Now the Allied Forces are pushing into South Belka, thanks to the destruction of Glatisant. Our heroes though in this chapter will get to have a close encounter of the "laser" kind and considering that if I were in Cipher/Larry's position in this chapter, I would DEFINITELY be scared shitless as well. So I made sure to make them very terrified and frantic in this chapter.. And on another note, I just finished reading the book "Brilliance" by Marcus Sakey, and it was AMAZING, probably the best book I've ever read. I'm gonna get the sequel soon, called "A New World". I highly recommend all of you read it.
Chapter 9 - Merlon
Then nothingness was not, nor existence. There was no air then, nor heavens beyond it. Who covered it? Where was it? In whose keeping? Was there then cosmic water, in depths unfathomed?
- Valais Air Force Base -
H- May 19th, 1995 1400 hrs -
"You've gotta admit, that was a pretty intense mission Larry." said Cipher as the two relaxed in their hangar with their Eagles, Larry rolling his eyes and grinning.
"Yeah, I guess." he replied about the Glatisant mission before he looked up at their new and freshly painted Eagles, the ones they had used over the Belkan fortress damaged beyond repair.
In fact, the mechanics had no idea as to how they were able to maintain flight capabilities with the damage their fighters had sustained from all the AA and flak fire being sent their way.
"Yo, guys!"
Cipher and Larry glanced at the open hangar doors and spotted one of their mercenary friends waving them over to him.
"We've got another mission. We're going further into Belka." he said before hustling towards the base, Larry glancing over at Cipher with a worried expression on his face, Cipher only shrugging at him.
They got up and followed the mercenary back to the briefing room and they settled themselves in for another briefing from the Base Commander about their next operation.
"Belka's second line of defence stretched across the Schayne Plains in the central region of southern Belka. Centered on two anti-aircraft camps, this line blocks our refueling unit's air route, and is already delaying our military plans. This operation will consist of attacks on enemy ground troops, and engagements with enemy fighters." he began as the screen showed a geographical image of the Schayne Plains region, highlighting two enemy positions on either side of a winding river.
Cipher guessed those were the two anti-aircraft camps the Base Commander had specified and as soon as he saw them along with a group of fighters flying over the river he suspected that this would be an operation similar to Offensive Campaign No. 4101, with multiple groups taking on different parts of the Belkan force.
"There will be three squadrons in total. You can decide which one to accompany."
"I knew it." thought Cipher with a smirk as the first section of Belkan troops, centered on the northwest camp in the region, appeared on screen.
"Alpha Team will be responsible for destroying enemy ground ordnance. Beta Team's job will be to eliminate air resistance, and destroying enemy ground ordnance. Theta Team will eliminate air resistance and establish total air superiority over the entire area. Escort Allied transport craft after all three missions have been completed. That is all." finished the Base Commander before he dismissed the pilots.
"Belka's not backing down. What's going on?" whispered Larry to Cipher as they exited the briefing room last behind their friends.
"I don't know. I guess they're not planning on surrendering anytime soon. And neither are the Allied Forces." replied back Cipher in a low voice tinged with worry as they left the base to go for their planes.
When they were getting ready for takeoff, Cipher looked to his left and raised an eyebrow in confusion as he saw the ground crew and some of the mechanics watching and or waving at their departure.
He slowly waved back before he gunned the engines and took off from Valais behind Larry, the two pilots heading out for South Belka.
- Schayne Plains, Southern Belka -
- 020'14'10"N 229'02'31"E -
- May 19th, 1995 1530 hrs -
Cipher and Larry entered the airspace first and their radios instantly exploded with the chatter of their allies that were attacking Belka's ground positions at the northern and southern ends of the river running through the Schayne Plains.
They were a part of Theta Team, the last group to enter the airspace and the one tasked with acquiring air superiority over the plains and afterwards, escort allied transport craft into the area.
"Hey Cipher, you hear me? Just look at the view. There's not much difference between those countries from up here." said Larry as he looked down at the peaceful plains below, the areas where the fighting were not even close to them.
"Yeah, I know. Not many people get to experience what we see on a daily basis."
"Belkan fighters approaching. Shoot them down an secure air superiority." ordered Eagle Eye, several Belkan fighters making their appearance.
Their positions were spread out across the Schayne Plains, which meant they would have to disperse their forces the same way to be sure they would down all the Belkan fighters in the area.
"Alright people, I don't want a single Belkan fighter left in the air. Let's go."
"And so I ordered everyone to spread out and go after each concentration of Belkan fighters and take them down. Larry and I stuck together as usual and did our normal thing." said Cipher as he retold to Jasper his mission over the Schayne Plains, the latter continuing to listen intently.
It was around one o'clock, and he had talking to him ever since he woke up that day at nine. It was exhausting.
