I hope you like another dating scene of this story!

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For the last two days we are in reserve, while our people in the ground still fighting off the UCC counterattack from Iran. And my thumb is itching on the trigger.

To kill time, I, Andik, Bachtiar and Kevin hit on the simulators inside the base.

Other than three boys I mentioned earlier I know that Evelyn is taking her time in the gym with some with the Indians along with Ouddy, Petrus, Rita, and Diana. She's known to have preference to have at least one girl keep an eye on her if she doesn't go with me outside combat situations and has doing so way back when we are still cadets.

Back to the simulator, "Target destroyed" The display indicated two enemy fall from my missile shot.

"Good kill" Kevin said upon his "leader" Andik killed the high value target in the simulation, a CR939 tanker used by the UCC.

"That's gonna hurt" Ouddy piped in. I suddenly imagined if we are in their position, losing a tanker from an enemy attack.

Then on a pre-determined time, we are rendezvousing with Colonel Medi and Major Rita.

"Surprise!"

"Happy birthday!"

Today is the birthday of our weapon's officer and oldest man in our squadron. Major Ahmad "Bone" Setiawan, now 36. As we are at war, we have practice for collective celebration each month for pilots' birthday.

Along with Major Ahmad two more of us were born in the same month. Capt. Muhammad "Referee" Hamdani, born February 28th, 2017 and Melissa "Red Eye". Born the same year, but seven days before Hamdani.

"Alright, you three, make your wishes." said Medi. His eyes focused on any sign of trouble.

"Well, we win this war!" The most junior, Hamdani said first.

"Kill as many as I can, Live or die, is God's will anyway." Melissa added.

"To be able to go home safely" Ahmad closed.

"Tiup lilinnya, tiup lilinnya" (Blow your candles) That song accompanied three pilots as they blow an array of candles. As they are celebrating my minds went back when I gave Evy a birthday surprise after a mission.

We are having our routine CAP today to ward off not-uncommon raids aimed towards the Indian interior, particularly the state in which our base is located, Maharashtra, the wealthiest and most industrialized in the country.

"Be advised we have contact, J-31s" called an Indian A330 AEW callsign 'Karuna'".

"Roger!" All of us, twenty plus two flights of Indian Abhayas then went into attack formation.

"They must be fighter sweep for their bombers" I said on the mike.

As we already know back in the beginning, only the best pilot of the UCC who fly Firehounds, the answer to American F-35. So the odds are the same.

"You know what to do, people" Medi called.

"Fox two!" Rita fired our first shot in the battle on a J-31 which had recently merged with her plane. Surprised, her enemy was unable to eject in an ensuing fireball.

But the rest of the Firehounds subsequently show us what they are capable for.

"I'm hit, bailing out!" Pandu was forced to pull his ejection handle as one PL-13 heat seeker launched from the UCC fighter went through and sheared off the portside tailfin, rendering his Sukhoi uncontrollable.

"Emerald 3-2 here, I'm hit and is having problem on the flight control, request permission to bug out." Called Melissa.

Two Indian pilots later also called "bail out" as well.

In return, we shot down thirteen J-31s, including two kills from me, and as we and the Indians received reinforcements in form of one squadron worth of MiG-39s from the Myanmar Air Force, even the best and most fanatical UCC pilots will obey if retreat was ordered. Some had bug out to rearm.

My flight was soon rearmed and refueled in Pune before airborne again, while the Burmese covered us as they were engaging the second wave of JF-20 fighters mixed with Su-34 fighter bombers.

Furthermore, as we gain altitude more allied assets committed into the fight as friendly contacts, Indian Palakas accompanied with Tejas drones, were popping up on our radars. In the meantime, the AEW called us that the Burmese had done their job and head back to their bases, somewhere in the Southern India.

"This is Karuna, we picked up a salvo of air-launched cruise missiles targeting Mumbai at long range. Take out those missiles immediately otherwise it will inflict significant damage to the city!"

