A/N: Whew, this one took a fair bit longer to write than expected. Still, it's now done, work and gaming be damned. I hope you all enjoy.
Chapter 42
"What you are telling me is that you two were shot down while carrying out a hostage rescue, and are currently waiting to be evacuated?" Zhenya asked once Ichika and Tatenashi had told their story.
"Yes." Ichika replied.
"Now you want access to our communication equipment to alert the ones rescuing you to our presence and arrange evacuation for us as well, in exchange for our protection until said rescue arrives?" Zhenya continued.
"Yes." Ichika replied.
The man paused for a few long moments.
"You do realize that your request risks exposing us all, resulting in us being hunted down and killed?" He finally said.
"We have ways of ensuring that sending a brief radio transmission will not be detected." Tatenashi replies.
"I don't believe you." Zhenya said.
"The alternative is missing the rescue opportunity and any chance of support in your mission, whatever it is." Ichika pointed out.
"Then explain to me how two students not even out of IS Academy can prevent the East Russian military from triangulating our position based on your radio transmission." Zhenya replied.
The two of them thought for a few moments. It was Tatenashi who spoke first.
"The two of us, as well as several other students, were able to penetrate the DRR's air defense network undetected and successfully rescue a hostage."
"And you two were shot down in the process."
"The fact remains that we were completely undetected until we started shooting, and the rest of us made it out with the hostage. We were shot down because we acted as a rear guard against the entirety of the pursuing enemy force." Tatenashi replied.
"You expect me to believe that you were able to evade detection from the entire rebel air defense grid?"
"We were. This mission wasn't just some schoolchildren deciding to rescue their friend. We were specifically selected for the task in order to avoid a nuclear escalation. While the Americans and Japanese could not contribute directly, they could provide us with indirect support, much of which is still ongoing." Tatenashi said.
Now it was Zhenya's turn to consider his response.
"The Americans are involved?" He finally asked.
"Yes." Tatenashi replied, and Ichika did his best to not give her a questioning look. Playing off the Organization as American intervention was not how he would have gone about things.
"You are saying that if we allow you to use our radio, the Americans will intervene?" Zhenya asked.
"I cannot guarantee anything, but that is what I will be aiming for." Tatenashi replied.
The man's thoughts could not have been more transparent. If the Americans were to intervene, then the likelihood of them entering the conflict in earnest rather than just providing supplies to the Russian Federation would skyrocket. Ichika could practically see the gears turning in the Russian man's head as he weighed the risks against the potential for the war to be over.
The rest of the Spetsnaz operatives were similarly quiet.
Finally, Zhenya gave his response.
"You will be permitted to use our radio for communication, on the condition that we all hear the response before deciding anything. We will not allow this to interfere with our mission." He said.
"What is your mission, then?" Ichika asked.
The Spetsnaz paused for a few moments before responding.
"Our mission was to reconnoiter Mongokhto Air Base, as well as other bases in the region, for a suspected orbital bomber presence, and destroy them if found."
"You think the two missing prototypes are there?" Ichika asked. The question of where the two prototype Tu-180 orbital bombers had vanished to had been one that Giorgi had posited to them several times. Both sides seemed desperate to deny the enemy runways large enough to operate them, but was it genuine desire or maskirovka?
"Where else would they be? The base has nuclear weapons stored nearby, the runway is large enough, and it is far enough from the front that our own bombers haven't been able to hit it reliably."
"I see..." Ichika muttered, more to himself than to the others.
"Thank you." Tatenashi replied, before putting her helmet on.
"What are you doing?"
"Recording a message. Easier to encrypt and transmit text than voice audio." Tatenashi said.
"Your IS suit comes with military-grade encryption now?" Zhenya asked.
"It's not a standard feature." Tatenashi replied.
For a few minutes afterwards there was silence as Tatenashi undoubtedly conversed with her AI behind the safety of her helmet. Finally, she took the helmet off.
"Is this message acceptable?" She asked as a hologram shimmered into being above her hand. It read:
'Encountered Russian Federation Spetznaz, orders to reconnoiter Mongokhto AB, all need extraction post-mission completion. Requesting instructions.'
"Good. Send it."
"Can I get some help with your vehicle's computer systems?" Tatenashi asked.
"Danila." Zhenya gestured for the other man to guide her.
As they headed towards the BMD-5, Zhenya turned his full attention to Ichika.
"You two don't seem like students, you know that?" He asked.
"I can understand that." Ichika replied.
"I would expect students to panic and get themselves captured when shot down in hostile territory, not evade capture successfully. I would not expect students acting on their own to have a contingency plan for such an event involving foreign military intervention. I would expect students to seem a bit more terrified than you when captured by people such as myself. Do you get what I am saying?" Zhenya asked.
"I do."
"Then you know that all logic is telling me that you are not students at all." Zhenya said.
"We told you the truth. We have no reason to lie to you." Ichika lied.
"Whether you told us the truth will be seen soon enough. You made a promise of mutual benefit, and I agreed. I will be watching you, and children or not, I will not hesitate to kill at the first sign of potential betrayal. Am I clear?"
"Completely." Ichika replied.
"Good. Now we wait." Zhenya replied.
Several minutes then passed in silence, Ichika standing alone while surrounded by armed soldiers. Finally, Danilla called out from the vehicle.
"Zhenya, you're not going to believe this! Get in here, now!"
"You, with me." Zhenya gestured at Ichika to follow, and they entered the vehicle.
"What is going on?" Zhenya asked.
"The Americans responded. Something massive is in the works, and they want to speak with you." Danila answered.
"Very well. You, can you dictate my responses?" Zhenya turned to Tatenashi.
"Yes." Tatenashi replied.
"Good. Tell them that I am willing to talk, but my mission remains paramount. I will not abandon it."
Tatenashi relayed the message, and a few minutes later the response came back.
'If you want extraction, we request that you move to Mongokhto AB and await landing of evacuation transport by 04:00 today. We also request information on DRR air assets present at base.'
"Looks like they want us to rush to the base and do our job." Danila pointed out.
"Can we make it there in time?" Zhenya asked.
