Aces In Exile

Chapter Thirteen: Counterstrike

It was two days after the dogfight over Canterlot, commander Artemis along with captain Leona were meeting with the princesses, along with their military advisers. It had come to light that the minotaurs were building their forces along the equestrian border and preparations were already begun for a defense against the imminent invasion. Though a defensive war was nowhere near what Artemis had in mind.

"A what?" Asked one of the pony generals.

"A pre-preemptive counterstrike, general Stone." Artemis once again repeated himself.

"Commander, I realize that your "pilots", as you call them did quite well against the dragons two days ago, but Equestria's forces are not ready for an offensive war yet, we need to build our forces and wait for the right moment." General Stone Wall argued.

"From what I can see, you have more than enough for what I have in mind." Artemis countered.

"And just what might that be commander?" Luna asked, intrigued by what tactics the humans may bring to the battlefield.

"Allow me to tell you a little story from Earth's history. Way back in the year 1967, the infant country of Israel was coming under siege from it's three neighboring countries, all of whom had much larger military's than they did. The events that followed, came to be known as the six day war." Artemis began.

"Bah, I fail to see how the story of how a tiny nation gets crushed would help us." Stone wall interrupted.

"Now who said they lost?" Artemis asked with a sly grin.

All of the ponies in the room were wide eyed at this question.

"Commander, you mean to tell us, that this one small nation, with it's outnumbered army, defeated three large countries in under a week?"

Twilight questioned Artemis with disbelief.

"That my dear princess Sparkle, is exactly what I'm telling you." He said confidently.

"And how exactly did they accomplish this feat?" Celestia asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Through rapid airstrikes followed by a heavy armor charge, with infantry in support of their tanks." Artemis told them as he leaned over the map of Equestria's border with Asterion. "Now, if I may your highness's?" He asked. The three princess's nodded and stepped up to the map to observe. "Now, from the intel gathered by your forces, as well as observations by my pilots on border patrol, there are a number of airship ports along this mountain range here." Artemis pointed out as he swept his finger along the map.

"Yes, that would make sense, those mountains are known to be a very good wind block, it would be strategically sound to establish airbases there." The air marshal of the Wonderbolts agreed.

"Which is why it shall be our first target." Artemis informed them as he pinned a tack on the area.

"But that's quite a bit away from the front lines." Luna stated.

"Exactly, but it is also their main base for aerial operations in the area, if it gets taken out, your troops can move in quickly, with aerial support and overrun the minotaur positions without fear of dragons or airship bombs." Artemis explained to them.

"This is quite a change from conventional tactics commander, I hope you know what you're doing." Celestia said.

"If you wish, you may come with us so that you can observe princess, I am sure you will see that I indeed know what I'm doing." He offered.

"Very well, my sister and I shall accompany you. Do not disappoint us now commander." Celestia spoke in a serious manner.

"I guarantee you, I always aim to please madam." Artemis retorted.

Early the next morning:

"Welcome aboard your highness's" Marcus saluted Luna and Celestia as they boarded the Pride.

"Thank you good sir, would you be so kind as to take us to the bridge?" Luna asked.

"Of course ma'am, right this way." Marcus replied as he gestured for them to follow.

"Marcus to bridge, VIP's on route, better tidy up in there." Marcus announced over his earpiece to the command bridge.

Command deck:

The elevator doors opened and the princesses along with Marcus as their escort stepped out onto the bridge.

"Sir!" Marcus saluted as commander Artemis approached.

"At ease master sargent, you may return to your post." Artemis dismissed him.

"Aye sir." Marcus saluted again before turning around and entered the elevator once again as it left.

"Thank you for joining us your majesties, are you ready to go?" He asked as he turned to face Celestia and Luna.

"Yes commander, whenever you are ready." Celestia confirmed.

"Pilot, take us up." Artemis ordered as he turned around and faced the officer in question.

"Aye sir, powering up engines, bringing drives from standby to full. Retracting boarding ramps, engaging vertical thrusters." The pilot called off his checks as the princesses watched the activity around the bridge with great interest.

"Sound general quarters and bring defensive armaments online, I don't want to be caught off guard during this operation." Artemis ordered.

"Aye sir." Responded the gun directors and the comms officer. "All hands, general quarters, general quarters, all hands man your battle stations." The comms officer announced to the ship as he activated the general quarters alarm, slightly startling the two ponies present.

"What is general quarters?" Asked Celestia over the noise.

