Su-47kv Berkut/caiman

[dragon]

December 24, 2007
9:00pm

MATADOR sat in the living room waiting for Ignacio.  Ignacio was unusual for the average Venezuelan- he, more often than not, was always on time.  He took a sip of his whisky on the rocks and frowned.  He was eager to hear Ignacio's ideas about the happenings in Venezuela that had happened in the previous year: The closings of RCTV, GLOBOVISION and VENEVISION by the government, the death of Fidel Castro, food shortages, nationalization and militarization of the police, and the death penalty being imposed.  The conversation felt so intellectual when they discussed things in his father's study- surrounded by all those books and old photos.  MATADOR was surprised when he saw a man wearing a red t-shirt with the logo of one of the different missions, dirty jeans and a beret start to walk up to the front door.  This puzzled MATADOR.
    The guy in the red beret spat in the flower pot next to the door while he waited for the General to open the door.  The General went to the door and received the note from the man wearing the beret.  The General read the note and went pale.  The man in the beret grinned and yelled "Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Chavez ain't gonna go!"
    The guy in the red beret spat one more time on the walkway, turned around and walked into the night.  
    "What the hell?" Wondered MATADOR.  His mom wanted to know too.  She went to her husband to ask.  He saw the General quietly explain why they guy in the red beret had knocked on the door.  His mom wailed and collapsed to the floor.

    That had been hours ago.  Thankfully one of the longtime neighbors present at the house was a doctor who lived across the street.  MATADOR's mom was sedated in her bedroom.  MATADOR read the note and felt white heat in his chest.  It said that Ignacio had been executed for attacking a member of the government with a gun.  This did not make any sense.  Ignacio did not like guns, even though he had grown up around them.  The guests had left the house.  MATADOR watched his father grab a glass fill it with ice and pour some rum into it.  The General looked up at Mt. Avila and looked for the lit cross, traditionally lit around Christmas.
A wind blew and toyed with the General's grey hair.  He had never seen his parents in this condition.
    "Dad, are you okay?" Asked MATADOR.  The General mumbled something under his breath and then sip some of the rum.
    "Son, the first thing we need to find out is why this happened, why they killed him."  The General was about to break down.  "Son, I never had that issue with you, since you were fulfilling the family duty.  Death to you was always part of the job description."
    "I know Dad, I also tried to disuade Ignacio from going into the military, where you destroy things, and find something where you build things." Said MATADOR.  "I was proud that he had that degree in architecture."
    "Son." Said the General heavily.  He leaned against the fence that faced Mt. Avila.  "In order to honor your little brother's memory, you must pick a side, any side in this conflict.  History is not going to judge those who did not pick a side kindly.  Son, pick a side."
    "Dad, legally you know I can't"
    "Because of your oaths?!"  The General looked for that cross on the Avila.  "Son.  You swore an oath to a republic that no longer exists.  You swore an oath to a flag that had seven stars and now has eight stars- and nobody can produce a credible answer beyond that of the whims of a dictator, you swore an oath to a coat of arms that had Bolivar's Horse checking behind it for any evil catching up to it changed to a horse boldly running to the sinister on the wishes of a dictator's offspring.  These idiots don't realize that heraldry is its own language (and therefore do not realize that the horse galloping unbridled to the left is not a good thing).  Your oath to the  Air Force?  It is no longer the Air Force...."
    "What do you want me to do, Father?"
    "Pick a side.  I don't really care which side you pick.  I know you will eventually find your answers .  All those oaths you swore are to entities that no longer exist, the nation you swore your oath to no longer exists. The Venezuelan people are unarmed and afraid of a few thugs wearing red berets."
    "Yes, Sir.  I will think about this."
    "Son, I need some time alone to mourn your little brother.  "
    MATADOR left the General to grieve.  MATADOR needed time to himself to greive too.  Then he had to make some phone calls and piece the story together.

[dragon]

The story had not been too difficult to piece together.  Ignacio and Karina had been having dinner at a restaurant in Las Mercedes.  Nothing strange about a young couple having dinner together.  What was different this night was that a Cuban advisor to Hugo Chavez took a liking to the girl and had the young couple arrested on trumped up charges by his bodyguards.  Karina had been raped then shot in the back of the head.  Ignacio had been beaten up then also shot execution style.  The actual killing had been done by the chief bodyguard of the Cuban advisor, the same man who had killed Ignacio's parents all those years ago.  Executions were a new thing in Venezuela, no such thing had existed in Venezuelan law in years, and now it had been added to the law books by Chavez.  As with the other countries controlled by Chavez's friends the family of the executed was charged the price of the bullet.  Just to be on the safe side they had also put the trumped up charges officially in the books.  These deaths were impossible to understand.  Two truncated futures because someone was "more equal" than someone else.  
    MATADOR felt an uncontainable rage.  He had picked a side.

