"Downfall"

Eila – It was too late… I got here way too late. Well… I don't care. Sanya isn't going anywhere. Not yet.

Sicily base, occupied by the 501st JFW…

1913 hours…

Eila at that time didn't have anything else in her mind as she arrived in the hangar. She already accepted that Sanya left. But what she couldn't accept, was Sanya's reason. While Sanya was stubborn enough not to listen to the hearts of her friends, Eila wouldn't listen to the nature Sanya had shown in the letter she left for Eila. And now, the Suomus witch was removing the chains to her own striker unit.

I'm nowhere near accepting you're doing this just for us. You're doing this to satisfy your blood lust… Well I'm not having it!

Meanwhile, Kathryn and Minna were talking to each other accompanied by Mio Sakamoto.

Minna was listening intently at Kathryn's request to transfer to the 501st, she made a reply after a few minutes. "As much as we want get your squad the spots in the fighter wing, I need to be sure you can use strikers."

"Maybe the term Special Forces didn't seem to make you think." Kathryn smirked at Minna. "We can handle striker units in the air just fine. We even had training on the use of underarmored land strikers, but our specialty is infantry recon. Remember… It only took two years of training before we got deployed as a reconnaissance squad."

"It seems you're very valuable," Mio said in reply. "You shouldn't ignore the needs of the various militaries in the world."

"I know." Kathryn sighs before she starts to explain. "It's just the fact that we've lost one and it's our very first casualty. Through our years of fighting, we began to think everything we've been doing was taken for granted. Thanks to Lina's death, we thought we were rather to assertive as witches. It isn't about true duty and loyalty that always counts to me, but preservation. Our beliefs set us apart from different units, so we were kinda vulnerable when values come to question."

Minna gently snorts. "Last I checked, you had no problems killing people too, even if it is our enemy."

"ATLAS is getting what's coming to them. What I'm saying is… It's part of our job. If the job stains us, so be it. Hey… We're all getting human kills recently. Not like our values changed." Kathryn was on point for that and chuckled.

Suddenly, Minna gets a radio transmission from her earpiece. "Major, do you hear me?!"

"Tower go ahead," Minna replied. "What's happened?!"

"We got an unsanctioned launch from the hangar… stand by for identity… Eila Juutilainen is taking off."

"Eila…?!" Minna was surprised of who was leaving the base. Kathryn and Mio weren't kept in the loop, so she gave them earpieces each. She then started to job towards a corridor that leads to the hangar. "Eila, it's Minna! What are you doing?!"

"Major, I'm going after Sanya!" Eila replied. "She's not on patrol! She left a note in our room saying she'll be leaving! I can't let her go!"

"What?! Can you contact her?!"

"I wouldn't be talking to you if I couldn't!"

"I'm checking in with the tower. Stand by." Minna made a sharp turn to a corridor that leads to the hangar. "Tower, give Juutilainen Sanya Litvyak's last known heading!"

At this time, Lida was listening at dark part of the base. She had an earpiece and she just used it to listen in to the conversation. She then saw two witches on striker units take off. 'I'm guessing Sakamoto is getting left behind on this one,' she thought.

"It's an interesting thing to watch from where I am," Dana's voice was suddenly heard, just discreetly from speakers. Lida could tell it was Dana but she's nowhere to be seen. "I'm using an invisible unmanned drone to speak to you. Don't be alarmed. It's still me… just… at a distance."

"Tch. What do you want?"

"This is a good time as ever to get you out of here. With four witches off the base, it's more vulnerable."

"Vulnerable? To what?"

"An attack. A combined assault between ATLAS and the Neuroi headed by an ally of ours will be conducted on that same base. You just need to give us a signal if you wish for it, because once you do, we're not heading back against it."

"No. This isn't a good time. I had an idea Sanya Litvyak would leave, much to my dismay, but this isn't a good time. Not yet. I haven't even moved onto Eila Juutilainen yet."

