This is a little something I wrote on the idea of "What if Tsubine didn't become Emperor?"
It's a bit of a long read... and it's not the kind of thing most people would read, but I feel proud of myself for writing it.
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Nnn...
No matter how long it had been since she arrived here, she could not not sleep well still. Right before she would fall asleep, the floor beneath her bed seemed to shift. Well, it actually was shifting technically. She was just in one of the many officer's quarters aboard the IZN Lapua, a massive 78,000 ton carrier. It didn't get beat around like smaller boats in rough water, but it still was subject to the same forces. Tonight was exceptionally rough as the carrier was slowly approaching land instead of passing over the deep seas that almost split the planet of Aurora in half.
But the shifting seas weren't the only thing keeping the blonde soldier from sleeping. Her mind was dancing like a 499 AE dance party. So many thoughts raced through. Could she handle this new responsibility? What if there was an accident? What if she heard something wrong and repeated the wrong order? So many negative thoughts. This was to be her first deployment as flight leader, under the call-sign Grey Ghost One. Ghost Squadron, the 2nd Tactical Armored Unit under the Imperial Royal Guard, was all aboard the Lapua. Not a single member was sleeping tonight.
It had been five years since the previous Emperor of Zakat, Malchior VII, was succeeded by his son Maximilian. And Emperor Maximilian decided to take the ideals of Zakat to a world stage. It started with Zhilihan. Groups within were already steaming from being ruled by a single bloodline for so long, so a simple push and an entire revolution was set off. Zakat ended up “assisting” the Zhili rebels in the name of creating a more stable government. But as soon as both sides were whittled down to near-nothing, Zakatian Gods of War marched on the capital of Zao Ling. Zhilihan fell and the entire territory now flew the Grand Imperial Flag. Now the goal was Lotheria. Emperor Maximilian felt confident in his victory over Zhilihan, so to him Lotheria was to be a simple conquest. And it was to start early this morning.
And this soldier who tossed in her sleep was part of it. Her rank was now First Lieutenant and she was a pilot in the Imperial Zakatian Army. Well, not exactly. She had been in the IZA for two years, but was soon given a prestigious position within the Imperial Royal Guard which was not under the jurisdiction of the IZA. In fact, the entire structure of the Imperial Royal Guard was separate from the other branches. Royal Guards could not be given orders by members of the other branches, but they could give them. Her name was Tsubine Zoradia von Zarkonheinz. She was from a small town in Zakat and had been in the military for seven years.
Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
An alarm rang, although not for a clock. It was to alert her of a video message. Her body slowly lumbered up. A short yawn later, she reached and played the message. “All flight leaders are to report to briefing room seven at oh-four-hundred. That is all.” She looked at the teal LCD display above the monitor—0330. She could take her time, but she didn't have time to get even another ten minutes of sleep in. She stood up, wearing only plain white undergarments and a standard-issue black tank top. She slid both items she was wearing off, grabbing clean ones from a footlocker at the foot of her bed. This time she grabbed a bra as well. She hopped slightly, still half-asleep as she slid the panties over one leg and then the other. Next came the bra, which was an easier trial. Then the black tank top. With each article of clothing, her body moved faster and her eyes widened.
Flipping on the lights, she winced. The bright light within the room hurt her eyes at first, but she was quicker to refocus than the average person. Tsubine slid a steel door open, revealing a small closet with four outfits—three normal uniforms and one dress uniform. She grabbed the crease-less tan shirt and matching solid-black pants, hanging them on a pipe in her room before closing the door again. She used the small sink in her room to brush her teeth and then applied deodorant—a shower would come later. The soldier stared in the mirror, her eyes staring right back at themselves. She slapped her face once, mumbling “I can do this.” She grabbed the shirt first, which wasn't a problem to cover herself with. The pants, however, she couldn't get used to even after two years of being an officer. She slid the tight pants on, struggling to get in them at first. It didn't help she stood over all of her other female colleagues at six-foot-one and most of that came from her legs. The pants had to be specially made for her, so she couldn't request new ones often.
Within a few minutes, she had all but her socks and boots on. A golden-falcon pin adorned her left breast. The shape signified a pilot while the color signified a flight leader or squadron leader. Her rank pins were attached and her belt was tight. Next came... the black boots and matching tall white socks. She struggled with her footwear, but they eventually caved and slipped onto her feet. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and brought the back of her hair into the thin ponytail she wore now. It used to be three times this size, but military regulations wouldn't let her keep it at that size. Saluting herself in the mirror, she turned off the lights and exited the room.
Walking to the briefing room on a carrier was definitely a challenge. There were so many different floors, sections, rooms, stairs, halls, you name it. You could get to some sections by some stairs but sections on the same floor would require possibly going all the way to the other side of the ship and up or down a level. But thankfully Tsubine knew where this one was. Not many people were awake at this hour, but Tsubine was on the officer's deck. She'd see other officers both below and above her rank walk past, and they'd pass salutes. She went down one flight of stairs, over two halls, and then down another flight. Two rooms to the left and there the room was. She wasn't the first in the room, but she wasn't the last either. The squadron leader, an older man who no longer had his right eye, was talking with an officer from the Lapua. The 2nd wasn't assigned to a carrier normally, so an officer from the ship was going to assist in talking the new flight leaders in procedures involving a carrier. The rest of the squadron would have a briefing at around the same time on the same thing. However, the officer's meeting had much more to discuss.
There were four flights—White, Grey, Black, and Blue—of Ghost Squadron aboard although there were two more (Red and Green) stationed back in Iserlohn. Ghost Leader was the leader of White Ghost flight and also the man without his right eye. Grey Ghost One was, of course, Tsubine. Black Ghost One was a man in his mid-thirties and is the only returning flight leader aside from Ghost Leader. Blue Ghost One was another woman who looked around Tsubine's age. She had blonde hair but kept it mid-length with two small buns on the back of her head. She was rather beautiful and many members of Ghost Squadron had tried to get with her. Had Tsubine not had a ring on her finger, she would have also made a move on Blue Ghost One. Although, she had been tempted to take that ring off for just one night...
