East of Nakba (29)

 

(Japanese Version)

(Arabic Version)

July, 2022

Part I. Israel bombs a nuclear plant in Iran

 

Chapter 29. Virtual control: The second aircraft that disappeared in the desert (2)

 

Despite the fine weather, "Burj Khalifa" looked hazy. It was not uncommon that metropolis like Dubai was surrounded by smog on ground. But now the entire skyscraper was hazy. "Mafia" felt as if he rode on a magic carpet and lost in the mysterious world of a thousand nights and a night. Beyond the metropolis, there was the vast desert. People called it the "Ar Rub al Khali". It meant "an empty quarter" in Arabic. The desert occupied a quarter of the Arabian Peninsula. No satisfactory map was available until very recently.

 

Two jets were now heading to the desert where was fully covered with a reddish-brown curtain. The ground and the sky were completely in harmony, and the horizon was unidentified. The sand curtain was approaching to the coastline. It was the “sandstorm" peculiar in this season. The haze surrounding skyscraper was a prelude of sand storm. Two jets were about to plunge into the sandstorm. Is there a runway in the midst of desert where jet plane could land? The "Mafia" was caught by fear and anxiety. He almost urged to confirm the destination to the accompanying U.S. jet. However, it was forbidden to communicate from him. The leading U.S. jet rushed into the sandstorm, lowering its altitude as if nothing had happened. "Mafia" made up his mind and followed U.S. jet.

 

When he rushed into a sandstorm, the jet was shaken violently due to a severe headwind. Even though it was midday, it became dark like dusk. He sometimes lost the figure of the accompanying U.S. jet. When the altimeter showed hundreds of meters to the ground, there was a call from the leading U.S. jet.

 

"There is a U.S. military runway that no one knows in front of you. You can make an emergency landing there. From here onward, the ground controller at the base will guide you, so switch the frequency to XX Hertz. I will return to my base. Good Luck. "

 

After saying that, the U.S. jet turned its nose diagonally upward to the left and flew away from the "Mafia". Instead, the voice of the ground controller jumped in his headphone.

 

"This is the control tower. I confirmed on the radar that you were heading here. Enter the landing system on and go straight."

 

Due to no visibility by the sandstorm, “Mafia” had no means only to follow the guidance of the controller. He lowered altitude steadily according to the instructions of the controller without any doubt.

 

(cont’d)

 

Areha Kazuya

(From an ordinary citizen in the cloud)

 

To previoU.S. chapters: http://ocininitiative.maeda1.jp/OcinNovelEnglish.html