Chapter 5: Howitzers of the High Seas and Rain of Death

June 6th 1944

0527hrs

Coastal waters of Normandy

The amassed ships from navies all over the world were now preparing their guns. It was an amazing sight as you feel the sense of power emanating from the warships. There were the towering battleships and battlecruisers; there were the carriers, queen of the seas; the sleek cruisers; the fighting destroyers; the silent submarines (why submarines? Because of the Sen Toku class submersible carriers of course) and the crammed transports.

IFN Junyō, Imperial Fusoan 4th Fleet

"Admiral Yukikaze, the flight deck crew reports that the planes and witches are ready and Shinano and Zuiho report that their strike forces are also ready as well" an officer said.

"What of the I-400 and 1-402, are they ready to launch?" Yukikaze asked.

"They are just finished preparing the planes, they are just waiting on your orders, Admiral" the officer answered.

"That is good. Well Genda, you are more skilled in these operations, what do you suggest we do now?" Yukikaze asked the man to her left. Genda Minoru was the master mind for the Battle of Midway's air combat operations. Now he is the commander of all the air forces in the Fusoan European Forces.

"Well I suggest we launch now, so then more damage can be dealt to the neuroi" Genda suggested. Yukikaze has learned to trust Genda's tactics as so far as they had devastating results.

"Alright, Captain Hayate, tell your flight deck crews to prepare launching planes and witches now" Yukikaze said.

"Aye-aye Admiral!" Captain Hayate said before he went to the ship's PA system.

"This is Captain Hayate to all crew, we are preparing to launch the strike forces now" Captain Hayate announced. Captain Hayate Mizawa is a relatively new captain as the previous captain of the Junyō was killed when his plane crashed near Wake Island Naval Station

"Also signal the Shinano and Zuiho, I-400 and I-402 to start launching as well, if you please Vice Admiral Hoshigawa?" Yukikaze ordered.

"Aye-aye ma'am, this Vice Admiral Hoshigawa to Shinano, Zuiho, I-400 and I-402, begin launching strike force now" Hoshigawa ordered via the radio. Hoshigawa has been Yukikaze's right man since she was promoted to commodore. He has been a good friend to Yukikaze and has always helped her figure out how to deal with problems either about the fleet or personal ones.

Yukikaze looked towards the flight decks as planes began to launch off from the decks. Her fighter spirit wanted her to join them into the sky but she assured herself that she was more useful commanding the fleet.

"Can you pass me that transmitter?" Yukikaze asked.

"Here you, Yukikaze" Hoshigawa said as he handed her the transmitter.

"Kono teitoku Yukikaze teikoku daiyonkantai-nai no subete no senpaku ni (This Admiral Yukikaze to all ships in the Imperial Fusoan 4th Fleet), I want all ships to point their guns towards the coast to the south of us and I want those guns loaded when I give the order" Yukikaze ordered.

"Roger, Admiral" the other naval commanders responded. Soon the guns of the Fusoan ships began to traverse towards the Normandy coast.

"Okay, patrol boats commanders, I want your ships to rid of any obstructions to our landing troops later" Yukikaze ordered. Another chorus of affirmative responses came in. Soon small patrol boats began to race into the coast. They were to obliterate the sea mines left forgotten when Gallia fell back in 1940. Now they were a threat to the assault troops so the Allies needed to destroy those ticking bombs to safely execute the invasion plan.

"All transport ships and landing craft prepare to disembark troops and tanks" Yukikaze added.

"Attention to all personnel in Imperial Fusoan 4th Fleet including pilots, especially you Muto, prepare to attack on my order" Yukikaze said. She looked at her watch; it was 5:28 am, just two more minutes before all hell breaks loose.

Meanwhile…

ONS Odessa

"Sir, our flight crews report that we are ready to launch the attack" the chief engineer of the ship said.

"That is good, now can someone get the Admiral…" the captain said before some opened the door, everyone in the bridge. It was Admiral Vladimir.

"Sorry I am late Captain Mikhail, I couldn't find my glasses" Admiral Vladimir said as he closed the door.

"That is alright sir, as long you are here" Mikhail said. Captain Mikhail Timoshenko is Orussian newest carrier captain, he had been sent to Fuso to how to command a carrier. He has successfully commanded the Odessa in a small skirmish in the White Sea with little loss of life.

"So are our ships ready?" Admiral Vladimir asked.

