Ember's POV:
Moving with Shirley, we started to clear out the small cubic Neuroi in our sector. Around we went shooting down the Neuroi when I heard Yoshika chatter over the radio.
"Eila! Not using a shield is dangerous."
"You haven't been paying attention?" Looking over, I saw Eila start to fly around without her shield like usual, and I sighed slightly.
"You know how much easier life would be with Eila's ability, Char?"
"Much easier..." Inverting myself, I shot down the last Neuroi behind me when I sighed.
"Jeez, is that that last one?"
"I don't know. It seems we've shot down most of them. But it's odd, there's no response..." Forming up around Mio, she looked around.
"There's been no response so far though."
"They're all drones," Mio then announced as I loaded a fresh mag into my Neuroi Reaper. "We're looking for the one in command."
"So it's still fully operational?" Perrine asked.
"You sure we didn't shoot it down at some point?" Lucchini asked, and I shook my head.
"I can still fell its presence around here... Though I can't pinpoint its location..." Mio suddenly turned around towards the mountain. Off in the distance, we could see a tall black spire.
"What is that?" Trude asked.
"It goes right up through the clouds."
"Wow..."
"Could that be the one controlling them?" Shirley asked when Mio began to fly off.
"Everyone wait here. I'm going to investigate." We all watched as she took off towards the large spire and up she went.
"I want everyone to be on alert. If there're any more drones around, I don't want them to catch us without pants down," I ordered. We all gathered in a defensive circle protecting each other's back when Mio radioed in.
"All right, everyone return to base."
"But the enemy is still here," Perrine argued.
"We'll adjust our plans back at base."
"Roger that. We've also been out for quite a while. Any longer and you guys will be dropping like flies." With a slight wave, I lead the group back when Mio joined me in the lead. Looking off to my side, the sun started to fade as I talked with Shirley when I heard Eila and Yoshika bickering in the back.
"How can you move so fast, Eila?"
"Hm hm~ It's not just quickness that lets me move like this. I have the magic that lets me see into the future. Whether it's you or the enemy, I know exactly what the next move will be." Rolling on my back, I reached into my pocket pulling out a piece of wood I picked up from the forest we were over and conjured one of my knives. I started to strip away the bark out of boredom trying to figure out what to whittle when Shirley leaned over to see what I was doing.
"I don't like to brag, but I've never used a shield during battle. People dependent on them are second-tier to me." Annoyed slightly, I flicked off a wood chipping that Eila flew over. She glared at me slightly, and I looked up.
"Whoops, sorry."
"You did that on purpose, didn't you. I know it."
"Don't be so mean to her, Eila," Sanya suddenly broke in. Rolling around, I looked up to see both Blaze and Sanya had flown out of the base for their night patrol. "Welcome back, everyone."
The two of them had flown through the center of the group before they joined us in flight. Blaze flew next to me while Sanya went over to Eila and Yoshika. Patting my sister's head, I noticed this black object on her wrist.
"What's that you got on there?" I pointed at the object when it flashed purple. To her right appeared the purple Neuroi, Eve. "Ah, so you're also on this patrol?"
"I am. I think it's nice to expand our fire power on this patrols,"
"Hold on, Sanya. You're relieved from tonight's patrol. Blaze, you're also relieved," Mio suddenly said.
"I'd like to continue this patrol with Eve, Major,"
"Very well, everyone else, return to Blaze."
"Good luck with your patrol," I said, patting her head. They took off, and the rest of us landed, storing our equipment. Mio left to give a report to Minna while I went around checking all of our equipment after today's sortie. Checking the ammo, I glanced over to Sanya's Launcher Unit and saw both Lynne and Yoshika staring at her rocket launcher.
"Carrying this big thing around all day must be really difficult, huh, Sanya?"
"Not really. I'm used to it," she replied as I pulled Eila's gun out.
"I've seen people carry bigger things, but that's with the assistance of magic," I said, grunting slightly as I pulled the bolt back checking the insides.
"Sanya used to have night patrols by herself a lot. She uses the Fliegerhammer here when she has to fight."
"Wow, that's so amazing!"
"But, I bet it's less lonely with someone else, right?" Yoshika asked, and Sanya nodded her head.
