Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
You've piqued my interest. What's it about?
Anime & Manga GATE: And Thus the UNDF Fought There V2
- Thread starter Quickdraw101
- Start date
Battle of Alnus Hill: March 31st, 2081. After Action Report.
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
After Action Report
Location
Alnus Hill, Falmart
Participating organizations
United Nations Military Command
Participants
Canada
French Republic
Federal Republic of Germany
People's Republic of China
Russian Federation
Republic of India
Republic of Indonesia
United States of America
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The first offensive operation undertaken against the Saderan Empire was a resounding success. In less than an hour, the first wave of combat troops defeated a much larger enemy force that awaited them on the other side. The first wave, numbering 10,000 total personnel, engaged enemy combatants at approximately 0715 hours almost immediately after exiting Alpha Point. Upon exiting, they encountered enemy units in the process of digging trenches and building light fortifications in anticipation for our arrival. When Indonesian, German, and Canadian tanks first crossed over, four tanks had fallen into trenches designed to trap them. However they were't wide or deep enough to prevent them from escaping. Overall, this had done little to impede their progress as they soon engaged the Class A Kaiju they had been ordered to eliminate. However that wasn't the last of attempts by Saderan troops to use the environment against our forces.
Infantry units across the hill had been ambushed by Saderan legionaries and Immortals. While this had initially caught our forces by surprise, as well as being responsible for the bulk of casualties that day, IFV's had taken up positions in front of the advancing infantry and cleared the way for them to dig in against the bulk of the defending force that was ahead of them. As the battle between the tanks an the Kaiju heated up, the main force of the enemy began their advance up the hill. While the infantry waited for the Saderans to get within range, snipers targeted Centurions, and mortarmen began sending shells downrange to degrade the enemy's numbers. It was at this point, an as of yet unseen enemy unit had made it's way onto the battlefield. Three extremely tall and heavily armored creatures began to charge towards the positions taken by infantry units on the hill. They were observed as having a blue aura that surrounded them, which made them move at speeds in excess of what had been seen previously by any Saderan units, save the Class A and Class B Kaiju.
These creatures, according to information gathered by one of the prisoners taken in the aftermath of the battle, are known as ogres. They were equipped with steel plates half an inch thick in some places, were magically enhanced to have more speed and durability than what they would normally have. Even when hit with 40mm APFSDS rounds, they continued onwards. It wasn't until antitank missiles from forward infantry and IFV's had been fired, that they finally went down. Upon closer inspection of the corpses recovered, their bodies were had suffered no external damage from the attacks. It was determined that the explosive force from the antitank missiles had liquefied their insides, killing them instantly. This means that while their armor can protect them entirely from small arms and auto cannon fire, proper antitank weapons will kill them with a direct hit.
The first being on the topic of the Class A Kaiju encountered on the hill. The latest recon had reported that one Kaiju, as well as 1,000 enemy combatants had disappeared from the hill roughly a week before the invasion began. The two Class A Kaiju, were noted as being intelligent enough to observe the limits of the tanks sent to kill them. They realized the tank cannons could only elevate so high, so they would frequently fly upward and try to dive downward onto a tank. This led to tank commanders ordering gunners to target their wings and ground them. Despite the loss of several tanks previously, they had killed both Kaiju, at the cost of hundreds of APFSDS shells in the process.
Despite this, there was one thing that hadn't been taken into account. As each Kaiju died, it let out a loud cry of pain before succumbing to their wounds. This had attracted the mother Kaiju, which proceeded to attack the tank companies. The sheer size and speed of the mother Kaiju made it even more difficult to fight, especially since most of the tanks had expended upwards of 50% of their ammunition. It was thanks to the arrival of three more armored companies, American, Russian, and Chinese specifically, as well as flatbed mounted railguns, that the mother had been brought down.
Meanwhile the Saderan legionaries that attempted to get to the top of the hill and take it back, were in full retreat. Tens of thousands had been killed by a combination of mortar, auto cannon, and small arms fire from soldiers and vehicles, and all of their air power had been neutralized by British AA guns. The sight of the Class A Kaiju dead on the battlefield was the last straw. The few thousand legionaries that remained alive had begun a disorganized retreat back towards their encampment. All except the Immortals, who kept on advancing forward. Whether it was sheer stupidity, or simply because they lack fear or a sense of self preservation, had eventually made it to the outer defensive line on the hill. Despite losing half their number from IFV's and infantry, hundreds still plowed directly into the infantry forces on the hill. It was here the bulk of both KIA and WIA had come from, as small arms proved no match for their armor and magic. The Immortals had forced many in the outer defensive line to fall back and allow the vehicles to take them down.
Once the last Immortal was killed, the push was made towards the Saderan encampment, with stereo systems attached to many vehicles calling for the surrender of their remaining forces. Being surrounded with no way out, most had laid down their arms and surrender en masse. Those that attempted to fight back were easily killed. Among those captured during the surrender were three individuals who may prove to be of great use to further operations. The first of which is one 'Marcus Asinius', who was the Legate of the forces assigned to defend against our forces when we came through Alpha Point. Special forces operatives had captured him in his war tent as he tried to organize his remaining forces into a retreat. It's likely he knows the locations of military garrisons and fortifications around the continent. Recommend immediate transfer to intelligence agencies for interrogation.
The next is an individual known as 'Flat El Coda', who from information gathered, appears to be an Imperial mage. The same mage responsible for providing protection to the ogres encountered previously in the battle. Individual is currently under watch from special forces operatives that captured him earlier. The third individual is an as of yet unknown species of demihuman. Individual is a female with birdlike features across her body. Blue and green feathers covering her head and arms, as well as having traditional birdlike legs and feet. According to sniper reports, this individual was responsible for manipulating wind patters, as to make bullets fired from infantry miss their targets. One sniper was quoted as saying "It's as if she conjured a small tornado around her body", when used to describe what he had seen. Subject was found near a crater from a mortar round, having cuts and bruises across her body, but otherwise alive. Just as with the legate, I recommend these individuals be handed over to proper agencies for interrogation on what they know.
Of the 55,000 enemy combatants that engaged in fighting with our forces, we've captured a total of 5,679 Saderan legionaries and demihumans in the aftermath of the fighting. It's estimated that a further 200-300 managed to escape into the nearby forested area. As of yet, no teams have been dispatched to find them. Below is a detailed account of losses for both sides of the battle.
Casualties
The overall number of casualties for Saderan forces is nearly the entire force, including every dragon and wyvern they had. Nearly 50,000 enemy combatants had been killed in this battle, with the remainder being taken prisoner or fleeing the area. Dead and wounded on our side, despite being far less numerous, numbers at 196 dead, and 171 wounded.
Canada: One Challenger 3 destroyed, two more severely damaged, with 3 dead crewmen.
China: 31 infantry killed, 50 wounded.
France: 11 infantry killed, 14 wounded.
Germany: Two Leopard 3's slightly damaged(one with machine gun ripped off by Immortal), another destroyed, with all 4 crew dead.