With Black Ghost One entering at 0355, the meeting started with a salute. “We'll get this started a little early then.” Ghost Leader spoke with a rough tone. He wasn't very accommodating, so his policy was “be early or be early.” There was no “on time” for him. “This is Lieutenant-Commander Cocteau of the Lapua. He'll be assisting with discussing carrier operations.” The young man in his white dress uniform awkwardly stepped forward as if he was pushed.
“I am Lieutenant-Commander Jean Cocteau of the IZN Lapua. I am the secondary flight officer for the ship and will answer any questions you have.” He saluted, and the three Ghost Ones returned the gesture.
A quick glance from Ghost Leader and the Lt.Cmdr. stepped back. “As you know, we are part of a combined operation to strike at Lotheria. Our target is the city of Ethecien, where we will perform a long-range strike to establish a foothold in striking against Diralia. Ghost Squadron's goal is the destruction of the fort nearby. White and Grey flights will be the vanguards of this operation. Black flight will be circling around and attacking the fort's rear. Blue flight will be providing ranged support.
This is combined operation with two other carriers and one other IRG squadron—our friends in the Fourth.”
He was referring to the 4th Tactical Armored Unit, Spiders. The 4th and the 2nd were commonly used together as they both used the TYPE-18E Falcon. “The Fourth will be striking at the main government buildings. The remaining units have their orders to just suppress and take out anything in the path to Ethecien.” Ghost Leader turned to the screen behind them, showing a schematic of the massive fort they were to be raiding. “These Luddites don't have the same technology as we do, so don't expect to have AP shells like what happened in Zhilihan. However, they do have cannons and one of them can rip off an arm or a leg of your God of War. The stone walls also will resist even the eighty-millimeter. Thankfully there is a lot of wood which even the twemty-millimeter will take down. The main threat is, like always, Arcana. Just stay moving and vigilant and you'll be fine.” He then turned to the man who was standing uncomfortably straight behind him. “Lieutenant-Commander Cocteau will now give you a brief description of launch procedures.”
“Right... Ahem. White flight will launch first, followed by Black, Grey, and Blue in that order. We need you in your pilot suits at oh-four-thirty, and in your machines at oh-four-forty. We will commence operation at oh-five-hundred. Based on an average flight speed of one-hundred-and-sixty miles-per-hour, you should arrive within an hour.“ He turned around, touching the board behind them. “This is the path you will take.” A map of Lotheria was imprinted on the screen, with two marks showing the Lapua's position and the location of Ethecien. Between the two, there was a dotted line showing an ideal path that would put the flight going through as little of Lotherian territory as possible. “It would be approximately forty miles across Lotherian territory, which would be short enough of a flight for you to have the element of surprise.“ Tsubine and the rest of Ghost Squadron all thought the same thing as he said that—not as much as if we had TYPE-22As. The 3rd Tactical Armored Unit was currently the only IRG squadron with the ultra-stealthy TYPE-22A Viper.
“We estimate they will detect you halfway through the flight, even if you go NOE.” NOE, or nape-of-the-earth, flight was dangerous. It was used to prevent detection by radar. An old phrase that pilots passed to one another was “Go so low they think you're driving a taxi full of whoop-ass.” Tsubine had only done it twice and it wasn't over nearly as much of a distance. And now she had to lead an entire flight of three other Gods of War just within feet of the ground. “That would put their estimated response time after at fifteen minutes, just over by the time you will reach the objective. In the best-case scenario, you will all arrive before the cannons can be set up. That way you can approach just worrying about small arms and Arcana.”
“After launching, the two Gods of War mid-air will do one full circle at a distance of four-hundred yards away from the Lapua to allow the other two members of your flight to launch.” The Lt.Cmdr. cleared his throat. “You will experience strong G-forces on your body as your craft is launched forward by the catapult, but you'll need to keep your cool and make sure you apply normal pressure on the throttle after leaving the deck.”
Ghost Leader stepped forward, interrupting the rest of Lieutenant Commander Cocteau's speech. “In any case, just make sure you and your flightmates come back alive. That is all, dismissed.” A salute from the other three flight leaders and everyone began to head for the showers. Within ten minutes, all members of the four flights were in their sex's respective shower. Tsubine always finished quickly, but never skipped over anything. A quick glance at Blue Ghost One and she was in the locker room.
Tsubine dried herself off, throwing a towel in the mass-basket of laundry. She grabbed her black-and-grey pilot suit from her locker. She hated this part of her job. The pilot suits for the Empire of Zakat... were... frankly slightly more revealing than a latex bodysuit in places. She slid her legs into the one-piece uniform. She began to pull it up slowly. And then she got to the hardest part—the chest. Tsubine was not lacking in the bust by any means. There were women with larger busts as pilots within the IZA and the IRG both, but Tsubine had the largest in Ghost Squadron. She slid it over, the material compressing into her skin. It was so revealing and she hated it. But she'd have to deal with it. Once the more elastic parts were on, she slid on the shoulderpads and neck guard. It curved under her neck and onto her cheeks to where two small triangles jutted out right beside her eyes. Once she was done, she shut the locker. A sigh escaped, and she left for the hangar.
It was the longest walk from the locker room to the hangar to Tsubine. Of course, the actual distance was incredibly short, but Tsubine always, always had a man or two stare at her as she walked by. Her rank wasn't on the pilot suit, but it wouldn't matter either way. Reaching the hanger, she stared at her machine. The cockpit block was open and a mechanic was inside. All of White Ghost flight and most of Black Ghost flight were there already, with Ghost Leader in his God of War already. Tsubine could smell the paint in the room from where her machine's ID was redone from RG210 to RG209, signifying she was the new lead of Grey Ghost flight. The new RG210 was formerly RG211 and a new TYPE-18E now had the ID of RG211. Ghost Leader was RG201, Black Ghost One was RG205, and Blue Ghost One was RG219. The remaining two, Red and Green Ghost One, were RG215 and RG223 respectively although their machines were, of course, not present in the hangar. Outside of the 16 TYPE-18Es of the Imperial Royal Guard, the rest of the hangar were 12 standard-issue TYPE-15Js and 4 reconnaissance TYPE-05Ses. Other carriers were reported to have even a couple of urban combat-use TYPE-00Cs and defense/bombardment-use TYPE-05ADVs from rumors spread by crew members who kept in touch with members of other ships' crew.
