Ember's POV:

It's been over a week since Erica's award ceremony and for me everyday has been getting slower. Neuroi activity has been slowing down and in the ten days that have happened, I've only discharged my Neuroi Reaper once. Even standard maintenance has been getting slightly stale since I've hardly used my Striker. The only thing that hasn't been so boring is the amount of mail I've been getting recently. Ever since my little visit to London, I've been getting letters from the little nuggets telling me their progress and I was touched. Though I'm in need of a better way to store all the letters. The desk's drawers were all ready packed with the letters, even after folding them neatly and having them stacked up. Today was also maintenance day for our Strikers and the base personal that lived off sight came in to work on all of our Strikers with mine being the exception. I asked if I could work on my own Striker when the other mechanics worked on everyone else's Strikers and Minna seemed a bit timid and around the topic.

"What's your reasoning on working on your Striker when the other mechanics are here?"

"Well, no one else really knows how my Striker ticks and Lockheed hasn't sent over and engineers that specialize in my special Striker."

"Hhmmm... I will let this one by because I don't want some fatal mistake due to mechanical failure... However, keep your interactions between the others to a minimum if not at all. Understand 2nd Lieutenant?"

"Huh? Why do I-"

"Do you understand 2nd Lieutenant?" She cut me off, venom laced her words and I felt a shiver go down my back.

"... Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Get what ever you need done and then leave the hanger." She turned to leave but I was curious why she's so sensitive when it comes with working with the male personal.

'She might have her reasons for it in the past... Though this isn't usually like her at all.' I thought as I headed towards the hanger. Walking through the entrance, most of the other workers had all ready made it into the hanger and had pulled the Strikers and weapons from their Launcher Units. Tables were set up for each Striker to be worked on and I giggled lightly at the sight of three rather muscular men struggle to carry the Type 99 machine gun to the table. Some of them looked up from what they were doing and looked at me and I ignored them as I walked over to my own Striker. Pulling up two tables, I placed my Strikers, with the assistance of my magic, onto each of them and went to work on them. When I first started I could still feel some of the mechanics eyes on me and the occasional murmur of, "Why's a Witch here?". The lack of voices was starting to irritate me since I've always worked on my Striker when Shirley was usually around and we'd always chat up and give each other tips on our tune up technique. Everyone in here just seemed mechanical when two rather large men came up to me, not making eye contact with me as I looked up.

"Ma'am, would you mind handing over the weapon to be worked on?"

"Of course." Part of me wanted to start a conversation with them but Minna's words and how they acted around me said other wise. Opening the slot, my gun was pulled out of its cover and tilted to the side or me to grab it if I was just docked into in my Striker. With the help of my magic, I grabbed the grip of it and tucked the butt stock under my armpit to brace it as I checked the chamber for any live ammunition. Closing it back up, I handed it off to them and they grabbed it. Letting go, they slumped slightly from the weight of the gun and I couldn't blame them. The original gun I used weighed just about or more than 80 pounds and my current gun is weighting at a hefty 52 pounds, not counting the ammunition I'm carrying as well. I heard them grunt before a slight bang as they hefted and dropped the gun down on one of the tables and quickly went to work on disassembling the gun. I returned back to my own work of replacing what seemed to be a faulty drive shaft in my own Striker. It had a crack in the metal and I'm glad I caught it before I went up in the air.

"Just my luck..." I grumbled. Before, I just needed to replace some small parts that ware out quickly and then close everything up, but now I have to pull the Merlin engine out and replace the shaft before putting it back in. Moving off, I grabbed the spare parts from a box and went to work of dismantling, un bolting, and lifting the engine out when Yoshika came into the hanger with a tray of food.

"Thank you all for your help." We all looked up from our work to see her standing there with sweets, tea, and an innocent smile on her face. "I've made some sweets. Everyone, please have some." I glanced at the other mechanics and they all just went back to work which kind of angered me slightly.

"Why don't you all take a break and have some treats. You've all been working hard." I said to them but they didn't even look up at me.

"U-Um, these are sweets from Fuso, and..."

"I'm sorry." I heard one of the mechanics say. "Commander Minna has prohibited us from having unnecessary conversations with the Witches."

