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Chapter 18 (1/2)

The Story of One Continent Keiichi Sigsawa 93240K 2022-07-19

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Chapter 18: The Race is on

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The aht line over the northbound tracks

Benedict and Major Travas had taken off as soon as the airport opened at the crack of dawn, ascending as they left Raputoa City in line with the rails

About two months earlier, Major Travas had traveled down the sanito This ti much the same journey by plane

The craft cruised at several hundred ht plan Benedict suber were sitting with the s open Thein the pilot’s seat opened to the back, and thein the passenger seat opened to the front, so when both were open, the two panes of glass overlapped

They had also raised their seats as high as possible This configuration left thee of vision They held back the freezing winds that battered theles, and scarves

It had been an hour since takeoff

Once they were out of Raputoa City—and then its suburbs—they saw s from their seats

To the right were the endless plains of Raputoa, stretching on to the horizon Rice paddies just beginning to be planted, and the sun and the sky

Beloere four parallel sets of tracks that seeo on forever

To the left was yet more land, and the surface of the Lutoni River in the distance

Benedict confirht before et=”” going=””>

<right,> Major Travas replied, pressing the talk button <i’m in=”” your=”” hands=””>

The craft banked hard to the left and pulled into a rapid dive The dirt of the plains quickly drew near

Having descended west in an instant, the craft slowly pulled up again and began cruising at barely 10 round

Benedict kept the plane close to the ground to keep it out of sight The grassy plains rushed past the sides of the craft

Thanks to Benedict’s still-polished skills, the craft safely made it past the buffer zone and into the Lutoni

The great river was hundreds of meters wide As soon as Benedict reached the air over it, he ascended and slowly banked to the left, pointing the craft due north

Then he fle over the edge of the river on the east bank

<we’ll head=”” on=”” north=”” like=”” this=”” for=”” an=”” hour=”” let=”” =”” i’ll=”” keep=”” an=”” eye=”” out=”” too=””> Benedict said, starting the stopwatch function on the chronograph on his left wrist

Major Travas took up a sht

He pulled his goggles onto his forehead and searched, alternating between his own eyes and the binoculars

The river looked as if it were painted on, the sarew into reen without end

The caed aeroplane was buried somewhere in that landscape

If only the vertical stabilizer had not been snapped off during the crash, Major Travas ht have been able to use it as a beacon to find But he was forced to search the hard way

Benedict’s craft did not have enough fuel to travel up and down the Lutoni multiple times If they could not find the craft within the day, they would have to return tomorrow Neither Benedict nor Major Travas could allow themselves to relax

About 10 minutes passed in tense silence

<there!> Major Travas cried into the microphone

<where? i=”” don’t=”” see=”” it=””>

Benedict pulled up as he scanned his surroundings, thenthe riverbank to his left Then he landed

The plane cah it were sucked into the water’s surface It left a white wake in the brown river Benedict kept the speed to a minimum as he slowly cruised up the Lutoni, about 20 meters from the shore

But several seconds later—

Benedict also spotted the wreck

The fuselage was lying on the bank with the horizontal stabilizer sub its vertical stabilizer and its right wing

<could you=”” let=”” me=”” off=”” here?=””> asked Major Travas There was an inflatable life raft in the seat inside the fuselage

Benedict fleards the riverbank He tilted left and crossed the grass, searching for the nearest possible landing point

<how soft=”” is=”” the=”” dirt=”” around=”” here?=””> he asked

<quite soft,=””> Major Travas replied <just crawling=”” over=”” it=”” left=”” clear,=”” visible=”” streaks=””>

<that’s no=”” good,=”” then=”” the=”” landing=”” gear=”” ’s=”” no=”” proble=”” off=”” will=”” be=”” an=”” issue,=””> Benedict sighed If they could not take off, Benedict would be stranded as well this ti with a 30-kilometer walk out of the buffer zone <no roads=”” nearby?=””>

Even the buffer zone had some roads for local fisher and surveillance duty

<i’m afraid=”” not,=””> Major Travas said

<that so?=”” i=”” don’t=”” see=”” anything,=”” either,=””> Benedict replied as he circled the air <then i=”” guess=”” we’re=”” gonna=”” have=”” to=”” go=”” boating,=””> he joked

But a second later—

<we’ve got=”” guests,=””> Benedict said <in the=”” nine=”” o’clock=”” direction=”” you=”” see=”” them?=””>

Major Travas turned to his left He saw the Lutoni, the western buffer zone, and five black dots in the sky From the direction, they were clearly Western crafts

If the crafts were flying over the buffer zone and approaching the border, they were clearly not an official search party

The dots grew larger and larger They were headed in Travas and Benedict’s direction

