July 27th, 2026.
Two Russian MiG-29A Fulcrum fighter planes chase a lone F-35B Lightning II, firing cannon shells and missiles as they went.
"I've got two MiGs on my tail." A voice cracked on the radio. "Why won't the missile alert shut up?"
"Don't worry, I've got these bastards."
Another F-35B appeared out of the clouds, and fires a Sidewinder at the lead MiG-29, with the missile striking the cockpit, though the missile failed to detonate. Guts and blood from the dead Russian pilot spill into the canopy as the MiG tumbles out of the sky before exploding.
"Splash one MiG-29."
"Nice one, Shiki." The voice crackled again. "Leave the other MiG to me."
"Roger that." The F-35 pilot replied.
The first F-35 immediately slows down just as the second MiG-29 was firing at it with its cannon, forcing the Russian jet to overshoot. As it happens, the F-35 fires its GAU-22 rotary cannon at the MiG, completely destroying it.
"That wasn't so bad, wasn't it, Junji? Not bad for a rookie."
"Good compliments, as expected from my Captain."
Junji Sakauchi, a young graduate from the JMSDF flight academy, has recently been deployed on his third combat mission alongside his more experienced flight lead, Shiki Kirikata. At this time, World War 3 is raging between Russia and a US-led coalition, with Japan as part of the coalition against Russia, fighting over the disputed Kuril Islands. The war had already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives despite the ever present threat of nuclear annihilation, and there seems to be no end in sight, as both sides have been bogged into a stalemate.
Junji and Shiki land their F-35s on the Izumo-class destroyer, Hayashi, where fellow airmen Hiruchi Tamaki and Danji Hatayama have been waiting for them. After the landing, Junji and Shiki converse with their comrades in arms at the ship's kitchen.
"So the young rookie just shot down his fourth Russian jet?" Danji asked, incredulous at Junji's increasingly good killstreak.
"Yeah." Junji said. "Though, I do have to admit, they are getting quite boring."
"You said it, Junji." Hiruchi replied. "We're getting sick of the same crap the Russians keep throwing at us."
"Now, now." Shiki said. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves here, boys. Remember, Junji. You still have much to learn if you want to be as good as me."
"Always listen to the Captain." Danji said.
"You have a point." Junji replied.
Suddenly, the pilots hear the sound of high heels and turn their attention to see a young woman in uniform with a naval officer's cap, looking sternly at them.
"May I have your attention, gentlemen?" The woman spoke.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Shiki asked, bewildered.
"Shiki!" Hiruchi scrambled to hush up his fellow airman.
"Hitori Sasamiya." The woman replied. "I'm the new captain of the Hayashi."
Shiki, Danji, Junji and Hiruchi leave their mouths agape.
"WHAT!?"
"Hold on there." Danji asked, shocked that a woman is the new captain of the Hayashi. "What happened to Captain Isaribi?"
"Yeah." Shiki said. "No one asked us about a new captain."
"I'm afraid the old Captain has been dismissed." Hitori said, all the while glaring at the pilots around her. "He has been frequently drinking on the job, and I have to iterate that high command doesn't want a ship with a drunkard as a Captain."
"No fair." Danji replied. "Captain Isaribi always keeps the ship in order, even when inebriated."
"Yeah." Junji said. "He was the one who assigned us on this ship in the first place."
"I beg your pardon, young rookie." Hitori said to Junji, staring at him menacingly.
Junji gulps, frightened by the new captain's ice cold demeanor that he backs away towards the wall.
"Aren't you too young yourself to be in command of this ship?" Shiki asked, bringing Hitori's age into question. "I mean, you don't look like an authority figure to me or any of the pilots here."
"This is gonna suck." Hiruchi said in a quiet voice.
Hitori, offended at Shiki's question, slaps him right across the cheek.
"Question me about my age again and I'll have you thrown overboard, Captain Kirikata. I command this ship, so I outrank you."
Hitori then turns her attention to the other pilots.
"That goes for the rest of you slack-jawed idiots." Hitori continued. "I expect you to follow every single one of my orders."
"Yes, ma'am." Shiki replied begrudgingly.