"So what are you going to do? Kill her? Let me give you advice: Don't take your chances with what you plan to do with her. This is a good chance to successfully knock them out for good! The 504th was mostly eliminated! Don't take this personally, Lida! One less fighter wing will make things easier t-"

"I SAID NO!" Lida swung her arm while deploying her familiar features. That arm swung on instinct went to the exact place where the drone was. And as she hit it with her closed hand, the cloak temporarily disengaged and it spun out of control for a second before it stabilized in flight. She looked at the drone and glared at wherever its eyes may be. "Everything is personal to me, Caulfield… A pathetic wretch ruining me in front of my first officer is unforgivable. Sanya is frail no matter what she's turned into."

The drone is able to cloak itself again and Dana replied. "You're really just going to ruin it all, aren't you? We're not discussing this. If you plan to ruin things, do it the right way. Work with us."

Lida had to decide again, to turn away from the opportunity or believe in her own plans. But then Dana had a point. Her personal gains could be short-lived if she gets caught anyway, so it would be best for the alternative. Sighing in defeat, she replied. "What do you want me to do?"

"Wise choice, Lida. I know exactly what to do. If you have mortars as additional weapons in a standard base like that, you should also have illuminating cartridges."

"Ah. Then I think we got a plan indeed." Lida smirked, before walking to the direction of the base's armory.

The base's mess hall was somehow almost quiet while lit just earlier. Barkhorn and Lynette were there just waiting for some simple warm soup they liked to have. And Yoshika was preparing it.

Lynette sighs while waiting with Trude. "Flight Lieutenant, you think Yoshika will be finished yet?"

"You're underestimating our own cook," Barkhorn spoke flatly in reply. "Joking aside, you should consider that she can cook anything now that she's happier. Rumors spread around. I heard you confessed to her."

Lynette blushed seeing Barkhorn just saying like she was casual with it. "W-where did you hear that?"

"Told you. Rumors."

"It's a small base for those rumors and there's just us around!" Lynette slightly shouted at Barkhorn just as Yoshika was bringing a tray with two bowls of soup.

Yoshika seemed to have noticed the conversation was heated up, at least one sided coming from Lynette. She decided to join in while serving the soup. "Um… Why are you two fighting?"

Barkhorn chuckled. "That's exaggerating it. Your girlfriend's defending herself from the rumors you two had."

"Eh?!" Yoshika then sat down, satisfied to see Barkhorn and Lynette sip the soup from the spoons she provided. "Don't tell me it's-"

Lynette sighs while she blows on the warm soup. "I had a feeling it's Perrine. She likes it when we talk about love… She's the only one I was able to tell about this."

Barkhorn was sipping soup when she noticed Perrine and Hera Kuhn was coming in. "Well… this became interesting."

And as Perrine was coming into the mess hall with Hera, she immediately got a glare from Lynette. "What?"

"Why don't you tell me yourself?" Lynette said that before snorting at the Gallian.

Then Barkhorn smirked at Perrine. "Great job spreading it around."

"Huh?! You mean Yoshika and Lynette? I only told Hartmann, that's all!" Perrine then winced at the realization. Hartmann and Barkhorn were roommates. "Oh."

"Am I missing something?" Hera asked, scratching her head.

"Nothing new," Barkhorn replied. "Hey, sit with us. Perrine, you too."

Hera wanted to back out, but Perrine pulled her in anyway. Sitting with Barkhorn, Bishop and Miyafuji, they were talking about activities they were each having and the plans for the Joint Special Forces to integrate into the 501st Joint Fighter Wing…

Barkhorn was just sipping from her soup bowl when she made her reply. "I think it'll do us good if you guys can handle yourselves in multiple striker types. I mean… The Wing wasn't equipped with land strikers."Kuhn replied next. "That's the thing. We were only being prepared in case we do have to use striker units in an emergency or if there's a new standard imposed on us. Since Kathryn thought of it for us, the rest of us agreed. I think we're pretty much covered when it comes to joining a family. Besides… We owe it to Lina."

The table felt almost silent as Kuhn mentioned Lina's name to the others.

Perrine sighs. "We don't hear every day of witches getting killed. I suppose it was just new to us. Now that the damage is done, we have to adapt."

