Strike Witches 2012 Episode 9: Warkeeping

[Finorskia]

Lysta chuckled. "Don't compare my masterpiece to a mass-produced gun. Psycho outclassed your Britta." She chuckled again, "If you were carrying psycho unloaded you'd be six miled below the surface right now. You're gun weighs nothing compared to that 300+ Kilo monster. Plus, I never said that heavier is bad. Please don't put words in my mouth. Heavier guns tend to be able to take a lot more abuse than lighter ones and are much more survivable."
She frowned at Natalie's last bit, "But where do you get off saying that I'm calling you ignorant." She seemed generally concerned by this comment. "I wasn't asking about a field-strip. I was asking about a full on maintenance job. As in, taking the entire gun apart and cleaning everywhere. There are a lot of places you can't normally get to if you don't do it right. Trust me, this is how I make a living. Or should I say I make a killing off of it." She chuckled sedately at her bad joke.

"Britta isn't the same as another massed produced gun. She's customized for me personally. A wooden stock, single trigger, and a carrying handle are all some additions, as well as the flip down scope." She said pointing out the customization. "I know what you mean by durability, I've put Britta through her paces. Heck there's a reason why I named her Britta." Natalie laughed. She listened to Lysta talks some more than laughed again.
"Ha. Are you kidding me. It would take forever to completely disassemble this thing. Besides I've only ever gotten a jam every ten thousand shots or so."

[Hetland 2]

"Britta isn't the same as another massed produced gun. She's customized for me personally. A wooden stock, single trigger, and a carrying handle are all some additions, as well as the flip down scope." She said pointing out the customization. "I know what you mean by durability, I've put Britta through her paces. Heck there's a reason why I named her Britta." Natalie laughed. She listened to Lysta talks some more than laughed again.
"Ha. Are you kidding me. It would take forever to completely disassemble this thing. Besides I've only ever gotten a jam every ten thousand shots or so."

Lysta paused looking up and down the gun, "I dunno... I think I could have her taken apart and reassembled in... twenty minutes if I'm doing a speed clean. An hour at most if I'm being thorough. Then again I suppose that's why I'm the professional here. Hahaha~" She giggled playfully. Lysta was clearly more relaxed talking about guns than anything else, she seemed to be in her own little world, chit chatting with Natalie about guns and maintenance.

[Finorskia]

Lysta paused looking up and down the gun, "I dunno... I think I could have her taken apart and reassembled in... twenty minutes if I'm doing a speed clean. An hour at most if I'm being thorough. Then again I suppose that's why I'm the professional here. Hahaha~" She giggled playfully. Lysta was clearly more relaxed talking about guns than anything else, she seemed to be in her own little world, chit chatting with Natalie about guns and maintenance.

"Not to mention the fact that you don't have to fiddle around with screw drivers and other tools. Must be nice to be able to pick things up with your mind." Natalie snapped. She then covered her mouth with one hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just haven't eaten anything in the last few hours." She said with a slight smile.
"I dunno. Maybe I could do it in that time, but A its a daunting task and I'm lazy, and B it's a complicated machine. I have a tendency to screw up complicated machines when I take them apart."

[Hetland 2]

"Not to mention the fact that you don't have to fiddle around with screw drivers and other tools. Must be nice to be able to pick things up with your mind." Natalie snapped. She then covered her mouth with one hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just haven't eaten anything in the last few hours." She said with a slight smile.
"I dunno. Maybe I could do it in that time, but A its a daunting task and I'm lazy, and B it's a complicated machine. I have a tendency to screw up complicated machines when I take them apart."

Lysta shook her head, "I still have to use a screwdriver and whatnot for opening things up. Currently I can do a few things with my telekinesis, grip, pull and push. It isn't that special. My telekinesis isn't perfect, or even close to being completed. I've just polished what comes easy to me to the point where the shine will distract everyone else from the weak points."
She reached into her breast pocket and fiddled around for something before pulling out a smooshed looking granola bar. "Here ya go. If you don't want it whatever, but it'll help you hold out until we get there." She jetted close to Nat and fake whispered with a cheerful grin, "Althought it was made in Britannia so I can't guarantee its taste."

[Al-Harbiyyah]

Approaching Orussian Federation Airspace,
25,000 ft
9th March 2012
11:42 AM

After a long journey, the Fusoan Peacekeeping Forces finally reached the Orussian Air Space. The Fusoan pilots in the Kawasaki C-2 transport plan finally decides to contact the Orussian Federation Air Control Traffic as they are en-route to Odessa.

"Mori, call 'em in." the Captain ordered his co-pilot to contact the Odessa Tower Air Traffic.

The co-pilot named Mori then began switch into the Orussian traffic transmission, "Odessa, Odessa this is Fusoan Air Force Kawasaki C-2 transport callsign Uniform Three-Zero-Niner. We're sending a Peacekeeping Force under the League of Nation Mandate and need permission to land at Odessa over."

At the same time, Yukine entered the cockpit again after the co-pilot send the transmission. She asks, "So when we're allowed to land?"

The lead pilot then check his chronometer and informs her, "With luck, maybe about 3 hours top...depends on the mood of the Orussians of course."

After hearing the pilot answer, Yukine smiled as she gives both pilots a bottle of water and some snack bars, "Don't overworked yourselves guys okay."

Receiving the drinks and the food, the pilot and his-copilot thanked her as Yukine leaves the cockpit. Pilot the ordered his co-pilot again, "Mori call again until you heard the reply."

[Finorskia]

"Not to mention the fact that you don't have to fiddle around with screw drivers and other tools. Must be nice to be able to pick things up with your mind." Natalie snapped. She then covered her mouth with one hand.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I just haven't eaten anything in the last few hours." She said with a slight smile.
"I dunno. Maybe I could do it in that time, but A its a daunting task and I'm lazy, and B it's a complicated machine. I have a tendency to screw up complicated machines when I take them apart."

