Wings of the Stars

Six Days After the "Success" of Trying to Capture the Razushitzel

The tension at Iron Gale Air Base was at an all-time high.

Both Primordial Squadron and Waltz Squadron were skeptical of Brigadier General Buzuleac, and for damn good reason.

The Razushitzel had slipped through their fingers and now roamed the seas near Snezhnaya, with an insane captain at the helm. With that behemoth still in play, the tides of war could shift back in the enemy's favor.

No one in the briefing room was relaxed.

Silence. Thick, suffocating silence.

Furina was still pissed. Jean looked exhausted, stress lining her face. Everyone else was on edge. But the Brigadier General? That smug bastard looked like he didn't give a single shit.

The screen in front of them flickered on, and with an air of complete indifference, Buzuleac started the briefing.

"Okay... I hope we can set aside our differences. But we have to proceed."

His tone was so casual that Furina's fingers twitched with the urge to grab something and throw it at his head.

"Let's start. The Snezhnayan Navy has spent the past five days gathering their entire fleet at Alicorn Bay—sixty miles west of Bespokoynaya Bay. They've even reactivated mothballed ships, desperate to reinforce their naval power before the inevitable battle at Morepesok."

"And our intelligence suggests the Razushitzel will be arriving there soon, linking up with the fleet."

The tension in the room tightened like a noose.

Then, Kaveh joined the meeting via video call.

"Can you provide a source for that intel, Brigadier General?"

"There's a possibility that someone within their ranks is working sabotage."

Buzuleac scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Why don't you shut that damn mouth of yours? You're a weapons expert, not my superior. From now on, you ask for permission to speak."

Furina's eye twitched so violently she nearly saw red. "The fuck is up with him?" she muttered.

Kaveh let out a slow breath, clearly holding back his own irritation. "Permission to speak, Brigadier General?"

Buzuleac sighed as if bored. "No. I'll be speaking to your superiors instead."

Furina's jaw clenched. "Get a load of this asshole… Tch."

The display switched to a live image of Alicorn Bay—a massive coastal city bustling with enemy warships, repair yards, and logistical hubs.

"This is your mission," Buzuleac continued. "The TSSG is to raid Alicorn Bay. Conduct airstrikes from south to north, east to west. Inflict as much damage as possible."

"If we cripple the bay's naval functions, we can prevent the Razushitzel from linking up with the fleet. More importantly, we cut off its resupply options."

"To delay enemy detection, you'll be flying low-altitude infiltration."

"Multiple rearming supply zones have been established south, east, and west of the target area. If you need to refuel or replenish ammunition, use them."

"And here's the good news—"

Jean's fingers curled into fists.

"—the enemy's defenses will be disabled at this time, making them sitting ducks for our assault. Use this window to destroy as much as you can."

Then came the kicker.

"Today, I am assigning the Waltz Squadron to sortie in a small number."

The room exploded.

Furina shot to her feet so fast her chair nearly toppled over.

"Now, wait a FUCKING second!"

Her voice was pure rage, sharp and lethal.

"You want us—a small number of pilots—to take on a goddamn naval fleet!?"

Her gloved hands slammed against the table, the sound ringing through the room.

"You're sending Waltz Squadron into a suicidal mission and expecting us to just take it? Time is of the essence, you bureaucratic bastard! If they activate their defenses, we are FUCKED! This is a do-or-die mission!"

Jean stood up next.

"She has a point! You can't destroy a shit ton of naval power with just five planes!"

Buzuleac scoffed, leaning back in his chair like this was some mild inconvenience.

"My decision is final. Either you do it, or I shut the TSSG down."

The entire room shook with sheer outrage.

Collei shot up from her seat.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!"

Then Eula stood up next.

"DO YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO SAY THAT SHIT TO MY FACE!?"

Then Ningguang.

"HOW ABOUT I SHOVE THAT REMOTE UP YOUR ASS!?"