"Yes, if we move quickly. We'll be mostly travelling by night as well, so I think we can risk it." Danila replied.
"Very well. Send them the message that we'll be there..." Zhenya ordered, and stepped out.
"Everyone, mount up! We're moving out!" He shouted as Tatenashi sent the response.
The rest of the men burst into action, quickly gathering up their belongings and rushing into the vehicle.
"You two, sit as far in as possible." Zhenya ordered, gesturing to the ends of the passenger compartment's benches. Ichika and Tatenashi complied, and the Spetsnaz leader clambered into the turret. Meant to seat six, the crew compartment quickly proved to be rather cramped.
A minute later, the electric motor began to whir and the vehicle jolted into motion.
"Attention all personnel involved in Operation Sundown! Report to your assigned briefing rooms at once!"
The entire room sprang into action, the six girls inside leaping off their beds, throwing on their pilot suits, and rushing out.
People ran back and forth around them as they made their way to the briefing rooms, which were on a mezzanine overlooking the hangars. There, it seemed as though the Organization's entire air force was being prepared for combat. Fighters were lined up, wingtip to wingtip, already in queues for the vertical launch tubes. Munitions carts sped around them, hauling pallets loaded with bombs, missiles, and other more esoteric equipment. Beyond the fighters, the immense form of the OXT-1 IS Transport was being towed onto a cargo elevator leading to the surface, with several Organization-modified C-1s being prepared alongside it.
They became a part of the crowd of pilot-suited individuals climbing the steps towards the briefing rooms.
"What room?" Cecilia asked.
"Three!" Laura shouted back over the sound of footsteps.
The briefing room in question already had several IS pilots sitting inside when they entered. Several fighter pilots filed in shortly afterwards, and some infantry after them.
Finally, the doors shut for the last time and an AI shimmered into view at the front of the room.
"The Americans and Japanese have both given the go-ahead for Operation Sundown, with operations to commence at 02:30 hours. As most of you are most likely already aware, this will be a large-scale air/naval operation to eliminate the DRR nuclear arsenal. Our organization's role in this operation is twofold. First, we will be carrying out the first wave of attack on the Vilyuchinsk Submarine Base, and second we will be carrying out a rescue operation for two of our downed operatives, whose current location is near Mongokhto Air Base. We are TF-03, and our job will be to carry out the rescue operation, as well as supporting operations around the target air base." The AI began.
"Our AI have already thoroughly infiltrated DRR cyberspace, and have severely degraded their sensors and lines of communication. In approximately fifteen minutes, they will also begin overclocking electronics in telephone exchanges, starting fires and further degrading the enemy's ability to coordinate a response. This will hopefully allow us to approach our targets undetected."
As the AI spoke, the screen behind it came to life, showing a satellite map of East Russia. A cloud of green dots could be seen on its western edge.
"The Russian Federation is already preparing to commence attacks all along the de-facto border. The majority of the East Russian air force will thus be engaged there. However, there are still ample threats in and around the target area. Upon commencement of our own operation, the United States will launch an orbital bombardment aimed primarily at neutralizing nuclear delivery platforms."
The map zoomed in on the island of Sakhalin first and three lines, two blue and one green, were seen converging on an air base.
"The first is Dolinsk-Sokol Air Base located on Sakhalin. It is home to a fighter regiment comprised primarily of Flanker variants. Primarily Su-35s, but some Su-30s as well. There is also a squadron of MiG-31s stationed there in an anti-shipping role. There are also multiple SAM sites that may threaten us in the region. Fortunately, another group will be proceeding ahead of us with a mission to suppress the base defenses and neutralize the air threat. They will also disable the runway, assuming the orbital strikes were insufficient. Once that is done, the advance guard will fan out to hunt for any surviving ballistic missile and SAM sites in the area. Japanese aircraft from Chitose Air Base will be arriving at approximately the same time to assist in mop-up operations. Our own force will then fly over the area on our way to Mongokhto."
The map view shifted, panning over the ocean and coming to rest on Sovetskaya Gavan and its surroundings.
"Our target area contains two air bases. The first, Sovetskaya Gavan Air Base, is home to an over-strength mixed regiment of MiG-41 orbital interceptors, MiG-29 fighters, and MiG-31s converted for maritime strike. American orbital strikes should neutralize the base's runway, but a hostile CAP is confirmed to be airborne. It is not expected to be a major problem, and we are carrying munitions to finish the runway in the event of an orbital strike being insufficient."
The map's view shifted slightly to the north.
"Second, there is Mongokhto Air Base. It is a bomber base, home to Tu-95 Bears and Tu-22M Backfires. Unconfirmed reports state that both missing Tu-180 orbital bombers may be hidden at this base as well. In addition to these, the base is also home to a nuclear storage facility. The Americans want this facility and the weapons inside to be destroyed beyond all doubt, and that is where we come in."
The map zoomed in, and a green dot was visible some distance northwest of the base.
"Our two downed operatives have enlisted the aid of a Russian Federation Spetsnaz unit operating in the area. We will be extracting them as well. We have requested that they shoot down any Russian bombers that attempt to take off after the commencement of this operation. American orbital strikes will be aimed at this base as well, but the runway will be left undamaged. Instead, aircraft hangars and the nuclear storage site will be targeted. We will have to destroy any surviving bombers ourselves."
Now, arrows began appearing on the screen.
"Our Fourth Fighter Squadron will fly ahead of our transports. Their first job will be to clear any enemy aircraft overhead." The AI said, gesturing towards the twelve fighter pilots sitting together in the center of the room.
"Once the air threat is neutralized, you are to split into three flights. Flight one, comprised of aircraft one through four, will launch strikes with standoff munitions against air defense systems in the area of operations. There are confirmed to be two SA-22 Greyhound batteries around each base, as well as an SA-27 Gormless located near Mongokhto. All of these must be destroyed before our evacuation transports can make their approach. Once this is done, you are to circle above and provide cover against any incoming air threats. They will most likely approach from the North-West, from the direction of Komsomulsk-na-Amure."
