DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OR ANYONE IN THE SPYRO UNIVERSE. ONLY MY OCS.
Chapter 35: Vengeance
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The rain came down in sheets over the canopy of the jet as its engines wound down on the runway. The echoes of the others' aircraft were barely audible through the rain, the thunder, and the shouts of the ground crew. He was barely aware of a ground crewman popping the canopy on his aircraft, exposing him to the rain and soaking him through the flightsuit in a matter of seconds. He gazed at the crewman who expressed only curiousity as to why he hadn't left his aircraft yet.
A tap on his shoulder and some whispered words between one crewman to another saw the first pale and utter an apology. Then again, Bertram had drowned out everything that had been said since he saw Ayatane's plane go down.
Looking down at his now soaked flightsuit, he only sighed, rose from the seat, descended the ladder and shuffled slowly towards the barracks. His mind replayed the events and that haunting message from Ayatane.
'Can't do it Bertram...C-Caught a round in my back...I...I can't move.'
'S-Sorry Bertram...that's o-one order I cannot follow...D-Do me a favor...tell Sahne that...I love her very much...and tell her that...I'm sorry...'
'tell Sahne...I love her...I'm sorry...'
'I'm sorry...'
'I'm sorry...'
'I'm sorry...'
A vision of Ayatane came to Bertram's mind. He was battered, bruised and bloodied. His eyes held a forlorn look as if he had done something awful. Then, he saw a red glow from behind Ayatane. Bertram watched in horror as flames ignited around Ayatane's boots, yet he neither noticed them or cried out. The flames spread upwards, engulfing his lower body, then his arms, his chest, then finally, his face. The flames winked out a moment later leaving only ashes which scattered to the winds.
'I'm sorry...'
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Bertram awoke with a fright and gazed around to see Dieter, Werner, Stern, and Voss standing around him. In the next room he hears weeping and sees Jake and Kani trying to console a heartbroken Sahne. Bertram looks at Dieter who shakes his head.
"Words now would only cause more grief. Sometimes, the best thing in the world to give a grieving family member is an ear to lend and a shoulder to cry on." Bertram looked down at his cot and sighed.
"I know this is stupid to say but...how many, besides Jyne, have you ever lost in battle?" Dieter sighed and sat down on the cot beside Bertram.
"I keep forgetting sometimes that I'm old enough to be your father. Probably old age. But...I have lost people before. It's never easy...you never forget them...and you find yourself reluctant to replace them...still, a replacement for a fallen friend doesn't mean that you replace the friend with someone else, no, you remember your friends and carry on with the new guys."
"You're not answering my question." Dieter sighed.
"Alright. You want the truth? I've lost twenty-seven under my command. Thirty-eight if you count the times that I was the new guy. It was during the Callinar Incursion. We had just finished escorting some bombers over Port Grand Vista, a completely successful bombing run...that is until the air forces from Ursa and Retorinc found us. They came at us out of the clouds, using the sun to hide themselves, guns blazing. We lost six bombers and three fighters before our joke of a CO decided to get his head out of his ass and order the squadron to protect the bombers. By that time however, it was already too late. Tellanian pilots, flying not just the Tellanian I5-Fs but also flying Syllian P-5Bs they had purchased."
"Anyway, they flew complete circles around us. Bombers were falling out of the sky, some in flames, others in pieces. I was hearing the screams of men who were burning alive in their planes as they caught fire and more than once heard a single gunshot ring out as some of my wingmates decided to take their own lives rather than burn with their planes. Before I knew it, Jyne and I were the last fighters in the air protecting a lone Callinian Gifu G-19-19 that had one engine siezed, the tail gunner was dead, the pilot had a bloody stump where his right hand should have been, and the nose gunner was blithering like an idiot. Well the Tellanians were going for the clean sweep and circled back. Jyne was the closest so they shot at him. A round grazed his forehead and another shattered his propellor but he survived. Managed to land in a hayfield. The bomber tried to evade but at that moment, the spar cables on the right wing snapped, beheading the pilot. The nose gunner was screaming bloody murder as the plane's right wing buckled and he fell with the bomber." Dieter took a moment to light his pipe before continuing.
