Another day has arrived in Franklin Park, Purcellville, also known as Vanguard Base. According to the weather forecast it's going to be a sunny day today, unlike the many gray and sometimes rainy days we've had lately.

Kara is still sleeping, but for some reason I'm up early. I guess having slept in the hospital for a few hours made up for my lack of sleep last night. She's lying so peacefully there, so I won't wake her. She really needs more sleep. God, I'm glad when we can return home. At least life moves at a much slower pace there.

 

It was about 7 am when I met Hayes for breakfast in his office, something that has become sort of a routine now. But I wasn't that hungry. We have been discussing recent events and discussed life on Negawa for a while as well.

At one point Hayes started checking his emails, and I found myself staring outside the window.
"Sir, I'm going to check on Oscar for a minute."

"Later. You really should eat first." He pointed at my sandwich which still hadn't made its way to my stomach.

I nod and reluctantly take the sandwich in my hand, then try to somehow force it down my throat. I refilled his cup with coffee and then refilled mine. He didn't notice that, but that's okay, I know he's concentrating. I wish I could say the same, but my mind keeps wandering.

 

Out of the blue he looks at me and says in an excited way "Essie, the Pentagon has approved the General's request to free those 30,000 Phantoms near that mana vein on BETA."

"Really? That's...good news!"

"It sure is, but I'm still waiting for a list of assets to be allocated to us. Think stingers, tanks, that kind of stuff."

"I always thought that it was a simple thing to do. Just take the tanks, have them shipped somewhere and you're ready for action. Guess reality isn't that simple."

"It rarely is Essie, it rarely is." He said, while focusing on other emails. I'd better not disturb him.

 

 

Once more I was staring outside, lost in thought, when his laptop beeped.

"Finally! Excuse me, Essie. The General has now received the list of assets we can deploy on BETA. Go see Oscar. See you later?"

"Em, sure. Later."

I followed him out, but then made my way towards Oscar.

 

Calling it merely crowded right outside the portal, doesn't do the situation justice. The place is filled with Phantoms! It's an impressive sight. So many Phantoms! Our Swarm, or at least most of it, is gathered right here!

And yet, only a single one approaches me...Oscar! He occasionally stops and nuzzles a few Phantoms on his way over to me. I take a few moments to touch his fur and give him the attention he deserves, by talking to him for half an hour. Of course only a single second has passed in reality.

 

When I want to return to the portal, I hear something I shouldn't be hearing on this side. A helicopter! An Apache attack helicopter is landing close to the portal, making me seek refuge with Sentry for a moment. Luckily the Phantoms made some room for it to land, meaning poor Oscar is keeping an eye on everything these days.

Only now do I spot a few newly built helipads, on which these helicopters are supposed to land.

When the pilot and his gunner exit the craft, heading towards the portal, I quickly intercept them.
"Hi there!" I said while waving at them.

"Good morning!" The pilot returns the greeting while his gunner is inspecting their helicopter.

"My god, since when do we have Apaches on BETA?"

"Since today, actually. We just finished a test flight." He pointed at the helicopter. "It's pretty weird flying without a map or GPS. But they'll send an UAV out today to map the terrain."

"Ah, of course, GPS won't work here, hadn't realized that yet. But how the heck did you pull that off? I mean, it doesn't even fit through the portal?"

He smiles when he replies "it does now. They disassembled some parts and reassembled them on this side."

"Impressive!"

"Yes, but it also means that we're not getting any quick reinforcements, should we need them. Assembling them takes a few days for each helicopter. We don't have the infrastructure to use fighters here, and Chinooks won't fit through. At least not yet, but the engineers are a creative bunch...so who knows?"

"Yeah, probably only a matter of time. Anyway, sorry for keeping you from your duties. I'm glad to see you guys here!"

"Thank you. Oh, excuse me, but are you Airman Whitfield perhaps?" The pilot asked politely.

Well, my name tag says I am, but he's only being polite.
"Yup, the one and only." I made sure to salute him while smiling, which gesture he unexpectedly copied. I really need to be more careful with that, but then again, I'm really with the Air Force.

The gunner joins us and we all properly introduce ourselves by shaking hands.

