Chapter 12 – Operation: Icepick 

      “It can’t be! There’s just no way!” Sanya cries out in shock. Long lines of jagged red lightning fill the sky which swirls and spirals around in the distance, just above Leningrad itself and the air is soon filled with the metallic screeching of a Neuroi. Much like the two stunned witches, the children and soldiers jump from the trucks and look in terrified wonder at the unnatural scene unfolding before them. “How can a hive be here?” Sanya says, turning to Erica.

      “If we got sent to this world then maybe it did as well.” Erica suggests. The two witches turn around to look back at the frightened crowd which murmurs and weeps in quiet dread. They had all been through so much, but the sudden appearance of Hive Leon may very well prove worse than any artillery bombardment. 

       “We have to do something! This world doesn’t have magic; they have no way to fight that thing like we do!” Sanya demands as the distant, rapid thuds of Leningrad's anti-air defences open up on the other-worldly entity growing over their heads. None of the shells can pierce the thick, warping clouds, only detonating into white showers of sparks. “It’s going to kill everyone!” Sanya says in fear. 

      “The Neuroi appeared out of nowhere, just like in our world! This is more Ursula's field, but maybe… I mean, what if: the Neuroi always came from another world? What if Leon was trying to escape to another… ‘Dimension’ and we just got pulled along by accident? You're right, it’s gonna destroy this world!” Erica speculates, looking at Sanya full of stern seriousness. “We have to destroy it before it gets too strong!”

      “But we don’t have our strikers! We don’t have any weapons!” Sanya reminds Erica. The situation grows more urgent by the moment, as the mass of black clouds expands across the grey Russian sky, casting a vast, all consuming shadow across the land. The cries of the Neuroi core pierce through the frozen cold, striking fear into all listeners. Adding onto the symphony of destruction several of the nearby German camps open up their own guns on the hive, presumably fearing it to be a Soviet attack. 

      Suddenly a burley yet obviously shaking soldier pushes abruptly through the crowd of children to march over to the witches.  

      “What kind of demonic powers have you two called down!? What is that… thing in the sky!?” the man roars in panicked anger, his gun held tightly in his grip. 

      “It’s a Neuroi and we didn’t bring it here. But if we don’t do something soon then we’re all dead.” Erica replies bluntly to the soldier. 

       “Is it German?” he asks.

      “No it’s… hard to explain. Can you help us? We need your guns.” Erica says in a firm, commanding tone. The idea of this young girl demanding his firearm is a shock to the bewildered soldier, who looks down at his gun in confusion.

      “My papasha?” he motions at his box magazine PPSH. “You are a child, but we have all seen what you can do. You protected the convoy and saved our lives. For that I am thankful. I don’t know what evil magic you practice but I see no other option but to trust you.” The large man says, handing his submachine gun over to Erica gently. As Erica gives him a thankful nod the man gestures for one of his comrades to give Sanya his rifle. 

       Sanya thanks the man softly as she examines the bolt action she is given. “I promise we’ll destroy it.” She reassures the worried soldiers. Together the witches observe as the swirling clouds shimmer and glow. “What’s the plan Hartmann? We need to get up there and we don’t have many shots here.” 

      “You guys don’t have any brooms or anything do you?” Erica calls back to the men who shake their heads in denial. Erica strokes her chin in deep contemplation. She’s a skilled tactician in the air but only in her striker. Luckily Neuroi hive cores are quite fragile, relying on their thick curtain of dark clouds to protect themselves. One well placed bullet should take it out, but reaching the core to do even that will be a challenge. 

       Sanya turns to look to the south having picked up several radio contacts quickly approaching. Through the snowy gloom a handful of German 109 fighters fly in close formation towards the spiralling hive. As they approach, their obvious frontal attack proves futile as each of them is instantly destroyed by a laser shot from within their target. As the fiery wrecks crash to the ground, trailing plumes of dark smoke, the Neuroi lets out a thunderous scream of victory. 

