Ace Combat: Stricken Soul

Where It All Started

5/14/2013 Roca Roja, Southern Usea

Luca climbed into his F-14A and began the startup procedures. With the engines spooled up, he checked the gauges to make sure everything was in the green before taxing to the runway. It felt like it was just yesterday when Luca had passed the aptitude test to become a pilot and was conscripted into the Erusean Air Force which meant that he had to leave his hometown of Farbanti. The training process was difficult but he finally made it through and in order to keep his skills up, he was taking part in yet another target practice exercise. But this time he and the pilots he flew with were being watched by the EASA's 68th Experimental Squadron.

"Red 6 requesting permission for take off," Luca said.

The Control Tower crackled over the radio, "Red 6 you are cleared for take off."

Luca gently applied full throttle and the Tomcat gradually picked up speed. With enough speed, he pulled the stick and gained altitude and awaited the Control Tower's instructions along with the other pilots.

"Okay, Red 6. You may have gotten your wings but you're still a rookie. The EASA is here too so be sure to make a good first impression. To keep things simple we're going to launch some X-45's."

"Simple...yeah okay," Luca mumbled to himself while adjusting his oxygen mask.

"Tally ho we've got bandits!" Shouted an allied pilot.

"Copy that Red 2." Red 6 said.

Luca spotted the first drone on radar and switched to his missiles. When he was within range he locked onto the drone and pressed the trigger the missile flying off the rail.

"Red 6, fox two!"

The first drone was easy because it was flying straight and level but the next ones would prove to be more of a challenge as it would be flying much more aggressively and mimicking the moves of an actual fighter pilot in combat.

"Scratch one, drone!" Red 6 said.

"Damn, these suckers are maneuvering like actual fighter planes!" Red 5 said.

"No shit Sherlock!" Said the flight lead.

Luca ignored the arguing as he got onto the sixes of three more drones drone and switched to the Tomcat's Sidewinders. The drones quickly adapted to his tactics and broke formation. He stuck to the lead drone which began to maneuver as aggressively as possible in its best efforts to shake him off. The F-14A's didn't make staying on target any easier with its slow refresh rate. Luca managed to finally line the pipper up with the target.

As he was about to fire a Sidewinder another pilot swooped in for the kill with his MiG-21 which would've lead to a friendly fire incident if he pressed the trigger. Annoyed by the recklessness of the Fishbed pilot he stuck with the MiG-21 fighting with him for the drone kill.

"That asshole cut me off!" Luca said as he flipped the Fishbed pilot the bird.

"You snooze you lose!" Said the Fishbed pilot.

"Then fire or clear already, Jackass!" Luca snapped back.

"Just shut up and gimme ten more seconds, asshole!"

"Red 3 this is Red 1, hurry it up...Red 6 is getting impatient! Either take the shot or bug out!" The flight lead ordered.

"Too close for missiles, switching to guns! Just need five more seconds!" Red 3 said, his hands beginning to shake as he lined up for a cannon shot.

Red 3 tried to stick with the target until he eventually gave in and chose to bug out which put Luca's F-14 into the path of the Fishbed's jet wash. Suddenly the left engine stalled followed by the right one and the Tomcat began to yaw violently to the left and force itself into a flat spin.