"Airman, it seems they are preparing a mission for us on BETA. They told us that you would share intel about enemy movements? Any news on what to expect?"

"Really? I'm sorry, but I haven't received those orders yet. I do know however that we will be seeing many of our tanks here soon. And to answer your question, yes, I should be able to provide information about their movements, but for the moment all seems quiet. No specific news yet."

"Understood. Looking forward to receiving your reports soon!"

"I'll do my best! See you soon!"

The pilot and his gunner left through the portal while I continued to admire the Apache a bit longer from up close.

One of the Sentry people pulled me back to reality, by telling me that Hayes was waiting for me, so I rushed back to his office.

 

 

"Ah, there you are. Sit down, you're absolutely going to lick your fingers."
He motions me to sit down and immediately starts summarizing the newly received asset list.

 

 

 

"Essie?"

"Sorry, sir. Sounds impressive, but you lost me with the details."

"Then I suggest reading up on them. Remember the Phantom attack on the aircraft carrier you visited?"

"Em..of course?"

"Same thing. You will be their eyes and ears. When the situation merits it, radio in the orders and they'll take care of the rest."

"Me? You want ME to give them the orders?"

"No, Essie, they are well-trained soldiers. I only want you to keep them alive and tell them where the Phantoms are. Just like the carrier."

"Oh....okay. I can do that."

"See? Same thing. Read up later. Now listen to this, there ....have been developments."

"What happened?" I sit up straight, preparing for more bad news.

"First let me give you an update. The Phantoms are repositioning themselves again. I guess your little ruse about our mighty spaceships is no longer working. How is your firewall?"

"Much stronger. Our Swarm is now 7,000 strong at least, not sure about the exact number. This time she won't be able to breach my mental defenses. Oscar is making sure to at least tell me when that's about to happen. I can even feel her attempts right now. She's pissed..so very pissed, Hayes."

"Good, let her be. Can you give me a hand signal when you know that she's listening?"

"Sure...I'll do this." I'm scratching my left temple with my index finger.

"Very well, that will work. And I'll give you this signal when I want you to allow her to listen." He taps three times on his watch.

"Okay, got it."

"Good."

 

Hayes then explained the "asset" list to me in detail, until I could really understand the smallest of details.

After that we started discussing strategies to free the 30,000 Phantoms. He says "I'll make sure to get the assets to the other side. Attack is tomorrow morning. Be ready."

"Understood."

"Princess Nanako won't be happy." Hayes looks somewhat worried.

"Let me handle that."

Hayes grins. "You have changed."

"Of course I have. My mind is linked to thousands of Phantoms. I'm trying to stay Essie, but....I'm also becoming more. This is so dangerous....my mind isn't made to do this, and yet...it works. I'm afraid, Hayes, afraid to turn into a Queen myself."

"Understandable. But you won't because you are a human. At least where it counts."

"True, thanks."

"And in case you still worry....if you do change into a Queen, I'll simply shoot you."

"Huh? Ah? Ha ha ha! Thanks, I needed that."

"Welcome back. Maybe you should call your parents? It will give you strength. To know why you are fighting."

"Yes, I think I will."

 

Suddenly his phone rings. He picks up the receiver and simply says "Hayes....really? Understood, I'll look into it." 

He ends the call and opens his laptop. 

After a minute he motions me to join him on his side of the desk. 
"Have a look at this."

At this point Kara entered the room and she quietly sat down across the table, but not before I gave her a wink. She knows she's welcome in most of our meetings, but I didn't want to wake her this morning. Not after we talked so late.

"Essie, I need you back on Earth." Hayes said. Oops, I was staring at Kara.

"Sorry. How can I help?"

He sighs. "Okay, go greet her first."

He said the magic words, so Kara and I hugged for a moment. We really need some time to ourselves soon. Last night wasn't fluffable, so....nevermind, I need to focus. And yes, I really had to hug her.

"Okay, Colonel, I'm all ears." I grinned.

"I need your brain right now, not the fluff. Essie, we have isolated a HUGE one in the oceans...... and we are tracking it. The sensor resolution has increased since this morning, so we are pretty sure that this is the Queen. Can you verify the location?"

