"With half of our brothers dead, the truth lies clearly for us. You are dead. I am dead. Our generation is dead. Whatever the future holds for us young men is nothing. Expect nothing in your fates - but war and death."

- Popular Anonymous Post, May 2024

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The rapid, furious fire of the Larissan point defense systems raged through the thick rain, yet with one last shot of the 5-inch cannon from the lead destroyer of the Larissan formation - and a brilliant boom struck through its bow.

The Orlish missile tore such a massive gaping hole through the destroyer, that it almost seemed to swivel in the other direction as it stopped into a screeching halt.

Beside it, another Larissan destroyer passed through the burning wreck, as its 5-inch gun opened up while plumes of smoke rose from its VLS cells, the shell passing through the stormy skies as it did.

It was a long journey, almost 20 kilometers in distance, as it passed through the stormy seas, the thunder of exchanging artillery fire and the cracks of distant gunfire heard around it, as it finally reached the end of its trajectory - and splashed on the water beside a lumbering Orlish destroyer.

Northern Sea

June 18, 2024

DesDiv 12

Strike Force 7

14:00 Hours

DDG-127 (DDG - Guided Missile Destroyer), the ONS Fogger, lumbered forward through the massive splashes of water generated by the enemy's main guns. With an almost constant roar, its 5-inch guns responded as well, as three other destroyers behind it, which made up DesDiv 12 (Destroyer Division 12) followed in formation.

With a roaring command from Captain Heint of the ONS Fogger, the RPDS and other point defense systems of the four destroyers opened up. 20 mm shells and the rapid launches of surface-to-air missiles blotted the sky, as detonations of Larissan missiles marked their quick interception.

Further, clouds of chaff popped above the four, as they began to change course slightly away, all as their 5-inch guns continued firing.

"Sir! Enemy surface contact gone! No visual confirmation, but CIC presumes a direct hit on a hostile vessel!"

Albert nodded from his Comms Officer's report. That was good news.

Just a few dozen kilometers away from the engagement site, Albert's ONS Rebenslof and Strike Force 7 watched from afar. He had made contact with DesDiv 12 earlier, and he designated them as his main naval scouting force.

With his eyes on the skies (the W-2 planes) surveilling the battlespace with great vigilance, he had kept himself aware of the developing situation without compromising Strike Force 7's position.

He turned to Captain Vogel - his ship's XO (Executive Officer), who, like him, was closely monitoring the screens on the table, which detailed DesDiv 12's positions and the three hostile signatures.

"One down sir."

"Indeed. And they seem to be retreating too. Seems like they didn't expect us around here."

"But that also means we cannot stay here any longer. The entire damned Larissans would be on us with their planes within a few hours."

He sighed in agreement. They most likely won't be able to press on and eliminate those three - and definitely would not be able to pursue them.

"Plot us a course somewhere in the southeast. We'll shake them off and try our luck after that."

"Aye, sir."

Captain Vogel barked his directives at the staff on the bridge, and Albert could almost feel the Rebenslof turn as they changed course.

But his eyes were locked and focused on the map. DesDiv 12 seemed to begin disengagement, as their green signatures began to move toward Strike Force 7's direction, all as the red signatures of the enemy began to head North East - away from them.

He crossed his arms. What more could he do now?

For weeks, they had remained under strict radio silence, as he adamantly refused to give away his position to the Larissans in his hunt.

But they were stretching their resources far. Each day, his air squadrons would run sortie after sortie, which consumed both fuel and ammunition whenever minor air scuffles developed in an accident.

And then there were these types of situations. Naval skirmishes. Where they would find small groups of Larissan destroyers, frigates, or submarines. Situations where they would find and engage smaller hostile forces - but not find the enemy carriers.

Already, they and DesDiv 12 fought 7 of these skirmishes, with 4 of them being against lone hostile submarines - which led to tedious, nearly days-long ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) operations.

These not only drained on their munitions, missiles, torpedoes, fuel, and other finite war supplies - but also time. Time to search for the enemy's main fleet. Time that he didn't have the luxury in.

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That damned woman. Sneaky little brat. I wonder why she hasn't launched a direct attack on Lorathia yet. Concerned of my presence, perhaps?

But also, his second crisis. He had expected an Orlish Carrier Strike Group to join him for weeks already. Yet so far, all he could find was the hodgepodge of Orlish and Lorathian frigate, destroyer, and cruiser formations that held the line in desperation.

So far, whenever he broke radio silence, all he would find was orders for him to, "Hold the line!" or "Destroy Larissan Carriers!" from High Command. He suspected that it was a result of the Civil War - which he confirmed to be truly ongoing, that the OHC had not been able to issue proper directives to VACCOM and its units (including him).

I just hope she's doing alright. Amelie, I swear, I'll take care of the Empress for you. No way would I let her sandwich you from two sides. No way.

And that was why he, and many loyalist ships of VACCOM elected to stay and fight. Many suspected that the Civil War back home was the Empress' designs, and thus it fell as their job to take care of her as the rest of the OAF restored order in Orland.

But he didn't know the full extent of the situation, which was why he was beginning to have doubts about their mission. What if the Civil War was worse than the limited reports they received due to self-imposed radio silence? What if the traitors were already in the Capital?

