DSEI, ExCeL, London, United Kingdom
The largest weapons and technology expo in the world was taking place in London. Maribel and Renko had arrived and were signed in as representatives of a small kingdom known as Cagliostro that was interested in acquiring defensive hardware. Yukari had originally told them they would be working for a procurement department for the British Army, but changed it on their way into the country. After a few looks from the check in staff, they were given their badges and a bag filled with maps and commemorative items such as water bottles and stress balls. Renko was busy looking through a small slide viewer that had pictures of a Mig 1.44 doing tricks at an air show, courtesy of the Mikoyan Corporation. She was impressed by the quality of he image coming from a toy that might have well came out of a cereal box.
A majority of the attendees were military personnel from influential states from around the world, with the notable exception of the Lunarians. One of the objectives that Yukari had given the pair was to convince the organizers to declare their subsequent expos as neutral ground so that both sides could benefit. To Maribel, it sounded like Yukari had wanted to extend the war, but Yukari justified it by saying their equipment would make some nations think twice about taking up arms.
The pair were grateful that food vendors were in abundance, with foods from around the world. Once they had grabbed a to-go plate of sesame chicken and fried rice, they make their way to one of the presentation rooms and sat in the back row. The next five minutes consisted of them eating and watching as others wondered into the room as well. According to the program that they were given, General Dynamics was set to unveil a set of new products that were set to revolutionize the arms industry.
Once all the seats were filled, the lights were dimmed and the projector threw the logo of the defense contractor on the wall of the stage. A man dressed in a professional looking suit and tie walked onto the stage while adjusting the microphone on his lapel.
?As everyone in this room knows, there is a war going.? The man started. ?NATO forces have finally found a conventional enemy that has matched them on the battlefield. But they are equipped with the wrong equipment at the present state. As history has soon time and time again, wars and conflicts have a tendency to spread beyond their original lines. Globalization has only managed to speed up the spread of the fires of war. It is the responsibility of nations to protect their citizens and allies from those that wish to do them harm or spread chaos.?
The spokesman clicks the remote that he has in his hand. ?We at General Dynamics are proud to present two of our newest offerings to the defense community. The first is a new type of missile that can lock on to extremely small heat signatures. I will be the first to admit that we have had extreme problems with such a small heat source, but our sense of perseverance saw to us figuring out the secret. Our factories are working around the clock, with our workers receiving a generous amount of overtime.? He paused to allow scattered applause. ?The missiles will be smaller than past missiles, perfect for those situations were space is at a premium.?
Clicking the remote changed the slide to a size comparison between a human and a tank. ?As many of you may already know, the way infrared missiles work is by locking on to a heat source and following it. Most other missiles needed something on the level of a tank engine in order to get a good lock. Missiles like ours are easier to use since they can be more precise. For our new Hawkeye missile, which is patent pending, all that is needed is 98.6 degrees of a concentrated heat source. Drones on the market right now can easily see and identify humans on the battlefield, so we used that same principle for our missiles. This also allows for a more precise strike since you aim at your actual target instead of having to rely on a nearby heat signature.? The man had to pause to take a sip of water. ?The missile system is also modular. The beauty of this is that larger missiles and smart bombs can be converted to Hawkeyes for even more power projection.?
The room instantly erupted into a furry of murmurs. The ability to turn any missile into an extremely precise missile was a game changer for any nation with drones or other advanced aircraft. Maribel and Renko shared a look, knowing that this would be a formidable weapon against the flight capable GDF infantry.
?The second is something that we have been working on since the 60s.?
Another press of the button started a video on the screen. The camera focused on the skyline of a large city, a challenging battleground for any armed force. But the serene view was broken by the flames of battle. Then the camera view changed to one from the ground, showing a group of soldiers running with backpacks. When they reached the edge of a building, they jumped over the ledge and were lifted up into the air. The backpack had created thrust and lifted them to another roof top.
