Starbound Ascension: The Next Generation

Chapter Thirteen: Mayhem Zero

As Jet and the others docked their boats they were greeted with Ship and Firebrand as a squad of Crystal Empire troops took Sugar Belle and her foal away. Most of them were still shaken to what just happened.

“I heard what happened. Sorry we couldn't help you Jet. Firebrand and I were discussing the next operation. We're planning to assault the mainland tomorrow morning with the help of the UPF,” Ship looked at Jet as she said UPF. He seemed more tense at the word, “Something wrong?”

“Private meeting! NOW!” Jet looked to the Colonel, “Colonel Firebrand with respect sir I think you need to hear this as well,” Jet's heart pounded as UPF troops were all around them.

“Okay. Let's hear it.”

Blossom took them up to the Sky Buster at orbit altitude to discuss their situation in private. As the witnesses of the UPF traitors told their story Ship, Firebrand, and Major Coltberg recoiled at the information.

“So what you are telling me is that everypony down there is in danger of losing their lives because of this mess? Oh no! We trotted right into a trap.”

“Colonel, I suggest you pull back your troops now. Check their cutie marks. If they don't have one leave them behind. That is how you can tell if they are real ponies,” Avia explained as she propped up onto the table.

“Call off the invasion. We have to warn the Princesses against the UPF. I think their planning something big and I can only assume the worst; a full on invasion of Equus and all its colonies,” Firebrand shared his thoughts, “With most of Equus' forces concentrated here we don't stand a chance against a full invasion.”

“Respectfully sir, with 103 billion active troops I don't think we'll survive one day in a war with the Federation.”

“Ahem!” Strella waved to them while she was still in pony form. All of them took their sidearms and aimed right at her. She was unphased, “Chill, we weren't really traitors. I feel as though you need an explanation from our end of sorts.”

“What?! What do you mean?!”

“Listen Jet! Nelly is alive and so are the others. It was all a ruse against the North Equestrians. Look, we've been sent here to investigate a claim that UPF weapons are being smuggled to supply terrorist activity here on Equus. Turns out that claim was true,” Strella pulled out her phone and projected a hologram to the nearest blank wall, “See these shipping crates?”

The image on screen showed a stylized Buizel with the words “Rivers Manufacturing” outlined below in a stylized font. It was the primary military supplier of the UPF and Strella's family company.

“A week ago my father was taken into custody because of a scandal that the UPF were supplying arms to terrorists. My father doesn't do this crap. He's pro-Equus so why would he supply weapons to fund anti-Equestrian terrorists? Not only that but if you noticed those NEQ spec ops you killed had no cutie marks. Starlight's registry listed them active even before the UPF got involved in this sector. So what does that tell us? Well Quincy and I went around poking at their new jet fighter. And low and behold we found THIS symbol on one of the main spars on the inside of the wing,” Strella flipped to another image of a strange symbol vaguely familiar to them. Mac Book was the first to call it.

“That's the symbol of the Pulsar Militia!”

“Exactly!” Strella started to put the pieces together for them, “What this means is that somewhere in the UPF itself is Pulsar Cell operating to undermine the UPF-Equus alliance. Not only that, it seems that the Pulsar Militia have captured enough UPF technology to freely spy on all races. That technology was only available to Rivers Manufacturing staff.”

“This is good news. We can trust you after all,” Jet sighed in relief, “Dammit Strella! Don't scare us like that!”

“And you threw Nelly and the others under a fucking bus!” Umbra lashed out.

“Hey! Hey! We only did it to convince Starlight. She looks up to the UPF and that is her downfall. We have blended in with the enemy to take them down from the inside. Besides, dumb bitch doesn't know the difference between the UPF and Pulsar,” Strella rolled her eyes to one side.

“So we can still proceed with the invasion?” Major Coltberg, AKA Rolo was seated next to his son, Simon.

“Of course. To further convince Starlight we deployed a UPF PMC within their ranks. Once we give them the signal they will attack and kill any NEQ troops near them to cause utter panic among their ranks. Also, the rest of Frostbite already told our plan in secret to the NGJSF held captive and we are planning to get them out. Starlight trusts us so much they put us in guard duty to watch over your guys.”

“What a grade A retard,” Jet smiled, “This is good, this is good!”

“Without much more to do I suggest we get this invasion under way!”

Jet stroked his chin, “Say how'd you get here anyway?”

“Oh, Sugar Rush and Brainstorm cleared me to land onto the Sky Buster without telling you guys. I do it so often and pop in unannounced that they just let me through. I find the morbid hilarity of that funny had I actually had been a traitor.”

“Okay, so with this whole mess cleared up we still have Sugar Belle to talk to. Let's get back down,” Firebrand proceeded to the dropship, “Blossom dear, please go easy on the ride back! You almost knocked my horn onto the ceiling.”

“Not my fault the Goblin dropship was designed that way,” she joked with her father, “But of course daddy!”

“Such a sweet girl!” Firebrand smiled as they all traveled back to the HQ building. Sugar Belle had her wounds treated and made comfortable for the questioning, “So miss Sugar Belle. Tell us what you know.”

“I...” she started slow, “I was taken from my home. They heard my screaming as I was giving birth. As the foal arrived they busted down my door and restrained me, then beat me, and proceeded to take me into custody. I hid away from them for so long and tried to disguise my pregnancy by eating all those disgusting, tasteless muffins. It was the only thing we ever ate...”

“Are you finished? What can you tell us about how to win this war?”

“If it's okay with you Colonel, I really want to share what I went through to get it off my chest. I want this story spread and the reality of North Equestria to be revealed. I want to do this to make sure my foal has a future and that nopony else goes what we have went through.”

