The Battle of Otranto

Translations, scans and any other in-progress Last Exile related projects.
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Tara
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Yeah that Greek Alvis speaks in that scene is <_<... ANYWAY HERE IS CHAPTER 5 NOW (as I work on some OST and lyric stuff for the domain proper while I wait for the FTP to come back up-- and try to figure out how I want to set up the rest of the music page since there are remixes and live performance versions and...) With some fun Alis backstory.

5. Alister
Spoiler
"Vanship crew, prepare for takeoff," the voice of First Assistant Sophia sounds in the hangar of the Silvana. After hearing her voice, the mechanics working at the time begin to joke.

"Wow! So Miss Sophia is now the first assistant~"

"Yeah. Hearing a woman's voice awakens a desire to work!"

"Hey, you there! This is no time for talking. Get to work!"

Chief mechanic Godwin chastises both Kostabi and Ethan, and calmly continues to work on the preparations for the vanships. Another from the chief mechanic of the Silvana was not worth the wait. In the meantime, I start checking the vanship for prelaunch. No external damage detected, the pre-launch check - fuel normal, mapping normal - all present. All that remains is to wait for Tatiana, and then we can fly at once.

"Alis, are preparations complete?"

Tataiana appears at that moment, holding her helmet. She brought a map with her. Most likely, to double-check the instructions regarding our future strategy. I have my own map, but I take Tatiana's from her hands and look it over again. For Tatiana ... no, for me, too ... this may be our first combat mission, so we need to be as collected as possible. Since the time of my dismissal from the officers' school, when Miss Sophia... or rather, now First Assistant Sophia, right? On the whole, from the time they took us board this ship, we've only participated in several reconnaissance operations, but have never been in a real battle.

Looking out from over the map, I notice the commander of the vanship squad, Michael, talking about something with Godwin. The commander points to something near the engine of his beloved vanship, named the Wine Red. Is there some kind of problem? Wait, no. It seems like some adjustments need to be corrected on the vanship. I've heard many times that when it comes to fine-tuning, the commander here has some phenomenal skills. Nevertheless, he always wished to know how things really worked. Rumor has it that one day he noticed a fault in the cylinder just by the sound alone. At least, that's what I was told. In the process of me thinking about this, Tataiana has already taken her place in the front seat and is beginning her checks.

"What is the route?" her voice suddenly sounded.

"Let's see ... the enemy seems to be moving in the direction of Rothfu. The first vanship will move through the corridor of Otranto. The rest will be occupied with the search for the enemy, so will go at different angles. Our vanship, as usual, is the sixth, therefore we shall fly in the direction of 11 o'clock."

"Understood. If the enemy is moving directly toward Otranto, contact is not going to happen along our route."

I could hear regret in Tatiana's voice. Perhaps a chance to participate in a real battle will not be presented today? Meanwhile, the preparations seem to have been completed, and the commander sent the vanship lift up. Ready to depart, we in turn also start the engine. At this point, the mechanics hurried and ran around to also start preparing for takeoff. Since we're heading out last, we have enough time to check everything over carefully. So far everything is in order.

"Okay then, forward!"

While inspecting for any possible malfunctions for the last time, I heard the voice in Tatiana's headphones. I raised my thumb, indicating that the preparation checks were passed successfully. In response, the mechanics started to push the vanship onto the lift. There was a slight bump from the contact with the surface as the vanship was placed on the lift. We climb the dark shaft, and after a moment we find ourselves on the rear deck of the ship. It's quite dark outside, the rain cold. I don't like when it rains. Because of the memories of that day. Thanks to Tatiana, I'm here now. Moreover, I can fly in a vanship. Despite not managing to finish in the officers' academy, being here is enough for me.

The rain isn't stopping, so in the meantime the mechanics are connecting the communication cable. Finally, when the work is complete, Godwin gives the signal to the commander that the last vanship is ready for takeoff. The commander gives the signal "all vanships - takeoff."

Tatiana immediately applies the full throttle. The engine starts with a low growl, and after a moment it lets out a loud roar as the vanship quickly soars into the air. This is my most favorite time. When, in spite of the communication with the ship via cable, Tatiana and I are alone in the sky. As if dropping a huge weight off of our shoulders, we become free...

Our vanship rises higher and higher as it passes the port side of the Silvana. Tatiana looks toward the bridge. I wonder what she's thinking? Maybe the fact that the path to the post of captain of the ship is now closed off to her? Or perhaps about the first assistant, Sophia? Shaking her head slightly, Tatiana spoke:

"Okay then ... forward."

