Yellow Vs Orange

Planet: Red Ace

Location: Gamma Station: Mock Arena

/////

"Everyone please look ahead as you will see the airfield used to simulate mock battles between students."

A flock of students watched carefully as a few Velocity Seven fighter jets zipped by with blinding speed.

A female robotic voice spoke as a hand was raised, "What is the point of the mock battles?"

The students were in a metal room with glowing blue lines that led them around the grounds of Gamma Base, one of the greatest space facilities to be created.

"Well because of Red Aces proximity with the Orcians, a very violent race, pilots are trained to both protect the planet Red Ace and aid in the Strongholds war."

Another hand was raised, this time from a girl with flowing brown hair and glowing purple eyes. She was one of the few races allowed on Red Ace, known as Druids. They had the innate ability to sense the stars.

"Why are we aiding Stronghold's war, is this not a neutral planet?"

The artificial intelligence answered quickly, "Great question! You see, Red Ace is a planet of space exploration training and trade, since it houses one of the biggest supply's of red matter ore. It is simply due to trade relations and not the outcome of the war."

A few of the students nodded while others watched more jets fly in different formations.

The girl who asked the question let her hand drop, "I guess even the AI are in on it," she whispered under her breath.

The class started to chat randomly as they waited awkwardly for their guide to continue.

"Oh, it seems a mock battle will soon commence."

Adults with silver clipboard tablets and dawning their white uniforms made their way to the window. The girl watched carefully as they stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Hey Amari, what are you staring at?"

A short blonde human girl leaned over and whispered.

Amari, the same Druid who asked the question, turned to her most recently made friend, "Who are those people, why are they watching the mock battle?"

The blond girl pointed at a symbol on their right shoulder. A light purple glowing triangle was etched in the white cloth.

"They have the High Emblem."

"What do those have to so with anything Grace?"

Grace puffed her cheeks out and rolled led her eyes, "They are evaluating the battle, to see if the pilots can rank up."

Amari stepped closer to the viewing window, her eyes searching the red mesa like landscape of the arena.

"How did you get accepted into Red Academy if you don't even know that?"

Amari kept her gaze on the vacant battlefield, "I have no interest for piloting, I came here for celestial studies."

Grace rolled her eyes a second time, "You know Red Ace produces some of the best pilots like Wood Al, or Johnny Targo."

Amari did not recognize any of the names Grace so proudly stated, even if she was barley accepted too. She gave off the impression she owned the academy.

"Sorry, don't have a clue about any of those people."

Grace wiggled a scrawny finger at Amari, her face unwavering.

"Just watch this battle and you will understand everything."

The robotic AI spoke, "Today's battle is a three versus three battle with low altitude. The teams are split into Yellow and Orange, each pilot is allowed three missiles and one temporary EMP to best their opponents in battle. Each pilot is given one hit point and will be teleported out of the zone once hit."

Amari tilted her head to see that on her left, three jets with a painted yellow stripe waiting patiently, while three jets with an orange strip were on her right. The jets were hovering a few hundred feet in the air, each in a v-formation ready to battle.

"Yellow team consists of Marcus Faith, Hammy White, and Sky Talisman. Orange team consist of Gregory Stain, Star Cams, and Rotary Allen."

"Who do you have your money on Amari?"

Amari watched the jets hover, a slick metal missile underneath each vessel.

"I would not waste money on betting but I think the Yellow team will win."

Grace pointed at the Orange team dramatically, "I'll go with Orange team, hopefully they crush puny Yellow team."

She annoyingly stuck her tongue at Amari, who slightly started to question Grace's age as the pilots readied themselves.

--- --- ---

"This is Yellow team leader Sky Talisman, checked in"

A male voice spoke over the radio silence,

"Yellow Leader this is Marcus checking in."

"Marcus, this is Hammy checking in."

The three pilots glanced at each other through the pilot windows, smirks on their faces.

Sky looked ahead, three menacing jet noses pointed toward him, "Okay Hammy you know how we do things."

