Steel Skies: The Age of War (Invite only)

[The Order of Takhisis]

Prologue
Tak'Noth Provisional Territories Aerospace

There was general bustling through the subterranean created city of Terak, within the center of the floating island of Anhew di wer Welun. Said island was home to the Takhisian Knights, and their shipbuilders. There were few of high ranking out and about these days and most of those throughout the city, were only novices and apprentices, there had been whispers on the wind that an academy to educate those of the ranks, might be erected in the near future and there were those gossiping about the possibility.

The Skull Knight would be amongst those in the streets chattering away, though she made no effort to communicate with any of those she passed, instead choosing to ignore both their words, and either critical or frightened stares in her direction. She wore her usual armor, the black and grey uniform that bared no seams and stretched from just beneath her chin to the bottoms of her feet. The whole suit decorated by those black swirls of raised metal in tasteful designs over the surface of her armor, muscular frame encased within. A large parcel, wrapped in black fabric was held under one arm, bracer of silver and black plate with that slight green glow beneath the composite metal mixture shown through the tiny gaps in the elbow to hand armor, another matching it on her other arm which was raised to her lips, a bright red apple held in her hand that black lips pressed against as a large bite was taken from the fruit.

Stepping about the corner, and through a bulkhead, she caught sight of her second. Glowing depths caught sight of the familiar form and brought a grin rising the corners of those lips; tips of lengthened canines pressing against the bottom, plush lip. Steps carried her toward the Skull Knight, her voice perhaps bringing the old friend's attention from her path to her own face, as when she approached her from ahead, she lowered the cowl off of her head, allowing tips of ears to catch the chilled air drifting along the underground city. A lift of delicate-looking chin given with a sort of nod as she would also verbalize her greeting. No need to be so rude, now was there?

"Well, My Lady, I trust the Goddess has been treating you well?" A glance was given to the crowd behind her, quickly deciding if one of them would suffice for the meal she needed. Nostrils flaring ever so slightly as she would inhale, taking in the scents, though Anya's was most powerful, as she was, hopefully, standing right next to her. As she came to a stop, cloak bunched forward, hiding the intricate and hardly-there carapace like battle armor she had been wearing since, well, forever as she thought about it.

Her skin was her true armor, as it was hard (and often as cold) as stone. Aqua-hued strands left loose this evening and held those ornamental oak leaves; silver crescent moons hung from ear lobes and Celtic-like choker encased slender neck. Two thin strands of silver were carefully and intricately draped on her forehead, allowing the crescent moon to rest just above the clear space between lengthy eyebrows. The woman always was a bit...different than most elves, but she preferred it that way: Easier to remember her by...if you were so lucky. Darkened skin around eyes, very common for Night Fey, appeared to look almost like two falcons facing each other, their wings pointing down her cheeks and nearly framing her rouge-stained lips.

A dangerous slide of gaze to an approaching youth was given before he'd switch his own gaze from Anya's back to her and, with a start, decide to go the other way. Another inhale and his fear was consumed to help satiate the hunger within. Anya smirked a moment and then stared after the novice moving along, one look at Estralita had sent him off. " I am well, and we have orders. Round up my officers, Our Empress gives us a command, and we shall honor it."

The air definitely was chilled as if the cold from the darkness of space had found its way into the dark, underground city, though things like that hardly bothered her. As she was greeted by her subordinate, she passed along the barest of orders, knowing that Estralita would carry them out swiftly enough.

After a time Anya would chew that apple piece slowly, two of those thick, short nailed fingers moving to brush some of those wild black strands away from piercing green eyes, still set in their usual field of scale like tattoos, scanning over the woman for a moment, not out of lack of recognition so much as searching for new found strengths. She actually mustered a slight smile, though it appeared in barely more than a twitch at the corner of those darkly stained lips, any type of friendly gesture made by Anya was a feat in itself, though the gesture was there and gone in the blink of an eye as she resumed chewing her apple and swallowing it before speaking. " There is trouble upon the wind my friend, steel your resolve and let us hasten into the blue skies. I will see you aboard the Bane."

Smirking softly and grinning a bit wider, she listening intently to her response. "Ah, good. I am glad that the Empress holds us in such high regards, I was beginning to think we were to be fattened for the slaughter." Whether the Fey woman was being sarcastic or not was left for her to decide how she'd want to take the remark. But, she trusted she would find no offense in the tone. She would look to the one of higher status, and then offered a dip of head. Long brows lifting slightly in curiosity but gaze shifting back to her face. "I will be at my post soon enough My Lady, and with those that must be present." Another bow of head and then the second was off, heading down a different corridor, off to fetch the various officers and so forth for the ship their lady commanded, the Heavy Cruiser Bane.

+17 Hours
Edge of Tak'Noth Frontier Aerospace
8th Takhisian Imperial Navy Squadron

Lady of the Skull, Anya Devalsti, sat within the commander's chair, eying the view screen of the border and the current markers of an unknown collection of vessels that had been detected by the radar of a passing patrol vessel. Normally it might have been just another commercial craft or perhaps the exceedingly rare pirate vessel, but they generally steered clear when the patrol ships came back in number. Said patrol ships had then encountered unknown and apparently hostile vessels. Two ships had been destroyed and the unknown vessel had retreated.

The returning vessels were reinforcements, as the original offending vessel had already been recorded and was prominently marked on the readout. The 8th squadron was composed of eight ships of the line, and twelve support vessels. Slight head turn, to note Estralita's vigilant gaze. A nod was given, and her second voiced the order. "Gun ports open, prepare firing solutions and target the enemy vessels once within range. Deck Officer, alert the fighters they have a green order to launch." Several acknowledgements as the battle alert rang klaxons throughout the length of the heavy cruiser, and like wildfire was repeated in the rest of the squadron.

As on cue, the off center and somewhat wonky positions the squadron had arranged themselves in became more ordered. Assuming a diamond formation, and the support ships in the center forming a cross, the vessels under the command of Anya Devalsti achieved their assigned positions. They were windswept vessels purely made for conquest and war. They had a rather odd looking design, being propelled airships after all, but without any trace of helium or other gas bags to give buoyancy. Turrets here and there, giving the impression of battleships, battleships in the sky.

Anya was aware of her ship's flaws as well, they were ponderous to move, slow to bank, but they could take punishment and they could more then dish it out. Plenty a raider had misjudged the abilities of the Takhisian ships, finding their lethality all to late.

As each ship of the line disgorged their fight compliments, six to each vessel, the ability to offer suppressive fire from a small, one man platform would become a nightmare for most enemies. The fighters were powered by a singular push prop engine. Each bore an array of three twenty-millimeter guns in the nose. Said fighters could also carry short range anti-ship torpedos, though their main role was interception and counter-offensive roles.

