NationStates Jolt Archive

Just inside the northern Kzuu Maian border

The RF-17A Aurora II high speed strategic reconnaissance aircraft, call-sign Pegasus Eleven, was cruising leisurely over Kzuu Mai at a speed of 992 kph, just under the Mach, its many sensor devices recording a multitude of data. The aircraft was semi-stealthy with the radar-cross-section of a very large bird, and at almost 30,000m above the ground, the pilot felt he was safely out of range of any weapon the Kzuu Maians were known to have.

The aircraft was not technically supposed to be in Kzuu Maian airspace, but the RIA had picked up rumours of large military build-up in several of Kzuu Mai’s northern military bases, and had conned the FEAF into giving the mission a ‘Go’. It was almost certainly in breach of the peace treaty between the two nations, signed almost four years ago after the end of the war, as well as international law.

The Free Eaglian government had eventually withdrawn their request for a military base at Jun Airfield, as well as berthing rights for FENF vessels at Port Kra. All peacekeeping forces were brought home within three months of the official end of hostilities, and now units in the Free Eaglian Armed Forces had to observe international law, requesting permission at least 24 hours prior to the passage through foreign airspace, waters or soil. The precise wording of the peace treaty also prevented over-flight by military aircraft without at least 48 hours warning, or an official waver of the terms from the Kzuu Maian Foreign Office.

Pegasus Eleven was on a planned thirty-seven minute incursion into Kzuu Maian airspace, and was twenty-one minutes in. In precisely seven minutes the pilot would turn the aircraft around and engage afterburners, exiting the area at just over Mach 2.
‘Why use an Aurora when we have recon satellites?’ mused the pilot as he made a minor course correction. After a minute of thought along these lines, he gave up. Mach three or sitting still, he was still paid the same, and Mach three was so much more fun.

The Aurora aircraft carried no weapons, but it did have extensive radar, ECM and threat detection gear. This equipment was so extensive it could detect the launch of heat seeking missiles, which had no emissions coming from them. It suddenly went berserk.

The pilot immediately slammed the throttles forward into full afterburner, accelerating the plane rapidly. It would seem that the Kzuu Maians had developed a stealth fighter, with highly advanced heat seeking missiles.

“Starbase, this is Pegasus Eleven. Am under missile attack, origin unknown. Mayday, mayday. Repeat, am under missile attack, origin unknown,” transmitted the pilot, breaking his radio silence order.

The pilot’s only hope was to outrun the missile, and as the Aurora topped out at its maximum speed of Mach 3.4, he began to believe he would do that. Then the missile slammed into the port engine, drawn in by the huge infra-red signature from the afterburner plume, and exploded. The on-board computers immediately brought the starboard engine out of afterburner and down to half power to prevent a flat spin. The pilot stomped on his right rudder pedal to keep the plane straight, all the while losing altitude. As the airframe began a definite plummet into a dive, the pilot decided that it was over. He sat straight in his seat, put his hand down between his feet, and pulled the ejection lever.

The canopy was thrown clear by shotgun shells, the straps tightened, pulling the pilot’s body into the correct position. The rocket motors fired, boosting the seat clear of the stricken aircraft. The aircraft had still been well above the speed of sound when the pilot ejected, and the seat was buffeted by the supersonic vortices, thrown around by the shockwave. The pilot was blasted into unconsciousness by the high speed air and did not feel the seat detach from his parachute harness, nor the jerk as the parachute opened. The wind blew the uncontrolled parachute far from the site of the plane crash, and the pilot hit the ground hard, mercifully still unconscious.

The Aurora airframe had plummeted straight into the ground, and the remaining fuel in the tanks had promptly exploded, reducing the two-hundred-million ruble aircraft to wreckage. However, some parts were still intact, one of them being the digital recorders for the cameras and other sensing devices…

The pilot of the new Kzuu Maian stealth fighter - generally known as the K-42 Vortex - watched as the aircraft tumbled out of the sky, and smiled with satisfaction. This was the K-42's first true kill, whatever the aircraft may be, and he was glad it had been his. He flicked a switch in front of him, then spoke into his mask.

"This is K-42 number 00TS012. Can you hear me?" There was a second's silence, then a voice crackled into his ear.

"He hear you, number 00TS012," it said, the static muffling the voice. "What do you want?"

"I have shot down an unidentified aircraft, co-ordinates..." The pilot glanced at a screen and noted the numbers on it before continuing. "Co-ordinates 42.72, 26.21."

"Got you, 00TS012," said the voice, although it spoke more urgently now, and the pilot knew the place at the other end would be exploding with activity. "Any sign of any other hostiles?"

"No," The pilot's field of vision, and his sensors, were clear.

"OK. End transmission."

There was a click in the pilot's ear. Still quite pleased with himself, he banked the fighter and made his way back to Jun Airbase.

* * *

The nearest army base to the co-ordinates the pilot had given was contacted, and within a few minutes a small group of soldiers were heading towards the site in a jeep, the tyres tearing up the sandy soil and parched grass characteristic of the area, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

The chambers of the Defence Council, Salobra, Free Eagles - Ninety minutes after the Aurora crash
(The government has undergone an election, and was re-elected for a second term, all government members are still the same)

“What?” exclaimed David Andersen, still Secretary of Defence.

“The Aurora reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over Kzuu Maian soil,” repeated Major-General Rachel Lopez, deputy chief of the FEAF, “The pilot made a transmission, stating he was under missile attack of unknown origin. Shortly afterwards, the E-767 radar aircraft lost contact with it. Sir, both the E-767 and the Aurora carry extensive state-of-the-art radar and other detection systems. The only possible explanation is a newly-developed Kzuu Maian stealth aircraft.”

“Why was the plane there again?” asked Andersen.

“That’s our fault,” replied RIA Intel Director George Foley, “We had unconfirmed reports of a Kzuu Maian military build-up in that area. The Aurora mission was to verify these reports.”

“And why couldn’t the reconsats do this?” continued Andersen.

“The cameras on the sats aren’t quite good enough anymore. We’ve made a lot of advances in these fields over the last four years, and those satellites aren’t up to the job anymore. They were a three year old design when we launched them, now they’re just obsolete. We couldn’t replace them, because the Kzuu Maians would have noticed. The Auroras can just have the equipment replaced as it improves, so they’re always up to date. It was easier,” explained Foley, rather pathetically in the eyes of the other Defence Council members.

“So what do we do now?” put Andersen, “Is our pilot alive? Did we get the photos?”

“We did not get the photos,” stated Lopez flatly, “We’re getting downloads from the Lock Pick sats in a couple of hours. As for the pilot, we have no idea. There were no further transmissions from the plane, we have picked up the beacon signifying an ejection, but nothing from the pilot’s emergency radio. We have a team standing by at Silver Canyon to extract him, but until we know exactly where he is, or if he is alive, they cannot do anything.”

“And the President? What do I tell him? What if the Kzuu Maian government contacts us, asking what was going on?” asked Andersen.

“Tell the President what happened. When the Kzuu Maians contact us, admit we had an aircraft there, but try to pass it off as a geographic mission, studying hydration of the northern Kzuu Maian deserts. If they don’t buy it, stall them until we have data from Lock Pick. If the reports are correct, throw that at them. If not, ignore them and demand the return of our pilot, whether he turns out to be alive or not,” recommended Commander General Richard Carrington, chief of the FEAF.

“Okay. Keep me updated. Dismissed.” With that, SecDef stood and left the room.
***

Far above, ninety miles above the surface of the planet, the LP-13 photo-reconnaissance satellite aimed its cameras at the northern deserts of Kzuu Mai. The seven cameras stored thousands of images, then compressed the data and transmitted it, complete with heavy encryption, to Space Command at the Hayan Mountain Complex, where analysts immediately started to examine the photos.

Twenty minutes later, an LP-15 radar-reconnaissance satellite recorded two sets of images, one of the surface, and one of what was ten metres beneath the surface. The second set were to look for hidden, underground cavities, such as vehicle storage areas. This data was also compressed, encrypted and transmitted to Hayan.
***

In an FEGF base not far from the border, twenty infantry were drawing equipment and ammunition from the base armoury as two Blackhawk helicopters were fueled and armed for a mission into what was now presumed to be hostile territory, to rescue both pilot, if he was alive, and digital data recorders.

The whine of the self starter in one of the helicopters was overridden by the gentle rumble of the turboshaft engines and the swish of the slowly rotating rotor blades as they warmed up the craft.


OOC: Obviously you decide whether the rumours of military build-up are correct and what the satellites see.

The jeep neared the crash site, and screeched to a halt before the wreckage strewn across the ground. Jumping out, the soldiers made their way towards the site, peering carefully at the twisted metal surrounded by scorched grass. One of them, poking the remains nonchalantly with his rifle, came across a part of the wing.

"Here," he said, waving his rifle in the approximate direction of his discovery. They crowded round, and scrutinised the emblem on the wing, until one spoke.

"It was a Free Eaglian," she announced. "Look, it's part of a blue star."

She was correct, and she relayed the information to her superiors, as the rest of the soldiers continued sifting the wreckage.

* * *

1 89th Street (Presidential House), Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The Secretary of Defense was a tall, thin, middle-aged man, with greyish-brown hair, pale blue eyes and a constant expression of perplexity on his large, shapeless features. He was popular with the public because of his apparent bumbling innocence, although in reality he was cold and calculating. His name was Iyatan Nagishi, and at the moment he was hurrying down the minimalist corridors of 1 89th Street towards the President's office.

When he entered, Laylae Hachi - who had been reading a morning broadsheet - looked up.

"How can I help you, Mr Nagishi?" she asked, folding up her paper and placing it on the table.

"There was a recon aircraft shot down in the North earlier, Ms President," said Nagishi, walking towards the desk. "And it is believed it belonged to Free Eagles."

"Free Eagles?" Hachi was surprised. "Are you sure?"

Nagishi merely nodded, then looked at her questioningly. "What should we do?"

"We should contact them, of course," Hachi sighed. "They were probably worried about all that activity in our military bases up there."

"We never intended to attack them, though," muttered Nagishi, shaking his head. "I told the Generals it was a bad idea, but they're really paranoid about a Free Eaglian attack. Think they're trying to catch us off guard."

Hachi said nothing, waiting for the Secretary to continue.

"Oh yes, the aircraft that shot it down was a K-42. The K-42's first kill. They'll probably have worked out about it now, too."

"I'll send the transmission, Mr Nagishi. You may go," Hachi rolled backwards in her chair as the Secretary almost dashed out of the room.

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: Free Eagles
From: Laylae Hachi, President of Kzuu Mai.

Earlier today, one of our aircraft shot down a recon plane in Kzuu Maian airspace. The plane carried the insignia of Free Eagles, and this is in clear breach of the treaty between our two nations. We would like to know what your aircraft was doing over Kzuu Mai.

Laylae Hachi
President of Kzuu Mai

END TRANSMISSION

* * *

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The K-42s were kept, maintained, and developed a few metres below Jun Airbase, as a precaution against the highly-advanced aircraft being discovered by one of Kzuu Mai's numerous enemies. At this moment, a representative from the Ministry of Defence was viewing the new aircraft.

"Oh yes," said his guide, a General. "And the K-42 had its first kill today. He," the General nodded towards a young pilot who was feeding money into a vending machine. The pilot looked up and grinned sheepishly. "He got it."

OOC: Obviously, the satellites can see this - unless you don't want them to.

OOC: I'll give 'em something to be paranoid about. And you'll be able to detect the ejection beacon, plus your pilot would have seen the ejection, so you'll know the pilot's alive.

IC:
Hayan Mountain Complex, Free Eaglian Space Command

It was a tough call to say who spotted it first. Five analysts stared at the data from the recon satellites for several seconds, trying to see if it was a mistake. Then all five jumped up and called for their superior, an older man in his late fifties, who had been in the business for thirty years.

"Well I'll be damned," he observed on seeing the photos. "This needs to go to the Defence Council right now."

The message was sent within ten minutes, it's meaning clear: A massive military build-up was indeed underway in Kzuu Mai.
***

The office of the President, Salobra

The data from Hayan had barely reached the Defence Council before it was before the President. Alan Hewitt stared at the message from the Kzuu Maian President, it was another new one. He'd lost track of how many Presidents the Kzuu Maians had gone through in the last four years.

"So the rumours were right?" he asked. Andersen nodded,

"So it would seem, sir. And they have developed some rather advanced aircraft recently," he confirmed.

"Our cover story, how likely is it to succeed?" asked Hewitt.

"It stands a reasonable chance. It's a legitimate explanation. And they may choose not to push the truth due to the military build-up, if they do have hostile intentions, they won't want them revealed," offered SecState Steven Valliere.

Andersen spoke again,
"Sir, if I may make a suggestion?" Hewitt nodded. "Quietly ramp up some of the units near the border, and increase surveillance. If anything does happen, we don't want to be caught with our pants down."

The President was silent for several seconds, contemplating the suggestion. Finally he responded, "Alright. But keep it quiet."

"Can we use Shadowland?" pressed Andersen, "Their resources could prove useful if somebody starts shooting."

Hewitt nodded again, "But be careful," he warned.

"Steven, send this message to President Hachi..."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

We did indeed have an aircraft at that location, I will not deny this. However, it was on a peaceful geographic mission, studying hydration in Kzuu Mai's northern deserts. What concerns me more is that our aircraft was fired upon without any form of warning, there were no attempts to communicate with our aircraft or turn it around. My government demands the immediate return of our pilot and compensation for our lost aircraft.
[End Transmission]
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

There was no noticeable change in the land as the helicopters crossed the border, as Free Eaglian forces violated Kzuu Maian airspace for the second time in three hours. The helicopters clattered along at twenty metres above the ground, the on-board tracking equipment directing them to the ejection beacon from the downed Aurora aircraft.

“Thunderhead, this is White Knight,” transmitted the lead helicopter pilot, “We have acquired the beacon signal. Moving in now.”

“White Knight, Thunderhead copies. We have you on radar and on track. We have air support if you need it,” replied the radio operator on the E-767.

The air support in question was a flight of F-29B Kestrel fighters, cruising a figure-eight pattern just inside Free Eaglian airspace. The ‘B’ variant was an improved version of the original, generally improving all the specs and was now semi-stealthy. They were armed with a variety of air-to-air missiles, waiting for the order from ‘Thunderhead’, the radar aircraft further back in friendly airspace.
***

Northern Kzuu Mai

The parachute stirred, the pilot buried underneath it slowly returning to consciousness. He pushed the white material away, gradually unravelling himself from the tangle of cords, grimacing with pain as he did so. He released the clasp on the parachute harness and crawled out from under the enveloping folds. After crawling a few metres he collapsed from exhaustion, so he rolled over and reached for his survival radio. His hand touched nothing but torn material, the radio had been ripped away during his ejection. He let his head fall back against the ground, knowing that his fate rested on the beacon from his ejection seat and the abilities of the rescue team.

He tried to sit up, but cried out in pain again, then abruptly stopping and grimacing. From the pain he guessed that he had a broken leg and at least one cracked rib. The vision in his left eye turned red, and his hand went up to his face. It came away bloody, so he gingerly felt the area. A large gash ran along his forehead and down his cheek. He found the water bottle on his flight suit and took a few gulps, before splashing a good portion of the rest over his face to wash away some of the blood.

Unfortunately for the pilot, he had drifted a few miles from the location where the ejection seat landed, and further still from the remains of his aircraft, the two things the rescue team would look for.

OOC: OK, thanks. I didn't know they had beacons.

Northern Kzuu Mai

While one group were still inspecting the remains of the aircraft, another were sent off to attempt to discover the pilot that - the K-42 pilot had just remembered - had ejected out of the aircraft. The jeep skidded through the wilderness, one of the soldiers inside it peering carefully at the sensors and a map, and directing the driver.

* * *

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The transmission surprised Hachi, who still sat at the desk - the desk, apparently, that Kzuu had been shot at, but she hardly believed that - wondering what to do next. Eventually, she called in Nagishi, and showed him what Free Eagles had said.

"Do you think it's true?" she asked, watching the Secretary carefully.

"It could well be. What shall we do? Shall we give in to their demands?" Nagishi twisted his hands nervously.

"No," Hachi hesitated for a second. "No. Not yet - see, they demand their pilot back. We can find him, and ask him what he was doing there. See if the stories match up."

"A force has already been dispatched from Jun - but I hardly think it is necessary, Ms President. After all, I see no reason for them to lie - they have been our closest allies since the war."

"You think that the military build-up taking place close to their border didn't worried them at all?" Hachi arched an eyebrow and sneered slightly.

Nagishi opened his mouth to speak again, but knew, as ever, that he had lost. He sighed. "The idiocy of the generals has not gone unnoticed, Ms President," he said at last.

"Quite," Hachi drummed her fingers on the desk in front of her. "You may go, Mr. Nagishi."

* * *

Northern Kzuu Mai

The soldiers picking over the aircraft had found some sensors, which appeared to be still running, and promptly disabled them.

"There'll be more," their leader had announced, "Keep looking."

A few minutes later one of them saw, on the horizon, a dark smudge in the air. Grabbing some binoculars, the leader peered at it.

"It's a helicopter!" he said, with disbelief. "Did base send helicopters?"

"There coming in the wrong way to be from base, sir," pointed out one of the soldiers.

"Damn, they are. But Jun's the northernmost airbase in Kzuu Mai - they're coming from the Free Eaglian border!"

OOC: The beacon would have been in the seat, but never mind. And its a standard thing, so even if the pilot is knocked unconcious or loses his radio (like mine), they still know he ejected.

IC:
Northern Kzuu Mai

The two helicopters had already overflown the beacon from the ejection seat, but there was no trace of the pilot, so they had continued on to the crash site.

"Bad guys at the wreckage. Put a warning shot across in front of them," announced the pilot of the lead helicopter over the intercom.

The door gunner on the appropriate side pulled back the loading lever to chamber a round, the clack-clash audible even over the noise of the engines. He pulled the trigger, holding it down for two seconds. The heavy machine gun emitted a deafening boom-boom-boom as eleven rounds left the muzzle.

The rounds hit the ground a few metres in front of the Kzuu Maian forces, kicking up sand and dirt as they thudded into the ground.

The two helicopters swooped low over the Aurora wreckage in a sweeping turn, the missiles and rocket pods clearly visible on the stubby wings, gunners standing behind the door machine guns. They looped around to come back towards the clustered debris.
***

"Looks like the pilot's not here either," transmitted the pilot of the second helicopter.

"Right. Knight Two, go find our boy. We'll take this part," replied the lead pilot.

"Copy, Knight One."

The second helicopter broke away from its trail position and headed away from the wreckage. It gained some altitude, allowing them to see further as they looked for the white parachute, although they remained low enough to avoid radar detection.
***

As the heavy clatter of the rotors reached the pilot, he also spotted a dust trail approaching him from a distance. His heart sunk, no Free Eaglian ground forces could possibly be here this soon. Then the staccato crackle of gunfire was heard, as the helicopter fired its warning shots.

The pilot laughed with joy. The only reason for the firing was if the helicopters were friendly. The noise of the rotors seemed to be increasing in volume, hopefully the chopper was coming towards him. The parachute made a fine beacon, still laying spread out across the sand, blazing white in the sunlight.

The dust trail was approaching rapidly now. The pilot reached for the survival pack and withdrew the automatic pistol inside it. It wasn't much against soldiers with rifles, but it was better than nothing. It was just a matter of who reached him first, the friendly helicopter or the enemy vehicle.

Northern Kzuu Mai

"We don't stand a chance!" yelled the leader, recoiling from where the bullets had drilled into the earth at his feet. "We've got to get out of here!" He leapt up into the jeep, urging the others to do the same.

"But sir...the sensors..." said one soldier, hesitating.

"To hell with the sensors!" cried the leader, then stopped, knowing his mistake. Grabbing a grenade from his belt, he hastily tossed it into the middle of the crash site as the jeep sped away towards Jun Airbase. "That'll have to do," he muttered.

The helicopter had wheeled round, and immediately the soldiers realised they had gone wrong. The helicopter could easily destroy the jeep, if it wanted to; none of the soldiers had Stingers, or any other surface-to-air missiles.

"Put your foot down," murmured the leader to the driver. The leader then took out a radio and contacted Jun.

"We are being pursued by an enemy helicopter. Request immediate air support," he pleaded.

* * *

The soldiers from Jun had noticed the parachute a few minutes back, lying spread out in the desert. The driver had immediately accelerated, and, when the helicopter came into view, sped up even more, going at almost maximum speed.

As they screeched through the dust towards the parachute, the leader gazed at the helicopter through some binoculars, noting the missiles underneath its short wings.

"Go faster!" he spat. "We have to get there quite a long time before the helicopter arrives - we need to be away before it reaches the pilot, or we're done for."

Northern Kzuu Mai

"Oh, now that's just not nice," mused the pilot of White Knight 1 as he watched the grenade explode amidst the debris.

He brought the Blackhawk around, swooping low and flaring over the crash site. Six of the infantry on board jumped out, their mission to retrieve the data recorders from the Aurora, or verify their complete destruction.

As soon as the soldiers were clear, the pilot twisted the collective, sending the helicopter climbing rapidly away. The co-pilot armed the wing-mounted rocket pods, linking them to the trigger on the control column.

"Trigger's hot, rockets ready," he announced. The pilot nodded as he activated the transmitter.

"Thunderhead, this is Knight One, hostile forces have attempted to destroy, and are leaving the Aurora airframe. Please advise," he transmitted to the AWACS. As he waited for a reply, he brought the Blackhawk into a chase position on the fleeing jeep, hoping for the right reply.

"Knight One, clear to engage. They may have the data recorders," replied the senior controller. The Blackhawk pilot acknowledged the transmission, and triggered off a salvo of four rockets.
***

"Look," said the co-pilot of White Knight 2, pointing at the dust trail now visible.

The pilot swore. The co-pilot glanced between the parachute and the dust trail.
"Who'll get there first?" she asked.

The pilot increased power to the rotors and pushed the nose down further, increasing the Blackhawk's speed. "We will," he told her. He pressed the intercom button. "Get ready. Door gunners, stay alert."

The two gunners pulled back the loading bolts on their weapons, readying the guns to fire. The infantry prepared to deploy the instant the helicopter touched down, their task was to get the pilot on board the helo as quick as possible.
***

The pilot watched the two traces approaching, trying to guage which would arrive first. The helicopter was further away, but travelling at a much higher speed. He thought about it, and decided that as long as the helicopter arrived before the vehicle got away, he'd probably be alright.

Nevertheless, he pulled back the slide on his automatic, chambering a round. The survival kit was looped over his shoulder by the strap, and his free hand was holding his body in a semi-upright position, to enable him to get a more accurate shot in if necessary.

Northern Kzuu Mai

The leader looked back, and swore loudly as he saw the four rockets hurtling towards him. He attempted to leap out of the speeding vehicle, but he caught his boot and thudded face down onto the dry earth, narrowly avoiding being crushed under the jeep's tyres.

The rockets hissed straight for the jeep; one slammed into its side, rolling the jeep over and tipping out the remaining soldiers; another hit it a second later, destroying the fuel tanks and engulfing the soldiers in a fireball. A third rocket hit the ground just below the wreck, sending it tumbling into the air, only to land - with a sickening crunch - on the escaped leader.

* * *

"We aren't going to make it there first," announced the leader of the second team, matter-of-factly. "Of course we aren't. They're a helicopter."

"What do we do, sir?" asked a soldier, who was gazing at the approaching helicopter nervously.

"Keep going," was the immediate reply. "I'll call for air support. If we don't get out of here alive, neither will they."

* * *

The aircraft - a small group of the light K-16 fighters - that had been dispatched from Jun Airbase after the now-deceased leader's plea arrived at the crash site. They immediately set after the Free Eaglian helicopter which had destroyed the jeep, releasing missiles towards it, when a voice was transmitted into the leader's ear.

"The second group require air support," it said, before promptly and rudely cutting off. Shaking her head, the leader ordered half of her group to head towards the pilot's landing site, while directing the other half to pursue the first helicopter.

OOC: Sorry about the overuse of "leader" - I'm not sure if it's meant to be captain, or major, or whatever.

OOC: Whichever. The ground teams probably a sergeant or lieutenant, the planes probably a captain or a major. Can I have a spy in your airbase, to send some information about your new planes?

IC:
White Knight One, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Yess! One jeep down," crowed the pilot of White Knight 1 as the rockets blew the jeep apart.

"Don't celebrate yet, we got fighters chasing us," the co-pilot announced tersely.

The Blackhawk helicopter immediately swung around in a tight turn, heading back towards the crash site. The Blackhawks operated by this unit were optimised for a variety of mission taskings, and it possessed some equipment not usually found on battlefield helicopters, including a threat receiver, which promptly went nuts.

"Missiles," cried the co-pilot, punching buttons on his controls. The pilot pushed the stick forwards, the helicopter dropped down until it was literally skimming the ground, trying to hide from the radar seekers in the ground clutter. As it fell, clouds of shredded aluminium chaff were ejected from the dispenser. The missiles lost track of the helicopter as it dipped so close to the ground, self-destructing when they lost the target.

"Thunderhead, Knight One. We are under missile attack," the pilot screamed over the radio.

Their extreme low altitude would protect them, since getting a missile lock would be nearly impossible, and using guns would be very dangerous, since the fighter pilots would have to worry about not hitting the ground.
***

Behind the Free Eaglian border

The radar controllers on board the E-767 radar aircraft had spotted the flight of enemy fighters, another new design, noted one, almost as soon as they took off, but could not do anything until now.

They saw the flight split apart to go after both helicopters, and knew what had to be done.

"Black Rider flight, this is Thunderhead. You are clear to engage enemy aircraft. Uploading targeting information now," transmitted the senior controller. Then they spoke to the second Blackhawk, as the radio operator updated the ground controller back at the base.

The four F-29B Kestrel fighters broke out of their holding circuit one after the other and engaged their afterburners, accelerating across the border.

"Riders, separate to flights. Three, you take the southern targets, we've got the northern ones," transmitted the flight lead, Black Rider 1.

The Kestrels split into two pairs and activated their long range missile seekers. If the Kzuu Maian aircraft had threat warning equipment, they would be able to detect the seekers, hopefully discouraging them from chasing the Blackhawks.

They achieved a missile lock and fired a single missile each, the large weapons shooting away from the launch aircraft.
***

White Knight Two, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Knight Two, you have two hostile fighters heading in your direction. Be advised that we have dispatched support," came the transmission from Thunderhead.

The Blackhawk pilot, now aware of the downed pilot's location, reduced his altitude as they approached. He flared the helicopter and held it in semi-hover, the wheels just touching the ground.

Two infantry jumped out and ran to the pilot lying in the sand. They lifted him bodily and placed his arms around their shoulders, half dragging, half carrying him back to the helicopter. Two more soldiers lifted the pilot aboard allowing the first two to climb back in quickly.

As soon as they were all safely aboard, the pilot twisted in the power to the rotors, lifted off and spun the Blackhawk around, aiming directly for the border. He increased altitude slightly to give them some space, and accelerated to full speed, running for safety.

OOC: I'll stick with "leader" for now. And yes, you can have a spy if you like.

Oh, and the K-16s are just more advanced versions of the Kt-14s in the previous war. They were renamed.

IC:

Northern Kzuu Mai

Cursing to herself, the pilot watched the missiles self-destruct in the air and the helicopter go low. She was the best pilot in the group, by a long way, and she banked her K-16, wheeling round above the helicopter. She accelerated, and overtook it, then pushed the nose of her plane down, heading straight for the ground. At the last second, she straightened her plane. This was highly dangerous, she knew - suicidal, in fact - but she enjoyed it, and now she was headed straight for the helicopter.

Suddenly, her threat sensors informed her a missile was heading for her. At first she thought they were confused by the plane's close proximity to the ground, but then she noticed that the missile was coming from behind her. Forcing her fighter upwards, she soared into the air, narrowly avoiding hitting the helicopter, flying only a few feet above its spinning blades. She hoped she had done enough to avoid the missile, but she doubted it, so continued twisting and diving through the sky, watching as one of the other planes exploded spectacularly, hit by another missile.

* * *

"Shit!" muttered the leader, watching as the pilot was bundled into the helicopter. "We were too late!" The helicopter turned and made for the border, but as they watched the two Kzuu Maian K-16s shot through the sky above their heads, releasing missiles. The missiles were barely fired before the two fighters suddenly shot upwards, then attempted to evade the missiles coming straight towards them. One was too slow; the missile struck a wing, tearing it off, and sending the K-16 plummeting down to earth. The other managed to avoid being hit, but, in evading the missile, had ended up a long way from anywhere.

Black Rider One/Two, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Good kill, Two. I guess I'll have to try again," the pilot of the lead F-29B congratulated his wingwoman.

He selected a second long-range radar guided missile, and locked on to the wildly manoeuvring enemy fighter. He squeezed the trigger and the missile leapt off the launch rail and curved towards the target.

The first missile had looped around, and might manage one more pass before expending all its fuel. The long-range missiles were not that capable of pulling manoeuvres, they relied on their speed to kill the target before it could dodge.
***

White Knight One, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Thanks for the help, Riders. Keep us covered now," said the pilot.

The Blackhawk had reached the Aurora crash site again, and slowed to land on the far side. The six infantry deployed to search the debris climbed in, one of them holding a small box. Another spoke to the loadmaster.

"Tell the AWACS we got the data recorders. They're damaged, but in one piece."

The loadmaster relayed this to the pilots, who passed the message up to Thunderhead.

The Blackhawk lifted off and mimicked its counterpart, heading straight for the border at full speed.
***

White Knight Two, Northern Kzuu Mai

"How are you?" the squad medic asked the pilot, having to shout over the rotor noise.

"Hurt. Leg, ribs, face, maybe other stuff," shouted back the pilot, pointing at each in turn, wincing with pain from his ribs as he shouted.

The medic pulled some pain medication from his kit and jabbed it into the pilot's arm, then set about cleaning the wound on his head.

In the cockpit, the threat receiver went off. The crew performed the same moves as the other Blackhawk, dropping dangerously low and ejecting chaff to confuse the radar seekers. It worked, but not as fully as they wanted.

One missile lost track completely, self-destructing, but the other flew directly over the helicopter and exploded, showering the helicopter with shrapnel fragments. One pierced the cockpit and embedded itself in the co-pilot's arm, causing her to cry out. Others hit the engine, and several warning gauges went off at the same time, temperatures creeping up and a trail of grey-white smoke began streaming from the engines.

The pilot immediately slowed the Blackhawk and gained some altitude as a safety barrier, fully aware that this made them more exposed.

"This is Knight Two, we took a hit. We're still airworthy, but damaged. Riders, keep those fighters off us," transmitted the pilot, a plea for help from the fighters.

"Riders, this is Thunderhead. Do not allow any fighters within missile range of Knight Two."

Rider Four launched another missile at the K-16 that had dodged his missile. The rapid climb being executed by the enemy aircraft made for a perfect target; big and slow.
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The Free Eaglian spy, codenamed 'Agent Spinnaker', left the K-42 hangars and returned to his quarters.

Once the door was locked, he removed the panel from the back of the wardrobe and placed the documents he had just stolen in the cavity. Later tonight, he would scan the papers into his laptop computer with a hand scanner, and email them to his contact. He then replaced the panel and left his room, locking the door behind him, and returned to his work.

OOC: So I need some vague details on the K-42.

Northern Kzuu Mai

"Leave the pilot!" cried the major of the aircraft over the radio, while wildly dodging another oncoming missile. "Go for the 'copter with the sensors on it!"

Another of the aircraft fell lazily to the ground, smoke pouring from its engines, but the rest turned and made their way towards the first helicopter, which was moving for the border; the ones already there locked onto the target and fired their missiles.

* * *

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The K-42 Vortex Fighter squatted in its subterranean hangar, brooding like some huge, malevolent crow. It did look more like an animal than an aircraft - the black, radar-absorbing coating and smooth rounded surface were like no other aircraft in the Kzuu Maian Airforce. It didn't even have a tail, and the engines weren't visible; they were carried internally, just like the fuel tanks, the armament, and everything else.

At this particular moment in time, a swarm of technicians and workers were installing new heat-seeking, radar guided missiles into the special compartments built into the aircraft. The same pilot that had shot down the Free Eaglian Aurora and started all this was watching, smiling, as the missiles were put into place.

In fact, everyone working in this particular part of Jun was pleased today; the government official had gone away very satisfied, and the K-42's Development budget had been increased by billions of shillings. The pilot hoped this would be used to make the K-42 go faster; Mach 3 was so boring after a few flights.

OOC: Will that paragraph do? That covers just about everything I can dig up about stealth aircraft and missiles.

OOC: That's perfect. Mach 3 is about as fast as a plane can go with conventional engines. There are only 3 Mach-3 capable combat service aircraft I know of RL (MiG-25, MiG-31, SR-71), and one uses special engines. If you want to go faster, you need to completely redesign the aircraft and put ramjets on it.

IC:
Black Rider Three/Four, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Thunderhead, this is Rider Three. Enemies are disengaging from Knight Two. Do we follow?" inquired the Lieutenant piloting Black Rider 3.

"That's affirmative, Rider. The bandits are vectoring towards Knight One. Protect that chopper," ordered the senior controller.

"Copy. What about Knight Two?" asked the Lieutenant as he engaged the afterburners again, chasing after the Kzuu Maian aircraft.

"Rider Bravo Flight will be on station in three minutes to cover them," explained the controller, which cast the concerns from the pilot's mind. Bravo flight was as good as Alpha flight, so the chopper would be safe.
***

White Knight One, Northern Kzuu Mai

The Blackhawk was racing along at maximum speed, just a few metres from the ground. The rotors were kicking up a huge dust trail, which would hopefully distort any radar or heat signature, increasing their chances of survival.

The threat receiver made more rapid, high-pitched deedle-deedle-deedle noises, signifying more enemy missile launches. The co-pilot hit the countermeasures button, ejecting large quantities of chaff and flares from the dispensers.

Riders One and Two locked their radars on to the Kzuu Maian aircraft and fired a missile each. If the missiles targeted at the helicopter were radar-guided, the Kzuu Maian jets now had a choice: they could stay on course, hopefully ensuring that the helicopter was hit and get killed by the Free Eaglian missiles, or they could break off, allowing both the Blackhawk and the K-16s to survive.
***

Behind the Free Eaglian border

"Rider Bravo, you are to escort the helicopter Knight Two across the border and back to its home base. Do not allow any Kzuu Maian aircraft to get within missile range of the helicopter, lethal force authorised," ordered the AWACS controller.

"Thunderhead, this is Rider Five. Understood. Crossing the border now," confirmed the flight leader.

On board the E-767 the radar operators studied their cathode ray tubes and MFDs. The second Blackhawk was closer to the border than Knight One, but due to the damage it was moving at a slower speed. However, if Knight One had to continue to make evasive manoeuvres, Knight Two would probably cross the border first.

"How long until Knight Two crosses the border at current rate?" asked the controller.

"About twelve minutes, sir," replied one of the operators.
***

Hayan Mountain Complex, Imagery Analysis Division, Free Eagles

The data had been split into sections and assigned to various analysis teams. One analyst was studying a subterranean image from an LP-15 radar-recon satellite. There were a number of white blocks on the image, lined up in a row. He checked the location tag and found the corresponding photo and surface-radar image.

"That's Jun Airbase," he muttered to himself, "And these blocks run alongside the runway, with no corresponding surface features. Underground hangars, maybe?"

He called his supervisor over.
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Agent Spinnaker was on his lunch break, but, instead of actually getting lunch, he headed to his quarters and locked the door behind him.

He opened the wardrobe and crouched down in the dust at the bottom, moving the false panel and retrieving the papers and his equipment. He felt that this was so important, it had to go out as soon as possible, and that was now.

He fired up the laptop computer, and plugged the hand scanner into the USB port on the back. As the computer ran through its start-up processes, he organised the stolen documents into a coherent order, and laid them out on his bed.

When the computer was ready, he began slowly running the scanner across the pages, uploading the data to the hard drive. It took fifteen minutes to make sure it was done properly, but once the last page had been scanned in and confirmed, he sent the files to his contact address by email. As soon as this was done, he shut the laptop down, and unplugged everything, stowing it as quickly as possible back in the wardrobe cavity.

He shuffled the papers together. Now to get them back before they were noticed to be missing...

OOC: Feel free to find him out now.

Northern Kzuu Mai

The missiles hissed towards the few remaining K-16s, and, as her threat sensor informed her of them, the major was at a loss for what to do. She knew that she, and the others, would die if they continued following the helicopter; she also knew (or thought) that the only real information on the K-42 was on board White Knight One. Eventually, she made her decision; she wasn't going to die yet.

"Disengage from the enemy and head for home," her orders spat into the ears of the other K-16s bitterly.

As one, they banked, accelerated, and shot away, towards Jun Airbase.

* * *

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

A bored technician wandered through the underground facility where the K-42 had been born, chomping unenthusiastically on a bar of chocolate. He rounded a corner, and saw a figure closing a door. On closer inspection, the technician discovered it was Spinnaker, someone he had got to know well during his time at Jun.

"Hello," he said cheerfully, ambling over. Spinnaker looked up, obviously shocked. "Only me!" continued the technician, a big grin on his face.

At that moment, before the agent could speak, another man appeared, rushing down the corridor.

"Did you hear? There's some papers, gone missing!"

"What?"

"Yeah...the whole place has been shut down. This was completely secret - we got a spy. They're searching the rooms, the workers, everything."

OOC: Does your President live in fear of Free Eaglian stealth bombers, then? (I just read the NSWiki article). Would it affect her if we announced we put them on alert? Just a thought for a possible plot element.

IC:
White Knight One, Northern Kzuu Mai

The missiles lost track when the Kzuu Maian fighters turned away, the inferior seeker heads on the missiles themselves chasing after the clouds of aluminium chaff, missing the Blackhawk entirely.

"This is Thunderhead. Bandits disengaging and returning home, you're clear Knights," announced the AWACS controller.

"Phew," said the co-pilot, breathing a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Riders. That's two we owe you."

"Any time, Knight One. Thunderhead, Rider One has bingo in fifteen," replied the fighter pilot.

"Copy, Rider One. We have a tanker on standby across the border," the radar controller told the pilot.

Riders Three and Four also took up station behind Knight One, having hared across the desert after the second pair of K-16s. "Thunderhead, Rider Three also has bingo in fifteen."

The Blackhawk gained some more altitude, climbing to a more efficient level now that the threat was gone, marginally increasing its speed as it did so.
***

Black Rider Six, Northern Kzuu Mai

As the other pilots in his flight took up station, Rider Six flew down close to the Blackhawk, examining the damage from the outside.

"Looks alright from here. It's gonna need a serious paint job when it lands though," he told them.

The side of the Blackhawk was streaked with oil and other fluids, leaving it looking like there was an enormous bruise on the helicopter. The pilot gained a little more altitude as a safety net now that the threat was gone, at least for the moment.
***

Main Office, Republic Intelligence Agency (RIA), Free Eagles

The message from Spinnaker had set the place alight with activity. The best systems analysts they had were going over the data, examining it for anything they could use.

The basic data was forwarded to the Defence Council, and through them it was taken to the President, who was told that this was the aircraft used to shoot down the Aurora.

The imagery from Hayan was correlated with the Spinnaker report, the underground cavities at Jun Airbase must be the hangars for the K-42 aircraft. The only thing missing from the report was exactly how many the Kzuu Maians had available.
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker looked up at the greeting, preparing to run. But then he recognised the technician, one of his 'friends'. He had just gotten the papers back in place, and was about to head for the canteen to grab a quick bite for lunch.

Before he could return the greeting, someone Spinnaker did not know appeared.

Inside, Spinnaker quailed at the statement, fear clawing at his stomach. Outside, his expression turned to mild concern.

"Really? I wonder how a spy would get in? Who could it be?" he mused.

The search would surely find the cavity with his laptop and other equipment. He needed to find a way off the base before then. But how? He's just said they've got the place locked down. Regardless, whatever I do, I need to do it immediately.

OOC: That's quite a nice idea. It would affect her, certainly.

IC: Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The remnants of the K-16 flight circled above Jun, the major having a furious argument with those down below.

"Let me in! You know who I am! We're running out of fuel here!" she yelled into the mic.

"Can't. No one in, no one out, 'til the spy's found." came the reply, patiently. "Go to Hitaan Airbase, you've got enough fuel to get there."

The major muttered for a second, then switched off the mic and turned south-east, towards Hitaan.

* * *

Below, a frantic search of the rooms was being carried out. The workers had been told to assemble in the hangar, where they too would be searched.

"We might as well get this over with," muttered the technician, turning to the spy. "Come on."

OOC: Okay. I'll remember it for use later.

IC:
The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

Finally, the two Blackhawks crossed the border and re-entered the safety of Free Eaglian airspace. The tanker had arrived, and Rider Alpha flight had broken off its cover to refuel. The two helicopters had rejoined each other, so they were both under the cover of Rider Bravo flight. Knight One had reduced its airspeed to match that of the damaged Knight Two.

The controller on board the E-767 AWACS aircraft made a transmission to the base that the helicopters had come from.
"White Castle, this is Thunderhead. Your Knights are inbound, with their charges. Their Riders are currently still with them."

The KC-767 air refuelling tanker cruised in a straight line as the Kestrels of Rider Alpha sucked greedily at the refuelling booms, hungry for life saving fuel.

The confirmation of the pilot's safety was quickly passed up the ranks, until it reached the office of the President, who expressed his profound relief at the news. He made the decision to visit the pilot while he was in hospital recovering from his injuries, and maybe take a little gift with him.
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Knowing that making a break now would be suicidal, Spinnaker agreed and followed the technician in the direction of the hangar. On the way, they passed a set of toilets, and an idea formed in Spinnaker's head. After walking a fair distance past the toilets, he put his hands to his stomach and mouth, mumbling, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

He turned and dashed off back towards the toilets, maintaining his half doubled up posture until he was safely inside. He waited a few minutes, then carefully opened the door a bit, checking to see if the coast was clear. It was, so he made his way swiftly towards the nearest auxiliary fire escape staircase up to the surface, carefully avoiding any signs of patrols.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

As Spinnaker vanished into the toilets, the two workers continued on their way to the hangars.

"I wonder what's wrong with him..." said the technician, who had finished his chocolate and opened a packet of crisps.

"Prob'ly just nervous or something, you know, about the whole spy thing," replied the other man, sounding highly uninterested. "Can I have one?" He nodded at the packet of crisps.

"What? Oh, sure..."

They arrived at the hangar, where the majority of the workforce were already assembled and being quickly, efficiently searched.

* * *

A patrol of soldiers wandered around the perimeter of Jun Airbase, their eyes watching half-heartedly for any sign of someone trying to escape. As they walked, one of them saw a figure appear and dash for cover, moving quietly.

"I though he just saw something, over there," the guard pointed in the general direction of the spy.

After a few seconds' following the finger, their leader shook his head. "No one there," he muttered. "You're seeing things..."

Wajima South Joint Service Base, Southern Free Eagles- 20km from the border.

The two Blackhawks had landed, and their precious cargo rushed away. The pilot was rushed to the base hospital for emergency medical treatment, the data recorders were rushed to the base intelligence section for immediate analysis. Both the pilot and the recorders would be moved in the near future to more suitable locations, but for now they stayed here.

The Kestrels of Black Rider squadron had not returned to Wajima as previously planned, they had taken up a Combat Air Patrol (CAP) along the border, in light of the recent conflict they were taking no chances.
***

Amderma Naval Base, Northern Free Eagles

The latest ship to belong to the Free Eaglian Navy (FENF) had just slipped its moorings and vacated its dock.

The SRS Khinfaxi, a Hrimfaxi class submersible carrier, the second largest class of vessel ever to enter Free Eaglian service, glided silently through the icy waters. It was the second such vessel, the first having entered service nine months ago, and under current plans, it would also be the last. The two huge submarines had cost trillions of rubles to build, but they gave the FENF a major tactical advantage.

The array of weapons it carried was truly awesome, it had crossed the weapons of a cruiser with that of a ballistic missile submarine, although in keeping with Free Eaglian policy, the ballistic missiles carried no nuclear warheads, just Fuel-Air Explosives.

Once it had entered deeper waters, it submerged beneath the waves, slipping underneath the icebergs found in those waters. The SRS Khinfaxi had begun its first official sortie.
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker was hiding in a disused shed not all that far from the perimeter fences. He had taken an enormous risk getting to it, having had to run across three hundred metres of open land, in plain sight to any observer.

He had waited until the coast was clear, but still only just avoided being spotted by a patrol he had not seen.

"How the hell am I going to get out of here?" he muttered quietly to himself, while struggling not to sneeze from all the dust he was stirring up. The shack had been out of use for as long as he had been here, which was almost two years now.

He put his hands in his pockets searching for anything that might help. In his left trouser pocket, he found the answer. His mobile phone, which he had completely forgotten about. It had a number in its memory to call if ever he needed it, supposedly a line to an RIA control officer. He flipped it open and wrote a text message.

This is Spinnaker. Have been found out, currently hiding in Jun Airbase. Request immediate emergency extraction.

The reply came less than two minutes later.

Unable to provide extraction at current location. Leave base and head due north towards border. Extraction will take place 15km from border. Vehicle will be there in forty minutes, and will remain as long as possible. Be advised, relations between FE and KM are currently unstable.

"Great. Now I have to get out of the base and walk that far? How am I going to manage that without being seen?" he muttered again.

IC: Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The search of the staff in the airbase had failed; none of the missing papers had been found. Now, soldiers were slowly making their way through the staff living quarters, searching every room thoroughly.

The patrol outside continued, but the same soldier cautiously looked back over his shoulder, watching for any movement. There wasn't any, and the patrol continued on their way, away from the disused shed.

* * *

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Laylae Hachi was still sitting behind her desk, thinking hard. The news of the spy, as well as the failure near to the border, had been relayed to her quickly, but she had not yet made her decision. Nagishi had been called into the room, but as yet she had not spoken to him. He shuffled nervously.

Eventually, Hachi spoke. "We are at war with Free Eagles," she said. "Are we not?"

Nagishi nodded slowly. "Yes, we are at war with them. But you know the policy, Ms. President; we can't just declare war on them. There has to be a referendum."

Hachi shuddered with rage. "Referenda! I hate referenda!"

"The public don't have to know," Nagishi spoke smoothly.

"A secret war?"

"Indeed. Shall I contact military intelligence?"

Hachi nodded. "But we can't risk this getting into the public, mind. If a whisper of this reaches the press, we're going to have a revolution on our hands."

Office of the President, 100 Salas Avenue, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Okay, what is going on with Kzuu Mai?" asked Hewitt. The question was aimed at the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the FEAF. The State Secretary was also present, though currently uninvolved in the conversation.

"We know they have a large build up of ground forces near the border. We know they have developed an advanced stealth fighter. We know they shot down our recon aircraft without any warning, which could constitute an act of war, but since our plane was in violation of the treaty I wouldn't push that. We know that they attacked our rescue helicopters," reeled off Secretary Andersen.

"Have we made any actions that could be seen as offensive?" asked the President.

"Sir, other than the Aurora being there in the first place, no. The chopper fired a warning burst from a machine gun which could in no way have been interpreted as an actual attack. The jeep was destroyed after Kzuu Maian fighters were scrambled, and our fighters only crossed the border after the Kzuu Maians opened fire on the choppers," stated the FEAF Chief.

"Good. So it is safe to say that this is the fault of the Kzuu Maians, yes?" pushed Hewitt.

Andersen handled the answer,
"Fairly. There were no attempts at radio contact with our craft on either occasion before they opened fire. We only act like that when we are actually at a state of war."

"Steven," said Hewitt, bringing the State Secretary into the conversation, "Draft a message to President Hachi and condemn their actions. Request reasons for all the incidents that have happened, and make sure you ask about the military build-up."

"Yes, Mr President."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

The government of Free Eagles requests the reason for the unprovoked attack on both our survey aircraft, and the rescue helicopters sent to pick up the injured pilot. In addition, we wish to know the reason for the current large military build-up near our borders. The combination of these circumstances could easily constitute an act of war. Is Kzuu Mai at war with our nation?
[End Transmission]
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker carefully left the shed and headed for the perimeter fence. He knew there was a slight gap near him, which he planned to use to escape the base.

From there it was a hard walk to the rendezvous point, and he had to cover it quickly, since the helicopter, he presumed it would be a helicopter, would only be able to wait so long.
***

Wajima Joint Service Base, Southern Free Eagles

The task of extracting Agent Spinnaker had already fallen to this base, and this unit. A fresh flight crew was brought up, but the helicopter was the same.

The Blackhawk currently call-signed 'White Knight One' was hurriedly refuelled, and prepared for launch. A group of five infantry would be aboard the helicopter for this mission. The E-767 AWACS 'Thunderhead' would remain on station to cover this mission, as would the fighters of Black Rider Bravo.

The rotors swished through the air as the engine spooled up, gradually taking on a rapid burr as they reached take off velocity. The helicopter lifted off and began to move forward slowly, wheeling around to face the appropriate direction, back towards the Kzuu Maian border, leaving the ground crew behind amidst the pungent aroma of aircraft fuel and hot exhaust.

OOC: I want Spinnaker to get near the border, within sight of the chopper, before he gets captured by your troops. You can do what you like with him (he is a spy after all), but make a chase of it.

