Chapter 7: "The White Death God Dances In The Blue Sky"

(This System will change the face of the battlefield...!)

“Since the water here doesn’t stay at this temperature for long, your feet can slide and fall into the sea. It makes it easy for you to slide off the side of the submarine, and you won’t be found again until the sorrowful sun rises like this.”

Ganabati said that while laughing. Ze, who was on his knees at the side of the submarine and had finished emptying the contents of his stomach into the sea, wiped his mouth and turned around with watery eyes.

“Ueh…Forgive me…”

His face was pale from being hit by severe seasickness. Usually he would retort back fiercely, but it seemed that he didn’t have the energy for it this morning.

“Do you have any questions, Oz?”

Rakshata Chawla asked as she pointed at Orpheus with her trademark pipe. Orpheus shook his head.

“I already have everything about this operation in my head. The problem is whether or not it will move according to your plan.”

Orpheus looked up at his beloved machine that he now met again after such a long time.

“Oh my. It couldn’t be that you doubt me, do you? —Though I say that, failure is a natural accompaniment when anything is done for the first time. It’s impossible to make 100% guarantees. The only thing I can say is that I will merely do my 100% best.”

“Hearing that from you is enough.”

Orpheus gave a thin smile.

The huge submarine was moving at cruising speed near them the boundary line between the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea next to Norway’s west coast. It was a moonless night. The starlight wasn’t strong enough to illuminate the deep darkness that came just before dawn, and it wasn’t possible to see the jet-black sea that spread out around them with the naked eye.

On the deck with all its lights blacked-out, men and women equipped with infrared goggles were silently taking care of the Byakuen’s takeoff preparations. The ECM and ECCM were still functioning, but the possibility of this submarine being accidentally discovered by HUMINT (note: abbreviation for Human Intelligence)—by information collection gathered by human eyes and ears was not zero.

In order to avoid being detected from the coast, the crew of the submarine was notified that they couldn't approach the coast any closer. Beyond this point was within the sphere of the Britannian Navy’s anti-submarine web.

Orpheus boarded the Byakuen. It was the reborn “Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version” that was equipped with the Air Glide Wings—a form of Float System developed by Rakshata.

“…She said she “fixed” it, but she put in an unbelievable addition.”

Hearing that quiet murmur from Orpheus, Ganabati raised his head as he did the pre-flight check.

“Ah? What did you say, Oz?”

“I was talking to myself.”

Orpheus activated the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version.

“We’ve received a communication from the ground troops. They’re also standing-by just as arranged…so with that, I’ll be counting on you.”

Rakshata said.

“You mean, for the real battle data on the Air Glide Wings? Or do you mean for the other part of the mission?”

Ze said, seeming to be feeling somewhat better after letting all that out before.

“Obviously, for both.”

Rakshata smiled sweetly.

“I’m taking off.”

The Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version slowly floated up from the deck, and started moving towards the surface of the deep black sea.

The mission’s target was the Sakuradite mining base that the Euro-Britannia army was building in Norway on the Scandinavian Peninsula. Geologists estimated that the vein deposits here were equivalent to 30 years worth of Euro-Britannia’s needs. If full-scale mining started, it would be unavoidable that the resistance groups in Europe that continued the anti-Britannia conflicts would be dealt a great blow. However, the highly explosive Sakuradite-related facility could not be simply destroyed. If an explosion caused a chain reaction within the entire vein, all of Scandinavia might collapse.  If that happened, all of Europe would be destroyed.

“That’s why we’re going to sink and submerge the entire facility. If we do that, we can make the facility impossible to use without causing an explosion. Also, if it goes well, a local group can occupy and use the facility later.”

On the topographical map that Miss X displayed during the briefing session, it was indicated that there was a dam at Gudvangen that lied upstream of the river that adjoined the mining base.

“Of course, the Britannian army is prepared for such an attack and has placed forces at the dam.”

Miss X displayed the artillery composite platform that defended the dam. On the concrete-made pedestal that had been created so that it nestled close to the surface of the dam’s wall, several artillery cannons with various ranges and firing angles that were connected to a fire-control radar were installed, and so everything that approached the dam would be completely pulverized. Attacks by multiple groups including the special forces of the EU regular army had been tried against it until now, but they were entirely repelled by this impenetrable wall’s defenses. However, they hadn’t given up. The resistance groups in Europe were going to attempt a final attack by concentrating all of firepower in order to destroy the dam.

“How tenacious. As expected of the descendants of Vikings.”

Ganabati said. However, it was clear that they wouldn't be able to make a dent in it if they attacked using the same tactics.

“And that’s where you guys from Peace Mark come in.”

Miss X said. Preceding the bombardment of the ground troops, Orpheus’ Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version would penetrate inland along the fjord. He would neutralize the dam defenses with close-range attacks and support the bombardment attack.