"Flight two, comprised of aircraft five through eight, will conduct a strike against Sovetskaya Gavan air base. It is to be completely destroyed along with all aircraft on it. Once your munitions are depleted, you may either conduct strafing runs or join Flight one in the combat air patrol. Flight three, comprised of the remainder of the Fourth Fighter Squadron, is to act as a reserve force in the event of Flight one being unable to suppress enemy air defenses. You will also carry out initial strikes against any ground forces present in the vicinity of the target air base." The AI continued, the map reflecting its words.
"Once the Fourth has done its work, the First IS Wing and STS-01 will do their part. The First IS Wing is to conduct close air support in and around the base to neutralize its defenders, while STS-01 will extract our operatives. STS-01, upon extraction, you are to immediately proceed to a rendezvous point where a flight of F-15Js will escort you to IS Academy. You will be given your cover stories en-route. You will also be issued two IS cores, to be given to our downed operatives so that their IS suits may begin self-repairs."
Kanzashi nodded to herself, her mind entirely on her sister.
"Once the area is reasonably clear of air and ground threats, the 1st Special Operations Group will land on the enemy runway in a C-1O Transport. A second will land behind them to act as an evacuation transport for the Spetsnaz. The First SOG will be tasked with confirming the destruction of the nuclear weapons in storage, and will be issued NCB-sealed power armor for this operation." The AI continued.
The briefing went on, describing procedure for the evacuation of the Spetsnaz team, identification of friend and foe in the air and on the ground, and the requirements for clearing the nuclear storage site. However, Kanzashi's mind was elsewhere.
"What do we do if one of us is shot down?" Laura's question brought her back to reality.
"Immediate recovery operations will be conducted. We are not leaving anyone behind." The AI replied.
"Understood." Laura replied, a smile growing on her face.
"Are there any other questions?" The AI asked.
There were none.
"Then that is all. All IS operators, report to the OXT-1. Pilots, to your planes. Infantry, collect your gear from the armory and proceed to the C-1s. I want to see you all back safely for the debriefing. Dismissed!"
"Yes ma'am!" The room's occupants saluted, before filing out of the room.
"You look eager." One IS pilot commented as Kanzashi passed him.
"I am eager. That's my sister out there." She replied.
"Sounds about right, Helen. Just don't get yourself shot down out there. That goes for all of you." The man replied.
"Helen?" Kanzashi paused.
"Yeah, it's your callsign now. Long story short, we were the unit originally tasked with rescuing you, before the nuclear ultimatum. Your codename was Blue Helen... Fits even better now than it did back then." The man replied as they began to head down the stairs.
"Huh, I guess it does... Not sure if it's quite a thousand ships yet though." Cecilia commented.
"It's a thousand planes though, if not more." The man replied as they reached the bottom of the stairs and began the process of navigating across the hangar floor, dodging carts and ordinance technicians as they went.
"Fair enough. What about the rest of us? Do we have callsigns yet?" Cecilia asked.
"Nope, but who knows? You might earn them after this!" The man laughed.
Soon, they boarded the transport, IS suits at the ready. A few minutes later, the door closed behind them and the wait began.
Across the globe, hundreds of clocks ticked down together towards the fateful moment that would change the world.
When that moment came, thousands of men and women across the globe sprang into action.
Beneath the polar ice pack, submarine captains executed orders transmitted to them earlier that day. New impulse-driven torpedoes, infinitely quieter than their screw-driven predecessors, were ejected from their tubes and homed in on the acoustic signatures of the DRR submarines they were tailing. Two submarines, one of them a Borey with a full payload of ballistic missiles and the other a brand-new Medusa, went to the bottom shortly afterwards.
At the same time, two American ASW planes circling over two already-located Borey-class submarines off the coast of California, released their own torpedoes. Two more submarines, each loaded with enough missiles to kill millions, were destroyed almost simultaneously.
Similar stories played out over the Sea of Japan and west of the Kuril Islands, where Japanese patrol aircraft, having spent the past few days locating and shadowing submarine threats, now wheeled around and went in for the attack. Seven submarines, including two Boreys, were destroyed. An Organization OPV claimed another kill shortly afterwards. With that, the active East Russian ballistic missile submarine forces along with their escorting units, betrayed by cyberwarfare before the real battle had even began, were eliminated.
Simultaneously with the submarine hunt, hundreds of aircraft loaded with weaponry began rolling down runways all across Japan, from Okinawa to Sapporo. More planes were catapulted into the air from four aircraft carriers, two American and two Japanese. Still more began launching from airfields in South Korea and Guam.
Organization planes, already oriented vertically in launch tubes, were shot into the air, the tubes being re-loaded as quickly as possible while three transports began to roll down the Organization's own runway.
It was, by a large margin, the largest single air operation of the twenty-first century thus far... And above it all, two full wings of B-4 Ghosts prepared to release their payload of tungsten rods at nuclear silos, mobile launcher batteries, and air bases, and in doing so initiate the first orbital bombardment in military history.
Ichika sat on top of the BMD-5, looking out at the base with his helmet sensors. The vehicle had arrived at the base about two hours prior to the designated time. The original plan had called for dismounting and leaving a skeleton crew to man the vehicle while the rest closed the distance on foot. However, a pair of Tu-95s taking off had allowed them to move the vehicle much closer without worrying about noise alerting any patrols, who had almost certainly been temporarily deafened by the infamously loud bomber.
The base itself seemed to be under a blackout, but his helmet sensors let him see the rows of bombers lined up along the edges of the runway, their engines glowing brightly on thermals as they were kept warm for immediate takeoff.
"What's the count?" Zhenya called up from the turret.
"Twelve Backfires look like they're carrying Kitchens, the rest look to be carrying Kinzhals. As for the Bears, I'm seeing sixteen with external Kitchens mounted, and the rest seem to be carrying their weapons internally." Ichika replies.
"Bears, Backfires, Kitchens... Do you have to use those names?" Zhenya asked as he noted the numbers down.
"I have no idea what you call them." Ichika said, continuing his observation.
Up above, the sound of jets told him that a fighter patrol was passing overhead. He looked up, identifying them as old MiG-29s. The same pair had been circling overhead for almost an hour now, taking off from the fighter base to the south as they were making their approach to Mongokhto.