OOC: OK

IC:

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Hachi stopped and considered. It would be possible, perhaps, to avoid all-out conflict between Free Eagles and Kzuu Mai, but if she left it too late it wouldn't be. Eventually, she contacted Hewitt:

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

Even if your aircraft was on a geographical mission, it was still in breach of the Christmas Day Treaty. Surely it would have been simple enough to contact us 48 hours before you wanted the mission to take place? The pilot of the aircraft that shot it down was training, and a little too ready to shoot things down. He has been dealt with.

You requested the return of your pilot, did you not? You did not request permission to enter Kzuu Maian Airspace to pick him up with your own helicopters.

As to the military build-up, you need not worry about an attack from Kzuu Mai. It was a colossal mistake on the part of some of the Kzuu Maian Generals, and the offenders have been dealt with; we have no wishes for a war with your nation.

END TRANSMISSION

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The search of the living quarters had finished, and the secret compartment in Spinnaker's room had been discovered. A quick search of the airbase revealed he had either already left or was very good at hiding.

Above ground, two helicopters started their engines, their rotor blades slicing through the air, lifting off the ground steadily. They moved north, search lights dancing on the ground, searching for any sign of Spinnaker. Four jeeps followed them, headlights blazing, spread out in a wide line.

Office of the President, 100 Salas Avenue, Salobra, Free Eagles

The President read the message in amazement.

"Since when do aircraft on training exercises carry live weapons?" he asked incredulously. "There are no live-fire weapons ranges near the border, we would never have allowed it. And she still hasn't answered the Goddamn question!" He slammed his fist down on his antique oak desk.

He fixed the Defence Secretary with a lethal stare. "How are we going to get around the fact that we never told them about the Aurora?"

"I'm not sure yet, sir. For the moment, we should be glad they haven't questioned why that type of plane was used. For a geographic mission, a U-2 or an RF-5 would have been a more likely choice. The use of an Aurora kind of indicates a military purpose," Andersen replied. "We can get around not telling them about the choppers, though."

"I notice that the Kzuu Maian President seems remarkably quick to 'deal' with people. I'm not sure that even the Kzuu Maians would be that quick. I think she's trying to hide something," stated Valliere, the State Secretary.

"Now's probably not the best time to mention this, but we have another mission going into Kzuu Mai," ventured Andersen.

"What?!" exclaimed Hewitt. "Why?"

"You remember Agent Spinnaker? He pushed his emergency beacon, apparently the Kzuu Maians noticed when he stole some data about the stealth fighter that shot down our Aurora. We're sending in a helicopter to pick him up," explained Andersen.

"Oh, God. And you expect the Kzuu Maians to just ignore it and lie down? What a time to pick! Still, I assume that data was helpful?"

"Yes sir. We know what we're up against now. Shadowland can deal with it."

"Okay, get him out. Steven, draft another message to President Hachi."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

While we accept that our aircraft was in breach of the treaty, we must still question why it was shot down without warning. We must also question why an aircraft on a training exercise would be carrying live weapons so far from any live-fire weapons ranges.

However, none of this explains why our rescue helicopters were fired upon, similarly without warning. We had received indications that our pilot was severely wounded, so we took appropriate action. We accept that this was also in breach of the treaty, but we had no choice in the matter.

You say we have nothing to fear, that there will be no Kzuu Maian attack on us, but what guarantee do we have that we can trust you? You have shot down one of our aircraft and attempted to shoot down two more without warning. These are not acts of a friendly nation, indeed they are reminiscent of Kzuu Mai under Lii Dan Kzuu.
[End Transmission]
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

It had happened so many times today that the pilots had lost count. Yet again, Free Eaglian aircraft were entering Kzuu Maian airspace. The Blackhawk was flying as low as safely possible to avoid detection by enemy radar, and would remain under radio silence for as long as possible.

The supporting AWACS and fighters could talk to the helicopter, but it would not respond unless absolutely necessary. In a flash of inspiration, the commander of Wajima had scrambled some more fighters, as well as two ECM aircraft, which would conveniently jam Kzuu Maian radar frequencies, under the pretence of a training exercise. None of these aircraft would actually cross the border, just remain very close to it, unless of course they were needed.
***

North of Jun Airbase, Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker was walking as swiftly as he could across the unstable desert sand, his feet sinking in with every step, using his watch as a compass to determine where north was, and head in that direction. He had quite a long distance to cover, and he knew that it wouldn't take the Kzuu Maians long to realise that he was missing.

His only real hope was that they left looking north of the base until last, first looking in all the other directions, since they would not be sure of which direction he had gone in. Already he thought he could hear the flutter of helicopter rotors from behind him.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"You told me it was on a training exercise, Mr. Nagishi. They are correct; if it were a training exercise then the K-42 would not have been carrying live ammunition, would it?" Hachi had quickly read the Free Eaglian reply and had been greatly angered by its contents.

Nagishi shuffled uncomfortably, but didn't speak.

"We don't want a war with Free Eagles, damnit! Last time we were annihilated by them, and then we had conscription and a load of other crap that no one'd stand for now. What the hell are you playing at?"

"The pilot was on a mission, Ms. President," muttered Nagishi. "There were...problems...in the north. You know, Akran.*" Nagishi lied fluently and quickly, but he still looked a little uncomfortable.

"I can't believe I'm hearing this. You were using the K-42 - the K-42 - to sort out a problem in Akran? The Akranese are hardly worthy of any aircraft at all, never mind the damned K-42. And anyway, you should've told me! You lied to me, damnit, you said he was on a training exercise!"

"It was not a significant mission -"

"You used the K-42, how could it not be significant? Those things aren't cheap, you know!"

"We did not feel you had to know about it..."

"You still shouldn't've told me it was a training exercise!"

"That is what I wished for you to tell Free Eagles, Ms. President. It would've taken too much time to explain everything at the time."

Hachi waved one hand, her head resting on the other. "Forget it, forget it."

"What are you going to do?"

Hachi smiled evilly. "I am going to deal with you, Mr. Nagishi."

* * *

North of Jun Airbase, Kzuu Mai

The helicopters moved onwards, although one of the two pilots was beginning to question his orders. North? he thought. North is where the agent'll expect, right? He's meant to go north. So maybe he'll go south or east or west.

He relayed his doubts to the other pilot, but was told that they had to follow orders, although his comrade didn't sound very sure.

* * *

89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi hurried down the main street of Mai Jun City, a sly smile on his face, despite his recent sacking. His plan was going well. Free Eagles were seething, Hachi was almost insane, and there were Kzuu Maian troops massing in the north.

SECURE TRANSMISSION

To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

I apologise for the contents of the last transmission; I was not in possession of all the facts - my defence secretary deceived me. He has, one might say, been dealt with.

I am currently investigating the real reason for the shooting down of your aircraft - I am going to question the pilot of the Kzuu Maian aircraft that shot yours down. As for the rescue helicopters, I believe that the lieutenant of the team sent to recover the fallen aircraft - who, it appears, wasn't very bright - was confused by your warning shots, and called for air support, which was sent by Jun Airbase. These pilots arrived shortly after the first jeep was destroyed, and so attacked your helicopters.

What guarantee would you like? As long as I am President I will do all I can to prevent war between our two nations.

END TRANSMISSION

OOC: *Akran is my puppet, although it doesn't particularly enjoy being it. There have been problems with it in the past, although in this case Nagishi is lying - the pilot wasn't going to Akran.

OOC: Very deep. Don't tell me, I want to find out as we go (I assume I will?). BTW, the above was me. Forum did funny things.

IC:
Office of the President, 100 Salas Avenue, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Oh shit!" swore Hewitt.

"What is it, sir?" asked Andersen, having just arrived from his summons, he had been off dealing with some defence matters.

"I hope to God your helicopter isn't seen. The Kzuu Maians might think we're deliberately provoking them." He handed the latest message from Hachi to Andersen.

"What the hell is going on in their government? Some things do have to be kept quiet, but deliberately lying to the President when it could mean a war? Their defence minister must be nuts. Notice that he's been 'dealt' with?" declared Andersen.

"Indeed. I hope nothing like this is happening within my administration," mused Hewitt semi-threateningly.

"No, sir. We may plan operations like this, but they don't go ahead without some form of authorisation from this office. You may not know exactly what the mission entails until after it's over, but you always know it's happening," Andersen reassured him.

"Hmm. Steven, draft a reply," Hewitt ordered the State Secretary.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

This is slightly unusual, but we will wait for the results of your investigation. We apologise for the deaths of the soldiers in the jeep, it was an unfortunate incident. However, given the information available to the radar controller, we can find no fault in his actions.

As for a guarantee, perhaps a personal assurance that those troops will not move an inch in our direction? Followed by their removal to their previous locations. Our defence network is fully alert due to the incidents, we will know as soon as they start to move, whichever direction it may be in.
[End Transmission]
***

White Knight One, Northern Kzuu Mai

The helicopter was clattering over the desert, rapidly approaching the rendezvous point, at a low enough altitude to kick up a trail of sand.

"Knight One, this is Thunderhead. You are ordered to, and I know how this may sound, be extra careful to avoid detection. If you are detected, it may mean war between our nations. Do not fire any weapons unless you are in direct danger. Do not acknowledge."

The pilot and co-pilot glanced at each other in confusion.
"The hell? Be extra careful? What do they think we're doing? It's not as if we want to be detected. And I know how to obey a radio silence order," groused the pilot. The co-pilot shrugged.

The pilot pushed the helicopter even lower, as low as he dared. He couldn't fly any lower, if he did, he risked ingesting sand into the engines, which wouldn't do them much good. As it was, they were in considerable danger from overly high sand dunes, or localised downdrafts, either of which would send the Blackhawk skidding into the sand.
***

Behind the Free Eaglian border (but only just)

The 'exercise' began. The Kestrels of Rider Bravo were pretending to act the part of defenders, the recently launched Rider Charlie were acting the aggressors. The jammer aircraft supporting the aggressors, two EA-18G Growlers, callsign Ghost, activated their systems at full power, hopefully shutting down any Kzuu Maian radars near the border. The radar picture on Thunderhead, however, was crystal clear.
***

North of Jun Airbase, Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker heard the whup-whup-whup of helicopter rotors getting louder, they were coming towards him. They would find him! He threw himself down to the sand, attempting to bury himself before the helicopters arrived.

They flew low overhead, and continued on. Spinnaker struggled back to his feet, brushing the sand away. I don't think they saw me. He resumed his trek, now more of an awkward run, northwards, towards the hopefully waiting helicopter.

OOC: You will find out.

IC: Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Laylae Hachi had demanded that she spoke to the pilot of the K-42 herself, and so had taken the Presidential Jet to Jun Airbase. Now that the identity of the spy was revealed, the base was more or less running again, although everyone was a little tense.

At this moment in time, Hachi was sitting behind a desk in one of the more lavish offices of the airbase, the pilot of the K-42 standing nervously in front of her.

"Why did you shoot down the Free Eaglian aircraft?" she asked, calmly.

"I didn't know it was Free Eaglian, Ms. President..." he stammered, looking everywhere except his President.

"Answer the question."

The pilot gulped, but didn't speak. Eventually, Hachi asked another question.

"Were you going to Akran?"

"Akran?" the pilot was surprised. "No, I wasn't going anywhere near Akran."

"Interesting. Where were you going?"

"Free Eagles, Ms. President," the pilot seemed to have gained a little confidence.

"Free Eagles? Why on earth were you going to Free Eagles?"

"'Cause I was told to, of course."

"By the General here?"

"Yeah...he said to me, "Take the K-42, go to Free Eagles, shoot down the first damn plane you see." So I got in the plane and I saw the aircraft coming from the Free Eaglian border, so I shot it down. Did the mission in half the time I was expected to."

Hachi nodded. "Thank you."

The pilot vanished almost immediately, but Hachi was already calling for the General.

* * *

North of Jun Airbase, Kzuu Mai

"Seen anything yet?" one pilot asked the other.

The reply came almost immediately. "Nope."

The helicopters continued northwards to the Free Eaglian border, the desert below illuminated by their searing searchlights.

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

My investigations are still ongoing, although I now know for sure that my defence secretary lied to me.

I will have the troops withdrawn. If you wish for a personal assurance, here it is: I give you my word that Kzuu Maian troops will not enter Free Eaglian territory uninvited.

END TRANSMISSION

Office of the President, Salobra, Free Eagles

The latest message had come in, and was being read by the President, the State Secretary and the Defence Secretary.

"Dave, I hope to God your helicopter isn't detected. Now more than ever. What will they think, after giving us an assurance that no troops will come our way, and agreeing to withdraw them, if they find our forces within their borders for the third time today?" Hewitt told Andersen.

"We're fairly confident that they won't. The chopper is flying as covertly as possible, and we have what will appear to be a defence exercise underway just inside the border, involving some jammer aircraft which, hopefully, will have shut down most Kzuu Maian radars in the area," Andersen replied. "Even if they are still working, their attention is likely to be directed at the exercise, just to make sure it isn't an attack."

"Steven, send this back to them."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

While it is worrying to hear of deceit at such a high level in the Kzuu Maian government, we are glad to hear that the investigation is proceeding. Please keep us informed.

In the spirit of good faith, I feel we must inform you that we have a small defence exercise underway near the border. The alert caused by the earlier incident provided a useful opportunity to keep our pilots on form. It involves no ground attack forces, just interceptor aircraft. I feel that it must be said that this is entirely peaceful in nature, does not represent a Free Eaglian offensive.
[End Transmission]
***

North of Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker was still running, although he thought he could hear another helicopter now, and this one seemed to be ahead of him. It's here. I'm saved, he thought happily. He put on an extra burst of speed.
---
White Knight One had almost reached the rendezvous point, it was just another kilometre ahead. The co-pilot stared ahead into the desert.
"I think I see him," she announced.

"Knight One, you have two helicopters inbound, dead ahead of your position. Collision warning," transmitted Thunderhead. The helicopter pilot flared the Blackhawk, arresting its forward movement, leaving it hovering just a few feet off the ground.
---
The noise of rotors suddenly increased in volume, and Spinnaker found himself bathed in the artificial glare of a searchlight. Another searchlight flashed forwards, centring on the hovering Blackhawk. The Kzuu Maian helicopter with the light on Spinnaker descended and a few troops jumped out, aiming rifles at him.
---
Seeing as he had been found out, the pilot of Knight One flipped on his running lights and gained some altitude, the searchlight tracking his movement.

"Thunderhead, this is Knight One," he transmitted, breaking his radio silence order. "We have visual on the target, but he has been apprehended by Kzuu Maian forces. Do we break him out?"

Several seconds of silence passed, then: "Negative, Knight One. RTB," the controller replied.

The pilot looked down at the troops holding Spinnaker. "Sorry guy. Orders are orders."

The Blackhawk slowly rotated, the weapon fittings clearly visible, obvious to all involved who would have won a fight, then gradually accelerated away, back towards home.
---
Spinnaker's hopes died inside him as the Free Eaglian helicopter turned away. Why hadn't they fought to get him free? After all he'd done for them! The anger at being abandoned quickly turned to fear, he'd been caught spying on a foreign power. What would they do with him?

OOC: You'd probably do it this way anyway, but have Hachi get Hewitt's message first, then the notification of the helicopter, so that fun things can happen.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Hachi's interview with the General had been fruitless; he had claimed that he never ordered a K-42 flight, and there were, suspiciously, no records or files concerning the so-called mission in the entire airbase. Hachi had left with the opinion that the Kzuu Maian Military was even more incompetent than the rumours said.

Hachi arrived back at her office frustrated, only to be greeted by the latest message from Free Eagles. Hachi quickly read the message and ordered a reply.

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

The actions of my defence secretary are also worrying to me - I am trying to have him watched by military intelligence.

The investigations continue, although I have hit a minor setback - it seems more people are willing to lie to their President than I thought.

Thank you for informing us of the exercise - I will inform the nearest bases that you are not a threat.

END TRANSMISSION

* * *

The Free Eaglian agent was bundled into the helicopter, which promptly took off and returned for base. One of the pilots radioed in, speaking urgently with the General.

"We've recovered the agent. An enemy helicopter was there, but it retreated when we arrived."

"Good job. Bring him in."

* * *

Hachi was mulling over the finer points of what the General and pilot had said to her when an assistant hurried in.

"Ms. President! They've caught the agent!"

Hachi smiled slightly. "Catch him easily, did they?"

"Well...there was a Free Eaglian chopper there to pick him up, but it left when our own forces arrived."

"What?" Hachi was suddenly serious. "A Free Eaglian? Are you sure?"

"Yes..." said the assistant, not quite understanding what was so significant.

"I need to send another message to Free Eagles."

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

A Free Eaglian helicopter was, once again, spotted in Kzuu Maian Airspace, so soon after I assured you that Kzuu Maians would not enter Free Eagles. Put bluntly, what was it doing there?

END TRANSMISSION

The assistant looked up. "You haven't mentioned the spy, Ms. President."

Hachi nodded. "I want to speak with him first."

Office of the President, Salobra, Free Eagles

The two messages had arrived within minutes of each other. Hewitt had been congratulating the Defence Secretary and voicing concern about the Kzuu Maian government and the lack of truth being told among their leadership, when the second was delivered from the communications room.

Hewitt quickly read the short message. "They found the helicopter," he said simply.

"Shit!" swore Andersen. He had just got off the phone with the commander at Wajima South, getting a report of the operation. "Sir, according to the crew, it happened right at the rendezvous point. There was no avoiding it. The same helicopters that captured Spinnaker saw our chopper. The pilot requested instructions, he was told to leave, and he did. They left our agent behind, so as not to provoke the Kzuu Maians."

"Well, what do we do about it?" asked Hewitt.

"As much as I hate to say it, we should admit it," offered Valliere. The President looked at him questioningly. "Well, they already know about the spy, it was obvious what the chopper was there for. If we lie, their opinion of us will plummet and war becomes a real threat."

"For what it's worth, sir, I agree with Steven." Andersen shook his head. "It's just not been my day."

Hewitt nodded slowly. "See to it," he ordered.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewiit, Free Eagles

Since you already know the answer, and falsities would do little to improve our situation, I will respond truthfully. The helicopter was there because an agent of the RIA had requested emergency extraction as he was in imminent danger. You must understand our response, the RIA cannot be seen to willingly abandon agents, else none would ever give them information.

As a mark of our sincerity, I must tell you that, had tensions between our two nations not been high, the helicopter would have fought to get our agent to safety. However, due to the aforementioned tension, the decision was made to leave peacefully, without causing any more of an upset.

As you may have guessed, the defence exercise near the border was a cover operation for the extraction, as it included jammer aircraft which would hopefully have shut down your search radars, preventing you from seeing the helicopter.

I apologise for the deception, and plead that you see that this was not a hostile act.
[End Transmission]
***

Wajima South Joint Service Base, Southern Free Eagles

The helicopter, 'White Knight One' had landed, and been taken to a hangar for disarming and maintenance. The Black Rider fighters and the AWACS 'Thunderhead' had also landed and were undergoing combat maintenance, with the aim of having them ready again as soon as possible.

The crew of Knight One were constantly being told that there was nothing else they could have done, that nothing was their fault. It was just in case they felt responsible for leaving the agent to the hands of the 'enemy', who might do anything to him.

166 88th Street (Ministry of Defence), Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Hachi was at the Kzuu Maian Ministry of Defence, formally greeting her new Defence Secretary - an unknown, unimaginative character named Rian Rayin, who most assumed had been elected because he wasn't likely to hatch some kind plot - when she was informed of the latest Free Eaglian message. She read it silently, then passed it over to Rayin.

When he had finished reading, Hachi motioned at him to speak.

"I think we should accept it," he said, somewhat nervously. "We can question their agent, and we still need to find out exactly why the K-42 was there in the first place. I see no reason to exacerbate the situation by being hostile towards the Free Eaglians."

Hachi nodded. "You're right," she said. "I need to write a reply."

SECURE TRANSMISSION

To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

We accept your apology and hope to resolve this situation as soon as possible. However, I must warn you that if another Free Eaglian aircraft is sighted in Kzuu Maian Airspace again - without the customary 48 hours' notice as set out in the Christmas Day Treaty - we reserve the right to attack it as a possible threat.

END TRANSMISSION

* * *

The General of Jun Airbase was temporarily suspended until Hachi's investigations could prove him not guilty, so it was his second-in-command who greeted the spy as he was escorted off the helicopter.

"Who are you?" he immediately demanded, although not in the ear-shattering, rage-filled tone which the General so often used. "What were you doing at this airbase?"

Office of the President, Salobra, Free Eagles

They had all breathed a sigh of relief when they read the latest message from Hachi.

"Well, it looks like you were right, Steven. Well done," Hewitt told the State Official.

Valliere nodded solemnly, knowing that the agent was in for a rough time.

Andersen was quiet, realising that his forces had performed admirably, but trying to find a way of rewarding them without making it look like encouraging their actions against Kzuu Mai.

"Steven, send a message back to Hachi. Tell her that we understand and will abide by the treaty," ordered Hewitt.

"Yes, Mr President." Valliere left the office again to send the message.
***

FENS Newsflash

"We interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin."

*News graphic followed by view of news studio*

"Hello, I'm Louisa Marsdale, and this is a Free Eaglian News Service emergency news report," announced the news desk anchor.

"We have received reports of a conflict brewing between Free Eagles and Kzuu Mai. Within the last twenty-four hours, there have apparently been a number of clashes between our respective military forces. We go now to our reporter at Wajima joint forces base, Peter Reed. Peter,"

*Cuts to on scene reporter, standing in front of Wajima main entrance*

"Yes, Louisa. There have been three incidents within the last twenty four hours, and Wajima base behind me was the home to almost all the units involved. Apparently aircraft from another base were also involved, but we have been unable to find out which one up to this point. What is certain is that these aircraft were in breach of the treaty signed by our governments four years ago at the end of the last war.

"A variety of aircraft from this base were involved in these incidents, including a number of helicopters, several fighters, and an airborne radar aircraft. There can be no denying that these skirmishes happened, since one of the helicopters returned showing considerable damage from what appeared to be a missile hit, and many of the fighters had expended missiles, noticeable by the empty weapon mounts under the wings.

"At least one person was seriously wounded in these incidents, as when the helicopters returned the first time, a loaded stretcher was rushed to the base hospital, and has since been moved on to an unknown hospital, although it was quite definitely not the local one.

"From the very fact that weapons were fired, we can only assume that a number of Kzuu Maians were also injured in these clashes, possibly even killed. As you can see inside the base, there are a large number of security troops patrolling the base, these troops were not present yesterday.

"Does this signify the beginning of a second war between our countries? We can only hope not, and pray that our government does everything possible to resolve this situation peacefully. Louisa, back to you in the studio."

*Cuts back to news studio*

"Thank you, Peter. We will bring you more on this worrying story as and when we have it. Now, back to the scheduled programme."
***

Office of the President, Salobra, Free Eagles

The news report had been aired five minutes ago, and already the telephone switchboards were jammed with callers, and the email servers were bursting with messages, all demanding to know what had happened and what was being done about it.

Hewitt groaned. "Why couldn't they have waited until it's been sorted out? Goddamn reporters! How did they find out so quickly?"

"A reporter was being shown around Wajima South, doing research for a documentary on life in the armed forces. When the alarm went up, somebody evidently forgot to evict him from the base," explained Andersen. "Not that it would have mattered," he added hurriedly, to avoid any of his troops getting into trouble. "Even if he had been removed from the base, he would just have waited outside, and seen it all anyway."
***

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker flinched at the question roared in his face. He decided to feign innocence until it was obvious they knew. "My name is Arnie Tucker. I work here," he told the General calmly, even though calm was the opposite of what he felt inside.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"OK, Arnie," the commander spat. "What were you doing so far north of Jun with a Free Eaglian helicopter? And" - the commander leaned in close to the agent, blasting him with cigarette-induced halitosis - "why was there a secret compartment in your room?"

* * *

1 89th Street, Northern Kzuu Mai

Rayin and Hachi had just arrived back from the defence ministry when the Free Eaglian agreement came through. After reading it, Hachi smiled and nodded at Rayin.

"Well, it appears you were right," she said. "Unlike that idiot Nagishi," she sneered disgustedly. "Good to have got rid of the bastard, really."

* * *

Head Offices of the Gazette, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The phonecall came in just before the issue for the evening went to print. An anonymous caller had told the Gazette, Kzuu Mai's most widely-read and least credible newspaper, of a crisis between Kzuu Mai and Free Eagles which could explode into conflict any second. Although the accuracy of the call was in question, the Gazette wasn't going to let something like the truth get in the way of a couple more sales, and immediately began modifying the front page.

* * *

42nd Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi replaced the telephone on its receiver and stepped out of the phonebox into the derelict street. He smiled to himself; he had expected all-out war to have been declared by now, and tipping off the media was a small consolation for the postponing of his scheme.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Spinnaker's shoulders slumped, they knew everything. Well, he thought, maybe if I tell the truth, they'll go easy on me.

"Okay. My name is Dimitri Sergeyevich Yevchenko, I'm a Free Eaglian national currently in the employ of the RIA. I was attempting to flee to my home country because you knew there was a penetration agent in the K-42 project, and I knew I would not survive a search," he told the commander.

His voice had changed, the Russian accent previously hidden by months of vocal training was now noticeable again, although only slightly.

"If you have found my equipment, you know how I was getting it to my control officer. Before you ask, I don't know who it is, I have never met them."

He still stood by his principles, not to reveal anything that the Kzuu Maians did not already know.
***

Office of the President, Salobra, Free Eagles

"It's official. The Kzuu Maian newspaper Gazette just broke the story. Now both our general populations know about it," declared Hewitt. A Century House official had just brought a copy of the front page into the office. He gave the sheet of paper to Andersen, who rapidly skimmed through it.

"Notice that they don't actually give any details. They just say that there have been a number of clashes between our forces, tensions are high, and that full-out war is looming," mused Andersen. "The Gazette's not exactly the most credible newspaper. It's about as truthful as that British one, The Sun. How many Kzuu Maians will have seen the FENS broadcast?"

Valliere handled that one. "It's a satellite channel, so possibly quite a lot, but how many were actually watching it, I couldn't begin to say."

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that within three hours there are going to be thousands of protestors out there in that street, demanding peace. Any Kzuu Maians that saw the FENS bulletin will be howling for blood, and who knows what the Gazette's readers will think," stated Hewitt.

"You should make a statement to the public. Reassure them that the right thing is being done," encouraged Valliere.

"Later. Right now, we need to work out what to do. If you think it can't wait, have the Veep do it. And you'd probably better get the rest of the cabinet in here," suggested Hewitt.

Front Page of the Gazette

KZUU MAI ON BRINK OF WAR WITH FREE EAGLES

The Gazette has just learned of a secret conflict between Kzuu Mai and our partners in the Christmas Day Treaty, Free Eagles.

A caller from within the government informed us of several clashes that have already taken place between the two nations near to the border. This could quite quickly and easily escalate into war - possibly leading to the destruction of our nation.

The Free Eaglian News Service, FENS, have already informed the general population of Free Eagles, but it seems our Government have been trying to supress this information getting into our so-called 'free' press. Continued on page 8

* * *

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Shit!" muttered Hachi, looking at the copy of the Gazette spread all over her desk. "How the hell did they find out? Who was this 'caller from within the government?'" She glanced accusingly at the PR advisor that had brought her the paper.

"There seems to be only one explanation..." said the advisor.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" the ever-paranoid Hachi muttered under her breath.

"...Nagishi." the advisor finished.

"Of course! Some small revenge against us for sacking him!" Hachi exclaimed. "Now, we have to track him down for breaking the Official Secrets Act, and then he's out of the picture! Easy!"

"There is the small problem of the Gazette article," said the advisor. "And now all the morning papers will also carry the story, even if they do suspect it isn't true. Everyone in Kzuu Mai will know about it by the morning."

"Can we not issue an announcement saying it's total bullshit?"

"I'd recommend against it. Not only would it bring the issue to everyone who doesn't already know about it, but if people find out we lied there'll sure be trouble."

Hachi nodded. "OK," she said. "We still have to catch Nagishi, though."

* * *

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The commander grunted. "OK," he said. "We already knew that, apart from the name. We'll deal with you a bit later on. We've got other matters to attend to."

Yevchenko was escorted down a corridor and was locked in a crude cell with a bunk, matress, stool and bucket, the white walls lit harshly by a bare lightbulb. There was a window, set high in the wall, through which a little reedy light dribbled in.

The door shut with a crash, and then a cheap bolt was slid across on the outside by one of the two big, stupid guards always assigned to this kind of job.

---

Above, a K-42 was being fueled for take-off. It was a simple training mission. The pilot, despite take-off not being for a long time yet, was sitting in the cockpit gazing at the controls. Despite the months of training, the pilot thought the stealth aircraft looked pretty easy to fly.

Shaking his head at his foolishness, the pilot hopped out of the cockpit and watched the fighter as it was slowly prepared for flight.

Off the western Kzuu Maian coast

The FENF attack submarine SRS Spectre, not to be confused with its sister ship, the SRS Sceptre, was creeping along beneath the waves at bare steerage way, running as silent as possible.

It had no particular orders, but the sonar crew had found two Kzuu Maian subs playing games with each other, and the captain had leapt at the chance for something at least marginally interesting to do. The Kzuu Maian navy had improved considerably over the last four years, enough that in a full blown war they would pose a significant threat to the small but well trained FENF.

Their current actions were not without dangers, one of the Kzuu Maian subs might ram them accidentally, since they did not know the Spectre was there. They had just lost contact with one of the Kzuu Maian subs, when it had slowed down, and were working frantically to reacquire it.
---
The Kzuu Maian sub that the Spectre had just lost contact with was now behind the undetected Free Eaglian sub, and about to launch a simulated attack on the other Kzuu Maian sub, as part of the miniature war-game. The captain had decided to really scare his opposite number by actually simulating a torpedo launch.

He confirmed the firing solution with the torpedo room, and made sure the torpedo tube he wanted was completely empty. He gave the order to fire, and the weapons officer stabbed his finger down on the button, opening the outer torpedo tube door and ejecting a quantity of high pressure air into the ocean.
---
"Launch transient, launch transient directly aft, bearing 254," screamed one of the sonar operators aboard the Spectre.
"All ahead flank," ordered the watch captain. The submarine's screw thrashed into life, cutting through the black water and accelerating the submarine rapidly. Before the sonar operators had a chance to realise that there was no torpedo chasing them, or anyone else, the sub shuddered as something collided with the stern, ripping the housing for the towed sonar array away from the hull, bending the rudder and shearing the ends off three propeller blades. The propeller shaft also bent slightly under the impact, and immediately took on an ear-splitting screech, and the sub was ordered to a stop.

The object that had hit them was merely a cargo container that had fallen overboard from a container ship in the rough weather on the surface. However, as far as the Spectre's crew were concerned, it was the torpedo just launched by the Kzuu Maian sub behind them.

"Snapshot bearing 254. Launch a SLOT buoy telling Command what has happened," ordered the watch captain.

Both the devices were launched at the same time, the Spearfish torpedo hissing out of the number four tube as the SLOT radio buoy wobbled towards the surface. The torpedo swung around as the weapons officer guided it towards the source of the transient. The active sonar seeker head detected the Kzuu Maian sub and locked on to it, guiding the torpedo in with deadly accuracy.
---
The Kzuu Maian sub had detected the Spectre as soon as it accelerated, and the crew wondered what was going on. The next thing they knew, a torpedo was headed their way, so the captain ordered the sub to full speed and launched a number of decoys. The torpedo ran through all the decoys and detonated off the port side, causing considerable damage and flooding a number of small compartments, but the sub was still alive.

In their defence against this currently unknown attacker, the two Kzuu Maian subs both launched torpedoes at the Spectre, which, in its recently crippled condition, stood no chance. It made its best effort, reaching ten knots and making tremendous noise, launching decoys as rapidly as possible, before the torpedoes found their marks and opened the engine room to the sea. With the largest room on the ship rapidly filling with water, along with several smaller ones, the Spectre sunk like a stone.

The emergency distress beacon detached from the hull as the Spectre passed crush depth, at which point the hull flattened under the immense pressure of the sea, and floated up to the surface, where it began broadcasting its message for all to hear.

*****

Both messages arrived at FENF Command, at the new Cararra Naval Base, at the same time, since the SLOT buoy had delayed the transmission by several minutes, supposedly allowing the sub to clear the area and avoid detection.

The news hit the base like a bombshell, there had been no warning for the attack. They had known the Spectre was stalking the Kzuu Maian attack subs, and had heard of the border clashes between air forces, but a message had come down from Defence Secretary Andersen that they were not at war.

To the commander of the 1st Sub Squadron, R.Adm. Timothy Monsell, it meant that a fourteenth of his combat power had just been removed from the operations board, one hundred and forty five of his sailors, including a very promising XO, were dead and that there were two Kzuu Maian subs out there with blood on their hands. It also meant that he had a lot of letters to write.

To the Defence Secretary, who received the information three minutes later, it meant that the Kzuu Maians had openly attacked Free Eaglian forces after specifically stating that they would not. As such, his country was now at a virtual state of war with the Kzuu Maians. On the order of President Hewitt, all FENF vessels currently at sea, as well as all the border defence forces, both FEGF and FEAF, were ordered to General Alert Level 2, a preparation for war. It was accompanied by the strict order that no offensive moves were to be taken, the alert was defensive only.

A Level 3 General Alert for the main body of the Free Eaglian military, and a blunt inquiry message to President Hachi would soon follow.

OOC EDIT: Apologies for the quality of the post, it was rushed. I'll try to improve it.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"What the hell is going on?" Hachi stared in astonishment at the Free Eaglian message. "We destroyed one of their subs?"

"Apparently so, Ms. President," said Rayin, who had got over the initial shock and was now attempting to think of possible solutions.

"What happened?" Hachi demanded.

"All the captains of the subs seem to know is that they fired on us first. They were playing wargames and the Free Eaglians fired, damaging one of them, the KMS Silent Sabre, and they fired back. They destroyed it."

Hachi nodded at the message. "Hewitt doesn't think that," she said "He accused us of firing first."

Rayin shrugged. "Nope, apparently not. One of the captains suggested that the Free Eaglians were confused by the wargames, but I don't think that's particularly likely."

"I guess not," Hachi pressed a button on her desk. "Ayza? Come here a minute."

A few seconds later Hachi's assistant appeared at the door expectantly.

"Send this message to Mr. Hewitt in Free Eagles," said Hachi, quickly dictating a message.

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

The captains of our submarines were playing wargames when suddenly fired upon by your own sub; the accusation that we attempted to destroy your sub without warning is entirely false.

END TRANSMISSION

"Ms. President, I think that we should alert the military. Free Eagles attempting to destroy one of our subs is an aggressive act - we don't want to be caught out."

Hachi nodded. "OK," she said. "Place the military on high alert."

Century House, Salobra, Free Eagle

The entire cabinet was in the President's office now, and all saw his reaction to Hachi's latest message.

"The nerve of that bitch," he raged, slamming a fist against the desk. "She not only accuses me of lying, she accuses our sub of attacking theirs."

"It's bluster," declared Andersen quickly. "Navy Command received a message stating that the Spectre was under attack, then the emergency buoy starting pinging that the sub had died."

"Any chance the sub could be alive and disabled, and the buoy came off accidentally?" asked Vice President Leigh Deakin.

"None," replied Andersen flatly. "There are two ways that buoy could detach from the hull. The first is if somebody forgets to reset the safety timer. The chances of that happening are zero, since if that happens, it makes a god-awful screech for ten minutes before detaching. The other is if the sub passes through the depth where the water pressure crushes the hull."

"So the sub is definitely dead. Can we be certain it was sunk by the Kzuu Maian subs?" continued Deakin.

"Well, we have the message, which doesn't provide proof, I know. But we have other subs in the area, and a sea floor hydrophone array nearby, so we should be able to examine to sonar plots for evidence. That may take several hours, but it will provide the truth."

The Vice President nodded. She did not entirely understand it, but she trusted Andersen to speak the truth. Hewitt understood exactly, he had spent several years on submarines during his naval career.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Hewiit, Free Eagles

Do not accuse us of falsities here, Ms. President. We have a message from our submarine informing us that they had been attacked and severely damaged by Kzuu Maian submarines. This was followed seven minutes later by the emergency buoy indicating that the sub had been sunk. Your subs attacked our vessel without warning.
[End Transmission]
***

Above the last known location of the Spectre

The Nimrod MRA.4 maritime reconnaissance aircraft had been dispatched from the nearest air base as soon as the message had come in. Due to the alert that had accompanied the message, the aircraft was fully armed with torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and air-to-air missiles.

"Iceberg, this is Penguin Four. We are orbiting the area now. There is no debris on the surface, repeat, there is nothing visible on the surface. There are no survivors here. If there were any, the Kzuu Maians have already picked them up," the pilot transmitted.

"Copy that, Penguin Four. RTB and watch your backs."

The Nimrod completed its last circuit and headed back to base. The eleven person crew were all nervous, since it would be a while before they were back under the protection of the land based fighter aircraft.

166 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Rayin?" demanded Hachi angrily, storming into his office at the ministry of defence.

Rayin looked up, shocked. "Yes, Ms. President? Have Free Eagles replied?"

"Yes, they bloody well have!" she yelled, slamming a piece of paper onto his desk. "They still claim that our subs fired first."

Rayin smiled oilily, glancing over the message. "Ms. President, our subs did not fire until after the Free Eaglians did."

"How can you be so sure?" Hachi watched him carefully.

"Torpedoes, of course. Each sub only fired one - the ones that destroyed the Free Eaglians after we were fired upon. I checked how many each sub had left."

Hachi grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Rayin. I'll contact Hewitt immediately."

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

I assure you, Mr. President, that whatever fired upon your sub was not a Kzuu Maian. Our submarines fired upon yours after you fired on us. We have checked - each sub fired only one torpedo, the ones which were fired in self-defence.

END TRANSMISSION

Close to the last known location of the Spectre

A Kzuu Maian helicopter had been dispatched from the nearest naval base for a routine check of the site. As they arrived at the site, they quickly glanced through the windows, checking the ocean for anything of any use. Nothing was visible.

"Nothing visible at site of sinking," spat the pilot into his mic. "Repeat, nothing visible."

A burst of static crackled into his ear. "Return to base," said a voice a second later.

The pilot was nudged by his co-pilot, who indicated something on the horizon.

"What's that?" he asked.

The pilot gazed at the smudge. "Not sure," he said, eventually. "Wait...looks like a plane."

He quickly flicked a switch to communicate with his base again. "Unidentified aircraft spotted close to site of sinking," he said clearly. "Repeat, unidentified aircraft spotted."

"Got that," answered the voice from base, immediately. "Sending some choppers to go check 'em out. Return to base."

Gayoshi Naval Base, close to Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Three Kzuu Maian K-16 fighters, heavily armed and already on high alert, took off steadily from Gayoshi Naval Base, heading for the hasty co-ordinates sent by the pilot of the previous helicopter.

OOC: A Nimrod's a big jet, a converted airliner. It's much faster than a chopper. I suggest you launch fighters instead.

IC:
Century House, Salobra, Free Eagle

"What's to stop you lying about that? Who's to say they weren't carrying an extra torpedo?" raged Hewitt rhetorically, the message lying on his desk in front of him.

A new figure entered the office. "Have you finished going over those sonar plots yet?" demanded Hewitt.

Fleet Admiral Jack Connor, deputy chief of the FENF, saluted. "Yes sir," he replied swiftly. "I just came over from the NMCC, I had five technicians going over the data and they all reached the same conclusion."

"Well? What happened?" asked Hewitt angrily.

"Yes sir, just getting to that. The techies state that, without a doubt, the Kzuu Maians fired first. We have data from three different sources, two other subs nearby and a sea floor hydrophone array. All show one of the Kzuu Maian subs launching a torpedo, followed several seconds later by an impact on the Spectre. I have the data here if you wish to see it, sir," the Admiral reeled off rapidly.

"No no, that's fine. I'll look at it later." Hewitt's attitude towards Connor was much more pleasant now. "Steven, tell Hachi that we have three different sonar sources telling us that their sub fired first. Dave, what's our status?"

"All border forces and naval units currently at sea are on Level Two Alert, about two-thirds of the rest is ready at Level Three, the remaining third will be ready within ten hours." Andersen told him. "Sir, we need to be very careful how we handle this. They've attacked us three times now, I'm very concerned about their intentions. The plane that shot down the Aurora, what was it doing there? I'm beginning to think that they have hostile intentions."

Hewitt nodded. "Get McLaren in here. If we're approaching war, it's his show."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

Ms. President, we have sonar records from three separate sources, all within sensing range of the Spectre, and all show that a Kzuu Maian submarine fired the first shot and damaged our vessel. Only then did the Spectre return fire. This is the third time our forces have been attacked by yours within the last forty-eight hours. If it happens again we will have no choice but to retaliate.
[End Transmission]

OOC: Ah. I thought it was a helicopter. I'll edit my post.

IC:

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Well?" Hachi said to Rayin. "You think it's true?" They had been joined by a couple of Hachi's advisers, who stood uneasily in the corners of the room.

"They obviously didn't believe us about the torpedoes," said Rayin, calmly.

"I'm not sure I believe you any more, Mr. Rayin," Hachi replied bluntly. "We need more solid proof."

"Well, I'm sure we can get hold of it, Ms. President."

"Alright, you do that."

Rayin nodded and shuffled out of the office.

Above Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The news of the unidentified aircraft had reached Jun, and at this moment a fully-armed K-42 Vortex stealth fighter was just taking off, in strange circumstances. The second in command had suddenly approached a random K-42 pilot and told him to take off immediately - there was an enemy aircraft around. The pilot's orders had been simple: Kill them, don't try to get radio contact first. Just shoot them down.

The strangeness of his orders did not matter to the pilot, who relished the chance to fly the greatest aircraft in the Kzuu Maian Airforce. He accelerated, and shot away towards the aircraft's last co-ordinates.

---

Below, Iyatan Nagishi sat in the office of the second-in-command, grinning as he saw the K-42 vanish into the distance. The second-in-command watched him carefully.

"I trust that is satisfactory?" he said, harshly.

"Oh yes. It is." Nagishi smiled.

OOC: Can I at least damage the Nimrod? It'd be good for causing a war.

OOC: Hell, you can kill it (I'll RP it next post when the K-16s catch up), its just a big naval recon plane. The K-42 might have to go a long way though, the Nimrod's over the water off the east coast. The K-16s will get there first (and the Nimrod only has 2 air-to-air missiles).

IC:
Penguin Four, over the sea

"Got a bogey, looks like he's over the Spectre's grave," announced the Nimrod's radar operator.

"Details," ordered the Major in the pilot's seat.

"Moving towards the Kzuu Maian coast, away from us and the grave. Ironsides calls it a naval helicopter," said the radar operator. 'Ironsides' was the Nimrod crew nickname for the support computer.

"Okay. Keep an eye out. These guys are supposed to be unfriendly right now," replied the pilot.

"New contact, three bogeys coming off the coast, moving fast. Coming right for us. Classify as fighters, probably those new K-16s," cut in the radar operator.

The pilot pushed the throttles up to full power, slowly bringing the big jet up to its maximum speed, which wasn't much. The co-pilot armed the two Sidewinder heat seeking missiles, just in case. The rest of the Nimrod's varied armament and equipment would be of no use, except its decoy systems.

"How long until friendly air can get to us?" asked the pilot.

"If they have tanker support, now. I'll get on it," replied the radio operator. He selected the appropriate frequency.

"Iceberg, this is Penguin Four. We have three bogeys closing fast, we could do with some friends up here."

"Copy, Penguin. Badger flight of four is en route."
***

Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Any reply from Hachi yet, Steven?" asked Hewitt.

"No, Mister President," replied the SecState.

"Jack, if we are at war, what should be done?" Hewitt asked the National Defence Advisor, Jack McLaren.

"Well sir, for starters there should be standing CAPs around the border, and all fleet units at sea, especially the submarines, should be given free reign. As you are well aware, a Level Two Alert allows the units to defend themselves without first being fired upon. For the CAP aircraft and the navy, it should go to Level One, with a preliminary strike force at Level Two."

"As soon as we declare war, we send a series of air missions over to hit their bases near the border, send a fleet to try and eliminate their navy, and prepare troops for immediate action," explained McLaren.

"See to it. I fear that war is only hours away," ordered Hewitt.

OOC: Sorry I took so long replying - problems with the modem.

I'll think of something - if the K-42 happened to fly over your border and destroy something, what would happen?

IC:1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

As Rayin re-entered the room, Hachi looked up. "Well? Any more proof?"

Rayin shook his head glumly. "None. I can't find any evidence at all."

Hachi was silent for a minute. "Well, then we have a problem, don't we?"

This time, Rayin nodded. "They have no reason to believe we didn't spot their submarine, and intentionally fire on it," Rayin hesitated. "I suggest that we reply, telling them your officers informed you that they did not fire on the sub, and that if they are found to have lied, serious action will be taken."

"No," Hachi replied, immediately. "They have enough contempt for this administration already, what with Nagishi and the K-42 business. Saying we were lied to again will hardly help our reputation," she looked pointedly at Rayin. "Any other suggestions, Mr. Rayin?"

"In that case, I suggest we remain silent for the time being, and see what comes in the future."

* * *

The Sea

The K-16s homed in towards the Free Eaglian Nimrod, accelerating slightly. As it came into view, the leader of the group attempted to establish radio contact.

"Hello, Free Eaglian Aircraft? This is K-16 Squadron Six of the Kzuu Maian Airforce. Do you copy?"

---

The K-42 was also heading towards the Nimrod, the pilot pushing the aircraft to the upper limit of its speed capabilities. It had a long way to go, and apparently K-16s had already been dispatched; for the first time, the pilot wondered towards the nature of his orders, although not for long; flying the K-42 at almost Mach 3 required a lot of concentration.

OOC: Okay, we're back in business. Basically, if it destroyed something, the border defences would go absolutely nuts, and probably destroy the K-42, stealth or not.

IC:
Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Steven, has Hachi replied yet?" Hewitt asked his SecState irritably.

"No, Mister President. Not yet," Valliere replied.

"She's deliberately avoiding replying, because she knows we've seen through her lies. McLaren!" grumbled Hewitt.

"Yes, Mister President?" the Defence Advisor responded.

"Get your operations planned and ready to go at a moment's notice. It's going to happen, I can feel it."

The Defence Advisor nodded and left the room to make the calls.

****

Penguin Four, over the sea

"Major, the Kzuu Maian fighters are hailing us," announced the radio operator over the intercom.

"Where's Badger flight, and what are they?" the pilot replied.

"Four Kestrels, they're seven minutes away," the radar operator informed them.

"Too far. Dan, give me a channel," the pilot ordered. The radio operator complied.

"Kzuu Maian fighter, this is Penguin Four. We read you. What do you want?" the Major transmitted, hoping that they would stay alive long enough for the Kestrels to arrive.

OOC: I'll leave it for now. Nagishi's fiendish plan obviously wasn't well thought through...

IC:

K-16 Squadron, Over the Sea

"State why you're here." replied the major, bluntly, although he questioned his orders a little. Why shouldn't they be there?

The Kzuu Maian Fighters continued towards the Nimrod and the way they hoped was quite intimidating, the air hissing around their engines.

* * *

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"They'll be suspecting something, Mr. Rayin," muttered Hachi tersely, sitting behind her desk and swinging her leather chair absent mindedly. "Why wouldn't they? They're more likely than ever to think we mean war if we stay silent."

"I realise this, Ms. President," replied Rayin, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "But replying will only worsen the situation."

Hachi shook her head. "I'm replying, Rayin. If we don't then war could arrive any minute."

SECURE TRANSMISSION

To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

I apologise for the late reply; I have been looking further into the business with the submarines. I do not know what your sonar sources confirm, but whatever hit your sub was not a Kzuu Maian torpedo. One of the captains claims to have fired an empty tube just before you began firing, as part of the war games. Is it possible that the sub suffered an impact from somewhere else, and this firing of an empty tube confused your crew? This seems the most likely explanation, as I am certain the Kzuu Maians did not fire first.

END TRANSMISSION

OOC: Crazy-ones, do you understand the meaning of the term 'Closed RP'? Delete your post and get out of our thread.

Official Government Response: "Nuts to you! Any attempt to approach our borders will result in extreme hostility."

IC:
Penguin Four, over the sea

"Unidentified fighter, Penguin Four is searching this locality for evidence of survivors or wreckage from our submarine," replied the pilot.

"Major, they're getting awfully close... Approaching gun range now," the radar operator announced.

"Warm up the 'Winders. If the shit hits the fan, we try and duck backwards, then shoot 'em in the ass. Where are those fighters?" ordered the pilot.

"Less than six minutes, they just went to burner," the radar operator responded.

"Dan, put me through to Iceberg," ordered the pilot. The radioman complied. "Iceberg, this is Penguin Four. Have been intercepted by three Kzuu Maian fighters, they seem to be intent on hostile profile, although no shots have been fired as yet."

The reply was immediate. "Penguin Four, you are currently at Level 2 Alert. If they appear to be hostile, splash 'em."

"Well then, there's our answer. Crew, prepare for combat manoeuvring."
***

Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Sir, we have a reply from President Hachi," announced Valliere as he re-entered the office.

"About bloody time. What's her excuse this time?" grumped Hewitt. He took the message form and read through it, then passed it to Andersen. "Is that possible?" he asked Admiral Connor.

"Possible, yes. May I, sir?" Connor opened his briefcase as Hewitt nodded. The naval officer pulled out the sonar records and spread them across the President's desk.