"Anyway, I was the last man standing. Seeing that they outnumbered me forty to one, I dove for the ground as fast as I could without having the plane come apart on me, and I'll tell you it damn near did. I have never seen a plane's wings vibrate that much as that one's did as I dropped. One bastard got in behind me and fired a burst, striking my engine. Well, it seized, and the propellor stopped so suddenly it broke free from the bolt and damn near took my head with it. I managed to glide the plane down to the ground and land. My first mission and it was also the first, and only, time I was ever shot down. I met Gerald Ross the next week, although back then he was under the alias Lance Holden. The rest of those I've lost were mainly nuggets who didn't heed my advice or recruits who though showing off would impress me and wound up getting themselves killed."
Bertram nodded and looked out the window to see the rain still falling. Moments later, Jake came back in and looked at Bertram.
"What's wrong?" Jake took a deep breath before explaining.
"It's just that...well...Sahne will need someone to look after her. I'm...I'm requesting leave for a while so that I can help Sahne get settled. I'll be taking her to Eastport so that she can stay with my Mother. It's just for a day or two to help get her settled and introduce them to each other. With...With Dad gone, Mom could use the company." Bertram kept his gaze at the window before nodding.
"Tell her something for me, will you? Tell Sahne that I'll get the bastard responsible for this. It doesn't matter if I have to travel to the ends of the earth and back again to find him, I will and he will pay." Jake nodded but then thought of something.
"That's all well and good Bertram but remember, revenge is never the answer. If you encounter Reaver again, then go all out, but in the process of fighting him, don't become the thing you've sworn to destroy." Bertram chuckled darkly.
"I doubt on my worse day I could become a self-righteous, egomaniacal, murderous son of a bitch intent on destroying the world and restablishing an empire that was built upon vice, greed, murder, and slavery." Dieter gazed at Bertram, his brows furrowed.
"Bertram. Remember what I told you the day I defected? Not all Rotarians are alike. These are some who do not wish for a war and only wish to live in peace. Mechanos, back during the Incursion, and even before then, he was known as an extremist. Most people thought him simply eccentric or perhaps crazy, then again we thought the same about your Father." Dieter ignored the glare Bertram gave him and continued.
"It wasn't until he managed to implant enough of his people into our parliament to get himself elected that he let the deception fall and showed himself for what he truly was: a genius. Misguided, determined, and underhanded, yes, but still he is gifted both tactically and technically. You think Tellanos is the first country Mechanos conquered? No, before he did anything else, he conquered Rotiart. Those who opposed him were branded as traitors and exiled, sent somewhere else, or vanished under mysterious circumstances."
This time Ivanov came in, rain pouring from his coat and came forward.
"Major. We just recieved a message from you Father. The 5th Fleet has sailed and is under orders to protect Peninsula City. In their haste to take Launces, Mechanos pulled more troops from the southern force than he should have. The Rotarian 9th Brigade has been fought to a standstill by members of the Dracocorps and the 11th Army. The 9th is within shelling distance of the city and artillery from the defences fires on the enemy and is in turn fired upon by what few pieces the enemy have left." Dieter looked at Ivanov.
"What about tanks?" Ivanov shook his head.
"Not a chance. The Rotarians fielded some tanks at the start of the attack but thanks to the unseasonable rains, the peninsula has practically turned back into swampland. Their tanks are sinking in the mire and the defenders at the city are still at full strength. Aside from some machineguns, mortars, and a few bazookas, all the enemy has is rifles. However, we also recieved word that a message was intercepted from a submarine called the Gigantic. It was confirming orders to sail to Peninsula City and start launching attacks aganst it." Bertram saw Dieter pale and looked to him.
"What is the Gigantic? How can a sub launch an attack on a city on an elevated peninsula surrounded by a wall similar to Launces?"
"That subject goes back to why Mechanos wanted an alliance with Damoneni. There was a mechanist in Damoneni, Iddagio Morrelli, who was studying something called 'rocketry'. In return for access to Mechanos' notes, Mr. Morrelli had to come to Rotiart and share his notes with Mechanos. This was...I think seven years ago...there was a big hullabaloo in the papers about his visit. Anyway, Mechanos first became a mechanist by designing submarines. He showed Morrelli a sub design that apparently made Morrelli sign a treaty agreement without a second thought. He then moved his lab to Rotairt, along with all his research notes, and has been the technical head of Mechanos' experimental weapons division ever since. The design was for the Olympia-class submarine." Ivanov looked to Dieter, curiousity plain on his face.
"What is the Olympia? What is it's purpose?"