"It's been better flying with Blaze at night," she replied, and Eila growled slightly. Slapping down the rear receiver a bit harder than I should have, I saw Eila flinch slightly as I put the gun away. Zoning the other's out as I looked down a list I had, I checked Eila off the list leaving Sanya the last one. Walking over, everyone was gathered around Sanya looking at a twig she was holding.
"You're the last one on the list, Sanya. Do you have any problems with any of your equipment?" She shook her head.
"Everything is fine at the moment thanks to your maintenance work."
Checking her name off, Trude came down to the hanger saying that everyone was to gather in the lounge. Walking over as a group, everyone else was present. I took a seat, and the lights were killed. A projector in the center of the room came to life and projected an image of the towering Neuroi we engaged earlier.
"Air Force spy planes took these photographs."
"It just looks like a bunch of noise," Trude commented, and I was amazed how quickly they developed and shipped us these pictures.
"This is the Neuroi we spotted this afternoon. This is what happened when they tried to photograph the whole thing. Estimates put it at over thirty thousand meters long." I was sipping some tea, and I gagged on it.
"Thirty thousand!? So it reaches an altitude of thirty kilometers?"
"Um, so compared to Mt. Fuji, it's..." Yoshika began to count on her fingers as Mio continued.
"It's slowly cruising towards Romagna at a rate of 10 kilometers per hour. The difficult part is about its core's location," the next slide flipped through, and she used a meter stick to point at the very top of the spire, "here."
"The very top?"
"Yes, I verified."
"But our Striker Units top out at ten thousand meters," Perrine added.
"Major Vermillion," Mio spoke my name, and I leaned on my knees slightly closer to her, "Minna and I have decided that you are the most suited to accomplish this with your Neurification powers."
"Thirty thousand meters is unknown territory, well beyond the highest altitude record," Minna stated.
"We've also consulted Xala about your powers, and she said that you will be able to survive about 3 minutes fully Neurified where there's no air."
"What!? No air?" Lucchini suddenly perked up."
"When you get a clear shot, you will hit it with a powerful Neuroi blast before coming back down. You've only got one shot."
"Sure, sure... No pressure..." I mumbled. "Though there's something we still haven't addressed: How do we get up there in the first place? Both my own and Shirley's Strikers max out at about fifteen thousand meters."
"Correct. So, for this mission, we'll need to use this," the next slide was inserted, and I felt my stomach turn over. I stood up suddenly, gritting my teeth slightly as I stared at the schematics of the booster.
"What the fuck is this shit!?" I exploded causing everyone to flinch slightly.
"It's a rocket boost-"
"I know that," I cut her off. "But I don't want those things on base!"
"Major Vermillion, what is with this sudden outburst?" Minna interjected.
"My sudden outburst is from this plan. You're not putting me, or anyone else into that death trap!"
"Death trap?" Mio questioned.
"These rocket boosters are very stable for use, Ember. It's also the only way that we will be able reach that altitude," Minna reasoned, but I trembled slightly.
"I understand that as well. Just... If you are going to use these boosters, then count me out of this operation, Commander. I don't want to be anywhere near those things," I spat out as I turned to leave.
"Ember, where do you think you're going?" I heard Trude challenge as I was leaving, but Minna cooled her down.
"Stand down Barkhorn... Just let her go..."
"But-"
"That's an order." I closed the door behind me. Getting to my room, I roughly closed it and flopped onto my bed. Xala exited her sleep state and asked if I was feeling all right.
"I'm fine, Xala... I just... I just need some sleep."
Minna's POV:
"What's with her, getting all mad and angry about such a trivial." Perrine huffed.
"That's enough Clostermann,"
"Y-Yes, ma'am..."
"Do you know what happened then, Minna?" Erica asked.
"I do... To a certain extent. Do you remember Ralucha?"
"Sergeant Bodewig? I remember her," Trude commented when both her and Erica put two and two together.
"You don't think..."
"That she was sent to the 370th?" both Trude and Erica finished their sentences when Shirley shook her hand out.
"Wait, wait, wait... Can you keep us in the loop on what's going on?" Shirley whined when Mio interrupted.
"Later... Since Vermillion isn't participating, then we need to go to our second person of choice. Sanya, your Fliegerhammer is critical for this operation."
"Huh?"
"Oi, oi! I want to go with her!" Eila suddenly yelled out.
