With Zhoya back under the control of the Queendom things were certainly looking up for young Queen Natalya. In her first days as Queen she had a victory under her belt, all be it one earned by the Morelanders and the Cenneg. What mattered now though was to stop Leopold. The good news was that seemed like they would have an opportunity. Word had come that the Aostan attack sub Totila and the destroyer Godepat were closing in on the Morelander and a small fleet, it was clear their plan of seeming to be a search party was foiled when the pair of Aostan patrol aircraft flew overhead. As soon as they saw the Morelander it was clear the deception was discovered and immediately they Aostans had radioed things through.
It would take a few minutes to filter the news through commands until it reached the Lodjains. A decision needed now to be made and it was a complex one. It was still unconfirmed whether Leopold was even onboard the captured ship however as soon as the patrol planes had made their report they came under fire from the two Frigates, a destroyer and a pair of coastal patrol ships below them from the renegade Lodjains. The barrage of fire was enough to drive the pair of aircraft away but that meant that soon they would be expecting company. Alarms rang out throughtout the ships and preparations began.
It would take about another thirty minutes until the Aostan assets got into range and by now orders had come back down the various systems of communication, the orders would be simple, destroyer the Morelander and everything with her. The commanders in Gaia had told Queen Natalya that it was likely that Isaac and the captured Conclave must be on board and Natalya acknowledged that was indeed a chance but that she would pray that they were either "good swimmers or lucky". The group was irrelevant to the future of Lodja. As the son of a former Queen the little Isaac served no purpose. If he grew up to be intelligent he would find himself a position perhaps in the diplomatic service or perhaps as an officer in the military, otherwise he would grow lazy off his families money and live out his life no doubt making the most of his former royal connections. The Conclave was already going to change significantly, Natalya had come to that decision already, therefore those onboard were expendable. To the commander of the Aostan ships though it would mean little as they would have no idea of the intelligence at the hands of those higher up. It therefore was the Godepat launched their first salvo of missiles. The speed off into the blue sky, some 40km to cover. The Lodjains could see it coming and began to move their ships into a position with the Morelander behind the others. The initial shot was not a problem, the Lodjain vessels had time enough to see it coming and the firepower to shoot it down. The Morelander launched a drone and much to the amusement of the Aostan's it was an unarmed reconnesance once however that was not the reason it was launched. At about the same time the Morelander launched its own missile and as the Aostan fleet began their own simple move of demolishing it the drone kamikazed towards the Aostan vessel. The CWIS system of the ship picked it up however and it exploded into a fireball high above the deck but pieces of its shrapnel covered then deck.
The fighting was at first a deadlock, each side fired missiles and the others intercepted them. It was only once the Aostan sub came into play that things began to change. Their target was not the Morelander. If they could breach the Frigates defence then the air defence coverage would begin to unpeel. The captain lined up a torpedo run on the Frigate and satisfied everything had been done ordered them to fire. The torpedos were picked up late and despite every attempt to avoid them they struck home rocking the Frigate with an explosion. It began to list to one side and would clearly, in time go down, but its weapons systems carried on trying to engage the Aostan surface fleet which was now beginning to come into gun range. Shells were now being added to the flying mass of metal above the combat area and as the stricken Lodjain dumped highly inaccurate torpedos into the water to try and get the Aostan sub the Morelander began sending drone after drone into the air. A helicopter managed to get off the deck of the Lodjain destroyer and jinking between missiles dropped a series of depth charges further driving the sub away. It was irrelevant as the sub had vanished, changed its track and had a line on the second Lodjain Frigate. This time the Lodjains got lucky, as the Aostans tried to fire their next barrage their onboard computer began to glitch much to the curses of their commander. It wouldn't matter too much as using the old fashioned periscope, stop watch and laser range finder they could still operate. This caused the Lodjain a problem, the torpedos were inaccurate enough to allow them to avoid them but it was another problem for them to contend with.
