From the depths of hell in silence,

Cast their spells, explosive violence,

Russian night time flight perfected,

Flawless vision undetected!

Same day, evening

It was now official. At 22:00 p.m. the IMAF directorate announced that they start airstrikes against JSF targets. Within an hour Vogel gave his instructions to the directors of the Japanese, Russian and American Sentoki-Do Federations. Next day, at dawn preparations were about to begin.

Russian Sentoki-Do teams on the country's far east were gathering at airfields in the federal subject of Primorsky Krai, mostly around Vladivostok. In mean time their American fellows from the Western Coast flew to Alaska then after a refuel to the Kamchatka Peninsula where they will be stationed.

The Russians gathered Petlyakov Pe-2s while the American pilots arrived with Douglas A26 Invaders. They had to modify them a little bit however. As some of the targets were in the immediate vicinity of civilian buildings they had to aim so precisely like never before. Therefore they equipped the light bombers with infrared aiming systems which were normally not used by them.

The same day the briefings were held for the commanders.

Valentina was the pilot of one of the Pe-2s. No need to say that she was excited. She attacked tanks earlier in co-joint matches with Sensha-Do teams but she never bombed buildings in her life. She wondered how this will turn out once they enter Japanese airspace.

She looked at all the planes lined up near the runway. Their tanks were filled and the 250 kilogram bombs were already stacked nearby.

According to the plan the air attacks will begin next evening.

Oarai

Everything was on the top of its head. The team was working intensively to prepare for an attack. During the afternoon the IMAF informed the JSF about the time of each strike and what kind of facilities shall they evacuate. But they didn't tell them the exact targets so the Oarai girls didn't know if they will be attacked during the first night and this was nerve-wrecking.

They only knew that the first bombs will explode at 21:30 p.m. the next day and their training field was potentially threatened.

First of all, they positioned the tanks at various points of the ship. Secondly they covered the roof of the hangar with sandbags.

They brought out the important equipment and placed in in the long-term storages in the core of the ship.

Then they tried to secure the storages on the surface as best as they could.

And roughly this was all that they could do. Nothing was left, except the painful waiting.

That night Miho was lying in her bed with wide open eyes. She couldn't bring herself to sleep. She was simply lying in the dark and silence listening to her own heartbeat and the streaming of blood in her ears. It was already dawn when she finally could have a few hours of sleep.

That early morning was nice, the air was clear and warm and birdies were singing all around. But this nice summer atmosphere couldn't help her.

Everyone's nerves on the school ship were about to give up as they were counting down the hours. The ship's navigators were constantly watching the screen of the radar to sound the alarm when they anything suspicious.

Late in the afternoon the crews of the team went to their tanks. Miho's Panzer IV stood on top of a hill in the ship's forested area, looking right at training ground. She checked the MG42 one more while thinking of its effectiveness against this kind of enemy.

Russian IMAF Sentoki-Do airfield, near Vladivostok

The last preparations were put in place for the attack which was purposed to force the JSF into talks of peace.

The IMAF divided Japan into two areas, one for the Russian and one for the American Sentoki-Do Federation. The Japanese Sentoki-Do Federation will attack the JSF forces mainly.

Valentina got the big envelope containing the document in which they marked her target. She opened it and took out the sheet. She and her crew were assigned to bomb a communication station in a fortress near Tottori used by Koala Forest Academy.

She stood up and went to her bomber. Her bombardier Dmitry and her navigator Andrej were already there checking the systems.

"Is everything alright boys?" asked Valentina.

"Everything is working as it is supposed to." replied Dmitry. "Well? Where are we going?"

"To Tottori in South Japan. We have to drop our packages on a radio station."

"Sounds like a routine task." said Andrej confidently.

"Not completely. We have never attacked something like that." said Valentina.

"There will be no problem chief. It will not even move like the tanks."

"That's true after all. And? Are you ready to come with me on this unusual mission?"

"We are always ready to go with you anywhere." said Dmitry.