Then Mavuika.

"I THINK YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR GODDAMNED FUCKING MIND!"

Then Ei.

"HOW ABOUT I STRIKE YOU DOWN WITH A BALLISTIC MISSILE?"

Then Amber.

"CAN I PUNCH YOU, LIKE, A MILLION TIMES!?"

Then Clorinde.

"HOW ABOUT A DUEL TO THE DEATH, ASSHOLE?"

Then Wriothesley.

"YOU HAVE SOME NERVE TALKING LIKE THAT. WHAT IF MY FIST MAKES CONTACT WITH YOUR FACE?"

The room was an instant away from erupting into chaos.

Furina had enough.

With zero hesitation, she drew her pistol.

The cold weight in her palm steadied her fury.

With a sharp step, she moved to the only window in the room—and fired two warning shots into the sky.

BANG! BANG!

The entire squad ducked for cover.

Silence.

Furina's voice was a snarl of fury.

"EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

A slow, eerie silence descended upon the briefing room.

Everyone froze. Even Buzuleac.

Furina marched towards him, gun still in hand.

Her footsteps echoed in the tense, dead air.

When she stopped in front of him, her icy blue gaze locked onto his.

"You have some fucking nerve to walk in here and threaten to shut us down. Exactly who the FUCK do you think you are? Huh!?"

Buzuleac had the audacity to scoff.

"And you have some nerve, firing your weapon."

Furina's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the pistol.

Then, her voice dropped into a venomous whisper—one thick with her French accent.

"Je suis sur le point de te tirer une putain de balle, Général de Brigade… Dis un mot de plus, et tu n'as aucune idée de ce que je ferai de ton cul désolé…"

She took a slow step back, eyes still locked on him.

Holstering her pistol, she turned away, grabbed her helmet, and stormed out.

Jean exhaled sharply, turning to Mavuika.

"I think it's best you sit this one out… and watch our Brigadier General here."

Mavuika casually unholstered her weapon.

"My pleasure."

Marching to the Apron Hangars

The squadron grabbed their helmets one by one, saying nothing as they walked away from the briefing room.

The anger, tension, and disbelief still hung in the air like a brewing storm, unspoken but not ignored.

Furina stormed ahead, her boots hitting the pavement with an unshaken determination.

She had no time for hesitation. No time for regret.

This mission was fucked from the start, but she wasn't about to back down.

Not now.

Not ever.

But before she could reach her Rafale, she felt a hand grab her shoulder.

"Furina!"

Jean's voice was urgent, but also frustrated.

Furina stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around.

"Was that really necessary?"

Silence.

Furina kept walking.

Jean quickened her pace, stepping in front of her, forcing her to stop.

"Furina! Talk to me!"

For a moment, Jean thought Furina would ignore her again, but then—

"Something is really going on here, Jean."

Furina's voice was low and serious, her usual sharpness laced with suspicion.

"He specifically requested my squadron. Again."

Jean frowned. "We both have five pilots. It's not gonna make a difference."

Furina shook her head.

"It's not just that. Too many coincidences, Jean. Way too many."

Jean crossed her arms, still unconvinced.

"Look, I get it. But was it really necessary to fire your weapon twice?"

Furina nodded, no hesitation.

"If it's the only way to get people to shut the fuck up, then yes."

Jean sighed, rubbing her forehead.

"Furina... Please. Just... don't take this attitude into the cockpit."

Furina exhaled slowly.

"Look, I did what I had to do. Let's just get this damned mission over with."

With that, she turned and walked away, heading straight for her Rafale.

Jean watched Furina go, brows furrowed.

"Did she ever have an outburst like this before?" she asked, turning to Clorinde.

Clorinde shook her head. "No."

Jean's concern deepened.

"And when she's this angry... does it affect her flying?"

Clorinde exhaled.

"No… It's the opposite."

Jean raised an eyebrow. "The opposite?"

That's when Wriothesley joined the conversation.

