Operation Divine Typhoon

It wasn’t long before the shōjo who were destined to become gyokusai made it to the main launch bay of the DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessel, Showa. Other units of shōjo who wrestle destined for the same fate, all with identical, new combat uniforms stood there with their respective Captains and Launch Technicians in two abreast formation. Aya, Alice, Erika, Kiyoharu, and Amelia just looked at each other - smiling as to both not be reprimanded for breaking the silence - but also to distract themselves and reassure themselves of what was to come.

“Yumeko - arm and prepare the bombardment capsules.”

Captain Kirari said as the other Captains directed their units’ Launch Technicians to do the same. Yumeko nodded and gave a crisp salute to Captain Kirari, which the Captain returned. Aya and the others in that moment simply looked around where they were, trying to distract themselves in any way that they could. DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessels were as slim and sleek in design as the bombardment capsules that they carried - specifically, the vessels were five sundered feet long, and were elongated triangles in shape, with red, white, and pink digital camouflage patterns that enhanced the stealth coating. Each DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessel had a small ridged area at the end of the wider base, who served as the command and control section, and such vessels also had no discernible windows or other features that would disrupt their maximum stealth capability. Interestingly, nano technology sensors that were technologically superior to the ECAP’s equivalent provided a view of the surrounding outside whilst one was inside the vessel - while still appearing invisible from outside. On the flat underside of a DDA Bombardment Vessel, slide-retractable hatches were able to open for the two main weapon systems that were completely contained from within - for metal protrusion of any type would also compromise the vessel’s stealth capability - these being automatic fire capable, small plasma cannons that were powerful in terms of the levels of plasma lethality, but not as powerful in this manner as the bombardment capsules designated for the shōjo and gyokusai of the Special Unit: Sakura Kamikaze simply for terms of concentrated plasma armament capacity. This arrangement was by design, however, due to the former, unmanned weapon system being far more cost effective all around than the latter. The bombardment capsules were lined up with two hundred and fifty on one side, and two hundred and fifty on the other, forming two perfect rows down the middle of the vessel. Yumeko could see that the order that the shōjo were standing in meant that along with each unit have their own assigned section, she’d be able to see which bombardment capsules Aya, Alice, Amelia, Kiyoharu, and Erika would be in. As such, as she was making sure that the plasma cores were active in each vessel and that the laser targeting and there technical systems were working - she placed detonation delay mechanisms on the plasma cores within the bombardment vessels that Aya, Alice, Amelia, Kiyoharu, and Erika would be in - thereby giving them a chance at survival and evacuation in the aftermath of Operation Divine Typhoon.

“All bombardment capsules for the unit are prepared.”

Yumeko said to Captin Kirari with another crisp salute, before Yumeko gave a subtle wink and nod to Aya, Alice, Amelia, Kiyoharu, and Erika. The shōjo didn’t know what Yumeko had meant by such a gesture, but they all understood that it was a peculiar as it was specific in a positive manner. A moment later, they and the other shōjo took their places inside the bombardment capsules which had little more room than a coffin, if even that. With the doors sealed on them and the seals so tight that one couldn’t even tell there were openings on the fifteen foot bombardment capsules that looked identical to the vessels that carried five hundred of them each - except that the capsules had no slight ridges of any sort, instead being completely smooth. These shōjo were to become gyokusai - that is except for Aya, Amelia, Alice, Kiyoharu, and Erika. The mass orbital bombardment was set to commence - Operation Divine Typhoon serving as mankind’s best impression of the mythical and divine combined wrath of Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto, and Hachiman.

On the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement - Anastasia, Mulan, and Seo-Yeon still held onto a hope of survival - and eventual victory, that their older, jaded superiors did not, yet still dared not say publicly. Each of them were in one of the underground, smooth cement called respective shelter areas that were lined with the Dragon Skin defensive nano defensive technology covering on the surface. The insides of the shelters were lined neatly with pressed on, smooth propaganda posters in Russian, Mandarin, and Korean - though these offered little comfort to the civilian occupants who were huddled in there. The top military and political officials of the Central Leadership Committee of the ECAP were in their equally supposedly protected quarters, with fine red and gold carpeting, and their comfortable furnishings that were made of leather accented with brass, as well stained paulownia wood, and of course - plenty of cigarettes and fine alcohol, namely vodka.

