The massive majestic black dragon circled over the Temple of Eternal Balance just after sunrise. His lone passenger scanned the courtyard for the massive Temple complex. The young woman was hunting for two individuals among the heavy throng of humanity that filled the central courtyard. A throng that was not there just twelve hours before. Chiyoko knew that something among the everyday lives of these people had changed for there to be this many at this time of the day. Something of great importance.

“By the Gods of True Neutrality where did all these people come from?” Chiyoko asked of no one in particular. She really wasn’t expecting an answer. So, when she had not one, but two booming voices answer back Chiyoko had to fight to stay in Ivadad’s saddle.

“They are the Dragon Empress’s Hidden Horde. The Black Saints of the Forgotten Mountains. The Sanguine Shroud Rangers of Fire. The Crimson Wings of Wind. The Blue Devils from the Abysmal Watery Depths. And the greatest of the all, The Lost Legions of the Void.” Toyotama’s voice may have been soft but it still rumbled through the air like distant thunder. It had to have something to do with her being in her celestial dragon form.

“Armies of monks, maiko, former soldiers, and criminals of this regime all trained in the martial arts.” Even as a celestial dragon Wolong’s chuckle shook the very air as he floated next to Ivadad’s left side.

“I really do wish that you two would give a girl a little warning before just popping up out of thin air.” Chiyoko squeaked in surprise then grumbled only to feel Ivadad’s own chuckling as a deep rumble between her legs. Chiyoko realized that her dragon partner must have known that the two Dragon Gods were nearby. “You could have warned me you great scaly dinosaurian oaf.”

“Yes, I could have, but where’s the fun in that?” Ivadad chuckled harder.

“Oh, never mind. Can you land near the library?” Chiyoko asked with more than a little concern for her draconian friend.

“Don’t not worry Lady Chiyoko. The humans will move once they realize where I intended to land.” Ivadad reassured Chiyoko with a little mirth in his voice. “I have found that most humans find the idea of a few tons of dragon landing on top of them to be highly motivating at clearing an area to land.”

Chiyoko looked to her left at Toyotama as Ivadad circled to land. “Princess Toyotama, I know that this is going to sound crazy. But where did all of these people come from? Exactly.”

“From the very heart of this nation child. From all walks of life. From the Golden islands far to the south all the way to the Frozen Waste isles of the far north. From all across this benighted nation they have come.” Wolong rumbled as he and Toyotama followed Ivadad down towards the Temple courtyard. “All have heard the Dragon Empress’s call to arms.”

“An army of people for the people by the people.” Chiyoko whispered to no one in particular. “An army from my home world.”

“This a very interesting perspective from your child of war, sister.” Wolong rumbled. “Yes, Chiyoko down there is a true army of the people. They have come to aid the true Dragon Empress in the hopes that SHE will lift their crushing yoke of tyranny.”

“But how could they have gathered here so quickly? Bullet trains, jets, and other fast-moving transportation don’t exist in this world. It should have taken at least three days for these many people to have gathered here.” Chiyoko asked trying to get her head around the fact that there was a way for these people to gather so quickly. Even if they all traveled by airships and steam powered trains it still would have taken time.

“I see and understand the problem brother.” Toyotama sighed. “Chiyoko, for you and the other Dragon Knights time has passed differently at the Tomb of the First Dragon Empress. While only one day passed for you. Four days has passed for the rest of the world.”

Chiyoko thought about where that tomb has sat for the pass millennium. It is still the most mystically guarded of places in all of Sebun'airando. As she thought about that mystical place, she remembered the stories told to her by her grandmother of the Secrete Groves for the Fae. She realized that the mages and alchemists of the First Empress would have hunted for just such a place to protect her tomb. Chiyoko had felt the touch of a massive mystical energy surrounding the tomb when they first arrived. She just had no point of reference for that power. Now she did.

“A true Sacred Grove.” Chiyoko breathed out in a voice filled with wounder and respect. “I spent the night in a Sacred Grove and survived.”

“Only those of true power or with a mystically connection to them such as the Fae can enter and survive the Sacred Groves, Chiyoko.” Ivadad explained with a deep rumble of pride in his chest. “Dragons are among the very small few who can come and go as we please within the Sacred Groves.”

“Ivadad, are there Sacred Groves in all the different worlds?” Chiyoko asked as her dragon was finally able to land.