[dragon]

January 23, 20__
Morning

The squadron had been called to the briefing room by CIENFUEGOS.  The Aguilas Doradas were now a full squadron of twenty Su-47MKVs.  They had trained on both air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-ship tactics.  The Su-30s had trained exclusively on air-to-air tactics.  
    "Sit down comrades"  motioned CIENFUEGOS.  He looked happy, this worried MATADOR a lot.  "Great flying weather, don't you think, Comrade Executive Officer?"
    "Yes, Sir.  Can't ask for better weather." MATADOR ws wondering what this was about.  
    "Don't worry Comrade Executive Officer, I did not call the squadron here in order to exchange pleasantries about the weather."  CIENFUEGOS was all smiles.  "Comrades, today we have been given one of the greatest missions we could accept.  Today we escort the leaders of the Revolution to Havana for the birth of a new Revolutionary nation.  Because the Yankee fleet is near the flight path and because of our training, we have been chosen to escort the heroic Revolutionary flight."
    Some of the junior pilots broke with military discipline and started to clap like trained seals.  CIENFUEGOS waved them down and continued speaking.  "For part of the mission, all of you can escort TIBURON 1.  However once we leave Venezuelan territory only the Senior pilots will accompany me to Havana.  CALAMAR, CHIGUIRE, HAMPON, LANCERO, and MATADOR get into your flight gear and return here in 20 minutes for briefing.  The rest of you get into your flight gear and pre-flight your planes.  Go!"

[dragon]

January 23, 20__
Noon

The entire squadron waited for Hugo Chavez to finish his speech as it sat on the hot tarmac.  All the planes had been topped off when they arrived at Simon Bolivar International airport from Palo Negro Air Base.  MATADOR surveyed the scene with his binoculars.  Just like CIENFUEGOS had promised, the Presidents of Ecuador, Bolivia, Cuba and Iran stood next to Hugo Chavez.  The cuban and his chief of bodyguards had already boarded the A319CJ.  The small crowd of true believers clapped like trained seals.  MATADOR watched the whole scene expresionless and with equanimity, his gloved hand perched on the canopy frame of AMV-0350.  The order was given for the squadron to ignite their engines on cue.  The fighter-bombers taxied to the runway in formation.  They took off in V-formation.  MATADOR realized this was all being televised for public consumption.
    The big jets flew in formation with the A319CJ known as TIBURON-1 until they reached international waters.  At that point only the senior six aircraft stayed with the plane and flew on to Havana.  
    On board TIBURON-1 negotiations were going on.  After the death of Fidel Castro the only natural leaders left in Cuba were Raul Castro and Felipe Perez Roque.  They had realized early on that while they had the power, they also did not have the personality to hold Cuba together to ensure Fidel's legacy.  In order to insure their own survival, the only solution was to convince Hugo Chavez to create the Union of Latin American Socialist Republics.  With Iran ensuring that everything was "fair", these leaders would be discussing the Union on their flight to Havana.  The plan was to declare the Union in existence on Fidel Castro's grave once they arrived in Havana.  An homage to Fidel Castro and his socialist dreams.  Of course, at every birth announcement in every culture there is usually a gift of some kind given to the newborn, in this case Ahmadinejad had promised a few nuclear tipped missiles.  Bolivar had only been an excuse, the real father of the new nation was Fidel Castro, with Hugo Chavez carrying out the dream.  It was also a win-win situation for Ahmadinejad.  Millions would be enslaved.  

[dragon]

