Chp. 46: The Witching Hour
December 10, 2049
RAF Norton Shoal, Kharmata
The main base at Kenton was in the midst of recovering many aircraft, so Sharky and Santosh had been directed to one of two auxiliary fields. They'd been cleared straight in, so Sharky decided to take one runway while Santosh took the other. A small army of emergency vehicles raced alongside the runways as the two jets crossed over the ILS system. Sharky had to keep his eyes on his approach, and even then he basically dropped his F-72 onto the runway. He throttled back and growled angrily, as if commanding the Sabertooth to stop. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash, and once his plane had slowed enough he gave in to the temptation to look towards Santosh's plane.
The other F-72 was on fire and skidding across the other runway. A firetruck hurried alongside it and began smothering it with foam. The F-72's front gear collapsed, which finally brought the plane to a halt. A very violent one, as the bottom of its nose flattened against the hard ground. The remaining wheel caused the F-72 to snap to the right, where it rolled. The fire vehicle was forced to pull away for a second, and the only thing that saved Santosh and A-Jo from being crushed was the tailfins. They broke in half as the F-72 came to a resting place on its belly, just off the runway. Sharky swung onto the first taxiway available and stopped before he shut down the engines.
"Come on, they might need help." He announced without thinking.
"Sharky, what the hell are you…"
Shamu was cut off by Sharky lifting the canopy. Shamu started undoing his straps, but Sharky was maneuvering his way over the side of the cockpit before he could get free. He started to follow, then stopped and activated the boarding steps for his part of the cockpit. A pair of ambulances rolled up to their jet, but Sharky was already bounding across the grass towards his wingman. Shamu got down in time to come face-to-face with a pair of bewildered medics.
"What's gotten into your mate?" One asked.
Shamu started to answer, then stopped as he felt himself moving. He pulled off his helmet and took a deep breath to get himself stabilized.
"I don't know…I'm good, I think." He finally replied.
"Greene, go talk to his mate if Harvey's crew hasn't already caught him. Sir, just for safety's sake I'd like you to sit down so I can give you a once-over. Just standard procedure."
"I understand."
Not even Sarathi Sarkar had known what'd gotten into Sarathi Sarkar. He tripped a few feet short of the crash's perimeter. Another pair of medics rushed over to him as he struggled to his feet.
"You alright, sir?" One asked as he helped him up.
"Get them out of there!" Sharky replied, lifting his free hand towards the jet.
"Need you to sit down so we can look you over, sir." The other instructed.
"I'm good, I'm good! What about them? I can help!"
"Mates are working on it, now please sir, sit down!"
Sharky had been stopped long enough that his drive broke. The medic manhandling him was also as tall and ripped as Mark was, which allowed him to get Sharky on his rear almost instantly. He stared at the wreck as the medics moved in to retrieve the crew, and both appeared to be limp. Sharky just stared as they were loaded into the waiting ambulances; he didn't even hear them saying that one was still breathing. He felt a sudden kick in his stomach and forced his way up. The medics barely had time to grab him before he began to cough and bend forward. They held him steady until he was done, at which point he returned to the ground and felt a fresh sheen of sweat spreading all over him. Even after many years of contracting, he'd never seen carnage up close like this. Not when it was someone he'd formed a bond with…
President McBride was returning to Brighthill from a meeting with the Department of Commerce when the phone rang. She picked up the device and saw it was coming from Admiral O'Neil.
"What can I do for you, Admiral?" She asked as she put it to her ear.
"Madame President, I wanted to hand-deliver the news, but unfortunately I need to remain at my post. Are you in a position to receive a digital copy of what I've got?" O'Neil replied, sounding a little like he was trying to curb his excitement.
"About what?"
"Battle Damage Assessment photos, ma'am. Half an hour ago, I received confirmation that the carriers Farbanti and Varuna were sunk. Their escorts took a pounding, too."
"Send them. Is your public affairs department readying a press release?"
"Yes, Madame President."
"Good…what next, Admiral?"
"Quite simply, we keep on the pressure. If my opposite number is smart, he'll be doubling his efforts to find our carriers and even the score. Carrier warfare is a lot like boxing, in the most basic sense. Duck the other guy's punches and wear him down until you can set up the haymaker."
"And our counteroffensive to relieve Kinglane?"
"Slowed but hasn't stalled. The amount of resources we've pulled away to gain supremacy at sea is the main factor. Sotoans have managed to enter the suburbs of the city, but they haven't gone much farther."
"How soon could we return to concentrating assets there?"
