Ace Combat: Shattered Friendships
Operation Constantine
Author: Draconis187
Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward. For there you have been, and there you will always long to return.
Cipher held her breath as she lined up on the tarmac, waiting for Vampir to take off. The reality of the situation was sinking in, it was near: the last push to force the Griffon occupational forces from the Crystal Empire and press the Griffons into a defensive stance. They had red in their ledgers and it was up to the squadrons of Valiant Airbase to wipe them clean, permanently.
“Come on slowpokes!” Dash said with annoyance as she and the rest of the Wonderbolts were waiting for Galm, with Grabcr already in the air with the AWACS. “I’m not getting any younger here!”
“Cool your engines, Dash,” Pinkamena snapped, “If you don’t, I’ll climb out of this plane and make you.”
“Maybe you should! You’re not the Pinkie Pie I used to think was cool,” Dash retaliated, shouting loudly into the radio. “You’re just a sadistic, heartless pony who dares to call herself Pinkie!”
“Enough!” Cipher’s voice said in a single, loud and commanding tone. It demanded no retaliation, only compliance.
The two mares found themselves at a loss for words at Cipher’s outburst for various reasons. She hardly ever spoke to anypony, even Pinkamena for one. And when she did speak it was mostly in a flat, emotionless tone but this time she sounded angry and scolded them like fillies, using a single word.
“Understood, Cipher…” Pinkamena said miserably, just like a filly that had just been caught with her hooves in a cookie jar and sent to bed without supper.
“Whatever,” Dash said in a similar tone. She felt like she was talking to her mother and she hadn’t seen her since she moved to Ponyville many years ago.
Cipher didn’t respond as she looked out onto the runway and saw Vampir Three finally take off. The tower buzzed into her cockpit, “Galm Team, you are cleared for take off.”
“Let’s go give them hell, Buddy,” Pinkamena said as she and Cipher increased the throttle, making their Eagles roar as the brakes were disengaged.
The pair picked up speed in leaps and bounds as the afterburners kicked in, propelling them past the control tower and the group of ponies that had come to watch the Galm Team take off. They were saluted as the planes shot past and took off into the air.
“Good luck,” Aloe muttered under her breath as the Wonderbolts got onto the apron. She spoke once again in a normal, monotonous voice as she regarded the Wonderbolts, “Wonderbolt One and Two, you are cleared for take off…”
**** **** **** ****
The air around the Crystal Empire was still and quiet in preparation for the coming squadrons of aircraft. The streets were empty, save for the sound of marching soldiers and heavy armour in the form of tanks, APCs and self-propelled AA guns. They were on edge since the fall of Solis Ortus as they knew the Empire was next. It was simply a matter of time.
“This is Grabcr One, coming up on the South District,” Snake said over the radio as he and Techno were nearing their combat zone for the first leg of their contribution to the overall operation.
“Wonderbolt One here. Northern District coming up on radar now,” Rainbow said in a flat tone as the Wonderbolts kept a close wedge formation.
“This is Pinkamena, we are about to enter the East District. We got this down, Buddy. The tide is in our favour,” Pinkamena said as she stayed next to Cipher.
“Vampir is almost there and more than ready to help our Crystal Pony friends. They will taste freedom before this day is out!” Solace shouted with confidence.
“Good,” Twilight said over the radio as she kept her eye on the radar, watching the four sets of blips move towards the Crystal Empire from four different directions.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Sirens went off in the city’s outer districts as the planes approached. Griffons got to the controls of various AA batteries and SAM sites. Crystal Ponies watched in fear, through the windows of their homes and watched as one got shot for leaving one of the buildings.
All they needed was a chance to turn the tables and take back their city but with the tanks, guns and other armaments the Griffons brought with them, it was next to impossible.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
“Galm, you got four Typhoons on an intercept trajectory with you,” Twilight warned as she observed the radar.
“Got it, switching to Sidewinders,” Pinkamena replied as she made the change to her active loadout, “Let’s roll out the red carpet for them, Cipher.”
Cipher increased the throttle and turned her plane, activating the afterburners as her HUD confirmed the four bandits. The Typhoons flew towards Galm in a diamond formation and broke as they got closer, allowing them all to lock onto the Galm Team with their long ranged missiles.
All four squadrons loaded up for ground attacks and only had their standard, multi-purpose missiles to deal with air threats. Cipher banked to the right with Pinkamena banking to the left. The Typhoons formed two pairs to deal with the Galm Team simultaneously.
Beneath them, the AA batteries were just waiting for the Galm Team to get in range of their guns. The only SAM close enough to get a lock-on was hidden between two buildings. The Griffons waited to get a lock-on, one of them ran their tongue along their beak in anticipation, just wanting to take them out of the sky and make a name for himself in the process.
Two of the Typhoons chasing Cipher were trying to read the mare’s tactics as she jinked left and right, pulling g-forces that should have torn her plane in half or at least have squashed the pilot into paste within her own flight suit.
Cipher pulled up into a steep climb, with the two Typhoons in hot pursuit. As they kept going higher, Cipher cut off her engines and applied the speed brakes. Her plane seemed to stop almost instantly as the combined stopping power of gravity, her speed brakes and her – now offline – engines all pooled into stopping her.
The Typhoons were not prepared as Cipher flipped her plane to face them as she came down. They depressed the triggers to their guns but in their haste, had forgotten to line up their planes with Cipher and one got a cockpit full of bullets as a reward while the other had its wings blown off as Cipher fired a Sidewinder at it.
