This chapter is directly after "Comprehension" but with the POV of the penal squadron.. And a twist of "Transfer Orders" from AC7.

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Life around the base went back in a usual state of affairs. Doni didn't like it. They had just lost four pilots in a convoy interdiction mission inside Saudi territory including Full House, flew as Padlock 4-3 which was shot down by a Caliphate F-313. Everyone is moving on from their deaths as if nothing had ever happened. The one that different was the guards are seemingly reluctant to act harshly towards the survivors. Other than that, things were normal. Their cells were unlocked, they were called for breakfast, and they had work around the base after that. Doni almost decided to skip breakfast that day, but Butcher, of all people, convinced him otherwise.

"You can't work with empty stomach and you know it too well, Charge"

Even with that he still felt that things just didn't seem right to him.

Upon he was done with his breakfast he went to hangar almost alone to work with the mechanics. A few guards and some of the ground crew were standing outside talking with one another and they nodded to him as he stepped inside. To his surprise he found Red Cap and Scale tending their own planes like what he wants to do.

He didn't want to ruin their good mood they was in, he really needs to talk to Red Cap and Scale about the battle the day before. He'd already asked Butcher as he ate his breakfast that morning how they was and Butcher admitted that they were upset but they'd be fine. Doni wouldn't be able to relax until Red Cap and Scale were, too. He didn't want they to feel like nobody wants to talk about it. Awkwardly, he started. "Umm...everyone, you all were up all night? Did you have a hard time falling asleep, Red Cap, Scale?"

Red Cap visibly tensed, almost bristling. "A little. Mostly I wanted to move on and continue fighting in his memory until we all free, or die in the process, am I right Scale?" he replied shortly while asked the Chinese-Indonesian on his right side, the Sundanese sighed as Scale showed no reaction. After a pause and what looked like some mental debating, he added, "I was kinda too pissed off to sleep. I'm still pissed off now, but what use wallowing on it?" Doni scanned his face for any sign that he was hiding something. He asked him, "Why do you ask?"

Doni shook his head. "No real reason. I just... you all seemed upset after what happened. I guess I was just a little worried that you and Scale weren't holding up all that well," he replied, "I know that I didn't sleep well last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I just saw Full House's plane explode. I feel a little responsible for what happened."

Scale scoffed at this. "Why should you? Our squadron doesn't have a real leader, and honestly it works out better that way. There's no one to take responsibility for those that go down. The fact is that he die a free man and his name was rehabilitated. Like Cymbal, Sausage, Crown..." Scale sneered as he stood beside his IF-33's nose gear. "And if anyone should feel guilty or responsible for it, then it's me." He sighed and looked down, looking more subdued than he had then continued, "I don't see it coming, and I am too far away to be in his position as I had just splash one of their accursed drones. Not Red Cap's and not yours."

He paused and then slowly reached out to the other two. "...Honestly, there's not much I can say to make you or Red Cap feel better. The point is, before I end up here, I'd never dealt with death like this one. Civil War pales in comparison. I was kind of a naive kid and while I know what death was, but it didn't seem like it would ever happen close to me. Now, I see people I know is getting killed left and right. Red Cap is right, Scale, we can either mope around and blame ourselves or we can band together and grow stronger because of it. Trust me, if we all fell apart because of our losses.. how could we get out of this place?"

"And that's supposed to just make all of the guilt go away?" Scale asked with a scoff, shaking his head. "Sounds like some bullshit to me."

"Scale, it won't make it go away, but like Red Cap said, focus on what we can do right here and right now for us to be out of here." Doni replied, keeping his voice level. "You can sit around feeling sorry for yourself and let the squadron fall apart along with you or you can find a better time and place to deal with your guilt. I'm upset about Full House, too, but I'm going to wait until I know any grief I have won't interfere with my judgment and any anger over the situation can be put to good use."

Doni sighed. "Do you want their death to be in vain? If no, get yourself together."