She repeated her earlier words. Yes, for me everything will be good. As long as you're going there with me.

"There. Engine is normal, direction 11 o'clock."

It's pitch black and the rain is freezing. I hope our future won't be the same way.

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Post by Tara »

-TK- wrote:Anyway, I did a little research on the names of the Disith ships and this is my best guess (I've also tried to write them in kana):

Patrie (pre-dreadnought République-class battleship of the French Navy, 1906) パトリ
Généreux (Téméraire-class ship-of-the-line of the French Navy, 1795) ジェネルー
Sérieuse (Magicienne-class frigate of the French Navy, 1779) セリューズ
Nice. I'll fix my document in that case since that seems like it might be what they were going for.

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And with this, we're all caught up until more is released! This is assumedly the end of the whole of chapter 1, and again, there are 3 chapters in all plus an epilogue. So hopefully the rest will be as long as these have been! :)

6. Disith Fleet
Spoiler
The sky begins to lighten. Thirty-two "Reparation" class ships cuts through the wall of continuous rain. Jagged cliffs gradually begin to appear up ahead. With them being spotted through the wall of continuous rain as if being on an enormous screen, they are directed upwards. Piercing the heavens and rising up toward the Grand Stream, the cliffs disappear to the left and the right until their boundaries completely disappear from sight. Rain that landed on the surface could be seen as narrow black spots seen between the mountain crevasses.

"So this is Otranto..." said the commander of the Disith fleet, General Horthy Merkushin as he looks at the towering wall of stone in front of him. The silence that reigned on the bridge of the flagship Aigle as the crew stopped, stuck in the greatness that opened before them through the cliffs, was broken by a voice:

"Yes. According to the coordinates obtained from the Guild," said Makarov, the adjutant.

"Understood. If this fortress is really so impregnable, then the task of protecting it shouldn't be complicated. But if we look at the other hand, the simplicity of defense may exactly be what helps us break through. In addition, it will directly open a path to the Imperial city capital, won't it?"

General Horthy's words were met by cheers.

For the residents of Disith who were drowning under blocks of ice and snow, a sense of hope always had an important significance. Now, while the invasion of Anatoray reached a impasse, it was possible to take out its best ships manned by their best crews, if they struck with a decisive blow. Disith has come to the point where they're not sure if they'll have enough strength to fight in another two years. Disith's goal has always been consistent: to collect as many veterans as possible, bring Anatoray to the negotiating table and suggest to take a part of their territory. There were those who believed, that due to the abnormal weather in the world, that there was a way to peacefully exist with Anatoray, but their numbers were small. Instead of leisurely looking for ways to coexist, priority was given to the protection of their people. That's the most important thing right now.

"Enter Otranto's corridor," an officer said in a strained voice.

"Very well! All ships, exercise vigilance."

"Roger!"

According to the plan, all ships shall be arranged into three rows. At the front is the first squadron, followed by the flagship Aigle. They are followed by the second and third squadrons. Such an order is due to the difference in performance. Initially it was proposed to place the flagship on the first line, since in this position it would have been more convenient to see and assess the tactical situation. But that also risked the ship being destroyed at the beginning of the battle, so to prevent the loss of so many important combat units, it was decided to place the ships in that order. Moving closer to each other, the Disith ships began to move through the narrow corridor of Otranto.

The slightest deviation in direction, even one so much caused by a gust of wind, could cause the ships to crash into the stone walls on either side. Additionally, all ships were put into blackout mode, so were now following each other one after the other, only relying on the faint glows of marker lights. For this decisive battle, whose result determined their future, the entire Disith army was made up of the best pilots and crews who were chosen. Even under such poor conditions their ships persevered due to their construction and slowly continued to advance through the narrow corridor.

On the bridge, they all hold their breath, waiting to finally pass through the corridor. The silence in the ship is so quiet that you could even
hear a pin drop...

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Post by Tara »

STAY TUNED FOR CHAPTER 2 OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8D Chapter is called "Sacrifice" (while the first chapter that covers everything in this thread so far was called "Otranto's Weakness")

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Post by Tara »

AND HERE WE GO.

1. Alister
Spoiler
"We can't see anything," spoke the voice of Tatiana.

We're flying through a wall of rain. I wonder, has the enemy already reached Otranto's corridor? In any case, thus far there has been no
communications from the other crews about any sort of contact with the enemy.