If the enemy did not have a dedicate fighter support however, Anya planned to utilize her ship based fighters as an offensive weapon to harry the enemy ships so that she could focus on destroying them one by one as they were overwhelmed. If they did have fighter support, then both of their respective fleets pawns would be engaged, leaving the warships to do what they must, engage and defeat.

[Muroidea]

Of the Skies
Muroidean Airship Fleet, 1st, 3rd, and 4th Regiments
Commanded by, Air Marshal Leek.

The sleek and smooth for the most part, that wasn't outfitted with cannon anyways, Ardent class battle cruisers slid upon the waves of the wind with majestic glory. The banners of the Fleet were unfurled from the Muroidean flagship Majestic, to strike the fierce wind from their positions. Emblems of the regiments served upon the hulls of the airships, each carried the hopes and dreams of the tiny nation of Muroidea, and the determination to prove that it to had the right to sail the skies so vast.

That they had arrived at long last, proved this point. Now it was the time of honor, now was the time of bravery and courage to be had. Leek had thousands of souls at his command, and he would spend them to achieve victory. As he stood behind the navigational command and control center, his right arm raised as his whiskers fidgeted a moment. The mice were the newest addition to the animal nations, and he pointed at the targeting array. " To valiant deaths my comrades, arrange us in an order befitting of our worthy enemy. Let them see how many we are, let them see our courage. This is our day comrades, let us announce ourselves, let us strike a blow against oppression, let us relieve our comrades below upon the ground." He took stock of the bridge crew and was aware he voice was being spread to the other regiments and their commanders and so on.

" I stand with you, together on this field, our field is the sky, the heavens, and we shall be as warriors. Let us be warriors!!" There were yells and fist pumping responses as the enlisted and officer alike sprang into action. The ships of the regiments began to disperse at this time, arranging themselves in a fashion of similar nature to that of the enemy. It was not a diamond, but rather a squared look, with vessels interlocking based on class. The Muroidean Airship Fleet was composed of one-hundred-forty vessels total. Of these, eighty were heavy cruisers, with twenty battlecruisers, and the rest were of the light vanguard class, a sort of destroyer-light cruiser mix up.

Then came the the silence, as two enemies stared at each other, much like the ships of the sea did once long ago before hurtling death towards one another. It was the time of the sword now, who would swing first. Who would catapult the forces against each other. Who indeed? The enemy, dossiers had labeled them as Takhisians, some race he was not familiar with, but having much the same sense as them, begun to fire. The rippling effect could be seen, the waves of smoke, and fire plumes. It danced alongs the barrels of a fleet the size of his own and he knew he would find the battle he'd waited for.

The battle had started almost immediately. Leek gave it some thought as he viewed it, watching as the hostile craft were far more, how to put it, capable than the initial meeting by earlier vessels. An escort vessel had been ruthlessly targeted and destroyed in rapid fashion. Enemy fighters filled the space between them, and there were so many it seemed that one could walk from one fleet to the other atop their hulls should they stop moving hither and thither about the carnage that was this endeavor.

Reverberations in the hull as again the Majestic was rocked by a heavy strike. The smooth, yet angular vessels were still pushing forth, as a wall of weaponry towards them. Fire blossomed, vivid in hue as one of their number was struck down, the nose of the vessels collapsing inwards and down. Small pods shot away before the beast shuddered and then ripped itself apart, becoming but wreckage.

Air Marshal Leek stood watching the battle unfold. While he was numerically superior in size to the Takhisians, the difference in skill was also apparent. The Takhisians for example had been using these warships for nearly two hundred years in various fashions. Thus the training and such in warfare was more than discernable. They were steadfast, and didn't loose their stance in trading blows. His own crews were well trained but had never run into a force that leapt towards them with a lust they'd never seen before. Willing to die without hesitation. It was not something that the Muriodean forces had ever truly run into before.

As several dreadnaughts fell earthward, he was reminded of all that they had gone through to get to this point. " Stand strong my warriors, give them nothing but the deaths they so desire! " His order gave a renewed vigor to the crews as he spoke to them all, from ship to ship. Salvo after salvo, the cannons were becoming apart of them, the ash of the gunpowder beginning to stain their souls, and the acidic taste of it upon their lips. They were turning to beasts in and out, as much as the vaunted enemy before them. The winds would weep of the blood spilled here, the beginning of an endless hate, a fuel of a fire that would never darken.

Second flagship, The Laughing God, under command of Marshal Dem, watched as the support cruiser Wandering Gaze crumpled under the enemy's renewed assault, and then stopped going forward. As the raking fire from the rows of enemy cruisers crashed against it, the bow of the airship dreadnaught broke inwards and then exploded outwards. The front keel and partitions then followed suit, shredding the earth below with debris as the whole vessel began a downward plunge. There was a slight inhale of air, a rise of his stomach towards his throat as he watched with morbid curiosity, as did many on the bridge and probably elsewhere aboard the second flag.

The Wandering Gaze impacted into the earth so far below, and as the clouds parted to offer a clear view of such, the land was awash with a reddish-purple light and then a mushroom cloud that followed soon enough. The buildings still standing nearby were sent sideways as if made of tissue paper, an image that was to be repeated far to many times. Dem sighed softly and then glanced towards the enemy line, noting that several of them were joining their comrades, though not at the same rate. Experienced enemies meant they were going to be in a fight for their lives, more so than they thought. He reflected on this, but to give his crew and thus his support ships courage, he raised his left arm. " Advance, and give them ruin! "

[The Order of Takhisis]

Leading into the battle

As was typical throughout the Takhisian battle doctrine and advanced warfare theories, the Takhisian naval plan for the defense of the frontier, and subsequent offensive against the unknown enemy force, was complex and required a high level of coordination. Also, as was typical, the Takhisian naval command assumed that the unknown force (Muroideans) would continue to play a passive-aggressive role and that they would do "what they were supposed to do" while exhibiting little initiative.

The Takhisian battle plan centered around their frontier defense force and included several supporting thrusts. First, Champion Effin, of the Light Carrier Goliath, 2nd Company, was positioned in sector two in the Thurm sector, where they hoped to set up a fighter deployment base which would be used to patrol the southern edge of the sector nearest the frontier and provide valuable reconnaissance information. The frontier defense force would be protected by a covering fleet from the 4th company, which included the light carriers, Shoho, and Truk. After the deployment of the 8th Squadron, the force would continue eastward to link up with the aforementioned 8th Squadron and other forces. Meanwhile, the main strike force with the heavy cruisers of the 8th Squadron, composed of some of the best crews, would sail forth from the line, screened from hostile forces within the Thurm sector.

The plan, was that as the hostile forces rushed further into the frontier and eventually crossed into Takhisian territory to engage the current force present being the 8th Squadron, the two light carriers would swing west and, in a pincer movement, wipe out the hostile fleet. After destroying the enemy fleet, the carrier force would continue westward to reinforce the defensive line around the perimeter and the now slightly expanded frontier.

