CARRIERS Act one: First Blood part II

Bandung, February 17 2030

"I thought my IFF was malfunctioning. There are suddenly sixteen or so blips where there were only four earlier" Major Armani said. his eyes had that faraway looks in them. He took a sip of tea from the cup.

"I remember my flight lead's reaction at that very well" he said, chuckling.

....................................................

"What the fuck!? Those sons of pigs set us up! Fucking Malaysian!" Major Alvin cursed up a storm.

"Grenadiers! Protect AWACS Gatotkaca at all cost!" he barked out his orders "We're holding them off until reinforcement arrives!"

Lieutenant Armani turn to his right and clenched his fist in the direction of Grenadier 4. The other pilot nod his head and clenches his own fist.

"Roger that GM, preparing for engagement" Armani said.

The four Indonesian F-14s bank to the right, setting their heading for the bogeys while putting themselves between the potential threat and their AWACS. Coming head on towards them is two squadrons of Malaysian fighters, one consisted of the Su-30s and the other of F-18Ds.

"Be ready to fight guys, they're coming in threatening speed estimates seven-zero-zero knots" Major Alvin said.

A chorus of "Roger that" answered him. The four F-14s split off in pairs, Sasha followed Major Alvin and Armani and Agriya break off toward the Hornets.

"Grenadiers flight, cleared hot, I say again, cleared hot!" AWACS Gatotkaca practically shouted through the communication link.

"Roger that Gatotkaca... ETA on allied reinforcement?" Major Alvin replied.

"Allied reinforcement from Pekan Baru ETA momentarily"

The pilots cursed. Their eyes watches as the potential bandits getting closer and closer. Suddenly Major Alvin cursed loudly. "Break! Break! They're firing whites! long range!"

The rest of the squadron rolled and dive out, Armani lit up the after-burner to gain speed faster.

"This is Nice-suit, closing in on enemy, preparing Phoenix fire!" he said.

"Roger that Nice-suit. Witch, you better stick to my tail, we're going to hunt some MiGs!" GM said.

Armani's F-14 leveled out, moments later the four Phoenix missiles carried underneath his fighter were launched simultaneously.

"Fox three!" his RIO reported in.

Armani wastes no time in climbing up, following one of the maneuvering F-18s.
"This is Nice-suit, going in for the kill. Bolter, you better cover my ass" he said.

Bolter, 1st lieutenant Agriya replied a negative, "Can't do Nice-suit, one of them somehow got on my six!"

"Never mind then Bolter, Nice-suit in gun range!" he said, firing cannon rounds toward the enemy Hornet. It receives several hit but did not fall out of the sky. Armani cast one last glance at the crippled fighter limping back toward his base before turning and heading for the one tailing Bolter's jet.

meanwhile........

"Witch splashed one!" Sasha's RIO shouted triumphantly.

"Watch out Witch! there's one tailing you right now!" Major Alvin shouted.

Sasha turn back to look and muttered, "Oh shit" before diving straight down. She climbs up behind the Malaysian pilot and fired her last missile. "I'm winchester, repeat Winchester" she said.

"Damn, I only got two Sparrows left. Witch, forms up on Gatotkaca"

"But GM! I'm not leaving my flight lead!" she shot back stubbornly.

"Do it Witch, take the two boys with you and escort Gatotkaca out of here"

"GM, don't you even try!" she shout, panicking.

"I'm sorry lil' sis, I'll buy you times to escape... The enemies are too numerous" Alvin said.

........................................................................................
Jakarta, March 13 2030

"I still remember his voice from that day... He's my brother figure, I knew I could never argue with him, he even made me promised to lead the guys" Sasha Alviana Putri said.

She glances at the photograph she got sitting on her desk at her office and smiled sadly.

"In the end, the grenadiers went back to Garuda missing one plane... I was promoted to flight lead position. The transferred pilot replacing me in second was quite interesting gal" Sasha said, looking off toward a picture of a young girl in flightsuit.