Russia: 40 infantry killed, 27 wounded.
India: 35 infantry killed, 29 wounded.
Indonesia: Two Leopard 3's destroyed, one damaged, 8 crewmen dead.
United States: 46 infantry killed, 31 wounded.
United Kingdom: 18 infantry killed, 20 wounded.
Acronyms
Immortal-Saderan Elite infantry who use magical to enhance their weapons, armor, and strength.
Demihuman-Non human entities from beyond Alpha Point.
IFV-Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Class A Kaiju-Flame Dragons, which were first observed in Iceland and subsequently taken down by the USS Barrack Obama.
Class B Kaiju-Wyverns, which make up the bulk of enemy air power.
Location
Alnus Hill, Falmart
Participating organizations
United Nations Military Command
Participants
Canada
French Republic
Federal Republic of Germany
People's Republic of China
Russian Federation
Republic of India
Republic of Indonesia
United States of America
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The first offensive operation undertaken against the Saderan Empire was a resounding success. In less than an hour, the first wave of combat troops defeated a much larger enemy force that awaited them on the other side. The first wave, numbering 10,000 total personnel, engaged enemy combatants at approximately 0715 hours almost immediately after exiting Alpha Point. Upon exiting, they encountered enemy units in the process of digging trenches and building light fortifications in anticipation for our arrival. When Indonesian, German, and Canadian tanks first crossed over, four tanks had fallen into trenches designed to trap them. However they were't wide or deep enough to prevent them from escaping. Overall, this had done little to impede their progress as they soon engaged the Class A Kaiju they had been ordered to eliminate. However that wasn't the last of attempts by Saderan troops to use the environment against our forces.
Infantry units across the hill had been ambushed by Saderan legionaries and Immortals. While this had initially caught our forces by surprise, as well as being responsible for the bulk of casualties that day, IFV's had taken up positions in front of the advancing infantry and cleared the way for them to dig in against the bulk of the defending force that was ahead of them. As the battle between the tanks an the Kaiju heated up, the main force of the enemy began their advance up the hill. While the infantry waited for the Saderans to get within range, snipers targeted Centurions, and mortarmen began sending shells downrange to degrade the enemy's numbers. It was at this point, an as of yet unseen enemy unit had made it's way onto the battlefield. Three extremely tall and heavily armored creatures began to charge towards the positions taken by infantry units on the hill. They were observed as having a blue aura that surrounded them, which made them move at speeds in excess of what had been seen previously by any Saderan units, save the Class A and Class B Kaiju.
These creatures, according to information gathered by one of the prisoners taken in the aftermath of the battle, are known as ogres. They were equipped with steel plates half an inch thick in some places, were magically enhanced to have more speed and durability than what they would normally have. Even when hit with 40mm APFSDS rounds, they continued onwards. It wasn't until antitank missiles from forward infantry and IFV's had been fired, that they finally went down. Upon closer inspection of the corpses recovered, their bodies were had suffered no external damage from the attacks. It was determined that the explosive force from the antitank missiles had liquefied their insides, killing them instantly. This means that while their armor can protect them entirely from small arms and auto cannon fire, proper antitank weapons will kill them with a direct hit.
The first being on the topic of the Class A Kaiju encountered on the hill. The latest recon had reported that one Kaiju, as well as 1,000 enemy combatants had disappeared from the hill roughly a week before the invasion began. The two Class A Kaiju, were noted as being intelligent enough to observe the limits of the tanks sent to kill them. They realized the tank cannons could only elevate so high, so they would frequently fly upward and try to dive downward onto a tank. This led to tank commanders ordering gunners to target their wings and ground them. Despite the loss of several tanks previously, they had killed both Kaiju, at the cost of hundreds of APFSDS shells in the process.
Despite this, there was one thing that hadn't been taken into account. As each Kaiju died, it let out a loud cry of pain before succumbing to their wounds. This had attracted the mother Kaiju, which proceeded to attack the tank companies. The sheer size and speed of the mother Kaiju made it even more difficult to fight, especially since most of the tanks had expended upwards of 50% of their ammunition. It was thanks to the arrival of three more armored companies, American, Russian, and Chinese specifically, as well as flatbed mounted railguns, that the mother had been brought down.
Meanwhile the Saderan legionaries that attempted to get to the top of the hill and take it back, were in full retreat. Tens of thousands had been killed by a combination of mortar, auto cannon, and small arms fire from soldiers and vehicles, and all of their air power had been neutralized by British AA guns. The sight of the Class A Kaiju dead on the battlefield was the last straw. The few thousand legionaries that remained alive had begun a disorganized retreat back towards their encampment. All except the Immortals, who kept on advancing forward. Whether it was sheer stupidity, or simply because they lack fear or a sense of self preservation, had eventually made it to the outer defensive line on the hill. Despite losing half their number from IFV's and infantry, hundreds still plowed directly into the infantry forces on the hill. It was here the bulk of both KIA and WIA had come from, as small arms proved no match for their armor and magic. The Immortals had forced many in the outer defensive line to fall back and allow the vehicles to take them down.
Once the last Immortal was killed, the push was made towards the Saderan encampment, with stereo systems attached to many vehicles calling for the surrender of their remaining forces. Being surrounded with no way out, most had laid down their arms and surrender en masse. Those that attempted to fight back were easily killed. Among those captured during the surrender were three individuals who may prove to be of great use to further operations. The first of which is one 'Marcus Asinius', who was the Legate of the forces assigned to defend against our forces when we came through Alpha Point. Special forces operatives had captured him in his war tent as he tried to organize his remaining forces into a retreat. It's likely he knows the locations of military garrisons and fortifications around the continent. Recommend immediate transfer to intelligence agencies for interrogation.
The next is an individual known as 'Flat El Coda', who from information gathered, appears to be an Imperial mage. The same mage responsible for providing protection to the ogres encountered previously in the battle. Individual is currently under watch from special forces operatives that captured him earlier. The third individual is an as of yet unknown species of demihuman. Individual is a female with birdlike features across her body. Blue and green feathers covering her head and arms, as well as having traditional birdlike legs and feet. According to sniper reports, this individual was responsible for manipulating wind patters, as to make bullets fired from infantry miss their targets. One sniper was quoted as saying "It's as if she conjured a small tornado around her body", when used to describe what he had seen. Subject was found near a crater from a mortar round, having cuts and bruises across her body, but otherwise alive. Just as with the legate, I recommend these individuals be handed over to proper agencies for interrogation on what they know.
Of the 55,000 enemy combatants that engaged in fighting with our forces, we've captured a total of 5,679 Saderan legionaries and demihumans in the aftermath of the fighting. It's estimated that a further 200-300 managed to escape into the nearby forested area. As of yet, no teams have been dispatched to find them. Below is a detailed account of losses for both sides of the battle.