Anya stared at the plans before her, the enemy reinforcements just now entering sensor range, a mostly eaten apple lay within left hand, while she contemplated the core, seeds were delicious to. The bridge was bathed in a red hue that matched the apple's remaining skin. Klaxons of yellow spun in never ending revolutions, adding to the mixture of light and sound as she fidgeted somewhat under the cross straps of the commander's chair. Raising swagger stick up, she absently pointed the screen and spoke one word. Attack.

Targeting arrays could be detected across the void of the emptiness of the skies. As one, eight cruisers opened fire. Heavy cannons burned tracer rounds across the inky night. Twirling about from above and below, the insignificant fighters in pairs of three struck. Anti-ship torpedoes and auto cannon dotting the I's and crossing the T's.

2nd Wing

On approach against the hostile unknowns, Night Warrior Desik was given the command of two wing mates, of whom would be the unit of three. As the fighters that had been deployed, the massive cloud of metal and flesh split into smaller and smaller formations so as to be harder to track and eliminate. Everything was fine for the moment, but such peace never lasts. As they pulled a scissor rotation about the breadth of one of the unknown warships, lancing fire from above struck his right most wing mate. The impacts splashed first against the cross frame, and then the fighter crumpled and exploded apart in spinning fragments.

2nd Wing to Lead, Enemy Sta.. Desik was partway through his transmission when his two right thrusters were sheared off by the enemy weapons fire. Without the ability to stabilize, he smashed into the hull of the enemy warship, making but a smudge upon the hull for a moment or so. Acolyte Deveris avoided the next batch of fire, de-accelerating so that the enemy fighter shot past. All four cannons locked and loaded, tone received from the lock upon the enemy craft, and his trigger depressed by reliance on training to provide such a reaction. Stuttering like motion as the machine gun like auto cannons fired, and the enemy fighter pitched, and then began an uncontrolled flight into it's own mother ship.

Glance to his left and then right through the helmet, catching sight of another enemy fighter via the HUD and warning system. Tilt of the flight sticks to the right and left, propelled the fighter up and into a barrel roll of sorts. Stitching cannon weapons fire lanced in the spot he'd just occupied as he dodged and juked about the battlescape. As the hull of a large ship failed from the burning touch of the heavy cannons of the ships of the line, and was literally cut down the path of the vessel's center, pushing it apart as if a giant hand had just pulled the airship apart, he plunged his own craft down towards said warship's now emptying gut, past falling debris and corpses.

As the enemy fighter's weaponry came alive, the bursting of death all about as he skimmed alongst the breadth of the beasts right flank before shooting upwards once more. The concussive wash of the enemy fighter impacting into the portion of the warship he'd just avoided served as recognition of his enemy not being quite on par with his own skills.

[Osea-Yuktobania]

Of Song and Fire
They clad us in the colors of the skies,
and armed us with the weapons made for war.
Then taught to us the ancient trade of killing,
and lead us to the sound of battles roar.

So give us comfort as we lay down bleeding,
and pray upon our cold and stiffened dead.
But mark our place that we might be accounted,
this foreign heaven becomes our graven bed.

Now children place a wish upon this winter's wind,
and learn of us each Day at dawn.
We are the Republic's dead from distant conflict,
our sacrifice remembered ever more.

2nd Aero-Fleet
Commanded by Admiral Tyana Avari
Edge of Tak'Noth Frontier Aerospace.

Much like the Takhisians before them, the Osea-Yuktobanian's played a form of martial music to announce their arrival. Larger than the aforementioned Takhisian airships, those of the OYFRN (pronounced Oie Fren) they bore a hellacious armament meant for the total destruction of land based targets, or those in the air depending on the situation. The flagship Mysteria hung within the center of five heavy ships of the line, eight assault cruisers, and four fighter carriers. Even now the burgundy hued push props were joining those of the Takhisian's and Muroideans's over the battle line of the frontier, raining down death and destruction into both of those forces.

A ratcheting sound drifted downwards from above, the only warning. Thunderous reports sounded across the battle torn skies of the frontier as those great floating monstrosities unleashed salvo after vicious salvo on Takhisian and Muriodean alike. Eight triplet style Ansaldo style turrets, bearing 203 mm/L53 (8 in) guns of 25 tonnes each, aimed towards the fleets of either race and let thunder be the sound of their arrival.

For a long few seconds there was nothing and then a great whistling sound could be heard moments before a plume of fire, debris, and dark smoke was the result. The concussive force would smash through the hardest of armor, throw bodies for kilometers and or their pieces and spread a swath of destruction through two opposing forces not realizing a third had appeared. The airships were moving slowly, sowing their seeds of death and carnage across a great piece of the sky. It became clear that the airships bearing the Osea-Yuktobanian markings were headed for the centers of either fleet at a somewhat leisurely pace.

Now and then the discernable sound of anti-aircraft cannon could be heard. The forty millimeter pom-pom's were being directed towards the enemy fighter craft, stitching puffs of black smoke and shrapnel across the canvas of the heavens. Her, and by that, referring to Admiral Avari, orders from the council were very clear. Support, suppress, destroy any threat present on the frontier, and hold until the 1st aero-fleet could arrive.

Admiral Avari stood at the helm of the great warship Mysteria, unlike her Takhisian counter-parts, the bridge of the Mysteria was not overlorded by a throne sitting on high. The bridge of the Mysteria instead had three approaches of stairs leading to a stage like area. In it were three chairs at the back built into the frame itself and a series of command stations in front of them. Below that stage were two trench like areas with an observatory area where one could look down and see what non-commissioned officers and enlisted were doing, and make sure they were doing it right!

A light cruiser had been sunk, the vessel impacting into the outskirts of the nameless ruins of a city far below the skies of the frontier as the 3rd aero-fleet had made it ahead of the 1st, thus giving Avari's forces a boost in both numbers and firepower. The admiral gave the order to have her forces arrange themselves in a set of rows, which was atypical OYFRN battle stylings. With the 3rd aero-fleet under the command of Commodore Jang, Avari's overall command now had twenty heavy cruisers, and fourteen light cruisers added to her already potent mix. They were arranged in rows of five, intermixing light with heavy ships, which she happened to like more. Something to discuss with command at some date. It was more effective than the much older arrangement that her forces were trained with.

Avari spoke to her second as the field of war expanded. Commandant Ven, do allow the music of our comrades to spread throughout the fleet and encourage our gunners to be accurate. Our enemies deserve at least that honor from us. A nod followed by a response as Ven turned about. My Admiral, we are ready, the fleet at your fingertips, there is but your order and we shall commence. He stood straight as an arrow and saluted as did the rest of the bridge crew. It brought a smile to her lips and then she spoke. Very well my loyal hounds, let us into the war ahead, brace for the battle, and may our gods find themselves giving us their favor!

