1st Lieutenant Chie Kashiwagi
JASDF 8th Air Wing(Kokudan), 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron (Hikotai)

I waked hard from my sleep.

...

I don't know what it was, it made mebreathing heavily...can't calm myself after what I dreamt. I were...

I don't know.

I'm just sweated, though every room has Air Conditioner including mine here, plus I'm just with military white short sleeve shirt and typical cargo pants of airforce, and outside...

Its lightly rain...

I was in complete loss of what just hit me, I were just sitted on my bed, staring at the window trying to recall what was i just see. Then her face, comes across my head, my sister's death. Eight days ago. We never saw our parents, Mother died sometime after she gave birth to me, cancer has taken my father's live, I don't know about my aunt...I don't even sure I have one.

I should have saved her first regardless of perils right in my face, I should have just stay with her and help all i can.

I should have gave my live to protect her but I didn't...

"Chie!"

"Chie! You okay?" I can hear somebody knocking on the door.

"Eh...I'm fine!" thats my new Flight Leader Lieutenant Colonel (Chusai) Takahashi Imamura

"Chie, hurry up! Commander said chinese destroyers were about to penetrate our water zone, I'll be waiting for you in the briefing room!"

"H-Haik! Chusai" I simply replied, and i can hear he left.

I got to get a grip now, with Wong take control of china and he wanted a bloodbath in asia, I still got people to protect, even if i don't know whose i protect. I get my upper field uniform, flight gears and helmet with me and went out from my room. Everybody weren't out from their room fully clad like me, not all pilots here keen on taking gears with them to their accommodation for some reason, not matter at all generally.

Shimojishima Airbase, Okinawa
July 11th, 2020, 8.27am

Out here, the court were filled with servicemen on phisycal training, running, push up, juijitsu, the whole lot, just a kilometer north of here I can hear gunfires, that is the shooting range, Shimojishima here is a base combined of Ground and Air force units to protect okinawa island chains...it was since the sinking of USS Bill Clinton (The Titan) when Chang assume power. "Hey!" Someone patted me from behind, its Chusai Imamura "You okay back there?" He asked, "What do you mean?", "I heard you crying inside when I come to you!"

Well. I don't remember i were crying, but yes, i tried not to cry. "...look...I'm very sorry about Maki. Now come on, you can't keep blame yourself for that, in fact nothing her death related to you", "Chusai..." I looked to him while trying to figure out what to say next.."She...she is the only family I have, she the one who take care of me...". Well, i had no words prepared for anything, all i were doing were just holding the tears to come out, "ungh...since the first time...world greet me, i...", "I know that, I know how you're feeling. It's happen. You already avenged her anyway and...well..." I looked to him "Well what?", "Seriously, you cannot blame everything on you, then again he's the sixth best in the Air Force, you were the only one barely come close to her...she's sacrificed herself for you, besides, i don't think she could bear anymore the crap this world presented for her. I don't know about you, if my family were all die, fine, whatever the reason was, there's always a silver lining in everything, believe me!"

Sounds easy to what he said. Indeed, he lost many families and friends, but then if i remember, he had few hardships, i assume. "Hey..our first order of business by the way, two Type 052 destroyers sent from Jinan entered okinawa sea two hours ago, with small quantity of escort fighters and a surveillance ship, they heading towards Shimojishima...yes, here. I think we gonna have ourself serviced for Anti-Ship mission","Is that what commander briefed? You mean I'm missing a briefing already?", "Relax, its just i got friend working intelligence here, I came by a war room and saw the three vessels come to us. That was just assumption of mine, we'll get briefed later by Commander Hirohito". Well,at least I'm not missed a briefing.

8.54am

Five more minutes before mission start. I were simply reading notes i'd written as per briefed previously, PLA sent two Type 52 cruisers escorting an ELINT vessel towards Shimojishima base here for attacking US squadron temporarily stationed here, the chinese know the bomber attack on their staging areas were come from here, now these bomber were already left for Kadena, the attack on Nanjing port must have hurt them, now they resort to daring move. I even had drawn a sketch of the mission airspace. I also remember, my squadron flying F-2A were tasked to stop these ships, but the three main targets have four smaller missile boats guarding them, like Chusai said, two of us will attack the main objectives and other two take the missile boats.