"It's a matter of how well our next attacks against the remaining Erusean and Sotoan fleets go…I would like to once again propose that we consider targeting Erusean recon satellites committed to the region. Since we last discussed it, they've committed an ELINT platform to the mix."
"Admiral, that could be seen as a serious escalation. Wouldn't they do the same to us?"
"They lack a serious anti-satellite capability. I'm only putting forward the targeting of three satellites. If not by missiles, then potentially by adjusting the orbit of one of our older satellites to collide with one of them."
"What about Sotoan satellites?"
"They're out of the picture for the most part after we've destroyed their control stations on the ground."
"...I'll let you know before the day is over."
"Yes, Madame President. The photos should be on their way now."
McBride switched to speaker mode and accepted a secure message with a series of photographs attached to it. As promised, they showed images of the two capital ships ablaze and slowly being claimed by the seas around them.
"Received…thank you, Admiral."
"You're welcome, Madame President."
She hung up shortly after and dialed a new number, this time for the State Department. The Osean military and its allies had dealt the Erusean and Sotoan navies a heavy blow. Now, she was hoping to pile on by breaking Nikula's pride. Her own haymaker…
The seats in the ready room were becoming more and more comfortable, if only because it was the best choice to get the most sleep. Sleep wasn't something that Annie felt she needed at the moment, though. She "needed" to catch Gyrados so she could wipe the Hoenn Elite Four. She'd spent the last hour save scumming, sometimes out of frustration and sometimes because she had better ideas. She glanced towards her boyfriend as he was dead to the world a few seats over. She'd noticed that his face had gotten a bit pink as he shifted. It caused her to smirk a bit; she would've been happy to give him a peck on the cheek if they were alone. She was certain that she heard her name escape his lips as he shifted.
She paused the game and decided that he should encourage him to go to his stateroom. He was down here so he wouldn't have to come all the way down when his shift sitting on alert came. She leaned over as far as she could and gave him a light shake.
"Bronco. Bronco, wake up." She said.
As he grumbled and started to stir, a high-pitched whistle filled the room. Jed bolted awake as the two heard a familiar call follow.
"General Quarters! General Quarters! All hands, man your battle stations!" A female voice roared.
The ensuing alarm had the two aviators bolting from their seats, with Jed going so far as to vault over the chairs until he was in the center aisle. Despite the fact that he was in nothing more than his flight suit, he'd taken the liberty of making sure his full kit was ready to be donned. Yuki, Annie's wingman for her shift, was waiting in the gear room.
"Bronco, you'll stick with me and Tsun-Tsun for now. Whenever Glue joins us, you stick with him." She instructed.
"Gotcha, Curry." Jed said over his shoulder as he retrieved his helmet.
Yuki bolted ahead, with Jed still securing some of his equipment as he entered the passage to the flight deck stairs. Annie moved with him, mostly so she could ask him something.
"I saw you blushing. What were you dreaming about?~" She whispered smugly.
"...Y'all doin jumping jacks in a wet t-shirt." He replied with a straight face.
She punched him in the arm for that. He started to insist that it was the case, but by then they were going up the stairs. They slowed only because a tanker-configured Wraith was being launched from the waist cats. Annie looked at Jed one final time and said something, though it was drowned out by the sounds. Jed just nodded and hurried towards his F-24 across the way. He made sure his helmet was on tight and hustled around his aircraft. Wolfe belted out the usual wishes of good hunting as the aviator ascended to his seat. Jed promised to bring his plane back in one piece. A mix of excitement and something he couldn't explain were mixed into his adrenaline. Something like fulfillment; the sub hunt earlier in the week had been a warmup for this. The kind of thing that his Dad and "Uncle" Eric had explained at length. Whatever the Eruseans or the Sotoans had out there, he was ready. He keyed up his radio, where information from the Pelican high above was being relayed.
"All aircraft on this freq be advised, Sockeye has received information that a large force of hostile aircraft is crossing the coast, heading our way. All Skull, Archer, Owl and Riffer aircraft are to scramble immediately. Repeat, all Fitron and Strike Fitron aircraft are to scramble immediately. Check in with Sockeye once airborne to receive tasking."…
Once again, Luukas found himself high above the waves with a flight of Habroks. The flying wings maintained a perfect formation as the CFAs passed through the wispy clouds. He looked up at the moon, bathed in the greenish glow of his night vision. For a second, he felt like he'd gone back to the first night of the war. When the radio came to life, he half expected to be warned of SAM batteries.
"Talos this is Sirena, we've detected enemy aircraft turning towards you. Four aircraft at Heading 220, Distance 300 Kilometers, Altitude is 7300."
