Freedom Flights

Since 2019 I have been working on a series of fictional stories about a Ukrainian family, collectively called Freedom Flights. During NaNoWriMo 2023 I started writing stories connecting the opening story set in 1944 with the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine. The intention is to publish the tales when the current war in Ukraine is resolved through a just peace.

This present-day tale began with my World War II story Feathered Fire, which introduced the Chayka family from Ukraine and appeared in the 2020 IWSG Anthology (No. 5), Voyagers: The Third Ghost.

Commander Evdokiya Bershanskaya gives a briefing to her “Witches”. (Archives Vlad Monster, http://www.ava.org.ru)

https://www.gracpiacenza.com/night_witches_eng.html

A Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 lifts off at a 2017 airshow in the U.K. The Su-27 is Ukraine’s long arm, an offensive fighter with great range and the capacity to carry nearly 10,000 pounds of bombs, rockets, and missiles.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/fighter-jet-fights-both-sides-180975834/

The current stories open with Episode 1, Rainbow Firebreak, for the WEP/IWSG April: Challenge: https://rolandclarke.com/2022/04/20/wep-iwsg-april-challenge-a-hard-rains-a-gonna-fall/.

Episode 2, Winged Woes, for the WEP/IWSG June Challenge:     https://rolandclarke.com/2022/06/15/wep-iwsg-june-challenge-please-read-the-letter/

Episode 3, Moonbeam Magic, for the WEP/IWSG August Challenge: https://rolandclarke.com/2022/08/17/wep-iwsg-august-challenge-moonlight-sonata/

Episode 4, Winged Death, for the WEP/IWSG October Challenge: https://rolandclarke.com/2022/10/19/wep-iwsg-october-challenge-thriller/

Episode 5, Soul Seeds, for the WEP/IWSG December Challenge: https://rolandclarke.com/2022/12/01/wep-iwsg-december-challenge-first-time-ever/ 

Episode 6, Swords to Ploughshares, to conclude the WEP/IWSG December Challenge and close 2022: https://rolandclarke.com/2022/12/10/swords-to-ploughshares/

Let Us Beat Swords into Plowshares, sculpture by Yevgeny Vuchetich – 1959 gift of the Soviet Union to the United Nations – garden of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City
Photo: Neptuul. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swords_to_ploughshares

Episode 7, Winter Resolution https://rolandclarke.com/2023/01/31/wep-iwsg-challenge-resolve/  This extra post leads into this month’s Challenge entry and included a plot event I foreshadowed in Part 6.

Episode 8, Winds of Change https://rolandclarke.com/2023/02/15/wep-iwsg-february-challenge-gone-with-the-wind/

Episode 9, Precious Relations, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/04/20/wep-iwsg-april-challenge-life-is-beautiful/  

Episode 10, Inception, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/06/12/freedom-flights-part-10-inception/ .

Episode 11, Shaped Encounters, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/06/23/wep-iwsg-june-challenge-close-encounters/ .

Episode 12, Chocolate Pots, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/08/16/wep-iwsg-august-challenge-chocolate-pots/

Episode 13, Masked Nemesis, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/10/18/wep-iwsg-october-challenge-masked-nemesis/

Episode 14, Embedded, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/12/10/freedom-flights-episode-14-embedded/

Episode 15, Zvenigora Snow, https://rolandclarke.com/2023/12/11/wep-iwsg-december-challenge-zvenigora-snow/

Episode 16, Beacons of Hope, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/01/19/freedom-flights-episode-16-beacons-of-hope/

Episode 17, Life and Death, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/02/14/freedom-flights-episode-17-life-and-death/

Episode 18, Steadfast Phoenix Part 1, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/03/27/freedom-flights-episode-18-steadfast-phoenix/

Tiger in flight 2012. Author: Peng Chen     

Episode 18, Steadfast Phoenix Part 2, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/03/28/freedom-flights-episode-18-steadfast-phoenix-part-2/

Episode 18, Steadfast Phoenix Part 3, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/03/29/freedom-flights-episode-18-steadfast-phoenix-part-3/

Episode 19. Hidden Resource. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/04/20/freedom-flights-episode-19-hidden-resource/

Episode 20. Shadow Strike, https://rolandclarke.com/2024/05/02/freedom-flights-episode-20-shadow-strike/

Episode 21. Right to Exist. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/05/15/freedom-flights-episode-21-right-to-exist/

Episode 22. Responsible Suicide. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/05/21/freedom-flights-episode-22-responsible-sacrifice/

Episode 23. Witches Troupe – Part 1. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/06/15/freedom-flights-episode-23-witches-troupe/

Episode 23. Witches Troupe – Part 2. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/06/20/freedom-flights-episode-23-witches-troupe-part-2/

Episode 23. Witches Troupe – Part 3. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/07/01/freedom-flights-episode-23-witches-troupe-part-3/.