Lysta shook her head, "I still have to use a screwdriver and whatnot for opening things up. Currently I can do a few things with my telekinesis, grip, pull and push. It isn't that special. My telekinesis isn't perfect, or even close to being completed. I've just polished what comes easy to me to the point where the shine will distract everyone else from the weak points."
She reached into her breast pocket and fiddled around for something before pulling out a smooshed looking granola bar. "Here ya go. If you don't want it whatever, but it'll help you hold out until we get there." She jetted close to Nat and fake whispered with a cheerful grin, "Althought it was made in Britannia so I can't guarantee its taste."

"No, no I can't take your food." Natalie said waving her arms. The heavy duty shoulder strap catching her gun and causing Nataile to wobble up and down.
"That is. I have plenty of my own." She pointed to the food storage pods on her wings. "It's just that there's only so much that a few granola bars can do. I'm someone who tends to make the quickest and fastest meal possible without thinking about what I am going to be doing that day. So really it's my fault that I'm so hungry." Natalie gave Lysta a smile.
"Anyways. I know what you mean by honing your skills. I didn't get to be one of the most powerful RADAR witches in the world by just sitting on my but all day." She gave Lysta a smile.

[Norvenia]

-

[Agritum]

Matilde slowed down the jet of her Striker unit, decellerating to the point of allineating herself with Svetlana's position, where she started to keep the engine fixated on a particular, steady pace.

"Are you alright, Svetlana?" she asked with a slight tone of concern in her speak. "I hope that you managed to relax a little, before taking such a journey. Flying with already so much accumulatd stress would have been quite dangerous for you." Matilde started to say, in a manner resembling that of a polite and gentle lecture.

"Ah? Ah..." Sveta whispered in uncertainty, " I'm fine, thank you. I've never been to Odessa frankly. I hope nobody gets hurt... I still don't understand how this could have happened... Why are we fighting amongst ourselves? And Tepes... I can't even tell what she's thinking at all. Vienna's already withdrawn most of her witches. I'm pretty sure they'll try to force her to return as well."

"Svetlana, we aren't fighting amongst ourselves, but our nations are. See, some would do everything for their beloved nation, while others, even if they genuinely care for it, are disgruntled with its government and won't help it in such a war. It all depends to Adela, Svetlana. If she doesn't want to go to Ostmark, she'll remain there. If she wants, she'll go in Ostmark, but she won't be an enemy of ours, because our unit has no allegiance, except for the League of Nations. It's alright, really." Matilde said, reassuringly, "If you are still worried, just tell me."

[Firstaria]

"Like we should care." Sarah said, looking extremely serious. "All that matters is that governments are withdrawing support to the 501th like they believe they are doing a tort to the others, giving them to the Neuroi. Yeah, because once they will have hives everywhere it will be a nice day for your country."

She knew things would not end up that way, but not in the way they should have gone. Every moment was fine to act, but none too was the perfect one. Soon, was all she was thinking off.

[Occupied Deutschland]

"Like we should care." Sarah said, looking extremely serious. "All that matters is that governments are withdrawing support to the 501th like they believe they are doing a tort to the others, giving them to the Neuroi. Yeah, because once they will have hives everywhere it will be a nice day for your country."

She knew things would not end up that way, but not in the way they should have gone. Every moment was fine to act, but none too was the perfect one. Soon, was all she was thinking off.

Bushra bit her lip as she listened in on Sarah’s words, then slowly shook her head. “If only things were so simple.”

Bushra made a conscious and considerable effort to keep any vitriol from entering her voice, and for a change, her efforts actually paid off as she spoke in a droning, listing pattern that resembled a teacher’s. “It’s a byproduct of a hundred years of maintaining the status quo. Eventually these ‘great’ Empires like Ostmark that make up the League forget just how much of a danger the Neuroi are and somehow think they can take them on with their own national militaries. They control so much land and so many people that they—or at least their nobility—forget just how vulnerable that land and its people are.”

Bushra smirked and let out a soft laugh. “They haven’t faced any credible opposition on their own national stage and it warps them into thinking they won’t face any internationally, be it from the Neuroi or the other League nations. The Illyrian uprising must be coming as one gigantic shock to them. The one thing they were so certain of, that they had predicated their entire foreign and domestic policy on, the stability of their governments, is being called into question by a bunch of ethnic and religious minorities from within their own country.”

Bushra let out another short laugh, but this one much more depressed than the last. “Of course they’ll withdraw some of their support for the League; if they kept supporting it they would have less capability to put down the rebellion inside their own borders and thus less ability to maintain the illusion that the status quo from the turn of the last century is still justifiable. That the centuries-old mandate they supposedly have to rule over the land they control is still somehow just as legitimate today as it was then.”

“And after all that, people still say the Illyrians are the ones in the wrong for revolting while the Neuroi are around. Nevermind that Ostmark is the one deciding to prosecute the war, nevermind that they brought instigated the revolution with their own domestic policies, it’s automatically the Illyrians fault because their country wasn’t around a century ago when the League was formed, or because they’re a bunch of uncivilized separatists who just want to destroy stuff.”

Bushra took a deep breath after her rant, then coughed and focused her eyes on the cargo planes below rather than any of the other witches as she realized just how long-winded it had been.

Ottoman Empire - Unknown Location

The Imam didn’t giggle. He wasn’t the type. Instead he leaned back in his chair and periodically clapped his hands together in pure, unadulterated joy.

