Derpy's pilot training was almost done. Her last bit was some training Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions. For these she flew an F-14D (the same one from the landing incident) with Rainbow Dash as her Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) and of course for guidance. Derpy had grown quite accustomed to the Tomcat and seemed to take a liking to it.
This would be her next to last training patrol before transferring to a squadron permanently. Despite being a training mission, as per NLRAF rules for CAP, the tom was partially loaded with ordnance. In this case two each of the Sidewinder, Sparrow, and Phoenix missiles, plus the 20mm cannon.
With the pre flight checks done Derpy and Dash flew up and got strapped in to the cockpit by the ground crew. As Derpy lowered the canopy Dash said to her:
"Ok Derpy. Another routine patrol. One more and you'll be all set."
"I'll miss flying with you though," she replied. After Dash was done training her she would be returning to her own squadron (being one of Equestria's top aces, she did a lot of training of other pilots). And with that they taxied onto the runway and took off. This patrol would be anything but routine though.
They were on the usual flight path 20 miles from Legion of Discord airspace when they heard a frantic call over the radio:
"Starlifter One to control we're being dogged by an LoD plane!"
"WHAT?" Derpy and Dash yelled together. An AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control) contacted the transport:
"Sentry Two to Starlifter One are you in NLR airspace and what type of plane is it?"
"Yes we are and it's a Flanker! We're fifteen miles from the bor... He just fired his gun in front of us!"
"Why?"
"We tried to change course. I think he's trying to herd us!"
"Roger stand by." The AWACS then contacted the command center.
At the command center ponies were scurrying to make heads or tails out of what was going on. There had been no incidents between the NLR and LoD for a long time, so no one expected this.
Commander Wigwam approached Bowtie the radar operator and said: "Why didn't we pick him up?"
"Don't know sir. He must have been below radar level."
"Where will they wind up if they keep flying on that course?"
"Gradually into LoD airspace"
Wigwam looked disgusted. "Get a patrol there ASAP! Who's closest?"
Ocelot five is 21 miles away from them. Second closest is Lunar squadron's flight."
"Get them both there."
But Derpy already had the F-14 supersonic and was heading that way.
"Got them on radar Viper?"
"Yep. 21 miles out at angels ten."
At fifteen miles out Derpy slowed down and prepared to make contact.
"What do I say again?" Derpy inquired.
"Don't worry I'll do it." And with that Dash got on the radio.
"Attention Legion of Discord aircraft, this is Brigadier General Rainbow Dash of the New Lunar Republic Air Force. You are engaging one of our transports in our airspace. Disengage and leave immediately!"
Much to their surprise the aircraft turned away from the transport, and was now heading for them. Almost immediately they got a missile warning.
"He's firing Muffin evade!" Dash yelled. Derpy dropped chaff and banked hard.
"Command we have been fired upon by the bandit!" Derpy shouted into the radio.
"Roger Ocelot Five you are cleared to engage," replied Sentry Two. The dogfight began.
Background music.
The battle kept going back and forth, with both planes getting behind each other. Derpy's flying skills were impressive for someone in their first dogfight. She hardly said a word, focusing on the battle and listening to Dash.
"Break left!" Dash yelled. Derpy narrowly avoided the Flanker's cannon. At command Wigwam asked Bowtie for a sit rep.
"What's the story?"
" Ocelot Five is engaging the bandit. They're 19 miles inside our border. Lunar squadron is 28 miles out and closing, and we're now picking up two more bogeys inbound."
Wigwam looked like he was going to explode. "Where are they!?"
" 27 miles into LoD airspace and closing on the dogfight."
Back at the battle Derpy and Dash got the word.
"Sentry Two to Ocelot Five, you have two bogeys inbound from LoD airspace. 26 Miles out at angels nine."
"Roger we'll worry about them when they get here," Dash said as Derpy tried for her own cannon shot. She missed and once again the Flanker got behind her. This time she couldn't shake him.
"Come on Muffin get away from him!" Dash yelled.
"Hold on," Derpy said calmly. As she slowed the tom down slightly.
"What are you doing?" Dash yelled.
"I'm gonna hit the brakes and make him overshoot."
"Derpy that was in a movie that won't work in...." Just then Derpy deployed the airbrakes and pulled up hard, almost doing a cobra. The Flanker flew past as Derpy leveled out and punched the throttle. Immediately the cockpit was filled with the growl that signaled a Sidewinder missile had locked onto it's target.