"Understood, Sirena. Talos 2, Talos 1 will intercept from afar. Talos 2, close at low altitude and trap them. Talos 3 will follow once we're certain of enemy strength." Colonel Mistros instructed.
"Talos 2 copies all. Talos 2-03 and 2-04, break now." Luukas replied.
Faye and Riku acknowledged and broke away while Luukas and Krill nosed down towards the water. They went into afterburner for a brief second before nosing up and dropping their external tanks, at which point their AWACS noted a third pair of bandits moving in their general direction. The carrier, OFS Icarus, was scrambling everything it had against the mass raid. Luukas ran over the tactics they'd use one more time as he switched on his IRST. Just like the Prince of Newfield, Luukas, he thought to himself, just like that. He kept his nose pointed directly at the nearest contact as the Oseans spread out to cover more ground. It was only a matter of time before they picked him up from his external stores. Two of the bandits, F-35s, went to lower altitude. He rested his finger near the weapons selection switch but stuck with the data being relayed from the E-787.
It was only a minute or two before the F-24s detected him, but he'd already covered a lot of ground. Even then, it was the F-35s that seemed to be more actively interested in him. He selected his AP-13s but kept his radar off; the Colonel's flight would be responsible for the first salvo. The F-35s distracted him as they started locking on to him and Krill. The two Nosferatus broke into one-another and launched chaff all over that patch of sky. Luukas nosed up to get room and violently reversed. He pushed into afterburner again and hooked towards the F-35s as they loosened up their formation. The Colonel made his first "Arrow" call a few seconds later, followed by the rest of his flight.
"All Talos 1 aircraft, close with enemy aircraft and shoot them down. Talos 2, what's your status?" He called.
"Talos 2 is engaged with multiple enemy aircraft at low level. Will keep them from boxing you in." Luukas replied.
"All Talos aircraft, Sirena has picked up additional contacts entering your sector. They appear to be coming from the direction of the Osean carrier. Heading 290, 300 Kilometers, Altitudes 6500 and 7200." The E-787 reported.
"Copy that, Sirena. Rvena, I advise you split into flights and move to alternate approaches with Loki 1. Talos 3, split and follow each flight. Krotos 1 and 2, can you move to assist once you've completed your primary mission?"
That seemed to remind Luukas of the Osean warships beyond the horizon as he turned to get the F-35s in his forward quarter. Vieno's words became background noise again as he entered maximum range for his weapons. His speed had allowed him to move to the edge of their radar coverage and stay out of it for a while. Krill moved wide from the other side and forced them to split. The F-24s seemed to be fixated on the bombers; two of them turned towards him and his wingman, but they didn't seem to be interested in locking them up. Not like their smaller friends. Luukas replied with a pair of AP-13s the second he had a solid enough lock.
"Talos 2-01 Arrow, Arrow." He declared.
The F-35s broke to evade and deployed chaff. Luukas nosed up and went high while Krill went low to try and sandwich the Osean jets. Two F-24s moving in from behind now had a reason to pay more attention to the Erusean fighters.
"Faye, Pine, are you in position to engage two F-24s behind me and Krill?" Luukas asked.
"We're on 'em, Lynx." Faye assured.
The AI alerted Luukas that the Hellcats were launching long-range AIM-152s, though none were meant for the fighters. Luukas rolled over and dove towards the F-35s again as they jumped about the sky, trying to avoid the Erusean missiles. He saw a flash at the very edge of his vision.
"Krill,what's your status?" He asked.
"Unengaged, Lynx; second bandit is turning towards you. First one is going down." His wingman replied.
Luukas had plenty more to give them; he started locking on for a second shot. The remaining F-35 ducked one of his shots and turned towards him to do the same. It came in fast and unpredictable and lobbed an AMRAAM at the CFA-44 the same time he'd launched a third AP-13. He slowed and broke to defend against the AMRAAM, but was mindful of the closing F-24. Even with two CFAs behind it, the pilot seemed content to fight everyone around him. Luukas likened it to a crocodile trying to fend off a bloat of hippos.
"Talos 2-03, Arrow." Faye reported.
