Green sundown

[Sturmwind]

The same surprising level of calmness was to be found near Osaka Storage Facility, even though a Rheinland attack was imminent. Two tanker transports designed for the transportation of H-Fuel were the centers of attention, surrounded by wings of Kusari heavy fighters and a gunboat. The station's crew has already been evacuated, but their cargo was not yet loaded up. Torwards the sun, a green contrast left by Rheinland ships was to be seen.

"Ushi 1, this is Suneku 1. Our long range sensors indicate unidentified ships on an approach vector. All signs indicate they are the vanguards of the Rheinland invasion fleet. How much time do we need for your tanks to be filled?"

"Suneku, this is Ushi 1. We need an estimated time of 5 more minutes to complete the loading process."

"Any means of speeding that up, Ushi 1? I'm afraid that's an amount of time we don't have."

"Negative, Suneku. We have clear orders from the high-ups not to let one drop of gas stay on the station."

Shōi Kobayashi, a young pilot who signed up only a week ago now sat uneasily in his fighter's cockpit, thinking that the corporates would indeed mean the doom of Kusari. He was filled with mixed emotions, anxious to fight the Rheinlanders and thus trigger-happy, but he also felt strong fear. Not because he was afraid of losing the encounter, being injured or killed, but because his whole family was on one of those refugee transports in Honshu orbit, bound for New Tokyo. The distance between him and his loved ones seemed to be larger than ever before. He only wished to be done with supervising the evacuation of the gas tanks and head out to take part in the defense of the Honshu refugees.

"All wings, this is the gunboat Toyosato. Be advised, two wings of Rheinland fighters have entered our close-range sensors. Lock in targets, power up weapons and prepare to defend the Ushi tankers."

"Suneku 1, we are locked and loaded."

"Tatsu leader, reporting wing is ready for combat."

"Karasu 1, standing by for orders of engagement."

"Taka wing, ready to fight."

Shōi Kobayashi, who himself was a part of Suneku wing, switched his guns off safety, one by one and locked a missile on the fighter leading the first Rheinland wing.

"Approaching Rheinwehr vessels, this is Chūsa Inoude on board the IKN Toyosato. You are in violation of sovereign Kusari space. Turn around and leave immediately or you will be fired upon."

None of the Rheinland wing responded. They maintained comms silence during their approach. A brief notion of chill ran through the spine of Shōi Kobayashi as he watched the Rheinlanders get closer and closer on his sensors. 8 clicks... 6 clicks... 5 clicks...