Even he hadn’t thought things would spiral out of control so quickly. The Illyrian Revolution seemed to have let loose the full force of the rivalries between the great powers that had, until recently, been overshadowed by the Neuroi. Karlsland was rushing to begin a strike into Ostmark from their southeastern territories, Ostmark was similarly scrambling to mobilize their defenses that had been so focused on the Neuroi to their East to cover their suddenly bare border with Karlsland. Liberion was charging into the situation like the white knight they always liked to envision themselves as, and Ottomania and Orussia stared each other down across the Black Sea. All the while the Neuroi hive in Georgia hung over all of humanity’s heads like an alien sword of Damocles. It was absolute, international chaos of the highest order.

And amidst such chaos was a great time for monumental changes, changes that could be most beneficial. The Imam practically beamed in self-satisfied happiness.

There was a light knock on his door, and then a young woman’s head poked in. She went straight to business, as he had taught her. “Gantz has been captured. Imad, the Druze, was killed and—“ The woman paused for a moment and then continued, a slight strain suddenly evident in her voice. “—and we haven’t heard anything from those we sent to kill Asaad.”

The Imam’s mood disappeared faster than his body language could, so for a moment he seemed to continue in his state of blissful ecstasy. How does one man cause so much trouble for another?

Then the Imam began to curse.

A real imam, or any Muslim for that matter, would have been horrified at the blasphemies contained within the Imam’s words.

[Wolfenium]

"Ah? Ah..." Sveta whispered in uncertainty, " I'm fine, thank you. I've never been to Odessa frankly. I hope nobody gets hurt... I still don't understand how this could have happened... Why are we fighting amongst ourselves? And Tepes... I can't even tell what she's thinking at all. Vienna's already withdrawn most of her witches. I'm pretty sure they'll try to force her to return as well."

"Svetlana, we aren't fighting amongst ourselves, but our nations are. See, some would do everything for their beloved nation, while others, even if they genuinely care for it, are disgruntled with its government and won't help it in such a war. It all depends to Adela, Svetlana. If she doesn't want to go to Ostmark, she'll remain there. If she wants, she'll go in Ostmark, but she won't be an enemy of ours, because our unit has no allegiance, except for the League of Nations. It's alright, really." Matilde said, reassuringly, "If you are still worried, just tell me."

Svetlana was not all that convinced of the League's neutrality over the issue. After all, most, if not all are from member states currently at war with each other. True, there was only a few odd ones out that are from oppsing sides from the majority of the 501st, namely Bushra, Nuray and Adela, but that was far from a comforting point. More importantly, she was Orussian, and Odessawas to become a flashpoint between her homeland and Ostmark, possibly even the Ottomans. Even she understood it was difficult, if not outright impossible to stay neutral under these circumstances.

"Well..." she uttered, "there is one thing..."

"Well..." she uttered, revealing the letter "there is one other thing... I've been promoted...to Senior Sergeant... It's just one rank below yours... I'm... not sure if I should be... happy about this... I didn't do anything to deserve the rank... The most I remember of my stint is falling sick under the heat."

[Imota]

As Beatrice listened to the conversations around her, she realized just how little she understood about how global politics worked. Rather, she already knew that she wasn't the sharpest knife in the politics drawer, but being sent on a mission without really understanding what was going on was strange for her. With the Neuroi, it was easy enough; the Neuroi were here to invade, and her job was to stop them. The recent flare-ups in Europe, on the other hand, were to her a jumbled mix of histories and old grudges and cross-cultural disputes that she couldn't even begin to comprehend, and the rather simplistic version she had learned in school ("Liberion is the guardian of freedom, and it's our duty to protect it") rang hollow when she realized just how the status quo that had let her live happy and free had screwed over people like Bushra.

"If Maria were here, she'd probably say, screw 'em all, we'll win justice for everyone, and fight the whole world if we have to, or something..." she unconsciously punctuated this statement by punching the air in front of her, then realized what she had just done.

"...did I just say that out loud?"

[Minroz]

After hearing many conversations, Nuray sighs softly. She never enjoys the complexity of politics but her service as an Elite Ottoman strike witch and her shrewd mind saves her life many times from it. If it wasn’t for her competence and her loyalty to Ottomania, she’ll be straight to execution block. Ever to prove her warrior honour, she’d rather kill Neurois than to listening to political prattle.

-snip-

Hearing Beatric statements, Nuray chuckle wryly.

“Yes, you are, Miss Beatrice! Everybody heard that on the radio!” she said cheerfully. “I can’t help myself but to agree with this person named Maria. I wish the world will be straight-forward.”

[Nachfolgia]

Karlsland/Ostmark Border

The JG 54 continued their patrol of the southern border of Karlsland. For thirty minutes, they have patrolled the border and nothing has happened, even dipping into Ostmark territory a couple of times and still no reaction. Some of the less experienced witches, including Kamilla, were complaining about how boring this patrol was and how they wanted some action. Some of the more seasoned witches, like Anka, Heike, Friederike, and even Captain Veronika, shook their heads at the girl's complaining, thinking about how nieve they were. Friederike didn't mind how nieve the girls were, she believe they were suppose to be. They never experienced the monster that is war and the sight of someone dying. Soon enough, those girls will witness that harsh reality and it will change them.

Friederike thoughts of the matter were cut short when she picked up a sound with her familiar's ears. She immeidately looked down below her and focused her exceptional eye sight on the ground several thousand feet below them. She could see that there was truck and armor movement below, she could pick up the full picture,but she knew that they were Ostmark.

" Captain, I can see Ostmark troop movement several thousand feet below us." Friederike called over the radio.

" I know, Command has picked it up too, they want us to create a much damage to that convoy as possible. Friederike, take you squad and attack that convoy." The Captain replied.

" ja, Captain." Freiderike replied before she broke from the formation followed by three more girls.

