School Idols of the Lighthouse War
Chapter 21.2
Last Hope - Battle
Anchorhead Bay
20:59 PM
1 October, 2019.
I, Mari, Kasumi, Mia, Nozomi and Karin have prepped our planes and we took off from the Sakamoto. We also met the rest of the newly formed Strider Squadron and started our mission.
Capt. Karl: To the unidentified Osean craft, This is Captain Karl of the Osean Army. Are you here for the escort?
You're not the squadron I was expecting Are you really friendlies? Over.
Long Caster: This is Long Caster
Airborne Warning and Control System for the the Joint Osean-Satsuma Long Range Strategic Strike Group.
Captain Karl, they're on our side.
Karl: Then those two pilots we've heard about must be here too.
Count: Okay, I hope you're right.
Alexa: Back at Anchorhead again. Here I fought there with You, Honoka and Eli back then, but now...
Count: Long Caster, are all of these really unknowns?!
Karl: It's a state of civil war. The Erusean Army is fighting itself. There's no guarantee the Oseans won't shoot us in this confusion.
Alexa: Even Satsuma.
Transmission.
Long Caster: All Osean aircraft. We'll image process in the unknowns caught on your cams to identify friend or foe. The process'll be faster if you get a close up, well-centered image.
All Satsuman aircrafts and Trigger, all unknowns for you are all identified. I have some additional AWACS contact. An AWACS named Sohei.
Sohei: Long time no see, Trigger, School Idols!
Mari: Sohei! You have to assist Long Caster, huh?
Sohei: Indeed! Miyafuji has pulled some strings to let some Osean forces to join in.
Alexa: Cool! We now get a chance to see Satsuma troops in action!
Nozomi: Then, let's do this!
Alexa destroyed an enemy radar vehicle and 2 tanks.
Count: Meanwhile, we'll just run if they shoot us, right?
Long Caster: Affirmative. Always identify your target before you fire.
Alexa: It won't be worrisome with our planes now.
Kasumi destroys the 2 rocket launcher trucks.
Long Caster: Our mission is escorting General Labarthe of the Erusean Forces.
Make sure his ride to the heliport is uneventful.
Mari: No problem!
While flying on the buildings, Alexa flies around the buildings and sees some Osean troops.
Long Caster: ID'd as Osean forces. This is the AWACS of the LRSSG.
OGU 1: Our info has been updated.
Mia destroyed 3 tanks, 4 rocket launcher trucks and 3 AA vehicles.
Sohei: I'll also give you some updates from the Erusean News.
Sohei's channels turn to the Erusean News.
Erusean Newscaster 1: War is something I'll never get used to, but tonight has been a total shock.
Karin took out 2 rocket launchers.
EN 1: The city under martial law. Gunfire and the roar of jets echoing through the streets.
At several locations… and some idents.
OGU 2: So you were the ones on the radio! We don't know our location! Give us orders!
Long Caster: We have no orders but we do have the ID data. Check your TAC terminal.
OGU 2: Roger that. We'll look for our way home!
Long Caster: Give me Strider Squadron's and the School Idol ID's. Oh, and uh, hand me that sandwich.
Nozomi: Still hungry, aren't you?
Nozomi destroyed 3 enemy fighters, who had no idea what happened.
Long Caster: Entering the Anchorhead Bay area. Buildings will block your line of sight. Make sure to keep track of your objectives.
Karl: The success of General Labarthe's escort mission will determine how the war ends and what the world will look like afterwards.
Jaeger: Understood.
Kasumi: Yokai.
Long Caster: Strider Squadron, identify the unknowns along the route.
Húxiān: Alright.
The unknowns are identified.
Long Caster: It's Erusean.
Húxiān: They aren't responding aggressively.
Karl: General, if they are conservatives, they'll listen to us.
And a second later…
Karl: The negotiations were a success, Long Caster. They've opened up a path for us.
Jaeger: The more, the merrier.
Alexa: That's right.
Alexa decides to do some kulbit maneuvers. The areas are clear for now. So she performs some PSMs.
