Pieces of the great bombers windshield started to crack, some imploded inwards showing the pilots with debris. Small parts of the fuselage began to break away and fall earthwards.
“Do not break formation; we are carrying out this attack whatever the costs.” The squadron leader barked.
Not one of the bombers broke from the bombing run.
The Kugelblitz were a mile from the front, the mobile anti-aircraft vehicles had their weapons pointing into the sky. A huge electrical field spread from each vehicle as its two massive barrels discharged more and more electricity.
The Two barrels of the weapon met at the bottom to make a giant U shaped bowl; the plasma orbs were created in this bowl and then were guided towards their targets by the huge lightning bolts.
The Kugelblitz fired and the resulting thunderclap caused a massive shockwave that washed over the surrounding area; a barn that was only three-hundred feet away completely disintegrated.
The incoming B-52 bombers were under an increasing amount of fire now. The lead bombers were struck by a mile long lightning bolt that tore through the aircraft. The first plane had the tip of the left wing completely fall away; the plane could still fly but only just.
The bombers were now over their targets; they opened the giant bomb bay doors and released their payloads. The bombs tumbled in the air as they fell onto the tanks below; explosions rocked the area.
The first orbs of white light raced into the battle, and arced their way towards their targets and impacted into the bellies of five B-52’s, the bombers disappeared in the devastating explosions.
“Command come in, this is Captain Marks of the 101st bomber division.”
“Go ahead Marks.”
“We can confirm ball lightning; repeat we have confirmation of ball lightning.”
There was a pause.
“Roger that Marks, thank you! Out.”
Mark’s plane was hit by the superheated lightning which tore through the left-hand side of his plane. The bomber rocked under the strain but it kept flying.
The next bolt sliced clean through the fuselage though, the cockpit was separated from the rest of the plane and the pieces tumbled to the earth and exploded on impact.
More and more orbs were hitting their targets; B-52’s were either completely destroyed or just fell from the sky. Many units below were destroyed in the resulting impact.
‘They are taking a hell of a pounding up there.’ Speering thought to himself as his tank crews kept up their own attack.
Anti-tank guns had been taken out in the first stages of the bombing runs along with a few tanks but now the bombers were struggling to get through.
Admiral Moorer had heard enough from the battle report; he turned to his radio man.
“It is time, send the green light WC114.”
The radioman swallowed, “Yes, Sir.”
“WC114 this is high command. WC114 this is high command. Do you read me?”
The radio clicked three times in quick succession and then there was a pause before it clicked another three times.
“Time for the inoculation WC114. Repeat time for the inoculation.”
There was no response and then suddenly the radio clicked three times again and then there was nothing but static.
Admiral Moorer smiled.
The small dust strewn airfield was a hive of activity, Brooklyn Jnr taxied into position and pushed the F4 on full throttle. The powerful engines roared to life as the large fighter gracefully took to the skies.
Four Phantoms followed suit and then they turned southwards and opened the throttles. Two Phantoms were positioned a thousand feet above the other two at about ten thousand feet. Brooklyn’s Phantom raced across the countryside just a few hundred feet above the ground.
Countdown to victory
The news of the Pacific fleet’s destruction brought a smirk to Atlantis; he stroked his mustache gently as he considered his next move.
“Status update on the resource transfer?” His powerful voice boomed.
“Eighty-five percent complete Commander.”
“Excellent, how long until completion?”
“Projections estimate no longer than four hours, the transfer should be complete by 12.00 hours.”
Atlantis nodded as he thought to himself, ‘They will never breakthrough in that time, our victory is almost secured.’
“I want a unit to go back and start the preparations at the cloning facility; I also want half of the technicians and medical staff to accompany them.”
“Yes, Sir.” Half of the technicians made their way out of the control tower and headed towards Die Glocke.
“Sir what about the remaining slaves?”
Atlantis clenched his fist. “Execute them.”
The Aryan Commander studied the great battle chart in front of him, the real-time information showed a cluster of British, American and Chinese divisions fighting hard around Baltimore.
He could see a mass of ships at the mouth of the Potomac River. ‘That must be the Atlantic fleet.’
“Send the 10th, 11 and 13th fighter division to take out the Atlantic fleet. I want all available units to crush the vermin camped near Baltimore. It is time to finish this war once and for all.”
“Yes Commander Atlantis.” The remaining technicians relayed the orders.
Preparations in Wright Patterson intensified as horde after horde of skinny; unkempt slaves were marched out into the bare concrete and unceremoniously shot. Men, woman or child nobody was spared.
The previous bodies had always been cremated to keep the base clean from diseases but now there was little need and the fresh corpses were just pushed to a corner of the base by a JCB and left there in a horrific pile of burnt, twisted flesh.
All for the front
The distinct sound of thunder rattled away in the distance, the brilliant blue lightning bolts spread out through the formation of B-52 bombers. The deadly orbs of plasma followed and another five bombers were completely blown from the sky.
The B-52’s were receiving horrific losses but they continued to bomb the Aryan positions and inflicted heavy casualties. This allowed Commander Speering and his armor to flank round to the North.
The air temperature had risen considerably since the Kugelblitz barrage had started, the sky crackled under the strain and any clouds that had been forming on the horizon evaporated instantly.
A formation of five Phantoms came in fast and low over the burning fields just south of the Aryan heavy armor, they ignored the targets in front of them. The powerful engines bellowed as the flight leader gave his machine all it had got.
The Phantoms were fitted out for a ground assault and were carrying heavy bombs; they zoomed passed an abandoned farm just to left and then sharply banked to come around on target.
They raised the nose of their fighters quickly to gain altitude and banked once more, they were in position to begin their bombing run. They sped in and when directly above their targets they dropped the heavy ordinance.
Explosions rocked the air and sent mud flying in all directions, the flames from the bombs licked at the hulls of the antiaircraft weapons. The next few bombs dropped and scored a direct hit on the Kugelblitz; it went up in a ball of thick black smoke.
The third Phantom scored two direct hits causing massive damage as the Kugelblitz must have been struck in its reactor; it exploded violently sending a huge wave of purple plasma across its nearby allies.
The Aryan anti-aircraft vehicles started to split from their positions; some ran for cover while others turned their weapons on their assailants.
Moments after the Phantoms finished their attack a squadron of MiG-17’s appeared and strafed the Kugelblitz. Powerful cannon rounds tore through the relatively weak armor and another five machines were destroyed.