(Nine months later)
"Wakey-Wakey, Echo." A familiar voice said in Airman 1st Class Echo's ear. The pilot was strewn all over his bed while trying to get some sleep. It didn't matter that he was the lowest ranked pegasus in the Stingray squadron, but he still wanted to get some sleep!
The Blue haired, Green eyed pegasus groaned into his pillow.
"Violet, what have I told you about waking me up at..." He checked the clock. "...6 o'clock in the morning?"
Violet, a purple-eyed and purple-haired pegasus smiled. Violet was Stingray 3, and liked to play harmless pranks on Echo, who was Stingray 4. "I was told to wake you up. The Joint Training Maneuver is on today, remember?"
Echo immediately jumped out of bed. "WHAT? I'm not ready!"
"Then it might be smart to get ready." Violet chirped as she strolled out the door.
While a frantic Echo was trying to get into flight uniform, he heard another Aurelian knock on his door.
"Yo! Echo! Get a move on, will you? Embriella wants us in the briefing room in five minutes!" The voice of Grimm, who was Stingray 2, yelled through the door.
"Just a second!" Echo replied as he finished putting on his uniform. He opened the door to see the face of the white haired pegasus looking at him in bemusement.
"Finally ready, are we?" Grimm asked. "The rest of the squadron's in the briefing room. I'd suggest you get over there before Base Commander Blossomforth goes nuts."
The base commander, now 74, but still looking like her 24 self due to some age-lengthening spell blanketing the Equestrian Isles, could be very irritated when ponies were late to the briefing, as the two were about to discover.
---
Blossomforth raised an eyebrow as the two out-of breath Airmen settled into their seats.
"Now that Grimm and Echo have so politely decided to join us-" She paused here to glare at the two, who fidgeted nervously. "-I can start the briefing. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia have agreed on a joint Military Training maneuver between the Solar Imperial Forces and the New Lunar Republic's military.Unlike our military, The Solar Empire's forces are split up into several species-restricted units. For example, say a platoon is made of of only Zebricans, and a ship is crewed by only Changelings." The squadrons here will be assigned to several different tasks." The 50 ponies assembled were now fully focused on the commander. Echo took the time to pick out the squadron leaders.
A green haired girl named Clover, who was the commander of the Fighter-Bomber 'Snow Squadron'. They used 11 Arctic camouflage-coloured Su-25 Frogfoots.
The Black haired Man known only as Cipher, who was the leader of the Attack Helicopter 'Osa Squadron'. They used 15 Urban-Camoflauged coloured Mil-Mi 24 Hinds.
And a blue haired woman named Kira, who was the commander of the five-plane Interceptor 'Aquila Squadron'. Kira had told Echo once that Orosia had banished her Squadron, but she never explained why. They used their signature Grumman X-29s, with their unique paint that reminded everyone that the Famous Orosian ace fighter Squadron 'Aquila' that had gone missing five years back was still alive and very much kicking.
Then he thought about his squadron's planes, Aqua coloured Su-24 Fencers with the embelm of a Stingray emblazoned on the tail.
Blossomforth turned to face Clover, who immediately focused on what Blossomforth was going to say.
"Clover, Snow squadron is going to assist the F-2 equipped Changeling Fireblade Squadron with maneuvers in the Waldreich Mountains at 1500 hours." Clover saluted, and after Blossomforth moved on, discussed celebratory tactics with her squadron.
Blossomforth walked over to Cipher. "Cipher, Osa Squadron is going to help several Zebrican Chinook Helicopters with City Warfare in the Kinachi Desert at 1700 hours." Cipher and his squadron nodded.
Blossomforth them moved on to Kira. "Kira, Your squadron is going to participate in a mock aerial battle with the Imperial 'Sorcerer Squadron' in four hours."
Blossomforth smiled. Their F-16XLs may give your squadron a hard time."
Kira smirked. "Bring it on."
At last, Blossomforth moved to Embriella, who saluted.
"Embriella, this mission is a doozy. You are to assist a flotilla of three ships from the Republican 3rd fleet with Sea Maneuvers with Imperial Admiral Marigold's 5th Fleet, in the Antlertic Ocean. Her flagship is the Defender, which should be pretty easy to spot, as it's a Kirov-class cruiser. Admiral Marigold has promised us that there will be no air power on their side, so you should be the only planes up there. The 5th fleet will be arranged in clusters of 3 to 5 ships. The rest of the 3rd fleet will be spread out over the coastline with Imperial ships."
Embriella saluted again, while Grimm and Violet gave each other a high five.
"Lucky." Kira muttered under her breath.
Blossomforth resumed her position at the platform in the room.
"So eat a good breakfast, get your flight suits ready and report to the hangers in one hour. Dismissed!"
---
After Stingray Squadron had eaten their breakfast and gotten their flight suits ready the squadrons walked towards the hangers. On the way, Violet moved next to Echo.
"So Echo..." She started.
"Hmm?" he mumbled, turning to face her as they walked to their aircraft.