Additionally, two squadrons flying F-15J and F/A-18E play escort for us. Simple? not really though, intel given by the base Commander Isami Hirohito said the ships escorted by ten J-10s armed with PL-5 and...chinese equivalent of US AIM-7 or Russian R-27. So...according to the F-15 lead pilot Captain Isami Iguchi, he and his 2ICs plane were armed with four AAM-3Bs on wing pylons and four AAM-4Bs on fuselage pylons, now according to my chusai, our four F-2As parked in diamond pattern on spot 6 ramp were armed with four AAM-3 heatseeking missiles on outer most wing pylon with double racks, two AAM-4 Active Radar missiles on the wingtip and four ASM-2 Anti ship missiles on the inner wing stations, we take just a 250 galon tank to our central pylon. I just eat my few remaining noodles and enough sip of water, now get to my plane and check it out.

The canteen quarter were just inside the main building on therear most, its closed area and include a bar. But none that right now were a good time, time to settle down some work. Traverse through many hallways with stream of few peoples, I'm now made it out onto the ramp where the planes waited. "Yo White man, Watch were you walking!" I looked to the source of the voice and instead found a, yes, white american almost ran onto me, he shocked to see a young woman in complete flight gears almost he crashed, "I'm sorry, Gomen" he bowed to me apologizing which i just nodded to him and continue to my plane right away, "What the fuck you thinking, man? I thought you wanna get some drink, come on" I could hear his friend in heightened tone, I get back looking to the tall black man whose also cautioned the white one almost hit me, "Hey, hold up...you follow me, not me follow you", "Fuck it, you pervy asshole, you caught by the GSDF you're porn napster, i'm fucked up too", "You asshole! We are mercs", "Ssyeahh...Burning through midnight oil..." They then walk together side by side and continue it together "...to be a richman!" And then give the loud high five.

So these guys are the mercenary.

I leaned to my right, as so, i see their F/A-18E Super Hornets with twelve missiles mixed Sidewinders and, weird, the european MBDA Meteors. Four double racks were used on the wing station 1st and 2nd to tandem eight missiles while keep the 3rd pylons reserved for fuel tanks, two AIM-9X-2s on the wingtips, then two MBDAs hung under each air intakes and four double racked on the middle section of the wing. "Chie!" Suddenly, I look back and saw the 45 aged man come to me in complete flight gear ready for action, "It's weird, i don't know the americans had used Meteors, don't you?" He asked, "So...these two Rhinos...the mercs flying this?", "Heh...of course...its the mercenaries property, as you can see their Meteors!" he simply said. Then i wonder, "Why would the American needs some mercenaries anyway, and why they were here?" . I asked to which he frown, "Will not be long, they'll be at this time only before they either moved to Iwakuni and Kadena or to Taiwan maybe, the american carriers will not let them stay on the deck, period!", i see, "Then i wonder, these hornet pilots were american, why would they leave the force and filth themself?" He asked now, and...that's a good question.

"So anyway Chie, I almost forgot, my radio callsign will be Viper One O One, you were 102 and respectively for Haru and Tojo", "Alright" i simply nod, "One more thing..." He silence for a while looking to the okinawa sea, then he looked to me, right to my eyes (maybe accidentally) before continued "Remember, focus on your job. If there were circumstances that you need a help, don't hesitate to ask, just dont tell any names over the net!" he smiled to me and went to his plane. I proceed to my plane and check everything on it and found everything is in top condition, ready for doing its job.

I don't know why, I were just faintly smiled for no reason, his eyes looked to me with something meaningful, more than just tell me to ask help if necessary but I don't know what.