Cipher’s plane wailed at her, emergency sirens went off as her plane was coming up to the ground. She increased the throttle and wrestled with the plane as it sputtered, the ground getting closer with each second. At last a small spark was all it took and one engine fired back up. She increased the throttle further and pulled up, missing the ground by a comfortable margin.
“That’s two kills for Cipher!” Twilight called out over the radio. She kept her eyes on the radar for more bandits with a steely, determined gaze as more blips died out across the ground and air.
Pinkamena was laughing as she saw bullets scrape by her, tearing off some of her paintwork. “For every chip in my paint, you are paying for it with your lives! I am not in a charitable mood right now and you are only making it worse!”
She flew down, close to the ground with the Typhoons in pursuit. The local AA saw this as an opportunity to take her out and opened fire, creating a small stream of bullets, all aiming for her. Pinkamena jinked hard to the right and avoided most of the bullets but still got hit in a few areas, suffering superficial damage in the process.
The two Typhoons did not fare as well as they flew upwards to try and avoid it. The rounds pierced their planes’ fuselages and ripped a hole in the combustion chamber in one of them. This soon became a trail of dark smoke before the hole grew too large in size to allow the Typhoon to fly properly and it was forced to retreat.
The second Typhoon fared better than its compatriot but not by much. The right wing had been torn to shreds, the hydraulics for the ailerons broken and useless while the flap on the right wing came clean off. It soon landed in someone’s back lawn, killing a garden gnome in the process.
The retreating Typhoon had managed to make some headway as it was well on its way to friendlier airspace. But Pinkamena was not about to let the pilot off the hook. She turned her plane to face it and burned air as she tore across the sky towards him.
She kept her eyes on her HUD, ignoring the sporadic AA fire from a few hopeful Griffons. Her HUD lit up and chimed in a tone that made the pink mare grin sadistically. With a single button press, one of the Sidewinders flew from her plane and collided with the plane’s left wing where it connected to the rest of the plane. The explosion tore the plane’s back end apart and sent it flying to the ground in a small shower of parts.
“That’s two kills for Galm Two,” Twilight said as she added the kills to Pinkamena’s growing tally.
“Alright, just the welcome committee on the ground to deal with now, Cipher and then we can head for the Heart District,” Pinkamena said as she switched her active payload to her bombs.
“Try to minimise collateral damage please, Galm Team. We’re here to liberate them, not make things worse than they already are,” Twilight requested.
“Understood,” Cipher said in her usual flat tone. She flew low to the ground, leaving a wake of dust and small debris in her wake as she had her sights locked onto an APC.
Her HUD locked onto the APC as she screamed across the landscape. She pressed the trigger and banked, flying over one of the buildings and shattering the windows with the shockwave and some of the larger debris she carried behind her.
The missile collided with the APC and exploded upon impact, tearing the side of the APC apart. The occupants died from the resulting flames, leaving nothing but charred corpses in its wake. Cipher flew off towards her next target as Pinkamena dove towards hers.
Her pipper hovered over two makeshift barracks and with a smile, she pressed the trigger. One of her 2000lb bombs was released from her plane and whistled as it fell towards its target. The bomb detonated and tore both barracks apart in a large fireball. The shockwave alone was strong enough to rattle the windows of nearby houses a good distance away.
Galm One circled around, keeping out of range of the AA she was planning to take out. She fired one of her missiles at it instead of dropping a more effective bomb as it would’ve allowed her to take it out at a greater distance with impunity. The AA still stood no chance as Cipher’s attack flew true and took it out.
“Galm Team, I am reading only a few more targets in the East District. Keep it up,” Twilight said as she observed the ground radar system, the blips indicating SAMs or AAs quickly disappearing. “Attention all squadrons: our ground forces are beginning to enter the outer districts, assist them wherever possible.”
<----> ---- ---- <---->
At the same time, as Galm had begun their operation in the East District…
“This is Vampir One. We have reached the West District and are beginning our part of the operation,” Solace said as his squadron broke formation.
“Looks like you three have some company heading your way, Vampir,” Twilight warned. “I read two MiG-21s en route to your location.”
“Copy Eagle Eye,” Solace replied. “You heard her, let’s drift circles around them and wrap this up quickly, shall we gentlecolts?”
The two MiGs broke formation and went after Vampir Three and One respectively. Vampir Two was left to be able to hassle the one pursuing his flight lead, scaring the pilot of the MiG with constant missile locks but never pulling the trigger. He didn’t even fire his gun until the MiG looked like it was going to jink away.
Solace dodged a small barrage of rounds as they bounced off his Flanker’s fuselage, making him jink left to avoid the rest. The Fishbed followed but this was what Solace wanted as he turned again and jinked upwards, slowing his plane down as he went so he could turn tighter.
This freed Vampir Two to fire with impunity and he did so, firing a slew of bullets at the Fishbed’s cockpit, shattering the glass and brutalising the pilot within. The plane burned as one of the fuel tanks were pierced, sparking the volatile fuel and igniting it, creating a fireball of steel as it plummeted to the ground below.
The other MiG was turning as hard as it could as it tried to keep up with Vampir Three’s manoeuvres. Vampir Three jinked left, right, climbed steeply only to turn around and dive directly towards the ground with the MiG chasing him as best it could.