"Mm... Oh, Eila, have you ever used a shield, by chance?"
"A shield?I don't mean to brag, but I've never used a shield once in combat!"
"Then you can't go."
"Exactly... Eh?"
"Yeah, that's not going to do..." I commented.
"Wh-Why not?"
"Other than using the boosters, this mission demands survival ability in extreme conditions, as well as skill for dealing with high levels of magic power consumption."
"In other words, Sanya will not be able to put any focus in defending herself. We'll need one other person to protect Sanya up there..."
"It's not like I'm not able to use a shield." Eila tried to reason.
"But you've never done it in combat."
"That's right."
"That just won't cut it..." I smiled weakly.
"Miyafuji, you're going."
"Y-Yes, ma'am!... Huh?"
"You can deploy very powerful shields."
"Right."
"This briefing is adjourned for now. It's late, so everyone get some sleep," Mio announced. On the way out, Mio stopped me. "Should we ask Ember tomorrow?"
"We should... From what I heard, she was shot down by the Neuroi but how she reacted tells me something else."
"Alright. Good night, Minna."
Ember's POV:
"Come on Ember! It's getting away!" Jenny yelled as she pulled away distracting a drone. Rushing forward I pushed my Striker to its the limit. Diving, I felt the wings vibrate from the strain. Ahead of me, the Neuroi started to break away and pull lead on me.
"S-So fast!" It soon broke apart sending out some drones. I was quickly surrounded. "Multiple contacts... Helma, I..."
"This is Bodewig... Engaging..."
Waking up with a startled, I sat up and breathed out shaking my head slightly. Looking off to the side at my clock, I noted that it was much later than I usually get up. Even the Neuroi have all left except the lone purple core on the shelf. Getting dressed, I went to the dining hall to find no one there and a lone platter of food with my name next to it.
'I did oversleep,' I thought as I picked it up and ate alone at the table. Some unknown crates were stacked in the corner, but I could see some German words on the side, scowling, I put my dish away when Trude walked into the room.
"Minna requests your presence in her office Ember. If you would follow me..." she said, and I went with. With a knock, I entered the room. Inside sat Minna behind her desk and Mio flanking her to my right. Entering, Trude closed the door behind us and stood guard while Minna beckoned for me to sit in the chair.
"Please, take a seat, Ember." Taking the seat, I felt the interrogating gazes emanating from everyone in the room. "You probably know why you are here Ember, but I will ask anyway. I can only guess that Ralucha is one of the causes of your problems." I flinched slightly.
"You knew her?"
"She was stationed with us for a while before being moved to another unit. We didn't know where she went after that, but I found a report stating that she was shot down by the Neuroi... Is that true?" Taking a breath, I started to recount the details of the days that Ralucha had staid with us.
"All right... When should I start off?"
"From the beginning."
Taking a breath, I began to comb through my memories as I recollected everything.
"It all started when I was still quite green and new to the unit. I've only scored about twenty-eight kills..."
1943
Getting up into the air with Jennifer, Amanda, and I angled towards where Helma told us a transport plane was showing up. Forming up around Jenny, I had my weapon at the ready.
"Any idea what this shipment is containing?" I asked.
"I don't know. I've only get a message from Karlsland saying that this was on the way carrying a Witch that will be under our care," Helma radioed. "Other than that, I've got nothing."
"Roger,"
After a few minutes of flight, I saw a Ju 52 off in the distance.
"370th Fighter Group to Karlsland transport, we've got visual contact and will escort you the rest of the way to our base," Amanda called out when she looked at me. "Come on rookie."
Forming up with the plane, I was flying on the right wing. Looking into the plane, I could see a little girl in a black uniform staring out the window. Waving slightly, she shyly turned away from. A bit disappointed, I busied myself scanning for any Neuroi threats in the area. Making it back to the base with no engagements, people were quickly unloading a weird looking device from the plane while Helma was talking with what looked to the girl that was inside of the plane. Taxiing into the hanger, I docked, and everyone started to gather around the mystery object that was rolled into the hanger. Looking it over, it appeared to be a very small and compact aircraft with very small wings, a single tail fin poking out of it's stubby body and no elevators. A little fan was on the nose for what I'm guessing is the air speed indicator. At the wing, routs were same large cannon that looked to be about a 30mm. Inside the cockpit was the stick, an aiming reticle, but two cylindrical holes where the pilots legs must enter. The whole plane was resting on what looked like a dolly when Helma walked over to us. Turning around we all saw that the Ju 52 was taking off and beside her was a small girl her braided blond hair tied up in a bun.