Karl: We can't see the tops of the roofs from down here. Be on the lookout for enemy ambushes.
Karin: You got it.
Karl: We made it through the Anchorhead Bay area. We're heading along Highway 208 under the bridge. We're taking the coastal highway at the next ramp.
Húxiān: All right.
CGU 1: The use of drones makes war more palatable. Why don't people realize this?
Update Erusean News
EN 1: There's a strict curfew, but people gather at bars and other places to learn what was going on.
And after some quick ID work…
Long Caster: It's ID'd as Erusean.
Mari: Possibly Conservatives, let them go.
Alexa: Understood, Aqours 8.
Kasumi has targeted the enemy gunboats.
Kasumi: Hostile target ship destroyed.
More unknowns are ID'd as Erusean Conservatives and Osean soldiers.
Karl: Wait, the general managed to convince them.
CGU 2: Listen! Those that protect General Labarthe are the real patriots! Onwards!
Nozomi: They are surely eager.
Mia ID'd enemy units and destroyed them.
Mia: Enemy SAM and a tank down.
More unknowns are identified.
Nozomi shot down an enemy Su-34.
Nozomi: Target down!
Karl: There's a vehicle up ahead. Think it's gonna ask us to pay a toll? Get closer and find out if it's an enemy vehicle.
Count: Wilco. Let's go.
Alexa shot down an enemy Su-34.
RF 1: I got hit! Bailing out!
New Update Erusean News
EN 1: We archived all the footage that we've shot for when the communication networks come back online.
More units are identified as an enemy.
Mia: I got this one!
Mia fired her AGMs and destroyed the group.
Karl: There's a vehicle blocking the road. No response to hails. It's the Radicals.
Next update of the Erusean News.
EN 2: Signs of the clean warfare at the beginning of this war are now gone.
Mari identified and shot down 2 enemy fighters.
Mari: Got'em.
Karl: Nice work. That takes care of that one. We're heading for the highway. Thanks to you, we got out of paying that toll.
RF 2: I'll wait before firing. Bail out now!
Some Eruseans are getting confused everywhere.
CF 1: Ilios 1, stop! Check you IFF! It's a friendly!
RF 4: I know what I'm doing!
Many minutes later of uneventful attacks…
RF 3: If we do not realize our ideals, then what point is there in living? It's best that you leave the country.
Alexa flies on the Anchorhead bridge.
OGU 2: What? We're taking fire from our allies?! Is this place under the rebellion too?!
Alexa: Watch your plane, Húxiān!
Húxiān: Getting out of the clouds.
CF 3: Your delusions of fighting with drones is what got us into this mess.
The car is now heading to the next area.
Karl: We're now heading towards Gründer Park. Rendezvous point is the helipad on this man-made island.
We'll ditch the car and take the helicopter from there.
OGU 3: Weapons hold!
And more chatter and some uneventful flying later…
Update Erusean News.
EN 2: There are rumors of a military group calling itself the Free Eruseans…
The enemy units on the highway are identified.
Mia: Enemy forces identified, Nozomi, assist me!
Nozomi: I'm with you, Mia-chan.
Long Caster: An unknown is blocking the road of our scheduled route.
Karl: No response. Got a bad feeling.
Mia and Nozomi destroyed the enemy tanks, APCs and some AA vehicles.
Karl: Thanks. We would've been toast.
Alexa annihilated an SAM and a AA vehicle.
Count: Trigger has destroyed the target.
Long Caster: Captain Karl, we have a new rendezvous point. New coordinates as follows: 263T4. 199DL.
Rescue team says hostiles are making the area too dangerous.
Count: Well, yeah, don't they know nowhere is safe?
Karl: We confirmed the coordinates. It's in the industrial zone. Got it. Let's get over there.
More unknowns are now identified as Erusean Conservatives.
Long Caster: Osean forces at Landfill #7, this the AWACS "Long Caster."
News update of the Erusean News.
EN 1: Our capital's fall has led to another power struggle within the Erusean military…
Alexa and Karin shot down 2 enemy helicopters.