"When Furina is angry, she actually gets... better. Like, scary better."

Clorinde nodded in agreement.

"She won't leave a single enemy behind. Even if they aren't a target."

Jean's eyes widened.

"R-Really?"

They both nodded.

Jean took a deep breath, placing her hands on her hips.

"Well... Let's remember to support Waltz One."

"In case those Berkrut nuts show up again."

With that, Jean, Clorinde, and Wriothesley parted ways, heading toward the hangars.

The rest of the squadron arrived shortly after.

Meanwhile, at Furina's hangar, she was already seated in her Dassault Rafale, the harness securely fastened.

Her gloved fingers gripped the controls lightly, her breath slow and steady.

She inhaled deeply.

Held it.

Then let it out.

Her mind freed itself for a moment, the noise fading into the background.

But only for a moment.

Because no matter how hard she tried—

One thought refused to leave her head.

"What in the hell is this Brigadier General planning?"

Her fingers twitched over the control panel.

"He has something planned. I know it..."

Furina snapped on her oxygen mask, sealing herself into the cockpit.

With a quick flick of the switches, the twin M88 engines roared to life, the familiar vibration beneath her seat steadying her nerves.

Then, the radio crackled.

"Primordial Squadron, ready to sortie."

Furina reached for the radio, her voice steady, confident—

"Waltz Squadron, ready to sortie."

And with that—

The skies unknown, awaited them.

Alicorn Bay—The Raid Begins

Hours later…

They had arrived.

The warplanes screamed over the dark blue waters of Alicorn Bay, flying low to avoid early detection.

Two tight V-formations.

Left flank—Waltz Squadron.

Right flank—Primordial Squadron.

Nine planes. Nine Aces. One mission. Destroy everything.

Then, AWACS Visionaire came over the radio, his usual playful tone cutting through the tension.

"Looks like the party's ready for the guests! Food's buffet style, pick whatever dish you like! Go and get 'em, guys and gals!"

Furina grinned, flipping her safety off.

"Alright, let's go!"

She slammed her throttle forward, the engines roaring as her Rafale surged ahead.

The rest of the squadron broke formation, peeling off into their own attack runs.

Furina's eyes locked onto the harbor below.

Enemy assets littered the port—massive drone container boxes, multiple cruisers and destroyers, fuel tankers, and AEGIS shore defense sites.

Too many targets.

Not enough time.

Furina pulled up sharply, gaining altitude.

Then, she cut her speed and nosed down into a steep dive.

Her HUD pinged a target—one of the massive drone containers.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Bombs away!"

She punched the release. A bomb detached, falling straight down.

Furina banked hard right, peeling away just as the container erupted into a blinding explosion.

BOOM.

AWACS Visionaire confirmed the hit instantly.

"Enemy drone containers destroyed!"

Then, enemy radio chatter crackled through.

"Enemy aircraft! We can't defend—our systems are still down!"

"Get them running! And take out that plane with the Golden Crown!"

Furina's smirk vanished.

They were expecting her.

"But sir! It'll take at least 30 minutes to activate them!"

"Then all we can do… is pray."

Furina looped back for another pass, this time locking onto a destroyer.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Bombs away!"

Two bombs detached.

DIRECT HIT.

The destroyer erupted in flames, chunks of metal and fire splintering into the ocean.

Furina cut through the black smoke, her jet leaving a streak in the sky.

AWACS Visionaire chimed in—

"Another juicy kill for Waltz! Great work!"

No hesitation.

No remorse.

Next target.

Furina angled for a cruiser.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Bombs away!"

The cruiser took a direct hit, another massive explosion rocking the harbor.

AWACS Visionaire laughed.

"That fried chicken is served well-done! Cruiser down, Waltz!"

Furina rolled right, eyes narrowing at the last AEGIS shore site.

Too dangerous to leave standing.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Fox Three!"

Her LACM missile streaked through the air—

IMPACT.