"As of today, girls, we will be hosting another Witch in our unit for a while." The small girl stepped forward and bowed slightly.
"My name I am Sergeant Ralucha Bodewig. Pleased to meet you all," she said in a very quiet voice.
"I'm Captain Jessica Milton. You can also call me Jessy!~." our happy blond Witch of our unit cheered with a smile.
"Names Ashlyn. 1st Lieutenant Ashlyn Hopkins. Please, call me Ash," our lazy black haired Witch said with a slight smile.
"M-Master Sergeant Jennifer Winthrop..." our shy brunet mumbled.
"I am Major Amanda Bradley. I hope we can work together efficiently," our brown-haired "drill sergeant," said. I swear, sometimes I think that she's secretly half Karlslandian.
"2nd Lieutenant Mary Wright at your service!~," our orange haired, enthusiastic Liberion said.
"Master Sergeant Ember Vermillion. It's a pleasure to be working with you," I said.
"Now that introductions are over with, why don't we all get ready for lunch. Vermillion!"
"Yes!"
"Will you escort our guest to her room?"
"Yes, ma'am!" I saluted and waved my hand to follow. "Come along. This way." Walking through the hallways, I showed her to her room. We didn't speak much, but she did say thanks before I took her to the mess hall. This continued for the next few days when we had our first enemy encounter. We all took off on an intercept mission. I was flying as a wingman for Amanda when we spotted the small group of Neuroi. We had the go-ahead to take off while Ralucha set up for take off and it's been quite some time since we've taken off.
"This is Reaper 1 to Major Bradley; I'm coming from your rear," we heard a voice say. Looking behind us, we saw that small black aircraft coming in on our six. It didn't sound like any combustion engine I've ever heard of before, and it looked as if the red flame that is being shot out of the back. Through the cockpit, I could see Ralucha inside.
"Good you've caught up with us, Sergeant. Wright, Hopkins, and Milton, you're to take on the right most one."
"Roger!" the three responded.
"Winthrop, Vermillion, you're with Bodewig and me. Show me what you can do in that unit, Bodewig!"
"I will try my best, ma'am." Forming up on the right of Amanda, we broke off into our groups and angled towards our target. Readying my M2, I glanced over at Jenny to see she was ready as well. Amanda loaded a rocket into her Bazooka while checking her duel Thompson SMG when the Neuroi noticed our presence. A laser beam was shot, and we all moved out of the way.
"Alright, everyone, engage!" Amanda yelled as she shot off a rocket. Moving with her, I heard the chatter of the 30mm cannons from what I was guessing was the plane Ralucha was flying. "Is your gun mute Vermillion? 'Cause I don't hear it chattering!"
"R-Right!" Aiming, I started to shoot guessing where the core is located when Amanda let lose another salvo of rockets before switching over to her Thompson's. Moving in closer, I followed her lead as we started to engage an area that Ralucha had strafed. Large craters were left in its armor as she made another pass before we followed in strafing it again. Focussing, I tried to locate the core when I pulled up a shield blocking a laser when I located the relative position of the core. "I think I know where it might be!" I called out and flew up to the surface. Flying past one of the laser pads by accident, I wasn't aware that it was about to shoot when it went up in a plume of white.
"Damn it, Vermillion! Watch your rear as well!" Amanda scolded, and I apologized as I opened up on the surface. The 12.7mm bullets shredded the armor when I finally located the core.
"Core located! Ah!" I started to be pushed back as the Neuroi focused on me when Ralucha sped past me. The 30mm were chattering as the large caliber machine guns ripped apart the core destroying the Neuroi.
"This is Jessy!~ Neuroi destroyed on our end!" Jessica chimed out as well when Amanda hit me in the back of the head. Holding it, I grumbled as she started to scold me about being aware of the laser pads. She said that it's a very good way to get shot down, and I knew that. Gathering, we all headed back to base. Landing, we all watched as Ralucha circled once around the base waiting for us to land when what looked to be a landing skid drop down from the plane. Finding the grassy stretch of land on the inside of the runway. It had skidded the whole way down before a wing tip rested in the dirt. Running over to the tipped over plane, the hatch opened, and Ralucha pulled herself out, breathing a bit heavily and sweating quite a bit.