Far above the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement, the DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessels Walküre Columbia, and Showa took their positions next to each other with the spacing between them being five miles. On the Showa, Captain Kirari and Yumeko who were now on the bridge, saw the order from the lead Orbital Bombardment Vessel come over the hologram communications system, floating with a pink and white shining front:

“ALL VESSELS ARE CLEARED TO FIRE WITH AUTOMATIC PLASMA CANNONS FOR PRELIMINARY BOMBARDMENT.”

Captain Kirari turned to Yumeko as the other Captains turned to their direct subordinates in Yumeko’s position - as a short chorus in Japanese, German, and English sounded with a common message: the preliminary bombardment would commence. With the careful lifting of a plexiglass lid and the pushing of the bright pink button under it - Yumeko opened her section of slide-retractable plasma cannon doors, while her peers did the same with their sections on the Showa. Seconds later, if that - massive flurries of rapid, sharp, magenta plasma beams hurdled from the Showa, Walküre, and Columbia onto the surface of the “Red Gobi Desert” as tremendous puffs of of the red dirt of Mars flew into the air, and the Dragon Skin nano defensive technology covering the ECAP shelter system was put to the test, holding up initially for maybe e the first ten minutes of the bombardment, before it started to degrade - at which time the tremendous heat and seemingly endless automatic fire capability of the concealed plasma cannons on the vessels began to ender the surface of Mars in the blast vicinity from red dirt into magenta and red mixed glass - the natural surface of that part of Mars where the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement was literally being blasted into permanently plasma-infused glass with a distinctly glowing magenta tint. The Dragon Skin nano defensive technology coating degraded further in some areas faster than others - whilst Anastasia, Mulan, and Seo-Yeon maintained order and did what they could with their presence and reputation for unwavering bravery to calm the many civilians in their three shelter areas, seeing dust fall down from the ceiling whilst the preliminary plasma bombardment continued. As Anastasia looked around, all she could see were children crying, and adults muttering in Russian, Mandarin, and Korean - and thinking of what she could realistically do to help in some manner, she began to sing, using her beautiful voice with her Saint Petersburg accent, a song of war and suffering that though grim - came from the heart, and one that her civilian compatriots in her shelter area would understand all too well if not in language then in feeling: Davai Za.

Far above the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement in the stars, the DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessels Showa, Walküre, and Columbia ceased the preliminary plasma bombardment. There was an eerie silence aboard the vessels and within the orbital bombardment capsules that Aya, Amelia, Alice, Erika, Kiyoharu, and the other four-hundred-ninety-five shōjo who were destined to be gyokusai - with the main five still wondering what Yumeko had meant by her positive gesture to them minutes prior? Though this contemplation between those five, as well as the diverse range of thoughts that the other shōjo were all experiencing - was soon broken by an announcement that came from Captain Kirari and could be heard in the small speakers within their orbital bombardment capsules.

“Before you become the third and final wave of gyokusai in honorable service of Operation Divine Typhoon - let us sing of better times, and of better places and sentiments.”

Captin Kirari said through her intercom system, trying to use tough, stoic language whiles inside she wanted to scream and weep - whilst soft tears rolled down her cheeks that Yumeko could plainly see. Taking a breath, Captain Kirari played for the shōjo over the intercom system, the song Furusato. Aya, Kiyoharu, and Alice sang - while Erika and Amelia listened with emotion but sincere interest - not knowing the Japanese language - but understanding well enough the power of this song on both a personal and a cultural level as it played. What felt too soon however, was when the song ended and the silence returned. Captain Kirari turned and nodded to Yumeko, looking out at their two sister DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessels, as Command Team on the the lead vessel, Walküre, sent through an order over the hologram communications system:

“OPERATION DIVINE TYPHOON WILL COMMENCE ITS SECOND PHASE. IN HONOR OF THIS - ALL PARTICIPATING DDA ORBITAL BOMBARDMENT VESSELS WILL PLAY RITT DER WALKÜREN.”