"This is where the first torpedo was fired." He pointed to a blotch of noise on the plot, "and this is the impact on Spectre." Another blotch. "Now, the analysts found it odd that there's no track of the torpedo screw, like there is on the other Kzuu Maian launches, but if they used a propulsor torp like we do, then there wouldn't be. Even if they didn't the distance might have been too great and the screw noise was lost in the background. They also thought the impact sounded strange, not quite the same as an explosion."

"So what Hachi said might be true?" inquired Hewitt.

"Yes sir, it's possible, but the chances of the two happening so close together are extremely remote, and you don't fire air slugs for the hell of it, sir," explained Connor.

"Get back to the NMCC, have every technician available go over that data. I need a definitive answer as to what happened before I reply," instructed Hewitt. Connor gathered up the sonar plot, saluted and left the room.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Rayin," said Hachi, glancing at the young man as he entered her office. "Any news?"

The defense secretary shook his head. "No, Ms. President. Free Eagles haven't replied. I take this as good news."

"Good?" said Hachi. "How can it be good?"

"Well, this could mean they are actually investigating our somewhat unlikely claims. If they replied immediately, they would just dismiss what we said as too far-fetched."

Hachi smiled. "I see what you mean. We may yet avoid war."

* * *

K-16 Squadron, Over the Sea

"Engage, major." The reply came through the major's headphones tersely. The major had relayed what Penguin Four had said back to his home airbase, and these two words were the reply. Without hesitating, he spat the orders to the other pilots in the squadron, then moved forwards and fired missiles in the direction of the Free Eaglian Nimrod. To his left and right the other two K-16s followed suit.

Penguin Four, over the sea

"Missiles inbound! Break. Launching countermeasures," screamed the radar operator.

As the pilot threw the converted airliner into a tight left turn, clusters of incandescent flares and clouds of shredded aluminium foil were ejected from the dispensers in the tail.

"Badger Flight, Penguin Four is under attack by Kzuu Maian fighters," transmitted the radio operator.

The pilot hauled the plane round in as tight a turn as possible, hoping to hear the warble of a lock from the Sidewinder missiles as they tracked the engine signature of the Kzuu Maian fighters. The targeting computer began the warbling tone and the pilot squeezed the trigger twice, launching both their missiles after one aircraft. The Sidewinders shot off the wing pylons and chased after the Kzuu Maian fighter.

The missiles chasing the Nimrod had passed the decoys, some had gone after the false targets. However, three of the missiles were still chasing the Nimrod, one slammed into the tail, another hit the left wing, destroying the outer engine and crippling the inner one. The fuel in the wing tanks started streaming out behind the plane, then the last missile hit, igniting the fuel and blowing the wing apart in a large explosion.

"Penguin Four is hit. Mayday, mayday," sent the radio operator after the first missile impact, only seconds before the pilot pulled the master eject handle. All eleven of the Nimrod's crew were pulled upright by the tightening straps, then shot upwards out of the fuselage atop a plume of flame. Five were caught in the explosion of the fuel tanks, but the remaining six crew survived to have the ejection seat fall away and their parachute deploy safely above them. One of them was hit full on by a piece of wreckage and his body hung limp in the parachute harness.

The four Kestrels of Badger flight were now approaching rapidly, and, angered by the loss of their comrades, immediately activated their radars and fired a missile at each of the Kzuu Maian fighters, with one enemy targeted by two missiles.
***

Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

Admiral Connor barged straight into the President's office without any warning. Two of the Secret Service agents present moved for their sidearms, but relaxed when they recognised him.

"Sir," he managed to gasp out, breathing heavily. He also managed a salute.

"What is it, Connor? Have you worked out what happened on those sonar plots?" asked Hewitt.

"No, sir, but I don't think it matters anymore. The recon plane we sent out to the site has been shot down," replied Connor breathlessly.

Hewitt remained silent for several seconds, anger visible in his eyes. Suddenly, he burst out, "Bastards! McLaren, by my order Free Eaglian forces are now at General Alert Level One. Steven, take this message down and send it to Hachi."

Defence Advisor McLaren left the room the make the appropriate calls as Valliere noted down the message.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

We were in the process of examining the possibility of your rather outrageous claim, but now we will not bother. You have the nerve to say that the sinking of our submarine was an accident, then you shoot down the reconnaissance aircraft we send to investigate.

These instances have happened too many times, now. Your intentions are clear to us. As such, our military forces are now at maximum alert. I hereby declare a state of war between our two nations. You shall pay dearly for your actions.
[End Transmission]
***

The Alert was transmitted down the forces with alarming rapidity, reaching individual pilots, sailors and troopers across the entirety of the nation within fifteen minutes. That quickly, Free Eaglian Armed Forces went from peace to war.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Shit!" cried Hachi, glaring at the Free Eaglian transmission as if that would change its contents. "Rayin, get here! Get here now!" she screeched into a mobile phone.

A few minutes later, the Defence Secretary arrived somewhat breathlessly in President Hachi's office.

"What the hell have you been playing at? A state of war? Who said to shoot down the damn plane?" Hachi shrieked at the unfortunate man.

"I'm sorry, Ms. President, I don't understand..." mumbled Rayin. "What has happened?"

"Those bastards in Free Eagles have declared war on us, that's what's happened!"

"What? That's not possible, we were so close to avoiding further conflict," said Rain quickly.

"We were so close to avoiding further conflict," Hachi mimicked the defence secretary's words mockingly. "So close? Some idiot shot down a Free Eaglian recon plane! This is it! We're at war with Free Eagles once more."

To his credit, Rayin took this last piece of news fairly well. "I see. Right. I see only one thing we can do."

"And that is?" said Hachi, who was reduced to cradling her head in her hands.

"Fight them and kill them," Rayin stomped melodramatically from the office, while Hachi let out a stream of obscenities in his wake.

SECURE TRANSMISSION
To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai

If you wish for war between our two nations, Mr. President, then so be it. I see no reason to attempt to dissuade the aggressive Free Eaglian administration from this foolhardy course of action.

END TRANSMISSION

* * *

K-16 Squadron, Over the Sea

"Major, you are now officially on highest alert," said the voice from the major's airbase. "But for the moment, return to base."

The major nodded to himself, banking steeply to the right and heading back towards the Kzuu Maian coast, ordering the other two K-16 pilots to do the same. As he did so, the K-16 on his right disintergrated into a shower of shrapnel as it was hit by the Free Eaglian missiles.

"Under attack, repeat, we are under attack!" cried the major into his mic.

There was a moment of panic at the other end, then a quick order: "Return to base, major. Get out of there."

The major accelerated massively, the sound barrier shattering as he roared across the sky. Behind him, the other pilot followed suit.

* * *

K-42

"Return to base." The pilot was slightly surprised by this sudden voice in his ears, and it took all of his concentration to stop his limbs being spread out over a several kilometre radius.

"Will do," he muttered into his mic, once he'd regained control of the sleek black aircraft, turning around to face Jun Airbase.

"You are from this point onwards on Alert Level A. If you are attacked on your way back to Jun Airbase, respond with aggression." The pilot once more confirmed the orders, then accelerated forwards once more, this time towards home.

OOC: Just warning you I'll be unable to reply until Thursday...

OOC: When you do reply, my Kestrels fired missiles at your K-16s, which you seem to have missed.

Notice how FENS goes from accurate, reliable news agency to full-blown propoganda machine? Oh, and here comes the bit about the stealth bombers (cue Hachi fear).

IC:
FENS Emergency Newsflash

"Citizens of Free Eagles, the government has just issued a statement informing us that as of twenty minutes ago, we are now at war with Kzuu Mai. This follows several instances of unprovoked Kzuu Maian attacks on defenceless Free Eaglian forces. These cowardly strikes on our peaceful border patrol forces have mounted a death toll of three-hundred personnel, with over one-hundred wounded."

"President Hewitt was forced into the declaration of war to defend our homeland from the aggression of the dictator Laylae Hachi. Not only have the Kzuu Maians attacked us under the cowardly guise of rogue units within their military, they have also massed large numbers of troops near the border, in obvious preparation for an invasion."

"Our own heroic warriors are even now preparing to mount retaliatory strikes against Kzuu Maian assets, placing all active units on a war-footing, and activating all Reserve units. We will not surrender to the Imperialist aggression of the Kzuu Maian dogs, instead we will repel all attacks and strike down the heart of the enemy. We have received word that Air Force stealth bombers are preparing to embark on a mission to strike at Mai Jun City, the Kzuu Maian capitol and home of their government."

"As always, you can rely on the Free Eaglian News Service to bring you up-to-date, accurate information on everything the minute it happens. In light of these events, we go to our war correspondent who will run through what could happen over the next few days..."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: President Laylae Hachi, Kzuu Mai
Fm: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles

It is not us who are the aggressors here, it is you that has consistently attacked Free Eaglian forces over the past few days. We are only defending ourselves from your aggression. You will rue the day you ever thought you could defeat us. Expect a special delivery from the Free Eaglian government shortly, courtesy of the FEAF.
[End Transmission]
***

Wajima Joint Service Base, southern Free Eagles

The squadron of F-16S Falcon fighter-bombers roared off the runway in the wake of the Kestrel squadron, afterburners blazing. Following take-off, they climbed up to the altitude of the four tanker aircraft and took on fuel for the mission, as did the Kestrels.

"Shrike Lead, this is Hunter Lead. Ready for Go Mission. Lead the way," transmitted the Colonel commanding the F-16s once they had completed refuelling. With that, the twenty-four fighter aircraft accelerated towards the border, their target: Jun Airbase.

Four of the F-16s were configured as Little Weasels, tasked with eliminated the enemy radars and air defences. The other eight were loaded with cluster bombs, air-to-ground missiles and penetration bombs, to destroy the base, the aircraft stationed there, and the underground hangars. The Kestrels would fly air cover if any aircraft were in the air.

Black Rider Squadron would remain on CAP over Wajima to defend it in case of enemy attack while the other two squadrons were on the mission.

At other air bases across the country, similar missions were being prepared, including the one that involved four F-90A Wraith stealth attack fighters. The same aircraft that had bombed the Kzuu Maian capitol in the last war would do so again in this one.

OOC: Ah, sorry. I'll edit my other post.

And I was wondering when you'd mention the stealth bombers, thought you'd do it earlier.

IC:

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Expect a special delivery from the Free Eaglian government shortly, courtesy of the FEAF. Hachi stared at this last sentence, shuddering slightly. Stealth bombers, particularly Free Eaglian ones, were perhaps Hachi's greatest fear; the death of her mother during the December War with Free Eagles when Hachi was fourteen had caused deep emotional scarring. The Free Eaglian bastards knew about it!, she thought bitterly, somewhere behind the overwhelming anxiety which was crowding her mind. She grabbed at her mobile phone, which spun away across the desk and clattered onto the floor. Still shaking, Hachi got up, picked up the phone and punched an autodial number.

"Rayin!" she hollered into it, her voice shaking.

Once again, the war secretary appeared at her office door a few minutes later, this time looking quite frustrated. "Yes?" he asked, unable to keep the anger from his voice.

"Rayin," Hachi announced. "Rayin, we have to destroy Free Eagles. Quickly."

"Yes, Ms. President," said Rayin smoothly. "Do you have any ideas how?"

"Ideas are your department," Hachi yelled, glaring at the minister. "Just kill them. And also, increase air defence in Mai Jun City. AA guns, fighter planes, whatever. I don't want any enemy aircraft to get anywhere near the capital, especially not this house. OK?"

"Of course, Ms. President," Rayin nodded, although he looked a little confused. "Anything else?"

"Yes. I will be requring a KMAF escort for the jet. I'm leaving the city."

* * *

Northern Kzuu Mai

True to the now-paranoid President's word, members of the Kzuu Maian armed forces were congregating in the northern part of the nation, ready to receive the order to assault Free Eagles. Above the soldiers, a series of paratrooper planes moved quickly through the skies towards the Free Eaglian border. The paratroopers packed into the planes glanced around at each other nervously, occasionally holding a whispered conversation but for the most part remaining silent.

Approaching Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The Little Weasels were flying in at low altitude to avoid detection, ahead of the main strike force. Their targeting gear had picked up the radar signals emanating from the Kzuu Maian search and targeting radars, and the HARM missiles hanging from the wings were ready to fly.

"Hunter Five to all units. Beginning attack run now," transmitted the flight lead, a young female Major. "Hunter Bravo, go tactical. Weapons free in five."

The four F-16 fighters moved apart into tactical spacing, close enough that they could still cover each other, but far enough apart that the same fighter couldn't get them all.

The four pilots were carefully tasked, so that none of their missiles were double targeted, and they fired off two missiles each in their first pass, tracking a total of eight radars and air defence batteries.

The other Hunters would now begin their own attack runs, first dropping runway denial weapons to prevent the Kzuu Maians scrambling any fighters, then attacking the hangars and personnel buildings.

Shrike squadron, the Kestrels, would engage any hostile fighters over the base and defend Hunter squadron.
***

An FEAF Air Defence Station, near the border

The station at Torinam, a hundred kilometres east of Wajima was a small establishment. Usually home to only eight aircraft, it could hold twenty four. Right now however, only four were there. The other four were on patrol above the border.

Three fighters on defence alert, and an AWACS to back them up. These four planes were charged with protecting a thirty kilometre stretch of airspace.

"Major, I think we have some inbounds. Large formation, slow moving. Probably transports," announced one operator.

"Paratroops!" swore the controller. "Kingfisher, this is Oka Nieba. Large formation of transport aircraft approaching the border. Cleared to engage. We're requesting support."

The Kingfisher fighters, three Mitsubishi F-15J Eagles, separated from the patrol loop and headed towards the transports, ready to shoot them down.

Torinam Station immediately prepared their three remaining Eagles for take-off when they received the call, and numerous ground based air defences activated their search/tracking radars, their Flash SAMs ready for use.
***

Badger Flight, over the sea

"They're running for home, Badgers. Break off and head for the tanker. We'll get another chance at them," transmitted the flight leader.

The four Kestrels dropped out of afterburner and pulled off an Immelmann turn to reverse course. They headed for the tanker at cruising speed, saving every drop of fuel in their starved tanks.
***

Somewhere in Free Eagles, approaching the border, that night

The four F-90A Wraith fighters had launched from their secret base nearly fifty minutes ago, and were approaching the Kzuu Maian border.

They had made no radio transmissions of any kind since launching, and were producing no electronic emissions. Their composite fibre-steel body and the device the pilots referred to as 'The Cloak'[1] would prevent anyone picking them up on radar, and the infra-red suppression gear would disguise their engine heat signature. The aircraft were the pinnacle of Free Eaglian stealth engineering, at least for the moment.

Each aircraft carried two laser-guided, hard target penetration bombs and two Sidewinder missiles for defence, enough weaponry to destroy their target several times. The Wraiths only ever flew at night, further increasing their chances of not being detected.

[1] This is perfectly legal tech-wise, since it is what the B-2 has. It is not an optical cloak, the aircraft is still perfectly visible to the naked eye.

OOC: Is there a map of Free Eagles? If there is, I'd find it pretty useful.

Oh yes, and what's a runway denial weapon? I guess it's just something that damages the runway, right?

IC:

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The Free Eaglian attack caught Jun Airbase off guard; the eight missiles fired by the F-16s destroyed six of their eight targets, three radars and three defence batteries, with another radar severely damaged.

As the other Hunters closed in on the virtually-defenceless airbase and began attacking the buildings, the single intact defence battery opening fire on the Free Eaglian aircraft, but it would not last long.

* * *

Paratrooper planes, the Kzuu Mai-Free Eagles border

The aircraft crossed the border, and the paratroopers inside prepared hastily for the jump, realising how hidiously exposed they were and hoping that they would be able to get the jump done quickly.

* * *

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Ms. President, Jun Airbase is under attack, and all but defeated," Rayin snapped the cover back onto the mobile phone he'd been speaking into.

"The K-42!" Hachi cried, immediately thrust into a panic. "We have to prevent them taking Jun, at least until we can get the K-42s out."

"Yes, we must. I have decided to send some K-22s and K-16s out from the next nearest airbase. They hopefully won't take too long to arrive."

"Alright, good," said Hachi. "I trust everything else is proceeding properly?"

"Yes, Ms. President."

OOC: A runway denial weapon is basically a massive cluster bomb. Some of the bomblets are large and explode on impact to crater the runway, thus making it impossible to use. The rest are small and are either on a timer or on secondary contact (armed when they hit the ground), and would damage/destroy anything that touches them (like an aircraft's landing gear), effectively preventing the movement of aircraft until they are cleared.

And, no, there is not a map of Free Eagles, but I can try and make one if you wish. TG me an email address so I can send it to you when I'm done. Similarly, a map of Kzuu Mai would be useful, especially since your old one doesn't fit anymore.

IC:
Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The Little Weasels swung around after their pass and the Major in charge loosed off another missile at the surviving defence position, as her winger fired one at the damaged radar.

The other Hunters, now free from the weight of their heavy cluster bomb canisters, set about destroying the hangars with their Maverick air-to-ground missiles, and dropping their bombs on the suspected locations of the subterrainean hangars containing the stealth fighters. They knew they would not get all, or even most of them, since they had no target to aim for, but hopefully they would get at least some of the advanced aircraft.

The air defence Kestrel squadron circled above, currently doing nothing, as there was no enemy air cover, but waiting for the units that must have been scrambled from other nearby bases to arrive.

All this had been expected, and planned for. Hopefully the FEAF could score two major victories tonight.
***

Above Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

Now that the Kzuu Maian fighters had gone, to protect the valuable K-42s based at Jun, the Wraith flight could go about their business. The four stealth fighters had not gone for the Kzuu Maian capitol as Hachi expected, they had deployed in support of the attack on Jun.

Each pilot had two targets assigned to them, one for each bomb they had. Their hard target bombs would be dropped on the hardened aircraft hangars, designed to resist attack by normal bombs or missiles.

The F-90A Wraiths had split up five minutes before, their computer controlled flight path directing the aircraft to exactly where it was supposed to go. Each aircraft had deactivated the 'Cloak' for a fraction of a second every ten minutes to confirm their position.

The pilots would use their laser to guide each bomb onto its target, while the aircraft continued to fly itself. For the brief interval during which the bomb bay was open at each drop, the aircraft would appear on Kzuu Maian radar, even with the 'Cloak' active. But it would vanish again as soon as the bomb bay closed again.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"Oka Nieba, Kingfisher Seven confirms. Targets are transport aircraft displaying Kzuu Maian insignia. Engaging," transmitted the Captain leading the flight.

At a command from the AWACS, the ground based defences jumped into action. The search/targeting radars rapidly locked on to the lumbering transports, and the surface-to-air missiles burst out of the box launchers atop a streak of fire. If the transports had threat receivers, they would be going nuts.

The Kingfisher fighters each chose a target and fired a missile at it, then selected a second target and repeated the action. They would have to be sparing with their missiles, since it could take some time for back up to reach them.

Back up was on its way, however. The three remaining Kingfishers had taken off from Torinam and were climbing towards the transports. Additionally, a full squadron had been deployed from a larger airbase further back from the border.

OOC: Thanks for the info. I TGed you about the map.

IC:

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Shortly after the final defence battery was destroyed, chaos took hold of Jun Airbase. The bombs dropping all around the airbase, apparently at random locations, were causing even more confusion than the collapsing bunkers. Most of the frightened workers and pilots hurried down to underground shelters; the small handful of soldiers armed with surface-to-air missile launchers were either swiftly dispatched by the bombs or fled with the rest.

Below ground, the K-42 hangars were being hit. One of the stealth fighters had been crushed by falling rock as a bomb hit almost directly above it; another was severely damaged. Several newly-developed prototypes, and some expensive equipment, was also lost to the Free Eaglian attack, and before long much of the subterranean complex was a mass of fallen rock, twisted metal, and spilt fuel.

* * *

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"We're under fire," yelled the pilot of one of the carriers, quickly informing any others who did not know, and her home base. Attempting to avoid the missiles in these aircraft was virtually impossible, she knew, and if the plane was hit her and all of the paratroopers were doomed. She waited for instructions from home patiently, considering the death heading towards her.

"Help is coming," was the reply. "Continue on course, evade if possible."

* * *

Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

"The paratroopers require aid," spat an officer at Hitaan airbase. "Send some K-16s."

"They'll never get there in time," muttered a young man who was staring unenthusiastically at a radar screen. "And we've hardly got any left - what if we get attacked?"

"They will, 'cause I said they will," announced the officer, stubbornly. "And I doubt we'll be attacked. They're concentrating on Jun, possibly the capital. We've still got quite a few K-22s, and a handful of K-16s, so if we are attacked we should survive."

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

Their job mostly done already, the Hunter squadron's F-16s were about to leave when a shoulder-launched SAM streaked out and flew right into the engine of one fighter, shelling out the engine. The pilot ejected the second he felt the impact, the canopy blasted away by tiny explosives before the rocket motor propelled the seat upwards and out of the dying aircraft.

The seat separated from the pilot and his parachute unfurled, opening with a sharp crack. The seat had propelled him high enough so that the 'chute could keep him relatively unhurt. He pulled hard on the risers and lifted his feet up to avoid landing on a wrecked aircraft, then hit the ground running on the other side of the debris.

The F-16 pilot's winger retaliated for her friend, dropping an entire cluster bomb canister on the unfortunate infantryman that had fired the missile. The downed pilot felt the heat from the blast even through the thick material of his flight suit, as he ran to where his ejection seat had fallen. He pulled out his emergency radio from the pocket on his flight suit leg, hit the button to send his location, then retrieved the tiny MP5K sub-machinegun from the cavity in the ejection seat.

The eleven flying F-16s now left the area around Jun airbase, heading for home. The Kestrel squadron flying air cover remained, to provide cover for the second strike group, currently on its way to the base. The Kestrel pilots knew that enemy aircraft were approaching as well, so they were cruising in a patrol loop at 55,000 feet, high above most other aircraft.

Satellite imaging would be used to assess the effectiveness of the strike, lining up the craters from the bombs to the white blocks representing the underground hangars. Then they could work out how many of the Kzuu Maian stealth fighters had survived.
***

About halfway between Jun Airbase and the Free Eaglian border, northern Kzuu Mai

The formation of six helicopters was flying low over the desert, in tight formation, just high enough to avoid kicking up sand. The two choppers in the centre of the formation dwarfed those around them. These were SH-53E Super Stallion assault helicopters, each carrying forty troops. Escorting the transports were four AH-27 Dragon attack helicopters, armed to the teeth with rockets, missiles and guns.

Their mission was to secure the base, recover any downed FEAF aircrew, rescue Spinnaker (if he was still there) and attempt to recover any information about the Kzuu Maian stealth fighter project.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

All six of the Kingfisher fighters were engaged now, their F-15J Eagles hunting the transports like wolves after sheep. Many of the pilots were opting to save their missiles and attack the transports with their guns first, a nasty prospect for the troops they carried, since even if the plane survived, half the soldiers might have been killed or severely wounded by the large cannon shells.

The squadron scrambled from Catskill AFB was approaching rapidly, and the SAM sites littering the Free Eaglian border were still hunting freely, their advanced targeting systems refusing to lock on to the friendly fighters. The 'sheep' were being attacked by wolves, the fighters, and by hunters, the SAMs, with more wolves on the way.

It would rapidly be becoming clear to the aircrews on the transport planes that very few of them would complete their mission.
***

Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

Now that even more of the fighters had gone, the Wraiths' mission was even simpler. The four aircraft were all approaching the base from different directions, and were timed so that each aircraft had finished its run before the next was over the base.

The first Wraith was thirty seconds from weapons free, so the pilot lit up the lasers and locked them on to the two hangars assigned to him. The bomb bay came open automatically and the weapon dropped free of the aircraft, causing it to buck slightly, then the bay doors closed once more. Twenty seconds later, the process repeated itself, the second bomb falling towards the laser dot.

As each of the other three Wraiths made their drops, a contact would appear on the enemy radar for the duration of the period the bomb bay was open for, a total of about twelve seconds each time, before vanishing from the screen again.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

Minutes after the SAM operator had been plastered over the concrete of Jun, the two squadrons of K-16s dispatched from Hitaan airbase came into the view of anyone fortunate enough to survive so far. Noticing that the Hunters were leaving, both majors commanded their pilots after the Kestrels circling high above them, just like their namesake. The pilots of one of the squadrons locked onto the enemy aircraft, firing a single missile each.

Below, the no-longer secret hangars had suffered badly under the Free Eaglian onslaught. A few over-zealous scientists were scurrying through the areas which were still accessible, stuffing as many random documents as they could into briefcases, backpacks, and pockets, and destroying others; a couple of fires started as sparks from falling metal scraping across the walls ignited the fuel which lay in pools all over the floor; the workers, soldiers and pilots sat grimly in their shelters, wondering when they would ever be able to come out again.

* * *

Hitaan Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The same radar operator who had been insolently talking back to his commanding officer earlier on was the first to notice a sudden blip on his screen. He cautiously signalled to the officer.

"Ha, not so smart now, are you?" said the officer, swaggering over and glancing uncaringly at the screen. "Oh my God, we're under attack!"

"It would appear so...sir," replied the radar operator.

"Damned stealth bombers! Right, launch some of the 22s, the ones we've got left! And the 16s, I'm taking no chances!"

As workers scurried to do his bidding, the officer leant in over the radar man's head, causing the operator to cringe slightly. The officer gulped down some coffee and watched intently.

* * *

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station


"We're dead," announced the pilot of one of the carriers. "What do we do?"

His copilot banked the plane steeply and a missile streaked past, barely missing it. Above, the missile pulled a sharp turn and came back down again.

"Drop 'em then get out of here?" replied the copilot, glancing nervously out of the window at the oncoming missile.

The pilot quickly radioed this idea to base, where it was received with much ambivalence. However, it took only a few seconds for a decision to be reached: "Do it."

The doors of the aircraft slid open instantly, and the paratroopers almost leapt out of the doomed planes, falling through the air at breakneck speed and not pulling the ripcord until the last possible moment, to lessen the chances of being shredded by the shells flying through the sky. When they did open the canopy, which billowed out high above them, some of the paratroopers attempted to fire upon the most vulnerable enemies.

* * *

Close to the Kzuu Mai-Free Eagle border, Northern Kzuu Mai

The Kzuu Maian Army began to move inexorably forwards in a great rumbling procession of trucks, APCs, tanks, helicopters and mobile AA guns towards the Free Eaglian border. Laylae Hachi's schemes had brought her to the conclusion that a full-scale invasion of Free Eagles, was the only way her tactically-challenged nation could triumph over Free Eagles.

* * *

Gayoshi Naval Base, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

A single Kzuu Maian fleet glided through the water of Gayoshi bay, heading for the area of Kzuu Mai's greatest defeat in the December War, or any war: Carrara. Below the hulls of the ships and the waves, a group of submarines glided silently; the loss of almost an entire fleet to submarine action during the December War had led to the inclusion of submarines in all Kzuu Maian fleets.

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The Kestrels fired their own long-range missiles at the attacking K-16s, which contained their own miniature radar so that the Kestrels did not have to keep their planes pointed at the enemy, then scattered, splitting into wing pairs and deploying chaff to decoy the missiles.

The Kestrels were outnumbered two-to-one, but the FEAF pilots were counting on the excellent Kestrel and their intense training to give them the edge. As it was, most of the Kestrels had at least one missile targeting them, and one had four. This particular Kestrel went through some of the tightest manoeuvres the aircraft could perform, but two of the missiles struck the plane and blew it apart before the pilot could eject.

Another of the Kestrels was damaged, although it continued to remain in the fight.

Below, the helicopters reached the remains of the base. The two Super Stallions deployed their troops and immediately took off again, the four Dragon attack choppers circled over the base, looking for anything that moved.

The soldiers deployed three machinegun teams to protect their LZ, then moved into the base, careful to keep an eye out for any unexploded cluster bomblets and stay clear of them. The tennis-ball-sized sub-munitions could decimate a squad of infantry.

"Cap, what d'you wanna bet that nobody moved the prisoners to the shelters?" called one Squad Sergeant over the radio.

"No bet, Sarge. They never do. Go find Spinnaker. Gomez, you're with Roskov. Baker and Nakamura, head to the underground hangars, see if you can find anything useful. First platoon, secure the base and find any downed aircrew. Move," ordered the company captain.

The eight strike Hunters were turned around by the AWACS controlling the strike. The light fighters only had two short-range missiles each, but their speed and agility could prove useful against the Kzuu Maian fighters, distracting them long enough for the Kestrel pilots to kill them.
***

Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The last of the four Wraiths had just finished its pass over the base, dropping its two bombs on its assigned targets, as the first fighter roared along the runway beneath them.

The pilots knew that the bombs should hit the hangars before the planes could be started, so unless there were no fighters in the hangars anyway, only a few of the Kzuu Maian aircraft would survive.

The Wraiths could deal with some of the fighters that managed to get airborne as well if needed, with two Sidewinders on each Wraith. But chances were the Kzuu Maian fighters would be unable to see them. The Cloak negated virtually all but the most powerful radars, the infra-red suppression gear reduced the heat signature, and the black paint hid them in the night sky.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"Oka Nieba, Kingfisher Eleven. Targets are deploying their troops, repeat, paratroopers in the air," called in one of the pilots.

"All callsigns, continue to engage the transports. The paratroops will be dealt with on the ground," came the reply from the controller.

The Eagles of Kingfisher flight had only a few rounds left in their guns, and were down to their last missiles, but Molnya Squadron out of Catskill, also flying Eagles, were only just engaging, and had all their ammunition.

The ground forces were alerted and the mechanised units, already on high alert in case of an invasion, were moved to intercept the paratroops soon after they hit the ground.
***

National Military Command Centre, Salobra, Free Eagles

"What's the status of our units?" The question came from Defence Advisor McLaren, and was aimed at the senior generals present.

"Our ground troops are mobilising and are heading out towards the border to supplement defences. We're keeping most of the units about twenty kays back so that they can respond to an attack. We're also calling up the Reserve units to cover the gaps in case of airborne attacks," reported Cmdr.-Gen. Amelia Sharpe, supreme commander of the FEGF.

"The navy is ready to move. Second Fleet is at sea, First is about to deploy from Cararra. Third is steaming down at high speed from the north to supplement them. Our independent sub squadrons are fully deployed, with a free hunting licence. We're ready. This won't be like last time," declared Gd.Adm. William Zanatti, Sharpe's opposite number in the FENF.

"The Air Force has already begun our mission, our initial strikes are taking place as we speak. The QRFs are already on their way to the FMBs, the other units have responded excellently and will move shortly," stated Cmdr.-Gen. Richard Carrington.

"Space Command has twenty-four operational satellites, and we have seven more ready to launch from Alsach Space Centre on command. We have total coverage of Kzuu Mai, with passes every half hour or so. We also have constellations of low orbit minisats with better optics and resolution, as well as more frequent passes, ready to fly, but they only stay up for about a week," announced Maj.Gen. James Hammond, over the speakerphone from Hayan Mountain.

McLaren began talking again, making his recommendations.
"Right. General Hammond, get one of those constellations up ASAP. Keep watch on the Kzuu Maian armies and fleets. Admiral Zanatti, enact those operations we talked about earlier. General Carrington, concentrate your attacks on the massed forces near the borders..."

"Sorry, sir, if I could just interrupt there," cut in Hammond. "A junior officer has just this second delivered some data to me, and it seems that that massed armed force is moving towards the border, and they think a Kzuu Maian fleet has left Gayoshi, destination unknown."

"Thank you, General. I want the air force to conduct spoiling strikes against both these forces until suitable forces can be brought to bear against them. Then we crush them with a lightning strike."

The Defence Advisor left, allowing the staff officers to work out the details and plans between them.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Uhh, sir?" said one of the K-16 pilots, attempting to release a second missile at one of the Kestrels and wildly dodge an enemy missile at the same time. "Enemy choppers, down below. Shall I deal with 'em?"

The major swore and looked out of his cockpit at the helicopters hovering above Jun. "No, wait," said the major, turning back to the dogfight just in time to avoid another Free Eaglian missile. "They seem to have deployed some troops. Wait for them to get back in, then we'll trash 'em."

"Fair enough," replied the pilot, seconds before being consumed in a ball of flame as a missile slammed into his cockpit.

* * *

Hitaan Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"The hangars have been all but destroyed, sir!" cried a worker. "We've got three aircraft in working condition, and they could be destroyed any minute."

"Get them in the air! And get the K-16s and K-22s sent to defend the paratroops back, they won't be needed anymore."

The three surviving K-22s coughed into life and roared into the sky, searching hopelessly for the stealth bombers which had wreaked havoc below. The pilots were relying completely on eyesight, which was limited during the cloudless darkness of the Kzuu Maian night.

Below, in the ruined buildings, the radar operators stared at their screens, hoping for the Cloak of the Wraiths to be deactivated for one reason or another.

---

The pilots flying their K-16s and K-22s to the aid of the paratroopers recieved the orders to return to Hitaan immediately, and to fire on any hostiles they encountered on the way.

* * *

The Kzuu Mai-Free Eagles Border, near Torinam Station

With their cargo gone, the battered carrier planes turned to head back towards Kzuu Mai, with half their number now wreckage on the ground and almost none unscathed.

When the paratroops hit the ground, they immediately dashed for cover; some were caught as their transports crashed to earth, but the majority had survived the drop and were now desperately firing their assault rifles at anything that moved.

* * *

16 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Rian Rayin was pacing up and down the boardroom where the Generals of the armed forces and a handful of advisors were currently having a meeting.

"So...how are things progressing with the invasion?" he said, walking forwards and leaning on the table.

The General of the Army coughed with pompous self-importance. "Well, Mr. Rayin, the ground forces are now on their way to Free Eagles. They should cross the border within a few hours."

This was followed up immediately by the General of the Navy, who glared at the other two Generals and made his report. "The naval attack on Carrara continues as planned. We have had no trouble so far - we should be there in a few days."

The General of the Airforce, feeling a little left out and attempting to soften the blow the FEAF had given her, immediately piped up. "It is clear, Mr. Rayin, that Free Eagles' airforce is its strong point..."

"It was meant to be ours, too," spat the Army man.

"...and to win we must cripple their airforce. I recommend the AAF could be used..."

"Uh uh, you aren't dragging Akran into this," said the final General, the leader of the famed Akranese Airforce, which Kzuu Mai had used as part of its own armed forces since Akran became a colony.

"OK, we sha'n't use the AAF," muttered the General of the Airforce angrily. "But we must cripple their airforce somehow. Once that is done, Free Eagles will be easily crushed."

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

To add to the confusion above the base, the eight F-16s from Hunter squadron threw themselves into the fight, each armed only with guns and two Sidewinders. Another Kestrel had fallen, the pilot managing to eject and drift downwards to the Free Eaglian troops.

On the ground the First Platoon had picked up the two downed pilots, and secured the base. The pilots were now waiting at the LZ for the troops to return and the helicopter pickup.

Sgt. Roskov had led his squad down into the ruined base buildings, looking for the brig. Sgt. Gomez had followed Roskov, then split and gone looking in another direction. All the sergeants and corporals had studied photos of Spinnaker so that they could ID him on site. Both squads were ready for contact with the base security unit, who had yet to show their faces. They also thought the base must have a larger than usual contingent of troops, as it was home to some top secret projects.

The other two squads, under Baker and Nakamura, were down in the now wrecked subterranean hangars, looking for any documents or information of the K-42 to supplement Spinnaker's report. A scientist appeared from one of the rooms to find three assault rifles aimed at him.

"Freeze, asshole," screamed a private. If he obeyed, they could use him to find what they were looking for, and take him back to Wajima for interrogation. If he didn't, well maybe they could still do those things, if they shot him in the leg.
***

Leaving Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

After noting that only three fighters made it up off the runway, the Wraiths decided to choose the safer option and just fade away into the night. They did not activate their Sidewinder missiles, and also disengaged the auto position updater on the 'Cloak', for extra protection. They didn't actually need to know where they were until they were back in Free Eagles, and even without the periodical updates the computer was highly accurate.

The pilots programmed the autopilots to fly the F-90As home to their secret base, deep within Free Eagles: The FEAF's Aerospace Weapons Development & Testing Complex, also known as 'Shadowland'.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"Oka Nieba, Molnya Lead. Bandits are reversing course. Do we pursue?" transmitted the Colonel leading the squadron.

"Affirmative, Molnya, but turn back once they reach fifteen, that's one-five, klicks inside their border," was the order.

The Kingfisher flight had disengaged from the fight as they were now out of ammunition and would soon be running low on fuel, but the twelve Eagles of the Molnya squadron continued to attack the Kzuu Maian transports.
***
The 3rd Battalion, 67th Mechanised Infantry were hunting down the Kzuu Maian paratroopers through the open countryside near the border. Paratroops were notoriously lightly armed, and the FEGF was making full use of this general weakness, sending Warrior-II IFVs out to engage them.

The Infantry Fighting Vehicles were using their chain guns to attack the enemy, the heavy shells ripping through the hedges, trees and most other obstructions. The infantry themselves were grouped around each IFV, using it for cover and support at the same time. Some of their assault rifles had grenade launchers under the barrel, and were occasionally used to put frag grenades into large groups of enemy soldiers.
***

SRS Squall, a Cararra-class submarine, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

"Conn, sonar. Range to lead vessel now twenty-eight thousand metres."

"Fire Control, firing point procedures, tube one, Master Twenty, tube two, Master Twenty-One."

"Fire Control, aye." The submarine was preparing to attack two of the submarines escorting the Kzuu Maian fleet with one Spearfish torpedo each. The aim was to kill the enemy attack subs, then the greatest threat to them was eliminated.

"Match sonar bearings and shoot, tube one, Master Twenty, tube two Master Twenty-One."

The submarine shuddered slightly as the two torpedos were forced out of the tubes by high pressure air.

"Conn, sonar. Torpedos one and two running hot, straight and normal."

"Reload tubes one and two with Harpoons. Warm up tubes three and four."

The SRS Squall was beginning to make its move against the Kzuu Maian fleet.
***

Alsach Space Centre, central Free Eagles

The solid rocket boosters attached to Hawk-01, the Reusable Space Vehicle (RSV) being used to launch the constellation of Genesis reconnaissance satellites, burst into life in a tremendous barrage of noise and light.

The RSV shuddered for a moment, then lifted off the ground and rose into the air. It rapidly increased speed and just as quickly gained altitude, rising into the sky atop a pillar of smoke and fire.

Already it was noticeable that it was curving, angling to take a low trajectory into the atmosphere. The RSV would deploy the cluster of ten low-orbit Genesis satellites at the appropriate point, then de-orbit and glide down and land on the runway five kilometres away from the launch pad.

The satellites would give the Free Eaglian Armed Forces regular passes over Kzuu Mai, so that any new movements could be spotted almost instantly, making moving large formations covertly extremely difficult.

The less capable 'Lock Pick' satellites had already passed over the invasion force, transmitting its exact location for the upcoming air strikes.
***

Various FEAF Bases along the southern edge of Free Eagles

The strike missions were nearly ready to launch, armed with cluster bombs, napalm and air-to-ground missiles. The aircraft, due to so many missions being prepared, consisted of a variety of F-16S Falcons, aging Jaguars and F-111 Aardvarks.

The dedicated close support aircraft, the Warthogs and the Harriers, were being kept for use when the Kzuu Maian forces were nearer the border, which meant they would launch in about two hours.

The strike formations roared off the runways, tanked to top up fuel tanks, then headed towards the Kzuu Maian border to begin what the FEAF commanders hoped would be a nightmare for the Kzuu Maians.

The plans called for near-constant air attacks on the invasion force, never allowing the commanders time to reorganise, wearing them down and pushing for valuable time to get the ground forces into position.

OOC: Sorry for the late reply. This is actually the third time I've written this post - I keep losing it for one reason or another.

IC:

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The scientist was relatively sensible, and he froze as requested.

"May I help you?" said the scientist, trying, and failing, to sound relaxed and superior. "Although all of this waving guns around and screeching "asshole" is hardly necessary."

Above ground, a second K-16 spiralled down to earth, black smokre pouring from its engines. The pilot bailed just in time to avoid being incinerated as the plane slammed into Jun. Another K-16 fired its cannon at a Free Eaglian Hunter, having a wing severely damaged by a missile in the process. The K-16 turned and attempted to limp away from the fight, tilting erratically.

Close to Hitaan Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The three K-22s flew in a line, wide enough apart to cover a relatively large area. However, without the aid of their advanced equipment - virtually useless against the Free Eaglian stealth technology - and with their eyesight severely impaired by the darkness of the night, they would have to be extremely lucky to spot even one of the Wraiths.

---

The two squadrons of aircraft sent north to Torinam had also adopted a line, although now they were returning to Hitaan Airbase. There was a small chance they would be able to intercept the Wraiths as they flew northwards towards Free Eagles.

Near Torinam Station, the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian Border

The commander of the paratroopers ducked behind a weathered rock a second before a grenade flew into him, wincing as a couple of soldiers shrieked and were torn apart by the explosion. Gritting his teeth, he turned and blasted his assault rifle at the group of infantry using the nearest IFV for cover. Around him, the rest of the paratroopers followed suit, firing at the infantry while attempting to dodge the frag grenades and chain gun fire which was constantly whizzing overhead.

The commander scrambled behind the rock and seized his radio, flicking a switch and speaking clearly into it.

"Help needed immediately," he said. "Repeat, request help immediately. We are under heavy fire."

Turning off the radio, the commander waved his rifle at a group of soldiers to move to their right, out of the way of an oncoming grenade, then squeezed the trigger towards one of the Free Eaglian soldiers.

Qaelta State, close to the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

The army was nearing the border; indeed, the tanks leading the group, and their helicopter escort, were already crossing. Inside their APVs, most of the troops were holding quiet, nervous conversations; a few were playing card games or sitting in silence.

Kzuu Maian Naval Fleet 1, off the coast of Kzuu Mai

"We're under fire!" screeched a young soldier, obviously in a complete panic.

The captain of the submarine, the KMS Quicksilver, looked up from his coffee, which all Kzuu Maian officers appeared to drink continuously. He glanced over the soldier's shoulder.

"Return fire! Immediately!" he roared after a couple of seconds. Further down the submarine, two torpedoes were rammed into their tubes and then thrusted out by the compressed air towards the Free Eaglian sub.

A second or so later, the entire sub shook heavily under the impact of the Free Eaglian torpedo, and the lights flickered.

"Are we OK?" said the captain of the fleet, getting back to his feet.

"I think so...we haven't got a leak," said the soldier, looking at a screen. "At least not one the sub knows about. We're on secondary power, though, and I'd guess a few of the tubes will be unusable."

"So we should still be OK to escort them," said the captain, gruffly. "Good."

The other submarine targeted had fared less well. It had managed to fire a single torpedo in the general direction of the Free Eaglians before the torpedo hit, causing a series of explosions along its length. It deployed all the possible emergency procedures there were, but it still began to sink inexorably downwards.

OOC: Late reply? This is the first time I've been on NS since my last post. Been caught up in exams and whatnot. I never noticed.

IC:
Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

"Where the hell are the cells?" grumbled Sgt. Roskov.

A private looked up and grinned. "Ground floor, far end of this corridor, Sarge." When Roskov looked questioningly at him, he elaborated on his knowledge. "Floor plan, Sarge." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at the plastic sign on the wall.

The squad of infantry moved quickly down the corridor and into the brig area. Without any idea where the agent was, Roskov resorted to other methods.
"Agent Spinnaker, FEGF, make yourself heard," he bellowed.

An answering cry sounded, and the infantry moved towards it, rifles ready just in case.
---
"Hands behind you, wiseguy," the private ordered the scientist. When the man had complied, the private tied his hands with a set of plasticuffs.

"Alright, where's the important stuff of this new stealth bird you've been workin' on?" asked Sgt. Baker.

Nakamura's squad were already digging through the rubble for anything that looked remotely useful, unfortunately most of what they were after was probably on computer hard drives, and most of those were either wrecked or without power.
---
The battle above showed no signs of abating. An F-16 collided with a Kzuu Maian fighter, both aircraft disappearing in a fireball.

Another pilot was floating downwards in her parachute harness after her plane was trashed by a Kzuu Maian missile. Three of the F-16s had died already, and the rest were running low on fuel. They would have to leave soon if they wanted to get home, leaving the sky above Jun to the Kestrel air defence fighters.

The colonel commanding the Shrike squadron, the Kestrels, fired his last missile at a Kzuu Maian aircraft foolish enough to fly in a straight line for more than ten seconds, then hauled his aircraft around and ejected more bundles of chaff as his own missile warning system went off.
***

North of Hitaan Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The four Wraiths were flying almost due north, intending to pass well to the east of Kzuugrad and any defences it may have. They had seen nothing more of the Kzuu Maian fighters from Hitaan, and although they were aware of fighters coming south from the engagement over the border, they had seen nothing of these either, their IR viewers showing only the cold blue of the empty night sky.

The pilots were confident in their systems, but flew cautiously anyway. They were low over the ground, but high enough that there was no high terrain in their flight path all the way to the border.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

All the fighters had now disengaged from the transports, which had now passed the line set by the AWACS controller, and were returning to their bases to refuel and rearm.
---
The Free Eaglian troops had taken a few casualties now, but most of those were only wounded. The Warrior crews were sweeping everything with chain gun fire, expending hundreds of rounds of ammunition. If a situation arose where the Kzuu Maian troops had some solid cover that the chain gun could not penetrate, the gunner would fire off a couple of high explosive rounds from the 30mm anti-tank cannon.

A number of the infantry squads had taken to separating from their particular IFV and flank the enemy paratroops while the IFV pinned them down with chain gun fire. The tactical radios that every soldier carried made such manoeuvres easy through excellent communication.

The paratroops were outnumbered, outgunned and outmanoeuvred by the FEGF troops. The Kzuu Maian generals must have written off the paradrop as a complete failure by now.
***

SRS Squall, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

"Torpedoes in the water, bearing two-four-one," shouted a sonar operator.

Immediately the submarine's powerful aquajet 'Caterpillar' propulsion systems sprang into action, driving the sub forward through the water, accelerating rapidly, while remaining quiet. Two noisemaker decoys were ejected from the sub as it made a hard turn, leaving an attractive decoy for the torpedoes in the water. Both attacked it, ran straight through it and then found nothing to attack.

The Squall slowed and returned to its former silent state, and they prepared to attack again.

"Conn, sonar. Master Twenty-One confirmed sunk, I have break-up noises. Master Twenty took a hit but is still there."

"Conn, aye. Damn, must have one hell of a strong hull. Okay, Fire Control, firing point procedures, tubes three and four, Master Twenty, tubes one and two, Master Eighteen."

"Fire Control, aye." This time, both the advanced Spearfish torpedoes would go after the one Kzuu Maian submarine. At the same time, they would launch a Harpoon missile attack on the leading frigate in the fleet.

"Match sonar bearings and shoot, tubes three and four, Master Twenty, then tubes one and two, Master Eighteen, after ten seconds."

Again, the sub shuddered slightly as the high pressure air forced the torpedoes into the black water. As soon as the first shots were clear, the missiles were launched from tubes one and two with another shudder.

The anti-ship missiles burst from the water, rocket motors burning and blasted in towards the frigate, skimming just a few feet above the water.

Over on the far side of the Kzuu Maian fleet, about thirty kilometres distant, two more missiles broke the surface and headed for the Kzuu Maian ships. These were larger, more powerful Tomahawk cruise missiles, each capable of sinking a destroyer by itself. Now there were two Free Eaglian subs out there somewhere.
***

Qaelta State, near the Free Eaglian border

The first of many attack fighters streaked over the Kzuu Maian vehicles, sprinkling them liberally with cluster munitions. The F-16s dropped their cluster bombs on the largest groups of tanks they could see, then used their Maverick missiles to attack any SAMs or anti-air guns they could find.

There were a lot of attack fighters heading towards the invasion force, and the fewer air defences they had the better. The planes were attacking in small groups of four across the entire invasion army. The idea was that this way it would be easier to maintain near-constant air attacks.

Only minutes after the F-16s had gone, a flight of old F-4F Phantoms from the Espera Auxiliary Air Force charged in with napalm and more cluster bombs. Long since retired from the active inventory, there were still a few of aging Phantoms left in reserve units, and they were bring put to use now. A flight of F-111 Aardvarks was only minutes behind them, and the Warthogs were on the way as well.

Behind the border, a number of disguised artillery batteries opened up on the lead Kzuu Maian elements as they crossed the border. The crash of the six inch guns echoed over the countryside as they fired, followed shortly by the prolonged whoosh of rocket artillery launches.

The FEAF now had over five hundred attack planes tasked with slowing up the Kzuu Maian advance, and they planned to use them all. The fixed artillery positions along the border would not last that long, and the ground units were not yet fully in place. It was up to the air force.

OOC: Well, I hope the exams went well.

IC:

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"We're under attack!" cried the commander of the Kzuu Maian forces. The call had been diverted all the way up to Rayin, whose phone lay on the desk between him and President Hachi. "Repeat, we are under attack by Free Eaglian aircraft, with cluster bombs and napalm. We are firing back with the mobile AA and Stingers. The choppers are being sent off to try and destroy some artillery which is firing, don't know if they'll have any luck, though."

"Commander, keep moving. Get all AA into action. Some air support will be arriving from Sunali airbase. Keep moving," said Rayin quickly.

The commander's voice was partly obscured by explosions, but he was still audible as he confirmed the orders. Rayin shut off the phone.

"Our airforce is over stretched!" cried Hachi. "We can't send even more planes out!"

