+++May 6,1991
++0700 hours
++Territory of the Unified Front of China
++66.86 kilometres East of Ertun Village Supply Outpost
The storm had dragged them west, its fury pushing A-Flight to the edges of Sijia Village, dangerously close to the Shiren Reservoir. The raging waters had finally begun to subside, but not before leaving behind a trail of destruction that stretched for miles. Already ruined fields were drowned under murky floodwaters, roads had turned to rivers of mud, and entire structures lay flattened under the weight of the torrent.
The Unified Front outpost near the reservoir wasn't faring much better. The TSFs that got there first were grounded, struggling to maintain basic operations amidst the flood. When A-Flight stumbled into their vicinity, they were greeted with a mix of surprise and desperation.
Takeru wasted no time.
"Horn-1 to Unified Front Command, we need immediate access to propellant reserves, over"
There was a brief pause before a static-filled voice responded, barely audible over the lingering winds.
"Understood, Horn-1. You're the only TSFs we've seen in hours. You're cleared to refuel."
Takeru guided his F-15J Kagerou to the designated area, feeling the familiar hiss and click of the auxiliary arm connecting the fuel lines. The hum of the jump units stabilizing brought a strange sense of calm, though it was fleeting. The storm wasn't over, but for the first time in hours, there was a sliver of sunlight breaking through the dark clouds.
Sakai Jun exhaled loudly over the comms, the fatigue clear in his voice.
"Horn-2 to Captain… I think I got old from this mess."
Takeru allowed himself a small, humorless smile. They were all exhausted — the storm had been relentless, and the constant threat of BETA incursion weighed heavily on everyone.
"Check on the rest of A-Flight, Sakai," Takeru ordered, his tone as steady as ever.
As Sakai moved to inspect the squad, Takeru opened a secure line to the IRG operator, Shimizu Aiko.
"Horn-1 to Command Post. Get me a status check on B-Flight. I need to know where they are."
Shimizu's voice came through with a crisp efficiency that Takeru had come to appreciate.
"Roger that, Horn-1. Stand by."
While waiting, Takeru switched to the A-Flight channel.
"Sound off."
Sakai Jun, always quick on the trigger, responded first.
"Horn-2, operational. Systems stable."
Next was Matsuda, calm and precise as ever.
"Horn-3, good to go. No structural damage."
Yamamoto, still wrestling with his earlier malfunction, chimed in with a bit of strain in his voice.
"Horn-4… right jump unit is still fried, but I'm mobile."
Suzuki followed, his tone clipped but steady.
"Horn-5, fully operational. No issues."
Finally, Kobayashi added his voice, a hint of relief in his words.
"Horn-6, all green here. Ready to move, Captain."
Takeru took a moment to process the information. A-Flight was battered, but they were intact. It was more than he could have hoped for after the night they'd endured.
Just as he was about to switch channels, Shimizu Aiko's voice crackled through his comms.
"Horn-1, B-Flight is responding. Transferring them to your channel now."
Takeru adjusted his retinal display as the familiar voices of B-Flight filtered in.
First was Takeda, B-Flight's leader, his voice gruff but strong.
"Horn-7 here. We're holding positions. Maintenance trailer is intact."
Okabe, always the reliable second, followed immediately.
"Horn-8, no casualties. Systems are stable."
Then came Fujimoto, his tone lighter, almost joking.
"Horn-9 reporting in. Trailer's been a pain, but we're good."
Nakamura was next, sounding more serious.
"Horn-10. No major issues, but the storm's been hell."
Inoue, calm and collected as always, chimed in.
"Horn-11. All clear on my end."
Finally, Tanaka closed out the roll call.
"Horn-12, fully operational. Ready to move when you are, Captain."
Takeru felt a weight lift from his chest. They were all alive. Battered, maybe, but alive.
Takeru toggled his datalink to join all channel, addressing both flights simultaneously.
"We're regrouping at Changfeng Village. 11.21 kilometers southwest from here. A-Flight will proceed immediately. B-Flight, secure the maintenance trailer and follow once the weather stabilizes."
The confirmations came in rapid succession, a chorus of voices that reassured Takeru more than he cared to admit.
As they prepared to move out, the first rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a weak but welcome light over the flooded landscape. The rain had finally slowed to a drizzle, the wind settling into a steady breeze.