"It means that all of the crew aboard are to report to their battle stations and prepare for combat." Captain Leona explained to them.

All around the ship, gun crews manned their positions, marines took up guard posts and pilots scrambled for their crafts while technicians loaded them with ordinance. "Looks like we get to do something a little bit different today." Lynne exclaimed as she jumped into her dagger and primed it's systems while all of the flight's waited in their bays for their orders.

"Well I have always wanted to do a ground attack mission." Nathan exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Asked Andrew as he checked his weapons systems, making sure the ordinance was linked up correctly to the computer.

"My brother's an engineer in the marines on Lou Tau, he always said that the fireball made by a few pounds of C-4 was what made him feel alive." Nathan explained.

"Well well, looks like we got ourselves a pyro boys." Lynne said as everyone laughed.

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One hour later, near the Exquestria / Asterion border:

"Approaching target area, one minute, check weapons." Alzack ordered as his flight, along with the other escort flight made their approach to the mountain base.

"Four okay."

"Three okay."

"Two okay."

"One okay. Alright this is it, switches on." Alzack ordered as they all armed their bombs and other ordinance.

"Five seconds to pull, Ready?" He asked.

"Ready." They replied.

"PULL" He shouted as their craft pulled hard to climb above the mountain range and bring them to altitude for their bomb runs.

"Target sighted, two o'clock low" Nathan called.

"Priority targets are the docking rigs and fuel tanks, follow me in." Alzack ordered as they dived on the base below.

The air was suddenly filled with familiar black clouds as minotaur crews manned crude anti-aircraft guns, their accuracy leaving much to be desired since they were meant to be used on slow lumbering airships. Ignoring them, the four fighters continued on with their attack.

"Bays open.... Bombs away!" Alzack called as the four released their deadly cargo and pulled up sharply.

Down below, multiple airships, docks and refueling stations were engulfed in flames, along with the minotaurs who had been too slow to get away.

"Direct hits, smell that barbecue." Drew called laughingly.

"And here I forgot to bring the salad." Lynne replied.

"Not done yet, enemies inbound, looks like drakes." Alzack informed them as he checked his sensors.

"Green flight engaging, missiles away." Green one confirmed as they dived out of the sun onto the unsuspecting lizards, their own attention focused on the ones who had just bombed their allies base.

"Roger Green, wait for us, sounds like a party." Alzack replied as Blue flight formed up to engage the new threat.

Into the fray, Andrew and Nathan quickly locked themselves onto the tail of a drake, while Alzack and Lynne sunk their fangs into another.

"You want this one kid, I can't get a good angle." Drew told Nat.

"Roger that, roll out of the way old timer, I got him." Nathan replied as they twisted and turned along with their prey as it tried to loose them.

"Don't get cocky pipsqueak. Rolling left, you're clear." Drew replied as he rolled his fighter out of the way of Nathan's shot.

Slowly and calmly, just like his training had taught him, Nathan lined his sights up on the beast in front of him.

"Guns, guns, guns." He called as he pulled the trigger. His twin twenty five's barking to life as bright tracers found their way into dragon flesh, sending the once proud creature spiraling to it's doom.

"Kill confirmed, congrats Nat, that was your fifth kill, you're an ace now." Drew told him laughingly.

"What really? Holy shit." Nathan exclaimed excitedly.

Meanwhile, a short distance away, Alzack and Lynne had found themselves in a little predicament.

Alzack was on the tail of a dragon, while another was trying to line up behind him, with Lynne further back on it's rear.

"Watch your aim Lynne, I saw that last burst come by my canopy." Alzack said as he jinked to the right while still trying to line up his shot.

"Sorry, but maybe if you hurried the fuck up and got out of the way, that wouldn't be an issue." She replied in frustration.

"Working on it!" Alzack replied as he finally lined up and sent a missile into his target's side, knocking it down into the side of the mountain.

"You're clear, shoot shoot." Alzack told Lynne as he pulled up hard to escape just as Lynne let off a long burst into her target drake.

"Bandit down, skies look clear." Lynne called as the two flight elements rejoined and headed back to friendly airspace.

"Roger that, Pride actual, Pride actual, skies are clean, repeat, skies are clean, troops are clear to begin assault." Alzack announced.

"We hear you, good work, we'll let the boy on the ground  know that they're clear over." Radioed captain Leona.

"Roger that, we are RTB, out." Alzack replied as they set course back to the ship.