"The Olympia, and her sister ships: Megalodon, and Gigantic are a type of submarine that can transport, ready, and fire rockets at an inland target. I've never seen the subs but I've heard the rumors. A submarine that can dwarf an aircraft carrier, capable of diving to unfathomable depths, and capable of causing mass destruction. Publically, the Zerstörung-class battleships, are the flagships of the Rotarian Navy Fleets. In reality, it is the Olympia-class subs. That's what always got to Mechanos. The Praetorian Empire always had subs that could out-class anything Rotiart had before he began inventing. Now their entire sub corps is next to useless." Bertram thought for a moment and then looked to Dieter.
"Does the sub have to surface to fire the rockets?" Dieter nodded.
"Alright then, have your aircraft outfitted with high explosive bombs, cannons rounds, and external drop tanks. We're flying for Peninsula City." Voss suddenly shot up from his cot with a shocked expression on his face.
"Bertram...er...Major, that's an unauthorized mission! We haven't been deployed and plus we'll be flying through occupied territory to reach the city! How do we reach them?" Bertram smiled a devious smile and looked at Voss.
"Quite simple. We confirm the Josh's new ship can indeed allow the takeoff and landing of jet aircraft and twin engine bombers. If they just left Eastport, they should be somewhere near Whitecliff, probably near Land's End. That means we won't be flying through hostile airspace, and we'll still be in radio range to contact both command and my brother. Besides, I doubt command will fault us for taking the initiative." Dieter shook his head but chuckled all the same.
"Engage and sink the Gigantic, huh? Well, if you're aiming to piss off Mechanos, that's one sure-fire way to do it. Word is the man loves his submarines above all else. If he could, he'd marry 'em. Sinking his pride and joy is liable to make his reckless but also make him more dangerous."
Bertram said nothing. He leapt from his cot, threw on a raincoat and went to explain his plan to the base commander.
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(Land's End, 7 miles south-southwest of Whitecliff, RNV Leviathan CV-1)
FLASH MESSAGE FROM STONEFORT AFB TO 5TH FLEET
INTERCEPTED ENEMY TRANSMISSION FROM SUBMARINE PLANNING ATTACK ON PC AND FLEET. LAUNCES 1ST AIR WING CURRENTLY EN ROUTE TO LINK UP WITH YOU.
SUBMARINE BELIEVED TO BE TRANSPORTING AND CAPABLE OF FIRING ROCKETS INLAND AT CITY.
SINK AT ALL COSTS.
Josh looked over the message and handed it back to Anne as he turned back to the bridge. The rain was light here but the wind was the real problem. A moment later, a midshipman came up to the bridge with several large coffee mugs on a tray and passed them around to the bridge crew before saluting and returning to the galley below. Josh took a long drink from his mug and then nodded to Anne.
"Alert the Air Boss in the aft castle, formation coming in from Stonefort. Tell him to rig the arresting wires and possibly even the nets. If I know my brother, he's likely thinking the deck is long enough to just have a standard landing. Also pass the word to our vessels to be extra vigilant with their sonar checks and have our destroyers and escorts start performing zig zag patrols. We've got an enemy supersub trying to reach Peninsula City and I don't intend on giving them the chance." Anne saluted and relayed the instructions to the aft castle. Josh turned to the radar officer.
"Check your screens closely for that incoming formation. I don't want to be caught unawares."
"Aye, sir." At that moment, Anne picked up the reciever for a moment, nodded then replaced it.
"Captain, the Rampant Lion has repaired its engines and is once again making full speed. Commander Walker is bringing up the rear but is awefully embarrassed at the incident." Josh nodded, thinking about the hiccups his own ship and crew had just after leaving port.
"Well, the Rampant Lion is just like the Leviathan, she's a new ship rushed into service before a shakedown run was planned. There's bound to be a few hiccups. Just so long as we get them ironed out before we engage an enemy force. The sea lanes around Schildhaven are no longer safe. We could very well encounter an enemy force here or we may not run into anything until we reach Peninsula City. Either way, this is going to be our trial by fire."
Anne nodded and then a moment later, she sighed.
"Josh, I know how to read you by now. What's got you so worried?" Josh suppressed the urge to growl, checking himself and remembering this was not just his XO but also his betrothed. Still, he didn't like being put on the spot in front of the crew like this.
"I'm hardly the only person on this ship who still has family in Launces. The Rotarians claim that George was killed yet the IDs were fake and the body that was delivered before we sailed was also not him. George had a birthmark under his right arm and another was dead center on his back, the body returned had neither. That just unnerves me for some reason. I don't know if my brother is alive, dead, captured, held hostage, or what. I remember stories about enemy soldiers holding important officers or soldiers hostage and then claiming them as dead so that they had free reign to torture and interrogate them." Anne nodded and then turned back to see three of the crewmen listening in. Scowling, she spoke to them.
