RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 40: First Strike

RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 40: First Strike

For Belka military aviation branches, night operations have become a thing of normality for them. A fact that the serviced members have taken much pride in for there's no country in the entire world that can match their efficiency in night sorties. Whether it's Naval Aviation or the Air Force itself, men and women work in tandem to ensure the safest, smoothest, and quickest launch of fully armed and fully-fueled aircraft.

Aboard the RMS August von Parseval.

As part of the 2nd Carrier Strike Group, August von Parseval is a Yggdrasil-class aircraft carrier that can host 90 aircraft of various types. And right now, she is prepping her wings for sortieing against the Erusean mainland as part of a First Strike directive of Operation Rolling Thunder. A surprising move from the Belkan side, but it's an understandable one if you know the targets of this sortie.

One by one, the Bf-1 Phantoms are launched via the four catapults of the Parseval, taking off high into the starry sky like swallows receiving winds. Together, the Phantoms form up two whole wings of thirty-two aircraft, with each of them geared toward ground-striking duty with light anti-air armaments. Finally, the formation is joined by another group of five aircraft, one Fi-22 Osprey AWACS and four Do-8 Harrier jump jets as escorts. As one singular group, the aircraft speeds toward the Kingdom of Erusea, all the while the Fi-22 Osprey is jamming and confusing nearby enemy electronics and detectors.

"The primary targets are the Erusean Kingdom Chain Home radar complexes and the radar manufacturing facilities belonging to Metropolitan-Vickers and AC Cossor. Prioritize the destruction of the primary objectives, bonus points will be given to targets of opportunity like ammo depots, fuel dumps, and motor pools..." The AWACS briefed the pilots of the Phantoms. "Targets are marked on your HUD. Happy hunting, boys and girls."

Like bats out of Hell, the Phantoms spread out into smaller formations. A few fly further inland while others hang around the coastline from Southampton to Edinburgh. The latter group arms their anti-radiation missiles and launches them simultaneously at the dozen Chain Home installations. The missiles hit and blew up the entire radar chain at the same time due to their nature of eating radar waves for dinner.

"Bullseye! Bullseye!"

The preemptive removal of the radar sites allows the other Phantoms to fly inland undetected. These Phantoms are then guided by their AWACS on which targets to bomb with their payloads of bombs and napalms. Destroying the factories and warehouses belonging to the companies that produce radar equipment for the Erusean military. Understandably, the daring bomb attack that happened at midnight woke up the neighborhoods that got bombed. That said, with the Phantoms dropping their load at high altitudes, much thanks to their ballistic computers, the panicking civilians can only the whistling of ordnances dropping to the ground and the subsequent explosions.

Air raid sirens are going at full blast and searchlights are aimed high up in the air all over the Eastern cities of Erusea yet by the time they're done setting up for anti-air combat, not a single trail of a Phantom can be seen in the sky. The damage is done with many wartime facilities heavily damaged or outright destroyed. To add insult to injury, the Belkan Phantoms heavily employed the usage of napalm bombs to quite literally burn away their tracks. The napalm is used to douse the radar sites and targets of opportunity in Hellfire, eliminating the fragments of the anti-radiation missiles and scoring bonus points for High Command. In total, more than a dozen flame pillars are raised in the Eastern coastal area of Erusea. These fiery pillars will continue to burn until the next day despite the best attempt at putting them out from the Erusean firefighting brigades.

"Confirm the destruction of marked and bonus targets. Outstanding work out there, ladies and gents. The Erusean PM will be throwing a fit when their first line of defense against us just got taken out of the picture for a couple of years. They're as blind as a bat without their land-based radar installations."

"Alright boys, areas are decimated. We're RTB-ing. Thanks for the guidance, good Witches."

The Night Witches send out a salutation signal in return. Their comms link goes down soon after, their job is done.

Changing to a direct line to the Reich Marshal herself, the leader of this small group of Night Witches, reports. "Yuki, the mission is over. Targets are no-factor."

"Well done, my dear Valkyrie. You can head back now, and get some rest before finishing up whatever you need to do at Luxembourg." The earpiece carried the sing-song voice of Yuki, caressing Bryn's ears and bringing warmth to her on an otherwise cold winter night.

"I will do that soon enough, Yuki." Bryn let herself smile before continuing. "I am wondering, you didn't actually need to deploy the Night Witches for this. So why were we needed?"

Yuki giggles, making Bryn imagine pictures of her dainty lips. "That's because a little birdie told me that you have been coping up in your office all day long, and on multiple occasions at that. I reckon tonight, with its clear sky, would have made for a fine stroll for you while still putting your dutiful ego at ease."

Bryn smiles wryly at the reason. "It's true that I have been... too focused on managing the 404th after a period of time away from them. Was it Brigadier Alexa or Rosa that told you that?"

"It was Mary, actually. The girl is a maid and she knows the signs of overworking when she sees one." Yuki explained. "Now I won't hold you for any longer than this. Get back to Luxembourg, and get some rest, Bryn. It won't do for you to stress yourself out when you're supposed to be the one to remind me of that."

"As you wish, my love. Be seeing you, and goodnight." Bryn bid Yuki goodbye.

In return, Yuki gives her a kiss over the radio. Bryn finds herself giggling at that, loving Yuki's small act of endearment.