0238 January 9th, 2020 CE

0518 (Early Hour) Start 9th, 196 AE

In the air over the Machian Imperium

“Fox Three. Fox Three. Fox Three.”

Three AIM-120 AMRAAM detach from each of the wings of the two F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. In a combat air patrol over a town near the beaches of the Mach Imperium, the two Super Hornets had detected six aircraft about 90 miles away.

90 Miles Away

A squadron of Maximil fighters is on its way to patrol the airspace over the beaches. Constant reports of enemy aircraft have forced the Machian Air Corps to resort to the idea of consistent air patrols. Before, whenever there are reports of enemy aircraft, airplanes would be detached to scour the area to find them. However, every single time the enemy aircraft can get away and leave a wake of destruction behind.

A few minutes later

Six missiles streaked through the skies at Mach 4 (3045 mph) towards its targets.

Flying at 110 mph, one of the six Maximil pilots notice two small dots in front of them. It didn’t seem like enemy aircraft because of its small size and how it didn’t match the description of what had been witnessed. The two small dots soon turned into six. By then all of the pilots had noticed them. Whatever it was, it seems to be coming closer every second and is heading directly towards them. The six fighters break formation to not collide with whatever is flying towards them. To their surprise and horror, the six dots all adjusted course. One following each fighter.

They desperately try to shake the dots. They apply what they had learned in training on how to dodge wyverns and other planes. One of the pilots starts an upward climb hoping that whatever is following him can’t change altitude. This upward climb slows the fighter down. The pursuing object also starts an upward climb seemingly without slowing down. In seconds, the dot has struck the fighter. In a fiery ball, the Maximil fighter explodes in the air and the pilot dies.

The five other fighters turn around in hopes that they could outrun the objects. It is a futile attempt as in mere seconds, all five are destroyed.

0440 January 9th, 2020 CE

0620 (Mid Hour) Start 9th, 196 AE

Venusia Hidden Airfield

On the grasses near the airfield, a man with a clipboard runs up to a uniformed person who is watching the planes take off and land.

“Sir, Squadron 22 is late by an hour. We have no reports of them coming back.”

“Which area have we sent them to?”

“I believe the sector above the town of Ostia.”

“Squadron 33 should be patrolling that area now. Let’s see if they find them.”

On the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington

“Captain, we are detecting increased enemy air activity. We just had two Super Hornets shoot down six possible Machian warplanes.”

“Clear the skies.”

“Understood.”

0740 January 9th, 2020 CE

0750 (Mid Hour) Start 9th, 196 AE

Venusia Hidden Airfield

“Squadron 33, Squadron 346, Squadron 264, Squadron 566, Squadron 578, Squadron 351, Squadron 510, and Squadron 270 are late by an hour. We are deeming them as lost. We are receiving reports of people witnessing our planes being shot down with no visible enemy in sight. The planes will seem fine and then in mere seconds, they will start performing evasive maneuvers before turning into a giant fireball. There are also reports of things like small metal arrows flying towards the plane but that isn’t confirmed yet.”

“How is the other airfield charged with patrol doing?”

“They have lost nine squadrons.”

“We can’t keep this up… stop all patrols.”

“But sir, we will leave the entire country vulnerable to air attack!”

“These patrols aren’t working. If we continue at this rate, we won’t have enough fighters to protect our bombers.”

“What do we even need the bombers for?!”

“The Emperor has given orders that once the Americans land, we will bomb them to oblivion with our bombers.”

“Sir, the bombers are useless in this situation if they can shoot down anything we put in the sky! The enemy will be flying anywhere they want with no opposition if we stop the patrols.”

“The patrols have done nothing but lose planes and pilots! As you said they can shoot down anything, why waste the fighters when we can do an all-out surprise attack and obliterate their landing force! We need bombers escorted by fighters for that. If we have enough fighters acting as cover for whatever they are shooting down our planes with, then the bombers can get to our enemy.”

“We need to at least find a way to shoot the enemy down! Is this what the Machian Air Corps is? Are we too cowardly to defend our country’s skies!”

Anger flamed in the airfield commander’s eyes.

“That’s enough! I’m not wasting any more pilots on useless patrols! Get back to your station!”

0740 January 10th, 2020 CE

0750 (Mid Hour) Start 10th, 196 AE

Near the town of Isca (In between the beach and Industropolis)

Pomponia is strolling down the quiet road with groceries in hand. All around her are the beautiful flat plains and the clear blue skies. Her house is about a couple of miles away from the nearby town of Isca. She moved there because she liked to live in solitude and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. A slow roar came overhead and Pomponia looks up. It is a scene that she has seen many times recently. On the first few occasions, she went off the road to avoid being spotted. After a while, it seemed like those planes didn’t care about her so she resumed walking as she always does. She hopes that her peace won’t be broken by this war but knows that war is coming to her. The constant roars she hears throughout the day shows that the Machian Air Corps doesn’t stand a chance and that the enemy would be upon them soon. So far, she has not seen any Machian airplanes for the entire day. She has also heard that most cities have lost their electricity because of the bombings.

