The Lonely Earth - Earth ISOT into Magitek fantasy

Chapter 10: Ace in a day

Former Arctic Ocean, North of Murmansk 150 hours after Worldshift

"This is Tarbosaurus, confirming a routine surveillance flight with no unusual sightings," Lapotnikova Yarina Vasilievna reported over the radio.

As her Su-27 soared higher, Yarina tried to shake off the mounting boredom and cope with her disoriented sleep schedule. Flying alongside an A-50 for weather surveillance wasn't exactly thrilling, but until a more advanced automated monitoring system was in place, she was committed to these flights. On the bright side, the planet's peculiar atmosphere maintained an astonishing thickness without increasing air pressure, allowing her to ascend to heights she had never reached before.

In this outer atmosphere, she technically could go without her oxygen mask or even roll down the window, but practicality dictated otherwise, especially at high speeds. Yet, despite the seemingly serene surroundings, a sense of unease gnawed at her. The fine hairs on her neck stood upright, and her body felt an unexplainable sense of danger. Occasionally, the radar would catch something in the vicinity, but before she could relay its position, the mysterious presence would vanish into thin air.

The isolation and uncertainty were testing Yarina's nerves. The vast expanse of the atmosphere held secrets yet to be discovered, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched by something intangible and evasive. But as an experienced pilot, she knew better than to dismiss her instincts. Caution and vigilance would guide her until the enigmatic enigma of the skies was unraveled.

"Any sign of that radar ghost, Pyotr Velikiy?" she inquired, her voice steady but an underlying tension evident.

"So far, nothing. Keep your eyes peeled for any contact," the response from Pyotr Velikiy brought a sense of relief, but the lingering doubt persisted. It wasn't solely because she was one of the first Russian women fighter pilots since the Great Patriotic War; an incessant feeling of danger gnawed at her.

"Tarbosaurus, this is Mastodon, all clear in my sector," Votyakov Osip Borisovich chimed in, flashing a thumbs-up just at the edge of her vision as his plane aligned to her left. Despite the rules against fraternization, she couldn't help but notice his flirtations. However, she chose to maintain a professional distance. Together, their aircrafts cut an impressive figure as they ascended higher above the first layer of clouds, soaring through the vast expanse of Xarazanth's sky.

The dense clouds beneath them danced like an ever-changing tapestry, concealing both wonders and potential threats. Yarina's heart pounded in sync with the rhythmic roar of the engines, and her trained eyes scanned the heavens vigilantly. In this uncharted territory, even the slightest anomaly could unravel into a perilous situation.

"Mammoth here, all clear as well," Mishutina Rosina Zakharovna buzzed in, her aircraft gracefully maneuvering from below to join the rest of the squadron. The thrill of flying coursed through her veins, and being accepted into the Russian Air Force was nothing short of a dream come true. To Rosina, the sky was an endless expanse where possibilities knew no bounds, where any destination could be reached. But now, on Xarazanth, the very notion of limits seemed impossibly distant. Here, they could achieve the extraordinary; their aspirations soared higher than ever before. The looming threat of the mysterious shadows to the north only fueled their determination, turning their eagerness into a fierce resolve for real combat.

"Velociraptor here, nothing on my end," Mamin Arkadiy Vitalievich chimed in, his aircraft gliding high above to the east, descending from a lofty cloud to survey the rapidly shrinking Arctic below. As his plane rolled onto its belly, the radiant dawn of the twin suns cast a brilliant shimmer on the vast sheets of ice, which served as the waning sanctuary for Earth's arctic fauna. Here, amidst the frozen tundra, wildlife experts struggled to protect the endangered species, while the enigmatic Frost-folk sought to stake their claim and stabilize the region. Mamin's composure remained unshaken, and his sharp eyes could seemingly pierce through eternity, never missing even the tiniest detail. He relished flying above others, basking in the strategic advantage it granted him. Unlike some, Mamin wasn't one for dogfighting; he preferred the tactical advantage of delivering death from above, leaving no room for retaliation.