.17: British Boeing E-3 AWACS shot down by Sudanese rocket fire. Entire flight crew and 6 mission crew killed in crash. 10 survivors arrested by Sudanese military.
.18: British Ambassador to Sudan calls for unconditional release of crash survivors and return of deceased's remains. Sudan refuses without statement.
.26: SAS operatives aid in escape of crash survivors, retrieve deceased's remains and remove AWACS information from Sudanese databanks.
.27: Sudan accuses United Kingdom of supporting the escape of prisoners, removing bodies from a morgue and stealing data from their systems. UK disputes allegations, stating that the prisoners escaped because of inept guards and antiquated security systems.
.3 British tanker seized by Sudanese naval forces. Rear-Admiral Richard Nekri, captain of HMS Queen Elizabeth & leader of 1st carrier fleet, retakes tanker using excessive force. 14 Sudanese sailors are killed and a Sudanese frigate is sunk.
.4: Sudan demands that Rear-Admiral Nekri be stripped of rank. United Kingdom refuses, stating that his actions were justified.
.11: Sudan, Egypt & Somalian Republic declare war on United Kingdom.
.14. 10:30 AM: Joint Egyptian, Sudanese & Somalian fleet attacks British 1st carrier fleet at Maltese port HMS Queen Elizabeth receives superficial damage but all planes are destroyed.
.14. 1:45 PM: Gilda's PMC, Flyers INC. called in to replace onboard squadrons.
Malta
.14
10:25 AM
"Well, isn't this a fine mess." The man depicted on the monitor laments, decades of service evident on his leathery face. His hair graying a bit but still noticeably blond. "I don't know what you're worrying about. The Africans are unlikely to pose a respectable threat." A younger man absently toys with his pen. "The last time they tried to pick a fight, we trumped them soundly. Shortest war they called it." "That was over a hundred years ago. The situation has changed. Africa has modernized. There's also the fact that we aren't fighting against some dissatisfied Muslim royals. Your unprovoked attack has upset the entirety of North East Africa, all because you couldn't wait for orders." "I was justified!" The younger man slams his fist on the desk, causing a picture of him and a smiling woman to topple over. "The people think I was right, the government commends my assertiveness. Her majesty is considering knighting me! The only one who doesn't like what I did is you." He points an accusing finger at the monitor. "Because I can see where it's gotten us. Right smack dab in the middle of a war. The rest of the European Union has shunned us, the Arabs have cut off trade. Even the bloody Americans don't trust us and the only ones who have fucked up worse then the Yanks in the Middle East are the Arabs themselves." "So what?" The older man's eyes bulge nearly out of his skull. "So what? So what? We're not getting any crude, that means no petrol, no plastic, and no trade. England will become an economical black hole and we'll have the same damn problems the Greeks had and you know what that lead to." They both give a shudder. "Right. The Katerini riots. But that won't happen. The 1st carrier fleet can deal with this. You'll see. In a week, you'll have to call me Sir Richard." An explosion rocks the room. "You were saying?" "Shut up!" Richard ends the video chat and runs up to the bridge. "Report!" "The enemy has launched an attack. We've already lost the Archer and Scimitar. Dauntless has lost her guns." A fighter buzzes the comm tower, rattling everything not bolted to the ground. "Scramble the jets. Tell the service crews to equip the fighters for air supremacy and the attackers for anti-ship. Contact Thunderer and Conqueror, direct heavy shells at the enemy's largest ships." The bridge scrambles to execute the admiral's orders. Richard goes back to the video chat room and dials up a number. "Come on, fly girl. Pick up for once in your life."
AN/If anyone reading this has an appropriate name for this either leave in in a review or PM to me.