Hammy whistled, "Outgun and Outplay"

Marcus raised an eyebrow, "So no pep talk for me?"

Sky waved him off, "Since you're new to Red Academy, you are the rookie, just don't die quickly."

Marcus snorted, "I'm still ahead of you in rank and year, if anything you are the rookie."

Sky stared at Marcus, "Hey asshole, just let me enjoy being the leader for once."

Hammy chimed in, "He has won nine times being the leader, best winning streak in the Academy so far."

Marcus thumbed a switch that tinted his left window, stopping Sky from looking at him, "Okay so how do we plan on keeping that streak?"

The three pilots sat in silence, the countdown still reading a minute and forty seconds.

Hammy decided to break it, "Well you see roo- I mean Marcus, the three menacing assholes we have to go against, lead the Academy in most team wins."

Sky looked at the screen which showed behind him, "They literally have the best teamwork imaginable, no way we can beat those guys, especially with Rotary."

Marcus sat back in his pilot seat, "What's so great about Rotary?"

"Well Rotary's dad owns the Pilot division on Red Ace, he has the blood to outmatch anyone." Hammy said as he checked his engine tanks.

"I do have a plan, but it will take a sacrifice..."

Hammy swallowed hard, "Why does your plans always have a sacrifice?!"

Sky shrugged, even if no one could see him, "Sometimes sacrifices are needed to win."

"I'll do it," Marcus said through his comm device, "I'm new here and I need to show I have the guts to not be the one to outshine. I want Captain Allen to understand I can be a team player..."

Silence filled their radios once again.

A few glances were exchanged as Marcus' tinted window shifted back to clear.

"You know the rookie doesn't usually offer to be it, we have to pressure you. Do you know how these things work?" Sky said with an annoyed tone.

"Just tell me what I have to do."

Sky gripped his handles as the time reached thirty seconds.

"EMP's can either be shot like a missile or used as an area effect around your body, but they have to be within twenty feet, I have a different way of using them..."

Marcus waited patiently.

--- --- ---

"Rotary you ready?" Star asked with concern on her face.

Rotary was silent in his cockpit, his eyes facing forward, "I'm fine; I just know Sky is being cocky as ever. That bastard is gonna understand that a streak means nothing."

Gregory matted his white hair before putting his helmet on, "Calm down Rotary, you do not shoot well when you are angry."

The chubby teenage boy sighed heavily before nodding, "Understood, thank you for the heads up."

Star smiled at her teammates, "We will crush him with teamwork, just remember you are not alone Allen, you have us."

Rotary closed his eyes, "You're right Star."

Gregory narrowed his eyes, "Let us not forget our enemies, Talisman is a dangerous pilot, he most likely has a plan to divide us."

Star questioned with shock, "What do you mean he is dangerous, Sky has the lowest scores?"

Gregory kept his poise, "He might not be the best pilot but oddly enough he has the most eliminations in all of Red Academy, he knows how to kill in battle."

Rotary also readied himself while Gregory continued, "He is also a great leader through his vulgar mouth and attitude, so make sure to stick tighter than we planned."

"You always analyze your opponents to a tee, it's low key Scary Greg."

Star shivered knowing how much he dug to find out that information.

--- --- ---

The clock had five seconds, each team in a v-formation, one thousand feet separating them.

As the clock hit zero, the set of three pilots fired their thrusters. They started to eat up feet as they raced toward each other. Sky and Hammy pulled upwards and headed toward the sky.

Rotary spoke with haste, "You two take them, I finish the one on his own."

Gregory fired back, "No, they are trying to divide us with strange tactics, keep heading straight, if they level out then we do too."

The pilots nodded as they kept gaining speed.

Marcus held his breathe as he watched his teammates zoom upwards at an angle, leaving him on a head on collision with the entirety of Orange team. The three jets not moving an inch.

Sky and Hammy were now fifty feet above Orange team, both of them eyeing Marcus.