"Alright Bud, I gotta take a break for a few. Will you be good all by yourself while I'm gone?" asked Cipher as he picked up Jasper and set him down on his feet beside his chair.
He nodded vigorously and went up to his room, Cipher pulling himself up from his recliner and grabbing his phone sitting on the table, speed-dialing the first contact.
"Hey James, ready to fish?"
Thirty minutes later James and Cipher were setting up shop at a large lake on the outskirts of Anfang, their fishing rods lying in the grass prepped for use.
"Heh, it's hard to imagine that just a few days before there was a war going on." chuckled James as he retrieved his rod and looked it over once more.
"And here we are, fishing like some old geezers.
"We are old, Cipher. I'm 48."
"40 over here. Jeez, don't remind me." said Cipher with a smile as he picked his own rod up and threw his line out.
"So, what have you been doing? How's the wife?" he asked after a short span of silence between the two old friends.
"Just keeping myself busy unpacking and stuff. Oh and Natalie? Oh, Nat's doing fine. You?"
"Been storytelling to my son. It's exhausting but it makes me happy to see how interested he is the stories I tell."
"About what?" asked James while glancing over at him.
"What I did in the Belkan War." said Cipher, James' expression becoming grim.
"Oh. Where are you?"
"The Schayne Plains mission, Operation Dynamo. And don't worry James, Jasper's very mature for his age. He knows about the natural processes of life and everything else there is to do about it."
"Did he…?"
"Yeah, he figured it out as soon as I started. It surprised me too, but I know he's torn up inside because of it."
"He's a trooper. So...the Schayne Plains huh?" asked James with a small grin.
"Yeah...I'm afraid though for when we get to...you know…"
"Right…"
After fishing for another good hour, sharing small talk once or twice, they couldn't catch anything and decided to pack up and head back. They climbed into Cipher's camaro and drove off from the lake, snaking through the dense trees of the forests outside Anfang until they arrived in the city from a dirt path. They drove down its roads towards James' house first.
He dropped him off and said goodbye before he drove out of the small neighborhood at a slow pace and planned the most direct route back to his house, but then decided against it for a more scenic route.
Anfang was tourist town for Belka, only a couple miles away from the capital, Dinsmark, and even though its population increased and decreased constantly as people from all over the Osean Continent, from the Osean Federation, Ustio and Sapin to see what Belka looked like back in its glory days, it gave off that small town feeling of being at home wherever you were. Everyone knew you and you knew everyone. And on those days when everyone was wanting to relax, they'd retire for a few hours to the glorious beach the coastal town sported, with its glistening waves and sparkling sand untainted by human waste.
As he passed said beach, Cipher couldn't help but smile as the memory of two young people playing in the shallow water at sunset, their laughter making them forget about all of their problems, even if it was just for a short while.
"That was so long ago…" he thought looked at the sun above and let out a deep sigh.
He pulled his car into the beach's parking lot and got out, heading towards the pier.
He walked down the sand with his shoes and socks off and approached one of the posts supporting the pier, trying to find another memory from that time. It took him a while, but he finally found it, etched into the wooden surface of the post with a knife.
It was a heart, and inside it said 'Liz+Alek Till then end of time'.
He placed his palm against its rough surface and couldn't stop himself from remembering all the times he had spent with her, Elizabeth, from that moment on that very beach to the day of their marriage, to him leaving to fight in the Estovakian Civil War, and then to the day he would never forget...April 4th...when his entire world came crashing down with the sound of a gunshot.
He shuddered and couldn't stop his emotions from coming out, so the only thing he could do was stand there with his hand planted on that heart, his other hand covering his face to hide the fact that he was crying his eyes out.
He sucked it up after a minute and looked at the heart again, sniffing once before he smiled and walked away from it, glad that no one had dared disturb it.
After climbing back into his car, he got back on the road and drove the rest of the way to his home, going right back into storytelling.
"Something's not right. The Belkan's should be able to send out more fighters than this." said Larry as he and Cipher shot down a pair of Belkan Tomcats, reducing their numbers to only a handful of aircraft.
"I know. Something *is a little off here, so be prepared for anything." replied Cipher.
After chasing down the remaining Belkan fighters, they reformed with their allies and changed their heading to the southeast.
"All enemy fighters have been shot down. Threat level reduced to 2. Galm Team, cover our transport planes until they're able to land." ordered Eagle Eye.
Cipher, Larry, their mercenary companions and the Allied pilots flying with them travelled to the meeting point at the southeastern edge of the airspace to wait. They didn't have to wait long.
"There they are. The Allied transport planes."
Five massive C5 Galaxies appeared from behind a cloud and they distributed themselves around the4 squadron to flank them from all sides on their route to the airfield at the area Beta Team cleared out on the northeastern side of the Schayne Plains.