The hours continued to tick by. Another pair of missile-armed turboprop bombers took off, the noise of their engines echoing throughout the area as they joined the other two already in the sky.
Suddenly, Zhenya spoke up. The clock read 03:12.
"The operation is commencing. American attack is imminent. You've been asked to stay on the roof to act as an IFF." He ordered.
"Got it." Ichika replied.
Nothing was immediately apparent. He didn't see any dots on the horizon indicating potential aircraft or incoming missiles, and the sky was clear of clouds.
Suddenly, a bright white flare of light appeared in the sky above.
"What is that?" Zhenya exclaimed as the glowing light expanded. It reminded Ichika of the aurora borealis, but expanding from a single point and spreading out across the sky. Looking around, he saw that there was more than one. Similar such flares could be seen in the sky to the north, south and west.
A moment later, Ichika saw the light from the nearby town of Sovetskaya Gavan flicker and go out.
"EMP! Those were high-altitude nuclear blasts!" Ori reported, and he relayed the information to Zhenya who swore.
"Is there any damage?" He shouted down.
"The radio is still working, the energy shield seems to have protected us." Danila replied from his compartment.
"Thank god... What's that?" Zhenya exclaimed, pointing up again. Ichika followed his gaze and saw streaks of light plummeting down, visible even against the backdrop of the nuclear flares.
"Orbital strike! Get to cover!" Ori shouted, and Ichika scrambled for the vehicle's open hatch, echoing the AI's words.
There was not enough time to get into the vehicle, and he was caught with his legs inside the hatch while his upper body was still outside, facing the base when the bombardment hit. For a brief moment he could see the bright flashes of light as the projectiles impacted, then the shockwave slammed into him. Even at this distance, it felt as though were it not for his legs being wedged into the hatch, it would have been enough to toss him off the tank.
When he opened his eyes again, the scene at the air base had totally changed. Bombers previously lined up nearly in preparation for takeoff had been tossed around and broken like toys, illuminated by fires from burning avgas tanks. Buildings had collapsed, partially or completely, and in the distance fire was rising from munitions storage sites as secondary explosions tore them apart. Even a section on one end of the runway had been broken up, although the runway as a whole remained largely intact.
"Dear god, who are you?" Zhenya breathed as the echoes of blasts to the south reached them.
"I told you, we're-"
"Bullshit! Students don't call in orbital strikes! Is that the president's secret daughter down there?" Zhenya demanded pointing at the troop compartment.
"I think we have more important things to worry about. The Americans are telling us to shoot down any bomber that attempts to take off and to storm the base once friendly aircraft and IS suits arrive!" Danila called up.
"I don't think anything over there is in any shape to take off." Ichika replied, gesturing towards the base where a Tu-95 was attempting to take off, its pilot clearly not realizing that most of his engines were now missing propeller blades. The plane slowly swung around and slammed into a nearby jet bomber, which was lying on its side with a snapped wing.
"So that means we wait for the air support to arrive." Zhenya replied.
"How long is that?" Danila piped up from below.
"Ichika, what do you see?" Zhenya asked.
"I can't see anything." Ichika replied. Even with the nuclear light up above illuminating the area, there was nothing to be seen on the horizon, and once the echoes died down the near-silence was unsettling.
Time continued to tick down, Ichika alternating between scanning the skies and the base below until suddenly two contrails, visible as dark, wavy lines below the nuclear light, came in from the east. Two blasts resounded out moments later as the missiles slammed into their target fighters.
"Here they come! The DRR fighters just got shot down!" Ichika reported as more missiles shot overhead, likely aimed at the distant airborne bombers.
"Alright! Infantry, dismount! Get ready to move!" Zhenya ordered.
"Tatenashi, stay here and get on top of the BMD. Ichika, get down with the infantry and stay close! You're the only way our rescuers can tell friend from foe!" He continued.
"Understood!" Ichika leaped off the vehicle and readied his gun.
"Ichika! Stay behind us and in cover. Keep the air support aware of our position!" Artyom ordered.
"Roger!" Ichika shouted just as more missiles shot into view. Two of them slammed into an antiaircraft battery near the runway. Both vehicles were lying on their side, but were destroyed nonetheless. More missiles shot overhead, likely aimed at other AA gun sites, and Ichika heard a brief burst of gunfire before two explosions silenced it.
"Ichika! Are you down there?" Laura's voice, distorted by static but recognizable nonetheless, echoed through his ears.
"Yes! We are located on the slope northwest of the runway, overlooking the base. I am moving down towards the base, Tatenashi is staying back with the vehicle. Our IFFs are active and operational, and I have friendly infantry near me. Watch your fire!" Ichika replied.
"Got it!" Laura shouted just as several jets shot overhead. Two went in low, and plasma fire raked the wrecked bombers on the runway. A few attempted to shoot back with tail guns, but to little effect. Soon, burning airframes further illuminated the base.
As he advanced towards the airfield, plasma began to fly over his head as the BMD-5 opened fire, slamming into the sole surviving watchtower before sweeping down to destroy a still-intact tail turret.
"Infantry! Coming out of the third building!" Artyom shouted, and Ichika dropped to the ground. Nearby, one of the Russians opened fire with a machine gun and the infantry dove for cover. Some caught fire and fell to the ground as the BMD swept its laser across them.
A few bullets cracked by overhead, but none came near him, and the BMD quickly turned its attention to the enemy muzzle flashes. Ichika looked up, his helmet's optics and the eerie light provided by the fires and nuclear aurora up above allowing him to see clear as day. What he saw though...
"Machine gun! Behind the corner of the third building!" He shouted, just as the gunner opened fire. Bullets shot overhead, and Ichika realized the gunner had spotted him. He flattened himself against the ground, crawling towards a nearby tree as bursts of bullets cracked by overhead and slammed into the dirt around him. He fired back blindly, letting loose with a long burst of gunfire that probably hit nothing.
"FIRE!" Zhenya's order came not a moment too soon, and the bright flash of plasma fire illuminated the forest for a split-second.
"Got him!" The man said a moment later, but the fire aimed at Ichika only intensified as the enemy infantry zeroed in on his muzzle flash.
