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June 6, 2035, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, United States
"SJ Control to 004TFW, Archer, respond."
"Archer 1, loud and clear."
"SJ Control to Archer. Emergency, emergency, emergency. Three unidentified high-speed objects over the Atlantic, entering the Air Defense Identification Zone, approaching East Coast. Code Uniform. Repeat, Code Uniform. Track them. Bearing 08, heading 24, speed Mach 8, range 480, altitude 650. Contact in 160 seconds. Data sent. Report visual description."
"SJ Control, Archer 1. Mach 8? Ballistic missile?"
"Archer 1, SJ Control. Negative. Horizontal flight in atmosphere. Possible new missile type."
"SJ Control, Archer 1. Code Uniform, bearing 08, heading 24, speed Mach 8, range 480, altitude 650… what? 65,000 feet? You kidding?"
"Archer 1, no joke. Altitude 650."
"SJ Control, we're at 32,000 feet. Climbing to 65,000 in two minutes is impossible. Get another unit."
"Archer 1, you're the closest to Code U. No aircraft within 1,000 miles can reach 60,000. Do your best."
"You serious? SJ Control, 60,000 in 180 seconds? Can't catch it."
"Archer 1, we're serious. No need to match altitude. Just get a visual."
"Damn it. We're beat from morning drills. Archer 1 to all units, intercept Code U. Turn to heading 08, military power, head-on. Stay tight."
"Archer 2, copy."
"Archer 3, copy."
"Archer 4, copy."
"Archer 5, copy."
"Archer, weapons free. Engage if hostile."
"Archer 1, copy."
"Whoa, weapons free? For real?"
"They're in the ADIZ. Next is airspace violation. Makes sense."
"Don't get cocky. Shoot, they shoot back. You might go down. Remember that."
"Shoot back? Not missiles? Aircraft can't fly that high."
"Scramjet could. Stay sharp."
"Russian recon bird?"
"From the ocean? Mach 8? No way. Like an X-43. My F-41 tops out at Mach 3. How do we catch it after passing?"
"Quit yapping. We're close. All units, radar boost, weapons check, ammo confirmed, fire control red. Code U, bearing 09, head-on. Contact in 30 seconds."
"Radar boost, still no lock. Just link data. Stealthy bastard."
"Archer 3, not confirmed hostile yet."
"SJ Control to Archer. 20 seconds to contact."
"Archer 1, copy. All units, target passes high right. Eyes on."
"That it? Kinda small, huh?"
"SJ Control, Archer 1. Targets in delta formation, passing high right. White, small. Not missile-shaped. Too tiny for fighters. What are these? New drones?"
"No contrails. Mach 8 at that size? What's the fuel?"
"All units, pursue. Stay with me. SJ Control, Archer 1. Passed targets, now pursuing."
"They changed course?"
"Targets turned. Coming at us. What the hell?"
"SJ Control, Archer 1. Targets changed course. Still no radar lock. Link data solid?"
"Archer, weak signal but locked. Heading 12, speed Mach 3, confirmed turn. Stay alert."
"SJ Control, they didn't turn. They switched course."
"Archer 1, clarify."
"Targets flipped from heading 24 to 12 instantly. No turn."
"Archer 1, SJ Control. Understood. Proceed with caution."
"You sure you get it?"
"Moody! Moody!"
"Archer 5, controls dead. Shit! Right wing's gone. I'm hit! Ejecting! Eject, eject, eject!"
"Moody's down! Damn it!"
"Archer, all units break! Break! Engage!"
"They fired first!"
"What happened, Archer? Report."
"Moody got hit out of nowhere! Missile?"
"No. Archer 5 just burst into flames. Laser."
"Archer 3, they're flanking. Descend."
"Where? Can't see them."
"SJ Control, Archer 1. Engaging hostiles. Archer 5 down."
"Archer, were you fired on? Status of Archer 5?"
"Archer 2, behind you! Break!"
"Shoot, right? Or we're done!"
"They're on my tail! What are these things?"
"Fire. Weapons free."
"Archer, report. Were you fired on?"
"Shut up, we said we were hit! Archer 3, FOX 2, FOX 2."
"Archer 1, watch right."
"Archer 1, FOX 2, FOX 2."
"Archer 1, break! Break!"
"Archer 4, below! Watch out!"
"Damn! Missed. They jinked!"
"Archer, report. Did you fire?"
"No good. Dodged at the last second."
"Archer 2, FOX 2, FOX 2."
"Archer 3, hold steady."
"Behind me! Damn!"
"Archer 3, covering."
"I'll take it! FOX 3. Damn, missed!"
"Missiles aren't locking! What's going on?"
"Archer 2, left. Flank them."
"Archer 3, FOX 2, FOX 2."
"Archer 4, FOX 3. Why? Should've hit!"
"Archer 3, break. They're behind."
"Archer 4, FOX 3. Why won't they drop?"
"Archer 1, FOX 3. Bingo! One down."
"Get this one off me! It's behind!"
"Calm down. Look close. They turn fast but move slow. Missiles won't lock. Use guns."
"I'll pin it from above. Archer 4, go!"
"Archer 4, FOX 3. No good. Won't fall."
"My shot! Archer 2, FOX 3. Damn, missed."
"They're hounding us! FOX 3! Bingo!"
"One left. Archer 2, pin it from above."
"Archer 3, flanking. Whoa!"
"Bastard!"
"Archer 4, don't overchase. It's fleeing."
"Fast as hell. Already way out there."
"Anyone know what happened to Archer 5?"
"Looked like he bailed. Didn't see the chute."
"Search pattern. All units descend to 3,000 feet."
"Archer 2, copy."
"Archer 4, copy."
"Archer 3, copy."
"SJ Control to Archer. Report engagement."
"What? You heard it all!"
"Cool it, Bowman. SJ Control, Archer 1. Hostiles fired first, hit Archer 5, it went down. Engaged three Hostile Unidentified Flying Objects. Two destroyed. Our loss: Archer 5. Pilot status unknown. Searching now."
"Archer 1, understood. Did you confirm HUFO appearance?"
"Confirmed. Gun and eye cameras recorded. About 5-6 meters long, protrusions on sides. No jet nozzles, no propellers."
"Understood. Scramble all further comms. Detailed report at base. Continue Archer 5 search."
"Archer 1, copy."
June 6, 2035, Post-Engagement
Lieutenant Alexander Stevensen, callsign Archer 5, shot down by the unidentified objects, was safely rescued from the Atlantic off North Carolina.
Captain Morgan Pierce, callsign Archer, faced months of investigation before transferring to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and was discharged shortly after.
This battle off North Carolina, the first combat engagement for the US Air Force's F-41 Estoc fighter, debuted in 2028, went unrecorded in official records.