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Operation: Countdown
Nagase’s POV
We set off for the northern region to refuel. This place is paradise compared to what's further ahead. Beyond our destination
lies the closed gate to Nord Belka. 15 years ago, the Belkans set off seven nuclear bombs there to stave off the advancing
allied forces, entombing themselves in the frozen valleys to the north. That bit of history should've been enough of a lesson
for us all. The seven Belkan cities near the gate were vaporized and the local area is still highly radioactive. Our landing
point was in the state of North Osea, formerly a haven for Belkans but now entrusted to Osean rule.
If you refer to it by that name in front of a local though, he'll put a scowl on his face and tell you that this is South
Belka. Heierlark meant a lot to us. Our flight training took place here on this airfield. On the base, we were surrounded
by junior cadets eager to hear war stories. The newspaper article about us, written by that journalist Genette, made it here
faster than we did.
Somewhere along the line, we had become the most experienced pilot in the entire war. Us, Captain Bartlett's nuggets.
We were directed to take these inexperienced pilots back with us to Sand Island when we returned.
“Man! We’d better thank pops for this!” Chopper exclaimed.
“Why’s that?” Grimm asked.
“Cuz’ he’s the guy who pounded basic fighter manoeuvres into us, now we can lord it over all these guys!”
Blaze’s POV
The briefing stated when we landed in McNealy AFB (Air Force Base)
“An SSTO craft launch facility lies to the east of our current location, McNealy Air Force Base. The facility was a
collaborative project between Osea and Yuktobania. It was built to be a bridge to outer space with a Mass Driver 7.5 miles
in length. Our radar has detected several planes from Yuktobanian squadron approaching the facility from several directions.
The facility is currently conducting pre-launch operations for an SSTO craft. The base commander will provide you with
further orders. “
“This is the commander of McNealy Air Force Base. All units including those refuelling at this base are now under my
command. Engage the incoming enemy.
All untrained pilots are barred from taking off. Those guys are still kids!”
we launched and went to the Space Center. They had a lot of little things there, but the main point was the Mass Driver. I
looked up and saw a small, white object in the sky.
“is that the ArkBird?” Grimm asked.
“hey listen,” Chopper said.
“Yes?”
“Isn’t that thing supposed to work like a satellite? Why’d it climb down all this way?”
“It's a manoeuvrable orbiting spacecraft.”
“I know that. I'm just saying, if the system uses atmospheric friction to change its orbit, then wouldn't that make
it pretty hard to defend itself?”
“Hmm... I guess it'd be in trouble if someone started firing at it right now.”
“Yeah. So shouldn't it be higher up, then?”
I then saw the main force, a large squadron of transports and a larger squadron of fighters and attackers.
“Halt the countdown! Enemy incoming! This is the Base Air Defence Command. The enemy has a large formation of transport
planes escorted by a squadron of fighters. They're conducting an air assault to capture this base.”
“WHAT? They're actually planning to invade Osea?”
“If we shoot the parachutes before the tanks detach, we’ll smash them into the ground. You with me kid?”
“It sounds a little cruel to me, but if we don’t, we won’t be able to hold them off.”
“I guess we don’t have any other choice… I can’t BELIEVE that’s our strategy!”
I got a falling tank in my gun sights, targeting the parachute. I squeezed the trigger and a swarm of bullets came out my
M61 Vulcan cannon. The rounds tore right through the parachute, causing the tank to fall like a rock as opposed to float down
to Earth like a feather. Some of the ACVs landed and started their attack on the Space Center.
“The ACVs are moving this way! Don’t let them get near the Mass Driver!”
“Can you count all those parachutes? I gave up already!”
after a while of fighting, all the Airborne tanks where destroyed.
“All Yuktobanian ACVs destroyed. Our thanks to all allied aircraft.”
“That should be most of 'em.” Chopper said, relived.
“It looks like they've abandoned the ground invasion and decided to just destroy the base. Wipe out the remaining enemy
forces. Make an effort to minimize any damage to the mass driver. Large number of cruise missiles tracked on the outer edge
of our radar coverage. All fighters engage and destroy these cruise missiles.”
“Captain, can you detect the cruise missiles from there?” Grimm asked.
Good question. I thought to myself. But I saw them on my radar. Waitaminuete! That can’t be right! There’s to
many of them!
“Yeah, I can see them Grimm. But that can’t be right!”
“The SSTO’s going to get hit if this keeps up!” Nagase cried.
The Ground Control Team Leader was trying to get everyone back to the launch.
“This is Flight Director Adam Gittelman. Continue SSTO launch. Recommence launch sequence. Attention all personnel:
We only have one chance to launch. Let's all do our jobs and see this through to the very end. That is all!”
“Weather team, roger.”
“Flight control team, roger.”
“Guidance team, roger.”
“Yeah, that was encouragement! I think I’m gonna cry!”
Meanwhile, we where trying to keep the missiles from doing any more damage.
“Missile trajectories detected. Moving to intercept. I can't shoot them all down!” Grimm yelled.
“You'll do fine. Stay calm and you won't miss.” Nagase was trying to calm him down.
I saw something strange on my radar, the missiles where being fired from thin air it looked like. Even the ones over the ocean.
There must be some stealth plane there. I thought.
“Everyone! I’m going after the source of the missiles! Keep protecting the base for me!”
“We’re being pushed back! Little by little!”
“What about the final check on the remote measurement units?”
“Uh, sorry, sir...remote measurement units check complete.”
“4 minutes to launch. Hold them off until then!”
“4 minutes! We won't last that long!”
“Communications, I want you to ensure all comm lines stay open.”
“We've got it covered, sir. Three modes of communication: Wired, wireless and runners!”
Later, I saw the things that where launching the missiles. B-2A “Spirit” Bombers. I shot off a few missiles; they
hit the Bombay doors causing the remaining missiles they held to explode.
“Confirmed kill on a bomber! Those MUST be the aircraft behind those Cruise Missiles”
I kept progressing through the bombers. There was only four, but they where spread out very far.
“The number of incoming cruise missiles is decreasing.”
“MASS DRIVER HIT BY CRUISE MISSILE!”
“WE’RE GOING TO LAUNCH THIS THING IF IT KILLS US! 10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! LIFTOFF!”
“SSTO increasing speed! SSTO passing Checkpoint 1! Passing checkpoint 2! Passing checkpoint 3! SSTO LIFTOFF!”
the SSTO then shot off the Mass Driver like a Carrier-based plane during a catapult shot.
“SSTO status report!”
“Everything's clear. All systems are go.”
“Yeah, I'm seeing it now. It's a beautiful sight. This is great!”
“Observation room reporting. The SSTO is climbing smoothly. Congratulations laser cannon is now in place”
I then heard cheering technicians and other ground crews. Hey, why not be happy? That was almost suicide.
Of coruse, I didn’t find put why the Yukes targeted this place until much later. Naturally, by that time, it was too
late
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