"Huh? Well... I'll just leave these here then..." She glumly put them down on a spare table and left the hanger with her head hanging down slightly. When she left the hanger I put down my tools and didn't look at the other mechanics as I went over and took a cookie and a cup of tea and went back to my station to eat and drink it.

"She's not here now so you can go and have a slight break." I said, a bit irritated. "The Commander never said anything about eating some food a Witch brings so get it while it's still warm." I took a sip of tea and finished off my cookie. Eventually, the others slowly started to go in pairs of getting some treats and a drink and not long after, the plate was empty. Silence returned as we continued working and I finished up my own Striker about the same time they had finished up with the maintenance of the other units as well. Everything was put away and all the men filed out quietly and quickly leaving the hanger empty again. Glancing at the other Striker's I could see that all of them were looking basically new and all were polished and ready for use.

'Might not talk much, but damn are they efficient.' I thought when Minna came into the hanger and looked around slightly before addressing me.

"Was there any unnecessary conversations in here?"

"No, ma'am."

"Good." Her mood brightened slightly. "They sure did a good job on our Strikers though." She commented before leaving.

'What's with her hostility towards Witch interactions with the other men...?' I thought. 'It's not as if they are going to do anything bad to us...' I thought before leaving as well.

"Say, Minna." She turned and faced me. "Why are you so strict about interactions with the male personal and Witches?" I tried to get any information but she shot me down quickly.

"Because they're the rules. Nothing more, nothing less." Her voice was stern but I could see there was something more in her eyes. They had what looked like a pang of sadness but it was quickly covered up as she turned around and walked away. Cleaning my hands off, I walked down the runway stretching my arms behind my head and I looked across the ocean. These weird dreams I've been having have been more consistently and I can't dismiss them as night mares anymore. My most recent one I guessed was telling me that someone close to me was going to get hurt in the near future.

'What are they trying to get me to do? What power is she talking about...' I thought as I looked across the sea as the wind picked up. 'What do these dreams have to do with me?... Well, things always been a bit weird for me from the beginning.' I chuckled light as I thought back to my past experiences. 'Nearly mugged and or rapped back in the states and my power manifestation making me a Witch saved both Blaze and I... Being spared by the Neuroi after a base destruction and now my misadventures with the 501st.' Looking off to the side, I saw a rather large carrier passing by, a Fuso flag on it's mast.

"A Fuso vessel... The Akagi if I'm right... What's it doing here?" Turning back around, I walked back around the base when I heard Minna's voice.

"I believe I told you such things were prohibited."

"I'm sorry." It was a boys voice. "I just wanted to convey words of thanks."

"That's right. He didn't do anything wrong." I pressed my back against the wall as I eased dropped on their conversation.

"Unnecessary contact with the Witches is strictly prohibited. Therefore, I will return this to you."

"I'm sorry..." I heard him run off before Minna left as well. Peaking around the corner, Yoshika was still standing there, head hanging low.

"Hey, you all right?"

"I'm fine but... Why does Minna have such a weird rule in the unit?"

"I was wondering the same thing. I don't really see anything wrong with how he wanted to give you a letter of thanks to you. From what I remember, you saved the Akagi when you were coming to the 501st with Mio."

"Oh, that reminds me! The Admiral of the Akagi gave me a gift!"

"Oh really now?"

"Yeah! Lynne has it! Come on!" She ran off and I walked after her before she found me again and we started to walk towards her room. "You know... Commander Minna was scary."

"Yeah..."

"I wonder what was in that letter?"

"Who knows... Maybe it was a letter by the crew or maybe something else..." I mumbled.

"What was that Ember?"

"Oh, nothing."

"... Yoshika?" She seemed pretty down by not receiving the letter. Reaching her room though, she seemed to brighten up as we put the gift down and started to undo the wrapping to find it was a Fuso Witch Doll.

"Wow! A Fuso Doll!"

"It's so cute!~"

"I'd like to say thank you though..."

"Hey, lighten up. You're such a such good natured girl that they know you'd want to say thank you. Heh, even after being in combat as a Witch for such a long time... You're still such a pure girl at heart."

"You really think that Ember?"

"Of course." Suddenly the air raid siren went off and I looked at Lynne and Yoshika. "Now lets go out and fight for the Akagi!"

