<<Turret number 3 is ready.>>
<<Turret number 7 is ready.All turrets is ready.>>
<<Brilliant,Yellowstone 1 to 8,fire!>>
**
A few more days after the Russians breached NATO defense lines in Europe,half of the central area of the continent,and many nations in the Balkan region,had fallen into Russian hand.
The coalition had had their first victory since the RFF joined the war.They successfully decimated an entire Russian army in the old Fulda gap,captured almost a hundred thousand men and thousand tons of vehicles thanks to their double envelopment tactic.
However,victory didn't come without the cost,with over twenty-thousand casualties and many equipment crisped or partly destroyed.It would take them a few months to recover their force,before they could stand such combat again.
Yet,at this time,NATO is the side who's preparing for an assault.After the defeat at Fulda,the Russians surely will bring out their Flying Fleet again,and NATO need to seize that chance to destroy those warships at once.And this time,with their own flying fleet,NATO confidently believe that they could do it.
Just one problem,tracking those ships was quite a difficult task.They were stealthy,and camouflaged to avoid being detected by radars from far away and satellites above their heads.
Luckily for them,a Czech air squadron had detected their movements while patrolling the Baltic.They are heading toward the High Sea,where they would prepare for their landing force for the invasion of Britain.
<<Control,this is Cosmo 5,we detected several movements,suspecting RFF(Russian Flying Fleet),heading toward Atlantic.>>
<<Received,good job Polaris,Cosmo squadron,RTB.>>
<<Negative.Cosmo 4 calling Polaris,should we have a rematch with those things?>>
<<No,Achird,you must be stupid to think we stand any chance,that's one L-159 per one and half a ship.>>
218th Tactical Squadron,also known as Cosmos,is an exiled squadron from Czech Vzdušné Síly.After their country being captured by the Russian Army,along with two Polish and a Ukrainian air squadron,they had fled to Western Europe to continue to fight.
Cosmo squadron consists of many ace that were found over Warsaw on the day it fell.And despite being reduced to just half of its size by the overwhelming Russian Air Force,they are still posing a minor threat to Russian activities in the region.
However,that said,they are not an equal match to the Flying Fleet.
<<And that's not adding their escorts.Jeez,those Su-57,I'm sure that we have shot down more than twice the number they supposed to only have.>>
Through the scanning radar,Polaris could count that there are at least fifty small dots flying side by side with the Flying Fleet,half of them being Felons,the rest is Flanker D,and probably Berkuts as well.The Felons aren't as stealthy as they propagated,but the number is certainly concerning.
<<Is the Black Cat there?>>
<<No clue,I hope he does not see us.>>
Nevertheless,there was a single Felon that stood out of the rest.A true stealth Su-57 with advanced weaponry that only Osean and US supposed to be processed.
In the middle of the clash over Warsaw,it joined the battle later than the others.But as the Felon's displayed its laser performance,the battle was turned,and a dozen of aircrafts were destroyed within a minute of its present.
That fighter jet,with black cat insignia,forced NATO to withdraw all the way back to Germany.
That's the fighter responsible for the loss of half of their fleet.
<<I want him to see us and engage,Milena.I want vengeance for our fallen wingmen.That bastard....>>
<<You can't defeat him,Antek,he will f_cking kill you if you dare to challenge.>>
<<But->>
<<Be realistic.Our first commander died because of Black Cat.You're no better than him,am I correct?And that's not adding the Marmaras and Arcticia>>
"Marmaras",a Russian fighter squadron,referred by such name due to their Byzantium insignia and Orthodox cross on their tail.Their total black camo and stealth of their Su-47 granted the squadron full reign in a dark night,to penetrate and wreak their wrath behind the coalition's frontline,with little to no difficulty.
"Arcticia",another squadron,named after their white silver paint of their Mig-29K/Ls.Unlike the Marmaras with their hit and run tactics heavily which mostly occurred far behind the line,the Fulcrum of Arcticia is a spearhead of the Russian Air Force,for them to attack head on against their NATO enemies.
And among those planes flying side by side with Avrora,as Polaris noticed,several of them belong to the Arcticia squadron:
<<They are there,right there.I see them,but there is nothing we can do.They are on another level compare to us.>>
Cosmo squadron is full of aces,but both the Marmaras and the Arcticia are on another level to them.