Friederike and her squad began their attack run on the Ostmark troop movements, descending rapidly towards the convoy. As she got closer, Friederike could hear the Ostmark soldiers began to yell as they caught sight the witches. Many of them jumped out of their trucks and began to open fire on Friederike and the other witches with their assault rifles. When she got close enough, Friederike opened up her Rheinmetall MG3, pouring bullets into a truck until it exploded into a fireball. The other girls proceeded to do the same to several other trucks. One girl opened firing into a truck as several soldiers tried to jump out of the back only to get mowed down and laid dead on the road. Another girl went for a fuel truck, sending rounds into it until it exploded in a giant fireball, engulfing any trucks and soldiers near it. The girl darted to one side to avoid the fireball that rose hundreds of feet into the air.

After finishing the first wave of attacks, Friederike and the other witches circled around for another straffing run. Many of the Ostmark soldiers that survived the first attack, opened fire on the oncoming witches, in an attempt to wave them off of the attack. Friederike could hear the soldiers screams and curses as she got closer. One soldier climbed on top of a tank and manned the machine gun on top and began to fire at Friederike. Friederike continued her attack as bullets whizzed by her. She easily dodged the oncoming fire and pulled the trigger on her MG3, sending bullets towards the tank and the man on top. Bullets bounced off of the outside of the tank until they found their target, enbedding themselves into the torso and head of the soldier. One witch made her run parallel to the convoy, spraying bullets into every truck down the line until she ran out of ammo. Another witch, armed with a Panzerfaust 3, made quick work of the lightly armored tanks, sending a rocket into each and every one in the area. Friederike was about to make her final run when Captain Veronika yelled over the radio.

" Friederike, get your ass up here. We have Ostmark witches in bound."

Friederike looked up into the sky to see several black specks circling wildly overhead and she could heard gun fire. Friederike and the other witches gained altitude as fast as they could to reach the dogfight above them. Amidst the dogfight, The JG 54 was engaging an Ostmark squadron of witches. All around the area, Witches from both sides were either zig zagging to avoid fire or zig zagging to get a good shot. The air over the Karlsland/Ostmark border was being filled with ead and smoke from the ground below. Anka weave through the dogfight, trying to avoid a Ostmark witch behind her. " Damn, this bitch is good." Anka mumbled to herself as she looked behind her. Friederike caught sight of Anka being followed by an Ostmark witch that was firing at her. She noticed that Anka was about to fly directly into her flight path. Friederike raised her gun as she got closer to Anka. Anka flew directly in front of Friederike a several yards away and after a couple of moments so did the Ostmark witch, Freiderike opened fire. The Ostmark witch screamed in agony as the bullets entered her body and her limp body fell out of the sky and towards the ground. " thanks, Friederike" Anka called on the radio. " no problem" Freiderike replied in a calm voice.

All across the dogfight, The JG 54 was quickly gaining an upper hand against the Ostmark witches. Two Grünhertz witches chased a frantic Ostmark witch trying to outrun them. When they got close enough, the two opened fire on the Ostmark, sending her falling out of the sky. Another Grünhertz quickly made work of another Ostmark, sending her to her death as well. One by one, the sky was being filled with less and less Ostmarks. Captain Veronika was chasing her Ostmark equivalent across the skies. The two mirrored each other movements like some kind of dance. When one made a manuver, the other would do the same manuver. The two Captains were at an even stalemate, but sooner or later one was going to make a mistake. In a desperate attempt to shake her off, The Ostmark Captain turned over on her back and popped several shots at Captain Veronika. Captain Veronika saw this and immediately fired her weapon as one of the Ostmark's bullets hit her in the shoulder. The Ostmark Captain didn't make a sound as three bullets slammed into her chest, she just grimaced in pain as her expression faided and she fell out of the sky. Several of the other surviving Ostmark witches saw this and immediately began to fly away to safety, no longer having the courage to fight with their captain dead.

" Look their running away. Shall we go after them, Captain?" Heike said over the radio.

" Negative... we're heading back to base. Pull out." Captain Veronika replied with clear sense of pain in her voice.

The JG 54 quickly flew back across the border and headed back to Böblingen Air Base.

[Al-Harbiyyah]

Above the Black Sea Airspace,
25,000 ft
9th March 2012
11:55 AM

The Fuso Kawasaki C-2 and her escorts finally arrived above the Black Sea airspace after the receive the permission from the Odessa Air Traffic Control to land at their airbase.

"Captain, I detected several contact inbound on radar." the C-2 co-pilot inform his lead pilot after looking at the radar.

The Fuso Captain checks the radar and then contacted their F-15J escort, "[Ronin 2] this is [Uniform Three-Zero-Niner]. We got multiple contact inbound over."

(Comms)[This is [Ronin 2], roger that [Three-Zero-Niner] our picked it up too. Checking the IFF now]

After contacting the escort fighter, Yukine appears again at the cockpit, "What's going on there Captain?" She ask as she looked over the radar screen on the cockpit and ask again, "Contacts? Are they friendly?"

Before the Pilot of the transport plane could reply, the Escort Fighter's suddenly contacted them,

(Comms)[This is [Ronin 2] uh...[Three-Zero-Niner], IFF identifies them as friendlies. I think you should contact them]

"Friendlies? Possibly the 501st. Mori, tune in to their frequency, let them know we're here." Captain ordered his co-pilot and then turn to the Fuso Witch, "Captain Ishizawa do you want to watch from here?"

The Fuso Witch smiled at the Captain and said, "Yeah, it's boring staying at the back."

"Whatever you said so Captain." The Pilot said to Yukine as he tried to contact the possible 501st friendlies, "Unknown unit this is Fusoan Imperial Air Force transport plane under the League of Nation mandate. We are sending Peacekeeping Forces and we didn't want any confrontation. Please identify yourself in reply over?"