"Right!" We all started to walk towards the briefing room when I made a slight detour to get Blaze from our room and to my surprise, she was all ready fully dressed in her black uniform and pillow in hand. Escorting her to the room, we took out seats and Minna began the briefing.

"We've received a report from Gallia of the enemy advancing."

"For once, the predictions were accurate." Mio commented.

"I'm itching for some action." I cracked my knuckles with an evil grin.

"Yes. Current altitude is 15,000, heading directly towards this base." Mio then got up from her seat and walked up to the front of the room."

"All right, we can go with the routine intercept pattern. For today's embarkation assignment, Barkhorn and Hartmann will take the lead. Perrine and Lynne will take the rear followed by Miyafuji, Minna, myself, and Vermillion. Shirley, Lucchini, Eila, Sanya, and Blaze, stand by at the base."

"House-sitting, house-sitting!~" Lucchini cheered as Shirley leaned back slightly.

"I guess I can adjust my unit settings." Mean while, both Blaze and Sanya just fell back to sleep immediately.

"All right! Get prepared for flight!" Standing up, I rushed down to the hanger, deciding to take out the ammo backpack instead of the sling. Loading up the four other magazine, I jumped into my Striker and moved into position before we ll took off in formation flight. About a minute went by without contact when Mio spoke up.

"Enemy sighted!" Pulling the charging handle back, I loaded a fresh round into the chamber.

"What type?"

"Confirming now!" She lifted her eye patch and looked past our own visual range. "300 meter Class. Take the usual formation?"

"Yes."

"Okay, attack!" Both Erica and Trude rolled over into a dive while both Lynne and Perrine followed suit. I was about to when the Neuroi gave out a screech and broke into multiple pieces.

"Ah, this type of Neuroi!"

"It divided?"

"Any idea how many there are?" I asked aloud when Minna answered my question.

"Eighty to the lower right, one hundred in the center, thirty to the left."

"210 in all. It'll be raining lead!"

"Indeed."

"So, what do we do?"

"Mio, you'll look for the core."

"Roger."

"Barkhon team, take the middle. Perrine team, intercept to the right. Miyafuji, you stick with major Sakamoto."

"Roger!"

"Listen, your duty is to keep the enemy away until the major can locate the core."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And what about me Minna?"

"I got the left covered so just wonder between the zones providing support."

"Roger that!" Rolling over, I immediately zoomed for the center and five cubes nosed up for a head on. "You really think you're going to win this?" Bringing up my gun, I let out a burst of .50 cal's of freedom into the group and each of them blew up into the white fragments before I went on to chase more. Target after target I tracked after letting my bullets rip them to shreds and I was keeping a very close tab on my kill count. Up the numbers went as more and more Neuroi was destroyed when I found myself back to back with Erica and Trude.

"That makes ten!"

"Twelve down here!"

"Fourteen. You two are rather slow today." I snickered as I shot down another one. "Make that fifteen."

"Looks like we can finally keep score again!"

"Yeah, we haven't been able to recently."

"In that case, lets make a bet! Looser has to cook dinner for the squad!"

"That's a deal Ember!" Both of them shouted as we broke away, avoiding a squadron of Neuroi. Pulling a high yo-yo, I got into their tail and slowly started to pick them off. Further and further I started to wander towards the right most area when lightning, originating from Perrine ripped through the sky taking a large chunk out of the Neuroi force.

'So that's her special ability...' I thought when a laser beam shot past my shoulder. Cursing at how I got ten Neuroi on my tail, I pulled into a tight right turn before pulling up , air breaks out and flipping my legs out from under me while shooting. The same maneuver I pulled on Anne over a week ago and I blasted away about eight of the ten cores. Switching magazines, I continued on but the numbers didn't seem to shrink as quickly as I thought. Coming to a hover for a split second, I let a burst into a large group of Neuroi on Trude's tail when I turned to see a cube rushing me. I didn't have enough time to pull my gun around so I did what I thought was the next best thing of creating a dense small shield in front of my fist and punched it as hard as I could. It shattered into the white flakes but at the same time, cutting up my left arm slightly. Though with the amount of adrenaline in my body, I didn't care as I rushed after the next swarm of these cubes. The battle dragged on much longer than I was hoping for and I was starting to worry as I was on my last magazine. The wound on my arm was also starting to become more stressed as blood soaked into my sleeve and started to run down my arm onto my gun. Finding myself back with Trude and Erica, we all were starting to get wary of this battle.