?While jetpack technology is nothing new, we at General Dynamics have developed a practical, tactical, and dynamic propulsion system. With a rated time of 1 hour worth of flight, it will change the way operators view combat situations. Controlled by the operator through the use of timed blinks, it will expand the range of the modern warfighter. The control scheme is set up to free up both hands, allowing the warfighter to concentrate on the mission at hand. The standard package will be able to carry 250 pounds with maximum flight time. Our base package includes the jetpack system themselves along with a year worth of advising services.?
A chart detailing bronze, silver, and gold packages appeared next. ?The three packages reflect the features and accessories that are included with the jetpacks. The bronze can be considered the bare bones package, with the necessary equipment to maintain and do light repairs. The silver package includes a missile launcher built into the jetpack. Using our propriety missiles, the operator has anti-armor capability. The gold package offers anti-air missiles in addition to anti-armor. All three come with a special half skirt that protects against the backdraft from the engines. ?
The next chart showed two options. ?Our warranty comes in two increments. The standard package is the same as I said before. The premier package extends the one year advising period to five. Our fuel is ready to go into production, with a diluted alternative being geared for a patent free release. We recognize that many operators may find themselves out of range of our fueling stations, so we have made sure to alleviate that pain.?
With a smile, the spokesman took off his glasses. ?Since we love to keep our customers guessing about our next range of services, we purposely left off one more new branch that General Dynamics has just created. Ladies and gentlemen of the world, it brings me the highest pride and pleasure to announce the opening of the General Dynamics Crusader Bank!?
Again the room erupted into a buzz of excitement and surprise. Renko sat back as she realized the implications of this development.
?We intend to be to the military forces of the world what The World Bank is to developing countries.? The next slide detailed the official goal of the new financial institution. ?Our goal is the proliferation of equal military standing for all legitimate states. We intend to unite all nations in collective security and promote world peace by balanced firepower. The Crusader bank will be a worldwide operation, dealing with all currency from the dollar or euro to even the chicken or goat.?
On the next screen, a chart with interest rates appeared. ?Even though this chart looks intimidating, don?t worry too much about it. What I want to talk about now is how we are already becoming a world leader in lending and finance. As of this morning, we have secured charters from every nation that we use their currency as a reserve. This list includes the United States, the whole of the European Union, the British pound sterling, the Japanese yen, and the Chinese yuan. We are currently in talks with each of the five countries in order to decide on a single worldwide reserve. It is our hope that by choosing one reserve currency, we can make it into a worldwide currency.?
More murmurs came from the various representatives in the crowd, knowing that economic power was as important as force projection. Many from non-NATO nations, and even some from the organization, were wary of allowing the Americans to gain even more power and influence. Even though the United States was suffering from a bit of a recession, they were still formidable in their own right.
?We will be happy to provide more details, but the process is still in the preliminary stages.? The spokesman wagged his finger. ?Money is as important as bullets and vehicles on the battlefield. Our aim is to make sure that it is available to those that need it. I would like to announce more of the exciting projects that we are working for, but I believe that I have gone on long enough. If any of you are interested, we have an informational packet that is available at our booth.?
With the presentation over, everyone got up and began to exit the presentation room. As Maribel and Renko passed a trashcan beside the entrance, they threw away the takeout plates they had finished. Now that they were in a large hall, they saw and heard the expo in full swing. Stands were everywhere, with their personnel giving impassioned sales pitches. There were seven zones, each dedicated to a specific theme. The pair decided to go to the Land Zone, since Yukari told them that holding ground would be the main goal.
With the large group that was moving towards the stands, the pair decided to go around using the outer walkway. The sun had risen into the morning sky and made the River Thames glisten in that early morning tone. The sea gulls flew above everything, with their distinct calls coming from everywhere. A light breeze that carried the sea salt from the Atlantic, reminding them of Tokyo a little bit.