Casualties
The overall number of casualties for Saderan forces is nearly the entire force, including every dragon and wyvern they had. Nearly 50,000 enemy combatants had been killed in this battle, with the remainder being taken prisoner or fleeing the area. Dead and wounded on our side, despite being far less numerous, numbers at 196 dead, and 171 wounded.
Canada: One Challenger 3 destroyed, two more severely damaged, with 3 dead crewmen.
China: 31 infantry killed, 50 wounded.
France: 11 infantry killed, 14 wounded.
Germany: Two Leopard 3's slightly damaged(one with machine gun ripped off by Immortal), another destroyed, with all 4 crew dead.
Russia: 40 infantry killed, 27 wounded.
India: 35 infantry killed, 29 wounded.
Indonesia: Two Leopard 3's destroyed, one damaged, 8 crewmen dead.
United States: 46 infantry killed, 31 wounded.
United Kingdom: 18 infantry killed, 20 wounded.
Acronyms
Immortal-Saderan Elite infantry who use magical to enhance their weapons, armor, and strength.
Demihuman-Non human entities from beyond Alpha Point.
IFV-Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Class A Kaiju-Flame Dragons, which were first observed in Iceland and subsequently taken down by the USS Barrack Obama.
Class B Kaiju-Wyverns, which make up the bulk of enemy air power.
Aaron Fox
Well-known member
Xenonauts is an X-COM clone that is rather interesting as it flips several common elements of X-COM on its head. The fic is set decades after the game (called the 'Praetorian Invasion', named after the race that invaded), the war had made some radical departures from our own timeline (i.e. something akin to the late 2000s internet, nanotech fabrication, handheld lasers, drones out the wazoo, fusion reactors, and oh so much more in 1980 in terms of tech and humanity has colonies on Luna, Mars, and in the Jovian gravity well in the 2000s). I've made one of the 'scrip flips' not-as-much as a scrip flip though, just to make things interesting...
Now for 'A New World' (link to worldbuilding thread at this forum), that's a setting that I've been working on myself for a while... and let's just say the setting is best described as "it's the 25th century, and there is only war". It isn't a good place for most of us moderners, mostly due to the fact that many of the things that are taken as necessary in the setting (information and speech restrictions, no privacy, among other things) won't work with our morals. It is also a setting where pretty much everything within the Laws of War has been thrown out the window (with only biological and nanotech weapons being outlawed), Mutually Assured Destruction is dead, humanity is basically out of work outside of the military, any drone that doesn't have a drone operator practically stuck to its ass (i.e. less than 300 meters) or an AGI will get subverted and used against you, memetic weapons are a thing (and a reason why information and speech is restricted), bio and nuclear terrorism has been a thing in the past, power armor is required on the battlefield, the most powerful faction has post-human soldiers that have the authority to turn entire sections of the earth (or anywhere really) into thoroughly cleaned glass 'if the need arises' giving these soldiers the monicker of genocide wo/men... yeah, it isn't a good place.
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
Sounds like a world that would make the 40k universe look at in confusion.
Aaron Fox
Well-known member
No, they'll look at the setting and start ripping shit off more or less.
BBC news report, March 31st, 2081: The UN Strikes Back!
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
"This is Renee Syhan, reporting live from New Delhi to bring you amazing news! Just hours ago, soldiers from nine different nations have struck the first blow against the enemy that declared war against our world, the Saderan Empire. The military operation was the culmination of months of preparation from every member of the United Nations. Military commanders have reported they now have complete control over the other side of Alpha Point. In a battle that lasted less than half an hour, the remnants of the army that invaded Iceland back in December, have been completely destroyed. It's been reported that of the 55,000 Saderans that awaited our soldiers on the other side, less than 6,000 have been taken prisoner. However this victory did not come without loss of life on our own side. Nearly 200 lives were lost, with nearly that same number being injured. But not all is death and destruction. In the campsite of the enemy, 57 individuals who were reported missing during the Battle of Iceland have been rescued."
"But this is only the beginning. As I bring this to you, tens of thousands of more soldiers and equipment continuously pour through Alpha Point, bringing with them the supplies and tools required to build a base on the other side. From there, the hundreds of thousands of men still waiting in Iceland can finally begin their mission. A mission to not only rescue those stolen from our world, but to defeat the enemy that dragged our world into this new war. But despite our victory against our enemy on land, what directly lays beyond Bravo Point, in Faxa Bay. Even now, military planners are still figuring out the best course of action for entering unknown seas. Naval commanders have suggested the use of underwater drones to scout the area for possible dangers for ships that will eventually cross the other side. But until that day arrives, all military operations undertaken will be based from Alpha Point."
"On top of the combat engineering units that have been crossing over almost nonstop since the battle had ended, additional combat units from Norway, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Korea, and Morocco have arrived to help secure the immediate region around Alpha Point. Even nations like the South African Republics, Kurdistan, and the Aymara Republic of Bolivia, have pledged support in this endeavor. Despite this however, thousands of protesters clamored around the streets of Geneva, Switzerland today, once again decrying the war effort as an unjustified imperialistic action. Hundreds were arrested as riot police worked hard to restore order to city streets."
"In other news, the massive build up of military personnel and equipment in Iceland, has led to massive improvements in the infrastructure across the tiny island nation. It's also led to a massive influx of currency from the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and international Red Cross members stationed there. This has come to great economic benefit for the people of Iceland, as tourism is not only at all time low, but a multitude of local business were shut down after the attack in December. In international news, due to recent events in South Africa, as well as scattered reports in rural regions regarding strange cloaked figures being seen in forested areas, all reservists are hereby required to carry their service weapons with them at all times until further notice. Active duty personnel will continue guarding key pieces of infrastructure across the globe, until the threat of further attacks has ceased."
"Renee Syhan, BBC news, New Delhi."
"But this is only the beginning. As I bring this to you, tens of thousands of more soldiers and equipment continuously pour through Alpha Point, bringing with them the supplies and tools required to build a base on the other side. From there, the hundreds of thousands of men still waiting in Iceland can finally begin their mission. A mission to not only rescue those stolen from our world, but to defeat the enemy that dragged our world into this new war. But despite our victory against our enemy on land, what directly lays beyond Bravo Point, in Faxa Bay. Even now, military planners are still figuring out the best course of action for entering unknown seas. Naval commanders have suggested the use of underwater drones to scout the area for possible dangers for ships that will eventually cross the other side. But until that day arrives, all military operations undertaken will be based from Alpha Point."
"On top of the combat engineering units that have been crossing over almost nonstop since the battle had ended, additional combat units from Norway, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Korea, and Morocco have arrived to help secure the immediate region around Alpha Point. Even nations like the South African Republics, Kurdistan, and the Aymara Republic of Bolivia, have pledged support in this endeavor. Despite this however, thousands of protesters clamored around the streets of Geneva, Switzerland today, once again decrying the war effort as an unjustified imperialistic action. Hundreds were arrested as riot police worked hard to restore order to city streets."