Count: Sad. Even the news is nothing but civil war talk.
Jaeger: News?
Count: Yeah. I'm set to the news. I know what's going on down below.
OGU 5: Even in a time of war, it was a mistake to create something like the penal unit.
Count: So?
Karl: We're about to cross Anchor Bridge. There'll be nowhere to hide.
Húxiān: Roger.
Mia wiped out 2 enemy gunboats.
RF 5: UAVs are acting strange. Their autonomous mode must be bugged!
RF 6: It's not the drones that are faulty. It's this whole Charlie Foxtrot.
More units are identified. This time they are chasing the car.
Karl: An armored vehicle's behind us! It's a vehicle used by the Erusean forces. Take it out.
Count: Trigger, our VIP is in trouble. Clear the way for him.
Alexa: Already on top of it!
Alexa shot down and destroyed the enemy vehicles chasing Karl.
Karl: I didn't think we were gonna make it, but you saved us. Thanks!
Many more are identified.
Mia: Hostile troops! Take them out!
Kasumi: I'm on it, Mia-chan!
Kasumi fires and her missiles wipes out the tank, a SAM unit, and a rocket launcher.
Alexa shot down an enemy bandit.
Mia neutralized an enemy 2 AA vehicles and an APC plus a tank.
RGU 1: General, we still have drones at our disposal. It's too early for peace talks.
Please, watch over the future we build from the high heavens.
CF 3: I'll show you morons what it means to use your head in a fight and not just instincts.
A rocket drops a hit on the enemy AA gun while Karin destroys it, as well as 2 others. One of them is a SAM.
RF 7: Those drones aren't receiving my orders! Can't we switch the UAVs to slave mode?
Karl: We've almost reached the container area. Watch out for enemy ambushes.
Jaeger: Understood.
Nozomi neutralized an enemy AA gun as well as 2 enemy aircraft.
CGU 7: Cease fire with the Osean and Satsuman aircrafts! General's orders!
Alexa identified an enemy ace named Axemen.
Alexa: Another enemy ace! This will be a good knockout hit.
Update Erusean News
EN 1: System failures caused friendly fire incidents among Osean forces.
There are rumors of penal units turning on their former allies.
Alexa's missiles shot down the enemy ace Axeman.
Alexa: Cross another ace off the list.
Nozomi shot down another enemy bandit.
Nozomi: This is how I fight eventually.
Update Erusean News
EN 1: With the main conflict concluded, regional forces in the center, south, and east struggle over stabilization of the nation.
The Erusean government has defined these groups–along with those trying to independently make peace with Osea–as rebels.
Alexa: Identification clear. Those are Oseans.
Long Caster: Noted.
Karl: We're coming up on a tunnel. We'll need to split up until we reach the exit.
Kasumi shot down an enemy bandit.
Kasumi: Grrrr! Shot down a bandit!
Nozomi: Calm down a bit, Kasukasu!
Kasumi: Don't call me that!
And more flying later…
Labarthe: Captain Karl, do you have the means to record this conversation? I wish to explain to you the situation inside Erusea.
Karl: I'm sure the boys listening upstairs will record it.
Labarthe: The open declaration of war, expanding the frontlines--it was all the work of some young Erusean officers.
They were referred as the Radicals, but there was an unseen force guiding them.
Alexa: Who guided them?
Labarthe: It was technology they borrowed from the Belkans.
Nozomi: Belka?
Labarthe: When they actually went to war, the performance of the attack drones exceeded their wildest dreams.
And they were incredible clean. Which got public opinion and the oppotunists within the military on their side. They even manipulated the Princess.
Mari: Manipulated the Princess?
Labarthe: The Belkan technology advanced UAV research within the Erusean flight test center by at least 10 years.
Kasumi: They thought it well.
Labarthe: They used the flight data from the legendary ace pilot to create drone AI but..
To us it's no different than magic or alchemy.
Airplanes are meant to be flown by human beings. To those of you listening in, am I wrong?
Alexa: You are not wrong, General.