Rayin shook his head. "Ms. President, we can't let this force go. The paratroops failed. Knowing the Free Eaglians, any attempt by air will fail. I'm receiving reports that the fleet is under attack from submarines. The only way we can win this war is if we crush them with our army. And even then it won't be easy."

Hachi still seemed angry, but she subsided. "Alright."

* * *

Qaelta State, the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian Border

The cluster bombs were doing massive damage to the tanks, and the sounds of multiple explosions shook the air every few seconds. The mobile AA and soldiers armed with SAMs were firing frantically at the Free Eaglian aircraft, dozens of missiles streaking into the sky, but they were also coming under heavy fire, and many were destroyed or killed before they could even get their act together.

As the commander had said, most of the helicopters had been sent deeper into Free Eagles in an attempt to hunt down the artillery which were playfully destroying the Kzuu Maian tanks as they crossed the border. They flew low enough to avoid being obvious, while being high enough to avoid kicking up a dustcloud. The artillery were unlikely to be easy to spot, and the pilots were relying on their sensing equipment to eventually find the guns, although they doubted that even with their equipment it would be easy.

* * *

Kzuu Maian Naval Fleet 1, off the coast of Kzuu Mai

"They avoided the torpedoes, sir," announced the sonar operator. "And...oh shit, they're firing again!"

"Where? Evade them! Quick, we'll be ripped to pieces if they hit us again!" The sub stuttered for a second, then shot forwards as quickly as possible, turning steeply in an attempt to avoid the torpedoes moving towards it. Unfortunately, the torpedoes were not that easily fooled, and both hit their mark. The Quicksilver was promptly destroyed, the explosions caused by the torpedoes immediately extinguished by the water around it.

Two of the four remaining submarines, their sonar operators finally noticing the deaths of the Quicksilver and the Susurrus, fired two torpedoes each towards the Free Eaglians in a somewhat desperate attempt to prevent any more damage being done.

---

"We've got missiles coming in, sir," announced a radar operator from the KMS Jini, a Kting-class destroyer. Much of the Kzuu Maian naval fleet had been completely overhauled after the December War, and the Kting-class were one of the new classes developed.

The officer looked up and stomped over to the radar screen. "Damnit!" he muttered. "We won't be able to outmanoeuvre them - try shooting them down. I want the SAMs ready to get those missiles as quickly as possible."

The Jini exploded into activity, with workers running to prepare the SAMs to fire at the Tomahawks skimming towards them. They were able to fire just as the KMS Kian, a frigate on the other side of the fleet, rocked from a huge explosion and sank beneath the waves.

The officer looked up in shock, then barked out some further orders: "Prepare the anti-submarine weapons. Just in case."

* * *

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian Border, near Torinam station

The commander of the paratroops swore as an anti-tank round punched a hole through his sandy rock, ducking away from the rock a split second before it crashed to earth. A piece of debris struck him on the leg, but it didn't do too much damage. He had barely managed to get his senses back when he had to sprint out of the way of a frag grenade. He fired in the direction of some Free Eaglians before once again having to dive out of the way some chain gun fire.

"We've got to get out of here," he announced to the world in general. He signalled to all the other paratroops in the area, and they slowly began pulling back.

* * *

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"I don't know," announced the scientist, truthfully. "Most of the important stuff has been trashed, I think some people have wiped the computers - or at least taken hammers to them. The really important stuff has been taken by scientists and workers."

---

The fighters were not intending on leaving any time soon, even as another had a wing ripped from its body by the Shrike colonel's missile and immediately veered out of control. The pilot landed a few hundred yards north of Jun Airbase, her K-16 eventually falling to earth considerably further north.

Hitaan Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"Forget it people, return to base. We aren't going to find them."

The K-22s turned and began flying back towards Hitaan, the pilots wondering if any of the runways would be suitable to land on, while the other aircraft flying south accelerated.

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

Roskov's squad found the cell where Spinnaker was being held almost immediately, and without trouble. The door was locked, but then they had expected it to be. It was a prison cell after all. Being soldiers, they had no need to find the keys. A private pulled a small explosive charge from his kit, and affixed it to the lock.

"Spinnaker, find cover from the door," he called out. He had no need to put the command to the other soldiers, since they had already moved away in anticipation of the explosion. After giving the agent fifteen seconds to obey the command, the soldier triggered the charge. The explosion echoed loudly in the confined corridor, and the door hung from only one hinge, looking considerably worse for wear.

The Free Eaglian spy was rapidly extracted from the cell and the squad escorted him back out to the helicopter LZ. Gomez's squad had been updated by radio and had also pulled out to the LZ.
---
"There's nothing here we can use. It's all either been trashed or out of power. We don't have time to pick up all the hard drives, so let's just take the prisoner and get out of here," suggested Sgt. Nakamura, as his squad continued to search.

"I think you're right. Back to the LZ," agreed Baker. The infantry left the ruined underground hangars and headed for the surface. By the time they reached the LZ, the two Super Stallion assault choppers were landing. The two infantry platoons boarded them rapidly. Within sixty seconds, the choppers were airborne again, now laden with eighty infantry, seven downed FEAF pilots, one RIA spy and one Kzuu Maian prisoner.

The escorting attack helicopters formed up as the big choppers began their run for the border.
---
There were seven Kestrels left above Jun, all running low on missiles, if not completely out. Despite this, they would continue to engage for a few more minutes, to prevent the Kzuu Maian fighters from attacking the Super Stallions. Any that tried to chase after the Free Eaglian helicopters would find a Kestrel on their tail within seconds.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"They're pulling back," announced the Battalion CO over the radio net.

"Yeah, but where to?" replied his deputy. "They've got the First Battalion between them and the border, and they're not heading for the border."

"Good point. All callsigns, press the attack. Don't let them regroup," came the order.

The Warriors surged forwards, their tracks churning up the ground into a muddy mess. The infantry did likewise, using the support of the armoured vehicles to advance safely. So long as they continued to follow doctrine, they would wrap this engagement up rapidly, and with few casualties.
***

The sea, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

"Transients, two, no, four torpedoes in the water, bearings two-four-eight and two-five-three." shouted the sonar operator again.

"Snapshots, tube five, bearing two-four-eight, tube six, bearing two-five-three." The sub shuddered again as the two torpedoes were fired towards the two attacking Kzuu Maian subs.

"All ahead flank. Full right rudder to three-one-oh. Put three decoys in the knuckle," ordered the Captain of the SRS Squall.

As the sub tilted into the turn like a fighter jet, the captain realised that with four torpedoes, there was a good chance that at least one would continue to track the Squall.

"Stream the Nixie, and get another one ready. In ten seconds, hard left rudder to two-six-two. Three more decoys in the knuckle."

Now there were two very attractive false targets in the water for the torpedoes to attack, as well as the defensive Nixie decoy. Two of the torpedoes had attacked the first of the knuckles, the third had gone after the other one, and the fourth was still chasing them.

"This is gonna be close," murmured a sonar operator as he removed his headphones to avoid ear damage from the blast noise.

The torpedo ran in and impacted on the Nixie decoy, the blast wave being felt throughout the submarine.

"Damage report."

"Some minor shock damage, broken lights and so on, but we're okay."

"Sonar, report."

"Masters Twenty and Eighteen sunk. We've lost the wires on the fish, and I can't hear them through the disturbance. We'll know before too much longer."

"Alright. Get us back into attack position. I want to get rid of the rest of those subs. Seawolf will be joining the party before long, and I want the sea clear of submerged threats before then."

The SRS Seawolf was closing on the Kzuu Maian fleet after launching its Tomahawks, which were racing in at thirty feet above sea level, completely oblivious to the SAMs racing towards them.
---
Racing in from the north was another Free Eaglian strike package. Eight F-16N Falcons from the carrier Dauntless were streaking in low over the water, laden with weaponry.

As they came within range, the two flights of strike fighters popped up and fired their Harpoon missiles at the enemy surface fleet. Each fighter had carried four of the anti-ship missiles, giving a total of thirty-two missiles inbound.

The fighters immediately dropped back down below radar coverage and turned around, heading back to the carrier now their mission was complete.

The Harpoons would find their own targets amidst the Kzuu Maian fleet, and although some would get intercepted, hopefully it would do some damage.
***

Qaelta State, near the Free Eaglian border

Two of the FEAuxAF Phantoms had fallen to the small hand-held SAMs. The other two had blazed away and made the report.

"There's not much in the way of SAM launchers, only a few triple-A platforms, but they've got shitloads of hand-held SAMs," transmitted the Phantom pilot now leading, since the flight lead had gone down.

The Aardvarks trailing the Phantoms had therefore gone in aware, but had still lost one aircraft. The Warthogs that had gone in next had lost three of their four planes, the slower aircraft losing out to the lightning-fast missiles.

The mission planners had expected a large number of hand-held missiles, but no effective counter had been put forward. Their best option was to continue to drop napalm and cluster bombs everywhere, to eliminate the infantry capable of launching them. Even now, another six attack groups were beginning their runs over the enemy force, with four more approaching rapidly.
---
The pre-deployed artillery emplacements were specifically constructed to avoid detection by satellite imagery or radar, but nothing could hide the massive streak of flame as the MLRS unit salvoed off its rockets.

The Kzuu Maian helicopters identified each position in turn as the emplaced artillery fired, thus giving away its location, then swooped in and attacked them one by one with missiles, rockets and guns, reducing them to wreckage.

The crews at the emplacements not yet struck called in to HQ for support or instructions, and were told to abandon their posts when they felt they could hold out no more. Most left immediately, boarding the personnel carriers deployed for this exact task.

The air units from the armoured regiments were about the only things that were fully deployed, so they were sent out to engage the enemy helicopters and ground troops crossing the border. To the same end, the lead tank formations were moved forwards.

The Free Eaglian generals knew they could not hope to stop the Kzuu Maians at the border. In addition, they were massively outnumbered and not yet properly deployed. This meant that the Army would have to draw the Kzuu Maians in with a series of spoiling engagements, fighting a war of manoeuvre, trading space for time and allowing the Air Force to deploy its full might against the enemy formations.

There was one option available to them that hadn't been put into play yet. There were two special submarines up in the icy waters off the north coast of Free Eagles, and their missiles could easily reach down into the heart of the Kzuu Maian army. They couldn't kill it, but they could cause some serious damage. There was no doubt that it would help the SAM problem, since Fuel-Air Explosives did nasty things to unprotected infantry, and they weren't exactly healthy for armoured vehicles either.

OOC: It's a bit long, I know, but it has to do for a whole week. Sorry.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"OK, the choppers're leaving," said the commander of the K-16 fighters. "Squadron One, shoot 'em down, squadron Two, take care of the fighters."

Around half of the remaining aircraft peeled away from the dogfight and shot down towards the helicopters, firing most of their remaining missiles. The rest of the fighters continued attacking the Free Eaglian Kestrels, although they too were running low on missiles.

Below, Jun Airbase lay in ruins; most of the hangars and other buildings were destroyed, as were the majority of the K-42 stealth fighters. Several aircraft had fallen directly onto the airbase, adding to the general destruction and confusion.

* * *

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

"Shit!" screeched the paratroop commander, upon realising that they had nowhere to escape too. For a while, he was tempted to give himself up; it was the most likely method of survival, and he could already see isolated pockets of his paratroopers laying down their weapons. However, he decided not to; Kzuu Mai still had the ancient honour system built into it thousands of years ago, and those who surrendered were not popular.

"Keep fighting!" he yelled, although he knew it was hopeless. He once again fired towards a cluster of Free Eaglian infantry, before being hit unceremoniously in the back by a burst of chain gun fire. He toppled forwards onto his face while the rest of the paratroopers were swiftly dispatched around him.

* * *

The sea, off the coast of Kzuu Mai

The fleet had continued to move despite the attacks, and Carrara had come into view, when the Free Eaglians attacked. AA guns immediately opened fire when the fighters popped into view, but they had no luck; the fighters appeared, attacked and departed too quickly. A Junaii-class cruiser, the KMS Alayala, immediately sank beneath the waves, followed by two frigates. A destroyer and one of the carriers were also damaged, but continued to move forwards regardless.

The fleet did not give up. Aboard the KMS Ishaya aircraft super carrier, two squadrons of K-16K fighters rumbled down the runway and into the sky, heading towards Carrara's naval base, while the destroyers and frigates prepared their guns for bombardment.

---

"They survived!" announced the sonar operator aboard the KMS Aliala submarine.

"Damn it!" muttered the commander. He walked over to a radio and pushed a button. "We still have a submarine down here," he said. "And there's another coming in from the opposite direction. I advise firing of torpedoes or anti-submarine rockets."

"What if they hit us?" asked the sonar operator, alarmed.

"They won't," said the commander, confidently. "At least, I hope not."

Above them, the anti-submarine weapons were fired at the Aliala commander's suggestion. A destroyer launched an anti-submarine rocket armed with a torpedo high into the air, while the other warships fired torpedoes from deck mounted torpedo launchers.

* * *

Qaelta, The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

Sunali airbase had been emptied of all but two squadrons of fighters, in an attempt to reduce the aerial pressure being placed on the Kzuu Maian forces. As such, it was a mixture of K-22 fighter/bombers, Kz-20 fighter/bombers, K-16 fighters and Kt-14 fighters which arrived above the Kzuu Maians, firing at the Free Eaglian aircraft as soon as they could. The SAMs below were taking heavy losses, but the soldiers continued firing doggedly in support of the aircraft.

The helicopters, having destroyed the Free Eaglian artillery, turned and skimmed back over the sand towards the rest of the force, their pilots watching carefully for any sign of the enemy.

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

As soon as the Kzuu Maian fighters broke off to chase the helicopters, three of the Kestrels jetted away and chased the Kzuu Maian fighters, using what missiles they had left and their cannon to attack them and protect the helicopters.

The other four Kestrels stayed in the dogfight, relentlessly hounding the Kzuu Maian fighters with what weapons they had left. Within seconds another Kestrel was falling in flames, riddled with cannon shells from a K-16.
---
The helicopters were making a mad dash for the border, running at full speed and flying dangerously low. The pilot in the lead Super Stallion contacted the AWACS aircraft watching the fight from behind the border and requested support.

The Black Rider squadron had been waiting for this moment, and, at the order from the radar controller, they went to afterburner and shot across the border, heading straight for the fleeing helicopters and the Kzuu Maian fighters chasing them. The high combined closure speed meant that they were in range almost instantly, and each of the eight Kestrels launched a single long-range missile at a target.

The Kzuu Maian fighters would have used all their longer range weapons by now, fighter pilots always used those first, but the Black Riders were new into the fight, carrying sixteen missiles each, plus a full load of cannon shells.
***

The Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border, near Torinam Station

The Warrior IFVs of the 3rd Bn, 67th Mech, were now sitting victorious on the field of battle. Kzuu Maian paratroopers were surrendering and the Free Eaglian infantry were dismounting to capture them. Those that did not surrender were quickly dealt with as the Warriors engaged unremittingly with chain guns and cannons.

The engagement was little more than a mop-up job now, with the flanking units from the 1st Battalion now moving in to tidy up what the Third had managed. There was no real need for the extra units, but the Warriors of Third Battalion had expended a large quantity of chain gun ammunition, and they didn't carry all that much.
***

The sea, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

The two FENF submarines had stopped moving when the Kzuu Maians had started dropping all sorts of ordnance into the water. The pattern of fire was random and in no way threatening to the Squall or the Seawolf if they were careful. The only purpose the Kzuu Maian activity served was to mask sonar conditions, since even if a shot was headed in the right direction, chances were pretty good they would miss the silent FENF vessels.

Both Cararra-class vessels were sitting just under twenty kilometres away from the Kzuu Maian fleet, in range for their own weapons but far enough away that chances of detection were low.

"Skipper, I think they're just spooked. It's either that or they're bloody incompetent," suggested the sonar operator.

"We'll see. What happened to the fish?" asked the Captain.

"Must have missed. I can't hear them, and there's been no manoeuvring from the target, so they must have never acquired," reported the sonar operator.

"Can you get a bearing on the subs?"

"Possibly. Lot of noise around there, and I think the Air Force pulled something. A lot of explosions and a couple of sunk ships, but no trace."

"Alright. Conn, ahead steerage. Bring us in closer so we can ID the targets."

The Squall slowly moved forwards, with just enough speed to maintain steerageway. With all the noise from the Kzuu Maian fleet, there was no way they could be heard.
---
Sitting between the Kzuu Maian fleet and Cararra was the FENF Battle Group 1, thirty-three combat vessels, including two carriers and two battleships. The two carriers had already launched half their fighters to engage the Kzuu Maian strike group, and the nearby Sand Island Air Force Base had scrambled some of its available aircraft as well.

That made for eight squadrons of fighters, Kestrels all, ready to engage the enemy aircraft, under the control of two E-2D and one E-767 AWACS aircraft, with support from the powerful Aegis radars aboard the four missile cruisers with the battle group and their SAMs.

Once the air threat was eliminated, the battleships Dorpen and Takaka Bay would open fire with their 305mm main guns, the soft modern vessels composing most of the Kzuu Maian fleet making easy targets for the massive shells designed to sink other battleships.

Then, at Cararra Naval Base, now five kilometres north of the city destroyed in the last war, the air defence batteries were warmed up and ready to engage, the big SMX-Flash surface-to-air missiles sitting in their launch boxes ready to fire.
***

Beneath the sea, 240 kilometres north-west of Amderma

"Diving officer, come to launch depth. All hands, battle stations missile," announced the Captain into the address system.

The huge bulk of the SRS Khinfaxi rose through the black, icy water as she approached launch depth, then levelled off eighty feet beneath the wave tops.

"Weps, prepare to fire Missile Tube Nine. Upload co-ordinates."

"Weps, aye. Co-ordinates uploaded."

The Khinfaxi was about to launch one of her ballistic missiles at the heart of the Kzuu Maian invasion force, destroying the units before they could enter Free Eaglian territory.

"XO, turn missile key on my mark. Three, two, one, mark." The Captain and XO both turned their missile keys at the same instant, acting out the same safety system used on nuclear warheads, even though they had none aboard. The weapons officer then opened the hatch on the tube to allow the missile to fly.

"Weps, fire Missile Tube Nine." The weapons officer stabbed his finger down on the launch button, and the missile was ejected from the tube with high pressure air. The rocket motor lit off and the missile arced up out of the water atop a massive flame. It would reach all the way up to the lower levels of space before toppling over and falling on the hopefully unsuspecting Kzuu Maian troops, all ten of the Fuel-Air warheads targeted at various points in the invasion army.
***

Qaelta State, the Free Eaglian border

The Dragon helicopters flew low towards the border, their search equipment hunting for the enemy helicopters. Then the AWACS controller reported that the enemy choppers had withdrawn, so the Dragons raced for the border to attack the hostile ground units.

The Stalker battle tanks were already there, and as the Kzuu Maian tanks approached, they opened fire with their 120mm cannons, firing depleted uranium shells at the advancing enemy tanks. There was a full battalion of the T-17 tanks deployed, sixty-four of them, but after firing only two or three shots at the lead enemy tanks, they threw their transmissions into reverse and pulled back to the next position, gone before the Kzuu Maians could get off any shots.

Then the Dragons swept in, firing off Hellfire anti-tank missiles and rockets in a furious salvo, using their Sidewinder missiles to attack any enemy helicopters they encountered. But again, after just two minutes on the attack, the Dragons were pulling back, under orders to preserve the life of every single combat soldier as best they could.

Further back, two flights of Harriers streaked in low and unloaded their cargo of cluster bombs on a formation of infantry. As they turned, two of them fell to more shoulder launched SAMs, the tiny darts streaking in and knocking out the single engine fighters. Two flights of Aardvarks and two more of Falcons were headed in, but after those there were no more for twelve minutes. That time period was when the FAE warheads were going to land, and the FEAF wasn’t going to expose its pilots to that.

After the FAEs hit however, there were twelve Scimitar bombers waiting to strike. The strike force was carrying enough cluster munitions to wipe out several divisions of enemy troops, and was timed to hit just as the Kzuu Maians were reeling from the ballistic missile strike.

The AWACS controllers spotted the inbound Kzuu Maian fighters the second they entered Free Eaglian radar coverage. It was a move they had been expecting, and the generals had planned accordingly. There was a full wing of brand new F-33A Augur air defence fighters, more commonly known by its official nickname of ‘Buzzard’, waiting to engage.

The Augur was regarded by FEAF pilots as the best fighter ever built, and there were seventy-two of them ready to fight the Kzuu Maians, each carrying twenty air-to-air missiles, split equally between long-range AMRAAMs and short range Sidewinders.

The first priority was to establish exactly how many Kzuu Maian fighters there were, the second was to knock every single one out of the sky. The second actually started before the first was completed, the F-33 pilots firing missiles as soon as they were in range.

Jun Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The exhausted aircraft, and their equally exhausted pilots, fired their last remaining missiles and a short burst of cannon fire towards the helicopters then peeled away from the fight, accelerating back towards Hitaan Airbase whilst attempting to dodge the Free Eaglian missiles. Another one vanished in a large explosion, showering the demolished airbase with shrapnel.

* * *

Kzuu Maian Fleet, the sea

Aboard the Aliala, the sonar operator made a quick, sneering report.

"Well, that didn't achieve anything, sir," he said, smirking. "We've just disturbed the water a bit, you know, made it harder for us."

The officer stomped over and glared at the sonar operator. "Shut it," he spat. "We've still got a submarine to destroy."

---

Above the water, the Kzuu Maian K-16K pilots saw the Free Eaglian aircraft heading towards them, and their leader immediately contacted the carrier.

"Engage, major," was the reply. "We will be sending more fighters shortly."

The major nodded, relaying the orders to the rest of the aircraft. Some of the pilots looked wide-eyed and frightened by the idea of confronting a force which was four times the size of their own, and probably better trained, but fired nontheless.

On the Ishaya, and it's smaller counterpart the Scarlet, another three squadrons of K-16Ks were scrambled, followed by two squadrons of the heavier, slower K-22Ks. They immediately flew towards the fight, where the first two squadrons were already beginning to take casualties.

The news of the other fleets spread quickly through the Kzuu Maian fleet. The guns prepared to bombard Carrara were instead turned towards the Free Eaglian warships, although the majority of the crew knew they were severely outnumbered and outgunned.

* * *

Qaelta, the Kzuu Maian-Free Eaglian Border

"We're under fire from enemy aircraft," announced the major of the fighters, sounding surprisingly calm as a fighter to his right disintegrated. "I'm not sure how many or of what kind. Engaging."

Half of the Kzuu Maian fighters from Sunali airbase, the K-22s and old Kz-20s, spread out and fired their own long-range missiles towards the Free Eaglian F-33s, while the lighter K-16 and Kt-14 fighters began fighting the Free Eaglian planes which were almost constantly bombing the Kzuu Maian forces. However, only a few minutes later, the Free Eaglian planes stopped coming.

"The Free Eaglians have left, repeat, the hostiles are gone," announced the major into his radio, sounding slightly more surprised.

At the other end, there was an outburst of confusion, followed by an ominous anxiety.

"They're planning something," was the eventual reply. "Keep on your toes, major."

The major turned off his radio and watched the scene carefully, looking for anything amiss. He ordered his fellow pilots to do the same, although none of them noticed the fuel-air explosive until a split second before it hit the force.

The vast fireball created by the FAE immediately incinerated those unlucky enough to be caught within its radius; a huge chunk was torn from the centre of the force, leaving nothing but blackened land and massive plumes of smoke in its wake. Other members of the force, tanks and soldiers alike, were flung into the fires by the vacuum created, the soldiers shreiking with terror as they were consumed by the flames. Some of the aircraft were plucked out of the air by the blast, their fuel tanks exploding and killing any pilots who had managed to survive that far. Carrara was no longer the biggest military tragedy in Kzuu Maian history.

The major, who had made an improbable and Bond-esque escape from the explosion, transmitted a virtually incomprehensible stream of reports back to base. When the Scimitar bombers arrived, he had managed to gather his senses enough to order the pilots who had escaped the explosion and not flown straight into the ground in their panic to attack.

Jun Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The Black Riders dropped out of afterburner and slowed to cruising speed when the AWACS controller reported that the Kzuu Maian fighters were fleeing. The eight Kestrels dropped down and took up position behind and above the helicopters.

The helicopters were at full power, heading for the border as fast as possible. The choppers had threat warning gear, and they knew that there were missiles chasing them. They were hoping that the missiles would run out of fuel before they caught the helicopters, but each chopper had a decoy dispenser to deploy flares and chaff. Their low altitude helped too.

As it turned out, all but one of the missiles lost lock, either because of the decoys or because the target was lost in the ground clutter. The one remaining missile tracked straight into the body of one of the Dragon attack helicopters, shredding it just as the rotor blades were blasted off the hub, in preparation for ejection.

The five surviving Kestrels from Shrike squadron, out of weapons and low on fuel, formed up with the Black Riders. In the course of this operation, the FEAF had lost seven Kestrels, four Falcons and one Dragon. Seven of the pilots had been recovered, two were injured. That left six valiant pilots who had lost their lives in the engagement. All to take out one airbase and rescue one agent.
***

The sea, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

The SRS Squall had stealthily sneaked in closer to the Kzuu Maian fleet and, since the Kzuu Maians had finished wasting ammunition, was able to identify individual sonar tracks.

"Conn, sonar. I have positive tracks on Masters Twenty-Four and Twenty-Five. Classify as Kzuu Maian attack submarines."

"Conn aye. Fire Control, do you have those solutions dialed in?"

"Yes sir. Tubes five and six, loaded with Spearfish."

"Fire Control, firing point procedures, tube five, Master Twenty-Four, tube five, Master Twenty-Five. Match sonar bearings and shoot, tubes five and six."

"Fire Control, aye." As soon as the torpedoes were ready, the sub shuddered as they were launched. The Squall was attacking two of the remaining Kzuu Maian subs. With luck, the Seawolf would shortly attack the other two.
---
Which was exactly what the other submarine was doing. After communicating with each other, the two subs had each drawn two of the opposing subs to attack, thereby sanitising the waters and leaving the Kzuu Maian fleet without submerged escort.

The Seawolf had pulled the same tricks as the Squall to get in close, and was performing an almost identical attack. The only difference was that her captain opted to use tubes one and two.

All four of the remaining Kzuu Maian submarines now had a Spearfish torpedo chasing them at over seventy knots. And Spearfish, as the FENF crews knew, didn't miss much.
---
The aerial force defending the Free Eaglian vessels had been split into two groups of forty eight fighters, all under the direction of the radar controllers on board the E-767 AWACS aircraft. The E-2D radar aircraft were supplementing the more powerful radar on the E-767 by watching the edges of the radar coverage.

One of these two fighter groups was directed towards the Kzuu Maian fighter group. The forty-eight Kestrels activated their targeting radars, selected a target and fired off an AMRAAM missile each. Most of the Kzuu Maian fighters would have two missiles chasing them now. Some would have more, some would have less. It was even possible that some would have no missiles locked onto them, but that would be rectified shortly after the missiles hit, when the Kestrels launched a second volley.

Those that had been targeted climbed steeply and pushed in the afterburners, creating huge targets for the missiles to track, then they deployed flares and chaff and cut back the engines, falling away and leaving an attractive false target. Of the nineteen Kestrels targeted by missiles, this worked in all but four cases. Three of those were destroyed completely, the other took minor damage and remained in the fight.

Before the Kzuu Maians could get any more shots off at the Free Eaglian aircraft, eight EA-18G Growler tactical jamming aircraft activated their jamming pods, obscuring the image on the Kzuu Maian radars and presenting a large number of false targets.

Below, the battleships Dorpen and Takaka Bay turned to port, unmasking all of their main guns. For a few seconds, nothing happened, then each battleship was hidden behind a mass of flame as the twelve 305mm guns on each ship fired. Twenty four shells flew towards the Kzuu Maian ships, and the guns went into their twenty-five second reload cycle.

As this happened, the eight smaller 127mm guns on each ship fired. The smaller guns were on the very edge of effective range, but the shells could cause severe damage. A single direct hit from the larger shells however, could cripple or even sink most vessels.
***

Qaelta State, the Free Eaglain-Kzuu Maian border

Each of the F-33s had its own small jammer suite, and these were activated as soon as the threat warning gear detected enemy missile launches. The fighters also dropped chaff and flares to decoy the missiles further. Then, they began manoeuvring, the Buzzard using its considerable agility to evade the incoming missiles.

Even so, two Buzzards fell to missile hits, with one pilot ejecting, but the seventy remaining fighters quickly attacked again, firing off another volley of AMRAAM missiles.

The Scimitar strike plan had not been relying on the FAEs to knock out the Kzuu Maian fighters, the commanders knew better than that. Instead, each bomber carried eight AMRAAM air-to-air missiles on the external pylons, and these were quickly fired off at the surviving hostile fighters. The FEAF countered the Kzuu Maian major's Bond-esque luck with sheer competence and overwhelming firepower. The Scimitars relied on their own protective jammers and decoys to protect them from missiles, as well as their stealthy airframes.

The Scimitars opened their bomb bays and dropped the cluster bombs over the target, a group of forces unaffected by the FAE blasts and further back within the invasion force. Soon, there were enough cluster bombs falling to eliminate two or three divisions.

In addition, two flights of Jaguars were headed in to attack the lead units, resuming the pattern of constant air attacks against the Kzuu Maians. Sooner or later, they would run out of the hand-held surface-to-air missiles and the FEAF could attack with impunity as the F-33A Augurs dealt with the enemy fighters. At least, they hoped this would happen. The reality, they knew, was unlikely to follow this.

The T-17 Stalker tanks and AH-27 Dragon helicopters performed another short-lived attack, again firing off only two or three shells or missiles before withdrawing back to the next position. Their harassment of the lead elements was to weaken them sufficiently so that when a proper force could be deployed, it would smash straight through the Kzuu Maian tanks.

Kzuu Maian fleet, the sea

The crew of the Aliala were growing increasingly edgy following the destruction of the Quicksilver and the Susurrus, and most of them were now scampering around obeying their officer's command without question. Even the rebellious sonar operator had realised the seriousness of their situation and shut his mouth.

He was horrified when he noticed that there was a torpedo heading straight for them, and immediately alerted the rest of the crew. However, it would be virtually impossible to outmanoeuvre the torpedo, especially in the comparitively noisy Kzuu Maian subs. Instead of wasting time in a futile attempt to evade the torpedo, the Kzuu Maians hurriedly fired a further two torpedoes at the Free Eaglians before the Spearfish hit and the Aliala was destroyed.

All of the other three submarines were also destroyed, one managing to release a single torpedo towards the Seawolf before the Free Eaglian torpedo hit.

---

Above the fleets, the Kzuu Maian pilots' threat receivers suddenly went crazy as the oncoming missiles were picked up. Unable to return fire due to the jammers, the pilots attempted to escape the missiles through a complex set of manoeuvres and, similarly to the Free Eaglians, deploying chaff. Five of the Kzuu Maians were hit despite these measures, all of which were destroyed almost instantly.

Although the jammers prevented the Kzuu Maians from being able to hit specific targets, the pilots fired nevertheless, if only to cause a little confusion amid the hostile fighters. Some of them searched for the jammer aircraft, but using only their eyes, and with so many aircraft in the sky, it was a futile task.

---

"OK," said the captain of the entire fleet, who was stationed aboard the Ishaya. "Fire!"

With that, a vast gout of flame exploded out of each of the guns aboard the battleships and other warships, propelling shells towards the Free Eaglians. Barely a split second later the first of the Free Eaglian shells impacted against a cruiser, blasting a hole in its hull and causing it to sink immediately. The other shells began falling on the fleet, destroying another cruiser and a destroyer, and crippling a battleship and a further destroyer. The Ishaya was hit by one of the smaller shells, shaking it and sending an aircraft spinning off the deck.

Qaelta, the Kzuu Maian-Free Eaglian border

The forces on the ground were becoming desperate and virtually powerless, the SAM launchers in the hands of the infantry providing the only defence from the ground. The aircraft above were severely outnumbered, although they still fought doggedly to protect the Kzuu Maian troops from the bombers while trying to avoid being hit by the hyper-advanced Free Eaglian aircraft.

Unfortunately, this was not going well. As the major watched, four of his fellow pilots were killed; two were caught by the Free Eaglian AMRAAMs, and another two collided as they attempted to lose the missiles on their tails.

The major sighed and turned to fire towards the F-33s, only to see a missile which had been avoided by another pilot streak past him. It turned and headed back towards his K-16, and the major, cursing under his breath, banked steeply and turned into a sudden dive, flying directly into the second AMRAAM which was coming up to meet him. As the aircraft began the twisting descent back to earth, before the major could eject from his aircraft, the original missile slammed into his cockpit, killing the pilot and destroying the plane immediately.

The other Kzuu Maian aircraft were efficiently removed from the sky by the rest of the Free Eaglian missiles. Before long the few Kzuu Maian aircraft still in the air were in disarray, and those ground troops who hadn't been killed by the FAE and weren't currently preoccupied with cluster bombs despaired.

Following another attack by the Free Eaglian tanks and helicopters, the Kzuu Maian commander ordered the helicopters in her own force forwards to engage them. Leaving the Kzuu Maian tanks behind, they sped away across the desert to find the enemy.

The sea, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

It looked like the Squall's luck had finally run out. The submarine went to flank speed as soon as it detected the incoming torpedoes, launching decoys and performing evasive manoeuvres. Within seconds, they'd streamed another Nixie decoy, and the sub was obscured by so many false targets it seemed impossible that the torpedo could still be tracking them.

But that was exactly what it did do. Guided as if by the hand of some angry deity, the Kzuu Maian torpedo relentlessly tracked in on the Squall, all the while getting closer.

In total, it took six and a half minutes for the torpedo to catch the Squall, then the ocean was filled with a thunderous roar, and one hundred and forty-five sailors lost their lives, forever buried beneath the waves.
---
The Seawolf, however, still had its luck, and the Kzuu Maian torpedo failed to guide on the silent Free Eaglian vessel. There was a moment's silence as they heard the fifth explosion marking the deaths of their comrades on board the Squall in remembrance, but they had a job to do, and that was to destroy the enemy fleet.

Now they could attack with relative impunity, since there were no enemy subs left to counter them. However, due to the battle on the surface, with shells and downed aircraft hitting the water, as well as ships sinking, the sonar conditions were significantly degraded, and they could no longer identify individual ships from their acoustic signature.

Instead, they could only guess what each ship was, although they could tell which ships were Kzuu Maian because of their location. The captain of the Seawolf launched six torpedoes in rapid succession, at six different targets, in an effort to achieve their goal.
---
Unfortunately for the Kzuu Maian pilots, the AMRAAM missile had a back-up infra-red seeker, which it used for terminal guidance. When a large number of extra targets appeared, its tiny computer brain suggested that it was being decoyed. It switched to the infra-red seeker, saw no thermal contact in the chaff cloud, since the Kzuu Maians hadn't deployed flares as well, and in nine cases the missile swung around and reattacked a Kzuu Maian aircraft, using both seeker radar and IR seeker heads to track.

The Kestrel pilots saw the Kzuu Maian missile launches, but didn't start manoeuvring unless their threat warning receiver was chirping. They blessed the intelligence of the mission commander for deploying the Growlers, only two of the Kzuu Maian missiles were actually targeted on real aircraft. These two Kestrels performed the same trick as last time, going into a steep afterburning climb, deploying chaff and flares then pulling back on the power and falling away. One pilot succeeded, the other died.

The Kestrels fired off another volley of AMRAAM missiles, their own radars ignoring the clouds of chaff since they had no airspeed. This time, the Free Eaglian fighters would keep their radars locked on, providing the missile with external guidance from a radar which could differentiate between fighter and chaff, to reduce misses.
---
The incoming Kzuu Maian fire was just as lethal as the outgoing Free Eaglian fire, as the crew of the destroyer Immortal found out to their cost, the first massive shell from the enemy battleships found her main magazine and blew the ship apart. The frigates Liberator and Forbidden were also sunk within seconds, and the destroyer Gladiator took a hit and was stopped dead in the water.

Dorpen and Takaka Bay adjusted to meet this more dangerous threat, the fire-control LADAR on top of the electronics mast locating the source of the large shells. The range and direction were uploaded to the targeting systems and the massive turrets shifted to target the enemy battleships. The massive guns let off a full salvo of twenty-four shells, each precisely targeted on the enemy battleships. The 127mm guns continued to engage their previous targets, the smaller shells would do little damage to a battleship anyway.

Now, the rest of the Free Eaglian fleet joined in the battle. They would not use their guns, though. They used the weapon they had been designed to use in this type of engagement. The first Harpoon anti-ship missile exploded out of its launch cell on the cruiser Hondur, angling towards the Kzuu Maian ships, closely followed by about half its magazine. The three other cruisers were also launching Harpoons, as were the battleships and those destroyers and frigates capable of doing so. When the Harpoon launch was complete, the larger vessels began launching half their Tomahawk cruise missiles, also targeted on the Kzuu Maian ships.

After the launch cycles, each of these ships emerged from the base of an enormous grey arch of smoke. There were now 120 Harpoons and 72 Tomahawks flying towards the Kzuu Maian fleet as the battleships continued to fire their massive guns.
***

Qaelta State, the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

(OOC: Uh, Kzuu, in my last post I fired 166 AMRAAMs at you and dropped stack loads of cluster bombs. Now, unless there really aren't that many Kzuu Maian fighters left over the fight, there should have been more kills (And if there aren't that many, I would have got all of them). And you seem to have missed out the cluster bombs completely.)

There were still enough hand-held SAMs flying around to cause problems, and they did. Three Jaguars were brought down over the battlefield, another was damaged and a Scimitar took three hits and exploded, scattering shrapnel across the troops below. Another Scimitar took two hits from air-to-air missiles and crashed to the ground, leaving a huge trail of black smoke in its wake and digging a large furrow into the ground.

The F-33s were no longer firing massed volleys. Instead, they split up into groups of eight to twelve and being patrolling, hunting for any surviving Kzuu Maian aircraft, while remaining out of range of the hand-held SAMs. Any hostile aircraft that were spotted had two fighters assigned to them, each firing a single AMRAAM or Sidewinder missile, depending on the range.

Two flights of F-16s streaked in at low level, armed with napalm to drop on the surviving infantry. This they did, but not before more SAMs had plucked two of their number out of the air.

The first thing the Free Eaglian tanks knew about the enemy helicopters was when two Stalkers exploded. The tank commanders went for their heavy machine guns and began engaging the helicopters, as the choppers fired at more tanks. The Dragon helicopters came in to assist, using their cannon and defensive Sidewinder missiles to attack the Kzuu Maian choppers. The battalion commander radioed for assistance, but it would take time to arrive.

In the mean time, as .50 calibre shells streamed out from the heavy machine guns, four more Stalkers died, and six more took severe damage, forcing the crews of three to abandon their vehicle and run for safety.

OOC: OK, I’ve edited my above post. Sorry about that. This is going to be pretty long.

IC:

Kzuu Maian Fleet, the Sea

Great plumes of water were hurled into the air all around the Kzuu Maian fleet as the Free Eaglian shells once again crashed into the warships. The frigate Jayilara folded in on itself when a shell struck its centre, and then exploded spectacularly when one of the Harpoon missiles struck it in the side.

The captain, from his no longer safe vantage point aboard the severely dented Ishaya, ordered to fire back again as quickly as possible, even as another cruiser sank into the depths of the ocean. The captain quickly calculated his options, hardly distracted at all when a fallen K-16K plummeted directly onto a nearby destroyer, sending both crew and wreckage flying in all directions. Eventually, he reluctantly jabbed his finger at a button in front of him then spoke distinctly into his mic.

“Return home, major,” he said resignedly. “We’re falling back.”

“Got that,” the major replied, sounding more relieved than disappointed.

The aircraft ceased their fruitless efforts to damage the enemy at the command of their major, and gratefully fled from the fight, several of them being shot down unceremoniously in the process.

The captain this time addressed the crews of the various warships still intact. In seconds, the warships began to back away from the vastly superior Free Eaglian forces, the fighter aircraft fleeing the dogfight and swooping down towards the Ishaya and the Scarlet, which attempted to defend them with their AA guns.

* * *

Qaelta State, the Kzuu Maian-Free Eaglian Border

With no air support, the Kzuu Maian troops had run out of options. The napalm tore through the regiments, the traumatised, flame-wreathed soldiers running around screeching before a cluster bomb put them out of their misery or they were simply roasted alive. Vehicles were systematically thrown high into the air with every cluster bomb, occasionally also coated in the steadily burning napalm, before crashing down onto those soldiers who still determinedly stood in place. The border was strewn with burnt-out vehicles, thousands of corpses, and the wreckage of dozens of aircraft.

The commander of the force who had, remarkably, survived this far, found a radio and desperately tried to contact Rayin.

“Mr. Rayin?” she said nervously into the radio. “Mr. Rayin? We’ve got nothing to do. Most of the force has been destroyed. They’re dropping napalm on us, cluster bombs. An FAE. What do we do? We can’t retreat; they’ll still kill us off. We can’t go forwards; we’re too weak.”

* * *

16 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The commander’s report had been heavily obscured by the sounds of the destruction around her, but her words were clear enough to be intelligible. Rayin had called President Hachi to his office as soon as the report had come in, and he now played it back to her.

“What’s she saying?” said Hachi, blinking sleepily but with urgent nervousness. She had hardly slept at all since the Free Eaglian stealth bomber threat had come in.

Rayin handed her a transcript of the report. Hachi scanned it.

“They keep going,” she said decisively.

“They can’t, Ms. President; she is right. They are too weak. They may have been entirely destroyed since the report came in,” said an advisor. Rayin nodded his agreement.

“Then we send another force, a bigger one. With lots of air support.”

Rayin shook his head. “We have very few aircraft left in that area, and another force would be met with equal ferocity. Such a meat-grinder tactic would be met with public outrage and hatred. We aren’t talking about a Stalinist Russia, feed-millions-to-the-enemies situation here. You’d be impeached.”

“We have to win this war, Mr. Rayin…”

“Do we, Ms. President? As I see it, we have a zero chance of a victory, or at least something which looks like a victory. We have a bigger army, yes; we are richer. But if we lost millions of our soldiers in a war over an aircraft and a couple of subs, we would not be remembered favourably. Giving up is not popular either, but in the circumstances it is our only option.”

“Negotiate a peace deal, Rayin,” said Hachi wearily. “But do not surrender. I will not surrender.” She took out a phone and ordered a double espresso, then trudged out of the office.

* * *

Secure Transmission

To: President Alan Hewitt, Free Eagles
From: Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai

Mr. President, the Democratic States of Kzuu Mai wishes to negotiate a peace deal between our two nations. This war has been damaging for us both. If you are willing to negotiate, please send us your terms; as part of our offer, we will allow Free Eagles to have a part in the development of our stealth fighter, the K-42 Vortex.

Rian Rayin,
Defence Secretary of the Democratic States of Kzuu Mai

End Transmission.

The sea, near the Kzuu Maian fleet

The Seawolf was floating silent again, listening to the battle through the sonar.

"Conn, sonar. The Kzuu Maian ships seem to be pulling back," announced the chief sonar operator.

"Should we pursue? Press the fight?" asked the XO, who was currently on the conn.

"No. We'll wait and see what the fleet does. Sonar, keep us updated," ordered the Captain.

"Sonar, aye."

The submarine turned away from its current course to avoid having Free Eaglian munitions falling on them, and took up a course running parallel to that of the Kzuu Maian fleet, slowly losing ground to them, but easily able to catch up if needed.
---
The Kestrels and Growlers continued to follow their flight path, directly towards the Kzuu Maian fighters.

"Sky Eye Two, this is Dragon Lead. Enemy aircraft appear to be pulling back. Request orders," transmitted one squadron leader.

"All aircraft, Sky Eye Two. Break off pursuit and assume patrol orbits. All Cobra units, stand down your systems."

The Kestrels formed up into their squadron units and began patrol circuits above the Free Eaglian fleet, observing the damage done. The Growlers shut down their jamming gear, clearing the enemy radar screens of clutter and allowing them to see clearly again. There were still 92 Kestrels airborne, only two of which were damaged.
---
The last salvo of Kzuu Maian fire was as devastating as the first. The Takaka Bay took a shell to her superstructure, which caused extensive damage and many casualties. The battleship was saved from even more severe damage only by her heavy armour plating. The cruiser Illustrious and the frigate Hammerhead were both sunk by multiple hits, and the destroyer Fearless was damaged by a smaller shell.

The most serious hit of all, however, was to the carrier Endeavour. The huge ship shuddered under the impact as the shell ripped a hole in the flight deck, blasting one aircraft into the rear edge of the superstructure, and destroying three in the hangar deck just beneath the flight deck. This started fires, which were swiftly responded to by fire-fighting crews, to prevent more aircraft from being damaged. It also meant that the Endeavour could no longer continue flight operations. An encoded radio message was sent to the nearest air bases, which promptly scrambled all their tanker aircraft to allow the fighters to reach the bases.

Seeing the Kzuu Maian retreat starting, the vessels were ordered to cease fire. And they did, except the battleships. On the admiral's orders, Dorpen and Takaka Bay were to continue firing their main guns as long as the Kzuu Maian ships were in range. The damage to the Takaka Bay would not affect its ability to fire its guns, so it did so as fire-fighting teams rushed to put out the fires started by the shell impact and recover those injured in the blast.
***

Qaelta State, the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

Over a third of the tanks in the battalion had been destroyed by the Kzuu Maian helicopters, which were being fought back by the Dragons cannon and Sidewinders, and the .50 machine guns on the Stalkers. Then six of the F-33A Buzzards joined in, firing their own guns and Sidewinders at the Kzuu Maian helicopters.

The other Augurs continued their patrols, well above the maximum range for the hand-held SAMs that were left. They were still hunting for any Kzuu Maian aircraft that might be flying, but this was rapidly becoming a pointless task. The Kzuu Maians seemed to have very little left in the area, especially things capable of flight.

There were still a small number of FEAF attack aircraft flying around, but these were now on low level search patterns, looking for units that weren't dead yet. There was a flight of A-10 Warthogs and one of F-16 Falcons, carrying a variety of munitions.
***

Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Mr President, it seems that Hachi wants to negotiate a peace deal," announced Valliere, handing the message form over. They were in the situation room, in direct link with the NMCC.

"Is this the same fighter we just stole most of the data for?" asked Hewitt.

"Yes sir, I believe so," replied Valliere. Hewitt snorted.

"Talk about a pointless effort. We could virtually build that fighter ourselves with that data. Steven, I want you to handle this. I need to keep an eye on this," ordered Hewitt. "McLaren, I want an update."

The Defence Advisor appeared on the video link screen from the NMCC again.
"Well sir, it seems that our forces are doing well. The First Battle Group has taken a beating, but appear to have forced the enemy to retreat, and our air forces over Kuwana, Ruvuma and the enemy state of Qaelta have performed superbly. The enemy invasion force appears to be in complete disarray."

"Excellent. Continue your operations, McLaren." The Defence Advisor nodded and disappeared again.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai
Fm: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles

The Republic of Free Eagles is willing to negotiate a peace deal with Kzuu Mai to bring an end to the conflict. Our terms are as follows:
1. All those responsible for causing the conflict between our nations be apprehended and handed over to Free Eaglian authorities.
2. Immediate withdrawal of all Kzuu Maian forces from Free Eaglian territory.
3. Suitable compensation for the families of those who have died as a result of Kzuu Maian aggression (to be specified at a later date).
4. A team of officers from the FEAF and technical specialists to be allowed to take part in the K-42 development project.

S. Valliere, Free Eaglian Secretary of State
[End Transmission]
***

Shadowland Air Base, somewhere in Free Eagles

There were only eight of the fighters in existence, and two were still at the assembly facility, undergoing final preparations. The other six were all sitting on the massive elevator that had just brought them up from the deep underground hangars. Two by two, the sleek fighters taxied to the end of the runway and took off, afterburner plumes trailing behind them.

Once airborne, the six F-36 Peregrine stealth fighters headed towards the border, topping off their fuel tanks from two of Shadowland's tanker aircraft en route. Once this refuelling had been completed, the fighters climbed up to nearly 90,000 feet, almost as high as conventional aircraft could go.

They were the absolute pinnacle of Free Eaglian stealth technology, even more advanced than the F-90 Wraith, two of which were following them at a distance of 40 miles, and 15,000 feet lower. All their weapons were carried internally, and they were operating the same 'Cloak' system. Unlike the Wraith, however, the Peregrine was a true fighter, designed to mix it up with other fighters. They were also very hard to spot visually, their mottled blue colour scheme blending perfectly into most sky conditions, and the ones it didn't were the ones were you couldn't see anything visually anyway, like storm clouds.


OOC: What happened to your former Defence Minister's dastardly plans? And I see this developing into a character RP where we have SpecOps teams hunting down the culprits (the ex-Defence Minister for one).

OOC: Ah, yes. I half-forgot about Nagishi because I was busy taking a considerable beating, but I think it's safe to say he didn't get much of an opportunity to carry them out, because Hachi was running the country to ruin for him.

If this turns into a character RP, would we need some more RPers?

IC:

166 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

“Mr. Rayin? They have sent back a message. Here,” Rayin's assistant handed him a piece of paper, which the Defence Secretary scanned quickly.

“Compensation for everyone who died because of us?” he exclaimed quietly. “Ah...Yaele? Will you contact President Hachi immediately?” The assistant nodded and walked urgently out of the room.

