School Idols of the Lighthouse War
Scene 8
Transfer Orders
In the days after the battle against the AI-controlled aircraft, the Spare Squadron members are about to prepare to move to their next base.
Avril told this in her memories:
Suddenly, we were being treated like a regular unit.
We've been ordered to pack everything up and move the base further inland.
We even got a transport plane.
The funny thing is, no one here remembers I've got a bum leg and, oh... that I'm not a soldier.
Take a look at the map. There's an island on the other side of Usea our marines landed on.
The space elevator's not too far from here. They tell us the airfield's being used as a base to support the elevator.
The Spare members are going to Tyler Island, close to the space elevator.
Not sure if I trust that intel. Anyway, the transport plane's gonna drop us there.
...Without any fighters to cover us.
Some genius thought we could commandeer the enemy's jets they left in the hangars... and use those to fight.
"Y'all aren't real soldiers," they said.
"Any other day, we'd be using you lowlifes to go out and dig up landmines."
"And prisoners don't get guns. You'll just have to make do with whatever we give you, and like it."
Avril decided to talk with the commander of this base, but she sees everything has packed up.
A phone!
They don't let us prisoners near 'em. But with all the hustle and bustle of moving the base, the forgot to lock this one up.
Looks like an antique.
I lost my right for a phone call ever since I was arrested and locked up.
It's trippy to think that I can just hook it up, dial a number, and talk to someone from my own country.
Planning escapes ain't all I'm good at. I'm plenty good at remembering phone numbers too.
At McKinsey's office...
A little while later, I headed over to HQ...
McKinsey is prepping to leave, while Avril visits his office.
Avril: You must know.
McKinsey: We did get a call direct from Command.
While saying that, he threw a dossier away in the box.
McKinsey: That pipe. What exactly are you doing with it?
Avril: My grandfather had a lot of friends in the Air Force from his time as a lieutenant general. My point? Well, you're going to set out in your own special aircraft, then you'll send everybody else off in the wrong direction while you head somewhere else.
McKinsey scoffs for this and said:
Alright. Fine.
But just you and you alone. You're the only one allowed on board.
Besides, there's only one seat left.
And he threw more dossiers in the box.
Avril: I said, "cool." That's exactly what I wanted to hear.
And I hope that Osean pilot and her Satsuman allies will know this, I heard she has been moved to the Satsuman mainland.
End of Scene 8.