Beyond the Clouds_Retaliation

by Daniel Chappell

  Soon, the situation explains Rion’s command for him. A thin, wavy pillar of light shoots past us at a ridiculous speed. It continues toward the scene of the original battle, where the enemy forces are still largely gathered. In a moment, the head of the light blooms and envelops a large portion of the battlefield.

  The interference from the blast prevents me from getting a good look at the situation on radar. After more than three full minutes, the signal starts to clear a little and I can get a look at the area. A large chunk of the enemy’s fighters was destroyed by the airburst explosion. Or maybe it would be space-burst? Uni-burst? Space combat is confusing.

  The remaining enemy forced quickly begin to recover and regroup with each other. After an order to return and continue fighting the hostile advance forces, we clash once more. Sustained fire from the enemy fortress rains across the battlefield, making the dangerous fight to the death even more treacherous.

  Another wave of enemy reinforcements joins the fray and I start to wonder if there’s no end to them. By my count, I’ve already taken out twelve fighters. That doesn’t even begin to count the ones destroyed by my teammates. An enemy flies in front of me and I immediately give chase.

  Like this, several hours pass by with intense fighting. Many times, we have to switch out of the fight to resupply and repair battle damage. The hangar crew manages to get the fires under control but, with the giant hole in the side of the ship, an airtight environment is impossible. Our resupply time is slowed down by quite a bit as a result.

  After leaving the hangar for who knows many times, the fight has progressed quite a bit. Our fleet has gotten close to the enemy base and heavy artillery flies rapidly back and forth. The outermost defenses of the base lay in ruin some distance behind our ships as they continue their advance to the core facilities. Naturally, the distance among our fleet, the dogfight between fighters, and our main target has become much smaller as a result.

  Point defenses from the remaining ships and defense installations pepper the area with plasma bolts, adding more chaos to the already intense fighter battle. Several of our pilots have already met a dark fate at the hands of the enemy’s counteroffensive. I can’t even be sure who’s still in the fight outside of the members of my own squad. The large frame of a destroyed enemy ship floats past as I maneuver around the battlefield providing support to my fellow pilots.

  In the next moment, a swarm of enemy fighters comes up behind me and opens fire. My busy hands become even busier dodging the stream of attacks flying at me. A glance around me shows that there aren’t any friendly fighters nearby and it doesn’t seem as if these guys will give me the chance to get closer to help.

  With five enemies all aiming their bad intentions my way, there’s nothing I can do but continue the plasma ballet. I’m pretty confident in dodging a lot of attacks, but with so many coming at once, there’s probably no one with the godlike skill to keep dodging endlessly. I wince as the sound of several bolts hitting my plane reverberates through the cockpit.

  It looks like my only chance is to try to flip the situation around somehow. If I can just get one of those fighters in my sights, I can ease the pressure just a little. A few repetitions and I’ll be as safe as possible in this environment. Given the circumstances, I may have to borrow some tricks from Rion’s flight playbook.

  Just as I’m about to pull back on the flight stick, a bright explosion blooms and envelops the battlefield for the umpteenth time. This one, however, makes the other ones seem like glowsticks next to the sun. The amount of light radiation released actually causes my external view screens to go dark as the shutters close to prevent the sensors being burned out. My plane shakes in the shockwave, but I can’t even tell which direction it came from anymore.

  Several seconds pass before my screens finally come back to life. I can see the light dying down and, in its wake, debris is left everywhere. In the distance, some bits of matter are moving away at an incredible speed and I find myself thankful that I wasn’t in the path of any of those. A rock that size to the face would hurt a lot more than a measly plasma round.

  I immediately look around for the enemies that were previously chasing me, hoping to take down a few of them before they can get their wits back about them. However, when I find them, their fighters are just lazily floating along through space much like the debris. It takes me a moment to figure out exactly what happened.

  A short distance away, where the main part of the enemy fortress was located, is nothing but a field of rock and mechanical bits. The large asteroid that acted as the anchor for the installation was split into several smaller pieces by the force of the artillery lobbed at it and the resulting explosion. Our target, the enemy’s most heavily guarded mining base, has finally been destroyed. As a result, the automated fighters chasing me lost their control center and deactivated.

  I’m awestruck looking at the scene before me. Most of the formerly very hostile enemy fighters now drift by like docile otters on water. The rest of them—obviously the ones controlled by real pilots—quickly retreat toward the lone remaining enemy ship. That ship then proceeds to exit the battlefield, hastily moving farther into space.

  “All units, be advised,” an announcement comes from the Ikaruga. “Mission accomplished. I repeat: mission accomplished. All fighters are to return at once.”

  It’s over. It’s finally over. My exhausted body finally lets me feel the strain of the hours-long battle and a headache settles in. My butt is numb from sitting still for so long and my shoulders are sore from the constant jostling and rapid control of my flight instruments. With the battle wrapping up, I turn my fighter and head back to our fleet in a formation filled with holes.