“We will listen. But first we need the intelligence of how to liberate your country. Not to sound rude but I'd like to know that first.”

“Very well. As you can see most of us have our cutie marks replaced with equal signs. Starlight uses a magical artifact called the Staff of Sameness to lock away our original talents in the mountains to the east of our capital, Our Town. O-U-R Town. It's a vast network of tunnels dug into the mountains that house all of the cutie marks of our people. However, I noticed recently that Starlight's most trusted officers and generals do not have cutie marks at all. She argues that they're more equal than most ponies since they themselves choose not to have one at all. Animals...”

“I see, where on this map is the vault?” Firebrand pushed her a map of NEQ.

Sugar Belle pointed a hoof to the mountains, “Here. At the highest peak.”

“Thank you. That is all we need to know.”

“I have one more thing! Starlight, she isn't who she says she is. Before she was a unicorn just like me, but somehow in the past week her equal sign mark vanished and was replaced by alicorn wings. I also caught a glimpse of her original cutie mark and it was all a ruse. She never gave her's up and always covered it with makeup. That is why they wanted me silenced. I saw everything. I saw the pained look in Party Favor's eyes as he was forced to beat me and our child. I really do love him...”

“It just so happens that Colonel Party Favor wants to defect to United Equus. If all goes well you will see him soon,” Firebrand nodded, “Thank you for your time. My second in command will listen more to your story. Rolo! Get in here. You got the notes?”

“Yup, I heard everything. This is just the evidence we need to topple their regime and apply to the Geneighva Convention. Share what you know about NEQ life Miss Belle,” Rolo continued with the investigation as Firebrand closed the door. Ship was right there saluting.

“Sir!”

“At ease. I need your team in the air again. Sorry for such short notice,” Colonel Firebrand and Ship trotted back to the briefing room. They called in what's left of the NGJSF for a new mission, “Glad you could make it ladies and gentlecolts. Thanks to the intel we received from Sugar Belle we have the means to undo the brainwashing that NEQ has done to its citizens. To the east of the NEQ capital is the Our Mountain Range, Area B7R. The area is codenamed 'Round Table' by the North Equestrians which they use as a proving ground for testing special purpose aircraft. You are to engage enemy aircraft and open up a window for our bombers to penetrate through to bomb out their vital underground vaults. Due to radio interference from the ferrous resources buried underground, communications on this op will be hard. If you have to bail out, you're going to have trouble contacting rescue. It'll likely take several days to track you down if the enemy doesn't get to you first. So keep that in mind. They'll know we're coming because of Sugar Belle's escape so your pilots are gonna be in for a tough fight. Expect all their aces to come to intercept you. And that is why we're gonna bring up some of our own to level the playing field. The EMS Fairview II has entered the theater of operations. Flip, I know you're gonna be excited about that!”

Flip's ears perked as he heard the name of the ship, “T-The Fairview?! My old squadron's still flying for that carrier! Oh my Celestia! My big bro is coming to help us guys!”

“And that's not all! The country of Aetosian has joined our coalition to help stop North Equestria! On this mission you will receive support from the 56th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Hornet's old squadron!” Firebrand grinned, “We brought out all of our ace cards for this operation. So don't mess it up! Once you destroyed all enemy aircraft a flight of UPF Bo-1 stealth bombers will bomb the living crap out of that mountain range releasing these trapped cutie marks and setting their people free. Understood?”

“Si senor!” Hornet bounced with glee, “When do we start?”

“Three hours. Get to your planes and prep up! I'm counting on your NGJSF! Dismissed!”

“With pleasure! But what about our own guys imprisoned as POWs?”

“Leave that to Frostbite!” Strella nodded and held her hoof up high. Jet smiled and returned with a high five, “Woo! We got all the intel we need to prove my father's innocence. We got no more business with NEQ. The invasion will happen right as you enter The Round Table. That should distract their important air assets from interfering with our combined assault.”

“Get our fillies and colts back home.”

“We will Jet. We will,” Strella patted him on the shoulder and trotted out. She teleported back to the Sky Buster to take off with her Black Jacket.

A few moments later as the rest of the NGJSF prepared for their mission Avia walked to the hangar where Flip was doing some prep work with his jet. She looked up as he was pushing some buttons in his cockpit, “Hey, Flip.”

“Oh! High Avia,” Flip tuned his avionics to link up with the shockwave missiles in his internal bays.

“Good job on that mission,” Avia got onto the Fenrir's wing and looked at what Flip was doing.

“Oh thanks!” Flip smiled sheepishly.

Avia blushed a little, “Hey-uh. I've been meaning to tell you something.”
“Huh?”

Avia looked around nervously, “Can I ask you a question first?”

“Uhm, sure...?” Flip hopped out of his cockpit as the avionics checked out. He joined Avia and sat on the wing.

Avia looked to him with a hint of a smile, “What do you think of me?”

“Well you're quite the special girl I guess- ah...”

Avia blushed some more and cupped her hooves to her face with a little giggle.

“Ah! What did I say?! I'm sorry! I meant special in a good way!” Flip was flustered by her response.

Avia leaned over for a little peck on Flip's cheek, “Does that send the point?”

“Agh!” Flip's blushing intensifies, “Uhm... thank you?”

“Look, I've been eying you for a while. I didn't know what or how you would feel about me. You know, I just wanted to give it a chance,” Avia tilted her head to the side and smiled cutely, “Can we?”

“UUHHHH... I'm not sure...” Flip was taken off guard by her sudden proposal.