"Well, the Odessa is ready to launch planes and witches" Mikhail said.

"Okay, the other ships, what is their status, Vice Admiral Sverdlov?" Vladimir asked.

"All the other ships are ready for orders and the aircraft carrier, Admiral Kornilov says that they are ready to launch air units" Sverdlov said.

"Tell the Admiral Kornilov to begin air operations" Vladimir said.

"Alright, order all ships to bring their guns to bear onto the western Normandy coast" Vladimir said.

"Aye-aye" Sverdlov said.

"Captain, have your planes and witches to take off so more damage can be done to the neuroi" Vladimir added.

"Aye-aye, admiral" Mikhail said.

"Attention all crew of the Odessa, all crew related to flight operations, begin launching operations" Mikhail ordered over the ship's PA system.

"Aye-aye sir" the response came. Soon IL-2A Sea Shturmoviks began to take off from the flight decks. The IL-2A Sea Shturmovik is the naval version of the famous IL-2 Shturmovik or the IL-2M to be precise since the IL-2A has a tail gunner. It had a more powerful and lighter engine; the liquid cooled Mikulin AM38G V12 that produces 1400 hp. It was lighter than the original at 4310 kg when empty and 6110 kg loaded. It still retained the two wing mounted 23 mm calibre VYa-23 cannons but the two wing mounted 7.62 mm machine guns were replaced with four 12.7 mm Berezin UBT machine guns. The tail gun also got replaced with two 12.7 mm Berezin UBT MGs. It can carry either 2 torpedoes/550 kg of bombs or 6 RS-82 rockets.

Then the Yak-9A based the Yak-9 or to be precise the Yak-9U began to speed down the flight deck. Like the IL-2A, it was lighter that in land-based counterpart at 2500 kg empty and 3192 kg loaded. It had a powerful engine, the Klimov VK-107B V-12 producing 1750 hp. It is armed with one 20 mm ShVAK cannon and two 12.7 mm UBS machine guns like it land based counterpart.

"Alright can you pass me the radio?" Vladimir asked.

"Of course, Admiral" Mikhail as he handed the radio the admiral.

"Eto admiral Vladimir ko vsem sudam i vozdushnykh yedinits v ekspeditsionnykh VMF Rossii (This Admiral Vladimir to all ships and air units in the Orussian Expeditionary Naval Forces), prepare to fire on my mark! Transports vessels, we need those troops in landing crafts now" Vladimir said. He glanced to the clock on the wall. The time was 5:28 am. Soon the silence will disappear.

While that was happening

USS Augusta

"Sir, the Reprisal and the Iwo Jima [both Essex (extended bow) class carriers] are ready to launch their air units" the Rear Admiral said.

"That is excellent news Black, now I want those planes and girls in the air now" Vice Admiral Kirk ordered. Vice Admiral Alan Goodrich Kirk was the commander of the Liberion Naval Forces in Europe.

"Aye-aye sir, This Rear Admiral Black to Reprisal and Iwo Jima, launch the strike force now" Rear Admiral Black radioed.

"Our other ships are ready, yes?" Kirk asked.

"Yes sir, all ships are ready" Black said.

"Pass me that radio" Kirk said.

"Here sir" Black said as he passed the radio transmitter to Kirk

"Alright pay attention everyone; soon we are going to blast those neuroi to kingdom come! All ships and air crews wait on my mark to fire! Transports, start loading those troops and tanks onto the landing crafts" Kirk radioed. He checked his watch, it was 0529 hrs.

"One more minute before we fire" Kirk thought.

At the same time

KMS Graf Zeppelin

"Fleet Admiral Raeder, the planes and witches of this carrier and the Europa are ready to be launched" the admiral said.

"That is good, Admiral Ludwig, now I want those planes and young maidens in the air immediately" Raeder said. Fleet Admiral Erich Raeder is the commander of the Karlslander 1st Fleet. He is a veteran sailor.

"Aye-aye sir" Admiral Ludwig von Roerich said. Admiral Ludwig von Roerich is the commander of the Karlslander 1st Fleet 1st Carrier Group. He is well versed in carrier tactics.

"Fleet Admiral wants those planes and witches in the air now!" Ludwig ordered and soon the planes and witches began to launch from the decks. The first were the Bf 109Ts which were the carrier version of the renowned Bf 109. The Bf 109T was roughly the same weight with the land version. The armaments are still the same as with the original.

