The fighter’s cockpit was silent as Jaze counted the number of enemy aircraft. One, two… eighteen, he thought bitterly, this is going to be a close thing. Shelby, Vincent, hurry. The craft had two long wings joined by a center ball. Extending from the front of the ball was a long, pointed nose that housed a few small machine guns for use in close range combat. At the back was a large cluster of engines that glowed an angry red. These were fighters designed mostly for space combat, but letting them get into the atmosphere would allow them to cause ungodly amounts of damage.

That thought in mind, the pilot rammed the accelerator forward and plowed into the enemy formation. He circled behind the Cye fighters, the new craft showing just how maneuverable it was. The pilot locked on to one the enemy crafts and sent a missile careening after it. He was rewarded by a brief flash of fire as the enemy fighter broke into pieces.

“Control, we’re splash one bandit up here. That leaves seventeen, repeat seventeen still up.” Jaze called into his mike, his fear making him sound angry.

“Copy that Angel Lead.” the soldier in Control responded, “suggest you make a break for the dark side of the planet at top speed. It will make you harder to spot.”

“Roger control, Angel Lead out.” The pilot twisted to look at his terrified passenger, “Hang on Trixie, I’m going to have to pull out all the stops for this.”

“That’s fine,” she gasped, “just get us out of here.”

“Getting us out then,” Jaze thrust the accelerator to maximum and blew past the still recovering squad of enemy craft; flying at breakneck speeds for the far side of the planet.

“Can you out run them?” Trixie yelled to the sweating soldier.

“No,” he roared back, “they’re too fast! But I can out maneuver them! And so since you’re riding co, why don’t you be my spotter? Tell me if the console in front of you starts flashing red so I know that they have a radar lock on us.”

“Okay, anything else?”

“If you see one getting close, tell me where he is. Twelve o’clock is the front; six is the back, with the rest following the numbers on a clock. Use ‘high’ and ‘low’ if they are above or below us, respectively.”

“Okay then, but you realize that there is no ‘above’ or ‘below’ anymore, right?” the pilot gave her an indignant glare, “Um, I’ll be quiet now.” She glanced behind the fighter, “Jaze, two bad guys are getting close. They have a lock!”

“Damn!” Jaze yelled as he rolled his plane hard right to avoid the missiles. They escaped unharmed, but it was a close shave. “Tell me when they get really close, I’ve got a surprise for them.”

“How close is really close? They’re only a few yards away.”

“Just a little closer,” Jaze switched to holding the stick with his left and had his right on another small lever on the side of the cockpit.

“How about now?” Trixie asked as the two enemy fighters closed the gap by another few feet.

Jaze risked a glance, “Perfect! Hold on to something, the ride’s about to get rough.” The pilot yanked the lever back and the craft suddenly lost all its speed and the two enemy fliers rocketed past them as the pilot and his passenger were slammed into their harnesses. Jaze fired a salvo of missiles at the first and fired his Vulcan machine gun at the second. The small fighter shook as the large gun unleashed a lead storm at the Cye fighter. His reward was another brief flash of fire as the enemy was torn apart by the rapid fire death machine. Jaze then turned to track the other Cye flier as his missiles caught up with it.

The Cye pilot was obviously skilled. It managed to avoid the first two missiles but the third and fourth hit it square and turned it into its own brief, little star system; complete with orbiting debris.

Jaze gave a whoop as he watched the two fighters burn, “And that’s why you don’t muck with an Angel!” he hollered.

“You’ve got no time to celebrate, two more coming in from six o’clock; one low, one high.”

“Thanks for the heads up.” The pilot wore a confidant smile, “What say we take them down too?”

“Uh-oh two more at three and nine.” The unicorn looked above her, “another one directly above us!”

“Damn, one’s at our twelve; they’re trying to box us in. Make it so I can’t dodge their fire.” He gave a derisive snort, “What do you know, they’re getting smarter.”

“Angel Lead, this is Angel Two.” Shelby called over the comm, “We are in the void and ready to render assistance.”

“Great,” he spat into the mike, “then get the fighters off me!”

