Wings of Fire Ch. 05

"Fank... oooo!" the little girl mumbled as her mouth was stuffed full of bread.

"Zhade, what did we say about speaking with your mouth full?" Ernie Sr. asked.

"Sowwy daddy!" Zhade replied before realizing that she should close her mouth.

"So, what are you three going to be up to after dinner?" Raeni questioned as she helped Zhade clean up.

"We're probably going to head down to the shop and do some planning. The captain told us she was going to get some raw materials to allow us to do the repairs for the planes. Along with whatever else we need for some prototype ideas that we are looking to build," her husband told her.

"Some of Jr.'s ideas?" the woman asked as she pulled Zhade into her lap.

"Not this time around, ma. James here brought some designs with him, so we're going to go with what he's got," Jr. told his mother.

"Wait, you've got some designs you made?" James asked his new friend.

"A few, but I haven't touched them in a while. Why?" Ernie Jr. wondered.

"Let me have a look at them! There might be a few things that I can help with to make them worth trying to build," James offered.

"You serious?" Ernie queried.

"I did work at an airfield for almost a decade, so I know my way around planes. Let's put our heads together and see what we come up with!" James told him.

"I should probably oversee this. Lord knows you two kids might need someone with some experience in these things," Ernie Sr. offered.

"Ah, boys will be boys!" Raeni giggled as the men stood up to leave. "Just don't be too long in the shop tonight, hon! Gonna give little miss here a bath, then put her down. Lord knows she'll sleep heavy tonight with all that food she ate!"

"Yes, dear! I'll be along in about two hours. Might want to grab a nap, because I'm not sure you'll be getting any sleep tonight," Sr. chuckled.

"Dad, boundaries!" Jr. groused as they left the mess. Ernie Sr. just laughed the whole way down to the workshop, as did James, who was enjoying Jr. being grossed out by his parents' affection for one another.

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"So, Captain, you have items of value that you have secured, which will see us back on the rise to prominence?" the bosun questioned.

"Aye, I have! I have also contracted the services of Mr. Brighton, who will not only restore our fleet, but upgrade it," she told the officers.

"Indeed? How would he do such things? He is but a boy," Li-Fan Chang replied with an air of disdain.

"That boy, spent the last eight years working at an airfield, as well as being highly educated in the US. Had his mother not been a wealthy woman, he would not have the education and mindset he has today," the captain told her First Officer.

"I see. Experience is useful and if he got an early start, then he may prove of use," the First Officer agreed.

"He was also tutored in aerospace design and theory, which is how he was able to design that marvel he flew in. Not to mention that he trained under one of my compatriots," Michelle iterated.

"May we ask who he trained under, captain? I've heard some of the men talk, but I want to hear it from you. Just to be sure the boys aren't blowing smoke," the head engineer told her.

"Iron Wolf himself, trained the boy on how to fly. Taught him a lot, apparently," Michelle told the group.

Hearing this wiped the doubt from their faces and their minds. The men and women there then nodded, as George Vlahos, a.k.a. Iron Wolf was an ace pilot. If James had received his training under that man, then there was no doubt the kid was a good flier. With how shorthanded they were at the moment, they needed anyone who could fly a plane in their roster.

"I retract any previous statements about that boy's flying skills. He does require training in how to defend himself, though. His swordsmanship is terrible," Li-Fan told her captain.

"I heard about the utter thrashing you gave the poor boy. I am curious about why you were so hard on him for his first lesson," Michelle questioned.

"Because he is of a bloodline, that must know how," Li-Fan stated.

"Oh? Explain," Captain Greyheart.

"The boy doesn't know who his father is, but was left a clue by his mother. A clue that compels me to train the boy personally," the First Officer told her around a mouthful of food.

"Training him personally?" Michelle asked, her eyebrows climbing.

"Aye, Captain!" the Bosun told her. "She let Ernie continue with teaching young James about how to stand properly during a fight. He was also taking him through basic blocks and parries, and to discard the silly notion about flashy and fancy moves during a fight."