“I would say so, Chiyoko. The Fae are more than just legends. They are the second among us magical races.” Ivadad answer her then with a snort of pride. “Right behind dragons of course. Not that they’ll admit it.”

Ivadad had no sooner touched down in the courtyard in front of the Temple’s library than Satomi and Satoko rush from its doors. Each woman was carrying a large carpet bag and wearing a backpack. Satoko didn’t bother with politeness or decorum. “Do not dismount kōhai just give us a hand.”

Her years as a student kicked in as Chiyoko just leaned over and grabbed the carpet bags from her teachers. The two maiko slipped their bows and quivers over their shoulders. Then one at a time they scrambled up behind Chiyoko. Once they were seated Satoko ordered. “Fly kōhai fly now.”

“Take off Ivadad!” Chiyoko may not have known what was going on but did as her sempai ordered. Ivadad leaped for the sky and with a massive downstroke of his wings was airborne. The whole encounter had taken less than fifteen seconds. Once they were high over the temple Chiyoko twisted in her saddle. “What the hell was that all about sempai?”

“You need to take us before the Empress before anything else happens, kōhai.” Satoko ordered her. “Before she stands in front of that gathering army, there is much that she must do and know.”

“Okay hold on. What the hell is going on here?” Chiyoko knew that the two maiko wouldn’t be acting this way without a reason.

“Just take us to the Empress.” Satoko snapped. “We’ll explain everything then. We don’t want to go over what we found a second time.”

“Okay kōhai just give a me second. I need to tell whoever is in charge down there where to go.” Chiyoko told them then turned to Ivadad. “Okay old man I need you to land at the weyr.”

Ivadad said nothing and landed on top of the weyr. He had no sooner settled into place than the crowd began to rush the compound. Chiyoko hadn’t even walked to the front edge of the weyr before the crowd had fully gathered. In front of the gate were seven people. Four men and three women. Three of the men and two of the women were dressed in military style uniforms. It didn’t take Chiyoko long to realize that these seven people were the leaders. She called down to them. “You seven can enter the Dragon Compound.”

Chiyoko ran down the front steps into the compound’s courtyard. She opened the gate and allowed the seven leaders to enter. She quickly closed the gate behind them. Taking a deep breath Chiyoko turned to face the seven leaders. “Before we go any further. Let me be clear on this matter. The Dragon Empress has returned, and I am not her.”

The one leader dressed as a monk chuckled as the other seven bowed to Chiyoko. “We know you by your armor Kyamo no Sa. Where is the Dragon Empress? Why has she not shown herself to us?”

“That is a little complicated Elder. I can tell you that in three days’ time she will appear before you at the head of the Serpent’s gap in the Chūgoku Mountains.” Chiyoko figured that would be enough time for this massive force to gather in the Serpent’s gap.

“She will present herself before me this day, Kyamo no Sa. Here at this Temple. Not in three days, but today woman. She will know her place and to who she answers to.” The monk ordered Chiyoko. “Now do as you are told and bring that whelp here to me.”

The speed of Chiyoko’s sword was faster than lightning as it flashed from its scabbard. Her aim was just as deadly as the tip of the katana sliced through the monk’s robes. Chiyoko snarled as the man staggered back from the suddenly enraged mystical samurai. Chiyoko snarled as she stepped closer to the now terrorized monk. “You do not rule here monk.”

She looked at the other six leaders of the army that had gathered at the Temple. “Understand something people. We who are the Dragon Samurai answer only to the Dragon Empress. As for who she answers to, it is not to you or any other asshole who believes they are her betters.”

“Will you now replace one oppressor with another Kyamo no Sa?” one of the men in uniform asked Chiyoko bluntly.

“No Commander. The Dragon Empress will not rule through fear. She will rule with justice, honor, and mercy.” Chiyoko told the man with true sincerity before turning harsh. “But she will not be a puppet for would be king makers.”

“THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WERE PROMISSED!” The monk snarled. At the glare of contempt from Chiyoko the monk sighed. “The holy orders were promised that we will guide the Dragon Empress and the people into a time of great enlightenment. The only way for that to happen is us to be the true power behind the throne. She needs a firm guiding hand and must know her true place. she only needs to do as she is told. Like all women.”