Sadly the MiG was not as manoeuvrable as the Flankers that Vampir Squadron flew. The MiG soon found itself in a precarious position as Vampir Three jinked once more, pulling off one of his drifting manoeuvres in the process and finding himself behind the Fishbed.
With the MiG in his crosshairs and his HUD chiming happily, Vampir Three pressed the trigger. His Flanker’s gun opened fire and the rounds tore away at the MiG’s right wing, shredding it like paper. The right wing finally gave way as the pilot tried to jink. The plane spiralled out of control as it went one way while what remained of the wing fell in the opposite direction.
With what could only be seen as a minor distraction dealt with, Vampir moved onto their true objectives: the AA and SAM sites around the West District. Vampir broke into single formations and flew high into the air, switching to their SFFS loadout.
Several self-propelled AA vehicles moved, shifting position as they trained their guns at Vampir but they were slightly out of range. A few operators decided to test fate and fired anyway only for their rounds to fall short by a moderate margin.
Solace’s HUD displayed the pipper as it did with any bomb as he climbed higher into the air. Once he believed he was at an appropriate height, he twisted his plane around, the cockpit facing towards the ground as he pulled back on the joystick and came flying down towards the ground in a near perfect 90° angle to the ground.
“Vampir One, deploying submunitions!” Solace cried out as he pressed the trigger.
One of the bombs was released and Solace pulled back, levelling his plane as he moved on his next target. His SFFS bomb detonated long before it reached the ground, dispensing its explosive payload across the ground. Thanks to the smart electronics, only the bomblets that were near or touched the metal alloy that made up the AA vehicles detonated, taking their targets and their operators to an early grave.
“Consider that a dishonourable discharge!” Solace said with a smile.
Vampir Three flew down one of the streets, dangerously close to the ground as he locked onto a SAM. The operator in control hastily locked onto Vampir Three and fired. Vampir Three jinked upwards, deploying some chaff and a flare to avoid getting hit. The missile flew through the cloud of thin, metallic strips and carried on until it ran out of fuel.
Vampir Two came down on the same SAM from the opposite direction and fired a missile at it. The missile impacted with the SAM and detonated, the resulting explosion ripped the SAM apart and killed the operator instantly. Any nearby Griffons were either charred, dizzy or received concussions from the shockwave.
The West District’s skyline soon had pillars of smoke inhabiting it as Vampir Squadron continued to drop their explosive payloads onto AA guns, SAM sites, as well as a few tanks and APCs. The collateral damage was not as significant as one would expect thanks again to the smart electronics within the SFFS as well as the fact that Vampir used a few missiles too. This however did not stop the bomblets from breaking a few stalls and causing a house to cave in on itself and trap a Crystal Pony for a few minutes until his neighbours rescued him.
“This is Vampir One,” Solace said over the radio, “West District has been cleared of all targets. I repeat: West District has been cleared. Awaiting further orders to push into the Heart District.”
“Understood, Vampir,” Twilight responded. “The other squadrons are wrapping up in their respective Districts. Proceed to the Heart District.”
“You got it, Eagle Eye. Come along, lads. Let’s go bag some more Griffons. Charred Griffon feathers make the best pillows.” Solace said as Vampir Squadron took formation and fired their afterburners, heading for the Heart District.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
While Vampir and Galm were busy in their respective Districts…
“This is Grabcr One. We are beginning our operation in the South District,” Snake said over the radio as he and Techno broke formation.
“Understood Grabcr, good luck,” Twilight replied.
Snake outfitted his plane with an XAGM loadout consisting of AGM-65G Maverick Air-to-Ground missiles. Techno went for a QAAM loadout which were AIM-7 Sparrow missiles, perfect for engaging air targets.
This allowed them to attack both ground and air targets simultaneously even if it made it more difficult on the individual pilot but if one was having trouble, the other would assist if required.
Snake kept his plane level as it flew several hundred metres from the ground, locking onto an AA and a SAM site simultaneously since the XAGM loadout allowed one to lock-on up to four simultaneous targets. Sadly for the operators of both anti-air weapons, their line of fire was blocked by some nearby housing but they thought it worked both ways and were prepared to wait for an opportunity.
Sadly opportunity never came as Snake fired before he banked, searching for his next targets. The missiles sped over the rooftops before pulling a near 90° turn, flying straight down at their targets. The Griffons barely had time to move before the missiles hit home and obliterated their targets in two large fireballs.
Techno on the other hoof was busy flying against an F-5E. Usually this would be no problem for the mercenary but he had another two Tigers on his tail, trying to gun him down as their main guns fired a stream of rounds past the Black Widow.
“Snake, if you’re not too busy, mind lending a hoof? Or a missile?” Techno asked as he jinked to avoid a missile lock coming from both tailing Tigers.
“You got it, Techno. On my way,” Snake said as he banked and switched his loadout to his standard missiles.
Snake increased the throttle, activating the afterburners as he attempted to close the gap between himself and Techno’s pursuers. Techno led the three Tigers towards Snake as they flew towards each other.
The air seemed to calm as the five planes tore across the sky as the nearby anti-air defences were silenced. Snake kept his eyes on his radar as well as his HUD as Techno got closer. The Black Widow Techno flew had almost depleted its stores of flares and chaff as the Tigers kept up their attack, trying to shoot him down with their missiles as Techno was out of gun range.