Then the IS suits arrived, coming in low at treetop height with weapons blazing. Bolts of plasma from a Locust slammed down into the enemy infantry's cover, while a Revive sprayed the area with explosive rounds. The gunfire aimed at him abruptly ceased, and Ichika chanced a look up to take stock of the situation. Just as he did so, a missile streaked upwards, likely from a man-portable launcher. It made it roughly halfway to its target before a bolt of familiar pink light shot it out of the sky, and he quickly spotted the shooter.
"Nice shot, Houki!" He shouted over the radio.
"Ichika?" He heard his friend reply.
"Yes! It's me!" He shouted back.
"Ichika! I see you!" He heard Laura's voice call out, and Ichika soon spotted the Schwarzer Regen coming in ahead of Kanzashi and Charlotte's own IS suits. Ichika sprang to his feet, waving his arms as the German girl came in, landing in front of the team and deploying her AIC. No bullets came in, the enemy on the airfield clearly destroyed by now, and Cecilia landed a few moments later.
"Come on Ichika! Let's go!" She shouted, grabbing him before he could respond and ascending into the air, Laura following several moments later. Looking around, Ichika saw Kanzashi pluck her sister off the back of the Russian vehicle while Charlotte provided cover.
"We have them both! We're getting out!" Cecilia shouted as her IS suit accelerated away, leaving the burning base and the IS suits swarming around it behind. The remainder of STS-01 formed up around them.
"Where are you going? What about us?" He heard Zhenya demand over the radio.
"Hold tight. Extraction is incoming, just don't damage the runway too much and there won't be any issue." An unfamiliar voice replied, just as they passed a pair of transport planes that seemed to be angling for the Russian runway.
"Onee-chan, are you alright?" Kanzashi asked.
"I... I am now, Kanzashi-chan." He heard Tatenashi's tired response.
The Russian coastline quickly faded into the distance, along with the signs of battle. Soon, the only evidence that anything was going on was the nuclear aurora, which had faded into an unnatural red glow.
"Looks like there's no pursuit." Cecilia reported after a few minutes of flight.
"Considering what we've thrown at them, I'd be surprised if there was." Rin replied.
"Rin, I think you've forgotten something." Kanzashi spoke up.
"What? Oh, right!" Rin flew over to her, and handed her a package.
"Presents from Doctor White. He heard you lost yours, and says to be more careful with these." She says, before flying over and handing the same package to Ichika.
"It should be able to connect directly to your armor, and from there it can be stowed away." Kanzashi adds.
Ichika inspected the package for a few moments before finding a roll of cable, which he extended and connected to a port on his armor's wrist. Immediately, his HUD lit up, and he felt a refreshing warmth as the many systems that had been shut off for energy conservation came online.
"Whew... Finally! Stow it away and I can start repairs." Ori exclaimed. A moment later, the IS core flashed and vanished into ISSpace.
"That's one problem solved, at least. How long do you expect repairs to take?" Ichika asked.
"Considering how the IS was completely obliterated? At least a week... Something tells me you won't be needing it in that time though." Ori replied.
"Any idea of what to do once we return to IS Academy?" Ichika asked.
"Follow the cover story we're being sent and hope we don't end up on the wrong side of a firing squad." Cecilia replies.
"Yeah, from what we've heard, your sister is angry enough to organize one." Charlotte adds. Ichika's only response was a groan.
"Sounds about right, considering what we've done..."
"Well, unless we want to move to Urup full-time, we should brace ourselves." Tatenashi said.
They flew on, just above the wavetops, illuminated by the eerie scarlet light of fading nuclear explosions.
Major Degtaryev sighed in relief as the headcount of base personnel was finished, showing that nobody had gotten lost during the hurried evacuation from the base. He had ordered the evacuation as soon as the nuclear flares went off above and the visible signs of an impending orbital bombardment were seen. Fortunately, while he felt the ground shake beneath his feet at the impacts, the base itself was not a target.
Katya whimpered from beside him, the small girl clinging to him with all her strength. She had collapsed as soon as the nuclear EMP hit, crying out in pain. Tatiana had done the same, and he and Sasha had to carry them out on their backs. He absentmindedly patted the small girl on her head as he watched the sky, listening to American jets fly overhead uncontested. Some gunfire had greeted them at first, but those guns were silent now.
"What do we do now?" Sasha asked.
Degtaryev did not respond, and distant explosions could be heard in the resulting silence.
What was there to do? There was no way to contact high command, even in a compromised manner. American aircraft seemed to have free reign of the sky, and for all he knew an amphibious landing was not far behind.
What was he to do now, with a few hundred men and three IS suits against the largest military in the world?
"Is there anything we can do?" He finally sighed.
"The war is lost. It was going badly before, but now?"
"Major?" Sasha asked.
Degtaryev did not reply. The war was lost, no matter which way he looked at it. Either the Americans would invade from the East, or the Russian Federation would sweep in from the west. Perhaps the Chinese would take the chance and grab some land from the south as well. One way or another, the fledgling Democratic Republic of Russia would be swept aside and consigned to the ash heap of history.
He leaned down against a tree, listening to the sound of distant gunfire and explosions.
"Major... Is... Is it really over?" Sasha asked.
He remained silent, lost in thought. Yes, it was over. One way or another, the war was lost. All that mattered now was how it would end...
A thought came to him then, one so treasonous that it would have been dismissed out of hand just a week ago. True, the war was over, but it would be followed by peace... And peace could only be granted when both sides were in agreement. The fools in Vladivostok Politburo had given him the order to organize the kidnapping of the girl that had started it all, and in hindsight it was a stupid and dangerous order. Could such people be trusted with the future of Russia? No, they could not. They would sooner let the nation die in a now-futile war and become another bombed out puppet than swallow their pride and attempt to win in peace.
The Americans likely wanted a brief war. A prolonged guerrilla campaign, or the threat of one, could be enough to force them to the negotiating table. Without American support, the Russian Federation would never be able to march across Siberia and invade, not without suffering horrendous losses. Perhaps Russia could still be saved, even if the war was lost, and what would be the cost?