He and the rest of the transport plane crew and Yukine herself waiting for the reply, hoping that it isn't the hostile Ostmark or Ottoman or even the Orussian who might mistaken them for any enemy transport plane.

[Agritum]

"Svetlana, we aren't fighting amongst ourselves, but our nations are. See, some would do everything for their beloved nation, while others, even if they genuinely care for it, are disgruntled with its government and won't help it in such a war. It all depends to Adela, Svetlana. If she doesn't want to go to Ostmark, she'll remain there. If she wants, she'll go in Ostmark, but she won't be an enemy of ours, because our unit has no allegiance, except for the League of Nations. It's alright, really." Matilde said, reassuringly, "If you are still worried, just tell me."

Svetlana was not all that convinced of the League's neutrality over the issue. After all, most, if not all are from member states currently at war with each other. True, there was only a few odd ones out that are from oppsing sides from the majority of the 501st, namely Bushra, Nuray and Adela, but that was far from a comforting point. More importantly, she was Orussian, and Odessawas to become a flashpoint between her homeland and Ostmark, possibly even the Ottomans. Even she understood it was difficult, if not outright impossible to stay neutral under these circumstances.

"Well..." she uttered, "there is one thing..."

"Well..." she uttered, revealing the letter "there is one other thing... I've been promoted...to Senior Sergeant... It's just one rank below yours... I'm... not sure if I should be... happy about this... I didn't do anything to deserve the rank... The most I remember of my stint is falling sick under the heat."

"Oh, Svetlana, don't be so naive." Matilde reassured, giving a warm smile to the Orussian. "You know, people don't get promoted only over heroical actions in the battlefield or outstanding performance overall. It's also about seniority. It's almost an year that you are engaged in this front, and it would feel obvious to promote a soldier with that much active experience. Given that we are in time of war, promotions tend also to be more common and easily issued. And don't worry, you haven't been promoted to a Warrant Officer grade yet. It's there that you'll have to be more responsible than a normal NCO.

[Starkindler]

Meanwhile Nastya was sitting inside the cargo plane, unaware of the events that were surrounding her, without a radar. She was meditating about her powers. Her familiar was out, and she was glowing like when she started up her striker unit, or was using her power. Meanwhile she was sure, she was over the rant of wasting $100M of the Russian taxpayers by burning up yet another pair of T-50 jet strikers in a failed attempt to save an Ottoman city, on the very day it has declared war on Orussia, she was sure she's getting a part of the Siberian cold.

Meanwhile she was thinking about human vs. human war. At the first moment, she had signed up for the thrill of flight, hoping she wouldget into a flight demonstration squadron doing aerobatic maneuvers until 20, and then she would be able to pay for college, and lead a normal life as her mother. When she got onto testing, she had seen that as a stepping stone to Aerobatics, and when got transferred to the Neuroi front, she seen that order as a blessing to help the Motherland and the world against the threat.

This optimistic option about the military changed when she was deployed in Georgia, mere months after enrolling in the Air Force at the age of 12. Seeing girls as young as herself, and experiencing war as a girl aged 12 scarred her, but unlike several other Witches she knew, she recuperated. The war didn't last long, and then she got back to testing, shruddering to wield a weapon and having frequent nightmares. Fortunately, there was a Fusoan-born instructor who had told her to meditate, to assess her problems, and make it her strength.

Now, she sees the Enemy as Neuroi. Of a different kind. She is ready to fly against humans as eager as she flies against Neuroi, however, she tends to be cold and professional about this. The less she is reminded that instead of soulless machines, she is shooting at girls at or below her age, with feelings, friends and families waiting for them, the better. Although, she, as some Orussians would like to see Budapest flying the Orussian tricolor, Mecsek uranium filling the reactors of Moscow, and Hungarian engineers before the computers of Sukhoi and Mikoyan drawing up the latest strikers and also Vienna back to Karlsland, she despises human-human wars at a time where globalization alleviated any conflict from resources (except scarce ones like oil or natural gas), and when the Neuroi was attacking creating a more pressing problem.

Whose great idea was to steamroll Ostmark? - she thought, mentally reading over and over the command describing Orussia was at war.
And how could I get them? Targets whose radar cross-section is smaller than the thread of a needle, flying at mach speeds, as maneuverable as I am, having shields, and multiple missiles trained on me? - her second thought was the main theme of her meditation, focusing at the problem at hand, at her nightmares becoming real from one day to another.

[Wolfenium]

Svetlana was not all that convinced of the League's neutrality over the issue. After all, most, if not all are from member states currently at war with each other. True, there was only a few odd ones out that are from oppsing sides from the majority of the 501st, namely Bushra, Nuray and Adela, but that was far from a comforting point. More importantly, she was Orussian, and Odessawas to become a flashpoint between her homeland and Ostmark, possibly even the Ottomans. Even she understood it was difficult, if not outright impossible to stay neutral under these circumstances.

"Well..." she uttered, "there is one thing..."

"Well..." she uttered, revealing the letter "there is one other thing... I've been promoted...to Senior Sergeant... It's just one rank below yours... I'm... not sure if I should be... happy about this... I didn't do anything to deserve the rank... The most I remember of my stint is falling sick under the heat."

"Oh, Svetlana, don't be so naive." Matilde reassured, giving a warm smile to the Orussian. "You know, people don't get promoted only over heroical actions in the battlefield or outstanding performance overall. It's also about seniority. It's almost an year that you are engaged in this front, and it would feel obvious to promote a soldier with that much active experience. Given that we are in time of war, promotions tend also to be more common and easily issued. And don't worry, you haven't been promoted to a Warrant Officer grade yet. It's there that you'll have to be more responsible than a normal NCO.

