Episode 7 A Glorious Death
An air raid siren...
Quiet!
Everyone, prepare for takeoff.
Line up on the runway.
Yes, sir!
At 1400, five enemy fighters entered the Mercurius flight zone.
After combat began, they fled toward Isla.
We sustained minimal damage.
The Aerial Knights gave chase immediately.
Leave twenty Machina Deo to defend Isla.
All other planes are to launch with torpedoes and bombs.
Use all available planes.
Even the trainees can at least do recon.
Get the engines started!
Numbers 1 and 3 look good!
Get the pilots out here!
That air raid siren was not a drill...
You've been given the order to take off.
The enemy is here. The knights are pursuing them.
You will split into seven groups to search
a 120-degree area behind Isla.
This mission is a very dangerous and important responsibility.
Use what you've learned thus far to protect the skies of Isla.
Roger.
The following pilots will stay behind
to provide AA support over Centezual.
Kal-el Albus.
Claire Cruz.
Ariel Albus.
Ignacio Axis.
Wolfgang Baumann.
Marco Santos.
All right, dismissed!
This will be our first mission...
Be careful!
But can we really handle an actual fight?
The knights will take out the enemy, so we won't have to do anything.
We'll do our best without you, guys.
Yeah...
We've all trained for this day!
Come back safe, everyone.
We'll see each other back here soon.
Yeah!
The guys sure are relaxed...
But will we really be all right?
What is that?
Main enemy force sighted at 1615.
Looks like six destroyers providing support,
two large, older wooden ships that seem to be battleships,
and one large, older wooden ship that appears to be a carrier.
What a terrible fleet... It's totally beat-up.
Enemy escorts sighted.
All planes, attack!
Enemy escorts sighted.
Beginning attack.
Reporting... Enemy fleet sighted!
So they were there, after all.
Divert all forces to the fight.
Launch!
Everyone's so lucky, getting to go on the recon...
Our mission is important, too.
Yeah, I know.
There's a car over there.
They're waving at us.
Countess Ulshyrra?
Hmm? You know her?
Yeah.
Claire Cruz and Ignacio Axis will stand by
in the central government office.
The other students will stay here, awaiting further orders.
Now, come with me.
I'm sorry, I have to go...
Wait!
Why does Claire...
Ignacio, too?
Why?
You are the governor of Isla.
You're different than the pilots.
That's why I've appointed Ignacio as your bodyguard.
You must keep that in mind at all times.
But I've lost the power of the wind...
Given what's happening,
your duty is to inspire everyone from the center.
As a figurehead, is it?
Did you say something?
Attacks are having no effect!
We'll open up a full barrage with our cannons.
The enemy is currently withdrawing twenty degrees from Isla.
All forces are in pursuit.
The Luna Barco is commencing direct bombardment.
Don't you think it's strange
that they'd attack Isla with such a weak fleet?
It's possible this older fleet is a decoy, and their main fleet
is waiting in an ambush ahead, to surround and destroy the knight commander's forces.
What's the surrounding area like?
The students are carrying out recon right now.
Cloud cover, 7.
240 nautical miles from the Escorial.
All clear—
Chiharu, bring us up. I saw something over there.
Roger.
I'll take us up to 3,500.
No good, too many clouds...
Sure you didn't imagine it?
Chiharu, bring us to the left.
It's bothering me a bit.
Right.
Mitty, over there!
Wh-What are those?
Large-scale bombers...
But they're huge!
A-And a carrier!
That's a carrier? I've never seen anything like that.
It's filled with monoplane single-seat fighters.
And those are all escort fighters.
That carrier's whole purpose is to escort the bombers?
Yes.
They operate by an entirely different combat doctrine than we do.
They sure don't look like barbarians to me.
They look more advanced than we are.
We need to inform HQ.
1907...
190 degrees, 240 nautical miles from Isla.
We've sighted ultra-large enemy bombers.
Heading northeast, at 120 degrees.
We will stay in range!
We've wiped them out.
Emergency transmission!
Enemy bombers sighted!
Enemy formation includes an escort carrier!
Altitude 3,000...
Damn it! The fleet in front of us was a decoy!
We were tricked by the barbarians?
Get all our planes there, now.
And equip our escorts with bombs!
Mitsuo and Chiharu
have sighted enemies to the rear.
They're still in enemy range.
The enemy?
The ones in front wasn't their main force?
What should we do?
Stand by until we get orders.
Wh-What do we do? It's impossible...
Mitsuo can't stay near them... He won't be able to do it!
