Artificial Horizon - A César Fernando Basa x Reader story

* Timeline of AH's creation *

Dear Readers,

I don't know if you'll be skipping this chapter, but I am publishing this as I also wanted to record the journey I've taken for this story. As I've mentioned in the Author's Note of DEAD RECKONING dated last 5 February 2023, the idea for this story came in an influx. During the researching and writing, I've been like a giddy kid to write about the things I love the most: history, geography and aviation. To add, I could relate myself to Lt. César Basa; because I've also wanted to take Chemistry before finally deciding an aviation course and be a pilot myself. Since my parents would certainly disown me if I decided halfway Chemistry course that I also wanted to be a pilot... You know what I mean. So, here's the incredible journey that led for this book, and this would certainly be updated for further achievements or whatsoever.

Even early on this telling, thank you for giving me and this story a chance! A chance as well to learn about one of the unsung heroes such as Lt. César Basa, the time of an American-occupied Philippines, World War II, and the sad history of the Philippine Army Air Corps for the starting years of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Air Force.

xoxo,
Capt. J

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04 February 2023, Saturday: I and my family were on our way home from Century City Mall (after playing Pym's Particle at Mystery Manila) and AyalaMalls the Circuit (after an unsuccessful search for the board games café there that ended to eating at the night market), when a Qatar Airways QR928 | Boeing B77W (B777-300ER) was flying quite "a little low" over Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite at about 1,500 ft and descending. (I know that it was just the right altitude as per the RPLL ILS charts, but I deemed it to be flying too low probably because of the barometric pressure that led for true altitude to be lower than indicated altitude, anyway...) The idea of writing another "x Reader story" crossed my mind again after two years and six months that Dead Reckoning was completed and had been a success. I came back to my old notes and found the fitting new subject (new victim?) for the story: Lt. César Basa, to whom Basa Air Base was named. Hell, he was only twenty-six years old when he died, two years older though than Goyo; nevertheless, let's do this.

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05 February 2023, Sunday: I slept at about 3 in the morning because the ideas kept my brain awake. Yeah, I have the perfect plot twist for this story already as early as today since I didn't want to repeat how Dead Reckoning's bomb shell of a twist was.
When I finally slept and woke up, I've decided to write the Author's Note at Dead Reckoning asking for the support of old readers (but, hell, I'm gonna write this story without any care if it would be read; because I was set on writing this). I've worked on the first notes of OneNotes (theme, title, characters and researches) and started researching more about Lt. César Basa from 13:00LCL until 16:00LCL.
I've gathered enough researches where he was mentioned (from the diaries of Ramón Alcaraz and Felipe Buencamino III; and the history of the Philippine Air Force at the official gazette) and also a timeline of events leading to the Fall of the Philippines. And then discovered about the 6th Pursuit Squadron of the Philippine Army Air Corps. I also found photographs of PAAC as shared by Pinoy Aviators at Facebook and by the Presidential Museum and Library PH (2010-2016) at Flickr. (Okay, for the record, I don't know. I was starting to be bias but mas may itsura si César kaysa kay Goyo? And due to the name, I remember a manhwa character named Cesar, too? Okay, it might be my bias perspective, really, because, well, pilot. 🫠)
Also, been scrambling through Dictionary of Aviation; since if I've used an aviation term for Dead Reckoning, it was much more fitting to use one now as well. And upon scrolling through the first few pages alone, I came up with Artificial Horizon, and stick with it for the title without even browsing for the next pages; because, I knew that it was fitting for César the same way that Dead Reckoning was for Goyo. I would definitely explain the reason when we get there!
And to reveal as well, I've started "Chapter key points", and guess what? I've first noted the last 6 chapters of the story. Yeah, I know how this story was to end. And as a head's up, it was only a happy-tragic or tragic-tragic ending.
I've shared it to my close friends, and they know me. I could gather all necessary researches in less than half a day. Which I did.
And created this Wattpad story already as part of the drafts, and the Introduction part. And also created the cover with a matching one for Dead Reckoning. Hell, I was excited for this!