Kanmusu Struggle - A Kantai Collection Story

The Final Sortie

October 20th, 2011, 0430 hours [4:30 AM]

It's been 7 months since Roland and Herbert went to Libya. Now with a lot more experience, both in combat and flying helicopters, they move to the decisive moment for this civil war: to capture Muammar Gaddafi in his mansion.


"Alright, this is the big one...today we take that bastard Gaddafi down or we die trying! We got some undercover agents with intel saying he'll be escaping the capital in a few hours with a heavily armed convoy. Valdez, Chambers, I am letting you two fly together on this op using Jaws. You will provide CAS for the rebels and cut off Gaddafi's means of escape. The people of Libya are counting on both of you!" Amir said.

"Yessir!" Herbert replied with a salute.

"Understood, Amir...can't wait to get that bastard. Ready to rock, Herbert?"

"Roger that, Captain Ahab!", Herbert says while putting on his flight helmet.

"Alright, then...battery on, engines spooling up and rotors are following suit...we are at optimal operating temperature.", Roland said as he pulled the collective and lifted off.

"Herbert, how are we looking on armament? I'm hoping the ground crew didn't forget to load up the rocket pods."

"Of course they didn't, it's all set up, man. Miniguns locked and loaded too. We're good to shoot.", Herbert answered while looking back at the chopper's pylons, each with a 10-round 70-mm rocket pod and an M134 Minigun.

"The mansion's about 80 kilometers away, but we need to get past the surrounding neighborhood, which is full of loyalists...so you guys better land just outside the city for us.", Amir said while checking his AKS-74 rifle. "Also, watch out for RPG's on the rooftops."

"Roger. And when we deploy you guys in the hot zone, you better keep your eyes peeled...I don't want this to be our last fight, Amir." Roland said in a serious tone.

"You can trust me, I've been doing this for over six years." Amir replied.

"I will provide sniper cover for the guys on the ground, I can also call targets as I see them if need be.", Aida added while checking her customized Mosin Nagant.




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0500 hours [5:00 AM]

Roland let out a yawn and looked at his handheld GPS.


"Alright guys, it looks like we're nearing the drop zone. Get locked, loaded and don't forget your lunch!"

"I can already see some buildings.", Herbert replied as they got closer to the city outskirts. "It looks calm...", he added.

"Way too calm...stay sharp." Roland replied.

"Check weapons and prepare to drop, ETA five minutes!" Amir added.


When they arrived at their destination, the duo quickly landed the helicopter for the Nazari siblings and other two rebels to get out. As soon as they did, Roland and Herbert took off again.


"Ok, phase 1 complete. Phase 2 now running!", Herbert said.

"Alright! We gotta provide CAS for our buddies on the ground, if the intel was on point then we should only have to worry about ground units, no enemy choppers." Roland replied.

"I hope so...we don't have time for a dogfight.", Herbert said.




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0520 hours [5:20 AM]

Everything was going well, the ground crew had arrived at downtown...and still no sign of enemies.

"We're nearing the target...location should be further north." Amir said; suddenly a shot rang out and a rebel fell to the ground.

"AMBUSH, AMBUSH! WE GOT A SNIPER!!" The other rebel screamed over the radio.

"Shit...I see the sniper, he's out of range...if the wind can pick up just a bit then I can hit him." Aida said.

"Be careful everyone, there are probably more of them.", Herbert replied.


Out of nowhere...an RPG almost hit their chopper!


"FUCK! RPG in the rooftop!", Roland shouted. "That son of a bitch!"


Soon loyalist troops arrived from alley ways and buildings to engage the rebels.


"Herbert! It's a goddamn circus down there, we gotta help them out!", Roland said.


Aida fired a shot and hit the soldier wielding the RPG.


"Kill confirmed...stupid bastard should have kept his head down when he was reloading.", Aida said.

"Alright, now that he's done, let's assist the allies." Roland added.

"Roger that!", His friend said. "Let's light'em up!", He added, opening fire with the M134's at the enemy troops. The soldiers who didn't die sought refuge in the surrounding area.
"Alright, we got'em, for now." Roland said as he maneuvered the Huey.


Soon something appeared over the horizon. Roland squinted to try and ID the aircraft headed towards them.


"Oh hell...Herbert, do you have binoculars on you? I see a chopper headed our way."

"There ya go.", Herbert gave his friend the binoculars. Roland looked with the big eyes and...


"HIND, HIND! 12 O'CLOCK! WE GOTTA DUST THAT BASTARD BEFORE HE GETS THE REBELS!!", Roland shouted as he moved to increase the Huey's engine to max power, the helicopter vibrating and straining under the stress.

"Oh hell no!!", Herbert let out. Roland fired a volley of rockets at the Hind and only one managed to hit, causing the Hind to start smoking.

"Herbert we gotta finish him off!"


Even with one engine smoking, the Hind was still deadly, and it fired its 30-mm cannon at the Huey.


"Hang on!", Herbert said while trying to perform a loop, but the Huey's engine was already at its limit and couldn't complete the maneuver. "Fuck!"

"Dammit, we're pinned down and can't move! Herbert, Roland, if you can hear me...aim for the Hind's tail! That's its weakest point!" Amir instructed.

