May 15, 2019

Comrade General, my report follows.

It has been now one week since our team arrived at the IUN Base, Fort Grays. So far we have been successful in integrating with the Osean Mage Squadron, and our joint training ops have been insightful into the tactics and strategies of our foreign counterparts. The Wolf AI has performed exactly as Comrade Researcher Evgeni described. He insists it is ready for solo flight duty, but I remain unconvinced. It's use as Weapons Safety Officer has been satisfactory, however it lacks tactical initiative in combat drills and has not shown any innovation in flight style when given control of the aircraft.

Additionally, there has been no evidence of other concerns. For now, I will continue to focus on the joint training. Attached is the summary report from Comrade Evgeni.

Signed
Comrade Colonel 1st Rank, Aleandra Konstantin
Commanding Officer, 1st State Center for Experimental Aviation, Alpha Team
=======================================================================================================================================

Having written the daily report to her superior officers, Colonel Aleandra Konstantin left the various offices of Fort Grays for the flight line to meet with her ground crew. No doubt Comrade Evgeni would be there as well. Indeed Evgeni had barely left the hangar that Alpha Team had been assigned to at Fort Grays. He would likely barrage her with numerous requests during today's flight, which she would then of course be obliged to complete. Aleandra may have been the commander for Alpha Team, but Comrade Evgeni had final say in all matters regarding her...”co-pilot”

“The Wolf...”

Colonel Konstantin heaved an audible sigh as she stepped out of the administrative offices and stepped outside toward the flight line. Audible enough, in fact, for one of her new comrades to hear even from across the sidewalks.

“Hey, Trigger!”

It was one of the Osean Pilots from the host squadron....what was her name again?

“Zdras, Comrade Brownie.”

The casual way that the young Lieutenant consistently addressed her was often irritating, but Aleandra had been ordered not to create undue tension within the host squadron, so she had tolerated the casual use of her Tac-name over the past week. The other Oseans had also adopted this casual way of calling to each other. It was of course similar to her own time within the Navy, but Aleandra had always believed that camaraderie without an established history was far too casual. Yet the Oseans had seemed so quick to adopt that familiarity that Colonel Konstantin felt no other choice than to reciprocate.

“Getting prepped for the sortie early again I see. You should rest up more! Get too sloppy out there and I might just get the drop on you today!”


But to that, Aleandra could not help but smile. Even if the two of them were a whole world apart; both in upbringing and age, young Brownie's enthusiasm and combat initiative had left a positive impression on her.

“Perhaps today will be your lucky day Lieutenant. But be warned when I say I have no intention of letting you or your comrades “get the drop” on me. You must earn it.”

Brownie smiled back. With Colonel Aleandra being a combat veteran from a previous war, Brownie had picked her as a potential rival since day one. Perhaps even as a role model; female combat pilots were not common.

As their paths towards the flight line was the same, Brownie dutifully fell into step behind Aleandra. Even if she was a rival, Brownie recognized the seniority that the Colonel had.

“Yes ma'am! Maybe if you're here long enough we can get you into one of our Falcons for a real dogfight. That Sukhoi you and your little co-pilot fly is almost unfair!”

“Perhaps, young lastochka, you would rather take a seat in my cockpit instead?  Then you may be able to experience what combat aviation really is. Flying your little lawn darts must be very difficult!”

This banter, too, seemed too casual for a Lieutenant and a Colonel. However the fact that the two of them were not within the same chain of command, even the same military, had allowed for that casual camaraderie to blossom into what would almost qualify as 'friendship'

The two split as they reached the flight line; Osean personnel were not allowed into the Yuktobanian hanger. In similar understanding; Alpha Team was not allowed to enter any of the other hangars. Even in peacetime, there was still animosity between Oseans and Yuktobanians. New friends could return to old enemies over a simple misunderstanding. Even after so long. So for the sake of peace and cooperation, Alpha Team, Mage Squadron, and Golem Squadron kept mostly to themselves on the flight line.

Of course, there was one more reason that the Oseans and Alpha Team did not share hangars. Colonel Konstantin's co-pilot; “The Wolf”

Her ever attentive ground crew of course noticed the Colonel's arrival first. Led by Senior Warrant Officer Pyotr, they snapped to attention.

“Zdras! Comrade Colonel!”

A crisp salute from the team was returned just as sharply from the Colonel, and with the formalities out of the way the crew relaxed. Junior Sergeant Alek was first to speak, practically bursting with energy.

“Comrade Trigger! You're timing is perfect! Comrades Pyotr and Isaac have finished inspecting my work and your plane is ready for tonight's training operation.”

“Very good Comrade Alek, as always.”

Being the youngest of the ground crew for Aleandra and Alpha Team, Junior Sergeant Alek had been eager to please his more experienced comrades since his assignment to Colonel Aleandra's crew. It was endearing to the rest of them, and the Colonel had agreed with Pyotr and Isaac nurturing that positivity would be better for him in the long run. Crushing a young man's ego did less for his future than guiding that ego towards strong work ethic and sociable personal skills.

“And what of our other new addition to the team, Comrade Evgeni?”

Colonel Konstantin turned her attention towards an unassuming man hunched over a myriad of computers and a large ball sitting on his desk. He did not appear to hear his commanding officer at first, but after a moment stood up from his desk and made eye contact.

“All as is expected, Comrade Colonel. Here please, he would like to speak with you.”

Evgeni procured a small earpiece from his pocket and handed it to the Colonel. This little bluetooth earpiece connected her to her co-pilot Wolf; who was sitting on the desk in front of her. The earpiece was required to hear and speak with Wolf, because Wolf was not a person. Contained within the small sphere sitting on the desk was Wolf; an experimental artificial intelligence designed to support combat pilots as the WSO.

“Zdras, Comrade Trigger. Comrade Evgeni has also completed his pre-flight checklists for our flight tonight. I must admit to being excited. Our rematch against Golem Squadron tonight should put those Oseans firmly in their place, no?”

The Colonel had been working on and off with Wolf for almost two months at this point. At first, all he could do was sit in the WSO seat and observe. He had to be shown everything, and Aleandra was convinced that Wolf would never amount to more than a fancy camera or a ball of weight. By the third flight, however, Wolf was outperforming even Comrade Evgeni's wildest estimations. Wolf even seemed to be developing in other ways too. Aleandra was certain Wolf was imitating the different speech patterns of her crew. That last little boast almost sounded like Sergeant Alek.

“Do not underestimate the tenacity of an Osean fighter pilot, Comrade Wolf. Even when severely outmatched, they have a trick or two they keep in their pockets. We will be diligent as always.”

“Of course, Comrade Trigger. I w-”

Wolf was interrupted by a series of loud sirens. Even half the world away warnings were the same even here; it was an air raid.