Hello, everyone. For the record, I am not dead. And I am not giving up on Displaced. This is mainly a little something to get my writing mind back into gear. Also, I've been wanting to cover the story behind Nina's PTSD and behavior. So, please don't leave me forever! Enjoy.
Strike Witches: Nightmares
1000 Hours, Mid-late 2014
Kiev, Western Orussia
The entire city of Kiev was in a state of high alert. Neuroi forces have been gathering to the east, and were seen making their way toward them. As sirens blared and evacuation announcements were being made, the citizens were frantically leaving the city by any means necessary; the streets were jammed with vehicles, Kiev International Airport was backed up with airliners loaded with people, and those who couldn't make the other forms of transportation did what they could on-foot. As the civilians filed out, the military filed in to prepare defenses and await the incoming threat. Squadrons of witches and MiGs were covering the massive mobilization from the air. To maintain efficiency, streets were designated to prevent a backup of forces and/or civilians. It seemed as though the citizens would be cleared out and the military ready for the Neuroi.
Unfortunately, the Neuroi had other ideas. While it seemed like the evacuation was at its peak, artillery shells, laser beams, and rockets began raining down from the sky, pounding buildings and killing countless people. The civilians panic and begin stampeding each other to get away. Friendly tanks, infantry, and air units rush to aid and defend. However, the enemy force, consisting of Neuroi aircraft Neuroi-loyalists and Neuroi-mind-controlled humans operating stolen military hardware, was tremendously overwhelming. Soon, the city was completely surrounded and the remaining people trapped within had nowhere to run to.
In the air, airliners, fighters, and witches were being slaughtered left and right. On the ground, an army officer shouted, "Goddammit! We need help! All units fall back! What's up with our air support?!"
Approaching Kiev from the Northeast
Around the same time, the neat formation of the Orussian Navy's 279th Shipborne Fighter Aviation Regiment was rushing in to aid the beleaguered and besieged city. Anzhelika Oryol, the beautiful leader of the 279th and newly-promoted to Rear Admiral, called in and reported her unit and position. "Kiev defense command, this is Blizzard 1-1-Actual. Hold out a little longer. We're coming in from the Northeast to provide air support."
Gracing the girl's legs was the Su-33 Flanker-D Striker Unit, one of the largest fighter Strikers manufactured; winging her were three other witches also in Su-33s. Two more flights of four witches each held formation on each side of this one; the right flight had Su-33s as well, and the left flight had the new MiG-29Ks. Inside this wedge of fighter witches, two flights of Su-25UTG ground-attack-Striker-equipped witches completed the air group.
In the MiG-29K flight, designated Blizzard-3, a young witch flew in the #3 position. Her white hair was tied in two tails, with a blue ribbon holding the left and a red one holding the right. Her green eyes were brightened with an eager smile, and the ears and tail of her Orlov Trotter familiar flapped in the breeze. She wore a sky-blue collared shirt, Senior Lieutenant insignia on her shoulders, and black thigh-high socks just peeking out of her Strikers. The patch on the left side of her chest named her Nina Dina Denisova.
Sr. Lt. Nina Dina Denisova was ready and raring for action. It's why she gets up every morning. Sure, there was the whole "defend the Motherland from the Neuroi invaders and their minions" thing, but it was the thrill and rush of a dogfight that truly fueled her spirit. That's not to say that she didn't feel the former sentiment at all, for Kiev was her home city, and she would very much like it purged of the Neuroi and their minions. Plus, she had to set a good example for the newbies who joined the regiment right out of flight school. Her friend Lt. Ludmila Mijasik was sure to do the same for the newbies in the attacker flights.
Rear Adm. Oryol's voice came over the comlink, "Ok, girls. This is my last mission as your CO, so let's make it a good one. Remember your training and pick your targets carefully. Try to keep casualties to a minimum. Ok, everyone ready? Let's go! Break and engage at will!"
The four other flights of the 279th broke away from Blizzard-1 flight with eager cheers of excitement; one of the new girls even shouted, "For the Motherland!" The Su-25 witches of Blizzard-4 and Blizzard-5 flights dove down on the enemy ground units, and Nina's Blizzard-3 flight climbed up behind Blizzard-1 and Blizzard-2 flights to meet the enemies in the air. There were a large number of Neuroi fighters and attackers, way more than the twelve witches rising up to face them. But Nina smiled. This was her fight.