"As he said." added Andrej.

"What a lucky plane commander I am to have two such cute boys as a crew." smiled Valentina.

"Oh please командир. We will blush in the end!" the bombardier and navigator/radio operator chuckled.

"Keep it for later guys. Now finish up here."

The bombers and crews were now ready. The targets were selected. And within an hour the first planes will be airborne.

Oarai

The radars still didn't detect anything when Miho went on a patrol on foot to check the other tanks and crews. It was slowly getting dark. Miho was praying for clouds or fog but the weather remained clear. It was just perfect for an air raid.

Valentina's POV

"All valves open. Ignition is on. Pumps work. Electric system works. Oxygen supply works. Crew is buckled up. I see well through the glasses. Ready to take off." Valentina reported to the control tower while already sitting in the cockpit with running engines.

"Copy that Dragon 13! Permission granted! Good hunting!" came the reply from the radio.

Shortly before sunset the Russian-American attack was launched, assisted by the Japanese pilot students. Over the Sea of Japan each bomber will meet with an attack aircraft of the Japan Sentoki-Do Federation which will help the bomber by marking the target.

Valentina released the break and the Pe-2 rolled onto the runway. She pushed the throttle forward. The plane's speed increased and soon they were in the air.

It has begun. The IMAF's air campaign against the JSF, codenamed Operation Roaring Typhoon started in that minute. This was the first wave. That night ten Pe-2s took off from Russia's eastern coast. Each of them had different targets in south Japan. The Americans were meant to join the operation an hour later.

Valentina and her crew were flying over the sea in the red and orange light of the setting Sun, carrying their payload in the plane's inside. They will be over the target in 100 minutes time.

Oarai

In some streets of the docked school ship the street lights began to go out. Soon there will be no lights at all around the endangered areas. Anything to stop the bombers identifying targets from the air.

Miho was heading back to her position with a flashlight in her hand. The reality of the blackout hit her on the stomach. This darkness was horrifying. She became acutely aware of sound. People are much more alert when they are afraid. She was listening and watching as she walked down the darkened streets.

Valentina's POV

"Dragon 13, this is Kamikaze 9." heard Valentina in the radio. It was the voice of the pilot of an Il-2 from the Japanese Nochnye Vedmy Girls' High School.

"Kamikaze 9, this is Dragon 13, we can hear you."replied Valentina.

"I have visual contact with you. Do you see me?"

Valentina looked through the windscreen and she saw a small, flashing light a few kilometers before them. "Yes I do Kamikaze 9. I follow your lead."

"Keep a distance of five kilometers between us."

"Five kilometers, copy Kamikaze 9."

The small squadron continued its flight high over the waves. When they got close to the Japanese coast they switched to night mode. The planes ceased all communications between themselves and they turned off all lights.

"Welcome to Japan boys." said Valentina to her crew.

"I've never thought that I'll visit it for the first time under these dramatic circumstances." replied Andrej from the fuselage.

Miho's POV

Miho passed by near the school's building and now she was about to arrive back to her tank. She looked at her wristwatch. It was 21:00 p.m. What will happen in thirty minutes?

Just as she thought that a loud, soul-shaking voice filled the air. The sirens over the ship screamed. Miho froze. Now? She began to sprint back to the hilltop.

Meanwhile, up in the control room the Oarai students who were handling the radar sent out the report to the tank crews.

"Two unidentified airplanes at one-three-zero and one-one-zero! Range 30.000 meters! Altitude 2000 meters! Course two-six-zero!"

The screen showed two objects, one following the other. Whit their current course they'll pass near Oarai. But what's the guarantee that they will not turn toward the city?

Miho reached her crew, breathing heavily. "Anything?"

"Nothing so far taichō." said Hana observing the starry sky with a binocular.

They waited and waited. But nothing happened. The sirens were howling for two whole hours before the ground crew gave the "all clear signal". The planes flew away.

Miho sighed deeply. "Looks like we got away with this for tonight."

Others were not so lucky.