They're both still trainees.
Can we ask HQ to recall them?
Have regular forces take their place?
You can only use a single plane to stay in close recon.
Bring multiple planes,
and the enemy is more likely to find and shoot you down.
The knights don't have any more planes.
I don't...
I never apologized to Mitsuo...
I need him to come back.
We should ask the teachers, right?
The teachers might be able to do something.
Where are you going?
Sonia.
They're already back...
That was fast.
Did they already beat them?
For a triumphant return, they're in a big rush.
Did something happen?
We won't learn anything if we stay here.
But I do want to know.
It's our job to stay here, so we'll have to wait for orders!
No one will die, will they?
There's no such thing as a battle where no one dies.
If there's a battle, even students will suffer casualties.
This is a war.
We have to be willing to risk our lives.
Even if we lack skill,
we have the resolve.
But...
Chiharu, cut the engines a little...
They'll see the light.
Yeah.
No change in the enemy.
Chiharu, get into cloud cover!
Roger!
They're here...
Off our right side!
Look!
Red and blue navigation lights...
Those are Isla planes!
Yeah, those must be.
I'm so glad...
They're here.
Enemy sighted!
The student report was right.
Yeah.
What?
The enemy navigation lights vanished!
Now we can't attack!
All planes are already in attack formation.
What should we do?
If only we had the moon...
No way! They turned off their lights!
Won't they run into each other?
They must have real confidence in their skills.
Otherwise, they'd never do this...
Yeah.
Our planes won't be able to attack now!
If I fire this flare,
the enemy will see us for sure, and we'll die.
But if I don't, our torpedo run is sure to fail.
Hey, Mitty...
You think everyone's worried about us right now?
I'm sure they're panicking.
I can just hear Noripii going, "Will they be okay out there? No way."
Yeah, I bet.
Nana's probably worried and panicking.
And Kal's saying, "It'll be fine," when he has no reason whatsoever to think so.
And Ari's telling him to shut up.
Mitty...
Let's fire the flare.
If we do, they'll shoot us down.
Yeah, I know.
But I don't want Isla to burn...
This would be much better.
We trained so hard, right?
It'll be fine...
Both of us will make it back.
Got it. Let's do it!
No matter what happens...
I'll make sure Chiharu gets back alive!
A flare?
Was that the students?
Head for their center!
We need to get higher, or we won't be able to light them all up!
Yeah, I'll do my best!
Thanks to you I can reach maximum altitude now!
Angle of inclination, 40 degrees, 5 to the right.
Use twenty seconds emergency power!
Right!
Just a bit more! Just a little more!
You can do it!
We have to protect everyone...
We need to save Isla!
Right here!
We did it.
Where are the knights?
Over there!
A textbook use of flares.
Distance 25, 22, 20.
Steady as she goes!
Fire!
Hit!
They did it!
Yeah!
To our left!
Slide!
Roger!
Left! Left! Left!
Left!
Left! Right! Right! Left!
I'm fine...
I can keep going!
We'll both go home together!
To Isla!
Mitty?
Are you okay, Mitty?!
Mitty!
I'm fine!
Keep your eyes forward, Chiharu!
Right.
Everyone...
Father...
Mother...
I'm sorry.
But...
I'll save Chiharu, no matter what!
I want to look good for the girl I love, at least!
Chiharu, eject.
Use your parachute and eject...
It'll be fine.
Our allies will pick you up midway.
Then you jump, too.
Yeah, I'll jump, too.
But you go first, Chiharu.
Really?
You'll jump with me?
Yeah.
Hurry.
They'll shoot us down any minute...
Hurry!
Okay.
Chiharu, promise me that you'll be a pilot.
Mitty...
Never give up!
Find the End of the Sky!
Mitty!
This'll do...
For me, I've done well.
Chiharu...
I'm sorry, Mitty.
I'll be with you soon.
Mr. Bandereas...
Ms. Sonia...
I'm sorry.
We didn't make it in time.
Mitty... Mitty! Mitty!
He was a true pilot.
Message from fortified cannon emplacement #2, Alondra.
We are under attack!
Until my father gets back, Isla is defenseless.
What should we do, Fausto?
What else?
El Halcons...
Let's go, too.
What are you talking about?
Our orders are to stay here.
But we need to defend Isla!
Fine... Get in.
Ready to go!
Take off!
It's me, Ignacio.
That idiot ignored orders and took off.
Is he trying to end up as fish food?
If I were—
Episode 8: The Name of the Bird