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2000.

Location: Skies of Eastern Terra

United State expeditionary Force

Thunders and rumbles woke James from his unscheduled sleep. He opened his eyes to the sight of a giant ominous storm cloud in the distance. Yellow lightning struck the ground leaving blackened craters with occasional meteorites falling to the ground.

James took a deep breath to calm himself. That was not exactly the thing to wake up to. Through his cockpit, pillars of black smoke could be seen rising to the sky from the ground below. James looked down to see a city.

A city that was in flame, destroyed.

James looked at the radar. No signatures of possible unidentified aircrafts. He narrowed the cause down to either anarchism or revolution, which begs for more questions.

The city is mostly inspired by russian,  judging by the slavs architectures.

Right, report his status to H.Q.

"Command, this is Phoenix Actual. Do you copy? Over." James spoke into the helmet mouthpiece. No response.

James double checked his frequencies. "This is Phoenix Actual, Command do you copy? Over." Same result. It was unsettling.

The infrared sensor fluctuated. It came from near the edge of the city. James, desperate to find clues on his whereabouts, flew towards the source. He maintained high altitude to be a speck in the sky to any unknowing ground observers. It would also give him enough time to react for hostile triple-A.

James eye widened, "What the fuck?"

A jet stream of black flame washes over a silverish bubble-like barrier. The flame bore through the apartment behind the barrier that was unfortunate enough to stand in its path causing it to collapse, spurring dust into the air. When the flame died down and the dust cleared, stood a mob draped in an array of clothing bearing the telltale hue of orange. They had corralled a group clad in all blue completely surrounded and outnumbered. In front of the mob, stood a woman with a pair of demonic horns. She was the flame conjurer, judging by the melted path in front of her.

Despite the flame destructive capability reminded him of the Black Hand purifying flame, he was sure orange wasn't Dai Nippon or Russian wouldn't never leave a unit behind without a reinforcement a nearby. He focused on the camera feed, desperate for any details that could help him make sense of the chaotic scene below. He squinted as he honed in on the mob, noting the extra appendages that protruded from their bodies like tails and ears. They were not human.

James rubbed his eyes. This was not a cosplay party or a roleplay. Maybe this was all a dream? James pinched his right cheek with his fingernails. His cheek stung. It wasn't a dream.

His eyes then fell on a bunny-eared girl, no more than a teenager, standing among the outnumbered group in blue. Despite the fear hidden in her eyes, she put on a brave face, her expression one of defiance. James gut twisted with unease as he realized the mob's malicious intent. He knew that a person wouldn't even dream of hurting a child unless they were a psychopath.

Without warning, the people in blue formed a line behind a horse girl. The horse girl had her shield hoisted high in defiance. She, along with the rest of the girl's group was encased in a silvery white bubble.

The woman with a pair of his demonic horn raised her palm and aimed it at the people in blue. She was about to conjure the flame. He wasn't sure the 'magical barrier' could take the hit again.

What the hell is this? This is ridiculous!

"This is Phoenix Actual. To anyone out there that receives this transmission, please fucking respond." James was growled.

Silence greeted him once again, but he couldn't let that stop him. He had to make a decision and he had to make it fast. He had to protect the girl. His conscience demanded it.

The aircraft ammo is half full. He could eradicate the mob using if things go awry, James assured himself, acknowledging the demonic horn woman ability. "Worth a try then." He muttered as he descended from the sky.

James appearance had the desired effect, but it was short-lived. The mob was stirred, but the woman quickly rallied them with a sneer in his direction. James couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear in his gut as he faced off against a group of people with 'magical' abilities. The demonic horn woman and ordered the mob to fire at him with bows, crossbows, and even magical beams.

James gritted his teeth and stood his ground. He knew it was a bad idea with magical beams in the equation, but he needed to distract them long enough for the people in the blue to escape, and assess their damage output. The arrows and crossbow bolts were easily stopped by his aircraft thick armour. However, the magic beam fired from their mages was a different story. It was very hard to dogde, and his life depend on the aircraft maneuverability.

James fired the autocannon in a burst aimed at the road separating the two opposing factions to intimidate, destroying the road. It had the opposite of the effect he wanted. The woman didn't flinch. In fact, she seemed almost amused by it. She pointed her open palm at his aircraft instead.

Do not fire unless fired upon. Rules of Engagement be damned. Fucks the rule, saving life still a better option.

James fired a sonic missile at the woman.

The missile's yield is too low to destroy armor that has acoustic shielding, yet it's still enough to turn unshielded humans into mush. Overkill, yes. But the people in blue were able to withstand an attack that could destroy building like it was cards.

The missile left trails of white smoke as it streaked in the air. The mob immediately turned into disorganized chaos as they tried to scramble away from the blast zone.

The explosion was bright and loud sending debris flying in all directions and kicking up dust, creating an impromptu smokescreen. James attention was on the people in blue. They seemed stunned for a moment, but then quickly regrouped and headed towards a manhole cover, climbing down the sewer, using him as a distraction.

Smart people.

The mob returned wildly returned fire through the dust that concealed him. Seconds later, James noticed movement through the hole the woman came crushing in. The smoke dissipated and woman came out from the hole alive but not unscathed. She was bleeding from several places on her body.

What in the hell that woman made of? Some sci-fi material shit? She should have more than a bleeding forehead!

The woman rallied the mob again. James pressed the trigger on the yoke, intending to neutralize the threat.

NO MISSILE.

Fuck.

Before he could switch to the autocannon, the on-board AI urgently notified that the people in blue were far enough for the mob to give chase. He had achieved his objective, and it was time to get out of there. He quickly activated the afterburner and hightailed it out from the city. 

James looked over his shoulder. He just wants to confirm the demonic woman didn't fly to chase him. His paranoia was unfounded. Instead, James was met with a sight that left him bewildered. There was a city. A city that was built onto a platform that was built on a platform with huge treads. This shit probaly made of of hundred and hundred of carrier and put it on a tank tracks.

...