Maribel pulled out the catalog that they had been given and began to thumb through it. She notices an envelope near the back end of the book and pulls it out. Inside were two tickets to a gathering at The Savory Hotel, which was the place that Yukari had arranged for them to stay. Maribel looked around but saw nothing suspicious, which only served to set her more on edge. But then she remembered that whoever would be hunting them couldn?t risk a move with such a large group around them.
?The story of Dragon Skin is well known in the defense industry,? a representative from the nearest stand called out. The pair joined the small group that served as an impromptu audience. ?We?ll be the first to admit that our earlier generations did have issues her and there. But our fifth generation body armor has solved all of those problems and improved on all of our advantages.?
The salesman holds up the body armor. ?Lightweight, breathable, flexible, and durable, it is the next step in the evolution of body armor! Rated against the infamous 7.62 x 54r round at a distance of 5 meters, it can withstand multiple uses at an affordable price. I?m not one to brag, but it puts existing armor around the world to shame! No trauma plate is required, it truly is a plug and play protection system.?
Making a note of the armor in a small book, Renko follows her friend as they moved to another stand. This one was for a helmet that used augmented reality glasses over both eyes to spread information quickly.
?After a few upgrades to the base R-6 glasses, we have unlocked all of the advancements that we needed to go into the future. Waterproof, shatterproof, jamproof, and secure, it can survive and thrive in any battlefield. Since we have focused on augmented reality instead of hiding everything with virtual reality, we let the warfighter have the information they need with the situational awareness that they depend on.?
?I see that you?ve received the tickets,? Maribel flinched when she heard the voice behind her. Renko tenses up as she slowly turns around. A burnet woman with shoulder length hair and glasses wearing a blue skirt suit was smiling at them. ?My, you do look a lot like Sumireko.?
?Wait, how do you know her?? Renko feared the worst.
?She?s the one that gave me a tour of the Outside World after I tricked her during the Lunar Orb incident. When she went on and got herself stuck in Genoskyo, I was the one that kept an eye on her.?
?So, you?re from Gensokyo?? Maribel started to feel better.
?I was originally from Sado, but after the UFO incident, I?ve started calling Genoskyo home.? She held her hand out for the pair to shake. ?My name is Mamizou Futatsuiwa, but I would prefer if you call me Inspector Lee of Interpol.? Mamizou pointed at the badge hanging from her pocket. Under the nationality field, it listed Hong Kong. ?I?ve been sent to make sure that weapons smuggling and trafficking doesn?t happen. Even though I don?t have any arresting authority, I can still act as a liaison between the various police forces that are watching this event.?
?Are we on that watch list?? Maribel asked.
?At the start, but that notice never got past my desk,? Mamizou shrugged. ?Since I?m considered the most senior Interpol member that happened to have the most contracts here in the United Kingdom, I tend to get away with a lot of things. Yukari has asked me to keep an eye out over both of you and to help you make some connections with the industries that are in attendance. Those tickets that I snuck into your catalog are a result of that.?
?But they?re for a reception at the hotel ballroom.?
?Many of the industry leaders will be in attendance. I?ve managed to talk a few of them into talking with both of you about some contracts.? The bake-danuki gave the stand near them a disinterested glance. ?Yukari was wanting to see if they would be interested in holding another expo in a neutral location. If you can manage that, I?m sure that she would be very happy.?
They were interrupted by the sounds of cheering and applause created by the crowd watching a mini-UAV doing tricks. Maribel felt better that they weren?t alone
NATO Final Line, Japan
With the news about the Lunarians getting close starting to spread, the more intelligent leaders were advocating a retreat to salvage the situation. Since they were in the minority, the remaining troops were quickly working to build up any defenses they could. The area that could now rightfully be called a redoubt could hold off an equivalent force, but they all knew the Lunarians were more than equivalent.
Some of the Japanese forces withdrew from the battle while others had moved to the rearmost area. They were split between staying and moving towards Tokyo due to the Lunarians having surrounded the Diet building. The aircraft being held in the reserve were being rushed to the front in order to help blunt the enemy advance. A-10 Warthogs were performing more and more attack runs in the past three days than they did in training the past ten years.