Avia cocked her head to the other side with a smirk, “Oh come on pretty boy.”

“I mean you're pretty and all and I think you're nice but uhm but...” Flip blushed hard “Eheheh...”

Avia does the puppy dog face to pressure him more. Flip started to get a little bit more uncomfortable as he was put into the spot.

“Why me? Are you doing this for a dare?”

Avia sighed, “No, I do love you.”

Flip finally got it, “Woah! Eheh... Avia... But we hardly talk... I just never expected this.”

“I know, I was the shy one in this. That and the whole war thing. Listen. I've been noticing a lot of the guys and gals are happier with their own lovers on the ship. My brother and Nelly kinda talked to me on and off about things. I told them I had feelings for you. One thing lead to another and they just said I should maybe ask you out,” Avia shifted her wings.

“Well... uhm, do you really like me like that?”

Avia held his hoof, “I was raised by the element of Loyalty herself. And yet all this time I've never pledged my heart to somepony.”

“You don't have to advertise yourself to me! And you don't have to feel forced to attach yourself to someone.. especially just because everyone else has...” Flip explained.

“But this was MY choice. All my life I've spent doubting love. It took a good heartfelt talk with my brother and Nelly to change that,” Avia admitted.

“I- I don't know though. Not because I don't like you, you're really nice but.. I'm pretty scared too,” Flip did as well.

Avia took off her flight helmet and let her hair flow, “...Take the leap... Spread your wings!”

She comes forward and embraces Flip, nuzzling into his fur.

“Avia! Stop!” Flip pushed her off lightly. Avia recoiled back in embarrassment.

“Okay okay...”

There was awkward silence that filled the hangar aside from all the prep work the other pilots were doing with their planes. Flip was the first to break it.

“I just don't think its a good idea.”

Avia looked to him, “I'm listening, how so?”

“Well, just look around you, we're soldiers. Who knows what could happen to any of us. Just... We don't want to be worrying about trying to make each other happy while also trying to be good soldiers,” Flip continued, “Like... if.. if we had got together before all this.. I bet we wouldn’t have even signed up.”

Avia sighed with a hint of disappointment, “I suppose you're right. Guess I was pushing my luck.”

Flip smiled and poked her on the shoulder, “Haha.. not really.. I'd be jumping at the chance in the real world. This just isn’t the place or time.. you know?”

“I hear you,” Avia sighed again, “But, is there still a chance after all this is over?”

“Yeah. There's still a chance,” Flip smiled as he got into his cockpit and closed his canopy.

As the time of the operation neared the pilots of the NGJSF launched out and flew along the east coast of Equestria. They followed the beaches until they reached the border airspace of North Equestria and the Crystal Empire. This was their rendezvous point for their reinforcements.

“This is Mac Book. I'm seeing the reinforcement flight now. They're off to your east bearing 0-8-4 four miles out. It's the Nimbus Squadron!”

“Hey Kid! I hear you're a helluva Captain now!” A blue stallion's voice echoed in Flip's headset as the reinforcement flight formed up with the NGJSF. An F-15 S/MT Eagle+ pulled up right next to Flip's Fenrir. It was none other than Contrail, Flip's older brother and his sole inspiration for joining the military.

“Big bro! It's been a long time...” Flip watched as his brother rolled his fighter inverted and enabled the transparency on his metal cockpit right above his brother's fighter. Contrail touched a hoof to the top of the canopy and Flip reached out as well, “Too long...”

“Hmph,” Contrail smiled. Flip caught a tear in his brother's eye, “I'm proud of you Flips. From your first days on my squadron to joining the most elite special forces team our planet has to offer. You made it big kiddo! And now I wanna see what you got!”

“You got it bro!” Flip grinned from ear to ear and nodded once.

“Easy boys. Save the waterworks for later,” Contrail's flight lead, Cirrus, flew in, “looks like the Aetosians came to the party.”

An Aetosian F-22S+ Raptor pulled into the formation along with its flight. The purple unicorn pilot looked to the right of his glass cockpit and spoke to Hornet, “And where is the fiesta without you my dear friend! It's good to see you again Hornet!”

“And to you my Amigo! I see you have some new toys Raptor!”

“That I do Hornet,” Raptor smiled and looked to the two drones escorting his plane along with his squadron, “ALF-47B and ALF-45C drones. We got them fitted with Aetonium core laser pods. Their callsigns are Eddy and Tin Man.”

“Welcome aboard Eddy and Tin Man! Thank you for taking care of my squadron in my absence,” Hornet tried to talk to the drones.

TIN MAN ACKNOWLEDGES. THANK YOU.

EDDY IS ALSO WELCOME. THANK YOU AS WELL.

“This is what I call a squadron!” Jet looked to his right and left. All the major aces of their planet taking part in one major operation. Along with the F/A-38, Cyclone, F/A-40, the two F-32 Umbras, XFA-27, To-119, F/A-18U, and the two Fenrirs of the NGJSF the ten other aces each in their own unique aircraft joined together as a combined air force.

Cirrus lead the Nimbus Squadron. This was Princess Luna's personal airwing operational under her command. They all flew advanced and upgraded variants of human aircraft left for Equus years ago. Contrail flew an F-15 S/MT. To his left was his flight lead, Cirrus. She flew the same plane as Hornet; an F/A-18U ADV. To Con's left was Apollo, ironically in a ground attack jet: the A-164 Wipeout. Behind Apollo was Scorch in his Fulcrum SS and leading up the rear was Jet Black in his F-4X Phantom III.

“Who brought the ground attacker and the museum piece?” Jet couldn't help but laugh at Apollo's and JB's planes.