Before Chiyoko could respond to the monk’s comment the maiko lashed out. The man fell face first dying at the maiko’s feet. The single knife strike to the man’s throat had crushed his windpipe. The woman spat on the man and snarling. “The time of you overbearing males is over. The people of this nation shall no longer stand for your crushing superior attitudes.”

The maiko turned to Chiyoko bowing deeply. “I do not know what the other orders will do. But the Sisters of the Rising Sun will await our Empress at the Serpent’s gap, Kyamo no Sa.”

With that the maiko turned and left the compound. The two women in uniform bowed as well. Each gave their orders pelage to be at the Serpent’s gap. “The Crimson Wings of Wind and the Blue Devils from the Abysmal Watery Depths shall join the Rising Sun Sisters Kyamo no Sa.”

The three men in uniform watched as the three women left the compound. Chiyoko took in the colors of their uniforms. The man dressed in the all black uniform she tagged as the commander of the Black Saints of the Forgotten Mountains. The commander for the Sanguine Shroud Rangers of Fire wore a uniform of the brightest gold. But the one that had stood out the most was the commander for the Lost Legions of the Void. His pants were jet black with a blood red stripe running up the outer leg. His jacket was blood red with a black stripe running up the sleeves.

Chiyoko could tell by the way the other two commanders deferred to the Lost Legions commander that he was the man in charge. Chiyoko also noticed that none of the three even batted an eye when the maiko killed the monk. “Well, gentlemen, what will your orders do?”

“Our troopers will be at the Serpent’s gap, Kyamo no Sa. Have no fear of that.” The man said with a smile before spitting on the cooling body of the now dead monk. “As for the assholes within the Temples’ Elders. They will not be joining us. The time for their ideals has passed.”

As the three men started to leave Chiyoko stopped them. “Gentlemen if you would. Please remove this piece of garbage from my home?”

The three men looked down at the monk. The Lost Legions commander nodded his head. As one the other two commanders picked the cooling body up and carried it out of the compound. Chiyoko looked to the Legions commander. “Thank you, sir. I look forward to seeing you at the gap.” She smiled and then winked at the man. “I’ll be the one on the black dragon.”

“You know something, I believe that working with you Kyamo no Sa is going to be a very enlightening experience.” The commander snarked then bowed. “I am called Kuroi sora no senshi within the Lost Legions of the Void.”

“Imagine that. Someone who actually carries the title of Black Sky Warrior.” Chiyoko chuckled to herself as the man walked away. “Funny. He never did say his name. I wonder why?”

“Because the Kuroi sora no senshi cut all ties to their previous life the day they take up the mantle of leading the Lost Legion, my Kyamo no Sa.” Toyotama said as she floated next to Chiyoko in her human form. “The Lost Legion are no ordinary warriors child. They are masters of the Shadow Arts. Their very name strikes fear into the hearts of most soldiers.”

“Shinobi. A whole legion of freaking ninjas.” Chiyoko whispered. “What the hell kind of world did I get drawn into? Alchemy, magic, and dragons are real, there is a lost Empress, the Gods and Goddesses walk among humans, Sacred Groves and other places of power, five individual Sith Lord wannabes, and now ninjas. What the fuck is next? Elves?”

“Do not call upon the Fae!” Toyotama practically screamed in panic. At Chiyoko’s sudden grin Toyotama knew that she was thinking about doing exactly that just to screw with her. “The price they will ask is not one you might be willing to pay. The fae do not see favors the same way that humans do. Even when doing something for a human will be of benefit to them.”

“Wait. You’re saying that elves are real in this world?” Chiyoko asked in stunned disbelief. “As in the aes sídhe and the rest of the fae folk? The Five-Fold Courts? All of that shit is real here?”

“Do you know of any other such beings?” Toyotama asked with her head cocked.

“Oooookkkkkaaaayyyy! Fine whatever. I’ll deal with that shit later when I have the time.” Chiyoko grumbled as she head back up the stairs to Ivadad and the two maiko. “Like when I got ten days to just get drunk or stoned.”

Toyotama chuckled as her samurai grumbled and mounted her dragon. Once the young woman was mounted the largest of majestic dragons took to the air with a sweep of his wings. Toyotama floated up over the weyr to join her brother in her dragon form. As the two celestial dragons floated over the Temple of Eternal Balance not one human eye was turned towards them. “Our Kyamo no Sa is truly one of a kind, brother.”

