“It went out. Like it broke.”
“No, Yukikaze just cut the connection with the tactical computer. —Yukikaze, this is Captain Fukai. Were you looking for me?”
Yukikaze didn’t answer. The display remained dark.
“It looks like she still can’t understand human speech, Captain Fukai.”
Ignoring her, Rei continued.
“Yukikaze, if you’ve learned anything through the FAF computer network, then report it to me now. Do you understand?”
No answer. It was as if Yukikaze was asleep. Rei felt as though his body was shrinking. He softened his voice, as if telling her to relax, that it was okay to sleep here.
“What’s wrong, Yukikaze…? Why won’t you answer me?”
Rei thought about her consciousness, then came to his senses. Yukikaze wouldn’t rest. She didn’t sleep. She was always fighting. He had to be like that too, even here. He had to get through to her, not with words, but with his own fighting spirit. Yes, this wasn’t a bed. This was a place of combat.
Rei flipped the master arm switch to ON. Initiate search for the enemy.
“Switch the power on back there too, Captain Foss. Set it to electronic warfare mode.”
“Roger.”
Just as he’d expected, Yukikaze reacted immediately. A diagram appeared on the main display, followed by a message from Yukikaze. Rei and Captain Foss read it, completely speechless.
JAM are here/attack this point… Capt.
“What?” whispered Captain Foss. “Where are they?” The diagram indicated a section of Faery base. One section was highlighted with a square mark indicating the enemy. Captain Foss recognized it even faster than Yukikaze could display the area name.
“That’s the Systems Corps, where my last job was.”
“There are JAM in the Systems Corps?”
“I think it’s the retraining unit. Major Booker mentioned that it’s been set up as a lower branch of Systems Corps. It’s already been gathered together. Or maybe she’s telling us that Colonel Rombert is there.”
“I need more details. Edith, start up the T-FACPro II software. Yukikaze can use it to communicate more clearly.”
This wasn’t going to be done in thirty minutes. There’d be no eating and no sleeping. Rei was already regretting how little sleep he’d gotten as he explained to Captain Foss how to start the program. For the Special Air Force, it was the beginning of a long, restless night. A night during which they couldn’t afford to waste a single moment.
VIII
GOOD LUCK
1
IT WASN’T MY fault that I lost my plane in combat, the man thought. So no, being sent to some retraining unit wasn’t something he’d go along with. Why the hell did he need to be retrained? What was the FAF retraining him to do?
The man, Lieutenant Gavin Mayle, formerly of the 505th Tactical Fighter Squadron attached to Tactical Air Base 15, had been ordered to transfer to the retraining unit and now stood inside a Systems Corps’ barracks.
The barracks were a six-person room in a converted warehouse, and one of the three light panels in the ceiling wouldn’t turn on. Must have been a rush job. Not the appropriate sort of greeting for a top-class pilot. Lieutenant Mayle angrily unpacked his belongings, not speaking to the other five people sharing his quarters.
It had been explained to Lieutenant Mayle that the retraining unit was established for those who had been shot down by the JAM. They were to receive advanced tactical air combat training to prevent a recurrence. At least, that was what his commanding officer at TAB-15 had told him.
And when exactly had he been shot down by the JAM? he’d asked his CO when he’d received his orders to transfer.
“When Lieutenant Lancome was killed by that SAF fighter,” his commander had said. “Your assault unit was wiped out then.”
“And you’re pinning the blame for that on me? Now? That was two months ago!” After Lancome’s death, the 505th TFS had waited a long time before being resupplied with one, and then two, new planes, finally bringing them back up to full strength. That had been a long, difficult time for team leader Lieutenant Mayle. Even without their full complement of planes, they’d still been expected to get the same results in combat.
“Well, it’s not directly related to that.”
“Well then, why is this happening?”
“Orders from above. My speculations don’t matter.”
“Who above ordered this?” Mayle asked. “Was it someone in the advanced tactical air corps? Please tell me so that I can file a direct protest to these orders.”
“The orders came through ATAC, and as you’d expect, this transfer is pretty major. I checked into this too, Lieutenant. This has got central command stirred up like a hornet’s nest. These orders come from the very top of the FAF. They seem to be collecting all pilots who’ve been shot down by the JAM into one unit, and it isn’t just guys in ATAC. It’s affecting all of our forces,” the CO said.
“But I wasn’t shot down by the JAM! It was an engine fault. I couldn’t get full thrust. Same as everyone else’s plane. The JAM didn’t do that. We didn’t detect any kind of interference like that from them. It must have been a bad load of fuel or poor maintenance. The maintenance team should be the ones retrained. Don’t you think? It’s crazy to transfer me!”
“I tried telling them that you weren’t directly shot down by the JAM, but it didn’t matter. Their selection criteria are classified. Basically, it’s a military secret. The guys in central don’t understand how hard things are for us here on the front. They say whatever suits them and nothing we say about it matters. We’re in no position to say no, so I can’t refuse these orders.”
“What the hell are those guys at Faery base thinking?”
“I think the Systems Corps may be trying to assert dominance,” the commander answered, clasping his hands together and twiddling his thumbs as he talked. “As far as you’re concerned, I suppose they’re trying to find the cause of the fault that brought down all of your planes at the same time. We also investigated the matter, but never found a clear cause for it.”
“If we couldn’t figure it out while it was happening to us, what do the guys in Systems Corps think they can learn by re-examining it at this point?” Mayle said.
“Central doesn’t trust our investigation abilities.”
“And they’re gonna find out the cause if I report there? Even as they’re basically saying that they don’t believe us anyway?”
“If you go to Faery base and become one of them, you’ll probably end up not believing what I say too.”
“What do you mean?”
“People change according to their situation. This transfer won’t be such a bad thing for you. Once you complete this retraining program, they’ve promised you a promotion. You’re a captain now.”
“If I’m being promoted, then I’d like some acknowledgment of how hard I worked to rebuild the 505th.”
When he’d ejected from his falling plane, Lieutenant Mayle had thought he’d never want to fly again, but he’d forgotten all about that by the time he made it back to the rescue station. First of all, he was worried about the safety of his men. Lieutenant Mayle was among the first to be rescued, so he didn’t know then what had become of his subordinates. As team leader, Lieutenant Mayle felt responsible for his subordinates and had personally participated in the rescue operations.
“I fully appreciate all the effort you put into that. You did well, but no matter how many times I say it, I can’t go against the higher-ups. I don’t know the details of this transfer, but I don’t think it’s a bad deal for you. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Just think of it as executive candidate training. Maybe in the not-too-distant future, you’ll be giving me orders.”