I stare at the map for a moment and see a big, red dot near Bermuda. With help from a few friends I managed to confirm the location. "Yep, she's there alright. Right smacking in the middle."

"Nice. Then this really seems to work."

"Em............Hayes? She detected me! She knows I found her! She's moving now!"

"Good. Let her feel that she's being hunted. Don't make contact, we can track her now."

"Yes, sir!"

"Mmm....she's heading east, and it's too deep there for our subs to approach. Not even drilling platforms can reach those depths. Did you learn anything that might help in this kind of situation? At this point I'm even willing to use magic as a solution. Anything."

"Let me ask the Swarm. Yes...no. She's basically shielded by Phantoms, literally. I just saw energy shields forming around her with those Tripods. She must have sensed me again."

"That's convenient intel. Can you also predict the weather?" Hayes asked the question as if he was serious about it.

"Not funny. I thought this was serious?"

"It surely is. But if I don't keep you on your toes, I'm afraid you will lose it."

"Oh....like that. Okay, I can see that happening. In that case, keep doing that."

"Yes, my Queen."

"C'mon, sorry, okay? Sir, Colonel, chief, sir."

I hear Kara giggling, so at least that's a good sign.

"Okay, that's enough, knock it off." Hayes said.

"Huh? Ha ha ha ha ha! Incredible! Ha ha ha! Hayes! This is so amazing!" I'm laughing really loudly, having difficulties to stop.

"Essie? Are you okay?" Kara asked, not understanding my sudden outburst. 

Hayes then said "Like she said, what's so funny?"

I shake my head, then look at Hayes again.
"You know the preparations for the 30,000 Phantoms we want to free?"

"Yes?"

"Forget it. They started without us."

"WHAT? What happened?!" Hayes almost shouted.

"Oscar just told me in panic that many of our Phantoms were hungry and they simply joined the 30,000 who were feeding in peace from the mana vein. The Phantoms mingled and at the end about 25,000 joined our cause. The rest were still loyal to the Queen and simply abandoned the vein."

"You mean...we already won?" And that's how Hayes looks when he's flabbergasted. Something you don't get to see often.

"Ha ha ha! Yes, Hayes! We won! I already congratulated them, and Oscar. But I also told them they should coordinate with us next time. But in this case I had to forgive them. They were famished."

"I can imagine that. Hunger will do that to the best of armies. Well, what about the assets?"

"I suggest we keep sending them to BETA anyway. Let them reinforce the portal's defenses."

"My thoughts exactly. My god, never a dull moment when you are around, Essie."

"Yup, and damn proud of it, sir."

"Ha ha ha, well, this merits a celebration. How about you give another press conference?" Hayes said, while grinning once more.

My smile however disappeared.
"Whaaa? How is that supposed to be a celebration?"

"It's not, but I was trying to tell you to prepare for one before you started laughing. Let's celebrate later. First we need to work."

"Ahhh....like that, okay."

 

"We are about to launch a new press conference. This time we will bind your tail to your back, and your ears will be flat on your head, wearing a cap like before. At least that should restore your human appearance. We can't have another Halloween right now.

You will tell the public about the Queen's existence. The one on Earth only. Tell them that she is on her way, and that we're ready for her. If you feel her watching...let her, it might delay her attack once more. Use the agreed hand signals to inform me. If she listens, good for us, if not, the public learns and we're still good."

"Okay. So...that's basically it this time?"

"Yup. You'll have about an hour before the news teams get here. We also have a video camera of our own setup there, used to stream your message onto our website for all to see."

"Okay, if there's not much to prepare for, then I guess that I'm ready right now."

"Excellent. Where is the timid girl I used to know? Just look at yourself, Essie. You toughened up quite a bit." He gave me a pat on my shoulder.

"Eh he he he, thank you, sir."

Once more a smile forms on his lips for a moment.
"Well, you still need to go through basic training, but that can wait a while longer. Anyway, let me give you a little update. I decided to give Bravo team another chance by again letting them dress up as soft fluffy cuddly Kitsune, something those soldiers absolutely love to do."

