As instructed clover janks into a sharp dive, narrowly evading the approaching follower. Clover takes sharp shallow breaths to fight the mounting G-forces as Barrage whips past behind us, pulling up into a loop. Clover rolls back around, climbing up to meet Barrage in the apex of his loop. The engines begin their crude howl once more as we approach Barrage with incredible speeds, Barrage janks, barely narrowly avoiding our crosshair. The Barrage is quite slow for this engagement, Did he burn most of his speed in the loop on purpose? Clover begins to loop back over, hoping to have a quick end to the slow bandit.
Jax: "Don't loop! keep climbing."
Clover: "What?.. Why?.."
Jax: "Were too fast, he'll outturn us at this pace. We have the altitude and speed advantage. Turning in would throw both of those away. Instead, just do a steady circle and further drain his speed. It'd be hard for him to climb to this altitude with his current speed."
Following my instructions once more, Clover continues to climb higher. Leveling out a steady 35 thousand feet high starting a horizontal circle. We look below as the Barrage tries his luck at climbing. I know the barrage better than anyone else, at this altitude he won't have enough thrust to keep up with his weight. And as I prophecized, Barrage's nose began to sink. Seeing what I saw, Clover dived down to the vulnerable Barrage as Boss falls into a steep dive. We once again close towards him at blitzing speeds.
Jax: "Clover you're going in too fast, he'll force us to overshoot at this rate."
Understanding my warning, the furious engines behind me subside, reducing our closure rate. The Barrage once more janks, this time with less success. We pull in behind the squirming jet as it bounces around our reticle. There's nothing you could possibly do in this situation Boss, we have speed, agility, and acceleration on our side, checkmate. Suddenly, the Barrage pulls a hard corkscrew spin, Throwing him into some sort of cobra maneuver. We shoot out in front of him, having no other option but to avoid the sudden maneuver.
Jax: "Damn that crazy old bastard! He still had some wild tricks up his sleeve! Pull into a loop, whatever form of "cobra" that was it still drained every ounce of his speed."
We pull up into a loop as Boss recovered from his last-ditch effort. We both began verticle loops, gaining nor receiving any distance between each other. We rise and fall over and over, receiving no change in the situation.
Jax: "Clover, cant Sakura pull any harder than this?"
Through her staggered shallow breaths, Clover mutters out the words.
Clover: "Jax... We're pulling... Over 15... G's...
Jax: "15 Already!?"
for her small size, she can handle a lot more than you'd expect. I wonder how much her flight suit is contributing to that.
Jax: "Never mind what I said then. Do you know how to evolve this into a rolling scissor?"
Clover: "N-... o..."
Jax: "At the apex of the loop, slightly offset. That will force Boss to follow and slowly evolve this looping rate fight into a rolling scissor."
As instructed Clover rolls slightly to the left at the top of the loop. Having no choice but to follow, Boss also offsets his loop. More and more the loop begins to shift, ending in us rolling around each other in a horizontal rolling scissor. In this type of engagement, skill and speed management will decide how easy this fight will be for Clover. if she keeps her throttle on the slower side, Sakura's superior agility will prove capable. If she keeps it too high, she will struggle to get a gun solution. I listen to the highs and lows of Sakura's engines as she plays with the throttle, lowering and raising it in the highs and lows of the ever-trading scissor. I don't have any kind of speed gauge back here, so I can't give better instructions on her throttle control. Clover, this comes down to your skill alone, show me what you can do! The engine's humble whines and screeching yells waver as Clover flutters the throttle, it seems she's too fast. We slowly begin to lose the engagement as we poke further and further out ahead.
Jax: "Clover we've lost this engagement, next time we cross don't turn back in, full-throttle us out of this situation. we'll go for a simple reversal instead."
Clover's breath patterns begin to wave as the constant high G maneuvers slowly crackdown on her endurance. This fight has gone on too long, any longer and Clover will tire out. Ill set her up for success, but its effectiveness will depend on her capability afterwords. We pull away from the scissor, leveling out a few hundred feet from the bright orange sand below. Given a headstart and Sakura's acceleration, we make it far away before Boss recovers his speed for the chase. Good, we have just enough separation. I haven't used this reversal on Boss before, but it's done wonders against Nick and Diana.
Jax: "Clover listen to my instructions carefully, this reversal is not only tricky, but risky. Any mistakes here and we give him the easiest kill shot of his career... While making a light horizontal turn, Top out your speed right before crossing Mach 1. When Boss gets around 2 kilometers break hard into the direction of your turn for two seconds. Then roll down and under him with a second or two of air brakes. Afterward, continue to roll around him at full to 75% throttle depending on his speed until he shoots out in front. This maneuver retains a good deal of speed but is also extremely high on the G's. If you pull it off successfully he will have nothing else he can do. Of course, if he doesn't see it coming. I'll range and give you the call to perform the maneuver. So for now just top your speed and begin a light turn while watching him."
As instructed she tops her speed just above the sound barrier, caressing its limit ever so gently while forming a tame right-hand turn. We both look back, staring daggers into the small dot far off in the distance. I observe his closing figure, watching as he effortlessly breaks the sound barrier, Mach cone flutter behind. Good, the cards are in play, and he's faster than us. Next is just to spring the trap. The dot grows ever so slowly as he closes in without a single thought. 5 km, 3,
Jax: "BREAK!"
She pulls into a hard turn across the horizon as Boss's delayed reaction unfolds. Clover rolls under Barrage as Sakura's airframe creaks and shakes under the extreme G-loads. Boss tries to follow as he slows under Mach 1. But it's no use, he's too fast. He shoots out in front, crossing over Clover's scope without fail.
Clover: "You've... Died..."
Jax: "HAHA you hear that Boss!? I'VE FINALLY BEATEN YOU! WOOOOO!"
Boss: "Yea, Yea kid. I saw that comin' but I let you teach the little lady a new move."
Jax: "Oh? in denial are you? how cute! even Boss comes up with clever excuses when he gets outplayed."
Boss: "I'm not in anything, You just had the little lady here help you out. In a one-on-one, you wouldn't stand a chance."
Jax: "Is that a bet!?"
Boss: "Your damn right it is kid!"
Jax: "Alright tough guy, let's pick this up tomorrow then!"
Boss: "You sure are eager to get your ass handed to you again huh!?"
Jax: "Id like to see you tr-"
Our little rant was cut short by the mounting giggles of Clover wiggling in her pilot's seat.
Boss: "Somethin' funny to you little miss?"
in the best her soft meager voice could carry, she calls out through her stifled chuckles:
Clover: "Nothing!~"
Clover falls into formation behind Barrage as we head back to base. Chatting along the way, I look out into the darkened sky, only illuminated by the remnants of the orange setting sun. The stars begin to poke out overhead as the desert begins to fade into a mellow blue under the calming moon. Clover's meek giggling flutters over the radio as me and Boss continue our playful arguement.
I think Clover will be a wonderful wingman.