Labarthe: There's more to Belkan technology than just UAVs. Faking IFF designations, for one, was an astonishing feat.
They used that to assassinate Harling and place the blame on an enemy pilot.
Yet the question remains. Why?
Alexa sees where this is coming from.
Labarthe: This Belkan technology has thrown the war in total chaos.
Alexa decided to fly into the tunnel.
Count: I can't believe Erusea's responsible for Harling's assasination!
Húxiān: You, talkin' politics? That's new.
Count: Can't ignore a story like that. Right, Trigger?
Alexa: Yeah. I was put to blame and got accused of killing Harling, but I was found not guilty thanks to the evidence the School Idols collected.
Nozomi: Indeed. We also have an Erusean Conservative held up in Satsuma. We'll tell Miyafuji that this Erusean Conservative will be released later.
Some chatter is sporadic.
OGU 8: Destroy aircraft with tally marks on the tail. They're penal unit rebels.
OGU 3: We have no choice! Fire!
As Alexa flies into the tunnel, more unknowns are detected.
Jaeger: Bad news… Hostile armored forces outside of the tunnel. I think that we should go say hi before they ruin the general's day.
Alexa: Jaeger was right. We have more hostiles. Kasumi, Mia, and Karin!
Húxiān: The general's a real celebrity. Seems everyone wants to meet him.
Alexa flies out of the tunnel and destroys 2 tanks.
Karin clears out the remaining tanks.
Long Caster: Enemy APC eliminated!
Karl: We were nearly done for. I couldn't have asked myself for a better timing.
As Mari clears out the enemy hostiles with Alexa, Mia also wipes out the enemy tanks on the bridge.
OGU 7: Found you at last, Long Caster! We've been briefed and we're here to help! We've also encountered some Satsuman troops! They are a great help and assets!
CGU 8: Nice. Glad to see the Oseans and Satsumas attacking the radicals. Maybe we should join up with them if it means getting rid of those bastards later.
Update Erusean News
EN 2: Regionalism is part of the in-fighting within these groups.
Mia takes out the enemy gunboats, while Alexa and Karin neutralize the enemy fighters.
The car arrived in the area where they were supposed to go.
Karl: We've reached the industrial zone. This should be the new rendezvous point. The coordinates are up ahead. Take out any enemies in the surrounding area.
Húxiān: Wilco.
OGU 9: Glad we waited. Don't worry, we won't let anybody through after you.
Long Caster: Almost at the rendezvous! Leave the rear to the others.
Jaeger: Understood.
Alexa and the School Idols clear out many enemy vehicles and aircrafts.
Labarthe: The Radicals truly believe boosting drone productions will make up for our losses. They should be taking responsibility for the capital's fall, but instead they're prolonging the war.
That is why proper conservatives like myself are moving to regain control.
If we succeed, we'll be able to move towards signing a truce with Osea and Satsuma right away.
More unknowns are identified and they are all friendlies.
Karl: We've reached the rendezvous point. And there's the chopper, too. I also see some Satsuman troops and helicopters here too.
Alexa flies up in the RV.
Update Erusean News
EN 1: Who do we turn to in this darkest hour? We need a beacon of light who shows us the way…
This is the Erusean News Network reporting live.
News ended.
Sohei: That's all of the news.
Alexa: I see it now, I think that we have to be the light that will give them the way of hope.
And several minutes later…
Karl: Okay, let's go! We're getting out of here. I've had just enough of this place.
I'd like to offer my thanks to the LRSSG and the SIAD. This should finally bring about a true end of the war.
Long Caster: Understood. Good luck.
A Osean transport helicopter took off from the helipad and are now leaving the AO.
Alexa checks her radar.
Nozomi: Long Caster, Sohei! Multiple aircraft inbound!
Sohei: Confirmed, Muse 8!
Long Caster: To the west!
Erusean pilot 1: This plane is carrying civilians.
We have escort fighters, but we do not intend to engage in combat. Please stand down.
The A.I. fighters fly more closely to the EASA transport.
End of Chapter 21.2
To be continued on Chapter 21.3