Sovereign

"Food! Jobs! What does the Empress give us?! War! Not food nor jobs! All as the High Nobility rattle their sabres with her! Sisters of the lower nobility! Shall we carry on with this? To allow one brat and her small clique to strangle our great nation? To send our brothers, sons, and husbands to death for her gains? I say not!"

- Baroness Julia Molotov, Larissan Democratic Coalition, June 2024

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Northern Sea

June 26, 2024

GIS Terror

13:00 Hours

The Empress didn't like the report on her desk. Not at all. It was so awful, and it made her even more anxious, which naturally translated into her irritated expression.

Dammit! Those damned liberals! How dare they split the Parliament like that! Just approve my demands for wartime mobilization! Traitors! Traitors!

"Your Majesty…the conservatives support us, but my informants heard grumblings. They are bickering with each other…"

Her personal lady-in-waiting, Viscountess Ivena Kutchesov, was only a year above her. The two had been together ever since the Lavislaw Nuclear Meltdown.

Her friend's estate was one of those that had to be abandoned due to irradiation. Seeking employment, the Empress took her in to be the prestigious right-hand lady of hers.

And she dragged her as well to the Northern Sea campaign as her assistant.

"Ivena, we need to do something. If we don't find a victory here to unite the conservatives, those damned liberals would win. They're dividing us."

"I know, Your Majesty. But…even if a victory here would reunite all of the conservatives, what then?"

"Of course, it's obvious. We shall silence the liberals once and for all. It was a mistake not to purge them during the Great War. But this time around, with wartime measures, passed - I will see to it that none of those men-loving fools would run their mouths again."

She haughtily crossed her arms as her back fell on her chair.

"Democracy, reforms, peace…who are they? I am the Empress! And they dare defy me…"

It's clear that this path is the only way. War…it's the only way to distract the stupid masses. To unite the bloodthirsty elites. And to dispose of the naysayers. Why then, is this not working?

The door to her office suddenly opened, which took the attention of the two. In came Admiral Rurik Illyenov, Katerina's "moronic" brother. Beside him was another officer, the very Captain of the GIS Terror.

"What is it this time again, moron?"

"Your Majesty. I have news. We spotted the ONS Rebenslof. Or at least, it might be the ONS Rebenslof."

Immediately, from her gloomy, irritated facade, the Empress' expression brightened. Her lips curled up as well, which almost sent her older brother running in terror.

She looked truly like a demoness.

"My good brother. Tell me, where is he?"

"400 kilometers from us. North West of our position. He's a bit close to Lorathia, and we lost contact after an air engagement terminated our scouts, but the last contact was only 7 minutes ago. We know his general direction."

"You lost another squadron?"

"I…well, 5 ZU-34 fighters were lost in the engagement, Your Majesty. The enemy Zappers jumped our scouts in their blindspots."

"What of our AWACS?"

"Our AWACS are en route to the direction of the Rebenslof."

"And what of our strike squadrons?"

"I…are we launching a strike now? We are still verifying if it's accurate."

Her eyes suddenly darkened their gaze on him. It was almost as if he had just uttered something stupid.

"We lost 1 of our carriers because of your carelessness…"

"I-I know that, Your Majesty. I apologize deeply."

"AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE ME THIS OPPORTUNITY!"

A teacup flew straight to the side of his cheek. It didn't injure him, but it utterly shook him and the officer beside him when the loud shattering sound of the teacup assaulted their ears.

"Of course! You stupid moron. We are going to attack! Scramble all squadrons from this carrier and from our two other carrier task forces! I want all of our planes to overwhelm that man! I don't care if it's not verified, they will VERIFY AND ATTACK!"

The two stiffened.

"At once, Your Majesty!"

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Northern Sea

320 Kilometers North of the GIS Terror

Strike Force 7

ONS Rebenslof

13:30 Hours

"They're falling for our decoys."

"Heh, serves them right."

The chuckle came from Captain Schlatt, who stood beside Albert and Captain Vogel. The trio devised another stratagem of war when they spotted signatures of an unidentified Imperial Task Force just south of them.

With EMCON already lifted, Strike Force 7 now communicated at times with VACCOM and began coordinating their strikes with Admiral Herard Tresckow.

And this was one of those. Codenamed Operation Slimy, they planned to trick the Empress and force her to send her squadrons straight to a decoy that resembled Strike Force 7.

And that decoy was an aging Lorathian battleship. With almost the same size as the ONS Rebenslof, the Lorathian battleship returned almost similar signatures in Larissan radars.

To make it even more convincing, the ONS Rebenslof surrounded the LRN Olivia's Task Force with a few of his squadron's fighters to give the impression that they were the Rebenslof's CAP (Combat Air Patrol) defending the carrier.

It was indeed a brilliant move - the LRN Olivia rabidly broadcasted radio transmissions about their "situation" and falsely acted as the ONS Rebenslof. It was all in an effort to allow the Larissan's to spot them - but there was a second part to it.

They had spotted the LRN Olivia - but not enough to confirm if it was a mere decoy as VFA-18 jumped the Larissan scouts right before that.

Still, now, the LRN Olivia was spotted. 4 Orlish Gallant-Class destroyers - reinforcements from VACCOM, surrounded the aging battleship, prepared to act as her defensive screen. Inside the battleship itself was a mere skeleton crew - enough to merely drive the thing as a decoy.

As such, this Task Force would still face heavy casualties once the Larissan strike arrives. They were the sacrificial bait.

"Those stupid morons." Captain Vogel commented in amusement as well. "Any competent naval officer wouldn't fall that easily."

Albert didn't laugh, as he focused on the map - all as signatures after signatures of hostile air squadrons appeared in different directions, all headed to their decoy Task Force.