Snake saw his HUD light up with four boxes: three green ones that were registering the three Tigers and a blue one in front of them, which was Techno’s Widow. He double checked his loadout as his plane targeted one of the three Tigers. Had he loaded his plane with his AIM-7F ‘Sparrow’ Semi-Active Air-to-Air Missiles – or SAAM – he could have taken out all three at a great distance but having gone with his Mavericks instead, he had to rely on his Sidewinders and his gun.
“Techno, on my mark I want you to jink right,” Snake said as he was getting closer, nearing firing range with his missiles.
“Understood, Grabcr One. Awaiting your signal,” Techno replied as he barrel-rolled to avoid another missile as it almost impacted with his stabiliser.
Snake counted slowly in his head as he drew nearer, ‘Three… two aaaaand…’ His HUD lit up and chimed, locking onto one of the Tigers, making Grabcr One shout, “Now!”
Techno jinked hard to the right as soon as Snake shouted. Snake fired at that second towards the locked-on Tiger. The pilot of the Tiger jinked upwards while the others jinked to the right and left. The Sidewinder Snake fired collided with the rear of the plane, connecting with the engine and detonating with force.
The resulting explosion ripped the plane apart into multiple fragments. Thanks to the g-forces the pilot was under as he pulled up, he was unable to pull the ejection lever to save himself and therefore died with the plane.
“Thanks Snake,” Techno said with relief, “I couldn’t get a shot in.”
“No worries, Techno. Take out the one on the right while I take out the other Tiger,” Snake said as he banked after one of the Tigers.
“You got it, Snake,” Techno replied as he turned his plane around and flew towards at the other Tiger.
Snake chased after the Tiger, keeping his throttle down so he would not shoot past his target while trying to fly at a fast enough speed that would not result in a stall. He lined his plane up as best he could but the Tiger barrel-rolled and dove downwards, towards the ground. Snake followed after him, firing a few rounds at it, trying to gun it down.
The Tiger’s pilot felt his plane shake about as the bullets collided with the fuselage, causing several malfunctions as wires and cables were hit and subsequently severed. As the pilot tried to level his plane, his HUD lit up with a red lock-on warning. He yanked hard on the controls, trying to lose the lock but it failed as a Sidewinder collided with front of the plane, destroying it and killing the pilot instantly.
Techno was having a far easier time as the dogfight was now a simple one-on-one. He switched his active loadout to his QAAM and kept his plane comfortably behind the Tiger. The pilot kept trying to throw Techno off as she engaged her afterburners, only to quickly apply her plane’s airbraking system and jinked in an attempt to get behind Techno.
As the Tiger did it again, Techno jinked in the opposite direction. The pilot thought she had tricked him and pulled her plane around to try get behind him but Techno had brought his plane around to face the Tiger head-on. His HUD chimed happily as the Tiger was locked on and Techno wasted no time in firing a missile.
The Quick-Manoeuvre Air-to-Air Missile had the same range as Techno’s Sidewinders except it was able to keep track and chase the target better and could only be used for dogfights. The Tiger jinked hard as it pulled upwards but the missile was both faster and more manoeuvrable, colliding with the Tiger. Luckily the pilot was able to eject in time, a parachute could be seen as the pilot silently cursed Techno as she slowly floated to the ground.
“This is Grabcr One. All targets in the South District have been dealt with, any news on the other Districts?” Snake asked over the radio as he and Techno assumed a formation, flying side-by-side as they flew over the South District, heading for the Heart District.
“You are the second squadron, Grabcr. Vampir is finishing now and the Wonderbolts are almost done,” Twilight responded. “You are cleared to head for the Heart District.”
“Understood, Eagle Eye. We are on our way,” Snake said as he and Techno engaged their afterburners.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Meanwhile, as Grabcr, Vampir and Galm were busy in their respective districts…
“Let’s do this everypony! You know your jobs, Wonderbolts Two, Four, Six and Eight are to take out the ground targets while the rest of us keep their tails safe from anything in the air. You all got that?” Rainbow said over the radio as they flew over the North District.
The rest of her flight all sounded off, understanding the strategy their flight lead wanted to use as they broke off into two separate formations with four heading towards several anti-air emplacements near the train station while the rest of the Wonderbolts flew to intercept four MiG-29 Fulcrums that were patrolling the area around the Northern District.
The Wonderbolts were outfitted with unguided rocket launchers and the four who were to guard against air threats were outfitted with long range air-to-air missiles. Due to the fact they were to minimise collateral damage, they had to be careful when using their rockets.
“We got two SAMs and a tank by the train station, take them out Wonderbolts,” Rainbow said as she switched her active loadout to her XLAA loadout.
“Got it, Wonderbolt One,” Spitfire responded as she led the four planes towards their targets. “Split up and engage at will everypony but keep it precise if you are using your rockets. We still need a functional train station for when this operation is completed.”
Misty Fly, Soarin and Surprise all responded in the same way to voice their understanding of their attack’s parameters. They all split up to take out the three targets, preferring to keep to their standard missiles over their rockets as they did not want to risk a stray rocket damaging the train station.
“Stick together, everypony and take them out from long range. We are not going to waste time playing with them and that includes you, Dust,” Rainbow said as the four Gripens were about to get in range of the Fulcrums.