While she was gone, Rayin called in someone else - the head of the Kzuu Maian secret services, Niiala Alyan. She entered the room confidently, and looked at Rayin with something akin to disdain. She had more than a passing resemblance to Muu Kting, one of the four plotters behind the Kzuu Maian Revolution, and there were wild conspiracy theories flying around the Internet, stating that the head of the secret services was in fact the notorious rebel, returned from hiding. Of course, she wasn't, although they were somewhat distantly related.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Rayin,” she said. "How may I help you?”

Rayin looked up from a newspaper he had been studying. He folded it and dropped it on the floor. “Ms. Alyan. We require your aid.”

“What for?” asked Alyan, looking around the room.

“You remember Iyatan Nagishi, I assume?” said Rayin, opening a drawer of his desk and showing her a picture of the former defence secretary.

Alyan glanced at the picture. “Of course. You want us to catch him?”

“Indeed. Alive, preferably; the Free Eaglians want him.”

“And we’re just giving in, are we?” sneered Alyan.

“He is a threat to national security, Alyan. We will be negotiating other points of the treaty.”

“You’re surrendering.”

“No, I…ah, Ms. President,” said Rayin thankfully as Hachi entered the room, looking a little more awake than she had earlier. “This is the Free Eaglian reply.” He slid the piece of paper towards Hachi, who took it and glared at it.

“We’re surrendering,” she said abruptly.

“Ha!” cried Alyan.

“You may leave now, Ms. Alyan. Good luck in your search,” muttered Rayin, sounding increasingly exasperated. “We are not surrendering, Ms. President. I will draft a reply, which I hope you will approve of?”

“We’ll see.”

* * *

Secure Transmission

To: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles
From: Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai

The troops will be withdrawn as soon as possible; that is, assuming that you do the same.

We will gladly hand over those responsible – Iyatan Nagishi and the General of Jun Airbase – although we ask that they be treated humanely and are not executed. We are tracking down Nagishi at the moment, but can send the General at any time.

We will compensate the families of the original aircraft shot down over northern Kzuu Mai, the reconnaissance aircraft shot down over the sea and even the families of the crews of the submarine, although we stand by our statement that we did not attack it. We will not compensate the families of those soldiers killed after you declared war.

We also request that the original Christmas Day Treaty is either reworded to close any loopholes, or that an entirely new treaty is developed.

End Transmission

OOC: Ah, I see. And, no I don't think we need any other RPers, we just reduce the scope of the RP rather (focusing on some small groups, rather than entire armies or battlegroups).

IC:
Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Mr President, the Kzuu Maian defence minister has replied to our transmission," announced Valliere.

"Well, get on with it. What do the say?" asked Hewitt irritably.

"You know what terms I specified, and they have agreed to all except our demand for compensation, which was slightly unrealistic anyway. They have suggested an alternative, which is fair, and they state that they are attempting to track down the former Defence Minister," explained Valliere.

"Fine. Send a reply. Ask for any information they have on the whereabouts of that Minister to be sent to us. We'll get the RIA involved. Tom!" The last word was shouted, and the Director of the RIA, Thomas Hayter, hurriedly came over.

"Yes sir."

"I want you to find out anything you can about the whereabouts of ex-Minister," he glanced at the telex in his hand again, "Nagishi. We want him apprehended ASAP."

"I'll get on it right away. Can I bring in special forces teams if necessary?" asked Hayter.

"Yes. McLaren, order all forces to cease combat operations unless fired upon, except that Echo-Zero Operation you proposed. That goes ahead as planned."

"Yes, Mr. President," acknowledged McLaren.
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: Minister Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai
Fm: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles

Our troops will cease combat operations, they will not be withdrawn, since they are within Free Eaglian territory. However, force concentrations will be reduced to previous levels over the next few weeks if all goes as planned.

With your permission we would like to send a single helicopter to pick up the General in question. We request that all information relating to the current whereabouts of ex-Minister Nagishi be forwarded to us, so that we can take part in the operation to apprehend him. All prisoners will be interrogated and imprisoned according to Free Eaglian law (we will withhold the death penalty in the case).

After further consideration, we agree with your proposal for compensation to only those killed or wounded before the declaration of war. (To be finalised in further communications)

There are no loopholes that we can see in the wording of the Christmas Day Treaty, the aircraft was a military reconnaissance aircraft which did not have 48 hour clearance or a waver of terms from the Kzuu Maian Foreign Office, so it was in breach of the treaty. However, in light of recent events, you would be well advised not to press this fact.
[End Transmission]
***

Echo-Zero flight, approaching the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

The six F-36A Peregrine stealth fighters dropped down to more obtainable altitudes to top off their fuel tanks once more from the two more of Shadowland's tanker aircraft, then climbed back up to their previous cruising altitude of 89,000 feet. Forty miles behind them, the two F-90A Wraith aircraft mimicked the procedure, so that all eight aircraft were fully fuelled.

About five minutes later, the Peregrines crossed the border without event. Nothing happened, and neither did they expect it to. Their stealth characteristics and huge altitude meant that there were virtually no systems capable of detecting them. They continued on course.

1 89th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

“They have replied, Ms. President,” announced Rayin, as he popped into Hachi’s office. “We have an agreement. They wish to send a helicopter to pick up the General.”

“From Mai Jun?” Hachi looked horrified. “I don’t want them coming anywhere near here!”

“No, we are sending the General to Sunali Airbase. They will pick him up from there.”

“Good. Anything else?”

“Ah, yes, they wanted information on Nagishi’s whereabouts. With your permission, Ms. President, I will call in Ms. Alyan and ask her what she’s got. We know virtually nothing.”

Hachi nodded, and Rayin trotted out of the room, only to return a few minutes later with the head of the secret services at his side. Rayin gestured to Alyan to speak, taking a seat in the corner of the room.

“We have already begun investigations,” said Alyan. “Although, admittedly, we haven’t got far. We have reason to believe that Nagishi is still in Mai Jun; the idiot appears to still be using his credit card, and only in the centre of Mai Jun City.”

“Freeze his card,” ordered Hachi, shortly.

“Of course, Ms. President. We are currently trying to get his location a bit more specific; we aren’t going to be able to track him down, even if we do know he’s in Mai Jun.”

“You can’t trace his movements from the use of his cards?”

“No. His movements are erratic to say the least. We can’t, for example, find a bank he often goes to and wait there for him to arrive. From what we’ve seen, he goes to a completely random bank every time.”

“His mobile phone?”

“Not been switched on.”

Hachi shrugged. “Keep the work going, Ms. Alyan. Rayin, have you got this information?”

The defence secretary nodded. “I’ll forward it to the Free Eaglians straight away.”

* * *

Secure Transmission
To: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles
From: Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai

We agree to your terms. We shall finalise the compensation negotiations at a later date. I have forwarded what little information we have on Nagishi’s whereabouts to you.

The General of Jun Airbase is being moved from Mai Jun City to Sunali Airbase. You may send a helicopter to pick him up from Sunali, at a time, specified by yourselves, within the next twenty four hours.

End Transmission

OOC: On Tuesday I'm going on holiday for two weeks. We can pick this up again after I get back.

IC:
Century House, Salobra, Free Eagles

"Sir, the Kzuu Maians have agreed to all of our terms, and forwarded what little info they have on Nagishi to us. Director Hayter wants to send a team into Mai Jun City, where he seems to be. They'll stay in the embassy until they're needed, but he wants them in place in case they're needed," reported Valliere. "And they cleared us to send a chopper to pick up the General responsible from Sunali Air Base."

"Right. Ask if we can send the team, and tell them we'll send the helicopter shortly," ordered Hewitt. "McLaren, get the word out to Wajima. I want a chopper sent to Sunali to pick up the prisoner with a standard security team."
***

[Secure Transmission]
To: Minister Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai
Fm: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles

Thank you for forwarding the information you have on Nagishi to us, we are most grateful for your cooperation.

We will be launching the helicopter from Wajima within a half hour. It will be fitted with external fuel tanks and carry a four-person security team. It will not require refuelling at Sunali.

We also request permission to send a special forces team to Mai Jun City to assist in the hunt for Nagishi. They will fly in by executive jet and will remain at the Free Eaglian embassy until required.
[End Transmission]
***

Wajima Joint Service Base, southern Free Eagles

A brand new UH-40 Black Owl light helicopter sat on the tarmac. The chopper had been fitted with external weapons pylons, which had four fuel tanks fitted to them. Four infantry soldiers carrying rifles ran over and boarded the helicopter, as the crew started the engines and the rotor blades began their soft swish, which rapidly built up to a full-blown thunderous clatter.

The loadmaster slammed the sliding access door on the side and the helicopter lifted off the ground, swivelled on the spot and tilted its nose towards the border, building up speed and gaining altitude.
***

Echo-Zero Flight, high above Kzuu Mai

Now that they were inside Kzuu Mai, the six Peregrine fighters were heading straight for their destination. The eight aircraft (including the two Wraiths) were Hewitt's insurance policy. If the Kzuu Maian suddenly decided that they had a chance again and broke the ceasefire, they would carry out their attacks. The mission had originally been a strike mission, but the ceasefire had been agreed on before the aircraft launched.

The reason the mission had continued was that, in light of the Kzuu Maians' earlier lies and deception, Hewitt didn't exactly trust the Kzuu Maian leaders.

The pilots didn't know this, and didn't care. They were happy just flying the aircraft and carrying out their orders, especially the six Peregrine pilots, who loved every second they spent in the cockpit of the aircraft.

OOC: I am also going to be away for ten days, starting this weekend.

IC:

Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Iyatan Nagishi was seated in a small, threadbare room in a nondescript house which was lost in the chaos of Mai Jun City’s ancient backstreets. There were two chairs, their seats almost worn through; a table, covered in newspapers and with a half-empty bottle of wine standing in its middle; a dusty painting on one wall depicting the mountain range in the east of Kzuu Mai, and a portable television, which was currently blaring out the Kzuu Maian Broadcasting Corporation’s News.

“…disgraced former Defence Secretary Iyatan Nagishi has recently been named Public Enemy Number One, knocking seasoned gangster Draele Kixxula to Number Two,” said the newsreader, glaring disapprovingly at the camera. “The minister, who is now living in an unknown location, has been labelled as “largely responsible” for the recent conflict between Free Eagles and Kzuu Mai. It has been warned that he may do it again. Anyone with any information should contact the police...”

Nagishi got up and switched off the television. “Number One!” he laughed. “I wonder if they think that’ll make a difference…”

“It’ll raise public awareness, Iyatan,” said the room’s other occupant, a young, athletic man with curly black hair. “And people may recognise you and realise there’s something up and contact the police.”

“Whatever,” muttered Nagishi, his bravado promptly vanishing as he wandered over to the table and picked up a glass.

“So what’s the plan?”

“We stay here for a bit. They clearly have no idea where we are, or even that you exist. Clueless bastards.”

The young man chuckled mockingly. “OK, but stay on your toes. Maybe you should stop leaving here. I’ll go instead.”

Nagishi nodded. “Since they froze my credit card I haven’t really got a reason to leave anymore anyway.”

* * *

Secure Transmission

To: Secretary Steven Valliere, Free Eagles
From: Rian Rayin, Kzuu Mai

The General is now at Sunali Airbase, awaiting the arrival of your helicopter.

You may send a team to assist in the search for Nagishi; we are having little luck so far.

End Transmission

OOC: Strange. Hachi worries about an unarmed helicopter coming near Mai Jun city, then freely allows an elite special forces team to be based there. Either she's really not thinking straight or, does Hachi even know about the spec ops team?

IC:
SAM-FE18, approaching Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The VC-37A transport aircraft, the military version of the Gulfstream G-V executive jet, approached the Kzuu Maian capitol, and was beginning its descent into the city's airport.

The aircraft carried twelve passengers, all from the 67th Commando Regiment, the elite Free Eaglian special forces unit sometimes referred to as 'Raptor Force'. Other commando units existed, but none as good as the 67th.

Ten of the occupants formed Team Two, under Major Colin Langdon, the second best Spec. Ops. team in the Free Eaglian military. Major Hayes's Team One was currently involved in operations elsewhere, and was unavailable. Team Two included two people universally regarded in the business as the best assassination team Free Eagles had, so much so that the RIA used them as much as the 67th did, Captains Anna Mills and Craig Janson.

The other two passengers were from the 67th's Intelligence Support Platoons, and would provide Team Two with the latest relevant intelligence via radio link when and if they were deployed from the embassy. Experience had shown the commandos that up-to-the-minute intel was crucial to success, and the ISP members provided just that, analysing and relaying data from a secure location, in this case, the Free Eaglian embassy in Mai Jun City.

The rest of the plane's compartment was packed full of the equipment that Team Two would require if they were required, the specialist equipment that the embassy's armoury would not provide.

None of this was relevant to the pilots, of course, although they were interested. However, their task was to fly the team to Mai Jun, wait there, then fly them back again once their mission was accomplished.

"Mai Jun Air Traffic Control, this is SAM-Foxtrot-Echo-One-Eight, requesting initial approach vector," transmitted the pilot.
---
Ten minutes later, the Gulfstream jet rolled to a stop in the hangar designated to it by the Kzuu Maian authorities. Even before the engines had finished spooling down, three black painted vehicles with diplomatic tags drove in and pulled up near the jet. A single person climbed out of the lead vehicle, one of two Ford Galaxy MPVs. The airstair door was opened with similar rapidity and two of the passengers came down.

Major Langdon walked towards the figure by the vehicles. The Defence Attache from the Free Eaglian embassy extended his hand as he introduced himself.

"Major? Steve Donovan, Defence Attache at the embassy." Langdon shook the DA's hand.

"Major Langdon, Raptor Team Two. Have you got what we requested?"

"We've got space cleared at the embassy for you to run your operation from, the armoury is at your disposal, we've set up your datalink with Dolver Lake, and we're working on your liaison with the Kzuu Maian operation."

Langdon smiled slightly, "The only thing we need from your armoury is ammunition." He turned back towards the plane and barked out an order. "Webb, you're in charge of getting that gear off the plane and into the van. Mills, Viner, get over here."

The soldier standing by the airstair hatch relayed the orders up into the plane, and within seconds two more soldiers disembarked, one male, one female. They came over to where Langdon and Donovan were waiting.

"Mr. Donovan, this is Lieutenant Viner, he's one of my intel guys. He'll need to be put in contact with the Agency Chief of Station as soon as we arrive. Captains Mills and her counterpart may be leaving the embassy at some point to conduct other tasks."

Donovan just nodded, not mentioning that this was contrary to both his briefing and the statement given to the Kzuu Maians. He knew better than to argue with a Raptor member. Langdon dismissed Viner and Mills with a wave of his hand, and the two went to help the others with offloading their equipment.

The team worked quickly, and within five minutes their gear was stowed in the cargo area of the third vehicle, a Transit van. Then the team climbed into the vehicles, which promptly began moving, leaving the airport and heading for the embassy.
***

Sunali Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The Black Owl sent to pick up the Kzuu Maian general cruised in from the north, over-flying the base once to allow the pilots to get their bearings, then came around and followed the Kzuu Maian controller's instructions as to where to land.

The helicopter flared and settled gently on the tarmac at the Kzuu Maian air force base. Immediately, the side hatches slid open and two members of the security team jumped down, moving away from the helicopter, and looking for a Kzuu Maian representative.

Behind them, the other two infantry kept a watch on them, from inside the passenger compartment on the Black Owl, whose rotors continued to turn at idle, filling the air with a rapid thud-thud-thud and kicking up swirling eddies of dust.
***

Echo-Zero Flight, somewhere over Kzuu Mai

The pilot of the lead Peregrine fighter jumped as his comm unit beeped. That meant that someone was waiting to talk to him, and that was contrary to his radio silence order. He thought about it for a few seconds, and decided that the only reason for someone to break the order was either if their commander wanted to relay new orders, or if one of his pilots was having trouble. Either way, he should answer it. He pressed and released the transmit button, sending his own beep over the comm circuit.

"Eagle Three, authenticate Zulu-Whiskey," came the command. The pilot swore as he found the right response in the list of authentication codes strapped to his left leg.

"Eagle Three authenticates Charlie-November. Shadow, authenticate X-ray-Sierra," he replied.

"Shadow authenticates Golf-Oscar. Good copy, Eagle Three. You are ordered to RTB immediately. Acknowledge and confirm."

"Eagle Three copies RTB immediately. Wilco, Shadow." The pilot switched to a different scrambler set and relayed the orders to the other seven aircraft. Then he put the F-36A Peregrine fighter into a smooth turn and reversed course, heading directly back towards Free Eaglian territory. The other five Peregrines followed his turn, and the two F-90A Wraiths did the same forty miles away.

The comm unit went silent again, leaving the pilot to wonder what had caused the mission to be scrubbed. He would later learn that someone had decided that, despite the Peregrine's ultra-efficient engines and large range, the aircraft would not be able to remain on station long enough to prove effective, and now that Raptor Team Two was in Mai Jun City, Hewitt had another, more suitable insurance method.

OOC: Good point. She hasn't been thinking straight for some time, but she realises that the incompetent Kzuu Maian army has zero chance of finding Nagishi on its own. Lesser of two evils.

IC:

Sunali Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

As the helicopter touched down on the tarmac of Sunali Airbase, five Kzuu Maians walked out of one of the buildings towards it: the General of Sunali Airbase, a representative of the Kzuu Maian Government and two soldiers, driving the treacherous ex-General of Jun Airbase before them.

"Good morning," said Sunali's General stiffly as they neared the helicopter. "We have brought the General, as requested."

One of the soldiers, with obvious satisfaction, viciously jabbed his assault rifle into the ex-General's back, who stumbled closer to the helicopter.

* * *

Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The young man currently living with Iyatan Nagishi was called Jaile Gaiilara, an eccentric name even by Kzuu Mai's standards. He was walking confidently and quickly through the streets of Mai Jun City, wearing a black hooded top, baggy jeans and huge trainers. Turning off a main street that was crowded with the citizens of one of Mai Jun's poorer areas buying food and discussing last nights' television, Gaiilara darted down a back alley into the twisted chaos of Mai Jun's old town. Swiftly navigating the tiny streets, ridden with beggars, muggers and dodgy market dealers, Gaiilara eventually arrived at a tiny square, deserted apart from a single man. A row of depressed-looking trees stood unimpressively along one edge of the square, and the man stood patiently under one of these.

"My mother was not impressed with the drop to Number Two," he said as Gaiilara approached. He was slightly older than Gaiilara, pale, with short, messy blonde hair, dark eyes and a bit of stubble. "But she remains willing to help."

"I thought she was going to be here herself," said Gaiilara quietly, running a practiced eye over the man standing in front of him, assessing any threats.

"No. She did not feel the need to leave Gayoshi, and, as her representative in Mai Jun, she decided I should meet you. My name is Rakhii Kixxula."

"Jaile Gaiilara. Do you have them on you now?"

"No, they are with another member of our Mai Jun branch."

"Nearby?"

"Yes. Follow me."

Gaiilara followed Kixxula out of the square and out of the southern edge of the old time, and into an almost completely derelict industrial estate in the south east of Mai Jun City.

OOC: So, bringing crimelords into this are we? Interesting.

IC:
Sunali Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

"Howdy. How are y'all today," greeted the sergeant leading the security group, showing no respect for the rank of the officer in front of him. "Sar'nt Carwood, Fee-Gee-Eff [FEGF]." A Free Eaglian by birth, he was Texan by descent, and his thick accent annoyed everyone in his unit. He made a small motion with his left hand. The private soldier with him stepped forward in front of their prisoner.

"Name?" he asked bluntly. Their orders were very specific: Make absolutely certain you have the right person before leaving Sunali. Intel had come up a blank with details on the ex-General, but Spinnaker had provided them with both a name and rudimentary description.

Back in the still-running helicopter, the other two soldiers held their rifles ready, but aimed at the ground in front of them. It was safe to say that no Free Eaglian soldier trusted any Kzuu Maian to keep their word, and they were taking every precaution possible.
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The Raptor team was now installed in two of the rooms in the Free Eaglian embassy. One was being used as a storage area, for all their equipment, the other had become their operational command post, now filling up with encrypted radios, satellite datalinks and a relay for their short-range tactical radios.

Lt. Viner and his companion from the ISP were ensconced with the RIA Chief of Station, and hadn't been seen since their arrival. The others had set up their gear, then found their sleeping quarters within the embassy. Lt. Webb and another soldier were bringing ammunition from the armoury up to their rooms so that it was ready at hand when they needed to load their weapons.

Major Langdon had just finished communicating with their regimental headquarters at Dolver Lake about their status, when Mills and Janson appeared, both dressed in civilian clothing and wearing shoulder holsters complete with sidearms under their jackets.

"What do you two want?" he asked.

"To go out and look at the locations where Nagishi was last seen, see if we can pick up anything the Kzuu Maian missed," replied Janson, as though it was obvious.

Langdon considered the request for a moment. "Alright, let me see if I can dig you up some escorts from the Kzuu Maian investigation team. Don't want you getting arrested, do we?"

He lifted a phone, instantly going through to the embassy operator. "Yes, can you put me through to the Kzuu Maian Secret Service, please. I want the head office of their Nagishi search operation."
***

Echo-Zero Flight, the Free Eaglian-Kzuu Maian border

The six Peregrine fighters exited Kzuu Mai the same way they had entered, flying over the same section of the border and the same speed and altitude. This location had been chosen because it represented a dip in the Kzuu Maian radar coverage of the border, not that they thought the Kzuu Maian radar stood any chance of detecting them whatsoever, but it didn't pay to take chances.

The two Wraiths were already safely back in Free Eaglian territory, and were headed, once more, for a tanker to top up their tanks. All eight of the aircraft would head back towards the secretive airbase known as Shadowland.

Sunali Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

The ex-General looked up wearily at the request, his eyes rimmed with red from the lack of sleep. "My name," he said, quietly but truthfully, "is Lainai Altin, previous general of Jun Airbase."

Behind him, the two soldiers still had their rifles pointed firmly at the ex-General's back, but both watched their Free Eaglian counterparts carefully and suspiciously.

* * *

Kzuu Maian Secret Services, 201 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Sitting in her bleak office overlooking the clutter of 88th Street and, beyond, Mai Square, Niiala Alyan checked dozens of pages on her computer and shuffled through twice as many bits of paper, all stamped with "TOP SECRET". On one wall, there was a huge map of Mai Jun City with all of the locations that Nagishi had visited so far, but there was no decipherable pattern.

Alyan had taken it upon herself to find Nagishi, as she had been rather detached from the day-to-day operations of the secret services since her ascension to the Head of the Secret Services, and wanted a change. She also happened to be the most competent member of the Secret Services, and the Nagishi incident was the most important piece of work that had come their way for some time.

The Free Eaglian call eventually made its way through to her office. Alyan picked it up on the first ring.

"Alyan," she said promptly into the receiver.

* * *

Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Gaiilara left the small, dilapidated office building and quickly made his way back to a main street, now with a large backpack slung casually over his shoulder. Ducking and weaving through the milling crowds, he turned down a side alley, went up a fire escape, dashed through a rat-infested abandoned flat, and made his way through a window into the flat opposite.

"You're late," said Nagishi, as Gaiilara entered the room and carefully put the backpack down.

"We had to do a bit of negotiation over the cost," explained Gaiilara quickly.

"What? Did you take him down a bit? I thought it was a bit pricey..."

"We settled on four thousand shillings."

"Oh. That's OK. Lucky they froze my credit card after I withdrew most of my money, eh?"

Gaiilara laughed mirthlessly, then walked over to the ancient fridge crouching in one corner of the room, pulled open the door and took out a can of beer. Watching the backpack nervously, he poured the beer down his throat, then dropped the can on the alreadly filthy carpet and crushed it under his trainers.

Nagishi picked up the bag and pulled out a handgun, squinting at it and testing its weight. Gaiilara hastily closed the blinds on the window; owning a firearm without a license was punishable by imprisonment in Kzuu Mai, and it was notoriously difficult to get hold of one.

"These are hardly worth the money, Jaile, you know," he said eventually, pointing the weapon experimentally at the wall.

"Considering our situation, I'd say they were," Gaiilara replied.

"I suppose so. They just better not mess up everything."

* * *

South Eastern Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Deep within the rotten, derelict south eastern areas of Mai Jun City, a silver Ford Mondeo started its engine and drove out of the wide doors of an abandoned warehouse, two men in baseball caps holding them open. When the car turned out onto the road, a larger car followed it, but it had only one occupant. It turned in a different direction. The two men nodded and stepped back inside the building, dragging the doors shut.

The Mondeo had four occupants, three of which were nervously cradling sub-machine guns in their laps, and the other driving. They cruised slowly along the rubbish covered streets, heading towards the city centre, and 88th Street.

Sunali Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

The private held his rifle loosely in one hand as he pulled a small piece of paper from a pocket on his BDUs, and checked what was written on it, looked closely at the prisoner again, then returned the paper to the pocket and hefted the rifle again.

"Sarge, the name's right, and the description matches. I think we got the right man here, Sir," he told the Sergeant.

Carwood nodded slowly. "Well then, I guess we'd best mosey on back home, hadn't we? Get him in the Owl and get the airhead on the horn. Tell 'em we got our man, then get the bird ready to fly." He turned back to the Kzuu Maians. "That is unless y'all have anythin' else to say?"

The private motioned with his rifle for Altin to head towards the chopper. The two soldiers in the Black Owl watched the proceedings with only minor interest, more concerned with the clearly suspicious Kzuu Maian soldiers.
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Ms Alyan, this is Major Langdon at the Free Eaglian embassy. Two of my troops want to go out into the city and scout out the locations where Nagishi was last seen, and I thought they should probably have escorts from your department, to guarantee that no-one interferes with them, and so you know what they are doing."
"My intel guys were also asking if you had any information on suspected accomplices of Nagishi. If he's gone into hiding, who's helping him?"

As Langdon was talking, Private Susie Williams, the other ISP operative, entered the room, carrying two pieces of paper. Mills and Janson intercepted her before she could interrupt Langdon.

"What'cha got, Susie?" asked Janson. The intel troop led them over to the wall map, a huge A-Z-style street map of the city.

"Well, sirs, I was running down the last few transactions from Nagishi's known bank accounts, they've all been frozen," she added, "and I think I found something. A few hours before the accounts were frozen there was a large withdrawl from an ATM machine here in the city which virtually emptied this account."

"So the bastard managed to get his money before the Maians locked it down, so what?" asked Mills impatiently.

"Well, sirs, he's used that particular ATM three times within the last four days. It's a good bet he's holed up somewhere nearby," explained Williams.

Mills brightened noticably. "So, where is it?"

Susie reached out and tapped a point on the map. "About here. I asked one of the Agency guys stationed here, and he says it's one of the older, poorer areas of the city, run down and with high crime rates. Sort of like Salobra's Mansfield district."

Janson grimaced at that. "If he is hiding there, we'll have a job finding him. It's virtually impossible to find any one person in that kind of area, because no-one wants to help, and if they did, chances are they wouldn't know anyway. Any chance of a mobile phone to trace?"

"It would seem not, sir. He does have one, but as far as we can tell, it's not been switched on for the last few days. He's probably ditched it," concluded Williams.

"Well, he seems to be fairly smart, I'll give him that. But he'll slip up sooner or later," predicted Mills, as the two commandos walked back over towards Langdon, listening for the response to their request.

Sunali Airbase, Northern Kzuu Mai

"That's all," replied Sunali's General. He and the representative of the Government turned and walked back to the buildings, but the two soldiers waited until the Free Eaglian helicopter left, rifles at their sides.

* * *

201 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Very well, Major. I will send three people to accompany your troops. Is it OK if I send them 'round to the embassy?

"We also believe Nagishi must have some kind of accomplice. We suspect that he may have become involved with the Mai Jun branch of Gayoshi's mafia; we have sent in a mole in an attempt to find out as much as we can. He may have an accomplice outside of the mafia, but as yet we have no indication of who that may be."

Alyan took the phone from her ear and jabbed a button in front of her. "I want three soldiers prepared to escort two Free Eaglians into Mai Jun."

"Of course, Ms. Alyan," crackled the reply through the intercom.

Alyan returned to the phone. "The soldiers will be ready for when you need them, Major."

88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Rian Rayin stepped out of the Ministry of Defence and waited patiently for the valet to bring his car around to the front. He was from Akran, which had a tradition of eating lunch late, and 88th Street was almost completely deserted; the Government workers and business people were back to shuffling papers in their offices.

His car appeared around the corner. He thanked the valet, then opened the door and began driving slowly down the long road towards the bakery where he always bought a chicken sandwich. There was only one other car on the road, coming in the opposite direction; a silver Ford Mondeo blasting dance music out of its open windows.

Rayin shook his head in annoyance; if there was one kind of music he truly despised, it was dance. Suddenly, the dance was interrupted by gunfire; it was with dim, confused horror that Rayin realised that the passengers of the Mondeo were holding guns, and spraying bullets in his direction as they passed. He slammed on the breaks as the car vanished down the road with a screech and the smell of burning rubber following behind.

Breathing heavily, Rayin leant back. The bulletproof glass and armoured body of the car had held; he was unharmed. It was a precaution that all high-level Kzuu Maian Government officials took; it was well known that being a politician was one of the most dangerous jobs in Kzuu Mai.

---

The mobster who had been driving the larger car, an SUV complete with improbably huge bull bars, grinned to himself when he saw Rayin's car stop in the middle of the road.

"Perfect," he muttered, driving the SUV out of a side alley and turning so he was in the wrong lane, facing Rayin's stationary car. He drove slowly, at less than ten mph, but there were no other cars around to complain, and Rayin was in no state to do so.

The mobster took his foot off the accelerator, brought the car to a halt, opened the door and got out, although he left the engine running. He clamped the steering wheel fast, so that it was immovable - he knew his activities would be attracting a bit of attention, but his face was covered - then leant into the car and, with great care, dropped a brick onto the accelerator. He dived out of the way as the SUV lurched forwards, the open door flailing as it tore down the road.

---

Rayin opened his eyes and forced himself to relax. He was unharmed. His car was unharmed. He pressed down gently on the accelerator and began making his way up the road, just in time to notice the huge SUV bearing down on him. An SUV, Rayin realised with astonishment, with no driver.

He grabbed the steering wheel and attempted to swerve away, but he was too late; the SUV hit him in the side, sending his considerably smaller car flying into the air over the top of it, rolling across its roof and crashing down onto the road behind it. The SUV continued its journey down the road until 88th Street ended and the 1000 Martyrs park began; the car eventually came to a halt in the memorial lake.

---

"Shit! Shit shit shit!" cried the SUV's driver; just as the SUV had hit Rayin's car he had jabbed his finger at the remote detonator in his hand, but the explosives packed into every cavity of the car had failed to explode and Rayin may yet survive. Still swearing under his breath, he loped off down a back alley and back towards the warehouse.

Sunali Airbase, northern Kzuu Mai

"Pleasure doing business wi' y'all," Carwood called after the retreating Kzuu Maians, before heading back to the helicopter, ducking his head as he passed beneath the whirring rotor.

Two of the privates had just finished searching Prisoner Altin for weapons, recording devices or explosives, as a safety precaution. Now they strapped him securely into a seat and bound his hands and feet with plasticuffs.

Carwood and the other private pulled the side doors closed, making sure they were securely fastened.
"Okay, sir. We're good to go back here," Carwood told the pilot, as they strapped themselves into fold-down seats.

The pilot increased the power, and the Black Owl came up off the tarmac smoothly, pivoted and put its nose down towards the border, gaining speed and altitude.
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Thank you, Ms Alyan. My people will be waiting for them just inside the main entrance." Langdon put the phone back in its cradle.

"Well, you've got your escorts, three of them. You'll meet them in the embassy lobby. Before you go, the Maian Secret Service believe Nagishi has at least one accomplice, possibly two. The more interesting news is that the one they know about probably belongs to some mafia group. Watch yourself." The two commandos turned to go, but Langdon stopped them. "One last thing: I can see you're both armed, but do you both have comms, too?"

Neither Mills nor Janson said anything in response, they both turned their heads slightly so that Langdon could see the wires taped to the sides of their necks.

Langdon nodded, and dismissed them. Within a minute they were waiting in the lobby for the arrival of the Kzuu Maian escorts.

201 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Alyan had heard the crash while on the phone to Langdon, but it was only when the screech of the sirens filtered through the double-glazing that she spun around in her chair and peered out onto the road.

There was a severely battered car lying on its back in the middle of the road. Traffic accidents were not uncommon in the centre of Mai Jun during rush hour, but during working hours they were virtually unknown. Looking across the road, Alyan could see dozens of other people watching the scene, thankful it wasn't them.

A fire fighter sliced through the car's frame, sending sparks flying across the road. As soon as the driver - someone completely unrecognisable from the blood pouring down his face, although he appeared to be male - was accessible, two paramedics rushed forwards, placed him gently on a stretcher, and dashed towards the Secret Services building. Alyan was not particularly surprised by this; every major government building had its own underground station, although most were only on two lines, the Government Line, which linked all Government buildings together, and the Emergency Line, which linked every station to its nearest hospital via a single, uninterrupted line. Needless to say, this made the hospitals' stations the largest in the city, but the emergency services were very proud of it and no one liked to annoy them.

Alyan shrugged. Although it was rare for this time of day, the accident hardly concerned her. She told her assistant to order the Kzuu Maians to go around to the Free Eaglian embassy, and turned back to her computer.

* * *

88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The three soldiers - two women and a man - stepped out of the Secret Services building just as a truck turned up to tow Rayin's car to the junkyard. The first, a tall, black haired Native Kzuu Maian named Qiala Rixzai, watched the car moving away with little interest. The other two were a British-Kzuu Maian called Jess Blackwell and an Akranese named Ivilin Raltarov. They got into their car, and Blackwell began the short drive towards the Free Eaglian Embassy.

When they arrived, all three got out of the car and headed for the main entrance, where Alyan's assistant had told them the Free Eaglians would be waiting.

* * *

South-Eastern Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"...the Kzuu Maian Defence Secretary, Rian Rayin, has been involved in a serious car accident, the Government informed the KMBC a few minutes ago. It is believed this was an attempt to murder the Defence Secretary, as just minutes before the collision his car was attacked with machine guns, and witnesses of the accident have revealed that the driver of the SUV which hit his car was acting "very strangely and suspiciously, and wasn't even in the car when it hit". The number one suspect for organising the attack is currently disgraced former defence secretary Iyatan Nagishi.

"Mr. Rayin is in the Karl Yokavic Hospital suffering from, a broken arm, a severe blow to the head and a damaged back. Doctors have described his condition as "critical". We'll bring you the updates as we get them, but now more of the day's news..." Nagishi exploded out of his seat and jabbed the television's off button so viciously that he howled in pain.

"Four thousand shillings, that cost us! Four thousand shillings! Four thousand shillings!" he screeched to the room, which consisted only of Gaiilara.

"I know, Iyatan. I did the deal, remember?" Gaiilara replied.

"Don't get smart with me, idiot, they messed it up! They haven't killed him!"

"His condition is critical, Iyatan," said Gaiilara, who had not been impressed with "idiot". "He might still die."

"Or he might not."

"Always look on the bright side of life..." Gaiilara sang mockingly, opening another can of beer.

"You think this just a game, don't you? Don't you?"

"Indeed I do, Iyatan. It really is a game, for me at least. Perhaps you've forgotten, but I can go to the police at any time, tell them where you are and get you put in prison for the rest of your life."

Nagishi quietened down. "We've still failed to kill him," he muttered, straring at the floor.

"But we've proved what we can do. Got a bit of fear into the Government. It really makes no difference."

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Two-Four, Two-Five. Comm check," ordered 2nd Lieutenant Ewan Rico, who was currently manning the comm systems.

Mills and Janson were waiting in the embassy lobby for their Kzuu Maian escorts to appear, and they were conducting a check of their comm systems as they did so.

"Two-Zero, Two-Four. Check," murmured Janson.

"Two-Zero, Two-Five. Check," said Mills quietly.

"That's good. I read you both loud and clear. You're good to go, sirs."

There was a few minutes of silence, as they waited, but them Rico came back on the net.
"Two-Four, Two-Five, this is Two-Zero. KMBC just ran a story sayin' somebody just tried to whack Defence Minister Rayin. They think Nagishi was involved. Two-One says watch yourselves," he told them.

The two commandos raised their eyebrows and looked knowingly at each other.

"Well, that kinda confirms the mafia link. You'd need that sort of help to pull something like that off. Damned if Nagishi ain't got balls though. The bastard's supposed to be hidin', not hitting government officials," mused Mills.
---

When the three Kzuu Maians approached the entrance to the Free Eaglian embassy, they found two Rangers carrying assault rifles at the compound entrance, and two more by the main entrance to the building, similarly armed. Others were visible patrolling the interior of the embassy compound. Clearly, the Free Eaglians were taking no chances in the capitol city of what was so recently an enemy.

Both the soldiers at the compound entrance and the building entrance asked to see identification from the Kzuu Maian Secret Service personnel, and pointed them in the right direction when they found out who they were.

"Heads up. I think our company just arrived," announced Janson softly. Mills looked towards the door and clocked the three Secret Service agents immediately.

"Well then, let's go," she told him.

They walked over to the Kzuu Maians. Mills spoke first.

"Captains Mills," she started. "And Janson," put in Janson. "Raptor Two, FEGF. You our escorts? Got any ID?" finished Mills.
***

Recovery Room 4, Three Hills Hospital, Oderzo, Free Eagles

A television set burbled quietly in one corner of the room, informing anyone who was listening of the latest news.

The room's single occupant wasn't watching the television, or even listening to the running reports. He was deeply engaged in the object in his hands, a GBA SP. Consequently, he failed to look up when he heard the room's single door open and close. Only after he had failed what he was trying to do, cursing softly in the process, did he look up.

When he did, his eyes nearly bugged out of his head. Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mauer, FEAF, started to bring his right arm up for a salute, but a voice stopped him.
"At ease, Colonel. You're off duty and wounded. And after what you've been through, I should be saluting you."

Mauer swallowed, embarrassed by his delay in looking up to greet his visitor. "Y-Yes, Mr. President. If you say so, sir."

Hewitt smiled at the wounded pilot. "I thought that I should drop by to check on you personally. Plus I had some business to attend to."

Mauer felt slightly better already. The President hadn't flown all the way out here just to see him. He wasn't sure he could have coped with that much personal attention from his commander-in-chief.

"So, now that I'm here, I'd best attend to it," continued Hewitt, pulling a small blue box from his pocket. Mauer froze. Hewitt opened the box and removed something from it, shielding it from Mauer's view with his hand.

"Lieutenant-Colonel Scott Mauer, I am proud to award you the Silver Cross in recognition of your services and sacrifices for your country." Hewitt leaned over and pinned the medal onto the pillow.

Mauer was speechless for several seconds, then managed to force out a "Thank you, sir."

The Silver Cross was the third highest decoration it was possible to receive, only the Gold Star and the Medal of Honour were above it.

Mauer found himself thinking that all he had done was flown his aircraft and got shot down while doing so. He found his voice again.

"Sir, I caused a war. Why am I getting a medal?" he asked guardedly. One wasn't supposed to question your commander-in-chief.

"No, Colonel, the Kzuu Maians caused a war. You were just the first casualty. Get some rest, Colonel. We need you back on active duty."
Hewitt then left the room, leaving Mauer to contemplate the events.

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Each of the three Kzuu Maians held up a small plastic card. "Qiala Rixzai," said Rixzai, the highest ranking member of the group. "and Jess Blackwell and Ivilin Raltarov. Kzuu Maian Secret Services." All three were dressed casually, although they also all had guns hidden about their persons. Alyan herself had informed them of what had happened to Rayin, and Nagishi's status had been elevated to "extremely dangerous; do not approach"; they were going to take no chances in their search for Nagishi.

* * *

South Eastern Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Jaile Gaiilara had been told to go out and demand their money back from the mafia, something he was not inclined to do. Instead, he sat at a table outside a grimy cafe and mulled over exactly what he was going to do about Nagishi. Unwittingly, he had got himself caught up in something that was most likely going to lead to mass murder. He still had the handgun hidden under his jacket. He was beginning to realise just what helping out his old family friend was going to involve.

He considered going to the police, but he knew he'd be arrested for his part in Rayin's attempted murder if he did, and he didn't intend to spend ten years in Kzuu Mai's prisons.

Eventually, he paid his bill and crossed the road to the nearest underground station. He bought himself a ticket from a machine, went down to the station and hopped onto the first train to come by, heading for Mai Jun City Central Train Station.

---

In his tiny flat amid the turmoil of Kzuu Mai's backstreets, Iyatan Nagishi waited impatiently for Gaiilara's return. Brutal images of the young man being attacked by dozens of armed mobsters forced their way into his mind, but he pushed them back out again; as far as he was concerned, getting the money back was more important than the threat on Gaiilara's life.

When Gaiilara still didn't return, Nagishi began to get a little worried. He was completely helpless without Gaiilara; he had been Nagishi's link to the outside world, and without him he would have to remain in hiding until he found someone else, starved to death or committed suicide. Nagishi shuddered and closed the blinds, switching on his television and flicking to the news channel; if Gaiilara had betrayed him it would be on there.

Wajima Joint Service Base, southern Free Eagles

The Black Owl helicopter was losing altitude as it crossed over the southern perimeter fence, coming down rapidly in a controlled descent. The battlefield chopper, its smooth lines disrupted by the continuing presence of the external fuel tanks, flared as it approached its assigned landing zone.

It touched down gently on the tarmac, and within seconds the pilot had begun the engine shutdown sequence, the rotors swinging gently to a stop as four soldiers dashed over and opened the sliding side-doors.

The four inside the helicopter had already gotten their prisoner up and out of his seat, and one of them knelt down to cut the plasticuffs binding Altin's ankles. The former general was then made to step out of the helicopter, where the newly arrived troops took custody of him, walking him over to the base security building.

Within minutes, Altin was locked in a cell in the brig, awaiting transfer to a secure military detention centre. The only other occupant was a corporal arrested an hour earlier for being drunk and disorderly, locked in the cell opposite. He still was.

"Who're you, you shitbag?" he asked loudly. "Hey, I know you. You're the prick who stole my girlfriend last month." He staggered to his feet and lurched over to the bars. "When I get outta here, I'm gonna kill your sorry ass!" he threatened drunkenly.

"Quiet down, Reynolds, or I'll have you shot," the chief security officer bellowed as he entered the brig. The drunken corporal shut his mouth and went to lie on the bed. The security chief stood in front of the Kzuu Maian officer's cell.

"Mr Altin, I'm under orders to ask this question, even though I think it's a waste of time. Do you have any idea where your ex-Minister Nagishi is hiding, or who is helping him?"
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Alright. Let's get going already," declared Janson after the Kzuu Maians introduced themselves. "Okay, what we want to do is visit the last four places Nagishi was reliably seen by others."

Janson's request had already taken into account one of the main problems with any major investigation that the general public were aware of: You always got people that gave you false information, either because they imagined what they saw or because they just liked jerking the police around.

The two Free Eaglian commandos began moving towards the exit, assuming the Kzuu Maians would follow them. Mills made an inquiry as they walked out of the doors.

"So, do you have any major suspects for Nagishi's accomplice? A name we could check out?"

Once they were outside, Janson surreptitiously separated himself from the group by a few metres while Mills kept them occupied.
"Two-Zero, Two-Four. How good are the Maian Secret Service, honest opinion?" he asked Rico.

A different voice came back, Viner's. "They're not brilliant, but they're not terrible either. Try to keep them on-side, we could use their resources. Okay Captain?"

"I hear you," acknowledged Janson.

"As long as you're out there, either myself or Williams will try to stay near the comms at all times, in case you need any assistance," Viner informed him.

"Right," agreed Janson. He caught up with Mills and the Kzuu Maians, hoping they had some useful new info.

Wajima Joint Service Base, southern Free Eagles

Altin sighed and looked at the ground. He had nothing to lose. He looked up again. "Last thing I knew, he was in Kakila, in south eastern Mai Jun City. A small flat. Don't know much more than that. As for an accomplice..." His voice tailed off as he looked nervously around the cell, but returned with renewed vigour a second later. "Jaile Gaiilara. Native Kzuu Maian. Mid-20s. Tall, medium build, dark brown eyes, close cropped black hair. Usually wears hooded tops, jeans and trainers. They are also almost certainly connected with Mai Jun City's mafia. That's the absolute limit of my knowledge."

* * *

Close to the Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"We don't have any suspects for an accomplice," said Rixzai. "However, the mafia link is quite possibly through one Itaila Calyaro, an ex-army man. He's below average height, blonde, and either in his late 20s or early 30s. Possibly of European descent.

"The last place Nagishi was seen is at a small shop on 35th Street, which is in the Kikali area of Mai Jun City. No one appears to have seen him during his frequents visits to the ATM. Our witness says he was buying lots of tinned food and drinks; presumably stocking up. He was with another man, but he was wearing a hooded top which shadowed his face. All we know is that this other man is tall and of medium build," Rixzai paused. "Do you have transport? We can use either the tube or our car if you don't. There's - just - room for all of us."

* * *

Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi still had the television on, although as yet there was no sign of Gaiilara's disappearance. The fact that the young man clearly hadn't betrayed Nagishi heartened him a little, but it still meant that he had scarpered when the plan was just beginning to get interesting.

"Cowardly bastard," he muttered under his breath, eat out of a tin of beans with little enthusiasm. Nagishi still realised that without Gaiilara he would find it much more difficult to buy food, and he was starting to run out. He crossed over to the other side of the room, tipped over a pile of creased newspapers, and grabbed at his mobile phone, hardly thinking as he did so. He flicked it open, switched it on and quickly scrolled down his phonebook, eventually pushing the 'call' button when he found Gaiilara's number.

"Hey, this is Jaile. I can't answer my phone at the moment for one reason or another. Leave me a message and I'll call you back just as soon as I can."

Nagishi swore and threw the phone out of the window. It crunched against the wall opposite and fell to the filthy ground of the back alley, surprising an half-asleep drug addict.

Wajima Joint Service Base, southern Free Eagles

The security chief looked up in surprise when the Kzuu Maian general spoke. The guy actually had useful intel? he thought. He was less surprised at the fact that Altin was so willingly ratting out his colleague, the guy probably thought he would get a reduction in sentence for it. And who knows, he might even be right.

The security chief hurriedly scribbled down the information on a notepad, then walked calmly out of the brig. Once outside the building, he fairly ran over to the base ops building, where the CO was currently located.

After a brief discussion, the security chief was then ordered over to the comms building, where the information was sent by secure satellite transmission to their command structure. The message was forwarded up the command structure until it was finally rerouted to the RIA. Someone there had the presence of mind to send it be secure satellite relay to the Free Eaglian embassy to Kzuu Mai. All in all, twenty minutes had passed since the Kzuu Maian general had given them the data before it was in the hands of Lt. Viner.
***

Outside the Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Two-Zero, Two-Five. Run a check on a name for me will you. Itaila Calyaro, suspected mafia link with Nagishi," requested Mills. She then spelt the name for him.

"Itaila Calyaro, got it," replied Viner.

"Okay then, 35th Street is where we're going," declared Janson. "As for transport, I'm sure we could nick one of the embassy's Galaxies. More room, so we only need one car. Wait here."

He moved off around the side of the embassy building, heading for the motor pool garage entrance. He returned two minutes later at the wheel of one of the black Galaxy MPVs.

"Come on, let's go," he said impatiently.

Mills moved to the driver's side door and opened it. "Fine, but I'm driving," she told him. When Janson started to protest, she continued. "Remember what happened last time you drove? You demolished half a building."

"I'd like to see you do better the first time you drive an enemy IFV," he shot back hotly. But he climbed out and allowed her to get in the driver's seat.
---
Inside the Free Eaglian Embassy

When the phone rang, all of the personnel in the room jumped. Not because it was that unexpected, but because it wasn't their phone. It picked up.

"Hey, this is Jaile. I can't answer my phone at the moment for one reason or another. Leave me a message and I'll call you back just as soon as I can."

Then it hung up. Lt. Viner and Pvt. Williams stared at the device that had allowed them to listen in on the call via the electronic tap. They both realised the same thing at the same time. Williams got there first.

"It's still switched on, sir! I'll start a trace," she said. As long as the phone stayed on, they could home in on its location, even if it wasn't making calls. Meanwhile, Viner was back on the comms.

"Two-Four, Two-Zero. Our target just used his mobile phone to call somebody named Jaile, he got a machine. The phone's still switched on, we're tracing it now. It'll take about fifteen minutes to get an exact location," Viner told them.
---
In the Ford Galaxy MPV

"Holy shit, we got a break," crowed Janson. "Nagishi's mobile phone just got used. It's still on, and we're trying to trace it," he explained to the Kzuu Maian Secret Service agents.

"The name 'Jaile' mean anything to any of you?" asked Mills. "It's the name of the person he just tried to call."

In the Ford Galaxy MPV

"Jaile..." murmured Ragarov, thinking hard. He shook his head, but Blackwell flicked a switch on the mike clipped onto her collar and muttered into it.

"OK, they're just checking the name at 88th," she reported. "Ah. They got something - two Jailes. One's been dead for three years. The other is Jaile Gaiilara, son of Railyate Gaiilara and Selyin Gaiilara, currently residing in Akasaki, Litoria, and friends of Nagishi's. Born 26th May 1981. Moved to Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, off 33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City in 2003. Tall, medium build, dark eyes, short black hair. Looks like we got him," Blackwell paused, then spoke into her mike once again. "Yeah. We want him tracked down as a possible accomplice of Nagishi's. Yeah. Good."

"Sounds like the man in the shop on 35th - and he's living in the right area. I reckon we've got our accomplice. Want to go check out the flat?"

