It begins....
16:10 Hours (4:10PM)
The celebration of Juan's rescue aboard the Exxelsior was soon cut short when a series of large explosion echoed nearby, two Kesalian destroyers were hit and taking on water.
"This is Captain Prescott of the HMKS Venator!! We've been hit; ABANDON SHIP I REPEAT ABANDON SHIP WE'RE GOING UNDER!!"
"Ah no...it looks like we're in big trouble" Ricardo said
Soon a familiar voice filled the comms on all channels
"WePAC Nations....witness the power of our new weapon, the Triton! With this weapon we will burn Kesalia to the ground and establish our new world order! The WePAC nations will soon cease to exist..Surrender now and we may show you leniency, refuse and you will suffer the same fate as your countrymen.", said Oscar
"Oscar..." Julius said with anger.
"This is Captain Vogel of the HMKS Angelus to the Exxelsior, retreat immediately we'll cover you!"
"ALL GUN BATTERIES PREPARE TO FIRE!!" Raphaela ordered as the ship turned its guns broadside
"FIRE!!" Captain Vogel ordered
The massive guns opened fire on the Triton but to no effect, Raphaela looked in shock as the sixteen inch rounds simply bounced off.
"What? Impossible!" She shouted.
"Nosey here, the electromagnetic atmosphere has anti-projectile properties! We're scanning the target for a weakspot! Until then, stay away from them Angelus, their energy field can disable any surrounding aircraft's or ships systems!", Nathan instructed the battlegroup.
"Captain! I need a plane!", Juan pledged to Cpt. Weaver as he witnessed the battle.
"I can still fight!"
"We can!", Izumi added, standing beside her now fiancé.
"Yessir..."
"Actually...", Elson showed up. Juan couldn't help but hug his friend too.
"Hey there, you bastard! Where've you been!", he asked, chuckling.
"Well, I covered your rescue while avoiding enemy fire from a couple of frigates and then crashed into the ocean at the last minute, less than a click away from the carrier. Unfortunately I can't fly anymore.", he added, a bit sad. "But that's not the main focus here. You won't need a Tomcat, pal...", he hinted, indicating both Juan and Izumi to follow him.
When they arrived at the hangar, in the lower deck, he pointed to a shiny R-14E, stored with its wings in overswept position.
"That Devilcat was loaned from the Wyvernian Air Force, along with a few others, as spare planes. I think you two can fly that feline nice and easy!"
Juan shook Elson's hand and headed to his new plane
"Roger that, Grasshopper. Have her ready for operation, I'll go change this suit", Juan said. A few minutes later he arrived in a fresh flight suit and grabbed his flight helmet
"Shall we?" Izumi asked
Juan and Izumi climbed into the Devilcat and stapped in, the aircraft handler then towed them to the elevator and sent them up to the deck. Afterwards Juan taxied to the catapult and lined up, the shooter attached the launch bar.
"Boomslang 3 you are cleared to launch, give 'em hell!" The shooter said as he gave him the signal. Within seconds Juan was catapulted into the air to join his fellow pilots.
"Boomslang 3 and 4 are airborne!" Juan said
"Welcome to the party!" Anthony added.
"Copy, 1. Good to be flying with you again!"
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16:25 Hours (4:25PM)
The Triton loomed over the sea and some of the WePAC pilots grew angrier and angrier as they witnessed the battle.
"The hell with this! Warhammer 1 I'm headed to engage the enemy Warhammer 1 through 6 follow me in!" Said the lead F-35 pilot
"Are you insane?!" Anthony replied
Warhammer didn't reply as he headed towards the Triton
"Comrade Diederich! We have a Kesalian F-35 headed our way do I have permission to fire?" Said a gunner's mate on board the Triton
"You may fire when ready..." oscar replied.
"Warhammer 1..I have weapons lock on the target..." Before he could fire a massive burst of light emitted from the Triton followed by a blood curdling scream and signal loss. "AGHGHGHHHHHHH *static*...."
"WARHAMMER ONE!!" Shouted one of the pilots.
Nothing was left of Warhammer lead, not even a piece of debris.
"Shit, they got lasers much more powerful than our own!", Juan got to the battlefield, finally having a closer look at the behemoth.
"My God...", Izumi said.
"Oscar is out of his mind, he needs to be stopped. Boomslang 3 to Nosey, any weakspots found yet?"
"Negative, 3. We're still analyzing...even our equipment is having issues to properly search the monster."
"Well, this 'electrosphere' must be generated by some kind of powerful device. Seek intense outputs throughout the hull!"
Kim's RWR registered multiple radar spikes....more drones incoming.
"SHIT! We got company guys!" Kim said
Anthony threw the engines into full power and switched on his HMCS (helmet mounted cueing system)
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"Looks like the same drones that attacked us...now we know where they came from!", Juan noticed, then proceeding to lock on some of them and firing Stormbreaker's. "Splash 3 bogeys!"
"Good kills Boomslang 3!" Anthony said as he lined up for a shot..."FOX 2! splash 1!"
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16:30 Hours (4:30PM) On board the HMKS Angelus
"Incoming anti ship missiles! Take evasive action and counter with Phalanx fire!" Ordered Vogel
"Yes ma'am!" The helmsman replied as he maneuvered the ship.
thanks to the MHD propulsion (Magnetohydrodynamic drive) the old battleship was much more maneuverable for her size.