January 23, 20__
15H51

MATADOR realized that now was the moment.  Now or never, speak or forever hold your peace.  "Lord, please forgive me for what I am about to do."
MATADOR crossed himself in the catholic way he had been brought up in.  "But first, some mood music".
MATADOR removed the I-pod from his flight suit pocket.  Then he removed the miniature docking station from another pocket and stuck it on the cockpit wall just like Sergei had shown him.  Alma Llanera just seemed unsuitable even though the intro always made him think of the Venezuelan Air Force's evolution [Editor's note: Alma Llanera is equivalent to Venezuelans as America the beautiful is to citizens of the USA- it is an unofficial national anthem.].  He dialed the I-pod until an appropriate enough song pumped through the docking station.  He then put it on repeat.
    The unique introduction to the song MATADOR by the Argentine group Los Fabulosos Cadillacs filled the cockpit- it was a rock/skaa rhythm played on a variety of drums, among them a kettle drum.  There was a definite military drum tatoo in the background too.  It reminded MATADOR of Taiko drums (which he enjoyed).  MATADOR switched his Infra Red targeting system on.  He knew where the pipper would be and squeezed off three rounds from the cannon.  The first round went just behind the wing, the second just in front of the wing, and the last round in the A319CJ's cockpit.  For good measure he also fired a heat seeking missile and a radar guided missile.  Then he yelled into the radio "What's been hit!  Who's been hit?!"
    MATADOR saw his cannon rounds hit home.  The A319CJ erupted in flames, making it an easier target for the heat seeker, the wreckage slowly dropping due to the force of gravity and in flames.  The escorting aircraft broke away from TIBURON-1 in utter confusion, the chatter also indicated massive confusion.  MATADOR smiled, he then threw his aircraft into a 3/4 of a kulbits.  As the aircraft was almost on its back, he gunned the engine and climbed as far as the engines would let him.  Obviously he would need to ask for political asylum.  But where?  NAS Key West was the obvious answer, and the way there would likely be full of Cuban Fighter Aircraft.  As the Su-47MKV reached the peak of its climb, MATADOR pushed the control stick in the general direction of Pensacola, Florida- that would give him a lot of "friendly aircraft" if he needed them.  Pensacola NAS, McDill AFB and Eglin AFB were close to each other.  They each had fighter squadrons based there and would possibly give him som assistance if he asked nicely.  It was close enough but unexpected.  He then performed a hammerhead maneuver and dived towards the the ocean below, hoping to lose himself among the radar returns from the waves.  Unfortunately he had to deal with the MK-1 eyeball.

[Archibald]

"Hasta la vista baby!!"

Brilliant!  

[dragon]

"Havana Control, TIBURON-1 is down, I repeat, TIBURON-1 is down.  Begin Search and Rescue Operations!"  CIENFUEGOS searched the sky for the possible source of the shots.  It did not make sense.  Unless...  It was either treason or ambush or both.  Variables had to be eliminated, as well as any traitors. "Who is still flying?!  Report to me!"
    CHIGUIRE, CALAMAR, LANCERO, and HAMPON reported in.
"Where is MATADOR?  Anyone seen MATADOR?"  Asked CIENFUEGOS.  
"Comrade CIENFUEGOS, I saw MATADOR diving to the ocean with a couple missiles missing from his wings!"  Said HAMPON.  He scanned the surface.  A lucky break in the clouds revealed AMV-0350 streaking away from all the action.  "There he is!"
"HAMPON, you are closer to me.  Form up on me.  The rest of you form up on CHIGUIRE." Said CIENFUEGOS.  "Comrades!  We have a traitor to shoot down."
"CALAMAR and LANCERO, you heard CIENFUEGOS.  Form up on me!"  The big jets formed up in a V-formation.
"All Right.  HAMPON, follow me!"  CIENFUEGOS shouted into the radio.  "MATADOR you have committed high treason.  Prepare to die!"

MATADOR was listening to the chatter and wondered if he would be able to live with so many aircraft after him.  The song (in spanish) in the I-pod said "They are hunting for you Matador!".  No doubt.  He smiled grimly to himself.  In his mind's eye he pictured the possible ways the remaining 5 aircraft would come after him.  Then something unexpected happened.

"CALAMAR, LANCERO.  Wings Level!  Set your heading back to Palo Negro." Ordered CHIGUIRE.
"You will do no such thing!  We will hunt for the traitor!"  Said CIENFUEGOS.
"Perhaps you and the Bolivian will."  Said CHIGUIRE.  "I only take orders from Venezuelan Officers."
"What about our dead Revolutionary Commanders?  Are you not going to avenge them?!"
"Chavez stopped being my commander when he brought you into my Air Force.  He is dead and shall remain dead.  Between you and HAMPON, you ought to be able to take on one airplane.  Isn't that your superior Socialist way?  See you around."

MATADOR looked in his radar and saw three aircraft going away.  The odds had just improved.  He looked around and behind his aircraft for the approaching CAIMANES.  He considered his height above the water and decided that it would limit his options if one of the pursuing CAIMANES did get within shooting distance.  A cannon round whizzed by on his starboard side.  "Crap!  Didn't know they were that close!"
He needed some distance and altitude.  MATADOR throttled up.  Looking behind him MATADOR saw that he was making rooster tails in the water as he passed.  When the other jets receeded in the distance, MATADOR gave himself some altitude.  The tail radar warned of a heat seeking missile coming his way.  At the very last minute MATADOR turned the jet sharply and performed a barrel roll.  The missile streaked harmlessly by.