"How do you like Shorebird City?" she asked.
Shorebird City. One of Aurelia's ports it was a balmy and very busy, a mix between the Tropical Southern Isles and the High Rise Cities in the Yuktomarian Kingdom. The rest of his squadron were born in the city, while he himself transferred from the Emareian Air Force to the N.L.R a few years back. Now he was at Sachana Air Base, a small Air Base close to Shorebird City. Another Airbase was nearby, and provided the Primary Air Defense for the Port.
"It's nice. It's like someone dropped Marescow in the Southern Isles. Technology meets Tropical weather."
Violet smiled. "Thanks, Echo!"
Grimm, who was at the Su-24s ahead of them, smirked. "Come on, ya lovebirds!" He called back, to which Violet proceeded to chase him around his plane while Embrellia, Echo and some of the others squadrons laughed while getting into their planes.
After a few minutes, Violet and Grimm decided that enough was enough and got into their planes, and waited with their squadron for take-off clearance.
---
Two hours later, Stingray's flight of four Su-24 Fencers reached the three-ship formation.
"Stingray Squadron, this is Admiral Seabreeze aboard the N.L.R.S Pitomnik. We have you on radar, 15 miles out, vector 280."
Embriella smiled. "Roger Pitomnik. We see you."
"The Pitomnik's here?" Echo asked.
"That and two other famous ships." Admiral Seabreeze, replied, full of pride.
Echo, and Voilet gasped when they saw what was in the formation.
"The Frigate Pitomnik, The Destroyer Chuda, and the Battleship Gumrak! The Flagships of their classes!" Voilet exclaimed.
AWACS Sentry then connected to the N.L.R frequency.
"AWACS Sentry to N.L.R.S Pitomnik and Stingray Squadron. The Empire's ships have reported that they are 75 miles out, vector 120. Pitomnik, recommend that your formation turn 15 degrees to port and maintain top speed."
While the ships executed the course correction Violet decided to talk to Sentry.
"Hiya Mist! Why are you an AWACS operator? I thought you wanted to be a fighter pilot." Violet said.
Mist sighed. "The evaluator said that my short-sightedness meant I was unsuitable for combat flying, so he said I could be an AWACS operator."
Violet responded with a good imitation of a chicken.
"Says the one running away from me!" Mist retorted.
"On a mission!" Violet replied.
"Touché." Mist said, before cutting the connection.
Thirty five minutes later, Mist came on the line again.
"Pitomnik, General Hurricane asks you to open communications with the Defender.
The Pitomnik did so, and Admiral Seabreeze reported their position to her Imperial Counterpart.
"Roger, Admiral Seabreeze, we see you, twenty miles out. Vector 300." Admiral Marigold said. Echo looked at the Imperial ships. He saw formations of destroyers, Aegis ships and frigates, and the Defender was easily visible. it was the only Kirov-Class battlecruiser in the formation. All in all there were 27 ships in Admiral Marigold's fleet.
Violet noticed something odd about the formation. "Stingray 2 to Stingray 1. The Imperial ships are in bull horn formation. They didn't tell us about that in the briefing. They were supposed to be in clusters.
Echo sighed. "Stingray 3 to Stingray 2. Do you honestly think the Solar Empire were going to tell us that? Top secret information and all that jazz?"
"Yeaaah, I guess so." Violet sighed
---
Onboard the Defender, Marigold, a amber haired woman of 35, looked through a pair of binoculars at the three ships. "Only three ships and four fighters?"
Her XO shrugged. "They could be sending the rest of their fleet elsewhere."
Marigold rolled her eyes. "We have our orders, wait for them to get into the middle of the bull-horn."
Five minutes later, the XO tapped Marigold's shoulder.
"The ships are in the middle of the bull-horn, Admiral. should we attack the fighters as well?"
Marigold waved a hoof. "Don't bother. The real threat are the ships. The fighters don't matter."
The XO reported the order to all ships, then turned back to the Admiral. "All ships ready to fire on your mark."
Marigold gave the order.
"Fire!"
---
Stingray looked on in shocked silence as the Imperial ships bombarded the three N.L.R ships. After the ships stopped firing, Stingray assessed the situation. The N.L.R.S destroyer Chuda was sinking fast, the Gumrak's main guns were twisted pieces of metal, and The Pitomnik reported light damage to the stern.
"Admiral Marigold, what is the meaning of this? Your ships have just committed an unprovoked act of war! Explain yourselves!" Seabreeze ordered the Imperial Admiral.
Marigold's previously kind voice now turned into a cold sneer. "Sorry, Admiral, but we're not allies with you anymore. Celestia has declared war on the N.L.R. We are free to take any action against you." The S.E ships at the end of the Bull-Horn formation turn to close the gap, trapping the Gumrak and Pitomnik in a ring.
Violet gaped. "Sentry, the S.E ships just deliberately fired on and engaged the Pitomnik's formation!"