"In other news, the massive build up of military personnel and equipment in Iceland, has led to massive improvements in the infrastructure across the tiny island nation. It's also led to a massive influx of currency from the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and international Red Cross members stationed there. This has come to great economic benefit for the people of Iceland, as tourism is not only at all time low, but a multitude of local business were shut down after the attack in December. In international news, due to recent events in South Africa, as well as scattered reports in rural regions regarding strange cloaked figures being seen in forested areas, all reservists are hereby required to carry their service weapons with them at all times until further notice. Active duty personnel will continue guarding key pieces of infrastructure across the globe, until the threat of further attacks has ceased."
"Renee Syhan, BBC news, New Delhi."
mwkillkenny84
Well-known member
Aaron Fox
Well-known member
No, it's a standard human reaction. As much as we humans like war, there are always the descenting few that don't.
mwkillkenny84
Well-known member
The Sadreans are the ones that did a "Pillage, Loot, Rape, Enslave and Burn" on Iceland, unprovoked. and patted themselves on their back believing themselves oh-so-superior because Iceland as a nation has rejected war.
What the UNDF is doing is 'Just Retribution', and there are idiots calling the action "Unjustified and Imperialistic". Ergo, even in the far future the Mother of Fools is at work.
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Aaron Fox
Well-known member
Nope, that is modern humans at work, mate. Some people are just that ideologically charged on the pacifism front, just like how people were so ideologically charged on uniting their country that they would kill the crown prince of a nation to get their way.
Chapter 17: Welcome to Falmart!
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
Reykjavik, Iceland
Operating Base Alpha
March 30th, 2081
1200 Hours, Icelandic time
D+5 hours
"Where the fuck are they?" Mitchell asked as he marched down the hallway of the barracks. He and the other squad leaders had just left a briefing with Perryman. They would be responsible for running forward recon of local areas, as well as infiltrating enemy cities and settlements. The latter would require the use of alphabet soup agencies to help pull off since that was something they were good at. Even then, he needed his entire team geared up immediately, and he couldn't find a few of them. As he sped up along the hallway, he noticed Diaz exiting her room in a hurry. "Get to the damn armory, we're getting ready to go."
"Yes, Captain, right away."
"Hold on," Mitchell grabbed her shoulder before she disappeared down the hallway. "Have you seen Allen? He isn't in his room." As he asked this, she tilted her head to the right. He already knew, or at least had a good idea of where Allen was. "Do I even need to ask?"
"He was in the Japanese barracks last I saw, Captain," she answered. All he could do was sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose in response.
"I swear to God, I'm gonna put my foot up his ass if he keeps going off without letting someone know. Thanks, Diaz!"
"No problem, Captain!" she replied quickly before taking off.
"And stop calling me Captain! We're all friends here. Just use my name!" he yelled down the hall just before she got out of sight.
He made his way into the Japanese barracks which were just about empty. As he entered, he only saw Kurata and Furuta, whom he noticed chuckling as he walked by. It wasn't long before he reached the quarters of a particular JSDF sergeant. "Allen, if you’re in there, you better be decent." With that said, he gripped the door handle and swung the door open, getting a full view of the room and what was in it.
"Have you heard of knocking?" Sergeant Kuribayashi screeched as she popped her head up from underneath the blanket, alongside his missing SEAL.
"I gave you fair warning," Mitchell quickly replied.
"You barely said anything before swinging the door open!" she argued.
"That was the best we were going to get, Shino. We should be lucky for that." Allen spoke up.
"Didn't the rest of the squad tell you? We're being put on assignment. All teams need to report to the armory."
"We weren't told anything, Captain," Allen responded, slowly sighing as he did. As he did, Mitchell noticed movement underneath the end of the bed sheets.
"Ok, who the fuck is else is in here?" Mitchell said in a slightly aggravated tone. More shuffling occurred underneath the blanket before another familiar face popped into view.
"Really, you too?" Mitchell asked as he watched the SDF medic look up, embarrassed at the situation. Mitchell stood there, slack-jawed, and at a loss for words. All he could do was shake his head.
"This is unfair," he heard Kurokawa mutter to herself. "Haven't even started yet."
"Sorry Kurokawa, maybe next time," Kuribayashi sheepishly told her.
"You have ten minutes." All three of them looked at him with confusion, to which the Captain replied by putting up ten fingers. "Ten minutes, Allen. Don't disappoint either of them. Once that's done, all three of you get to the fucking armory. That's an order."
"Thank you, Captain." With that, Mitchell slammed the door and made his way towards the armory.
"Holy fucking shit!" he exclaimed as he put his face in his hands. "They better not fucking be late." Mitchell continued onward until he had reached the armory, going directly over to his team section, and to the locker with his name. After donning his exoskeleton, he made one final check of all his gear. Eight magazines for his MDR, two fragmentation grenades, and one EMP grenade. Protein and energy bars in his pockets, and a canteen of water. They didn't expect to stay out in the field for long, but it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. After a few minutes passed by, Allen eventually walked in and went straight to his locker. All Mitchell could do was shake his head and walk over to the Japanese section of the armory.
The two SDF members he had encountered earlier, Furata and Kurata, had noticed him and smirked. Mitchell was already annoyed with both of them, for various reasons, and recent events just added to this. "Is there something we can help you with, Captain?" Kurata asked.
"Why didn't you tell them?"
"Tell who what?" Kurata asked. They both knew Kurata was playing dumb and it only further pissed Mitchell off.
"Cut the fucking shit, sergeant!" Mitchell snapped. This surprised both the SDF members, who were caught off guard by the Captain's sudden change in attitude. "You knew full well what Allen was up to with Kuribayashi, and that we're being called up for assignment. You could've told them and saved me the trouble and time of dealing with them. We're at war and we can't afford to slack off, especially since we're about to enter an alien world!"
"We were just trying to have some fun," Furata said.
"Save that for when you have time off. Now's the time to be serious." With that, he grabbed the rest of his gear and linked up with the other squad leaders. The first he encountered were Captains Jiang Lee and Andrei Harkov. It was always good to see familiar faces, especially the faces of people he knew very well. He also recognized the MARCOS captain he had met in Reykjavik although he couldn’t remember his name.
"Harkov, Lee, it's good to see you two again!" Mitchell said as he put out his hand. Both the men accepted and returned the gesture. He then offered his hand to the Indian operator. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name when we first met. Captain Mitchell, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Captain Rajiv Singh, pleased to make your acquaintance. Seems that we're going to be the first teams through."
"Makes sense when you think about it," Lee spoke up, "Our countries are already providing nearly half the manpower, as well as much of the logistical support for this operation, so it seems logical we get to go first."
"History repeats itself," Harkov said. "After all, our four nations not only provided a large percentage of the economic and military strength during the War but also came out better than most other nations as well."
"'Came out better’ is entirely subjective. Both Russia and China were facing severe demographic problems leading up to the war. Those were only further exacerbated the situation even worse." Mitchell explained. "And it wasn't just our nations. So many millions of young men and women were lost, it looked as if those who survived might very well be the last generation."