Two days ago,six Su-47 and eight Mig-29,barely visible in moonlight,has been detected by American plane in Poland,and warning signal has been given to Czech Republic.Within thirty minutes,all Gripens,along with Eagles and Rafales had taken off from their and their allies air bases to confront the incoming aircrafts,and Patriot missiles aimed on high.They were cautious,after the encounter with that Black Cat Su-57,not in anytime NATO would ever send a force less than a squadron to intercept an aircraft again.
But:
<<They wrecked out allies,one by one,with their laser cannons.I do not believe in my eyes,God know who those pilots is,why the heck he gave them so much skills,and then the Russian granted them even more power.>>
In the one hour massacre,all twelve Gripens,fifty F-15E and twenty Rafales were destroyed,without a single loss of Berkut and Fulcrum.Then they continued to wreck havoc,freely, decimating the Patriot batteries that were set to aim at them.Within one night,Czech Air Force were in brink of total destruction.
After that,both Russian squadrons were listed as major threats,along with Black Cat,another squadron and of course,Russian Flying Fleet.For Cosmo fleet,facing them is nothing but a certain death penalty,Polaris knew so,so she warned her captain.
<<We would die before scoring a single hit.>>
<<....>>
<<What?Any doubt for that?They were capable of cutting our entire air force like we were butter.Like I said,be realistic.I beg you,do not try to engage them alone.We have to wait>>
<<But->>
<<She's right,Achird>>-Lyra,another member of the team whispered to him while watching his transmission-<<But you're wrong too,Polaris.No need to wait,look at the radar,they are here with us.>>
**
"Milika?Lena?Are you two there?"
In a space emptied of engine noise from the outside of Avrora,the sound of a door knock dragged the sleeping Russian pilots from their slumber.
"Huh..?Good morning.Milika."
On the right side of the bed,Lena is the one who wakes up first.Brushing her eyes from the dust built around when she slept,Lena stands up,she turns her head around,searching for her clothes,and when she saw it lying on the floor,she launches herself toward it,grabs it firmly,before retreating to underneath the blanket to put it on.
"Come in Rostov."-She said to the man behind the door-"But don't make too much noise,Ratnikov is still sleeping."
The door gently opened,stepped in a 30-year-old man still in his pilot uniform.Having just landed back on Avrora after his shift,Rostov Ivanovic Kuznetsov,captain of the Russian 1507th Aerospace Offense squad,also known as Arcticia squadron,was about to walk to his room for a rest,but he decided to pay a visit to his friends first.
"So,how is the outside?"-Lena asked-"Any enemy?No?"
Rostov moves a chair in a corner of the room to in front of the door and sits on it:
"Actually yes,L-159s,Cosmo,I guess.But they are not enemy,just scouts,and I am not that desperate to gain anymore wings on my Fulcrum,so I just kinda...let them leave."
"Are you stupid?"
Having done wearing her clothes,Lena pokes her head out of the blanket-"You should have shot them down.Leaving them alive will only encourage them to try to confront us more."
Lena Maximovna Vatutina,27 years old, a Greek-Russian, captain of the Russian 855th Night Aerospace Offensive squad. Befriending two of the greatest pilots in the air force, and is also a great pilot herself, Lena has a position in the team to frankly,and honestly criticize both Koshka and Rostov in their way of fighting.And most of the time,she does:
"Beside"-Lena continues mocking Rostov-"You are creating more enemies for us to fight in the next battle.Geez,Russia doesn't need that much problem to deal with."
"I fully know that"-Rostov shakes his head-"But the idea of using fifty planes to slaughter five sounds...unhonorable..."
"Please put your honor aside,I'm not paid enough for that. I have my own bar of honor, but not as high as yours"-Lena lets out a long sigh-"Give me a break. Now if you excuse me,I want to have a bath,so may I ask you to move."-Rostov puts himself aside-"Thank you."
Said done,Lena opens the door-"Don't forget to wake Ratnikov up before 5 AM-
<<This is Headquarter calling all available personnel.>>
Suddenly,the entire ship is alerted with a deafening noise from the siren.The corridor lights turn red and white repeatedly:
"Huh?Rostov,awake Milika!"
<<Headquarter,all personnel prepare for combat.>>-The voice from the siren echoes throughout the hall-<<Six large targets inbound,suspecting NAF(NATO Aerial Fleet),airmen ready for take off in ten minutes.>>
<<I repeat,we detected NAF within combat range,ready to engage.>>
**
<<We've received transmission from Darkstar 1.It's really the RFF.They are coming.>>
Through the scope on board,and their eyes on the sky,the sailors of USS Levitator have detected the Russian Flying Fleet,and they reported that to the captain.
