210 Zhar-ptitsa Debut
Six copies of Boeing AH-64 Apache were cruising towards the capital city of Hanseong at the speed of one hundred fifty kilometers per hour. Major Pavel Bulgakov was leading the squadron.
Their goal is to neutralize enemy anti-air guns, military vehicles, ammunition depots, and military bases scattered across Hanseong.
“Overlord to all callsigns, Operation Anastasia is a go, I say again, Operation Anastasia is a go.”
“Copy that Overlord,” Major Pavel radioed back as the squadron continued to proceed to Hanseong’s airspace. “You know where to go boys, this will all end in just five minutes, I don’t want to receive a message from any of you that you got shot down by the Yammies as they are low on technicals.”
“Copy that chief,” one of the pilots of the Zhar-ptitsa responded through radio.
***
In one of the garrisons of the Yamato Empire in the capital Hanseong, the Yamato soldiers scrambled to get their rifles from the armory after receiving a message from one of their forward scouts stating that they heard noises akin to Harbinger.
The name alone strikes fear in the Yamato troops, their eyes were fixed on the sky, tracking the presumed noise of the Harbinger. They hope that their scout is lying. When asked for further confirmation, the scout didn’t reply back.
The Chosonese in the capital locked their doors and closed their windows, some tried to take a peek from a slightly open window, seeing the Yamatos running down the road, shouting in their native language.
Seconds later, they heard a whirring sound in the air. It sounds like a drum is being struck repeatedly with a stick but it doesn’t really give an impression. Instead of the usual bang, the sound is accompanied by another whirr like an engine revving up. The noise becomes louder, it seems to be coming from somewhere above the capital city. The noise increases, becoming more and more audible until there’s an ear-deafening explosion echoing across the area causing the ground to tremble slightly underneath.
The Yamatos on the ground turned their heads at the source of the explosion. There they saw an orange glow flickering over the horizon with fire dancing around the flames as black smoke rises into the air. It wasn’t long before another explosion followed by a second burst of bright flame not far from them.
“Is it the Harbinger?!” One of the Yamato soldiers stammered. “Where are they?! I can’t see it.”
“Aren’t those the places where Colonel Koenji is stationed?”
“Yeah…seems like it.”
They were stunned at the sudden development, the Harbingers attacking in the morning where they are most vulnerable. That’s just ridiculous.
“We have to go back to base and inform them that the attack is real and the Harbinger is here.”
The five Yamato soldiers nodded in agreement and rushed back to their base until the sound of the whirring blades sounded above them.
They stopped and gazed at it in befuddlement. “Is that the Harbinger?”
One of the soldiers broke the stifling silence that lingered in between.
“No, it’s not the Harbinger. The report said that it was a huge flying aircraft attacking from a high altitude. This one is flying low. And what kind of aircraft is that? It has rotating blades atop it…”
“It’s heading towards the base!” one of the soldiers alerted the group, pointing in the direction where the Harbinger was going.
The Yamato soldiers took off sprinting towards where they pointed. Just as they were about to near their intended destination, a shrilling guttural roar was emitted by the unknown aircraft hovering above.
*Brrrrrtttttt!
Not only did it brrrt, but the unknown aircraft hissed also, releasing a pneumatic tube from the cylinders almost instantaneously, leaving a trail of white smoke.
They can feel the ground shaking as if an earthquake is occurring beneath them. But nothing could compare to what happened next. A series of explosions erupted along with a large cloud of smoke engulfing the base.
“BAKEMONO!!” one of the soldiers snapped, aiming his bolt action rifle at the unknown aircraft and pulling the trigger.
The bullet clanged on the metallic body of the unknown aircraft, causing it to turn in their direction menacingly.
“Don’t just stand there! It just killed our comrades! Fire at it!” The soldier roared angrily, reloading the Type 38 bolt action rifle in haste.
His comrades complied immediately and opened fire at the unknown aircraft. It only made a dent and scratch on the body of the Zhar-ptitsa. Some of the bullets graze the bulletproof glass.
The gunner behind can only smile deridingly at the sight of the Yammies’s futile attempt. Their cockpit glass can withstand a direct hit from 12.7-millimeter rounds, the Yamato’s uses 7.62-millimeter rounds. So taking a hit from their primitive guns won’t be a big of a deal.
Though, constantly receiving such rounds would endanger the life of the pilot so they have to finish them one way or another.
“Sir, what do you think should I use? The chain gun? Hydra? or the Hellfire?”
“Well, we don’t have many Hydra and Hellfire missiles as we have already used them to destroy this base, so don’t waste the missiles on them.” Major Pavel said.
“Chain gun it is,” the gunner grinned and glared at the inferior Yammies down them. He was patriotic when they were at war with Yamato four years ago, but their humiliating defeat cause him to harbor
resentment against them. They are supposed to be savages who can only use bows and arrows, they are savages who use swords, savages who shamelessly copy the technology of the west. The Asiatic countries are only there to be ruled by the west, standing against them would mean annihilation.
Today, he will make those bastards pay for humiliating his country and trying to kill their beloved Grand Duchess. There is no mercy on these ants so he pulled the trigger hard on the yoke, causing his seat to rattle as the 30-millimeter chain gun rained down upon the Yammies.
Their bodies fell to pieces upon the impact of the heavy rounds. Their entrails spilled everywhere with blood dying the ground red.
The Gunner removed his finger from the trigger and looked out his window to see the aftermath.
“Ah…so disgusting. I think I’m going to puke,” the gunner commented and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Good that you hold it in, anyways, we have to link up with the guys and get the hell out of here.”
Major Pavel gently pulled the collective as he moved the yoke. The others finished their objectives in time and regrouped. They started their journey back to the base as their formation passed the area of destruction, they could see the burning and dilapidated buildings and the bodies of the dead. Now that they neutralize enemy defenses, the ground troops will have it easy for them to capture Hanseong.