As though the Lodjains were not busy enough they now had the buzz of the first Achkaerin asset to arrive the INS Phoenix began to launch its missiles but once more the pair of Frigates could absorb the first of the barrage. One of the drones from the Morelander was tasked with dealing with it and after launching its small air to air missile it put itself square on the run the Phoenix was making. The game of chicken between a mechanical device and an aircraft with a live crew it was clear who would be the winner and as such by constantly setting up a drone the Phoenix was essentially being kept at long range like a boxer with an effective jab. With only six shot in its gun so to speak the Phoenix was soon out of ammo and would need to land somewhere to restock. It had however served its purpose. It had split the firepower of the Lodjains and even seen two of the drones miscalcuate and hit the surf themselves. BY now the Excalibur Frigate of Achkaerin had turned up within range and over the radio communication between them and the Aostan's who were now in a position of having to start reloading missiles was beginning. It was clear that as soon as the Lodjians hit the point of having to refill their own missile stocks the tide would turn and the slowly sinking Frigate was now abandoned. The other Lodjain assets now made a run towards the coast, the Morelander keeping its defenders between it and the Aostan and Achkaerin fleet. As drones tried to kamikaze the two attacking nations a third set of call signs joined the fray. A pair of Dragonbane II's had been fitted with anti-ship missiles and sent off to offer what help they could. While it was the missiles they were expecting to bring to the party one of them found itself becoming the first Dragonbane II to take down an aerial target as it got the drop on a drone trying to kamikaze the Excalibur. The pilot found themselves smiling as they wondered whether it was the first air to air kill with any of the Dragonbanes. It was a a thought to put to one side as they switched to anti-ship missiles and pinged one down towards the now rather awkwardly angled Lodjain firgate. It made a satisfying boom somewhere near the bridge and the guns onboard fell silent almost instantly. The chase was now on and as the battle moved out the area it began the sea was full of leaked oil, fragments of metal and the bright yellow life rafts of the now abandoning Lodjain vessel. It was the Phoneix that had turned rescue ship pulling them out the water while Achkaerin troops in the back searched them and then held them in the hold. It was as they pulled one life raft in they found two of the Conclave among them.
The Morelander was the prime target for the Dragonbane II's they had the advantage of being able to get well ahead of the defensive wall now being maintained by the Lodjain patrol ships that had largely been ignored and the remaining Frigate and Destroyer. The Destroyer fired off several ship to air missiles and the Dragonbane's had some close calls but by flying a wide arc they were able to get their shots off. The Morelander had run out of missiles to intercept and the CWIS system was momentarily overwhelmed as one made its way through and impacted just before the bow of the ship. The blast was above the water line but smoke began billowing out of the ship. Several helicopters now launched from the Morelander, their aim was the coast and not the chasing fleet that were about to settle the day.
The Excalibur turned its attention with its deck guns to the patrol ship nearest it. They had no choice it was clear the captain had put the ship on a collison course at full speed. It was a ridiciolous gesture as the Excalibur had plenty of time to get their aim right and soon a 5 inch shell punched through its deck clearly hitting something inside as an explosion was heard beneath deck and seemingly the ship split in two. A handful of people began to dive overboard and unlike with the sunk Frigate they would need to come back for those floating in the Alucard.
The Aostans had now got their VLS system back into the fight and along with their sub, still suffering computer problems, was about to take on the Lodjain Destroyer which seemed to be down to guns only. As the Aostan Destroyer Godepat aimed to overwhelm their enemies air defence systems the Aostan sub fired more torpedos. It was like a boxer who lands a perfect combo of jab to the head, hook to the body as a round from the Godepat ripped into the Lodjain Destroyers bridge as a torpedo took it in the stern. The blasts knocked a huge hole in the Lodjain Air Defence system and the next missile from the Godepat holed them effectively ending their fight.
