Background
For nearly eighty years, the skies and waters of the Rokkenjiman Sea have been the site of a long-lasting dispute between the Empire of Daitō and first the Federal Republic and later First Empire of Rokkenjima. At the heart of this dispute, though the conflict has dormant since the end of the Second Patriotic War, is a pair of island chains, the Tokara and Satsunan Islands. It was hoped, with Daitō's accession to the Cross-Straits Treaty Organization in 2020, that this dispute would, ultimately be resolved, however, following Daitō withdrawing from the organization in 2022, those hopes have appeared dashed. Now, with the appointment of Prime Minister Sadazane Konishi and the election of Premier Charles Ofdensen, nationalistic firebrands in their respective nations, it is now possible that the long-standing dispute is soon to come to a head.
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Rokkenjiman Sea, 77.03 km SSW of Tokara, Tokara Islands
06 Feb, 2023
Early Morning
It is a cold morning on the Rokkenjiman sea, not far from the maritime borders of the Empire of Daitō and the First Empire of Rokkenjima set in 1945. It is a border which neither side formally recognizes, both of whom lay claim to the entirety of the strategically valuable island chain which makes up the tail end of the Strait of Austrana, and thus it, alongside the Satsunan Islands further west, grant control over major shipping routes through the Rokkenjiman Sea. At around 0430 Hours, a Daitōjin Q-6 Akugyo maritime patrol aircraft, "Akawashi 304", had taken off from NAS Awara on the mainland as part of ongoing trials involving the IDN Taihō roughly 150 kilometers to the southwest. Aboard the Taihō, an element of VF-111, the "Spearpoints", was preparing to take off in order to perform CAP duties as part of the exercises underway. Said element, comprising of two fighters—Spear 102 and Spear 105—flown by Cmdr. Genta "Sparks" Saeki and Lt. Hirokuni "Hiro" Fukura, took off Taihō at 0535 Hours and began heading north-east towards the islands, accompanied, albeit further back, by an E-2 Senbōkyō AEW&C aircraft designated "Byakko" from VAW-28.
A few hours later, at 0700, as Akawashi 304 continues its patrol and the Spear element begins to approach the airspace, Byakko detects two unidentified contacts coming from the northeast. They are heading towards Akawashi 304.
«Akawashi 304, buster northwest immediately, bearing 350.» "Byakko" transmitted to the lone Q-6.
«Roger, wilco.» the pilot of the aircraft replied before diving in order to pick up speed before fleeing the area, heading north. His aircraft, while equipped with an array of countermeasures, would not stand a genuine chance if attacked.
With Akawashi 304 on its way out, Byakko's mission director turned his attention to the radar contact and to the Spear element. «102, 105, fast-movers inbound, BRAA; 50 for twenty-two at angels 18, flanking. Spear, you are cleared for cutoff.»
«105, climbing to angels 22.» Answered Lt. Fukura as he pulled back on the stick, raising his aircraft's altitude to 4,000 feet over 102 and adopting a fluid two formation. As far as either pilot or their RIOs know, this is going to be a normal intercept, the sort of thing they practiced in Sipura, and with any luck, that would be all this would amount to.
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The two RK80 fighters, operating from Imperial Air Base Southkeep, maintained their trajectory. Premier Ofdensen had made clear that the Tokara and Satsunan Islands were Rokkenjiman, brought into existence along with Azukishima Isle, a gift to Mundus from the All-Mother herself. Many had hoped that with the Anselmo Restoration that Empress Saisei would finally bring some resolution to the Tokara and Satsunan Question, yet she had chosen appeasement over the just liberation of the island chains, a day which proved to never come under Saisei, Evanthe or even now, Shizukesa. While it was true they were operating without the sanction of Chrysanthemum Throne the message that the Anselmos had grown weak in confronting foreign threats had grown in some ranks of the Imperial Rokkenjiman Armed Forces, thus this most risky of missions.
Eliminating interference from the Grand Marshal had been paramount; hence the timing as Rowe happened to be occupied at the moment. The two Rokkenjiman pilots soon found their focus upon two aircraft, with the RK80s accelerating as they approached Akawashi 304. While in similar past instances a wide berth would be given to the aircraft of Daitō this time went much different. The first Rokkenjiman aircraft would pass within just 25 feet of the nose of Akawashi 304 whilst the second would chance fate even further, at just 19 feet. Increasing the bluster of this act, the second pilot would also raise her middle finger even if the opposing pilot might not see it.
Soon the telephone lines would be ringing at Imperial High Command and the two pilots knew that their time here would be short, thus it was paramount to squeeze as much as they could out of those fleeting, most precious moments.