“I knew that already sister. I foresee her dragging this world into a new and freeing era. One where all men, and women are equal in the eyes of the Gods.” Wolong rumbled. “And she’ll do it even if she has to stack bodies to the very heavens.”

“No brother it will not come to that. Though I can see her using the skulls of those who would oppose her to build an alter to their stupidity.” Toyotama rumbled in return. “Though there is one thing that may stop her from going that far. Even then that may be curtailed by her upbringing.”

“What could hold her back sister? She is without fear. Once she sets her mind to do something, she lets nothing stand in her way.” Wolong grunted.

“She is too kindhearted at times for her own good to do what must be done. She’ll stay her hand when her blade should fly without mercy. I fear it will be this tendency to show mercy that will lead to greater bloodshed.” Toyotama answered her brother honestly.

Wolong started to chuckle. “Sister you really need to spend more time looking over our Kyamo no Sa’s shoulder. That young woman knows when to show mercy and when bloodshed is the better option. You forget that of our five samurai she comes from a world where violence is an acceptable solution for more than a few problems. She may have been a scholar in her home world, but that young lady has taken more one life during her struggles to survive the streets of that world. She is a child born of a world filled with violence for violence sake.”

“You’re right brother.” Toyotama sighed. “Tell me something brother. Why is it that all of our samurai bare a similar bloody history?”

“Because only our samurai are forced to face what the others cannot.” Wolong turned deadly serious as he watched the disappearing form of Ivadad. “Of all the Dragon Samurai only ours have held the power of a Goddess and face the temptations from the Void’s darkness.”

Upper basecamp 4, Sunōmaunten Mountain, Nagano Prefecture

Kiyota Kiyomasu watched as the five-man gun crew went through the loading process for the massive 125mm cannon known as the Obsidian Blaster. These men were some of the best artillery men in all of Sunōmaunten. They had to be. There were four 125mm cannons on Mount Sunōmaunten all of them at the upper basecamps. Originally there was only twelve men, all of the village that could, manned these massive guns. Kiyota spilt them up among the camps. With one experienced gunner on each five-man crew. In the last two days they had drilled their inexperienced crewmembers nonstop. At every basecamp on the mountain, experienced gunners were training their inexperienced counterparts.

It would be these men that would be the true defenders of their village. Kiyota walked over to one of the high-powered telescopes that sat at each of the four corners of the watchtower. He wanted to shake his head at the young man manning the powerful instrument. He was more of a boy than man really. “Any sign of our guests yet Norio?”

“No sir. Nothing yet.” The thirteen-year-old young man answered. “Though I expect that we’ll see them sometime today.”

“And how do you figure that lad?” Kiyota asked the boy.

“My cousin in Nihoa sent me a telegraph this morning. Admiral Hisamatsu’s Huntress airship force and her Dirty Succubi lifted off from the aerodrome there yesterday evening. Figuring for headwinds and refueling stops. They should arrive between noon and four o’clock.” The boy never took his eye of the telescope as he talked with Kiyota. He knew that his fellow defenders were counting on him and the other thirteen spotters to give them enough warning to prepare for the attack. The fourteen teens worked in twelve-hour shifts. Each manning one of the high-power telescopes or binoculars at the basecamps. There was only one member of the spotters that had better eyesight and she was at lower camp four. Then Norio spotted the six black dots. “I stand corrected sir. They’ll be here within the next hour. Take a look.”

“Are you sure Norio?” Kiyota asked with just a hint of worry in his voice.

“As the sun rises in the east sir. There are six Huntress class airships heading straight down the Hummingbird pass.” Nihoa answered while still keeping his eye to the telescope.

“That is only half of the fleet. Where the hell are the other six?” Kiyota grumbled to himself. “I know that bitch won’t leave half of her force out of a fight. Not if she can help it.”

“Kiyota, we got armored airships in the Windsong passage.” The wireless operator called out from inside the watchtower. “Six in total, confirmed by lower basecamps three and four.”

“Looks like the bitch wants to pound us from two directions at once.” Kiyota chuckled. “Dumb move, Naka. Dumb and arrogant. Toshiaki send the signal to the eighty-eights. Battery one is to head for the Hummingbird. Battery two has the Windsong. They are to hold their fire until the dropships are dead in the passes. Make sure to tell Izumi that she’s to hold her battery in the town square. They are the last line of defense for the village.”

“Yes sir. Sending now.” Toshiaki answered with a smile.