Soon we arrive at Rothfu's mountain range. Still having time to look at the map, I begin to understand the reason why the vanships that are
participating in the reconnaissance mission are focused much more on the starboard side than on the left. The enemy is now able to move either
toward Otranto, or are heading south to Orisberg. Possibly, they're planning to pass between Orisberg and Rothfu. Regardless, the direction of
our contact with the enemy fleet will not be exact. In this sort of terrain, ships simply have nowhere to hide, and building any sort of base
for the fleet is also impossible. Since they're weaker than their enemies, it is less likely that they will take risks so they're in vain.
Here with nothing to say, it seems rather obvious.

"Yes. They'll more than likely to require our assistance."

"And they still continue to regard us as dependent fledglings~"

"In reality, the comparison of flying in a vanship..." Tatiana trailed off, and did not finish her sentence.

It seems she still hasn't given up her dream of becoming a captain. But whatever that was, if they missed the movement of their enemy, they'd all
be in trouble.

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More!

2. Disith Fleet
Spoiler
The heavy silence that reigned on board the Aigle was suddenly interrupted by a voice:

"Commander, obstacle ahead!"

The ship immediately began to buzz with noise. As if waking from sleep, the crew began to bustle. Wanting to stop the begun turmoil, Commander Horthy loudly said:

"Details!"

"Several small ships."

"Spotted across the width of the corridor."

"The ships are interconnected via cables."

Reports from the vanguard came one after another. Anatoray ships were placed across the corridor, with cables between them to connect them all, thus creating a boundary. If crossed without warning, an alarm will sound, or they could run into mines.

"It's dark," says Horthy, "so be extremely careful."

"We will carry out this task with honor!"

"All forces stop movement, the vanguard will attack immediately."

"Roger!"

"Not a single ship should retreat, if there are any difficulties, please inform the main ship."

Giving those orders in clear sequence, Horthy's voice, similar to screeching metal is heard throughout the ship. The ship's gun is rotated toward the target.

"Main caliber at full readiness - artillery reports."

Compared to the former Disith fleet, preparations were now reduced by 10 seconds. Hearing this, Horthy smiles and gives the order to attack the enemy.

"All ships - full speed ahead. Begin the offensive."

"Roger, beginning offensive."

In contrast to the previous models of the "Reparation" class, these ships can conduct continuous artillery fire. Targeting accuracy is low because of the darkness and the rain. Yet despite the fact that the shooting is aimed at thin targets, the small ships are destroyed one after the other. Among several ships, motion and an attempt to disconnect the cables are detected, but shots immediately ring out in their general direction.

"If this continues, it's only a matter of time before all ships are destroyed," reports the first mate.

At this moment, there was an explosion heard before the ship Aigle, one unlike the roar of cannon shots, which had only been heard until now. From where the sound came, a ship was now visible, completely enveloped in flames.

"What is it?!"

"On the left side, the first class ship 'Believe' came into contact with one of the mines."

"Report the damage."

There is an exchange of light signals. Simultaneously, the attack of the first line of the blockade continues.

"Received report: 'There is no damage in the main bay. The ship's engine power is at the same level'."

"Excellent. Beware of mines and continue the offensive."

It seems like the effect of the surprise will be crowned with success. Now the task is to destroy the enemy's vanguard. Then - to destroy the enemy's port. When the port is captured, damaged ships will be sent to the repair dock. All of the surviving ships will apply the decisive blow.

If everything goes fine, this battle will be over. Through the entire Disith fleet, this feeling became increasingly stronger.

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\o/ ON A ROLL. Also these are kind of short.

3. Vince
Spoiler
I woke up with a sense of anxiety. A hell of an unpleasant sensation. But soon I have to give a status report on the border. Through the rain, thunder can be heard from far away, but is it thunder...? An enemy invasion of Otranto is unlikely, but I still can't stop thinking about it.

Disith has had little patience as of late, haven't they? I hear from time to time, that in their struggle, Disith has forgotten the spirit of chivalry. However, is there such thing as "knightly honor" when it comes to a real battle? Rules that must be observed by everyone exist even in battle, that much is true. But what if Disith refused to comply with them? I've heard from the surroundings around the Prime Minister that Disith was seriously preparing for war. It is no longer about fighting in accordance to the rules of the Guild, but rather a real battle. So if it comes to that, what will happen to us who still follow the rules of war like a game?

"Deputy," I call through the intercom.