“But it's pink!” Apollo winked, “Don't you know! Things are more deadly when they're pink!”

“Laugh all you want VTOL boy you'll just giggle all the way into the ground,” JB smirked and rolled his eyes.

To his left Jump Jet saw the Aetosian aces of Hokum Squadron: Raptor, Tomcat, Falcon, Eagle, and Lightning. Unsurprisingly named after the very planes they flew with cutie marks to match. There was a noticeable technology gap between the Equestrian pilots and their Aetosian counterparts. Their planes lacked the avionics and flight interface systems of the NGJSF or the Nimbus team but they more than made up for it in skill.

“Falcon to Raptor! Let's wrangle up these varmints and destroy that vault!” Falcon exclaimed in his southern accent.

“Copy that! All units we are entering the OA, weapons free. You are cleared to engage!” Raptor radioed out to the whole group.

“Time to dive into the fireworks!” They descended from their high altitude to dive into the fray. The two patrolling A-143 Buzzards were shot down by Jet and Avia.

“Splash two bandits!” Avia smiled to her kill as she flew by the explosion.

“Mac here! Enemy air forces inbound! Those Buzzards managed to send out a report to NEQ command. They know what we're doing so expect their aces to show up!”

“Solid copy Mac!” Jet and the others mopped up the patrolling craft in the area of B7R. Apollo and Piggle cleared the way as they attacked the surface to air missile sites that dotted the foothills of the mountains.

“Apollo here! Strike delivered! Air corridor for the bombers has been opened up! My job here is done! I'm RTB!”

“Pigsy to Jet! Same here!”

“Roger that Apollo. Head back to the Fairview. We'll take care of the enemy aircraft from here!” Cirrus nodded over the comm link displayed on Apollo's HUD, “The rest of you regroup on me! Jump's team will spearhead the breakthrough!”

“NGJSF, Nimbus, Hokums! Multiple craft approaching! Something's wrong, stay alert! Gonna try hacking into their comms!” Mac Book did his thing to provide information to the three squadrons.

A voice vaguely familiar to Avia came through the enemy's channel, “Targets are in firing range. Schnee 1 to all units, release your missiles!”

The flight of X-02 Wyverns launched their extremely long range missiles to kickstart the battle. The massive swarm of missiles tore through the sky as the allied aces dodged their weak tracking with deft evasive maneuvers.

“Schnee 4 to Schnee 1. Targets confirmed on radar. It's them, the NGJSF.”

Schnee 1 sighed over her microphone, “The children of Rainbow Dash. She was the one who got me kicked from the Wonderbolts Academy. Starlight took me in and gave me a second chance flying for her airforce. All units! Focus fire on that F/A-38 and Cyclone!”

“Did you hear that! Nimbus, Hokum, they're going after Jet and Avia!” Mac reported to the two supports.

“Solid copy! Flying into defensive formation with NGJSF lead planes!” Cirrus covered Avia, “I got your back!”

“As do I Avia!” Flip came around and flew past Avia to shoot down the enemy on her six.

“Schnee 3 is down! Damn they really are as good as you say Colonel Lightning Dust!”

“Give them some ECM! Jam everything! Comms, missiles, radar! Just do it!”

The avionics of the allied planes started to falter. Their missiles easily losing track of their targets, radars jammed, and radio communications became difficult.

“Avi-use-EC-CM!” Jet was halfway breaking up over Avia's headset.

“Zoey! Can you filter through the jamming?”

WITH PLEASURE MISS AVIA! SOURCE DETECTED TWO ENEMY MORGANS MOUNTED WITH ECM PODS HIGHLIGHTED ON YOUR HUD. RELYING TARGET DATA TO ALLIED CRAFT.

“ECCM! Restore communication link!” JB countered the enemy jammers with his own electronic warfare package, “I've just restored our comms!”

“Solid copy! Zoey just linked you guys target intel! Two enemy Morgans! Bearing 0-3-4!” Avia gave them the heads up.

“I'll get em! Tough Heart engaging!” Tough boosted into the fray with Falcon behind him.

“You engage that rascal on er left! I'll take the one on the right!” Falcon covered Tough as a missile streaked in, “Take evasive Tough!”

“Whoa!” Tough Heart threw his plane into a barrel roll and dodged the missile fired at his front, “Ha! Tough Heart! EML Firing!”

The railgun pod of Tough's aircraft tore into the center mass of the enemy Morgan. Falcon followed up with two sidewinders into the forward air intakes of the other jammer craft. The two NEQ Morgans were shot down, their pilots failed to eject.

“Good splashes! Radar is back up!” Mac Book cheered, “Heads up! More enemies coming in!”

“They're fast. Follow them. This will be your final lesson,” another strangely familiar female voice.

“Roger Miss Gilda!” the four planes that followed her in split up and converged onto both Jet and Avia to pin them down.

“Why is everyone going after us?!” Jet was busy as two enemy squadrons locked him up and fenced him in, “Dammit! Who are these guys?!”

“You're the son of that Fillypino mercenary your mother married. Although I never had the chance to kill him in person, I will gladly kill off his bloodline. Do you hear me Jet? I'll put you in your place!” the enemy squadron leader in the F-16XF Gyrfalcon merged head on with him. Jet saw the face of a griffin pilot. Her gaze intent on murder.

“It's Gilda...” Jet pulled more tight turns. He was bleeding airspeed trying to evade both Lightning Dust's and Gilda's squadron mates, “Dammit! If this keeps up I'm fucked!”