It was looking forlorn for the Lodjains and matters got worse when the Aostan Maritime patrol aircraft re-entered the scenario. Armed with Harpoon missiles they could finish the job that the Morelander Dragonbane II's had started and with their escort all but gone it wasn't a surprise that the missiles had soon caused an explosion in the flight deck and then punched another hole in the side. The Morelander was going down. The Phoneix had launched one of its RHIBs, not in this case to pick up those abandoning ship but to try and board. As everyone else was clambering down the side five members of the Achkaerin military were trying their best to enter through a smoking hole. They'd brought NBC kit with them expecting to have to deal with the smoke of the fires and having forced their way in through the black smoke surveyed the situation. It was not a pleasant one as their was twisted metal everywhere and a fanfare of alarms. The Achkaerin military had been onboard the Cyborg Class more than a few times and so its layout was no mystery. "We've about three minutes" the boarding parties commander told them and they did their best to force a way up the ever changing angle of the corridor outside the room they'd entered, evidently a mess hall. Lodjains put up no resistance and despite yelling at them "Where is Leopold?" or "Where is Isaac" the men where in too much of a panic to answer as people hurried to get themselves off the ship. It became clear they were finding nothing and so as the situation told them it was time to get the hell out of there themselves they headed for the deck. En route they passed by what remained of the bridge and one of them had a quick stop by but again it was empty. They grabbed a few suffering Lodjains who looked like it would be touch and go as to whether they would get off the vessel and having thrown them overboard made the leap themselves before swimming to where their comrades in the RHIB held a gaggle of floating Lodjains under the aim of their mounted gun. They stayed floating in the water themselves instead putting wounded men in the RHIB as they waited for the Phoenix to catch up with them but even that huge aircraft was struggling now to find space. Phoenix's commander made the decision to launch their remaining inflatables and having landed even began getting the rescued sailors to sit on the wings while they waited for other vessels. A few merchant ships in the area, now reassured that the fighting was subsiding were en route to provide aid and now with their missiles exhausted the Aostan patrol planes dropped inflatable rafts into the area before heading back home.
The battle was over but what remained was the helicopters. They'd had a head start on any air assets among the Aostans or Achkaerin vessels but they wouldn't be able to evade the air assets coming from the Lodjain mainland. They were intercepted and forced to land just as they reached the coast. A group of Lodjain Marines greeted them and prepared for resistance was expecting to have to take the helicopters and those onboard out. Instead the doors opened and the soldiers onboard gave up. They'd been promised that a land force loyal to Leopold would meet them and that they'd carry the fight to land however that was simply a lie. They were asked were Leopold was and everyone of those in the helicopters told them the same. "Leopold and Helene Tar had left the Morelander when they'd joined up with a yacht last night. No one knew where they were heading except for a "Vital meeting". The man was still out there somewhere and now it appeared the mother of Viktoriya Tar was somehow involved. That had been a surprise to many but it seemed that for now at least Leopold was done for, his assets had gone, his supporters betrayed and he was running with his tail between his legs.
Over the course of the next six hours there was a lot to unpack. The Phoenix found various vessels from Aosta and Lodjain Navies coming to pick up the sailors they'd rescued and all would be returned to the custody of Lodja. Three of the Conclave were discovered, Lord Yuily Shvets, Isay Yakovlev (Minsiter of Environmental Affairs) and Borys Volkov (Junior Education Minister), the other three had been oboard the Frigate that had sank at the start of the battle and so it seemed, Maxim Schnoor (Minister of Home Affairs), Vissarion Novikov (Minister of Education) and Lady Ninel Naomov (Minister of Foreign Affairs) would be lost to the seas. There was no sign of Isaac. He'd been left onboard the Morelander in the care of a Ensign and nobody had found him, nor would they ever as the Cyborg Class began its descent to the ocean floor.
That evening word had obviously been spreading of the conflict at sea. It was time now though for the Lodjains new Queen to take to the TV screens and inform the world.
People of Mundus. Nearly a year ago the former King of Lodja, Leopold Hamsik attempted to destroy the Queendom of Lodja from within. Using his influence and connections he turned neighbour against neighbour and used his own child as a pawn. Thinking Leopold was a man that he could trust hundreds of Lodjains placed their lives in his hands and threw their lot in with him believing he would give them the world. He has given them only misery and death. I am able tonight to say though that the threat he posed to our nation is over. Today I am thankful to forces from Aosta, Achkaerin and East Moreland in destroying what was left on the renegade forces. The HMDS Morelander is now no more, it sits at the bottom of the Alucard. Leopold is defeated and having told his men of a great army waiting for them on land those who managed to escape the battle in the Alucard found themselves just 45 men. Everything Leopold had told them was a lie.