Then the Ju-87Cs took off. The Ju-87C was the carrier version of the legendary Ju-87. The Ju 87 could be launched with a SC 500 kg bomb and four SC 50 kg bombs under the fuselage. The Ju 87 C had a take-off weight of 5300 kg. The "Carrier Stuka" was to have two MG 17s mounted in the wing with a MG 15 operated by the rear gunner. Then the witches took off in their various strikers and weapons.

"Pass me the PA mike" Raeder said.

"Here sir" Ludwig said as he passed the microphone to Fleet Admiral Raeder.

"Achtung, alle Besatzungsmitglieder der ersten Flotte (Attention, all personnel of the 1st Fleet), this Fleet Admiral Raeder speaking, soon we will take part in the invasion of occupied Gallia, we are finally pushing back the neuroi. Now all ships and aerial forces of this fleet prepare to engage on my mark! Transport ships, begin disembarking the troops and vehicles" Raeder announced. He glanced to clock on the wall. It was 5:29 am, 60 seconds to go before the silent is shattered.

While all of that was happening

HMS Warspite

"Admiral Ramsay, the Fusoans, Orussians, Liberions and Karlslanders report that they are ready to fire" a vice admiral said.

"How about our own ships and the Romagnans, are they ready, Vice Admiral Peter?" Ramsay asked.

"Our ships and the Romagnan ships are ready sir" Peter answered. Ramsay then grabbed the radio transmitter.

"This Admiral Ramsey to all ships of the Royal Navy and Sovrana Regia Marina Romagniana, prepare to fire on my call. Transports ships commence operations of disembarking the troops immediately" Ramsay ordered. He looked at Vice Admiral Peter's watch. It was 5:29 am. One more minute and all of hell breaks loose.

Meanwhile…

501st Base, Dover.

Most of the witches were drowsy as they were not use to being up so early. Sanya and Eila were not present as they were assigned a different task.

"Alright we just receive orders that we are to support a massive invasion of the Normandy coast" Minna said. To this, Perrine's drowsiness just vanished and was wide awake.

"Does this mean that" Perrine said as she was just wasn't able to comprehend the idea that the Allies are finally going on the offensive.

"Yes, Perrine, your homeland will be free again" Minna smiled.

"Okay later at 5:30 am the combined fleet and air forces of the Allied Forces will begin their bombardment of the neuroi defences" Minna said as she pointed to a scaled model of the Normandy coastline.

0530hrs

IJN Junyō

"Subete no senpaku wa, kasai o hiraku! Subete no men wa, kōgeki o kaishi suru! (All ships open fire! All planes commence attack!)" Yukikaze roared.

ONS Odessa

"Ogon' iz vsekh pushek! (Fire from all cannons!)" Vladimir shouted.

USS Augusta

"Light them up, boys!" Kirk shouted.

KMS Graf Zeppelin

"Beschuss beginnen ! (Commence Bombardment!)" Raeder barked.

HMS Warspite

"Alright ships, fire at will!" Ramsay shouted.

English Channel

The silence of the early morning was instantly shattered by the roar of the guns of all the ships in the English Channel.

501st Base, Dover

"Our job is to support the troops on the ground when they begin to disembark towards the coast at 7 am later" Minna said. Just then the deafening sounds of the guns of the warship gunners blasting echoed into the briefing room. That immediately woke up the rest of the witches if not scaring them shitless.

"Looks like they started the bombardment already began" Mio stated.

"That was unsuspected" Gertrude said.

"That was one wakeup call!" Shirley exclaimed.

"Please tell me that won't happen again" Francesca looked as if she was about to cry.

"Wow that was just like when I went to that Britannian Coronation Review back in 1937" Erica said.

"Soon we will have planes in the skies" Katherine said as she walked into the briefing room with Dimitri.

Soon the drones of propellers began to be heard in the room as massive formations of bombers, fighters and ground attack aircrafts flew over. The room actually began to vibrate from the loud engine noise.

"Those planes we will need to protect because they are the most capable at dealing damage on the ground targets so they are vital" Mio said pointing to the window toward the massive formations there filled up the sky.

"Okay now that is settled, Yoshika!" Mio said. Yoshika immediately stood up.

"Yes, Mio-san?" Yoshika asked.