"We can't pretend our governments didn't do morally unsound things in the aftermath," Singh interrupted. "Hell, democracy everywhere took a big hit for the survival of the human race. Our governments post-war shelled out untold billions for women to have children, in addition to the subsequent natural baby boom, to replace all those lost."
"Not to mention how military forces operate under far less civilian oversight, especially in wartime," Lee reminded them, "That's part of the reason Price isn't in jail after Reykjavik."
"Speaking of Price, where is he?" Mitchell inquired.
"He ain't coming back, unfortunately." A voice from behind spoke up. As they looked back, they were met by the familiar face of one of the SAS members. It was Gideon.
"Why not? Something happen?" Harkov asked.
"He finally gave up. The old man'd already been through hell and back since before any of us were born. And after everything in Reykjavik, especially after what he ended up doing to those prisoners outside the embassy, finally did him in mentally. From what I've been told, both he and command thought it best for him to retire from further combat assignments." What Gideon had told them came as a shock to them all. Price was by far the most experienced operator they knew, and with him gone, his valuable experience would be gone as well. "At best, he'll be relegated to training duty. But most likely he's going to completely retire and live out his days back home."
"So where does this leave his old team?" Lee asked.
"His second in command, Sergeant Garrick, is taking over that spot."
"Looks like all the old guys are finally retiring," Harkov commented. "A man named Viktor finally retired from the SOF."
"It seems that way, doesn't it? Nearly all of the old guard are finally retiring and going to live the peaceful lives they earned," Gideon said, "Anyway, transports will be ready in 15 minutes, Your teams, as well as Garrick's, Nilsen's, and Weber's, will meet you there. Good luck, mates."
"Likewise Gideon." Mitchell gave a short reply.
"Don't take too long to join the fun," Harkov chuckled.
"See you on the other side," Lee added.
Alnus Hill
1200 Hours, Icelandic time
The battle was over. In less than half an hour, UN troops had completely shattered the remains of the Saderan force that sat just below the hill. At the cost of almost 200 soldiers, and that same number wounded, a force of 55,000 men had been utterly obliterated. In the closing moments of the fighting, a mechanized force overran their encampment and captured thousands of Saderans, and rescued a small number of civilians from Iceland. Now it was morning, and the full extent of what had happened became clearly visible to everyone. Tens of thousands of corpses littered the landscape, with a pungent smell that assaulted the noses of all those present. It was so bad that nearly every soldier in the field had to equip field respirators to avoid the horrid smell. The sight of so many dead made many of the soldiers lose the contents of their stomachs. The disgusting squelching sound of their steps from the vast amounts of blood, entrails, and body parts that covered the ground made it worse.
Some, after realizing just what they had done, had even broken down shortly after the battle ended. Many individuals had to bear the reality of the fact that they single-handedly killed dozens, if not hundreds of men. The worst cases were sent back to Iceland for a psychiatric review and chaplain visits. The events weighed heavily on every soldier who participated, but they knew it had to be done. Like their parents and grandparents before them, they knew they had to take up arms in defense of their world. But, at least for now, the fighting was over. The UN troops had established a beachhead in this new world and were in the process of building a base on the hill, one large enough to accommodate the massive influx of troops this world would see over the next few months. In the spearhead, 10,000 troops came through. Now, in the early morning hours, that number had increased to just over 30,000 soldiers, many of them combat engineers, working hard on erecting barracks, and a runway for aircraft. For now, the only aircraft available were small drones, and helicopters brought in on flatbeds.
The infantry forces now stationed here had a different task. There were thousands of enemy combatants that were still alive, crying out in pain as they lay injured below the hill. Many had had their limbs blown off or otherwise been rendered unable to escape. But the soldiers who took part in the initial push didn't have to deal with that. Instead, troops from Japan, Spain, and Morocco were given the task of finishing off those who survived the fighting. Many realized it was a grisly task, made even worse by the gore littering the fields, but it had to be done. Once they were all dead, their bodies would be dumped in mass graves away from the hill.
"Can you believe this shit? Like seriously, just look at all this?" said Pierre Awad as he observed all the death before him. His squad was one of many ordered to issue mercy to the poor souls still clinging to life in the fields of death below the hill. "All this death and destruction. Just how many of them did we kill?" he asked to no one in particular.
"Well, we killed roughly 85,000 back in Iceland. Add that to the 50,000 killed just hours ago, the total goes up to 135,000 men killed. That's the size of a small city." The reply came from his squad leader, Sergeant Aziz. "These Saderans just lost an entire damn field army to us and won't give up."
"Even worse, when considering that their army can't have any more than a few hundred thousand men left. We've wiped out a significant percentage of their military," another squad member added.
"What bothers me most about this is that they knew damn well what we were capable of," he added as he approached a wounded Saderan on the ground. Bayonet fixed, he flipped the man on his back using his foot, before shoving the blade directly into the man's neck, killing him. "Just who the hell is leading such a nation? To throw away so many lives for so very little?"
"I don't know Sergeant, but from what I overhead from some of the Americans, these Saderans still truly believe they can beat us. Even after all this carnage." As he finished speaking, he noticed that there were soldiers scavenging bodies of the dead. That bothered him, as he was taught to respect the dead. "Why are they looting the corpses?" he asked Aziz, who merely shifted his gaze in their direction for a few seconds, before going back to scanning the bodies around him.
"Orders from up top. Any intact weapons or currency are to be retrieved and stored for future use. I don't like it either, Awad, but command believes it could be of benefit to us later," Aziz replied.
"I just don't see the purpose in us stealing swords or gold coins," Awad said in a slightly disgusted tone.
"Command wants to embed special operations teams deep within enemy territory. To do this, they need to be capable of blending in with the populace. Using local currency and having weapons that don't stick out will help them tremendously with that goal. Everyone knows that stealing weapons from the dead isn't moral, but there isn't a choice in the matter. If we're to win this war quickly, many of our morals will need to be thrown out," he explained.
"I guess it makes sense from a strategic point of view. Still, there's going to be far too many bodies for them to check."
"Not to mention the biological hazards here." The team's medic spoke up. "All these bodies being piled up has already attracted an ungodly amount of vultures, as well as some strange hounds that tried attacking patrols earlier this morning. It'd be best if they hurry up and get this over with because the smell is awful."
"I imagine that smell will linger for some time. In Iceland, the snow and cold temperatures slowed the rotting of the corpses and reduced the spread of disease by freezing the bodies. Here, in this heat, it’s much worse. Anyway, it's time to add another body to the pile," another squad member said as he approached an obviously wounded Saderan. He noticed the Saderan desperately try to pull himself away, but it was no use. His hand reached for a nearby sword but was met with a firm boot directly on his wrist.
"Quaeso, obsecro vos, non..." His words were cut short as a bayonet was lodged in his throat, silencing him forever.