Kara is watching our conversation like watching a tennis match on TV, switching between Hayes and me.

"Ha ha ha, yeah....I bet they do...not. Do you know if Richards' tail has batteries this time?" I asked while trying to contain a laugh, but failing immediately.

"Let's hope so, or they'll soon be guarding tanks again. This time they are scouting for locations to deploy our defenses, but they have orders not to enter the city, so I'm expecting them to stay out of trouble."

"Of course, let's hope they won't run into any trouble. Sooooo...may I be there when they return?" My begging puppy dog eyes must clearly communicate that I'm begging him.

Hayes' grin says it all. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Now get ready for the press conference."

 

 

After about half an hour I was prepared for another press conference. This time I didn't need to prepare much, so I took a few moments to apply some basic makeup. Kara will join me this time, but she'll stay in the background. Since the impromptu press conference in my home town, everyone knows that she's working for this project, so it only makes sense that she'd join me. Our fluffy features have been concealed once more and our camouflage uniforms look sharp. I still prefer those sneakers to boots, but hey, I don't have a say in the matter. And, yes, I'm still nervous. 

Since most of the news crews seem to be living in the wilderness near Purcellville, like in hotels and such, the room is packed in no time. It took a while to convert the room from a storage room to a room fit for a press conference, but none of our guests saw any of that. And the military being the military, the stage was set before the first reporters entered the room.

 

I'm already standing on the dais, listening to the loudly chatting reporters, while pretending to be reviewing my notes. I don't want to give the impression that I'm waiting for them to quiet down.

My ears don't really like being kept so flat on my head, but I can still hear everything I need to hear. The text projected on the screen behind me reads "The press conference will start in 28 minutes."

But it seems that I'm not going to be waiting for the countdown to finish, since Hayes just confirmed that we're good to go.

 

 

I tap a few times on a microphone and hear that it is indeed live. The room is quieting down, while I give them a kind smile. Do you know why? Because she couldn't make it today. No more NBC for Essie today. Finally a break.

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining me once more for a press conference. Do you mind if we start ahead of schedule?"

Not even a single person objected, go figure. "Very well, then let's start." At this point I felt a pressure disappearing in my mind....the Queen.....she's listening again! The firewall's strength really seems to be linked to my nervousness!

I look at Hayes for a second, while scratching my left temple with my index finger. He immediately taps his wristwatch, telling me it's okay to continue. After that I focus on the audience again. But of course, I just had to scratch a bit more because a real bloody itch just started to annoy me there.

"Please listen carefully as we have new information to share with you. This time about a powerful Phantom. It may sound unbelievable at first but is true nonetheless.

A single creature of immense proportions, hidden in our oceans on the seafloor, is the controlling force behind all Phantom movements. From now on we will refer to this creature as The Queen. 

We successfully freed thousands of Phantoms from her control. Let me clarify that for you....those thousands of Phantoms have defected and are now confirmed to be on our side.

Problem however, is that the Queen has hundreds of thousands of those Phantoms to protect her, if not more. Our primary mission is to end the existence of the Queen.

After a successful communication attempt with her, she told us that humans are a highly disruptive race. Her control over the Swarm, as she calls her Phantoms, is being affected by our technology. We intend to introduce her to more of that soon."

"Yeah!!!" someone said....then followed by "sorry."

I gave him a smile. "There's no need to apologize, because that's exactly how I felt when I learned about her vulnerabilities. Soon, quite soon, we will launch an attack on her and take back our Earth!" I couldn't stop myself from showing them my fist, as if ready to fight her right now.

"Yeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!" And the crowd goes wild.....

 

I smiled for a few moments, and let them vent some frustration. 
"My thoughts exactly. Now please look at the image behind me. On this new map you will find the Queen as indicated by the big red dot. The size of the dot is not a representation of her actual size, but of the importance of the target. So please don't misunderstand. While big, she's not that big.

Again, let me say that it's our number one priority to wipe her out. An international team of specialists will prepare an assault. That's all I can say about the matter. Due to very strict security measures, not even I am aware of the details."

