Strike Witches: The Liberion Volunteer Group
Introduction
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Strike Witches or any of the aircraft mentioned in this fic... but I'd love to have them.
-7 December 1941, Pearl Harbor, Liberion-
It was a quiet, peaceful morning at the home of Liberion's Battleship Row. It was early, so much so that the sun was just barely peaking over the horizon. Maintenance crews and deckhands were just barely waking up for duty when several black aircraft-shaped objects whizzed across the island. They appeared to be searching for vulnerable places to attack and came upon the sleepy Naval installation. A radar operator spotted the objects, but dismissed them as a flight of B-17 Flying Fortresses that were expected to be returning from a bombing exercise. Meanwhile, a small group of the Army Air Corps' special mechanics had risen early to prepare four P-40 Warhawk Striker Units for action unaware of the horror about to unfold.
You see, Liberion had been rather fortunate in that it has never suffered a direct Neuroi attack. They had only heard about the strange craft laying waste to Europe and Asia. All they could offer at the time was aid, supplies and promise of continued support to the devastated continents until the Neuroi took aim at them. Some years after the First Neuroi War, a brilliant team of scientists and engineers led by Dr. Ichiro Miyafuji created a weapon that could be used to strike back against the threat. This weapon system was dubbed the Striker Unit. The Striker Unit plans were shared among the nations so that every country could defend themselves from the Neuroi. Every nation manufactured their own rendition of the Striker Unit as well as equipping their pilots with heavier weapons to counter the deadly threat. Liberion took it a step further and decided to bring what few male magic users they had into the mix. They were trained as mechanics, and could repair heavy damage to most anything within a few hours in addition to being able to check Striker Unit performance without risking a Witch.
These three mechanics had been working around the clock to prepare the four Striker Units for a special tasking that required them as well as four Witches to travel to the Republic of Kuomintang. They volunteered for it since they wanted to fight the Neuroi as soon as they could and Kuomintang was having something of a minor infestation that they were willing to pay plenty to be rid of. They would be relieved of their Liberion military rank and officially become mercenary personnel for the desperate nation. They were designated the Liberion Volunteer Group. The LVG was scheduled to leave soon and the mechanics were "requested" to have the Strikers ready before that time, hence the two day straight assembly, service and operational check of the Warhawk Units. They had just finished when one of the mechanics gave a loud yawn.
"I'm so glad we're done." The yawning mechanic stated to his equally exhausted compatriots. "Shit, I just can't wait to go to sleep."
"Tex already beat you to it there, Ed." A somewhat tall, dark brown-haired teen pointed out the aforementioned dirty-blond haired boy lightly snoring on a Striker maintenance platform.
Ed simply laughed. "Well I'll be damned, you're right RT! That little bastard is asleep!" He exclaimed with a smile.
"Still has a cheek full of sunflower seeds by the looks of it." RT observed with a grin.
"Let's just wake him up so we can get cleaned up, fed, and off to bed. Sound good?" Ed offered as he walked up to the sleeping Tex.
Ed wouldn't get the chance to rouse Tex because an air raid siren suddenly started wailing followed by the sounds of explosions outside of their small hangar. The sleeping boy shot awake from the commotion, all three mechanics looked at each other in horror. 'We're under attack!' They heard rapid footsteps as the group's leader, Claire Chennault, blew through the door with a frantic expression on her face.
"Dammit! The others aren't here yet?" Claire said mostly to herself. She was attractive, had a large bust, and dust blond hair. Not to mention she was scary when angry.
"Ma'am?" Tex ventured quietly trying not to show his alarm at the situation.
"Hmm?" Claire saw the three males just staring at her obviously wanting answers. "The Neuroi have launched a surprise attack and now we need to muster a force to strike back. Unfortunately it seems that the other Witches are busy elsewhere."
"Claire, with all due respect, if you went out there alone you wouldn't stand a chance." RT stated rather bluntly.
Claire sighed. "I know." Realization flashed across her features. "You guys."
