AN- Sorry this took so long, but I've been through Army basic training, and am now about a third of the way through my twelve week long MOS training. I don't know how much I'll be able to write until I get out of training and go back home, but I will continue to work on it. I just wanted to give this chapter to those who have been waiting on it for so long. Enjoy it guys, and as always, I ask that you review.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
OPERATIONAL ORDERS
"What do you mean, I'm not going with the army?" Kenshin asked, both shocked and angry. His place was with his fellow CRF soldiers, and now he was being told that he wasn't going to stay with them? How could Katsura be telling him this?
"We have news that Shishio is in Kyoto, but we can't divert our forces from their attack on Tokyo. The Americans won't be any match for Shishio's personal guards, so we need our most skilled fighters to go join the American Marine division. We'll be evacuating the safe-house, as well. Due to the last battle with Shishio's forces, we lost too many soldiers to properly defend here anymore, so we're taking the women and children with us to one of the newly liberated cities. However, I know that Shinomori-san is taking Makimachi-san with him, given her kunoichi training. Sagara-san and SaitÅ-san are having their wives stay with the main army as it heads for Tokyo. Do you want Kamiya-san and Kenji-kun to do the same?"
Pursing his lips together, Kenshin nodded. It was far safer for them in Tokyo, and he wouldn't have to worry about protecting them while he dueled Shishio. He would have to have his mind completely clear for that fight, or else he would lose, without a doubt. "How are the Americans doing?"
"They are nearing the outskirts of Kyoto, and are requesting the location of Shishio's secret lair."
Kenshin grimaced. "They wouldn't be able to assault it with a sizable force, Shishio would have counter-measures against such a thing. They would suffer terrible casualties."
"The Americans know this. Instead, they are proposing that they send a Scout/Sniper team to overwatch the area, and send in a small strike team..."
His grimace grew wider. "Us. I should have expected the Americans to have us be the ones stepping into the lion's den while they waited around doing nothing. I had hoped for better, since they are Marines, but America has changed so much..."
Katsura shook his head. "They will be liberating Kyoto, which is instrumental in toppling Shishio's empire. That's where he has his best soldiers are, and they aren't few in number. It's going to be difficult enough for us to liberate Japan without worrying about several divisions of elite soldiers at our back. You could at least try to show allied soldiers some respect."
Kenshin bowed. "Gomen nasai, Katsura-dono. I'm just concerned about this last battle. I didn't want to be separated from the Army."
Katsura waved his hand. "Perfectly understandable...just remember that before you were a hitokiri you were a Marine. I'm sure that it will be at least partially reassuring to return to the military branch you initially served in."
Kenshin nodded. "I will try and remember that, Katsura-dono, though I hope you can understand why I'm not jumping for joy at the moment."
Katsura smirked. "Indeed. Well, let us make plans before I send you to the Americans."
"Hai, Katsura-dono!"
8 September, China Mainland, 1132hrs, Enishi Yukishiro's POV:
He scowled at the sniveling form of Wu Heishin before him. The fool had not expected Enishi to challenge him hopefully, and his 'four stars' stood no match for his strength. It was such a pathetic fight that it was barely worth mentioning. "You should have known better than going behind my back, Wu!" he snarled. "This is my organization, not yours, you stupid bastard. Don't you know that your precious Shishio is being defeated even as we speak?"
There was a commotion at the edge of the crowd that had formed to watch Enishi defeat Wu and his goons. "Sir! Sir! I've got bad news!" a runner shouted, and Enishi motioned forward with his hand. "Outpost thirteen reports a large formation of cargo planes heading towards Japan...there were enough of them to be moving at least three divisions worth of troops and equipment!" the man panted, fear in his eyes.
Wu began to cackle through his broken mouth and nose. "Don' you shee? There'sh no beating him, he hash all thingsh planned for!"
Enishi scowled at him for a moment before smirking. "Then I hoped he planned for this: you!" he said, pointing to his communications officer. "Contact the American fleet and give them the heading of the air fleet. Tell them they have some birds to hunt." Turning away from his once second-in-command, he spat in disgust. "Get this rat out of my sight. Do with him what you will, so long as I never see him again."
8 September; Sea of Japan; UCNA Navy, Seventh Fleet; 1400hrs:
By the time the Chinese Mafia report had come in, the Seventh Fleet already had most of its fighters and support aircraft up in the sky. Earlier in the day, they had received encrypted data-bursts from several of their most trusted eyes in the Middle East, and all had said the same thing: Shishio's crack divisions were being loaded up and flown away. Now that they had they approximated position of the enemy air units, they had been sending reconnaissance flights into the area. Ten minutes ago, it had been reported: extensive jamming in three areas, and eyes-on-target in one of those areas. It didn't take long for a response to form up.
A quarter of the strike aircraft were already in Japanese airspace, providing air-support for the Marines, and a quarter would remain and provide cover for the fleet. The rest would move on to engage the SIF aircraft, and the attack force would be split into two groups, the actual attacking fighters and then the rest of the fighters in reserve and the AWACS and support craft. Considering the fact that the Seventh Fleet, the largest in the UCNA armada, had three hundred fifty aircraft to its name, this was an impressive show of force.