Another explosion.

AWACS Visionaire confirmed.

"With the AEGIS destroyed, everything in the harbor is gone. But there's still more food downtown and in the suburbs!"

Furina climbed away from the smoldering wreckage, but her radio suddenly crackled.

"Brigadier General Buzuleac… about Golden Crown… you sure we'll get a positive outcome this time?"

A second voice, deeper and colder, responded.

"Yes, Lieutenant General Camden. The operation is going as planned. 50% of the enemy forces have been neutralized."

Furina's grip tightened on the controls.

"This bastard really thinks he's calling the shots here, huh?"

Meanwhile, the rest of the squadron was racking up kills.

AWACS Visionaire rattled them off one by one—

"Primordial Four—enemy AEGIS site down!"

"Primordial Two—enemy cruiser down!"

"Waltz Three—enemy container site down!"

Fire, debris, and smoke choked Alicorn Bay.

Furina dived low toward a destroyer, her crosshairs flashing.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Bombs away!"

The ship erupted into flames, sending shockwaves across the water.

Furina cut through the smoke, her radio hot with squad chatter.

"You see this, Brigadier General? This is how an operation is done. Fast and efficiently."

Clorinde chuckled.

"And one of them is élégante et efficace."

Collei joined in.

"If you think she's elegant when she's pissed, you have another thing coming!"

Clorinde smirked.

"I didn't say anything like that, Cuilenen."

Meanwhile, enemy radio chatter grew frantic.

"We're losing more ships!"

"Deploy the drones!"

"The containers are destroyed! There's nothing left!"

"Then prepare the AEGIS!"

"All AEGIS sites are gone!"

Silence.

Then, a broken, panicked voice—

"Oh, Lord Archons… save us."

Then, a final, rage-fueled scream—

"DAMN YOU, GOLDEN CROWN! DAMN YOU TO HELL!"

Furina spotted a cluster of AA guns below.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Bombs away!"

DIRECT HIT.

AWACS Visionaire whistled.

"That's another turkey sandwich for me, Waltz! Good work!"

More confirmations rolled in—

"Waltz Three—enemy AA guns destroyed!"

"Waltz Four—enemy patrol boat destroyed!"

"Primordial Two—enemy AEGIS site down!"

"Primordial One—enemy drone containers destroyed!"

"Waltz Two—enemy cruiser destroyed!"

"Waltz Five—enemy destroyer destroyed!"

Furina smirked.

"Voilà, c'est efficace!"

Then, the radio crackled again.

A dark, angry voice.

"Looks like you triggered the wrong pilot today, Brigadier General Buzuleac."

Furina grinned.

"Damn right you did."

Meanwhile, the enemy's last hope faded.

"How many ships are left operational!?"

"Only two destroyers left, sir!"

"WHAT!?"

Then—

TWO MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS.

AWACS Visionaire confirmed it instantly.

"And that's a Destroyer Sandwich! Nice kill, Primordial Four and Waltz Five!"

Then, Ningguang chimed in.

"I'd love an ice-cold beer right now."

Collei chuckled.

"No beer for me today—an ice-cold soda will do!"

Then, the enemy's final transmission.

"THEY DESTROYED ALL OUR SHIPS!"

Silence.

Alicorn Bay was burning.

Just as the last enemy warship sank beneath the burning waves, AWACS Visionaire's voice cut through the radio.

"Enemy interceptors inbound! Eight bandits—SU-25s and MiG-29s!"

Furina's lips curled into a smirk.

"Alright… let's dance, mon chérie."

She shoved the throttle forward, her Rafale roaring ahead toward the incoming MiG-29.

The Foxbat tried to evade, banking hard to the left.

Furina mimicked every move, staying right on its tail.

"Oh, you want to run? Let's see how far you get."

The MiG-29 jerked upward, going into a steep vertical climb.

Furina pulled back on the stick, rocketing straight up after it.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Fox Two!"

