Destined for Earth

Log 2

"We are -heavy attack, ---is a xenos aircraft! ----unknown at this time!" I involuntarily shuddered at the panic in the mans voice. "Squad Lead? You hearing this?" I heard a fellow airman ask over the vox. "Affirmative. I'll talk to control about it, the rest of you keep those eyes peeled and trigger fingers steady. I have a bad feeling about this." Squad Lead cut out for a moment before returning, his tone very sour in comparison to before. "Alright, Control is certain we have no enemy signatures in the airspace. But we are cleared to send a pair of machines to check it out. Any volunteers?" When there was no answer I gulped. My hands and mouth moved on their own, and before I knew it the words came tumbling out of my lips. "I-I'll go sir." I felt immediate regret as soon as I said it, my only comfort being noone else took up the call beside me. The relief was stripped away as soon as a female voice rung out across my ears. "Ah throne, I'll make sure the kid doesn't get himself killed." I recognized the voice dimly from the briefing I had received before my joining Y Squadron. My mind didn't bring a name. "Copied. Foxtrot Niner and Delta Seven will break off and investigate the attack on our ground forces. Move out. The Emperor Protects." 

The clouds were stained red by the time we arrived at the sight of the attack, dawn was approaching and through the dimming light the fires shone like little lanterns. As we got closer those lanterns were far more sinister than I thought. Tanks were burning everywhere. "Holy throne! Delta Seven you seeing this?" The crass reply more than soothed me. "Hard not to Foxtrot Niner, now stop looking at the ground and look up. Whoever did this might still be around." I nodded and began to scour the dimming skies. I took a look at the scanners mounted to the Thunderbolt's dash. Nothing. "I got nothing on scanners." I reported, expecting another rebuke and not being let down. "You'll learn quick those spinning bastards won't tell you a fragging thing. Use what the God-Emperor gave you." I sighed and scanned the sky again, the sun was quickly dipping below the horizon. As I watched the golden light slowly recede I caught sight of something else. As I spotted it an overwhelming urge overcame me. An instinct almost. "Uh, Delta Seven there's something on your tail." 

Delta Seven, to her credit reacted instantly. The tail of her thunderbolt shot up and then down, wings shaking through the force of her rapid maneuver. As she careened through the sky I managed to get a better look at her assailant. It was a shimmering fighter of a make and design I'd never seen before. It ducked an weaved almost lazily as it pursued Delta Seven. Then it began to fire, purple light cascading from its wings and shearing through the port side of Delta Seven's Thunderbolt. Miraculously, the aircraft remained in flight. They made these Navy Fighters well I suppose. "Foxtrot Nine! Are you planning on just sitting there all day?" The panic and frustration in Delta Seven's voice snapped me into action and I put my fighter in a solid dive. I felt the machine shake as I reached serious speeds. Basically every dial I had was in the red, but I ignored them. My eyes were glued on my gunsight, the two wings of the Imperial Aquila marked were my weapons would spit death. I carefully led the target, struggling to keep the sight steady as the Thunderbolt rocked around me. "Imperator." I muttered as I squeezed the trigger. The twin Avenger Bolt Cannons mounted on my prow roared like a mythical creature of old. the sounds of dozens of shells being emptied and ejected filled my ears. The xenos fighter buckled and began to smoke under the full fury of my fusillade. The xenos tried to pull away but I already had him dead to rights. The skystrike missile mounted under my wings roared to life and sprung forward, hunting the signature of the xenos fighter. my vision became clearer and I locked onto the tail of the fleeing xenos fighter, My Bolt Cannon began to rotate before the missile even landed. Or rather, didn't. Xenos countermeasures took care of that. I didn't care, the dancing black shape was once again between two stylized wings. 

FOOL! In Vathors self indulgent attempts to draw out the fear of the first mon'keigh craft he had completely forgotten the second. How? How was he so ignorant to forget the existence of a second combatant? Now the blasted primitive had locked onto him and mauled his steed. He had narrowly avoided the simple missile sent his way, but his stealth mechanisms had been totaled with the first volley. He had no way to escape the brutish primitive on his rear. Normally he would've laughed at that metaphor, but as sparks flew at his face from exploding dials and instruments. All humor was gone. A peek at the human craft behind him confirmed his fears. The cannons that made its primary armament were rotating, Vathor shut his eyes as twin blossoms of flame spit a ridiculous amount of hard shells his way.

The cockpit of the xenos disappeared in an explosion of purple flame, the rest of the flaming plane plummeted towards the graveyard of its own design. I leaned back. "Delta Seven? You still airborne?" I awaited the response and after a nervous couple seconds Delta Seven's strained voice responded. "I'll live. That was some damn good flying Foxtrot." I, despite the nerves and adrenaline, laughed. "Appreciated Delta Seven." Delta Seven chuckled, "Just call me Della."