But the TYPE-18Es of the IRG were all that Tsubine cared about, specifically the four in her flight. Shortly behind her arrival, the last of her wingmates ran into the hangar. Tsubine briefed the three on the basics of the operation. “Besides what I have just told you, there is only one other order I have for you. Come back alive.” The three saluted her, shouted “Ma'am!” and ran to their machines. Tsubine did not have to run, as she was standing in front of hers. She laid her hand on the massive foot. “Take good care of me like you always do,” she mumbled. Climbing the ladder into the cockpit, she felt the familiar seat she had sat in many times. She was worried still. The former Grey Ghost One was killed during a botched landing attempt. The attempted landing would have gone well had his machine not taken a bullet to its leg. When he hit the ground, one leg snapped off and the machine crashed into the ground at hundreds of miles-per-hour. It was later found out that Tsubine had near-exact damage to the same leg the former Grey Ghost One had. But somehow, she didn't have an accident like that. Her machine was looking after her... that's what she felt.
Within minutes, all of Ghost Squadron aboard the Lapua was being moved to the flight deck. Two of White Ghost flight went first, then the remaining two. Next was Black Ghost flight, followed by Grey Ghost flight, and lastly Blue Ghost flight. Once on-deck, Tsubine maneuvered the machine to the catapult. Two clamps latched onto the feet of the Falcon. “Grey Ghost One to Lapua HQ, taxiing complete. On deck, ready for final takeoff clearance,” Tsubine radioed the tower with a bit of anxiousness in her voice.
“This is Lapua HQ, Grey Ghost flight is cleared for takeoff. Good hunting.” A young woman responded and Tsubine fiddled with her ring. She missed who had given this to her...
“Roger that. Grey Ghost flight, taking off.” A wave of two glowing batons and the Falcon shot forward. Tsubine's teeth were pushed hard together and her feet pushed on the pedals at the bottom to increase the thrust. As soon as it left the deck, it dropped slightly. This was only to be replaced by a sudden ascension. Another Falcon took off behind her. Then another. And another. All of Grey Ghost flight was in the air, and Blue Ghost flight was taxiing onto the catapult. “Grey Ghost One to Grey Ghost flight, comms check.”
The comms check was started with “Grey Ghost Two, roger.” Followed by “Grey Ghost Three, roger that.” And ended with“Grey Ghost Four, loud 'n clear.” Everything sounded good from her end. As soon as the last of Blue Ghost flight had launched, the four wings regrouped in a vee-shape, heading for Lotheria.
“Ghost Leader to all of Ghost Squadron. We'll be observing total radio silence until combat begins. Remain at NOE altitude after we go over land. Keep weapons warm and don't worry about ammunition. If things get bad, we'll just go steal some from those damn Spiders.” A bit of a laugh later, Ghost Leader responded again. “I pray for our success. Ghost Leader, out.” The trip from here on out was going to be a quiet one. Tsubine was paying attention only to the data and picture that was being directed into her eyes by a laser. But her mind was wandering.
The first place it wandered was back when she was eighteen. She had a chance... she can't exactly remember how, but she had a chance to go to Arcadia and be a student at the prestigious Rydian Academy. Tsubine had no talents in the Arcane, but still... she could possibly get a job after having some sort of a degree with Rydian. She'd be able to help pay off the family's debt. But... she turned it down. Her wanting to stay with her family overwhelmed those wishes. Eventually, however, she learned there wasn't much around the village she could do. So she sat on different ideas on how to get money to help her family. The first was to marry rich, but there weren't many rich people nearby. The second... was to join the military. After a couple of tours, she'd have more than enough money to pay off their debt. So, she went with the latter. She joined the Imperial Royal Army as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and started from the bottom. It was different, being around people who were a foot shorter than her but could kick her ass ten ways to Sunday and would do it too. Until... a certain person stopped all that.
Tsubine and that person developed a friendship over the next few months. They were quick friends, and she helped Tsubine out with her own problems of self-confidence to the point to where no one would really pick a fight with her anymore. And then, that person... stole Tsubine's first kiss. The two entered a relationship soon after. And it wasn't long until nearly everyone in their unit knew about it. They kept it going for a year and a half before Tsubine was asked to marry her. It... was a shock, but she did accept. And that ring is still on Tsubine's finger today. However, the two did not go into the same branches in the end. This is where the second thing Tsubine imagined began to play.
It was a training day, and Tsubine's unit was practicing dueling techniques with live weaponry when the Emperor performed a surprise inspection. He was able to see Tsubine win a duel swiftly, and asked the commanding officer who the best duelist in the unit was. Of course, he pointed out the winner of that match. The Emperor then challenged the young woman to a duel. It was an unprecedented honor which she could not deny. And so the duel commenced at first with dummy weapons, but the Emperor insisted that they duel with the real things. And so they did. It was an amazing sight. Most people would let the Emperor win, but something in Tsubine wouldn't let her do that. And although she ended up losing, she had earned his respect. “You are two years of practice short of beating me,” he boasted. “In two years' time, I will duel you once more, right here with these same swords.” He handed the swords to a member of the Imperial Royal Guard. “But for now, you are immediately transferred to the Imperial Royal Guards. I need someone who is as good with a sword as you are to protect my life.” He laughed and patted her shoulder. He also gave her and her spouse—as he noticed her ring and that it was the type to signify a military-to-military marriage—a week off to just relax.
It took a few hours for what had just happened to sink in. She had essentially been made a career soldier without her wanting it. She also knew that there was no way her wife would be able join her in there. When she broke the news, of course her wife was excited. The two even celebrated that night with drinks, among other things. However, Tsubine was not happy during any of the celebratory games. She... was worried that she'd drift apart from this woman whom she was married to. As they spent the night in a hotel instead of barracks, Tsubine and her wife were lying in bed together... and the wife spoke up, asking what was wrong. “I am afraid we will drift apart with this promotion. We will not be able to see each other as often... and I do not know if I can handle that.” With a kiss to Tsubine's neck, her wife responded with a simple “I don't care, I'll still be married to you and will love you.” Nothing else could have made Tsubine happier.