0830 January 10th, 2020 CE

0815 (Mid Hour) Start 10th, 196 AE

Port Bannock

Many warships that aren’t out on patrol or aren’t on the other side of the Imperium can be seen at this port docked. Losses have been mounting for the Great Eastern Fleet because of past battles with the Americans and the patrols being attacked by them. With the Machian fleet losing more than half of its ships, the admirals have decided that they can no longer help. They have decided to dissolve the Great Eastern Fleet and integrate them with the Great Western Fleet. Sending all the ships onto the other side of the Imperium and leaving this side with no navy for defense. It was obvious to all that continuing naval operations on this side of the Imperium would be futile. They needed to make sure that they still had a good enough navy to keep the Magusians at bay.

What remains of the Great Eastern Fleet is preparing to leave the port. All of a sudden, explosions occur on many of the docked ships.

About 20 minutes earlier

Less than 170 miles away.

Squadrons of F-15Es unleash a horde of Harpoon missiles and turn back. Satellite observations had shown a gathering of Machian warships at the port that they are currently targeting. To ensure that the seas are clear for the amphibious assault, it was decided to destroy all Machian warships. This gathering was the perfect chance for that. The submarines have shown the Machian Navy death from below. Now it was time to show them death from above.

0230 January 11th, 2020 CE

0515 (Early Hour) Start 11th, 196 AE

Airspace right outside of the Mach Imperium

Ten B-52Hs loaded up each with 70,000 pounds of munitions approach the Machian Imperium. With most of the airfields, factories, power plants, military installations, oil refineries, and important government buildings bombed to oblivion, it has a special target. A target perfectly suited for a bomber. Carrying CBU-87s (cluster bombs), it headed towards the Machian trench line. A static defense with anti-air emplacements so obsolete that it has no hope of reaching the altitude of a B-52.

The trenches

“Uhhh… Mercator…”

“What is it Furius?”

“...run… RUN… RUN!!”

Furius scrambles over the trench and starts sprinting. Around Mercator, soldiers look up and point towards the massive plane that is flying directly towards them.

“What is his Majesty’s name is that. Hey Furius! Furius, wait up!”

Some soldiers do the same and start running out of the trench. Most just stare at the black dragon-like plane as it comes closer. Some that tried to run is ordered back to the trenches by an officer.

As the ones who remain watches, they notice objects falling out of the bottom of the gigantic planes. Towards where the plane dropped the objects, the ground there starts to explode. Officers shout to their soldiers to get down. Soldiers dive to the ground.

Twenty minutes later

Three miles out of the trenches

Out of breath, Mercator huffed his words to Furius who was next to him seemingly dying from the running.

“Furius... what was that... about.”

“I... felt… death. I just… I just felt that I needed to run. To get far away.”

“We are going to get punished for this.”

“It looked like one of those Legendary Dragons from the stories. Anybody would be scared of that.”

They turned around. They had run a couple of miles from the trench. Just then, a massive explosion along the trench occurred. They had to shield their eyes because of the fiery blast.

“It got bombed.”

“I hope everyone’s fine. I think I saw some others run with me when I ran out.”

“I think the trench is deep enough to protect everyone. The tanks are probably gone though.”

An hour later

Back at the trench

“See, I saved our asses.”

The trench is gone. What replaced it is a massive crater forming a line where the trench was. Not even bodies seem to have remained.

Mercator tried to look down the trench line to see if anything remained.

“How long does this go on. They couldn’t have bombed the entire trench system on this front.”

“Mercator, I think we should retreat. There’s no reason for staying here. Anybody who didn’t run is dead.”

“Where do we go?”

“How about the closest town. That should be Andrea.”

In the throne room of the Emperor of Magus Imperium.

“Can’t we begin the attack?”

“Your majesty, I still highly oppose that decision.”

“You said that if the American invasion is successful that we can attack.”

“Of course, we can attack if the invasion is successful.”

“Well the invasion is successful, what are you opposing.”

“I don’t see any invasion.”

“WHAT?! No invasion? Didn’t you hear that the Americans have nearly disabled the entire Mach Air Corps and destroyed a large part of the Machian fleet in the Eastern Seas? The Machians are literally on their last legs.”

“But the Machians still have more than a million of men on our side of the front. Their western fleet is also completely intact and dangerous.”

“Caius, just because your grandfather was the one who stopped the Machian advance doesn’t mean you get to impose your will onto my military.”

“Your majesty, I will let you know that I have many generals that are more loyal to me than to you.”

“Caius Igennus, are you speaking of TREASON!?”

Emperor Arstant spat those words out like poison. He understood that Caius had many generals who supported him but did not like it when Caius used that card to give himself power.

“Your majesty, all I want is to protect and defend our nation. Nothing else. Now is not the right time. If all you are going to talk about is invading the Machians, I will excuse myself.”

Caius walked out of the throne room without looking back.