Luukas ducked to the left and dove a few thousand feet as the AMRAAM was getting closer. The F-24's wingman came in from the west with the same intention, which drew Riku away from the first one. Luukas stayed focused on the AMRAAM closing on him; it was still accelerating and had plenty of distance to go. He weaved left and right, trailing chaff before each turn, and nosed up towards the closest Hellcat. The Osean rolled over and put his nose on the Erusean. Luukas broke away, then snapped back towards the enemy jet to trip up his radar. The Osean didn't seem interested, so Luukas went above him and moved to the left. Into the Osean's blind spot. He looked over his shoulder as he moved the throttles up, but still couldn't see the AMRAAM. On the other hand, the F-24 was now in visual range and getting closer. Thinking fast, he moved towards the F-24 and kept up his speed. The F-24 pilot spotted him and broke into the attack, causing Faye to overshoot. Luukas dumped one more can of chaff and banked to follow the F-24. He looked back again and saw the AMRAAMcoming for him. He baited it, then broke into the missile as hard as he could and dumped speed when it was almost on top of him. The missile exploded below, but all he felt was the shockwave.
Luukas took the chance to avoid the F-24 putting him back on the defensive. He kept ascending while Faye forced the F-24 to stay below the two of them. The F-35 had followed its missile to the fight, where it was ready with a second AMRAAM. Luukas switched to his AP-11s and stayed close to the F-24, hoping it would keep the F-35 at bay. He was so close that, even through the green haze of his night vision, he could make out what looked like a bow and arrow on the enemy jet's tail.
"Watch out, Lynx, you're getting too close to that Hellcat." Faye warned.
"That's the point, Faye, so don't shoot me." He replied distractedly.
Luukas stayed with the F-24 the best he could, until the F-35 nosed up to try and get a better angle on him. Luukas took the chance to slow behind the F-24, then nose up towards the F-35. Faye immediately jumped on the chance to get a shot at the former.
"Talos 2-03, Dagger!" He half-growled.
Luukas, in the meantime, went nose-to-nose with the Lightning and launched his own AP-11 at the strike fighter.
"Talos 2-01, Dagger." He replied, drawing breath for a violent maneuver.
The F-35 replied with a Sidewinder and rolled to his left. Luukas deployed flares and craned his neck to keep the Osean from ducking out of his sight. The AP-11 missed the jet by a wide margin, while its Sidewinder managed to stay with him for now. Luukas kept going to the right, then reversed to reengage the F-35. Over the span of a few seconds, his windscreen was filled with the sight of two explosions. The first came from the F-24 as Faye blew off part of its tail section. The second was Faye's aircraft as the F-35 dumped its speed to get a good angle for its second Sidewinder. Luukas's comrade had never seen the missile coming as it exploded against the belly of his plane.
"Talos 2-03 has been hit. Faye, can you hear me?" He radioed, eyes still locked onto the F-35.
"Talos 2-01, can anyone rea-"
The rest of the CFA broke apart as a secondary explosion brewed up. Luukas switched to his cannon as the F-35 was close, but he just couldn't get an angle for any kind of shot. The delta-winged Lighting sank below and relit its afterburners.
"Krill, Pine, what's your position?" He requested.
"Moving to assist at this time. Where's that other Lightning?" Krill replied.
"Somewhere below me. I'm trying to reacquire at this time."
Luukas rolled over and went into a dive, but the F-35 seemed to have vanished from sight. Luukas looked around for the offending aircraft, and had his remaining aircraft sweep low and fast.
"Sirena be advised, we just lost one of the bandits near us. Do you have anything on your scope?" He radioed.
"Intermittent contact at low level, heading towards Krotos 1…Krotos 1 be advised you've got a single bandit heading your way." The AWACS replied.
"Copy, Krotos 1-01 and 1-02 are on it." One of the Strike Wyverns replied.
Luukas was getting ready to rally the troops and move to help when a more urgent call came over the radio.
"Talos 1 and 2 this is Talos 3-03, we've got new bandits closing in on our position. Requesting support! Have lost two of Rvena 1's aircraft." Major Tauno Vieno called. He seemed to be spitting every piece of info that came to mind.
"Talos 1 is heavily engaged and down two aircraft…Talos 2, can you assist Talos 3?" Mistros replied, working to calm the new pilot.
"Copy, break, Talos 3, how many bandits?" Luukas assured.
"Unknown, at least four."
Luukas circled one more time to give the F-35 a chance to take another shot at him, but it seemed the Osean had gone elsewhere. Probably to concentrate on defending its home ship. Luukas banked towards Talso 3 and the bombers' last reported position and took stock of his situation. He had plenty of fuel, three AP-13s and three AP-11s remaining. Riku fell in parallel to him while Krill moved back to keep their six covered. The Habroks were splitting, filling the sky with dozens of countermeasures at a time as they tried to avoid the marauding Oseans. Two of the F-24s broke off as they closed in on the fight and turned their attention to the Nosferatus. Luukas selected his AP-13s for both and commanded Riku to do the same; he wasn't interested in another dogfight.