"Prepare breakfast for the girls" Mio ordered. Luckily for Yoshika, Perrine was too engrossed on the idea that her homeland will be free again that she doesn't catch Yoshika calling her favourite Major by her first name.

"Yes Mio-san" Yoshika said as she hurried to the kitchen. Lynette decided to help her as she went toward the kitchen.

"Alright the rest of you get yourselves cleaned up" Mio said.

"All of you are dismissed" Minna said.

"Huh?" Mio uttered. Minna looked at Mio trying to see why Mio said that. Mio pointed to across the room. Minna turned towards the other side of the room. There was Katherine and Dimitri but Dimitri was like a ghost of his usual self. He looked under the weather and his body was just shaking. His hands were trembling like mad. Minna and Mio were surprised to see Dimitri like that. Meanwhile Katherine was reading something.

"Um, Katherine" Mio asked.

"Yes Mio" Katherine looked up from her book.

"Is Dimitri okay?" Mio asked.

"What are you talking about...? Aw shit, Dimitri! Where did you keep your cigarettes?" Katherine asked.

"They are in the room but I can't remember where" Dimitri stuttered. He sounded weak and ill.

"You two stay here, I go get his cigarettes" Katherine said.

"Okay" Minna said and Katherine began to run toward their room.

"You smoke?" Mio asked.

"Kinda obvious don't you think" Dimitri chuckled but he began to pant heavily and with each pant it became more laboured.

"Why are you like this, usually you are just fine" Minna asked.

"Well I smoke the cigarettes in the morning before the rest of you girls wake up" Dimitri said labouredly.

"That would explain why you are already wide awake when I go out to train" Mio said.

"What is causing you to be like this?" Minna worriedly asked.

"Well…It also started when…" Dimitri said before he just froze. Minna and Mio were worried when Dimitri became still. Suddenly Dimitri shot up.

"Nyet! Get away from me! It is not my fault!" Dimitri shouted hysterically. Minna and Mio were surprised.

"Dimitri, what is?" Mio said.

"No! No! It is not my fault! I didn't cause your death! No! It was the neuroi not me! No! Stay back! Don't come near me, neuroi scum! It is your fault that I am this freezing hell!" Dimitri shouted.

"Dimitri, calm down!" Minna pleaded. Dimitri stopped shouting then began to mope

"Why? Why am I here? God damn it! Why must death be my companion? Why is everyone being pulled away from me? Why can't I be happy?" Dimitri moped. Minna and Mio were stunned. Just then Katherine came back with a box of cigarettes, a lighter and a bottle of water.

"Oh no, he reached this phase, Minna help me open his mouth" Katherine said as she came to the group. Dimitri continued to mope.

"Okay" Minna said as she with Mio opened the ill Dimitri's mouth open.

"Please swallow this for me, Demi" Katherine pleaded as she placed the pill into Dimitri's mouth. Dimitri didn't swallow so Katherine took the water bottle and made Dimitri drink the content. Dimitri quickly drank the content of the bottle. Instantly Dimitri calmed down but his shaking returned.

"Cigarette please" Dimitri asked shakily. Katherine gave him a green cigarette and lighter. Dimitri placed the cigarette between his lips and then he took the lighter and lit the cigarette. He took an uneasy drag of the cigarette. Mio and Minna took a whiff of the smoke and they were surprised that it was drugs. Soon Dimitri looked relaxed and was high.

"Hey there, Kathy have I ever told you that you look absolutely cute when you have your familiar out?" Dimitri said drunkenly. His eyes were unfocused and he had a drunken smile.

"Is that marijuana?" Minna asked as she backed away from Dimitri.

"Yes it is" Katherine said.

"Why?" Mio asked straight to the point.

"Wait, Dimitri, go outside please" Katherine ordered.

"Yes, ma'am" Dimitri saluted blissfully as he staggered out of the room.

"Okay ever since I met Dimitri, he has been under pressure from the constant combat he had been enduring and it wasn't helping him that he had a mental disorder which rendered him unable to cope to stress, he was near breaking point in Moscow then we were accidentally separated after the Battle for Moscow and he was sent to what would have become the frozen hell on earth, Tsaritsyn. The battle there was very intense and what I heard from the troops that served with him, he just broke after the men under his command were dying left and right. That and the fact he was banged in the head quite a number of times made his mental condition worse. He tried to shrug it off and it worked but the stress would just come back and it was worse than before so I decided to get help for him so I dragged his ass to see Ivan Yelstin, the Tsar's personal doctor. He examined and concluded that the only suitable thing for him to do was to get high on marijuana. It was supposed to be once every two days but Dimitri's condition was so bad he needs a daily dosage to keep a normal mentality" Katherine said.

