The Last transmission. (for now)

Project Closed. 

RIP. 

It has been almost a year since i've decided to make a game with a mixture of RPG, table-to wargame and political quest, where my players would be a pilots stuck in foreign land. It started as a spin-off of Aeronautica Imperialis, then transformed into x-wing themed game, only to become a post WW2 game in African setting, namely Ethiopia and Eritrea. As i'm writing this, game is canceled due to various life commitments of my players. During this turbulent year I've made so many discoveries, read and learned so much about history of Ethiopia, tactics of air combat of those times, found so many interesting stories about legendary pilots, like Doug Bader and understood how aircraft design works. My bookshelf became crowded with several relevant titles, one of which "Mercy Kill" by Aaron Allston from Star Wars X-wing series became my get-away reading and source for several scenarios played. Whats more important i grew as writer, game master and person. Organizing a game with so much of your own work is scary but rewarding process. So thank you King's Angels for all the goodness and adventures. Though incomplete you gave me more than I was expecting. I hope one day I will return to your skies. 

Asmera

people of Asmera

Flight Lieutenant Terrence Whot

name: Terrence Whot
age: 27
body type: hobbit
callsign: Luqa
types flown: Hurricane, Spitfire,
Typhoon
aerial kills: 11
[5 Me-109, 2 SM.79, 2 Ju-88,
 1 Fw-190, 1 Me-110.]
service time: 1940-1945 RCAF/RAF

Meet Flight Lieutenant Terrence Whot of Royal Canadian Air Force. Surprisingly young and still eager to fight Terrence had his baptism of fire under command of legendary Doug Bader in Sq. No 242 during the late stages of Battle of Britain. Terrence mastered his Hurricane to the best of his abilities and before the battle was over scored two Me-109 and one Me-110. Bader noticed skilled newcomer to his squadron and took him under his wing. When unit switched to airfield raids in late 1940, Terrence usually was second leader in the flight of four Spitfires. Thought its not officially documented or proved, he might have been Bader's last wingman before his landing in occupied France and capture. 

After that sad event, Terrence was given additional training and sent aboard carrier HMS Argus in preparation of Operation White, on 2nd November 1940, a sea launch of Hurricanes towards besieged Malta. Operation was a relative success, as only 5 out of 12 aircraft reached airfield in Luqa, Malta. One of the crash landed Hurricanes belonged to Lieutenant Whot. Terrence fought his on Malta as part of Sq. No 261 until he was shot down in February 1941 and badly wounded. His recovery from injuries and burns took almost a year and a half. Though offered a medical retirement Terrence insisted on being re-enlisted into RCAF. By that time he added another four aircraft to his tally, 2 SM. 79 and 2 Ju-88 bombers. 

Upon return to duty Terrence was assigned to Sq. 197 where he stayed until the end of the war flying Typhoon Ib in mainly ground attack roles. His squadron took part in support of D-Day and later operated from France. However Bader's lessons were remembered well and he scored another 3 kills, two Me-109 and one Fw-190.    

One of the most remarkable operations he took part was an attack on SS Cap Arcona, on 3rd of May 1945 in Bay of Lübek. As a result of that attack 5000 prisoners of war from concentration camps died with capsized ship. Though orders are orders, Terrence was questioning the authority of attack on a ship. After the war ended, his squadron was disbanded and Terrence was deemed unfit for new jet fighters. Thought he remained in RAF reserve, they kept him on the ground. So when Bader called him and offered a job somewhere warm, he jumped on the opportunity. 

JJ: this day just gets better and better!

ohhh..

When i hit the shore in Masawa, i had only six hours to get everything i need. My list was short, but God knows, how much i needed it!! Enjoy the ride, they said, enjoy the comfort, they said, enjoy hospitality, they said. After four years of life in the air force I thought i can afford a bit of luxury. Idiot.

"Dorchester" was a hospital ship during the war and that horrid hospital stench became the part of the ship and its crew. Pain, blood and spilled guts. Now the ship was pretending to became a passenger liner, but everywhere I went, a could smell its past. So after a month in the Mediterranean and Red sea we stopped at the shore to refill, and I decided to get drunk, get laid and get back on the ship before departure.  

I should have taken the plane, honestly.. my head is aching on every bump.. 

When they woke me up and kicked me out of the brothel, it was a late morning. My head was spinning around, stomach was hugging my spine and all of my cash was gone. But this day was just getting better.:

MY STINKY SHIP LEFT THE PORT!! 

There I was, alone in unknown town, err Masawa, as the sign said, hangover and with no coin. Then some local idiot decided to talk to me. BAD IDEA. When somebody is yelling at me in this state of mind, regardless of their intent, I through a punch. What can I say, I'm a great conversationalist. 

That's when police came. That pesky chap came with his pet gorilla and promised to chop my ears off. Ha! I've beaten bigger and stronger guys than him!