"I just want this over with as soon as possible. I'm not sure about any of you, but doing this brings me no joy," the soldier said as he pulled his bayonet out of the man's neck and continued onward.
"I don't believe any sane person would enjoy killing people, but in the end, we have to do our duty," Aziz reminded them.
"Although it seems those special forces types revel in this shit. I mean, we all saw what they did to those legionaries in Iceland."
"That was more out of anger than enjoyment. Can't really blame them for what they saw, nor do I feel sympathy for those they executed." As the medic continued to scan the battlefield, something caught his eye. Roughly 25 meters ahead, he could make out a green shape just barely moving. He motioned to his squad mates, who noticed this as well, and they began approaching it.
"What the hell is it?" Awad asked as they realized what they had found. The birdlike creature was obviously female, injured, and looked absolutely terrified of them. As they got closer, the bird-woman tried to crawl away from the squad of soldiers, but her already bruised and damaged frame gave out under the continued movement. Her eyes were filled with terror as she realized there would be no escape.
"Just put that damn creature out of her misery so we can move on already!" Aziz ordered as he began walking away. But just as the medic pulled his sidearm out, preparing to end her life, he was stopped by a voice shouting in his direction.
"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" someone shouted at them from behind. When they turned to look, they saw a group of soldiers rushing to their position, including a medical team with a gurney. Their gear suggested that they were special forces. And as they got closer, the flag on their shoulders identified them as Americans. "Don't shoot it!" the lead American said.
"What is it this time?" Aziz muttered in annoyance.
"Command wants that one alive. Apparently, she caught the attention of some snipers during the battle."
"She can barely move on her own," the medic pointed out. "How is she important?" He asked.
"Something about her disrupting the wind patterns on the battlefield. Snipers reported that they couldn't hit their targets until a mortar unit took her out," the American told them.
"Look, my orders are to bring this thing back to the hill and put her with the rest of the prisoners."
"So be it then. Are you going to look over any more of the wounded or are we free to continue our task?" Aziz asked.
"As far as I know, aside from gathering intact weapons and coins from their corpses, this was the only one we were sent for. I'll leave you to it," the man said as he and another soldier picked up the bird woman's body and placed it on a stretcher nearby, before heading back towards the hill.
"This is going to be a very long day!" Awad sighed.
"Quit whining, the quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave all these rotting corpses behind and relax. Now get moving!" Aziz barked.
The next few hours were relatively uneventful for them all. The occasional gunshot rang out in the air as the number of survivors dwindled further and further. Soon, the only soldiers still alive in and around the hill were UN forces and the prisoners taken in the aftermath of the battle. It would, however, take days for all the bodies to be completely removed and dumped into gravesites, and much longer for the stench of death to disappear. But the soldiers did their duty. They might not have enjoyed it, but there was nothing else they could do.
Hilltop Prisoner Area
Those who had survived to be taken prisoner by UN forces found things far from what they had ever imagined. Many of them awaited death's cold embrace. Like that fateful day many months ago, they were brutally beaten by a force they had made the mistake of angering. Many had cursed the gods, demanding to know why they had allowed this to happen. Others pleaded for salvation from the clutches of the enemy that now had them in shackles. But most cursed the Emperor. It was because of him that any of this had happened. He had demanded the mages expand the Gate and sent a military expedition through it. It was his fault that they were in this situation. That they were all that was left of the once-proud force that had believed itself invincible.
But what they thought now was far from the latter. Those who had survived had experienced something their world had never seen. The majority of those still alive were scarred either mentally, physically, or both. Some sat entirely still and stared blankly at nothing. Others broke down and sobbed, all the while begging for mercy. But there were those who sat smiling. But these were not smiles of joy or humor, but of broken men. Men who had witnessed death and destruction on a scale they couldn't comprehend, their minds broken by the experience. Suffered by soldiers who had fought in Earth’s numerous wars, this illness had many names over the years. Shell Shock. Soldier's Heart. Combat Fatigue. War Neurosis. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All different names for the same illness that plagued untold millions throughout the course of history. Its effects could be seen first hand here on Alnus Hill. The thousands who were huddled together would never be the same.
They could only watch in horror as more and more soldiers and war beasts poured through the Gate, ready to unleash their fury on this world. It was at this point they knew the war was lost. For if a force numbering in the tens of thousands could do this, what would 100,000 do? Or 500,000? Or even 1,000,000? They could only imagine what horrible fate awaited their brothers in arms across Sadera. This is what was running through Legate Marcus’ mind as he pondered just what was going to happen to him. When he awoke, he found himself seated amid rows of hundreds of legionaries. Patrolling around them were enemy soldiers, backed up by their iron carriages. Iron chariots soared in the sky above them. As he looked around, he could only see more and more of the enemy. He soon came to realize that his own forces were now outnumbered.
"How did it ever come to this? The conquest was supposed to be easy and resistance light!" he wondered. "Now look at me. One of the great legates of the Saderan Empire, now a prisoner to an enemy nation. And they have the gall to place me with both legionaries and demihumans!
“Do you people have no honor?" he shouted as he stood up, facing a nearby UN soldier. But soon a hand placed on his shoulder forced him to the ground. As he turned to face who had done it, he became even more infuriated. Not only was the soldier a female, she resembled one of the dark elf auxiliaries he once commanded.
"Be quiet!" she ordered before continuing down the row of prisoners.
"YOU DARE!" Marcus shouted at the woman, who turned around glaring at him. Standing up once more, he gathered the attention of not only his fellow Saderans, but of quite a few UN personnel who looked on in amusement at the spectacle. "What makes you think you can touch me, woman? I am a legate of the Saderan army and I will not tolerate such disrespect from a lowly commoner like yourself! Now I demand that you-" His words were cut off as the stock of a rifle slammed into his stomach, knocking him down, and driving the air from his lungs in the process. When he looked up, he saw not only that same woman, but half a dozen other soldiers surrounding him as well. They all laughed as the legate tried to catch his breath from the blow. He even tried striking the woman but received a kick to his back which forced him down once more.
"Sudeni rokudenashi no te o shibaru dakedesu!/Just bind the bastard’s hands already!" he heard one of them say. He then felt his arms being forced behind his back and bindings tying his hands together. Then they simply walked away, leaving him on his stomach, unable to get up. The embarrassment was unbearable at that point. He even heard some of the surviving demihumans laugh at his misfortune. But despite how much he struggled, he could not get up. Defeated, he simply closed his eyes, praying to any of the gods that would listen, hoping they would save him. But his prayers, like those of the thousands of other captives, would go unanswered.
But he was far from the only one who was having a rough time. Myuute Luna Sires found her situation arguably worse. She had thought her magic would be enough to prevent the otherworld forces from gaining a foothold here. But she was wrong. Their explosive magic had blown through her wind barrier and badly injured her. Despite how much she tried, she couldn't move. When enemy soldiers finally came upon her, she had thought her life was sure to end. However, when they not only spared her life but began to treat her wounds, she was at a loss for words. She couldn't understand the kindness being offered to her. She was well aware of what happened to women when conquering armies are on the march. But none of what she had expected, ever happened.