"I... suppose..." the girl whispered with a blush, "it's been more than a year... In any case, I hope this ends soon. The longer this last, the more danger the Neuroi poses to the rest of us.

Anyway," she said, "let me know when we reach Odessa. I... need some time to myself..."

[Agritum]

"Oh, Svetlana, don't be so naive." Matilde reassured, giving a warm smile to the Orussian. "You know, people don't get promoted only over heroical actions in the battlefield or outstanding performance overall. It's also about seniority. It's almost an year that you are engaged in this front, and it would feel obvious to promote a soldier with that much active experience. Given that we are in time of war, promotions tend also to be more common and easily issued. And don't worry, you haven't been promoted to a Warrant Officer grade yet. It's there that you'll have to be more responsible than a normal NCO.

"I... suppose..." the girl whispered with a blush, "it's been more than a year... In any case, I hope this ends soon. The longer this last, the more danger the Neuroi poses to the rest of us.

Anyway," she said, "let me know when we reach Odessa. I... need some time to myself..."

"Oh....sure, Svetlana. I'll remind to do it when we reach it." Matilde promptly replied, "but...only one question, Svetlana: do you have problems or worries that don't make you sleep well at night? If yes, just tell me. I'll help you. And...well, I think that you should pass a little more time with the other witches too, and warm up to them a little, and...maybe tell them stories of Orussia? Of the snow, and the wolves, and of the northern lights in the sky? I'm sure they would be interested." Matilde suggested to Sveta.

[Rupudska]

Posting as if Norv hadn't posted. What was in the post anyway, Fin?

Ruya rolled around Sohvi a few times, becoming rather bored. "Say, Colonel, aren't we supposed to be getting some new recruits, soon?"

Sohvi nodded. "Yeah. Let's see... their names were, ahh... Yukine Ishizawa, from Fuso obviously..."

"Nice to see Fuso doing something in Europe. For once." Sohvi rolled her eyes at this. While it was true that Fuso had done very little in Europe (Or any theater besides the Pacific, for that matter) in the First, Second, or Third Neuroi Wars, they did at least want to try and help. And with the core in Fiji gone, they could now help in full. But that didn't seem to be happening.


"...and Adama Parker. A Farawaylander who joined the USLAF."

Ruya raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't she join Air Canuck?"

"Something about her parents not liking the idea of having her fight for the old Commonwealth."

"Rather silly, if you ask me, considering that nationalities wouldn't really matter in an anti-Neuroi squadron like the 501st. The only way it matters is what your uniforms look like, what Strikers you use, and what you get paid in."

The two of them heard radar chatter directed at them.

"Unknown unit this is Fusoan Imperial Air Force transport plane under the League of Nation mandate. We are sending Peacekeeping Forces and we didn't want any confrontation. Please identify yourself in reply over?"

Sohvi smiled. "Well, that's one. This is Lieutenant Colonel Sohvi Häyhä, commanding officer of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. We are currently en route to Odessa. Your aircraft and whatever supplies and personnel on board are welcomed. Over."

[Al-Harbiyyah]

Posting as if Norv hadn't posted. What was in the post anyway, Fin?

Ruya rolled around Sohvi a few times, becoming rather bored. "Say, Colonel, aren't we supposed to be getting some new recruits, soon?"

Sohvi nodded. "Yeah. Let's see... their names were, ahh... Yukine Ishizawa, from Fuso obviously..."

"Nice to see Fuso doing something in Europe. For once." Sohvi rolled her eyes at this. While it was true that Fuso had done very little in Europe (Or any theater besides the Pacific, for that matter) in the First, Second, or Third Neuroi Wars, they did at least want to try and help. And with the core in Fiji gone, they could now help in full. But that didn't seem to be happening.


"...and Adama Parker. A Farawaylander who joined the USLAF."

Ruya raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't she join Air Canuck?"

"Something about her parents not liking the idea of having her fight for the old Commonwealth."

"Rather silly, if you ask me, considering that nationalities wouldn't really matter in an anti-Neuroi squadron like the 501st. The only way it matters is what your uniforms look like, what Strikers you use, and what you get paid in."

The two of them heard radar chatter directed at them.

"Unknown unit this is Fusoan Imperial Air Force transport plane under the League of Nation mandate. We are sending Peacekeeping Forces and we didn't want any confrontation. Please identify yourself in reply over?"

Sohvi smiled. "Well, that's one. This is Lieutenant Colonel Sohvi Häyhä, commanding officer of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing. We are currently en route to Odessa. Your aircraft and whatever supplies and personnel on board are welcomed. Over."

"Finally a reply. Mori, get us to lower altitude...15,000 and tell those escorts to do the same." the Captain of the transport plane ordered his co-pilot as both began the process of descending their plane to an altitude of 15,000 meters followed by their escort fighters.

Yukine heard the reply from the radio which the contact identifies herself as the 501st commander by the name of Lieutenant Colonel Sohvi Häyhä, "A Suomus commander huh? This is interesting."

"Alright here goes nothing..." The captain of the Kawasaki Transport C-2 began sending a reply, "Roger that Lieutenant Commander Häyhä. Be advised we're descending to the altitude of 15,000 meters." He then turned his attention to the Fusoan Witch, "Well Captain, I guess we're not alone going to Odessa. At least we don't worry about getting shot down indiscriminately."

"You bet and good work guys." Yukine complimented the crew as she and the rest finally saw the view of the USS Charlotte E. Yeager and the rest of its fleet.

"I just hoped that all of them are okay to me...I really miss my old unit...and Kazuki too" She thought as she stares at the fleet.