A Sidewinder streaked forward—impact.

BOOM.

The MiG erupted in flames, spiraling toward the ocean.

Furina yanked the stick down, her jet nosing over into a steep dive before stabilizing at low altitude.

Then—

WARNING. LOCK DETECTED.

Another MiG-29 was on her six.

"Tch—persistent, aren't we?"

Furina slammed the throttle and broke hard left.

The MiG followed.

Hard left. Hard right.

The enemy pilot was good. But not good enough.

Furina yanked the stick back, nose pitching up 90 degrees.

Her Rafale suddenly slowed dramatically—executing a Pugachev's Cobra.

The MiG overshot, flying right past her.

Now it was her turn.

Furina dove down, locking onto the enemy.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Fox Two!"

The missile hit home, shredding the MiG apart.

AWACS Visionaire chuckled.

"Splash two, Waltz! A nice MiG sandwich!"

The Kill Count Rises

Across the radio, more victories poured in.

"Splash one, Waltz Four!"

"Splash one, Primordial One!"

"Splash two, Waltz Five!"

"Splash one, Primordial Four!"

The sky belonged to them.

Then—

A new voice.

A laughter.

Deep. Unhinged.

Then came the words.

"Look at all of them. Dancing around like flies."

More laughter.

Then—

"SALVATION IS WHAT I SEEK FOR!"

"THE DEATH OF ONE MILLION IS NOT NECESSARY!"

"IT'S A NECESSITY!"

Furina's blood ran cold.

"This captain… is critically insane."

Jean's voice joined in, grim.

"That's what five years underwater does to you. Isolation at its finest."

Then, AWACS Visionaire made the call.

"Last enemy interceptor retreated! We're in the clear!"

Clorinde's voice came through, relieved.

"Well, what do you know?! We actually did it!"

Collei chuckled.

"See? Sometimes, the more, the better!"

Furina grinned, catching her breath.

"That's right! That's efficiency for you!"

Amber's voice chimed in.

"Literally! It's written on the side of your Rafale, Waltz! Efficace!""

Furina laughed.

Dogfight Over Alicorn Bay: The Fall of the Berkuts

Just as the last enemy interceptor retreated, AWACS Visionaire's voice came through again—urgent.

"Alert! Two bogeys inbound! Stand by for identification!"

Furina's eyes twitched.

"Don't tell me… it's those two fucking idiots again!?"

Then—her worst fear was confirmed.

"Two SU-47 Berkuts."

Furina sighed.

"Here comes Dumb and Dumber…"

BOOM.

"WALTZ FIVE, I'M HIT!"

Furina's eyes widened.

"COLLEI! RETREAT! BACK TO BASE!"

Collei's voice crackled through the radio, shaken.

"I lost one engine! But I'm retreating—going as fast as I can!"

Then—

"Good. That's one less to deal with. We're coming for you, Waltz One."

Furina's brow twitched.

"I know you two dumbasses are listening."

Her voice lowered, cold as ice.

"Bien. Qu'est-ce que tu attends...? Je suis là. Venez me chasser, CONNARDS!"

She yanked her Rafale into a hard right bank, diving low over the water.

Ashen's SU-47 took the bait, giving chase.

Collei's voice suddenly returned.

"I'm out of the warzone! But listen—I never heard a missile warning! The hit came out of nowhere!"

AWACS Visionaire jumped in.

"All aircraft, keep an eye on your radars! The Berkuts may have stealth missiles! Use countermeasures the moment you hear anything!"

Furina's eye twitched.

Stealth missiles…? That explains it.

But she had no time to think.

Ashen was right on her tail.

"I'm still behind you, Waltz!"

Furina gritted her teeth.

"How in fuck do you know my callsign!?"

Ashen scoffed.

"I've done my fair share of research… Captain."

Then—

A new voice.

"To the unidentified aircraft! Cease the fight and withdraw! That's an order!"

Furina's eyes widened.