<they’ve probably=”” seen=”” us=”” silver=”” sticks=”” out=”” like=”” a=”” sore=”” thuet=”” allocation=”” for=”” a=”” paint=”” job,=””> Benedict sighed casually <looks like=”” we’re=”” not=”” gonna=”” be=”” boating=”” now=””>

=””>

Benedict turned towards the approaching planes, which were clearly about to violate Roxchean airspace He accelerated full throttle

<sir! unidentified=”” craft=”” in=”” the=”” 1300=”” direction!=”” on=”” the=”” riverbank!=””>

Cornelius took out his binoculars He glared at the target

Circling the riverbank was an a a loud silver

“Hah hah!” Cornelius guffawed, pressing the call button <looks like=”” they’ve=”” done=”” our=”” work=”” for=”” us!=””>

Four of the crafts from the former Teruto Base were surveillance seaplanes They had been picked out of the planes left in the hangars, quicklyrefueled and repaired

They were small biplanes with two floats each, once aphased out of use

Though the model was theoretically intended for surveillance, it was also equipped with two 77hts in a limited capacity It was no slouch in speed, either, which hy the reen-tone cae They were two-seaters but carried only oneout of their open cockpits

The last plane was a brown liaison craft It was long and thin like a fish stripped to the bone, with landing gear sticking out from its underside The craft was unarmed

Although it was an outdatedand takeoff capabilities It could even land and take off on rough terrain

In the past, when this model was still considered new, Benedict had flown the sauration—and landed in a square in Kunst with Fiona

Cornelius sat in the back, wearing his caht and break formation Then he contacted the rest of his men

The men responded with enthusiasm

Benedict’s plane and the four Western crafts passed one another by in the middle of the Lutoni

If a plane were to turn to escape at this point, it would make itself completely vulnerable to ene into the midst of the formation His four opponents also accelerated to pass hi to a midair collision, but it also opened up a chance for fly-by fire

<they’re not=”” gonna=”” know=”” my=”” craft’s=”” unarh,=””> Benedict re a full

There were 10 seconds before the crafts passed each other

“All right,” Benedict said, changing channels <hey! don’t=”” shoot,=”” guys!=”” it’s=”” me!=””> he cried in Bezelese

“Huh?” “What?” “Hm?” “Oh?”

The other pilots fell into a sudden panic

In that moment of confusion, the crafts passed one another by without firing a shot

“Those are soe the <dammit,up to the other planes and entering forht side of the plane on the far right

Benedict’s eyes ave a wave

<who are=”” you?=”” you’re=”” from=”” sou=”” be-il?=””> asked the man Major Travas could hear his voice as well

<obviously,> said Benedict <how else=”” would=”” i=”” be=”” talking=”” to=”” you?=”” you’re=”” looking=”” for=”” the=”” =”” aeroplane=”” too?=””>

Several seconds later, thehonesty <y-yes so=”” who=”” are=”” you=”” again?=””>

<c’mon, it’s=”” me!=””>

<you’ve got=”” so=”” officer?!=””>

“I knew it!” Benedict cried triu in even closer He switched to Major Travas <they’re not=”” official=”” =”” for=”” our=”” mastermind=”” shoot=”” them=””>

An assault rifle roared over the Lutoni River

Major Travas unfolded the stock, raised the gun, chambered the first round, and took precise aim Then he opened fire

It was one shot on seushed from the head of the pilot

Thelimp with the control stick still in it The craft slowly ascended, but lost speed and balance—then it flipped over into a spiral before crashi+ng into the Lutoni

<one ine=”” on=”” this=”” one=”” too!=””> Benedict ordered, sliding in closer to the next seaplane

Major Travas switched the assault rifle to automatic mode and took aim

He fired without a second’s hesitation The pilot was still staring in a daze when the bullets came down on him like hail

About five shots later, Major Travas turned to the engine and continued pulling the trigger

Sparks flew froine near the nose Then came a puff of white smoke

Major Travas did not stop He fought the recoil froth he built up while in the hospital Shell casings leapt froun and scattered in the wind

Thirty spent casings later, the seaplane began spewing fire froround in a trail of black s its fatally wounded pilot

Benedict gave Major Travas two seconds to put away his gun before diving hard to the right to escape

<hey…> nemies!>

Only then did the two re was amiss

“da into the river His craft was hanging back—putting its low-speed cruising capabilities to good use—and had just found the wreckage

The liaison craft landed on the Roxche side, about 300off in the mud was not difficult for this model

Cornelius slid the hatch open and stepped out, grabbing a Sou Be-Il un from behind his seat

This was the sa the commotion at Ikstova It had a wooden stock and looked like a sawn-off rifle The gun took curved un rounds

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