The order was carried out - and as it played, Aya and Erika couldn’t help but each momentarily smile to themselves, thinking that they and the other shōjo were not only gyokusai, but also walküren. Once the score had ceased playing - the second phase began. First was the Walküre - the slightly larger but otherwise identical, slide-retractable doors as all of the sacrificially-fated shōjo in the orbital bombardment capsules were launched - the laser guiding systems and the power of natural gravitational pull saw them hurdle in a perfectly vertical manner and trajectory towards the targeted surface of the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement - smashing into the surface and detonating ion impact. The shōjo inside were vaporized in the magenta blast of burning plasma and fully turned into gyokusai - while the Dragon Skin nano defensive technology was completely destroyed section by section. Various shelter areas collapsed in on themselves as a result, with the adult and child occupants inside being vaporized in massive blasts of burning magenta plasma instantly. The Columbia soon followed by unleashing all of their five hundred shōjo turned gyokusai upon the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement, continuing the ceaseless orbital orbital bombardment. Finally, it was time for the Showa to take its place in Operation Divine Typhoon and thus cement its place in history and for all onboard to embrace their violent destiny. As the orbital bombardment capsules were deployed all at once - as they had been on the Walküre and the Columbia - Aya, Kiyoharu, Erika, and Amelia simply closed their eyes and remained stoic, while Alice smiled with her razor sharp teeth, her twisted sense of dark humor taking over as a natural reaction to the situation. Captain Kirari sobbed over the control panel, whilst Yumeko laid a hand of comfort on her shoulder and looked out at the orbital bombardment taking place - knowing that she’d at least been able to save the lives of Aya, Kiyoharu, Amelia, Erika, and Alice - even if those five didn’t yet know it as they descended.

The last wave of five hundred bombardment capsules smashed into the surface of the “Red Gobi Desert” - further decimating the ECAP defenses on that area of the surface of Mars. When the orbital bombardment capsules containing Aya, Kiyoharu, Amelia, Alice, and Erika hit the target surface - each of them were surprised see that instead of being engulfed in a massive blast of burning magenta colored plasma - the doors that they’d entered through slid open fully. Due the ECAP having terraformed Mars to such an extent of creating breathable air, what met the surviving shōjo was not a crushing inability to breathe - but an overwhelming silence. Not having a moment to think - Aya, Kiyoharu, Amelia, Alice, and Erika rushed out of their respective orbital bombardment capsules and towards what cover they each could find, with their orbital bombardment capsules blowing up about one minute afterwards due to the detonation delay mechanisms that Yumeko had personally put in place prior to launch. Aya ended up in a crater of blackened collapsed rubble and another material that she was unable to readily identify - which in reality was plasma charred and melted Dragon Skin nano defensive technology. As Aya looked around, catching her breath, crying lightly, and trying to figure out how she’d actually survived - her mind racing too much in that moment to fully grasp that it had been Yumeko, and her gesture that she’d made to Aya, Kiyoharu, Erika, Amelia, and Alice earlier meant that they’d survive. As she laid down in the crater, she looked through a small opening - to which she saw crushed and partially crushed, charred remains of two figures. Aya gasped, backing up slightly and then pausing - as something caught her eye: a gold glint under some ashes and charred rubble laying right beside one of the figures. As Aya held her breath - the smell of burned flesh nearly overwhelming her senses, save that her mind racing and her adrenaline countered to such a level that Aya could focus. As she pushed aside the ashes gently, what was revealed was a gold cigarette case, glinting with a red star made of rubies in the center of it. As she picked it up, a small breeze revealed a second cigarette case that was incidentally also proceed under some of the rubble ashes, this one being made of tortoise shell, ivory, and jade. It wasn’t callousness or avarice that drove Aya to pick up these two items - it was distraction and material comfort whilst all that she could see around her was a mixed magenta and red, cauterized plasma glass surface that was garnished with ashes, rubble, melted Dragon Skin nano defensive technology, and buried, charred corpses. As she put each of the cases into the chest pockets of her tight, short sleeved, combat uniform top - she looked around, seeing if she could find Kiyoharu, Amelia, Alice, and Erika.

“LIKE - HOW AM I ALIVE!? ERIKA!? ALICE!? KIYOHARU!? AYA!? ANYONE!?”

