A/N: Hope you like this chapter! The song in this video is "Aces in Exile" by Sabaton.

August 30th, 2018, 1500 hour, Osan AB, Pyeongtaek, ROK.

The 4th Squadron's next mission; escorting US B-1 Lancers attacking Musudan-ri (Tonghae) Satellite Launch Facility, one of the known location of North Korean ICBM stockpiles. As the tide turn in favor of the Coalition the DPRK had began serious preparation to use their most powerful arsenal: their nuclear missile.

Beforethat, reports of chemical attacks had also been confirmed by Coalition forces in Ongjin, Kaesong, and Wonsan. In fact, both Kousei and Emi had seen it close and personal, two days before.

"Be advised, intel has reported possible North Korean attack aircrafts delivering chemical weapons are present in the area. You are cleared to engage at the earliest opportunity!" said a JNAF AWACS callsign Mangetsu.

"Roger!" replied Symphonia 1-1. 

KPA forces are once again attempted to regain Ongjin, Kaesong and Wonsan in order to cut off supply for Coalition occupation force in Pyongyang in a combined arms assault.

Both Kousei and Emi are focusing on their instruments and radars to look for the enemy.

"Contact, bandits identified as six Su-25 Frogfoots and six Su-22 Fitters approaching US infantry formation in the northern edge of the city." AWACS Mangetsu reported.

Soon Symphonia 1-3 obtained lock of two lead KPAF attackers. Taneda armed her AAM-4s and upon passed the 100-mile range of the AAM-4, "Fox three! fox three!" she shouted. Both her intended preys, two Fitters, are not aware and keep heading for the Americans, when their jets exploded. It's her seventh and eighth kills respectively.

The rest of the North Koreans broke off and regrouped, as the Japanese closed in, but soon resumed their approach.

"Splash one!" Kotori reported as one Su-25 burst into flames as an AAM-5 heatseeker hit it up ahead. Her fifth kill. Another ace was born in the 4th Squadron.

"I got a lock, fox two, fox two!" Kousei locked two other Frogfoots, also called by Russians as Grach (Fortress) due to it's armor (equivalent to US A-10 Thunderbolt II). One disintegrated and one was heavily damaged, but keeping it's course towards the Americans below. Then as he approached the wounded Sukhoi's six in high speed, he realized that its diving towards the Coalition forces in a kamikaze strike.

"Lights out!" Kousei switched into guns and soon put the North Korean plane out of its misery.

"Finbacks! heading from the Northeast, Angels 14!" exclaimed Symphonia 4-2.

"All Symphonia call sign, Symphonia 1 and 3 will be detached to intercept the J-8s. 2 and 4 will remain on your current mission, commanded by Symphonia 2-1. On my mark, 1 and 3 break and head northeast." Hamada ordered.

Soon the squadron split into two formation with eight planes (two flights each formation). 

"Four contact up ahead, their profile matched on enemy attack aircraft, heading your way, do you copy?"

"Copy that Mangetsu, checking it out" 

The formation turned to be MiG-27 Flogger-Ds (dedicated ground attack variant of MiG-23)

"I got problem locking them, those bastard deployed chaffs" Symphonia 2-2 grumbled on the radio. The rest of Symphonia 2 soon closing in for heatseeker shot. But before it can happen, the MiGs exploded.

"What the hell?"

"Look!" said Emi.

Along with aircraft, a battery of Stryker MSL (Maneuver SHORAD/Short Range Air Defense Launcher) mobile SAM vehicle supports primarily American forces defending Kaesong from air attacks. The battery had just destroyed the MiG formation with it's turret-mounted Sidewinders.

Then it happened.

"Warning, nerve gas has been detected in several location of the city, delivered by enemy artillery. Our artillery unit has now loading specialized shells containing neutralizing agents (classified in name and compound). The location are being uploaded to your on-board computer as I speak. Meanwhile we also got report that a specialized French flight has been deployed to help the neutralization effort. The enemy want to destroy both our artillery and the neutralizer aircraft. Protect them at all costs, Mangetsu out!"

"Neutralizer unit approaching the city and we have incoming Flankers on their way. The canister making them easy targets. Engage and destroy!"

A flight of four French modified Rafale B twin-seat strike fighters equipped with special free-fall bomb containing the neutralizer agent entered the battlespace.

"Symphonia 2 flight, listen carefully, it's time to use LOAL. I had contacted AWACS to provide mid course update for the -4s. So if I ordered you to release, lock or not, you must release, each of you two, at the same time. Understand?" said Natsuki.

"Yes sir!"

At the point of launch marked on their displays, the F-15s released their AAM-4s. The J-11s were caught by surprise and six out of eight interceptors were destroyed. The destruction of it enables the French to drop the canisters, neutralizing the VX gases used in the attack.