Nina picks out a big diamond-shaped Neuroi Manticore attacker. "Watch and learn, newbie!" she said to her wingman, named Jr. Lt. Eva Sokoloff. With wingman in tow, she accelerated, lined up a missile shot, and fired. Jettisoning from her Striker, the missile tracked straight and true, annihilating the Manticore in an instant. Eva applauded, impressed. "Pretty good. Now watch me!" She sped in ahead of Nina, mowing the late Manticore's partner to shreds with her 30mm autocannon. After her sweeping success, they formed up.
"Hey, you're pretty good, kid," said Nina.
"Kid?!" exclaimed Eva, "I'm 14!"
Nina laughed and said, "I'm just messing with you. Keep your cool. You'll do just fine."
"Tch."
The pair got back into action, slaying some more Neuroi and bringing Eva's kill count to six. Nina truly was impressed; it took her a while to make ace, while Eva became one in less than an hour.
Then, in came a transmission from the flight lead, "Blizzard 3-3, Blizzard 3-1. You and Blizzard 3-4 form back up on me. We've gotta provide air cover for – AHHHH–!" The comm quickly and suddenly cut out as Nina and Eva see a series of powerful beams tear their flight lead to shreds.
"KLARA!" shouted Nina in shock.
"Oh my God…" Eva said slowly.
Klara's wingman, a newbie, was then set upon by four Arion fighters; she could be seen frantically maneuvering in a panicked effort to stay alive. The poor girl could be heard over the comlink desperately calling for someone, anyone, to come and rescue her. They were enjoying a quick success, but the odds just as quickly turned against them.
Nina got on the comlink to try and get her to calm down. "Kid, I need you to calm down and keep your wits about you."
"There are four bandits on me!" screamed the wingman, "And Blizzard 3-1 is dead!"
"Do not panic. You'll meet the same fate if you do. What's your name?"
"My n-name is J-junior Lieutenant Lilya Orlov."
"Ok, Lilya, you're doing great. We're coming in behind you to take care of your six. We've got bandits chasing us, too. So, when I tell you to, pull back on the throttle, pitch up, and apply full right rudder and aileron. You're gonna swing around into a stand facing us and dispatch our chasers with your guns. Remember, when I give the signal."
Nina could hear the combination of fear, doubt, and fatigue in Lilya's voice when she said, "I don't know if I can! I'm just a newbie!"
"And I'm 11 going on 12." Nina needed to say something that would bolster Lilya's confidence in herself. "Listen, you're gonna pull it off no problem, Lilya. Now, ready on my signal."
"Okay! I can do this! I can do this!"
Nina began to count down from three before finally shouting, "Now!" In an instant, Lilya pulled off the maneuver and shredded the two Arion fighters tailing Nina and Eva; at the same time, Nina and Eva destroyed Lilya's chasers. "Awesome job, Lilya," said Nina, "Now form up on me."
"Yes, ma'am," said Lilya.
Nina was shocked and upset at the sudden death of her flight leader and friend. She'd served with Klara ever since Nina first joined the 279th a year back. However, Nina did what she could to maintain her composure. I must stay strong for the newbies. I must stay strong for the newbies, she repeated in her head over and over again. So far, it seemed to be working. With her head back in the game, she took the rest of Blizzard-3 flight back into the fray.
Now flying in Vic formation, Nina and the rest of Blizzard-3 flight went to work, focusing their attacks on the Manticore ground attack craft taking stabs at the Orussian ground units. Up until then, the 279th suffered no further casualties. Until Nina noticed Blizzard-1 flight, Rear Adm. Oryol's, at two o'clock high, chased by a pair of unusually nasty-looking Neuroi. They had a delta-shaped body like the Arion-class fighters, and they even flew with the same characteristic speed. However, they were too big to be designated as Arions, and what's more, they had red-colored bodies. No, these Neuroi were not Arions at all. They were…
"Nightmare Deltas…." Eva gasped.
"My God….." said Lilya, stunned.
The Nightmares fired purple beams at Blizzard-1 flight. The witches casted shields. The fight had been going on for a good hour or so, and most everyone was getting tired from physical and magical exhaustion. Simply put, Nina knew they didn't have enough magic left to put up a shield strong enough to stop the beams. Three shields shattered. Nina watched their casters vaporize into nothing.