Despite this, they seemed apprehensive around her. They spoke in a language she couldn't understand, but she could tell they didn't entirely trust her. Even with her injuries, two men stood around her constantly with their hands on their strange weapons all the while. Being a Siren, she began to sing in order to calm herself down. At first, her guards, as well as other soldiers in earshot didn't mind. In fact, many seemed to enjoy the tune, but they weren't aware of the effects of listening. Siren songs are known for hypnotizing those who listen. The harmonious effects are unfortunately involuntary, as they can't control whether or not their singing puts someone to sleep. As she looked around, she saw many of the otherworld soldiers holding their heads or stumbling around as if they were exhausted. Even the Saderan legionaries taken prisoner weren't immune to the effect of her song.
But the otherworlders weren't stupid, nor were they all men. The women among their ranks seemed to have greater resistance, or outright immunity to her songs. One of them was the guard standing by her right side. She felt a hand cover her mouth, before being shoved on her stomach, and a sensation of cold steel pressed against her head. From what she could see, dozens of soldiers began rushing towards her, pointing their strange staves at her. Others were picking themselves off of the ground, dazed and confused at what had just occurred. She had revealed her secret to the otherworlders, to which they responded by sticking a strange sheet of thin, gray material, over her mouth. Now she couldn't make a sound.
"What the fuck just happened?" one soldier said.
"She just started singing, and before you know it, our men are dropping to their feet. Same for those legionaries we captured," the soldier pinning her to the ground answered.
"Looks like she's got more tricks up her sleeve than we first thought," a voice interrupted from behind. When the others turned, it was one of the American special forces operators, accompanied by a Chinese and Russian operative. "First she starts creating wind patterns to block bullets on the battlefield, now she's capable of singing a song that causes men to pass out."
"The appearance of a harpy, yet the powers of a siren," The Chinese operator chuckled. "This world really is strange, isn't it?"
"That's not the strangest thing either. This Empire is a mixture of cultures from different eras. We've seen Roman legionaries and medieval knights, yet these people have yet to discover gunpowder or anything associated with that era of history," the Russian added, "Not as if it matters though. When this war is all over and settled, archaeologists and historians will have a field day here. Until then, it's our job to win this war."
"So what about this thing? You here to take her off our hands, because we have enough to worry about with the five thousand POW's," the soldier guarding Myuute asked.
"Don't worry, we're here to take more than just her off your hands. We'll be taking that legate as well," the American replied. "We'll also need that elf and those bunny chicks. They are priority prisoner transfers and have transport waiting."
"Anyone else?"
"Nope, the rest will have to wait for a little bit. Command honestly thought most of them would just fight to the death. Transport is still being organized for the rest of them. Available facilities back home are crowded with the thousands we already have. For now, the most valuable get first passage." As the American finished speaking, he took out a roll of duct tape from his pocket and approached Myuute with it. Ripping a piece from the roll, he yanked the girls head up violently and put the tape across her mouth, blocking her ability to speak. "Just to make sure you don't sing another melody, you damn freak!" he said as he pulled the girl up to her feet and ushered her forward. The same was soon repeated on the legate, elf, and bunny warriors as they were marched away from the main body of prisoners by the operators.
Each had knowledge or abilities that had intrigued the powers back home, something that would be exploited in the near future. The rest of those gathered at the hill would be shipped off to one of the dozens of prison facilities reopened in the wake of this new, unexpected conflict. As the day came to a close and more troops took up position on the hilltop, they bore witness to the frightful military might they were up against. As they were herded into the backs of trucks, their futures uncertain, all they could do was pray to their gods that those they loved would be spared any suffering.
Unknown Location
Those in the room stared blankly at the television screen in front of them. They knew not how it worked, but they knew it was real. The Saderans, both human and demihuman, who had been considered "trustworthy enough" to be put in UN service, were granted the privilege of watching a recording of the UN counterattack from the moment the first tanks passed through, to the complete disintegration of the Imperial forces remaining on the hill. As they spent hours watching as more and more troops continued pouring through the Gate, any lingering doubts as to how this conflict would end were swept aside. Some of them even took a special interest in certain prisoners. The demihumans that were the first to be marched through, had been noticed by those in the room.
"That's my sister!" Mamina gasped as she watched as one prisoner, ears bleeding, and stumbling about, was shoved in the back of a metal carriage, and soon out of sight. "What did you do to my sister?" She snarled at one of the nearby guards in the room.
"My people haven't done a damn thing. Hell, my country hasn't even deployed any personnel into your damn world," the guard snapped back. "And given what we know about you people, if I was a betting man, your sister was on the receiving end of a flashbang. Be lucky she even survived to be captured in the first place." Mamina was furious. The Imperials had always looked down on her people and saw them as barbarians. She felt that same aura radiate from them. Just like with the Imperials, she and her fellow demihumans were seen as foreign and barbaric. Yet it was the Empire that had come into their lands, conquering and enslaving her people. These "United Nations" as they called themselves, were no different. They were in the process of doing the same thing to the Imperials. They even bragged about their victories, as evidenced by the images she saw before her, to those who had already felt the full brunt of their power.
"You humans are all the same!" she sneered.
"You keep thinking that, but it couldn't be farther than the truth," the guard told her while waving his hand as if to tell her to leave him alone. She wanted to jump out of her seat and tear the soldier’s head from his shoulders, but a feeling on her shoulder prevented her from moving.
"He isn't worth you getting into trouble, Mamina," Delilah warned as she moved closer to her friend. "They've done much for us, there's no reason to be so hostile to them."
"They carry themselves the same way the Imperials do. That smugness is unbearable. Don't tell me you don't feel it from them?"
"We all do, Mamina," Hodor cut in. "But it would be most unwise to start a fight now of all times, especially against those who have treated this well."
"I still don't understand how you can trust them so much."
"We don't." He corrected. "But they've shown themselves to be far kinder to their prisoners than the Imperials. None of us have been tortured or thrown into slavery. I'm sure they have motives that are beyond just getting their people back, but for now, don't fight them. Remember, they did help you all those months ago."
"You've seen how they treat the Imperials, haven't you?" Delilah reminded. "They tend to be far more brutal and unforgiving with them than us. Many have even shown themselves sympathetic to why we're even here in the first place."
"Yet they still boast their power whenever they get the chance."
"That's not entirely the point," a familiar voice said from behind. They turned to see three people whom they had become accustomed to meeting. “Agents,” they called themselves. The best they could understand was that these "agents" were the equivalent of a spy guild. The woman from a nation called America, while the males came from two nations known as Russia and China. "Since the powers that be decided you can be useful, this is to let you know you'll be going back home soon. We've begun to establish our foothold in your world, and soon we'll need those who know the land, as well as having ties to the local kingdoms."
