Without warning, the colossal continent of Latistor emerged from the eastern seas, triggering chaos across Southeast Asia and the surrounding islands. Seismic activity rocked the entire world, followed by massive tsunamis surging towards coastal regions, including neighboring island countries of Gahara, Fenn, Sios, and the eastern coastal regions of Philades. The towering waves crashed onto shorelines, engulfing towns and villages in their path and causing widespread devastation.
In Gahara, coastal communities were inundated by the relentless force of the tsunami waves, leaving behind a trail of widespread destruction. Fishing villages and monasteries along the coastline were swept away, and infrastructure such as ports and harbors were severely damaged. The island's capital city faced significant flooding, with streets submerged and buildings partially or completely destroyed.
Similarly, in Sios, the arrival of the tsunamis brought devastation to coastal settlements and islands. Low-lying areas were submerged underwater, and residents were forced to flee to higher ground to escape the deluge. Although the islands' population and industrial areas concentrated in the western edges suffered less damage, but agricultural areas and fishing towns were severely affected as vital infrastructure and crops were destroyed.
Meanwhile, in the eastern coastal regions of Philades, the impact of the tsunamis was catastrophic. Cities and towns along the coastline were battered by towering waves, with coastal defenses overwhelmed by the sheer force of the water. The port cities of Rheem, Nastav, Duro, and Topa were particularly hard hit, with docks, warehouses, and shipyards reduced to watery rubble.
As the immediate aftermath of the disaster unfolded, the entire world watched in shock and disbelief at the scale of the devastation wrought by the sudden catastrophe, to be slapped by the emergence of Ravernal as an added bonus. News reports and satellite imagery revealed the extent of the destruction, with entire coastlines transformed into watery rubbles.
International aid organizations and the armed forces of ASEAN, along with its paramilitary groups and allied countries of UDEA, mobilized to provide emergency assistance to the affected regions. However, the sheer scale of the disaster overwhelmed relief efforts. Humanitarian crises unfolded as displaced populations sought shelter, food, and medical care amidst the wreckage of their homes and communities. The disruption halted their military operations in Philades, providing respite to the northern Coalition despite their ongoing military efforts.
Over 2,000,000 worldwide lost their lives, and hundreds of thousands were wounded, with tens of millions more displaced and countless billions to trillions worth of economic and infrastructure damages recorded throughout the world.
The eastern seaboard of Southeast Asia, particularly northern Philippines and its eastern regions, as well as Papua all the way to East Timor and the surrounding islands of Indonesia, bore the brunt of the tsunami and earthquake, with millions displaced and over a hundred thousand dead in Southeast Asian alone.
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Flying from Naga airport once the earthquake and subsequent tsunami alerts subsided, the 45th Training Wing of the Southeast Asian Federal Air Force, consisting of 14 F/A-16 Mk. 1 fighter jets, flew in formation with a Casa C-212 as they patrolled and surveyed the extent of destruction below them. Cities and coastal regions were swept by tsunamis and knee-deep floods in the aftermath of the unexpected catastrophe the day before.
Deemed as quite suicidal, once they finished their survey below, they began to head east towards the location of Ravernal. The aircraft were only equipped with rocket launchers and a machine gun, lacking even short-range IR missiles like those fitted to the Mk. 2 deployed in Philades, or even as simple as rotary cannons. These were the first iterations of their replicated fighters, primarily tasked as point defense fighters in Luzon, Mindanao, and West Papua. However, the majority of Mk. 1 versions were now used as trainers rather than combat units, as Southeast Asians were increasingly receiving more capable Mk. 2 versions from production lines.
"Motherboard to Bulldog 1-3, we're bearing northeast," said the C-212 as they veered towards the east. Its original mission was to conduct search and rescue operations, searching for bodies and potential survivors of the tsunamis. However, it was deemed overkill to have an escort, given that it was only a day since the disaster struck. The situation had already been broadcast throughout Southeast Asia and selected allied countries. The sudden return of Ravernal, amidst the chaos caused by the devastation of the catastrophe, was something abnormal and overwhelming for everyone to handle.
In response, a gagged order and martial law were imposed under the guise of post-disaster management. Civilians were evacuated from the eastern regions, citing potential aftereffects, while military patrols, both air and sea, were intensified. Ships were assembled throughout the country for deployment along the eastern sea borders, and ballistic missile regiments were put on high alert in the area of Papua. However, it was only a matter of time until people in Southeast Asia became aware of the unusual military mobilization, including the preparation of fleets for redeployment and reassignment, as well as the increased air patrols and transfer of undisclosed numbers of soldiers and equipment to the eastern regions of the country.