“Roger that, Lead. Consider them gone.” The two RX-80 combat fliers shot past Jaze’s going the opposite direction; the enemy fighter in front of him and the one on his right simply ceased to exist. The skilled pilot bled off his speed again and took out another of the Cye fighters that had been flying behind him. The last two broke off to return to the rest of their unit as Shelby and Vincent turned to make another pass.

“Let’s show these metal morons how humans fly!” Vincent called excitedly.

“Alright, that’s scratch three more bandits. Still thirteen sharing our space, so what say you we clean up the rest?” Jaze replied, excitement creeping into his own voice. His heart was racing with the thrill of the chase as Vincent and Shelby fell into place to his sides and slightly behind.

“Hey Jaze,” Shelby called; he could hear the smirk on her face, “Lowest kills buys the beer?”

“We’d have to brew it first, Shell.” Vincent laughed.

“Besides, you two have to play catch up.” Jaze chuckled, “I’m already at four.”

“Dad blast it, we only got two between us.” Vincent growled, “Gonna have to pick up the pace.”

“C’mon Jaze, Vincent; let’s teach ‘em why Command always gave us the hard jobs.”

The three pilots turned their craft to face the oncoming enemies. As soon as they were in range, both side opened up with their missiles. The human pilots broke formation as another of the Cye went out with a bang. The ensuing dogfight was pure mayhem as the humans and Cye alike tried with all their being to send the other to an early grave, or scrap heap as the case may be.

“Jaze, bandit on your six; break right, break right!” Shelby yelled. The Cye were getting smarter; they no longer got close enough for Jaze to bleed his speed and get behind them. He followed Shelby’s instructions as she came down from “above” him to destroy the craft trailing him.

“Oh, dammit, I’ve been hit!” Vincent yelled, “I’m still operational; these new birds are tough!”

Jaze closed in on another of the Cye fighters, inching his way into Vulcan range. As soon as the range finder to the side of the front view port lit up green, the assassin thumbed the fire button and the craft rattled as the machine gun pounded out a steady rhythm. The Cye had no chance as its spacecraft was torn apart around it. Jaze watched in awe as Shelby came to Vincent’s aid against the two fighters dogging him. She flew in behind one and took it out using a single missile. The other fighter broke off to follow her.

“Shelby, missile at your six,” Jaze sounded almost bored as he turned to Trixie, “You’re about to get to see Shelby’s special technique. I can’t even begin to imitate this.”

Trixie watched as the missile closed in on Shelby. Suddenly Shelby’s fighter did a full back flip over the missile and the Cye fighter. She and Jaze could just see her giving a very rude hand gesture as she turned over the enemy. She leveled her craft out and annihilated the Cye with her Vulcan gun.

“One day,” Shelby said, confidence oozing from her voice, “this Cye boys’ll learn that you should not mess with me.”

“She’s not human, is she?” Trixie asked in amazement as the fighter passed Shelby’s latest victim.

“Honestly?” Jaze chuckled, “We’re not sure.”

“You realize I can hear you two, right?” Shelby asked as she flew close to their fighter.

“I know, and I know you love it.” Jaze said with a smile.

“Let’s just finish up these metal morons.”

“Yeah,” Vincent broke in, “I got another one why you were gabbing. Means me and Shell are tied.”

“Okay, eight left. I like those odds; so let’s do this thing.” Jaze glanced over his shoulder at his unicorn friend, “How you liking your first combat flight?”

“Nuts,” she laughed, “you’re all nuts!”

“That’s what they pay us for.” Vincent growled good naturedly.

“Vin, let’s go. Lowest kills buys the beer and Jaze is still ahead. We can’t let him win.”

“Alright, I’ll race you for those Cye.” The two eager pilots took off, leaving Jaze behind as he shook his head.

“You’re right,” he said to Trixie with a laugh, “those two are nuts.”

“And you’re the nuttiest of all.” She replied with a smile.

“Let’s finish this up and get the flock home.” Jaze put the accelerator to max and went to join the fray.

Jaze watched as Shelby took out the last of the Cye fighters. “Control, this is Angel Lead. We’re splash all bandits and are will now RTB.” the assassin said as he turned his plane back toward the planet.

“Roger that, Angel Lead. Brace yourself for when you land, Control out.”