Mist sounded shaken as she responded. "Roger, Stingray 2. Other N.L.R forces are reporting that the Empire has attacked their positions. Coastal defenses also report that the Solar Empire is landing troops on Aurelia's northern coastline. Princess Luna has ordered all N.L.R forces to return to base, and the Ground and Air bases in the vicinity of the capital to regroup at Midnight city for Capital defense."
Echo gasped. "But what about the Gumrak and Pitomnik?" He asked as he looked at the two ships surrounded by S.E vessels.
"This is the Pitomnik. The Gumrak has to withdraw immediately. It's too damaged to put up a fight. It's captain has told us the escape route planned. Take out the four Aegis ships southwest of the Gumrak." Seabreeze said as the Gumrak turned around and sailed towards the four ships.
Mist came on the frequency with a piece of advice.
"Aegis ships have a weak spot under the smokestack. If you fire a missile there, you'll cripple it."
"Ok, Sentry. Stingray Flight. Follow me! Fire 6 missiles at those Aegis ships!" Embriella said as the squadron began their attack run on the flotilla, firing 6 AGM missiles.
Onboard the lead Aegis ship, an officer noticed the danger too late. "Missiles! Shoot them down! Don't let them hit us!" The officer's order was drowned out as the explosions from the missiles cooked off the formation's ammo supplies. Within 30 seconds, all four ships were burning from end to end. The Gumrak received no opposition and they escaped the blockade. Echo saw that the Pitomnik had taken out two frigates and a destroyer, but was getting pummeled by shellfire.
"Gumrak's clear, Pitomnik! Get out of there!" Embriella told Seabreeze.
"...Too late. They've hit our engines and gun batteries. We can't get back to base." Seabreeze said solemnly.
"O-o-ok, Pitomnik. Stingray, destroy the rest of the S.E ships!" Mist ordered.
"No." Seabreeze argued. "If Stingray stays here they'll die. Someone has to protect the Gumrak. We'll ram the Defender and distract their ships." Seabreeze said, before cutting off the communication.
Mist sighed. "Good luck, Pitomnik."
---
Seabreeze turned to the helmsman. "What's our speed?"
"32.7 knots, Admiral."
Seabreeze nodded, before taking the microphone and broadcasting a message to the surviving crew members on board the Pitomnik.
"All hands, brace for impact." She put the microphone down and turned to face out the window at the Defender's port side rapidly approaching them.
---
Fascinated, Stingray Squadron watched as the Pitomnik rammed the Defender dead centre. The force of the impact wedged the bow deep into the Defender's hull, but everything behind the Pitomnik's smokestack was wrenched off by the impact. At once the S.E ships broke off and surrounded the Defender and the Pitomnik, not bothering with the retreating Gumrak and Stingray squadron.
Mist took a phone off the counter next to her and called General Hurricane.
"General Hurricane? This is Sentry 2. Requesting.....support for the Battleship Gumrak."
On the oher end, Hurricane nodded. "What happened to the Pitomnik?"
"...They rammed the Defender."
"Oh...I'll tell the Princess."
"Thank you General." Mist said, before hanging up the call and resuming her duties with a sense of despair for the Commander of the Pitomnik's flotilla.
---
Back at the debreifing room, the air was solemn.
Blossomforth looked at the dejected pilots with despair in her eyes.
Snow Squadron had been massacred at the Waldreich Mountains, and no one had heard from Osa Squadron. Only Aquila Squadron and Stingray Squadron had returned unscathed.
Clover and her remaining three wingmen were traumatized after the events they witnessed, and only Clover were able to speak to the concerned commander.
"They...chewed us up and spat us out. We would all have been....killed if Snow 4 hadn't diverted their attention onto themselves." Blossomforth knew the faces of the ponies in Snow squadron, and the tears in Clover's eyes corroborated the suspicion that Snow 4 didn't make it.
Aquila Squadron had shaken off their attackers and had retreated to base, and Kira was still stunned over their first retreat.
Stingray Squadron...well, Blossomforth could see that they were upset about what happened to the flotilla. The shipyards in Shorebird City reported that the Gumrak would be out of action for an indefinite amount of time.
"Pilots...." Blossomforth's voice cracked while she adressed the pegasi, and she willed herself to be stronger.
"Pilots. What Celestia did today is unforgivable. Declaring War on us will be one of the greatest mistakes she ever made. And we will get revenge for our fallen brothers and sisters. Already Yuktomaria and the Southern Defense Coalition have pledged support to Princess Luna, and have declared war on the Solar Empire. Princess Luna has said that all squadrons and Army bases within 50 miles of Midnight City will engage in Capital Defense duties. Spies within the Solar Empire have reported that the Empire will focus attacks on Shorebird City's Port facilities. We cannot let them destroy the port. Our job now is to protect Shorebird City and the surrounding area With the pilots at Aubrey Air Base until the pressure is taken off Aurelia. Celestia will pay for this. There will be a reckoning for this. We shall be victorious! For the New Lunar Republic!" She shouted the last words, and a cheer radiated from the pilots assembled.
"Tomorrow, we get our payback!" Blossomforth promised.