"Senior Airman Whitfield, thank you, now step down, please." Hayes loudly announces his orders for all to hear. Wow, he mentioned my full rank, even emphasizing it, showing me maximum military courtesy!

I immediately step down from the dais, walking towards him, away from the many microphones. He then whispers to me "Essie, I want you to go to my office, and take Kara with you. This information is off limits for you, so make sure not to watch this on TV."

"Yes, sir." I said while nodding. I then leave the press conference with Kara in tow, heading directly for his office.

 

 

[ POV Hayes ] 

"Ladies and gentlemen, our apologies, but Essie is urgently needed elsewhere. Please allow me to continue her presentation.

The time has arrived for humanity to launch a world-wide coordinated assault on the Queen. Please listen carefully as it is of vital importance that the civilian population understands what is about to happen.

Please look at the new image behind me, where you can see that the Phantoms are on the move. It's a real-time image, where you can see that....no longer one or two stray beings...but all of them are leaving the depths of the oceans. Again, the information is updated real-time. It is happening right now, as we speak."

The audience is getting restless and I can hear a few cell phones ringing. Cell phones they shouldn't be having in the first place. Too late for that, it's something to worry about later.

"Please, may I have your attention? This scenario has been anticipated, and we have prepared for it, which is why we won't wait for them, but will strike first.

While the Phantoms can fly at impressive speeds, their current speed in the ocean suggests that they'll need about 2 days to reach the shores.

Due to this developing situation, all US military personnel have been ordered to active duty. Also, tonight at 8 pm Purcellville time, the US president will declare a state of war."

"Ahhhhh...oh my god....!!!!!" Many people are expressing their emotions and worries in one form or another.

"Please, please let me continue....thank you. This is only a formality and will not impact the daily life of any civilian in the US. Life will mostly go on as it has so far.

This special state will allow the US Government to respond to this threat in a more coordinated way. It will also allow us to place defenses near coastal areas, to protect our civilians.

Starting tomorrow morning at 6 am, people living within 2 miles of the ocean will be evacuated by the US military. This is only a precautionary measure, and if all goes according to plan, these people will be able to return to their homes soon. Both the Police and the Military will patrol the evacuated areas and will have the authority to detain people who willingly obstruct the evacuation efforts.

In order to help military traffic reach their destinations as soon as possible, please consider the following request. If you can work from home, now would be a good time to do so. Domestic and international flights will be canceled as per this moment. People stranded in our airports will be cared for and the US Government guarantees that the amount prepaid for tickets will be refunded to you in due time.

The reason for closing our airspace is that we have confirmed that Phantoms are capable of flight. Our defenses will be fully focused on any airborne targets and we simply cannot risk shooting down a commercial flight.

The same will apply to ships such as cargo ships which are leaving or heading to US ports. Those nearby will be allowed to dock, others who have just left their ports will need to return.

Now let me repeat. No airplanes. No ships. But all roads will remain open. All trains and buses will ride according to schedule. If you need to drive to work, you can...but please consider working from home. Life will go on as usual, except for those few restrictions.

President Mcdowell will repeat this message along with more information and examples, followed by a personal message. So please make sure to watch the news tonight.

At this point curfews are not being considered, and the state of war will end at the latest 7 days from tonight. Any extension of this state must first be approved by Congress. Without this approval, the state of war will legally and irrevocably end in 7 days.

Current Phantom movements seem to suggest that the Queen will first target the east coast of the continental United States. This assumption may however change at any given time. In any case, all nations world-wide should now prepare for ground-based or airborne Phantom attacks. Civilians should respond to air raid sirens by seeking immediate shelter.

Since our attack on the Queen requires a word-wide coordinated effort, I'm allowed to reveal that today, or tomorrow at the latest, we will start our first attempt at wiping her out."

"Yeaaaaaaah!" Some reporters are applauding, others are releasing their emotions by cheering.

I tap a few times on the microphone, trying to quiet them down.
"As much as I want to share in your enthusiasm, it is much too soon for that. As I said...this will be our first attempt. Do not expect an easy victory. We have limited information about the Queen, but first analyses suggest that she won't go down without a serious fight. 