Takeru adjusted his controls, feeling the subtle shift in his TSF's balance as it lifted off the ground.
They weren't out of danger yet with the BETA incursion in Siping still in play.
The sunlight was weak as they flew, struggling to pierce through the lingering gray clouds as A-Flight made its way to the designated rendezvous point in Changfeng Village. The muddy roads and half-flooded fields reflected the aftermath of the storm, and in the distance, the dull roar of engines echoed through the hills as B-Flight approached, their maintenance trailer lumbering behind them.
As the two flights of Horn Company converged, the relief in the air was palpable.
But there was little time to savor the reunion.
The mechanics were already there, looking like they'd been caught in the middle of the storm's wrath themselves. Kazuma Jin, the lead mechanic, stomped out from behind the maintenance trailer with his crew;, Overalls soaked and stained with oil and grime. His face was a mix of exhaustion and irritation.
"2nd Lieutenant Yamamoto!" Kazuma bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "Get that machine over here, now! You're lucky that the jump unit didn't blow you to bits!"
Yamamoto Kenta winced but didn't argue. His F-15J Kagerou, limping on its damaged right jump unit, trudged toward the trailer. The mechanics swarmed the machine like bees to a hive, barking orders and slapping panels open with practiced urgency.
Takeru stepped out of his cockpit and went down using the boarding line, his boots splashing into the mud as he surveyed the scene. The rest of Horn Company was already moving into position for systems diagnostics and ammo resupply.
The air smelled of wet earth, fuel, and metal.
Then a communication window appeared on his retinal display.
"Horn-1 to Horn-0," Takeru answered, activating his retinal display slaved to his TSF. The retinal display flickered to life, and Shimizu Aiko's face appeared, framed by the dim lights of the IRG command post in Harbin.
Her voice was crisp, cutting through the ambient noise with military precision. "Horn-0 here. Debriefing on the Siping situation incoming. Stand by."
As she spoke, data feeds began streaming across everyone's retinal displays. Satellite imagery and recon drone footage painted a grim picture — Siping City was in chaos, much of it submerged under murky floodwaters. The worst part wasn't the flooding, though. It was the BETA.
Aiko's voice remained steady as the footage shifted to infrared scans. Red-hot blips clustered across the map, marking the presence of BETA units.
"Current estimates put the BETA force at over 6,000 units," she stated, her tone clinical. "Multiple BETA classes confirmed, including Fort-class."
The image zoomed in on a section of the city where the monstrous silhouette of a Fort-class loomed over the ruined buildings. The sheer size of it sending a chill down the spines of even the most seasoned pilots.
Sakai Jun let out a low whistle over the comms. "Hell of a welcoming party."
"The Unified Front of China has requested Horn Company's support," Aiko continued, unfazed by the growing tension in her listeners' voices.
She brought up a tactical map detailing the assault plan.
"We'll be entering from the northwest, through the Tiexi District," Aiko explained. "The Unified Front will advance through Laoping Village to the south, while UN and COSEAN forces will push in between Rulai and Tashan Cemetery."
Colored markers flashed on their displays, each representing different factions:
Unified Front of China: 21st Armored Tactical Division, callsign Red Dragon
UN Forces: 5th Multinational Tactical Response Unit, callsign Blue Shield
COSEAN Forces: 12th Combined Surface Battalion, callsign Tiger Claw
"Operation will commence at 1400 hours. All forces are expected to coordinate and neutralize the BETA incursion."
The map pulsed with red markers as Aiko finished the briefing.
There was no sugar-coating the situation—it was going to be a bloodbath.
Takeru closed the channel, the comms window flickering out. He turned toward the rest of Horn Company, his face set in a mask of calm determination.
"You heard Shimizu. We've got less than two hours. Check your systems, reload, and refuel. We're moving out as soon as Yamamoto's unit is operational."
The team moved with silent efficiency. The mechanics worked feverishly to replace Yamamoto's jump unit, their tools clanging against the TSF's frame as they fought the clock. Kazuma Jin threw Takeru a glare as he passed.
"The BETA really know how to pick the worst weather for a fight, Captain."
Takeru offered a faint smirk. "It's not like the BETA wait for sunny days. Sorry about calling you here, Kazuma."
"It's fine. We'll bring dishonor if the Kagerou units aren't up to speed anyway."
As the final checks were completed, Takeru opened a new comms line to establish contact with the allied forces.