Too many what-ifs, and too few answers. It was a troublesome situation indeed.

"Captain Vogel!"

"Yes, sir?"

"I need updates. How's DesDiv 12 doing? I told Captain Heintz not to use radio, but our AWACS have visuals, right?"

"Well, sir, as of now, we suspect light damage on the ONS Candle and the ONS Gunner, but Heint's ONS Fogger and the ONS Luminate seem untouched."

"Good. We need them. We'll break radio silence once we are fully disengaged. I want us to regroup quickly, and press East while our squadrons sweep North."

"Sir, I'd like to ask, why?"

"It's risky, but perhaps if we press East immediately, as they seem to be retreating North East, we might find them while they are searching West."

"If we are lucky."

"Guesswork is the best we can do unless we have more intel to work with. We need to find them and deal damage before attrition ends us."

"I can understand that."

"As such, Captain, scramble the two squadrons into Combat Air Patrol immediately and rotate them every hour as we head. If the Larissans would send a strike and find us, I want us to be prepared. I want no holes in our defenses."

…

DesDiv 12 soon steamed further southwards and nearly regrouped - merely 9 kilometers away from Strike Force 7. While visual contact was limited, and with radio silence in full effect, the two naval formations still communicated with Morse code using their signal lamps, as seen with the flashing lights from ONS Blackgem as ONS Fogger responded in the distance.

<<... - .- - ..- ... / .-. . .--. --- .-. - -.-.-- (Status Report!)>>

<<--- -. ... / -.-. .- -. -.. .-.. . --..-- / .-. .- -.. .- .-. / -.. .. ... .- -... .-.. . -.. .-.-.- / --- -. ... / --. ..- -. -. . .-. --..-- / .- ..-. - / .-. .--. -.. ... / -.. .. ... .- -... .-.. . -.. .-.-.- / --- -. ... / ..-. --- --. --. . .-. / .- -. -.. / --- -. ... / .-.. ..- -- .. -. .- - . --..-- / -. --- / -.. .- -- .- --. . .-.-.- (ONS Candle, radar disabled. ONS Gunner, aft RPDS disabled. ONS Fogger and ONS Luminate, no damage.)>>

<<-.-. --- .--. -.-- .-.-.- / -- .- .. -. - .- .. -. / .-. .- -.. .. --- / ... .. .-.. . -. -.-. . / .- -. -.. / .--. .-. . ...- .. --- ..- ... / .--. .-. --- - --- -.-. --- .-.. ... .-.-.- / --- ..- - .-.-.- (Copy. Maintain radio silence and previous protocols. Out.)>>

Albert sighed as the report from the ONS Blackgem came in a few moments later. Not only had one of his destroyers now been effectively crippled without its radars, DesDiv 12's point defense system was now at a lowered capacity with one of their RPDS out of the action.

"Should we perhaps reassign the ONS Candle here? They won't be able to scout out without their radar anyway." Captain Vogel suggested.

Currently, Strike Force 7 was once again made up of his ship, the ONS Rebenslof, and its escorts back during the Ginzhu Evacuations.

Their main ASuW (Anti-Surface Warfare) capabilities lay in the ONS Rolentz - a Sentinel-class guided-missile cruiser, with its powerful radars and modernized Vigilant Combat System, which was the backbone of every modern Orlish warship.

The Vigilant Combat System - a system of integrated combat computers was what the Sentinel and Gallant classes used for guidance and tracking of their weapons.

And with almost four RPDS on board the ONS Rolentz, she was thus central should any attack come toward the ONS Rebenslof.

But more important too was her massive amounts of missiles. 122 missiles of varying kinds were stockpiled in the ONS Rolentz, a far cry from the 80 missiles that the Gallant-class destroyers.

On the other hand, their main ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) capabilities lay in the three Gallant-class destroyers with them - the ONS Blackgem, the ONS Seafire, and the ONS Rumwall.

Although they too usually served the same role that the ONS Rolentz did, their smaller sizes made them less capable alone. But with three of them in the Strike Force, such concerns were nonexistent.

And thus Albert faced the question. Should he add another damaged destroyer to his fleet?

"But then DesDiv 12 would have fewer weapons with them. They would need that should another engagement occur."

"Or we could again send them here instead and send a replacement?"

"Replace them with what?"

"The ONS Rolentz."

He turned to face the Captain with an indescribable expression. The Rolentz? How could they afford such a move?

"Captain, the Rolentz is our main ship for air defense. We would lack sufficient firepower should they find us first."

"But Albert, the Rolentz have better radars than the ships in DesDiv 12. We might find them first. And more importantly, if they found us first, we'd be dead anyway. They may lack their main spotting radars, but their auxiliary fire control radars should still be up."

Indeed, Captain Vogel had a fine good point, that Albert could concede. But still, it would be a gamble - another gamble that he might have to take.

Even during the Peninsular Campaigns, I never fought without a cruiser.

But now, he would have to.

I have to find them first. That should really be the priority. No point in better air defense if we are found first.

"...Captain, you have my permission. Execute those orders."