More jets flew overhead, and he braced for bombs that fortunately never came.
"Major?" Sasha asked again.
"We stay here in the forest until the bombers finish their work." Degtaryev replied.
"Once it's over, we move in and start preparations for the defense of the motherland. Sasha, inform Tatiana and Katya when they're no longer affected that we're heading back to Vladivostok." He ordered.
"Yes sir!" Sasha replied.
IS Academy was a decidedly more eerie place when sirens sounded and the student body was corralled into shelters. When combined with the dark night and the blackout, everything was black, motionless, and silenced by the wail of the alarms.
Giorgi Stukanov sat in his office, laptop open in front of him as he did his best to keep track of the ongoing operation. The sirens had been going for hours at this point, urging any students that for whatever reason had not evacuated into shielded basement shelters to do so immediately. He had, of course, decided to ignore those orders as they would have meant cramming himself into a crowded faculty shelter, leaving him practically blind as to the events going on outside. Besides, if a multi-megaton nuclear warhead were to go off overhead, it wouldn't make much difference where he was.
When his phone rings he seized it, praying that it was not some telemarketing firm again, making automated calls even during a nuclear crisis.
"Hello?"
"Giorgi?" It was the voice of Andrew Fukuyama, the man who had succeeded him.
"Andrew? It is me. What is the status of the operation?" He asked.
"Successful. We got them out, no casualties. Secondary objectives are completed as well, the Americans will be pleased to know." Andrew replies, and Giorgi allows himself a sigh of relief.
"Good... When are they expected to return? Do I need to make any special preparations?" He asks.
"ETA is approximately two hours, they've just rendezvoused with their fighter escorts and are now being escorted back. I suggest you send your relieved messages now though, because you will not be able to contact them after we land thanks to their welcoming committee." Andrew replied.
"I see..." Giorgi sighs again.
"Thank goodness that they're all safe..." He said.
"My sentiments exactly. This whole operation has been a mess ever since we had to deploy them." Andrew replied.
"I know... Expect eight medal recommendations on your desk as soon as I finish writing them." Giorgi replied.
"I will give them due consideration... They've definitely earned something."
"Good. Is there anything else?"
"A full summary will be delivered to you soon. It has been nice talking with you, Giorgi."
"Likewise, Andrew. You've done well. This already was arguably bigger than anything I've led, and you performed admirably." Giorgi said.
"Thank you. I had a good mentor. Goodbye." With that, the line went dead and the room was once again silent, save for the ambience of the alarms.
Said ambience was almost loud enough to hide the clicking noise behind him, but not quite. He reached for the drawer where he kept his sidearm, but a familiar voice cut him off.
"Hands in your lap. Turn around, slowly." He complied, and sure enough there stood Chifuyu, a worryingly familiar machine pistol in her hand.
"Chifuyu. How long have you been there?"
"Ever since I found out you were not in the shelters. I heard everything." Chifuyu replied.
"Over the alarms? I am surprised." Giorgi said.
"Where is my brother?" Chifuyu demanded.
"Safe. ETA is around two hours, they're being escorted back by a pair of F-15Js." Giorgi replied.
Chifuyu nodded in response.
"Good. Second question. Why is he not here, in a shelter with me?" She asks.
Giorgi does not respond immediately. What could he say to appease her, but simultaneously not give too much away?
"Well?"
"He is not here because he was given the choice to save the world and he took it. Were it not for his efforts, and the efforts of his friends, we may all be dead." Giorgi replied.
Chifuyu kept the gun trained on him.
"And why was he given the choice in the first place?"
"Because he was the only one who could have done the task at hand. There was nobody else who could have done the job and gotten the same result. Others may have tried, but their actions would have brought a high risk of nuclear war... Something tells me that had you been in his position, you would have accepted in a heartbeat." Giorgi replied.
"That is completely different! It is my job to keep him safe!"
"And is he not allowed to reciprocate?" Giorgi replied.
"Not when he might not come back!" Chifuyu shouted, and Giorgi noticed a tear in the corner of her eye.
He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came. Slowly, Chifuyu's gun came down.
"You said he was safe? Was he hurt?" Chifuyu asked.
"No. He is unharmed." Giorgi replied.
Now Chifuyu let out a sigh of relief, slumping down against the door frame.
"I told him not to... This could have gone so wrong, he knew what... Why?" She whispers, more to herself than to Giorgi.
"Perhaps because if he didn't do it, you would be in danger?" Giorgi ventured.
"No! He knows full well what-" Chifuyu cut herself off before speaking any further.
All at once, her composure returned and she stood up. She quickly dried off her tears, pressed a button on the gun that caused it to fold away into a more concealable configuration, then spoke.
"This conversation never happened."
"Agreed." Giorgi replied.
Chifuyu nodded, and left the room.
"There it is!" Houki called out over the radio, overpowering the sound of their escorts' jet engines.
"What? Where? I don't see... Wait..." Cecilia began.
"It looks like they're under blackout." Laura commented.
"Academy students, you are clear to begin descent. You are to proceed to the indicated landing pad." As the pilot spoke, a patch of light bloomed into being down below, illuminating a landing pad. Several figures were visible as well.
"Roger." The eight of them chorused.
Ichika felt Cecilia start to descend. As they came closer, he began to make out the figures on the ground in greater detail, and recognized one as his sister. Behind her stood Maya, and behind them stood armed soldiers, both on foot and in IS suits.
Chifuyu looked absolutely livid as they approached, and as she looked up, she seemed to stare clean through his visor. Long-forgotten instinct, honed many tens of millions of years ago when mammals were still rodents and dinosaurs ruled the earth, screamed at him to run, find a safe burrow, curl up and cry until the end came, but in the face of his sister even that primordial instinct was beyond him.
Evidently he wasn't the only one to feel it, as Cecilia's IS shuddered and made a very shaky landing.
Chifuyu surveyed them in silence for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she spoke.
"Stow your IS suits away immediately. You will surrender them to me." She ground out.
"Well?" She prompted after a few moments. There were eight flashes, and eight IS suits were presented to her. Chifuyu took them all.