"Easier said than done," Yoshika replied. "When I first encountered human deaths from human kills, it felt like the world was ending and no one was safe. The only thing that got me out of that thinking is that I'm given a chance to recover. Lynette isn't just someone who I love. She's helping me cope too." Yoshika explained this while she was looking at Lynette. Since she was already beside Lynette, she was leaned on and kissed at her cheek.

Barkhorn winced at this and felt as if she should be happy though she didn't smile. "Um…"

Kuhn smirked at Barkhorn. "Not a normal occurrence for dykes in the base?"

"Not really. It just hasn't gotten to personal display yet. Sanya and Eila for example." Perrine replied for Trude since the latter didn't know how to answer about the presence of dykes in the unit.

Barkhorn sighs. "Yes, what she said."

"What I said? It's true."

"Can we please not make it an issue right now?" Barkhorn requested that from Perrine just as she heard the mess hall door open up. Mio Sakamoto was in a very serious mood. "Squadron Leader?"

"Barkhorn. A word. Now." Mio said it urgently. And it would seem Barkhorn wasn't one to delay as she stood up from her seat.

Yoshika watched Barkhorn walk to Mio and make whispers as the two officers walked away. She couldn't make out what that was about. "I wonder what's going on?"

Once Trude and Mio were alone, Mio was relaying information, which Trude was later pissed about. "You mean to tell me Sanya is planning to go AWOL?!"

"Not exactly. She left a note for Eila, and she was the first to pursue Sanya. Minna's gone to the air with Captain Bolton. We're gonna have to stand on alert while this is happening. We still have to be careful if the enemy decides to attack this base or-" Mio stopped at one thought of herself not to be relied on.

Barkhorn observed Mio hesitating to speak. "Mio, what's up?"

"This is how it has to be, isn't it?" Mio said as she stopped walking before looking at Trude. "I'm getting less and less weaker from magic I thought I could still possess, but it's beginning to be the end of the road faster than I anticipated. I was practicing to keep my shields strong but… The shield I was deploying recently couldn't even stop bullets effectively. Barkhorn… I'm gonna have to be on the ground almost the whole time when the worse does happen. You and Shirley have to put differences aside and decide who's taking my place behind Minna in the formation. It's up to you two to keep everyone in check-"

"Mio! Stop." Barkhorn demanded that from Mio and didn't get another word from the superior while she spoke. "We know what we have to do when the time comes. You don't need to keep beating yourself and telling that you're ineffective. Just be as you are as long as you could."

"Well then… Do me a favor and stop relying on me in the air then." Mio replied a straight answer to Barkhorn's advice. "With that, I think we'll be even."

"No sorties from now on, huh? Hard request to make, but I think Minna's going to listen to you." Barkhorn said it assuring Mio that request can come through smoothly. "I think this side of you is something I appreciate. You don't stop in your duties no matter if your magic is fading or not." As she made that statement, Barkhorn noticed someone running… a male soldier. "Soldier, what is it?!"

The soldier then brought out an earpiece from his pocket. "Commander Lida needed to speak to you on her own frequency. She says it's urgent."

Barkhorn looked at Mio, who also looked back at her. "I gotta take this."

"Do what you have to. I'll wake Shirley up for tonight. We need a few hours more of readiness in case Sanya's return doesn't go well." Mio said it just before she walked away, leaving Barkhorn and the soldier alone.

As Trude takes the earpiece from the soldier and having told him to leave her, she puts it on her ear and activates it. "This is Barkhorn. Commander? Why the special frequency?"

"Because I'm not choosing to alarm the others. There's a complication with Sanya's return and I'm setting up mortar positions. We're firing flares out." Lida said it while she's heard grunting like she's carrying something. "Find me at the runway."

"I'm on my way," Barkhorn said before she started walking. "Landing problems?"

"Not exactly. I'd rather have us set up the mortars and fire the flares immediately when we're done. Just get over here." Lida's voice was one of desperation. Trude didn't mind this, as long as there's a reason for the Commander's behavior.