"What do you three think you're about?" Josh looked to the men who turned and saluted, their faces masks of worry. The tallest of the three, the starboard lookout, spoke first.
"It's just that...what if that's what the Rotarians are doing to my kid brother ma'am? He was a crewman on Fahrpanzer 34, on the outer wall. Lee here, his father was a radioman in the Tower, and Jakob's sister was a field medic. The Rotarian troops sent similar letters to our folks saying they had their bodies and will try to return them." Anne quickly flushed with mortification and nodded.
"Sorry. I forget that you men were from Launces as well." The lookout nodded.
"Not to worry ma'am. As the Captain always says, where there's hope, there's life. Who knows? Our kinfolks might just be laying low or, heh, if I know my brother, he's liable to be getting on the Rotarian's nerves. Our Dad was a member of the original Launces Resistance and he showed Bobby and me every single hiding place and hole in the wall in the city." Josh chuckled at that and then walked over to the port windows to watch the flight deck.
The air boss had already gotten the crews on the deck to start clearing the deck, rigging the cables, nets, and barricades, and making sure there was no debris on the deck. With any aircraft, but more so with jets, decks had to be especially clean. A piece of debris, a dropped bolt, nut, screw, or even a dropped lighter could get sucked into the engine, destroying it and possibly causing an explosion.
The Leviathan was as much a work of art as it was an incredible ship of war. The flight deck was long and wide enough for several aircraft to take off and land simultaniously. It was also reinforced as just below the flight deck was the gun deck which held several turrets for defence. There were some painted sections on the stern of the ship that were color coded for landing. The fan-tail, or the area off the stern where the planes landed, was a favorite spot for many crewmen to relax and take a breather when they were off duty or when they weren't launching or retrieving aircraft.
As he gazed across the fleet, his fleet, he saw the radar operator out the corner of his eye signal him.
"Captain! Multiple aircraft inbound!" Josh checked his watch and then looked at the message again and compared the time.
"That's odd...how many planes are there?"
"Looks to be...twenty-seven. Is that the correct number?" Josh frowned and turned away.
"No. It isn't. XO, sound battlestations. Order all interceptors into the air now!"
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Bertram checked the map along with the landamrks he could see from this altitude and nodded.
"Okay everyone, we're almost there. Ivanov, any traffic through the radio?"
"Negative Major. Just the normal chatter I...wait!...Major! The 5th Fleet just ordered all fighters in the air, they're under attack!" Bertram paled for a moment then, he forced his shock down and growled, keying the radio.
"All aircraft, full power now! Time to go do the Lord's work!"
He heard a comment from Wolff about that but he ignored it. He pushed the throttle to full and felt the jet accelerate to full speed. Gazing past the clouds, he saw a formation of twin-engine propellor fighter-bombers flying at high speed towards the group of ships that surrounded a massive carrier and pushed the stick down, forcing the jet into a dive. He angled the nose to lead up with the flanking formation, aimed the crosshairs in front of the left group and squeezed the trigger, feeling the satisfying recoil of six 25mm cannons and watching the tracer shells arc forward and slam into the closest aircraft.
The shells ripped the cowling off the port engine, shredded the left wing and shattered the canopy where the tail gunner was. The engine caught fire, seized, and the plane dropped from formation and the fighters began scattering as flak started coming up from the fleet. Bertram chased down another enemy as the radio came alive with chatter from the Leviathan.
"This is Lieutenant Gordon Abernathy, callsign Angler, my formation is going up. Major de Launces, can you cover us while we climb?"
"This is Paladin, we copy Angler. First Wing will thin them out for you."
"Paladin this is Leviathan, our radar has detected another flight of aircraft incoming. They aren't answering our hails so assume they're hostile. Fair warning, they're moving like jets." Bertram felt his hands tighten on the stick as he keyed for his squadron.
"Attention First Wing, we have what is believed to be enemy jets incoming. D Squadron, you are our heavy hitters when we face that sub. You are ordered to land on the Leviathan. C Squadron, assist the naval squadrons with wiping out those planes here now. A, B, and E Squadrons, form up on me and let's get the jump on the enemy for a change."