Owl of Athena: Original art – Luke Hillestad

Episode 24. Security Details. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/07/17/freedom-flights-episode-24-security-details/

Episode 25. Irreversible Path. Part 1. Training Complex. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/08/21/freedom-flights-episode-25-irreversible-path-part-1/

Episode 25. Irreversible Path. Part 2. Code Talkers. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/08/22/freedom-flights-episode-25-irreversible-path-part-2/

Episode 25 Irreversible Path. Part 3. Immoral Attack https://rolandclarke.com/2024/08/24/freedom-flights-episode-25-irreversible-path-part-3/

Episode 25 Irreversible Path. Part 4. Drones, Messages and Ashes https://rolandclarke.com/2024/09/02/freedom-flights-episode-25-irreversible-path-part-4/

Episode 25 Irreversible Path. Part 5. Versatile Deception https://rolandclarke.com/2024/09/16/freedom-flights-episode-25-irreversible-path-part-5/

Flag of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine
Author VileGecko’s own work, based on http://www.mil.gov.ua/ministry/simvolika-ta-nagorodi/

Episode 26 Deceptive Intuition https://rolandclarke.com/2024/11/04/freedom-flights-episode-26-deceptive-intuition/

Episode 27 Defensive Relocation https://rolandclarke.com/2024/12/01/freedom-flights-episode-27-defensive-relocation/

Episode 28 Freedom for Russia https://rolandclarke.com/2024/12/06/freedom-flights-episode-28-freedom-for-russia/

Episode 29 Changed Fortunes https://rolandclarke.com/2024/12/16/freedom-flights-episode-29-changed-fortunes/

Episode 30 Perilous Pursuits. Part 1. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/12/26/freedom-flights-episode-30-perilous-pursuits/

Episode 30 Perilous Pursuits. Part 2. https://rolandclarke.com/2024/12/27/freedom-flights-episode-30-perilous-pursuits-part-2/

A Mirage 2000-5F takes off from Luxeuil Air Base, in Saint-Sauveur, eastern France, on March 13, 2022. Photo by SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images SEBASTIEN BOZON

Episode 31 Headway & Heartbreak. https://rolandclarke.com/2025/01/06/freedom-flights-episode-31-headway-heartbreak/

Episode 32 Trust is a Mirage. https://rolandclarke.com/2025/01/24/freedom-flights-episode-32-trust-is-a-mirage/

Episode 33 Timed Intervention. https://rolandclarke.com/2025/02/09/freedom-flights-episode-33-timed-intervention/

Episode 34 Wings of the Phoenix https://rolandclarke.com/2025/03/13/freedom-flights-episode-34-wings-of-the-phoenix/

Episode 35 Heroes Never Die https://rolandclarke.com/2025/03/21/freedom-flights-episode-35-heroes-never-die/

Episode 36 Never Fade Away https://rolandclarke.com/2025/05/21/freedom-flights-episode-36-never-fade-away/

Siberian Husky: Image Credit: Aleksandr Abrosimov, Shutterstock

Episode 37 Strategy and Tactics https://rolandclarke.com/2025/05/30/freedom-flights-episode-37-strategy-and-tactics/

Episode 38 Eagle’s Flight https://rolandclarke.com/2025/06/18/freedom-flights-episode-38-eagles-flight/

Episode 39 Dispersal and Concealment https://rolandclarke.com/2025/07/17/freedom-flights-episode-39-dispersal-and-concealment/

Episode 40 Winter Warning https://rolandclarke.com/2025/08/05/freedom-flights-episode-40-winter-warning/

Episode 41 Conviction and Commitment Part 1. https://rolandclarke.com/2025/08/30/freedom-flights-episode-41-conviction-and-commitment/

Episode 41 Conviction and Commitment Part 2. https://rolandclarke.com/2025/09/02/freedom-flights-episode-41-conviction-and-commitment-part-2/

Episode 42 No Cards Game Part 1 https://rolandclarke.com/2025/09/27/freedom-flights-episode-42-no-cards-game/

Episode 42 No Cards Game Part 2 https://rolandclarke.com/2025/09/28/freedom-flights-episode-42-no-cards-game-part-2/

Episode 43. Disarming Attachments Part 1 https://rolandclarke.com/2025/10/21/freedom-flights-episode-43-disarming-attachments-part-1/

Episode 43. Disarming Attachments Part 2 https://rolandclarke.com/2025/10/22/freedom-flights-episode-43-disarming-attachments-part-2/

Episode 43. Disarming Attachments Part 3 https://rolandclarke.com/2025/10/23/freedom-flights-episode-43-disarming-attachments-part-3/

Slava Ukrayini