"There's no end to them..."

"Which one is the core? 'Cause I'm starting to run low on ammo. How about you Erica?"

"Same. Ember?"

"Last magazine as well."

"You might want to have Yoshika check that out as well." Trude motioned to my arm but I shook it my head. "After this battle... By the way, 32."

"31." Erica pouted slightly.

"33! Now lets get back into the fight people!" Trude yelled at us and we went back into the fray. I tried to conserve as much ammo as I could only taking shots that I knew I could hit and thank god it only took one .50 caliber bullet to destroy a Neuroi.

"God, how much longer is this going to take." Putting my hand to my ear, I activated my intercom. "Minna! Has the core been located yet!?"

"Not yet Ember!"

"Well, find it faster! We're getting very close to the continent!" Removing my hand I mumbled to myself, "this wound is also staring to get worse as well." Ignoring the burning sensation I had, I looked around and saw Erica flying defensively as a group of 12 cubes followed her. I would have just sprayed into the group but my ammo conditions were preventing me so I got creative. Putting every ounce of magic I could into the engines, I started to accelerate at an insane rate while in a dive and I I closed in, from the top, on the Neuroi formation before breaking the speed of sound just as I passed them. Air breaks extended, I killed my speed quickly and pointed my gun up to take a few shots before Trude swooped in taking the rest of the stunned Neuroi out.

"Attention, all units. The enemy core has been located." I heard Minna say. "We will take it down, so keep the others away!"

"Roger that Minna!" Looking around, only a few small amounts of the cubic drones were remaining. Looking at the back of my magazine, I saw that I only had about 30 rounds remaining so used them to the fullest. Perusing and making the advance of the cubes to protect the core, I killed off three more when they all exploded. Looking over, I saw Minna, Mio, and Yoshika pull up their shields to block the shower of white fragments but I noticed Mio's shield was a lighter shade of blue compared to Yoshika's and Minna's.

"Yoshika, that was amazing!" Lynne flew up and hugged her and I flew up to congratulate her and Perrine just huffed.

"That was just a fluke."

"I don't think so. It's quite difficult to hit an enemy craft conducting irregular behavior."

"That, and also the rather slow velocity of the 20mm round."

"Miyafuji, you're pretty good!" Erica complimented.

"Ehehehehe. Y-You think so?"

"You've defiantly advanced quite far since when you first joined Yoshika." I commented when I looked at Trude and Erica. "By the way, 39."

"40!" Erica fist pumped.

"42." Trude said confidently and I drooped my head slightly.

"I lost..."

"And that means your cooking tonight!" Erica cheered and I started to wince as the pain started to grow in my arm. I guess that since nothing exciting was happening, the adrenaline rush was waring off and I was starting to receive the proper amount of pain from my arm.

"Ah, Ember! You're hurt!" Yoshika finally either noticed my wince or how blood was dripping off my hand and my sleeve was rather soaked in it. WIth her flying over to my side, I slung my gun over my shoulder and she looked at the arm questionably.

"How did you hurt it in the first place?" She asked.

"I guess it's when I punched a Neuroi that was bum rushing me. Just sort of reacted."

"Well... Can you pull up your sleeve so I can observe how bad it is?" Complying, I started to pull it up, but shots of stining pain made me let go of it. I tried to again, this time pulling it up further when i saw that there were some white fragments imbeded in my skin and most likely there's more further up the sleeve as well. "This is a bit worse than I thought... And I don't have any tweezers to remove them either..." Looking base her, I saw what looked like a destroyed harbor bellow us where the fragments of the recently destroyed Neuroi fell. It was a rather a morbid beautiful sight as the white fragments shined in the light.

"Beautiful..."

"Yeah, when they're like this."

"They say that beautiful flowers have thorns." Perrine said when Erica made a rather sly remark.

"Talking about yourself?"

"H-How rude! W-Well... I acknowledge the part about being beautiful, though."