"That is good to hear! Now, I'm certain that a great many of you are curious about what items of value I may have procured. Simply put, items like this, is what I have taken from young Mr. Brighton," she told the group, placing the gold bar from her desk on the table.

"That kid... had one of these on him?!?" the Bosun queried.

"He had three. All of which are now ours, which we will use to rebuild the fleet. Something which young Mr. Brighton will be helping with," Michelle told her officers.

"How did you get these bars from the boy?" Li-Fan inquired, curious about what sort of bargain was struck. Michelle told her officers of the deal she had made with James, detailing what he was to do for them and what he was being allowed to keep. She left out the part where he would fuck her brains out, as they didn't need to know that.

"I'd say the asking was steep indeed, captain, but allowing the boy to keep his plane and his weapons is more than fair in exchange for the gold," one of the officers intoned, smiling for the first time in weeks.

"Indeed! I'm not only thinking of all the things we can get that we need, but also some things that we all could want!" the Bosun stated.

"Oh? Such as?" the captain queried.

"Some proper Scotch whisky! Also, some of that good Indigenous ale for the men! Lord knows they don't like that horsepiss the US calls beer!" the Bosun chuckled.

"On that, I could not agree more! I think our turn of good fortune requires a toast! To the Crimson Sky!" Michelle called out, raising her glass of ale.

"To the Crimson Sky!!"

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James, Ernie Sr. and Ernie Jr. were standing there, going over one of the designs that Jr. had come up with a while ago. James had made some recommended changes, which Jr. agreed to, making the plane more aerodynamically sound. Sr. added some of his input, which was incorporated into the design. Once they had made the necessary changes, they stood back and admired the work they had done.

"Now that sort of plane, that's something I could get behind!" Ernie Sr. stated.

"I would agree! It should fly quite fast and have a good deal of maneuverability! Its overall top speed might be a bit lagging, but this looks like something that could be done!" James responded.

"While it isn't my original design, I admit, I do kind of like the direction this one is going!" Jr. admitted with a yawn.

"What time is it?" James wondered.

"It's just after eleven," Sr. said, pointing at a nearby wall clock. "We should all probably get ourselves some rack time."

"Especially you, Jim! You've got sword lessons with the First Officer early!" Jr. reminded the man.

"You'll want to get yourself some sleep then, lad! The First Officer does not tolerate anyone being late!" Sr. said in agreement with his son.

"Early is on time, on time is late and late is unacceptable!" James smiled, reciting a mantra his grandfather had drilled into him. "Do you know where I am to meet her?"

"The same spot where she whooped your ass," Jr. chuckled.

"All right. You might want to get a move on, Ernie. Don't want to keep your wife waiting too long now, do you?" James chuckled. Both men looked at James quizzically for a moment, before a feral grin came up on Sr.'s face. Jr. just rolled his eyes as James laughed on his way out of the hangar.

He grabbed his duffle and headed for a room nearby that was unoccupied. He found one in short order and surveyed it. There was a single bed, bolted to one of the walls, which had a mattress, sheets, pillow, and three blankets. While James wasn't cold, he figured things could get chilly, which explained why so many blankets were there.

There was also a small nightstand, which wasn't bolted down, along with a lamp and an alarm clock. James noted there was a door on the left wall, which he quickly investigated. The room on the other side of the door was a functioning bathroom, with a toilet, ceramic bathtub and shower stall. There was also a closet, which had some basic supplies, such as towels, soap, shampoo, and even some shaving supplies.

While the supplies were a bit dated and the towels a little dusty, James still smiled as he went back to his room. He started unpacking his duffle bag, pulling out everything in it and stowing it in the room. His clothes were easy to put away, as there was a small closet built into the wall right next to the bathroom door. James' personal items, such as the letters from his mother and his history books, went into the nightstand.

James' revolver went inside as well, but his sword went over into the closet. While it was a weapon, it was a beautiful one, something he was going to ensure was kept out of sight. He still had a couple of bottles of wine, which he put in the closet as well, ensuring they wouldn't tumble out and break. Once he had everything put in its place, James got out of his clothes and walked into the bathroom.