“What’s ‘RTB’ mean?” Trixie asked from behind him.

“‘Return to base’,” he tossed a smile over his shoulder, “I think I’ll have to sit down with you and teach you all these terms.”

A blush crossed her face, “I think I would like that very much.”

Jaze watched her reflection in the view port in front of him. She likes me, he thought as happiness seeped through his body, she said she likes me. But, should I pursue this; here, now? And I’m not sure about how everyone would react to this. Especially Vin and Shell, they know that I liked Evelyn a lot. And Trixie’s an alien. Am I even sure about how I feel?

“Hey Jaze,” Vincent’s voice intruded on Jaze’s thoughts, “this was one small crash for you, one giant mess for the rest of us.”

“Don’t be so cocky Vincent,” Shelby mocked, “you lost the bet so beers are on you tonight.”

“Urk, I’ll, uh, get back to you on that…”

“Hey, why don’t you guys come over to my house for dinner?” Jaze offered, “I still haven’t formally introduced you to my friends here, and you guys get a free meal.”

“Sound’s like a date.” Vincent replied enthusiastically.

“Sure does, but don’t think you’re getting out of buying the beer.”

“Dammit.” Vincent cursed as Jaze and Shelby laughed. The assassin had managed to put how much he had missed his friends from his mind. Now that they were back together, he would try his best to ensure that they weren’t separated again.

“Hey Trixie, you okay with that?” Jaze asked.

“Of course, any friend of yours is a friend of mine.” she replied heartily.

“Alright, see you all then. Just give me a few to get some things done.” Jaze turned to look at his passenger, “Ride will be getting rough again when we enter the atmosphere again.”

“Can’t be worse than what you just put me through.” the unicorn replied.

“No, probably not.” He grinned as they entered the atmosphere. The pair was rattled around in the cockpit as they descended to a smooth landing on the grass next to the other fighters. Shelby and Vincent soon joined them and they opened the canopies of their fighters as one.

They were greeted by a roar of cheers as the ladders were placed next to the space craft to allow the weary soldiers to exit their craft. They did not get the chance as the other pilots and soldiers hauled them out of the fighters and carried them to the ground. Even Trixie, despite the fact that she was not a pilot or even human, was given the same treatment by the ecstatic soldiers. The four of them were carried a good distance before Jaze finally ordered the soldiers to set them down. They were released with great reluctance, and only because Jaze was the Colonel, after all. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the assassin was bombarded by a bevy of backslaps and congratulations.

“Damn fine job up there!” one pilot said as he vigorously shook Vincent’s hand.

“Hell of thing you all did,” came from another soldier as he patted Jaze on the back.

“Yeah, you really took it to those Cye bastards!”

“Hey wait, Colonel. Aren’t you Kazerugi, the Wind of Death?” This question was met with much excitement as the eager soldiers pressed closer.

“Yeah, that’s what I heard. I also heard that you was the one that took out a whole pirate base by yourself.”

“And he is the leader of the Angels. That’s pretty sweet.”

“Not to mention he managed to find out and piss off the Cye leader.” Shelby called out with a wink to her commanding officer. Again, the soldiers pressed closer; begging him for details.

“Enough,” Jaze finally called out, the anger in his voice belied by the smile on his face, “I’ve got to get some things done and I want to rest. I know who I am and what I’ve done; now can we all just get back to our jobs?”

“Is it true?” an emotionlessly calm voice called out over the bedlam.

“Is what true?” the assassin asked as the group fell silent. The soldiers parted to reveal a young pilot with brownish-blonde hair and blue eyes.

“Are you truly Kazerugi?” he asked again in that same emotionless voice.

“I am, why? Do you have a problem with being led by an assassin?”

“No sir,” Despite the mask he tried to hide behind, Jaze could tell the boy was lying.

“You know who I am, who are you?”

“I’m Master Sergeant Dmitri Sands, Colonel sir.”

“Tell what’s really on your mind.”

“No sir, I’ll not risk having others not trust you sir.”

“As your CO, I order you to tell me what is bothering you.”

“Sir, yes sir.” He took a deep breath and was suddenly giving the silver-eyed assassin a look to kill, “My father’s name was Domovo Sands, ring any bells.”