Medi split the squadron, Emerald 1 led by him, and mine, Emerald 2 will engage the missiles, while Emerald 3 and 4, the latter led by Evy will concentrate on the bombers.

"Cruise missile identified as AS-15 type" Said the AEW.

"2-3, Fox two!" 'Cabbage' fired two R-81s which took out one missile and one other evaded it.

"Cruise missile is 12 miles from the Mumbai city limit!" Karuna warned.

"Fox two!" More Emerald 1 and 2 pilots reported downing the missile. I decided to 'conserve energy' for a while and designate targets for my fellow pilots with two of them are relatively new in the squadron for them to shoot down. Well, they need experience anyway.

I finished the intercept by killing the last missile with a short burst of gun, upon a split-S.

"Emerald 1 to Karuna, all missiles destroyed, no secondary explosions."

"Be advised, we detected ten Backfires escorted by two flight of Finflashes."

I can say they are doing not so good job on copying the J-20 used in this mission as their radar cross sections reflected on my radar are somewhat larger than what a stealth aircraft should be while on the other hand their J-31 copy is much better.

"Standby in maximum range..." Evy, flying Emerald 3 lead, said.

"...and, Fox three!" A barrage of brand new BDL (Bharat Dynamics Limited) Astra Mk.3 supplied by the Indians and just recently integrated into our Flywheels in record time went off Emerald 3 and 4 internal weapons bays which destroyed seven J-20s, Furthermore, some missiles redirected by the chaff acquired enemy bombers behind the J-20s, downed two.

"Emerald 3 to Karuna, Emerald 3 and 4 engage!" Evy called again as her flight and Major Ahmad-commanded Emerald 4, closed in within visual range to engage the remaining J-20s.

In the meantime, 1 and 2 reformed to engage the bombers. "2-1 to all Emerald 2, recheck your datalink" I said to my flight members.

"All systems up!"

"Ready?"

"Ready"

The bombers were painted on our radar and inside our Astra's range.

"This is 1 Lead, datalink to AEW complete, on my mark, Fox three!" Without locking we released our own missiles and "Karuna" soon took over using the mid-course update to lock on the approaching Backfires, The helpless Tupolev bombers can only deploy their ECM and countermeasures, with some even jettisoned their bomb loads, but five are destroyed.

The rest, turned tail and ran away. So much for "martyrdom".

All accounted for.

And as we went back to base I decided to do it.

"Emerald 2-1 calling Emerald 3-1"

"Are there any enemies??" She replied, implied that I might warn her about enemies which might want to jump at us.

"No, but happy birthday, Raden." I called her on the radio, congratulated her without any hesitation.

"Well, all flights, Emerald 2 reminded me for something; Let's have a party today, but after we are all landed. Emerald Lead out!"

The ensuing collective party sparkled hope for all us. I remember when I give her the slice of the cake as the 42nd divided it to each other.

"Earth to Wise" Back to present, her voice called me.

I look behind and saw her. I smiled and soon I found myself with her sat on two unoccupied seats inside the room as the party continues, and enjoyed the cakes. Just two of us. Well, its three, with Andik decided to join us for "safety reasons" if you know what I mean.

One of the good news today is Pandu has finally cleared to fly again after being physically and mentally checked, along with other paperworks pertaining to an ejected pilot.

"How's your run?" I asked her about her engagement with the J-20s. The native Surakartan woman grinned while brushing away some of her short black hair.

"Tell me, Paul, have you ever fired your entire complement of active-radar guided missiles before in a single barrage?

"To be honest, not yet Raden. Why?"

"Because today I finally got to do that after months here, and its as sweet as, well, honey. You know in missions before this either I got no good target group for a barrage, was engaged close, or worse, bingo fuel."

"Sounds like hell of a moment with fighters to deal with in case of yours, Evy." Andik said. He was in the Emerald 1 with Colonel Medi.

