Stick With Trigger, And You'll Make It

Operation Deer Horn

"Radar site still silent!" "Scramble! Get those birds in the sky, we're sitting ducks!" "What's happening?!" "Bombers incoming! Don't know how many!" "Let's clear that runway! We don't got all day here!" Clamored several ground troops on the base.
"I didn't expect to see this today," I mumbled. I looked over to the runway as the last of Golem Squadron took to the skies.
"Mage Squadron, head to runway. Golem Squadron, take off, linked to Sky Keeper. Hurry Mage Squadron," ordered an officer in the control tower. Clown's jet turned onto the runway as I approached, before taking straight into the sky. It was my turn next, and I was ready to go. I lined my F-16c up with the takeoff point, letting the engine idle while waiting for clearance.
"Trigger, your callsign is Mage 2. Verify and read back," announced the officer.
"Verify, Mage 2," I recited.
"Mage 2, cleared for takeoff. Situation is tight. It's a hell of a welcoming party, but we have faith in you. Good luck." Said the tower officer.
"Control, do me a favor and get that bird in the air ASAP," said Knocker over the comms.
"Hear that? Golem Squadron and your wingman are airborne, take off and form up with Mage 1," ordered the tower.
"Copy that Control. Mage 2 taking off," I announced. I punched the throttle forward and started my ascent into the sky.
     "Mage 2, altitude restriction is lifted, good luck," said Control. I flew past an F-18 highlighted by the friendly blue box in my HUD, and it had Golem 2 as its callsign.
     "The carrier... Woah! Looks like the harbor's taken a lot of damage," said Brownie, who I was assuming was Golem 2.
     "Can't have anymore casualties, time to stop the bullshit," said Knocker, marked by Golem 1. I looked over to the harbor next to the runway, seeing the smoke billowing from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier.
     "Mage 2, form up with Mage 1. All aircraft, let's do this! Golem Squadron it's go time!" Ordered Knocker.
     "Roger that," responded Brownie, flying up next to him.
     "Golem 4, understood," said another pilot.
     "Wilco," I responded, turning to focus on what was in front of me.
     "This is the AWACS Sky Keeper. Take down all unidentified bombers, they don't have many escorts," came over my communications.
     "Roger that Sky Keeper, searching now," I confirmed.
     "They hit our radars hard in the last attack. Expect the worst and stay sharp," clarified Sky Keeper.
     "Wilco," said Knocker.
     "Trigger, I'm your wingman. Fly with me now, that's what it means to be 'in an element'," said Clown.
     "Yes sir, forming up on your wing," I said, excited to prove myself to my squadron mates.
     "You gotta keep an eye for enemy bombers," said Clown.
     "I am, sir," I clarified. Jeez it felt like he didn't trust me. "I've got a bandit on my radar, straight ahead."
     "Okay, here we go. Looks like bombers have been located," responded Clown. "It's showtime Trigger, let's see if you can handle the spotlight."
     "Copy that, advancing to engage," I said, accelerating past Clown and towards the enemy bomber. The green target box appeared around the bomber as I approached, turning red with an alert tone once I was in range for my missiles. "Target in range, looks like a TU-95,"
     "You're a good pilot... or so I told them. I had to fill an empty spot so play along," said Clown, kinda shaking my confidence.
     "Seriously? Doubts?" I said. The reticle for my machine gun appeared on screen and with a pull of the trigger, a burst of machine gun fire peppered the bomber.
     "No doubts, just concerns. I'm gonna see you prove me right today. Just remember, it's still a leash though," as Clown finished his sentence, the bomber exploded from my fire, rapidly falling from the sky.
     "Enemy bomber confirmed down, good job Mage 2," said Sky Keeper.
     "Not bad Mage 2," said Clown. I turned away from the burning plane, forming back up on Clown's wing. "Trigger, switch your radar, see if you locate the enemy."