"Horn-1 to Red Dragon, Blue Shield, and Tiger Claw. This is Captain Shirogane Takeru of Horn Company. We're en route to Tiexi District. Confirming coordination protocols."
There was a brief silence before the responses filtered in.
A gruff voice, heavy with a Beijing accent, came from Red Dragon.
"Red Dragon here. We'll see if the IRG can keep up. Don't slow us down, Imperialist."
Takeru ignored the bait.
Next came the UN officer, speaking in clipped, precise English.
"Blue Shield, Captain. We've got eyes on your entry point. Let's keep this clean, Samurai."
Finally, a Korean-accented voice from Tiger Claw chimed in, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
"Try not to hog all the kills, Horn Company."
Takeru responded evenly, his tone devoid of emotion. "We'll see who's left standing. Horn-1 out."
With the comms silent once more, Takeru climbed back into his cockpit. The familiar hum of the Kagerou's systems booting up filled his ears, grounding him for the battle ahead.
He glanced at the HUD through his retinal display — all systems green.
"Horn Company, form up. We move in five."
As the TSFs roared to life, the mechanics stepped back, giving the pilots a thumbs-up despite their exhaustion. Takeru gave a nod of acknowledgment before switching back to the squad channel.
"This isn't just another sweep. We've got thousands of BETA waiting for us, and they're not going to roll over because we just got over a storm. But we've handled a storm so the BETA ain't going to be a problem. Stay sharp, watch your formation, and remember as always — we're not just here to fight. We're here to show them who the IRG really is."
"YES SIR!"
The squad responded in unison, their voices steady and resolute.
"Horn Company, ready for deployment!"
With that, the twelve muddy F-15J Kagerous of Horn Company lifted into the air, silhouettes slicing through the clearing skies as they soared toward Siping City.
++1405 hours
++Siping City, Tiexi District.
The moment Horn Company arrived on the outskirts of Siping, the operation had already kicked off, and the city was a living hell. Shells thundered in the distance, punctuated by the guttural roars of BETA. The sky above was thick with smoke and the flicker of distant fires, casting an eerie, apocalyptic glow over the muddy and flooded ruins of the city.
Takeru's retinal display flickered with data streams and comm chatter as the squad surged forward, their F-15J Kagerous weaving through the skeletal remains of buildings and debris-strewn streets.
"Horn-1 to all units," Takeru's voice was calm but firm over the comms. "We're starting our sweep. A-Flight, B-Flight, split off and widen the kill zone. Keep your formations tight. Don't lose cover and keep the BETA off your face."
The city was a labyrinth of shattered buildings, flooded streets, and mud-choked alleys. Grappler-Class BETA emerged from the shadows, their grotesque crabby limbs smashing through walls and clawing at anything that moved. Swarms of Tank-Class followed behind them, their red forms churning the mud and rubble as they advanced.
A-Flight and B-Flight wasted no time.
"Open fire!" Takeru ordered.
The air erupted in a symphony of violence. 120mm shells roared from their assault cannons, punching through the Tank-Class with explosive precision. 36mm rounds stitched through the Grappler-Class, severing limbs and tearing through alien flesh.
Buildings crumbled under the onslaught, their skeletal remains providing both cover and ambush points as the squad moved through the urban battlefield.
The comms crackled as Sakai Jun's voice cut through the chaos.
"Horn-2 to Horn-1, Destroyer-Class incoming from the east!"
Takeru's eyes flicked to his retinal display, marking the incoming threat. The massive Destroyer-Class BETA barreled through the flooded streets, their hulking forms tearing through buildings like paper.
"Takeda, Okabe," Takeru barked, switching to the B-Flight channel. "Coordinate with Sakai. We'll neutralize the Destroyers before they close in. No mistakes."
The four pilots surged into position, their Kagerous moving with surgical precision. The Destroyer-Class were tough, but they weren't invincible.
Takeru targeted the nearest one, switching to his Type-74 PB Blades. His Kagerou surged forward, boosters flaring as he closed the distance. The Grappler-Class tried to intercept, but Sakai and Takeda cut them down with a barrage of fire, clearing the path.
With a swift, brutal slash, Takeru's blades sank deep into the Destroyer's exposed carapace, severing vital connections and sending the massive creature crashing to the ground. The others followed suit, falling one by one under the coordinated assault.