And then as the music filled the air, the firing began..

[Tuthina]

Far beneath the white clouds occasionally tainted by the black smoke of war was a relatively untainted landscape. On first glance, the majestic rivers flowing between a great lake and the vast ocean appeared to be unaffected by the conflict of the flying leviathans in the heaven. However, it was but an illusion, one created by the sheer size and volume of these great rivers.

As another airship succumbed to enemy bombardment and slowly returned to the motherly earth, the water from one of the rivers seemed to be disturbed. A patch of bubbles emerged from the river and, instead of being washed away by the water, continued to enlarge until the white foam reshaped itself in accord to the body of its creator.

While by virtue of its ability to reversibly submerge in water, few would be inclined to call her a submarine, for it was far bigger than anything of her kind outside of few navies that mothered these monsters of the deep sea. Apart from its unusual length and draught, its beam was further lengthened by seemingly bolted two usual rod-shaped submarines together to create her unusual, curvy, black body.

As the surfaced vessel continued to slowly make her way towards the lake beneath the battlefield, hatches at the roof of the sail were pushed open before her crew returned to the fresh air beneath the sun one by one. Apart from the typical working expression, these men also bore an atypically dark complexion of the faraway countries.

After several of the seamen climbed down the sail and stood on the wide deck of the black submarine, another thing emerged from the hatches. The hands quickly took hold of the folded collection of cloth, plastic and steel bars, before busily deploying them into a strangely luxurious beach chair. The sailors were unfazed by how out of place their current work is - in fact, they seemed to be more used to such work than they should be, as a large parasol and a small telescope made their way beside the beach chair.

The final object to emerge from the mysterious submarine was a humanoid figure. Even though it was tied to the back, persumably to avoid it getting caught between one of the numerous machinery within the transoceanic vessel, the long, black hair easily indicated the gender of the shadow. She seemed to be somewhat below average height and a similarly slim body, which was made even clearer by the tight naval uniform wrapped around it.

Even though the owner of this vessel was not exactly famous for choosing practical uniform design over the loose, traditional robe-like clothes, the the uniform was remarkably mundane in design: tight sleeves and two rows of golden buttons ensured that the uniform would not be caught in the overcrowded working environment of a submarine when rapid responses were needed. Below the waist, the lower body was similarly enclosed by a pair of black stockings and boots, revealing only a thin line of skin between the stockings and the shorts.

“Is everything done? I don't want to miss the show!” She shouted as she made her way towards the beach chair, the seamen immediately stopped their work on hand to busily salute towards the lady. While legally an adult, both her body and behaviour would make a lot of people believe that a young girl like her would not be able to command a multi-billion military vessel.

And they would be right.

While most modern military forces are owned by a central authority, usually the relevant government, the Empire retained its feudal legacy, and thus most military units are - at least nominally - owned by one of the various lords within the realm. As they were the “owner” of their unit, it was only reasonable for them to have ultimate authority on their property, even if it would be against judgement of those who knew better in military affairs. Of course, such disadvantages did not go unnoticed, and most nobles chose to defer to the judgement of actual military commanders.

However, there were exceptions, and one of them manifested in the form of the noblewoman laying on the beach chair while waiting for the worked crew of the submarine to fetch her her tools and refreshments. Just beyond the concealment of the parasol, sphers of fire and smoke could be seen even with naked eyes, as were soem of the larger airships. While she the clearly interested in such scenery, it was also clear that such a microscopic view would not satisfy her. As such, the moment her telescope was brought to her, she immediately took it from their hands and pressed her eyes against the eye-piece.

“Is there anything else you desire, Your Highness?” Her lieutenant asked while her fingertips were skillfully adjusting the focus of the scope to yield her a better picture.

“No. You all may go relive yourself.” She answered, before one of the falling warships interrupted her speech, making her to squee in excitement. Despite being raised in a glorified dollhouse, she was no fool: angering hundreds of men while sharing the same steel cage hundreds of feet below the sea would not end well for her, all things considered. Once she got away with what pleased her, it was better to just leave them to their device - a plan that seemed to work well, as the crew had already conjured some fishing rods and started to know the local seafood eagerly by the side of the steel surface of the submarine.

Not that it concerned her, though, as all her focus was on the small world delivered before her eyes by the small binocular on her hands. It was like watching a war movie, but somehow the knowledge that real blood was spilled betweel the volleys of fire excited her enormously. With each bright line cleaving the sky, her lung screamed in excitement, and with each blaze erupting from the joints of the steel plates, her heart pounded faster and quicker. There were people in it. Fighting. Dying. She thought to herself, the fact that she could not hear the song of war from that distance did nothing to distract her. With each explosion, her body became more and more drenched from bodily fluid of different kinds, fortunately blending in well with the soaked deck and the blazing sun.

[The Order of Takhisis]

Ménage à trois

Lady of the Skull, Anya Devalsti, sat within the commander's chair and watched her crew react to the unexpected. Two heavy cruisers and a light had been lost in the excellent strike from above. The sudden arrival of the OYFRN, and probably she guessed, commanded by that insufferable woman Avari, Admiral of the 2nd Aero Fleet. There wasnt any sort of communique's from the enemy fleet, but if she had to hazard a guess, that's whom it would be.

Her second in command had come to stand near her position, commanding those with orders that of course she agreed with. Her loyal subordinate had been with her long enough. Easily knowing the orders to give, anticipating her demands on most occasions. The move to stiffen up their defenses, while a good one, however was not what she desired. Belay that order, advance. Close the distance and crush them! A slight glance towards Estralita, smile curving into place. Worry not my loyal wolf, normally you would have been right, but I desire to close the distance, let us bring the other enemy into the mix as well.

Her second nodded after a time and resumed giving orders as Anya leaned forward a bit, speaking to the nearest deck officer.Champion Effin, of the Light Carrier Goliath, 2nd Company is to reinforce us at the battle line.Holding up her hand towards another officer who'd been about to attend to some orders of another nature. Disregard whatever you are doing, and send a communique to Lady of the Skull Neri, Commandant of the Heavy Cruiser Jagged Blade. Inform her that the frontier fleet is requesting immediate support of all vessels in command.

The officer saluted and scurried with a quickness to the communication and control station, followed by the other officer of just moments ago. Anya leaned back into her seat as she explained to a waiting Estralita. Neri was given command of the Eighteenth Regiment last month, and has nearly fifty vessels under her command. Most are cruisers of medium, and light. A few assault carriers and corvettes as well. Not only that, they are within four hour's time of here, that is our goal my dear, four hours.