The attack group was given simple orders from the Vice Admiral himself: destroy as many of the aircraft as possible so that our Marines don't have to fight them on the ground. The attack group, made up of two squadrons of fighters and two AWACS craft, flew off to do their deadly work. The "Royal Maces" of the Strike Fighter Squadron 27 were going to be the attackers, and each of their F/A-18E Super Hornet Fighters were loaded with four AIM-132 ASRAAMs and two AIM-120 AMRAAMs. The F/A-18Fs of the "Diamondbacks" of the Strike Fighter Squadron 102 were armed with the same missiles, and each squadron had twenty-four fighters. They were some of the best pilots in theater, and they had been itching for a major air battle for a long time. They were finally going to be getting it.
The enemy squadrons were flying in from the south, about one hundred miles off of the southernmost tip of Japan. They were probably planning to swing up from the southeast and avoid the worst of the UCNA fighters. It had been a good plan, except they had been found out. The UCNA fighters and support craft flew in on them as 'quietly' as they could, the fighters with their radars turned completely off, and the AWACS operating on the lowest power level, just so they could keep an eye on the jamming cloud. They could only hope that the jamming was interfering with the SIF radar, because the enemy pilots had to be sitting on the edges of their seats.
Luck was with the UCNA. Once they were ten miles out, all the Royal Maces activated their radar, and their AWACS bird focused a beam of energy onto the jammed cloud, which was enough to illuminate the enemy planes doing the jamming itself. Twelve Royal Maces selected one of the four craft, and let fly an AMRAAM with a chorus of "Fox three!" Almost before the first volley of missiles had a chance to clear their racks, the other twelve Maces selected a cargo plane and let loose with one AMRAAM apiece. Now was when it was most dangerous for them. The enemy fighters were already reacting to their attack, and the cargo planes were pulling evasive maneuvers. To keep the missiles locked on to their targets, the Royal Maces had to keep their noses pointed at each of the lumbering birds...would their missiles hit their targets first or would the enemy missiles destroy them first. The air battle suddenly became a game of chicken, with all stakes riding on what hit who first. Almost simultaneously the threat boards on the F/A-18s lit up, and the pilots and gunners all flinched slightly. They were being actively targeted. An eternity later, the AMRAAMs made contact with the cargo planes and jammers. All jammers were destroyed, and of the fourteen heavy cargo planes eight were destroyed and one was wounded. Three AMRAAMs completely missed their targets.
Meanwhile the Royal Maces were pulling hard evasive maneuvers, weaving dizzying contrails through the air, and moments later the enemy missiles were on them. Within one minute seven Maces were shot down, and then the SIF fighters closed the final distance, resulting in fierce dog-fighting. It was in this arena that the Maces had the advantage, however. Five minutes later, three more Maces were shot down, but all enemy fighters were destroyed. Setting in pursuit of the fleeing cargo planes, the Maces radioed the Diamondbacks to take the western most group of jammers, so that they could come in simultaneously on the middle group.
Within half-an-hour the mission was complete, though the Maces suffered fifty percent casualties and the Diamondbacks lost eleven fighters. It was costly, but they had prevented a rapid re-deployment of a great number of enemy soldiers and material. Of course...they didn't know about the division that had been sent to the north instead of the south, and wouldn't know until it was too late. Nonetheless, if they hadn't intercepted the forces that they had, the Marines and the CRF would have undoubtedly been destroyed...
8 September, CRF Main Base, Kaoru's POV, 1532hrs:
"Come on, Yahiko!" she hissed. "We have to hurry!" It had taken all day, but finally the CRF were leaving the base that had been the sight of a great many battles. Right now she was hoping to use the confusion to hop a ride with the strike force that was heading for Kyoto. It had to be done carefully, and she knew that if she got caught she was going to be in a lot of trouble, but she had to try. She couldn't just break down and cry just because Kenshin was leaving her for Kyoto...no, she had to try and join him. He would need all the help he could get. For good or for ill, she would be with him for the final battle.
"Alright, busu! Geez, give me a moment. These things take timing." Kaoru suddenly almost felt sorry for Yahiko. She was asking him to draw on his experiences as a pick-pocket to get them on one of the the helicopters heading for Kyoto. His palms were sweaty, and she could feel how tense he was. Swallowing dryly, she opened her mouth, almost prepared to tell him that she changed her mind when he jerked her forward. She stumbled, but immediately taking higher steps. She knew that she had to look foolish, but if she fell it would all be over.
Quickly the sound of beating rotors overwhelmed her sense of hearing, and the smell of jet fuel clogged her nose. She hesitated as the wind began pushing against her with, whipping her clothes and hair about her face. It seemed like she was going to run right into the blades of the copter. "Come on, Kaoru! We have to hurry!" Yahiko's voice gave her the courage to take those last few steps, and soon Yahiko was pulling her up onto a helicopter's deck. "There's some stuff back here, we have to hid under it if we want to get away with this!" he hissed just loudly enough to be heard over the noise of the engine and the rotors. "The pilot and copilot are in the cockpit, so keep quiet!"
With bated breath, the two of them crept towards the rear of the bay, and she felt Yahiko pulling and pushing at what she assumed were rucksacks and crates of supplies. "Alright, follow me. I really hope you know what you're doing, busu." As they crawled into their hiding place, Kaoru secretly wished for the same thing...