“Have the Rafe transmit real-time video,” General Cooley ordered.
“Self-destruct?” said Major Booker.
“I’m not sure why, but Banshee’s core temperature is unusually high,” said Captain Sashlin, the pilot of Unit B-12, Onyx. “I think the nuclear reactor’s overloading. All hands seem to be abandoning ship. They’ve already launched dozens of fighters, but...”
“They’re painting us with their targeting radar,” said Second Lieutenant Bausch, pilot of Unit B-11, Gattare. “They’re coming to fight.”
“Bogeys, approaching from D zone. JAM. A lot of them. Closing in. Banshee should be picking them up as well, but they’re not responding. They’re probably recognizing them as friendly aircraft. It looks like they see
“Withdraw. Set the Rafe to automaneuver mode. B-11, B-12, RTB,” General Cooley ordered. “You’re authorized to attack without warning to protect yourselves, even FAF planes.”
“Roger,” they replied. The real-time video came in from the Rafe. It was unusual for the SAF to do this, but General Cooley wanted real-time data.
The area around Banshee glowed in the dawn’s light as it met the bright red rising sun. The Rafe caught sight of the huge black flying carrier. The central part glowed faintly red, as though bathed in colors of the sunrise. The redness rapidly increased, until a bright line of light, like molten iron pouring from a blast furnace, began to fall from the center. An instant later, the enormous flying aircraft carrier known as Banshee III exploded. The video abruptly ended.
“It wasn’t a nuclear explosion,” said Major Booker, “but the Rafe’s gone.”
The strategic computer displayed an alert.
JAM aircraft are appearing simultaneously from multiple directions. Extremely large numbers of them. It is possible that this data is being falsely generated by the JAM. Requesting visual confirmation from the humans in each aircraft, ASAP.
“Roger,” said Major Booker. Captain Pivot displayed all combat theater maps on the big screen. The presence of JAM was indicated by red, and starting with the front-line bases, their entire surroundings were now stained red. And that red stain was moving toward Faery base.
“If this is real,” said General Linneberg, “then there’s no way we can resist. But Colonel Rombert will survive. We can’t let him escape from here.”
“Can he fly a fighter?” asked General Cooley.
“Yes, he can,” said General Linneberg.
“Major Booker, don’t let a single aircraft leave Faery base. Stop all fighter squadrons from launching. STC, send cancellation orders to all computer systems.”
STC, roger. However, it’s difficult to say if all systems are currently operating normally. They’ve fallen into a panic, unable to judge the situation. In this state, either way, they won’t be able to cope with normal troop management.
“Even so, if anyone takes off, shoot them down —”
“No! Don’t shoot them down,” said General Linneberg. “We need the colonel taken alive.”
“General —”
“General Cooley. Lydia, the world doesn’t belong just to you.”
“I’m aware of that.”
“If the colonel leaves the base, we can track him and know what he’s doing. Shooting him down would be simple. You’ve shown me just what your people are capable of. But what will we gain by killing the colonel now?”
“Then please find him,” Cooley said.
“I have all my people giving it their full attention. Trust me.”
“This is Minx.” A message was coming in from Captain Kozlov, B-6’s flight officer. “Currently conducting tactical recon of JAM air superiority zone at Rakugan. The FAF aircraft gathered here have begun attacking each other.”
“What?” said Major Booker. “Our forces are firing on each other?”
“I don’t think this is an exercise, so yes, that’s what they’re doing. They’re using live ordnance.”
“They might be causing the crews to hallucinate, or they’re disrupting the planes’ electronic warfare systems. Check it out!”
“That’s going to be difficult, sir. Both sides in this fight are targeting me as an enemy, and we’ve got real JAM forces closing in as well. Let’s get back to base and analyze the data we’ve gathered. Captain, prepare to break to portside... NOW!”
Transmitting the sign that they were engaged in combat reconnaissance, the comm chatter from Minx continued.
“These guys look like they’re trying to settle a whole bunch of old scores.”
Major Booker turned at the sound of the voice, Generals Cooley and Linneberg following suit.
“They never liked how callous the SAF acts. That goes for the JAM too.”
“Rei... it took you long enough. What have you been up to?”
“Looking carefully into the mirror, shaving. For the first time, I wished I had a better one,” Rei said.
“I assume Captain Foss has briefed you on the mission.”
Captain Foss stood silently at Rei’s side.
“Yukikaze isn’t ready to sortie yet. You can ask Lieutenant Eco for the details. Captain Pivot, send out Llanfabon. Have them tell us what the situation is at Kanworm.”
“Send out Yukikaze too,” said Rei.
“Sending you out now would be suicide. Yukikaze’s the last ace the SAF has up its sleeve.”
“Which is why you need to send us out now.”
“What do you mean?”
“The JAM are waiting for me and Yukikaze,” Rei said. “As long as we stay hunkered down, the attacks will continue.”
“What, are you the Messiah or something?” Booker asked, incredulous.
“What happens to the people of Earth or the FAF isn’t my problem. I don’t really care. I just want to do what I want to do.”
“Oh, spare me the heroic bullshit. And just what do you want to do? Kill yourself?”
“Jack, a strategy where only one person survives would still be acceptable to the JAM. As long as one survives, you haven’t lost.”
“And you’re going to be that one person, is that it?”
“It could be anyone. You, Colonel Rombert, General Cooley. That’s not what I’m interested in. I want to be with Yukikaze, that’s all.”
“I think that Rei’s — that Captain Fukai’s belief that the JAM are waiting for Yukikaze is the vital point here,” Captain Foss said. “It’s not that they won’t attack Yukikaze, but as long as we don’t send her out, they’ll keep pressing this attack.”
“This is Lieutenant Bruys in Unit B-7, Llanfabon. Engaging JAM. Six hundred units have been wiped out. Shit, it’s not just the JAM. The FAF guys are targeting me too! Cutting my drop tanks. I need to lighten my load, or I’m dead. Won’t be able to make a direct RTB. Direct me to a refueling point.”
“Head for TAB-16,” Major Booker instructed. “After you neutralize its air defense and radar system, work something out with the people there. Is that clear? With the humans,
“Understood.”
“Pass it along to the other two planes.”
“No response. I guess they’ve been shot down. I don’t have time to confirm the collected data. Okay, I’m receiving it. Once it’s downloaded, I’m switching on my jammers. Just wanted to warn you in advance that I’ll be going dark for a while.”
“Roger.”
“Over and out.”
