Strike Witches:Afrika Prototype

Status: Incomplete

25% completed (estimated)

   

A part of the plot that was made as a prototype for Strike Witches in 2004, published for the first time.

Because Mr. Yamaguchi Noboru opted to go with the Suomus battlefront for the novels, these stories were discarded. I made several different plots like these to decide on the contents of the series. Look back on them now, some of the writing is quite amateurish and hard to follow.

• Prologue

The regular drone of the BNW132T-2 air-cooled engine in operation echoed through every section of the plane, a hypnotic sound for the fully equipped soldiers inside.

A heavy fog covered everything outside the windows, so dense that even the wings that were just outside could not be seen.

At times, the wind and rain drove away the fog, but the only thing that could be seen then was the solid gray wing, and the black 'T' affiliation mark on it.

Suddenly, a fleeting image appeared through the fog.

Somewhere in the fog, several unclear shadows flew about over the wing. As a strong gust of wind blew away the covering fog once again, something that could not possibly be there could be seen.

"Girls?"

No matter how hard the soldier looked, there were three real girls sitting on the wing of the transport plane, an impossible image considering the altitude, and the weather. It was against all common sense. However, those girls did not disappear. Their long hair blowing about freely in the wind, the girls wore equipment that the soldier had never seen, and carried enormous guns in their hands. Their sublime and flitting images were like an illusion.

The sight laster only a few moments, but it felt like an eternity. Then, one of the girls turned towards the window, and their eyes met. She noticed the soldier, and gave a small smile. Perhaps the soldier unknowingly tried to reply to that smile, as the master sergeant sitting nearby walked up to the window as well.

"That's a valkyrie."

"Valkyrie?"

"That's right, those young girls who soar through the sky fighting, the vanguard of our fight to repulse the Neuroi, and also our guardian angels.

"They're just girls around my age, and yet..."

"You're lucky, you know. Tactical mechanized air infantry are a rare sight to see."

"They're... infantry?"

"Yeah, infantry just like us, though they're in a different service."

"I see."

The soldier looked fixedly out of the window as he listened to the master sergeant. It almost seemed as if he wanted to burn the image of those girls into his memory.

However, the girl furthest away, who was wearing a white military uniform with a scarlet skirt, said something to the girl in the gray uniform nearer to the window, and the three girls stood up and flew off into the wind.

With one last, small smile.

As the girls flew off in formation and left, the soldier continued gazed at the point where they disappeared. He held on to the hope that they would return to that spot at any time.

• Winter War

"All units, take off!"

Suddenly, a gunshot slammed into the center of the runway. At last, the invasion had reached even here, northern Europe.

The mechanized air infantry dashed onto the frozen runway, clutching their equipment.

Those who were ready began firing up their engines first. The Sakae 950 magicpower engine began spinning easily even in the -20 degree temperature. After the cold-weather testing done in Hokkaido, the engine's cold resistance was only to be expected.

• Base

• Outbreak of the Winter War, Army viewpoint