* * *

Mai Jun Central Hospital, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"I don't know, officer. They all had their faces covered," said Rayin painfully. He was lying in a spotless hospital bed in Mai Jun City's largest hospital, and was currently surrounded by police officers. A helpless doctor was trying to get them to move away.

"And the car?" said a stern looking police officer with a notebook in his hand.

"A silver Ford Mondeo. The number plate began with MJ05, but that's all I got."

"What about the other one - the SUV?"

"Ah...I don't know."

"OK. Thank you, sir," said the officer. He and his associates walked out of the room.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi closed the door of the flat behind him. He was wearing a baseball cap with one of Gaiilara's hooded tops on top of it, and a pair of sunglasses. He realised that he looked completely ridiculous, but didn't care. He had to get some food.

In the Ford Galaxy MPV, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Hell yes, we're going to that apartment," confirmed Mills as she pushed her foot down on the accelerator. The 2.3-litre Galaxy surged smoothly forwards, accelerating easily past the other traffic.

"Two-Zero, Two-Four. The Maian Secret Service got a hit on the name. Jaile Gaiilara, owns a flat on Tarlae Street, off 33rd in Kakila. We're heading there now. You wouldn't be able to tell if the phone was anywhere near there yet, would you?" reported Janson.

"Negative, Two-Four, but it ties in with a report we just got from Reeya [RIA]. That general we've arrested gave us that name and said he had a flat in that district. I'll report as soon as we have anything with the phone," replied Viner.

The Galaxy's tires squealed as Mills jumped a red light and threw the vehicle around a corner, causing several other cars to slam on their brakes and lean on their horns.
"Okay," she said, "I know which general direction to go in, but can one of you give me directions?" She glanced at Agent Blackwell, sitting in the front-side passenger seat for precisely that reason.

"Jesus, Annie," cried Janson as the Galaxy narrowly missed a red saloon car. "You tryin' to get us killed?"

"No, I'm trying to get us there before he moves," replied Mills, "If he's smart enough not to use his phone until today, sooner or later he's gonna realise what he's done and move. Besides, you forget. I used to be an amateur racing driver."

Janson decided to refrain from commenting on that last statement and just hang on.

In the Ford Galaxy MPV

Blackwell nodded. "Sure, but it's simple enough. Turn left here - yes, here - onto the C7."

As the Galaxy slalomed its way through Mai Jun City's afternoon traffic, Ragarov contacted 88th Street and asked for any updates in their search.

"His phone was switched on," was the reply, "We're tracing it, but no luck yet. We'll tell you when we get the location."

"They've got nothing at 88th that we haven't got already," reported Ragarov, switching off his mike.

"Not the next left, but the one after," Blackwell said to Mills. "That'll take us onto 33rd."

The Galaxy skidded around the corner into the considerably quieter 33rd Street, leaving a procession of enraged and confused drivers in its wake.

* * *

33rd Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi had managed to buy his food and drinks without detection with the cash he had left over from his frozen bank accounts. He trudged back to Jaile's flat with a plastic bag in each hand, staring firmly at the chewing gum-covered pavements.

* * *

A train, Kzuu Mai

Gaiilara sat in the train, looking out of the window at the boring, repetitive countryside associated with this part of Kzuu Mai. His train was headed for Akasaki, and he had quite a wait ahead of him.

He looked down at the newspaper in his hands. He had bought it because he had half suspected that he would be in it, but the pages were mercifully devoid of Jaile Gaiilara's scowling features. There was an article on Rayin, and another one on Nagishi, but it had used extensive jargon to cover up the actual lack of facts it contained. Gaiilara shrugged, folded up the newspaper, pulled his cap down over his face, and slept.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

“Okay, Annie, you got us here. Now for Christ’s sake, slow down. We don’t want to attract any attention,” pressed Janson.

Mills made no response, but did remove her foot from the accelerator and put it gently on the brake, slowing the Galaxy to a more normal speed. As the vehicle cruised along the street, she spoke.

“Thanks for the directions, Agent Blackwell. Now, which turning is Tarlae Street?”

“That one,” observed Janson, leaning forward to point past the front seat passengers. He had spotted a faded street name sign, half missing, but still displaying the words ‘Tarlae S’.

Mills slowed the Galaxy and pulled into the side of the road just beyond the turning, not caring whether or not she could legally park there. Their diplomatic license plates would prevent them from getting a ticket or clamped. Although in this area of the city, Mills severely doubted if there were any traffic cops, what with it being so run down and all. She switched off the engine.

Before any of them could say anything, the two Free Eaglian commandos heard Lt. Viner’s voice in their ears.
“Two-Four, Two-Zero. We’ve narrowed the phone signal down to a repeater array within a cell. Tarlae Street is within the radius of the repeater, so it looks like you’re on the right track. Oh, and Williams got nothing on that Calyaro name, looks like a dead end,” the ISP operative told them.

“Two-Four copies,” acknowledged Janson. “Well, according to our intel people, the phone is in an area which includes the address we’ve got, so it looks like we’re on to a winner. What do we do now?”

“We wait,” put forward Mills. “See if we can see either of our targets. We can also put a plan of action together.” She pulled open a storage compartment beneath the radio, revealing a touch-screen interface. “Two-Zero, Two-Five. Can you send plans of the building, well, specifically the apartment we’re after, and a picture of Suspect Two to this car’s terminal?”

“That’s affirmative, Two-Five. Give me a few minutes to get the information from the appropriate Maian agencies. Which vehicle are you in?” responded Viner.

Mills read the Galaxy’s registration number from a sticker affixed to the top left corner of the terminal screen. Viner acknowledged it and contacted the Kzuu Maian Government planning department to acquire the plans of 8 Tarlae Street, and the Kzuu Maian Secret Service to inquire about a picture of Jaile Gaiilara.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi hurried along 33rd Street towards Gaiilara's flat, still staring at the ground. He noticed a car parked just after the turning into Tarlae Street, which was odd, because parking was forbidden on major roads in the centre and inner city areas of Mai Jun City, but it didn't particularly interest him; he was in a rush to get back to the flat before he was recognised.

He turned into Tarlae Street, unlocked the front door of the half-derelict block of flats, and quickly climbed four flights of stairs and eventually stumbled thankfully into Gaiilara's rotten flat.

---

"You reckon that was one of our targets?" said Rixzai, when the hooded figure vanished down Tarlae Street. "There are very few people living in Tarlae Street at the moment, so it's certainly possible."

"It is possible," replied Ragarov, still watching 33rd carefully. "But we should at least wait for the plans of number 8 before we try to get in there."

A voice suddenly crackled into Rixzai's ear. "Agent Rixzai, Jaile Gaiilara has been spotted on a train going to Akasaki."

"Rixzai - I got that," she confirmed.

"They've seen Gaiilara," she announced to the rest of the group. "He's on a train going to Akasaki."

* * *

201 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Do we have any pictures of Gaiilara?"

This sudden enquiry caused several people to look up from what they were doing, but very few actually co-operated. Of the three who did, one of them pulled up an image of Gaiilara on his computer screen within thirty seconds.

"Jaile Gaiilara, right? The son?"

"Yeah. Let's see what you got."

It was a casual snapshot of Gaiilara in the 1000 Martyrs park, wearing his customary hooded top, jeans and massive trainers, although in this case the hood was down.

"That'll do. Right, send it to the Free Eaglians."

"You're the boss."

The image of Gaiilara was swiftly and securely emailed to the Free Eaglian embassy, joined by a floorplan of 8 Tarlae Street a few minutes later.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The computer beeped as it the transmission began, then waited for further command as to which item to display first.

"Well, if Gaiilara's not here, then we don't need that photo at the moment. Let's see what we can work out from the plans," said Mills, jabbing the appropriate symbol with her index finger.

As Mills examined the plans of the building, Janson was thinking.
"You know, I think that person was probably Nagishi," he said suddenly. When the others looked at him, he felt forced to defend the statement. "Well, think about it. The clothing matched what we know Gaiilara prefers to wear, but the build wasn't right. Now if Gaiilara's on a train somewhere, and Nagishi had to leave for some reason, it's logical that he would use Gaiilara's clothes to hide his face. That guy's even living in the same building. Come on, what are the chances?"

Mills had to admit that Janson's logic was pretty good, as usual.
"Okay," she announced, "According to the plans, Gaiilara's flat is on the fourth floor. I think there's only one way in or out, but I'm not very good with planning charts. Can you make out the layout of the flat?" she asked Blackwell.

Janson was on the radio, giving Rico an update to give to Langdon.
"Two-Zero, Two-Four. The Maians say Gaiilara's been seen on a train to Akasaki. We're on site and forming an entry plan. Will update you further as and when."

"Two-Zero copies," replied Rico.

When he was done, he turned to one of the Secret Service agents. "Where is Akasaki, anyway? And why would he be going there?"

As he listened to the answer, he removed his pistol from the shoulder holster beneath his jacket. Both the Free Eaglians were carrying PS-15 9mm pistols with threads on the barrel to fit a silencer. Janson's weapon was already fitted with the silencer, so he pulled back on the slide to chamber a round, ejected the magazine, refilled it with a round from his pocket and slid it back into the gun. After checking the safety, he returned the pistol to the holster.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Blackwell scrutinised the plans for a few minutes. "The door opens directly onto a combined kitchen-living room," she said to Mills. "There's a small bathroom behind the kitchen and a bedroom next to that. There's only one entrance, although in this kind of area escaping through windows is a definite possibity. I think he could probably get from one flat to another by jumping through the windows."

While Blackwell spoke to Mills, Ragarov answered Janson's query. "It's in Litoria, south of here. It's pretty big. Gaiilara's family are originally from there, so I guess that's why he's going back. Wait, I'll just contact 88th.

"88th Two, this is Ragarov. What have you got linking Jaile Gaiilara to Akasaki?"

There was a few minutes' silence before the reply came from 88th Street, which the agents used to consider how they would enter the flat.

"Considering the mafia link, he's almost certainly armed," said Rixzai. "Since Jess said he could escape through the windows, we should possibly have someone in the flat directly opposite the window in his main room. That's the biggest, right Jess?"

Blackwell nodded, but any further information she may have added was interrupted by Ragarov, who had someone from 88th Street speaking in his ear.

"Gaiilara moved to Mai Jun in 2003, after falling out with his family who live in one of the poorer areas of inner city Akasaki. He studied Philosophy at Akasaki University, and has been arrested twice for violent behaviour and once for drink driving by Akasaki's police force. That's all they could get."

Rixzai nodded. "Ready to go in there?" she asked.

* * *

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi chewed thoughtfully on a half-hearted tuna sandwich and considered his current situation. He was Public Enemy Number One, which he considered overkill but would no doubt make people wary of him. His friends in the mafia had somehow failed to kill Rian Rayin, and Jaile Gaiilara had walked out on the plans, and was ignoring his phone calls.

With a jolt he realised that his phone was still on, if slightly battered, and that making the call in the first place had been idiotic. No doubt the Maian Secret Service were zooming in on him as he ate. Hurriedly stuffing the sandwich into his mouth and gathering up his few meager possessions in his rucksack, he once again dressed up in Gaiilara's clothes, although this time he wore a jacket to conceal his shoulder holster. He was about to leave the tiny flat for good when he decided to switch on the TV set. There might be news of his imminent capture on there.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Janson nodded, a slight smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"I think the best way to do this would be to just bust in through the front door. It's the only way in or out, bar the window, and we don't have the time or equipment to mess around with that option," he said. "It's risky, but if we use one of these, we ought to be able to get in without him being able to get off a shot."

He reached forward and opened the glove compartment, then removed two cylindrical objects from it. Mills recognised them as stun grenades, and found herself smiling. As usual, Janson's logical mind had formed what was probably the best plan they could have come up with.

"Where did those come from, Craig?" asked Mills. A lopsided grin appeared on Janson's face.

"Figured they might come in handy. Picked 'em up while you were drawing your ammo," he replied.

He looked around at the three Kzuu Maian Secret Service agents.
"I think one of you should be up in the building opposite, since you have the authority to do that. The other two should come with use."

He opened his door and stepped out on to the pavement, his jacket hiding his weapon and the Flash-Bang concealed in his pocket. Mills did the same.

"Whichever one of you goes into the other building, call one of the others when you're in position. And make sure you're in the right place. If you're in the wrong room, he could slip away," said Mills.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

While watching the news, which contained very little news, Nagishi thought some more about that car that had been parked on 33rd Street. There had been something strange about the number plates; probably foreign, which explained why it was parked illegally. Quite suddenly, while the KMBC were reporting freak rainstorms in the south, he realised that they had been Free Eaglian number plates; not just that, but they had been Free Eaglian diplomatic number plates.

They were parked outside his flat. Grabbing his rucksack, he flung open the door, sprinted down the stairs and out into Tarlae Street, turning down the alley towards 34th Street.

When he arrived there, he located the nearest underground station. Buying a ticket from a machine with what remained of his cash, Nagishi headed for the station deep beneath Mai Jun City.

* * *

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"I'll go," announced Blackwell, checking her handgun was in its holster. "I'll tell you when I'm ready."

She hopped out of the Galaxy and headed directly towards the block of flats on the opposite side of Tarlae Street to Gaiilara's flat. Carefully scrutinising the taped-up names next to the battered intercom, she pressed one of the buttons and waited patiently for a reply. There was a short buzz and a gruff voice replied; a quick explanation later, Jess Blackwell opened the door and headed up the stairs.

---

"OK, let's get going." So saying, Rixzai opened the door of the MPV and stepped out onto the pavement. The other three followed. They reached number 8, which, unlike its counterpart on the opposite side of the street, had only a simple lock, and even that was currently unlocked. A few minutes later, they were standing floor four, outside Flat 2A. Blackwell called in to tell them she was in position.

"Ready?" muttered Ragarov, watching the door nervously. Janson took out the Flashbang and nodded, while the others readied their weapons.

* * *

OOC: I hope you don't mind that I did a bit of RPing with your people in this post. It would've looked a bit one-sided if only theMaians did anything.

Outside Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Ready, Annie?" asked Janson softly. He pulled the pin from the Flashbang held in his left hand, then drew his pistol with his right and flipped the safety off.

Mills nodded. She raised her left hand into clear view of the others, with three fingers held up. Each second that followed, a finger went down. Just after she brought the last finger down, she kicked out at the door, connecting just below the lock.

It crashed open, and Janson tossed the Flashbang in. Both Free Eaglians turned away from the door, screwed their eyes tightly closed and put their hands over their ears.

Boom!

The Raptor commandos dashed in through the door as soon as the Stun Grenade exploded, pistols ready. The two Kzuu Maians were slightly dazed by the blast, but followed the commandos in, their own weapons ready.

"Secret Service, nobody move!" shouted Rixzai.

After seeing nobody in the main area, Janson and Mills moved further in, each covering the other's movements as they did so. They reached the door to the bathroom. One on each side of the door, aiming across in front of each other, they saw no-one in there.

"Clear!" announced Mills loudly.

They moved to the bedroom door and did the same thing, again, there was nobody there.

"Clear!" declared Janson.

"Flat's clear!" declared Mills finally. "Shit!"

Janson walked across the main area, and used his boot to extinguish the small fire started by the detonation of the Stun Grenade, then turned off the television.

"We must have missed him by, what? A coupl'a minutes?" asked Ragarov angrily.

"Two-Zero, Two-Five. We have made entry to target flat, no sign of target. He must have left only a few minutes ago," reported Mills. Rico acknowledged the transmission.

Rixzai went over to the window and signalled to Blackwell that it was clear. The other agent realised that Nagishi must have escaped from the expression on Rixzai's face.

"Well, I guess we can search the flat for clues, then go back to the embassy and wait for another lead," suggested Mills.

"Two-Five, Two-Zero. We've located the phone. According to the satellite photos, it's in the alley behind the building. I suggest you pick it up. It might have messages or numbers stored on it that could help us track down where he's gone now," reported Viner.

"I'll go," muttered Janson, and left the flat.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

While Janson went to find the mobile phone, the other four - Blackwell had left the other block of flats as soon as she heard of Nagishi's escape - searched around the flat for any clues as to Nagishi's whereabouts. The large, battered dining table was covered in newspaper clippings and images, most concerning Nagishi, but also several about Draele Kixxula and her family's exploits in Gayoshi and Mai Jun City.

"We've definitely got out mafia link," said Ragarov, flicking through a bundle of Kixxula-related clippings he had picked up. In one, a mention of an area in Gayoshi had been circled by its reader. "Maybe he's gone to Gayoshi," he said, showing the clipping to Mills. "If the mafia were supporting me, that's where I'd go if I was on the run."

Rixzai walked towards Ragarov and looked over his shoulder. "It's definitely a possibility," she said. "I'll call the police. Tell them to be on the lookout for anything at the train stations and airports."

* * *

Underground Station, Mai Jun Central International Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi's train shuddered to a halt in the station beneath Mai Jun Central, the only Mai Jun City airport that was actually anywhere near the centre. As he quickly climbed the stairs, he wondered what he would do about the handgun hidden beneath his jacket. Sneaking it through was out of the question, as was putting it in the cargo hold. Eventually, he took off the jacket, swiftly bundling the holster inside it, and dumped it into the nearest bin. Kixxula would be able to supply him with a new gun from most major cities in Kzuu Mai.

Nagishi scanned the screens displaying the upcoming departures. There were flights to Gayoshi, Jini and Kinn City; a quick enquiry revealed that the Kinn City flight was completely full, with no unclaimed seats, whereas Jini was the only big city in Kzuu Mai without even a small branch of the mafia. Nagishi managed to buy himself an aisle seat in a plane that was leaving for Gayoshi Hailta International Airport, under a false name, and the increased police presence in the airport failed to realise their quarry was escaping as the plane rumbled off the runway and into the air.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"A definite mafia link, huh?" asked Mills, "Well, that could make things harder. The mafia usually know how to hide somebody."

She reached out to take the clipping from Ragarov and quickly scanned through it. Not much of it meant anything to her, but then she didn't really pay attention to Kzuu Maian news or affairs. Unless they were at war, or in the situation they were currently in.

"How certain is this Gayoshi link? Probability?" she asked.

The only thing Mills knew about Gayoshi was that, like Cararra, it had been nearly completely demolished in the first war four years ago, although nowhere near as completely as Cararra. Again, like Cararra, the Kzuu Maians had put in a massive construction effort after the war to rebuild the city.

Janson's voice sounded in her earpiece. "Two-Zero, Two-Four. Got the phone," he told Rico, who acknowledged it.

"We've got the phone," Mills told the Kzuu Maians. "Maybe we can pull something useful off it, a number or a message or something."

A minute later, Janson re-entered the flat. "So, you find anything?" He tossed the phone lightly to Rixzai. "See if anything on there means anything to you."

"We think he's gone to Gayoshi. Mafia link," reported Mills. "But we're not sure."

"Well, it's a start, at least. Whatever we do next, there is one thing. We need some nondescript vehicles. I bet anything Nagishi recognised the plates on the Galaxy. We need some Kzuu Maian registered vehicles, common and invisible. If they've got 'em, preferably something like the Q-cars we use," recommended Janson.

He was referring to the cars the Raptors used in operations in peacetime areas, especially in the Karos province. Outwardly, they appeared to be normal, if usually old, cars. Inwardly though, each car had been completely remodelled, all sorts of useful fittings added (armour, hidden weapon storage), a hugely powerful engine fitted and all the other systems, gearbox, brakes, suspension, etc, tweaked until the car's performance rivalled that of a track car. The use of these Q-cars had allowed Raptor units to get the drop on rebel groups many times, and the rebels still never recognised the cars until it was too late.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"If he wants protection from the mafia, he'll go to Gayoshi. The mafia are in almost every major city in Kzuu Mai, but they're only really powerful in Gayoshi. They own most of Gayoshi," said Ragarov. "Chances are pretty good he'll go there. I'd say about 75%."

While he spoke, Rixzai scrolled through the phonebook in Nagishi's mobile phone. "He hasn't got many numbers. He's got Gaiilara, the Gaiilara family's home number, someone called Rakhi - no second name, for some reason - a few relatives, and what appear to be a few people from the Ministry of Defence."

"Draele Kixxula's son is called Rakhi," said Blackwell immediately. "He's in charge of all their operations in Mai Jun. Has he got any text messages or anything from this Rakhi?"

Rixzai pressed a few buttons. "No. It doesn't appear to have been used much recently except for to call Gaiilara. I expect all the contact with the mafia took place through Gaiilara, since he wasn't being watched."

Blackwell shrugged. "Makes sense, I guess. He isn't that stupid. I'll find out if there are any flights or trains to Gayoshi and tell the Gayoshi police to keep a close eye on them." She walked over to one corner of the room and began to speak hurriedly into her mike.

---

"We've got cars like that," said Rixzai, after a quick explanation of what a Q-car actually was, "I'm sure we can get hold of one big enough quite easily." She also spoke into her mike for a few minutes before looking up again. "Yep. They'll have one ready for us at 88th when we're done here."

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

As Rixzai was talking to her superiors by radio, Mills was doing the same with hers.

"Two-Zero, Two-Five. I need to talk with Two-One," she said.

"Wait one, Two-Five," replied Rico, presumably calling Langdon over to the comm unit.

"Go ahead, Two-Five," came Langdon's voice.

"We have a definite Mafia link to Target One. The Secret Service people are seven-five percent sure that he will head for Gayoshi. I recommend further action. We also need to track down Suspect Two, heading for Akasaki," reported Mills.

"Copy that, Two-Five. Come back when you're done," replied Langdon.

"Understood," acknowledged Mills.

Then Rixzai came back with her report.

Janson frowned. "Uh, that wasn't quite what I meant. We'll need three, possibly four, to carry our whole team. Seventy-five percent is enough to warrant relocating the whole team, so we'll need a transport aircraft large enough to carry those cars, plus our van so that we can fly them down to Gayoshi. Probably." The last word was something of an afterthought, as the decision wasn't up to him, it was up to Major Langdon. Langdon would probably agree with him, he usually did, but he couldn't be sure.
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

As it happened, Langdon agreed exactly with Janson's opinion. As soon as the suggestion had come through that there might be a Mafia link, he'd put Williams on to finding out as much information as possible that might be relevant to their task.

Williams had made that request to the Kzuu Maian Secret Service, who had obligingly furnished her with the appropriate material, and had started going through it. She now knew what Ragarov had recently told Mills, that the Draele Kixxula's Mafia owned most of the city of Gayoshi, making it the perfect place to hide from the law.

Langdon had already informed the Kzuu Maian Secret Service that, unless specifically requested, the Raptors would stay out of the attempt to capture Jaile Gaiilara, leaving entirely up to the Kzuu Maians. He had also spent fifteen minutes updating Regimental Headquarters back at Dolver Lake over the secure satellite radio they had brought with them.

Now Langdon was on the phone to the Kzuu Maian Secret Service again, this time making both the same inquiry Janson had, about the acquisition of three or four Kzuu Maian 'Q-cars' (enough to carry the ten Raptors and their Secret Service liaisons), and also a request for transport aircraft to move those same vehicles, plus the Embassy Transit, down to Gayoshi. He was also requesting that they be allotted secure basing facilities in Gayoshi, preferably away from the eyes of the Mafia.

It was a good thing the Kzuu Maian Secret Service had been very cooperative so far, otherwise Langdon would be completely fed up with having to ask them for things, as apposed to just slightly so.

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai shrugged. "OK. Well, I doubt that'll be too much of a problem..." She once again contacted 88th Street with the Free Eaglians' request. A few minutes' quiet muttering later, she looked up. "Is it OK if the plane leaves from Central Airport? Most of our cargo planes are there."

Ragarov continued to search through the flat, hoping to find something that would add more to the link with Gayoshi. There was very little; Nagishi had obviously taken most of his posessions with him, and most of the clutter in the flat appeared to belong to Gaiilara. Eventually, however, Ragarov found something: a roadmap of Gayoshi partly hidden under the bed in the bedroom. Nagishi had even gone to the trouble of marking on a rough circle; retrieving the newspaper clipping from Mills, he found that the circled addresses matched the areas marked on the map. He called the others into the bedroom and explained his find.

"I wonder why he didn't take it with him," mused Blackwell. "Surely he would need it if he was trying to find Kixxula?"

"He was obviously in the front room when he realised we were on to him," said Rixzai. "Since the TV was on. I expect he just stuffed as much into his bag as he could then ran. He probably didn't have time to go through into the bedroom. Or thought he didn't."

* * *

Flight to Gayoshi, Above Kzuu Mai

Nagishi had been unable to contact Kixxula since his rushed escape, and now that he was on his way to Kzuu Mai's Mafia stronghold he wondered what kind of reception he would receive. He had to find them first, and he had managed to leave his map of Gayoshi in Gaiilara's flat, so he had quite a search on his hands - the Mafia were not found unless they wanted to be.

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"Yes, thank you. That's fine. If they could be made ready as soon as possible... Thank you." Langdon put the phone back on its cradle again. The transport aircraft would be made ready at the city's Central Airport.

This had initially struck Langdon as slightly odd, since he had thought Central Airport was a civilian airport, not a military base. If this was the case, why were the military's transport aircraft there? He shook his head, clearing the thought away. It wasn't his place to question the Kzuu Maian's actions, although he did hope they didn't screw anything up.

"Listen up, people. I want that Transit ready to go ASAP," he called out to the rest of the Raptor team. "Get everything loaded up again, we're moving to Gayoshi. Kowalski, Webb, you two grab as much ammunition as necessary from the armoury."

One of their satellite radios would stay behind, and two of the embassy comm techs would man it, allowing the Raptors to contact the RIA personnel at the embassy at any time. The other satcom would come with the ISP operatives, providing a direct link with Dolver Lake HQ.
***

Flat 2A, 8 Tarlae Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"The Major should be handling this, not me," deflected Janson after Rixzai spoke.

He walked over and looked at the map Ragarov had found, then pulled it from Ragarov's grip.
"Yoink!" He took a closer look at the areas marked on the map. "Hey, Annie, I think we've got our targets already. If we get down to Gayoshi now, maybe we can stake out these locations and see which one Nagishi goes to."

Mills realised there were considerable advantages to what Janson suggested, and that Nagishi was probably on his way there already. However, by the time they got down there and in position, even with their fast VC-37, the chances were that Nagishi would have already reached his destination.

However, if Nagishi had a map with the locations marked on it, he probably didn't know where the locations actually were. Therefore, without the number stored in his phone, and without the addresses on the map and newspaper clippings, it might take him days to find what he was looking for.

"You may be right, Craig. I think we should get back, show this to the Major, and get going down to Gayoshi," agreed Mills. "You'll probably come with us, and there'll probably be another of your agents waiting, one for each car."

Mills and Janson promptly left the flat and headed back to their car. They both thought that they had probably gotten all there was to find in Nagishi's flat, so they should stop wasting time and move on.

33rd Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The three Kzuu Maians followed Janson and Mills out of the flat and the tiny alleyway onto 33rd Street. "Alyan's sending us to Gayoshi too," said Rixzai. "And she's going there, and a few others."

"You need directions to the airport?" asked Blackwell as the Free Eaglians got into their MPV. "It's pretty simple, just follow the signs, although once you get near there it's a bit of a nightmare. If you turn left at the first junction you'll be able to avoid the worst of it. We're taking the tube back to 88th for more instructions. Bye. Oh, and if you need to contact us, the Secret Service at 88th can put you through."

They located the nearest underground station with a link to the Government Line, and disappeared down into the depths of Mai Jun City's huge and complex underground system.

* * *

Mai Jun Central International Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

At Mai Jun Central, a military cargo plane was being prepared to transport the cars for the Free Eaglians half way across the country. Kzuu, in one of his paranoid moments, had ordered that all civilian airports, at least those nearest to Mai Jun City, were to have a small group of military aircraft posted there. Since Kzuu's death most had been moved to the renovated airbases, but a handful of cargo and tanker aircraft still occupied a small part of each airport. It was one of these that was going to transport the Free Eaglians to Gayoshi.

Four nondescript, unthreateningly battered cars were driven up a ramp into the plane, forming a ragged procession that would fill anyone foolish enough to underestimate the vehicles with contempt. Each car was heavily armoured and improbably powerful, and had been newly developed by the Secret Service for use primarily against the mafia and Akranese terrorist organisations.

* * *

Above Gayoshi, south-western Kzuu Mai

Nagishi had stolen the window seat of the elderly man seated next to him, and he now peered down onto the somg-wreathed sprawl that was Gayoshi. Even from this height he could see the occasional explosion of a Molotov cocktail slums, huge areas of dilapidated housing on the outskirts of the city. These had by far the heighest crime rate in the country, and was the only part of the country where people carried guns around with them openly. They were divided up into powerful rival gangs who waged open warfare on the streets, with Gayoshi's massive but beleaguered police force occasionally trying to play a peacekeeping role.

The Gayoshi mafia were not actively involved with the slum gangs, although they sold arms to all sides; they were more concerned with the confusing old town of Gayoshi, from where they controlled almost all of the city centre. If Nagishi was going to find the mafia, he would have to start there.

The plane began its wide circling down towards Gayoshi Hailta International Airport, the pilot reporting the time and, with no small amount of pride in his voice, the fact that they were a full two minutes early.

33rd Street, Kakila, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

"No, thanks. We'll head back to the embassy first, then over to the airport to catch our -37 down to Gayoshi. Make sure the transport waits for us; our Transit needs to go on it," Mills told the Secret Service agents.

"We'll probably be leaving in about an hour, assuming the traffic doesn't hold us up," guessed Janson. "Whoever's there first should wait for the others to arrive, we need to know where we're going."

The commando climbed into the front seat of the Galaxy and pulled the door closed. He then checked he still had all the evidence to show Major Langdon. He was looking over the map of Gayoshi as Mills started the engine and pulled away.
***

Free Eaglian Embassy, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai, twenty minutes later

Mills and Janson had arrived back at the Raptor 'base' within the embassy to find it almost devoid of their presence. All their weapons and personal gear had gone, as had most of their equipment. All that remained was a satcom set and a tactical radio booster relay. The latter was only there because it had gone tits-up. Fortunately, they had three. They also found Major Langdon, waiting for them.

"Ah, there you are. Get down to the garage again, we're leaving," he ordered.

"Sir, we've got the items we found in the flat," Janson informed him.

"I'll look at them during the flight. You can give me your report then, too. We can't waste any time. Every minute we're still here is a minute in which our target could slip away. Down to the garage and get in the cars," repeated Langdon.

The two commandos followed their team leader down into the embassy's garage, where they had parked their Galaxy only minutes before. Again, the team was being moved in two Galaxies and the Transit Van.

Another minute and the small convoy of three vehicles had left the embassy and was heading for the airport, where the transport and the FEAF VC-37 were waiting. The latter was already warmed up and tanked up, ready for the flight down to Gayoshi. The flight crew had requested and gotten a waiver of regulations from the Kzuu Maian government, allowing the aircraft to take off without prior notice or a filed flight plan.

201 88th Street, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The three agents emerged from the small underground station beneath the Secret Services building and took the lift to Alyan's office at the top of the building.

"You took your time getting here!" she announced immediately. The other three ignored this completely, as they all knew they were perfectly on time.

"When are we leaving, Ms. Alyan?" asked Rixzai politely. "And from where?"

"We're leaving now, and we're leaving from Central with the Free Eaglians. My jet. OK?"

Rixzai, Ragarov and Blackwell nodded and followed Alyan as she strode purposefully from the room, barking at various underlings to go with her.

* * *

Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, South Western Kzuu Mai

Nagishi trotted out of the airport innocently, his battered backpack slung over one shoulder. Ahead, Gayoshi loomed out of the distance, partly hidden by a vast cloud of orange pollution. There was a swarm of taxis outside the airport, but Nagishi pointedly ignored them and began his journey towards the city on foot, pausing only to grab a newspaper from a nearby stand. There was very little on Nagishi - he had been relegated to the ninth page - and there was no sign that the police or Secret Service were onto him.

Trying to call up the image of the map in his head, Nagishi stumbled towards the city, already searching for any sign of the mafia.

Mai Jun Central Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

The convoy of Free Eaglian vehicles had shot across the Kzuu Maian capitol, breaking several road traffic laws in the process, not that it mattered to their diplomatic status, and all the embassy drivers were highly trained, so no accidents occurred as a result.

They only time they came to a stop was at the entrance to the airport tarmac, held up by the presence of a security barrier. The unfortunate Kzuu Maian guard had shrivelled under a bellowed command, laced rather heavily with abuse, from Major Langdon, and hurriedly raised the barrier to allow the cars to pass.

They had then screamed across the airport to the hangar containing the FEAF jet, where they came to a stop with the squeal of brakes and not a small amount of tyre smoke. The commandos spilled out of the vehicles almost before they had stopped, and dashed across the hangar floor and up the airstair door of the already running VC-37.

Before Langdon followed the rest of his team, he went over to the driver's side window of the Transit van.
"Get this on to that transport aircraft, then get back to the embassy," he ordered, having to shout over the incessant scream of the VC-37's twin turbofan engines.

The driver didn't hesitate, and within minutes the van was loaded on to the huge aircraft behind the four cars the Kzuu Maians had provided. Minutes after that, the three embassy drivers and their two Galaxies were leaving the airport at a considerably slower pace than that which they had arrived at.

The pilot of the FEAF VC-37 taxied his aircraft out of the hangar and brought it up alongside the transport loaded with their vehicles, the massive transport dwarfing their executive jet. All they were waiting for now was the arrival of the Kzuu Maian personnel.

Mai Jun Central International Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

A large black car streaked across the tarmac towards the huge cargo plane, its driver occasionally swerving wildly away from other airport personnel and their vehicles, occasionally having angry abuse shot at them as they sped away. The car drove into a nearby hangar and, a few minutes later, Alyan's executive jet was towed out.

* * *

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi had eventually given up on walking into to Gayoshi and had leapt onto the back of the first bus to rumble past, tossing a small handful of pennies into the driver's hand. He watched as the spacious buildings of Gayoshi's outer suburbs flashed by, waiting patiently for the first stop in the old town.

When the bus eventually slowed to a halt in a bus top on the northern edge of the old town, Nagishi hopped off it and made his way purposefully deeper into the twisting alleys, still trying to recall which areas of the map he had marked.

The alleys were crowded with disenchanted tourists, looking at the ancient Kzuu Maian architecture without interest, and Nagishi was forced to elbow his way through them. He had decided to head for the main street through the old town - a wide, tree lined affair packed with small stalls and street performers, preying on the tourists.

Mai Jun Central Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

As the KMAF executive jet being used by Alyan and her Secret Service personnel was brought out of its hangar, the Free Eaglian pilots began their final take-off checks. They weren't going to hang around, as soon as the Kzuu Maian flight control would let them go, they would be gone.

"Mai Jun Tower, this is SAM-Foxtrot-Echo-One-Eight, requesting clearance to taxi to runway," announced the pilot into the radio.

The reply came back within seconds, an affirmative. The flight crew grinned at each other. Here they were at a busy international airport and their little jet was being given priority, with all normal traffic having to wait.

The pilot tripped the brakes and nudged the throttles forwards slightly, until the aircraft started to move. He steered the jet along the taxiway towards the end of the appropriate runway. As he did so, the co-pilot was on the radio, talking to the two KMAF jets that would follow them on the GUARD frequency.

"Kay-MAF jets, Foxtrot-Echo-One-Eight will see you on the deck at Gayoshi, over," she told their flight crews. She was unsure as to the call-signs of the two jets and couldn't see the identifiers on the tails, so was forced to refer to them as 'KMAF jets'.

The pilot flipped on the 'Fasten Seatbelt' sign as he reached the end of the taxiway.
"Mai Jun Tower, SAM-Foxtrot-Echo-One-Eight requesting take-off clearance," he told the tower.

"Foxtrot-Echo-One-Eight, cleared for take-off," replied the Kzuu Maian controller.

The pilot tripped the brakes again and brought the plane around so that it was sitting on the end of the runway, tapped the brakes to bring the plane to a stop in the right place, then pushed the throttles forward to maximum thrust.

The sleek Gulfstream jet accelerated rapidly down the runway and had barely covered a third of its length when the pilot rotated it off the runway and into the air, going into a fairly steep climb. Even as the aircraft rose through five-thousand feet it was already turning, a gentle bank to bring it on course for Gayoshi.

Mai Jun Central International Airport, Mai Jun City, Kzuu Mai

Alyan watched out of a window with little interest as the aircraft turned onto the vast expanse of runway. As it started its engines and began to rumble down the runway, the airport buildings falling away almost instantly, Ragarov gripped the arms of the seat tightly, breathing heavily. Noticing Blackwell watching him, he gave a thin smile and said "Takeoff always makes me nervous," before closing his eyes and not opening them again until the rumbling of the wheels on the runway stopped and the jet was in the air, the ground rapidly receding.

Not long after, once cleared by air traffic control, the huge cargo plane followed suit.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

After asking three times for directions - his instantly-recognisable Saele accent prevented people from wondering why he didn't know - Nagishi had managed to find his way to the main street. Virtually every shop on the street was selling coffee, the tourists spilling out of them to sit at shaded tables outside, and when its strong aroma hit Nagishi's nostrels he immediately realised he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for hours.

He walked inside the least crowded of the coffee shops, which wasn't quite completely full. After scrutinising the vast list of different kinds of coffees from all over the world, Nagishi ordered a cup of Kzuu Maian coffee, and sat idly stirring it in a corner of the cafe, watching the tourists shuffle by. He had managed to pick up a map of the Old Town at the airport, and he unfolded it now, spreading it onto the table and trying to remember the areas he had marked. It was a tourist's map, and had both of Gayoshi's major attractions labelled with big, chunky letters, but other than that it was virtually indecipherable. Eventually, he found an oddly-shaped street he thought he recognised, and, draining his coffee, he strode from the coffee shop and into the glaring sun.

Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The Gulfstream VC-37 floated down on to the runway like an elegant swan, gently kissing the tarmac with only the faintest hint of tire squeal. As soon as the nose wheel touched down, the engines roared as they began slowing the aircraft.

The 2,650-mile journey from Mai Jun had taken them about four-and-a-half hours, an easy hop for the Gulfstream jet, and significantly faster than any commercial airliner would have accomplished the same distance, their diplomatic status and high-level government clearance allowing them to bypass the normal take-off delays and landing stacks.

The small aircraft darted off the runway at the first opportunity and taxied across the apron towards a pair of large, currently empty hangars some distance from the main terminal. They were directed towards these by the ground controller at the airport, and guessed that they were being separated from the normal airport traffic to avoid attracting attention.

After reaching the hangar and shutting the aircraft down, the Free Eaglian Raptors had little to do but wait for the arrival of the Kzuu Maians, as they currently had no transport. Langdon had made his plans on the aircraft, as soon as the Kzuu Maians and the vehicles arrived, he would dispatch teams to watch the locations marked on the map they had captured.

With luck they would catch Nagishi going to one of the locations, if not, then hopefully they would see him leaving one.

Gayoshi Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The vast cargo plane swooped down out of the sky threateningly, before its landing gear thudded against the runway. A few minutes later it rumbled to a halt, and was directed into one of the two hangars.

Alyan's executive jet had arrived a little earlier, but without the cars aboard the cargo plane they had little to do, and Alyan had been pacing impatiently for the best part of half an hour. When the plane finally made contact with the earth, Alyan dashed into the second hangar and hastily ordered the cars off the plane as quickly as possible.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi turned into a sloping street, paved with cobbles. The buildings crowded in above his head, and he had to weave through crumbling columns as he made his way further down the alley. It was exactly the kind of place that the Mafia would use. Unfortunately, there were hundreds of places like this in the old town of Gayoshi, and the Mafia only used a handful. Still, he might be lucky.

A little further down the street, a low wall blocked his route. Behind, two ragged trees marked another of the tiny squares that the architects of Gayoshi had seen fit to cram into every space left over after their haphazard houses had been built. Wrenching open the warped gate in the wall, Nagishi slipped into the deserted square. There were no signs of life whatsoever, but he had a feeling he was in the right place, so he sat down in one corner of the square and began to wait.

Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The Raptors had spent their time waiting productively. They had gone over their immediate plans, and chosen what gear they would take as soon as the transport landed.

Major Langdon and Lieutenant Webb would go with the Kzuu Maians to whatever basing facilities Alyan had managed to procure for them, along with the ISP operatives, Viner and Williams.

The other commandos would get in the Q-cars with their Secret Service liaisons and go to the locations marked on the map they had found in Nagishi's flat, which had been copied a number of times just before they left the embassy in Mai Jun.

When the transport aircraft arrived, the commandos made sure that their Transit was off quickly. While the Kzuu Maians were offloading the cars, the Raptor commandos were drawing weapons and equipment from the stocks in the Transit van.

Each soldier ended up with a radio, a pistol, an assault rifle and a variety of other weapons depending on personal preference. They drew ammunition for all their weapons and placed it in the pockets of their 'civilian' clothes, clothing specially made to appear normal, but function as a full assault vest. The rifles would go in the special compartments in the Q-cars, hidden from view but easily accessible if needed.

Within minutes, they were waiting for the Kzuu Maian Secret Service agents and the cars. There would be three people in each car, since they planned on only having one Secret Service agent per car, two armed with automatic weapons. They ought to be able to deal with anything the Mafia threw at them, even if it was just survive until they could get away. And then return later with insane levels of firepower and wipe out the offending Mafia hit team.

Gayoshi Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The four cars were driven off the the cargo plane, Rixzai, Blackwell and Ragarov already seated in three of them. Alyan found the Free Eaglians and informed them that a branch of the Ministry of Defence in Gayoshi were allowing them to use their building as a temporary base, so long as they were gone within two weeks.

Gayoshi's public transport system, unlike the ruthlessly efficient network in Mai Jun City, was completely inadequate, and the entire city centre was so packed full of cars, trucks and the occasional tired-looking bus that the average speed - at least according to comedians from Mai Jun City - was under five miles per hour. Alyan was counting on her status as head of the Secret Service to get her through the gridlock, but she wasn't certain it would.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi had been sitting in the small square for some time, and no one had appeared. He was patient when he needed to be, but he was starting to feel that he was in completely the wrong place. He toyed with the idea of buying a mobile phone and attempting to contact Kixxula, but doubted he could remember the number offhand - and he didn't think the boss of the Gayoshi mafia would be in the phonebook.

Nagishi took out his map and studied the area he was seated in. He was certain he recognised the street's particularly strange shape, and he knew he was in the right general area, so he eventually decided that the only thing he could do was wait.

Hailta, Gayoshi International Airport, Kzuu Mai

Langdon had questions about the MoD building they were to use. Was it away from the city centre? Was it hidden from Mafia eyes and ears? Could they practice with their weapons there?

These questions were vitally important to the commandos, since if the Mafia even got the slightest hint that they were there, they would find themselves either caught up in a massive gun fight, which even they could not win, or sitting on top of several car bombs.

He had asked for them to be allowed to use a military base outside the city, preferably a disused one. Still, if an MoD building was the best Alyan could come up with, he supposed they'd have to make do.

The eight commandos slated to go in the cars were ready as soon as the cars were brought over. Mills and Janson headed for the lead car, and found Rixzai already seated in it. As Mills climbed into the vehicle, Janson went to the rear and put a long case in the boot of the car, before getting in the back of the car.

Blackwell was joined by 2Lt. Ewan Rico and Cpl. Paul Vega, Ragarov by 2Lt. Sam Connolly and Cpl. Maria Nagase and the fourth agent by Sgts. Andre Kowalski and Christine Shockley.

One of each pair had a copy of the map, and had been assigned a location to watch. It wasn't necessarily going to be easy, especially when they heard about Gayoshi's traffic problems, but they would give it a damn good try.

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

"This particular building is on the outskirts of the city," replied Alyan. "And the Mafia don't know it's there. They stick to the old town, and the rest of the city centre. There's nowhere in the actual building to practice with your weapons, but Gayoshi Naval Base is pretty nearby - there'll be somewhere to practice there. I'll contact them in a minute..."

The fourth Kzuu Maian agent was named Tailas Laerta. He was well-known amongst the Secret Services for his determined narrow-mindedness, and at this moment he was sitting in the car gazing fixedly out of the smeared window, trying to work out what Nagishi would be doing in the smog-filled interior of Gayoshi.

The four battered cars drove from the airport towards the city centre, almost immediately being caught in the inescapable gridlock. The four agents, accustomed to being able to get anywhere in Mai Jun City for half a shilling, had copies of Nagishi's map on their laps, and were trying to direct the drivers through the noisy traffic.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

It was becoming apparent that waiting for someone from the Mafia to turn up in this little square wasn't going to happen any time soon, so, muttering a quiet curse under his breath, Nagishi got to his feet and made his way back towards the small iron gate in one wall. He swung the gate open and stepped out into the cramped, dark alleyway ahead, still watching carefully for any sign of life.

Two figures emerge fom the shadows; a dull glint in the hand of one of them reveals that they are armed. Nagishi's heart leapt - he had finally managed to track them down.

Or not, as the case may be. The two men ignored Nagishi's polite attempts to introduce himself, preferring instead to relieve him of the remnants of his cash. The two muggers vanish back down the alley, only for a loud bang to cut them short. The man with the gun toppled forwards onto the floor of the cobbled alley; the other screeched and attempted to run away, only for three more bullets to hit him in the back.

A tall, threatening man armed with a rifle appeared in front of Nagishi. He handed the astonished fugitive his money, then motioned towards the square with his gun.

"You're to come with me."

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Langdon felt considerable relief at the answers to his questions, and remained only slightly annoyed that they couldn’t train at their ‘base’. He should have known that Alyan knew what she was doing, after all she had to have dealt with the Mafia before, but it was his duty to look out for his troops.

“Okay, thanks. There probably won’t be much time to practice, but you never know,” he told her.

“Sir! We’re ready to go whenever,” called out Webb from the driver’s side door on the embassy Transit.

“Alright, Webb. We’ll follow the Secret Service cars to our new home. Where’s Williams?” he called back.

Webb grinned and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Squashed up in the back, hooked into the commset. She’s rigging the relay to the van and listening in on the others.” Left unsaid was that if Williams sat in the front of the van, one of them would have to find alternative transport. Webb was grinning because he knew exactly how little space there was in the back of the Transit. Well, you always had to make some sacrifices for your job.

---

Mills was getting increasingly irritated. The traffic gridlock in Gayoshi was driving her nuts. All the roads in the Dolver Lake area were wide and fairly empty, and her personal car was a silver Jaguar XJ 220 supercar, with a 3.5-litre V6 engine.

“How good are the Gayoshi police?” she asked suddenly. “How tough on road traffic violations?”

“Annie, what are you thinking?” asked Janson.

“I’m thinking it would be faster to walk, dammit. In the last ten minutes we’ve moved maybe five hundred metres. Isn’t there any way to avoid this traffic?” she snapped.

“Well, some of the embassy cars had flashing lights, as would proper Secret Service cars, but these are supposed to appear to be normal cars, aren’t they? Flashing lights would sort of give us away,” replied Janson calmly.

“Yeah, but what if I just drove down the pavement or something. There has to be some way of getting through this traffic,” continued an exasperated Mills. She belatedly realised she didn’t even know what type of car she was driving.

---

In Blackwell’s car, Corporal Vega was dozing lightly in the back seat, leaving Rico to drive the car, with directions from the Secret Service agent.

Connolly and Nagase had both lived in city centres before, so they were just sitting there, making idle conversation with Ragarov while Connolly, who was driving, hunted for something he liked on the stereo.

Kowalski and Shockley were seriously considering parking their car and continuing towards their destination on foot, or by alternative means of transport. However, their only option that would increase their speed was an underground train network, and they didn’t know if Gayoshi had one. The question was probably academic anyway, since Langdon wasn’t likely to let them abandon the car, even if they planned to pick it up again later.

Their only consolation at being stuck in the traffic was that Nagishi was probably experiencing the same problem, both on the public transport he had used to get into the city and the Mafia car that picked him up to move him, assuming they used a car. They probably would, since public transport or walking meant that some well-meaning citizen could recognise and report him to the police, who should forward the report to the Secret Service, and then to the Raptors.

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The car containing Janson, Mills and Rixzai - a Volkswagen Golf GTI, one of the most popular cars in Kzuu Mai - was barely moving. All of the passengers in the car were beginning to get impatient and annoyed, unsurprisingly.

"The Gayoshi police don't bother with anything except the Mafia and the gangs in the slums. They're over stretched as it is," said Rixzai. "Gayoshi is pretty much the only major city without an underground network. It's because the Mafia don't want it, and - there's no use pretending - they have a lot of influence here." She spoke reluctantly, accustomed to reassuring people that the Mafia were only a minor inconvenience in the otherwise lovely city of Gayoshi.

"We can't really avoid this," she continued. "At least, not lawfully. Unless we do something really drastic, but that would attract a lot of attention - and make people ask questions. It'll thin out, though, once we get nearer the old town. Probably in a few junctions' time."

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi didn't know where he was. The windows of the spacious SUV he was seated appeared to be completely opaque, which he felt defeated the purpose of windows. Assuming that he was still in the Old Town - and the car was hardly moving, so it couldn't have gone far - he would be on one of the two main roads which harshly quartered the pedestrian-friendly area, but knowing that didn't help much, as he knew virtually nothing else about Gayoshi.

The man who had first found him sat opposite, his rifle now resting on his lap. Neither had spoken for the duration of the journey, and Nagishi knew better than to attempt to make conversation or ask for information. Firstly, because this grunt was unlikely to know anything about the dealings of the upper branches of the Mafia, and secondly, because he knew he would be told anything that he needed to know - which he imagined was very little.