"You seems chock full with thought, Major. If you willing you can tell Evy or me." The Javanese Muslim from Malang interrupt the silence once more by patting one of his superior's back. In the formal situation his act won't be allowed, but this is an off-duty moment.

"Oh, yeah, Andik, how's your girlfriend?" I asked back.

"No reply from her, As you know hologram messaging has been restricted now. OPSEC."

"Why you don't use the e-mail?"

"It's done, but no reply yet Major."

"I see" I replied flatly while acknowledging the reality that I can't do much about his personal problems.

I remember what Yoel said in his latest message that some of his fellow male carrier jocks during deployment had even erected a bulletin board featuring photographs and brief notes telling what perfidies the woman had committed.

When I asked him how about the girls, he said he doesn't know much. No problem.

In addition he also told that his CAG has ordered him to attend the Navy's Aerial Warfare School in Manokwari Naval Air Base in Western Papua (3).

The Americans, particularly its Naval Aviators, have trained extensively with our forces, nicknamed Manokwari as "Fightertown Indonesia (1)". Meanwhile the Russians called it "Indonesia's Lipetsk (2)" sharing it with the Air Force equivalent, the Weapon's School, based in Chappy Hakim Air Force Base in Northern Bengkulu near the border with Jambi. Speaking of the place "Clurit" has give many hints that some of us will be sent there too. Especially, he often mentioned a "special need pilot" in various time he mentioned that school.

I can feel that he, and the extension, the wing, definitely wants me to go there as I have the highest score in the squadron. If I can make Evy more proud with me I'll definitely do it. Moreover, there might be someone out there better than me so an opportunity to learn from those gentlemen and ladies excited me immensely.

I told all of it in front to her. "I can feel that people in the upper echelon saw me as fit for Weapons School. Let me ask you; Do you want to go to Weapons School just to be with me, leaving the front line for a while?"

As I expected she replied to my question like any soldier willing to follow orders. "Order is order, Wise, if those higher command see me fit to go there I will do it. Besides I heard it's really awesome, to be better in what we do."

But I can see her face went slightly red as she said that word.

The party continues, and its time for one of the "must do" part of being an Indonesian soldier. Singing!

An impromptu ensemble soon formed with I handled percussion, three guitars played by Rita, Nur, and 1st Lt. Andreas Soedirja, callsign "Mole", one of the newer kid in the 42nd and in that mission against the bombers, fly as Emerald 3-4.

Violin is played by our Weapons Officer, Ahmad. Meanwhile, Ali had brought his own rattle.

Music started. Evy is the vocalist, began our cover for a 2010s era song, Adele - Rolling in the Deep.

"Bravo!"

"We Want More!" said one Indian officer invited to the party.

Next song is a much older one from Phil Collins, You'll be in My Heart.

This time as I hit the beat with others I can feel myself near tears.

I also can see eyes watching us also feel the same, mostly thinking about their own folks back home.

We made our little quarter inside Lohegaon into our own home, our little bubble. Inside, we feel save, we have someone, we feel loved, we feel protected. Inside the bubble or if dog-fighting terminology is used, the ball, we are invincible.

Call me insane to believe that, but even the UCC know there is a time to slack off.

...

So what do you think about this chapter? Your vote and comments will help me much!

(1) Referring to the US Navy Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, in Fallon, Nevada, with one its famous antecedent is the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun. The former used to be take place in former Naval Air Station, now Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego. And during that time the neighborhood was called, thanks to the school, the "Fightertown USA".

The USAF equivalent to NAWDC is the USAF Weapons School, based on Nellis AFB, Nevada.

(2) Russian Air Force equivalent to USAF Weapons School, often called "Russian Top Gun". Officially named the 4th Center for Combat Employment and Retraining of Personnel, its based on Lipetsk Air Base near Moscow.

(3) Fictional, but I hope as the Indonesian military expanded it will have the equivalent of three military training center mentioned above.