"I'm on it! Eat lead, puto!", Herbert opened fire with the M134's, missing most of the shots, but damaging the tail rotor, which caused the Hind to start spinning out of control, crashing and exploding a few seconds later.

"WHOOOOO!!! Splash one Hind! I think we're the first Huey drivers in history to take a Hind down!", Roland said while patting Herbert's back.

"I hear ya! But we were lucky that the pilot had shitty skills!", He laughed.

"HA HA! Excellent, my friends!" Amir shouted with joy.




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0527 hours [05:27 AM]

The group was getting closer to Gaddafi's mansion when Aida started hearing the sound of something coming...a convoy. She looked through her binoculars and spotted a small group of tanks entering the town.

"Guys, we're in big trouble! I count about five T-72's...oh my...they're from the Amazonian Guard!", She said.

"If that's true, then Gaddafi has got to be in one of those tanks...what do you think, Herbert?" Roland added.

"We still got ammo, including API rounds. T-72's don't have the strongest armor, so we may score some hits. Let's do it!", Herbert replied.

"Roger roger, aim for the tanks' top and rear sections, the armor is thinnest there. We gotta make those shots count though, Herbert, because we're low on ammo!", Roland replied.

"I'm aware of that. Aida, we're coming in hot, how far are they from your position?"

"Uhhh about 800 yards, basically right in my face. I don't know how much longer I can stay concealed for." Aida replied.

"Tell you what, stay hidden, don't reveal your position. Roland, whattya say we call out their attention so she may have a clear aim at Gaddafi?"

"It's risky, my brother....but we've gotta do it." Roland replied.

"A'ight...", Herbert brofists Roland. "Let's kick the tires and light the fires!", He added as he increased speed to reach Aida's location. Sure enough, they spot the tanks...

"Here we go!" Roland shouted while opening fire on the lead tank, the rounds striking home and causing the T-72 to pop its turret.

"Good shot, man!", Herbert praised him. "Let's make another pass!", He maneuvered the Huey, avoiding the enemy fire. "Gotta take out the last one, they'll be blocked!", He fired the M134's and ruined the last T-72's engine.

"Alright that's a mobility kill...good job, Herbert!" Aida said.


There was a support car with the tanks, a pickup truck, behind the last tank. One of the passengers got out of the cargo bed with an RPG. Amir got closer to it and killed the passenger as well as the driver.


"Aim for the rear!", The rebel soldier said.

"I KNOW WHERE TO FUCKING HIT HIM!" He shouted while running. He got into position and before the tank Commander could notice, since he was busy with Roland and Herbert buzzing around in the Huey, he fired at the the tank's rear, exploding the engine and also causing the turret to pop, effectively taking it out of commission.

"Excellent Job, Amir! Tank destroyed!" Roland said.


There were only 2 tanks left; the rear one tried to escape, but...


"Jaws, fire!", Amir shouted on the radio and Roland/Herbert destroyed it with the last rockets they had. In the front, the last tank's crew got out, hands up.

"Don't shoot us, we're undercover rebels!", Said them. Only then Aida realized that, despite all the tanks being from the Amazonian Guards, only one was crewed by them...all the rest was standard Libyan Army personnel.

"Roger that...excellent work." Aida said.

"Likewise, Aida, we couldn't have done it without you and the others. Gaddafi is a coward, he's inside the tank's turret. When this is all over, please be safe." One of the female soldiers replied.


The group took out the last remaining member out of the tank: Gaddafi himself.


"Don't kill me please...PLEASE!" Gaddafi shouted.

"I'm not going to kill you...you're no longer my problem anyway...I doubt my friends will be as generous as I am, though...", She said while calling the Jaws boys. "Aida here, requesting extraction, I have the target with me and am awaiting the rest of the rebels to arrive....mission accomplished."

"Jaws here, arriving at the LZ, fuel level is still good...outstanding job, Aida." Roland said as he landed.


The rest of the rebels arrived, more furious than never with the dictator. They started to lynch the man. Aida and Amir headed to the Huey. Roland and Herbert witnessed the event as they took off.


"Damn...karma is a real bitch, but I wouldn't wish something like that even on my absolute worst enemy...Herbert, you ready to head back? The engine is functioning properly despite us getting peppered back there." Roland said as he watched Gaddafi's last moments from the air.

"Yes, man. Let's get the hell outta here, I don't wanna see any more of this..."

"Roger that...neither do I, let's head back."

"We did our part...I just hope that we did the right thing for the country.", Amir said.

"I second that...' Aida added.

"Seeing how people acted with him...makes me wonder about this...we spent the last 7 months fighting against his forces...but to the rebels, the people...end up acting just as bad as Gaddafi himself...*sighs* I don't know. Maybe I'm naive, maybe it's just because I'm not on their shoes, but...I kinda feel this doesn't make them better than him.", Herbert commented.

"War separates men from the boys...it also releases our inner demons, Herbert..." Roland replied.

"You're goddamn right.", he answered.

"And you two did the right thing...I know Gaddafi did a lot of bad when you two served under him, but I commend you for having the integrity to not take part in his lynching...I knew you two were better than that." Roland said to the Nazari siblings.

"Thanks.", Amir and Aida replied, at the same time.