We have fought the Phantoms from day one and shall not rest until our common enemy has been disabled. Many nations will soon be working together to eliminate this threat. Together we stand strong, and let me be clear......together we will be victorious. That is all." 

I didn't answer any of their questions, but returned to my office. Airman Farrell will address the audience, repeat the address of our website and such, and will then make sure they'll leave our facility in an orderly fashion.

 

 

[ POV Essie ] 

Kara and I heard a loud cheering outside, so I hope that's a good sign of a successful presentation.

"Why did Hayes send us here? Judging by the noise outside, it must have been important?" Kara asked.

"Simple. He doesn't want the Queen to hear everything that's being discussed in there. I still can't prevent her from listening in on us. My firewall is getting stronger, but when I'm nervous, she seems able to listen."

"That's a really creepy thought. Are you ever nervous when we're together?" She asked, but I could see a hint of a smile.

"Never, Kara. Absolutely never." I made sure to smile.

But before she could reply, Hayes joined us inside his office. He first pours himself a cup of coffee, then offers us the same.

"Sure, yes, please." I said, after which Kara said the same. Call me surprised, because she's trying coffee again.

While he's pouring the coffee, I ask "Colonel, is it still okay for us to continue hiding stuff from the public? Why don't we tell them about the portal, the other Queen and the Kitsune?"

"Simple, Presidential orders. We follow them, not question them. Ultimately he's the Commander in Chief of the armed forces, and he's accountable for those orders. Let's move on. Is your firewall up?"

"Checking...yep! No idea what you told the public, though. It bothers me however that she can still listen in when I'm nervous."

"That's not a problem, as long as you know when she's listening. Here you go." He takes a few tissues from the box behind him and waits until I accept them.

"Em....what are these for?" I asked.

He doesn't reply, but points at his cheeks while staring at mine.

"Huh? Ooooooooh. Oops...thanks." I said. Kara understands and simply takes the tissues and wipes her pink lipstick from my cheek.

"It's gone now." Is all Kara says.

When I see Hayes nod to confirm that it's gone, I'm still blushing from embarrassment.

"Essie, now listen to me...really carefully. We're about to show the Queen who's the boss, so I can't have you join our briefings. This means that you will not be watching the news, or google for the info I provided in the press conference just now. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir, I request to leave for BETA at once. This will shield me from any discussions about the tactics."

"No, you will leave in an hour, not sooner. Wait until we have cleared the path for you, since the reporters still need to leave the area. I don't want anyone near you. People make mistakes, and we can't have that right now."

"Totally agreed. I can't believe that I'm actually a threat to national security."

"You have been since day one." He grins again, which means that he's only teasing me.

"Great, that makes me feel better."

"C'mon cheer up. The people love you! Did you know that you've become the latest Air Force mascot? It's true! They're putting you on recruitment posters everywhere. Fluff and all! It won't be long before you'll have your own doll lineup!"

I facepalmed. "I believed you for a second."

"Ha ha ha....so easy to fool. We're the Air Force, we don't do mascots, Essie. But still, you wouldn't be a bad one."

"So now what should I do? Can I help you with something while we wait?"

"You can, by focusing your thoughts on BETA. Make sure that our Princess continues to agree with our defenses. Find more Oscars, just don't think about tactics or the Queens. And promise me to keep checking that firewall...."

"Yes, sir."

"Good. So do your best, but let us humans do our thing. Should you find any new weaknesses, call me."

"Understood. I'll be glad when all of this is over."

"That makes two of us." Hayes said.

"Three." Kara finally felt confident to join the discussion.

"Ha ha ha, good to know, Kara. So tell me, Essie, do you drink beer?"

"Me? Nah.....never touch the stuff."

"Pity, I would have bought you one, once this is over."

"Ooohhh, in that case I'll gladly make an exception, sir. Keep the beer cold. But first we have two Queens to put on ice." I made sure to grin. 

"That's the spirit, Airman!"

 

 

After Hayes had left his office, someone brought our dresses so we could change into our proper clothes for the other side.

Kara and I were sent back to BETA with the usual backpack. This time however we don't know how Earth will look when we return there next time. Will they be able to kill the Queen? I only know that I'm not going to be involved in any of that.