Tsubine snapped out of her nostalgia trip as an alert popped up on the screen: WARNING: LAND AHEAD. It flashed and Tsubine minimized it. Ahead she could see a bay still shrouded by darkness. They were about to begin true NOE flight. They passed over huts in a small fishing village, the wake of their engines tossing the tiny wooden boats away from their moorings. The sixteen TYPE-18Es were about to enter Lotheria. They passed over the occasional tree, but most of what they passed seemed to be farmland. Which was good as that meant no low-hanging wires to get in their way. Tsubine could see the lights of a city waking up in the distance as her clock flashed 05:40. She readjusted the grip on the two joystick-esque handles that controlled the arms of the TYPE-18E. Tsubine looked on her radar to see multiple friendly blips catching up to them. Tsubine could not count them. There was the 18 from the Lapua, the 16 from the Spiders, and at least 30 more from the other two carriers. When the clocks read 0550, a radio signal from Ghost Leader popped up. “All units, fire at will.”
The four flights of Ghost Squadron broke off into their groups. Blue Ghost slowed down to a near-crawl, Black Ghost flight sped up and began a long circle around to the other side of the fort. And the remaining two kept their flight path. Explosions burst to their east as the Spiders fired the opening shots, hitting a government building. It had begun. Getting a decent lock on the target, she fired two 80mm rounds. “Grey Ghost One, two eighty mike-mikes away.” Grey Ghost flight followed suit, 80mm rounds slamming into the stone walls of the fort. Radio chatter then began to buzz throughout.
“Hurricane Five, five rifles off the rail.” A TYPE-05ADV had launched five missiles.
“Raptor Two, guns, guns.” An unknown, probably a TYPE-15J, was performing a strafing run with its 20mm.
“Shuriken One, switching to ripper.” A TYPE-00C was switching from its assault cannons to swords. It had made landfall in the city.
At 0600, shelling on Lotheria's city of Ibelamond began. This was secretly not just one operation, but two rolled into one. A simultaneous massive bombardment of two of Lotheria's largest cities. Two other carriers were sending Gods of War to Ibelamond while these at Ethecien were still fighting. The early morning sun did not hide the tracer rounds coming from multiple 20mm assault cannons. And then... large-scale fire was returned. The first cannon shot came from the fort and missed its target, White Ghost Three. “Ghost Leader to Ghost Squadron. Alert, OPFOR is no longer just using small arms. Confirmed cannon shot. I repeat, confirmed cannon shot.”
The message was passed on by the TYPE-05S Tornado Hunters, acting as autonomous warning and control system (AWACS) units. They would get detailed information on the situation and pass along important information from one squadron to other squadrons. “This is Ghost Eye to all units. We are confirming cannon fire from the fort. Expect heavy resistance. Over.” That message worried some and excited others. One it worried was Tsubine. She was charging right where these shots were coming from. She had to make it.
Blue Ghost flight was beginning its mission by essentially sniping the cannon ports with staggered 20mm and 80mm fire. Their mission wasn't to actually take them out, no. Their mission was to keep the crew's head down while the vanguards charged. Then, Black Ghost One broke in on Ghost Squadron's frequency. “Black Ghost One to Ghost Squadron. We are in position. Commencing pincer attack.” All of Black Ghost squadron fired a burst of four 80mm shells at the semi-open wall that bordered the lake. The ships docked inside the fort began to fire their cannons, but Black Ghost flight evaded. They opened fire with their 20mms, ripping into the wooden decks. At the same time, Ghost Leader signaled to Tsubine to go up. With a press of a pedals, the engines changed direction and speed. The eight five-meter-tall machines flew over the walls of the fort. “GIVE 'EM HELL.” Twelve Gods of War were now inside the fort.
Using the sub-arms on their back, the 12 inside began to dance around, firing at anything that moved and many things that didn't. All 12 emptied their 20mm magazines on the people and facilities within the fort. They hit the cannons that were rotating around to fire on them with 80mms until they had no more ammunition in the shorter magazines. When they had finished, not much would move within there. 20mm rounds did not mix will with a human or elven body. “Ghost Leader to Ghost Eye, Objective Sierra is down. I repeat, Objective Sierra is down.”
“Roger that Ghost Leader. Hold position and await further orders.” That meant... that their part was over. The remaining four members of Ghost Squadron boosted over the walls, landing alongside the first twelve. All of the original twelve began to reload their ammunition when...
Boom.
An explosion? This close? Tsubine looked at her monitor. ...Fifteen machines? “TO THE RIGHT, IN THE LAKE. MAN O' WAR!” One of Black Ghost flight screamed into the radio. Tsubine quickly shifted to the right to see a massive ship with a broadside aimed right into the fort.
“GET OUT OF HERE.” Ghost Leader barked the order to fall back. “FIRE AT WILL.”
Many had not finished reloading when the massive sail-powered ship had snuck up on them. The ship had a whopping seven gundecks full of cannons and carronades. Staring at them from the side was a single man who seemed to be holding an anchor. His gaze pierced through the armor of Tsubine's Falcon, petrifying her. She... had never seen something like that. She felt she was going to die. And as the cannon underneath his feet fired...
Nnn...
No matter how long it had been since she arrived here, she could not not sleep well still. Right before she would fall asleep, the floor beneath her bed seemed to shift. Well, it actually was shifting technically. She was just in her personal room in the IZN Garencieres, a massive ship designed to transport only her. It didn't get beat around like smaller boats in rough water, but it still was subject to the same forces. Tonight was exceptionally rough as the ship was slowly approaching land instead of passing over the deep seas that almost split the planet of Aurora in half. But she awoke, shifting in the silk sheets. “What a nightmare...”
It's a bit of a long read... and it's not the kind of thing most people would read, but I feel proud of myself for writing it.
______________________
Nnn...
