Guests

Guests arrived in five cars next morning. Four people left the leading car: first the general with serious look on his face and his aide, a short officer with wavy dark brown hair, then a tall man with wavy black hair and smiling round face opened the door and helped Mary leave the car.

The tall man walked closer and addressed commander Wheeler, "Hello, marsh-dweller, are they still not let you fly missions?"

"Hello, cowlick, and you are still alive I see?"

"But of course. Alive and lending your fiancée. Glad to see you, Alec!", he hugged Alex.

"Same here, John. Long time no see!", he returned the hug and they laughed, "Let me introduce my subordinates: my aide, lieutenant Alex Martinson; wing-leader and a fellow ace, master lieutenant Alexis Gruel; junior lieutenant Lily Leitis and lieutenant Kate Slacker", Martinson and Alexis shacked the guests hand, Lily smiled before giving her hand, while Kate fixed the newly earned lieutenant shoulder straps before reaching him.

"And this is my old friend, junior lieutenant John Tanner, Allies top ace".

"So this is why you said I know him", Alexis smiled, "Hard not to recognise SSRC most famous pilot".

"The pleasure is mine. You regiment is quite well known itself. So many aces in one place is pretty rare".

"You still did not get your promotion it seems?", Alex jabbed his friend who had only one star on his shoulder straps.

"At least I can still fly the hunts without high command permission, instead of sitting around in the office", John jabbed back.

Then they walked to the general and his aide who just finished discussing something near the car.

"This is the head of our delegation, general Simeon Timothy and his aide, colonel Smith".

"We have a lot to discuss, comrade Wheeler", the general shook Alex's hand and nodded to everyone else, "We will talk with you later during informal part of the visit, but for now I have some urgent business with the captain. So if you excuse us…", and he left with Alex in the direction of the commanders office.

"And we have some other formalities to do. Nicolas", he called the main car driver, "when should we be at school?"

"In an hour, chief".

"Ok, so we should depart soon. Are you ready comrades?"

"But of course. Comrade Martinson, should we go in the first car with comrade Tanner?", Alexis turned to second in command.

"I will go in the second one. You can take comrade Leitis with you".

"As you wish", Alexis went to the car and opened the door for Lily and Mary. Then he sat where himself, while John and the driver occupied the front sits.

"Lets go", Tanner gave a signal and a couple of cars departed to the nearby town.

"… And so, this ends our lecture about the southerners heroism on the front. Now we will ask you a few questions. Anyone who answered corectly can ask any of our aces in return. First question: why CSRC joined the war on the side of Alemania?.. Yes?", Alexis pointed out to a boy about fifteen years old who rised his hand.

"Sergio Nobling, 10-A grade", the boy rised and introduced himself, "We learned it in modern history lessons. After Revolution overthrew the Empire, the Southern republic along with a few others tried to announce independence. We had a few governments and even a sudo monarchy but by 1921 Lyahs Commonwealth and Central Republic conquered most of the country. We became a part of USRC. Though, soon the Union leader, comrade Helenius, died and other Party members started fighting for power. Comrades Stone and Zenobius won over comrade Steely and shared the leading duty at first. But in the 30s they stated fighting with each other. Comrade Zenobius arrested and executed comrade Stone on charges of treason. Then, due to bad agricultural policy, famine started and also a wave of repressions among intellectuals, army and working class was conducted. Some republics rebelled. A lot of army regiments joined the local governments and a lot of people flew Central Republic to avoid the persecution. So we won when but now CSRC wants to get all former parts of the Union back.

"Correct, comrade Nobling. Feel free to ask your question now".

"Senior lieutenant, could you explain how the main fighter guns work?"

"That’s a bit of a complicated question, but let mer try. As you know, every human has affinity to magic. It is sort of like math: if you study the right formulas, you can make the spell. If you know the right elements, you can make an incarnation scheme from them. It is all achieved by training and you learn it in school. But our magic power is pretty weak. Maybe, if you train a lot, you can light a candle with a tiny fireball or throw a magic pebble at a target. This is there our science comes to the rescue. Scientists made this big artificial crystals with schemes inside that look like specific incarnations and are sensitive to magic. When your magic comes through one crystal, it indicates a specific magic type you casted, then another crystal fills this magic with extra power of specific type, and the last one amplifies the spell and shoots it. Put a few small crystals of three types inside the tube with a handle and you get a magic pistol or more peaceful type of casting device. Use very big crystals and you get the fighter gun. Is it clear, comrade?"

"Yes, thank you sir".

"When, next question…"

"Children nowadays are way to bold and a bit to smart sometimes", John leaned back on his car sit, looking tired after answering the questions. Obviously, he and Lily got the most as they were pretty popular among common folk. "Next time I should force Alec to come with us".

"I am sure he would rather answer high schoolers questions when sitting in the office discussing strategy with some old farts", Mary giggled.

"Oh yeah, he sure is. But I would rather be in the cockpit now".

When they arrived, they were greeted by the general, his aide, and Alex. Everyone looked tired but were in a good mood.

"We will finalise the details the day after tomorrow. But for now let us rest and enjoy ourselves", comrade Timothy shaked Alex’s hand. "Greetings, comrades, and have a good night", he nodded to the group, he and his aide took their place on the back sits of the car and left with John.

"Looks like the operation plans are moving. Soon we will get new orders. But for now lets relax a bit. We have a party tomorrow".