He sighed, which caused the other man to snap his head around nervously and then glare at Nagishi, who hastily turned away to look at the black windows.

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

“Only a couple more blocks? Well, that’ll only take about half an hour at this rate,” Mills said derisively, but she was glad that they might be moving shortly.

“So, we’re not doing anything illegal then, Annie?” asked Janson.

“Well, other than carrying automatic weapons in a public place and conspiracy to commit murder, no, nothing illegal,” she replied lightly.

Janson grinned, and played along. “Oh, well I guess we’d better turn ourselves in to Agent Rixzai then, so she can arrest us and save the good citizens of this city from such dangerous people.” They both started laughing, releasing the frustration of being stuck in traffic for so long.

“Alright, back to business. How far are we from our target, Rixzai?” asked Mills. “And are the back roads any clearer?”

“You know what we need?” Janson said suddenly. “Motorbikes. Then we could get through all this relatively quickly.”

“Well, yeah, but a bike has no place to put a rifle, you can’t disguise it as well and you’re more conspicuous, ‘cause everyone can see you. So they’d be good to have as chase vehicles, but for the work we’re doing at the moment, these cars are better,” threw back Mills, pouring a ton of cold water on Janson’s bright idea.

---

The Transit van was missing the worst of the traffic as it skirted around the city suburbs, but what they found was bad enough. They were just following Alyan’s Secret Service vehicles to their temporary HQ, with very little idea of where they were going, although Viner had a map in his hands and was trying to follow their progress.

“How they doing, Williams?” asked Langdon, turning his head to see into the cargo area where the ISP tech was holed up. She looked up at him, smiling slightly.

“Well, sir, we’ve got some irritated soldiers out there, seems the traffic there is even worse than it is here. Mills and Janson are the closest, but the others aren’t exactly far behind,” she informed him.

“Right. Let me know as soon as they’re on target,” he ordered.

“Yes sir.”

OOC: Oh yes, it was Rixzai, not Alyan. All the names are getting me a bit confused. I'll edit my post.

IC:

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai consulted her map. "Once we get past all this, we're virtually in the Old Town. The nearest of the marked areas to where we come in his here, so I guess we try there first. One problem - it's pedestrianised, or at least mainly. Cars driving around aren't unheard of, but they're unpopular and likely to attract attention. There are two main roads, and if he's already been picked up by the Mafia they'll be moving him on one of them. It'll be more congested than here, so they won't have gone far. We'll be going in the opposite direction."

Rixzai suddenly flew back in her seat as the Golf broke out of the traffic and leapt forwards, speeding down the main road, through an ancient, crumbling gateway and into the Old Town of Gayoshi.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagishi could tell that the nervous young man sitting next to him was getting more than a little bit angry. The car hadn't moved at all in the last half hour - the regular thrum of the engine told him that - and his escort was spending more time looking at his watch than at Nagishi. One time, when he spent a particularly long time studying the second hand, Nagishi leapt towards him, grabbed the rifle and jabbed it into his escort's neck.

"You can't fire that in here," muttered the escort tensely, his eyes trying to focus on the rifle barrel.

"I didn't tell you to speak," Nagishi whispered threateningly. "Just give me your other gun. Slowly."

The young man reached into his jacket and pulled out an automatic pistol - one that, the ex-defence minister was surprised to see, was standard issue in the Kzuu Maian Army - which he reluctantly handed to Nagishi. Nagishi kept the pistol pointed at his escort while he removed the ammunition from the rifle, pocketed it, then tossed the empty rifle onto the floor of the SUV.

The driver was on the other side of a pane of tinted glass. Clearly, they hadn't heard or noticed anything amiss, but Nagishi was careful to emphasise the importance of being silent to his captive by pressing a finger to his lips and placing the muzzle of the gun a centimetre above the young man's ear.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Mills was pleased with the Golf GTI. Even though it was supposedly highly tuned, it was good to actually feel its rapid response when she floored the accelerator. Now that she knew the car could respond, she could rely on it, knew how it would perform if she tried to do something.

She put her foot down firmly on the brakes to test their response, and the car obediently slowed rapidly, pushing the occupants forward into their seatbelts. She accelerated again, gently this time and looked sideways at Janson.

“How close can we get? Can we park the car within sight of the target without attracting attention?” she asked. “If we can’t, we’ll have to think of something else, ‘cause we can’t move around with weapons without someone noticing.”

“We might have to play the young couple act on the street to watch this one, Annie,” he told her, blowing her a kiss.

“Oh, you’d just love that, wouldn’t you?” she replied, returning the gesture. “If they pass us in a car, how we gonna recognise them?” she asked Rixzai.

---

“Okay, Agent Blackwell, where do we go from here?” asked Rico. Before the agent could answer, he threw a badly aimed punch into the back seat, catching Vega on the knee. “Vega, wake up you slacker. Keep your eyes open for any sign of our target.”

Vega grunted and sat up in the seat. He adjusted his jacket to stop his automatic pistol digging into his ribs, then started scanning the streets outside. He wasn’t sure what he was looking for, since Nagishi wasn’t exactly likely to be walking around in broad daylight.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The Golf was driving into the Old Town, and the vast majority of traffic was driving out, so they trundled down the empty lanes with more than a few envious glances from the cars stuck opposite.

Rixzai described the sorts of cars the Mafia were known to use to the two Free Eaglians. "Mainly SUVs, tinted windows, almost always black or white. Generally pretty shiny and well-looked after. That's about as much as we know."

They reached the first location marked on Nagishi's map - a fashionable bar - without incident, and parked the Golf GTI a short way away; the Mafia tended not to be concerned with people hanging around near their haunts, so long as they didn't have anything that could be used as a weapon on them.

---

Blackwell looked at the map that was draped over her knees. "Well, Janson, Rixzai and Mills have gone to the bar - we could go to that square, there -" she jabbed the map with one finger "- I reckon there's a pretty good chance he'll be there. I mean, he won't walk straight into a bar, will he? He's not that stupid."

"There is a problem, though," Blackwell continued, as the car passed through the gateway into the Old Town. "The square is off the Old Town's main tourist street, which is completely pedestrianised. Somehow, we have to get there on foot, with our weapons, without being noticed. Suggestions?"

---

The SUV in which Nagishi now held a hostage still wasn't moving. He no longer held the automatic pistol to his escort's head, instead preferring to simply sit facing him with the gun pointed in his general direction. The doors were locked; the escort wasn't going anywhere.

Finally, the great engine of the SUV stirred, and the car rumbled forwards. Nagishi brought up his other hand to steady the gun as the car turned off the main street and down a side alley barely big enough to hold it. A few minutes later, the car broke out of the alley and into a wide, empty space.

Nagishi knew none of this; he knew the SUV was finally moving, but where it was moving to was a complete mystery, obscured by the blackened windows.

OOC: Sorry for the delay. Last week I started at uni, and I've had problems gettnig my internet sorted out. Should be fixed sometime next week. Hopefully.

IC:
Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Mills rolled her eyes after hearing Rixzai's opinion as she parked the Golf.

"SUVs with tinted windows? The car used by every wannabe two-bit rapper and hip-hop artist, as well as most single moms?" she groaned. Her disdain for that particular brand of music was clear. "Great, so that makes just about every other car in the city a suspect."

She was, of course, guessing, since she didn't know anything about Kzuu Maian vehicle customs, but did know about those in most other places, and unfortunately Free Eagles fell into the same stereotype.

Janson suppressed a smile and shook his head at his colleague's outright hatred of SUV drivers, who after all, clogged up her nice empty roads with traffic and burned far too much fuel, both of which were bad for her and her supercar.

Both the Raptors were used to this kind of stakeout, just watching a location for hours on end. They formed a highly skilled sniper team, and sniping was basically just an exercise in patience.

---

"Shit," said Vega lightly. "Mills and Janson should be at our target. They're good at the innocent, love-struck couple thing. In fact, we're the only pair who can't do it."

Rico thought about that one and realised the Corporal was right. All three of the other teams consisted of two soldiers of opposite sexes. But then, he realised, so did theirs. It was just a question of whether Blackwell would be both willing and able to put up a convincing performance. He decided that that option would be their last resort.

"Well, our clothes are good enough to not be noticed except by others who've used similar items, and they can conceal most of our gear. The only problem is that we'd have to leave the rifles, and any other large weapons in the car, which would render most of the equipment in our jackets useless," Rico replied. "We'd still have our pistols, but nothing heavier."

"We didn't bring any carbines with us, did we, sir?" asked Vega. "They'd go under our jackets easy enough." There was no need for Rico to answer; the question was rhetorical as Vega had drawn their equipment: No.

The two commandos were stuck, they couldn't just commandeer a building since the Mafia would know within minutes, they couldn't easily conceal their weapons and they couldn't get close enough in the car.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai laughed when she heard Mills' outburst. "That's them. You'll be pleased to know that there are hundreds of them in this accursed corner of the country, which is presumably why the Mafia use their cars. So you're right, we can't stop every suspicious-looking car, we'll be here all night."

Rixzai paused. Although a veteran of many stakeouts, she hated them; she always felt that they were entirely unproductive, and she could be out doing something important instead of sitting watching a bar. She was notorious for her refusal to stay still for any long stretch of time.

"We could contact the Gayoshi police," she said, eventually. "They'll have a list of all the number plates that are known to belong to the Mafia. Of course, the Mafia won't be using most of them, but I guess it's possible we'll catch some."

---

Blackwell considered their problem for a few minutes. "I'm pretty good at playing the obnoxious teenager," she said, scowling comically in an attempt to prove it. "I can usually get away with pretending to be younger than I am. I could probably carry the rifles in a big sports bag or something like that. You two could be...I don't know, uncles or something?"

Not far ahead, crowds of tourists crossed across the road, marking the place where the Old Town's wide, pedestrianised main street and the road met.

---

The car's engine stopped abruptly, and Nagishi immediately grabbed the escort and placed the gun behind his head. When the door opened, the escort stepped out cautiously and nervously, with Nagishi following close behind.

They were in a large warehouse, dimly lit but clean. There was a small pile of creates in one corner, and a dozen or so spotless SUVs were parked along one wall. High above Nagishi's head was a complex network of walkways and stairs, barely visible in the shadows, but other than that the huge space was empty. The only sound that could be heard was a single, reedy laugh.

"You looked so much more threatening in the newspapers' photos," said the laugh's owner. She was tall, middle aged, with sharp facial features and the confidence of someone who knows they're the most important person around. "I had no idea that Public Enemy Number One was an old man."

A few weeks before, Nagishi would have shot back a cutting, sarcastic remark, but now he just ignored the Mafia boss' words. "Be quiet, or I'll shoot this guy right now," he said, instead.

"Yes, I was going to come to that," Kixxula looked towards the young man with the gun pointed at his head. "Why did you let him capture you?" she asked him.

The man didn't reply, preferring to kick Nagishi hard in the shin, twist out of his grasp and punch him in the stomach. Relieving the ex-defence minsiter of his weapon, the escort emptied its ammunition, then tossed it away into the darkness, where it landed with a clatter.

Kixxula had watched all this with amusement, but when she saw Nagishi go for his escaped captive again she held up a hand. "Stop, Nagishi," she said. "There's a surprisingly large number of guns pointed at you right now." Nagishi looked around in confusion, until a figure emerged from behind him and knocked him into unconsciousness.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

"I guess we're stuck with waiting then," declared Janson resignedly. "There's no point getting a list of number plates, 'cause we'd need a computer to actually spot one that was one the list."

They were both silent for about a minute, then Mills slowly began smiling.

"We could play a game," she announced suddenly. "I spy with my little eye something beginning with... F."

Janson snorted with laughter before replying, "Fuck all! And that's enough of that. I'll see how the others are doing." He fiddled with his radio set, adjusting the settings. "Raptors, this is Two-Four. Location check. Two-Four is on location at Target One. Status Bravo."

---

"That could work," agreed Rico. "Do we have some sort of sports bag?" He smiled at Blackwell's scowling visage.

Vega sighed. "I'll go look once we've parked."

Rico began looking for somewhere to park, when Janson's radio call sounded in their ears.

"Two-Four, Two-Eight. Approaching Target Two, ETA five minutes," reported Rico. "Ha, Mills and Janson are on location, and bored," he then told the others.

"Not half as bored as we'll be shortly," stated Vega. "Hang on, I've got an improvement. One of us can act as your step-father or something, and the other can be on the other side of the street while talking on their mobile, having a smoke, reading a newspaper, various things. I assume there're places to sit down, benches and so on."

---

Sam Connolly looked across at Ragarov when Janson's message came through.

"Where are we, I've got no idea?" he asked the Secret Service agent. "Are we close?"

Nagase used the momentary lapse in their idle conversation to lean forward and change the radio station to something sending out classic rock music, then used the rear-view mirror to adjust her hair.

---

Shockley and Kowalski were in a similar situation, they had no idea how close they were to their target, and only a vague one as to exactly where they were.

"Okay, agent Laerta. Where are we and how far are we from the target?" asked Shockley.

Kowalski brought the car to a halt at a red light, and exhaled loudly, showing his frustration with the traffic they had only just escaped.;

---

"Two-Four, Two-Zero. Two-Zero is suspected to be close to Hotel-Quebec. Unknown ETA," reported Williams from her cramped space in the back of the van. "Sir, do we have any idea of where this base is? Or how close we are? I want to get a proper satellite link set up for our comms."

"Sorry, Williams. No idea," replied Langdon.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The sun was beginning to set in Gayoshi, the smog and pollution of the town turning the sky into an array of interesting colours. Street lamps flickered on, filling the cobbled, crowded streets with a pale, monotone glow. The milling crowds of tourists slowly dissolved into the more purposeful, cynical locals, who strode between bars, nightclubs and restaurants.

Rixzai was bored. Like every other bar in the city, the apparent Mafia hangout they were watching was filling with people but, as far as they knew, neither Nagishi nor any known members of the Mafia had come close to it. She restlessly drummed her fingers loudly on the interior of the car, while still glaring out of the window, willing for something to happen.

---

"Good idea," said Blackwell, as the car negotiated a parking space on a road running parallel to the main street. The engine stopped. "We need a bag. I guess if we don't already have one we can buy one. There'll be places still open, I expect."

---

Ragarov looked up, startled from a state of semi-consciousness. "Oh. Er, yes, I think so..." He produced his version of the map and ran a finger along the street they were. "Yep. If we take a right here then we'll be on the road that this -" he jabbed a finger onto a large rectangle on the map "- that this warehouse is on. The Gayoshi Police reckon the Mafia keep some of their cars there."

The car slowed for a red traffic light. When, finally, it had become green again, the car swerved around to the right and onto a considerably narrower street.

"The warehouse is right on the end, here. It's on the edge of the Old Town."

---

Laerta spoke quickly. "We're on one of the two main streets that were built through the Old Town during a sudden burst of enthusiasm for roads in the Sixties. Don't ask me why...anyway, I reckon we should be heading for this cinema here. OK? The Mafia virtually own it. It's on a street that runs parallel to this road. There's a turning in a couple of hundred metres."

---

When Nagishi regained his consciousness, Kixxula and most of the other gangsters had gone. He was sitting on a chair, not restrained in any way other than the fact that there were still several weapons pointed at him.

"Where'd Kixxula?" he demanded. "What the hell's going on?"

His only reply was a threatening grunt that discouraged him from further questions. He sighed loudly, prompting a glare from two of his captors, and tilted his chair back, rocking slightly, in a way that he distinctly hoped look nonchalant.

OOC:
Sorry it took so long. RL and writer's block got in the way.

IC:
Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The two Raptors grimaced as Rixzai’s incessant drumming. Not only was it irritating them, it would be visible to anyone outside the vehicle.

“Calm down,” Mills told her. “You’ll attract attention like that. And having the bad guys know you’re impatient is bad, because they’ll guess what we are, and probably why we’re here.”

She hadn’t actually looked at the Secret Service agent as she spoke, instead she was looking at Janson, acting as though she was having a perfectly normal conversation with him, when in fact she was carefully watching the area behind her partner, while he was doing the same.

“She’s right. It’s one of the easiest ways to get blown, to look like you’re waiting for something,” added Janson, in the same manner. “Come on, you must have done stakeouts before.”

They carried on talking for several minutes, carrying on their apparent casual conversation, then Janson voiced an idea he had been thinking of.

“You fancy a drink, Annie? Ain’t no-one gonna recognise us. We’ve both had language training.” The last sentence was said in a strangely unaccented voice, not a trace of his usual slight Free Eaglian accent.

“You go. Take her with you, unless there’s any chance you’ll be recognised as Secret Service?” replied Mills, directing the question at Rixzai.

If they did go into the bar, they would be identified as foreigners, but not as any specific nationality.

---

As Rico turned off the engine, Vega opened his door and climbed out of the car. He made his way round to the boot and opened it, rummaged around briefly then slammed the boot closed.

“No joy,” he declared as he climbed back into the car. “We’ll have to buy one.”

“Unfortunately he means you’ll have to buy one, Agent Blackwell. We’ve got very little in the way of cash, and what we do have is in rubles, which they ain’t going to accept ‘round here,” Rico told Blackwell semi-apologetically.

---

“Right,” acknowledged Connolly, “Two-Four, Two-Two. Approaching Target Three, ETA two minutes.”

He drove the car along the street fairly slowly, looking for a place to park up within sight of their target.

“If this place is for storing cars, then there’s not much chance of this being where Nagishi shows up. They’ll take him to somewhere and leave him rather than bring him back here,” opined Nagase. “Great. So we got the dud.”

---

Both Shockley and Kowalski were somewhat confused by Laerta’s statement. As they continued to wait for the light to change, Kowalski turned to look at his comrade.

What is he talking about? he asked with his eyes. Shockley shrugged her shoulders at him. I haven’t got a clue, was her response.

When the light turned green again, Kowalski accelerated along the road until they reached the turning indicated by Laerta, then braked sharply and turned into it.

“Two-Four, Two-Six. Approaching Target Four, ETA five minutes,” announced Shockley over the radio as they made the turning.

OOC: I didn't notice. I've been completely inactive for a week, and unable to post for the last few days due to coursework.

IC:

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai stilled her fingers immediately. "Sorry," she said, guiltily. "I didn't realise I was doing it. I've done stakeouts before, but I'm not very good at them, as you've probably gathered." As she spoke, she turned to watch the bar out of the window, with something approaching mild interest.

She was immensely relieved when Mills suggested that she went with Janson to the bar. "I won't be recognised," she said quickly. "They'll realise I'm not from Gayoshi - they might realise I'm from Mai Jun - but they won't know who I am."

She and Janson got out of the Golf GTi and walked the few yards to the bar's entrance. Rixzai pushed open the door and the two agents stepped into a large well-lit room. The bar was against the back wall, with a bewildering array of brightly coloured bottles stacked behind it. Workers in black t-shirts poured equally brightly coloured liquids into glasses and distributed them to the half-dozen patrons seated by the bar on plastic stools, while others handed out drinks to the thirty or so customers sitting around black marble tables in the corners of the room. Rixzai smiled slightly to herself when she heard rap music blaring out through the speakers mounted on the walls.

---

Blackwell nodded. "I've got plenty of money," she said, opening the door of the car. "I'll only be a minute."

She loped off down the street, stopping at the nearest sports shop and obstinately shuffling inside. She browsed around the shop for a while, before selecting the largest bag she could find and paying an extortionate amount for it.

"Got it," she said once she was back in the car. "Now how do we get all the guns in there without being noticed? Guns aren't popular 'round here."

---

"You're probably right," muttered Ragarov, echoing Nagese's sentiments. "Although it's possible that the Mafia will bring him here - after all, they don't want him near the centre of their operations." He paused. "Possible, but unlikely."

They found a parking place and, after some elaborate manoeuvering, the car slotted into it and the engine was shut off.

---

The car holding Kowalski, Shockley and Laerta pulled up close to the cinema which was - allegedly - a key part of the Mafia's operations in Gayoshi. It was plastered in posters for the latest blockbusters, and people wandered in and out of it, none of them looking particularly suspect.

"This is it," said Laerta, with an uncharacteristic decisivesness that was ruined slightly by the "I think" which followed shortly after. He spent a lot of time thinking things over, but rarely trusted his own judgement; he was never certain of anything, even though he often had good reason to be.

---

"When are we going to get out of here?" demanded Nagishi irritably.

No one in the warehouse replied.

"I asked you a question!"

"We're staying here until we're told to leave," said one of the men, slowly and clearly. "And not before."

"And when will that be?" Nagishi had been hoping to be treated with something approaching respect by the Mafia. He desperately needed their protection - he knew that the Secret Services were on his tail, and they'd know he was in Gayoshi because he had left his map in the bedroom in his hurry to get away.

"When Ms. Kixxula comes back," said the only man willing to talk. He chose each word carefully before letting it out of his mouth, making sure not to reveal too much.

"Where did she go?"

"Out."

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

As they entered the bar, Janson grimaced at the music he could hear; rap junk. He moved into the bar, mentally recording the layout as he did so. He spotted an empty booth in sight of the entrance, and pointed it out to Rixzai. He leant in close to her ear to talk over the blaring music.

“I’m going to get those seats, you go to the bar and get a couple of drinks,” he told her in his newly adopted unaccented voice.

He went over to the booth and sat down in such a position that he could see both the main entrance and what appeared to be a way through to the back. Janson typically avoided this kind of place, preferring to spend his evenings in a saner environment, like the Dolver Lake Shadow Bar near the base, which catered more to the tastes of the normal people when it came to music and entertainment.

---

“Ah,” declared Rico, taking the bag from Blackwell and passing it to Vega. “We’ve thought of that before. That’s where Vega comes in.”

“Yeah, I get to do all the work while he just sits there and drives,” griped Vega light-heartedly. He took the bag from Rico and put it in the foot well. Then he reached over and folded the seatback down, allowing access to the boot from inside the car. He then moved the bag into the boot through the opening and began placing their equipment inside the bag, hidden from outside view by the body of the car.

“See,” came Vega’s voice, muffled slightly by the fact that his head was effectively in the boot. “Pure genius. Or the most obvious thing in the world, depending on which way you look at it.”

He reappeared, dragging the bag out after him, and slammed the seat back into place.
“Right, ready to go,” he declared.

---

“Well, I vote Sam for first watch,” announced Nagase, “Wake me in an hour, will you?” With that, she leant back in her seat and closed her eyes.

“Hey, wait a minute,” retorted Connolly. “This ain’t some OP that we’re gonna be stuck here for days. So you don’t get to sleep, Mari.” He threw a carefully aimed sweet wrapper over his shoulder, which bounced off Nagase’s nose.

“Alright, I’m not going to sleep. But unless we find something to talk about, I will fall asleep, whether I want to or not,” warned Nagase.

“Fine. Raptors, Two-Two is on location at Target Three, status Tango,” reported Connolly over the radio net.

---

“Well, either this is it or it isn’t, which is it?” asked Kowalski.

“Let me see that,” said Shockley, before reaching forwards and pulling the map from Laerta’s hands. “Hmm, let’s see now, circle here, cinema there, random archway there, that puts us… here. Yup, we’re in the right place,” she declared.

“How do you do that?” enquired Kowalski. “And why didn’t you guide us here in the first place?”

“M’eh,” she shrugged and fluttered her eyelashes at him, “Natural born talent, comes with being beautiful.”

Kowalski chuckled softly. “Can’t argue with that,” he agreed. “Raptors, Two-Three is on location at Target Four.”

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai nodded, and walked across the highly-polished stone floor to the bar, which appeared to be constructed entirely out of glass. She found the nearest black-shirted bartender and screeched an order at him; he replied with something that was completely inaudible, but began pouring out drinks anyway, so Rixzai assumed he had heard properly.

While she waited, she glanced casually around the room. Most of the patrons were on their feet, wandering between tables with glasses clutched in their hands, and shouting at each other over the cacophonic ‘music’. The bar was gradually filling up with people, and Rixzai noticed that she and Janson had taken the last table, not that it seemed to bother anyone.

The bartender reappeared and placed two drinks on the bar in front of her. Rixzai hurriedly dropped a small cluster of shillings on the bar, then took a glass in each hand and carried them to the table Janson occupied in the corner.

“I didn’t know what to get you,” she said, apologetically, as she placed the two glasses on the table. “So I got you the same as me: coke. That OK? I don’t drink much.”

---

“OK,” said Blackwell, taking the now-heavy bag from Vega. “Now, which one of you wants to be my stepfather?”

She had already stamped a sullen glare onto her features, and was practicing it against the oblivious pedestrians who hurried past the battered car.

---

Nagese, Conolly and Ragarov were surprised to find that they did not have to wait long for something to happen. A black SUV, indistinguishable from the other cars generally used by the Gayoshi Mafia, drove towards the warehouse, its bright lights sweeping across the road ahead of it. It stopped outside the warehouse, and a man got out of the passenger seat, followed by another from the back. They vanished through a small door to the side of the main entrance, and the car sat in silence for a few minutes, before the two larger doors rumbled open and the SUV drove inside.

“OK,” muttered Ragarov, after another minute of silence. “I don’t really know what that was about. Prob’ly just someone dropping off their car or something.” He was silent again, as he considered what he had seen. “Odd, though…’s a bit late to be dropping off a car now, and even if that’s what they’re doing, I’d’ve thought there’d be no one here to receive it.”

---

It was easy to see why Laerta had been unsure; the Mafia were not known for running such blatantly obvious establishments as this cinema, although if Nagishi thought it was worth going to they might still find something out.

The cinema had been built in a converted watermill, although no evidence of its previous function remained, save the wide, slow river which ran through Gayoshi to one side of it. It had been painted a garish red and had the word “CINEMA” propped up in bright blue neon on the roof, forming a beacon of extravagance throughout the normally much saner Old Town. The management had even decided to cover the old waterwheel in lightbulbs and mount it on the front of the building, where it rotated slowly and ridiculously. Most Kzuu Maians would make cutting, sarcastic remarks about the building within seconds of it intruding into their field of vision, but the inhabitants of Gayoshi are not most Kzuu Maians, and the cinema was very popular.

“Bloody stupid place to be running some kind of covert operation,” snorted Laerta, shielding his eyes against the glare.

---

By the time Kixxula re-entered the warehouse, Nagishi had thought up a complex set of arguments, intended to convince Kixxula to give him the protection he so desperately needed.

“We’ve decided where to keep you, Nagishi,” she announced, before he had the chance to speak. “And we’re moving you there tomorrow, just as soon as we’ve removed anything of importance.”

“Where?” demanded Nagishi, getting up out of his chair.

“Just somewhere,” replied Kixxula, airily. “Anyway, you might as well get some sleep; you aren’t going anywhere yet.”

OOC: Sorry, been very busy again. Post coming shortly. EDIT: There we go.

IC:
Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Janson accepted the drink and shrugged. “It would be less out of place if we’d gotten something alcoholic, although I didn’t plan on actually drinking it, just appearing to,” he told her, as quietly as the excessive music volume would allow. If you watched very carefully, you could see that his eyes never left the entrance to the bar, unless they were glancing at the back entrance.

The drinks were just a cover, a reason for them to loiter in the location and keep watch out for the target, while camouflaging them as just another couple out for a drink.

Since he had it now, Janson took a sip of his drink, then placed it on the table. He glanced around momentarily, a check to see that Nagishi was not somewhere in the bar itself, an unlikely event given his status, but one he wouldn’t put past the mafia dons to try and pull.

“You watch that door into the back of the bar,” he told her, “I’ve got the main entrance.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, unheard by anyone in the bar but picked up perfectly by the whisper mike on his throat. “Two-Five, Two-Four. We’re in position inside the bar, no sign of the target. Anything on your end?”

“Not a thing, Two-Four,” replied Mills in his ear.
---

“Well, it’s not so much who wants to be your stepfather, as who looks more likely,” stated Vega. “Personally I think Rico looks older, and therefore more likely to be your stepfather.”

It was true, despite their small age difference (both were in their mid twenties) Rico looked several years older. Vega looked only a few years older than Blackwell, if you took her to be a teenager, which meant that he was more likely to be a brother than a stepfather.

“I guess he’s right. Damn him and his youthful appearance. Come on, Blackwell,” agreed Rico reluctantly. He opened his door and made to get out, then turned back to Vega. “Where are you going to be?”

“Other side of the street, mildly pissed and on the phone to every mate in my phonebook, including a long conversation with my girlfriend, after which I might read a newspaper, have a fag or wait for somebody to come meet me, having arranged it over the phone,” Vega told them. The only problem with that was that he didn’t smoke, and it was probably too dark and too late to be sitting around reading a newspaper.

The two Raptors got out of the car, and Vega immediately walked away, while Rico waited for Blackwell. This was to distance themselves from each other, so nobody was aware that they knew each other.
---

Nagase had her own opinion on what they had just seen.
“No, if it was just somebody dropping off a car, why would there be three people in it, including the driver? We got something going on here, we just don’t know what.” She paused, thinking about it for a moment. “Although there’s no way there’d be no-one there at this time, you think the mafia keep office hours? The night is when they’ll do most of their stuff, when fewer people are around.”

Connolly was silent for a while, then spoke. “She’s right, you know. I think we might have something here. It might not be our guy, but its worth reporting in anyway. Two-Zero, Two-Two. We have just observed a vehicle with at least three occupants arrive at our target. Not much, but supposedly this place is only a carpark, so it seems a bit out of place,” he transmitted over the radio.

There was a slight delay, then: “Two-Zero copies, Two-Two. Stay put and keep us informed,” Williams ordered, relaying the orders from Langdon.

“Two-Two copies,” acknowledged Connolly. “And now we wait again. Just watch and wait.”
---

“I don’t know,” argued Shockley lightly, “Would you think of looking for a mafia base of operations in a building like that?”

Kowalski grinned. “It’s an eyesore, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t want to run any form of op from something that conspicuous, even if it’s the last place anyone would look,” he said, agreeing with Laerta.

“Ah, you’re not nearly devious enough for this job, Andre,” chided Shockley. “It’s almost the perfect cover. Except once people do know that it’s a hideout, it just becomes ridiculous. Did you know about this place before we found this map?” she asked Laerta.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Rixzai dutifully watched the door behind the bar, taking small sips from her drink as she did so. It was constantly opening and closing, as the bars’ workers replaced bottles and whisked away used glasses, and Rixzai realised that what at first appeared to be utter, uncontrollable chaos was actually meticulously organised. That was much more like the Mafia she knew.

After only a few minutes’ watching, Rixzai noticed, in a corner to the right of the bar, a young woman attempting surreptitiously to sell off-white powder to a man sitting alone at a table. She had clearly been there for several minutes, but had somehow managed to avoid being quietly shown a back door, a narrow alleyway and a sub-machine gun; the Mafia didn’t approve of anyone selling black market drugs on their turf except themselves, and were usually very efficient in the removal of their competitors. Only recently, all the leaders of one of the most powerful gangs in the Gayoshi slums had suddenly vanished on the same night, after the gang had tried to take a slice of the drugs smuggling trade that fuelled almost all the organised crime in Gayoshi.

Rixzai caught Janson’s attention and flicked her head nonchalantly in the general direction of the dealer, who, apparently, was still trying to convince the same customer. “She’s definitely not Mafia,” she murmured, as quietly as possible. “But she’s still alive. That’s unlike them, unless –” Rixzai paused and frowned “- unless they’ve got something more important to be concerning themselves with.”

---

Blackwell stepped out of the car, and, with obvious exaggeration, hauled the bag out behind her. She followed Rico down the remainder of the main road, and then left onto the pedestrianised shopping street. It was lined with skeletal trees, and the citizens of Gayoshi wandered between the still-open shops or sat talking on the stone benches which ran along the street. Blackwell muttered and cursed under her breath, complaining about the weight of the bag that her malevolent step-father had forced her to carry, and sneered at any passers by who caught her eye.

---

Barely ten minutes after the car entered the building, the big doors at the front of the warehouse slid open and it drove out again. No one exited or entered the car this time; the warehouse’s occupants closed the door from the inside. The car turned and headed back to wherever it was that it had come from.

Raragov shrugged. “Well, I guess whatever it was that they were doing’s been done,” he said, sounding slightly disappointed that it hadn’t been anything bigger.

---

Laerta shook his head. “Nope, never. You’d’ve thought it’d be infamous, but apparently not. Well, I guess it could be pretty well-known in Gayoshi, but I’ve never heard of it.”

Nothing out of the ordinary appeared to be happening around the cinema; people came, looking naïvely optimistic, or left, staring at their tickets in disgust and tearing them into tiny pieces. A beleaguered bus shuddered to a halt on the other side of the road and a dozen school kids tumbled out. Most of them ran directly across the road and into the cinema, ignoring the enraged curses they received from the motorists. A fleet of taxis stood in formation just around the corner, and every so often one would pull away and cross the bridge to the cinema’s left, out of the Old Town and away into Gayoshi’s urban sprawl.

---

Nagishi had been annoyed when Kixxula had once again left the warehouse, accompanied by both of her guards and her driver. For most of the time she was there, she had completely ignored him, issuing quiet orders to each of his three guards in turn. She had left without even listening to him carefully explain why he couldn’t stay the entire night in the warehouse.

His guards had lost interest in him; one was reading the Gazette, and the other two were watching football on a small TV. He could, possibly, sneak away to the nearest airport and catch the next international flight. The only flaw in his rather simplistic plan was that he distinctly doubted that the doors out of the warehouse were unlocked, even if he could get to one of them without the guards noticing. He glanced around the warehouse, but there was virtually nothing in it save the big, shiny SUVs.

He smiled to himself, and then eased himself out of his chair and walked as quietly as possible around the warehouse’s shadows towards the cars. Which, he hoped, would be unlocked and have keys in them; the Mafia would often have to make a quick getaway. It was still pretty unlikely, but slightly less unlikely than the doors being open.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Janson shifted his position slightly so that he could see the woman Rixzai was referring to, while still watching the door. He was in no position to comment on whether the woman was Mafia or not, having had no dealings with them ever, but he could see that she was selling what was almost certainly cocaine and trying to avoid being noticed by anyone. He knew enough that a Mafia ‘sponsored’ dealer would be at least a little more open, since they only had to worry about the police, and the police weren’t about to just walk into a Mafia stronghold and arrest someone.

“If you’re right about her not being mafia, and you probably are, then I’d agree that there must be something else going on if they haven’t evicted her rather permanently yet, but it’s not necessarily anything to do with our target,” he replied. “Could just be coincidence that they’ve got something else major on tonight. Besides, how are we going to check? If we call in the team and we’re wrong, the rest of the city will be alert, and we’ll never find him. And we can’t just walk up and ask, or go into the back and look around, can we?”

He sat back and took another sip of his drink, then spoke into the whisper mike again. Just because he didn’t think it was related didn’t mean it wasn’t worth reporting.
“Two-Zero, Two-Four. We have some possible activity at our location, but currently nothing to suggest it’s connected with our objective.”

“Two-Zero copies. Keep us informed, Two-Four,” replied Williams.
---

As Rico and Blackwell walked down the pedestrianised street, they saw Vega walking quickly down the street, deftly weaving between the natives, then suddenly stop. He put a hand in his pocket and brought out his mobile phone, and proceeded to answer it with exaggerated surprise. He then began to walk around seemingly aimlessly while chatting exuberantly to the person on the other end.

All the Raptors carried mobile phones, in case their normal comms were ever disrupted for some reason, and, as he had already told them, Vega was actually talking to himself, there was no-one on the other end of the phone line.

Rico concealed a smile at the performance he could hear Blackwell putting up behind him; she was really making it appear as though she hated him with a vengeance. He put on an expression of annoyance and exasperation at her continuing tirade of abuse against him and the bag, although the abuse at the bag was probably increasingly less fake and more genuine, since the weapons and ammunition weren’t exactly light.

After a while, he’d ‘give in’ to her and take the bag for a time, so as not to be too unfair on her. After all, he was a fully trained soldier and used to carrying loads of that size, whereas she probably wasn’t.
---

Connolly shook his head. “No, I still agree with Maria. You want to enlighten us on your opinions, Mari?”

Nagase smiled and nodded. “Okay, let’s start by saying that, if you were trying to hide someone, a location that’s thought to be just a car park would be quite good, since everyone would assume that at most they would only pass through here.” She paused, deliberately making them wait for it.
“Second, if you had such a person, wouldn’t you want to talk to them? But you wouldn’t allow them to go to your headquarters, just in case. You’d send someone to talk to them, probably someone trusted by the head honcho.” She paused again, drawing out her idea.
“Third, someone that you trust would have bodyguards, since they’re a valuable asset to your activities. And if they were to drive somewhere, that someone wouldn’t get out of the vehicle until you were safely inside. Only the bodyguards would, to tell the guards at the location to open up.” A final pause.
“And finally, you wouldn’t stay very long would you? Not the first time. You’d check their identity, ask a couple of questions, get the answers and leave. After all, if they are what you thought, you’re going to keep them around for a while, so you’d have plenty of time to talk more with them once you’ve moved them to a safe house or something.”
“Now, if you take into account what we’ve seen, I think there’s at least a reasonable chance that our target is in there,” she finished.

After Nagase had finished talking, Connolly nodded his head slowly. “When you put it like that, it does seem a distinct possibility. What do you think, Agent Ragarov?”
---

Shockley found herself smiling at the sheer number of people who appeared to leave in a dissatisfied state.
“What’s the problem? Are there no decent films out, or are the mafia showing pirated films or something?”

It wouldn’t have surprised her if the mafia were either showing pirated films or were charging extortionate prices to see the films, or both.

“Y’know, if they were to bring our target here, they’re not exactly going to bring him in through the front door, are they? There has to be another entrance somewhere, maybe we should be watching that,” thought Kowalski aloud.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

After failing to interest her customer, the dealer turned on her heel and hurried out of the bar, ducking through the milling crowds which now occupied most of the space. No one in front of or behind the bar seemed in the least bit concerned by her, with the possible exception of the man she had attempted to sell her cocaine to.

“I expect you’re right…” said Rixzai, slowly, a short time afterwards. “I doubt that Nagishi is the most important thing the Mafia are dealing with tonight. In fact, he may be comparatively unimportant; I’ve heard that they’ve been having problems with the slum gangs a lot recently.”

Nothing else particularly out of the ordinary appeared to be happening, so Rixzai returned to casually watching the back door of the bar, but none of the workers coming and going seemed particularly suspicious.

---

Blackwell kept one eye on Vega as she plodded down the street, jostling pedestrians and spouting abuse at Rico. Most of the natives would merely cast an annoyed glance at this uncivilised Mai Jun girl before continuing on their way, but some gave her well-meaning smiles, which she repelled with scornful glares.

When Rico stopped and allowed Blackwell to catch up, she flicked her head towards a narrow alley a hundred or so yards ahead of them.

“That’s it,” she muttered, before gratefully allowing the Free Eaglian soldier to take the bag. She followed him slowly towards the alley’s entrance, hands thrust into her pockets and eyes fixed on the cobblestones.

---

“Certainly sounds possible,” said Ragarov, after a minute’s careful thought. “Nagishi might be in there. Of course, the only problem is: how do we find out?” He looked towards the huge, featureless warehouse. As far as he could see, it had only two entrances – the big one that the car had driven through and the door just to the side – and no windows.

---

“Well, no, there aren’t any good films out,” Laerta indicated the posters that were pasted all over the front of the building. “They appear to be showing only Kzuu Maian films. Why this place didn’t go out of business twenty years ago is completely beyond me. I don’t know if the films are pirated, though it’s probably not worth the effort.”

Laerta blinked when Kowalski voiced his opinion on their current position. “Of course! They could’ve got him in there with us ever knowing!”

He ran his eyes over the red building, searching for any sign of a side entrance. He noticed a handful of people walking in or out of the alley on the river side of the building, and pointed towards it. “Reckon that’s the place?”

---

Nagishi had to resist making a mad dash for the cars; he didn’t want to give away his activities before it was completely unavoidable. He stepped into the shadows behind the nearest SUV, but deliberately moved away from it, towards a particularly big, bull barred one near the middle of the line. None of his guards had noticed his movements, or at least they hadn’t shown it.

Detection was now completely unavoidable, so he wrenched open the door of the SUV and dived inside, pulling the door shut behind him and locking it. The guards had all produced weapons and were running towards the line of cars, but – and Nagishi grinned in surprise behind the tinted windows – they didn’t know which one he was in. He cast about for the keys, and eventually found them sitting in the ashtray with a small pile of change.

The guards were beginning to check each SUV in turn, forcing the doors open and swinging their sub-machine guns across the interior. Nagishi started the engine and slammed his foot onto the accelerator in almost the same instant, and the huge car leapt forwards, scraping immaculate paintwork and destroying wing mirrors before he was able to take control. A handful of bullets sprayed across the car, but the bullet-proofed windows and bodywork held, and the powerful engine didn’t even cough, instead sending the TV flying into the gloom as it caught the edge of the small table.

Nagishi pointed the bull bars at the point where the two rusty corrugated iron doors were held together by a short chain and a padlock, doing his best to ignore the bullets flying past the windows. The impact sent his head flying towards the steering wheel, and he muttered a silent thanks to the seat belt when he was jolted back upright. It was only then that he realised the car was on a steep slope; the chain had held, and instead of crashing open the doors had creased around the hefty bolts holding them into the wall. Nagishi pushed on the accelerator again, and the car drove a few feet up the tilted doors before the hinges gave way and the doors slumped to earth. The top of the destroyed doors scraped across the underside of the SUV, as, with the compulsory squeal of brakes, Nagishi turned a sharp right and the SUV vanished into Gayoshi’s suburbs.

---

“Now what the hell was that?” demanded Ragarov, seconds before another SUV appeared from the warehouse and pursued the first out of the Old Town.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Janson raised an eyebrow at the mention of gang trouble.
“Really? We’d better watch out that we don’t get caught up in a battle between the mafia and other gangs. Last thing we want to happen is for us to get caught in the crossfire,” he commented. “I’m not saying we couldn’t handle it, but it would blow our cover and expose ourselves to unnecessary danger.”

He was right, the average gang was no match for even a pair of the special forces soldiers, as gangs tended to be inherently disorganised and poorly trained, relying on intimidation to achieve success, although the mafia were likely to pose a larger problem, possibly akin to the Karosian rebels which were causing so many problems for the FEGF and the government.
---

Rico took the bag and swung it seemingly effortlessly over his shoulder, murmuring “Gotcha” as he did so. He walked slowly down the alley, wondering exactly where they could stop and keep an eye on the place, with a legitimate excuse for standing there. His current idea was to make it appear that they were waiting for Blackwell’s mother to appear, but they wouldn’t exactly be doing that in a back alley.

Vega continued his animated conversation with his fictional girlfriend, all the time keeping one eye on where Rico and Blackwell were, relying on them to indicate to him exactly where their target was.
---

“Well I can think of several ways, none useful to us, so I guess we’ll have to just wait and see,” remarked Connolly.

Nagase was about to make some snide remark about the usefulness of that statement when the SUV burst out of the warehouse, closely followed by another.
“Well I guess that answers that,” she stated instead. “Gotta be him, anyone less important would have been shot, not kept alive.”

“Follow it?” asked Connolly semi-rhetorically.
“Follow it,” agreed Nagase.

Connolly started the engine and accelerated after the retreating SUVs, careful to not seem as though they were chasing too close, or following at all for that matter. The mafia were unlikely to be looking for a tail anyway, and Nagishi certainly had other things on his mind.

“Raptors, this is Two-Nine. We are in pursuit of a vehicle believed to contain our target, which is also pursued by a vehicle containing suspected mafia members. Neither is currently aware of our presence,” sent Nagase over the radio, so that Connolly could concentrate on driving.

“Understood, Two-Nine. Keep us informed. All other units, remain on location, pending confirmation of target identity,” ordered Langdon swiftly.
---

Kowalski was about to move their car to a location better suited to watching the side entrance, when Nagase’s radio message came through their ear pieces. He sat up straight in his seat and his hands went to the ignition and handbrake, preparing to take off rapidly in the direction of Connolly and Nagase. When Langdon’s order to remain followed, he slowed his actions down again, gently easing the car to its new parking space without attracting any attention.

“Look’s like we might have found him anyway, but it doesn’t hurt to keep your options open,” voiced Shockley, and Kowalski nodded his agreement.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

“It might not be easy to handle as you think,” replied Rixzai. “Sure, they’re badly organised and at times faintly ridiculous, but some of them are huge. That’s why the Mafia have been unable to simply roll in there and crush every gang in their way – some of the biggest gangs have all combined together, and the Mafia are outnumbered about ten to one,” Rixzai paused, picking up her drink and watching the bar’s workers milling around. “Which is an even better reason to stay out of their way.”

Janson received Nagase’s report barely a second after she closed her mouth; he repeated it to her, then repeated Langdon’s when it came through. After being told not to move, Rixzai sat back in her chair and watched for any odd behaviour on the part of the bar’s occupants.

---

Blackwell stepped into the alley and padded down its length, running over a few excuses in her mind. The bodies of the muggers who had attempted to attack Nagishi had long since been cleared up by the Mafia and not a single trace remained.

She stopped on the exact spot where the first man was shot, then yelled “Where the hell are you taking me anyway? I thought we were going to the sports centre!” at Rico, angrily.

---

Nagishi had no idea where he was going, but wherever it was, he was going there at quite a speed. The massive SUV thundered down the street, pursued doggedly by the Mafia in their smaller, black one. The further he drove, the more he cursed his choice of vehicle – it may have been effective in bashing down doors, but it tilted dangerously on every corner and was eating up fuel alarmingly quickly. It was also ridiculously hard to control at this speed, and so far he had made glancing hits onto two lamp posts, a truck and a hedge; if it had been rush hour, he’d be a smear on the road by now.

Eventually, amid the general blur of his surroundings, Nagishi spotted a sign: the F78 motorway was close. Failing to suppress a tiny chuckle of glee, Nagishi wrenched on the steering wheel and the SUV executed an insanely tight turn, spending several seconds on only two wheels before coming back to earth with a loud crash.

---

The three Mafia men in their SUV had been taken by surprise by Nagishi’s sudden turn, and they shot past the motorway entrance before they were able to react. Their driver slammed both feet onto the break pedal, then did an elaborate set of manoeuvres and continued pursuit, but by that time Nagishi was far ahead of them. The three men swore in unison, but did not give up; Kixxula did not like people who admitted defeat.

---

Conolly was far quicker than the Mafia, and when Nagishi executed his surprise turn, Conolly followed him with apparent ease.

“Looks like the Mafia lost him,” said Ragarov, nodding out of the rear window to the defeated looking SUV which had just growled into view behind them.

---

“I wonder why Nagishi decided to apparently try and escape,” said Laerta, mainly to himself, as he watched staff from the depressingly-bright cinema appearing from the small door into the alley, usually simply for a smoke. “I mean, what’s he going to do without the Mafia’s support? Leave the country?”

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

“Really?” asked Janson with mild incredulity, “The Mafia aren’t even the strongest gang? That’s unusual,” he mused. “Probably not like the Karosian rebels then, they have numbers and organisation. Still, I agree, it would be better to keep out of the way completely.”

With the transmission from Nagase, he tensed almost imperceptibly in his seat. After the order from Langdon, he relaxed again, but he was restless now. There was action and he was missing out on it. Chances were, Nagase and Connolly were after their target, so their staying here was entirely pointless.
---

What in the hell…? thought Rico, as Blackwell suddenly turned on him and began shouting. Then it clicked, she was giving them their excuse.
“What are you talking about? Don’t you ever listen?” he shouted back.

From his position on the street at the end of the alley, Vega watched, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a smile. He had caught on faster than Rico, knowing what she was doing the instant Blackwell spoke.
---

Connolly’s ease at following Nagishi’s turn was due to his superior driving ability, the performance of the Secret Service’s Q-car and the greater distance by which he was following compared to the mafia pursuers.

“Any idea where he’s going?” asked Connolly of Ragarov.

“Wherever it is, he can’t drive very well,” commented Nagase, as Nagishi’s vehicle bounced off a lamppost for the third time. “Wait, motorway,” she told them, catching a glimpse of the sign. She dug through the seat pockets, looking for a road map to work out where he might be going.

Connolly glanced at his rear view mirror. “Not yet, they haven’t lost him. They’re still chasing. Whether or not they’ll be able to keep up from back there is another matter. Besides, they can call in other units,” he said, expertly taking the car around a tight corner.
---

“You know, that’s a good point,” agreed Shockley. “Without the help of a major crime syndicate, he’s going to run out of options pretty fast. He won’t have any money for starters, since you froze all his bank accounts.”

“He probably hasn’t thought that far ahead yet,” mused Kowalski, “He seems to be acting on impulse lately. Having the whole country and a foreign government after you isn’t good for your concentration.”

“If he was planning on leaving the country, where would he go? He’s got two governments after him; it’s unlikely that any nation would shelter him for long,” pointed out Shockley.
---

Langdon and Webb had come to a decision. If Connolly and Nagase were chasing their target, then it was vital that they not lose him. They had suited up in fatigues and were now with Alyan, requesting either a car, or more preferably, a helicopter with which to take up the pursuit of Nagishi. The only problem with a helicopter was the fuel endurance, and the fact that they would need a Kzuu Maian flight crew.

Viner and Williams would stay where they were to coordinate the Raptors’ movements by radio, since they had now gotten their satellite link and booster array set up.

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Mainly to distract herself from the fact that she was just sitting there while others tore after a Mafia car and, possibly, Nagishi himself, Rixzai continued her conversation with Janson on the current situation between the Mafia and the gangs.