Tottori

Wallaby and Platypus from Koala Forest High School were in that certain radio station which was standing on a grassy field in Koala's fortress near the city, trying to collect the remaining equipment. They had to be fast, only a few minutes were left and the alert was sounding. Two planes were incoming.

"Faster Platypus-san if you can!"

"There are still cassettes in the stock!" It was shortly before 21:30 p.m. A few seconds after Platypus said that they heard a strange noise echoing on the roof above them. It was unlike anything they'd heard before. The two girls went out to see what was happening.

Dozens of metallic cylinders were raining down from the sky. Each piece as it struck bursted into a ball of greenish white flame. In a matter of seconds more than a hundred of these lights started up on top of the radio station and around it.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" said Wallaby and grabbed Platypus' arm.

"What about all the stuff inside?"

"Leave it! Come on!"

The girls in khaki uniform run away. When they reached the outskirts of the city they looked back. The incendiary attack itself set a part of the roof on fire.

Those who were in their tanks tried to locate the bomber somehow to shoot at it with the machineguns but they saw nothing. They only heard the humming of it. Then came that whistling sound…

Valentina's POV

"Target in sight. Pilot to bombardier, your ship." said Valentina.

"Bombardier to pilot, roger." In the bow of the Pe-2 Dmitry lay down on his stomach and looked into the crosshairs of the aiming system. He saw the station in the light of the incendiary bombs, dropped by the Il-2.

"It looks like a Christmas Tree." commented Valentina.

"Just watch chief. I'm gonna make New Year fireworks of it." replied Dmitry. Second by second they got closer. "Bombardier to crew, bomb bay doors open." he said and pulled a stick.

Valentina felt as the doors opened and the plane's inside got exposed. She was confident but also a bit nervous. Will there be AA fire? Deep in her heart she wanted their ordnance to be dropped as soon as possible.

"There you are." whispered Dmitry. He pushed the switch and the four 250 kilogram bombs fell out. "Bombs away. Bombardier to pilot, your ship."

"Roger." said Valentina and they waited. A few seconds later it was like daylight down there. The explosions lit the surrounding and the shockwave shook the ground. "Andrej, connect us with the airport."

"Done командир."

"This is Dragon 13. Target hit. We are returning to base." reported Valentina and she turned the plane back toward Russia.

Down on the ground

Wallaby looked back once the fireball was gone. It was probably the most formidable sight she ever saw. The antenna was lying broken, half of the roof and a wall was no more and everything was in flames.

And it was only the beginning.

The American planes that scared the girls in Oarai actually went to bomb the tank garages of Yogurt Academy in Maebashi.

That night the IMAF attacked the garages of Maple High School, Pravda and Saunders, the warehouse of Maginot in their seaport and other facilities.

Ami's POV

Half an hour before midnight Ami was sitting in the living room of her apartment with a cup of team in her hand. The TV was on and she was watching news.

"Good evening dear viewers. The second hour of the aerial war has passed. Tonight the IMAF started its airstrikes against JSF targets after the latter one refused to sign the peace treaties even after two months of negotiations and haggling. In the first wave of the attack, planes of the Japanese Sentoki-Do Federation dropped thousands of incendiary and magnesium bombs. In the second wave Russian and American light bombers were attacking the strategic targets of the JSF. Explosions could be heard from multiple cities across the country. The JSF directorate acknowledged that some twenty objects were hit, including the ammunition factory in Chiba and a tank engine factory near Tokyo. The attack was announced by Daan Vogel, director of the International Martial Arts Federation. He emphasized that the operation is clearly the responsibility of the JSF directorate because they rejected diplomatic solutions. Vogel stated that the attack demonstrates that the IMAF is ready to confront the JSF's aggression against Count and Viggen High School. On the other hand Tsuji Renta stated that the airstrikes are an aggression."

Ami knew that maybe she also had a role in this. She knew that unluckily this is necessary for the war's real end. But her heart ached in mean time. This price wasn't too small.