Kaesong was saved, but up to 400 Coalition (mostly American) soldiers and civilians had become casualties.

Back to present. Kousei followed his squadron climbed up to 25.000 feet, head towards the Sea of Japan to rendezvous with the B-1s departing from Andersen Air Force Base, in the US territory of Guam. 

10 minutes after an uneventful refueling by Singaporean KC-135s. "This is Serpent Lead to Symphonia, we see you. Good to have more escort as enemy definitely has many planes in store for us." said the American lead of four-ship formation of Lancers, already with escort of four US F-15Cs.

"This is Chandelier lead to Symphonia, it's an honor to fly with you, side by side." The American F-15 lead, admiring the Japanese 4th Squadron's achievement.

The journey continues and all Eagles lead the bombers ahead, searching for enemy aircraft as they approaching North Korean airspace.

"I got contact. Su-30 Flankers. But the IFF said they are friendly" said Emi.

"Acknowleged. Indonesian, I think" Kousei replied on the radio.

It turned out to be true.

"Good evening, this is Thunder lead. We are ordered to further reinforce you, might be overkill, but we have new intel update suggesting the enemy has up to four squadron-sized fighters in the area." greeted the leader of a flight of Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) Su-30 Flankers, from the 11th Squadron. 

"Serpent to Thunder, acknowledged, no such thing as overkill." said Serpent 1-1.

"All units, this is Clarinet, be advised we are to be entering NK airspace. Proceed to your assigned path to the target area. If any air threat materializing engage at will. Over and out." called a USAF E-3G Sentry AWACS used in this particular mission.

The joint Eagle and Flanker flight split up and lower their altitudes as they began to lead the bombers entering North Korean soil.

25 miles into NK, designated as point Delta. "1-2 to 1-1, we got up to eight bogeys on radar. Seems the Norks already know we're here." Serpent 1-2 piped up.

"This is Thunder lead, we confirm bogeys. Clarinet this is Thunder 1-1, we have four contacts bearing 090, 230 miles. Can you confirm as bandits?" the Indonesian pilot called.

"Roger that, we see them, eight, confirmed as bandits, identified as Flanker-Gs."

The AWACS continued "Clarinet to all fighters, engage at will, Serpent flight, stay on course. Out"

"Roger!" replied Symphonia 1-1.

"Affirmative" said Thunder 1-1.

"Will do!" Chandelier 1-1 piped up.

---

"They retreating, what are they thinking?" asked Chandelier 1-4. Upon they locked the Flanker-Gs for AMRAAM shot the enemy flight retreats.

"Hold your position, they might set us up for ambush." said the American lead.

"Be advised we saw eight bandits, their formation seems ready for ambush."

The combined force soon formed up and maneuvered in order to force the enemy out of their formation and engaged them within-visual range. 

"I got a lock, Fox two!" Chandelier 1-2 called the first shot after rolling left to right, using two AIM-9X Sidewinders, and the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System) mounted on the American F-15s helped it caught two Flankers by surprise. One destroyed and one damaged, forced it out from the fight. 

"Splash one!" Kousei reported a Flanker destroyed. 

"Another one for the scrap-heap!" Thunder 1-3 confirmed his kill on a Chinese Flanker.

The rest of the enemy aircraft retreated for good. 

"Unlike the North Koreans or Iranians, the Chinese are more willing to concede combat in order to fight another day" Kousei remembered one of his instructors words about the state of the enemy.

The combined force soon regrouped and trailed the bombers. The latter soon entered the spaceport and proceed to attack the site.

"All target must be destroyed in a single pass, there will be no second pass" AWACS Clarinet ordered the bombers. 

"This is 1-2, I saw some movement down there, four confirmed as TEL vehicle already with missiles, Bombs away!" The first two B-1s opened their bomb bays and mixture of Mk. 82 500 pound and Mk. 84 1000 pound general-purpose bombs falling towards buildings below.

"Steady.. steady.. SAM, radar-guided, ECM, full power, deploy countermeasures!" said Serpent 1-1, as the lead Lancer is dropping its bombs, it also deployed chaffs.

Meanwhile the second flight passed through second drop point and dropped their bombs, further reducing the facility (including the ICBM inside) into smoldering wreck.  

As the Americans continue to pound the missile facility to dust, the escorts soon informed by the AWACS. "Heads up everyone, bandits detected, bearing 090, Angels 10 and closing towards the bombers. I also already vectored one flight from allied carrier the Zuikaku along with a flight of Su-30s and F-15s from Chitose to your location as we detected increasing numbers of enemy planes airborne heading towards yours."

Without hesitation, the combined force raced ahead to meet with the enemy, as the bombers are preparing to exit the battle area, had successfully razed the former satellite launch facility.