Back at a refuel and rearming point behind the Lunarian line, Sakuya and Nazrin were taking a count of how many tanks they had left. After multiple counts, they were forced to accept the fact that they only had twenty tanks total. One Maus, one Porsche Tiger, three Panzer IVs, one Sherman Firefly, one Panzer I, two M1 Abrams, one King Tiger, three StuG IIIs, two Ferdinands, and five Panthers.
With what the White Wolf tengus have been spotting during the scouting, the pair knew that not all of them were going to come out of this in one piece. Sakuya knew that their armor would be instrumental in breaking though this entrenched line and resigned herself to leading that charge. They were about ready to go since they were rearmed and refueled. The Lunarians had made the point next to a large lake, so the crews were using the water to wake themselves up.
An explosion interrupted their planning, and announced a surprise attack. Sakuya climbed on top of her Tiger (P) as it shook during the engine?s ignition. She takes hold of the MG 42 and opens fire while putting on the throat microphone. The StuG III beside her took a round though the driver?s viewport and fried the crew that had just jumped in.
Rapidly approaching the base was a combined air and armored thrust, one made out of desperation. Hornets and Raptors dropped bombs and launched weak strafing runs. Sakuya gritted her teeth as the last King Tiger went up in flames due to its high explosive rounds getting hit. If they fell below twelve tanks, there would be no way that they would be able to break the redoubt?s defenses. The Panzer I tried to take a turn too fast and ended up flipping on its side and then got a rocket through its exposed bottom.
An American Abrams showed itself and fired a round that had just missed the maid. The fairy gunner tuned the 88 mm cannon towards the approaching tank and landed a hit through the turret. Then a lucky shot tracked the Maus, leaving it with only the ability to go in circles. With the super heavy tank basically immobilized, it attracted fire from everyone in the area.
The token Lunarian infantry was getting overwhelmed, but still inflicted heavy damage on the enemy forces. The Sherman Firefly went up in flames since it wasn?t suited for the close fighting it was destroyed in. The three Panzer IVs had closed the distance and were fighting the approaching Abrams at a range of meters.
A click from the MG 42 made Sakuya?s stomach drop, and signaled the end of the weapon?s firing. A 120 mm shell hits the engine, bringing the tank to a halt. The only good thing about the hit was the fact that it failed to set anything on fire, meaning that replacing the engine would bring the tank back to working order. Pulling out her Walther P38 and a set of silver knives, Sakuya stomps her foot to get her crew to dismount.
As soon as she lands, she throws three of the four knives, taking down a fire team that was wanting to capture the disabled tank. She bounces the last knife off of the Tiger (P) and hits an American sergeant running towards one of the heavy rifles used for perimeter defense. Three quick rounds from her P38 give her more breathing room as she surveys the chaos around her.
Artillery began to fall all around the fight, showering the area with dirt. Sakuya?s peaked cap protected her eyes, letting her concentrate. The American forces began to throw smoke canisters, highlighting targets for the A-10s. One of the anti-tank missiles they launched hit the Maus and started a fire. The crew bailed out with Nazrin realizing that she left her pack of crackers and peanut butter inside. Before she could jump back in, the fire reached the ammo rack and caused a brew up.
Kokoro grabbed her naginata that was hanging from the side of the burning Maus and cut down a human that tried to shoot the group. Shou threw her spear and skewered two British soldiers that were moving a light machine gun into place. One of the fairy crew members took to the air, only to be brought down by a hail of bullets.
?Get on that radio and see where they came from,? Nazrin shouted as she ducked behind the Maus. ?Momjij should have seen them coming!?
?Nitori, why didn?t you warn us about this push,? one of the fairies shouted into the radio box they pulled out a disabled tank.
?The map didn?t show anything near there,? Nitori replied back. ?Momiji and the rest of the White Wolves aren?t close, can you hold out until we can get you help??