Battery 1, the northern end of Hummingbird pass

The four 88mm Flak guns were moved into position 34 hours earlier. For the last few years these four guns and their four brothers had been only used for practice by their gun crews. Not one round had been fired in all the time the villagers had them hidden. Now, they would be used to end a true threat to their village. Each man on the crews knew their assigned duty. The four guns were deployed for the anti-aircraft role in a square formation connected by cables to a fire-control unit in the center.

Each gun had two loaders, one gunner, and one assistant gunner. The 88 fired three main types of ammunition 88 x 571R. The loaders were priming the half of high-explosive shells with spring-wound or inertia-operated time fuses to be fired at the airborne targets. The other half were being primed with a percussion fuse to be fired against ground troops should they be needed. The gunners and their AGs were elevating their gun tubes. The 20 men knew exactly what they were doing. Within 10 minutes after receiving the signal their kill box was hot. In 15 minutes the first of their victims would slowly fly into a hail of hot steel and cold death.

As the first armored airship flew into the narrowest point of Hummingbird pass Battery commander Aki Sho gave the order to fire. The four 88mm high velocity guns opened up for the first time. The first four shells exploded all around and in one case inside the airship. One shell exploded within one meter of the airship destroying the pilots cupola. Killing the flight crew and leaving the airship to the mercy of the 88s. Two shells exploded near the midway point destroying half the gas lift bags of the ship. The last shell punched its way though the belly of the massive ship to explode among the gas lift bags. The resulting fireball engulfed the ship, killing all those that the ship carried.

The next airship followed the first into a fiery death spiral. The four 88mm gunners lower their aim slightly and targeted the third airship in line. This time the loaders didn’t bother with the airburst shells. This time it was four percussion fused shells that slammed into the nose of the airship. The 2-inch armor of the airships wasn’t designed to stop the high-velocity shells of the 88s. The shells ripped through the thin armor as if it was paper. They exploded deep inside the airship turning it into an airborne funeral pyre. One that lit up the shadow filled valley.

The last three airships reversed the engines in the hope of staying out of the 88mm guns’ range. The airship captains only made one mistake. They misjudged the size of the kill box. By the time, the 88s opened fire the first time all six of the airships were well inside of the kill box. The gun crews of battery one had trained long and hard to master these guns. Their rate of fire was a withering 17 rounds per minute. After six minutes the six airships of the second section 227th Air Assault Airship fleet lay burning across the floor of the north Hummingbird passage.

The four, gun crews quickly broke down their individual guns and picked up the empty shell casings. Once they were ready the battery moved further up the passage. They passed the downed airships on their way to their next emplacement. They would be ready for the next air assault should it come. They would make the soldiers of the false Emperor pay in blood for every inch of this passage through their mountains.

Battery 2, the western end of Windsong pass.

While Battery 1 had placed their weapons at the narrowest point in their pass. Battery 2 had taken a totally different route by setting up in the widest point. They had also spread their guns out in a line across the valley floor. As the six airships of section one moved into the kill box. The man in charge of the battery had them hold their fire. Once the airships were at the halfway point of the kill box, he gave the signal to fire.

As one, the four 88mm guns opened fire. The airship captains were caught so far off guard that two of the ships turned into each other. Unlike their counterparts in battery 1. The crews of battery 2 pushed their loading times to 20 rounds per minute. The air surrounding the Windsong passage was filled with metal shredding fragments from high-explosive shells. By the end of the fifth round of shells, three of the airships were plunging to the ground as blazing infernos. The other three had sustained extensive damage.

With the seventh round of shelling only one airship was still trying to work its way up the Windsong passage. The others were doing their best to retreat from the unrelenting and deadly fire of the 88mm guns. They would never make it out of the kill zone. They were shredded by air burst shells to the point that both ships crashed into the passage walls. The final remaining airship revved its engines to the red line. All in the vain hopes of out running the gun battery that had destroyed its fellows.

Huntress class Airship the Black Huntress, Windsong passage, 10 minutes earlier

Admiral Naka Hisamatsu stood quietly behind the Captain of her airship. She may know how to command an airship, but she had fought hard in her rise among the military of the Empire. She had seen the future of warfare and the role that airships would play in that warfare. She had trained most of the airship captains in the Airship Command. They knew what she expected of them. She was also one of the very few women within the Empyreal Military to hold a position of total command authority. The Emperor himself had commanded her to form the Empyreal Air Fleet. She was the one to not only form the Fleet, she designed the Huntress Class airships.