No matter how long it had been since she arrived here, she could not not sleep well still. Right before she would fall asleep, the floor beneath her bed seemed to shift. Well, it actually was shifting technically. She was just in one of the many officer's quarters aboard the IZN Lapua, a massive 78,000 ton carrier. It didn't get beat around like smaller boats in rough water, but it still was subject to the same forces. Tonight was exceptionally rough as the carrier was slowly approaching land instead of passing over the deep seas that almost split the planet of Aurora in half.
But the shifting seas weren't the only thing keeping the blonde soldier from sleeping. Her mind was dancing like a 499 AE dance party. So many thoughts raced through. Could she handle this new responsibility? What if there was an accident? What if she heard something wrong and repeated the wrong order? So many negative thoughts. This was to be her first deployment as flight leader, under the call-sign Grey Ghost One. Ghost Squadron, the 2nd Tactical Armored Unit under the Imperial Royal Guard, was all aboard the Lapua. Not a single member was sleeping tonight.
It had been five years since the previous Emperor of Zakat, Malchior VII, was succeeded by his son Maximilian. And Emperor Maximilian decided to take the ideals of Zakat to a world stage. It started with Zhilihan. Groups within were already steaming from being ruled by a single bloodline for so long, so a simple push and an entire revolution was set off. Zakat ended up “assisting” the Zhili rebels in the name of creating a more stable government. But as soon as both sides were whittled down to near-nothing, Zakatian Gods of War marched on the capital of Zao Ling. Zhilihan fell and the entire territory now flew the Grand Imperial Flag. Now the goal was Lotheria. Emperor Maximilian felt confident in his victory over Zhilihan, so to him Lotheria was to be a simple conquest. And it was to start early this morning.
And this soldier who tossed in her sleep was part of it. Her rank was now First Lieutenant and she was a pilot in the Imperial Zakatian Army. Well, not exactly. She had been in the IZA for two years, but was soon given a prestigious position within the Imperial Royal Guard which was not under the jurisdiction of the IZA. In fact, the entire structure of the Imperial Royal Guard was separate from the other branches. Royal Guards could not be given orders by members of the other branches, but they could give them. Her name was Tsubine Zoradia von Zarkonheinz. She was from a small town in Zakat and had been in the military for seven years.
Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt. Bzzzzt.
An alarm rang, although not for a clock. It was to alert her of a video message. Her body slowly lumbered up. A short yawn later, she reached and played the message. “All flight leaders are to report to briefing room seven at oh-four-hundred. That is all.” She looked at the teal LCD display above the monitor—0330. She could take her time, but she didn't have time to get even another ten minutes of sleep in. She stood up, wearing only plain white undergarments and a standard-issue black tank top. She slid both items she was wearing off, grabbing clean ones from a footlocker at the foot of her bed. This time she grabbed a bra as well. She hopped slightly, still half-asleep as she slid the panties over one leg and then the other. Next came the bra, which was an easier trial. Then the black tank top. With each article of clothing, her body moved faster and her eyes widened.
Flipping on the lights, she winced. The bright light within the room hurt her eyes at first, but she was quicker to refocus than the average person. Tsubine slid a steel door open, revealing a small closet with four outfits—three normal uniforms and one dress uniform. She grabbed the crease-less tan shirt and matching solid-black pants, hanging them on a pipe in her room before closing the door again. She used the small sink in her room to brush her teeth and then applied deodorant—a shower would come later. The soldier stared in the mirror, her eyes staring right back at themselves. She slapped her face once, mumbling “I can do this.” She grabbed the shirt first, which wasn't a problem to cover herself with. The pants, however, she couldn't get used to even after two years of being an officer. She slid the tight pants on, struggling to get in them at first. It didn't help she stood over all of her other female colleagues at six-foot-one and most of that came from her legs. The pants had to be specially made for her, so she couldn't request new ones often.
Within a few minutes, she had all but her socks and boots on. A golden-falcon pin adorned her left breast. The shape signified a pilot while the color signified a flight leader or squadron leader. Her rank pins were attached and her belt was tight. Next came... the black boots and matching tall white socks. She struggled with her footwear, but they eventually caved and slipped onto her feet. She brushed the hair out of her eyes and brought the back of her hair into the thin ponytail she wore now. It used to be three times this size, but military regulations wouldn't let her keep it at that size. Saluting herself in the mirror, she turned off the lights and exited the room.
Walking to the briefing room on a carrier was definitely a challenge. There were so many different floors, sections, rooms, stairs, halls, you name it. You could get to some sections by some stairs but sections on the same floor would require possibly going all the way to the other side of the ship and up or down a level. But thankfully Tsubine knew where this one was. Not many people were awake at this hour, but Tsubine was on the officer's deck. She'd see other officers both below and above her rank walk past, and they'd pass salutes. She went down one flight of stairs, over two halls, and then down another flight. Two rooms to the left and there the room was. She wasn't the first in the room, but she wasn't the last either. The squadron leader, an older man who no longer had his right eye, was talking with an officer from the Lapua. The 2nd wasn't assigned to a carrier normally, so an officer from the ship was going to assist in talking the new flight leaders in procedures involving a carrier. The rest of the squadron would have a briefing at around the same time on the same thing. However, the officer's meeting had much more to discuss.
There were four flights—White, Grey, Black, and Blue—of Ghost Squadron aboard although there were two more (Red and Green) stationed back in Iserlohn. Ghost Leader was the leader of White Ghost flight and also the man without his right eye. Grey Ghost One was, of course, Tsubine. Black Ghost One was a man in his mid-thirties and is the only returning flight leader aside from Ghost Leader. Blue Ghost One was another woman who looked around Tsubine's age. She had blonde hair but kept it mid-length with two small buns on the back of her head. She was rather beautiful and many members of Ghost Squadron had tried to get with her. Had Tsubine not had a ring on her finger, she would have also made a move on Blue Ghost One. Although, she had been tempted to take that ring off for just one night...