"Sarashiki Kanzashi, due to the importance of your work, IS Academy has been ordered to allow several armed guards to accompany you for your safety. They are waiting over there. You may leave." Chifuyu said, gesturing to where three soldiers stood.
Kanzashi hesitated, but at Chifuyu's glare she moved along.
"As for the rest of you..."
"I never thought I would ever see the day that students would do something so monumentally idiotic as to warrant not only expulsion, but place them up in front of an international tribunal." Ichika blinked at that news.
"Until your trial is arranged, you will all be confined to your dormitories under armed guard. You will not leave. These soldiers are authorized to use everything short of lethal force to ensure that you remain confined. Am I understood?" Chifuyu continued.
"Y-Yes ma'am!"
In response, Chifuyu gestured to the soldiers.
"Take them away. Ichika, stay behind." She ordered, and soldiers obeyed, herding the remaining girls off the illuminated landing platform. Two stayed behind, standing at the edge of the light while Chifuyu approached him. Suddenly, she pulled him into a tight hug.
Ichika returned the gesture as his sister leaned in close, her head coming to rest beside his ear.
"What did I tell you before you left?" She whispered, her voice harsh and her hands shaking at his back.
"Not to go..." Ichika replied.
"And you left. You knew what would happen if you didn't come back, and you left." Chifuyu choked out.
"I-"
"Why? Why did you..." Ichika felt the first tear on his neck. He felt his sister's grip on him tighten further, painfully so.
"I... I had to... I couldn't stand by and watch the world burn." Ichika whispered back. His sister's grip tightened even more for a moment, then she released him.
"Do something like this again and I will chain you to my desk." She said, louder this time.
"Chi-"
"Take him to his room." His sister ordered, and the soldiers approached.
"Come on, kid. Let's go." One said.
Ichika nodded, and allowed them to lead him away.
They entered the dormitory complex in silence, the building being lit only by the dim light of the red emergency strips.
"Is the school under blackout?" Ichika asked.
"Yes, as of the start of hostilities. Normal electric lights have been disconnected." One of the soldiers replied.
"Have... Have there been any missile strikes?" Ichika asked.
"No. One or two launches, but they did not make it past our own missile defense systems." At that, Ichika breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, they reached the now-familiar dorm room. Two soldiers already stood outside, and one of them opened the door.
"We're here. Not sure how long you'll be kept here, but if you need something, just knock and ask." He said.
"Thank you." Ichika replied as he stepped into the doorway.
"It's no trouble at all... Believe me, if I'd been in your shoes, I would have done the same." The soldier answered. The others around him nodded in agreement.
Ichika smiled back, and stepped into the room, allowing them to close and bolt the door behind him.
He took a few moments to look around, his eyes quickly settling on the hastily patched-up wall that they'd punched through back when Kanzashi had been taken. It wouldn't win any points for aesthetic, but at least it would keep drafts out.
"Ichika?" Tatenashi's voice sounded out a few moments later, and he strained his eyes to see the girl in the dim red light.
"I'm back." He replied once he spotted her.
"I know, I could smell you before you walked in. You need a shower." Tatenashi replied.
"Are you sure you don't want to take one first?" Ichika asked.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear you tell my, to my face, that I stink. To the shower with you!" Tatenashi replied.
"Alright, fine." Ichika shakes his head and goes to the bathroom. There, in the omnipresent dim light, he stripped off his filthy pilot suit and stepped into the shower. The feeling of hot water was wonderful, and he was immensely thankful for the fact that he was confined to his room, as opposed to a cell. At least in here, he could be clean and comfortable.
A few minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and he turned just in time for a naked Tatenashi to enter the shower.
"Tatenashi? What-"
"Sorry, I couldn't wait." The blue-haired girl replied, stepping past him to get at the stream of hot water.
"I'll wash your back if you wash mine." She continued.
"Fine..." Ichika replied.
They stood together in the shower, sharing the water and soap as best they could. Finally, Tatenashi turned around and spoke.
"I..." She began, but words didn't follow. Instead, Tatenashi slumped down, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut for Ichika to catch.
"It's over..." She whispered, her voice almost lost in the sound of rushing water.
"We did it... My sister's safe... We all made it back... We actually did it." She continued, wrapping her arms around him.
"Yeah... I guess we did... Katana." Ichika replied. It seemed Tatenashi's sudden exhaustion was contagious, as the weight of the previous sleepless nights and days came crashing down on him too. He returned Tatenashi's hug.
"It's not over yet though. We've still got some way to go before we're-" Tatenashi shook her head.
"No. My sister is safe. You are safe. Everyone's back, alive and uninjured. Everything else... It doesn't matter." Tatenashi replied, looking up.
"No matter what the future holds for me... For us... I know we can always count on each other. Thank you, Ichika. Thanks to you, I... I don't ever have to fear being alone again." With that, Tatenashi reached up and pulled him into a kiss that Ichika reciprocated. There was not much more to be said after that.
They would eventually fall asleep in each others' arms.
Aaron Meusel stared at the holographic globe, watching as colored dots receded out of East Russian airspace.
"That idiot..." He muttered as the casualty reports began coming in. The East Russian military had, in the span of a few hours, been reduced to shambles. His own agents in Vladivostok had abruptly ceased communications shortly after American planes entered the city airspace, and he was assuming the worst.
East Russia was doomed now, that much was clear. Be it a week, a month, or even a year, its defeat was now certain. Immeasurable amounts of time, infiltration, political capital and material assets, all gone down the drain because the one in charge of the operation wanted to one-up Aaron and kidnap one of the Sarashiki survivors.
"Who is an idiot, again?" The Leader's familiar voice caused him to look to his side, where the man's hologram stood.
"The man we put in charge of the East Russia operation. I think it is quite telling that the only casualties inflicted upon the enemy was when some of my fighters shot down two of the infiltrating IS suits after being diverted from a ferry flight! And he couldn't even capture the pilots! Now I'm down an entire wing of precious fighters and their pilots, who didn't even manage to get off the ground! All because he wanted to capture a survivor of an organization that is now defunct and poses a negligible threat!" Aaron growls.
The hologram nodded.