“Tell me captain. Are we on time?” She asked of the man.

“Both sections are right on the tick, ma’am. Bravo Flight are eight miles from their drop point for their troopers. Once they’ve cleared the narrows, they will commence deployment of grounds troops, and then cover the three miles to the village to engage in aerial bombardment.” The captain turned to face the woman he owed so much to. “Once we pass the Gorgon narrows, we’ll be five miles from the village and can deploy our troops. Bravo Flight should have dropped the bomb loads by then. Give us a clear path for our bombing run. Those ignorant mountain peasants will never know what hit them, ma’am.”

“Good. Is the resupply point ready?” Admiral Naka Hisamatsu asked the wireless telegraph operator.

“Yes ma’am. Twenty miles south along the Hummingbird passage. Captain Ishimoto and his two resupply ships landed two hours ago, ma’am. She said to tell you that the tea is hot, and the rice cakes are warm.” The operator wasn’t the only one to chuckle over that last line for the Admiral.

Before Naka could tell the man to send a reply, there was a massive flare of light off the north. The sounds of explosions and heavy cannon fire soon reached the airship. “Captain what the hell was that?”

“I don’t know ma’am.” The Captain told her honestly. “But that came from the direction of the Bravo Flight. Coms get me Captain Sho aboard the Juggernaut. Double quick man.”

The wireless operator never had a chance to respond as the first 88mm shell fired from battery 2 just one meter from his head. The force of the blast blew the wireless equipment off the bulkhead and into his head. He died before the shrapnel had a chance to shred his face. Even as the Captain turned to order his pilot to change course, a second high-explosive shell burst next to the command couple. This time the shrapnel destroyed the ships wheel and guidance cables. The blast threw Naka to the deck of her airship. The next shell didn’t explode outside of her ship but punched through the hull.

That one shell spelled the doom of the Black Huntress. It ripped its way deep inside the massive airship to explode among the gas bags. The fireball that consumed the airship tore armored plates from the ribs. It turned human flesh into ash in its passing. Three-hundred air assault troopers and twenty-five crewmembers died in the blink of an eye. The final death toll for the first action of the rebellion reached one-thousand-nine-hundred-and-fifty men and women in the first ten minutes. The bloody work of the 88mm Flak cannons was not done. By the end of the day twelve more Huntress class airships and their cargo would join Admiral Naka Hisamatsu in death. On the first day of the rebellion the death toll for the Empire would reach well over sixty-one-hundred men and women.

Twenty miles south along the Hummingbird passage, airship Great Omen

Captain Ishimoto saw the flash of the guns and following explosion long before the sound of cannon fire and explosions reached him. He just knew that his Admiral and the rest of First Squadron were dying by the hundreds. Unlike most military personnel his family was from the Nagano Prefecture. He knew the type of people who lived in these mountains. He knew that they would not die without taking at least a few of their attackers with them.

Turing to his XO, Ishimoto sighed. “Looks like we’ll be sending in the burial detail after all Tanaka. I warned the Admiral that this might happen.”

“Aye, aye, sir. I’ll pass the word along to Ensign Nagumo to ready his men sir. Though I doubt that they’ll need the heavy equipment. The Huntress class airship are flying can handle most AA guns. Only the eighty-eight Flak-thirty-six or their one-oh-five Flak-fifty-eight can harm our ships. Anything else is just an annoyance to be blasted by our seventy-five ATG guns.” The Commander snorted. “Those villagers have at best a one-oh-five antitank gun up there at those basecamps. Even if they could get them elevated high enough those slow rounds will bounce off our armor.”

Ishimoto wanted to take his XO to task but the sounds of linin tearing, and the high-pitched whistle ended their conversation. The first 105 and 125 high-explosive shell announced their arrival with a terrorizing effectiveness. They landed on top of the airships blasting away armor plate and destroying the ships where they floated close to the ground. For the next ten minutes the small resupply base was hammered by three 125mm and three 105mm cannons. The shells tore apart man and machine with equal deadly efficiency.