"So he has to smoke marijuana daily, how is it he is not addicted to the thing?" Mio asked.

"The pill I gave him has two effects, one to calm him down slightly and the other is to cancel out the addictive part of the marijuana" Katherine said.

"Oh" Minna and Mio said.

"That and there was very little marijuana in the cigarettes to begin with" Katherine added.

"That would make a lot of sense" Minna said.

"Okay, Yoshika should be done with the breakfast by now, why don't we go eat" Katherine said. So the three witches made their way towards the mess hall. They see Dimitri just about to enter the mess hall.

"Demi, you okay now?" Katherine asked.

"Yes I am fine now Kathy thanks for being a great wife" Dimitri answered.

"Let's go to eat" Katherine said.

Skies over Normandy

The skies over Normandy were just filled with aeroplanes and witches. Their mission is to blast every single neuroi position that threaten the landing beaches.

"Jon! I am ready to drop these bombs!" Erich shouted.

"Okay, the bomber is yours" Jonathan replied.

"This is Vendetta Vector, we been hit! Everyone bale out!" a Liberion bomber pilot shouted as Jonathan and Martin watched a B-17 plummet towards the ground.

"This is Chuck Yeager of the 363rd Fighter Squadron to all fighters; we need to defend these bombers!" Chuck shouted.

"Roger" A few other pilots said.

"This Captain Hermann Dollman to Major Celina Rodriguez, is there any enemy neuroi?" A Karlslander pilot asked.

"This is Major Celina Rodriguez, callsign Scanner, to Captain Hermann Dollman of Jagdgeschwader 26, there are a few aerial fighter type neuroi closing in from the south east from the direction of Chambois. All witches and fighters be advised of these targets" Celina Rodriguez radioed back.

"She really is helpful isn't she" Jonathan said.

"Yeah, without her, we might be shot down already" Martin said.

"Please don't say that" Karlst said.

Major Celina Rodriguez is one of the very few witches that are equipped not to fight but as a flying command point. She has the magic ability, Area Scan and this is further enhanced by her striker, the B-17G/R. The B-17G/R is a four engine bomber or striker in this case. It has no armament or bomb load as it is not a bomber. It main task is to function as an airborne radar for allied fighters and bombers to detect incoming flights of neuroi. The B17G/R strikers surprising don't drain a lot magic out of the witch even though each striker piece has two propellers on the wings. Major Celina here is very serious girl and doesn't like to play around especially in missions like this. In the case of a neuroi attack, Celina is armed with a M1 Garand with she is an expert at.

"Jonathan, bombs dropped!" Erich shouted.

"Excellent! Let's get the hell out of here" Jonathan said as he pulled on the yoke to turn the bomber. The He177A-5 began to gain altitude while turning left; this was to avoid smashing into other bombers.

"This is Germanischen Griffin, we are returning to base, we are out of bombs" Jonathan radioed. Jonathan saw other bombers also returning to base. Just then Jonathan heard someone tapping the glass.

"Erich, can you please stop tapping the glass" Jonathan ordered.

"Sir, I am manning the forward MG, so, how can I tap the glass?" Erich said.

"Then who is tapping...? There is a witch to my right is there" Jonathan said when he was looking at Martin and Erich. They just nodded. Jonathan turned towards his right and a smile crawled up his face. It was his very special witch. Their relationship has grown closer these past days.

"Why what brings a maiden to the likes of us" Jonathan smiled.

"Stop teasing" Abigail smiled.

"So why are you here?" Jonathan asked.

"Just ran out of ammo so I am returning to base" Abigail answered.

"Well see later then" Jonathan said.

"Okay, so you will come around 9 tonight right?" Abigail asked.

"Yeah, I will pick you up then" Jonathan answered.

"Well see you later, Jon" Abigail said before pulling away from the bomber.

Jonathan and his crew headed for base while other planes were heading for the Normandy coast to give more hell. The battle was already devastating as the warships hurl tons of high explosives into the Normandy coast. If there were people there, they are either dead or have broken down. The battle was reaching for its crescendo and soon the climax will begin when the first man is on the beach.