“Understood, flight lead,” Lightning responded as she activated her XLAA loadout. “And I was looking forward to a good adrenaline rush too…”
“Maybe another time, Lightning Dust but for now we take them out and assist the others on the ground,” Rainbow said in a mildly sad tone as her plane chimed happily. “Got a lock.”
“Locked on,” Lightning called out.
“In my crosshairs,” Blaze said as his plane locked on as well.
“Ready to fire,” Fire Streak called out as the targeting box around one of the Fulcrums turned red and two boxes at 45° to each other overlapped.
“Fire!” Rainbow said as she fired all four of her missiles with the rest of her flight doing the same.
The other three Gripens fired at the other three Fulcrums but kept flying towards them should their targets evade their weapons. The Fulcrums jinked hard and deployed countermeasures to assist evading their small pursuers.
“Fire again, everypony!” Rainbow shouted as her plane’s M.A.R.S. reloaded her plane’s hardpoints.
The four Gripens fired once more, creating sixteen smoke trails once again as they tried to bring the Fulcrums down from long range. This time their attacks made contact and destroyed the Fulcrums, creating a small hailstorm of metal and fire as it all fell to the ground below.
“Sky’s clear! How you all doing at the station, Spitfire?” Rainbow said as the four Gripens kept their formation.
“Railway’s clear, Wonderbolt One. Moving onto the rest of the Northern District now,” Spitfire said as the other four planes engaged other ground based targets near the station, working further into the city.
“Awesome work. Let’s lend them a hoof shall we?” Rainbow said as she was the first to break formation, flying towards one of the self-propelled AA vehicles.
The other three Gripens voiced their confirmations and broke the formation entirely, flying towards different targets on the ground. Lightning got targeted by a SAM and was forced to break off her attack but Soarin strafed the offending SAM, taking it out and making the green tinted mare pout under her helmet.
The sounds of confirmed hits, evading of missiles and the odd shout of anger at an AA battery for scratching their paintwork took over most of the radio chatter as rockets flew from their tubes, some missing and hitting the building behind the target or blowing a hole in the road/ground in front of the target, receiving a few shouts of anger and/or frustration in the process.
“How many more of these bucking SAMs are there?!” Rainbow shouted in frustration as two of her rockets missed a SAM, colliding with a flower shop to the right of it but she still took it out by performing a strafing run before getting to close to the ground and pulling up.
“I am reading tree more SAMs in your district, Dash,” Twilight responded as she checked her radar. “I also have a helicopter taking off not too far from your position. I guess one of the higher ups must be trying to flee.”
“I got him. He’s going nowhere other than to Tartarus,” Lightning said as she switched to her XLAA loadout and locked onto the chopper.
“Lightning, that helicopter is not a priority target. I suggest we leave it alone,” Rainbow said forcibly.
Lightning Dust didn’t respond, choosing to let her plane do the talking as she fired a single missile at the retreating helicopter. Sadly the helicopter didn’t have any countermeasures and was instantly destroyed as the missile collided.
“Celestia damn it, Dust!” Rainbow shouted in anger, “Will you follow orders for once in your life?!”
“Sorry, Wonderbolt One but I couldn’t just let the chopper leave without them realising the consequences of their actions,” Dust responded as she returned her active loadout to her standard weapons.
Lightning could hear Dash sigh through the radio whether it was on purpose or a mistake, Lightning wasn’t sure. “Fine, Lightning… Eagle Eye we are almost finished in here and are getting ready to head for the Heart District.”
“Understood, Wonderbolt One. You are the last ones to finish up, the others are already flying towards the Heart District now,” Twilight said as the AWACS made its way to the Heart District as well.
“Got it, Twi. Move out Wonderbolts,” Dash said as the last SAM was obliterated by a small salvo of rockets.
The Wonderbolts all formed up into one formation and flew together towards the Heart District.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
On the ground in all four districts, chaos had ensued and it stemmed from the attacks the Equestrian Air Force and the mercenaries were doing.
Crystal Ponies came out of their homes while the Griffons were distracted by the aircraft and attacked them with common household items until they managed to steal the Griffons’ firearms. While they mostly fumbled them in their hooves, they made for decent, makeshift clubs.
Even the ground forces assisted in adding to the confusion and mayhem as Allied tanks and APCs drove into the streets, firing at any Griffons that tried to stop halt their advance. Armed ponies got out of the APCs and opened fire while Pegasi flew and attacked any Griffons that tried to fly.
The calmness in the air was a mask to the mayhem below as more fires broke out throughout the four Districts. The sounds of cannon and small-arms fire rang in the streets as the Griffons were continuously pushed back towards the Heart District while a few tried to retreat out of the city. Most got either captured or killed.
A group broke into the church that was within the East District, taking down the Griffons occupying it. A pony grabbed the handle to the main church bell with his teeth. The aging, brass handle was cold and tasted terrible in his mouth but she pulled down with all her might, brining the rope down and making the bell swing.
The birds in the steeple flew off as the large, ornamental bell rang once before swinging to the other side, ringing again as the pony yanked for all she was worth. A stallion joined in, grabbing the rope itself and jumping up as the bell swung after the rope was pulled.
The third member of the group was grinning like he had won the lottery, “That’s it! Ring the bell louder! Let the sounds of this bell symbolise our freedom! Make the whole city hear this sound!”
In the midst of the confusion, one could hear a loud yell containing a single and simple word that rang to the heavens, competing with the church bell, “YEAAAH!!”