  ***

  A heavy atmosphere hangs over the prep room as we finish taking a headcount. Thirty pilots. Of the more than sixty pilots that set out for the battle, only about half made it back. Yamada and Griffin are the only two from their squad that made it through the battle. Julie is the sole surviving member of her squad.

  The showing from the 42nd Squadron is even worse. The two rookies, Sam and Naomi, made it through the battle alive, but they’re among the minority. There’s only maybe a dozen surviving members out of those involved in the battle. This truly was an intense and massive battle but, thinking about how many rookies there were in the squadron and how short their time was, it’s truly depressing.

  Undoubtedly, we’ve dealt a heavy blow to the enemy’s morale and infrastructure with our victory today. As great an achievement as it is and as impossible as the odds were, we can’t find it in us to celebrate. Yes, lives may be saved down the line as a result, but the cost of today’s battle was high.

  Having finished taking the most depressing attendance ever, Rion says a few comforting words and dismisses everyone. Immediately after, he strides quickly out of the door. I follow him as he walks briskly through the hallways, ignoring the series of lifts and shuttles and opting to directly walk to his office. I follow him inside and quietly shut the door.

  He stands just a few feet away in the middle of the room quietly, his head raised up to the ceiling. I get ready to say something but, before I can even open my mouth, he turns around and rushes toward me, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me tightly. I’m startled and take a half step backwards, but he continues to hold onto me.

  In the next moment, I feel something warm drip onto the side of my neck and he squeezes me even harder. My own eyes start to feel warm as I put my arms around him and hold him back. Reality truly sets in on two things: we lost a lot of our friends today; we’re both still here.

  “We made it,” I manage to say, my voice muffled by tears and Rion’s chest.

  That’s all it takes. Tears begin to flow freely from my eyes. The war may not be over yet, but we came through the biggest battle in our short, brutal careers in one piece. Nothing else matters right now. With no other pressing concerns, we take the time to fall apart in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 31
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  Colonel Orion Tachibana

  February 16, 2114, 10:00

  I sit at a large, round table with Hitomi, Saika, Kat, and the rest of the usual crew. Naomi and Sam have joined us at the table, and the rest of the two squadrons under my command are spread amongst the other tables in the massive banquet hall. A lot of upper-command types are seated at a table near the front and all of us are dressed in full formal attire.

  The remnants of a veritable feast lay on plates and platters as the kitchen staff moves around cleaning up. A low hum of conversation hangs in the room and the faces on most of the people are look content. I just sit listening to my friends’ chatter while I finish the last few bites of my meal.

  A lone figure appears on the stage up front and strolls briskly to the podium at the middle. The room begins to quiet down as its occupants notice the man and begin paying attention. He adjusts the microphone and waits for silence before speaking.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the Pacific Alliance.”

  Following his words, there’s more movement at the side of the stage and President Kazuma Mikumo walks toward the middle. All the military personnel stand and salute as he moves into position behind the podium. He returns the salute, then waves his hand for us to sit back down before looking out over the crowd.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” he begins, sounding almost exactly like the man who introduced him. “It has been a long five years. In that time, we have experienced countless hardships, bitter loss, and, yes, some happy moments as well. Those of you present in this room are among the group that has sacrificed the most. You’ve lost family, friends, and, I’m sure, your minds at times.

  “I can now say with much pride and relief that the bitter war with the Northern Republic, which has plagued our great nation for so long, has finally come to an end. As you likely have already heard, Republic leadership made the decision to surrender unconditionally last week. The destruction of their most crucial mining facility, carried out by many among this very room, was no doubt a deciding factor in ending this conflict.

  “The warfare is over, but our work is far from done. We must now spare no effort in repairing our homes and mending our broken hearts. This task will be no less difficult, but I give you my word that I will not rest until our nation and its irreplaceable citizens have recovered to even greater heights.”

  A round of applause erupts in the room. It seems the President wasn’t quite finished talking yet, but the soldiers couldn’t contain themselves any longer. He waits for the applause to die down before continuing. For the next few minutes, he talks about some of his plans for the rebuilding phase.

  “I could probably go on for hours, but I’m sure you don’t want to sit here listening to me all day. Let me take this moment to ask someone most of you are familiar with to come up and say a few words. Colonel Tachibana, if you would?”

  I’m a little surprised by the sudden summons as Hitomi and Saika prod my shoulders from either side. I glance at Colonel Feng, who’s sitting at the next table over, and he nods. Without any more reason to resist, I stand and make my way to the stage. Upon reaching it, I turn around and look out at the crowd.

  “Looks like I’ve been thrown on stage without a speech ready again,” I begin, prompting a laugh from everyone. “Uh. It’s been a hell of a ride. Without a doubt, last month’s battle was the hardest of most of our careers, but we managed to pull through with grace. To my fellow squad mates, I want to thank you all for standing beside me and helping lend our power to protect our families.

  “You guys know I’m not big on long speeches, so I’ll keep it brief. However, I do want to take a moment to recognize the members of our squadron’s family that aren’t with us anymore.” I begin listing off the names of our fallen comrades one by one, starting with Captain Davenport. The list is long, but every pair of eyes remains locked onto my words. “Captain Brian Anderson.”

