The Allied force began to probe Iran.. What enemy and chances they will found there?

---

I must admit that two wars caused me to enjoy killing. And I believe millions of Indonesians died or lost their citizenship due to being in the wrong side back then is worth the sweat. On the other hand, I shuddered to think how my big family will regard me after the two wars that I've in, spilling blood mostly from young men with bright futures just like me. Fighting fire with fire, just like people said.

Spending time swimming, listening to songs, reading and playing flight sim are many ways to keep myself sane.

My immediate family respected people in uniform and will understand what I've done, but some of my other relations are otherwise in case of the military. One of my amang tua, in this case the husband of my mother's sister, named Josaphat Sitanggang, is a Mennonite minister, and a staunch pacifist. Even during the civil war, he, to the chagrin of many Christians, encouraged his flock to not join either the military or volunteer militias, and quartered hardcore Islamist and communist fighters escaping from the security forces. But he managed to put his way out of trouble as many of the fighters are voluntarily surrendering to government forces, while the rest were put to work in his farm, as his church was in a village called Bantarwaru, Ligung District, Majalengka Regency, West Java Province.

Furthermore, he also opposed the mass internment of Arabs and other Middle-East descended Indonesians during the civil war and extensive drone strikes against NII remnants after the war, which often done in daylight and during funerals, Pakistani style.

Thankfully, we stay civil with him. Especially as his method mostly works. But as my deployment days passed, I began to doubt it.

Another case is Aunt Kezia. One of my inang tua, in this case my mother's sister, is also a pacifist along with her husband, a prominent human rights lawyer, but from the left side of the equation, resulted in her estrangement with the most of my family.

Then I looked at the tally of my medals so far: Bintang Jasa Yudha, Bintang Swa Bhuwana Paksa 2nd Class, Satyalencana Bhakti Dirgantara, and Satyalencana Dharma Dirgantara.

Then foreign ones like the Distinguished Flying Cross (American), Distinguished Flying Cordon and Order of the Rising Sun 4th Class (Japan), Pingat Tentera Udara (Air Force Medal, Malaysia) and the Order of Military Merit 3rd Class (Korea), Vir Chakra (India).

My train of thought were abruptly stopped when the intercom called me into the briefing room, again.

"We have received the information from the Iranian resistance that many of their fighters are now imprisoned deep in Eastern Iran along with religious minorities. The entire resistance in the area was in serious jeopardy" Said Manoj as he's showing us the exact coordinate of the camp.

He also told us that 10 of the captured ILF fighters had already been executed.

"You will be a part of an escort group of American, Thai, and Free Iran F-35s and our Maruts as the camp was heavily guarded with AAA and SAM batteries."

"Do your best!!"

---

Above Quetta, near the border with Iran, occupied but largely spared by the Allied forces consist of Indian, Korean, and Indonesian armies, and the US Marines due to their inhabitants willingly surrendered to them, we proceeded to refuel.

"This is AWACS Eulji, check all systems."

"All systems good. We can hear you loud and clear, Eulji" said Evelyn, this time, the designated mission leader.

"You should expect reinforcements any soon from the Iranians."

"Understood, keep us updated"

Minutes later. "This is Homa 1 to allied flight, can you hear us?"

"Emerald to Homa, glad to see your presence." This time I replied to the Iranians.

"Actually, it's us who are honored to fly with you. One of the best Indonesian Air Force can offer despite your own squadron got shorter history!" Said the Iranian leader, overall commander of two flights of American supplied F-35A+ Lightning IIs.

The "Homa" squadron, officially the 83th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Fighter Wing, Free Imperial Iranian Air Force (FIIAF) was previously 8th Tactical Air Base during the Islamic Republic era and once operating the venerable F-14 Tomcat before the restored Pahlavi dynasty replaced the hopelessly obsolete Tomcats of the wing with F-15X Advanced Eagles, but many of them were destroyed in air combat during the invasion of Iran by the UCC, and as the result the wing were re-equipped with stealthy F-35As and in accord with the policy of the Shah, in exile in Singapore, it accepted Iranian diasporas to their ranks.

"Yeah, thanks for that compliment. We appreciate that" Evelyn answered the Iranians back.

Furthermore, they also have companions with them, a flight of Thai F-35As.

"Black Horse 1 to all units, we see you, get ready to rumble." Called the Thai flight leader, Major Pramanat Suphrabhas, callsign "Tusk".

An ace with 11-kills, he was related to the Thai Royal Family.

"This is Kochi 1, looking for SAM sites now." reported the leader of the Marut strike fighter unit who're tasked to detect and jam or destroy enemy air defenses, further supported by an Indian Airbus A320 circling over Pakistan with an on board, Suter-like (1) indigenous program that interfere with the UCC air defense computers. If it fails, some of the Maruts have jammer pods and even hard-kill EMP missiles.