       Neither Sanya nor Erica can wait any longer; they have to do something now to prevent the Neuroi from invading yet another world. Erica glances back quickly at Sofia who stands huddled among the rest of the children being guarded by the soldiers. Erica knows this may be the last time she sees the young girl and smiles a knowing grin of friendship back at the crying child. 

        “Stay here, don’t drive off the ice!” Erica calls out. “Don’t make yourself an obvious target for the hive!”

        “You have a plan Hartmann?” Sanya asks.

       “I do but it’s not a good one.” 

       “I trust you. Let’s do this.” Sanya smiles back at a worried Erica. After a deep breath in anticipation both girls begin sprinting forward across the lake back towards the shore, towards Hive Leon.

      “We’re gonna do the same thing we did with the trucks. Use your shield as a platform and jump between them until you get to one thousand meters, then join back with me! Can you do that?” Erica shouts as the pair run and slide over the ice. Sanya, out of breath from all the running, simply throws Erica a confident thumbs-up. In synchronised unison they both jump into the air, forming small shields below their feet which they immediately spring back off onto another, higher magic circle. 

      They must keep their shields small to conserve what dwindling magic they have left, and so they leap from platform to platform, no wider than a large dinner plate. They ascend into the sky, higher and higher, like frogs jumping between lily pads. Falling now would spell certain death, but the two painstakingly fight through the nervous stress to maintain their balance. The hive must have noticed them however, as after another ear bursting screech several powerful beam attacks rip from the clouds targeting the jumping duo. 

      With intense concentration both Erica and Sanya manage to dodge, weave and block as many lasers as they can, the sky lighting up red under the constant bursts of sustained fire. Finally they both reach a suitable altitude and meet back up to stand on one larger shield, hovering perilously high above the solid, frozen lake. Sanya puts up a shield in front of them as she sweats and gasps deep, pained breaths. 

       “Ok we’re here, now what Erica?” Sanya pushes her words out in agony.  

      “We can’t run all the way there, so hold on tight!” Erica yells, slinging her gun across her back before grabbing a hold of the panting night witch in a tight bear hug. The sudden embrace surprises Sanya who blushes a bright red in confused embarrassment. “Strum!” Erica shouts loudly as the shield below their feet disappears. 

      Before they plummet, a raging curtain of rushing wind surrounds the interlocked witches. With a powerful boost of magic both girls rocket towards the glowing hive, looking like a tornado drill head of twisting white air. Sanya has never experienced speeds like this before, and the spinning revolutions bring her close to vomiting. She almost passes out from the incredible acceleration before the Karlslanders magic dissipates and they both land firm on another shield platform at the very edge of the colossal hive. 

      “I’m never doing that again!” Sanya says, her head spinning as Erica holds her steady so as to not tumble off the shield. “How does Shirley do that!?”

      “Sorry… Oh man…” Erica sighs as she looks upon the gigantic mass of ebony clouds swirling before her. A shrieking battle cry erupts from the hive, signalling another barrage of crimson beams. Regaining their composure the pair split off, again jumping between tiny platforms and blocking lasers. Much to their total dismay however several small, simple cube shaped Neuroi drones emerge, blasting beams at a rapid pace. With a desperate need to conserve ammo the witches must pick and choose their targets, only shooting down those enemies which become a real threat. 

       Close to total exhaustion Sanya makes a fatal error as one of her shield platforms falters and breaks under her feet. With a heart stopping jolt of adrenaline she does manage to generate another in time to stop her freefall, however she now finds herself straight in the path of a box drone, aiming its laser right at her. 

       As Sanya closes her eyes and braces for her imminent annihilation she hears the roar of an engine and the glass like shattering of a Neuroi drone. Incredibly several fighter planes have managed to use the witches’ assault as a distraction, and they proceeded to tear apart the swarming drones under a hail of cannon fire. In a mass, the cubes give chase to the multitude of aircraft, both German and; amazingly several Russian as well. Mankind’s machines dip and dive, avoiding the beams with all their might. Several fall unluckily to their foes however many more lead their pursuers on a majestic dance through the snow filled sky. 

       Spurred on by this grand sight, Sanya begins once again climbing her shield stepping stones higher and higher, eventually reaching the spire-like, pointed peak of Hive Leon when she meets back up with Erica, who’s busy blocking beams herself. 