Ed quirked an eyebrow. "What about us?"
"You'll fly the other three Strikers." Claire stated matter of factly.
"Eh?" All three maintainers uttered at the same time.
"Look we can argue all day long but the fact remains that we need to get our asses out there and help! This base is relying on us now. Grab a gun and follow me!" Claire ordered as she grabbed a Lewis machine gun and snapped a 97-round pan magazine on it.
RT, Ed, and Tex followed suit. RT cradled an M1919 Browning machine gun, Ed snagged a Thompson sub-machine gun, while Tex dragged a pair of M2 Browning machine guns from the weapons rack. Meanwhile Claire had already hopped into one of the P-40 Strikers waiting on her wingmen. They threw off the olive drab jumpsuits and black steel-toed boots they were wearing, leaving them in white boxers and a brown undershirt. Each of them jumped into a Striker and felt the rush of power from their familiar features and magic activating. RT had sprouted the ears and tail of a Scottish Terrier as well as a pair of neon green antenna around his head. Ed gained the ears and tail of a Saint Bernard while his arms glowed light blue. Tex received the ears and tail of a Border Collie and found that the guns that had once been unbearably heavy were light as a feather. 'Now we're cooking with gas.' Claire thought to herself upon seeing the boys' magic activating.
"I think it's time we give the Neuroi a taste of their own medicine. What do you say boys?" Chennault questioned the mechanics-turned-pilots.
"Yes, ma'am!" The three males responded loudly. Although each of them had different thoughts. RT was calm and ready, Ed was confident and excited, while Tex was slightly nervous.
Claire prepared for her take-off with a huge glowing magic circle under her Striker and turned back to see the guys just staring at her in confusion. She sighed. "Look, I know you can feel the magic flow, so just focus and just kinda make the launch happen. Got it?" Once all of their launch circles appeared, the only experienced Witch among them gave a clear order before launching. "Ed, you stay with RT. Tex you come with me. Stick with your wingman and never attack a Neuroi alone. Ready?" They nodded. "Launch!"
The two elements took off quickly in opposite directions to get a bit more coverage. The personnel on the ground cheered when the Striker Units flew overhead, to them it meant that help had finally arrived. Claire was slightly overwhelmed by the sheer volume of enemies that had attacked, but tried not to show her fear since she was flying lead with a completely green pilot. Though he did seem to be hanging with her alright, maybe he wouldn't be a burden. For his part, Tex was doing everything in his power just to keep his Striker airborne, who knew how he'd fare when combat maneuvers were thrown at him. Time to find out.
"Break left into that three Neuroi deep formation, now!" Claire ordered as she performed the break.
Tex followed suit, this move allowed the two pilots to get on the Neurois' six o' clock which is the ideal killing position. "Now what?" Tex asked.
"Open fire!" Claire barked as she shot her machine gun at the Neuroi to the far right.
The young male leveled his heavy machine guns at the remaining two enemies and held the trigger down turning the two Neuroi into Swiss cheese. All three adversaries exploded in their usual fashion which meant that the other alien craft were aware of the counter-offensive.
"Not bad, kid!" Claire shouted with a thumbs-up.
"Thank you, ma'am!" Tex replied, obviously proud of his own accomplishment.
Unfortunately their reverie was cut short by a hail of red laser beams. Their shields lit up in response to the offending attacks while Claire led Tex in a series of evasive dives and banks. I hope the others are doing alright. Claire thought slightly worried for the two novices.
"... That's four!" RT said as he peppered another enemy core with his machine gun.
Ed just smirked as he whipped around to face an oncoming enemy. The Neuroi shot several blasts prompting Ed to cock his glowing arm back. "Salvo!" He shouted his spell as he hit one of the Neuroi beams causing it to reflect back as several large blue projectiles and destroy the offending Neuroi. "Number 5 bites the dust!"