Soon we penetrated the Iranian airspace and the controller ordered us to split out, with the Iranians are to attack the camp itself while the Americans are going for a diversion attack against the nearby airbase and train station to hamper enemy reinforcements.

"My radars registered contact near the strike package, ID'ed as Firebirds" Emerald 1-2 Kevin, warned the strike package about enemy J-10s on routine patrol which are looking for us.

"They might be unaware for now, but as the Iranians hit the camp expect a whole squadron or even wings to came for us. Especially since Turkmenistan is still occupied, despite the Russians and Chinese are closer each day." Emerald 1-1 replied to her wingman.

At the signal, the strike package and the escorts pulled up, laser-guided bombs already armed.

"Homa 1-4, bombs away!" His Paveway hit the guards' barracks, killing almost everyone inside. The strike is also timed with a prisoner uprising by the ILF fighters imprisoned inside.

"This is 1-3, bombs away!" the Paveway slammed straight into one of the walls, meanwhile two other Iranian Lightnings strafed the guard towers with accurate 25mm gunfire.

"All units, Eulji, bandits confirmed bearing 360!"

"This is Emerald 2, engaging!" I replied. Soon I smiled behind my mask as the dogfight began, with an UCC F-313.

"This guy is good." The Iranian inside the enemy jet is definitely a well-trained pilot as he extensively rolled, climbed, and even forced me to overshoot one or two times to avoid being locked. But his struggle ended in vain as when he thinks that he can shoot my tail, I released my R-75 rearward and blew up his Qaher into pieces of scrap composites. No chute detected.

"Rest in pieces. Chomsky." I muttered to myself.

"Warning, we got a convoy of APCs, vehicles, and two tanks heading for the camp... wait, I picked up a signal from the lead APC." Said Eulji again.

"Allied aircraft, this is Nowhed, we've captured a bunch of UCC vehicles and we're heading into the camp to liberate our comrades. Protect us while we are picking them up!" The convoy turned out to be from the ILF members.

"1-3 here, Shit, I'm spiked!" called Ouddy.

"This is 1-4, I see you. It looks like there are more Qahers!" Andik replied.

"Get him off my effing tail!"

"Move it, he's diving on you" Andik replied at his wingman, then as Ouddy countering the dive with a climb, the Caliphate pilot on the F-313 chasing him soon realized that he's in trouble and attempted to call his wingmen, but it's too late as a "Fox 2" call went out from Andik.

His missile shot missed a direct hit, but still detonated close enough to perforate the fighter's frame. The right fin soon shakes violently before it sheared right off, sent the UCC fighter into a flat spin. Luckily for the pilot, he managed to pull the ejection handle just in time.

As we engaged the Qahers, the Thais told us that they were duking it out with two flight worth of J-10s and so far, they were doing good despite being outnumbered.

"More contact, Frogfoots!"

"Emerald 2, you deal with the stealth while I'm going to take care of those tank-busters. Emerald 1 flight, follow me." Evelyn called.

"Roger"

I blasted around and catch a glimpse of two Qahers, realizing that the Emerald 1 are to do with their strike assets are forming up to chase them.

"Emerald 2-3, we got two bandits behind us. Requesting backup"

"I'm coming" In coordination with my wingman Pandu, we caught up with the pursuers and one Qaher fell from Pandu's cannon fire while my prey foolishly attempted to engage me frontally and paid accordingly.

"Cosmo, splash one!" It's his 10th kill.

"Good shooting, 2-2" I called him in praise.

The remaining Qahers in our radar finally realized that they don't stand a chance against aces in the 42nd Squadron and left the battle.

Almost two minutes later Emerald 1 called us. "This is Emerald 1, all enemy strike aircraft has been dealt with."

"Black Horse 1, enemy is retreating"

"Homa 1, all resistance prisoners have been rescued, some escaped on their own. We're done here."

"Emerald 1 to Eulji, any orders?" Evelyn piped.

"All units, great job out there, Indian and American flights are going home as we speak. It's time for you to RTB as well. A flight of American F-38 from Haiderabad and Russian Su-65 from Armavir (in Armenia) and supporting drones are to cover your egress along with rescue assets for those who bailed. Eulji out!"

Our losses were surprisingly few, with two Indian Maruts, one American Lightnings, and one Thai Lightning shot down but the pilots all ejected safely.

Well, just another day in the air. In fact, I could smell victory approaching.

---

(1). Suter is a computer program developed by BAE Systems to attack military computer networks and communication systems, well known for it's usage by the Israelis to hijack Syrian air defense systems in the former's various raids against Iranian or Syrian targets, most notably in Operation Orchard, the destruction of a North Korean nuclear reactor in the Deir ez-Zor region of Syria, on 6 September 2007.