"That will be all." Hitori said, having finally let off steam. "Dismissed."
Junji, Hiruchi, Shiki and Danji immediately leave the kitchen with mixed emotions.
As they walk towards their bunks, Shiki began thinking to himself.
"I really don't like the new captain. Who does she think she is, bossing us around like that? Captain Isaribi never treated us like dirt when he was in command. He was the reason me and Danji had to teach these rejects how to fly."
Junji and Hiruchi glance at the grumbling Shiki with concern, while Danji could only focus on walking back to the bedroom.
Meanwhile, over Siberia, a flight of US B-2 Spirit stealth bombers escorted by a pair of F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter planes head towards a Russian airbase, intending to bomb it.
"This is Zeta 1. We are ETA two minutes to the target area." The pilot of the first B-2 said. "Bomb bay doors will be opening momentarily."
As the B-2s approach the base, a pair of Su-37 Terminators shadow them from the clouds. One of the Su-37s fires an R-73 at one of the B-2s, with the missile striking the cockpit, killing both pilots.
"What the?"
One of the pilots of the second B-2 reacts too late as the Su-37s pepper his plane with cannon fire, causing it to explode. The two F-16s immediately turn to engage the Su-37s.
"Fox Three." One of the F-16 pilots said.
The first F-16 fires an AIM-120 AMRAAM at the first Su-37, causing it to perform a lot of twists and turns to evade it, all the while dumping chaff to confuse the AMRAAM.
As the F-16 pilot observes the missile trailing behind the Su-37, his plane immediately gets peppered with cannon fire from the second Su-37, with one round ripping through the cockpit and decapitating him. The F-16 then plummets to the ground and explodes on impact.
Having successfully evaded the AMRAAM, the Su-37 immediately flies towards the last B-2 in the air.
The pilots of the last B-2 try frantically to perform evasive maneuvers, but the Su-37 fires another R-73 at the stealth bomber. The missile flies straight into the B-2, instantly destroying it.
The second Su-37, chased by the last remaining F-16, performs a Kulbit to force the F-16 to overshoot, allowing the Russian plane to get behind its tail.
"Who the hell are these guys?" The second F-16 pilot asked. "They're not human. THEY'RE NOT FUCKING HUMAN!"
The Su-37 fires an R-73 at the F-16, with the missile directly impacting the cockpit in seconds, ripping the pilot to shreds as it detonates, with the damaged F-16 exploding immediately afterwards.
At the airbase, the commander, Colonel Vasily Timanov, bears witness to the carnage caused by the two Su-37s.
"Anatoly, Valeriya." Vasily said. "Well done. Return to base immediately."
"Yes, sir." The two pilots responded by radio.
Back at the base, the two pilots, Anatoly Kurikov and Valeriya Gukryeva, receive promotions from Vasily as rewards for their performance in battle.
"These brash young warriors are now both Senior Lieutenants." Vasily announced to the base personnel. "Long may they serve Mother Russia."
The entire base salutes the newly promoted pilots, both of whom smile, while Vasily watches, pleased.
Later, at the runway, Vasily gives Anatoly and Valeriya their orders.
"What?" Anatoly asked. "We're being transferred to the Kuril Islands?"
"That's right." Vasily replied. "We are currently having problems there."
"Why, colonel?" Valeriya also asked. "Are the Japanese fighting hard?"
"Yes, Lieutenant." Vasily continued. "Apparently, the Japanese are inflicting casualties upon our squadrons there, and they are also gaining ground on the island."
"So, you want us to provide support for our forces fighting in the Kuril Islands?" Anatoly asked.
"Fine by me." Valeriya said. "I can't wait to fight the Japanese. I heard their pilots are very good."
"That's why you shouldn't underestimate them, Lieutenants." Vasily warned his pilots. "They are indeed very good, and you should exercise caution when dealing with them."
"Roger that." Anatoly replied.
Vasily and the two pilots immediately go their seperate ways, with Vasily heading back to the base while Anatoly and Valeriya head towards nearby An-124 Ruslan transport planes, with their Su-37s being loaded into them.