Three Strikes [✓]

Conflict

Chapter Twenty-Four: Conflict

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Farbanti, Erusea.
August 20th, 2019.
1000hrs.

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"The Arsenal Bird 'Liberty' was destroyed by the super weapon Stonehenge late yesterday afternoon, opening up the opportunity for other Osean forces to claim more land from the Erusean military in hopes of eventually reaching and reclaiming the Space Elevator. Although we were unable to interview any of the brave, skilled pilots that took on the Arsenal Bird, footage received from one of our reporters shows that a new group of aces is on the rise. One of these aces' planes bears a set of unique markings, with one red wing resembling that of a previous ace, and three scratches on its tail. This pilot has come to be known by many names, from Three Strikes to a ghost of Solo Wing. But without the help of this mysterious pilot, the Lighthouse War wouldn't be turning in our favor as quickly—"

OBC newscaster, Mark Richard, was abruptly cut off and the TV screen went black. Rosa flinched as General Parrish slammed the remote control onto the coffee table. Leo lifted his head from his nap, growling slightly at the source of the disturbance. The princess leaned forward, scratching behind his ears and shushing her furry companion until the golden retriever let out an irritated huff and laid his head back on his paws, keeping his eyes centered on the general as Parrish began to pace around the room with his arms crossed. Everyone watched him as he did. It wasn't much of a formal meeting. General Parrish and General Labarthe were over for breakfast with Rosa and her parents, and it just so happened that Parrish wanted to catch the ten o'clock news...on OBC.

The young general paced for several minutes, muttering under his breath. At last, after he'd rehearsed his furious monologue, he jumped right into it, "Osea is getting smug. They're overconfident and overcompensating. They know that they don't have a chance at winning this war, so they mock us by using our own weapons against us!" As he spoke, he threw his hands in the air for emphasis, but Rosa thought that it resembled a frantic plea for help from someone who was drowning. She'd always been expressive and moved a lot whenever she spoke, but she liked to think that her own movements were graceful and served a purpose instead of just...random.

Labarthe shook his head. "For God's sake, François!" he exclaimed in exasperation. "You're acting like a spoiled child that didn't get his way! Stonehenge was abandoned, and Osea rightfully took the opportunity. It's not mocking us, it's making a strategic move that we weren't able to so much as consider. And took advantage of the fact that we were foolish enough to deploy the Arsenal Bird without any cover, aside from its own, incomplete drones. If anything, I'd compliment our enemy and then use this as an opportunity to rethink our previous battle plans."

Parrish's jaw dropped and his eyes narrowed on Labarthe incredulously. "I honestly can't believe that you're justifying Osea encroaching on our territory, taking our land, reactivating a weapon that we designed, and using it for their own selfish gain!"

"This is a war, dammit!" Labarthe hissed, rising to his feet. Rosa and her father looked over at him in surprise, not used to seeing him so angry. Usually he kept his cool rather well, but it seemed that General Parrish was pushing his patience to its limit. "Osea did the same thing that we'd have done in their shoes— the same thing we've done in the past. They're doing what it takes to end this war, which is more than I can say for you! Your answer to everything is a fight. Osea isn't evil, and neither are we. So stop acting like the 'bad guys' are winning and stealing from us, when you know damned well that it's not as black and white as that! While I've been working my butt off to get a meeting with Osean officials, you've been destroying all of my progress because your answer to everything is a fight. Why don't you take a moment to reevaluate things for once in your life?"