"Boomslang Squadron, lure any enemy aircraft to our AA batteries and we'll take care of 'em!" Said a gunner on board the Angelus
"Roger that Angelus!" Juan replied.
Three drones found their way onto Boomslang 1's six and as per the suggestion from the Angelus; Anthony lured them near the ship and they were all splashed.
"Whew! Thanks, I owe you guys one!" Anthony said
"Seriously...how many of these bastards they have in storage? It's like a never-ending battle!", Juan shouted while avoiding fire from one of the drones' lasers. He performed a Pugachev Cobra and broke left, managing to get in the drone's six and blast it to oblivion with the 20 mm Gatling.
"Nosey, do you have anything new on the Triton so far?" Kim asked
"Affirmative, Boomslang 2! High levels of electromagnetic radiation located in 4 dome-shaped towers surrounding the superstructure; they're probably the electrosphere generators. But because they can't be reached using conventional weaponry, we'll have to resort to different tactics. 3, the Devilcat has better jamming capabilities than the Whirlwind, try sending an EMP in those areas, but remain distant from them!"
"3 copies, Nosey. Moving to attack!", Juan turned, facing the Triton's massive towers. "Locked onto the target...fire!"
His aircraft's radar sent a powerful electromagnetic pulse towards the tower. For a few seconds, the electrosphere was weakened, but quickly returned to its original state.
"Okay, that didn't work as I expected...but DID work as I DIDN'T expect!", he added. "We're gonna need a more powerful source..."
"Boomslang One here...Nosey and Boomslang 3 are geniuses because I think they just found a weak point we can potentially exploit...only issue is the resources...DAMN!!" Anthony said
Before Juan could line up for another EMP shot the Triton began to pitch upward and increase altitude
"Where the hell is it going?!" Kim asked
"'Up, up and away!', it seems...", Juan added with a slight chuckle.
"One thing's for certain: if the Triton has the ability to fly that fast, they'll just be toying with us...", he then said, with a sigh.
"Nosey to all planes, the Triton is outta range, RTB and prepare for a debrief."
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18:20 Hours (8:20PM)
The surviving WePAC pilots soon neared the carrier after what seemed like an eternity traversing the vast Panthalassic Ocean. Anthony spotted the carrier.
"Boomslang 1 to HMKS Exxelsior requesting permission to land."
"Roger that Boomslang 1 you are cleared to land, call the ball."
"Boomslang 1 has the ball..." Anthony replied as he caught the third wire on the deck. He then removed his oxygen mask, swept the wings of his Tomcat back and taxied to the parking area on the deck. Soon after Kim,Juan and the surviving Navy pilots touched down on the deck.
Anthony exited his plane and cracked his neck, but of course his day was not over yet as the all hands on deck whistle sounded over the ships intercom.
"Now hear this, now hear this. All pilots report to the briefing by 18:30 hours." Said Captain Weaver over the intercom
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18:30 Hours (8:30PM)
Anthony,Kim,Juan and Izumi along with the rest of the pilots arrived in the briefing room to hear General Celuchu speak.
"Greetings all...I am glad to see you back safe and sound...although I wish I could say the same for our fallen pilots, it pains me to see the deck of the Exxelsior with less aircraft on board than before. Anyway onto our debriefing, thanks to the information Nosey has provided we now have a better idea on Ruvania's latest weapon....It is a Triton class aerial battleship, the only one of her kind. She managed to sink two of our ships and her complement of drones destroyed many of the WePAC fighters...on this day a lot of pilots and sailors died and their sacrifice shall never be forgotten. Nosey has exposed what appears to be a weakness though, four dome shaped generators on the ships superstructure...Lieutenant Stutz managed to get off an EMP shot using his R-14E's radar and it did weaken the electrosphere; but unfortunately it was not enough to disable it...This is all the intel we have currently. Remain on standby and be prepared because I feel that we have not seen what the Triton is truly capable, dismissed!" General Celuchu said as he saluted all the pilots in the room.
"We're thankful for those who perished, for we're here today because of them...because of their sacrifice. And a promise shall be made: we'll avenge our fallen brethren!", Juan raised his fist and saluted Celuchu
"Yeah...we will Juan." Anthony said as he wiped his eyes and saluted
"A lot of pilots and sailors died today man.." Kim said as she hugged Anthony.
"We'll free those who suffer under Oscar's tyrannic regime...not just Sensoan, but also the Esknarian people!"
Anthony shook Juan's hand "As long as the four of us fly together we will make it....we will end this war and Oscar will pay for his atrocities..."
The group then parted ways to their sleeping quarters
"Kim...there's something I want to tell you." Anthony said
"What is it?" she asked
"I love you with all my heart and soul...ever since I flew with you, ever since I first met you I felt something special for you. I wish there was a better way for me to describe my feelings but I want to spend the rest of my life with you...we've come so far in this war and when it ends..I want you to marry me, what do you say?"
"Oh my...yes...I want to spend the rest of my life with you as well..when the war ends my service with the Prosperian Air Force is supposed to end. I will move to Kesalia to be with you, I love you Anthony Martinez...I truly do."
"I love you too Kimberly Meitzen...let's end this war so we can live our lives in peace.." Anthony replied as he kissed Kim.