[BlackOps]

Holy Moly! This is turning into a novel.  Lot's of action too, how long before this story make it to the big screen  

[dragon]

Not too much longer, I promise! B)
A backstory like this requires a good finish.    

[dragon]

Another heat seeker came at MATADOR, this time from the port side.  Again MATADOR broke away sharply and performed a barrel roll.  He was getting tired of this.  He was not used to playing the hunted and preferred to be the hunter.  
"I think I have just about had enough of this" mumbled MATADOR.  Originally he had thought of saving CIENFUEGOS for last and taking out HAMPON first.  He had no choice in the matter.  CIENFUEGOS would eventually get MATADOR if something was not done soon.
    "Come on MATADOR.  Make it easy for youself, I will get you eventually" said CIENFUEGOS.  He struggled to get the pipper on target.  "You can't win, you know."
    "Yes.  I am easily frightened by a guy who learned how to dogfight from an instructor whose only claim to fame is shooting down an unarmed civilian plane."  MATADOR felt that CIENFUEGOS had come too close for heat seekers without realizing it.  "You know how to kill the unarmed.  I am armed.  Let me tell you that I can smell your fear from here.  It is time to change your diapers CIENFUEGOS.  I can smell them from here- and they don't smell so good!!!."
    MATADOR waited until the pursuing aircraft had a lock on him.  While the tone was sounding he then performed the horizontal form of Pugachev's Cobra, known as "the hook".  
    "What the.." were CIENFUEGOS' last words.  AMV-0350 seemed to spin on its own axis while the nose started to point to CIENFUEGOS' plane.  There was nothing CIENFUEGOS could do.  MATADOR fired several cannon rounds into the cockpit area and continued on course to the general area of Pensacola Florida.

[Rafael]

350, seven stars - Dragon, folks, you know I can't say much.
Thanks, Dragon
Rafa

[dragon]

MATADOR looked for the second jet.  Where was HAMPON?  Cannon rounds whizzed by in answer to his question.  MATADOR rolled the big jet in order to avoid the shells.  He looked at his fuel gauge and realized he did not have enough for a dogfight.  He also did not have enough ammunition either.  The Bolivian was too close to use his radar guided missiles and had no heat seekers left.  MATADOR realized that HAMPON was going for a guns kill.  
"What the hell do I do next?"  Pondered MATADOR.  He looked at his map and did some quick calculations.  This might work.  He switched to a different frequency.  "This is AMV-0350 inbound to Pensacola requesting political asylum!"
    Another group of shells came in his direction.  MATADOR again rolled the jet to avoid them.
"This is Major CHUCKY Williams, USAF.  You are in US Territorial waters.  Level your wings and return from where you came."  Said the voice over the radio.
"This is Colonel MATADOR Martinez on board AMV-0350.  I am requesting political asylum.  I am waggling my wings."
At that moment HAMPON fired his cannon once more.
"AMV-4552 you will cease and desist.  Level your wings and turn around or be shot down.  AMV-0350 we will honor your request.  Level your wings."
"This is AMV-0350, leveling my wings."
"AMV-4552 level your wings and turn around or be shot down, this is your last warning."
"Go to hell, yankee!"  Shouted HAMPON in defiance.
"You first." Said CHUCKY.  The F-22 fired a heat seeking missile which immedietly found its target.  MATADOR winced from the shock wave from HAMPON's exploding CAIMAN.  "AMV-0350, follow me down to Eglin AFB."
    A pair of F-22 Raptors fell in formation around MATADOR.  "Thank you for coming to my aid, CHUCKY.  My name is Jose Luis Martinez, Venezuelan Air Force.  I seek political asylum because..."
    "We have been watching you for some time.  The guys in the Aircraft Carriers went ape when you shot down that A319CJ.  So did the spies in Langley.  You have no idea how many phone lines are burning up right now talking about your shootdown.  Oh yeah, that's been some of the best flying I have ever seen."  Said CHUCKY.  
    "I suppose I won't be going home anytime soon."  Said MATADOR.  "I won't be able to see my country again for a long time.  I don't suppose that you have ever been there CHUCKY?  You are called like the doll in that movie?"
    "In a way.  Chuck is short for Charles and the CHUCKY thing works nicely in the fighter community."  The Major trimmed his jet.  "I actually have been to your country years ago.  My family lived there for three years.  I went to school at Colegio Internacional de Caracas in Baruta."
    "Where did you live?"
    "We lived in a neighborhood called Caurimare."
    "Charles...Charlie.  You wouldn't happen to have a sister named Maria?"
    "Actually Yes, she's married and has three kids.  Do I know you from somewhere?"
    "I am Jose Luis from that neighborhood in Caurimare.  I dated your sister when we were in High School.  You fell in love with Reina Pepeada Arepas and Malta Polar."
    "My tastes have improved since then.  I prefer a Polar Beer with my arepa these days.  When we are done debriefing you, we can go to this place called Weston, outside of Miami, and have some authentic arepas.  We will decide if we need to get a disguise on you or not at that time."
    "Disguise?"
    "You are a celebrity now.  No.  Actually the Venezuelan ex-patriates consider you a hero.  You might not get a chance to get a bite while signing autographs."
    "What happened to us?  We were such good friends an neighbors at one time."
    "We still are."

