A wedge of aircraft flew above the clouds.

The A-50 AWACS aircraft passed through a cloud, and then the cloud was cut in two by the following fighters.

Inside of the wide body of the modified transport plane was a row of computers and monitors through which the radar operators were observing the surroundings.

“Tracking a new contact. Group of two, flight level 0-2-4, heading 1-9-6. Speed 140 to 150.” One of the operators reported.

“Roger.” The command officer confirmed the report.

“We have a group of unknown aircrafts enter the area. They are 30 kilometers to the south-west of the capital. Requesting instructions.” The officer reported to his command.

---

Meanwhile, the fighter pilots were growing bored.

“… Copy. The beer is on you.”

“Man, I just misspoke!” (Magpie 3)

“Copy. Buy some for me too!” (Magpie 4)

“I just said…! Come on, Magpie 2, tell them! I owe only to you!” (Magpie 3)

“Magpie 2, you won’t abandon your buddies, would you?” (Magpie 4)

“We’re all brothers here~. You scratch my back, I scratch yours~! You pour me beer, you pour for them too~!”

“That’s the spirit!” (Magpie 1)

“Stop the chatter!” The comms traffic stopped at once.

“Magpie 2, identify aerial targets. Course 2-8-0. Stay on the current flight level. Report radar contact with the unknown contact ASAP.” Papa Crow’s merciless words cut off the pilots’ fun.

“Copy that. Breaking off the formation.” The Su-27 banked to the left, and soon disappeared from the view.

The fighter soared above the clouds. The ground could be seen only through occasional clearings.

The pilot was glancing at the ground from time to time.

Down below he could not see anything but endless fields and forests. It was so similar to the home, yet so different.

“Erhm… Papa Crow, I have a contact. The radar barely picks it up. Do you read me?”

“Magpie 2, reading you loud and clear. Set course 0-1-6. Do not change flight level unless ordered. Waiting for readback.” (PC)

“Set course 0-1-6, Keep the flight level 3-2-0. Magpie 2, over.”

---

Several minutes later the pilot heard another order.

“Magpie 2, set course 1-9-6. Expect flight level 0-2-4. Target speed – 140. Do not engage unless ordered. Just approach, and confirm what we are dealing with.” (PC)

“Papa Crow, orders confirmed. Now tell me, how the f* am I supposed to turn into a crop duster? My stalling speed is times higher than of those things!”

“Just approach. I don’t need you to read me every single number of their identification.” (PC)

“Copy that. Going in.” The pilot silently thought of the coordinator’s sexual orientation, and his mother’s specific hobbies, and recommended some extreme sport activities to be done meanwhile.

Still, the Su-27 banked, and entered the interception course.

A minute later, the aircraft did a half-roll, and dived below the clouds.

The cockpit was filled with rasp of the construction experiencing g-force. Immediately, the pilot extended the airbrake.

A couple of small dots could be barely seen flying above a forest. Although, only because the radar was doing its best to keep tracking them.

‘S*, I always dreamt of engaging a crop duster hell-knows-where…’ The pilot kept on cursing.

However, when the contacts could finally be seen…

“Papa Crow, I have a visual. It is some kind of a… of a reptile…? There’s also a human on it.”

The jet screeched by the pair of contacts, and started climbing again.

“Magpie 2, confirm, you made a contact? You identified the contacts as… flying reptiles…?” (PC)

“That’s affirmative. The readback is correct. Over.”

“C-copy that. Wait one. … Erhm… Magpie 2, have you seen any identifications…?” (PC)

“That’s a negative.”

“Copy… Magpie 2, you are clear to engage. Contacts marked as hostile. Shoot them down.” (PC)

After a short round of cursing the geniuses who ordered that, the pilot turned around.

‘Wwwwwwwww’

“F*.”

Neither the infrared, nor radar missiles could lock on.

“Erhm… Papa Crow, we have a problem.”

“Report.” (PC)

“There is no lock on.”

“Do you need back-up?” (PC)

“I… I will try taking them down.”

“Copy. Don’t overdo it.” (PC)

---

The fighter kept on climbing until it reached the edge of the clouds. Then, the plane turned at the flying contacts.

One of the reptiles turned around, and flew at the fighter.

GTT

A short burst from the cannon connected with the target, tearing it apart. As the fighter flew through the remnants of the reptile, the glass of the cockpit for a second was covered in blood.

The fighter immediately started climbing, before the second reptile managed to engage.

When the fighter dived again, the reptile turned around on a spot.

“You sly bastard.” The aircraft climbed again for another strike.

Perhaps the enemy noticed something. Instead of trying to maneuver away, during the next strike the reptile continued flying.

The pilot noticed it almost too late. The reptile was going to try attacking after the fighter overshoots.

“TAKE THIS, YOU SON OF A…!”

‘SCREECH’

Suddenly, before the plane flies past the reptile, the fighter’s nose was pulled up so much, that the plane continued flying sideways.

After the speed almost reached zero, the nose was pulled down.

GTTTT

A burst of shells torn off the reptile’s wing. A mist of blood covered how the reptile and the rider were launched somewhere to a side.

“Papa Crow, contacts eliminated. Over.”

“Elimination confirmed. Return to the formation. Over.” The short burst of adrenaline was immediately replaced with the routine.