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Pinkamena turned her head to regard the bell she was hearing through the radio, thanks to the allied ground forces, “Hear that, Buddy? Sounds like the locals found a reason to fight…”
<----> ---- ---- <---->
The Heart District was a crucible of destruction, all centred near the Crystal Spire Palace as whatever remained of the Griffons’ ground forces were systematically wiped out. Galm, Grabcr, Vampir and the Wonderbolts had secured air superiority over the outer districts but the Heart District had barely any aircraft patrolling it, sealing the Griffons’ fate.
Missiles, bombs, rockets and bullets rained from the skies, coming from the four squadrons as non-priority targets were taken out by the mercenaries for good measure as well as the standard targets.
Hastily made, temporary barracks were destroyed as the mercenaries either strafed them or burnt them with their explosive weaponry.
Whenever one of the mercenaries or one of the Wonderbolts were forced to break of their attacks, their wingpony would take out the target in their stead.
As Galm One swung her plane around to strafe a SAM, her radio and everypony else’s radio was interrupted by one of the tank platoons, using an emergency communications line.
“This is the 32nd Armoured Division. We are under attack from two A-10 Warthogs and could use some help,” One of the tank commanders said in a slight panic as an explosion nearby took out one of the tanks.
Cipher’s ears perked at the request and instantly pulled off her attack, increased her Eagle’s throttle all the way to the maximum and engaging the afterburners as a result. While she was unsure why she was responding to the call, a large part of her told her she had to help.
Pinkamena didn’t miss a beat as she noticed her flight lead’s instant change in targets and turned around, flying as fast as her plane would allow to catch up to Cipher with a knowing smile on her face. “You’re a bleeding heart, Cipher.”
“You take out the right one, I’ll take out the left. Take them out quickly,” Cipher responded as she changed her active loadout to her standard missiles.
“You got it, Buddy,” Pinkamena answered as she made sure she was using her standard missiles.
The A-10s noticed the approaching Eagles and banked to leave the area at full throttle. Sadly A-10s were nowhere as fast as Eagles and Galm caught up to the cowardly pilots with minimal effort. The A-10s banked but it was rendered a hopeless tactic as the Eagles locked onto the Warthogs and fired as they flew towards them at high speed.
The Galm team fired two missiles each at their respective targets and flew straight past them, their planes’ engines roaring with the afterburners still at full blast. The missiles easily hit home against their slower, less manoeuvrable targets. One A-10 lost a wing and spun wildly out of control until it met the ground and annihilated a pony’s poor cabbage stand.
The other Warthog was completely destroyed as the missiles collided with it and ignited the fuel. Nothing but a hailstorm of metal fragments and fire fell to the ground. Both pilots had ejected in time and slowly came back to the ground, only to be captured by the Allied forces.
“This is Eagle Eye. All stationed forces are retreating from the city, or have been neutralised. Good work, everypony!” Twilight shouted in glee, barely able to stay in her seat from the sheer joy of the situation. “Let’s head home!”
“Drinks all around!” Vampir One cheered as Vampir Squadron took formation.
The respective squadrons all began to form up with Galm being the furthest away but they were in no rush. The sounds of the church bell still rang loudly through the city as ponies cheered. Some took notice of Galm’s assistance of the tanks and seemed to be looking up at Cipher’s Eagle with admiration as she flew by.
Cipher sadly could not see it but she could very faintly feel the collective emotions from the citizens. She could sense all the signs that pointed to them feeling hope for the first time in ages, a joy that resonated all the way to the Crystal Heart. The Heart began to spin at high speed before firing a beam of light up through the Spire Castle and out the very tip, forming ribbons of many bright and beautiful colours. The ribbons reached out into the horizon, far beyond even the pilots’ higher perspective.
“Hear that, Buddy?” Pinkamena said with a genuine, rare smile as one of the ground forces radioed in, enabling the pilots to hear the cheers, the cries of joy echo in their helmets. “That’s what freedom sounds like.”
Cipher felt a sense of pride within herself, a feeling she was not too accustomed to. She banked a little, flying past the Spire Castle and seeing the crowd gathered at the base, cheering. It made her smile a little to feel that much joy coming from those she felt would shun her the moment she ever revealed her true identity.
Galm Two levelled off, flying on Cipher’s right as they flew to regroup with the rest of the squadrons. Twilight laid back in her seat, taking her headset off with her magic as she sighed, “Thank Celestia…”
“Looks like everything went without a hitch didn’t it, Princess?” Thunderlane commented as he looked back at Twilight.
“Don’t go jinxing it, Thunderlane. Murphy’s Law wo-” Twilight was cut off as the radar pinged, indicating two new contacts. Twilight grumbled as she placed her headset back on, “Remind me to teach you what not to say before, during and after an operation… or ever for that matter.”
Thunderlane merely grinned sheepishly as he returned his attention to the controls. Twilight cleared her throat as she looked at the radar, “Galm, we have two bandits moving in at high speed. You are the closest to them s-”
“So you want us to intercept them?” Pinkamena interrupted as Cipher already broke formation, heading towards the new enemies.
Twilight sighed, “Am I that predictable?”
“Kinda but I guessed you would send us,” Pinkamena replied.
“Why?” Twilight asked in confusion.
“Because we usually wind up in these situations either on purpose or by accident,” Pinkamena answered. “Not that I mind, we manage to pull it off in the end but it’s just our luck that this happens.”
