Green sundown

[Sturmwind]

Kobayashi and the surviving Naval Forces pilots sat down on New Tokyo, along with the tanker ships they were to protect. They were all cheerful to a childish extent, without knowing of or caring about the outside world at all, not even the loss of several wingmates seemed to interest them. Their euphoric conversations even made them ignore a high-ranking officer in full battle gear walking torwards them.

"ATTEN-TION!" he screamed.

That made the pilots regain a part of their consciousness. They stood fast in a line and saluted the officer.

"At ease, samurais," he began his speech, with walking left and right in front of them, "the blow you struck at the invaders was a major one, you made them realise we are not that much of an easy prey afterall. Outstanding, outstanding performance. Kusari is proud to have warriors like you protecting it."

The officer now paused, and looked to the ground.

"However..."

He seemed to be looking for the proper words.

"Your success is the only one we achieved today. Osaka didn't stay in our hands, as the wings relieving you got to the scene. The Toyosato was forced to retreat with heavy damage, while the majority of the fighters was destroyed. But the storage depot is not the only thing we lost..."

The aging officer looked at the pilots again, who lost their cheery expressions.

"The defence fleet of Honshu was entirely wiped out. The Inukami was shot by a Rheinwehr bomber wing near Akita, before it even made it back to the planet. The Moriyama, flagship of the Honshu fleet, as well as the Fukuoka destroyer and all but two gunboats serving in the fleet fell in the defence of the planet. I am also most disappointed to read the report of the refugee convoy loosing 62 out of the altogether 80 ships, as well as 18 of the 25 vessels protecting their extraction. Civilian casualties are in the skies and the enemy fleet is still on advance. They will pay for the unprovoked slaughter they brought to our peaceful Kusari. It is your task to see that they do. Do not leave one alive!"

A tear dropped from the eye of Shōi Kobayashi. The officer's words kept echoing in his head.

"They will pay..." "It is your task to see that they do..." "Do not leave one alive...."