With Black Ghost One entering at 0355, the meeting started with a salute. “We'll get this started a little early then.” Ghost Leader spoke with a rough tone. He wasn't very accommodating, so his policy was “be early or be early.” There was no “on time” for him. “This is Lieutenant-Commander Cocteau of the Lapua. He'll be assisting with discussing carrier operations.” The young man in his white dress uniform awkwardly stepped forward as if he was pushed.
“I am Lieutenant-Commander Jean Cocteau of the IZN Lapua. I am the secondary flight officer for the ship and will answer any questions you have.” He saluted, and the three Ghost Ones returned the gesture.
A quick glance from Ghost Leader and the Lt.Cmdr. stepped back. “As you know, we are part of a combined operation to strike at Lotheria. Our target is the city of Ethecien, where we will perform a long-range strike to establish a foothold in striking against Diralia. Ghost Squadron's goal is the destruction of the fort nearby. White and Grey flights will be the vanguards of this operation. Black flight will be circling around and attacking the fort's rear. Blue flight will be providing ranged support.
This is combined operation with two other carriers and one other IRG squadron—our friends in the Fourth.”
He was referring to the 4th Tactical Armored Unit, Spiders. The 4th and the 2nd were commonly used together as they both used the TYPE-18E Falcon. “The Fourth will be striking at the main government buildings. The remaining units have their orders to just suppress and take out anything in the path to Ethecien.” Ghost Leader turned to the screen behind them, showing a schematic of the massive fort they were to be raiding. “These Luddites don't have the same technology as we do, so don't expect to have AP shells like what happened in Zhilihan. However, they do have cannons and one of them can rip off an arm or a leg of your God of War. The stone walls also will resist even the eighty-millimeter. Thankfully there is a lot of wood which even the twemty-millimeter will take down. The main threat is, like always, Arcana. Just stay moving and vigilant and you'll be fine.” He then turned to the man who was standing uncomfortably straight behind him. “Lieutenant-Commander Cocteau will now give you a brief description of launch procedures.”
“Right... Ahem. White flight will launch first, followed by Black, Grey, and Blue in that order. We need you in your pilot suits at oh-four-thirty, and in your machines at oh-four-forty. We will commence operation at oh-five-hundred. Based on an average flight speed of one-hundred-and-sixty miles-per-hour, you should arrive within an hour.“ He turned around, touching the board behind them. “This is the path you will take.” A map of Lotheria was imprinted on the screen, with two marks showing the Lapua's position and the location of Ethecien. Between the two, there was a dotted line showing an ideal path that would put the flight going through as little of Lotherian territory as possible. “It would be approximately forty miles across Lotherian territory, which would be short enough of a flight for you to have the element of surprise.“ Tsubine and the rest of Ghost Squadron all thought the same thing as he said that—not as much as if we had TYPE-22As. The 3rd Tactical Armored Unit was currently the only IRG squadron with the ultra-stealthy TYPE-22A Viper.
“We estimate they will detect you halfway through the flight, even if you go NOE.” NOE, or nape-of-the-earth, flight was dangerous. It was used to prevent detection by radar. An old phrase that pilots passed to one another was “Go so low they think you're driving a taxi full of whoop-ass.” Tsubine had only done it twice and it wasn't over nearly as much of a distance. And now she had to lead an entire flight of three other Gods of War just within feet of the ground. “That would put their estimated response time after at fifteen minutes, just over by the time you will reach the objective. In the best-case scenario, you will all arrive before the cannons can be set up. That way you can approach just worrying about small arms and Arcana.”
“After launching, the two Gods of War mid-air will do one full circle at a distance of four-hundred yards away from the Lapua to allow the other two members of your flight to launch.” The Lt.Cmdr. cleared his throat. “You will experience strong G-forces on your body as your craft is launched forward by the catapult, but you'll need to keep your cool and make sure you apply normal pressure on the throttle after leaving the deck.”
Ghost Leader stepped forward, interrupting the rest of Lieutenant Commander Cocteau's speech. “In any case, just make sure you and your flightmates come back alive. That is all, dismissed.” A salute from the other three flight leaders and everyone began to head for the showers. Within ten minutes, all members of the four flights were in their sex's respective shower. Tsubine always finished quickly, but never skipped over anything. A quick glance at Blue Ghost One and she was in the locker room.
Tsubine dried herself off, throwing a towel in the mass-basket of laundry. She grabbed her black-and-grey pilot suit from her locker. She hated this part of her job. The pilot suits for the Empire of Zakat... were... frankly slightly more revealing than a latex bodysuit in places. She slid her legs into the one-piece uniform. She began to pull it up slowly. And then she got to the hardest part—the chest. Tsubine was not lacking in the bust by any means. There were women with larger busts as pilots within the IZA and the IRG both, but Tsubine had the largest in Ghost Squadron. She slid it over, the material compressing into her skin. It was so revealing and she hated it. But she'd have to deal with it. Once the more elastic parts were on, she slid on the shoulderpads and neck guard. It curved under her neck and onto her cheeks to where two small triangles jutted out right beside her eyes. Once she was done, she shut the locker. A sigh escaped, and she left for the hangar.
It was the longest walk from the locker room to the hangar to Tsubine. Of course, the actual distance was incredibly short, but Tsubine always, always had a man or two stare at her as she walked by. Her rank wasn't on the pilot suit, but it wouldn't matter either way. Reaching the hanger, she stared at her machine. The cockpit block was open and a mechanic was inside. All of White Ghost flight and most of Black Ghost flight were there already, with Ghost Leader in his God of War already. Tsubine could smell the paint in the room from where her machine's ID was redone from RG210 to RG209, signifying she was the new lead of Grey Ghost flight. The new RG210 was formerly RG211 and a new TYPE-18E now had the ID of RG211. Ghost Leader was RG201, Black Ghost One was RG205, and Blue Ghost One was RG219. The remaining two, Red and Green Ghost One, were RG215 and RG223 respectively although their machines were, of course, not present in the hangar. Outside of the 16 TYPE-18Es of the Imperial Royal Guard, the rest of the hangar were 12 standard-issue TYPE-15Js and 4 reconnaissance TYPE-05Ses. Other carriers were reported to have even a couple of urban combat-use TYPE-00Cs and defense/bombardment-use TYPE-05ADVs from rumors spread by crew members who kept in touch with members of other ships' crew.