"So you're full of thorns?"

"Why must you always pull the rug out form under someone Erica!?"

"Nyah! Thorny!" Perrine whined in annoyance when noticed Minna star flying down towards the land.

"Minna?"

"Eh? Hey! where are you-" Erica started to fly after her when Mio stopped her.

"Wait, let her be alone."

"I see... This is Pas-de-Calais."

"Huh? What's this place?" I asked as Yoshika looked over my arm a bit more before flying over to Mio

"It's a naval base where refugees were shipping through... Erica, Minna, and myself were also here to support the escape effort but... Some mechanics never got off base. One of those mechanics was someone very close to Minna."

"Ahh..." My arm felt like it was burning up and with every movement sent a stinging sensation followed by a little more blood when Yoshika flew up to me again.

"Ms. Sakamoto said we can return to base to heal you Ember." She said, a serious face on her.

"Right. I'll be taking my leave from you guys then. See you back at base."

"Later Ember." Flying off with Yoshika, we returned to base and were greeted by Shirley as we landed.

"Yoooo!" She waved her hand and started to walk towards us before she started to run. "My god, what happened to your arm Ember!?" She was all ready at my side looking it over and I tried to calm her down.

"I-It's nothing Shirley!"

"I-it's nothing really Shirley! Please calm down a little!" I my Striker docked and my gun on a table since I needed to clean it off and Yoshika quickly escorted me to the medical bay. Shirley also came along with us to the medical bay and I stiffly sat down in one of the beds as Yoshika scrambled around trying to find all of the things she needed before coming back over with some scissors, cotton, tweezers, a glass jar, and some disinfectant. Cutting my sleeve off, we could see the full extent of of the damage. Honestly, I didn't think it was that bad but my arm kind of looked like it went through a shredder. Large streaks of where white Neuroi fragments cut into me along with multiple rather large pieces just imbedded in my arm. I felt Shirley's hand fall on top of my free hand, but I didn't matter as Yoshika pursed her lips together and looked at me.

"This might take longer than usual so bare with me." She picked up the scissor sized tweezers and slowly starting to pick the fragments out of me, occasionally dabbing some cotton on my wounds to collect the blood. A few minutes later, she had all the pieces out and used her healing powers to seal me up. "Now, I'm done." Moving my arm around, if felt brand new and it looks as if nothing happened to it at all. Going back down to the hanger we greeted the others as they landed when Yoshika hung her head. "By now the Akagi has left so I can't say good bye..."

"Why aren't you getting into your Striker Miyafuji? Don't you want to say thanks to the Akagi?" Yoshika instantly looked up at Minna.

"You mean it!?" She nodded her head. "Can I bring Ms. Sakamoto, Lynne, and Ember along as well?"

"You can. Just hurry up before they leave."

"Right!" She scrambled back into her Striker and I got into my own and the four of us took off into the skies again. The ship had all ready left the docks and was sailing away from our base and we pushed a little harder and buzzed the runway.

"If that didn't get their attention, I don't know what will." I chuckled as started to pull up slightly into a loose split-S. At the peak of we rolled over and descended slightly before banking around to the port side of the ship.

"Thank you, everyone!" She yelled out, waving her hand to everyone. "Do your best! I will too!"

"Good for you, Yoshika!" Lynne cheered as I flew up and ruffled her hair slightly.

"You did good."

"Yeah! I was able to say thank you as well!"

"They've been so good to you after all." Mio added.

"Yes." I looked at them with a smile at how they all came on deck and bellow deck to wave and see Yoshika.

"Everyone looks happy."

"Thank goodness..."

"Lets head back to base then." Mio commanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" We all ascended back up and was about to turn around when I heard something in my intercom. It surprised me too hear Minna's voice singing, with whom I guessed was Sanya playing the piano in the background. It soon was playing over the loud speakers on the ship itself. Her voice was soothing and it warmed my heart as I listened to it. Going into a hover, Lynne and Yoshika were waving and I was staying behind with Mio.

"Minna's got a beautiful singing voice." I said and Mio just nodded her head.

"I heard she was going to be a musician before the war started."