Amelia called out as she looks around, frightened, wondering how she’d survived - since the plasma blast from the orbital bombardment capsules was so powerful that it vaporized even the capsule itself! As she took cover within a glass crater, careful not to cut herself on the jagged edges, she saw Aya and ran over with excited abandon - half rationalizing that no one on the side of the ECAP could’ve survived the orbital plasma bombardment, while also just being grateful to find Aya! Ever the “Valley Girl”, Amelia held her beret as she ran over, smiling and gushing as she then held Aya tightly while hugging her, while Aya blushed and nodded, hugging Amelia tightly as she looked at Amelia.

“LIKE, OH MY GOSH! YOU’RE LIKE - ALIVE!”

Amelia blurted out as she then released Aya gently, with Aya wiping her soft tears away and smiling at Amelia, nodding.

“Hai! I - I was wondering if Erika, Kiyoharu, and Alice made it too - as well, we’re here.”

Aya said as she looked around, gently motioning for Amelia to walk with her, and gently putting her right hand over Amelia’s mouth, while stroking her hair softly with her left. The sense of relief that Aya had felt in that moment had allowed her to think more clearly in the moment - sensing that there may have just been vengeful survivors of the orbital plasma bombardment, and who were loyal to the ECAP, thus requiring the need for utilizing rudimentary stealth as best they could. Amelia nodded, not disagreeing with Aya in the least, and so they walked in silence, with the warm comfort between them becoming one of increasing infatuation due to their surviving heat they’d never expected to, and building off of the steadily increasing closeness that they’d already had prior. As they walked through the now plasma glassed, jagged landscape of this part of Mars that were the remains of the “Red Gobi Desert” settlement - the smell of charred flesh and plasma essence in the air, which discomforted Aya and Amelia, but didn’t slow or halt them, as their gratitude at seemingly miraculously each surviving and finding each other kept them going in that moment.

While Aya and Amelia ventured out to search for other surviving shōjo who had also avoided becoming gyokusai - Erika crouched behind the rubble remains of a surface structure, hearing soft steps in the distance which made light taps on the plasma glassed surface. As Erika looked up from the rubble that was providing her both cover and concealment, carefully clutching a knife sized, jagged pice of plasma glass - aware of the fact that since she was “behind enemy lines” - she needed to be ready for anything. To Erika’s delight, she lowered the jagged piece of plasma glass, holding it up almost as a soft salute mixed with an equally soft wave, the taps on the taps on the plasma glassed, cratered surface were from none other than Aya and Amelia! Using her own military-oriented instincts, Erika didn’t speak up - instead making her way to Aya and Amelia as quickly as she could, hugging them tightly and being careful to keep her improvised weapon secure and safe in the presence and warm embrace of Aya and Amelia. In their three way embrace, that same feeling of infatuation, albeit one that was both well-meaning and sincere - arose and permeated through the respective minds and bodies of Aya, Amelia and Erika. Nodding to each other, they continued along with their search for what felt like forever due to the weight of the situation - but in reality, only about thirty minutes or so had passed before they’d found Kiyoharu and then Alice. Kiyoharu had covered themselves charred and melted but now safely cooled, Dragon Skin nano defensive technology in a shallow, plasma glassed crater, before coming out and pausing before saying anything out of excitement and gratitude - with Aya politely and gently making a gesture to be silent in that moment, and Alice who wasn’t even one minute away from Kiyoharu, had collected several jagged, knife sized shards of plasma glass, carefully putting all but two of them in the chest pockets on her tight, short, combat uniform top. As the shōjo embraced - and Amelia felt and held the gigantic bulge that ran down Kiyoharu’s left thigh during this embrace - the common feeling of infatuation reached its peak, as they looked at each other. Glancing around in that moment and seeing that they did indeed appear to be alone, Aya nodded to the others, and feeling the need to speak.

“We have not become gyokusai - we instead have fully become onna-musha - and I’d even say at this point, we have also fully become nakama.”