"Thanks for securing air superiority."
"No problem."
They flew in silence for a minute, making it to the center of the operation airspace when all of a sudden, Cipher and Larry's cockpits brightened as the sky above them lit up with a blue hue.
"What was that? Something flashed again!" said Larry before from the sky, as if it came down from heaven itself, a massive beam of blue light short down at them.
It passed through the three C-5s at the head of the transport squadron and all they could was watch in horror as fire spewed out from the sides, the gigantic planes separating into two, severed halves.
The people and vehicles inside their bellies had either been vaporized when the beam passed over them or as the plane split apart they were falling out of them to their painful and abrupt deaths when they finally hit the ground.
"Jesus CHRIST!" yelled Cipher in total shock.
"What the hell was that?! Where did that attack come from?!"
As they all spread apart, not sure of what to do, Larry attempted to figure out what the hell really just happened, and more importantly, what the hell that caused it.
"What the hell happened?! AWACS, what's going on?" he asked loudly, still startled from the sudden surprise attack from something.
"Hold on! Incoming emergency message from Allied Operations HQ! 'Enemy launching long range attacks. Current airspace is within range.'"
"Now you tell us? Where should we fly?"
Cipher jumped as the sky lit up again and he glanced over his shoulder to see the last two transport planes get caught in the beam's attack and just like its predecessor, they were cut in half and utterly destroyed, the men and or women inside having their fates decided right then and there.
"Transmitting projected enemy targeting coordinates. All units, mevade attacks and withdraw from the airspace."
"Here comes an attack, look out!"
A red spot popped up on radar to the west of Cipher and Larry, the two watching as the blue beam raced across the ground and a group of Allied fighters, the vegetation caught within it getting vaporized while a scar was left in its wake.
"Plane 4 just vanished! Allied planes are disappearing from radar!"
"Plane 6 is gone too!"
"This is bad, way bad! I'm outta here!"
"I agree with you there Larry. Everyone get outta here!" said Cipher frantically as he gunned it towards the southern edge of the airspace.
All of a sudden the radar lit up red and Cipher pulled back on the joystick on instinct and moved away just in time as the beam came down from the heavens right in front of him.
"Holy shit!"
Larry swerved away to avoid the laser as he raced towards him and barely managed to dodge its destructive might, and after he cleared it he sped on after Cipher, who was pushing his plane to the limit to try and escape the airspace and get away from whatever was firing at them.
A short while after, they had to narrowly avoid another dance with instant death from the beam, and after he dodged it, Cipher put two and two together and figured out a pattern.
As soon as the beam faded away Cipher started to count up in his head.
"One...two...three…"
When he hit twelve, he pulled back on the joystick and slowed his airspeed down to almost a crawl so as to avoid the beam coming at him from his left.
"Larry, that beam's fired every twelve seconds! Gun it during then and when you hit twelve, slow down fast and hope to *god you don't hit that thing!" he yelled while speeding up after the beam dissipated.
"Roger!"
Larry followed his orders and they repeated the process twice more, speeding up for eleven seconds and coming to almost a complete stop on twelve, before the southern edge of the combat airspace appeared on radar as their saving grace.
"You're almost out of the operation airspace. Stay on course to the south."
"Come on, make it, dammit!" grunted Larry as their Eagles reached their top speed and when Cipher counted twelve, they blew over the southern edge of the airspace just as the beam came down from the sky and barely missed the back of their jets by mere inches.
Cipher immediately let out the breath he had been holding and after making sure her was still alive, began to laugh hysterically and uncontrollably, his entire body quaking with adrenaline and pure fear and relief of surviving the ordeal.
"Holy...shit. Fuck. That." he wheezed as he took in gallons of air and pulled off his oxygen mask.
"Yeah...let's hope to god that never happens again…" said Larry with a just as frantic tone in his voice.
"You're out of the danger zone. Galm Team, return to base." said Eagle Eye to them both, bringing them back to reality.
"Jeez, you guys made it out? That beam was all over your asses." said a mercenary pilot that had escaped the airspace before them along with his squadron.
"We're that irresistible." said Cipher with a weak laugh.
They joined up with them and any other pilots who survived the unexpected attack and made the journey back to Ustio with their nerves still on edge.
"Welcome back." said the control tower operator as they lowered their landing gear and began to land at Valais.
'That was a bad nightmare. We lost several of our members. Mercenaries like us are disposable to the guys in charge. But in the end...we survived.'
- The mission objectives were achieved, but our forces were dealt a heavy blow by newfound enemy laser ordnance, a terrifying new weapon of destruction. Our country must put an end to this war. If not, I fear the war will put an end to us.