The most persistent sound which reverberates through men's history is the beating of war drums. ~Arthur Koestler
January 1, 2021 A.T.B.
Time: 00:05:00
The midnight sky was ablaze with flashes of light and the sounds of explosions. The group stood the roof, applauding and cheering as the fireworks lit the sky, celebrating the New Year.
"TAMIA," Tamaki yelled.
"First wave is away, I repeat, the first wave is away," Emiko's voice blared over the loudspeakers.
"All hands begin preparation of the second wave,"
Kallen watched the fireworks in thought. She had just accidently spilled her drink on Gino after he'd made another attempt to get close. She wasn't sure why she felt it necessary to rebuff his every advance, but a part of her just wasn't interested. If she was truly honest with herself, Kallen would admit that she still had not forgotten her feelings toward Lelouch. Trivial as they seemed to her now, yet a defining moment for her all the same. Kallen sighed and was just about to turn around to go apologize when, "Hey, are those planes?"
Across the Tokyo Harbor about twenty AV-8B Harrier II's flew in two groups of ten.
"This is Tango Leader One, to base, requesting permission to begin,"
"Copy that, Tango Leader One, you are cleared to engage,"
"Roger, Group 1 you're with me, Group 2 take the east side,"
The jets broke off, heading opposite directions.
Kallen stared at the planes, along with everyone else in perplexed wonder. With the advent of repulsion technology, turbine engines had become almost obsolete and were rarely seen these days.
"Is someone putting on an air show?" She asked.
It was then that she felt the first explosion.
The ten planes came in low over their targets in the shipping section of the harbor.
"Releasing payloads,"
The planes pulled up as the entire shipping grounds beneath them erupted in flames and smoke.
The first explosion came so suddenly and unexpectedly that for a moment everyone just stared, as if hoping that it was anything and everything but what it appeared. It was only when one of the planes came over and fired a missile into a train station only few blocks away that the first person cried out. Now the screams were nonstop as panic once again returned to Tokyo.
Emiko watched as the shoreline of Tokyo was lit with flames and smoke, creating an eerie fore light against the skylines of the city.
"It is lovely, wouldn't you say Emiko," Infinity said from the command post.
"Yes," Emiko said, a pause, "But rather terrifying as well,"
"Such is war," Infinity said simply.
'This can't be happening, there's no way this can be happening,' the thought repeated itself over and over in Kallen's mind like a broken tape. But despite what her mind was telling, her eyes were conveying reality, Tokyo was under attack. On the rooftop, the secret service went into action almost immediately.
"Prime Minister, Lady Kaguya, Commander Tohdoh, and Commander Nagisa, please come with us," A black suited drone of a man said.
One plane passed over and hovered in place near the top of the building, so close Kallen could see the face of the pilot.
Simon couldn't believe his luck, "This is Tango Leader One to base, I have positive ID on high ranking targets," He said, knowing that cameras in his plane had already reported as much.
"Request permission to engage,"
"Denied, continue mission on designated targets," came the reply.
Simon couldn't believe his ears, "But Sir, I have the entire core leadership of the Japanese military, a core leader of the U.F.N. council and their ace knightmare pilot in plain sight,"
There was a pause for second, "Simon what did I say when I gathered you all for this mission?"
Simon hesitated, "You said, we would bring justice and we would shed no more blood then necessary,"
"Exactly, there may come a time when their blood may be required of them, but there will be enough children made orphans and enough wives made widows this night. There is no need to actively work to increase the number more than we need too,"
Simon's jaw tightened as a wave of emotion went thorough him.
"As you wish, Infinity," He said finally, banking off away from the building.
Kallen was stunned when the plane banked and flew away, without even firing a shot. The Suits saw the chance and jumped on it, quickly herding her and every high ranking person off the roof.
Kallen joined the others in the elevator as it descended. Tohdoh was already on his cell phone, communicating with the defense forces.
"Do we know who they are?" Ohgi asked, looking less like the big shot prime minister and more like the old leader Kallen remembered.
One of the secret service a tall man with short brown looked at Ohgi and shook his head, "No Prime Minister, we have not been able to ascertain the identity yet of these invaders,"
"Defense forces will arrive on site in less than five minutes," Tohdoh said closing his phone.
Ohgi nodded, he turned to the service agent, "When we get to the ground take my wife and Miss Kaguya to safety and pick up my son,"
The man nodded, curtly.
"I would like to," Kaguya started to say.
Ohgi shook his head, cutting her off, "We must be sure of your safety first. I will notify you of what's happening as soon as I know,"
"Very well," Kaguya said, though she didn't look that pleased about it.
"Nagisa, Tohdoh and I shall head to headquarter and take charge of the defense, Kallen you,"
"I'll come with you," Kallen said firmly.
"Kallen that's not necessary, it'd be better if,"
"They've attacked our home Ohgi," Kallen said, her eyes burning, "After all we sacrificed to take it back, they are destroying it,"
Ohgi stared at her for a long time, "Very well, Kallen," Ohgi said.
"Hey, now don't forget me,"
Every person in the elevator turned to see Gino leaning in a corner, apparently forgotten.
"It looks like it's a good thing that I decided to bring Tristan with me," He said with a smirk.
Time: 00:10:00
Location: Japan Strategic Defense Control Center, (Formerly the site where the Royal Governors palace stood)
The Center of Tokyo once a site of tyrannical in the form of the oppressive Britannia government, later a sight of tragedy and mourning due to strike of the first F.L.E.I.J.A. Warhead, now stood proud once again in a massive structure. A sleeping giant dedicated to defending Japan and her citizens. Now the giant had awakened and he turned hi s wrath upon those who would disturb his rest. The sky was filled now by the soft drum of repulsors as about 15 knightmares took flight.