Estralita blinked and then nodded, she lightly squeezed the right shoulder of Anya before making her way wordlessly towards the fire and control station to give support and direction since they needed to last so long. She in turn would link up with the other ship commanders, officers in charge etc as the frontier force accelerated into the gaping maw of death and destruction, essentially the spacing that some ship crews referred to as " knife-throwing distance ". What had been about twenty nautical miles between the opposing forces, shrank to just over nine miles and sometimes even closer, going " port hole visiting " in some cases. Nearly point blank cannon fire traded back and forth with the Takhisian's belief of better armor as the bet for victory.

[Osea-Yuktobania]

2nd Aero-Fleet
Commanded by Admiral Tyana Avari
Edge of Tak'Noth Frontier Aerospace.
20 minutes from initial encounter...

Admiral Avari arranged for the 2nd Aero-Fleet to be arranged in the customary order of battle befitting the Federal Republic. Battleships, cruisers, and other vessels were arranged into divisions, each division being commanded by a Flag Officer (Atri-Preda). Next in line after Mysteria came the dreadnoughts Ascendant Glory, Sword of Truth, Honored Memory, Valiant, and Valor. These were the five heavy ships of the line that surrounded the flagship and command vessel of Admiral Avari.

As the fight had continued on, so had the lives been spent. The heavy cruiser Vindicator, had recently been sunk, the bow missing and great billowing black smoke poured upwards as fire at the hull turning the metal a brilliant orange hue as it fell through the clouds to the world below. The secondary explosion perforated the heavens as it met the earth partially, with a portion of it's hull striking water. Near molten metal touched cool water and it fragmented, breaking as if glass against stone from a great height.

After losing the Vindicator, Avari decided to execute a turn to port in sequence, she did so to preserve the sequence of her battle-line, with the flagship Mysteria still in the lead. Turning in sequence meant that each ship would turn one after the other whilst still following the ship in front. Effectively each vessel would turn over the same piece of space. This being the danger in the maneuver as it gives the enemy fleet the opportunity to target that area.

This move enabled her ships to take the same course as the Takhisian's while keeping the Muroideans at bay, although risking each battleship consecutively. Although her maneuver was successful, Muroidean gunnery had proven surprisingly good and the dreadnought Valor was hit fifteen times in just under four minutes. Before the sequence was fully completed, battlefield assessment would mark that the Valiant would be struck ten more times by large caliber shells from the Muroidean airships that had arrived on the scene.

Septarch Thul Agarist of the Dreadnought Valor took the secondary sequence first, as part of the plan, it brought his massive array of weaponry to bear against Takhisian heavy cruisers. Joining him was a carrier already spilling fighters from it's belly and eight medium cruisers who were positioned to be the shield to his sword. As his command arranged to begin giving fire against the Takhisian vessels, one target in particular looked to be a heavy cruiser leading a cluster of lighter vessels.

He turned, raised his right arm as if he were wielding a sword outstretched. " Light our foe with the flames of righteous justice my brave sailors, let these dogs taste defeat!" His second in command nodded and the gunners soon were at their terrible work.

The steel plates and superstructure on the upper decks were torn to pieces, and the splinters probably caused many casualties. Iron ladders were crumpled up into rings, guns were literally hurled from their mountings. In addition to this, there would be the unusually high temperature and liquid flame of the explosion, which would seem to spread over everything. With the battle lenses bringing the close up of the enemy vessel to his eyes, Thul actually watched a steel plate catch fire from a burst.

In and near the stricken heavy cruiser, he watched somewhat as fighters from the carrier streamed over and around, letting air to air torpedo's loose. A light cruiser was struck several times by such weapons, of one was a direct hit on the magazines of which caused her to explode. Smoke sent thousands of feet into the air and since he didn't see any crew pods eject from the stricken vessel, her crew was probably trapped in death throes as it slid beneath the clouds.

[The Order of Takhisis]

The Dragon, Heavy Cruiser
The Legion of Ariakan
Tak'Noth Frontier Battle

The Legion's arrival into the battle, heralded by The Dragon, a veteran of the frontier battles years past. Jidan Hrul, ith di jirai " Lord of Arms ", a senior officer rank and a special one at that, commanded said vessel. The Dragon, is a daron ith (Knight Lord) Class of Aero-Heavy Cruiser. Getting up in his years, Jidan had crept slowly but surely into his early sixties, he spoke from his position standing behind the navigation contril area to the officers there and had them move out of the general defensive formation. The path took them out of the way of the initial flotilla, but on towards the enemy cruisers advancing about the line of their larger brethren.

Orders given to his second in command Ajax Huldren, also advancing into an age beyond that of others in this battle. " Give them fire and death Captain. Let us test their mettle." Ajax nodded smartly while issuing forth the orders. " As you command sir, it is done." Rippling fire from the heavy cruiser danced across the heaven's and into a similar classed cruiser of the ORYFN as well as sectional fire towards that of the Muroidean Naval vessels.

The vertical triple expansion engines consumed large amounts of internal space that could otherwise have been used for magazines. Without sufficient magazine capacity to support super firing center line turrets, designers were compelled to distribute six main turrets in an unusual hexagonal configuration. Two twin turrets were mounted fore and aft (one on each end), and two were mounted on each flank of the ship.

Firing directly forward and aft, the ships could bring six guns to bear, and eight on the broadside; this was the same theoretical capability as yoweth ith (High Lord) Class of Aero-Dreadnaught, but the daron ith-class ships required two additional guns to achieve it. It was considered that this arrangement provided a useful reserve of heavy guns that were shielded from enemy fire. These guns fired 666 lb shells, with a 57 lb (26 kg) fore propellant charge in silk bags and a 174 lb (79 kg) main charge in a brass case. The guns fired the shells at a muzzle velocity of 2,805 ft/s (855 m/s), and had a maximum range of 22,400 yards (20,500 m). At a range of 13,100 yards (12,000 m), the eleven inch shells would penetrate up to 7.9 in (200 mm) of belt armor.

More then enough to deal with the atypical heavy cruiser of ORYFN or the Muroidean versions of such. And it showed. The Dragon had targeted a lead cruiser of the ORYFN, and the results were terrible and amazing at the same time. The pyrotechnics were stunning as the front half of the enemy cruiser looked as if it's deck plates were being peeled back, exposing the soft underneath to view. Flames licked upwards and the craft began a screeching descent to the waters below the clouds. The Muroidean who had slid into place to duel it out, found itself the recipient of nearly half a dozen ship to ship torpedoes.

Two torpedo's struck the upper mast of the Muroidean cruiser, the two-hundred-ten kilogram warhead's vibrant in their destruction, while four others evenly spaced in their strikes, struck from port to bow in beautiful sequence. Hexanite being the preferred explosive substance, the torpedoes themselves penetrated the enemy armor, and then squeezed all of their furious eruption into whatever lay on the other side. The result, catastrophe for the enemy vessel now stricken to plummet through the cloud layer.