      “I was worried you didn’t make it!” Erica says in relief. 

      “I almost didn’t. Let’s end this and get down from here please.” Sanya replies. 

       “Agreed! I’m going to use Zyklon to clear the clouds. When you spot the core don’t hesitate, shoot the bastard!” Erica shouts, placing a hand on Sanyas shoulder in serious, comforting reliance. Sanya simply nods in response as they ready themselves. 

      Erica lifts her arms wide and breathes deeply while Sanya shoulders her rifle, aiming down the narrow iron sights letting her magic guide her in the general direction of the elusive, hexagonal hive core.  

      “Zyklon!” Erica yells loudly. With a great rumble of thunder and flashes of red lighting the top of the hive begins to tear apart as Ericas tornado starts to form. Screeches like dying birds echo across the landscape and the clouds pulse crimson, as if in great pain. Looking like a colossal hourglass the conical hive meets with the funnel of magic wind at its tip, ripping chunks of thick, black smog away from Leon.

       Erica sways and trembles, her legs giving out below her as her magical pool reaches its very last drops of power. Sanya looks at her in despair as she likewise barely has the strength left to use her radar and locate the core. 

       “Hold on Hartmann! Just a little more, please!” Sanya yells desperately. Erica however has no energy left to even speak and with a last spasm of her exhausted body she collapses to her knees, the twister dissipating before Sanya can take a shot. The second Sanya realises just how bad the situation has become, the platform they both rest upon vanishes, sending the terrified Orussian and the unconscious Karlslander plummeting down towards the ocean of re-forming darkness. Sanyas eyes become blinded with tears and hazy with breathless exhaustion. She also has no magic left and the altitude, fatigue and cold now attacks her young body mercilessly as it falls hopelessly through the pitch black sky. 

       In her last moments before she passes into the vast interior void of Hive Leon, Sanya notices something strange, pulling her back from the border of unconsciousness. The hive, once glowing bright red, now pulses a deep green. As it does so sections of the swirling clouds clear and fade, revealing hexagonal structures buried among the dark. With every burst of emerald light the hive grows shockingly weaker. Did Erica do this? Sanya has no way to know. Violent screams and booming thunder wakes the tumbling silver haired witch just enough to spot the huge rotating red core through the gloom. 

       Mustering every ounce of strength she has left, Sanya raises her rifle as she falls. She only has one shot at this before the core disappears again into the darkness. It won’t save her or Erica but at the very least it might save this world from the Neuroi. Steadying her shaking hands she aims directly at the shining, glass like prism and with a simple pull of the trigger she sends a single bullet spinning towards her most hated enemy. 

       Like a shattering mirror, the core cracks and splinters as Sanyas shot penetrates the alien crystal. It vibrates and shakes, red, white and green light bursting from the fissures in its surface. The clouds around Sanya likewise glow a vibrant green and she smiles a content grin of success as she finally blacks out.

       Sanyas eyes flicker open as the bitter cold bites at her numb face. She can hardly move a finger as she regains focus. A sea of white expands out below her, drawing closer and closer as she falls helplessly. Nearby, Erica also tumbles, her blond hair waving madly in the wind. Hive Leon is nowhere in sight; and the only sound to be heard is the rush of passing air. Sanya can’t even feel scared at her imminent demise. She defeated Leon and even if it costs her; her life she has saved countless people. Resigning herself to her fate, her thoughts drift to her love; Eila. She’ll never know what happened, and that hurts Sanya deeply. Without the strength to cry out she pleads internally for Eila to know how much she meant to her. She should have told her when she had the chance, she thinks, as she closes her eyes.

        “SANYAAA!” Eila yells through tear filled eyes as she races her striker unit at full speed desperately towards her plummeting partner, her arms out wide to catch the Orussian in a life saving embrace. Likewise speeding alongside her; Minna and Trude rush towards the unconscious Erica. Grasping onto their once doomed wing mates the bawling witches rev their engines madly to rescue their friends. Eila hugs Sanya tighter than she ever has done before, her face streaked with tears of joy. Sanya probably thinks she’s dreaming, and only manages to whisper Eilas name before she passes out in the Soumus girls arms. 