"True, when framed like that it looks like incompetence of the highest order. Punishable by death, even." The Leader spoke lightly.
"Naturally, he would be punished quite severely, were he not following my orders to the letter." The hologram concluded. Aaron blinked.
"You... Ordered the kidnapping?" He asked.
"Not necessarily, but it was the best option available. I wanted a provocation."
"You... Wanted the Americans to bomb East Russia into the ground?" Aaron asks.
"That would have been a consequence, but it was not the end goal."
"So what was the goal of this?"
"Think, Aaron. Think beyond Russia and of the world. The Americans did not just destroy planes and missiles today."
It took a few moments before Aaron realized it.
"Nuclear deterrence..." He whispered.
"Precisely. East Russia possessed one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals. A full nuclear triad... And in a matter of hours the Americans have gone in and destroyed it, completely and utterly. The atomic shield that has kept peace in the world for so long has finally broken."
Aaron nods slowly.
"This is going to cause chaos across the world. Any country that relies on nuclear deterrence... Israel, China, North Korea..." He said.
"All of them are about to experience great upheaval, and agents are already in place to take full advantage. It is regrettable that we have had to sacrifice so much in East Russia, but if all goes well, our losses there won't be as great as they seem." The Leader replied.
"How do you plan to curb our losses there?" Aaron asks.
"The US will not initiate a ground invasion. They want a quick, clean mission to accomplish, not a prolonged counter-insurgency campaign... That and they are too focused on China to risk a land invasion of Russia." The Leader began.
"That just leaves West Russia alone and eager. With the right influence, their subsequent invasion will bog down and we may use the theater as an opportunity to field test the equipment we will be using post-Coronation." He continued.
"That will reveal our involvement to the world." Aaron notes.
"Our involvement is already known. So long as Coronation remains viable and on schedule, secrecy is less of a problem."
"Coronation is proceeding on schedule. You will have no trouble on that front." Aaron replies.
"Good."
They lapsed into silence, watching dots slowly move across the hologlobe. Finally, the Leader addressed Aaron again.
"I've noticed that you have not contested any of the claims others have placed on your territory." He said.
Aaron nodded.
"I see no need to do so."
"Why is that? Surely it would be easier to establish your rule without rivals vying for land and influence, contesting your every move?"
Aaron nods at that.
"True, but it would be easier to control a population with immediate external threats. I have no doubt that I can defeat any challengers. I am, after all, the one equipping them. But they have their uses in cementing my control over the area I have been given." He responds.
"Ah... An interesting gambit, and you seem sure enough that it will work..." The Leader replied.
"But now that we are on the subject of your future domain, what is it that you seek to do once you rule it?" He continued.
Aaron starts, then pauses. How could he answer this delicate question with just the right mix of submission and ambition?
"I... I am not satisfied with merely ruling." He finally began.
"I am not someone who will be content with just sitting on a golden throne, calling lands my own, and indulging in my own hedonistic desires. I want to create a new civilization, greater than any other."
The Leader scrutinized him for a long moment once he finished speaking. Then, the old man gave a slow nod.
"An unusual answer..."
"How so?" Aaron asked.
"I have asked this question to many other family heads... Very few have answered in a similar vein as you..." The old man trailed off, before continuing.
"It is no small feat, to build a great nation. It would be an impressive feat indeed to finish it in your lifetime..." He said.
"I know."
"Not to mention that competent successors are critical to such a nation lasting." There was the threat.
"I am sure Lily and Squall are up to the task." Aaron replies.
"I'm sure that they will be."
There was no immediate response. Still, Aaron couldn't help but feel like something had changed in the old man's gaze as he regarded him. He only prayed that it was a change for the better.
A/N: Alright, this chapter wraps up the lost in Russia portion of the arc, and now we move on to the next phase, where I try to portray the legal consequences of playing hooky to bomb Russians whilst simultaneously having little to no legal experience because dammit I'm an engineer, not a slimy politician! Wish me luck!
Anyway, the first scenes were a bit of practice for writing large-scale military operations as opposed to small unit actions. My objective was to get the operation plan across without going too far into technobabble or obscure/invented jargon. I feel like I was successful, but it was my first time doing this sort of thing in such detail. From there, it was a shift to the more familiar small unit combat, although this was as part of a much larger operation.
Now with the writing theory part done, the operation itself was fairly simple. First, high-altitude EMPs would knock out as many radars, communication lines, and other technology as possible, while also acting as a screen for an orbital bombardment aimed primarily at nuclear delivery systems such as aircraft and missile batteries, while anti-submarine warfare would be carried out to destroy compromised DRR submarines.
Following this, cruise missile and air strikes would be carried out to cripple any remaining means of nuclear or conventional retaliation. Considering how the DRR was already paralyzed before the battle had even begun, the end result of such an operation would have been a crushing victory for the US/Japan coalition.
Of course, such earthshaking events have their own fair share of consequences, and while Degtaryev and co. will not be seen for a while, their part in the story is not yet over.
Next up, the return to IS Academy. Honestly, I'm not quite satisfied with Chifuyu's reaction, but I honestly had no idea how to write Chifuyu when she was so damn angry/scared. Once that was over, it was a quick wrap-up with Tatenashi, whom I had a bit of a better idea for how to write in such a situation. As for whether or not there was sex... I'll leave it ambiguous. Originally I'd wanted a sex scene, but I eventually determined that it would ultimately be unnecessary and with me tabling the romantic shenanigans for the time being, I decided to leave things open for interpretation. If your mind thinks they did the deed, then they did. If not, then they did not. It doesn't really matter here.
Finally, we get into Phantom Task once more, doing their usual evil plotting. I have to say, it's a bit liberating to finally be able to talk about Aaron's ambitions for the future in more detail now that one crucial detail has been confirmed. I'll reiterate that given the information I've revealed in the story so far, it is completely possible for a very attentive reader to piece together not just the end goal of Coronation, but the exact method and means by which it will be executed. Granted, I haven't actually spelled it out, even indirectly, but the information is there in raw form.
I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope to get the next chapter out soon-ish, but I've been very busy lately so it could be a bit of a wait.