    Two weeks later CHUCKY and MATADOR stood outside of a Venezuelan Restaurant he always ate at when in Weston.  CHUCKY had talked for hours on the cooking and a couple more hours on the place's aviation memorabilia plastered on the wall.  MATADOR smelled the air, the food certainly smelled good- at least like a Venezuelan restaurant should smell.  He looked in doubt at the place's name, El Cazon, why would a Venezuelan civilian name his restaurant after an ingredient and then fill it with aviation memorabilia.  It did not make sense.  They found a table and sat down.  As CHUCKY had described, the place was full of aviation memorabilia, curiously Venezuelan Aviation memorabilia.  
    "Hey, there's the owner of this place."  Mentioned CHUCKY as he motioned the owner over.  MATADOR was not paying attention.  Instead he stared at a photo on the wall.  He had taken his sunglasses off to see it more clearly.  It was MATADOR and PAPUPAPA next to their F-20F CAZON.  It seemed like the picture had been taken so many lifettimes ago.  "Jose Luis, this is the owner of the restaurant."
    "MATADOR!" Said the owner in recognition.  MATADOR embraced the owner.
    "PAPUPAPA!  It's been a long time!"

[dragon]

Epilogue

After MATADOR's action, there was a short civil war in Venezuela, similar actions also took place in Iran, Cuba, Ecuador, and Bolivia.  Mainly the armed dead-enders tried to remain in power.  The people were not very understanding of this and many were lynched on the spot.  Secretary of State Nicolas Maduro, for example was killed by an angry mob after he opened fire on civilians with his AK-103.  His corpse was hung from an overpass in a scene very reminiscent of the hanging of Mussolini during World War II.  Oddly enough Telecommunications Minister and former Vice President Jesse Chacon, alone of all the Chavez colaborators, returned to his military roots and did the "honorable thing for the good of the service".  He put a Zamorana 9mm pistol in his mouth and fired.  The Venezuelan flag reverted to 7 stars after the fall of Chavez.  The coat of arms also reverted to the horse "checking six".

MATADOR's CAIMAN was taken apart by the Intelligence Agencies of the US then put back together and restored.  Then it was shipped to the Venezuelan Aviation Museum in Maracay.  Sharp eyed visitors will note that the CAIMAN has not been totally restored to what it looked like when TIBURON-1 was shot down.  They will note that the flag on the fuselage has 7 stars and not 8 as photographs and images of that aircraft on that historical date show.  They will also note that the aircraft has been designated FAV-0350.  This was done on General Jose Luis MATADOR Martinez Perez' insistence.  He felt the 8 stars to be an abomination and the AMV designation just made him sick to his stomach. The plane has drawn pilgrims from all over the world to it, especially citizens from Iran, Cuba, Ecuador, and Bolivia.  Next to the CAIMAN is displayed an F-20F CAZON flown by General Martinez Perez.  Museum staff often find Thank You notes leaning against the plaque explaining the plane's history.  Many say "Thank you for our freedom" and in other languages other than spanish.  Freedom has been regained.  After the fall of Chavez many of the Oposicion wore the numbers 350 on T-shirts (signifying the Constitutional article allowing rebllion against a government that had turned against the people), some had the outline of the Su-47 flown by MATADOR added to the number 350 on their t-shirts.  These can be purchased at the museum's gift shop.  The sound of freedom is now the sound of the big engines on FAV-0350.

ABAJO CADENAS!

END

[Archibald]

WOW!!!! [/size]

Awesome story! That's bloody well done Mr Dragon! Reading your story I could see the F-22s fighting HAMPON  

Maybe you should post that in the TBO board ?
http://p076.ezboard.com/TBOVerse-Stories-/...fairs68862frm25

[dragon]

350, seven stars - Dragon, folks, you know I can't say much.
Thanks, Dragon
Rafa

Rafael,
    Be careful this coming weekend.  It might get "very interesting" in Caracas on Saturday.

Abajo Cadenas!