For those ten terrifying minutes one artillery high explosive shell landed and exploded every five seconds. The men under Ishimoto’s command hadn’t bothered to dig foxholes or build any other type of self-defense fortification. They never expected for the people of Sunōmaunten to fight back. The villagers were nothing more than untrained mountain peasants. Ishimoto’s final thoughts before the 125mm shell ended his life was to wonder at the professionalism of the mercenary artillery men. No wasted shots, each one placed dead inside the kill zone bracketing his airships and camp.

Upper basecamp 4, Sunōmaunten Mountain

Kiyota let the gun crew of the Obsidian Blaster fire thirty shells before calling a halt. The gun crew had fired a mix of HE, AP, Beehive, and WP. “Cease fire. Cease fire. Clear and lock the gun.”

The five-man crew followed his orders as if they were all well trained professional soldiers. He smiled at the way the two boys and two girls moved to clear the empty shell casings once the massive cannon was secured and on safe. The man in charge of the gun crew began to count the number of shells fired. Kiyota turned to the wireless operator. “Wire down to Izumi. She’s to stay in place and prepare for the ground units that are sure to follow.”

“I was just getting ready to tell you boss. The scouts we placed in the eastern end of the Windsong passage have spotted four companies of those armored wagons moving into the pass. Ms. Izumi said to tell you that she’s moving her guns to the number four positions in the pass. According to her, she should have the P-six Striker Self-Propelled Guns in place in the next ten minutes.” Toshiaki chuckled as he turned to face Kiyota. “She said that she’s rolling out the red carpet for the bastards.”

“I don’t doubt that one-bit Toshiaki. This is Izumi’s type of party.” Kiyota answered with his own chuckle.

“Sir, I know that you and Ms. Izumi were in the army at one time.” Toshiaki started off slowly. “But how come Ms. Izumi knows so much about the Strikers?”

Kiyota walked over to stand close enough so that only the wireless operator could hear him. “Toshiaki this is just between the two us. Mainly because Izumi isn’t proud of her time in the army. Do you remember the rebellion seven years ago in Iwate prefecture?”

“Yes sir.” The man answered honestly. Then asked. “Why?”

“Izumi was one of the officers for the Striker unit that was ordered to shell the village of Shinjuku. They fired five times the number of shells we just did into a valley that was half as wide. They leveled that village in under twenty minutes killing more than two-thousand civilians.” Kiyota sighed as he remembered that black day in the history of the army. “They did it because the Emperor was told that his half-sister might be in the village.”

“Damn.” Toshiaki sighed. “I knew that Ms. Izumi had her ghosts, but I didn’t know that she was part of the Shinjuku massacre. I do have to ask one question sir. Where did Ms. Izumi get her hands on those six Strikers?”

“The same place that the army would have gotten them. The Empyreal motorpol in Ina. Remember that Izumi may have mustered out, but she is still a commissioned office of the Empyreal Army. All she had to do was walk in wearing her old uniform with the correct paperwork.” Kiyota chuckled at the audacity of his lover in gaining those six powerful weapons. “The Empyreal army actually shipped the Strikers here for us. We just made sure to intercept those six self-propelled guns before the army knew what was happening.”

“What I don’t understand sir is how can those thirty-one women actually man and fire those weapons so easily?” Toshiaki asked Kiyota in confusion.

“Of all the artillery pieces in the Empyreal Army. The P-six Striker eight-inch Self-Propelled Gun is the only one that was designed by a woman for women to operate. Because of this the best gun crews for those weapons have always been all-female crews.” Kiyota chuckled at the stunned look on the younger man’s face. “Women may be seen as second-class citizens by most off our society Toshiaki but not in the military. Just look at the Navy.”

“Is it true what they say about the Virgin Fleet sir?” Toshiaki asked.

“Yes and no Toshiaki. Yes, there are ships that are almost all women. No there is no Fleet manned solely by virgins.” Kiyota answered with a smile. “For that you need to look towards the Seventeenth Airship Squadron. The Airship Service really believe in that mumbo jumbo crap.”

The sounds of heavy gunfire came rolling up from the eastern part of the Windsong passage. “Looks like Izumi is a head of time. Toshiaki have lower basecamps two and three, along with upper basecamps one and two target the position four kill box. I believe that Izumi could use a hand.”

“Yes sir.” Was all Toshiaki said and turned to carry out the order.