D Squadron sent a line to the Leviathan that was answered with the deck being made ready to recieve as soon as the last of the carrier force was airborne. A Squadron fell in with Bertram, B Squadron took up formation on the right and E Squadron on the left. Together, the wing of jets flew in the direction that the radar operator had said he'd seen the incoming threat.
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"Attention flight. This mission takes priority over anything else. The intel confirms that the Syllian 5th Fleet is en route to Peninsula City to support the defenders. Other reinforcements including the 11th Air Group are currently engaging the defenders. Your mission is not to destroy the enemy fleet. Rather, just slow them down. Prevent them from making a timely arrival. That is all."
Lieutenant Oscar Horos cursed silently into his radio. What he had thought was a mission of great importance (the only reason he had ousted himself from the bunkhouse and the prostitute that had been sharing his bunk), turned out to be nothing more than another of Marks' ideas to get him out of the way.
There was a reason Horos' callsign was 'Myrmidon', he enjoyed fighting. Whether it be in the air or on the ground. He was a big man who enjoyed stepping on people who got in his way. He once busted a subordinate's nose because he had talked back. Despite this, he was a soldier, doing his duty, and absolutely despised Marks and the other members of the 666th becasue in his opinion they were little more than thugs.
Granted he was no saint himself, having nearly been convicted of murder for 'accidentally' tossing his brother in law off the roof of a seventeen story building because he had caught the bastard cheating on his sister. It had almost gone to trial when someone discovered that he had, at one time, been an exceptional pilot and then the case against him fell apart. Witnesses recanted or vanished without a trace, the most vocal of the bastard's family had met an unfortunate 'accident' himself and then no lawyer in the whole of River Bridge would touch his case with a twelve foot barge pole.
He was a free man but was now under the thumb of Alfred Marks. Angrily he switched the radio on to speak to his group.
"Alright maggots, now hear this. This isn't going to be like shooting civvies back in Launces or strafing ambulances in Sanijo, we're going against experianced pilots who know their shit and have tally marks longer than most of your johnsons. Yeah Horse, I'm talking to YOU dickwad! Just stay glued to my tail and you'll all come home alive. Tell you what, belay that, any of you get five kills...aw hell any of you get one kill today, I'm buyin' the whole damn formation a night out with the whores and some of the finest damn rotgut this sorry excuse for an enemy has to offer!"
There were cheers to that until a frantic alert came through the radio.
"Attention 666th D Squadron, where the hell are you?! We're getting our asses shot off by these damned jets!" That got Horos' attention as he grabbed the radio, his huge hand threatening to crush the mike in its grip.
"This is Myrmidon, what the fuckin' hell are you talking about? There are no jets assigned to this carrier force!"
"Oh yes there are, I just watched most of my wingmen blown out of the sky by twin engine jets sporting nothing but cannon armaments! I have half a mind to-oh no! We're hit! We're hit! Gah-!"
The radio cut out suddenly and Horos started scanning the skies and noticed contrails above.
"Fuck me...They're jets alright. High speed, and high above. Well, I'm all for turning around. Everyone okay with that?"
No one said otherwise and Horos' squadron started turning to retreat from the airspace.
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"This is Black Knight to Paladin, looks like the enemy is bugging out. Looks like we came across Myrmidon's squadron." Bertram keyed his radio.
"Myrmidon? Who's he?"
"He's the wingleader of D Squadron. Lieutenant Oscar Horos. Don't know much of him except that he will not stick around for a straight up brawl. He's more of a hit you when you're down kinda fighter. A bully in every sense of the word. He was originally going to be sent to prison for murdering his brother in law and the prostitute he was cheating on his wife with but something happened and he was set free and recruited into the Special Air Branch of the RAAF. One thing that sets him apart is that he hates Marks and the other officers of the 666th with a passion. Still though, we've got plenty of fuel. Though it won't be much of a challenge, Horos is basically the babysitter. He flies only with nuggets." Bertram keyed the radio.
"It doesn't matter. They're part of the 666th. They're the enemy. They're linked to the bastard who killed Ayatane. We are evenly matched but like you said, they're all nuggets. This is going to be a turkey shoot."
Bertram did a wingover and cove his jet at the formation. As he dove the radio came on and he heard his brother come over it.
"This is Captain Joshua de Launces to the Launces First Wing. Enemy aircraft repelled. You are to disengage whatever foes you are facing and land on the carrier. I repeat, let the runners retreat and return to the carrier." Bertram growled with disgust and flipped the radio off, cutting the other transmission off.