“Yes,” Jaze’s voice suddenly lacked emotion, “yes it does.”

“It should, seeing as you killed him.” There was not a sound to be heard as all eyes focused on Jaze. “That’s right you killed my father. I know that he was an evil man, but you killed my father. He raised me and loved me. I’ve always sworn that I would kill the bastard that took him from me, but come to find out, he’s my CO now.” He adopted a coldly sarcastic tone, “Funny how that works, isn’t it?”

“I can understand wanting revenge for the death of one you love,” Jaze’s eyes slid to the ground, “more than you could ever know.”

“I don’t think so, sir.” Even while Sands’ tone was respectful, he still managed to sound condescending, “You have no idea what it’s like to lose the man that raised you.”

“I lost my parents at the hands of bandits when I was a small child.” His voice lacked emotion, but anyone looking into his eyes would have seen the heartbreak as the memories washed over him.

“Whatever, you ordered me to tell you. So I did.” He turned away, his emotionless stance turned to one of pure anger, “Now if you’ll excuse me,” He started to walk away.

“You truly hate me then?’ the assassin called out before Sands had gone more than a few feet.

“Yes sir.” The young man replied shortly.

“If you want to kill me, now’s your chance.” There was a collective gasp as Sands turned around to face the assassin.

“What?”

“I said, try to do me. Here, now.”

“No sir, you’re a colonel and I’m not stupid.”

Jaze unclipped the colonel’s pin from the collar of his flight suit, “Not for now. This is a personal fight between you and me. There will be no repercussions from the outcome of this fight.” He raised his voice as he handed the pin to Shelby, “Did everyone hear that?”

The young man stood staring at the assassin for a moment, unsure of what he wanted to do. Suddenly, Sands lunged at Jaze and drew his fist back to deliver a powerful right hook. The assassin merely stepped out of the as the punch went wide. The rest of the gathered soldiers drew back, giving the two combatants a large arena. Sands had to take another few steps to regain his balance as Jaze stood still, waiting for the next attack. Every time Sands threw a punch, the assassin stepped out of the way with ease.

“Stand still and fight, coward!” Sands roared as Jaze dodged another swing.

“You don’t want me to. I don’t believe in mercy when it comes to a fight.” The assassin replied in a cold voice that sent a shudder down the spine of all who heard it.

“I thought the great Kazerugi could easily take down little old me.” The young soldier mocked, “So come on, what are you waiting for? Show me why you were so feared!”

“If you wish…” Jaze dropped into a defensive stance as Sands charged in once more. Instead of dodging, this time Jaze caught the punch and delivered a savage blow under the arm. Trixie recognized it as the same punch he had used against Dash, but she saw just how gentle he had been with the cyan mare. Instead of merely numbing the limb, there was a sickening pop as it was dislocated, the young pilot’s face paling with the sudden pain. Jaze wasted no time in planting a swift kick to the young pilot’s knee; not enough to shatter the bone, but more than enough to send the already unbalanced combatant to the ground. As he fell, found his dislocated arm wrapped in the assassin’s, and when he finally came to rest on the ground, Jaze put just enough pressure on the arm to let Sands know he could crush it with ease.

“Remember this next time,” Jaze said, his voice retaining the same deadly quality, “you are nothing compared to what I had to face. I could have killed already, but I won’t.” He stood up, leaving the younger man on the ground, “Get that shoulder set soon, you’re still a soldier for the StarSide Marines and you will do your duty. Feel free to come at me whenever you wish.”

As the assassin walked away he stopped and turned back to say, “I don’t know if it matters, but I am truly sorry that your father had to die. I don’t regret killing him; only that it was necessary.” His voice had become soft and sad, and he walked away without another word.

“What the hell were you thinkin’ Dmitri?” a soldier asked, “He coulda killed you in ten seconds flat.

“I know,” Sands looked utterly confused, “why didn’t he?”

“You obviously don’t know Jaze!” an angry female voice accused. As one, the gathered soldiers looked to see an all but forgotten blue unicorn glaring at the young pilot lying on the ground, “He won’t kill without anypony without good reason!”

“Is that so,” Sands said quietly as the unicorn took off after Jaze, “is that so?”