Summoning Japan: Flights of the Fancy

Chapter 12 - The Lone Wolf and the Wolfpack

Pilot Wyatt was conducting the final checks before takeoff in the cockpit of Zigrant 2 in the hangar of the aircraft carrier Mantissa. His plane currently carried six new bombs (actually depth charges). However, there were no enemy ships in sight around. Fortunately, there were no enemy aircraft in the sky either. Should they then bomb the ground?

"Control to 42 Leader, are you ready for takeoff?"

"This is 42 Leader, I'm ready. Please advise target instructions."

"We will instruct you in the air. Take off."

"Copy. The 42nd Squadron will receive instructions in the air."

The maintenance personnel tending to the plane moved away, and the guidance crew approached. Following their guidance, he exited from the hangar to the flight deck. Following the signals from the magic stones embedded in the runway, the plane accelerated and took off. The wingmen followed suit, forming a formation in the air. Although the 42nd Squadron had returned to its regular strength through reorganization, Wyatt still didn't know the skills of the three new pilots. Despite expecting a certain level of skill from those who survived the grueling air attrition battles, Wyatt had learned all too well in the past few days that a pilot's survival probability wasn't determined solely by skill.

"42 Leader to Mantissa Control, please advise target instructions."

"This is Control. The target is enemy submarine."

"Submarine?"

"It's an enemy ship that can sail underwater."

"I know what a submarine is. But how do we bomb an enemy that we couldn't see?"

"The experimental ship Axe is equipped with a new weapon that can detect enemies located underwater. Follow their instructions. The manacomm preset is..."

Following the instructions, Wyatt set the manacomm and contacted the Axe.

"This is 42nd Squadron, experimental ship Axe, respond."

"This is the Axe, welcome to the team."

"What team?"

"Anti-submarine operation team. It's tough with the Axe alone."

Wyatt realized that he was being burdened with another troublesome mission.

"Where is the enemy submarine?"

"We are tracking it."

"Understood. We'll proceed with the bombing in advance."

"Wait a moment. How many aircraft are in your formation?"

"Eight."

"Send only two here."

Wyatt hesitated for a moment.

"There may be more than one enemy submarine. Don't leave the airspace over the fleet open."

Wyatt pondered for a moment on who to send. He chose two of his trusted wingmen.

"Unit 2 and 3, go. The rest, stay with me over the fleet."

. . .

Having finished communication with the 42nd squadron, the XO asked Captain Roen a question.

"Captain, are you leaving the tracking of the enemy submarine to the squadron?"

"That depends on how the situation unfolds. If other submarines start moving, we won't have a choice."