“Me too! They're really running me down!” Avia did her best to evade all the missile launched at her. Lightning Dust managed to land a few cannon shots onto her plane, “AH!”

“Starlight was right. I could never have been my best had I continued my path. I chose to fight! I chose to fight for her! For equality and the chance to set things straight, a world with no boundaries!” Lightning launched two missiles at Avia which struck near her engines. She started to trail smoke.

“Dammit! Where are you guys?!” Avia cried into the mic.

“I'm here!” Flip came from behind a cloud being tailed by another Schnee Wyvern. As he gained separation from his pursuit craft he launched two missiles in a split second he merged with Lightning Dust. The two warheads gave solid impacts that wounded their flight leader, “I've got you!”

Avia smirked, “My knight in shining armor.”

With that opportunity opened Avia pulled into a drifting barrel roll using her thrust vectoring nozzles to get onto the tails of her attackers. The two other planes that were running her down were caught off guard by the expert maneuver and were shot down without a sweat.

“Stay on guard! Those guys can fire long range missiles! Raptor you're being targeted from long range! Jink!” Morning Shine gave a good report to the Aetosian ace.

“Roger!” Raptor pulled his plane upwards and threw it into a flip down stall while launching chaff. With his countermeasures continuing on with inertia the missiles soared past his belly as his plane nosed down and gained airspeed in a dive, “Eddy! Tin Man! Use special weapons!”

ROGER SIR

The two drones guarding Raptor adopted an aggressive stance and went after the last two Schnee Wyverns. The accuracy of their laser pods managed to hit the last two firing missiles from long range. Cementing air superiority, Raptor and his flight regrouped.

“Hokums! Engage the enemies harassing the NGJSF!” Raptor gave his word. The Silber team lead by Gilda stayed in close formation all lined up on Jet to kill him.

“You got it boss!” Falcon came over the radio. He shot down one of the Gyrfalcons on Jet's tail to open up an escape route, “Falcon to C&C! Splash one bandit!”

“Hey Hokums! Let Nimbus have some fun!” Contrail and Cirrus came in to split up two more jets on Jump Jet's six. Cirrus took down one plane with Contrail keeping one pinned for himself.

“Heads up! I'm pulling a Cobra Stall!” Jet threw his plane backwards with his VTOL thrusters and got in line with Contrail. With one of his sidewinders Jet stole Con's kill, “Sorry Con! I kinda wanted that.”

“You really are like your father. I've flown with him during the last war. Him and his old squadmate, Cipher, really helped turned the tide of the war against the Florans! I was just a recruit back then,” Con looked back at the F/A-38, “Greedy bastard always wanted the last kill!”

“Well if it makes you feel any better you can start with the last one! Take on their flight leader, Gilda!” Jet looped round Contrail's F-15 to bleed airspeed and allowed him accelerate first.

“What is it that you fight for allies of Equus?! Oppression? You have scarred my nation for countless generations! The Griffin Kingdom of Belka gladly supports the cause of North Equestria! Do you know how young those pilots of mine were?! They were just right out of high school and I talon picked each and every one of them for their unnatural flying skill! They had a future, a future which you stole by taking their lives!” Gilda broke past Mach three at low altitude. She masked herself with the terrain.

“Is that true?” Night Petal looked at Jet on her HUD.

“It doesn't matter. They're the enemy. We fight for peace and if they're willing to use child soldiers in their armies we should treat them with no special attention.”

“But Jet! They're just kids!”

“Did you see them trying to kill me? It was us or them Petal! This is war! It's not fun, it's not morale dammit. You just do what you do to survive! I only savor the kills that mean something, but in this battle, when you are forced to take young innocent lives. It's us or them. Us or them Petal?”

“I...” Night Petal paused in her cloaked F-32, “Us. Dammit this feels so wrong.”

“This is real war. We're not fighting terrorists anymore. While those are more akin to animals we have to take the necessary evils to preserve peace!”

“Hmph! Flying with those ideals will get you killed,” another voice came in. It was from the open channel and designated as the enemy, “Black Squadron leader to all units. The escaping craft is heading this way. It's Party Favor! That traitor!”

“This is Mac Book! We have an emergency update! An NEQ officer stole a plane and is now escaping the enemy squadron in pursuit! You are to guard this aircraft as it reaches friendly airspace!”

“Solid copy C&C! Fenrir, Umbra, I'll task you with its protection while we go after the enemy flight!”

“Roger boss!” Fenrir flipped his plane down and orbited the escaping Delphinus.

“This is Party Favor! I've stolen an experimental plane and I'm defecting to Equestria! Please help me! I am completely helpless, I barely know how to keep this thing up!”

“Fenrir, Umbra, separate at maximum speed with the defecting Delphinus. We will handle the Black Squadron,” Jet gave his orders and regrouped with Nimbus, Hokum, and his own team.

“Change of plans, there's some annoying flies here. Ignore Party Favor. I want all planes to concentrate on the NGJSF and their allies!”

“That plane, that's Night Glider!” Jet recognized the other Delphinus flying in with seven others, Missile warnings! Evade! Evade!”

The formation split off as the swarm of long range missiles from the North Equestrians flew in. Trails of vapor and smoke twisted and wind through the sky as the allied fighters did their best to outmaneuver the missiles. Some of the enemy missiles managed to hit, knocking out a few fighters.

“Damn! I'm hit!” Tough Heart's plane was caught in an explosion and started to leak fuel, “My fuel gauges are dropping!”

“Tough! I'll cover you! Bro you got the fight in your hooves!” Avia took the initiative to guide Tough home.

“Solid copy! Who else is hit?” Jet looked around to see a few planes trailing smoke.