But the real nightmare was just beginning.
The comms suddenly exploded with panic.
"This is Tiger Claw 1—Laser-Class signatures detected!" the COSEAN leader's voice was frantic. "We've lost two of our F-4 units! They're hitting us from somewhere—we can't see them!"
The UN forces added to the chaos.
"Blue Shield here—fuck! We're taking heavy losses! Where the hell are those lasers suddenly coming from?!"
Command Post tried to cut through the noise, but the lines were clogged with overlapping chatter, panic bleeding into every voice.
"Who's taking out the Laser-Class?!" someone shouted. "We need cover, damn it!"
Takeru felt his jaw clench. This was going nowhere. They were wasting time arguing while the Laser-Class picked them off one by one.
"Horn-1 to Command Post," Takeru said, his voice like steel over the comms. "Horn Company's A-Flight will perform Laserjagd."
The channel went silent for a heartbeat.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Sakai's voice cut in sharply, disbelief clear. "Takeru, you know what that means! We're not—"
"Lieutenant Sakai don't interrupt when I'm talking!" Takeru cut him off with a sharp tone. "Horn-2, repeat my last order."
There was a tense pause. Then, through gritted teeth, Sakai complied.
"Horn-2 to A-Flight… Laserjagd. Follow Horn-1's lead."
Takeru switched channels to B-Flight.
"Takeda, hold this area. Keep it secured. Don't let anything through. Okabe, watch his back."
Takeda's voice was steady, despite the tension. "Understood, Horn-1. We'll hold. Good luck out there."
Hearing Horn Company's declaration, the allied units scrambled to adjust.
"Horn-1, this is Tiger Claw 1—we'll create a diversion. You've got a clear shot. Don't waste it."
"Blue Shield copies. We'll suppress the Grappler-Class. Get those lasers, Horn-1 or we're going to have hide like chickens in this mud!"
Takeru's lips curled into a thin smile.
"Horn-1 to all units. We won't waste it."
A-Flight surged forward, jump boosters flaring as they weaved through the crumbling ruins of Siping. The rain-slicked streets reflected the fires burning in the distance, and the echoes of battle rattled through the hollow shells of buildings.
Takeru led the charge, his Kagerou's sensors sweeping the area for the telltale signatures of the Laser-Class. Every nerve in his body was on edge, but his mind was clear. This was where he thrived.
"Horn-1 to A-Flight. Keep tight. We'll move fast and hit harder. No room for mistakes."
Sakai let out a breath over the comms, his nerves clear but his voice firm.
"You're crazy, Captain but I'm with you. Let's do this."
The squad moved like a single organism, their machines cutting through the city as they hunted their prey.
The city of Siping was drowning with muddy water churning through the shattered streets, swallowing debris and corpses alike.
The flooded ruins reflected the orange glow of fires burning in the distance, casting flickering shadows that danced like specters among the crumbling buildings. But none of that mattered to Takeru as he and his squad zipped past.
His F-15J Kagerou was a blur of motion, cutting through the chaos with unnatural precision. The machine leapt and flew from building to building, sharp-angled maneuvers pushing the jump units to their limits. Reactor heat warnings blinked red on his retinal display, but Takeru ignored them. He had one goal and nothing, not even the BETA, would stand in his way.
Behind him, A-Flight struggled to keep up.
"Captain, what the fuck are you doing?!" Sakai Jun's voice crackled over the comms, filled with a mix of awe and frustration. His Kagerou managed to mirror Takeru's insane movements, but even he was gritting his teeth, the G-forces pressing him into the back of his seat.
"Stay with me, Horn-2," Takeru replied tonelessly, his eyes glued to the flooded streets ahead.
Kobayashi wasn't as lucky.
"Shit—!" Kobayashi's voice cracked as his TSF skidded against a half-submerged building, the impact sending his machine into a wild spin. For a heart-stopping moment, it looked like he'd crash, but somehow, he managed to bounce off the debris and regain control, falling back into formation.
"Captain's gonna kill us before the BETA do!" Matsuda shouted, his voice strained as he dodged a collapsing wall. "What the hell are these maneuvers coming from!?"
Yamamoto and Suzuki weren't far behind, both cursing under their breath as they tried to match Takeru's breakneck pace. The G-forces were brutal, slamming them back into their cockpits with every sudden turn and boost.
But Takeru didn't slow down.