Aya said with light tears in her eyes who matched the other shōjo turned onna-musha - the silence was soon disrupted. Out of the three shelters that had been damaged but ultimately remained intact, purely as a result of being on the edges of the orbital plasma bombardment’s targeting and blast area unleashed by the DDA - Anastasia, Mulan, and Seo-Yeon emerged to the surface, roughly thirty feet away from Aya, Amelia, Kiyoharu, Alice, and Erika - with the two groups taring each other down. There were no words that would be verbalized by either side in that moment - and the silence which permeated the shared, battle-scarred and plasma glassed shared space had more of an impact than any words in any language could.

Anastasia stood with Mulan on her left and Seo-Yeon on her right, all three of them staring with determined vengeance at Aya, Erika, Amelia, Kiyoharu, and Alice - with the opposing shōjo holding their ground, staring with a determination that had sparks of readiness. A slight breeze blew ashes between the two opposing small groups - whilst shadows and glimpses survivors in the still intact shelters, could be seen from behind the stoic stances and vengeful stares of the three that they saw as their protectors, leaders, and heroines. To these survivors, they didn’t know Aya, Amelia, Erika, Kiyoharu, and Alice in terms of the involuntary circumstances that had brought them there, or in terms of them as real, flesh and blood individuals - but instead, those shelter-secluded survivors saw them as murderers and enemies, avatars of enemy nation-states and destruction wrought down upon them from the stars. The tension between Anastasia, Mulan, and Seo-Yeon - and Aya, Amelia, Kiyoharu, Erika, and Alice steadily rose through the defining, threatening silence, as their hearts began to harden like the plasma glassed surface that they stood on, before the dust and ash clouds cleared, revealing the DDA Orbital Bombardment Vessels Showa, Walküre, and Columbia within in the stars - compelling Anastasia, Mulan, and Seo-Yeon to quickly retreat back into their shelters from whom they’d emerged. Onboard the Showa, Yumeko saluted Captain Kirari, who say in her command chair, staring into the void of depression that was in a grimly flirtatious mental and emotional relationship with suicide. With careful feigned ignorance, Yumeko spoke up.

“Captain - by some miracle, the vital signatures of Aya, Amelia, Kiyoharu, Erika, and Alice have been detected on the surface. Shall we use our vessel’s anti-gravity retrieval feature to extract them?”

Yumeko asked - while crossing her fingers behind her back as Captain Kirari almost fell out of her chair in shock, surprise, and undisguised gratitude - which was so strong that the infatuation-filled, romantic excitement couldn’t be missed!

“Right away! Extract them immediately and bring them here - discreetly - we need to know how this happened, how the impossible has become possible!”

Captain Kirari said as she then regained her composure, and to which Yumeko nodded and going over to the same control panel that included the plasma weapons launch controls - used the controls that activated the vessel’s anti-gravity retrieval system. Targeted beams came down from the Showa, bringing Aya, Amelia, Erika, Alice, and Kiyoharu back up to the vessel and into the bay that they’d been launched from earlier - which was now deserted due to there being no reason for any other DDA Combined Military Forces Members to be there, as all onboard except for the core group of nakama shōjo and onna-musha, as well as Yumeko and Captain Kirari, knew that the former had not become gyokusai - an until then, an unheard of and seemingly miraculous occurrence within the entirety of the Special Unit: Sakura Kamikaze. Once they were once again onboard the Showa, Aya turned to the Erika, Kiyoharu, Alice, and Amelia, smiling at them - whilst they were still in state of shock and surprise. Before they could say anything, Yumeko and Captain Kirari came up to them - with Aya and the others wishing forward with glee, to which Yumeko responded by picking up Aya and tightly hugging her, before tightly hugging Erika, Kiyoharu, Amelia, and Alice as well, while Captain Kirari couldn’t help but smile as she saw this reunion with not too subtle yuri romantic undertones unfolding before her. Yet, since no one was around - Captain Kirari saw no reason to do anything but feel a sense of relief and comfort.

“You all know that you’re survived the unsurvivable somehow - and now, I would say that coming through such an event together has made you all nakama, and I would even say onna-musha too, since you’ve all lived to fight another day. Now - what can you tell me as to how this miraculous event occurred? Because we’ll need to report this to the three heads of the DDA Combined Military Forces, and see how they tell us to proceed. Technically speaking - you’ve all competed your service obligation by each being launched in an orbital bombardment capsule on the target area in an operation - and so if there was a technical malfunction with the orbital bombardment capsules themselves, that’s not your fault.”