“Cirrus here, I took a hit! Dammit those missiles were accurate. I've never seen something hit me like that before. I can still fly but my elevators are chopped. Manifold pressure on my right wing is dropping too!”

“Probably a Federation Electro-Optical missile... Nimbus One, withdraw from the battle! NGJSF will cover your exit!”

“Solid copy Jump Jet! Jet Black you're the new actual. Keep Con and the others safe!”

“Roger Miss Cirrus!” The F-4X was tailing a Delphinus before violently jinking off, “Huh?! My plane's gone haywire!”

“Dammit! Avia come back! We need Zoey to counter their ECM fast!”

“This is Nimbus Five! I am not in control of my aircraft! Dammit! The stick and throttle are locked! My ECCM isn't operational either!”

“JB! It's a system hack! The Delphins have an advanced cyber attack capability!”

“I'm here bro! Zoey do the thing!” Avia punched in her commands into the console.

ROGER MISS AVIA DOING THE THING!

Avia's Cyclone restored the controls of Jet Black's F-4 right before a Delphinus fired its guns. JB whipped his plane around into an inside loop and got right onto the enemy's tail.

“Nimbus Five! FOX TWO!” the Hyper Phantom managed to get a good kill against the superior enemy. With one Delphinus down the air battle continued. The other enemy planes started to use their hacking capabilities to their full extent.

“Dammit! I'm a sitting duck here! They've messed with my cloaking!” Night Petal was in the thick of the action getting focused down by two enemy planes, “If you chaps could lend a hoof!”

“PETAL! I'M COMING!” Morning Shine threw his plane into s steep dive right on top of the enemy ace. He had his hoof wrapped around the trigger with four missiles all locked on the Delphinus, “Dawnlight! Fox two! Fox two! Fox two! Fox two!”

A barrage of four AIM-9Z Super Sidewinders flew from his internal bays. With less than a kilometer to travel the supersonic missiles impacted with almost no warning on the enemy craft, disintegrating it in a fireball of jet fuel and steel carnage. Petal flew next to Morning and cloaked her fighter for safety.

“Thanks for the save again! I would be dead if you weren't around Morning,” Petal flew off to engage more enemy, “Let's finish this! We only got two more!”

Morning sighed in his cockpit and turned off his comms, “If only we could be together... Focus Morning, you still got a mission to complete.”

“Tally ho! We got more bandits! Wait a minute! Jet are you seeing this?” Petal looked to her radar scope and saw the enemy craft start to multiply.

“Yeah! It's that same trick the Feds pulled on us on Comona! These Delphins got that same technology built into them! Mac, I need you to pull into their comms!”

“Solid copy Jet! Uplinking you their radio chatter! Good thing they don't have psyonic communications!” Mac Book cracked his hooves and put them to work on his keyboard to decrypt the enemy radio, “Done! Listen close ladies and gentlecolts!”

“Break off and attack! I don't want these NGJSF to know where we're coming from! Black Two, engage enemy flight leads!” Night Glider gave her orders to her wingpony.

“Roger ma'am!”

Jet switched his radio frequency to the allied channel, “Did you hear all that? They're gonna be going after me, my sister, JB, or Raptor! Everypony guard our six!”

“Dawnlight roger that,” Morning flew in with Petal off his right wing.

“Hmm,” Avia thought for a second, “Hey Flips!”

“Yeah Avia?”

“You still got some shockwave missiles left?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Target me!” Avia had something in mind, her face determined to her daring plan.

“WHAT?! That will kill you!”

“Not what I have in mind. Just do it!”

“Avia! What are you doing?!” Jet pulled evasive maneuvers on the enemies on his tail. With no clear indication which plane was real he had to treat every one as a potential threat.

“Just trust me! Flip! Fire the missile!”

“Madman! Ripple! Ripple!” Flip launched one of his devastating shockwave missiles right at Avia.

“Black Two! You got a shockwave missile inbound! Break! Break!” Night Glider warned to her wingpony.

“Breaking!” The enemy holograms pulled off along with the real Delphinus.

“Flips! Cut the tracking!” Avia followed the enemy flight as they retreated.

“Got it!” as soon as Flip cut off the lock from Avia's plane the missile continued straight forward with no lock warning to either Avia or their enemies. Avia dove to the ground and looked up to see the missile right inside the enemy squadron.

“Detonate it now!”

Flip caused his shockwave missile to manually detonate. Night Glider's wingpony was destroyed as a magical shockwave ripped through the air. The holograms faded as one single wreckage plummeted to the ground below.

“Confirmed splash! That was all you Flips!” Avia winked into the camera. Flip smiled at their risky move.

“Now that was genius,” Flip escorted her back into the fray, “Now we know who's left!”

“Shit!” Night Glider's holograms also faded, “Argh! Stupid machine! Will you work?!”

“Night Glider...” Starlight's voice echoed in her radio.

“Great Leader! My plane isn't working! Something is wrong!”

“No, you have failed me for the last time! I'm letting these vultures pick you off!”

“B-But Starlight! I am loyal to North Equestria and your ideals! What are you?!”

Jet lined up for a perfect kill shot at the back of Night Glider's plane.

“I! I CAN'T EJECT!” Night Glider was scared. Tears of fear started to flow down her face as all her controls locked up. A missile lock tone was blaring in her ears.

“I'm so sorry Night Glider, but because you are Sugar Belle's cousin I've decided to execute you for being her family. And what a better way to do that than to see you BURN!”