He turned the light on and got a shower started, letting the water heat up before he stepped into the stall to get cleaned up. James had to scrub the soap a little, removing the musty film before it finally was working into a lather. The man got himself scrubbed up until he was squeaky clean, so he'd have a nice and enjoyable sleep tonight. Once he finished washing, James just stood there under the hot water, letting the heat warm his bones.

Once he felt he was warm enough, James killed the water and stepped out, grabbing a towel he had shaken out to dry off in. He returned to his room and put a pair of boxers on before he threw back the sheets and dusted the bed off. James picked up the alarm clock, setting it for five-thirty, and climbed into bed. He pulled two blankets over him, as it was still a bit chilly in his room.

James was a little sleepy, but knew that it wouldn't come soon. So, he turned to the one thing he knew would help put him to sleep; reading. James pulled out the history book he'd been reading and found the chapter he'd left off on. The tail end of World War II and the events that followed in Europe after it was over.

The end of the war changed the demographics of Europe drastically with the surrender of Germany. With the death of Adolf Hitler, the D-Day invasion was a rousing success, as the Allies encountered little to no resistance from Nazi forces. The will of many of the soldiers of the Nazi regime was broken with the death of their Fuhrer, with many of them seeing no more point in fighting any further.

Resistance groups rose up in droves because of Hitler's death. The death of such a powerful man emboldened them all, showing them that you could fight and win. The Resistance fighters were of great assistance to the Allied march. They primarily rooted out and destroyed various cabals and cells of Nazi resistance, crushing them wherever they were found.

The largest and most resistant of these Nazi cabals was centralized in Belarus and Poland. This was where the last of Hitler's inner circle had gathered. Himmler, Goring and Kietel, known as the Last Three, had rallied what Nazi soldiers they could to stand with them.

These men would have been with Hitler at the rally that Hitler was hosting, but they had pressing matters on the eastern front. It was because of this was why they weren't there when the Black Widows had launched their sortie against Hitler that day. It was something more serendipitous for them, as now they were the ones in charge of the Nazi war machine.

Once Stauffenberg had completed his coup with the aid of the Black Widows, they knew Germany was lost. They still had most of Poland, and large swaths of Belarus, under their direct control, which they used to their advantage. They hardened their fortifications and dug in, knowing that this was going to be a long fight.

At first, they succeeded in holding back the Allies and the oncoming Red Army. One of the deciding factors that allowed them to hold so long was the winter. It had been a harsh one, which had seen many soldiers freeze to death on both sides. This deterred the fighting, at least until the first spring thaw. Once this happened, then it was open season on the Nazi remnant.

Having lost Germany, the Nazis fought like cornered animals, doing their best to sell their lives at a high cost for every inch of ground gained. The Last Three were trying to create a new Reich out of Poland, desperate to hold onto what power they had. Knowing they weren't in a strong position, they did all they could to hold the line against the might of the Allies.

Once the Allies finished mopping up in Europe, they turned their full attention to the Nazi remnant. Stauffenberg issued a proclamation, which would grant amnesty to any soldier who surrendered themselves to the allies. They would be given a fair trail, in accordance with the laws set up in the Geneva Convention. Those who were just soldiers doing their duty would see the possibility of a full pardon for their actions.

The Last Three decried this as a propaganda move, doing what they could to hold their forces together. Some had tried to surrender themselves openly, but were taken by their compatriots and brought to Himmler. The SS, under Himmler's orders, made brutal and grisly examples of these men, showing the fate that awaited for all traitors.

Any soldier who wished to surrender or defect had to do so in secret. Within a week, nearly one eighth of all soldiers who served the Last Three surrendered to the Allies. When the knowledge of what the SS were doing became public knowledge, is when the attack on their strongholds began in earnest. While the Nazis were dug in and held a great portion of land, even they couldn't hold against the juggernaut that was the Allies.

Caught between the Red Army on the east, and the might of the French, English, Canadian and American armies on the west, it was only a matter of time until the Nazis were pushed back. Despite receiving the orders to stand down, even the Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe, under Chancellor Stauffenberg, went to war against the Nazi remnant.