The conflict has not come without sacrifice. Our nation has lost much and I will speak of that shortly. I must though ensure that the world knows of the sacrifices of troops from East Moreland and Ui Cenneslaig who freed the island of Zhoya where Lodjains and tourists from several nations had been used as human shields by those loyal to Leopold. I must go on record and thank members of East Moreland, Ui Cennesliag, The Unified Iwi, Aostan and Achkaerin Navies who joined us in combing the seas for Leopold and of course Aosta and Achkaerin's navy for destroying the threat of this renegade fleet aided by Morelander aircraft. Those who have been injured or died during their aid for our nation will always have a place in our nations hearts and one of my first acts as Queen will be to ensure each of the casualties are given a pension from the Queendom and either themselves or the dependents granted Lodjain citizenship should they ever wish it. Those who have shed blood for this land are as much part of it as the soil and grass.
Lodjains may not have been part of the action that brought this to an end but we have suffered. Trusts have been broken, families split and communities disharmonised. We will repair this. Those who fought for Leopold will face tribunals and given a chance to explain their actions. Anyone found guilty of a crime will face justice in an open court in exactly the same way as they would had they stolen a car. Those found not guilty will be given a chance to reintegrate into society. We have to find ways to heal. Among the dead are members of the Conclave, Maxim Schnoor , Vissarion Novikov and Lady Ninel Naomov all died aboard the ships aligned against us. Sadly Prince Isaac has also died. They shall be honoured and remembered. We have seen cowardly strikes on the Queen take the lives of Queen Klara and Lady in Waiting Anna Immich. We have seen members of the East Moreland embassy killed within Gaia along with innocent civilians going about their business. We owe it to each of these to build a better Lodja. In the coming days I have to unenviable task of having to grieve for my countryman and at the same time begin rebuilding a nation. It will be a different nation as some good must come from the losses we have suffered. I never thought a day would come after missing out once that I would wear the crown of Lodja and I wish it never had. We must play the hand we are dealt and I believe that Lodja can and will give me a strong hand. We shall emerge as a better nation.
Sadly among those who have died Leopold Hamsik is not among them. His location unknown but as he ran with his tail between his legs it is clear the man is a coward. With him sadly was the much loved and respected Helene Tar, seemingly part of the conspiracy. This is a sad fate for the Tar family. Queen Viktoriya Tar in her short reign was a visionary for our land and does not deserve to have her family name so sullied. As such from this day forward I shall be stripping Helene Tar of her titles and she shall forver be known as Helene Quisling by this administration. Many will ask about the fate of Princess Alana Tar she is currently in custody and like everyone involved in the crisis shall be investigated. Should she be found to be loyal she will become the matriach of the Tar family and I pray she carries on her sisters legacy. Should she be found to be disloyal then she will face justice. While those ringleaders are now beyond our reach for now we will not stop the search. Justice will be done one way or another but for now mourn the dead, rejoyce that this is over and I shall address you soon regarding the future of our nation."
As Leopold turned off the TV having seen the announcement he drained his shot of Vodka. For now he would disappear. He had money stashed away in several places, he had shares in places people didn't know of and most importantly for now he had a floatplane that could get him to a private airfield in Nya Aland and from there to a mountain villa in Zaporozh. They spoke a similar language there and he was confident no one would expect him to surface there. Helene Tar was with him as he began loading the float plane, "What will we do about Alana?" the former Queen's mother asked about her daughter now in some legal limbo.
"Fuck her" Leopold laughed and then realised how that could sound. He put his face close to Helene, "And I wish it had been her not her saggy assed Mother." Helene was shocked. "You're the reason this failed. You promised me men, you said the Tar family had men loyal to them. You said you'd get Alana to my side and she'd ensue we had support from the insiders. You messed up and now I'm forced to go and live among the Northern God fanatics."
"I am too you'll not be alone." She put her hand on his arm. "We'll be together." Leopold pulled his arm away as with his other he reached behind his back. Helene never saw the pistol coming up as he shot first into her chest. A shocked look spread over her face.
"I have money, I'm handsome and I have an appetite for younger and prettier girls than you. You're useless to me now. Join Viktoria" he finished as he fired a second bullet, this one into the middle of her forehead. He cursed as blood got onto his suit and dabbed at it making it only worse on his pale blue jacket. "Shit!" he exclaimed and in a last act on Lodjain soil took of his jacket and threw it on the body of Helene Tar before climbing into the cockpit of his escape vehicle. He would disappear, for now, and see what this new Queen was about.
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