Editing Toaru Majutsu no Index:MvM2 Depth4 (section)

===Part 4===

In the Izanami’s maintenance hangar, Mikoto clapped her hands to gather the Girlish Weapons’ attention.

“Your squadron leader this time will be YF-22A. The rest of the stealth squadron will be the three F-117As. You will be 200 Squadron. I know this is last second, but you were all given Imperial Air Force flight training. You can work together, I hope?”

“Hm? Why end our number with a 0?”

“Because you’re stealth fighters who should be nonexistent on radar.”

Mikoto answered the (big) leotard girl’s puzzled question.

“Your target is a pair of suspicious ships disguised as civilian tankers that have made an unnatural approach in the middle of the ocean. Don’t get spotted before you make your preemptive strike on the Empire’s Frozen Fossil black market deal.”

“L-l-leave it to…us,” quietly replied a black raincoat and bikini F-117A. She must have been introverted to the core because she couldn’t even look Mikoto in the eye.

“After 200 Squadron’s stealth attack, 202 Squadron of the four F-15Cs will hurry away form this area of sea with your afterburners on full blast. Your purpose is to support the escape of 200 Squadron and to give an obvious radar reading for the Imperials involved in the black market deal. Our goal is to get the Imperial Armed Forces and the Capital Defense Force to clash, so we can’t use stealth fighters from beginning to end and have it all go unnoticed.”

“Ehh? Then what about us?”

“The four F-14Ds of 201 Squadron and the three F/A-18Es of 203 Squadron will remain here on the carrier. We hope to avoid it if at all possible, but if we’re discovered before the preemptive strike, the Empire may launch an attack on the carrier. We need you here as interceptors just in case.”

The school swimsuit catgirl F-14Ds gathered around and began chatting amongst themselves. They were arguing over the EM and IR air-to-air missiles.

This time, Mikoto’s Shinshin two seat custom and Shirai and Hokaze’s F-2As would not be taking part. The point was to trick the Empire, so using the Earth-style fighters would only give away that Tokiwadai was behind it.

(We really do have a lot of captured fighters now.)

Mikoto stared into the middle distance.

They could plan an entire operation around just the Girlish Weapons, so that was at least some kind of progress.

“What kind of enemy forces are we expecting?” asked YF-22A.

“They’re doing a black market deal in secret, so nothing that would gather attention.” Mikoto smiled a little. “Kobayashi-san says they have a YF-23 and an F-35B in the air. And then four F-16Cs on standby.”

“Oh, her.”

“Yes, that black tube top bikini. The YF-23 we fought at the dam must have been hauled out of the reservoir lake and restored. And she still has that black sailor uniform with her. They were probably assigned to this dirty job so their stealth could keep any of it from ending up in the official records.”

The YF-23 had about equal specs to the Shinshin and YF-22A. And there wouldn’t be any irregularities like the storm this time around.

It would be a pure comparison of strength.

“The non-stealth F-16s are probably meant as bait. If you end up chasing them around, the stealth ones can sneak up behind you, so be careful. I recommend avoiding one-on-one dogfights and instead creating many-against-one situations so you can crush them.”

“Wait, are you doubting my ability? I am not about to lose to the fighter I defeated in competition.”

“That kind of arrogance is what scares me…”

It was time to get started.

With help from Kongou and the swim team, Mikoto had the stealth group launched from the electromagnetic catapult before moving on to the four F-15Cs who had extra fuel tanks loaded to extend their flight range. At times like this, the electromagnetic catapult was more convenient because it didn’t need time to be recharged like a steam one would. …And the way they were launching fighters not meant for use on carriers suggested Kongou Mitsuko really had modified the electromagnetic catapult.

With that done, Mikoto and Shirai moved to the CIC.

This time, their battle would be on a table.