She’d agreed, knowing that the Intelligence Forces weren’t going to fall for any cheap tricks. No, she thought, rather than try and take them with a roundabout plan, I’ll attack them head on. That was her way of doing things, and so she’d do just that.
Meanwhile, the more combat-oriented tactical computer contended that Captain Fukai’s proposal still bore some consideration.
Like its strategic mate, transfer of the tactical computer’s central functions it performed for the SAF to either Banshee or any other front-line base was effectively impossible, so seizing one of the bases was a nonstarter. However, making it appear that the SAF were doing just that would be to their advantage, it had said. The general wondered if such a half-assed measure would work on the JAM, but Major Booker had agreed with the computer’s opinion. The computers understood the JAM better than the humans did, so the tactics they offered couldn’t be worthless. Besides, he went on, if Rei had thought of it, then it was likely the JAM had thought of it too. This would be a good way to outsmart them.
Working from that, they’d quickly drawn up a mission plan. Then, with the exception of Captain Fukai, General Cooley gathered all SAF personnel, including the maintenance team repairing Yukikaze, in the command center. She brought them up to speed on what was happening, telling them that this could be the end of the SAF before laying out the plan. Each man and woman prepared for combat, and even off-duty personnel were issued weapons to carry. In the end, she had told them this:
“This is a major operation, but fundamentally, the mission is just the same as it always is. The means each fighter uses is up to them, but get back here alive. That’s not a request. It’s an order. The same order I always give. That is all.”
The JAM were coming. They might be standing at the doorway right now, like the Grim Reaper. Major Booker had been filled with dread as he rushed to throw together a sortie schedule for the twelve fighter planes faster than anyone had ever attempted, but hearing the general say that the mission was the same as it had ever been was like taking aspirin for a fever. He grew aware of how calming Cooley’s words were.
The general, after considering that the prediction Captain Foss had been willing to bet her life on might be incorrect, had chosen the optimal strategy and then made her final decision. Maybe that was only natural, but Major Booker’s thoughts were so feverish from planning sorties that he hadn’t even considered the possibility that Foss was wrong. The general was even cooler-headed than he expected. Booker suddenly realized that Cooley’s decision was informed by both possibilites; whether the JAM were launching their final attack against them or the prediction had been completely wrong, the SAF would not be left at a disadvantage. General Laitume couldn’t attack, and no deals had been struck with General Linneberg. Whatever the JAM did now, the SAF would be free to concentrate on them and them alone.
Only General Cooley could have moved the SAF like this, he thought. Whether it was thanks to God-given talent or the results of her efforts, this woman, Lydia Cooley, was potentially the ultimate communicator with the JAM. General Linneberg must also see her value in that regard. There was no need to ask the Intelligence Forces for help. He would act by himself to protect Lydia and her Special Air Force. She didn’t have a thing to worry about…
This is STC. Warning.
A red warning display scrolled onto the big screen.
I have detected a signal directed to the outside with instructions from Colonel Rombert.
A coded order to “capture lost sheep” was dispatched to the six main FAF bases. That too scrolled onto the screen, seeming to trigger a flurry of activity on the display.
Unauthorized use of BAX-4 units. Thirty-four in total. Four two-seater Fand-type fighters from the Systems Corps with weaponry loaded are preparing for an unauthorized sortie.
“Okay, don’t panic,” said Major Booker. “Here it comes. The ghost unit’s making its move. STC, this is Major Booker. Initiate jamming of Faery base internal navigation systems.”
STC, Roger. Executing.
“After confirmation of the success of Yukikaze’s attack, initiate counterintelligence operations against all FAF computers.”
Confirming complete destruction of Yukikaze’s attack target. Erroneous data within the Systems Corps has been deleted. Yukikaze also confirms. Captain Fukai is calling.
“Where is he?”
Standing by in his quarters.
“Link the terminal there with Yukikaze. There’s no need to monitor what they talk about, just initiate counterintelligence operations at once.”
ROGER. Initiating counterintelligence operation against all FAF computer systems.
General Cooley answered General Linneberg’s request for an explanation.
She’d been able to predict that the ghost unit would use the BAX-4 armor, but it was worn and operated by humans and thus couldn’t be shut down from there in the command center. The SAF could, however, disrupt the armor’s internal navigation system by jamming Faery base’s internal navigation system. The base was a huge, labyrinthine underground complex, and most of the men in the ghost unit wouldn’t be intimately familiar with its layout. Without the navigation system, they’d have to waste time looking for their targets, which would greatly restrict their mobility.
Yukikaze’s attack had been a countermeasure against the JAM’s own data-attack against her. As the strategic computer had contended, the JAM had attempted to overload Yukikaze’s processing capabilities. Had Captain Fukai not instructed her to attack, it was possible that it might have destroyed Yukikaze’s central computer. It was the sort of situation for which the strategic computer knew humans were still necessary.
The counterintelligence operations the SAF were undertaking against all the computer systems of the FAF were to prevent any of them from accessing local networks, in order to secure the SAF’s data. This wasn’t just through passive means like cutting the circuits, but also by actively manipulating the external computers to keep them from detecting the very existence of the SAF.
“In short, General Linneberg, we’ve also made ourselves into a ghost unit.”
“Can orders be issued to my forces?”
“It’s possible.”
“Have them mop up the JAM ghost unit. Do you know what their position is? I want it done before the targets split up.”
“We’re tracking them,” said Major Booker. “We can see them, but they can’t see us.”
“I’ve prepared a mop-up team for this situation,” Linneberg said. “Guide them to the target from here.” The Intelligence Forces unit knew the subterranean maze well and wouldn’t need to use the navigation system if they knew where their target was, he explained. They were guided by spoken command, and hand-to-hand combat in the subterranean maze had begun.
Four Systems Corps aircraft have taken off — enemies.
“Carmilla team, target the four aircraft and shoot them down.”
Flying patrol in the skies over Faery were units B-2, B-3, and B-4: Carmilla, Chun-Yan, and Zouk. Major Booker ordered them to attack.
“Ignore the IFF response,” said General Cooley. “They’re being piloted by JAM duplicates. The target aircraft are armed. They may be old planes, but they’re armed with state-of-the-art high-velocity missiles. Make visual confirmation of the targets, then shoot them down. Don’t worry about ID’ing them; the paint job on Systems Corps trainers is hard to miss.”