“I... I-” Night Glider awoke from her half conscious state. She was panicked and distraught to her own leader's intentions. Her loyalty cracked and shattered. She threw her helmet off and looked back to see the Equestrian plane ready to kill her, “I might as well face my death with honor. Go ahead! Shoot me!”

Jet was ready to pull the trigger but something in him twitched oddly, “Something isn't right. That enemy ace isn't taking any evasive.”

“Just finish the job bro!” Avia pulled up next to him. Zoey started to beep, “What's wrong Zoe?”

ENEMY FIGHTER HAS ALL SYSTEMS LOCKED DOWN. PILOT IS NOT IN CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT.

“This isn't right, you're right Jet!” Avia pulled up next to the enemy Delphinus, “This is Captain Panavia Tornado of the United Equus' Next Generation Joint Strike Force. Enemy pilot are you surrendering?”

Night Glider could not respond.

“Zoey, can you run a diagnostic on that fighter?”

WITH PLEASURE MISS AVIA. SCAN COMPLETE: ENEMY HIGH COMMAND HAS INTENTIONALLY LOCKED DOWN ENEMY FIGHTER. RADIO LOGS CONFIRM THIS.

“What? So they just did that to execute their ace?” Flip pulled up overhearing the conversation.

“Looks like it,” Avia continued with her commands, “Zoey, unlock all flight systems for the enemy craft but do not enable weapons. Understood?”

YES MISS AVIA. ENEMY PLANE UNLOCKED.

“T-This is Captain Night Glider of the North Equestrian Air Force! I-I've been betrayed by my own government. Starlight locked down my plane for you to kill me. Please! Help!”

“Don't worry, let's get you a new home Night Glider. Raptor! Escort our defector out of here with the rest of your squadron!” Jet gave his own orders.

“Copy that. Guess I'll see you later Hornet,” Raptor smiled as he pulled off to separate at max speed, “Hokums RTB! Mission complete!”

“I'm glad we didn't take too bad of injuries! We should probably head back too! Haha-!” Flip was cut off by a laser that impacted his fighter. It landed right into his cockpit and cut his plane right in half all along its length. Avia was there to witness the explosion milliseconds after the plane was cut cleanly in half. Flip's Fenrir spiraled to the ground in two pieces burning with fuel and unexploded ordinance. Avia sat in disbelief.

“Holy shit-” her eyes widened to the sight of the death of Flip, “FLIP! FLIP! FLIP IS DOWN!”

“WHAT?!” Contrail glanced back to see his brother's plane fall, “I! I don't see a chute! Sweet Luna! FLIP!”

“What happened?! Avia give me a sitrep!” Morning flew in and watched as Flip's fighter crashed into the mountains below, “Confirmed! He-He didn't make it!”

“I-I saw it too!” Jet started to pull evasive but looked back to his sister still flying level. Avia was still in shock to what just happened, “AVIA! AVIA! START JINKING! YOU'RE GONNA GET KILLED!”

“F-FLIP!” Avia cried his name. She screamed in her cockpit in equal fits of rage and sorrow. Zoey took matters into her AI hands and start to control the plane without Avia's input pulling evasive moves to shake off the lasers still being fired.

“Unknown craft approaching at high speed! Brace yourselves! It's something we've never seen before!”

“So, is this what you fight for Heroes of Equus?” Starlight came over in their radios, “Oppression, false promises, and false prophets?! Your nation, no, your world has gone on for far too long! No longer will we be chained to the rules set forth by Celestia and Luna! I ALONE AM YOUR TRUE LEADER! I CREATED FRIENDSHIP! I CREATED HARMONY! And with my new technology, I will reset this evil world back to square one...”

“Guys! We've got multiple ballistic missile launches originating from North Equestria! Believed to be Balefire warheads targeted for all major cities on all of Equus!” Ship took the radio from Mac Book and called it out. Mac took his microphone back.

“It's Starlight! She's controlling the Balefire launches! I'm running an analysis on her plane now!”

“Here comes the snow,” Starlight whispered in victory as the plumes of smoke from the Balefire tipped missiles rose from the mountains, “Those who survive a long time on the battlefield start to think they're invincible. I bet all your arrogance believes that too! Can you see any borders from here? What has borders given us? It's time to equalize the world! This twisted game needs to be reset.”

“Listen up NGJSF! I've completed analysis of the enemy craft. Designation: X-49 Night Raven! This plane is protected by an advanced ECM system. It's only weak point are the front air intakes! You'll have to attack it head on. Go! Take down Starlight! You're the only ones who can do this. Heroes of Equus, I pray for your success!”

As the fighters merged Starlight's plane fired another laser. This time it managed to clip the wing of Hornet which sent him spiraling out of control.

“Dammit! I'm hit but I can still punch out! Pray for me my friends!” Hornet managed to bail out into the wasteland below. He was going to have to survive on his own for a few weeks out in the wilderness before they could locate him. There was no telling if he would survive at all.

“Hornet is down! Dammit they're picking us off one by one!” Jet assessed his squadron, “We only got Avia and I plus Petal and Morning! The rest of my squadron has either been shot down or has bugged out!”

“Nimbus here! We've still got Con, Scorch, and I! We can still take her down!”

“I'm guarding my friends no matter what. Hornet will be okay. He's a tough SOB. I will avenge him all the same!” Raptor flew back in with his UAVs, “Eddy! Tin Man, engage and destroy!”

SOLID COPY COMMANDER RAPTOR.

CAPTAIN JET PLEASE ADVISE. YOUR SISTER IS IN A DEEP STATE OF GRIEF AND I CANNOT FUNCTION TO FULL COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS WITHOUT HER.