When asked why they felt they had to be in this fight, they were told that the Nazis were their problem too. There was no way they were going to sit out this fight, as these 'men', who were Scum of the Earth, had taken over their country. How they had taken power they did not deserve and used it to oppress whoever they wished. The soldiers of the newly liberated Germany saw it as their duty to put down the traitorous Nazis themselves.

Despite Allied protests, the sheer ferocity of the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffe surprised even the Nazis. No one had ever seen people fight against their own countrymen with such vehemence. It was because of this level of ferocity that gave the Allies the chances they needed to punch through the Nazi ranks. With the lines of defense broken, the Nazis retreated to the city that would soon become their grave; Hrodna.

When the Allies surrounded the city, they knew this was the final site of battle. For seven days, it was a long and bloody conflict, with heavy casualties on both sides. Eventually, it ended as the last kill of the war was a soldier who was trying to suicide bomb a convoy of medical supplies.

Once that was dealt with, a full accounting of the bodies was done. Most of it couldn't be done properly, as there were so many who had died in the air raids on the city. Many who perished in such raids couldn't be identified, because there was nothing big enough left to identify them by. With the last of the Nazi powers defeated, the Allies then turned their focus to Germany and dividing up what was left of Europe.

The Allies withdrew to Warsaw, where Stauffenberg, Stalin, Truman, and Churchill gathered to determine the fate of Germany. Stauffenberg was primarily concerned with what would become of his people, as restitution was demanded for the war that happened. Much of this was handled when Stauffenberg allowed the Allies to see and replicate whatever his country had come up with.

While it was a good start, it wasn't enough, so Stauffenberg allowed the Allies to build military bases on German soil. This particular caveat not only placated the Allies, but it also allowed the country to be kept intact instead of being chopped up. Austria was released from German rule and allowed to govern itself once again.

Despite vocal protests from Truman to divide the country, the various benefits the western Allies enjoyed from German research was more than enough to override his complaints. When the time came to divide the nations between the victors, many Allies were happy with the serious levels of influence and control they had over vast swaths of Europe. Most of these countries would retain their independence, after a fashion.

Everything east of Kaliningrad, Poland, was ceded to Stalin and the USSR. This included nations such as Hungary, Slovakia, Yugoslavia and Greece. Stalin was all too happy to take these countries, as it widened the USSR's sphere of influence. While Stalin wanted more land and influence, he knew his armies were tired of the war and that now was the time to start rebuilding.

Stalin knew he'd get his chance to take some of these other nations, eventually. So, for the moment, he accepted the deal and turned his attention to what was happening in his own backyard. Even though the USSR had gained much, things were on the verge of falling apart for the communists. A second revolution was fermenting in the country, one which Stalin had tried to quash, but had no success in doing so.

When it came to dealing with anyone who dissented against the communist ideal, Stalin had only one response; violence. He was iron fisted in dealing with such people, as he tolerated no one questioning his rule. But no matter how many they killed or imprisoned, they would melt away, like ghosts or wraiths, only to pop up again later. Eventually, this group would take on the moniker of Prizrak, which was Russian for 'Wraiths'.

The leader of the Prizrak was known only as Baba Yaga, and her mandate was simple. Destroy the Soviets from within, and to bring to their homes all the suffering these men had inflicted on the people. The Prizrak believed that all the problems the Soviets were suffering was God's vengeance for all the innocent lives that had been taken in Stalin's purges. Stalin's own paranoia was coming to do him in, and his bill was way past due.

Once the war had officially ended, the Prizrak would go on to expose a great many things about the Soviets. The appalling working conditions of the people who worked in factories, innocents being sent to the Gulags and, most notably, the hypocrisy of their leaders. The exposure of the leaders living like wealthy sheiks, while the rest of the country suffered in squalor, was the final straw.

The moment that such knowledge became public, along with proof of the lives they were living, things got bad. Faith in Stalin's leadership and the Communist ideal began to deteriorate, despite the nationwide crackdowns on this knowledge. Khrushchev tried to soften the blows and even turn Stalin away from such a course, but it wouldn't work. Stalin was obsessed with making the people love and fear him, at any cost.