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[hider=The Dogfight]
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[youtube]https://youtu.be/_kEZSAMbNSM[/youtube]
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In response to the daring attack of the first four SU-30s, Chinese escort jets began dispersing to intercept the sudden intruders to the skies they thought was rightfully theirs. So caught aback by this sudden attack that the squadron neglected the presence of another four, all of whom very happy to exploit this mistake. Having barely any escorts around to contest the other predators, the Vietnamese jets darted through the clouds and pounced on the hapless bombers from below, bursting four into flames in seconds. Just like their squadron leader, they climbed above the Chinese formation before sweeping right back down on their preys. Three aircraft briefly broke away after their missile launch to avoid fire, but the one at the head of the formation saw their opportunity, fearlessly charged into the midst of the formation, weaving inbetween the bombers, unleashing volleys of machine gun fires onto their targets. The two gentlemen in the cockpits were Lotus 4, Cuong and Nikolay, commandeered their battle-hardened craft to continue its relentless assault. On its fuselage, ten lotus decals lined just beneath the cockpit warned enemy aviators of the fate that befell their counterparts.

Another bomber turned into a shooting star, as Cuong and Nikolay finally broke off from the bomber squadron, more to avoid the falling wreckage than enemy fire. However, the steak were running out, and the ungracious host seemed to dislike the guest's rapacious appetite, so the bombers began to turn around. Whether or not they wanted to do another bombing run or have had enough of eating missiles for lunch, the Chinese escort jets were back to save their comrades and chase away the squadron that was causing them this much pain.

"Heads up you four, these birds are coming back." The voice of Captain Tuan over the comm warned of their impending threat. "They didn't have their food, so they're [i]pretty[/i] mad right now." 

[color=7bcdc8]"Roger, should we retreat or engage?"[/color] Said Cuong.

"Wellll, we're here to bail our poor friends out, so we can't really let them have the skies." The captain replied. 

[color=7bcdc8]"Say no more captain."[/color] He was just fine with that. [color=7bcdc8]"Comrades, break. Don't pick the same target, but feel free to call if you need any help."[/color]

The three jets accompanying Lotus 4 each gave their own affirmative response before pitching away from one another. The other four in the first group also did the same. Despite still being outnumbered, both men had no qualm or even were ecstatic for this fight. Bushwhacking the Chinese was age-old for the Vietnamese, but the fierce, fast-paced dogfight felt much better. In this new era of Arms Masters, a kid could best the most veteran of combat soldiers. No matter how many years one could train, people who were either born to manifest their NA or were among the super rich could just purchase one and overpower you. It's an ultimate game of luck, in the scale of billions. The blue skies is the only few place where that didn't matter as much. There is no purchasing or born into piloting a plane, let alone fight toe to toe with others in them. You have to put in the work, no matter who you are. And everybody falls out of it just the same way.

[color=7bcdc8]"Incoming hostile."[/color] Cuong announced. 

[color=ed1c24]"They look eager."[/color] Nikolay raised his eyebrows as he noticed how fast the jet was coming towards them. [color=ed1c24]"Let's make this quick for them."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"One turn?"[/color] The black-haired pilot chuckled. [color=7bcdc8]"Risky, but sure. Preparing to merge."[/color]

Within seconds, the two planes passed by each other head-on with breakneck speed. The Chinese jet quickly made his circular turn, and the pilot could see the enemy jet mirroring him in the other direction only to hear, in horror, the missile lock alarm. The Chinese pilot was barely halfway through his turn when that Vietnamese Su-30 already bent its nose around pointing straight at him, drifting through the air with white vapours frothed atop its wings. A missile followed shortly after. Flares were deployed, but the missile found its mark, slamming onto the Chinese jet just behind the cockpit. Within seconds of challenging the Vietnamese aces, the pilot was dead.

[color=ed1c24]"Hostile confirmed down."[/color] Nikolay announced, seeing the blip on his radar just vanish. [color=ed1c24]"No parachutes. Looks like the missile killed them."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"Probably for the better. I doubt those guys down there would be kind to them."[/color] Cuong said, glancing down on the flaming wreck that was once a very capable jet piloted by a motivated aviator. [color=7bcdc8]"Quite a sudden death I'd say. I wonder what's the last thing they had in their mind there."[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"I don't know, probably the missile."[/color] Nikolay shrugged. [color=ed1c24]"Dinner's not over yet brother. Let's go for another one."[/color]

[color=7bcdc8]"No talking while chewing eh? Sure."[/color] The Senior Lieutenant rolled his eyes in amusement as the afterburner kicked in and the jet charged straight for another target.
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[hider=The Chinese Air Force's retreat]
The air battle continued to rage over Lingayen city, with the soldiers and remaining citizens watching on from below. The battle was daunting, only eight Vietnamese jets against dozens of Chinese's. But as the sky continued to be filled with white trails of plane and missile, the tide of the battle was slowly tipping over. Casualties littered the Lingayen city and countryside, with pilot corpses shot out by the Meitner's sniper team or the metallic handiwork of the Lotus squadron. By the end of the battle, all eight azure jets were still airborne, but not without damage.

"Uh-oh, looks like my right wing's flaps are shot out. Fuel's leaking too." A voice came over the comm. It was the captain.

"That was on me captain, they were right in my gunsight!" Another pilot spoke out. 

[color=ed1c24]"You ok, captain?"[/color] Nikolay asked. [color=ed1c24]"Can you make it back to Manila?"[/color] 

"I wish. Camp Abat's the closest base around here. They said they have a runway for us to use." Tuan replied, quickly turning his plane around for the base. "Lotus 8, I need you to escort me there. Lotus 4, you are in charge of Lotus now." 

[color=7bcdc8]"Roger."[/color] Cuong replied. Two jets broke off from the battlefield and descended north east towards the base. Some opportunistic Chinese pilots saw this occurring and also broke off to chase the damaged aircraft. [color=7bcdc8]"Oh no you don't."[/color] The Senior Lieutenant quickly noticed this, however, and descended to follow them. 

[color=7bcdc8]"Lock!"[/color]

[color=ed1c24]"Confirm, launching missile."[/color] 

A press of a button and a missile dropped from its pylon, quickly speeding off into the distance. To both pilot's surprise that missile did not track. It, in fact, veered off in a different direction altogether. 

[color=ed1c24]"What the..."[/color] Both eyes peered towards where that missile was going. Towards the sun. Another sun, one that's cooking the clouds above it like a stove. They briefly snapped back in order to get rid of the Chinese jet that was chasing their captain, cutting one of its wings clean off with their cannons. But once that was done, there was another problem to worry about: that sun. What is it doing?

All of a sudden, a blinding energy beam smashed into the gigantic dome down at the beach, the shriek could be felt inside the cockpit, on the yoke that both the pilots were now gripping tight, because what came next was a nasty force pushing from beneath their seat. The whole aircraft shook as both pilots tried to escape the air turbulence caused by this second sun. 

The People's Liberation Air Force was now officially pulling back en masse. Within minutes, the only thing flying through the sky over Lingayen are some low-flying helicopters and the six remaining Lotus Squadron jets. It might have seemed like the battle in the air was won, but the pilots in the squadron knew that this wasn't over yet. 

[color=7bcdc8]"Ground command, what's your status?"[/color] Cuong asked over the comm, once the attack had passed. [color=7bcdc8]"If you're still there, the sky's clear, awaiting further orders."[/color] If no one replied from that, well...they'd just have to figure it out by themselves. 
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