School Idols of the Lighthouse War
Scene 11
The Complete Blackout
With all the Osean and Erusean military and civillian communication satellites on space destroyed, chaos is beginning to come. As told in the memoirs of Dr. Alfred Schroeder.
Dr. Schroeder: As far as the chaos we find ourselves in these days, it's difficult to say which side pulled the trigger first.
Erusea deployed an automatic intercept system with drones.
Osea however, implemented long-range attacks to bypass them. So, Erusea decided to sabotage only Osea's communications and navigation technology.
Not the Satsuman technology and satellite communications, though. The Eruseans ignored them.
Erusea couldn't launch a satellite themselves, but they were still able to hack the software of the Osean transmission and navigation systems. Before Osea even noticed, half of their satellites were hijacked. That's when things get ugly.
In an attempt to knock out each other's capabilities, both forces launched fighters loaded with anti-satellite missiles at the same time.
Only military satellites were targeted, however... their destruction created a debris field in orbit, which wiped out scores of other satellites... both private and government-owned, except the Satsuman ones. They stayed away from harm.
What kept the world relatively sane up to that point, had be free-flowing data and information. But now, those were gone.
As revealed in Dr. Schroeder's laptop, the satellite network is offline.
While Dr. Schroeder watched the debris fall from the skies in the hangar.
Dr. Schroeder: All that remained was chaos and confusion.
Government and civillian broadcasts and transmissions were cut off. The flow of information had ceased. Forces on both sides of the conflict (except Satsuma) now found themselves unable to communicate with their superiors.
As revealed on the map that the attacks and destruction of the satellites.
Dr. Schroeder: Many of the smaller countries, annexed by Erusea and yearning for their independence, seized the opportunity and started their own uprisings.
As for why some of Osea's military decided to break off from the main force and continue on their own... I have no idea.
Perhaps there was some sort of dispute over the chain of command.
The continent that had once seen wars that were only fought between Osea and Erusea, was now full of numerous conflicts between rival leaders vying over power.
Insurgencies were everywhere. I even heard a rumor that a group of Osean convicts have rebelled.
Rumors...
It never ceased to amaze me, that even at a crazy time like this, something as trivial as a rumor could find its way here.
Dr. Schroeder packed up everything, included the new data.
Communications from corporate were cut off.
Apparently, the entire computer network was down.
It was a wise decision to make our drones autonomous with A.I., instead of being radio-controlled. Wise and forward-thinking.
Even with their GPS offline, they can still use their sensors to navigate as long as they're working properly.
I'm sure the drones are still working perfectly... following their mission orders to the letter.
I wish I could upload Mihaly's new data to them. But without a connection, I can't upload the software to the active drones. The new ones we're making though, though... there should still be enough time to upgrade those before they're activated.
Dr. Schroeder is finally done packing and headed for the transport.
I'll be taking the data I've acquired away from the frontlines now.
Oh, and... I'll be taking the girls too.
I told my assistant, Martha, it was time to get Mihaly's granddaughters ready to leave here.
She's not much older than the girls. But she has a way about her and I'm sure she won't have any trouble with them.
Dr. Schroeder watches the sky one last time...
Dr. Schroeder: I saw a plane flying off the distance. I imagine it was looking for a safer place.
The plane had a rose emblem on it.
What Dr. Schroeder may have seen, it might be a transport plane, carrying Princess Rosa Cosette, the Princess of Erusea, during the blackout, she and an team of Erusean Royal guards evacuated from the capital and fled southward.
End of Scene 11.