  Over at our table, I can see Hitomi squeeze Kat’s hand gently as I mention Brian’s name. I pause for a moment to compose myself as well before launching into the most recent list of casualties from the last battle. It’s no shorter than the list from all the battles before it. After finishing, I take another pause before continuing.

  “While they’re no longer here with us, we can now say that their ultimate sacrifices helped us protect what we hold dear. Our nation and our families are finally safe again, and I’m proud to have fought beside these heroes and the brave individuals in this room. That’s all I’ve got. Thank you all.”

  Amidst a round of applause, I quickly return to my seat, where Hitomi and the others welcome me back. The combination memorial and peace celebration continues with Colonel Feng taking the stage next. Other appearances are made by Admiral Fumihiko, Admiral Grey, and even Admiral Jones as the ceremonies proceed.

  More than an hour later, the speeches end and the official part of the service is ended. Most of the attendees remain in the hall, however, talking amongst each other and mingling between tables. I continue talking with the occupants of my table about what comes next.

  A short while later, a group of security personnel dressed in suits approaches our table. Once they reach us, the two at the front step to the side and President Mikumo steps forward to greet us. We stand and salute him once more and he tells us to return to our original positions.

  “I’m glad to see all of you still in one piece,” he says, nodding to Hitomi, Kat, Saika, and me in turn.

  “Thank you for keeping your word, sir.” Saika is unexpectedly the first to speak.

  He smiles. “Of course. Your team has done a tremendous amount of work to keep things progressing all this time. Colonel Tachibana, on an even more personal level, I have to extend my heartfelt gratitude. Not only have you led the most successful squadron of the war, you personally saved my daughter from the hands of kidnappers who would treat a child like a prisoner of war. Is there anything at all I can do for you? Anything in my power.”

  “Can I be honest, sir?” I ask.

  “Of course.”

  “I want out. Selfish though it may sound, I need to be with my family.”

  He pauses for a moment in thought. “That I can do. It will take some time to set things up, but it shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, I would like to extend an offer to you. Should you choose to return, I will personally guarantee reinstatement of your rank and position. You’ve definitely earned it.”

  “Thank you, sir. Really, thank you.”

  “It’s my pleasure. Major Saruyama, how about you?”

  “Could I trouble you for the same conditions?” Hitomi asks him.

  “Certainly. It will take some time to find replacements for two of our most skilled officers, but no one can say that you haven’t done more than enough for our nation. Well, then, I’ll let you all return to your conversations. Good day.”

  His security team flanks him once more and he walks away. The faces of my fellow pilots display varying degrees of shock. After several moments, Saika is the one to break the silence.

  “So, you finally came to a decision on leaving, huh?” she asks.

  “Yeah. I know it’s sudden, but we did accomplish the main thing we set out to do. Our families are safe now. Besides,” I add, lowering my voice so that only Hitomi, Kat, and she can hear me, “you guys know I’m pretty much losing it at this point.”

  “True enough. I’m going to miss you guys.”

  “You didn’t think you were going to completely get rid of us that easy, did you?” I ask, grinning. “You’re gonna visit us when you have time anyway. Otherwise, I’ll have to come abduct you myself.”

  “As if,” she says as she and Kat laugh.

  “Oh, I dunno. I’m better at that type of thing than you may think,” I mention with a knowing glance toward Hitomi. She barely suppresses a smile and time flies by as we keep talking comfortably with our squadron for hours.

  Epilogue

  Hitomi Saruyama

  July 3, 2114, 15:20
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  The sound of running water echoes around me, reverberating off the wall tiles. Warm water rolls down my back, rinsing away soap and shampoo. My body feels refreshed and, after letting the water rain down on me for a while, I reach down and shut off the shower. I step out and dry myself off before getting dressed.

  I carry a towel with me, dabbing at my wet hair as I descend the stairs. After walking through the door and into the diner, I find Rion tidying up the tables. He sees me and, after finishing the table, comes over and leans down to plant a kiss on my cheek. I fold my towel and sit it on a stool behind the counter.

  “It’s quiet in here,” I mention.

  “Yeah,” he agrees. “The last few customers left not long before you came back down.”

  I nod casually. This period of slow business is the reason he told me to go ahead and step away for a bit to shower and relax. Currently, other than the two of us, there isn’t a single person in the restaurant.

  “It gets kind of lonely in here, huh?” I muse.

  “Lonely? Nonsense. I’ve got you here, haven’t I?”

  I roll my eyes playfully at him. “Well, obviously I’m personally glad to have all your attention to myself but, as the co-owner of the business, I’m a little concerned.”

  “True enough. We’ve only been open for two weeks, though. We’re still doing enough business to more than cover our operating cost. All things considered, I think we’re doing pretty well.”

  At that moment, we’re interrupted by the sound of the doorbell as someone enters. I quickly switch into work mode and turn around to greet the guests and get them settled in. When my eyes focus on the door, however, I momentarily freeze in surprise.