However, all was not yet lost. Oryol had taken evasive action at the last second, and miraculously survived the onslaught. She dove down among the buildings, trying to shake her pursuers through the skyscrapers. Oryol's voice transmitted over the comlink, "This is Blizzard 1-1-Actual to any and all available witches. I am alone and tailed by some crazy bandits. I'm feeling close to a Bingo situation. Require assistance immediately!" Unfortunately, any and all attempts to fly to her aid were thwarted by the fierce anti-aircraft fire that the Neuroi minions put up.
The Nightmares followed the frantically-maneuvering Oryol through the buildings and streets, and Nina could see them shooting purple beams at buildings, civilians, military personnel and vehicles, and witches, killing and destroying everything.
Nina could hear the screams of her Regiment mates, followed by the sudden cutoff, in her headset as witch after witch fell to the Nightmares' beams. This was also accompanied by explosions and enemy AA fire to create a terrifying and nerve-racking cacophony. She was beginning to lose her cool.
Oryol reappeared from between some buildings. She looked she was making a heading straight for Nina. "Blizzard-3 flight, this is Blizzard 1-1-Actual," she said in her comlink, "I think I've shaken those mad bastards. I'm coming over to you now."
"Roger that, Blizzard 1-1-Actual."
Out of nowhere, the pair of Nightmares appeared from some buildings. Both fired powerful purple megabeams. Rear Admiral Anzhelika Oryol and her shield didn't stand a chance. She screamed briefly.
And then her comm went silent.
Nina could vaguely hear a girl scream out with a voice sounding exactly like her own. Something in her snapped. All sound came to her muffled, as though she were underwater. All she could see was a slow-motion blur.
"Nina! Nina! Can you hear me?! Nina! You need to get out of there!"
A familiar voice rose through to Nina, and she felt herself being grabbed and shoved violently out of the way. In front of her, Eva, the one who shoved her, grimaced as a stream of purple energy bolts cleaved off her arm. Another similarly-colored beam sheared her in two, splattering her blood on Nina's face, uniform, and Striker. This brought her back into focus.
"Eva!" shouted Lilya.
Nina grabbed Lilya and guided her down out of the open sky. Weaving in between the buildings, she called to the rest of the 279th. "This is Senior Lieutenant Nina Denisova to all remaining Blizzards. I am assuming command."
Seeing another pair of targets close over them, the Neuroi minions focused their anti-aircraft fire on Nina and Lilya. Taking Lilya's hand again, Nina coolly and expertly dodges the fire and a few SAMs, silencing a few flak guns to make a safe spot for them both.
She continued her transmission. "Anyone who is still alive report to me. I need a head count."
Lilya spoke first. "Blizzard 3-2, Jr. Lt. Lilya Orlov, reporting. I'm feeling a bit low on magic."
"Blizzard 4-1, Lt. Ludmila Mijasik here. I'm feeling tuckered out as well."
"This is Jr. Lt. Izabella Stanislavski, Blizzard 2-4. Tired and tailed by Neuroi." Her transmission was followed by a brief exchange of gunfire.
"Blizzard 5-3, here. Jr. Lt. Nonna Mikoyan. I'm at my limit and low on missiles and gun ammo."
"Blizzard 5-4, Jr. Lt. Tatyana Gurevich. At my limit and low on ammo as well."
Nina heard no further transmissions. Those were all that was left. Surprisingly unfazed, Nina ordered all those who reported to rendezvous with her and Lilya. Gradually, Ludmila and the others appeared and hovered by Nina. Izabella's tails also tried to join the party. Nina quickly dispatched them with two well-aimed missiles, all with a blood-stained face completely devoid of emotion.
Gasping, Izabella said, "Phew! That was close. Thanks a lot, Senior Lieutenant."
"Do not mention it," Nina said flatly. She looked around at the handful of witches in front of her. They all were gasping and panting from great physical exhaustion, which could only mean that they were on the end of their magic reserves. On top of that fact, the majority of the survivors aside from Ludmila were from the group of newbies.
"Man," gasped Ludmila, "Seems like we took quite a beating today, huh?"
"Senior Lieutenant, what should we do?" asked Izabella.
"We are few, and there are many Neuroi and minions still," said Tatyana.