“Sorry, Solo Wing…” Twilight said sadly.
“Like I said, I don’t care. Let’s give them hell, Cipher,” Pinkamena said as she joined Cipher’s side before she and Cipher broke formation.
Twilight turned to the other ponies in the AWACS, “I want to know who the latecomers are, yesterday!”
The crew began to frantically try to identify the bandits.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
The two planes flew towards Galm with their afterburners at full blast, tearing clear across the sky as their radio was filled with retreat orders from the ground forces.
“This is Gelb One. Looks like we’re too late,” The pilot of an Su-37 Terminator by the name of Orbert Jager said as he and Gelb Two broke formation, speeding towards Galm.
“Let’s take them out,” Gelb Two – whose name was Rainer Altman – replied as he switched his active loadout to QAAM.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Galm One dove, with Gelb Two giving chase as Pinkamena simply flew head-on towards Gelb One, firing a few rounds before jinking right. The rounds sadly missed their target entirely. Jager returned the favour, firing a small burst of rounds at Pinkamena as he gave chase.
“I got a tail and I am fairly happy with my own thank you very much,” Pinkamena grumpily commented as she evaded a missile lock.
“Get ready to switch targets,” Cipher said as she jinked, avoiding a small burst of bullets from Altman in the process as she flew towards Pinkamena.
“Gotcha, Cipher. Just give the word,” Pinkamena replied as she few towards her flight lead.
The two Eagles flew towards each other and turned their planes at 180°, with their cockpits facing away from each other. The two Eagles flew dangerously close to each other, nearly scraping each other’s air intakes and engines as they passed by.
Gelb broke off their chase, not wanting to collide with their winggriffon or Galm. They banked in opposite directions, with Cipher and Pinkamena in hot pursuit this time. Pinkamena was behind Altman’s Terminator with Cipher firing a few rounds at Jager.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
“Anypony got anything yet?!” Twilight shouted with slight anger.
“Afraid not yet, Princess,” One of the ponies replied as he continued to search through several files.
“We should go help them!” Rainbow shouted as she and the other three squadrons turned around and sped off to assist Galm.
“No,” Twilight said forcibly, “You get in the middle of this and you may just get them killed anyway. Nopony is to interfere… not until there is a victor…”
“And if Galm loses?” Soarin asked. There was a slight pause that made an eerie chill run down everyone’s spine before Twilight spoke again.
“Let’s pray that doesn’t happen,” Twilight answered sombrely.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Cipher fired another small burst of rounds, only for Gelb One to avoid it yet again by jinking hard to the right. Her HUD was barely managing a missile lock before Jager out-manoeuvred her in his Terminator.
“Gelb Two, let’s give Galm a taste of their own medicine,” Jager said as he flew towards Gelb Two.
“Understood, sir,” Altman responded as he did the same, flying towards Gelb One.
The manoeuvre was slightly different to Galm’s as they banked and flew almost parallel to each other, with Galm trying their hardest to keep up. Jager flew on the right with Altman on the right. Gelb One lowered the throttle and jinked left with Gelb Two increasing his throttle and jinking right. The two planes’ paths intersected as they flew past each other in opposite directions.
Galm however didn’t miss a beat, switching targets once again with Cipher trying to get a lock on Altman this time. She took a deep breath and decided enough was enough. She began to fire a burst of bullets every time Gelb Two got so much as close to her crosshairs.
Her HUD barely rang for a second but she fired a missile anyway, making Gelb Two’s plane give the pilot the customary, standard red warning. But Gelb Squadron had a trick up their proverbial sleeve and with the press of a button, Gelb Two’s active loadout changed to his QAAM.
Cipher banked right, following Gelb Two but all of a sudden her HUD lit up red as a missile flew towards her from Gelb Two. She jinked as hard as she could, deploying countermeasures to aid her evasion. Cipher turned her head as she watched the missile fly past her, her mouth wide open but still hidden under her helmet.
‘Did that plane just fire… backwards?!’ Cipher thought in pure confusion. ‘Since when was that possible?!’
“Pinkamena, caution. It appears they can fire their missiles in reverse,” Cipher warned as she gritted her teeth, focusing her ire at Gelb Two who fired another missile at her, making her barrel-roll out of the way and deploying countermeasures again.
“Kind of figured that out already, Cipher,” Pinkamena answered with slight anger in her voice as she fired a small burst of bullets at Gelb One who had just fired a missile at her. “Buck you, griffon!”
<----> ---- ---- <---->
“If only we arrived sooner,” Gelb One said sadly as he evaded Pinkamena’s attack.
“I just can’t shake this one!” Gelb Two shouted as he dodged yet another missile from Cipher. His cockpit was filled with the sound of constant missile alerts. “Just what kind of pilot is she?!”
Cipher kept firing missiles at Gelb Two at every opportunity she got, getting a slight warning from her M.A.R.S. as she was starting to get low on missiles. She knew it was slowly getting to Gelb Two as he tried to get away from her. Gelb Two could feel his hands shake very slightly on his controls as he jinked to the right with Cipher in tow.
The mare was glaring daggers at her target as she fired another burst of bullets at the Su-37 Terminator, barely grazing the fuselage. Gelb Two looked back at his radar as he barrel-rolled and dove towards the ground. Cipher turned her plane hard and followed, her Eagle locking onto Gelb Two and firing two missiles.