[Occupied Deutschland]

As Beatrice listened to the conversations around her, she realized just how little she understood about how global politics worked. Rather, she already knew that she wasn't the sharpest knife in the politics drawer, but being sent on a mission without really understanding what was going on was strange for her. With the Neuroi, it was easy enough; the Neuroi were here to invade, and her job was to stop them. The recent flare-ups in Europe, on the other hand, were to her a jumbled mix of histories and old grudges and cross-cultural disputes that she couldn't even begin to comprehend, and the rather simplistic version she had learned in school ("Liberion is the guardian of freedom, and it's our duty to protect it") rang hollow when she realized just how the status quo that had let her live happy and free had screwed over people like Bushra.

"If Maria were here, she'd probably say, screw 'em all, we'll win justice for everyone, and fight the whole world if we have to, or something..." she unconsciously punctuated this statement by punching the air in front of her, then realized what she had just done.

"...did I just say that out loud?"

Bushra raised an eyebrow at Beatrice’s comment. The whole 501st seemed to be practically haunted by ‘Maria’, especially the younger ones like Beatrice and Svetlana. What Bushra couldn’t figure out was whether that was a good thing or not. From what she had heard in brief snippets from the others, like Beatrice’s slip, certainly painted the picture of someone very…colorful to say the least. How could anyone be that optimistic?

Well she was nobility, growing up with a silver spoon in your mouth probably helps you look on the bright side of life…

Bushra shook her head to keep from going any further down that line of thought again. It had done nothing positive for her. Even if it is true-

Which it is.

Even if it is true, Bushra stubbornly thought again in a vain attempt to drown out her opposing thoughts, I need to hide it a bit in front of the others until I can show them how right I am. Otherwise they’ll throw me back in a cell for insulting their precious rulers.

Bushra shuddered unconsciously. The first hour or so of her stint in the Yeager’s brig hadn’t been all that bad since she could preoccupy herself with nursing her own anger and reciting various prayers. But then it had gotten much, much worse when she ran out of both. She had been all but helpless, unable to DO anything. Unable to—

Not wanting to let the feeling go any further Bushra performed a lazy roll, stretching her arms out for a moment and reminding herself where she was and the freedom that gave her. She could go up, or down, or sideways. She was Free. No need to worry at the moment.

"If you don't mind me asking, why exactly would she have said that?" Bushra asked, trying to resolve her image of nobility with someone who sounded so...Bushra didn't even know how to describe it. So optimistic? So cheery?

So...Nice? Nobility? Nice? No, no, no...

[Hetland 2]

Lysta nodded playfully, chewing absentmindedly on the granola bar, looking back at Bushra who'd asked about Maria.

Bushra raised an eyebrow at Beatrice’s comment. The whole 501st seemed to be practically haunted by ‘Maria’, especially the younger ones like Beatrice and Svetlana. What Bushra couldn’t figure out was whether that was a good thing or not. From what she had heard in brief snippets from the others, like Beatrice’s slip, certainly painted the picture of someone very…colorful to say the least. How could anyone be that optimistic?

Well she was nobility, growing up with a silver spoon in your mouth probably helps you look on the bright side of life…

Bushra shook her head to keep from going any further down that line of thought again. It had done nothing positive for her. Even if it is true-

Which it is.

Even if it is true, Bushra stubbornly thought again in a vain attempt to drown out her opposing thoughts, I need to hide it a bit in front of the others until I can show them how right I am. Otherwise they’ll throw me back in a cell for insulting their precious rulers.

Bushra shuddered unconsciously. The first hour or so of her stint in the Yeager’s brig hadn’t been all that bad since she could preoccupy herself with nursing her own anger and reciting various prayers. But then it had gotten much, much worse when she ran out of both. She had been all but helpless, unable to DO anything. Unable to—

Not wanting to let the feeling go any further Bushra performed a lazy roll, stretching her arms out for a moment and reminding herself where she was and the freedom that gave her. She could go up, or down, or sideways. She was Free. No need to worry at the moment.

"If you don't mind me asking, why exactly would she have said that?" Bushra asked, trying to resolve her image of nobility with someone who sounded so...Bushra didn't even know how to describe it. So optimistic? So cheery?

So...Nice? Nobility? Nice? No, no, no...

Lysta chuckled again, flying down to Bushra, "Maria? Why would she have said that? She was... She... was..." Lysta paused thinking carefully. "She said that because... she was an idiot. A beautiful bloody idiot, who'd lift the pains of the world on her shoulders. That kind of moron. She fought and fought until her skin was ripped and torn, energy completely gone and then... after battle," Lysta sniffled, rubbing a stray tear from her eye, laughing sadly, "She'd run up to you and make sure that you got medical attention for the tiny burn you got on your leg from a near miss. She was that kinda idiot. A beautiful, uncensored girl who laughed like a lunatic, drank and swore like a sailor... and... and... was the sweetest girl you'd ever meet." Lysta signed a quick cross across her chest, "Excuse the prayer, I didn't get a chance at her grave. She finally found her family too... her death brought them together."

[Occupied Deutschland]

Lysta nodded playfully, chewing absentmindedly on the granola bar, looking back at Bushra who'd asked about Maria.

Bushra raised an eyebrow at Beatrice’s comment. The whole 501st seemed to be practically haunted by ‘Maria’, especially the younger ones like Beatrice and Svetlana. What Bushra couldn’t figure out was whether that was a good thing or not. From what she had heard in brief snippets from the others, like Beatrice’s slip, certainly painted the picture of someone very…colorful to say the least. How could anyone be that optimistic?

Well she was nobility, growing up with a silver spoon in your mouth probably helps you look on the bright side of life…

Bushra shook her head to keep from going any further down that line of thought again. It had done nothing positive for her. Even if it is true-

Which it is.

Even if it is true, Bushra stubbornly thought again in a vain attempt to drown out her opposing thoughts, I need to hide it a bit in front of the others until I can show them how right I am. Otherwise they’ll throw me back in a cell for insulting their precious rulers.

