Ace Combat: Shattered Friendships
Operation Roseluck
Author: Draconis187
It had been a few days since the Wonderbolts and the Galm Team repelled the assault on Valiant Airbase before it returned to any form of normality. During that time, the shipment of new aircraft and weapons flew in, along with a few mercenaries that heard of the successful defence and decided to get in on the glory. Many left as they soon found out that they had to pull their own weight around the base in order to stay.
During those couple of days, Cipher ignored most of the mercenaries that they were introduced to since the Galm Team was to remain a two plane squadron. Beyond her wingpony, she didn’t care for who else arrived. One day, one of the mercenaries bumped - almost literally – into Cipher. She just looked at him through her helmet, seemingly scanning him like a robot.
“Sorry about that miss. I was a million miles away and I must have failed to notice you.” The stallion apologised, his accent sounded as if he came from Stalliongrad. He extended his hoof in apology. “Name’s Everlasting Solace or just Solace, whichever you prefer.”
Cipher didn’t respond to his gesture and continued to gaze at him through her helmet. His grey coat was reminiscent of the ditzy mail courier that came to deliver messages to the base. His mane was pitch black, as if he used tar as hair gel. His eyes were yellow and showed his uncertainty as he shifted uncomfortably under the Changeling’s gaze. Before he could ask anything, Cipher went off to the air hangars to check up the planes she purchased without a word to the stallion.
She walked past one of the hangars and saw the F-16 she received. The plane had its usual colouration of dark grey with a lighter shade near the cockpit area. Alongside the wall of the hangar were three sets of crates containing the special ammunition as Cipher went to inspect them. Inside them were a shipment of several Mk-84 2000lb Unguided Bombs for standard bombing runs; AIM-120B AMRAAM (XMAA) for air targets and finally AGM-88 HARM missiles for taking out ground targets from long range.
The next hangar she went to stored her A-10 Thunderbolt II. It was completely light grey across its entire airframe, underside included. The chaingun that was mounted just under the nose gave it the impression it was smoking a cigarette. The plane’s special ammunition consisted of several rocket pods: the LAU-69 Rocket Pods to be exact; several air-to-ground missiles: AGM-65 Mavericks and the final, third special armament were BLU-73/B Fuel Air Explosive Bombs (or FAEB).
The third plane was rather unique in a sense. The Mirage sported a delta wing design for better manoeuvrability at near and above supersonic speeds. It had a green and beige camouflage colour scheme across its airframe. The three special armaments consisted of Mk-82 500lb Bombs; Paveway II Guided Bombs and AGM-65D Maverick missiles.
Cipher looked at them with shock as she double checked the manifest and the crates. The Mirage was supposed to be a high speed interceptor not a ground pounder! The furious Changeling stomped through the airbase, passing several soldiers and crewmen who tried to greet the mare. She brushed them off as she reached Twilight’s barracks. The guards by the door asked her to wait but her rashness caused her to throw them from their posts with force thanks to her magic.
“What’s this? Oh, it’s you Cipher, uh how can I help?” Twilight looked outside and saw the guards as their shaken expressions said it all. “Come in and tell me what’s wrong.”
Cipher took out her copy of the shipping manifest for the aircraft as well as their weapons and threw it at Twilight’s desk. She picked it up with a curious expression before she spoke. “What’s wrong with the manifest?”
Cipher’s voice distortion unit could not disguise her anger as she raged. “At the debriefing yesterday you said you would be getting a multirole, a ground attack craft and an interceptor! I inspected the planes as well as their weaponry myself and found the Mirage is a ground attack plane and not an air superiority fighter! Care to explain?”
Twilight looked over the manifest as she realised what they said a few days previous and facehoofed herself. “Sorry, we meant for to get the 2000C models. Those are designed for air-to-air combat. We must have made an accidental switch of the designations when we asked for them. I will make sure you are reimbursed for the mishap and you may keep the plane. Now, it’s a good thing you arrived when you did believe it or not.”
“Why is that? Am I in time to watch you preen your wings?” Cipher said callously as she picked up the manifest.
“No. It’s time to brief everypony on the next operation.” Twilight replied, rolling her eyes as Cipher left her barracks and went to the briefing room. Twilight turned to the microphone in front of her, making her voice boom across the airbase as she spoke. “All pilots are to report to the briefing room immediately. I repeat: all pilots are to report to the briefing room immediately.”
Within a few minutes the Wonderbolts, the Galm Team and several mercenaries had arrived at the briefing room and sat down. Pinkamena was looking around the room at the mercenaries, judging and making bets in her mind on how long they would last. The group of pilots were silent as Twilight walked up and started the projector as it lit up with the sun and moon logo of its manufacturer: Celestial Systems Ltd.