8.59am

"Viper flight, clear for immediate take-off at Runway One Seven, taxi via Papa four to Tango five"

"Viper 101. Remember viper flight, no names over the net"

"Viper 102 through 104, Copy"

Here we go. Back to my first fighter jet since made it to the ASDF, it's an F-16 based multi-purpose fighter aircraft, much like the american's F-18, it was only official purpose was to take out ships with our own anti-ship missiles, like the ASM-2 my squadron carried now. The 25 percent of wing area increase were to further kick up its lift for maneuverability, useful for air combat, the same type of powerplant of the current Pratt and Whitney engine would enough to keep up with heavier class fighters, the such of the Russian Flankers, or even the chinese newest J-20. "102, do you copy?" The call taken me back, "Remember, sink the main ships. 103 and 104 will handle the missile boats", "102" I simply reply, "Good, once we're airborne, we do a Diamond!"

That's Diamond Formation, meaning i would fly abreast with Haru behind Imamura and Tojo behind us most.

"Carnage flight, clear for immediate take off at runway 1-7, taxi via P4 to T5. Black Wolf flight, follow close, clear for immediate take off"

"Carnage 300"

"Black Wolf 1, Aye aye"

"Eh american...I just got a message from your boss, he said if we take no loses in todays mission, he will get you three packs...I'm sorry, i don't get it"

"Ah...sir, its three packs of beer in a can", "Aah...american beer, eh? Good luck to you then"

Always, it feels good for somebody to talk something aside what we were doing here, it's just makes me feel better when there's one tried to push down the pressure.

"This is Viper 101, I'm taking off", we then push throttle to full non afterburner power without stop and climb to our first steerpoint just a minute ETA ahead at angles 2, same for the other two squadrons before they split up. The americans take up their F/A-18E Super Hornets to angles 3 bearing 260 and our friends in F-15J to the same height bearing 280 confront the J-10s, commencing CAP for us around the target area. This will be simple, I take the surface target alone and others take the airborne target. My planes beeping, i know why "We're now reroute to steerpoint 2" Chusai reminded, waypoint two? Directly onto the target vessels ETA six minutes, "Mission control to all flight, we have additional ally airborne from the USS Dwight Eisenhower, callsign 'Magic', flight of four EA-18Gs commencing Buzzer, ETA six minutes", "Understood, Control".

"Magic One, all callsigns, Soundtrack is on play!", "Roger, Magic, Music on!"

Now we have six americans here, six Super Bugs, these guys from 'Ike' sure could be helpful in many cases. "Control, Viper 101 here, Master arm off, confirm?, "You are clear hot, Viper flight!", by that I switch the master arm to off, meaning i could then arm my weaponries for the later, i looked to my radar, we're still ETA about two and half minutes before our ASM locked on, the blips were still on the tip top the third last box and slowly going down to my blip, if its in the middle of the second box then I'll press the trigger. "Viper flight, Magic lead, heads up : Targets were shielded, Buzzer did not worked, we'll see what we can do!", "Umm So what? Should we proceed as Fragged?" I asked, "Roger, Just use your Confetti and Glows, lady. We'll keep Buzzing, should aid you a bit!", "Good copy Magic lead". Alright, its not totally as simple as I wished, the boats fired back, not to mention about bogeys that might encounter us, but, well, i think i could trust them. So i switched off the safety with a click of switch by my flight stick, and with it too, i armed my Bruiser, my four ASM-2, "103, 104, spread out and hunt down your boats...102, maintain formation, we'll take out the main targets, copy?", "Haik, proceeding" Haru 103 replied, time for our little party to start.

We pace up our speed to half minute ETA before radar lock, and yes, right half minute later..."Kuso, I'm spiked! Engaging! Missile away!" Exclaimed Haru again, followed by Tojo 104 said the same last phrase, "102, hold on...let me designate your picks and mine", by that the seconds later Chusai finished marked me with the ELINT and the destroyer on the left of the formation, he take up the right and..."Uu...Mission control, I've locked to one additional destroyer, re-declare, we're commence fire!" My winglead said, "Roger, clear!" Simply was his reply, "Thanks! 102, you may fire now!", I complied to that, press the missile trigger button sending two ASMs simultaneously to two different targets with other two forming a diamond pattern, then RWR blared my cockpit, and Chusai as well it looks like, "102, Break left!", our planes then launched chaff and then spread away and fly back hoping to get out their lock on range before they could fired a missile to us.