“There’s something I’d like to ask. Isn’t Oz in the most dangerous position here?”

Ze pouted.

“You’re thinking that it’s possible if it’s me and the Byakuen, right?”

Orpheus asked Miss X.

“Yes. This is a job only you can do, Oz.”

“I understand. Then, it’s decided.”

The Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version avoided radar detection and penetrated into the Sogne Fjord from the southern coast of Haltbakke (TL Note: Unsure translation, do not know what location this is referring to) at low altitude. Orpheus looked at the navigation screen displayed on his console. He flew 40 km without rest along the mouth of the river that opened widely, and changed course towards east-northeast. From there, he lowered his altitude further and almost grazed the water, and then pushed further inland. The flight was going well. The performance of the Air Glide Wings that used the Float System was perfect.

(This system will change the face of the battlefield…!)

Orpheus imagined his enemies and allies jumbling in confusing as he soared through the sky. It was a striking and brilliantly hellish scene.

His navigation told him he had reached the next course-changing point. He complexly bent his course left and right, and increased his course similarity to the shape of the fjord. When he had penetrated up to Leikanger area about 160km inland from the mouth of the river, the eastern sky started brightening. The Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version took the course towards the tributary that led to his destination of Gudvangen.

Rising perpendicularly left and right, the fjord’s steepness increased more and more. Weaving through it, Orpheus flew the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version with almost suicidal speed. Orpheus was not flying while depending on only the information from his Factspheres right now. Although he was not conscious of it himself, his sensitivity that had been honed to the limit as a Geass-user ran through the Knightmare’s armor and let him directly perceive the surrounding space. Although even Orpheus himself didn't know it, he was doing something at this very moment that only he could do.

Suddenly, the Gudvangen dam appeared before him.

Orpheus manipulated his control stick with quick but delicate movements and made the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version ascend.

The wall of the dam drew closer at a violent speed. However, the climbing angle of the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version was slightly insufficient. If he crashed, he wouldn't be able to escape serious damage. But—

“Eat my fang!”

Orpheus activated the 7-Type Integrated Armaments Right Arm Unit. He selected the super-high output electromagnetic accelerator cannon. He loaded 70mm explosive cartridges that contained highly concentrated liquid Sakuradite in the cartridge chamber, and aimed it at the pedestal of artillery guns that protected the dam. Through the vision of his Factspheres that electronically intensified the light intensity, he saw in the dim light of dawn the figures of Britannian soldiers desperately trying to intercept the Byakuen. However, they wouldn’t make it in time. Orpheus pulled the trigger. He fired artillery shells one after another along with the shrill sound of cannon fire. Orpheus corrected the ascending angle of the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version using the recoil, and then drew a beautiful curve through the air and ran over to the sky over the dam wall.

And at the same time, an intense explosion occurred at the impact point of the 70mm explosive cartridge. Orpheus had driven the cannon shell into the gun barrel of a 200mm field gun with the greatest caliber among the artillery group. Like a scalpel brandished by a skilled brain surgeon, the explosive cartridge that flew into the gun barrel with a precise aim released the energy of its Sakuradite at the bottom of the gun chamber, and the tail end of the 200mm field gun was blown away. The armor fragments blown away by it and the blast torn apart the surrounding soldiers, and pulverized all the equipment and facilities. The concrete platform collapsed from the following explosions that occurred one after another, and detached from the dam wall and fell down to the fjord below. Burnt steel, concrete, and also countless soldiers were throw down beneath the dark water’s surface.

The ground troops, who had advanced near the dam at the signal from Orpheus’ attack, started their bombardment. There was no counterattack from Britannia.

Artillery shells exploded on the surface of the dam wall one after another. Lumps of concrete were blown away and countless crack appear on the wall. However, the dam that had been built to oppose mighty water pressure did not simply crumble and collapse.

Orpheus reversed the course of the Byakuen. He switched the artillery shells of his electromagnetic acceleration gun to a sabot-type 30mm high initial velocity Tungsten steel piercing shell. He aimed at the maintenance road on the upper part of the dam, and fired rapidly 5 times. The armor piercing shells impacted within a 1m diameter circular area, and created a mortar-like hole. But, the dam still stood.

“This will finish it!”

Orpheus switched the 7-Type Integrative Right Arm Unit to the drill, and made the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version swoop down toward the center of the mortar hole at high speed.

With a terrible impact, the whole dam seemed to shake for an instant. And then—finally, the dam collapsed.

The huge amount of water that had been held back easily blew away huge lumps of concrete, and fell down into the fjord that had become a muddy stream that no one could resist.

“Mission complete.”

Orpheus said. The muddy stream would submerge the Britannian Sakuradite mining base, and keep it beyond recovery for a long period of time.

And the real battle test of the Byakuen Flight-Enabled Version that carried the Air Glide Wings had also been a complete success on the first try.

(To be continued)