"It's the Empress that we're talking about. She's just a teenager."

Not to mention, I really pushed her buttons. Hiding and delaying her for nearly a month. She must be desperate. Extremely desperate…

"So what? Your little sister's 19, a teenager too. But she ain't this stupid. Hell, she's holding well in Halia even against Heindhöff. I mean - can you believe that? Your little sister against Heindhöff?"

"I'd rather not make a lighthearted commentary about our Kingdom's domestic catastrophe, Vogel."

"I…sorry, sir."

Truthfully, Albert's expression had severely darkened ever since Admiral Tresckow informed them of the situation in Orland. If it weren't for the fact that he was utterly locked in the Northern Sea by the Empress in battle, he would have disengaged and dashed back to Halia.

But he could not. To retreat without eliminating the Empress would mean a danger unresolved for Amelie. And it would lead to a possible defeat of the Ivory Alliance.

Strategically, it would be a massive blow to Amelie and the Kingdom. Losing both Gallia and Lorathia would mean that Orland would stand alone - against the Empire and the Putschists at home.

He vowed not to allow that. No, he would defeat the Empress here. Only then could he return home to aid his little sister.

He turned to Captain Schlatt.

"Anyways. How are our air squadrons?"

"VFA-13 and VFA-18 are now re-arming and refueling. In fact, half of VFA-13 is now in the air, and we're launching them as they are ready."

"Good. I want those Larissans intercepted before they reach the Olivia. Hopefully, we'll win the war here."

"Hopefully, sir."

The ONS Rebenslof turned as the waves clashed upon it. The day's storm, while still severe, had slightly waned compared to the earlier days of the month.

Even still, the crew on the flight deck ran through the rains, the dimly lit blue skies still adding to the desolate atmosphere on the high seas, as Zappers, one after another, screeched with haste off the flight deck.

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Northern Sea

20 Kilometers South of Strike Force 7

VFA-13 'Hellcat-1'

13:45 Hours

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<<1-2 Green.>>

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There was some silence from '1-1 Actual' over the squadron-wide comms, as his chuckle soon slipped up.

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The two squadrons quickly raced through once more in the stormy skies, their exhausts burning madly as they dashed toward their interception points with the enemy squadrons.

Now was their big day. While their recent victory had been impressive, the Empire still possessed the upper hand in the Northern Sea campaign.

A campaign that now had to be rushed at all costs due to what was happening in their very own homeland. They had to defeat the Empress now or in the next few days - or Orland would face an unwinnable, two-front war.

On their HUD displays, information from their AWACS and the ONS Rebenslof burned into their eyes. Larissan formations, already burning straight to the LRN Olivia, were spotted widely by the Rebenslof's AWACS.

One would wonder, where the Larissan AWACS were, that they had not yet spotted them, but these men would not complain yet about such a fact.

Perhaps they were searching in the wrong direction. Attacking - and looking in the wrong direction, and thus, Orland smelled blood. An opportunity was handed to them on a silver platter.

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The laughter over the radio stopped, as suddenly, the hostile contacts changed course. Many started to turn.

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Northern Sea

ONS Terror

13:50 Hours

"What do you mean 're-evaluate' this attack?! We cannot! You're not making me lose this opportunity!"

Katerina was utterly furious. Her tirade in the ship's bridge erupted when she learned that Rurik ordered her air squadrons to 're-evaluate' their attack and 'proceed with caution'.

I swear, if this pighead of a brother of mine loses me this battle, I'll squash that horrendous face without reprieve! You stupid fat moron!

"Your Majesty, our AWACS spotted hostile aircraft converging on our air squadrons. We have to tread carefully. This might be a trap!"

"Trap? What trap? We spotted them, Rurik. It is painfully obvious that they are just trying to defend their ship. The Rebenslof is just one carrier, and we annihilated one of their squadrons. Can you not understand that he does not have the numbers to stop us?!"

"It's not about the numbers…i-if this is wrong, we would be vulnerable."

"They already are vulnerable! We have our eyes set on them! An attack set on them! What do they have? Nothing but a desperate defense measure!"

A scuffle almost began on the bridge, as some of the officers tried to approach and intervene, but the Empress' personal guard blocked them, and they had no choice but to stand down.

Rurik almost cracked a sweat as his little sister stared at his eyes intensely, hoping, hoping that she would come to her senses and listen to him.

But she was having none of it.

Do I really have to spell it out? We're wasting so many valuable seconds that can lose me this battle. ORDER THEM TO PRESS ON NOW DAMMIT!

"Your Majesty, look-"

"Rurik, get the hell out of the bridge."

"What?"

"I said get your fat ass off the bridge, Rurik."

"Look, I understand you, b-but you're not a naval offi-"

"I SAID GET OUT!"

Her voice almost cracked as she shouted that at him, and only then did he notice it in her eyes for but a split second.

Underneath the raging fury - was a young girl, scared, terrified, and anxious. Her eyes almost quivered, and were almost wet with tears. Yet it was also not. But Rurik still saw it.

In truth - she truly did fear. She was now pushing all her cards at once. She could not end up like Amelie. She must not.

She would not be couped by these stupid men. She would not be overthrown by those stupid liberals. No…she did not want her head in the gutter.

She did not want to lose to Albert - and die a horrible death.

With great shame, Rurik's shoulders fell and he resigned from the bridge, as the Empress approached the microphones.

With an almost shaky voice that she concealed with anger, she spoke.

"From now on, this entire fleet is under my command. Admiral Rurik has been dismissed for his incompetence. I will be leading this fleet, and you will all follow my orders. Press on the attack - I want that carrier gone before this hour is over. FOR THE EMPIRE!"