“Damnit!” Gelb Two shouted as he deployed countermeasures and pulled up.
Cipher though wasn’t finished as she fired another short burst of bullets, this time making contact and tearing a small hole in the right stabiliser as she and Altman levelled off somewhat. Gelb Two flinched, ducking his head reflexively as he heard the rounds pierce his cockpit from behind and fearing they would hit his head.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Gelb Two’s momentary flinch gave Cipher an opening as her HUD showed a lock on, accompanied with the same sweet chime that made Cipher smirk almost evilly under her helmet.
“Galm One, Fox Two, Fox Two!” She cried out, releasing two Sidewinders from her plane as she pressed the trigger hard, firing a full on barrage of rounds at Gelb Two.
The missiles ploughed through the Terminator’s wings as they detonated with force. The bullets Cipher fired shredded her target’s engines, making them break apart as the fuel reacted badly to the increased area to combust.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
“I’m hit!” Gelb Two shouted as he wrestled with his plane and finding his controls to be of little use as his plane was now wingless and making a beeline to the ground.
“Bail out. That’s an order,” Jager said quickly.
“Roger and good luck,” Altman answered as he slammed his back against his seat, making sure his head was straight with the rest of his body, he pulled the ejection handles that sat between his legs.
The canopy ejected from the plane as Gelb Two was successfully ejected from his plane. What remained of his aircraft flew into the dirt with a smash, creating a small crater. Gelb Two cursed under his breath as he saw Cipher change course and fly towards his flight lead.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
“That’s a kill for Galm One!” Twilight said happily as a dossier was placed nearby. She glared daggers at the pony that levitated it to her. “You’re a little late, don’t you think?”
The stallion’s ears turned, moving backwards as he cringed a little in fear. “S-sorry, Princess.”
Twilight sighed, “Well, better late than never I guess…” Twilight opened the dossier and began to read it. After a few moments, she placed it back down, “I doubt Galm actually needs to know who they’re fighting though. They’re already doing a great job. Everything we have here is pretty much useless but I’ll inform them during the debriefing.”
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Pinkamena was nearly seething with rage as Gelb One fired another missile at her while she was the one chasing him, “I swear if he does this one more time, I am so going to make sure he dies in flames!”
Pinkamena rolled as she evaded the missile and tried to get back behind Jager’s Terminator. She didn’t manage as Jager had jinked upwards, easing on the throttle and getting behind her instead. He pressed the trigger on his controls and fired a burst of bullets at her.
Pinkamena’s Eagle was pelted with more rounds, a lucky round colliding with one of her rear stabilisers and wedging itself inside, cutting its range of motion. If Pinkamena was angry before, she was now at a state of blistering fury that could only be matched by a supernova. Or Twilight whenever she passed her threshold but Pinkamena’s mane and tail didn’t burst into flames.
She pulled back on her controls and increased her throttle, climbing high into the air. Jager followed with surprising ease, firing another burst of bullets as he tried to get a missile lock on her. Pinkamena stopped as her plane was climbing at a steep 80° degrees. She then twisted her plane and dove, her afterburners going at full blast.
Again, Gelb One followed with intent to finish her. Cipher on the other hoof was close by, trying to find a way to get into the dogfight as she fired a small burst of rounds at Jager before breaking from her attack. Cipher’s interference forced Gelb One to break off lest he suffer a crippling malfunction from the side-attack.
This gave Pinkamena her opening as she closed the throttle and pulled up hard, trying to turn on a proverbial dime. Jager soon found himself in Pinkamena’s crosshairs. The pink mare instinctively found herself not only firing her main gun but also a pair of Sidewinders as well as she cackled, increasing her throttle so she wouldn’t stall.
“Burn in Tartarus, motherbucker!!” Pinkamena shouted, laughing insanely at the top of her lungs as every fibre of her being wanted nothing more than to see her target burn.
The bullets tore through the Su-37’s cockpit, critically injuring Jager. As he tried to eject, the new pain that wracked through his body made his claws shake as he gripped the handles. As he pulled, Pinkamena’s missiles made contact. His vision was quickly consumed by fire and smoke as his plane was blown into shrapnel, taking his body with it.
Pinkamena sighed as she and Cipher took formation, calming down somewhat to a more manageable level. “Thanks for the assist, Buddy.”
“Operation complete. Great job, everypony and fantastic job, Galm Team. You showed them who’s boss,” Twilight praised as she heaved a sigh of relief.
“Yeah, well I didn’t plan on walking back to base,” Pinkamena said sadly.
“We did it! The Crystal Empire is free again!” Rainbow Dash cheered, getting similar shouts of joy from the rest of her squadron.
“Now we push into the Hydrian Line,” Snake said.
Twilight nodded her head, “Correct, Snake. Our jobs only keep getting harder.”
“Don’t it just?” Solace remarked with a grin as Vampir flew in a tight column formation.
<----> ---- ---- <---->
Below the planes as they flew off, the entire city was filled with cries of triumph and mourning. Lives of both citizens and the Allies own forces were lost but it was a price worth paying in the eyes to those who gave their lives. Crystal Ponies were giving the soldiers gifts of every kind but even the soldiers looked to the skies as Galm flew past, finally exiting the city alongside the rest.
Needless to say, Galm – Cipher in particular – had made an impression on everypony’s mind.