But the TYPE-18Es of the IRG were all that Tsubine cared about, specifically the four in her flight. Shortly behind her arrival, the last of her wingmates ran into the hangar. Tsubine briefed the three on the basics of the operation. “Besides what I have just told you, there is only one other order I have for you. Come back alive.” The three saluted her, shouted “Ma'am!” and ran to their machines. Tsubine did not have to run, as she was standing in front of hers. She laid her hand on the massive foot. “Take good care of me like you always do,” she mumbled. Climbing the ladder into the cockpit, she felt the familiar seat she had sat in many times. She was worried still. The former Grey Ghost One was killed during a botched landing attempt. The attempted landing would have gone well had his machine not taken a bullet to its leg. When he hit the ground, one leg snapped off and the machine crashed into the ground at hundreds of miles-per-hour. It was later found out that Tsubine had near-exact damage to the same leg the former Grey Ghost One had. But somehow, she didn't have an accident like that. Her machine was looking after her... that's what she felt.
Within minutes, all of Ghost Squadron aboard the Lapua was being moved to the flight deck. Two of White Ghost flight went first, then the remaining two. Next was Black Ghost flight, followed by Grey Ghost flight, and lastly Blue Ghost flight. Once on-deck, Tsubine maneuvered the machine to the catapult. Two clamps latched onto the feet of the Falcon. “Grey Ghost One to Lapua HQ, taxiing complete. On deck, ready for final takeoff clearance,” Tsubine radioed the tower with a bit of anxiousness in her voice.
“This is Lapua HQ, Grey Ghost flight is cleared for takeoff. Good hunting.” A young woman responded and Tsubine fiddled with her ring. She missed who had given this to her...
“Roger that. Grey Ghost flight, taking off.” A wave of two glowing batons and the Falcon shot forward. Tsubine's teeth were pushed hard together and her feet pushed on the pedals at the bottom to increase the thrust. As soon as it left the deck, it dropped slightly. This was only to be replaced by a sudden ascension. Another Falcon took off behind her. Then another. And another. All of Grey Ghost flight was in the air, and Blue Ghost flight was taxiing onto the catapult. “Grey Ghost One to Grey Ghost flight, comms check.”
The comms check was started with “Grey Ghost Two, roger.” Followed by “Grey Ghost Three, roger that.” And ended with“Grey Ghost Four, loud 'n clear.” Everything sounded good from her end. As soon as the last of Blue Ghost flight had launched, the four wings regrouped in a vee-shape, heading for Lotheria.
“Ghost Leader to all of Ghost Squadron. We'll be observing total radio silence until combat begins. Remain at NOE altitude after we go over land. Keep weapons warm and don't worry about ammunition. If things get bad, we'll just go steal some from those damn Spiders.” A bit of a laugh later, Ghost Leader responded again. “I pray for our success. Ghost Leader, out.” The trip from here on out was going to be a quiet one. Tsubine was paying attention only to the data and picture that was being directed into her eyes by a laser. But her mind was wandering.
The first place it wandered was back when she was eighteen. She had a chance... she can't exactly remember how, but she had a chance to go to Arcadia and be a student at the prestigious Rydian Academy. Tsubine had no talents in the Arcane, but still... she could possibly get a job after having some sort of a degree with Rydian. She'd be able to help pay off the family's debt. But... she turned it down. Her wanting to stay with her family overwhelmed those wishes. Eventually, however, she learned there wasn't much around the village she could do. So she sat on different ideas on how to get money to help her family. The first was to marry rich, but there weren't many rich people nearby. The second... was to join the military. After a couple of tours, she'd have more than enough money to pay off their debt. So, she went with the latter. She joined the Imperial Royal Army as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) and started from the bottom. It was different, being around people who were a foot shorter than her but could kick her ass ten ways to Sunday and would do it too. Until... a certain person stopped all that.
Tsubine and that person developed a friendship over the next few months. They were quick friends, and she helped Tsubine out with her own problems of self-confidence to the point to where no one would really pick a fight with her anymore. And then, that person... stole Tsubine's first kiss. The two entered a relationship soon after. And it wasn't long until nearly everyone in their unit knew about it. They kept it going for a year and a half before Tsubine was asked to marry her. It... was a shock, but she did accept. And that ring is still on Tsubine's finger today. However, the two did not go into the same branches in the end. This is where the second thing Tsubine imagined began to play.
It was a training day, and Tsubine's unit was practicing dueling techniques with live weaponry when the Emperor performed a surprise inspection. He was able to see Tsubine win a duel swiftly, and asked the commanding officer who the best duelist in the unit was. Of course, he pointed out the winner of that match. The Emperor then challenged the young woman to a duel. It was an unprecedented honor which she could not deny. And so the duel commenced at first with dummy weapons, but the Emperor insisted that they duel with the real things. And so they did. It was an amazing sight. Most people would let the Emperor win, but something in Tsubine wouldn't let her do that. And although she ended up losing, she had earned his respect. “You are two years of practice short of beating me,” he boasted. “In two years' time, I will duel you once more, right here with these same swords.” He handed the swords to a member of the Imperial Royal Guard. “But for now, you are immediately transferred to the Imperial Royal Guards. I need someone who is as good with a sword as you are to protect my life.” He laughed and patted her shoulder. He also gave her and her spouse—as he noticed her ring and that it was the type to signify a military-to-military marriage—a week off to just relax.
It took a few hours for what had just happened to sink in. She had essentially been made a career soldier without her wanting it. She also knew that there was no way her wife would be able join her in there. When she broke the news, of course her wife was excited. The two even celebrated that night with drinks, among other things. However, Tsubine was not happy during any of the celebratory games. She... was worried that she'd drift apart from this woman whom she was married to. As they spent the night in a hotel instead of barracks, Tsubine and her wife were lying in bed together... and the wife spoke up, asking what was wrong. “I am afraid we will drift apart with this promotion. We will not be able to see each other as often... and I do not know if I can handle that.” With a kiss to Tsubine's neck, her wife responded with a simple “I don't care, I'll still be married to you and will love you.” Nothing else could have made Tsubine happier.