"What do you mean we cannot strike them?" Yoshitaka Minami said looking exasperated.
"The ship is covered by the coastline structures, Sir. In order for our base weapons to hit it, we would need to destroy most of the coastline,"
Yoshitaka clenched his teeth irritation. "The coastline is full of people who were out celebrating the New Year, that isn't an option. What's the status on Commander Tohdoh and the others?"
"They are on route, Sir, we've issued a full call back for all military personnel," Another solider turning away from the radio he was operating.
Yoshitaka stared out the window sighing, "I suppose I should be glad I was unable to attend,"
"Sir, the knightmares have engaged the enemy,"
The Harriers flew over the city, attacking their specified targets.
"Tango Leader we've got hostiles incoming," A voice crackled thorough Simon's headset.
"Roger, all craft you are cleared to engage all hostile targets, let's show them what we can do,"
"Roger," the response came as the aircraft spilt apart out of formation.
The knightmare were in amongst the Harrier's. The planes flew over and past them. The knightmares spun to match and opened fire. Almost immediately two harriers were shot down.
Simon swore and spun the craft in a barrel roll to avoid being razzed by gunfire as a knightmare spun slowly following him with its weapon. He pushed the control stick and took the plane into a steep dive toward the bay. With his other hand he grabbed and opened the throttle all the way. He thought back to his training for this mission, he forced himself to calm down as the sea began to fill his entire vision.
'The Knightmares may be more stable in the air because of the repulsors but their top flying speed is only a little over a 150 mph, I may not be as stable as they are, but with a max flying speed of over 600 mph, I can out maneuver them,'
Simon gritted his teeth and pulled the control stick back while flipping the turbines to the vertical position. The engines screamed as the planes steep dive leveled off just before certain impact. Simon guided the plane as it shot along the sea nearly skimming on the water. Several explosions along the water just behind him, betrayed the position of the knightmare tailing him from a distance.
"Tango 2; get this guy off me, target his repulsor wings,"
"Roger,"
A plane shot in from the side, bullets spraying. The knightmares left wing bellowed smoke as the bullets hit their mark, immediately the mech started a crazy spiral downward.
"Nice shot Tango 2," Simon said.
"That's one more, to even the score," replied the second pilot.
Simon smirked, "Alright everyone, you saw the trick, now let's see your best imitations, let's send these U.F.N. dogs back to the dust,"
The other pilots shouted their agreement, and the battle continued.
"They're pushing them back?" Yoshitaka said.
"Yes, Sir," The technician reported.
"How is that possible?"
"It appears Sir that while their technology is older, is still holds certain advantages over our common knightmares such as flying speed, agility, etc. Coupled with the fact that our pilots have no training in fighting against planes, which are smaller and quicker than the average knightmare, we are at a disadvantage here,"
Yoshitaka stood there, wracking his brain for a solution.
"Sir, reinforcements have arrived from one of the inland bases," Another solider reported.
"Send them to support the main group, shoot them all down,"
Time: 00:15:25
"Extra defense forces have arrived," Emiko reported.
"In only 5 minutes, that is better than I expected. It appears they weren't as complacent as I thought. How many additional knightmares have been deployed?"
"Twenty,"
"Deploy the Valkyrie Squadrons and have the second wave be ready to launch at a moment's notice,"
"Roger,"
The two transports flew over the city slowly. While there had been broadcasts asking all civilian ships to vacant, in the chaos of the attack, they had been merely ignored.
"Valkyrie Squadrons, you are cleared for launch,"
"Roger,"
Five slots opened on each side of the transports. A human sized object ejected from each slot. They started to fall before righting themselves and hovering in place, twenty in total. Overhead the reinforcements from the inland base flew over. The Valkyries flew up and among them.
"Join up with the forces currently engaging the attackers," the command came over the radio.
"Roger," The pilots responded.
Suddenly an explosion ripped through the one of the knightmares.
A mass of confused chatter ripped through the airwaves as the pilots struggled to figure out what was happening.
There was another explosion.
"Someone please tell me what's going on," Yoshitaka demanded.
"We're still checking sir, but it appears that something is attacking the reinforcements," One of the techs said.
"Patch me thorough,"
The tech nodded and made the connection.
"This is Commander Yoshitaka; tell me what going on,"
"….. Can't get a lock….. Their too fast," the person responded, static on the line.
"Come in, answer me, can you give us a visual?"
Silence for a moment, then one of the screens came to life. The room went silent as they stared at the image.
"What the devil?"
On the screen was a knightmare, yet it couldn't be one for it was far too small. The design was fairly standard of their flying type. It had the two repulsor wings. It arms were also standard. In short it was the same design seen all over the world, save for the fact that there had never been any record of one being so small.
"The computer estimates it's around 8 feet tall," A tech reported.
"Damn," Yoshitaka said, as the small knightmare frame spun in a circle sending its foot into the camera.
"The Valkyries have succeeded, the main unit of knightmares has turned around to reinforce to the vanguard unit," Emiko reported.
"Very good, have the first wave continue their pre-assigned missions, launch the second wave as well, have them strike in the rear of the main unit on their way to reinforce the vanguard unit,"
"Roger," Emiko said. She keyed up the ships intercom.
"Second Wave you are cleared to launch,"