[Muroidea]

Fire and Agony

The heavy cruiser Adelle met a furious end, crumpling under the sheer explosive might of anti-ship torpedoes that struck her from stern to bow. Rippling occurred and danced along the seams of the airship, before plates and bulkheads sheared themselves apart in glorious and travesty in a singular swoop of the war gods hands. Downwards did the Adelle fall, disappearing beneath the white clouds to whatever lay beyond they.

She did not go alone, several of her sister ships caught in the furious exchange between that of the ORYFN and the Takhisian's at large, crumpled under the heavy handed responses to one another. Admiral Leek noticed offhandedly that the heavy cruisers of the 3rd Regiment had largely fallen silent. The radio traffic had been dancing across the ears of his communication officers just moments ago. As he approached the command station, his second, Colonel Wernstrum approached rather hastily.

Sir! The third..the third has been wiped out sir...

Leek blinked a moment, nearly half of their battlecruisers had been apart of the third regiment. How? How did they fall..?

Wernstrum responded as he looked at a sheet of teletype. It says here, that the third came under a surprise pincer move by a heavy force of Takhisian's, and that during this the ORYFN fired without separating targets. What is left of the third has been absorbed by the fourth regiment sir.

Leek pondered this grave news and then made a decision he did not wish to make. A slight sigh and shake of head. Inform the remnants of the third and the majority of the fourth to re-group upon the first regiment. Have the fleet move to just before the border markers, and inform the ground forces that we are re-organizing for an assault into the enemy airspace.

Wernstrum nodded his head, and saluted.Yes sir, I shall ferry your commands to the ship captains and regimental leaders. He pivoted upon his right foot and set off towards the communication area, already waving his arms and issuing commands to raise the signal booms.

Admiral Leek for his part, stood at the helm and kept a stoic poise, so that his crew did not lose morale. Steady as it goes, return fire to any would be pursuer. We shall let the two enemies tear each other apart, and when wounded, we shall strike them down. Several nods from officers and sailor alike as the Muroidean forces began their strategic withdrawal. Leek glanced at the gunnery command station and gave a slight nod to the senior officer present, along with an order. Fire at your discretion commander.

Commander Hixen nodded vigorously and settled on the approaching Takhisian warships, plowing through the ORYFN lines as targets for the main guns. Not only their ship, but tactical was relaying the coordinates to other ships of the line. A successive thooming sound as the turreted cannons relinquished their heavy loads, and dumped high explosives towards the advancing enemy ships.

[The Order of Takhisis]

Beneath the Sky
Lakeville Battle

The water of the lake spray roiled up the sides of the landing craft and smashed over and into the faces of the troops as Protector of the Lily, Daya stood stoic and without expression. Her fellow knights were no stranger to violence or war, and the Huukach Taalogekhec Taagelaan, the provisional mercenaries who went out into the wide world to make their fortune, they to were of steel to this frightening display.

The southwestern coastline being contested ground, meant that their landing was going to be meeting resistance. As the 3rd squadron above lent their savagery in the form of lobbing shell after shell towards the beachheads, and the urban areas beyond, it was apparent to her that perhaps resistance was the wrong word for this encounter. Certainly the return fire warranted such, as plumes of water splooshed upwards as dozens upon dozens of landing craft began to make for the shore like sperm to a womb.

The closer they came however, one could discern the staccato of tracer fire, the crumping of mortars, the thunderous boom of artillery replying to the savagery of the naval guns just off shore and behind them now. Push prop fighter aircraft rolled and banked on from the heavens, straight into the mix of anti-aircraft fire. Daya herself could think of the pilots as brave, but terribly foolish. The knights of the heavens as many on the ground referred to them, they were proving their mettle this day. She could only watch as they danced the samba of death with enemy forces. Even in the throes of dying they were oddly beautiful, as was the finale, the bright puff of flame and smoke where once was glimmering silver.

Brought forth from her revelry, the distinctive crump of a mortar round impacting into sand! That meant they were close to landfall as water and clumps of wet earth cascaded against them all. Daya raised her voice at this. " Prepare your steel, our time for the goddess begins and we will face Her with righteous fury and mettle! Glory to us all, ready for war! "

It was a speech that had been passed to every Protector before her, and probably to every one of them after her in times of such terrible action. The landing crafts treads hit earth, and churned it's way towards the beach itself as scraping sounds of machinegun fire became more and more. Mortars and the wash of heat from the larger artillery rounds falling around them. The front doors splayed left and right, the ramp came down and their transport disgorged them onto this foreign land.

Daya swung her right arm over her head and the forty under her command surged up the beach amidst the whizzing sounds of bullets and explosions. Behind her the landing craft was barking at the hills with it's turreted 20mm cannon and the whooshing sound of grenade launcher chugging away. More distraction then anything and costly. A carrier barely a hundred feet away skewered by an artie round, brewed up in bright orange flame, and black smoke became a pallid tail rising upwards towards the skies itself.

Immediately up and to the right of her position, some one-hundred-fifty yards away, some sort of wolfish creature hammering away at the sand dune with a heavy machinegun. She knew the model near instantly. A HIA k1-2b 12.7mm. It's relatively fast firing rate coupled with it's penetrating round would prove troublesome. She rolled to her right and looked towards and down the line to see if he...ah there he was..Night Warrior Pavole, one of eight designated marksmen and the best of the bunch really. " Pavole, take him out! "

" Aye Protector Daya. " Pavole was Ergothian in origin and while that had earned him his fair share of ribbing and what not in basic and truthfully everywhere else, it had all ended once he showed up at his adopted hometown with both the Lily emblem, and a mark of service in Silven. He'd never felt so alive then when his father had embraced him, one for being alive, and the other for proving not every Ergothian hated Takhisian's or wanted to ruin them.

This thought was prevalent in his mind as he moved to where the suppressive fire was less, probably because the defenders were dead..that might have had something to do with it. In any case, he flipped the covers on the scope belong to his TAC-88 rifle, and took bead of the gunner. The rat creature had to be a Muroidean. He'd not fought one of those before, always time to meet new walks of life and fill them full of lead. Depressed the trigger and the 5.8x42mm IS round drew blood as the rat's head snapped back. He had to fire again however, on the second shot the rodent looking creature flopped backwards.

" Got'im Protector Daya, but something off about it. " Glanced towards his superior as they and the rest of the 3rd Maniples of the 9th Legion of the Lily ran forth, scrambling over the dead towards the hills and so forth. Daya looked towards Pavole, whom despite his entry status in the knights was sure to become a second to her, he was very capable after all. " What..." She pulled the pin on a stick shaped grenade, and hoofed it up and over into the start of a trench. A violent crumping sound and then she was moving agian. " Do you mean..?"