He narrowed his narrow black eyes on him, took a deep breath and went back to face Doni. "I hate to admit it, but...you and Red Cap are right. And thank you for you to listen to me, as well as Red Cap." he admitted.

That was the last thing Doni needed or wanted. But thankfully, it seemed his comrade was starting to come around. September went on to October with various rhubarb missions, primarily as drone baits and recon for them. However, It didn't take long for things to really start to change around the base.

Several A400Ms and C-133s were flown in, and Colonel Purnama called a briefing and ordered everyone to start packing things away. The 13th were starting to be treated like a normal unit, and their orders were to pack everything away as they are to be withdrawn back to the homeland. Within just a few days several crates full of equipment and aircraft parts and other various supplies including ordnances has been organized and ready for transport. With how busy everything was, it seemed the guards forgot that half of their personnel were convicts.

"We must be getting the presidential pardon" Red Cap whispered to Doni just as they done helping the guards and other ground crew loading various crates of supplies into an A400M.

"I got you"

After lunch the pilots were briefed again.

"Attention!" He took a deep breath before he began to speak.

"I've received a communication directly from the Joint Chiefs of Staffs office. It seems your ability to carry out missions has gotten the attention of the higher-ups. The President in his capacity as Supreme Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces and with agreement from the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia as well as Armed Forces Directorate of Military Justice had declared that effective today, all members of the 13th Independent Squadron have been pardoned and all of you have been restored to your old ranks. And so the Padlock Squadron is now officially legit."

He smiled for a moment as the map centered on Indonesia, and a route began to appear. "And so, you will be withdrawn back to the homeland, to Sugiri Sukani Air Force Base, in Majalengka and from there you will undergo transition training for the IF-33F. Count this as your blessing." Purnama continued. "My time as CO of the penal base is over. All command personnel, including myself, are being withdrawn as well, but straight to the Air Force HQ in Nusantara. However..." The map shrunk, and then showed an image of an Iranian city that Doni didn't recognize. "We will have a stop in Bandar Abbas to change planes. The main air transport hub for our forces in Iran. Even while we have air superiority in the area there are still occasional drone leaks and air raids aimed for the city."

"And with this fact, I want some of you ex-cons to be involved for the last time with me as we are heading back to the Motherland. I've selected a number of you with mission experience to provide support while the rest will head straight home to Majalengka. We'll be leaving in a few hours, as soon as we're finished packing up the remaining supplies. That's all. Dismissed."

To his surprise Doni along with Red Cap, Scale, and Leaflet were called by the Colonel, and he went straight to the point.

"You are going to help provide support. Since we're going to a hot zone, like I say in the briefing, there's a good chance that UCC drones and manned fighters might attack again. If they do, protect my craft at all cost until I leave Bandar Abbas. Prove to me that you deserve this freedom. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good, gear up, and get ready. I hope we meet again in a more friendly circumstances."

"Understood sir, thank you sir"

They were all about finally having their freedom back as they walked into their plane. However, Doni realized that, as excited as he was to finally be pardoned, he didn't feel like he had anything left on the outside world. His old squadron probably moved on a long time ago, not knowing if he was dead or alive. In fact, he didn't know if they were still alive and fighting somewhere in the Iran-Iraq region, or not. He also had a feeling that even with the pardon and his restoration to his old rank of Captain, his career wouldn't go anywhere thanks to his criminal record. He might never be a field grade officer, for instance. On the positive side, he did miss his family and he was a step closer to likely making it home and finally seeing them again. Furthermore, even with that, he knows that society will less likely to regard him as a marked man for the rest of his life unlike Butcher or Leaflet with their political offenses.

"Can you believe it Charge? He could send us into something worse like in Africa or in Northern Iraq, but instead, we are all going home and a new plane. Hell yeah!" Scale was unable to contain his joy to be a free man once more.

"Same as me, Captains" Red Cap added. "Our careers might not go anywhere, but just think, this is our second chance to make the right things, am I right? Leaflet, hello?"