Tsubine snapped out of her nostalgia trip as an alert popped up on the screen: WARNING: LAND AHEAD. It flashed and Tsubine minimized it. Ahead she could see a bay still shrouded by darkness. They were about to begin true NOE flight. They passed over huts in a small fishing village, the wake of their engines tossing the tiny wooden boats away from their moorings. The sixteen TYPE-18Es were about to enter Lotheria. They passed over the occasional tree, but most of what they passed seemed to be farmland. Which was good as that meant no low-hanging wires to get in their way. Tsubine could see the lights of a city waking up in the distance as her clock flashed 05:40. She readjusted the grip on the two joystick-esque handles that controlled the arms of the TYPE-18E. Tsubine looked on her radar to see multiple friendly blips catching up to them. Tsubine could not count them. There was the 18 from the Lapua, the 16 from the Spiders, and at least 30 more from the other two carriers. When the clocks read 0550, a radio signal from Ghost Leader popped up. “All units, fire at will.”
The four flights of Ghost Squadron broke off into their groups. Blue Ghost slowed down to a near-crawl, Black Ghost flight sped up and began a long circle around to the other side of the fort. And the remaining two kept their flight path. Explosions burst to their east as the Spiders fired the opening shots, hitting a government building. It had begun. Getting a decent lock on the target, she fired two 80mm rounds. “Grey Ghost One, two eighty mike-mikes away.” Grey Ghost flight followed suit, 80mm rounds slamming into the stone walls of the fort. Radio chatter then began to buzz throughout.
“Hurricane Five, five rifles off the rail.” A TYPE-05ADV had launched five missiles.
“Raptor Two, guns, guns.” An unknown, probably a TYPE-15J, was performing a strafing run with its 20mm.
“Shuriken One, switching to ripper.” A TYPE-00C was switching from its assault cannons to swords. It had made landfall in the city.
At 0600, shelling on Lotheria's city of Ibelamond began. This was secretly not just one operation, but two rolled into one. A simultaneous massive bombardment of two of Lotheria's largest cities. Two other carriers were sending Gods of War to Ibelamond while these at Ethecien were still fighting. The early morning sun did not hide the tracer rounds coming from multiple 20mm assault cannons. And then... large-scale fire was returned. The first cannon shot came from the fort and missed its target, White Ghost Three. “Ghost Leader to Ghost Squadron. Alert, OPFOR is no longer just using small arms. Confirmed cannon shot. I repeat, confirmed cannon shot.”
The message was passed on by the TYPE-05S Tornado Hunters, acting as autonomous warning and control system (AWACS) units. They would get detailed information on the situation and pass along important information from one squadron to other squadrons. “This is Ghost Eye to all units. We are confirming cannon fire from the fort. Expect heavy resistance. Over.” That message worried some and excited others. One it worried was Tsubine. She was charging right where these shots were coming from. She had to make it.
Blue Ghost flight was beginning its mission by essentially sniping the cannon ports with staggered 20mm and 80mm fire. Their mission wasn't to actually take them out, no. Their mission was to keep the crew's head down while the vanguards charged. Then, Black Ghost One broke in on Ghost Squadron's frequency. “Black Ghost One to Ghost Squadron. We are in position. Commencing pincer attack.” All of Black Ghost squadron fired a burst of four 80mm shells at the semi-open wall that bordered the lake. The ships docked inside the fort began to fire their cannons, but Black Ghost flight evaded. They opened fire with their 20mms, ripping into the wooden decks. At the same time, Ghost Leader signaled to Tsubine to go up. With a press of a pedals, the engines changed direction and speed. The eight five-meter-tall machines flew over the walls of the fort. “GIVE 'EM HELL.” Twelve Gods of War were now inside the fort.
Using the sub-arms on their back, the 12 inside began to dance around, firing at anything that moved and many things that didn't. All 12 emptied their 20mm magazines on the people and facilities within the fort. They hit the cannons that were rotating around to fire on them with 80mms until they had no more ammunition in the shorter magazines. When they had finished, not much would move within there. 20mm rounds did not mix will with a human or elven body. “Ghost Leader to Ghost Eye, Objective Sierra is down. I repeat, Objective Sierra is down.”
“Roger that Ghost Leader. Hold position and await further orders.” That meant... that their part was over. The remaining four members of Ghost Squadron boosted over the walls, landing alongside the first twelve. All of the original twelve began to reload their ammunition when...
Boom.
An explosion? This close? Tsubine looked at her monitor. ...Fifteen machines? “TO THE RIGHT, IN THE LAKE. MAN O' WAR!” One of Black Ghost flight screamed into the radio. Tsubine quickly shifted to the right to see a massive ship with a broadside aimed right into the fort.
“GET OUT OF HERE.” Ghost Leader barked the order to fall back. “FIRE AT WILL.”
Many had not finished reloading when the massive sail-powered ship had snuck up on them. The ship had a whopping seven gundecks full of cannons and carronades. Staring at them from the side was a single man who seemed to be holding an anchor. His gaze pierced through the armor of Tsubine's Falcon, petrifying her. She... had never seen something like that. She felt she was going to die. And as the cannon underneath his feet fired...
Nnn...
No matter how long it had been since she arrived here, she could not not sleep well still. Right before she would fall asleep, the floor beneath her bed seemed to shift. Well, it actually was shifting technically. She was just in her personal room in the IZN Garencieres, a massive ship designed to transport only her. It didn't get beat around like smaller boats in rough water, but it still was subject to the same forces. Tonight was exceptionally rough as the ship was slowly approaching land instead of passing over the deep seas that almost split the planet of Aurora in half. But she awoke, shifting in the silk sheets. “What a nightmare...”
» Returning Home [Closed]
» Serenity's Face Claims
» Escape from Ezon [CLOSED]
» Running on Idle [Closed]
» The Deflowering [Closed]
» Serenity's Character List
» Amelia Bennett [APPROVED, 3-5]
» Kenta [Approved; 1-2]