"Ah..." Turning around, we docked back into base and quickly went to our meeting area to find Shirley operating the radio, Eila watching over Sanya as she played the piano while Erica was relaxing on the couch and Trude was standing with a camera. Lucchini was sleeping on another couch and Perrine was on the side listening. The main star of the show was wearing this elegant red dress as she sung into the microphone.

:Lili, Lili Marleen." She sung the last words and we all stated to clap, congratulating Minna.

"That was such a beautiful song!" Yoshika praised her.

"Thank you." I looked with amusement, and to Yoshika's pain, as Eila went on to pull on her cheeks with an evil grin on her face. "Waaah! Whash're yaahh doowin!?"

"What about Santa's piano playing? Sanya, jeez!"

"Ish wush wery heautihul!"

"Come on, praise her some more!"

"I am hraising her! Hlease, let wee go!" To be honest, I didn't know her cheeks could stretch that far and I was struggling trying to keep quiet only to fail as I burst our into laughter. "Ehmbah! Hwats not huny! Huease, let wee go!"

"Nope, not yet!"

"It- It hurtsh, E-Eila!" Even Minna was laughing while Mio was looking at us with a confused face. With night falling quite quickly we got the equipment that somehow they got out, put together, and broad casting in the time it took Mio, Yoshika, Lynne, and myself to reach and say good bye to the Akagi, and then I started to prepare dinner for everyone for the bet. After dinner, it was late enough that people started to go to bed. Feeling a bit more energetic, I grabbed the thermoses Minna ordered and made a cup of coffee for the two Night Witches and went down to the hanger with them. Sanya and Blaze took them gratefully, thanking me before they took off as well. Returning back to my room, I feel back asleep, though the day after that was pretty interesting.

I was working away like I always do in the hanger, this time grappling with a stubborn shell casing which jammed my gun from the last combat mission. Since I didn't have any more Neuroi to shoot at, I didn't get the chance to fire it again to find it was jammed. Hell, even the extractor broke but I deducted that it was due to a flaw in the metal itself. It's still a pain in the ass to work on since I have to remove the barrel from the gun and tap it out when Shirley came into the hanger.

"Yo!" Flicking my wrist to the side, I greeted her and she returned the greeting.

"Minna's asking to assemble everyone in the meeting room. Not sure what we're doing, but she told me to get you." Looking at her and then down at my gun before back at her. I wanted to get the gun working again, but I guess what Minna had to say was important so I put down the gun barrel and followed her to the meeting room. Blaze was all ready there and to my surpise, she was rather awake... Well slightly awake with caffein from the coffee and she was currently propping herself up with her palm on the table and as I took my seat, Minna began to talk.

"Thank you for coming everyone for today, I have a very special announcement. 2nd Lieutenant Ember Vermillion, please step up here." She had her smile on and I got up from my seat a bit warily and joined her up at the front of the room. Standing beside her, I was rather stiff and I waited for what she was going to say. "Today, I've received a letter from the USAAF command to say that with 2nd Lieutenant Vermillion's performance over the battlefield, you have received a one rank promotion and will be decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross." I was taken aback by what Minna said, Blaze instantly perked up from what she said while Shirley only gawked at me. "The ceremony will be held later this afternoon so everyone, I expect everyone to be prepared. Congratulations again, 1st Lieutenant." I was still a bit shocked with what she said before I turned to her and gave a big smile and a salute.

"Thank you very much Commander!"

"There's also another package arriving from Lockheed Industries with your medal Lieutenant. Now that everything's over with, everyone, dismissed!" She left the room and I was still kind of dazed from the shock when Shirley gave me a reallllyyy hard slap on the back. I had to take a few steps to keep from falling over and she had a sly grin on her face.

"Oh, you lucky duckling! You've been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross!"

"What so important about that medal?" Lucchini asked lazily and Shirley explained.

"The medal Ember here is getting is just under the Medal of Honor! It's the second highest ranking medal in the USAAF can give a person... Not to mention that you also got promoted heehee. Lieutenant Vermillion... I like the ring it has." I was all ready awarded seven Air Medals, two Distinguished Flying Cross's, and a single Silver Star but the Distinguished Service Cross? Just... Wow. I never thought I would do this well in the military, nor would I have such an honor receiving this medal. Helping Blaze back to our room, I started to wonder what Lockheed might have sent me this time since it's only been a short while since I received my Firebird from them. I was walking towards the hanger when I saw a rather interesting sight of people trying to wrestle Trude out of her Striker Unit.