Sonny's fellow Major thought a little before answering him. "I've made mistakes in my youth.. all of us as well, but I know that even if we have nothing left, we still have God, whatever you believe Him or not. That's all. That's what keep us sane so far." before he climbed up to his IF-33.

Colonel Purnama's Indonesian Aerospace N-270 medium jet transport took off first, then him, Red Cap, Scale, and Leaflet.

...

After about forty-five minutes long flight, they finally arrived to the operation area. They were still above the Arab Sea, but they were close enough to the fortified port city that Doni considered it to be 'there' anyway. Once Purnama refueled at the airfield then the quartet will continue their flight to Majalengka according to the plan.

Their order is simple, paraphrasing AWACS Sipir. "Kill anyone threatening Reformer, even if they're one of us."

Surprisingly, there no report of enemy activity, so far as the N-270 landed safely at the Bandar Abbas Air Base. But a tell-tale air raid alarm snapped the quartet back to reality.

"Be advised.. we have bandits closing in from the south, Colonel Purnama has been evacuated into shelter but he wants you people to assist the city's defenders to get rid of them before they can fire at the airbase!" Sipir continued "Target has been identified as Flounders armed with cruise missiles, They are your priority target. And oh, he also permits you to land on the city's airbase to re-arm and resupply. That's all."

"Padlock 1-1, fox three"

Sonny fired at the lead Flounder with the AIM-120G and hit the target, sending it to the ground, while Doni took out one of its escort Super Hornet with BVR before head into a close engagement with another JH-7, downing it with a Korean license-built IRIS-T. Just before he pulled away to regroup with his leader, he did see that the pilot and the navigator managed to eject in time.

"Padlock 1-3, splash one striker"

"1-4, engaging enemy Super Hornet... splash one."

"Good engagement, and keep it up!" Sipir exclaimed.

"More Flounders incoming, they're heading straight into the airbase. Padlocks, intercept ASAP!"

"Where are the regulars?" Leaflet asked.

"Engaging enemies in other sectors of the city. This is a large-scale raid. INS Vishal and JNS Izumo are launching their fighters to assist the city as I speak but it will take four minutes for their planes to arrive.."

The ex-cons aimed at the formation of eight Flounders and fired a salvo of AMRAAMs, then close in for a visual engagement. Sonny and Leaflet split the flight up, taking them on two at a time to keep them from the airbase. After four bombers downed and two damaged the UCC pilots made a smart decision to withdraw from the airspace.

Sure enough, Sipir ordered them to land to rearm as they didn't carry any external weapons pod, so the city's airbase immediately provided them with the said pod mounted below the center fuselage for four more AMRAAMs. They were refueled hot and a couple of seconds later, they back in the air.

"More bombers are approaching the airbase, same bearing, angels 9, they are accompanied with Fullback jammers.."

"Here we go again.. let's make our mark." Sonny, the most senior within the flight, was assigned as flight leader. As the jammer made radar tracking degraded Doni and the others head for a close-range engagement. He zoomed straight and made a downward Split-S into the Fullback behind him. The Su-34 attempted to use its rear-ward firing R-73 but he managed to evade it, and a direct 25mm shot into the cockpit doomed the jet.

"Fox three... splash one Flounder" called Sonny. Just in time as a flight of Indian Abhaya Ns arrived on scene and reinforce the Padlock flight. The said relief was cut short by Sipir's warning.

"All aircraft, caution. A new bogey is approaching!"

Doni replied. "Seems the fun isn't over, yet. Sipir, what have you got?"

"Unidentified aircraft," Sipir replied quickly. "They're fast. Must be unmanned!"

To the amazement of the Indians nearby, within a few seconds a sole Helwan HA450 shot past them without even firing, spinning around and pulling up and head straight into the Padlock flight. It continued to climb, rolling around once more, just flying in the open as if it was examining its prey or mocking them. "It closed in fast!" Leaflet cried out as he and Scale went to regroup with Sonny and Doni, the latter flight quickly took point, waiting for the enemy to come back around.