"Brigadier General…!?"

Clorinde snapped in.

"It's too late, Brigadier General! Waltz has already started!"

Furina's missile alarm blared.

LOCK DETECTED.

She snapped into a vertical climb, pulling 8 Gs in the process.

The missile missed.

Ashen stayed right on her.

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN, CAPTAIN FURINA DE FONTAINE!"

The Brigadier General's voice grew more desperate.

"Retreat now! That's an order!"

Ashen laughed.

"We're not retreating. It's either Waltz or nothing."

"YOU SIBLINGS ARE IDIOTS!"

Then—Zimny's voice.

"CALL ME AN IDIOT AGAIN, AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

Jean's voice cut in.

"Siblings…?"

Ningguang's voice followed.

"Brother and sister…?"

Furina's eyes narrowed.

"You son of a bitch…"

Wriothesley sounded alarmed.

"They're talking to him, and he's responding! They're replying!"

Furina's brow twitched.

Her eyes sharpened.

Then—she pulled a daring move.

Her thumb pressed the spoileron.

She slammed the throttles back to idle.

The Rafale stopped climbing.

It began falling—fast.

Her nose turned over and snapped down.

Now—they were head-on.

Face to face.

TONE.

LOCK.

"BON VOYAGE, ASSHOLE!"

Two Sidewinders launched.

Ashen's eyes widened.

"SHIT, SHIT, SHI—"*

BOOM.

STATIC.

Then—Zimny's voice. Distraught.

"ASHEN! ASHEN!!!"

Then—sobs.

Furina leveled out, heading straight for Zimny's SU-47.

Zimny's voice crackled through the radio, broken.

"WHY, FURINA!? WHY!?"

Then—sobs.

"I… I CAN'T DO THIS ALONE."

His voice cracked.

"FURINA!"

"PLEASE!"

"PLEASE, KILL ME!"

"I CANT DO THIS ALONE!"

"PLEASE!"

"KILL ME! I DONT WANNA LIVE!"

Furina locked on.

TONE.

LOCK.

"Fox Two!"

Two Sidewinders deployed.

Two direct hits.

Zimny's SU-47 spiraled out of control.

AWACS Visionaire confirmed.

"Both bandits splashed, Waltz!"

Silence.

Then—Zimny's voice again.

Laughter.

Zimny's cockpit alarms blared.

Furina pressed the radio.

"To the pilot of the SU-47, EJECT!"

Zimny replied.

"No…"

Furina's grip tightened.

"EJECT, NOW!"

Zimny's voice shook.

"NO!"

His voice calmed.

"I… I know my brother is in a better place now. And I know I'm going to hell."

His breathing shuddered.

Then—

"AND YOU, FURINA DE FONTAINE…"

*"I'LL SEE YOU THERE SOO—"

Then—a splash.

Then—static.

Furina sighed.

"What a fucking lunatic."

Jean's voice followed.

"Tch. Serves them right."

The skies were silent.

The battle was won.

But somehow—Furina felt like she had just stepped into something bigger.

The radio crackled to life once more.

A sigh.

"The problem has been eliminated."

As the rest of Waltz Squadron and Primordial Squadron arrived, Furina stole a glance at Jean.

She gave a subtle hand signal.

Jean nodded, switching to secondary comms.

"Furina? Why the secondary comm?"

Furina's tone darkened.

"Did you hear the Brigadier General speaking to those two lunatics?"

Jean furrowed her brow.

"Yeah… why?"

Furina cracked her knuckles.

"Because that son of a bitch knew them."

Jean's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah… why does he know them?"

Furina scoffed.

"His ass is getting handed to him when I land!"

The Debriefing: Confrontation

An hour later, everyone had landed and gathered in the briefing room.

As the debriefing began, the doors slammed open.

Furina marched in.

Her eyes locked on the Brigadier General.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"

She swung a punch, but before it could connect, Ningguang and Mavuika grabbed her, pulling her back.