“Greetings everypony. Celestia and Luna have found out that one of our major supply lines to the Crystal Empire should be taken if we are to get in contact with them and stand a chance of making a successful counterattack against the Griffon Empire.” Twilight said as a few satellite photos came up on the projector screen.
“Now the Griffon Armoured Corps have secured the three bridges over the Glacial River. Expect SAMs as well as a few fighters in the vicinity to give you some difficulty. This is mainly a ground assault mission and the main priority are the tanks that have entrenched themselves near the bridges. We have outfitted your aircraft with the latest of unicorn magic systems: the Magic Ammunition Replenishing System or M.A.R.S. It allows you to store more ammunition on your aircraft so instead of two air-to-air missiles, you may be able to have up to sixty or so, depending on your aircraft. Any questions?” As Twilight expected, nopony questioned their mission. “Ok then everypony, dismissed.”
The Valiant Airbase seemed to instantly come to life as pilots scrambled to their planes while the ground crew made sure the runway was clear and the pilots’ planes were fully and properly loaded. Pinkamena jumped into her F-15 and was the second plane in line awaiting take-off, just behind the AWACS. Inside the mobile command centre, Twilight was taking a couple of deep breaths as she mentally prepared herself for take-off, much to Thunderlane’s amusement.
Cipher clambered into the cockpit of her A-10 and had made sure she had outfitted the plane with XAGMs. Her screen registered sixty-eight Sidewinder missiles and twenty XAGMs. If anypony could see her face then, they would have seen the face of a very ecstatic Changeling. As she made her way to the runway, she saw the plane that belonged to the pony that collided into her earlier in the week.
His plane was a Su-27 ‘Flanker. A plane was the brain child of several bright sparks from Stalliongrad. Cipher looked at the wings and saw he went with SFFS (Self-Forging Fragmentation Submunitions) weapons alongside the Sidewinders. Mk.20 ‘Rockeye’ SFFS bombs were the equivalent of a shotgun as its area of effect increased the higher it was dropped.
The plane was black with a grey underside while his cockpit’s canopy had 17 hash marks just under it. Cipher gathered it was his number of kills but whether they before the war or during, she wasn’t entirely sure. The stabilisers had the number ‘1138’ in white colouring on them, whatever their relation to the Pegasus in question was, Cipher doubted he would tell anypony.
“This is Vampir 1. Am I clear for take-off?” Solace asked as he lined his plane up after Solo Wing and the AWACS had left.
“You are clear for take-off Vampir 1. Let ‘er rip.” The control tower responded as a cream coloured mare with a moderate raspberry coloured mane had a headset on, talking to the pilots. She ran her hoof over the lighter streak of raspberry she had in her mane as it got in the way and irritated her.
In a few minutes the Wonderbolts were in the air as well as Cipher. The three squadrons got into formation as Twilight called over the radio. “Ok everypony, we should reach the Glacial River in about two hours. There is a K-10 Extender refuelling plane behind us that will ensure we all don’t run out of fuel and drop out of the sky.”
“Good to know. Who exactly are the three chumps that are with us now? I kinda slept through the introductions when they arrived.” Dash asked as she turned her head to see the three Su-27 Flankers, led by Solace.
“If you are referring to me, little pony, I am Everlasting Solace. My flight is known as Vampir, as we will drain the spirit of our enemies with our tenacity and skill.” Solace’s thick accent rang through the radio, which began to make Solo Wing curious.
“That accent… you are from Stalliongrad correct?” Pinkamena asked, ignoring Dash’s ‘chumps’ comment.
“That is correct. Stalliongrad was my home for many a year before I went into the mercenary business. As much as I miss my family, I know that what I do helps to put food on their table.” Solace said. His voice was calm yet there was a hint of sorrow as he recounted his family.
“Yeah yeah, leave the sop story for those that care ok?” A callous voice said. Spitfire sighed as she knew to whom that voice belonged.
“Lightning Dust I suggest you apologise to Solace.” She said, despite being number 2 in the formation, her experience saw her carry more influence than Dash.
“Fine, sorry Vampir 1.” Dust’s voice said rather sharply.
“Don’t worry so much about it. Tell you what Dusty, after we get back I will show you a popular past time from Stalliongrad. Sound good?” Solace’s voice responded, sounding normal as if Dust’s callous attitude did nothing to him.
Lightning Dust didn’t respond as the planes had begun to near the operation’s airspace. Twilight’s voice rang out once more across all the planes’ radios as they all lined up to refuel.
“Once you have refuelled, you may begin with Operation Roseluck. Remember: take out the forces stationed along the river’s three bridges, everything else is secondary.” Twilight said.
“Roger that.” Pinkamena called out over the radio as they reached the operation’s airspace. “Uh Eagle Eye, are those windmills part of the operation?”