"Are you fine?" I asked, and she nodded her head.
"The Me 163 has a rather high magic consumption with the either jet, but the gains are worth the risk..." she pulled herself out of the Striker and started to walk but stumbled slightly. Catching her, she thanked me, and we hit the showers and a debriefing when lunch was served. It went on like this for the next few weeks of us fighting together when what would later become a fatal problem arose. It was after a successful intercept bringing my kill count up to about thirty-five when. I walked into the showers prepared to take one when I found Ralucha passed out on the floor. Rushing to her side, I turned off her shower and rolled her onto her back. Her eyes twitched slightly as she began to wake up. Her blue eyes started to show some recognition as I asked her what happened.
"Erm... How should I put this..." she sat up, coughing slightly. "There's a reason for why I was passed out... It's because I've got an illness..."
"Couldn't a doctor help if you've got an illness?"
"No, it's not one of those... I've already been taken to many Witches with healing magic, and nothing has cured it... But the Striker I'm flying is also a bit unstable and might kill me..."
"What...?" My eyes narrowed slightly as she looked off to the side. "If it's going to kill you then why are you flying it!?"
"It's because I made the choice too! They say I've got tons of magic within my body, and this disease is already killing me! I don't want to go to waste..." she began to cough again, this time coughing up a bit of blood into her palm worrying me even more.
"I'm sorry, but we can't discuss this more... I can't stand to see you harming yourself either, so we are taking this to Helma... I'm sorry, but I have to do this as a friend. I'm sure there's a cure for your illness." I said as I helped her up. Wrapping my towel around her, we got changed, and we went to Helma's office. Her verdict was that she was banned from flying the Komet until told otherwise. She had a rather sad look on her face as she left with me. For the next two missions, Ralucha watched us off on our missions when one day we had an emergency scramble. Multiple high-speed Neuroi were coming, and we were to intercept them. Getting up into the air, we flew a short distance when we had visual contact. Flying up higher with Jenny as the other went on to engage the enemy. Drones were suddenly sent out from one of the Neuroi complicating things as what the main unit seemed to speed up.
"Damn it! The main unit is getting away!" Ash yelled.
"And these drones aren't helping either," Jessica commented. "Ember! Jenny! Intercept the main unit and quickly!"
"Roger!" diving down, I started to gain on the units as they flew under us. Some drones were sent in our direction, but a single 12.7mm bullet takes care of them with ease.
"God damn it! Come on Ember! It's getting away!" Jenny yelled as she pulled away distracting a drone. Keeping up, I pushed my Striker to it's limit. I felt the wings vibrate from the strain as I was nearing my speed limit. Ahead of me, the Neuroi started to pull lead on me.
"S-So fast!" It soon broke apart sending out some drones. I was quickly surrounded. "Multiple contacts around me... Helma I..."
"This is Bodewig... Engaging," Ralucha said over the radio. The chatter of 30mm cannons echoed in the sky as I blocked a few laser beams when I saw the main unit explode, the Komet lasting through the other side. The drones around me exploded, and I felt a mixed emotion of thankfulness and anger as I flew closer to Laura
"Why'd you do that?" I asked her, and she gave me a confused look.
"I came to help you... I heard you were in trouble, so I came..." I shook my head when I noticed the holes on the 163's tail section.
"H-Hey, is the plane fine? It seems you've got some holes in the tai- Hey!" Looking into the cockpit, I noticed that she had slumped over slightly but started to cough as she sat back up. Blood splattered onto her hands alarming me.
"Is something wrong, Vermillion?" Amamnda asked when I told her the situation. We nursed the plane back towards the base, and I was talking with Ralucha the whole way. She circled above as we all landed when she started her landing run. Out of my Striker, I watched as she made her approach when the Komet started to smoke. The plane was coming in a bit hot, dipping slightly as she landed, but she was still going to fast. Near the end of the runway, a wing dipped and dug into the ground as it turn sideways causing it to flip once. Everyone gasped and I started to run towards the plane as it came to the top even with our commanders warning to come back. The solid ether jet was smoking, and I was determined to pull Ralucha out when I was thrown backward from an explosion. Hitting the metal wall of the hanger, I fell to the ground with my whole body aching and my head stinging. My ears rang from the explosion, and it looked like Helma was trying to talk to me before she turned to someone else. Feeling some arms go under my arms and legs, I was lifted up onto a stretcher and hauled away from the scene. The last thing I saw was what looked to be a large fire in the grass.