       Sometime later Sanya slowly awakens; her head foggy and confused. Her arm is stiff with a dull pain where a liquid drip has been attached and she feels remarkably free in the loose fitting white hospital gown she’s been dressed in. The room is awash with the scent of lavender and clean linen and birdsong echoes outside. There’s a bad taste in her mouth, as though she hasn’t cleaned her teeth for several days and a heavy pressure is felt across her belly.  

       Looking down she spots Eila slumped over, her arms embracing her as she snores on Sanyas stomach. Shifting her weight a little she stirs the sputtering witch awake who, upon seeing Sanyas gleaming green eyes, lights up with complete, all consuming excitement. Eilas eyes well with emotion and her lips quiver in a passionate smile as her face grows red with happiness. 

       “Am I dead?” Sanya asks softly, her voice croaking from her dry throat. 

       “No.” Eila can only reply through her sobbing cries. 

       “Good… I really love you Eila…” Sanya moans, causing her partner to only cry even harder, soaking Sanyas gown with moist tears. Across the room Erica lies in another bed. The sudden commotion must have woken the famous heavy sleeper as she tries to sit up with a deep, tired yawn. 

        “Where am I? What happened?” Erica stutters, noticing where she is. 

       “You’re awake as well?” Eila says happily. Erica rubs her eyes and stretches her back letting out a satisfying crack, while Sanya reaches out a hand to stroke Eilas soft long hair. Suddenly in the doorway a blue flash draws everyone’s attention. 

       “Oh my goodness they’re awake!” Perrine says in amazed shock before she rushes off to tell the others, the sound of her shoes taping on the hard floor disappearing as she runs down the hallway.

        “No really what happened?” Erica asks in muddled bafflement. Eila sits up, not taking her hand off of Sanyas for a moment. 

        “We don’t know Erica. We thought you were dead… I really thought I’d lost you.” Eila says, looking back at Sanya before continuing. “Minna ordered another attack on Moscow to destroy Hive Leon. When we were fighting it something happened, it was glowing all green and it started disappearing. We heard the core burst but none of us shot it… then Yoshika spotted you two falling from the sky.” Eila recollects. The room falls silent for a moment as the two confused and still exhausted witches try to figure out what had happened. “You were gone for a few days… what happened to you guys?” Eila asks. 

         “I think we killed the core Eila.” Sanya says through her uncertainty. “There’s so much we need to tell you… to tell everyone.” Sanya thinks back on all she had experienced in that strange, brutal and horrifying other world, a world of hunger, pain, suffering a murder. She thinks of Dimitri Shostakovich, of the cheering people of Leningrad and of Ericas young friend Sofia who will never know that they had survived. Both girls had pushed themselves to their absolute limits, both magically and emotionally. 

        Erica likewise falls into a silent rumination. She is the only member of her squadron now to have killed other human beings. How can she tell them that? Can she say what kind of people those ‘Germans’ were? Does she dare speak of the horrific conditions she found in Leningrad? She surely won't tell Eila the pain she caused Sanya. She ponders for a moment if she could somehow forget all she had seen, as she looks over at Sanya for comfort. Both witches know however that there is no forgetting that place. As much as they may wish so, they can’t let those memories fade, less the people they had met, the children they had saved and the many who had suffered and died, fade along with them.  

        Eila sits in a worried stupor, soaking in the strange, heavy atmosphere shared between the two bed ridden witches. From down the corridor outside, the clattering of many footsteps breaks the silence, the murmuring of familiar voices drawing near. Before the rest of the 501st arrives in the infirmary however Ericas stomach adds to the growing noise, rumbling a hungry gurgle. 

       “You must be starving Erica.” Eila smiles jokingly, drawing a solemn frown from the normally joyous little Karlslander.  

        “No. I’m not starving… I’m nowhere near…” Erica whispers quietly in reply, just as the excited flood of the other members of the Strike Witches enters the pristine, bright and safe hospital room. 

THE END