"Black Wolf 1, Fox 3! Fox 3!", "Carnage flight, Fox 3 away!"

Then things went a bit better...

"Viper 103, two boats destroyed!", "This is Viper 104, objective is complete!"

I don't know what happened, but my Master Cautions crying loud, the targets were fired back to us. I saw to my radar the missiles got to us very fast, we were rearing it, I tilt my aircraft 90 degrees right side then pull the flight stick and redirect my heading to northwest to effectively evade the missile while able to clearly see a smoke trail coming to me at high speed but thankfully the angles were away to hit me and easily its missed when I launched chaff "Missile evaded" I said, i look to my radar to see four lines closing fast to the four mission targets, fifteen seconds time to impact, "We'll keep Buzzing the main targets, that should ineffective its defences", "Good copy, Magic" I again replied. Fifteen seconds passed and eventually the ASMs hit the targets, "What...?" I exclaimed, our attack only sunk the ELINT vessel, the destroyers weren't sunk. "Should we run a second attack and we might finally sink it" I commed, "Good idea, 102, let's give our last shots". I change heading from Three Zero Six to Zero One Four, with two more ASMs ready, "102, take the left I take the other two, 103, 104, join up with me ready for another attack" Chusai commanded, I paced up in afterburner to get a lock on to the damaged Type 52 vessel, which I get in three seconds "Missile away!" I commed up followed by Chusai with the same phrase twice, I happen to fire the missile while at Airspeed of 685 Kts still on afterburner which I believe to give a slight boost, ETA of the missile were ten seconds as I see on my radar which also I could see Tojo's blip coming to my left, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, "Round is complete!" I exclaimed, two more blips dissapeared from my radar, mission is accomplished, "Control, round is complete, request clarify for home" Chusai asked but not responded, "Control, do your read me" nothing replies, until suddenly statics filled headphone in my helmet, "...ts inbound, I repeat Viper flight : more bandits inbound from 280 to your location at angles 3, flight of six J-10s, you must shoot all of it down".

Okay, its not good.

I switched to my AAM-4 Active Radar Missile and scan my radar for targets, "101, do you see them?", "Negative 102, keep your current formation with 104".

"Control to Black Wolf and Carnage, request sitrep"

"This is Black Wolf 1, we're engaging extras here...three more bandits left"

"Its Carnage 300, we're on tight fight with four bandits...two more to shot down"

"I saw them, 12 sharp! Go for Fox Three!" I claimed launching two AAM-4 missiles to the three flight formation inbound to us, Tojo do the same with the same last phrase, launched to the other I'm not locked. "102, 104, Seconds Twelve" he said to me, ETA twelve seconds to impact. I saw on my radar two maller blips from Imamura's blip coming to other hostile blips coming to him, all of six hostile aircrafts coming to us I estimated in Mach 1.5, quite daring if I say. Twelve seconds passed and the three PLA J-10s were about close enough to attack us with their heatseeking missiles, "No! missed...Switching to AAM-3s" 101 commed up, then for the second time I got missile inbound warning, this time its a heatseeking one and the shooter actually fired halfway before gun range which I and Tojo shot up flares and fortunately make the missiles come to one of it instead us, without any warning, "Argh!" I cringed as three small delta winged fighters passed us head on at extremely high speed and so close to me i can feel my aircraft shudders like it's about to shatter. Well, they want a fight, i can give 'em then i thought, I turn on my HMD, slid down my visor, then I pulled the flight stick back and rolled up to them, mysteriously one of them had disappeared from the formation, but I still see three blips that signifying the enemy planes in front of me, I look around outside my cockpit to see nothing but light rain with overall clear visibility mixed with two bandits, he is right below me. "104, I take the right, you take the left!" I commanded. We off chasing the bandits going away from us not bearing off our sea, i gazed intently to whoever on that plane, "I've got Tone!" i exclaimed as the cockpit makes a solid weird noise, the heatseeking missile is ready for strike, "Fox two away!" I radioed on the same time pressed the trigger button on the front part of the flight stick, the Mitsubishi manufactured missile sprint to its prey that pulled up diagonally to the right and dumping flares, my first air kill were slipped away and now trying hard to get away from me, zigzagged diagonally, immelman and then more zigzag only end up me close enough to alternatively take it down with M61 Cannon.