RT just nodded his congratulations to Ed on becoming an ace. In truth, he was rather impressed that Ed was so good even without a shield to defend himself although his magic more than made up for it. "Hey, I think we should meet up with Chennault and Tex. It's getting a little too hairy for my liking."
"Roger that!" Ed flew up next to RT. "Lead the way with that magic radar of yours."
RT and Ed soon found Claire and Tex cutting down any Neuroi that tried to attack the aircraft carriers that were currently making their way back from a patrol. They all met up and beat the remaining Neuroi back into a retreat. A sense of relief washed over all four of the exhausted pilots when the enemy flew back over the horizon. They exchanged tired smiles as the small formation made its way back to base. There was no applause waiting for them, just devastation. The shock had set in for the males in the flight who had fought until they literally had nothing left. All three of them crash-landed on the beach surrounded by the sounds of blaring sirens, frantic screaming, and chaos.
-10 December 1941, Pearl Harbor, Liberion-
The base had gotten back into somewhat normal operation even as it was still being rebuilt by any able bodied personnel. Liberion had lost a great deal of men, women, and war machines. Luckily the aircraft carriers had survived thanks to those four Witches. They were currently standing in the base commander's office receiving a briefing about the Kuomintang assignment from Adm Chester Nimitz, the new Pacific Fleet Commander after Adm Husband Kimmel was required to resign his post. All four were wearing their dress uniforms standing at parade rest listening intently.
"Alright the higher-ups have decided that you four will be the only ones heading to Kuomintang to oust the Neuroi there. The other three Witches will be rushed to other areas in the world to assist European and Fuso Witches, so that is why they will not be joining you. Additionally you will still be forced to resign your posts in the Liberion Armed Forces simply because this is an under-the-table operation that the rest of our allies just can't know about yet." Chester paused to turn the page on the orders he had received from the Pentagon. "It seems you will fly immediately from Pearl Harbor and proceed across the Pacific to reach Midway. There you will rest for a day before continuing on to Kuomintang where you will locate the Nanyang Air Field. Nanyang will act as your unit headquarters until further notice. Understood?" The older man asked while setting the papers down.
"Yes, sir." They all responded.
"Very good. Now then, I'd like to be the first to express my utmost gratitude to you all on your courageous performance three days ago." Adm Nimitz rose from his desk after taking several small cases from a drawer. "I have been authorized to award Capt Claire Chennault, Sgt Edmond Rector, Sgt Rodney Thomas Smith, and Cpl Daniel Lee Hill each a Distinguished Service Cross for your unquestionable valor and masterful skill in the face of almost insurmountable odds. Your effort saved hundreds, possibly thousands, of lives. And for that, the Liberion Navy, the Liberion Army, and Liberion at large thanks you." He presented each of them the award and shook their hands. "Now go pack, you've got a long flight ahead of you. Dismissed."
The four pilots snapped to attention before filing out of the office for the last time as Liberion soldiers for a while. Claire turned to the three males. "We'll be leaving in exactly two hours, make sure you're all ready by then."
"You got it boss." Ed replied with a mock salute. "Let's go get ready guys."
The three mechanics-turned-pilots got to their private barracks and packed a small, olive drab duffel bag with spare uniforms as well as personal effects. They had each been issued a brown leather flight jacket as well as modified dress uniform shorts for Striker usage. They also packed their jumpsuits since they would still technically be maintainers when they got to Kuomintang. Once they were finished packing, the male Witches made their way to the hangar where they found Claire waiting for them. She silently handed each of them a headset before throwing her pack over her shoulder and mounted her Striker. They followed suit after putting the headsets on. Claire simply nodded to them as she prepared to launch. The radio crackled to life. "Liberion Volunteer Group ready to roll. Launch!" The LVG then took off on their journey to pretty much single-handedly liberate an entire nation from the clutches of the Neuroi. No pressure, guys.
A/N: So this is the intro for my first Strike Witches fic. Frankly I love the story of the AVG or the Flying Tigers as they came to be known. I'll be twisting some history, just a heads-up. I hope you enjoy it. Later days.