“I got it Zoey! AVIA! AVIA! SNAP OUT OF IT!” Jet flew into a Thach Weave with his sister's plane, “Dammit sis! Talk to me!”

“He's dead! He's fucking dead!” Avia was being thrown around like a rag doll as Zoey did her best to evade the lasers being fired at them.

“Captain Avia!” Contrail came over her display, “Listen! Flip was my brother! I don't know what he said to you that broke your heart but dammit if you don't pony up and fight all of us are gonna get killed! There are Balefire bombs raining down on all of Equus and if you don't snap out of it every stallion, mare, colt, and filly is going to die! Don't let my brother's death be in vain!”

“Four minutes to missile reentry!” Mac yelled to them all.

“Avia! Are you just going to sit here to let me die?” Jet asked a heavy question.

Avia gripped her control stick and sobbed. Her eyes were shut tightly and her teeth gritted with fury. She opened her eyes and rose back into her seat. There was a burning fire lit in her soul as she took the throttle and boosted forward into battle.

“...This is Avia... I have control...” Avia armed all her weapons and join into the head on attack, “Let's do this Zoey! THIS IS FOR FLIP!”

“For Flip!” Contrail joined in off to Avia's left wing. Jet was on her right with internal bays wide open to launch the blizzard of missiles with their combined squadron, “ARRRRGGGHHH!”

“That's my sister! To all units! We are taking down Starlight!” Jet's heart was filled with righteous fury as they all joined in the attack as one.

“You think that will destroy me?” Starlight vectored her laser to shoot down all their missiles launched at them, “HA! With my new technology I can out fly and out gun all of you! DIE NGJSF!”

With one quick blow Starlight's laser cut through all their planes. Steel and jet fuel exploded outward as they planes fell.

“NOO!” Mac Book, Ship, and Sagittarius all fell to their knees as the whole ace squadron was shot down by Starlight herself.

“...Dammit...” Jet looked on at the massive smoke plumes of the balefire bombs as they flew off into space to reach their targets. He drifted down with his own wing power as he managed to eject, “We failed... Who's still alive?”

“I count everyone... We all got out. Guess we were lucky,” Avia sat in depression as they all drifted down, “This is it huh?”

“Morning here, that one plane managed to shoot us all down?”

“Yeah, and now everything we know and love is going to be wiped out in a worldwide holocaust. I don't think there's much of a reason to live anymore. Once we all reach the ground we need to stick together and ride this out. I... Only wish I could have said goodbye...” Petal flew over to the pilots shot down. They all gathered together and landed softly in a clearing.

Meanwhile Starlight hovered above the battlefield in her flying wing fighter. She had the best seat in the house to view all of her destruction.

“YES! With these Balefire bombs I will liberate all of Equus. And now we will all be equal,” Starlight noticed friendly fighter approaching from her front. The IFF in her cockpit displayed them as Frostbite, “Hello Frostbite! Care to join me watching the fireworks?”

There was no response from Mitch. Inside his cockpit he switched to the open channel and broadcasted to all of UPF units stationed in North Equestria.

“All UPF units! Engage any and all North Equestrian troops loyal to Starlight! Frostbite! ENGAGE!”

“WHAT?!” Starlight took evasive maneuvers from the four planes, “YOU BETRAYED ME?! I THOUGHT WE WORKED TO BRING EQUALITY!”

“Starlight! If the UPF believes anything it is that we are the most superior beings in these two universes!” Mitch put his system hack to disable Starlight's lasers.

“What-My lasers!”

“And as such we are sworn to defend those lesser than us for we are the guardians of all nations!” Strella started to disrupt the control systems of Starlight's plane.

“MY PLANE! I CAN'T MOVE!”

“We never believed in Equality Starlight. We believe in nurturing and caring for our allies as they set forth into the stars!” Quincy disabled her ECM pods. The X-49 Night Raven was completely defenseless as they moved in for the kill.

“I... I can't believe it...”

Alyssa pulled in right behind her with the rest of Task Force Frostbite to line up for the kill shot, “Goodbye Starlight... Your ideals are nothing but a bullshit reason for you to have ever started this war!”

The camera to her fighter activated and Frostbite savored the tears that flowed from her face as they executed her with a volley of missiles that completely annihilated her aircraft. Starlight was no more, only bits and pieces of organs that crashed down with her plane into the mountains below. The NGJSF pilots looked with awe and relief to Frostbite's efforts to bring down the rogue leader.

“WAY TO GO FROSTBITE! WOO HOO!” Jet threw his helmet off and pumped his hooves into the air, “Now if only they could bail us out of these mountains.”

One of the Frostbite Black Jacket fighters flew over them and came back. It switched to VTOL mode and landed right near them. Jet's face was wide with surprise.

“Hello!” Strella opened her cockpit and smiled. She was still her in pony form.

“How in Celestia's butthole did you find us in his magnetic mess of mountains?”

“Psyonic-,” Strella hopped out and poked Jet again, “Technology! We picked up your brainwaves and our rescue teams are inbound to this location! Right now as we speak all UPF troops among the North Equestrians are turning on them. Not only that but all those ICBMs detonated safety above orbit altitude once we took down Starlight. The rest of your team is safe too! A lot of them laughed it off when we told them it was only a ruse to assassinate Starlight. Nelly laughed her head off as they were sent off to the UPFS New Supremacy to enjoy some cocktails and a pool party. Say, where's the rest of your squadron?”

Jet was thrust back into a grim reality, “A... A lot of them made it out fine but...”

“Oh, my Arceus...” Strella cupped her hooves to her face, “Dammit! We were too late!”

“No, it's not your fault. Let's all head home.”