"The civilians and military are getting slaughtered down there," said Ludmila, "without our cover and support, they'll be wiped out."
"But how do you expect us six to pull that off?" asked Nonna fearfully, "Most of us are inexperienced. Who's to say that we won't be vaporized like our comrades?"
Nina finally spoke. "We will not meet the same fate as our comrades."
"How?" asked Lilya.
"My familiar grants me Enhanced Endurance abilities, so I have a lot of magic left. As for the rest of you, provide whatever support you can to the ground units and cover the civilians as they evacuate. Keep those damned traitorous minions at bay. I will handle the remaining Neuroi aircraft."
"But Senior Lieutenant, that is suicide!" shouted Lilya, "You're sure to be killed!" She began to cry.
The others began to object. Nina sternly silenced them with a raised hand.
"Look, I am the only one still with enough energy to fight those bastards. You're all on the end of your ropes."
Seeing some Manticores and Arions trying to make a run on them and their allies on the ground, Nina leapt into action, throwing up a large strong shield and lobbing cannon shells and missiles at them. They were quickly destroyed. Her job done, she returned to the others, and continued to speak, "You have your orders. Now carry them out." The peppy confidence that accented her tone at the start of the battle was replaced by cold and calculating flatness.
"Roger," the other girls said. They peeled off to cover the people on the ground.
Once the others left, Nina turned to face the remaining Neuroi in the air. In front of her, a great many alien aircraft filled the sky; the Nightmares, already proven to be powerful and dangerous foes, also augmented their number. None of this mattered to her, though. These were the fuckers that sacked her home and killed her leader and most of her friends. It was time they feel her pain. And worse.
Fueled by anger and uninhibited by rationality, Nina rocketed towards the Neuroi and made her attack. In no time at all, she made short work of all the Arions and Manticores, until only the two Nightmare Deltas remained.
Nina picked one out coming up from the buildings, and gave chase. She let loose with her autocannon, but the Nightmare put up a shield and blocked her volley. Damn. They've got magic. Behind her, the Nightmare's partner appeared and began firing beams and bolts at her. Without looking back, she put up a strong shield behind her and blocked the fusillade. With her shield still up, she pressed her attack, putting out more and more autocannon shells and adding in the last of her missiles as well. Oooohohoho! I am not letting you motherfuckers take me that easily. Unfortunately for her Nightmare, its shields could not hold up this time, and soon, Nina's rounds found its core.
With her target now down, she turned around and faced her final foe. She loaded the last of her autocannon ammunition and tossed it to one hand. She then unslung the PK-P machine gun from her shoulder, loaded and cocked it, and held it with her other hand. Time to finish this.
"UOOOOOOOOOO!" she roared as she fired both guns. The shells impacted the Nightmare's shields, but still it advanced.
Still screaming and firing, Nina accelerated towards the Nightmare. The Nightmare answered back with its own beams. The two opponents rapidly closed the distance to each other. Nina prepared for her end. With her face still stained with Eva's blood, and her countenance twisted with a grimace of pure anger and hatred, she shouted, "THIS IS FOR MY FRIENDS, YOU BITCH-ASS MOTHERFUCKER!"
A voice echoed out from seemingly out of nowhere. "Oh, you poor thing. Are you all right?"
Nina suddenly began to lose focus. Her world began to slow down, and everything swirled together into another blur. The Nightmare rose out of this blur and filled her vision. No…I am not all right. I am…a monster…
Nina awoke from her catatonic state. Looking up from her fetal position on the An-124's lounge floor, she saw the concerned faces of her friends Vera and Lidiya. Wiping the stream of tears from her eyes, she answered Vera's question, "It's n-n-nothing. Honestly, I'm f-f-f-f-fine."
It didn't look like Vera believed her. "Come on, tell us about it," she said softly, "You can trust us."
Nina knew she could trust them. But being that neither of them could understand how she felt, she decided to keep silent. "N-n-no. I just can't sl-l-leep. I'd rather not t-talk about it."
"Oh, ok, that's fine," said Lidiya, "Let's get you back to bed."
Suddenly, Nina felt herself being lifted by both Vera and Lidiya. What the hell is this? I am not some child who needs to be babied like this. "I-it's not like I n-n-need to be treated like some f-f-five-year-old," she spoke out in protest. However, some part of her didn't want them to stop doting on her like this, so she added, "B-but, thank you."