"Incoming!" said Chandelier 1-2.

The enemy turned to be a large formation of marked PLAAF J-10/J-11s and KPAF J-10s.

Meanwhile..

"Hello, Arima Kousei" Kousei's radio crackled to life. And he know the voice belongs to whom.

"Hae" he said.

He already know she only want his head, as the J-10 with number #451, signature of Hae, now a Lieutenant Colonel, passed him.

"2-3 to Symphonia 2 flight, request that the others are not engage the J-10 with number #451. She's mine." Kousei called his leader.

"Request granted" Natsuki replied.

---

As Kousei pursued his nemesis, one PLAAF J-10 attempted to lock him in ambush.

"Out of my way!" He barked as he fired one AAM-5 which destroyed the Chinese jet.

"Fox two!" Honoka lead her flight which dispersed several J-11 Flankers from their formation and picked them off one-by-one.

Along with friendly radio, some enemy conversation also overheard by the Coalition pilots as they panicked, the Communists called each other in open frequency. 

"Look out, those are Japanese ace squadron called Symphonia, comrades, I need help..  (static)" One Chinese J-11 pilot frantic call for help went off the air as his Flanker was shot down by Symphonia 2-2.

"Damn those Imperialists!" one North Korean pilot cursed as Thunder 1-1 shot one of his wingmen out of the night sky.

"Chandelier 1-3, Fox three!" Two more J-10 went down from his AMRAAM shot, but one other Firebird soon managed to hit him with gunfire.

"Damn, I'm hit, Left engine is losing power. Request to bug out!" he radioed. 

"Roger that, 1-4, cover him as he left the battle area" the American lead ordered.

"ECM!" Several allied pilots reported interference with their radar.

"Clarinet to all planes, be advised enemy EW aircraft are operating in this area. Your long-range radar lock will be easier to broken, so closer-range engagement is recommended."

"Clarinet, this is Thunder. Don't worry, we have passive homing long-range missile for this contingency. All Thunder flight, follow me, we're going to make that jammer another addition for the scrap-heap" replied the leader, Lt. Col. Marsudin.

As the Indonesians are looking for the jammer, the first reinforcement arrived, in the form of six F-35CJ from the Japanese carrier Zuikaku, followed by four Su-30 Flankers, turned to be Indonesian.

"Kajiki (swordfish in Japanese) 01, Fox two!" the lead F-35 launched his AAM-5, followed by the rest of the flight.

"Splash one Firebird!" reported Kajiki 03, Lt. Umi "Target" Sonoda (1).

"Ha, another kill!" another Kajiki pilot reported his kill.

Then "I see it!" said another Indonesian pilot, Thunder 2-2, which his reinforcement flight has only joined the battle 5 minutes ago as he saw a Chinese KJ-2000 AWACS aircraft positioned 70 miles northwest from the facility, escorted by four Su-30MKKs.

"Shoot down that SOB" Marsudin ordered. 

R-77P passive-homing (anti-radiation) missiles were soon released by the Indonesian Flankers. It caught the Chinese by surprise and two missiles hit the AWACS, causing it to burst into flames. Thunder 2 flight also released the active-radar guided R-77Ms towards the escorting Chinese Flankers, one hit dispatched the Russian-designed jet, the rest fled towards friendly lines. 

"Symphonia 3-4, splash one Flanker!" Another victory for the Japanese, while Kousei, with Emi trailing behind, are still pursuing Hae, which proceeded to shot down one Japanese F-35 and one Indonesian Su-30 on her way.

"You're not good enough" Hae taunted as both Kousei and Emi struggled to obtain lock on her Firebird. She soon flipped and attempted to shoot down the pianist with her gun, but Emi intervene by firing her own Vulcan, only registering one hit. Hae soon managed to become Kousei's pursuer once more, only to be defeated by the latter's Cobra maneuver, enabled by the thrust vectoring nozzle.

The North Korean female ace continued her attempt to defeat her nemesis, even managed to fire one PL-9C heatseeker missile towards him, only to be defeated by Kousei's maneuver and flares, caused him to be in opposite direction from Hae. A perfect situation for head on engagement.

"Good night, left side" he cursed as two AAM-5 launched and hit the J-10 head on, destroying it. But he soon realized that Hae had already ejected before impact.

"This is Clarinet. All bombers have made it to safety. Mission complete, all aircraft RTB."

Major victory. But Kousei know that he must kill Hae to expedite the end of the war.

A/N:

1. Sonoda Umi is another character from Love Live! Best friend of Honoka and Kotori, also member of μ's (Muse). Her given name means Sea, so in this story I made her a carrier-based pilot. I make her callsign "Target" as she practiced Kyudo, Japanese traditional archery in the anime.

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