"It's time.Let's pray that we shall win the fight."-The captain ordered-"Alert the sailors,and tell other ships to prepare their weapons.The RFF is right there."
"Roger."<<General quarter,all hands on battle station,all aircrafts prepare for take off.>>
The command is transferred throughout the ships via the speaker system.Calling for every sailors on board to be ready for the combat.
One by one,the aircrafts are being taken out of their hangar.
<<Control calling Falcon 4 everything checked.>>
<<Falcon 4 received,ready for take off.>>
On the deck of Levitator,the giant carrier shows off its collection of over a hundred aircrafts and launches them into the air,rapidly through its five electromagnetic catapult systems.The F-35C and F/A-18E released from the deck joined by Harriers from Dreadnought forming into fourteen squadrons,extending from Vinka to the left to Artemis to the right.
<<Warning>>-the radar on Dreadnought sends out a message-<<Avrora and Alisa are beginning launching their aircrafts.Prepare for engage.>>
<<Prepare anti-air warfare.>>
<<Laser!>>
From beyond their visual range,three laser pulses cut the sky into three pieces.Those rays of light slice through their air squadrons,burning and destroying several aircrafts out of the air,thus causing a minor panic among those squadrons who got their men shot down.
<<Levitator to all aircrafts,stay calm.Damn it,Darkstar 1 which planes shoot these laser?>>
<<Three aircrafts,one Su-57,one Su-47...total black,and one silver Mig-29K.>>
<<....>>
<<...Sir?>>
<<Thank you,you may return to Ramstein>>-The captain turns the radio to another channel-<<All ships stay alert,we're against all four major threats at once.All missiles ready...Missile away!>>
<<Missile away.>>
From the wings of fighters and VLS tubes on deck of the warships,over two hundred of missiles being thrown off and launching forward with their engines ignited in orange color.For a split of second,the radar on Levitator glitched in overloaded,before itself reseted and returned to normal.
<<Ten kilometers from targets....>>
<<....>>
<<Damn it!>>
From the radar,the sailors and airmen could see the missiles they fired get significantly reduced to just around fifty,and a few laser pulses aimed at nowhere in particular,sweeping over their cloud of radar signature seekers and throwing them off the sky.Their one hundred missiles only scored fifteen kills.
Fortunately,they also done with the reload.This time,three hundred missiles are waiting under their silo launchers.
<<Missile away-Hold on,Vampire!Ripple!Ripple!>>
However,a warning from Vinka's radar halted the launching procedure,as the ship detected many anti-ship missiles and air-to-air missiles is coming for them:
<<Ready CIWS-Dreadnought hit!>>
**
<<Damn,they've shot down 90% of our missiles>>
Arcticia squadron,stood at the leading position of the fleet,confirmed the success rate of the missiles they fired.
<<Arcticia 2 report in.Twelves aircrafts downed,two hits on one flying warship,potentially HMS Dreadnought.>>
<<Enemy within eyesight.Arcticia 1 calling all aircrafts and warships,prepare for aerial engagement.>>
At the front of the Mig,through the glass canopy,Arcticia 1 detected a few black dots growing larger and larger each second passed.The dots came with the warning alarm of aircraft assistant,crying about those signal locks being placed on their aircraft.
Without any second to think,Arcticia 1 deployed all of his chaff in one go,throwing off all the missiles that were chasing after him from far away.
<<All good,still manageable.>>
BAM!*
<<What was noise,Marmaras 1?>>
<<Mariya was hit by a missile.>>-Lena replies-<<Minor damage to the right wing,they said.No worry,stay focus,we have more things to concern.Koshka,are you there?>>
<<Yes,madam.Prepare for close combat.>>
<<Avrora to all aircrafts and warships,prepare for close combat.>>
The gun turrets on the Russian warships slowly rotate toward the front,where the NATO fleet is.
In the NATO fleet,the warships also readjust their guns at the Russian ships.
Over the Atlantic,at a high altitude,the Yellowstone shells are closing their gap to the High Sea.
<<USS Levitator to all ships>>-The US carrier spoken out loud through its speakers-<<Turret number 1 to 6,BATTERY RELEASE!>>