“Well, no, I guess they aren’t the strongest in Gayoshi,” she said, picking up her drink and peering at it for a second before putting it back down again. “But they’re a nationwide organisation, while the gangs are basically confined to handful of areas around Gayoshi. If the Mafia can’t finish off the gangs soon, they’ll be calling in favours from all over the country, and the gangs won’t stand a chance. Plus, the Mafia are much richer and much more powerful.” She shrugged, and picked up her drink again, then spectacularly changed the subject. “You reckon they’ve got him? It seems kind of unlikely to me…”

---

“Listen to what? You never tell me anything!” Blackwell replied, lashing out with one foot at loose stone, then stomping off towards the square at the end of the alley, muttering something about never speaking to Rico ever again. Ever.

The square was small, and buildings crowded into it from all sides, and, in one case, had actually fallen into it. Blackwell wandered around the square aimlessly, her feet crushing the thick layer of dry leaves which covered most of the ground.

“This doesn’t look much like the sports centre, you know,” she spat, as Rico entered the square.

---

The motorway loomed in the distance, a huge mass of swirling light. The road out of Gayoshi went down the spine of a grassless bank, with a steep slope on one side and a jagged wall of rock on the other. There was a thin, depressed line of thorn trees between the road’s lanes, covered in yellow light by the street lights, and a small hedge on the edge opposite to Nagishi.

His stolen SUV was now severely dented, and there was a thin framework of cracks in the left window where the last lamp post had hit. Still, the sight of the motorway gave Nagishi a chaotic glimpse of hope, so he stamped on the accelerator and twisted on the steering wheel, the car glancing a motorway sign as it turned sharply into the road.

Too sharply, it appeared, as the SUV rolled unceremoniously onto its back and bounced down the bank, taking a petrified Nagishi with it. It stopped just short of the motorway itself, and when Nagishi eventually decided to open his eyes, he saw that he was, largely, unharmed. He tumbled out of the car, stumbled around for a few seconds, and attempted to hitch a ride, increasingly aware of the Mafia car getting nearer, but blissfully unaware of the Secret Service car that was almost upon him.

---

“Bloody hell!” cried Ragarov, as they rounded the corner and saw the SUV lying on its back a few metres from the motorway. “Can’t say I wasn’t expecting it, though.”

He watched as the door was hesitantly opened, and a figure dropped from the seat onto the earth, narrowly missing smashing his jaw on a jutting lump of metal. “That’s him,” he said, watching Nagishi stagger around the car before defiantly sticking out his thumb towards the motorway.

Behind them, the Mafia car had already stopped, and the three men inside appeared, openly blasting their machine guns in the general direction of Nagishi, who jumped, yelped, and dived back into the SUV.

---

Laerta considered. “I guess there isn’t anywhere he could go, really. A lot of people used to go to Akran and adopt a completely new identity, but since Akran gave up any independence it may have had, there aren’t really many options. I expect he doesn’t really know what he’s doing. Just trying to get away from everyone.”

---

Alyan just about managed to organise a helicopter for the Free Eaglians; the Gayoshi police had a huge fleet of helicopters, and there was almost always one circling the slums, looking for any sign of trouble.

“They say they’ll have an unmarked helicopter ready when you get there,” announced Alyan to Langdon and Webb. “And we have a car you can take. Do you need directions?”

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

“Two-Zero, Two-Nine. Target identity confirmed. It’s our guy. He’s rolled his vehicle and we are engaging the Mafia chase car,” transmitted Nagase over the radio net. She then pulled out her pistol and removed the silencer attached to the barrel. “Sam, can you give me a line?” She put her window down as she spoke.

Without answering, Connolly turned the wheel hard and put his foot on the brakes. The car swerved violently, spinning around on its axis as it continued to move in the same direction. Nagase stuck her arm and head out of her window and fired off three shots in the direction of the Mafia shooters. With no idea if the rounds went anywhere near the target, she watched as their vehicle came to a stop, facing sideways across the motorway.

Both Raptors opened their doors and got out, crouching low. Connolly went to the boot and opened it, removing two R-21A1 assault rifles and raising one to his shoulder. He slid the other under the car to where Nagase was crouching behind the engine block. She ignored it for the moment and continued firing her pistol.

“Get out and stay behind the door,” Connolly shouted at Ragarov. “And pray your people put decent armour in the doors. Mari, I’m going to get the target.”

With that, he ran across the motorway and slid down the bank, coming to a stop near the overturned SUV. He scrambled over to the vehicle and crouched behind the front of the car.
“Get behind the bonnet,” he bellowed at Nagishi.
He looked along the rifle sights and squeezed off a three-round burst from the rifle in the direction of the Mafia gunmen.
---

“And then Gayoshi becomes a Mafia city, right?” asked Janson. “The police suddenly do nothing, since half of them are on the payroll of the Mafia, and the citizens find themselves caught up in the events, unable to do anything about it for fear of being killed.”

Before Rixzai could respond, his facial expression changed. He raised a hand to his ear, then whispered something.
“Come on, we’re leaving. They’ve confirmed his identity,” he told Rixzai, before standing and walking towards the exit.

Outside, Mills already had the engine of their car running, waiting for them to join her.
---

“Well, if you’d listened, I never said we were going to the sports centre, I told you we w…” Rico broke off, grinned and started walking rapidly back in the direction of the car. “Let’s go, they found him,” he explained.

As he moved back down the alley, he saw Vega hurriedly finish his fictional conversation, just for appearance’s sake, then run off towards their car.
---

“Connolly and Nagase, well I’ll be damned,” declared Kowalski as he restarted the car’s engine and accelerated away.

“They found him,” explained Shockley to Laerta. “And so did the Mafia, so they’re in a gunfight. No doubt it’ll be over before we get there, but we’re going anyway.”
---

“All Raptors, Two-Zero is now mobile. Control is now at Two-Alpha,” reported Viner over the radio net. “Two-Nine’s location is near the Eff-Seven-Eight motorway, closest junction to you. It’s on your maps.”

Viner knew that the other teams would already be on their way to the fight, even if they didn’t actually know where it was yet, so he gave them the directions.
---

“Get the helicopter over here as soon as it’s ready, if possible,” requested Langdon. “If not, we need a car with emergency lights and we need to know where we’re going.”

Webb had left the room, and was going through their stores. He hefted his chosen weapon, an MG-21 light machinegun, then laid it down and found some spare ammunition boxes, plus Langdon’s preferred weapon, an R-27 precision rifle and some spare magazines for it.

Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Ragarov hesitated; it was hardly his job to cower behind doors while foreigners slaughtered the Mafia. Then a bullet narrowly missed ripping his ear off, and his doubts were hastily pushed away as he rolled out of the car and slid behind the door.

He pulled out his handgun and squeezed off a couple of shots in the direction of the mobsters to make himself feel better, but it was hardly necessary; two of the Mafia men already lay injured or – possibly – dead on the tarmac, and, as he watched, the third leapt into the SUV and screeched into a radio. He listened for a few moments, before picking up his sub-machine gun, hopping reluctantly out of the car, and firing a swathe of bullets in the general direction of the Free Eaglians. He was hit in the shoulder, and tumbled backwards onto the road.

Hesitantly, Ragarov stood up and looked around him. Nagishi had complied with all of Conolly’s instructions without question, and was now being escorted up the bank towards the now bullet-ridden Q-car. He bled slowly from where a bullet had clipped him in the forearm, and looked slightly depressed, but otherwise appeared to be in good health. Ragarov shrugged, pulled out his gun and walked slowly towards the three prone gunmen.

---

Kixxula looked up from her huge broadsheet as one of her various underlings popped into view nervously. She sighed, folded the paper and leant back in her chair, glaring at the young man. “Well?”

“Nagishi escaped, Ms. Kixxula…” he began, hopping from one foot to the other annoyingly.

“I’ve already been told. By you. And I don’t care,” sneered Kixxula, spinning around in her chair slowly. “Just get to the point.”

“One man has been killed, and at least one is also injured.” The young man rushed out his words and had to fight to stop himself screwing his eyes shut.

“How?” asked Kixxula, stopping her chair and bringing both hands down on the table sharply. “Nagishi shot them?”

“No, no...Nagishi rolled his car, so they stopped and began shooting at him. The remaining man thinks that some undercover police officers were there at the same time, and started shooting at them.”

Kixxula shook her head. “Unless they were expecting something, those police officers wouldn’t’ve been armed.” She paused and considered the situation. “OK. Send out four cars to deal with these police, or whatever, recapture Nagishi and pick up the injured men. Can you do that?”

The young man nodded, and rushed out of the room as quickly as he could. Kixxula sat still for a few minutes, then shrugged and began reading the paper again.

---

The three teams of agents had all left their stakeouts and were making their way towards the motorway exit as quickly as they could, given the haphazard nature of the Old Town’s roads. Rixzai, Janson and Mills had furthest to go, since the motorway was on the exact opposite side of the Old Town from the glaring bar they had been watching, whereas Shockley, Kowalski and Laerta were already very close.

At the same time, four SUVs pulled out of another, supposedly deserted, warehouse and made for the same destination, each filled with four heavily armed mobsters. Sixteen was all the soldiers the Mafia could spare, given the current war with the slum gangs, and all of them were slightly annoyed at being sent after a renegade Defence Secretary; in two of the cars loud arguments were taking place, and in the other two the mobsters sat in stony silence.

---

The black, inconspicuously armoured helicopter wheeled around and tilted alarmingly, before coming down steadily onto the roof of the MoD building where Alyan, Langdon and Webb waited impatiently.

“The pilots should know where they’re going,” yelled Alyan above the loud clatter of the rotor blades. “And if they don’t, there’s a secure radio that you can use to contact us.” She paused, and appeared to fight an inner battle before speaking again. “Or the police, I guess,” she said, resignedly. “If you really want to.”

Near the F78 motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Connolly hadn’t meant for Ragarov to just hide behind the door, it had just been an instruction to one who was probably unfamiliar with deploying and fighting from a Q-car, the Raptor had expected the Secret Service agent to fight alongside them.

He led Nagishi back up the slope and over to their car. He looked ruefully at the number of actual holes in the car, and realised that perhaps the Kzuu Maians weren’t as good at this as he had first thought, although there were still a lot fewer holes than would be in an off-the-shelf model.

Nagase noticed that Nagishi was wounded, and went to the boot to find the medical kit. Seeing that Ragarov was already heading for the Mafia vehicle, she called out to him.
“Check them, will you? Either way, bring any weapons you see over here,” she told him.
She then handed the medical kit to Connolly, who quickly bandaged Nagishi’s arm, while she kept cover on both Nagishi and the surrounding area with the rifle she had eventually picked up.

“Two-Alpha, Two-Nine. Tango in custody and three X-rays disabled. No friendly casualties, but the Tango has a minor flesh wound,” she told Viner over the radio, following proper radio discipline and using the proper call-signs for once.

“Copy that, Two-Nine. Remain your location, other units are inbound. Should we send an ambulance?” asked Viner.

“Not on our account, -Alpha, I’m not sure about the muppets,” she replied, using the Raptors unofficial term for enemies. It referred to their intelligence at engaging the Raptors. “I’ll get back to you in a minute. The Sherlock is checking them now.” ‘Sherlock’ was for Sherlock Holmes, and represented any civilian law-enforcement officer.
---

Janson was grumbling at how far they were from Connolly and Nagase, as Mills took their car between others as fast as she could to get them to their comrades’ location.

After about a minute, he lowered the other side of the back seat and rummaged around in the boot, despite the motion of the car. After a few seconds he emerged again, holding an assault rifle similar to the ones carried by Connolly and Nagase. After loading and safing it, he shrugged at Mills, who was looking at him in the rear-view mirror.
“Can’t be too careful. Besides, you never know what we might run into,” he told her.
---

“Right. We’ve got our radios too,” yelled back Langdon. “Don’t worry; I doubt we’ll need the police.”

The Raptor team leader had his rifle slung over his shoulder, looking every bit like just another soldier. He climbed into the helicopter and unslung it, resting the weapon on the seat beside him. Webb had already boarded, and was sitting by the door on the other side, his machinegun resting on his knee.

Langdon put on a headset and tapped the pilot on the shoulder.
“Let’s go. Quick as you can,” he ordered.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Ragarov walked slowly towards the nearest Mafia gunman, who had been bleeding profusely for several minutes and was now conspicuously still. His assault rifle lay on the ground next to him, and there was the familiar outline of a handgun inside his jacket. Ragarov knelt and quickly relieved him of both, before turning to see another of the mobsters struggle upwards and pick up a handgun. Without hesitation, Ragarov fired two shots towards him. The gunman gave a sharp screech and dropped the gun, a bullet lodged just above his wrist. Ragarov hastily removed his weapons, and those of the third mobster, before returning to the first man and making a rushed diagnosis: dead. The other two were both alive, but needed medical attention soon. He handcuffed them both to a nearby lamppost, then returned to the Q-car to get the medical kit.

The Q-car’s armour had held, mostly, although in places there were bullets lodged into the bodywork. He shrugged; at least nothing important appeared to have been hit. He unloaded his armful of guns and knives into the boot of the car, then looked up as a car pulled up alongside him and parked carefully. Shockley, Laerta and Kowalski stepped out and quickly assessed the chaotic situation.

---

Mills weaved the Q-car between the traffic confidently, and with considerably more purpose than any of the other cars on the road, except, perhaps, the convoy of four black SUVs that appeared to be heading in precisely the same direction.

Rixzai watched them for a few minutes, hoping to see them turn away, but after it became evident they were going to the same place, she caught Janson’s attention and nodded towards them.

“I think the Mafia have heard about Nagishi’s escape,” she muttered, as the four followed them onto a wide, but largely empty, road. “Either that, or they’ve got another reason to be going to the same place as us in the early hours of the morning.”

* * *

Kzuu Maian MoD, 112 53rd Street, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The pilot nodded, but didn’t turn, choosing instead to gently bring the helicopter off the roof and then violently swerve it around towards the motorway. The lights of Gayoshi spread out below them, and in the east, above the unthreateningly still sea, there was the pale glow that preceded the early and speedy Kzuu Maian sunrise.

Without the roads and drunks to negotiate, the helicopter quickly crossed the city while the agents’ Q-cars were stuck in the labyrinth below, and they arrived not long after Kowalski, Shockley and Laerta. The pilot sent a quick message to Alyan, informing her of their arrival, then pulled the helicopter into a steady hover.

* * *

Old Town, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Kixxula had spent the entire day sitting at her highly polished wooden desk, and she was becoming increasingly bored. Due mainly to their alarmingly violent war with the slum gangs, Kixxula received news every few hours: the Mafia had burnt down a warehouse the slum gangs were using for their drugs smuggling; a Mafia drug shipment had been dumped into the sea; Nagishi had escaped; three gang boats had been hijacked by the Mafia; three soldiers had been shot by as yet unidentified attackers.

Eventually, she decided that her time was better spent actually doing something. She called in an underling and ordered him to prepare her car; she was going to supervise Nagishi’s recapture, partly because she was bored and partly because she wanted to see the expression on the pathetic little man’s face when she turned up.

She wandered out of her office, down a flight of stairs, and into the glaring white and blaring rap of the ridiculous bar that she had recently relocated to, following an unfortunate arson attack on her previous home. Her particularly large and heavily armoured SUV waited patiently on the road directly in front of the bar’s doors. When Kixxula opened the door there were already two bodyguards and a driver occupying three of the seats, and as soon as she slid into the passenger seat, the driver flicked the keys and the car rumbled away.

OOC: I know I wrote a bit you already covered in your post, but this is a bit more in keeping with my characters.

IC:
Near the F78 motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Nagase looked in Ragarov’s direction at the sound of shots, her rifle up and ready instantly, but relaxed a little once she saw what had happened.

As Ragarov returned, Connolly tossed him the medical kit. It was their standard field medical kit, so it was fairly comprehensive. Nagase updated their control after getting details on the Mafia soldiers from Ragarov, and Viner told her that an ambulance was on its way, with police escort.

A high-pitch engine told them of a vehicle approaching at high speed. Connolly pushed Nagishi, now bound with plasticuffs, down behind the body of the car, then both he and Nagase raised their rifles in the direction of the inbound vehicle.

Instead of charging them or stopping and deploying gunmen, however, it swerved and skidded to a stop, about as well parked as their own vehicle, angled randomly across the road. The doors were thrown open and out climbed Shockley and Kowalski, pistols in their hands, with Laerta close behind.

“There we are, perfect parking,” decided Kowalski happily. He looked around. “Ah, hell, we seem to have missed the party.”

“Good to see you, Andre, but yeah, we’re done here,” Connolly said to him. “Just about to leave, before the blue and whites get here to deal with the injured muppets over there.” He casually waved a hand in the direction of the injured Mafia goons.
---

Janson looked at the big SUVs following them, frowning at what they implied.

“She’s right, Craig, they’ve been following us for a few minutes now,” Mills told him. “Get on the horn and spread the word.”

“Right,” he agreed. It would be best to tell those that arrived on scene before them what was coming. “All Raptors, Two-Four. We have a probable convoy of four muppet vehicles heading for the scene behind us. Heads up, people.”

“Two-Alpha copies, Two-Four. Two-Nine, what’s your clear time?” asked Viner.

“Any time from now, -Alpha, but I think we should hold and beat the muppets down. It should put off any attempt to grab the Tango back, and it’d help the local Sherlocks,” replied Nagase over the radio net.

“This is Two-One. -Nine, remain your location and be ready,” ordered Langdon over the net, making the decision final.
---

The helicopter arrived over Nagase and Connolly’s position only moments after Langdon had ordered them to remain. He raised a hand in greeting from his position just inside the open door, and received a similar gesture back from Connolly, as well as from Shockley.

He instructed the pilot to set down in the road and let him off, and to remain on the ground and keep the engines running. Once he had done so, Langdon jogged away from the aircraft, stooping slightly to avoid any chance of being hit by the whirling rotors. Webb remained on board, sitting in the other door, his machinegun resting on his knees.

Langdon went over to Connolly and they exchanged a few words, then just stood there waiting with his troops. Shockley and Kowalski had their own weapons from the boot of their car now, an assault rifle just like those wielded by Nagase and Connolly for Shockley, except with a grenade launcher attachment, and a heavier-calibre assault rifle for Kowalski. Langdon just hoped that Rico’s vehicle would get here before Mills’ and the Mafia convoy.

OOC: Sorry it's so late. I've had RL stuff getting in the way again.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Ragarov hastily administered basic healthcare to the two mobsters, who had now both lost consciousness but were apparently still alive, then wandered towards the black helicopter which squatted on the tarmac not far away, its rotor blades slowing to a halt.

Laerta was already there, his handgun resting confidently in one hand. Unlike Ragarov, who had only ever used firearms in sterile, non-blood-spattered environments, Laerta had spent six years of his life in the questionable care of the Kzuu Maian military, and was proficient in the use of most weapons. Ragarov appeared next to him, flicking his gun nervously, and muttered in Laerta’s ear.

“Do you have any idea when Blackwell and the others are going to get here? How far away were they?”

As an answer, a car appearing at the other end of the road and thundered towards them, applying the brakes at the last minute to stop by the other two Q-cars in the middle of the road and disgorge Rico, Vega and Blackwell. Laerta, who had tensed and was pointing his gun in their direction, lowered the gun slowly.

“The Mafia don’t appear to be here yet,” announced Blackwell brightly as she stepped out of the car. Ragarov nodded quietly, and Laerta just completely ignored her, still watching the road ahead.

---

Rixzai, Mills and Janson had finally escaped the chaos of the Old Town and were now cruising considerably more easily through the rigid grid system of the rest of Gayoshi. The four Mafia SUVs still hurtled along behind them; they occasionally attempted to overtake the Golf GTI, but usually gave up after they narrowly avoided hitting a truck coming in the opposite direction.

“They must have realised that we’re going to the same place as them,” said Rixzai, speaking her thoughts aloud randomly. “I wonder why they don’t try to stop us. Surely it’d be better for them if they did. Unless they’ve not got much time, for whatever reason…”

They were getting much nearer to their destination; they had already passed several signs pointing towards the F78 exit, and the turning itself sailed into view when Mills made a steep right turn, always followed by the four black SUVs.

---

Kixxula was in a considerably better mood, now that she was peering through heavily tinted windows at the world scrolling by. They were making good progress towards their destination, but would still arrive some time after the Mafia gunmen, assuming that they didn’t mess everything up.

She still wasn’t sure precisely who the people who had shot her soldiers earlier; the police never carried weapons unless they were expecting something, which didn’t seem likely. None of the slum gangs had operated on that side of the city before, so their involvement was also unlikely. The most plausible explanation she had come up with so far was that they were the Secret Service; she knew they had been tracking Nagishi down, and it was quite possible that they had followed him when he tried to escape, but she hadn’t thought they’d find their way to Gayoshi so quickly. Nagishi had probably done something idiotic.

She shrugged; she’d find out all that later, when she’d recaptured Nagishi and interrogated the attackers. She turned to look back at the window again, just as the car passed beneath another crumbling arch and left the Old Town.

OOC: I know how it is. I've got end of semester exams at the end of the month, so I probably won't be on often, what with revision and all.

IC:
Near the F78 motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Webb, still sitting in the cabin of the helicopter, looked up in concern at the slowing rotors.
“Hey!” he called out to the pilot. “My boss said keep the engines running. We need to be able to leave the ground at a moment’s notice. Spool ‘em up, rotorhead.”

The Raptors had all started to raise weapons at the sound of the approaching vehicle, but lowered them when they recognised it. Rico and Vega were out of their car as fast as Blackwell, and they grinned at her comment.
“Excellent,” declared Rico. “We’re just in time to start the party.”

The large sports bag containing their weaponry was brought out of the car and placed on the ground. Rico unzipped it and pulled out a large machinegun and a box of ammunition. He extended the gun’s bipod, laid it down on the floor by the nose of their car and loaded it from the ammo box.

Vega reached into the bag and pulled out a short dark green tube about the thickness of his arm and grinned at it. He twisted it and pulled on each end, extending it to launch configuration then placed it on the concrete road by the bag. He then extracted an R-21A1 and a sub-machinegun, the CR-6. After loading both, he slung the rifle over his shoulder and tossed the SMG to Rico, who caught it and looped the strap across his chest.

Langdon suddenly spotted the tube that Vega had found.
“Corporal Vega, is that an Ocelot launcher?” he asked sternly.

The Corporal looked up and grinned,
“Why yes, sir, I do believe it is. Why do you ask, sir?” he replied.

“What do you intent to do with it?” inquired Langdon.

“Well sir, I was thinking of pointing it at one of the muppet vehicles when they get here, preferably before its occupants get out,” Vega explained slyly.

Langdon sighed in exasperation, “Corporal, it would probably help if you mentioned these things before we get to the actual battle. But carry on.”

Vega saluted and grinned at the Major, then turned back to removing ammunition from the sports bag and putting it in his pockets or handing it to Rico, who put the rifle magazines in his pockets and the boxes of machinegun belts by the machinegun itself.
---

“Do they know we’re going there?” asked Janson. “I mean, as far as they know, this is a civilian vehicle, right? We could just be some crooks on a getaway or something. I admit it seems unlikely, but you never know what they might be thinking.”

Mills swung the car onto the motorway slip road, and saw the other Raptors waiting for them up ahead.
“Get ready, we’ll go beyond them, then stop and dismount,” she told them.

“Make sure you stay out of the line of fire,” recommended Janson.

“Oh yeah, thanks, Craig. Like I didn’t know to do that already,” retorted Mills hotly.
---

“Heads up, people. There they are,” bellowed Connolly.

Weapon safeties were flicked off and the soldiers took positions behind the armoured cars they had arrived in. Langdon ran back to the helicopter, climbed in and ordered the pilot to lift off immediately. Vega picked up his Ocelot launcher, flipped off the weather covers and brought it up onto his shoulder and Rico lay down behind his MG-12 machinegun.

“You hit the lead, I’ll take the trail,” suggested Vega, and Rico grunted agreement.

At the first possible moment, Mills’ car swerved across the carriageway, clearing the line of fire between the Raptors and the Mafia vehicles.

When the Mafia vehicles hit two hundred metres from the Raptor position, they opened fire. Rico laid down a long burst of 8mm machinegun fire at the first Mafia SUV, as a streak of light and a trail of off-white smoke marked the launch of Vega’s Ocelot wire-guided anti-tank missile towards the last SUV.

The other Raptors were waiting for the Mafia goons to leave their vehicles and show their faces before opening fire.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The pilot gave an embarrassed grin, shrugged, and restarted the engine quickly. The rotors began whipping through the air again, with a loud clatter. Ragarov pulled out his gun as he saw Mills’ car round the corner, followed by the four Mafia SUVs, who having seen the agents standing in the middle of the road, had accelerated rapidly and were attempting to nose past Mills’ car, with little success.

Eventually, after being spurred on by his comrades, one of the drivers recklessly swerved around the Q-car, only to find that it wasn’t only Nagishi who couldn’t control the monstrous vehicle he was guiding. One tyre was caught on a rock by the side of the bank, and the SUV violently flipped over, crashing off the road and bouncing down into the ruins of Nagishi’s car, which was shunted onto the motorway into the path of an alarmed van driver.

The burst of machine gun fire thudded into the flank of the first car as it made a sharp turn and parked horizontally across the road. A loud grating came from beneath the bonnet as the bullets tore through the innner workings of the engine, much to the alarm of the occupants, who managed to exit seconds before the front of the car went up in flames with a dull whoosh. The car behind it just managed to swerve away from the fire, parking a bit closer to where the Secret Services had set up their makeshift fortifications.

The anti-tank missile crashed into the road just ahead of the final car, which immediately tumbled into the smoking crater and was caught in the shower of falling rubble thrown up by the missile. The four soldiers inside tumbled out, pulling out various weapons and running towards the only unharmed car to aid in the fight.

The twelve mobsters clustered around behind the car, one wrenching open the boot and pulling out a Molotov cocktail, filled mainly with petrol, but also tar to cause as much smoke as possible. Ducking behind the car, he soaked the rag crammed into the bottle's top in petrol, lit it, and tossed it behind the line of Q-cars.

A couple of others followed suit, but it quickly became evident that these were not the disorganised gangsters that they were used to fighting in the scorched streets of the slums, but people who appeared to know what they were doing. One ducked into the car and radioed for immediate, and hopefully substantial, help, but the answer she received was, at best, noncommittal; the Mafia’s war with the slum gangs had reached a critical stage, and most of the Mafia were now engaged in the most violent battle to have taken place in Gayoshi since its occupation in the December War.

The mobsters were overwhelmed, and some were already beginning to drop away from the fight, when, with a distinctively massive roar, Kixxula’s SUV appeared around the corner and stopped some distance behind the others. Her three bodyguards and piled up and hurried up towards the fight, but Kixxula remained in the car with her driver, watching the actions of her soldiers critically from behind her bulletproof glass.

Nagishi lay on the floor, hands bound tightly by the plasticuffs, trying as best he could - given his current position - to work out which way the fight was going. He had decided, in the somewhat bewildered and painful state he had been in since regaining consciousness, that it was in his best interests for the Secret Services to win. The Mafia would almost certainly kill him for attempting to escape, as he was of no use whatsoever to them, but the Government would treat him humanely, despite Laylae Hachi's insane hatred of his very existence.

((OOC: Sorry for not posting for so long. I finished my exams a week ago, but I've been extremely tired since then, which isn't conducive to good writing.))

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

When his troops opened fire on the approaching Mafia vehicles, Langdon ran back to the helicopter and climbed back in.
“Go, get us in the air,” he ordered the pilot. “And circle around behind them.”
As the helicopter’s low revving engines strained to lift it from the ground, Langdon unslung his rifle and checked it was loaded before flicking off the safety. Opposite him, Webb pulled back the cocking handle on his machinegun and began aiming it towards the stationary Mafia vehicles. He withheld his fire for the moment, hoping that they could surprise the Mafia shooters from behind, but knowing that it was unlikely.

Back on the ground, Janson and Nagase were looking at Vega.
“You missed?!” exclaimed Janson. “How did you manage to miss at this range?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen you hit high speed targets at max range,” agreed Nagase.

Vega just shrugged and discarded the spent launcher, then raised his rifle, took aim on a visible Mafia head and loosed off a three round burst.

When one of the Mafia vehicles rolled down the slope and into Nagishi’s wreck, Kowalski ran over to edge of the sliproad and lobbed a fragmentation grenade down towards the vehicles, before sprinting back behind the cover of the vehicles.

The other Raptors and the Secret Service agents continued to fire sporadic bursts whenever they had a clear shot against a Mafia shooter, as Rico’s machinegun incessantly hammered the surviving vehicle with a stream of rounds, to keep them from getting clear shots on them as well as possibly punch through the vehicle.

When the first firebomb crashed to the ground behind them, the Raptors realised the threat there, and swiftly responded with several frag grenades, their lethal fragments intended to cut whoever was throwing the firebombs to pieces. The commandos repositioned themselves as another firebomb landed, closer this time, and Shockley saw one of the Secret Service agents flinch as the incendiary went up with a loud fwoosh.

The Secret Service helicopter finally got into position, and Webb opened up on the Mafia soldiers with the machinegun, putting the Mafia soldiers in a predicament, with fire coming from both sides, leaving nowhere to hide. Langdon sighted in one on enemy with his scoped rifle and fired, then chose a new target and repeated the process.

“Got another car approaching,” bellowed Connolly as he spotted the fifth SUV.

“I’ve got it,” replied Janson, grabbing the Barrett sniper rifle from their car. He sprinted away from the Secret Service vehicles, towards the far bank, moving further away from the main motorway. He lay down flat on the ground and pulled the rifle into his shoulder. When the new vehicle had stopped, he centred its bonnet in his sight and fired. The rifle boomed as the huge .50-calibre round lanced out towards the bonnet of Kixxula’s car, with the aim of destroying the engine block, immobilising the vehicle.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The handful of Mafia gunmen squatting behind their increasingly pockmarked car were slowly being picked off by the soldiers at the other end of the short stretch of road. The four mobsters at the bottom of the bank were just crawling out of their stricken SUV when the frag grenade hit the driver, reducing him to a pathetic red smear on the tired grass and killing his three comrades almost as comprehensively. One, a short man with a shaved head and a gigantic gun, was thrown backwards into the pileup that was rapidly forming around Nagishi’s stolen SUV, his brief flight ended by a battered bus that was trying to extricate itself from the tangled remains.

The mobsters at the top of the bank were faring no better; two of their number were sprawled on the tarmac with bullets lodged in their skulls, and another had his back to the car, cradling his left arm. The rest continued throwing their Molotov cocktails, but an uncharacteristically and idiotically heroic action would be needed for them to stand some chance of surviving this debacle, and none save desperately fighting until they were all red smears on the grass presented themselves for the time being. The arrival of Kixxula gave a brief lift in morale, at least until her car juddered to an uncertain halt with a small bullet hole in its bonnet.

Kixxula swore at her driver, with the kind of confidence an amateur often uses when talking to a professional. “What did you do?” she snapped.

“Nothing to do with me,” muttered the driver, with the kind of confidence a professional uses when he will most likely be dead in a few minutes anyway. “Must be something to do with them.” He nodded towards the cloud of thick black smoke through which the Free Eaglians and Secret Service agents were barely visible.

Kixxula opened her mouth to let off another tirade of abuse, but hesitated, sighed, and waved her hand at her bodyguards. “You better get out there…” she murmured. The bulky men looked at each other carefully before opening the door and sprinting down the remainder of the road to where the Mafia were now trying to fend off the black armoured helicopter as well, spraying bullets at its underside in the vain hope of doing at least some damage to it, while studiously avoiding its return fire. Another man stumbled to the earth.

When the first petrol bomb landed Nagishi froze with terror, although as he was already bound tightly this made little difference. He screwed up his eyes as the wind blew the smoke in his direction, but still tried to make sense of the situation: he would, most likely, be dead by the time this ended. It was only a matter of time before a Molotov cocktail landed on him, or near him, and then he’d have a short period of intense and unpleasant pain, followed by a considerably longer period of nothing.

He was directly behind a car. Through a series of ungainly movements, he managed to shuffle near to it, then pulled himself underneath and onto his stomach. There was a significant that one of the Free Eaglians would think he was trying to get away, or one of the mobsters noticed he was there, but it was still safer than out in the open.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

A scream pierced the air around the motorway sliproad as the flaming petrol from one of the Molotov cocktails splashed onto the arm of Shockley. Vega, who was closest, dove on her and rolled across the tarmac, dragging her with him, in an attempt to smother the flames.

In the helicopter above, as Webb continued to shower the Mafia gunmen with machine-gunfire, Langdon was watching over what was happening in between shots with his rifle.

“Three, pull a medikit from one of the cars and see to Six and Seven,” Langdon ordered Kowalski, who began moving towards the boot of the car he was using for cover. “Five and Eight, head towards Four and try and flank the Muppets. We need to stop those firebombs.”

Mills and Rico acknowledged the order from Langdon, and signalled for Connolly and Nagase, as well as the Secret Service agents to give them some covering fire while they moved. The two Raptors and the Secret Service agents stopped aiming before theirs shots, and started pumping rounds into the Mafia cars, aiming to make them keep their heads down while the others moved.

Mills and Rico sprinted across the road towards Janson’s position, but not so close as to draw fire towards him. Once safely down the side of the bank, they swiftly made their way along until they reached a position where the Mafia gunmen could not find cover from both angles of attack. They took the two steps up to the top of the bank and began firing on the Mafia soldiers, Rico’s machinegun drowning out the noise of Mills’ rifle.

Back in the road, Connolly noticed Nagishi trying to crawl under one of the cars.
“Not under there, idiot,” he growled, unceremoniously pulling the captive back out from under the vehicle. He then pushed Nagishi into the car through the open rear door. “In there. And stay.” The Raptor began to move away to continue firing, but added something, almost as an afterthought. “Only if one of those bombs lands on this car do you get out of it. If that happens, run to another car and get in that.”

With that seen to, the Raptor emptied his clip at the Mafia goons and began to reload.

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

It would soon all be over. Only three of the mobsters were completely unharmed, and, as Kixxula watched from within her tank-like SUV, another had his abdomen strafed with machinegun bullets, a neat line of bright red holes contrasting with his sombre clothing. He staggered backwards a few steps, attempting desperately to stem the flow of blood, before he tripped over his own feet and fell bluntly to the floor.

Kixxula turned away from the casual slaughter. It was not worth her time and resources to call in reinforcements, and, at any rate, it would apparently take half the gunmen in Gayoshi to defeat this handful of highly-trained soldiers. She twisted out of the front seat, pulling another Molotov cocktail from her car’s boot, lighting it with a lighter from one of her many pockets, and then smashing it against the steering wheel. A shower of burning fuel splattered across the car’s interior, and Kixxula gave a short gasp of pain as a few drops splashed against her fingers, but she could deal with that later; for now, she thought, she should just get out, and she yanked at the handle of the door closer to her. Nothing happened. Descending into a deep panic, the like of which she hadn’t felt for decades, she pulled on the handle again and again, but to no avail. The car had an unlock button, she knew – in the middle of the dashboard, just below the CD player – but the entire front of the car was a single mass of molten plastic now, and both of the front seats were on fire anyway. Kixxula allowed herself a short, but incredibly loud, shriek before the circling fumes made her lose consciousness, and she slumped forwards into the flames.

Another mobster fell to a well-placed bullet shortly before the huge, black SUV exploded. The single remaining gunman threw his sub-machine gun towards the Free Eaglians, then dropped to his knees, shielding his head with his arms and gritting his teeth. The gun skidded away across the scarred tarmac and came to a halt about halfway between the mobster and his adversaries.

Nagishi lay back in the seat, finally feeling secure within the reinforced Q-car. Then Kixxula’s SUV blew itself to pieces, and Nagishi’s feeling of safety went with it. He gazed out of the window like any other driver passing the scene of an accident, and he finally realised the extent of the destruction that had been caused merely to capture a renegade politician. One half of the F78 was completely blocked off by the pile of cars, trucks and other assorted vehicles around the SUV he had stolen, and fire and ambulance crews were already there, removing people from the wreckage and dispatching them to the Asaeli Hospital a few miles away; the short stretch of road was covered in craters, bodies and scorch marks; the dry grass on the embankment had been set on fire by Kixxula’s car, and now burnt violently; and most of the nearby buildings were, at the very least, riddled with bullet holes. Nagishi shuddered and closed his eyes.

On the other side of the city, the Mafia mobsters were unaware of the death of their leader, and the guerrilla war which raged throughout the slums continued unabated. However, it became increasingly clear that they were, quite literally, fighting a losing battle. Molotov cocktails were thrown from every window, and heavily armed gangsters blocked every alley. The mobsters were pushed further and further back, until all of the survivors – a mere couple of dozen, out of the hundreds that had entered the slums shortly before daybreak – occupied a single street, where they were surrounded and wiped out.

((OOC: Sorry it took so long.))

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

As the grass on the embankment caught fire, the three Raptors there stood up and ran for the non-flammable tarmac of the road. Mills headed for the sole surviving Mafia gunman to apprehend him, while Janson and Rico laid their weapons down on the road, drew their pistols and cautiously approached the blazing SUV, attempting to see if anyone was left alive in it.

Connolly, Nagase and the Secret Service agents stopped firing when they saw the Mills, Janson and Rico running towards the Mafia position. The two Raptors moved to assist Kowalski in medical treatment of Shockley and Vega. Vega had only a couple of minor burns caused by his efforts to aid his comrade, but Shockley had suffered quite severe burns and was beginning to go into shock.

Langdon, seeing that the fighting was done, signalled for their pilot to land. This he did, setting the helicopter down behind the abandoned Q-cars. Langdon immediately disembarked and ran to Kowalski, to check on the status of his wounded troops.

After Kowalski had explained their conditions, Langdon ordered them to put Shockley on the chopper and fly her to the nearest hospital. Kowalski would also go to continue his medical treatment, as would Vega to get his wounds seen to properly. Webb would also go to make sure everything was handled properly, as his second-in-command. Langdon would remain here to sort out the mess.

Connolly glanced at the cowering Nagishi. “It’s over. There’s none of them left.”

((OOC: Internet back up, finally.))

IC:

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Upon realising that there were no mobsters left shooting at them, Rixzai radioed Alyan, relaying the information to her and asking for instructions.

“Bring Nagishi back here,” crackled Alyan’s voice. “You know, the MOD building. Then we’ll arrange the handover with the Free Eaglians.” The radio hissed into silence.

Rixzai nodded, despite the fact that Alyan couldn’t see her, then walked over to the car Nagishi had sheltered in and seized him roughly by the arm, dragging him across the tarmac towards her own Q-car. She threw him into it, almost crushing his fingers as she slammed the door shut and double locked it. Nagishi, at this point utterly resigned to his fate, didn’t struggle or complain.

“We’re to take him back to the MOD,” Rixzai announced, looking at the Free Eaglians. “Is that OK with you?”

* * *

KMBC News Broadcast

A few hours later

“…also in Gayoshi, taking place at the same time as the gang fights, disgraced defence minister Iyatan Nagishi was finally caught, during a fight in which around twenty Mafia members, including Draele Kixxula, were killed. A traffic accident which took place near the scene is believed to have been caused directly by the gunfight, although at the moment precise details are hard to come by.

The government has already come under fire because of the disproportionate force used to apprehend Nagishi, but 1 89th Street released a press statement today defending the choices made. The statement says that Nagishi is “a highly dangerous criminal”, and that the force used against him and his Mafia defenders was “regrettable but necessary”.

Whether necessary or not, Public Enemy Number One is now in custody and Number Two, Kixxula, is dead. Experts now believe that the Mafia has been irreparably crippled by her death and by the Gayoshi Mafia’s near-destruction at the other side of the city. Many are hopeful that the smuggling of drugs out of the country through Gayoshi’s ports and airports will fall following these events, but the Gayoshi Police believe that the smuggling will simply transfer into the hands of smaller, more local gangs, and that the violence may get worse before it gets better.

President Laylae Hachi has announced that a presidential election will be held this year, in what is being seen by many as an attempt to consolidate her currently shaky position…”

Near the F78 Motorway, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

While the helicopter carrying the wounded lifted off and headed for the hospital, the remaining Raptors began picking up their weapons and returning them to the cars. They also retrieved the weapons used by the Mafia gunmen, to prevent them from falling into the hands of other criminals, which they knew were rife in Gayoshi.

The soldiers were exchanging the usual light-hearted post-battle banter for their unit, which sometimes seemed callous to outsiders, but it was their way of dealing with the worry for the wounded, and the fact that they may have nearly lost their lives. Elite though they were, they weren’t so different from the regular grunts in any army. Their experiences had stopped them caring about many of the unpleasant aspects of conflict, but they were a close-knit team, and the thought of losing a comrade was painful to all of them.

Nagase was sitting on the bonnet of her car, her pistol in one hand as she watched over the sole Mafia survivor, now prisoner. Her other hand poked idly at the dents caused by bullet impacts. She wasn’t paying much attention to the captive, but then, she didn’t really need to. He was unarmed, hands bound behind him and surrounded by the soldiers that had just wiped out his companions. Only a complete idiot would make any effort to escape.

“I guess that’s fine, although I really don’t see the point,” Langdon replied to Rixzai’s inquiry. “We came to get him, and we’ve got him. Job done.” He paused. “But since he’s your citizen, and it’s your country, so we’ll do it your way. Lead on.”

The Raptors climbed back into the now severely damaged vehicles and started the engines, ready to move out. As before, the Raptors would drive with the Secret Service agents giving directions. As they waited to leave, Langdon gave Viner a situation report and instructed her to relay it to their Dolver Lake HQ.

Kzuu Maian MoD, 112 53rd Street, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The handover was to be as quick and, hopefully, as discrete as possible; Alyan did not want to find out how the Kzuu Maian public would react to the news that their disgraced foreign minister was being handed over to the Free Eaglians, who had so recently dropped a fuel-air explosive on their army. It would come out eventually, she knew – everything always did in Kzuu Mai – but hopefully by then everyone would have stopped caring.

Nagishi was filthy; his clothes were soaked with blood, covered in ash and soot, burnt, ripped, and generally in a very sorry state. His hair and eyebrows were singed, his eyes still stung from the smoke, his knees and palms had had the skin scraped off, his forearm still throbbed with pain, and he could still barely talk, after having bitten his tongue while rolling down the bank in the SUV.

For the moment, he was imprisoned in a cellar, usually used for storing old computer equipment, which sat and gathered dust until some resourceful member of the staff came to scavenge for hardware to use in their home computer. Nagishi sat by a computer that had had its case wrenched open and its hard disk stolen, toying with a shard of circuit board and contemplating his future. He now had a fairly good idea that he was going to be given to the Free Eaglians, as they seemed to have organised most of the operation surrounding his capture. He wasn’t sure how to take this; he would probably be safer from some vengeful remnant of the Mafia in Free Eagles, but, on the other hand, he didn’t know much about how the Free Eaglians dealt with people who had committed the crimes that he had.

Upstairs, the various details of the handover were being discussed around a long table, around which most of the Kzuu Maian agents and Free Eaglians were seated.

“We can fly you – and him – to Jun, or some other northern airbase, for you to pick him up, in whatever way we see fit,” announced Alyan, seated just to the right of the head of the table, which was diplomatically empty. “Or we can fly you all the way into Free Eagles and drop you off at one of your own airbases, if you’d prefer,” she added, although the tone of her voice suggested that she very much doubted the Free Eaglians would prefer it.

Kzuu Maian MoD, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Only Langdon and Viner were really paying attention to the conversation going on, the rest of the Raptors were in their post-combat cooldown, resting and allowing the adrenaline to fully leave their bodies. They were there in body, but not in spirit. Their thoughts were mostly with their wounded comrades, although they occasionally strayed to what might happen in Gayoshi know that the Mafia appeared to be all but erased, or what consequences the war might have on them.

For the most part they still had their weapons and other kit on them, not thinking to put it down. They thought nothing of it though; they had spent so much time with weapons during their careers that they were almost part of them now. Not that they didn’t relish not having them, the lack of weight to carry was particularly pleasing to them, although all usually carried a pistol for self-defence.

“I feel it worth pointing out that our own aircraft is sitting in a hangar at Gayoshi airport,” observed Langdon. “Wouldn’t it be easier if we just took him with us on that?”

“I concur. It would save a lot of needless hassle,” agreed Viner. The intelligence officer had a feeling the Kzuu Maians were deliberately trying to make things more difficult than they needed to be, although he wasn’t sure why.

Both the officers knew that allowing the Kzuu Maians to fly them back into Free Eagles was not going to happen, tensions were still too high for that. If the Kzuu Maians refused to let them take Nagishi with them, then a transfer via helicopter at one of the KMAF’s northern air bases would be the likely solution.

<OOC: I’ve started my GCSEs now, so my activity will be even more sporadic than it was before. I’ll try to get a post up every week or so, but it seems this RP is in its closing stages anyway.>

IC:

Kzuu Maian MoD, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Alyan wasn’t trying to postpone the handover; she hadn’t slept for days and was starting to feel the effects. She had completely forgotten about the Free Eaglian plane in Gayoshi, but wasn’t going to admit it.

“OK,” she said crisply. “That sounds OK. Rixzai” – she nodded towards the agent, who was standing by the door – “go and get him. Stick him in a Q-car, and take him over to the airport. If some of your agents would like to accompany her…? And then the rest of you can follow in your van. I assume you know the way?”

A few floors below, Rixzai opened the door and descended into the dusty cellar. Nagishi made no intention to hide from her, remaining seated next to the shattered computer, but in the gloom it still took her a few minutes to find him.

When she did find him, she grabbed his wrist and hauled him towards the door. He made no attempt to struggle, meekly following her from the cellar. He no longer bothered to try to formulate escape plans, and simply did precisely what he was told.

((OOC: No problem. My end-of-semester exams are also coming up shortly, and you're right: This does seem to be drawing to a close. Would you be interested in taking part in my new RP (see my sig for link)?))

Kzuu Maian MoD, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

Langdon chuckled slightly. “Some of my people will have to go with her,” he pointed out. “Not enough room in the van for our gear and us. So we’ll need the rest of the cars as well, just a little bit longer.”

“Yeah, we know the way,” confirmed Viner. “Suzie, you packed up all our kit, didn’t you?”

“Yes sir, as soon as the team began heading back here. Only thing left running is a comm relay, so as we can talk to Webb over at the hospital. He says they’re all stable, and are good for transport, so they’ll meet us at the airport,” replied Williams.

“Alright, guys and gals, grab your gear, dump it in the van and get in the cars. Time to go home,” ordered Langdon. “On behalf of my government, thank you for your cooperation.”

The Raptors tiredly climbed out of their seats and shouldered their equipment, before slowly filing out of the room.

<OOC: That RP looks very interesting - I've never done FT (or PMT) before, although I am tempted to try>

IC:

Gayoshi Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

The official handover was to take place in the hangar at Gayoshi Hailta. Rixzai, Nagishi and the Free Eaglians accompanying them were the first to enter the hangar, where the Free Eaglian aircraft waited patiently.

Nagishi had long ago realised that he was to be given to the Free Eaglians, and, when the Q-car stopped and Rixzai opened the door, Nagishi stepped out voluntarily and looked around; it would most likely be his last time on the Kzuu Maian soil, not that he felt any form of affection for the accursed country.

The other cars and the van arrived not long later, and Alyan immediately attempted to take control of the proceedings.

"Much as it pains me to say it," she said, shooting a poison-filled glance at Nagishi, who happily ignored her, "This handover occurs only in the understanding that Nagishi is treated humanely while in your custody."

She seemed to emphasise the last four words, and Nagishi stopped wandering around airily and started listening intently, but Alyan had already finished.

Hailta International Airport, Gayoshi, Kzuu Mai

"That is my understanding as well," confirmed Langdon, as Connolly and Nagase moved to take custody of Nagishi.

The plane behind them had already been prepped and refueled, and was just waiting for the Raptors to stow their gear on board, which Mills, Janson and Rico were taking care of, and the passengers to be ready, before they could start the engines and taxi out of the hangar and wait for a take-off slot.

"Don't worry," he reassured Alyan, as Nagishi was taken on board the aircraft. "From what I've heard, he'll be kept locked up safe for a very long time."

When the last of their equipment was on board the aircraft, and all the Raptors had embarked except for Langdon, he spoke again.

"The van belongs to the Free Eaglian embassy, can you either see to it that it returns there or keep it somewhere safe until they can send someone down to collect it? Also, four of my people are still in hospital, I'd appreciate it if you could make things easy for them until they're ready to come home. Lastly, thank you for all your help and cooperation. We couldn't have done it without you."

Having said his piece, the Major turned and climbed aboard the Free Eaglian jet, and pulled the airstair door closed behind him. The pilot would wait until the Kzuu Maians left the hangar before starting the engines.

"We'll get the van back to the embassy in Mai Jun," replied Alyan. "And I'll keep an eye on your soldiers, have no fear about that. They did, after all, help us to catch a dangerous fugitive."

With that, Alyan shepherded her agents into their Q-cars, then opened the door of her own and, with a cursory nod towards the Free Eaglian pilot, drove from the hangar. She tried to seem confident, but she was increasingly aware that this would almost certainly be her last action as head of the Secret Services; the Presidential Election was not far away, and if, as expected, the democrats and their super-candidate won, she would soon find herself out of a job.

Sighing to herself, she glanced across to the Q-car's battered wing mirror and watched the Free Eaglian jet taxi towards the runway.

* * *