Aces In Exile

**Chapter Twelve:

Aces over canterlot**

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"This is Red one, all flights form up for missile barrage, pick targets and fire on my mark." Ordered the squadron leader as almost Daggers took up formation. "All flights lock targets..... Missiles away!" Scores of mark XII air to air missiles detached from the rails of each craft, all speeding towards the approaching dragon flock. Having already seen what they could do from an earlier hit and run attack by an earlier flight's hit and run attack, they all tried to break up and dodge in different directions. Some were successful, many others crashed into each other and even more were caught in the deadly barrage. Some being blown to pieces after being hit by multiple warheads.

"Barrage successful, all flights, break and engage at will." Red one ordered as they all roared unto the fur ball, each element leader picking a target and engaging as their wing mates backed them up.

Alzack and Lynne stayed above the main fight but quickly dived on a lone drake as it tried to get some distance from the frenzy.

"Do you want this one Ly or will I take it?" He asked jokingly.

"Oh by all means, ladies first." She retorted.

"Guess that's neither of us because you are far from a lady." Al replied to her remark.

"Just take the shot jackass" Lynne said as she shook her head and sighed.

Canterlot castle:

"Your Majesty!" Exclaimed a guard as he burst into the throne room, panting hard from running, though still bowing as he came to a stop.

"Arise, what is going on private?" Celestia asked as she stood up.

"Thank you princess, it's the humans, they are fighting a flock of dragons just outside the city!" He said worriedly.

"I see, so the dragon lords have chosen their side in this. Have the citizens been evacuated to the shelters?" Celestia asked as they began to make their way out of the throne room.

"It is already underway your majesty, but it will still be some time before it is finished. If any of them were to break through the fight, we wouldn't be able to stop them until the wonderbolts arrive from Cloudsdale." He answered.

Above the city:

"All missiles gone" Alzack called as he blasted another drake out of the sky.

"Got one on my six boss man, I can't shake him." Nathan called out over the radio. Looking down in his direction Al and Lynne could see Nat jinking wildly from side to side with a dragon on his tail, spitting out the occasional fireball.

"Roger Nat we see you, break hard right on my go." Alzack told him as he and Lynne rolled over and dived towards them.

"Break break break!" Alzack told him quickly as they closed in. Nathan was quick to responded and broke into a right turn as hard as his craft could handle, leaving behind a confused dragon.

"GUNS!" Alzack called as he and Lynne opened up with their twenty five millimeters, the shells sawing right through the dragon's wing joints, causing it to helplessly plummet towards the ground.

"Sir, we got a few stragglers heading for the city!" Andrew called as he linked back up with them.

"I see them Drew, but I don't think they'll get very far." Alzack told him as he checked his radar.

Just above the city:

"Damn it brother, they never said anything about the alien's fighting like that!" A smaller drake said as he flew close to his much older and larger sibling.

"Forget it, that's the flock's problem now. Now it's just easy pickings!" The larger of the two told him as he inhaled in preparation to burn everything below them. A series of loud booms could be heard in the distance followed quickly by half of him being blown away, along with the sky all around them enveloping in puffs of black clouds and explosions.

The Pride:

Flak barrage underway, gun mount eight reports one kill." Reported one of the ships gun directors.

"Excellent, prep missile tubes one through four, set warheads for air burst and fire." Ordered the commander

"Aye sir, one through four loaded, missiles on the way!" Answered the operator as the launcher on top of the bridge loaded it's payload, turned towards the dragons and launched fiery death towards the survivors, killing all but one. The last one in a fit of rage, charged the ship head on in an attempt to avenge his fallen comrades.

"Prep the point defense guns and fire on my my command." Ordered Artemis as he stepped up to the window at the front of the bridge.

Slowly the last attacker closed in towards them, one hundred millimeter shells bursting in the air around him, but none getting close enough to bring him down, eventually he was almost right on top of them.

"Fire." On his command, multiple twenty millimeter rotary cannons let out their distinctive roar and the final attacker was torn to shreds, before falling lifelessly into the castle courtyard.

Down below, Celestia and the guard messenger watched in amazement as the corpse of the last dragon fell and landed right in front of them.

It's body ripped apart so badly that if you hadn't seen it beforehand, you wouldn't know what kind of creature it used to be.

"Well... I think the city is quite safe for now private... Don't you think?" Celestia asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Y-yes p-princess...." He replied before turning away and throwing up.

Luna then appeared in the courtyard beside them in her battle armor. "Ahah! Now foul beasts, prepare thyselves! for thou faces the princess of the...!"

"It's over Luna" Celestia interrupted her.

"What? Already? But I JUST finished putting this on!" She complained.

"Perhaps next time sister dear." Celestia replied as they walked back inside the castle.

"This is Red one, last targets are bugging out, all fighters return to base. Damn fine work all of you." The squadron leader told his pilots as they all disengaged from the fight, allowing the last of the survivors to flee back to where they came from.

"Well I'd say this called for a round of drinks!" Lynne called excitedly.

"Sure, you buying?" Alzack asked with a laugh.