[after a prolonged time spent in knockout]

Seriously, why  are they driving for so long? Station can not be in that far away?! Wait where are they taking me? 

- Baba, lets get out of the town. It looks like this damn ship ignited the hornets nest. I don't  think two of us can save Masawa from it's rebellion.

- Master? 

- Drive out the town. Asmara. 

- Yes Master. 

Seriously?! THIS DAY GETS BETTER AND BETTER. Rebellion, and they are running away from it. At least they have not left me there...

- Baba. Stop the jeep, lets get rid of this drunken idiot. 

- Alex, - stepped in soft voice of the girl, - leave him be. Something tells me we might need him. Please. 

- You know, Valerie, i agree. We might need some food later on. 

Right, so there is a girl with us. Wait, what do you mean "food"?!! 

  

   

Valerie

Valerie Smith
bodytype: lizard
profession: administrator

Local residents of Massawa (Eritrea) do not like to speak about this young lady for some strange reasons. They say it brings bad luck, and you can sense real fear in their voices. 

Her official paper state that she is Valerie Smith, born Pipistrello, daughter of  Italian colonist Giuseppe Pipistrello. Mother: unknown. Age: 24. Educated at local school. Religion: unknown. 

Unofficial sources, like chief of local police, local priest and some of the underground players know her a bit better, but rarely disclose this knowledge. 

You may also find they are discouraging anyone who is trying to find out what happened to one of local gangs famous for its kidnapping of local women for ransom and other activities. Police investigation found out that in a week after Valeri was kidnapped, bodies of gang members were found one by one in local backstreets. All of the deceased were sucked clean of blood. How could that be possible, none know, but to keep the populace calm, police concluded that victims were drowned. Several days later after official conclusion Valerie was spotted on the town's market wearing a very distinctive cross, which belonged to the gang's leader, on her belt. 

Ever since that day, mothers scare their children with her name, and most people avoid eye contact with her. Luckily, those who are not afraid of her eyes got her a position in port administration, so that she contacts mostly with outsiders. However, now Masawa is engulfed by rebellion, and its only wise for her to leave the town where she is feared and hated.  

Felix Müller: He is still alive! That damn viking!

As they were preparing to board the plane as saw him from afar. God knows, I was never expecting to see him again, especially not here! That huge norwegian, looked so calm and composed, so different from the last time I saw him. Well, it was 4 years ago, almost a lifetime it seems. It was war then...

He never saw me coming from below, my Würger climbed up as he kept flying straight into my gunsight. I pulled the trigger and short burst of my cannons obliterated one of his engines and damaged his cockpit. Mosquito is a sturdy plane, and will carry on flying with one engine. So I pushed further and kept following him, as he dive into the clouds. Pilot was good, even on damaged aircraft, he avoided me and managed to land in one piece. It took me some time before I spotted the flames of the wreckage. 

Its easy to talk about it now, but back then I was high on adrenaline and bloodthirsty. That's why I went for s strafing run on pilot, who was limping through the snowy forest. Did i wanted him dead? Of course. Too bad, things went differently. 

As i made two passes, i noticed a infantry patrol  in a car and recon armoured car slowly crawling towards the plane. Someone has sent them to pick up the pilot and wreck of Storch. I may only guessed what happened to its crew. I felt the rush of hunter who suddenly got a rival for his prey. But as i made another pass things quickly went from bad to worse. First of all, my engine stalled, in the rush i failed to notice that it took damage from the Mosquitoes debris, and as took my plane for crash landing between the dense forest and abandoned lighthouse, i realised that below me was a firefight. Resistance was fighting and killing the same infantry patrol I noticed earlier. 

Luckily, they still had an armoured car, i thought as I crawled out of plane and loaded my pistol. The rush suddenly felt overwhelming, as bullets were flying over my head, and damn SS officer was sending his men towards the woods, while they were being shot at from the back. I would have been a great day to die. 

Then armored car finally made it to us and its cannon opened up on a lighthouse. In less than a minute it went quiet. I never knew the name of the officer, but he kept pushing his driver Fritz towards the shack deeper in the woods, i guess he saw me strafing the pilot in that location. So i picked up a rifle and joined them. It was my kill! Not theirs! 

The firefight was vicios, the lobbed grenades into the old house in the woods, and burst in. All i heard was clicking of their empty guns and curses, when something happened. To this day, i cant explain what or how it could have been. But there was a fight, and in a glimpse of an eye i saw this huge bloke slicing the throat of the soldiers and putting a bullet into the officer. God, he moved so fast, like an hunting animal making a final blow to its prey. 

For a second, i caught I glimpse of his eyes: filled with raw power and purpose to kill. 

I ran. As fast as I could. 

There were a grenade explosions behind me, but i did not care. Never before or later I wanted to live so much. I look at his calm and composed face again. He is just a passenger, war has been over for 4 years now. It's just a commercial flight.