Onboard the lead fighter, a recent college graduate now serving as a trainee, was one of the hundreds of new cadet pilots in Southeast Asia's ever-expanding aerial armada. Despite their lack of experience, they were entrusted with the responsibility of assisting in the reconnaissance mission. The flight was under the supervision of the C-212, their seniority evident as they guided the trainees through the mission.
Below, the aftermath of the disaster was evident as debris and trash floated amidst the wreckage. Several ships lay capsized, adding to the scene of devastation reminiscent of the aftermath of violent storms on Earth.
"Same shit happened in 2013? Just not tsunamis," remarked one of the pilots, his tone monotonous as he recalled memories of events on Earth.
"Yeah, but appears Bali got it worse," another pilot added.
"It's still counting," a third pilot chimed in.
"At least 500 dead and thousands missing at the moment here, which Indonesia is reporting about triple that number in SE Tv earlier," another pilot remarked, referring to recent news broadcasts. "Probably Indonesia was hit harder."
Both the Philippines and Indonesia bore the brunt of the tsunamis that struck ASEAN, given their direction and proximity to Latistor. The death toll is in the thousands, and it continues to climb, with an unknown number of casualties and survivors aboard ships swept away by the sudden emerging of tsunamis. Recon units and rescue teams are working tirelessly to locate them but unfortunately, despite the mobilization, the full extent of the devastation is yet to be realized.
"Gentlemen, I hate to interrupt, but please cease your pleasantries," the C-212 interjected, breaking their conversation. "You're using unencrypted civilian frequency here." The pilots immediately complied.
As they flew over the vast expanse of the ocean, a sense of tranquility washed over them. It was a rare moment of view, something they seldom experienced unless during live-fire military exercises. The SAR operation they were currently engaged in kept them at a safe distance from any real danger, with a range limited to about 100 kilometers patrol zone. This meant that they could only perform a few rounds of circles within half an hour of flight time before returning to base.
Their training as cadet pilots focused primarily on basic skills such as flying and landing, performing simple maneuvers, and strafing runs or rockets to targets. Dropping bombs was also part of their training regimen. However, they had not yet reached the level of proficiency required for aerial combat. Not counting their airframes were not equipped for such maneuvers, and pushing the limits of their aircraft could easily result in catastrophic midair failures rather than effective combat maneuvers.
Amidst the serene flight, an unexpected presence lurked nearby. Suddenly, something appeared above them, moving with the grace of a predator through the air. The cadet pilots, caught off guard by the sudden turbulence caused by its wake, glanced up in astonishment.
"What the heck?! 'Everyone, spread out!'," shouted one of the pilots in alarm as they scrambled to evade the unknown threat. As they dispersed erratically, weaving through the air like a child's aimless canvas at full throttle before they realized that the aircrafts above bore a strong resemblance to their memories. Its silhouette was undeniably familiar.
"All units, disengage! Disengage! Don't open fire!" came the urgent command over the radio. However, before the rest could react further, a burst of static cut through the communication, leaving them confused and wide-eyed as the transmission broadcast in their radio waves.
Camarines Norte, Philippines
The rumble of bulldozers pushing rubble in the road could be heard as they cleaned up the aftermath of the earthquake, a scene that seemed almost normal in the wake of a disaster. However, lurking behind them was a convoy of military vehicles stretching almost 2 kilometers long. Among them were armored personnel carriers, trucks, and newly reproduced M1 SHORAD vehicles in Isuzu 6 wheelers trucks or M113s.
These M1 SHORAD vehicles were equipped with baseline heat-seeking AIM-9 Sidewinders as their missiles, ready to engage any airborne threats. Nearly a hundred batteries of these mobile launchers had already been ordered and planned to be deployed to saturate the mainland and southeast asian holdings in Philades, Lauria, and Grameus - with over two dozen batteries had already been delivered, with more on the way.
Presently, this convoy included a battery of SHORAD vehicles, each consisting of 16 mobile firing trucks armed with four missiles at their launchers. This deployment reflected the Southeast Asian Defense Force's strategy to combat their overwhelming enemy numbers with their own set of standards of sheer numerical and technological superiority in Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) against any potential airborne hostiles with cheap and readily available systems in neutralizing them.
"Sir, we have some problems, or, let me rephrase, issues," a lieutenant addressed the colonel aboard a Kia KM-500 truck, as they waited for the engineering vehicles to clear the road.
"What is it?" the colonel inquired, adjusting himself in his seat.
"Some kids and mothers are begging us for food and clothes, along with others," the lieutenant reported, prompting the colonel to lower his shades and glance outside. He observed civilians approaching the convoy, seeking assistance.