"No! You can't take your Striker!" Shirley yelled, pulling her away.

"But I need to go now!"

"Come on Trude! You can't just take your Striker!" Erica whined as she pulled on the other arm. I sweat dropped at the sight and it took a minute later with the help of Shirley, Erica, and Yoshika. Once we let her go, she quickly grabbed Erica's hand and ran over to one of the bases car ordering her to drive her back to London.

"Come on Hartmann! Drive!" She was standing up in the passenger's seat pointing out ahead as Erica rolled her eyes and complied, driving out of the base.

"Jeez, she really is a siscon... One word that her sister woke up now and she's out of here!... AGH! And she didn't even help set up the stage!" Shirley pulled her hair and I sighed as I helped her set up the stage for my event and quickly went to work on pulling the jammed casing from the barrel. Reassembling the gun and carefully oiling it up, I put it away when Yoshika came down to tell me something.

"Commander Minna said that the transport plane should be arriving soon so you should get ready for the ceremony." Thanking her, I went to the bath to wash up before rummaging around in my drawer finding my uniforms cap and I put on my nicer uniform. Rummaging further, I pulled all my medals out and pinned them on me before I came out. Shirley was waiting for me outside and she nodded her head slightly before adjusting my cap slightly.

"Lookin' fine there Emb's. Lookin' like a Witch for the Liberion propaganda poster." Moving down to the hanger again, everyone was slowly filling in with other Witches just as the transport plane came with Seris escorting it, but it seemed like Anne also came along as well. With them landed, they jumped out and leaned their Strikers up against a wall. I hugged the two of them and they gave the box which had the medal inside of it to Minna.

"We shall now begin the ceremony!" Everyone stood up at attention. "Lieutenant Vermillion, please step up."

"Yes, ma'am!" Stepping up, I stood at attention.

"The decoration of Lieutenant Vermillion will now take place." She stepped towards me and removed the top of the white case Seris gave to her and took the contents inside out. "Lieutenant Vermillion. As a member of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing, and as an active military participant in the United States Army Air Force, you have performed with distinction and produced great results while in battle. As such, you are here by awarded with the Distinct Service Cross." She pinned the medal to my chest and stood back saluting me and I returned the salute. Everyone else started to clap and I turned to the rest of the people with a smile. "Congratulations, Lieutenant Vermillion!"

Trude was present with a camera and took a picture of my as I saluted before I walked down and got swarmed around me congratulating me with my achievement when the side of the transport plane opened up with a large box in the back. With the absence of Trude, they used a crane to grab it and drag it into the hanger in the last open slot for a Striker unit. With the men quickly exiting and going back into the C-47, we all looked at it with wonder.

"Say, Seris, do you know what's inside of it exactly?" I asked and she shook her head.

"I have no idea. It just arrived at our base today and asked for us to deliver it to you. All I know about it is that it's from Lockheed and that's it."

"Go on ahead Ember," Minna encouraged me, "go on and open it." Walking up to it and started to pull one strap when the rest let go at the same time. Jumping back as the wooden pallets came off, a rather unique looking Striker unit was underneath it. It had straight wings normally but the end of the unit was strangely hollow; there wasn't the regular rounded nose cone and slit where the propellers would appear to provide propulsion. It's main body was thicker and rounder than others but I also didn't see any exhaust ports in the end of it.

"This ain't a regular Striker..." Shirley commented and everyone else nodded. Looking down, I picked up the manual to see it had Lockheeds insignia on the front with the name of the designer bellow. Opening it up, I found the design of the Striker on the inside.

"Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star..." I read out loud before I continued reading throuhg the contents when my eyes bulged slightly as I found the Striker type. "It's a Jet Striker..."

So yeah... New Striker Unit! *Crowd cheering* I was going to have this part in a separate chapter but I kept it in here anyway so... yeah... I'll just leave you with this cliff hanger until next chapter~ Please, leave a review below if you want. I don't bite... Much...