Pinkamena got no response from any of the pilots so she didn’t press it. Cipher’s voice came over the radio and addressed the former party mare.
“Galm Two, what is your payload?” She kept it short and sweet as the two of them approached the first bridge.
“Mk.84 2000lb Bombs, why?” Pinkamena replied, unsure where her flight leader was going with this.
“Right, there are two tanks by the bridge and a SAM not too far away. Take out the tanks and I’ll take out the SAM.” Cipher relied as the A-10 picked up speed and broke off.
“Understood.” Pinkamena kept her plane level and steady as she switched to her 2000lb bombs. Her HUD gave her a sight that showed where the bombs would land when she pressed the trigger, it was affectionately known as ‘The Pipper’ as its full name was Predicted Impact Point.
As she lined up the Pipper up with the two tanks, Cipher’s A-10 shot over the bridge at an extremely low altitude, heading for the SAM. The tanks’ commanders nearly soiled themselves as this imposing plane shot towards them, the afterburners at full throttle. Cipher shot over their heads, deafening them as Pinkamena dropped one of her bombs. Cipher switched to her XAGMs and the HUD gave her a lock-on at the SAM as she skimmed over the treeline.
“Lock-on.” Twilight confirmed for Cipher as the Changeling fired a single XAGM at the site. “SAM destroyed.” Twilight sounded happy until she spoke again. “Uh oh, it looks like you’ve stirred up the hornets nest everypony. Bandits at 12, 11 and 9 o’clock.”
“I see them, Fishbeds and Phantoms.” Dash confirmed as she saw her radar spot he MiG-21s and the F4-Es. “Vampir, help out Cipher since you are outfitted for ground strikes, we’ll take out the bandits.”
“Roger. Hear that my little ponies? You and I are going to be bomb buddies.” Vampir chuckled as the three Su-27s joined up with the Galm Team.
“Ok, there are some houses further up that have some SAMs in between the houses. The ponies living there may come back once this war is over so I will take out the SAMs as your bombs would destroy everything.” Cipher said as she flew down to the treeline again, getting ready to aim for the four SAMs that were in the small village. “Solo Wing, take out the stationed forces by the second bridge.”
“Roger that Cipher, I’m gonna go pound them.” Solo Wing sounded rather happy as she sped off towards the second bridge.
“I guess that leaves the third bridge for dear old Vampir then?” Solace jokingly asked as the Galm Team closed in on their targets.
“Yes, you're outfitted with SFFS and there are a lot of scattered tanks there. Just drop them from a high enough altitude to ensure you get them all.” Cipher confirmed as her HUD locked onto the SAMs. “Galm One, firing!”
All four XAGMs flew off their rails and sped off towards the SAMs. What made these air-to-ground missiles special was the fact that they turned at near 60 degree angles before colliding with their target. This was exercised her as the four missiles shot over the houses and collided with their targets, sending shards of metal everywhere and killing or gravely wounding the stationed Griffons nearby.
“Come on!” Dash shouted as she chased a Fishbed around the airspace, the plane was a lot older than her own but the pilot seemed to know what they were doing. “Just a little more… gotcha!
Rainbow fired her gun and it tore through the Fishbed’s right wing, causing it to spin out of control and crash to the ground. “That’s a kill for me!”
“Gah! I’ve got a tail and he won’t get off!” Lightning’s angry voice called out over the radio as an F4-E tried to gun her down. The sound of bullets flying past her could also be heard clearly over the radio, as well as her rage. “Ok, you want a piece? Come and get it!”
Lightning Dust then went full throttle causing the F4 pilot to do the same. She then pulled the plane into a climb, weaving left and right to throw her opponent’s aim so he wouldn’t get a missile lock on her. Gripens have a higher ceiling than F4s but the Griffon ignored the warnings from the plane as it began to stall.
“Gotcha!” Lightning burst out happily as the F4 slowed down and fell towards the ground. “And that’s why it’s called a coffin corner, bitch!”
She turned her plane around and flew straight down towards her attacker. The Griffon was desperately trying to restart the engines and correct herself but the plane began to spin wildly out of control. Lightning lined up her boresight with the falling plane as she kept her plane’s speed brakes up so she wouldn’t fly past it and miss her opportunity.
“Die you motherbucker!!” She shouted as her bullets tore hundreds of holes in the plane before firing a missile at it. The Griffon had no hope of survival as she was torn apart from Lightning’s bullets.
“Lightning Dust that was too extreme!” Pinkamena shouted as Twilight confirmed the reckless mare’s kill. “That plane wouldn’t have been able to get out of that stall. Why did you have to go and fire both bullets and a missile? There is a difference between doing our jobs and plain bloodlust!”