Sakuya grabbed the radio from the fairy. ?We just lost the Maus and the Porsche Tiger. Even if we don?t lose any more tanks, we can?t break their last line now. We?re about to get wiped out-?. She was interrupted by the radio being shot through.
Dropping the useless box, the maid empties her magazine and quickly reloads. Kokoro gracefully keeps her momentum steady with sweeping movements and spins, only to be stopped by a bullet to the left shoulder. Before she falls on her face due to her losing her balance, Nazrin and Shou drag her behind an ammo crate. Then Nazrin turns around and shoots the soldier with a palm pistol that send the man flying backwards onto his face. The power of the round was hidden by the chirp of a cricket that the pistol made.
Looking around her, Sakuya sees that they were completely overwhelmed with only a fraction of what they had just a few minutes ago. Peeking out from behind the large rock she had taken cover behind, she can only see waves of more troops joining the fight against them. Then something over the lake catches her eye. She wasn?t the only one to see it, as some from both sides tried to make out what it was. Once she recognized what it was, she felt a surge of pure joy and relief come over her.
Over the lake, three full squadrons of the most mismatched aircraft were heading towards them. The formation was only about twenty feet above the lake, leaving trails in the water below them. Leading the charge was an SU-47 that had the Black Crow emblem on its wings.
?Get ready,? Aya said to her fellow pilots. ?That?s our people down there and they need our help. Don?t let all of those fighters scare you. Lock flaps in combat position.?
The NATO aircraft stopped their attack runs and turned to face the new threat bearing down on them. As soon as the two groups made contact, the formations broke apart. Aya instantly turned on an American F-18, chasing it down until it fell to her cannon. Before the explosion of the fighter died down, she was chasing a French Typhoon and ripping its wings off. On the ground the NATO forces were torn between wiping out the rest of the rearming station or firing into the giant dogfight.
?Anyone that can,? Sakuya shouted out. ?Make a wheel around the Maus!?
Grabbing whatever they could, they piled debris to create cover. They were helped out by the new debris that was raining down on them due to the NATO planes dropping like flies. The A-10s had stopped making attack runs, wary of becoming Berkut food. Nazrin popped out from behind the wreckage and killed another human. Kicking the lid off an ammo box next to her, Sakuya gets an idea.
The maid grabs the closest gunner and drags her back into the Tiger (P). Grabbing a battery out of the storage compartment next to the radio operator?s spot, she opens a panel and cuts two wires. She twists the positive cable into one of the wires she cut and flinches when it starts to spark. Then she twists the negative into the remaining cable and tapes the battery onto the panel.
?Gunner, you?re stuck on manual but the cannon should work now,? Sakuya slams a HE round into the chamber. ?Thin out that charge.?
Aya had finished shooting down her tenth plane and decided to gain some altitude. She goes into a loop that brings her behind a Typhoon and chases it. It falls apart in a hail of gunfire and Aya pulls into a loop. The tengu then goes down to ground level to avoid a squadron coming at her and takes a few shots at the ground forces firing at her. Sakuya slams another round into the cannon and pokes her head out of the turret. The air support was helping to dent the attack, but they were still in trouble.
Coming out of another loop, Aya chases a Hornet at lake level. It dodges her attacks with a surprising degree of skill, and manages to get a kill with the Tengu on its tail. Before she can shoot it down, an alarm starts beeping in the cockpit. Out of sheer instinct, she broke to the left and dodged a pair of Patriot missiles coming at her.
The Hornet next to her wasn?t as lucky, getting hit in the nose and disappearing into a ball of flame. The air then became full of the smoke trails from more missiles, hitting any aircraft that ran into them. Seeing the trails from the ground, Sakuya can only load the Tiger (P)?s cannon as the waves continue to arrive.
?Remains of the Panzer Division,? Yukari?s voice came over the radio. ?Hold your ground for a little longer, our new weapon has arrived.?