"Yes, Captain."

"Nothing unusual going on?"

"Everything is fine."

"Good. The dimming system is also activated."

"That's right. But because the port side is illuminated, it does not make much sense," Rumolt's gloomy voice spoke.

And yet, despite the fact that it feels like the rest of the crew is still absolutely calm, I still can't shake that bad feeling.

"If something happens, it wouldn't be desirable to have to compensate for the damage."

"I agree, Captain."

"Well, keep vigilant."

In saying this, I seem to pass Rumolt the unexpected concern which I myself am experiencing right now. If something does happen, all we can do is to bring the ship to full combat readiness.

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WIVES TIME.

4. Alister
Spoiler
"Enemy discovered."

The current situation is being reported through the communication cables. Apparently, the second group has discovered the enemy.

"Tatiana, the second vanship. They found the enemy."

After hearing the report, Tatiana sighs disappointedly and turns the wheel sharply to the right. After receiving preliminary instructions, we rush to the site of detection of the enemy. It seems that the second group has already entered the corridor of Otranto. So it was true, Otranto was the target of the enemy from the very beginning. But how did Disith find it? Moreover, learned of their weak points. It seems that they weren't without some sort of spy.

"As expected. The corridor was the most likely target for an attack."

Suddenly I want to ask whether or not Tatiana thought the same thing.

"That's right. In any case, it's nice to know that the situation has finally started to move forward."

"Aha-ha, excited for a fight, Alis?"

"Do you think so? I thought that if there was anyone who couldn't wait, it would be you, Tatiana."

We both laughed. All is well, all is okay, so now we can completely relax.

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"Slow your roll Tara" NO NEVER

(no it's another short one that's why)

5. Disith Fleet
Spoiler
Even through a wall of rain, the bridge of the flagship Aigle was clearly visible due to the light that flooded from Otranto's port. They are not even aware that the enemy is near.

"Are these Anatorians in there asleep, or what?"

"The invasion was a success!" the first mate's voice was full of delight.

After barely breaking through the Grand Stream, they finally reached their goal. This should have been expected. If they're able to break through there, then nothing will be able to stop them.

"Good. Transmit to all ships to continue to act according to plan, and..." suddenly, a shrill noise on the bridge stops Commander Horthy short.

"What's the matter? Why was the commander interrupted?!" yelled adjunct Makarov.

"Enemy ship behind us!" rather than shouting, the watchman answers him with a loud voice.

"What?!"

Noise rose on board the ship. At that moment, the Aigle already activated a beam searchlight.

"We've been deceived?!"

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6. Sophia
Spoiler
"I see we made it in time," relief was heard in Alex's voice.

"Yes, we followed them for a long while. However, I'm still a little worried."

Indeed, keeping track of the enemy while remaining undetected was not easy. If you keep too much of a distance, you lose sight of them. And on the contrary, if you get too close then you reveal yourself. Therefore, we use vanships for search operations because they can keep the right distance from enemy ships. Though the complexity when the enemy's speed is so high was greater than we expected.

"Hm. In order to break through the blockade line, they attacked the narrow line of ships, one after the other. They spent the time and effort to destroy all of the ships, but now the tides are turning on them," Alex spoke quietly, but with a contempt that criticized the tactics of the enemy.

It's true. If the enemy had not hesitated before the blockade line, we would not have succeeded in catching up with them. In Otranto's territory, pursuit of the enemy in a vanship would also be a difficult task. Now, before our eyes we could see the Disith flag, caught in the spotlight.

"The vanship teams have done well."

"Yes, very well."

They had flown before the second group had entered the territory of the military port, and then the searchlights quickly discovered the enemy. Apparently they warned their allies to attack the enemy.

"Well then, open fire!"

"Open fire!"

Alex's order sounds over the silence in the bridge of the Silvana. The crew is on full alert. Soon, rapid-fire guns move forward and a series of shots of flaming arrows are fired, rushing toward the Disith ships.

"First series of shots - hit. Technical report - no changes. Begin preparations for the second series of shots," bridge officer Greyhound calmly reports as the fire continues.

I wonder what the enemy will do now? Their ships are now behind their flagship, so they can not attack. If this goes on and they start to get shot down one by one, will they turn back? Or will they still try to achieve a fast speed toward the port or Otranto? In that case, what will Alex do? I catch myself thinking that I'm looking forward to it, when Alex finally announces his strategy. Although it seems to me that the battlefield is not a place for such expectations.

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