“So what? It’s still a kill for me!” Lightning scoffed as she flew to intercept a MiG.
“Galm One watch out! You’ve got a MiG on your six!” Twilight warned as the MiG in question closed in on Cipher.
Cipher didn’t respond but tried to evade the attacking MiG. The pilot’s rounds scrapped past Cipher’s cockpit and fuselage. The A-10 was built like a flying tank so standard rounds would have to work hard to get through. It also meant her plane could maintain slower speeds as well. This gave Cipher a small advantage as she slowed down and the MiG overshot her and into the path of her 30mm gatling gun… loaded with antitank rounds. Cipher unloaded a hail of rounds on the plane, shredding the plane’s engine like paper before it erupted in a fireball.
“This is Solo Wing, dropping bombs now.” Pinkamena calmly called out as her pipper hovered over the first set of targets by the bridge. “Tanks destroyed.”
“Confirmed, Vampir the rest is up to you.” Twilight called out as her instruments indicated the destruction of another couple of planes. “That’s a kill for Wonderbolts Six, Four and Two.”
“Right on!” Soarin called out as he flew past his kill’s burning plane. “This makes up for the last operation by far.”
“This is Vampir. We are beginning our attack run.” Vampir 1 called out as the three Su-27s flew up high into the air before rocketing towards the ground. “Vampir 1, launching SFFS!”
All three planes dropped their payloads and the multiple mini bombs came down towards their targets, plastering the ground surrounding the bridge with small explosions. Tanks and APCs exploded as the bomblets collided with them or near their locations. The remaining forces tried to fight back but the planes moved too fast for the tanks to get a good lock on them.
“One more time for good measure!” Vampir 1 laughed as the three planes flew back up into the skies before coming down and firing their SFFS for the second and last time.
This time the devastation flattened all but two APCs, which then proceeded to flee the battle. The remaining aircraft consisting of one F4 and a MiG, broke off their attacks and fled as well.
“Good work everypony, this operation is a success. We will be sending supplies to the Crystal Empire immediately and Celestia will make sure to send troops so the route can be guarded at all times.” Twilight said with glee, the pilots could hear her clapping her hooves from her excitement. “It looks like luck was on your side today Solo Wing.”
“Yeah well, I've had my fill of going home without wings.” Pinkamena sighed as she and Cipher got into formation. “Good work there Vampir, I have a feeling that you will be a welcome addition to our motley crew of misfits back at Valiant.”
“Thank you very much my dear. Tell me though: is you flight leader always such a hard case? When we met she didn’t say a word to me.” Solace asked as Vampir flew past the Galm Team.
“That’s who she is I’m afraid. You will have to get used to the fact that she doesn’t speak very often except when it comes to an operation. She really has good tactical skills and I would recommend listening to her requests. You never know, she might open up to you if you give her the chance.” Pinkamena mused as she looked at Galm One.
Cipher chose to ignore them. She knew that they were trying to get her to talk by attempting to play at her emotions. Sadly for them, Changelings can suppress most of their emotions fairly well, except for anger. That emotion is the hardest to control. The group refuelled once more before they set off towards Valiant.
“You know what Spitfire?” Dash said, sounding rather sad as the Wonderbolts flew in a wedge formation.
“What is it Dash?” The former leader responded.
She thought about her response for a minute. “I hate being leader sometimes.”
Spitfire decided to try and comfort the cyan mare. “I know what you mean. The pressure can be a little daunting.”
“Not that, I can handle pressure. It’s having to deal with Lightning Dust that I’m not looking forward to.” Dash responded.
“Hey! I did awesome today, I’ll have you know!” Lightning scoffed as she heard them.
“Dust… we’ll talk on the ground. After the debrief.” Spitfire said, understanding what Dash meant.
“Well at least there’s no all night party to make us feel like we were in a bomb raid this time.” Dash remarked, much to everypony’s agreement.
“There was a party?! Why wasn’t I invited?” Solace asked, now fully invested in this conversation.
“It was three days before you got arrived at Valiant with the rest of Vampir.” Pinkamena replied.
“Oh, damn it!” Solace shouted as the mares laughed at him. “Oh well, I guess that means I need to stick around a bit more to get another chance to drink you ladies under the table.”
The trip back to base was filled with laughter as they all took turns haggling with each other. Vampir 1 tried to outmanoeuvre Solo Wing but he failed as the attempt nearly saw him stall and crash his plane.
“I have heard you also like to perform manoeuvres that would be deemed insane Miss Cipher. I would like to challenge you to an acrobatic contest once we return. We shall use identical aircraft but we shall try to outperform each other. What do you think?” Solace suggested as they were lining up to land.
“Make it a laser dogfight and you have a deal.” Cipher’s disguised voice replied.
Solace grinned from under his helmet. “Deal.”