[Part One] Set Out, Operation Storm
Source Page. Translations courtesy of Falcarius!
- Part One
A ring of islands in the Western Archipelago.In this area, an island-hopping battle was being performed by the Federation Army and the Empire Remnant Army.
Through splendid cooperation between the front-line force and the Mirage Fox scouting force, the Federation Army had succeeded in landing on the islands facing the enemy headquarters, and were advancing while continuing sporadic combat with the Empire Remnant Army.
At midnight one night, one Mirage Fox mass-production type that had been assigned to solo scouting transmitted an emergency signal to the main force, then lost contact.
"This is Kai, I will soon be arriving at the emergency signal transmission site!"
Kai, the commander leading the main Mirage Fox scouting force, had landed on an island which seemed to be in the vicinity of the enemy headquarters, investigating an Empire Remnant Army transport ship that had run aground.
He was continuing his investigation while advancing through a natural stronghold surrounded by reefs and steep cliffs.
There, a transmission came to Kai from a consort machine that had gone on ahead through the metal forest.
"C-commander! The consort is..."
When Kai arrived, the wreckage of the Mirage Fox mass-production type stretched out before him, mercilessly blasted until it looked like honeycomb.
"We're receiving nose-dive attacks from a considerable number of enemy machines... The enemy headquarters has to be around here! Report to the General Staff Headquarters immediately, and we will resume our scouting mission in this region!"
Receiving the report, and judging from the amount of enemy transport ships cruising through the surrounding ocean, the Federation Army General Staff Headquarters concluded that a large-scale enemy headquarters was in this area of ocean, and planned out an operation to destroy it.
Since the target site was a natural stronghold surrounded by reefs and shallow for a long distance from shore, a landing operation with a large force would be impossible.
As a result of careful discussion, an attack by a special flying force composed of the new flying Zoid Storm Sworder FSV was selected.
- Part Two
Cretas Island, on a hill that looked down on the Federation Army airport runways. Red, the commander of the Federation Army Storm Sworder Flying Force, was looking up at the sky with distant eyes while clenching his dog tag and puffing on a cigarette."Red, are you watching the sky again?"
Gram, a classmate and comrade of Red, showed up after he finished training the rookie pilots.
Red and Gram had made it through many air battles together as ace pilots of the former Empire army.
However, both of them were reaching an age where it was tough for them to stand at the front lines in active duty.
Red spoke back to Gram with a sigh.
"I'm betting my life on flying through this sky. But before I knew it, I was already at this age. When I wonder how long I'll be able to fly, I get a little sentimental..."
At that time, three machines of the main Mirage Fox scouting force led by Kai discovered a target that appeared to be the remodelling experiment base of the Empire Remnant Army, which towered ominously at the centre of strong winds that sounded like the howls of demonic beasts.
When this data was brought to the Federation Army General Staff Headquarters, the location of their target site was confirmed, and the order to set out was passed down to the Storm Sworder Flying Force.
- Part Three
A small section of the runways. The Storm Sworder FSVs, their bodies dyed deep crimson, were parked separately: the commander machine and consort machine with flame emblems painted on their wings, and two machines forming a separate formation behind them.
When the scramble alarm rang out there, the workers moved away from the machines carrying large supply tubes, and the marshallers moved into their directing positions at a fast pace.
While sortie preparations were hurriedly being made, their commander Red informed the team members of the operation orders across the monitor, loudly and in high spirits.
"The current operation's name is 'Storm', and the target is the enemy's remodelling experiment base, which appears to be in the ring of islands. During the ebb tide at midnight, the main Mirage Fox scouting force will advance and launch a bombing marker into the target. We will seize mastery of the skies completely by then, and commence a Flame Slash aiming at the marker. Gram will be my consort; Grace and Smith, you stick to supporting us in a two-machine formation! The Mirage Fox force has also discovered large quantities of armour masks in a transport ship, so it's likely we'll be intercepted by the enemy's newly-produced machine. Let's all hit 'em hard, so we won't feel ashamed at the name of the Storm Sworder Flying Force!"
While smiling at his passionate expressions, even though he used them every time, Gram addressed Red across the monitor.
"I'm your consort? You're my consort, now how about we do this one in style!"
- Part Four
Grace, the lone woman of the group, combed up her long blond hair without breaking her lack of expression, and called out to her consort Smith while performing startup inspections on the gauges."Smith, in this operation we will have to destroy an enemy base within a natural stronghold with Flame Slashes. Be sure to do the operation checks."
Smith was a young elite pilot of the newly-established Federation Air Force.
Distantly watching Red, who had begun inspecting the Wing Swords and was moving the wings instantly and skillfully at the front, he responded to the marshallers who were requesting confirmation of operations, and muttered with a cold expression.
"So we've got a completely stifling commander. Why do I have to be put on support for a commander like him...?"
At last, once the marshallers signalled by spreading their closed arms wide open, all the machines set their wings to exactly horizontal and flexed them forwards and backwards. And then, just as the marshallers' arms swung down, all the machines gave off a red flash at once and set out, continuing their steep climb.