He couldn't.
The BETA were everywhere.
Grappler-Class creatures lunged from the shadows, their grotesque limbs slashing through the air. Tank-Class monsters crawled through the flooded streets, their red multi-limb forms churning up waves of muddy water.
But Takeru tore through them like they were nothing.
With his Type-74 PB Blades held in reverse grip, he danced among the monsters, his Kagerou moving with a fluid, almost inhuman grace. The recoil from his assault cannons, mounted on his back, became a weapon in itself, each shot propelling him into a new killing strike.
"Captain's fucking insane…" Suzuki muttered, his voice a mix of fear and admiration.
"You're just figuring that out now?" Sakai shot back, his own machine mimicking Takeru's moves as best as he could. "Guess we got lucky when you fuckers tried to really shame him!"
They turned a corner and came face-to-face with a Fort-Class.
The massive creature towered over them, its grotesque form blotting out what little light remained. For a split second, A-Flight hesitated. The Fort-Class was no joke, even for seasoned pilots.
But Takeru didn't blink nor stop..
He charged.
His PB blades flashed in the dim light as he sliced through the Fort-Class's stinger, severing it in a spray of alien ichor. The massive creature roared, but Takeru was already cartwheeling over its hulking body, his jump units flaring to vault into the air.
The others could only watch in stunned silence as Takeru's Kagerou spun mid-air, turning into a circular saw that ripped through the Fort-Class's armored carapace.
But he wasn't done.
As the Fort-Class collapsed, Takeru's machine rotated 270 degrees mid-air, assault cannons roaring to life as he blasted a cluster of Grappler-Class trying to flank them.
Then, as if defying gravity, Takeru pointed his jump unit's booster nozzles upward, slamming his Kagerou back to the ground just in time to avoid a Laser-Class's beam slicing through the air above.
Takeru didn't stop to celebrate.
A Grappler-Class lunged at him from the side, its grotesque limbs clawing for his cockpit. Takeru responded with cold efficiency, stabbing his PB blade deep into its flesh
But even as the creature twitched and collapsed, Takeru was already on the move.
With mechanical precision, he swapped the blade in his right hand with the assault cannon mounted on his back pylon. He fired his assault cannons through the limbless body of the Grappler-Class, using the corpse as a shield as he advanced on the Laser-Class further down the street.
"Captain's a madman!" Matsuda shouted, his voice a mix of fear and awe.
"No kidding!" Yamamoto added, emptying his 120mm shells into a cluster of Grappler-Class trying to flank Takeru.
"This is suicide!" Suzuki cried out, but even as he spoke, his machine surged forward, following Takeru into the maelstrom.
Sakai didn't argue. His face was set, his jaw clenched as he mirrored Takeru's movements, leading the others through the chaos.
When they finally closed the distance, A-Flight emptied their 120mm shells into the first two Laser-Class, the explosions lighting up the flooded streets in a blinding flash.
But Takeru was already moving.
His Kagerou surged forward, boosters flaring as he skewered the last Laser-Class right through its glowing eye, the blade sinking deep into its alien flesh. The creature convulsed violently, then collapsed in a heap, the light in its eye flickering out.
The comms went silent for a heartbeat.
Then, the voices of the allied units filled the air, a mix of shock and relief.
"This is Tiger Claw 1—Horn Company, you crazy Imperialist dogs ain't half bad!" the COSEAN squad leader laughed, his voice tinged with admiration.
"Blue Shield here. I don't know what the hell you fed those guys, but damn — you're fucking monsters!"
Takeru's voice cut through the chatter, cold and toneless.
"Horn-1 to Command Post. Laser-Class neutralized. Continuing sweep."
The others in A-Flight let out ragged breaths, their machines spattered with BETA blood and viscera.
"Captain… you're fucking insane," Sakai muttered, shaking his head inside his cockpit. "Shit, you never was this crazy!"
The voices of the allied units were still buzzing in the comms, but Takeru had already shut them out. Their cheers and banter didn't matter to him. The job wasn't done yet with the BETA still crawling around Siping.
His retinal display lit up with new readings, pockets of BETA still scattered across the northwestern district of Siping. The muddy streets were littered with the smoldering and blasted apart remains of Grappler-Class, Tank-Class, and the charred husks of the Laser-Class they'd just taken out. But Takeru knew better than to relax.