"Did they see we have mobile kitchens? Tell them we don't; these are radio vehicles, not mobile kitchens," the colonel replied, gesturing towards the vehicles. "Do food trucks have antennas on top? No? Tell them we don't have anything other than water - if they're asking for water, um, we will give them water, probably some canned sardines," he added. However, he reconsidered at the last moment, realizing the potential backlash of ignoring civilians in need during a disaster. Being portrayed as heartless on social media and be cancelled could be disastrous. With the people experiencing the disaster - ignoring them could poke to vent all of their anger to the soldiers.
"Alright, and also," the lieutenant continued, "the city mayor is requesting us to deploy some troops to stop the civilians from ransacking and looting the shops and stores around here."
"Now we're looking like anyone could order us," the colonel remarked with a sigh, his expression unreadable. "Tell whoever said that from this city that they have police, local government agencies, NGOs, volunteers, and reservists who should be handling this disaster. It's not our problem, nor will we send help."
"Yes, sir," the lieutenant replied, swiftly leaving the vehicle to relay the colonel's instructions.
He slumped back in his seat, awaiting further updates from the field, when a crackle came over the radio at his side. "R3 to Colonel Consing, please move to Radio vehicle 7, over."
"What's happening? Over?" he responded.
"Urgent, Colonel. You need to be there, ASAP. Over."
"This is Consing. I'm heading out," he said, glancing to his left where the soldiers immediately acknowledged him with nods. Exiting the truck, he made his way to a Volvo 18-wheeler repurposed as a mobile communication vehicle.
"What now?" he asked as he entered the vehicle, immediately noticing the frantic activity of soldiers scrambling around, searching for data sheets.
"Sir, please take this," one of the operators urgently handed him the communication device, which he quickly put on his ears.
"Hello, can you hear me?" a voice came through the line, causing him to narrow his eyes in suspicion.
"Loud and clear," he responded, glancing at the operator who had handed him the radio without explanation. He wrote on his papers the identity of the person speaking, adding to his confusion.
But that confusion turned to bewilderment as the voice continued, "This is Commander James Howard of the United States Navy Cruiser Gettysburg. Who am I speaking with?"
Seconds passed before Consing snapped back to reality upon hearing the name. "This is Colonel Ricky Consing of the 199th Air Defense Regiment, Eastern Military District of the Federal Republic of Southeast Asian Nations, Luzon Battlegroup. Formerly from the island country you may remember as the Philippines."
"...."
There was a pause on the other end of the line before the response came.
"I'm beyond speechless, you guys are here all along," Howard said to Consing, his tone filled with disbelief, prompting curious looks from everyone in the vehicle. "We're from the United States Dispatch Force in the UN-led Containment Zone Ravernal. Those cocksuckers replaced you guys and messed with the Chinese, Japanese, Australians, and Indians after your disappearance," he explained.
The information just spoken by Howard sent everyone's brains into overdrive as they tried to comprehend his words. "Say that again?"
"We got birdies replaced your place with territories connected to the Indian subcontinent all the way to the south of Hawaii. They started invading anyone in sight and vicinity after a disaster that killed from a few hundred thousand to millions. Those racist birdies began an intercontinental scale invasion, attacking three continents simultaneously: Asia, Australia, and North America, over a span of six months. Of course, they began losing in conventional war, and then those xenos started firing nukes out of nowhere to intimidate us, with China as the target for obliteration, but again attacking a nuclear power is the greatest mistake of theirs to make - ensuring retaliation from India and China - 120 suns appeared on their land a week later, killing a few hundred million of their people and forcing them to surrender."
The Southeast Asians could only remain silent upon hearing the situation, unsure if it was a prank or not, but definitely not humorous. One thing was for sure, Consing immediately swiveled his head to the nearest operator. "Immediately notify the Camsur headquarters if they aren't aware of what's happening," he ordered sternly, and the operator promptly complied as he resumed talking to Howard. "We will have aircrafts to guide you to our port. Can you provide your location?"
"That's unnecessary. We're doing a redundant communication check, but we already have our Carrier Battlegroup in contact with one of your air patrol. We've got AWACS and F-35s flying overhead and heading to Naga Airport," Howard replied, alleviating Consing's concerns upon hearing that an actual United States carrier Battlegroup was in the vicinity. It was a significant boost for their military, which was stretched thin in the midst of the new world war. Soon, the aircraft of the United States landed at Naga Airport, and communication between the elements of the Seventh Fleet and the UN Led Containment Force in Latistor commenced earnestly.
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Happy April Fool's everybody!