"Don't mention it," Lidiya said soothingly, "Now, you rest your head on that pillow and close your eyes. I'll be here until you fall asleep." With that, Nina was placed into her bed and covered with her blanket. Lidiya then began to sing her a lullaby. It was a lullaby known to every Orussian child, sung to them by their mothers.
Spi, mladenets moy prekrasnyy, (Sleep, my beautiful one,)
Bayushki-bayu.
As Lidiya quietly sang those first few lines, Nina's eyes focused on her face. It was then that she began to notice how alluringly beautiful Lidiya was; those yellow eyes seemed to glow the warmest glow, almost like a nightlight. And her silver hair seemed to remind her of starlight. Lidiya stroked Nina's head, running her hand through her hair, and continued singing.
Tikho smotrit mesyats yasnyy (With her quiet face the moon, she)
V kolybel' tvoyu. (is looking upon your bed.)
Soon Nina could see nothing more than Lidiya's face. All the noises – the engines, the snores of the others in the room, the rush of the wind against the fuselage, the sounds of the AA fire, the screams of her friends and the civilians in Kiev – were all drowned out to the point where all she could hear was Lidiya's voice. All she could feel was Lidiya's hand against her hair. Nina felt her eyes closing.
Stanu skazyvat' ya skazki, (I will tell you fairy-tales of enchanted places)
Pesenku spoyu; (and sing you some little songs)
Ty zh dremli, zakryvshi glazki, (but you must slumber, with your little eyes closed,)
Bayushki-bayu.
With that, Nina fell back into peaceful slumber. The Nightmares didn't return that night.
Nina: The nightmares never really leave completely. Every night when I sleep, they always come back some way or another. It's always the same. I wanna say that they're simply dreams, bad dreams that aren't real but just won't go away. I try with all my might to push them out of my head and go about my life free of them.
But, I know that it's not that simple. I know that these nightmares aren't simply bad dreams. These are memories. Real memories. The eager confidence we all felt going into the battle. The Arions, the Manticores, those fucking Nightmare Deltas. The traitorous bastards of humans who became Neuroi minions and turned their weapons against their own. The death of my flight lead, Klara. The shock and disbelief I felt afterwards. The slaughtering of the CO and her flight. Their screams as they were vaporized into nothing by Neuroi beams. The complete and total anger that consumed every bit of me after that. Every shot, every explosion, every scream, every kill, every death. All of this, relived again and again without end. That's the thing about PTSD – it never lets you forget. And no amount of time can change that.
And Eva. Oh, God, Eva. She died too soon. Fresh out of flight school, she had her whole life and career ahead of her. She had the makings of a great airman. She probably could've gone on to command a regiment of her own. We probably could've become great friends. But those…fucking Nightmares just…snuffed her out. Like it was nothing. Goddamned bastards…
It's her death that's the hardest for me to take. Maybe because I feel somewhat responsible for it. It was because of my shocked stupor that I didn't see the purple beams coming at me, and she traded her life for mine. She was willing to go that far for someone she just met. Inside, I still have her blood soaking my uniform and covering my face and Striker. And these are the kinds of stains I cannot wash off.
Dealing with this is not easy. My mother Dina turned to smoking to relieve the stress, but since I'm still quite young, I'm not allowed yet. So, I turned to chewing gum. Usually spearmint flavor. It's not as strong as smoking or drinking, but it helps somewhat. Others tell me that I would be wasting myself away if I smoked or drank. Rot my lungs out with nicotine, drown myself in alcohol, or let these nightmares haunt me until my brain turns to scrambled eggs. None of these seem any better than the other. So why does it fucking matter if I can or can't smoke or drink? They don't understand the kind of living hell I go through. They don't know that I'm already wasting away every day and night.
Anyway, after the battle of Kiev, I served as interim CO of the 279th until they could find a replacement. I continued flying with Ludmila and the rest of the survivors, and we were all given commands under the new CO. Then, when Ludmila and I were selected to join the 815th, I accepted. It wasn't because I resented the others for looking like they're having an easier time moving on. Nor was it because I was constantly reminded of what happened every time I looked at them. I just needed to get away for a bit, and a change of pace and scenery might do me some good.
So, there I was, on that An-124 witch carrier, bound for RAF Coningsby, and my new life.