It pulled split-s maneuver to no avail, I switch to gun sight mode and align it ahead of his way as it trying to do another immelman, that's when I pressed the gun trigger on my thumb section for a second, the tracers hit the central fuselage and rip off the right delta wing, "Splash ne!" I radioed while I'm finishing my loop. Then suddenly I saw Tojo between the two J-10s about to going head on with me, "104, Pull out! Don't nix it!" I warned him, "Negatve, control damage, I can't do roll" he replied, I could see his rudder align his plane right side to pull off, that's just before he passed me I noticed, I again pull a half loop and rush to save him ready my heatseeking missile to save him, it is locked to his chaser as i looked to one of them, "Fox two sent!" I said faintly, m y weapon just dive it's nose before streak away from me leaving it's contrail broken by my flight path, again like my first bogey...it throw off flares but unfortunately for him it smash through stabilizer and detonate over the left wing, the small delta wing fighter gone down in uncontrollable spin with its occupant trapped inside. "104, you're cleared. Damage report, how bad you've been hit?" I asked him, but this worrying me "104, do you copy?" He still hasn't replied me, then suddenly tracers rushed from my six, it turns out its the third bandit firing its Thirty Mil cannon to me, I turn hard right for a second before I barrel rolled my craft to random direction which then I tilt my craft downward and do a two loops hopefully to shook him off, Then, half way of my second one, i tilt my plane 90 degrees right and turned away from him. I leveld my plane and as i looked to where i left, i can see him headed away from me instead, I keep my eyes on my target and without have to wait, my seeker had already locked to it, "Good tone! Fox two!" i pressed the fire button and keep my HMD stick to it, the hiss were clear, the large glow streaked away from me leaving contrails floating over the sea, drawing long lines that ended on the blooming flame mid-air, it then sprouts black smokes tumbled to the sea with wreckages fall down to the raging sea, one larger piece has someone bailed out at angles 1.

Somehow i thought about Maki again and again.

And i'm felt blessed somehow. "Viper 104, come in. Where are you?" I commed again to get short statics on the radio, followed by a jet engine noises behind me, to my right mirror I can see Tojo coming to me with his plane trailing black smoke. "Viper 101 this is 102, sky is clean" I report to him, "This is Viper 101, Viper 103 is bailed out...hold on...Haik, I can see his survival buoy from up here, requesting SAR", "Viper flight this is Cariage 6-1, two times SH-60, I have IR contact on the package, we're coming in for recovery, over" replied the Seahawk pilot, as we take our plane to heading Zero Six Two, I can see in my radar an SH-60J bearing Two Four Zero from our base to pick up my wingmate Haru, "I have visual on Cariage 6-1" I said to my wing leader, "Understood, Round 2 complete" he ended.

11.03am

"Viper flight, Tower, gears, flaps and stabs check, maintain current speed, clear to land via Runway One Seven"

Day 1 over, we approach the runway in around 240 knots airspeed, slowly and smoothly gone down to earth right to the tarmac, behind us were the two Super Hornets in good shape, like us too they have their flaps and landing gear down, Iguchi and his wingman were already parked and must have disassembling their flight gears. After Tojo landed very first, now all I had to do were land my plane and park it on the appointed spot, it would touch the ground I estimate around twelve more seconds.