Still there? Hope you like this chapter. Short, yes, but this mission has somewhat lack of lengthy dogfight as the Allies generally hold air superiority over Karachi.

......

Finally, another night sortie.

The mission itself is quite bizzare; protecting a convoy of civilians, which are being evacuated from the besieged Karachi by the primarily Indian Red Cross recently entered the city after weeks of bloody urban combat.

I mean, we're protecting Pakistanis, with their negative opinion towards Indians since late 1940s. Furthermore, for the Indonesians, the back then-Pakistani government support towards the Islamic State of Indonesia in the civil war has rendered 85% Indonesians to dislike Pakistanis as a whole.

But maybe they've realized that living as refugees in India are much better than "72 virgins" and living under Sharia, especially after main UCC forces in the city has been diminished in number by casualties, defection, or desertion.

One of the main means of resistance of Karachi resident towards Indian and Allied forces besieging the city (with other forces behind are defending Haiderabad) is suicide attack. As weeks passed less and less of them willing to become suicide bombers, despite heavy UCC propaganda exhorting them to fight until the last man standing.

Speaking of Haiderabad we have information that the UCC counterattack has been called off yesterday. So the Allies are consolidating their positions and aimed their sight to the west, towards the city of Quetta.

"This is Gandiwa. All flight, check your status!" the familiar A350 called us.

"Emerald to Gandiwa, we can hear you loud and clear."

"This is Cobra, all systems up." called the leader of twelve Indian Air Force Rafale F5s.

"Tiger lead reports all birds are in good shape." replied a Korean, commanding two flights of KF-35A Lightning IIs.

"All aircraft, commence top cover on the civilian convoys evacuating Karachi. Latest intel reports that UCC had managed to sneak a group of attack helicopters and possibly strike fighters into the area. In one side the convoy has air defense cover. In addition we has electronic warfare assets on the area. But the bird is vulnerable to enemy fighters. That's why maintaining air superiority here is paramount. Protect both the convoy and the EW asset from any enemy attack..."

"...Good luck and Godspeed!"

"This is Sperm Whale 1-1 to all planes, providing EW support now, please keep fighters off our back!" called the lead of a pair of Korean operated EF-35 Raven IIs.

"Be advised, enemy attack helicopter squadron approaching, bearing 140, angels 7 and closing fast towards the convoy. They got close-range air to air missile so stay sharp when dealing with them. Destroy all targets before they get into missile range!"

"Cobra lead to all Cobra flight, spread out and engage!" said the Indian Rafale lead.

"Cobra 3-2, Fox two!" One of the other Rafale pilot released two MICA-IR which slammed into two Turkish-originated T-134 below her and destroyed it.

"3-4, guns, guns, guns!" Another Rafale, dodging Sidewinders fired by the T-134s, went close behind one of the trailing helicopters and shot it down with its cannon.

"Heads up, we have six fast moving contacts, same bearing, angels 12"

"Contacts identified as hostile, F-15Es"

While the Indians continue to engage the helicopters with the cost of two of its own Rafales, we punch afterburners and lower altitude to help them stop those Mudhens om their tracks. Our long-range radars soon detected six blips aiming towards the civilian evacuation convoy.

"Stop those Strike Eagles before they closing in with the evacuation convoy!"

"Cobra 2-2, Fox three!" A second flight of Indian Rafales, has done engaging the attack helicopters, gained lock first with their Meteors and fired, taking down some of the F-15Es.

As the remaining enemy strike fighter reorganized after the Meteor barrage, I decided to put my flight for a close-quarter engagement in which the Sukhois excelled. Stealth be damned.

It's four Su-63s, and four Rafales, vs three Strike Eagles. But we know that might be more.

"Heads up, bogies, bearing 145, co-alt, 60 miles, heading southeast..."

Another three pairs of F-15Es entered the battlefield with almost the same purpose.

"I'm spiked" I reported.