He dove at the enemy, lined up the sights and opened fire. His rounds tore through an enemy jet on the flank, setting its fuel tank alight and causing it to erupt in a massive fireball. He looked to see that the enemy jets were all panicked now. Some climbed, some dove, some jinked left and others right. Some simply froze and continued a straight course.
He went after the sitting ducks first.
Bertram raked the closest one over the canopy which shattered into a mix of glass, blood, and brain matter. He then yawed left and strafed two more in the same fashion. He looked around for the other jets and saw one trying to dive on him. A split S which turned into an inverted loop maneuver dodged the attack and brought Bertram in perfect position to clip the enemy's wings with a well aimed burst.
He corrected his flight and then spotted the one he was after. The enemy wingleader.
Bertram pushed the jet for all it was worth and managed to close the distance rather quickly and fired a short burst. A last minute jink saved Horos' miserable life but he had the right rudder shot away and lost roughly ten inches off his right wing. Bertram reaimed and was about to squeeze off another burst when the canopy launched from the aircraft and Horos, still sitting in the pilot's seat, was launched from the jet moments before the engine caught fire and the jet went into a tail spin.
He kept on and spotted another enemy jet, pursued and fired. Gazing around, he saw that the last two jets were out of range and he eased back around. As he leveled, he glanced right and saw the tell-tale white parachute that marked Horos as he descended. He growled.
This time, it wasn't a simple angry growl. Like Josh had done before him, this growl was pure feral rage.
Bertram pushed the jet into a near backbreaking 8G turn and lined up his sights, his crosshairs on the parachute. He was seeing red. If the radio had been on he would have heard Dieter, Wolff, Ivanov, Voss, and Kani yelling frantically for him to cease fire and stand down.
He lowered the crosshairs over Horos and squeezed the trigger.
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Josh was waiting on the flight deck for his brother's flight to return. On the deck with him were members of D Squadron but also members of the ship's Royal Marines who enforced security on the ship. C Squadron, B Squadron, most of A Squadron and E Squadron had landed and also stood by Joshua as his brother executed a textbook carrier landing, cut off his engines, popped the canopy and clambered out, his face blank and pale and his eyes dull.
Josh turned to look at the members of his brother's wing before approaching his brother.
"Bertram." Bertram gazed at his brother with empty eyes and muttered something unintelligible.
"Major Bertram de Launces." Josh repeated, more forcefully than before. Ths time Bertram gazed up at him.
"Josh..."
"Don't 'Josh' me. Do you have any idea how much trouble you're in?! Do you?!" Bertram looked into his brother's eyes and then turned away from the mixture of anger and worry that burned in those eyes. Josh saw this and his frown deepened.
"No. You look at me, little brother. You disobeyed my orders to return and land. You engaged a retreating foe who, according to the radio traffic we overheard were nuggets, recruits. Then you mercilessly pursue the squadron leader, incapacitate his plane and then you...you..." Josh gazed to the pilots on the flight deck who looked on in stunned silence and then sighed.
"Effective immediately, you are relieved of duty. You are grounded Major. No sorties, no flying, nothing. Major Dieter Muntz will assume command of the Wing in your absense. You are lucky you are my brother or I would have had you thrown into the brig. I still might once word of this reaches Mom and Dad. How will they react when they learn their youngest son strafed a man in his parachute?" Josh turned and then motioned for the Marines to come to him and his brother.
"Lieutenant Wolff told me of what happened to Ayatane but that does not give you permission to flip your lid and start gunning down helpless soldiers and pilots. That makes you no better than the enemy. We will continue on course for Peninsula City but you will be restricted to quarters. I don't want to place you under guard but I will if you force me to. Dismissed."
Josh watched as Bertram walked between the Marines as they escorted him to his quarters. Silently, the rest of the First Wing and the rest of the onlookers dispersed and returned to their duties. Once he was sure he was alone. Josh ran behind Bertram's jet and vomitted over the side.
He had just been forced to arrest his own brother.
Had he gazed a little higher on the plane, next to the canopy, he would have seen a dent caused by a round from Horos' sidearm in a final act of defiance.
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Okay, kinda threw a curve ball in there. What will await the 5th Fleet at Peninsula City? What awaits Bertram once this mess is finished? Will the Gigantic render the fleet's mission moot? And what about this mysterious 11th Air Group?
Find out next time...
Next Chapter: Red Dawn