Pavole was up and over the ridge, down into the trench, his rifle at the ready, butt against his shoulder and cautiously stepping forward amidst the bodies. He paused at each one, and fired once point blank into the skull before continuing. " It took two shots to the head of the gunner to kill him. What are these things Ma'am?" Daya had wondered herself, it was rather an odd thing to see rodentss walking on their hind legs, manning machinegun nests and lobbing grenades at you. " I dont really know. They are the enemy though and that is all that matters. She slipped into native without thinking about as she motioned to move foreward. " Okar Mec!"

At the sound of her voice and the order, the remaining 3rd Maniples began to advance forward through the intricate trench design..

0635
Southwestern Coastline, Landing Point Bravo
1st, 2nd, 4th Maniples of the 8th Legion Huukach Taalogekhec Taagelaan

Just as Knight Protector Daya had survived her landing upon the treacherous beachhead of landing point Alpha, so to had the 1st, 2nd an 4th Maniples of the 8th Legion Huukach Taalogekhec Taagelaan. However where Daya had admittedly met light resistance, Captain Veral of the 1st Maniples had met something else. With the landing more heavily fortified, Daya had encountered less defense because the Muroideans and whatever else was fighting in this shithole, had not had the time to put up more stalwart defenses as they had at the Bravo landing point.

Initial landing casualties had been enormous. The first Maniples had lost fifty of it's one-hundred-twenty men offloading onto the beach itself. Another ten to make it to whatever cover they could. The steel crosses in the sand and the water had tipped or stopped several landers on the final approach. Sown land mines did the rest, as did the murderous machine-gun and heavy cannon fire. Of the nine landers, four had been destroyed, one disabled. 2nd Maniples had been completely wiped out, the corpses were mingled with the 1st's, and staining the sand and the sea a deep crimson. 4th Maniples under now senior officer 2nd Leftenant Mavo, was currently at the same area of his own forces.

Consolidating their legionnaires together, they pushed forth as a lull in the fire came. Perhaps the enemy was reloading or waiting, it didnt matter, they had to move before the mortars and artilery could zero in on them. Veral hoped that the enemy wouldnt turn their fire on their own line, but he would if it was him and he'd lost all contact with the line, so he didnt know what to expect really.

Just as the Knight's marksmen had found out, so to Veral and his legionary. The Muroideans as he remembered them being called, really could take more then quite a few bullets. It was to the point of having to put six or seven round bursts into them and then a finishing shot to be sure, where as one or two rounds from the enemy was more then sufficient.

They doused pillboxes with the chemical flame of the pyrothrower, all the while keeping distance from that unfortunate sod, and lobbing grenades into trenches. The smell of burning flesh, mingled with the slippery, muddy and bloody ground made for a visceral image that Veral couldn't get out of his mind. As slogging through the trench works, he rounded the corner with his ACS-01 (automatic shotgun) and unloaded into an enemy. Knocked over by the size of the creature, he just kept firing, until the thing sagged and was more then assuredly dead. Hand to his right cheek, wiping off bits of fur, flesh, blood and mud from the trench.

A runner from his advance force saluted and then did his report. " Sir, we've secured the defensive line. The enemy has retreated or fought to the last, we have no survivors. " Veral nodded some and offered a bit of a sigh as he leaned back against the muddy wall before looking to Mavo and then offering a nod. Mavo withdrew a signal pistol from a pouch, inserted the flare round and leaning to his right while his arm pointed straight up, pulled the trigger. The flare shot up like a rocket, up into the sky and burst into an orange light.

One of his most recent sign-ups. A Kaalor by name of Finn, slid to a stop atop the trench looking down towards his captain. " Sir, a red flare from west of us! " Veral nodded a bit and then began to climb out of the trench, which took a moment. He eyed the red flare in the sky and then another Kaalor with a radio attached to his back appeared. " This is Bravo-L 1st M, we see red, over.."

It took a moment and then there was a response. " Copy that Bravo-L 1st M. We see orange. This is Alpha-K 3rd M, over." Veral nodded and then turned to his legionary. " Knight Protector Daya has taken Alpha. The fun isn't over though, we have to turn this coastal defensive line into one towards those hills and mountains above. Make no mistake they will be back. Reinforcements will be heading up now that the line is down, get to work! " He turned towards the radio operator. " Let the fleet command of Lady of the Skull, Anya Devalsti, know that we have landed, and we have secured a reinforcement position. " A salute and then the operator got to work as Veral strode about, at times peering upwards towards the beginning of the lake town with his field optics.

[Socialist Dwarven Republics]

They had no right too be in the air, dwarves were creatures of the earth. Millenias they worked and mastered the art of bending the mighty mountains to do their bidding. Yet here they were in the skies in huge hulking metal machines that had no reason too not fall straight back to the very earth their steel bodies were harvested from. Dwarven will and ingenuity however were difficult things too stump.

The Skyhammer class battleship was the first and largest of the newly created Dwarven Aeronautica Force and Admiral Roigan Axeheft was the first sky commander of the of, a fact he was fiercely proud of. Roigan was short in stature by even dwarven standards, standing at least a half a head shorter than most other dwarves, but what he lacked in size, the fire haired dwarf made up for in presence. All around the Admiral’s flagship was a multitude of freshly built dwarven airships. Their designs were plainly dwarven in nature, thick armor plates covered the airships and large menacing cannons rested on the sides of the ships as well. There was no gracefulness to the design either, aesthetics scrapped in favor of utility and agility passed in favor of robustness true to the dwarven engineering spirit.

A multitude of more smaller ships. Cruisers, destroyers, and frigates surrounded the flagship in formation, the dwarven airfleet the first of it’s kind and an expensive experiment for the Dwarven Republics.

Alarms flashed across the bridge as the long range sensors picked up the air battle raging away between the multiple combatants.

“Situation report.” ordered Roigan and RIOs fingers scrambled across their keyboards in front of them as they tried to assess the situation.

“It’s a proper fustercluck sir, best I can tell is it’s a three way furball between the Taks, Oseans, and them rat thing” replied the senior radar officer.

“Rat things?” questioned the Admiral, one of his bushy red eyebrows raising.

“Think they call themselves Muroideans, some kinda vermin-kin.” replied the officer

The Admiral paused for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought as he pulled a large cigar from his breastpocket. Against regulation he lit the cigar and exhaled a large plume of smoke that hung in the bridge.

“Tell all ships to sound general quarters, might as well find out how the hell these metal buckets will hold up.”


Alarms sounded across the air fleet and dwarven sky sailors scrambled to their stations. Cannons and missile tubes were loaded and damage control teams donned their firefighting gear in anticipation of the inevitable.

A grin grew across the Admiral’s face as the dwarven airships picked up speed towards the furball.

“And tell the boarding teams to prep for combat.”