She stumbled—colliding into Collei.

A glass shattered.

"FURINA, STAND DOWN!"

"SIT DOWN!"

Furina gritted her teeth and sat down.

The chair groaned under her as Collei let out a deep sigh.

"Shit… my cola…"

The Brigadier General straightened his cuffs and continued.

"The fleet at Alicorn Bay has been eliminated. This prevents the Razushitzel from resupplying or joining enemy forces—including the unidentified aircraft."

"The mission is a complete success."

Furina scoffed.

"Complete success, my fucking ass!"

Her eyes sharpened.

"Those fucking mentalists knew you pretty fucking well."

The Brigadier General's expression tensed.

"It seems to me, Captain Furina, that you are mentally unfit. Report for a medical check. I'll decide if you're even fit to fly."

Furina bolted to her feet.

"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

Eula and Amber restrained her this time.

"Furina, CUT IT OUT!"

Furina sat back down, seething.

The Brigadier General exhaled sharply.

"Get the MP."

Then—a voice on the video call.

"Right. Get the MP."

The Brigadier General froze.

His eyes darted to the screen.

"V-Vice Chairman of Staff Boulmier!?"

Boulmier's voice was cold.

"The Razushitzel slipped into Alicorn Bay after you chased the forces away. It resupplied and escaped unharmed."

A chill settled over the room.

"Their goal was never to join forces. Their goal was to resupply through the window YOU opened."

Then—Kaveh's voice.

"Of the 358 crew members aboard the Razushitzel during the incident, 330 survived."

"As of last recording, 300 remain on board today."

"However, 30 men left the sub."

"We believe that some—or all—of them are now working as agents for the Razushitzel."

The air grew heavier.

"That means: Sabotage. Espionage. Cyber propaganda. Dissemination of intel."

Then—Kaveh's voice sharpened.

"Brigadier General, do you know someone named Solnev?"

The Brigadier General stiffened.

"He's a former crew member of the Razushitzel…"

Kaveh's voice was deadly.

"And your source of intel."

Silence.

Then Boulmier's final blow.

"You are a fucking idiot, Brigadier General Buzuleac."

A pause.

Then—her voice grew colder.

"Worse than that—the radio communications during the mission suggest that you are a goddamn fucking traitor."

Brigadier General Buzuleac's face paled.

"Ma'am, if you check with Lieutenant General Camden, you'll understand this is a misunderstanding!"

Boulmier's voice cut through him like a knife.

"Lieutenant General Camden claims you were solely responsible for handling all aspects of the mission."

Her next words sealed his fate.

"So let me say it again—GET. THE. MP."

Furina stood up.

"No need for that."

The Brigadier General turned to her.

But before he could react—

CRACK.

Furina whipped her pistol across his face.

The Brigadier collapsed.

Unconscious.

Furina spat on him.

"Piece of fucking shit…"

She grabbed his legs, dragging him toward the door.

The MPs arrived just as she stepped out.

One of them blinked at her.

"Captain… what's going on?"

Furina glanced at the knocked-out Brigadier General.

"Oh, him? He's arrested for treason. Knocked out, though."

The MP nodded.

"Alright, Captain. We'll take him to a cell."

Furina nodded back.

"Thanks."

The MPs hauled him away.

Furina returned to the briefing room and dropped into her chair.

Boulmier's voice resonated through the screen.

"Everyone, prepare. In a few days, we capture the Razushitzel. If they do anything stupid—sink it."

The video call ended.

Everyone dispersed.

Jean lingered.

She glanced at Furina.

"Huh. So I guess you're satisfied now?"

Furina smirked.

"Yup. Asshole deserved it."

Jean chuckled, passing her a beer.

"Yep. He sure did."

They clinked bottles.

Took a sip.

Jean grinned.

"Feeling bad for Collei's cola?"

Furina chuckled.

"Y-Yeah… I owe her one…"