Chimera

The background valley including the trees and the rocks instantly became black with shades of dark gray. The 4x4 wheeled anti-air vehicles now being used by the Highland Division against Indian aircraft and drones lit up as white with light gray colors. The pure white coloration showed the engines of the vehicles and the hot barrels of the 35mm guns on the back of the chassis that had ripped the Nishant UAV to shreds.

Vikram whistled and then keyed the comms:

“Boss, the reds have brought in some vehicles. I count two light-armor four-by-fours with multi-barrel anti-aircraft guns. I also see several other light-utility vehicles and what looks like a single six-by-six wheeled armored vehicle with a strange turret on top. Can’t make out the model but it is not a tank turret. Possible anti-air vehicle as well.”

Pathanya looked over to Ravi with a raised eyebrow on hearing this.

“Looks like our friends have been busy,” Ravi noted to Pathanya.

“Well,” Pathanya said as he pulled out his SATCOM radio speaker from his backpack, “we did the same back in Thimpu over the last day and a half. Didn’t expect them to sit around twiddling their thumbs, did you?”

“God knows what else they brought in,” Ravi said and moved out to check on the rest of the men.

Pathanya took the speaker and pushed it through his woolen cap under the boonie hat and pressed it his ears:

“Warlord-central, this is Spear-One. Over”

“Spear-One, we just lost an aerial drone near your location. Can you confirm?”

“Roger. Spear has eyeballs on the crash site,” Pathanya said, turning around to glance at the rising smoke down the valley. “We also confirm presence of what appears to be an enemy SHORAD battery deployed two clicks north of us. Over”

There was silence for several seconds on the other line.

“Spear-One, can you engage and eliminate enemy anti-air threat at this time?”

“Negative, Warlord,” Pathanya said with a surprised note. “We are two clicks away and do not have recon on enemy defenses. Suggest we move closer.”

There was some confusion on the other side until he heard Potgam’s voice ordering the others and then taking the speaker from whoever was speaking before.

“Spear-One, this is warlord. The Paras will launch their offensive on schedule regardless of R-P-V cover. I will not deploy any more R-P-Vs to the valley until that anti-air battery is dead! Hotel-Six is currently supporting Dotanang operations and is not available. You are authorized to advance and eliminate the commie anti-air battery immediately. Get it done, son. Warlord out!”

Potgam’s voice was like a breath of fresh air for Pathanya and his men. The General may have been sending them all into combat and possibly to their deaths but he was unhesitant about it when required. It gave his men the jolt of electricity they needed that they were doing something worth doing…

Pathanya stowed the long-range comms and keyed his team:

“Vik, get us a good fix on the red anti-air vehicles. The rest of you, form up on me and let’s figure out how we are going to do this.”

AKSU-WENSU AIRBASE

WESTERN CHINA

DAY 9 + 0930 HRS

It was bitterly cold when the three Mi-17s flared above the tarmac and touched down in front of the hangers on the southern side of the airfield.

As the Mi-17 engine turbines spooled down, Feng and Chen stepped out of the helicopter and saw the drifting snow falling all around. The PLAAF base commander was there to meet them and a detachment of honor guard soldiers snapped to attention. Feng looked around and saw the doors of the hanger revealing the clear lines of two J-11s inside, protected from the bad weather.

Chen walked over to the base commander who shook his hands and handed Chen a paper with a message from Wencang at the Junwei-Kongjun. Feng saw Chen shake his head.

“What is it?” Feng said as he took the note from Chen.

“Marching orders,” Chen replied. “Looks like General Jinping has been relieved of his command on account of poor health and you and I are to report to Beijing immediately as well.”

Poor health indeed… Feng thought.

General Jinping was the PLAAF commander-in-chief. They could not very well report that he had been dismissed for failing to lead his air-forces to success against the Indians. Feng wondered if they were about to see deterioration in their health as well…

The base commander pointed Chen towards a waiting Tu-154 VIP transport aircraft parked at the end of the tarmac waiting for them. There was little to be done. As the staff cars pulled up, the three senior officers got in. Within fifteen minutes the Tupolev aircraft began spooling up its engines to begin a flight that would take Feng and Chen back to Beijing.

NORTH OF DOTANANG

NORTHERN BHUTAN

DAY 9 + 1330 HRS