hrs
MIRAMAR'S LOUNGE ROOM
It was a long day and Maverick and Rainbow was exhausted from the flying, their took his time off in the lounge room sitting down on a sofa listening to one of Maverick's favorites songs Blue Skies by Stephenie Cooke on the jukebox. They were interrupted when someone knocked on the door but to their surprise it was Whiplash and Firefly with a huge grin on their faces.
"Hey what's with the happy face?" Maverick asked confused
"Yeah what happened?" Rainbow relaxing manner disappearing
Whiplash sat next to Maverick and headed him a notice paper
He looked at the paper and his eyes widened as he reached the end, re-reading it countless times to make sure he wasn't seeing things
"You can't be serious..." he said with a stare at the paper with Whiplash and Firefly nodding vigorously, Maverick then headed the paper to Rainbow Dash and as expected her eyes lid up
"Both of you have been promoted to our squadron and we're getting new planes?!" she smirked, Firefly vigorously nodding her head
"Yes we're are but more importantly we're getting state of the art MiG 1.44 Flatpacks. The Base Commander was convinced by our performance today so he gave us a promotion to the Skyfighters and gave us new planes, but I didn't expect MiG 1.44s." said Firefly in pure ecstaticness
"Oh Yeah!" laughed Rainbow Dash in happiness, Maverick laughed with her.
"i don't know if we've properly introduced ourselves." Whiplash remember extending his right hand to Maverick "Jason Sarto callsign Whiplash."
"Raven "Maverick" Mitchell." Maverick shook Whiplash's hand then he noticed how Rainbow Dash and Firefly were talking to each as if they've been friends for a long time
"You girls know each other?" he asked as Rainbow smiled at him
"Me and Firefly met during our academy years, we were teammates for the Cloudsdale Arrows." Rainbow Dash replied remember her days as a young mare now all four of them were talking to each other for hours about their past experience soon however they were getting to go to bed. At the rooms at Miramar had double sided beds so sleeping was comfortable and easy, the members of Skyfighter Squadron greeting each other goodnight and they laded down on their bed, the events of the day overtook them and gave in to heavy eyes and soon slipped into a deep sleep.