"Ocelot Five fox two!" Derpy said as she pulled the trigger and sent the missile on its way. It flew straight into the left engine of the flanker, blowing it apart and knocking off the left tail and elevator. The Flanker entered a slow roll for a short time before flipping and exploding.
"Ocelot Five splash one!" Derpy announced into the radio.
"AWW YEAH! NICE ONE DERPY!" Dash shouted.
"Ocelot Five has downed the bandit." Bowtie said to Wigwam.
"Outstanding! Now what about the other two?"
"They just entered our airspace, 20 miles out. However Lunar flight has arrived in the area."
"Excelent." Wigwam said with a smile.
"Now what about the other two Viper?"
"We put our Phoenix missiles to work! I've already got them locked up." Just then they got a radio call:
"Ocelot Five this is Lunar thirteen and four. We're coming up on your left side now." They looked to the left and saw the two SU-37's from the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron pull up next to them.
"Roger Lunar thirteen welcome to the party!" Dash replied. Unfortunately the LoD planes saw this and turned back.
"Rats. I wanted to try out one of these new R-77M's." Lunar four said in a slightly sarcastic voice.
"Well at least we got one." Derpy said.
"YOU got one," Dash replied. "Your first kill."
"Oh that was your first?" Lunar thirteen asked Derpy.
"Yes it was. I'm actually on a training patrol."
"Hey congrats! We arrived just in time to see it. Great way to start off your career!"
"Thanks Lunar thirteen."
He replied: "Just call me Ice. What's your callsign anyway?"
"Muffin Hunter."
"Well we'll catch you some other time Muffin Hunter", and the two 37's peeled off to resume their CAP.
Background music.
"Let's take it home Derpy. The muffins are on me when we get back." Dash said. And with that Derpy turned the Tom for home.
As they neared the base, Dash asked the tower for permission to do a flyover.
"Roger you are cleared for a flyover" the tower responded.
Dash said to Derpy: "Let's give them a real flyover."
"You mean?"
"Yep. Go for it!"
And with that Derpy pushed the tom's ears back and hit the afterburners. A crowd had already gathered on the tarmac to welcome them back. They weren't expecting the supersonic pass though.
BOOOOM! The sonic boom shook the base and surrounding area, especially the control tower which Derpy passed within 300 feet of.
"I didn't say do it that fast!" The controller blasted over the radio.
"You didn't say I couldn't either," Derpy replied and her and Dash laughed as she pulled up into a barrel roll.
This time Derpy made a perfect landing. They taxied up to the tom's assigned spot in front of the crowd. Cheers erupted as the canopy raised and the two got out.
"Congrats on your first kill Muffin! You two are the first ponies on this base to get a kill in a long time!" said the base commander. A Shadowbolt and a unicorn member of the ground crew already had a star stencil and a can of red paint ready. Everybody watched as they painted the red star on the side of the tom under the canopy.
Dash turned to Derpy and said: "I'd say your training is done Derpy. So what are you going to do now?"
Derpy's goal was to fly the F-35, but she had grown fond of the Tomcat, and with her first kill flying it, her mind was made up.
"I'm staying here with this plane."
"You mean you're going to join the Ocelots?" Dash said a little shocked.
"Yep."
The rest of the Ocelot squadron was there including the wing commander, who said: "Well then", and the rest joined in "WELCOME TO THE TEAM ASSHOLE!"
Derpy received high fives from everybody as the Shadowbolt and unicorn ran back to the hangar to make a stencil and a can of white paint.
"So who will be flying with me?" Derpy asked in a slightly sad voice since Dash would be returning to her squadron.
The base commander replied, "Don't worry we'll get someone here."
And Dash chimed in, "And if not, just call me up. I'll fly with you anytime." Derpy's eyes got a little glassy before she hugged her.
"Thanks Dash!"
"Hey now you know I'm not into mushy stuff."
"My bad!" Derpy replied, and they laughed. They turned around to see the unicorn had already returned with the stencil. And as the Shadowbolt held it against the plane, sprayed the paint over it. The tom was now Derpy's.
"It's party time!" Another pony said and Derpy got hoisted up and carried off by the crowd back to the base headquarters.
Author's Note
Here's a diagram of what Derpy's Tomcat looks like: http://lonewolf3878.deviantart.com/art/New-Lunar-Republic-F-14-277389760
And the Ocelot Squadron's wing patch: http://lonewolf3878.deviantart.com/art/NLRAF-Ocelot-Squadron-Wing-Patch-343252637