Current Time:
"After that, I woke up in the infirmary and Helma had told me what happened."
"So... The Komet exploded killing her after landing?" Minna asked, and I nodded my head.
"She said that it was unstable and highly explosive so maybe it was damage from the Neuroi after it had flipped," I said as I hunched of my chair, caressing my arms in my lap.
"Those bastards..." I heard Trude mumble when Minna closed a booklet I failed to notice she had.
"Thank you, Major Vermillion. With this new bit of information, I understand your position better with these ether rockets, and you will be excused from the mission... However, your explosion still won't go without punishment."
"What do you have in mind?" I looked up knowing that it won't be as severe as other base commanders, but a punishment is still a punishment.
"You will be helping Miyafuji in the kitchen for the next two weeks. You are dismissed."
I stood up and saluted turning towards the door when Minna spoke up again.
"Just remember Ember, it wasn't your fault. It was something that Ralucha chose to do." I left without a word and laid around in the lounge when Shirley came into the room. Adjusting slightly, I laid my head down on her lap when she asked what was wrong. Giving the same story, she nodded her head and listened. Never in my mind have I remembered her lap being warm and comforting as it was currently. I didn't want it to end. Though all that's good needs to come to an end sometime as it was time for the missions briefing. Sitting up, I decided to walk around the base finding a rather comfortable tree to sleep in when I saw a rather amusing sight. Hearing a meow, I looked up to see a plethora of red, blue, orange, and purple cats in a tree all swishing their tails side to side. I smiled as I jumped up to sit with the now humanoid Neuroi. From where we were all sitting, we had a clear view of the runway where everyone started to gather as they prepared for the mission. The started to form what looked to be a tower of Witches with Yoshika and Sanya at the top. Taking my intercom out, I watched as a large magic circle formed under them all and they took off. Following their contrails as they flew higher and higher into the sky when a larger plume of smoke shot out form what I'm guessing is the second stage.
'Good luck to you all,' I thought. A few minutes later, people started to return to the runway and look towards the small black line off into the distance. Jumping down, I joined them with the other Neuroi forces and Alissa as well. Though something seemed off as Yoshika was on the ground instead of Eila.
"Yoshika? What are you doing down here? Aren't you supposed to be with Sanya?" I asked quite worriedly when I looked up to see a laser beam split up from being blocked by a shield. Soon, the giant spire started to explode into a cascade of white crystals causing everyone to cheer. Even some of the other Neuroi were happy when I thought of something like a reward for Sanya's achievement. Gathering the Neuroi around, I talked to them in secret about what to do after dinner. Moving to the kitchen, I helped Yoshika with dinner and afterwards, I got the all the Neuroi prepared in Sanya's room. Waiting outside of her room, I finally saw her as she sleepily rubbed her eyes with a yawn. Smiling, I waved to her and stopped her outside of her room.
"Is there something you need, Ember?" Sanya asked yawning slightly.
"I'm sorry to keep you awake longer than you need to after todays mission, but I want to say I'm sorry I forced this mission onto you," I said.
"I'm sure what ever reason you had are appropriate."
"I still feel guilty so... I've got a little something in your room for compensation." Opening the door, Sanya looked inside and gasped slightly. On her bed were all the Rebels as cats and kittens and they all meowed in unison. Even for me, I felt like I was going to melt from the sheer volume of adorableness that was sitting on her bed.
"O- Oh! So many cats!" Sanya said as she walked into the room before sitting on the bed to be swarmed by them. "You shouldn't have, Ember."
"They all agreed so don't feel like I forced them into this... Good work on that mission as well. Good night." Closing the door, I saw an pouty Eila behind me. "What?"
"Why didn't I think of that..." she mumbled, puffing her cheeks.
"You don't have the connections I have~," I teased before leaving. Falling into my bed, I stared up at the ceiling, wondering what would come next in our fight against the Neuroi.