"What the hell is this tactic, they are just leaving him to die?" Star said as she flipped a lever that changed her screen view to show Sky and Hammy.

"I'll take the shot before he hits us, we won't falter over their strange plan." Rotary readied himself to fire at Marcus. A halo graphic target turned red as it locked onto Marcus. The cockpit window showing the ships fuel and ammunition. Rotary also glanced at the screen to his right, also focused on Sky and Hammy, the two picking up speed.

Marcus sighed as he saw the indication he was being locked on to by an enemy. He had no flares to throw it off either. The pilot bit his lip as he readied himself to press a button to fire also.

Now, Marcus was seconds away from colliding with Rotary, the two simultaneously pressing the fire button. Rotary's missile easily hit Marcus straight on, an explosion enveloping his ship. Marcus was teleported to a spectating tower a few hundred yards away from where they started. He cursed under his breathe, "I hope this fucking works Sky."

Just as the explosion of fire consumed Orange team's vision, Marcus' missile zipped by without being remotely close to them.

Rotary laughed and Star smiled with perfect white teeth, "What the hell is Sky thinking, such an easy ki-"

Gregory's eyes widened, his calmness completely crumbling as he spoke, "There is an EMP on the debris, hurry and move aw-"

The EMP was attached to the back of Marcus's engine so when his ship was torn to shreds and Orange team flew by the debris, the EMP would surely go off. The use to shut down the lock on system for an entire minute.

Just as Sky planned, the EMP went off directly above Rotary's cockpit, also hitting Star and Gregory. Red lights flashed as an notification popped up on their window,

AUTO LOCKING SYSTEM UNSTABLE

Rotary slammed his fist down on his console, anger filling his pudgy face, "Damnit Sky, you motherfucker!"

Gregory cursed under his breathe before quickly veering away from Rotary and Star, doing the one thing he told them not too.

Star cursed as she watched Gregory pull away, "What are you doing, we need to stick tog-"

Star's jet exploded next to Rotary, sending his ship toward the ground. He quickly grasped the handles and gained control, racing away in a frenzy.

Hammy smiled as he eliminated Star, a sickening laughter coming from him.

"Fuck Yeah Hammy!"

Sky said as they chased Rotary, ignoring Gregory who skated away with haste, gaining ground in the opposite direction.

"Where is Greg going?"

Sky switched his screen to stay on him as he used his turbo to loop back around.

"Hammy pull back and deal with him, I got Allen."

Hammy saluted Sky before zipping to his right on a course to intercept Gregory.

Sky watched him go before turning back to his enemy, Rotary Allen, the most talented pilot was now running in fear. Confidence filled his fingers as he dodged Star's debris, making sure to tail Rotary perfectly.

--- --- ---

Hammy quickly was upon Gregory who zoomed back towards Rotary.

"Not on my watch," Hammy fired a missile, the metal cone advancing toward Gregory.

"You think you can hit me easily?" Gregory said as he barrel rolled away from the missile, "Maybe lock on before you shoot."

Hammy cursed as he knew that miss would stain his record, maybe he was showing off too early. Gregory cut across the viewing window.

Amari watched in awe as she saw the way the jets ate up miles so easily and so fast. It took every ounce of her attention to keep up with them.

Grace also did the same, unable to comment in the slightest.

The High Emblem spectators wrote things down with their stylus, "What an outstanding play by Yellow team." Said a bald man.

"But it also took a sacrifice," said a dark women next to him.

--- --- ---

Hammy bit his lip as he tried his best to lock on, Gregory out playing him in flying skills. It felt like he was just to fast to catch, but Hammy knew they had the same model jet.

"Come here you skank!" He yelled as he was a split second away from locking on.

Gregory weighed his options as he spoke to Rotary, "You cannot shake him, I will try my best to link up, just hang in there."

Gregory glanced at his screen that followed Hammy, an idea forming in his head.

"Actually Allen, I'll be there immediately."