A gap opens in the middle of the circle and a girl got pushed out. She looks back at Yukari, who hands her a backpack. ?Keep this on at all times, or you might ended getting shot. A lot. Good luck!?
?A girl?? Sakuya poked her head out of the tank. ?We?re getting attacked by a majority of the humans and Yukari sends a little girl??
?The name?s Sumireko Usami,? the girl responded sharply. She pulls out the sword that seemed to be out of place on her belt and school uniform. Then she turns a knob and puts the backpack on. The hail of gunfire that was hitting the circle from all sides slowed down considerably.
Taking the sword into a two handed grip, Sumireko jumps on top of the Tiger (P). She takes a practice swing while some of the humans just stared at her. Then one of the Americans yells out, ?Shoot this fool!?
Deflecting gunfire with lighting fast reflexes, she heads straight for a machine gun emplacement. She lifts up the machine gunner and saturates him with electricity before throwing him into an ammo crate. A tingling behind her ear makes her lift her hand up and catch a 120 mm tank shell only three feet away from her.
She throws it to the side and grabs the M1 Abrams in her ranged grip. Squeezing her hand, she bends the barrel all the way around. Then she crushes all of the hatches closed and lifts the tank up into the air. The humans that were watching her were too dumbfounded to do anything, giving her the opportunity to crush the tank into a ball of debris. Once she was done, she slammed the ball into a Challenger that was aiming for the burning Maus.
Before the humans could be shaken out of their daze, Sumireko brings up both of her hands and unleashes a storm of lighting that spreads with each victim. Then she charges a massive push and blows away anything in front of her. With the rest of the line starting to waver from the sudden assault, the battered tankers were able to push back. Sakuya uses a time stop to grab a MG 42 from a Panzer IV and helps cover Sumireko?s advance. They had ran out of HE shells, so staying inside the tank would have been useless.
An American sergeant tried to hit Sumireko with his rifle, only for the girl to spin around and plant her blade into his stomach. She lifts him up slightly and spins him around to throw him off the blade. She lifts another one into the air with a mind grip and impales him by throwing her sword into him. Dropping the body, she calls the blade back and charges a quick repulse that gives her space.
An F-22 Raptor flies over the area and ends up getting seized in midair by the psychic. Overpowering the engine, she slams it into a group of mortars. Using the flames as a cover, Sumireko sprints forward and cuts off the barrel of a Challenger. Before the crew could understand what was going on, the pig tailed girl stabbed the driver through the armor. Pulling the blade out, she follows that up with lighting and then jumps back.
Jumping back, she lifts it up into the air and crushes it. The act of slamming the debris into the ground struck sheer panic into the closest soldiers and caused them to retreat. Sumireko charges up a bubble around her that starts to attract debris from around her. Then she charges it with lightning and sends it flying all around her. Anyone within 100 meters of her is killed instantly and the rest of the attacking force to turn tail.
Trying to catch her breath, she?s surprised to see them run away in such numbers. She slows down her breathing and let?s lightning flow from her fingertips. Even with the fact that the closest target was outside of her range, it still bought her more time to recover. Once she feels better, she looks up to see the dogfight reach a frenzy. A P-51 with Tengu markings shut off its engine to flip around and shoot down a pursuer.
Reloading her Karabiner 98k, Sakuya was forced to discard her MG-42 since it ran out of ammo. Reverting back into her old mindset, she drops five Americans without coming out of her sprint. Just as she?s putting in her third round, an American Butter Bar tries to tackle her. Stepping to the side, she brings her knee into his stomach, breaking the ceramic plate in his body armor. Then she spins the rifle and plunges the bayonet into his back, causing the rifle to go off when it hits the ground.
Sumireko narrows her eyes as she ran towards a small hill in front of her. She can hear explosions and the sounds of gunfire even louder from that direction. Just as soon as she reaches the top, she feels herself get caught in a telekinetic grip and thrown sideways. She managed to get a split second look at her attack, but could only see a black shape standing there. Then she hit a crate and disappeared behind it.