Bushra shuddered unconsciously. The first hour or so of her stint in the Yeager’s brig hadn’t been all that bad since she could preoccupy herself with nursing her own anger and reciting various prayers. But then it had gotten much, much worse when she ran out of both. She had been all but helpless, unable to DO anything. Unable to—

Not wanting to let the feeling go any further Bushra performed a lazy roll, stretching her arms out for a moment and reminding herself where she was and the freedom that gave her. She could go up, or down, or sideways. She was Free. No need to worry at the moment.

"If you don't mind me asking, why exactly would she have said that?" Bushra asked, trying to resolve her image of nobility with someone who sounded so...Bushra didn't even know how to describe it. So optimistic? So cheery?

So...Nice? Nobility? Nice? No, no, no...

Lysta chuckled again, flying down to Bushra, "Maria? Why would she have said that? She was... She... was..." Lysta paused thinking carefully. "She said that because... she was an idiot. A beautiful bloody idiot, who'd lift the pains of the world on her shoulders. That kind of moron. She fought and fought until her skin was ripped and torn, energy completely gone and then... after battle," Lysta sniffled, rubbing a stray tear from her eye, laughing sadly, "She'd run up to you and make sure that you got medical attention for the tiny burn you got on your leg from a near miss. She was that kinda idiot. A beautiful, uncensored girl who laughed like a lunatic, drank and swore like a sailor... and... and... was the sweetest girl you'd ever meet." Lysta signed a quick cross across her chest, "Excuse the prayer, I didn't get a chance at her grave. She finally found her family too... her death brought them together."

Bushra coughed roughly when Lysta called Maria an idiot, being completely unprepared for such an answer.

As Lysta continued she only felt worse. Maria didn’t fit in the hole Bushra’s brain had cut-out out for nobility to be placed into. Nobility didn’t take on others pain, they spread it out to others. Nobility didn’t laugh like lunatics. Nobility didn’t drink. Nobility didn’t swear. Nobility certainly wasn’t sweet.

Yet that was exactly what Lysta claimed Maria was like.

Bushra felt a stirring of…something…inside her, but was at a complete loss to classify what it was. It was almost like respect or sympathy, but that couldn’t be what it was. She’d just been in the air too long and Lysta’s emotional reminisces were getting to her. That had to be it.

“Oh.” Bushra said stupidly for not the first time concerning Maria. With that simple statement Bushra began to slowly drift away from Lysta, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable with the subject of the conversation.

Everything is wrong. It’s all wrong. Nobility aren’t good people. They can’t be. Teacher said so! They're the ones to blame!

“She sounds very,” Bushra paused for a fraction of a moment trying to come up with a suitable word, “dedicated.” She finished.

[Hetland 2]

Lysta nodded playfully, chewing absentmindedly on the granola bar, looking back at Bushra who'd asked about Maria.


Lysta chuckled again, flying down to Bushra, "Maria? Why would she have said that? She was... She... was..." Lysta paused thinking carefully. "She said that because... she was an idiot. A beautiful bloody idiot, who'd lift the pains of the world on her shoulders. That kind of moron. She fought and fought until her skin was ripped and torn, energy completely gone and then... after battle," Lysta sniffled, rubbing a stray tear from her eye, laughing sadly, "She'd run up to you and make sure that you got medical attention for the tiny burn you got on your leg from a near miss. She was that kinda idiot. A beautiful, uncensored girl who laughed like a lunatic, drank and swore like a sailor... and... and... was the sweetest girl you'd ever meet." Lysta signed a quick cross across her chest, "Excuse the prayer, I didn't get a chance at her grave. She finally found her family too... her death brought them together."

Bushra coughed roughly when Lysta called Maria an idiot, being completely unprepared for such an answer.

As Lysta continued she only felt worse. Maria didn’t fit in the hole Bushra’s brain had cut-out out for nobility to be placed into. Nobility didn’t take on others pain, they spread it out to others. Nobility didn’t laugh like lunatics. Nobility didn’t drink. Nobility didn’t swear. Nobility certainly wasn’t sweet.

Yet that was exactly what Lysta claimed Maria was like.

Bushra felt a stirring of…something…inside her, but was at a complete loss to classify what it was. It was almost like respect or sympathy, but that couldn’t be what it was. She’d just been in the air too long and Lysta’s emotional reminisces were getting to her. That had to be it.

“Oh.” Bushra said stupidly for not the first time concerning Maria. With that simple statement Bushra began to slowly drift away from Lysta, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable with the subject of the conversation.

Everything is wrong. It’s all wrong. Nobility aren’t good people. They can’t be. Teacher said so! They're the ones to blame!

“She sounds very,” Bushra paused for a fraction of a moment trying to come up with a suitable word, “dedicated.” She finished.

Lysta snorted, "The only thing she was dedicated to was Kamen Rider. She was friggen obsessive about that show. Well that and Alcohol. I once saw that girl chug an entire keg of beer and she wasn't even phased. She asked for another." Lysta laughed, "And we're not even talking about her monstrous strength. That girl... She carried a gun that weighed over 350kg unloaded. Ah! Here. You haven't seen her right?" She fished in her backpack with her telekinetic powers and retrieved a picture, holding it to Bushra, for her to take. Keeping a small amount of telekinetic force to make sure it didn't fly off. "This is the most recent picture I have of her. I think it was when she was serving with a South Afrikan unit."

There were several girls in the picture, most of them were clearly South Afrikan with the exception of a small mousy looking blonde girl in between two of them, grinning like an idiot. She wouldn't have been very noticeable with the exception her body was incredibly distinctive. It was covered in scars, welts and bandages. But the smile was still there, like a ray of sunshine.