[Osea-Yuktobania]

2nd Aero-Fleet, 7th Squadron, Dreadnought Valor
Septarch Thul Agarist
Tak'Noth Frontier Aerospace.
AE-22 minutes

The lines had imploded. Takhisian heavy warships had plowed into and through the first, secondary and were approaching the third line of battle. Wreckage strewn across the landscape, while hulks of vessels were either impacting or on their way to doing such as the battle continued to rage. Even now reports of ground fighting had reached his eyes, Takhisian forces were laying siege to the Lakeville, a city upon the once still waters below.

A slight rub of palm against right cheek, brushing against the stubble there before leaning up. His orders were to prevent the Takhisian naval forces from breaching the third line, and having open aerospace. This would lead to a disastrous result, as their sworn enemy would make all usage of such a thing. The blitzkrieg tactics of the TIN was quite effective as the Muroideans were even now learning. A bit of pacing as he came across his second in command conferring with a small group of junior officers. " Commodore Raket, get me Admiral Avari on a secure dispatch. We've to concentrate our forces to halt this advance, or those heavy dreads will thresh our support ships."

Raket nodded, but also offered a sheet of teletype along with an explanation. " Sir, we've detected an unknown collection of vessels on approach. Vessel identification does not match known Muroidean, Takhisian or anyone else we know." Agarist rubbed his jowl for a moment before responding to his second." Launch scout fighters, we'll make our assessment of what to do based on reaction to such. For now.." He sighed some. " Focus all efforts on repelling Takhisian and Muroidean advances towards the regrouping battle line. Also get me contact with our ground forces, I want to know what the hell is going on down there."

Again Raket made a slight nod of head, following the orders he was receiving as well as delegating to the junior officers, who then delegated on and so forth. This was the chain of command, and as such this is how it proceeded. Raket noticed his commander's pacing, the stressed out appearance, and knew that Agarist had slept all of..a few hours in the last few days. Such was the scrambled call to the border. Recent relations with the Takhisian's had hit rock bottom ever since the joint operation at Karthay.

Perhaps this had something to do with the diplomatic event at the Xukuthite's request, he didnt know. That was well above his paygrade, and beyond his concerns at the moment. His concern, his only concern right now, was stalling the wall of thunder swiftly approaching. On the viewscreen he watched as cruisers burned brightly, resting upon the clouds until their drives would implode, or they shattered under the dispelling that would occur as the crew perished.

The trailing anti-aircraft fire stitched across the heavens vast, silvery shapes darting across and about, like angry hornets on either side. Fire streamed from wherever they did go, followed by the loud chuffing sound as anti-ship torpedo launchers hurled ordinance at fated enemies. He gripped the sword sheathed at his hip a moment, if death did come for him, he would meet it with honor.

2nd Aero-Fleet, 7th Squadron, Dreadnought Valor, 3rd Squadron
Lieutenant Kra
Tak'Noth Frontier Aerospace.
AE-29 minutes

With his helmet and the breathing tubes, facemask etc hanging off of the right shoulder as he headed towards the berthed aerofighter, his squadron congregated, letting him be the one to lead. Shorter then some, wavy brown hair and a stern look built from Nordic descent, painted the image of Flight Lieutenant Kra. He drew them in, putting a thin sheet of teletype upon the nose of the fighter nearest and waited until they came in close. In a bit of a yell, because of the engines and what not about them, he spoke. " We've a mission, to scout an unknown force. Expect the worst, give them a flyover. If they fire or look like it, drop your fish and scramble back to the fleet. That's it. Mount up."

Few slaps on shoulders before he climbed up the ladder rungs of the ORFYN's mainstay scout fighter, the HIA S30/SF-B Sylrada variant. The push prop fighter was the answer to the Takhisan Dhac, although the latter was a bit faster and generally in greater numbers. He went through his checklist, reading his helmet, facemask, and secured straps of the chair as the canopy was closed by the ground crew. Maneuvering into position with the catapult behind, there was a sudden dose of pressure, of him being squished into the seat, rush of blood, as the fighter was flung from the dreadnought and into open sky.

Six fighters lanced out through four catapults and hurtled towards the unknown airships, in a four by two formation. The two rear fighters outfitted with anti-ship torpedoes, while the front four carried the lighter Shrike anti-ship/armor penetration rockets. Mostly used to take out cannon and or light support vessels and or what have you. It would take them a little bit to get there, it appeared to be just over five minutes. Plenty of time to arrange themselves in a wide formation, and use the sun and clouds as cover for a time before they did an inspection flight.

It wasnt just the unknowns, but Takhisian and Muroidean fighters were also in the area, and of course assumed to be hunting.

[Muroidea]

Muroidean Imperial First Fleet
The Laughing God, under command of Marshal Dem
-2 Hours, Incursion

The battle was heating up, both in the air and on the ground. Takhisian, Osean, and Muroidean forces were locked in furious combat for territorial expansion and rights to the pristine air routes that dictated trade and survival. Dem however was under no illusionment currently, the simple facts of the battle had already showcased a serious weakness in the current Muroidean naval design.

Their airship designs were proving to have little armor protection, especially in their mid-section. The ragnite reactor unit situated in the midsection adds to their vulnerability in combat. Though less armored, these ships have an edge in terms of speed and maneuverability. In terms of firepower, their underside cannons had a higher rate of fire, sustaining a greater continuous barrage of cannon fire to an enemy vessel. As an OFYRN dreadnaught had been shown a bit earlier. Still the difference was, that the enemy dread was still afloat, and four heavy cruisers of the former 2nd regiment had been obliterated and sunk.

And now, a new party was on the edge of the horizon. He himself was tasked with maintain coverage of the ground forces, who were fighting a brilliantly savage battle against Takhisian ground forces. Their fight was within the remains of an old city that spanned both sides of a river collecting into a lake. A recent drop of more infantry and armored units into the area, as well providing long range suppression fire allowed Muroidean soldiery to halt the advance of Takhisian knights.

Still there was always work to be done, and part of it was arranging an interception of potentially hostile forces with an air wing.

Such is how 2nd Captain, 1st Pilot of the 2nd Wing, had found herself on such a course. Her four fighters and three bombers were circumnavigating the main battle, while pursuing a path taken by OYFRN aircraft not to long ago. Deciding to follow them towards the new arrival, she had orders to sink them as well. The main fighter of the Muroidean Imperial Navy was that of the HIA custom made HAD 22/B-3, and that of the HIA custom made S37 Nyddman. While much faster than their comparative rivals from the OYFRN, in terms of armament, they were about equal.

She couldnt shake the feeling that it was odd not to see any of the Takhisian's taking notice of the potential enemy fleet. Though if they did, would they send mere fighters to intercept? If they didnt, it was going to be a real pain in her tail. She advised the others to keep attention to their scopes and to watch for enemy fighters or fleet movements.