"HQ identified the plane as hostile and a drone. Padlocks, take it down! This is a direct order!" Sipir informed them as the flight prepared themselves for a lengthy and difficult fight.

"This is Trishul to Sipir, I think we are not yet in your league in dealing with this kind of aircraft, Padlock. We know who you are once, but this time, we believe in you, good luck!"

Seconds later, the fighter zipped back around, gaining altitude and hovering above them. Sonny and Doni reacted as fast as they could, sticking together, picking up speed and performing high-G turns to get upright and into a climb. At that point, Sipir redirected the regular squadron to engage targets other than the new type of fighter.

Doni realized that the said drone's flying style is similar to Aulia. He decided to try a Russian style engagement, a simultaneous radar-guided and infrared-guided missile firing. The AMRAAM missed, but the agile IRIS-T head straight into the target.

"Bandit hit, but it's still active!" Meanwhile, Sonny closed in from the relative west of Doni's position and executed the same maneuver, much closer than his wingman with a burst of 25mm scoring a couple hit without causing any visible damage. To his further disappointment his follow up heatseeker shots were quickly evaded. Somehow the drone then found itself in Leaflet and Scale's position. They expended their last two radar-guided missiles, with only one hit.

"How the hell that bastard manage that?" Scale growled in frustration.

"Well, it's time for us to follow Doni's lead in insane movements if that thing came again." his leader told Scale.

After struggling a bit more, figuring out the pattern to the drone's movement Leaflet and Scale flanked the drone and fired their 25mm in a short burst, and from there they can see it began to slow down.

"Bandit hit! Padlock Squadron, finish it off!"

A missile from Doni hit it afterwards, the craft went up with smoke trailed out from it's left engine. However, the coup de grace was shared by him and his leader as they fired their last two IRIS-Ts.

"Bandit confirmed destroyed. All of you, you did well," said Sipir.

"I really want to know what in the name of God that thing was, though," Doni replied to the AWACS.

"Wait, what now?" Sipir suddenly said, the worry creeping back into his voice. They were set back on edge. "Eight friendlies approaching."

Sipir wasted no time radioing the incoming fighters. "This is the 13th Independent Air Squadron Indonesian Air Force. What is your affiliation?"

The four 13th pilots were both able to relax as a cheerful and familiar female voice responded to Sipir's question. "That's a call from the prison guard?" the voice said in mild amusement. There was no mistaking who it was. "An old friend of yours, Rinjani 1." Just as she said this, eight IF-33D two-seaters came into view, flying in perfect formation. The 13th didn't know what they were doing here, but for Doni, he was happy to see them again. Just like Colonel Purnama, she supported him despite his status and he felt like he owed something to her in a way.

"Ah, the 19th Squadron, glad to see you again, Rinjani," Sipir exclaimed, unable to repress his joy. "But...what're you doing here?"

"We're tracking a new prototype of the Caliphate drone. Honestly, I can't believe that they go this far."

"Just like Hitler's wunderwaffe, then, Genesis."

"Exactly what I want to say... Scale, am I right?" she replied.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Back to that drone, we first got the info from our man on the ground, then it just pass through a formation of Iranian F-35s, and that's when we caught it. Then it just went off of the radar. I wouldn't be surprised if the same guy from your side who survived Aulia was the one who downed it." There was a pause. "He is here, isn't he?"

"Yes, ma'am" replied Doni. "About that drone...er...that was me."

"Which means, we owed an explanation to your commanding officer. A nice long talk to him, in fact." Genesis said again.

"He needs to be grateful with that" stated her wingman for the day, Boxcar.

As the 19th prepared to land for their planned flight to Awantipur Air Force Station in Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory in India at the city's airbase, Genesis added to the just freed convicts. "After we've done with Reformer, you will follow us to Awantipur. There are some people there waiting for you. I have a feeling you'll be happy to see them again."