     "Roger," I replied. With a flick of a switch the radar in my cockpit displayed a wider area, including two white triangles and a red highlighted one. "Targets located, our 10 o'clock."
     "There it is sitting all pretty just waiting to be taken," responded Clown as we turned to fly straight towards the enemy aircraft. We flew for a minute or so, the radar saying we were right on top of the enemy, but they're was nothing.
     "I don't see them," I said.
     "They're way overhead," clarified Clown.
     "Harbor fuel storage is intact, it's begging for another round," I heard an enemy pilot say over radio. I looked up to see a pair of MiG-21 fighters escorting another TU-95.
     "All escorts form up for another attack. Point is 835!" ordered an enemy bomber pilot.
     "Not gone happen," I mumbled. "Mage 2, engaging!"
     "Rigil 1! Bandit!" Said an enemy pilot, but it was too late. I soared up past the escorts, making them break off from the bomber.
     "Watch out for the support aircraft" said Clown.
     "Already on it," I confirmed.
     "On his tail," announced Knocker. As I came back down I fired two missiles, blowing the MiG out of the sky. Knocker chased after his bandit and took down the second escort quickly.
     "Enemy support eliminated, this should make the job easier, destroy the target," ordered Sky Keeper. I turned back to take aim at the bomber. As soon as my missiles had locked onto the bomber, I fired and sent the TU straight into the ocean.
     "Target confirmed down, looking good Mage 2," praised Sky Keeper. I turned back and reformed element with Clown right as four more targets appeared on my radar. "Mage 2, targets in range: Pair of bombers."
     "I see them," I confirmed.
     "Trigger, stay calm, you've got this," said Clown.
     "I know the kid's showing some promise but let's remember, she's still barely gotten her feet wet," said Knocker. I took a deep breath, and sort of tuned Knocker out. I'll prove my worth as a pilot to him.
     "Trigger, don't forget your special weapon," said Clown. Right, I remembered that my F-16c also had Short-range Aerial Suppression Missiles(SASM). I flipped a switch to activate those missiles, and swapped my lock-on to one of the bombers instead of the two escorts. I fired the first missile, and quickly target the other bomber with a second SASM. The two TU-95's exploded in air, their payloads making sure nothing was left.
     "That's it, it's great when it's simple," said Clown.
    "We've done enough damage on the harbor, the carrier, and the fleet. Drop payload on installations and return to base," ordered another enemy bomber pilot
     "Enemy bombers down, nice going Mage 2," said Sky Keeper.
     "Not too shabby Mage 2, but you've still got a long way to go kid," said Knocker. "I'll give you some pointers back at base, if you can make it in one piece,"
     "Oh I'll make it commander," I boasted.
     "Sky Keeper, this is Mage 1, tally two bandits," said Clown
     "Copy that, it's a bomber and an escort," said Sky Keeper.
     "I'm engaging!" I cheered, maxing out the throttle and turning to attack the bomber.
     "Whoa there Trigger, settle down," said Clown
     "Mage 2, maintain your element with Mage 1. Do not break off," ordered Knocker. "Mage 1 make sure she doesn't do anything stupid,"
     "Wilco," said Clown.
     "Golem 2, let's maintain element," said Knocker.
     "Copy that commander, I've got your six covered," said Brownie
     "Righty-0," said Knocker. I roared past the bomber and performed a high-G turn, lining my gun right on the tail of the bomber.
     "Golem, Mage, two new enemy groups," said Sky Keeper. I noted the AWACS info but focused on my target. Another burst of gunfire, another bomber destroyed
     "Target is down," confirmed Sky Keeper.
     "Atta girl Trigger," said Clown. "But next time make sure you're not leaving your wingman on their own."
     "Right, just got a little to excited I think," I apologized. I linked back up with Clown as we moved towards the bomber group heading towards the base from the west, while Golem turned to engage the group coming from the south.
     "This is HQ, attention all combat groups, are there any drones? Verify," I heard over comms.
     "Drones?! Are you kidding me right now? This is the kinda shit that really chaps my ass," groaned Knocker.
