Despite their growing unease with the very idea of an "airport," the Eleventh Company followed the strike team to their next destination. Fortunately, the mission went surprisingly smoothly. There were no signs of the troublesome judgment cells, and the Eleventh, already battered from previous battles, were assigned to stay with the reserves. Not that the reserves ever saw action—the mission ended without further complications.
"So this... is an airplane...?"
Inaya looked visibly nervous, her ears twitching as she stared out the small window. Her legs trembled beneath her. She had read about flying spells, but never used one herself—and flying in a machine was another thing entirely. Maybe it was the feline sensitivity, but the engine noise felt unbearable, and the constant rattling made her feel like she was inside a steel wagon with no suspension, racing across a road of rocks. Even Otto and the others, seasoned as they were, looked pale and woozy after a while.
"Hey, you okay?"
Edwin glanced at her with a mix of concern and amusement. Inaya's face had gone completely pale. He rummaged through his pack and handed her a paper bag—just in case. If she ended up vomiting on the floor, the flight crew would have a fit.
"This thing sucks. I'd rather walk..."
She slumped back in her seat and shut her eyes, trying to use sheer willpower to block out the sounds and shaking. Of course, focusing only made it worse.
"Blegh..."
And thus, the paper bag came into play.
"Everyone, seatbelts on!"
Just as things were settling, turbulence hit. The pilot's voice came sharply from the front. Thankfully, most had buckled up right away—except Inaya, who had unfastened hers earlier to peer out the window. Still dazed from her nausea, she barely reacted, until Edwin reached over and quickly buckled her back in.
"Ugh... what now..."
The plane began shaking violently, and Inaya looked like she might cry. The turbulence was expected—the pilot seemed confident enough—but that didn't make it any easier to endure.
"This piece of junk's falling apart!"
Inaya clutched Edwin's arm and pointed at the wing, which was trembling unnaturally.
"It's fine. Normal stuff. It'll pass soon."
Edwin's voice tried to sound calm, even a little smug. As if fate took that personally, one of the rivets on the wing popped off, and a panel flapped violently in the wind.
"Did you all see that?! Shouldn't we tell the pilot or something?!"
He practically jumped out of his seat, yelling front and back, all previous composure gone.
"I'll talk to him."
Otto, seated near the front, unbuckled himself. He hadn't seen the wing yet, so he staggered through the bouncing cabin to check. Even walking cautiously, he stumbled and fell once. The turbulence faded eventually, and the co-pilot stepped out to inspect the situation.
"Nothing serious. Don't worry about it."
His calmness was suspiciously practiced—enough to make Edwin doubt whether this kind of thing happened all the time.
Whoever designed this flying scrap heap should be executed, he thought. Then he glanced up and spotted Sennia sitting quietly. Yes. Definitely executed.
...
After more than two hours in the air, the plane touched down at an airfield deep within Dazilet's territory. Far from the front lines, the place felt like another world.
Inaya stumbled out of the plane, looking like she'd just survived a natural disaster. Her legs nearly gave out on the stairs. The others didn't look much better.
"Ahh, ground. Sweet, sweet ground."
Edwin let out a sigh of relief, stretching happily. Inaya gave him a big thumbs-up. A kindred spirit, at last.
"Feels good to be home..."
Even Otto found himself quietly moved. After more than half a month of operations behind enemy lines, the return felt almost surreal.
"Did command say where they're set up?"
Trenchap interrupted Otto's post-flight stretch. Rogm and Nemilic joined them.
"We'll have to ask."
Command would never transmit that kind of information over radio while they were still behind enemy lines, no matter the encryption. Luvina's tech was just as advanced as Dazilet's.
Eventually, their four platoons—about thirty-odd people—headed toward the airfield command center. There, they reestablished contact with higher command and received their next destination. But by then, it was already night. Since there was no rush, they were allowed to rest at the airfield for the night.
...
The next morning, a sleepy Sennia stepped outside their makeshift dorm, hoping to catch some fresh air. Being part of the Night Knights, the Emperor's own guard, meant they were always treated with a certain degree of ceremony. But she hadn't expected this kind of attention.
A crowd had gathered.
People who had nothing better to do had swarmed the area, eager to get a glimpse of the legendary Night Knights—those who could supposedly kill a whole enemy platoon single-handedly and walk away with bullets still lodged in their bodies. Myths, of course, but enticing ones.
Sennia opened the door and froze.
"A girl...?"
"They say lots of Night Knights are women."
"Young, too. My brother served in the army. Said he saw 'em fight once..."
The murmur of the crowd dragged Sennia back to reality. She shut the door immediately, now fully awake. Her eyes snapped wide open.
What the hell? Why were there so many people out there? Did someone recognize her?
Heart racing, she rushed back inside, trying to act like nothing had happened. That way, whether it was Otto or someone else who noticed first, they could handle this... awkward situation.
"What's with all the noise outside?"
Inaya had woken up early too. She'd planned on sleeping in, but the chatter outside had piqued her interest.
"No idea. Let's wait for Otto to handle it."
Sennia slipped back into the room, leaving Inaya blinking in confusion.
"Weird..."
Curious, Inaya went to the exit and threw the door open.
"Huh?"
The crowd didn't faze her like it had Sennia. She tilted her head, ears flicking.
"What the hell is this?"
"Look! Her ears!"
"And a tail?! No way that's real..."
"Wait, are Night Knights always this cute?"
The murmurs turned excited. Inaya, puzzled but unfazed, realized they weren't hostile. Still, a bunch of people gawking wasn't ideal.
She turned back.
"Uh, you guys might wanna come see this—"
The moment she opened the door to the main room, she was hit by the stench of alcohol.
Two bunk beds. Seven people. Some were sprawled on chairs, others on the floor, one under a table. It looked like a disaster site.
"These kids..."
Inaya muttered like a tired grandmother. Technically, she was older than all of them.
"Hey. Wake up."
She nudged Otto with an empty bottle.
"What is it..."
He rubbed his eyes and sat up groggily.
That didn't take much. Inaya was impressed.
"There's a crowd outside. You should probably check it out."
"A crowd...?"
Otto looked confused.
"You'll understand when you see it."
Inaya shrugged, set the bottle down, and walked off.
...
Despite his increased alcohol tolerance as a Night Knight, Otto had found himself drinking even more than before. But command had granted them leave. One night of indulgence wasn't the worst thing in the world.
Still, what had Inaya meant?
Burp.
He pondered, then let out a belch. That pretty much summed it up.