The BETA never gave that luxury.
"Horn-2 to Horn-1," Sakai Jun's voice crackled in the comms, still catching his breath. "What's the plan now, Captain?"
Takeru didn't hesitate and remained decisive.
"We sweep the rest of this sector. No BETA left standing."
"Copy that," Sakai replied, though his tone suggested he was hoping for a break. But A-Flight knew by now, there were no breaks with Shirogane Takeru in command.
And how could they have the face to refuse when their team leader was leading the way?
"Horn-7 to Horn-1," came Takeda's voice from B-Flight. "Area secure on our end. We've got your six if you need backup."
Takeru's eyes flicked over to the datalink readout from Takeda. B-Flight had done their job, holding their ground and keeping the BETA reinforcements from swarming them from behind during their high-speed Laserjagd.
"Good work, Horn-7," Takeru replied. "Maintain position and monitor for any new BETA signatures. We'll finish the sweep here. A-Flight, let's go!"
++1900 Hours
++Siping City, Tiedong District
Buildings reduced to skeletal remains, their steel frames twisted and blackened. The streets, already flooded by the storm from the night, were now clogged with alien corpses, their viscera mixing with the muddy water in a grotesque soup.
But it wasn't just the BETA that littered the streets.
Takeru's eyes lingered on the ruins of what used to be a school. The walls were pockmarked with bullet holes, and the playground was a graveyard of abandoned toys and tiny bodies. Civilians hadn't all managed to escape before the BETA rolled in.
This was why they fought.
This was the price of every delayed evacuation, every hesitant command.
For a moment, Takeru let the weight of it settle on him. The memories from other timelines, of failed missions, of lives lost came flooding back. He'd seen this all before. In different cities, with different names, but always the same destruction and tragedy.
And yet, no matter how many times he lived through it, the ache in his chest never dulled.
"Captain…?" Sakai's voice broke through the static. "You good?"
Takeru snapped out of it, his fingers tightening on the control sticks.
"I'm fine," he said flatly. "Keep moving."
With A-Flight fanned out in a tight formation, they advanced deeper into the district. The remaining BETA were scattered all over the city. Without the threat of the Laser-Class and the Fort-class, they were easy targets for the experienced Surface Pilots of the East Defense Lines.
Matsuda and Suzuki took point, their 120mm cannons barking with each pull of the trigger, sending Tank-Class units splattering against the walls. Yamamoto, with his repaired jump unit, provided overwatch, his machine's sensors scanning for any ambushes.
But it was Kobayashi who spotted the final threat.
"Horn-5 to Horn-1, we've got movement! Northeast quadrant, behind that collapsed structure!"
Takeru's display flickered as he brought up Kobayashi's feed. A small cluster of Grappler-Class was attempting to flank them from a side alley.
"On me," Takeru ordered, his Kagerou pivoting sharply.
With surgical precision, they descended on the remaining BETA. Blades flashed and cannons roared, and within minutes, the streets fell silent once more.
Takeru exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders finally easing as he surveyed the aftermath. Siping was cleared, at least for now.
But victory always came at a cost.
His retinal display flickered with the casualty reports from the Unified Front of China and the UN forces. Despite their coordinated efforts, many hadn't survived. The streets were littered with the wrecks of TSFs, their pilots' lifeless bodies still strapped inside or torn apart by the BETA while in their cockpits..
And it wasn't even a big mission..
This was simply another incursion.
"Horn-1 to all units, mission complete. Prepare to fall back to Changchun for resupply."
The comms crackled with affirmative responses. Sakai let out a long breath.
"You're a damn lunatic, Captain," he muttered, though there was a note of respect in his voice. "But hell… I'd follow you into the gates of hell if it means we make it out alive."
Takeru allowed himself a small, tired smile.
"Let's just hope we don't have to test that theory, Sakai."
As they retraced their path through the ruined city, the sun began to break through the clouds, casting a pale light over the devastation.
When they neared the edge of the city, Takeru's comms lit up with a message from Horn-0, their operator Shimizu Aiko.
"Horn Company, be advised. New orders incoming. Debrief at base."
Takeru sighed.
There was always another thing happening, Takeru thought. I guess this is what happens when you sign up for the Frontlines.
But for now, the battle-scarred TSFs of Horn Company disappeared into the horizon and flew straight to Harbin, resupplying along the way.