     "UAV's? I can't tell them apart," said Clown.
     "Harbor facilities and Carrier destroyed, I'd call that mission accomplished," said an enemy bomber pilot.
     "We've still got half our baggage, empty them on the hangers and runways," confirmed another. Clown and I reached our bomber group, and I locked onto one of the escorts. I was about to fire a missile, but then decided to target the TU-160 bomber instead, but then the support could still shoot us down, but then the bomber might get away...
     "Mage 2, I'll clear the support, you worry about the bomber," said Clown, firing his gun at the escorts.
     "Copy that," I selected the bomber as my target, and fired two SASM's. The much larger bomber erupted in flame and careened down to the sea, as the escorts broke from Clown's assault.
     "Mage 2's bandit confirmed down," said Brownie
     "They can burn with their whole payload," said an allied pilot, Golem 4 I think.
     "Hesitating for a split second can be the difference between life and death. Stay sharp, and think fast," said Knocker, and I could tell it was sort of directed at me.
     "Roger that," said Brownie.
     "Wilco," I confirmed.
     "Don't let them destroy the harbor!" Ordered someone back on the ground. I checked my radar, and say Golem was tied up with the support aircraft, and all four bombers were still flying towards the base. "Where the hell are our fighters? The harbor is under heavy fire!"
     "Golem looks tied up with the escorts, this is Mage 2 moving to destroy the bombers," I assured them. I didn't care about the element at that moment, I broke off from Mage 1 and pinned the throttle to reach the bombers.
     "Hurry Trigger," said Clown, surprisingly. I came within range of the bomber formation, locking onto the first bomber swiftly.
     "Mage 2, Fox 3!" I called out. I target the closest two bombers with a SASM each, and fired two standard missiles at the third one. The three bombers were turned into flying fireballs, leaving only one bomber flying.
     "One remaining!" Announced Sky Keeper. As I went to target the last bomber, a MiG-21 started firing its machine gun at me and forcing me to break lock on the last bomber.
     "Shit! Mage 2 under fire! Can anyone assist?!" I panicked.
     "Mage 2 keep your focus, you've got this," said Knocker. I took a deep breath, but as I did, the missile lock alert started blaring in my cockpit.
     "Missile fired!" Said Brownie. I started frantically looking for the missile's trajectory.
     "4 o'clock Trigger! Bank right!" Called out Clown. I did as he said, the missile alert disappearing as it lost its lock on me. The MiG that I presume is responsible for firing said missile exploded in air, with Clown flying past the smoldering wreck.
     "Thanks Mage 1," I said.
     "Worry about that later, take down that bomber!" Ordered Clown. In just a moment I had repositioned my plane to attack the TU, and with a single SASM, it was careening into the sea.
     "Last bomber neutralized!" I called out in glee. Clown flew up to my wing, giving me a nod from his cockpit.
     "To Golem and Mage, job well done, all bombers are down," said Sky Keeper.
     "What about the escorts?" I chimed in.
     "Our radar shows no sign of bandits, you're in the clear," clarified Sky Keeper.
     "Good going Mage 2," said Clown, and I could hear the smile on his face. "Flight commander, looks like she's got what it takes,"
     "Let's slow down, it's just one sortie," said Knocker.
     "Oh come on commander, didn't you see me take down all of the bombers?" I boasted.
     "Don't try to be a hero, I want you to make it back in one piece, you hear?" Countered Knocker, sternly.
     "Yeah, I gotta side with the bossman on this," said Brownie.
     "Yes sir," I said, a little defeated.
     "Golem Squadron, this is HQ. Did you confirm any drones?"
     "What's the deal with all the drones?" Asked Knocker, still irritated.
     "Golem 1, return to base and report for debriefing," said the control officer.
     "Roger that, all planes, RTB," ordered Knocker. Clown took the lead again, leading us to a good approach point for the runway. If today was an indication of anything, it would be that we are far from finished.