Striker 1, Position 4, Windsong Passage

Izumi Nakamura knew that her aunt’s airships stood no chance against the Flak-37s in the tight confines of the Hummingbird and Windsong passages. Just like the four companies of armored wagons stood no chance against her six P-6 Striker 8in. Self-Propelled Guns. She had placed her guns in exact positions for both concealment and cover.

The morning following her and Kiyota’s love fest in apartment over the tavern. She dressed in her old uniform and headed for the motorpol in Ina. She had forgotten how easy it was to transfer material in the military was with the proper paperwork. It had only taken six forms signed in triplicate. Twelve hours later those six P-6 Strikers with their ammunition haulers were setting in the town square. Those 18 ammunition haulers would allow for her gun crews to fire one shell every minute for twelve hours nonstop. After the ammunition was gone, she would blew the guns in place.

“Ms. Izumi, the outer scouts just reported that the armored wagons are at the front of the formation. They report that they’re flying silver and red battel pennants. How long do we wait?” The teenage girl asked.

“We wait until that first armored wagon is between the Granite Twins. Then it will be too late for them to turn and run.” Izumi snarled as she thought about the unit that marching towards her position. “This time Colonel Seyama, it is not defenseless villagers you face. You and your Night Fiends will pay in blood for every inch of this passage you have covered.”

After ten minutes the first armored wagon rolled between the two massive gray boulders known as the Granite Twins. Izumi had picked that rock formation for a reason. From it to the far end of position four’s kill box was exactly 1000 meters. More than enough to hold a full battalion of slow-moving armored wagons on the move in the narrow confines of the Windsong passage. She looked over at the teenage girl who was acting as her runner and gave the signal to open fire. Even as the first shell left its gun tube Izumi raised her field glasses to her face. She watched as the round slammed down on top of the wagon. Destroying it and its crew in a blinding flash of light. They never knew what hit them.

Even as the first six shells were landing the second round were leaving their gun tubes. Within sixty seconds thirty shells had been fired into the kill box. By the time, the last six shells were landing they were joined by four 105mm shells and two 125mm shells. The total destruction of thirty-six armored wagons took less than two minutes. When the last shell was fired Izumi pulled her guns back to the town square. She wanted to be ready in case they needed to cover another ground attack through the passes.

Izumi took the time to clean up the empty shell casings before pulling back to the village square. Though once she had her crews back in the square, she had them place the empty casings in a pile next to the fountain. She knew the price that was paid to remain free and alive. So far only the Empyreal Army and Airship Corps had paid the price on the now blood-soaked snow filled passes of the Sunōmaunten region of Nagano Prefecture. Izumi walked over to her tavern while her gun crews were cleaning their cannons in preparation for the next fight. She returned pulling a small wagon behind her. The wagon was stacked with six packs of beer.

She stopped at each Striker and gave the crews two six-packs per gun crew. When one of the teenage girls asked her if she could have a beer Izumi smiled. She opened one of the beers and handed it to the girl herself saying. “You earn this as much as the others Estu. You did good out there today.”

Word quickly spread among the other crews that in the eyes of Izumi, every member of the gun crews was now a grown woman. It didn’t matter their age. From Estu the youngest at 14 to the oldest Suzue at 34. They were all deserving of respect in the eyes of Izumi. She was the only woman other than Setsu Suda whom all the men in the village deferred to with real respect.

After she had handed out the beer, Izumi walked to the far end of the square. She and Kiyota had placed one of the village’s wireless telegraphs here to help coordinate the fight. “Anju send the following message to upper basecamp four. The bastard of Shinjuku resides in the land of the dead. End message.”

“Yes ma’am. Anything else?” The operator asked.

“Not at this time. No wait. Add the following. Kiyota you owe me a beer and dinner. Don’t keep a lady waiting.” Izumi told the operator with a sly smile.

Upper basecamp 4, Sunōmaunten Mountain

Toshiaki turned and looked up a Kiyota. “Sir, the Strikers have retreated back to the village square. Ms. Izumi says you owe her beer and dinner. Also, you’re not to keep a lady waiting.”

“Toshiaki send this message in return. Be down once the Empress is on her throne and you return those Strikers where they belong. End message.” Kiyota ordered Toshiaki with a chuckle.

As the young man typed out the message barely containing his own chuckles. Toshiaki was like all the men and women who had climbed the mountain to man the basecamp guns. They originally followed Kiyota out of a blind sense of duty to protect their village. Over the last two days they had learned what it meant to be true mountain guides.

-----tbc-----