"Missile launch!!" My element leader, Capt. Olivia "Teacup" Sendjaja soon called us that the second group Strike Eagles has attempted to fire their AMRAAMs towards us. Instinctively, upon her report and the AI warning, the ARS soon do what it designed to assisting us avoiding the missile barrage. I can see the enemy used us to vent their anger upon their failure to get closer to the convoy or the Ravens.

"Missile shot trashed" called my wingman, Lt. Andreas.

"Missile evaded.. missile evaded.." the computer keep telling me over and over as I banked and rolled.

Immediately we positioned ourself west of Karachi and lined up for a radar missile shot. But the AI soon stole my attention, as the system warned me that we are being tracked by an IRST.

Andreas looked left and called "Bandits, nine o'clock, Angels 15, 120 miles, break, break!!"

Immediately the sky lit up with tracers as a new flight of UCC fighters, this time F/A-18E Super Hornets, dived on us and fired its cannons. I soon rolled, followed by Andreas, into the Hornets' six o'clock; Soon we obtained a good tone for the heatseekers.

"Emerald 1-2, Fox two!" Andreas pressed the launch button, and the AA-14 went straight into one of the diving Super Hornets, which barely able to roll due to so many negative G-force it takes, and the Javanese know that little chance the pilot will be able to eject, and indeed I can't see a chute as his R-75 slammed into the Super Hornet.

The second missile from mine blew off the left wing on the trailing ex-Kuwaiti Super Hornets and cartwheeled in mid-air. The other two hit afterburners and bug out from the fight.

"2-1 to lead, I think we have the airspace secure, no one on my six, above or below. We're need to ask Gandiwa for SITREP."

"Gandiwa, what's the status of the convoy?"

"They are still evacuating as now, keep your eyes open for any threat. Anyone run out of fuel are cleared to return home, as we had American F-22s sent to your position to back you up..."

Suddenly "Wait! We picking up a flight of cruise missiles heading towards the evacuation convoy, we must assume that it carried nuclear, chemical, or bio warheads. All allied flight, you need to take those missiles out fast. Just one hit will result in massive casualties. Our standing is riding on this evacuation, people! Make it happen!"

"Don't worry, Gandiwa! It won't get past us!" I replied.

"Weapons lock," the AI inside Andreas' plane told him that his R-37BM has locked the target. One out of four planes in each flight was tasked to carry the said heavy ultra-long range missile, originally developed for dedicated Russian interceptors like the MiG-31 and newer MiG-41, but later also integrated to Flankers and Firefoxes.

"Fox three!"

The proximity fuzes worked as advertised, and the word "TARGET DESTROYED" flashing in his HMD proved it.

But there's more than one cruise missile.

"We got two more missiles heading the same way, take them out!"

"This is 1-3 to lead, I'll take the shot"

"Proceed, 1-3, make it happen!"

"Target is dead ahead, fire at will!" I called her as she reported having the missiles on her radar.

"Fox three!" Two agile K-77M went off her external wing pod. One destroyed the target but one missed.

"No joy, Teacup, try again"

She resorted to gun to take the missile down, and as it tumbling down into the ground suddenly..

I can feel a massive explosion shocked our position and I almost lose control if the AI not helped me. As I leveled the wing I called, "1-3, what's your status?"

"Emerald 1-3 report your position!"

Thankfully she soon called back. "Lead, this is 1-3, the second missile is a nuke, a large secondary explosion detected and my life support system detected radioactive particles outside."

"Shit man!" cursed her wingman Andik.

The nearby Korean F-35 squadron ad well as the Indians also reported the same and cursed the UCC in their own language, before piped the AWACS.

"Gandiwa, this is Tiger flight, all birds are still in the air!"

"This is Cobra, we confirm that the last convoy has entered our line, mission accomplished!"

"Sperm Whale flight, reporting all accounted for and are now going home.."

"Be advised, American F-22s are in position to take over the CAP duty, All flights, you're cleared to RTB!"

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After this, where you think that the 42nd will have mission? Tell me your opinions below! Vote and comment!