Meanwhile, Minna was still flying with Kathryn while way behind Eila's trail. She decided to get a SITREP from her since it's been a while. "Juutilainen, it's me. Has the situation changed?"

"No. Negative. I still can't catch up to her… Can't believe I'm saying this, but I think she might have an idea she'd be following me. One way she's doing that is that she's speeding herself up."

"And that's by diving down and riding the wind. Eila, I want you to do the same thing."

"Won't that bring us far from radio contact?!"

"Just do it, Eila! She trusts you, and this unit is a family concerned of one of their own."

"I… Understood!" Eila replied this just before the comms were cut.

Kathryn analyzed the conversation and spoke up. "Looks like Eila and Sanya have a certain type of relationship."

"It's a relationship that goes beyond friendship. Those two have gone through thick and thin when they were in the service and going on rotations in Europe. As much as Eila wants to admit less of her misadventures, something's in her heart… something that always concerns Sanya's deepest concerns for everyone's safety. I noticed that when they both just got to Romagna."

"And I thought you're the type who overlooks the attitudes of your subordinates."

"In the contrary, my own senses don't deceive me. Details of each one in the unit are always taken as factors in their career." Minna said this just before using her earpiece again to contact Eila. "I'm gonna get a report if I can. Juutilainen, report." And she got static in response to contacting anyone in the distance she thinks she has with Eila. "Juutilainen. Respond."

"Looks like she's out of transmission range. Don't worry. We'll get them." Kathryn's assurance calms Minna down and they both stay silent for a duration of the flight.

Back at the base, Barkhorn and Lida set up two mortars on the runway. They both had illumination rounds on their hands and some more are on the ground on where they are.

Lida then puts her round on the mortar's barrel. "We're gonna be dropping both of them down at the same time so it'll have the brightness they need."

"Okay!" Barkhorn positioned her round at the barrel of her mortar. "Ready!"

And as Lida counted, she released her round, letting it slide down on the mortar tube just the same as Barkhorn's round did with hers. Just a millisecond interval apart, the two mortar rounds were launched upwards just before the flare activates itself 500 meters off the ground. The minor noise isn't warranted to attract suspicious attention from other witches just being casual, as what Lida expected.

Barkhorn looked at the flare lights working as they should. "Flares are bright and above us. Now what-" And she got interrupted by something sticking on her neck. It pinched her so it was slightly painful. After reaching it with her hand, she realized for a quick second it was a dart that hit her. She confirmed it by looking at the dart that shot her. "What-?" And suddenly, she lost her feeling to her arms and legs. She grits her teeth and groans in pain, forcing her to get on her knees and balance her sitting with her feet which were barely working with what was inside her system. She then looked ahead of her, seeing Lida smirk at Trude. And recognizing the kind of smug look one has, Trude assumed she was tricked. "So this is how it's got to be, huh?!"

"I decided long ago that if there's nothing to keep me amused in this world, I'd join a side which forces everyone's eyes to lose sight of what they want." Lida then brought out her pistol and aimed it right at Trude's forehead. "My goal is endless war, or the next fight and the next fight until I'm no longer needed. It just stemmed from me, you know."

"I can guess whose side you're on now." Barkhorn said it, glaring at Lida while she tries to summon her magic. Though she deployed her familiar features, she's still helpless with her own arms and legs not being able to move. "You support a man of his army of killers of families."

"We're all killers in a sense." Lida said this, poking the barrel of her pistol more onto Barkhorn's forehead. "Neuroi have lives too. So do you."

As Lida was speaking, Barkhorn could sense a humanoid decloaking beside Lida. And she couldn't believe what was in front of her: A human having outlines and pentagon-shaped scales on her body while having clothing representing her place in the Neuroi of blue. What's more is… The human girl's appearance while also having Neuroi traits, was very similar to a picture Trude had a memory of. Although this girl seemed older than the age Trude knows, the eyes, hair and facial features don't lie.

And Trude's instincts kick in. She spoke the human-hybrid's name:

"Chris…?" She spoke her younger sister's name.