Captain Kirari said as she then turned to Yumeko, and then to the nakama shōjo and gyokusai turned onna-musha. She had no idea that Yumeko had enabled the detonation timers within each of their orbital bombardment capsules to delay, and since the capsules themselves had been vaporized in their respective plasma blasts, there was no way to prove what Yumeko had done. Fortunately for the nakama shōjo, technical failures weren’t unheard of within DDA Military Weapon Systems, hence, there was little if any reason for anyone to suspect interference. Captain Kirari and Yumeko from their respective views, knew that the three heads of the DDA Combined Military Forces would be too focused on the ongoing operations in World War III and too amazed that this had happened to pay attention to the finer details. With that in mind, Captain Kirari dialed them on her hologram phone - motioning for Yumeko and the others to gather around. Moments later - the call was answered, with the three heads of the DDA Combined Military Forces appearing in hologram form.

“Sirs - I apologize for the sudden and direct call - so please forgive this arguable breach of the Chain of Command. However, I would respectfully argue that what I’m about to tell you is very much worth your time. These five shōjo - and it would be appropriate to call them onna-musha - have survived the orbital bombardment and thus technically fulfilled their obligations as being part of the Special Unit: Sakura Kamikaze participating in Operation Divine Typhoon, and defects in our Military Weapon Systems can occur. So, though they may not be gyokusai - they are arguably all heroines.”

Captain Kirari said as she saluted the three, with the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff speaking up first, the glint of the four stars on the shoulders of his Air Force dress uniform being shown even in his hologram form.

“This is extraordinary, truly extraordinary. To be blunt, Captain - since Operation Divine Typhoon has been deemed a success thanks to the automated After Action Reports being transmitted from the Columbia, the Walküre, and thew Showa with the attached geospatial imagery of the target area for orbital plasma bombardment on Mars, and since these five did indeed answer the call of duty as you’ve emphasized - it’s my recommendation that we award each of them the Honor Cross of the DDA - as you know, the highest award that can be bestowed upon members of the DDA Combined Military Forces. You and your main Special Unit: Sakura Kamikaze Launch Control and Munition Technician will also receive this award for being key parts of this operation and this extraordinary event. Do you both agree?”

The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said and then asked, turning to his two counterparts, who both nodded. The question was only a formality with witnesses - hence all was well.

“I’ll have digital certificates of approval transmitted to the Showa for all seven of you to have two weeks leave on Earth - as the ECAP won’t be able to immediately recover from the decimation of the ‘Red Gobi Desert’ after how we’ve hit them. Hence, take two weeks to catch your breath - that goes for all of you. I’ll have an placeholder Captain and an additional Special Unit: Sakura Kamikaze Launch Control and Munition Technician added as a placeholder for the duration of your common leave time on Earth. Dismissed, and thank you for your service.”

The US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated as he then disconnected the hologram call. In the Pentagon, he turned to his colleagues, smiling and nodding as the then waved for his Aide de Camp, an Air Force Captain, to get them a bottle of Kyoto Whiskey to share in celebration. As each of the three heads of the DDA Combined Military Forces waited, they lit up new cigarettes, relieved and relaxed knowing that Operation Divine Typhoon had succeeded, and that they now had new possible agents of propaganda in the form of seven heroic shōjo.

“Well - we have our orders to take two weeks of leave. Somehow, this is going to change the course of the war, most likely in ways that we don’t even know about yet. All that I can say is that since you’ve all survived, you could all very well be the symbolic heroines that end the war by bringing a victory for our side. On that, I think we can all agree that an end to this terrible war would be in favor of everyone here. Are there any questions?”

Captain Kirari said as she sighed and smiled softly - though she was still feeling conflicted due to having to come to terms with that she had held on for so long, been so stoic for so long, and carried out her orders with grim exactness and discipline for so long - yet now - her humanity and her empathy had triumphed. Her professional military side logically accepted that she’d carried out her orders, and yet - at such an exacting cost.