Count Colt felt all eyes on him as those last few words exited the woman's mouth. Her demeanor, as well as those of the other two agents, never changed. Her words haunted him since the day they met. What she had told him the day they met never left his mind. "Awakening a sleeping giant and filling him with a terrible resolve." Now he understood fully what she had meant by it. He may not have entirely understood the history behind the statement, but he had seen it in action. Now that giant was poised to strike the Empire in all its fury. A fury that would destroy all who opposed it.
"That's where you come in, Count Formal," one of the men said, "You have connections with the vassals of the Empire. Vassals who we’re are not at war with, but will almost certainly be called to arms against us. Said nations have committed no crimes against us and we do not wish to spill more blood than is necessary in this war."
"Then by your measure, our peoples are almost certainly guilty of crimes against your world," Hodor responded. "If that's the case, why should we help you?"
"We are aware that your people were conquered by the Saderan Empire long before this war began. Our leaders won't hold that against you. And thanks to our means of surveillance, we know that your people didn't engage in acts of rape and murder of civilians, unlike many of the legionaries, orcs, and goblins during the attack." The Russian paused before glancing over to the woman who sat beside Hodor. "Your daughter saved the lives of many children during the invasion. As was explained by those who captured her, that's the only reason they spared her life. Your tribes will not suffer repercussions unless they attack us."
"What guarantees do we have that you won't go back on your word?" A dark elf known as Crow from the back of the room spoke up. He was the eldest of the dark elves sent with the Imperial Expedition. "You have nothing to lose and much to gain in our world."
"We have no reason to lie. Your tribes and ways of life are of little concern to us." The Chinese agent told them. "You are right in that there's much we can gain from your world. Aside from retrieving those we lost, and exacting revenge on the Empire, your world is full of untapped resources," he explained.
"I knew it!" Mamina said aggressively as she stood up, facing the man with a look of pure hatred. "Deep down, you humans are all the same. Wanting to expand your empires at the expense of us! Your nations are no better than the Empire is." In a burst of speed, she crossed the distance between her and the agent, getting directly in his face. This prompted the guards to activate their stun batons in the process.
"MOVE BACK NOW!" one of the guards ordered as he rushed towards the situation. However, he halted as the agent in question put his hand up to stop him. The rest of the guards had batons and rifles at the ready, but the agents remained in place.
"We don't seek the enslavement of your people, nor their fealty. We're just being honest. You people know your world better than we do. You know the trade routes, military outposts, and major economic hubs. We know you want vengeance against the Empire for everything they've done to you. This is your chance to get it. You get your freedom back and can go back to your normal lives. We get our people back, as well as taking down the Empire in the process."
"Dammit Manima, think for a minute!" Delilah pleaded. "This could be our chance to strike back against the Empire! After all they've done to us, we can finally hit them back!" Murmuring ensued among the various demihumans in the room, as well as Count Colt and his few surviving advisers. Many still seemed apprehensive and didn't fully trust the agents. Some just wanted revenge, but others worried about their homes and what would become of them afterward.
"You say you want resources," Hodor interrupted. "What if you find resources in our homelands? What guarantee do we have that you won't force us off our land and take what you want?" He demanded. The agents looked at each other before the woman stepped forward and answered.
"Something like that wouldn't go over well with many of our citizens." She paused for a few seconds before continuing. "My nation's people, in particular, wouldn't go along with such an idea. In the early days of my country's history, we had just won our independence from the British Empire, who once controlled one-quarter of our world. Over the span of 200 years, we gradually expanded our territory from one end of the continent to the next. In the process of doing so, however, we forcefully removed most of the native tribes. Most of the time it was done violently, but sometimes we made treaties. We put them on reservations, as we called them, allowing them to practice their beliefs in peace. But over time, most of those lands were either seized by the government or bought.
While some of these lands still exist, such lands make up little over three percent of my nation’s territory. My nation's history with its indigenous peoples is not a proud one by any means. Even my ancestors were taken from their homes centuries ago. What my nation did in its history did was horrible and there is no denying that. But that is the story of many cultures and civilizations in our world's history. One people got stronger than the next and overcame them. But we've learned from our past mistakes and we have no intention of repeating them. Whether you wish to believe us or not, we do not want your lands, nor do we wish to expel you from them."
Most in the room had no idea how to respond. Some believed what she had said; others didn't. The agents said nothing as debate arose among those in the room. All except for one who had kept silent. Crow kept quiet, observing the woman intently. He studied her for any hint of dishonesty, trying to determine if she was really telling the truth. "In my long life, I have learned to understand when a human is lying or telling the truth." He spoke up, gaining the attention of those in the room. "If I am certain of one thing, it's that she speaks the truth. I have but one question before I agree to help."
"And what might that be?" She replied.
"To repeat what Hodor has asked, regarding resources, should you find something you desire, would your leaders be willing to compensate our people properly for access to mining rights?"
"If and when that time comes, ambassadors can certainly be assigned to work out trade treaties with your respective kingdoms. However, surveying for resources will wait until the war is over. For now, we focus on rescuing our people and bringing down the Saderan Empire. Can we count on your support? Not ass vassals, but as equal allies?"
"If it means we can be free once more, then I will join you," Delilah said.
"For many years I've sought vengeance against the Empire for taking my wife from me. For unleashing the flame dragons that killed so many of my tribe. For forcing the survivors into service of the Empire." Hodor slowly looked up towards the agents, eyes burning for vengeance. "I want nothing more than to avenge my people and keep my daughter safe. I will join you as well."
"I believe it in the best interest of our tribe that we repay this kindness you have shown us, in your fight against the Empire. Do you all agree?" Crow asked his fellow dark elves.
"If it saves our people from further death and destruction, I will do anything," Yao replied swiftly. Met, Komu, and the rest all nodded their heads in affirmation. Even Mamina begrudgingly accepted the proposal, after much pestering from Delilah in the process. This left Count Formal as the only one to not give an answer yet.
"What about you, Count?" The Russian asked.
"As I told you before, I will do whatever it takes to keep my daughter, and my city, safe. I will help you establish contact with the vassal states of the Empire, but I can not guarantee you they'll be willing to open relations with your world, or even submit to talks of peace."
"All that we want is an option to try. If negotiations fail, we're fully prepared to use both lethal and nonlethal methods to end a fight before it starts. However, since your city is of vital importance to the Empire, and it'll be well guarded by the Empire, your knowledge of the city and its defending garrison, would be of great value to us."
"I'll do whatever you ask, just spare my daughter's life." He begged. "She's all I have left."
"If possible, we'll attempt to evacuate her from Italica before any fighting begins. We'll also try to keep destruction to a minimum, but should the defending garrison attack our forces, we can't guarantee harm won't come to the city." With this, Count Formal looked towards the warrior bunnies present in the room.
"Delilah, Mamina, can I trust you to help them keep my daughter safe?"
"Of course, My Lord," Delilah replied. "After everything you've done for us, the least we can do is help Countess Myui."
"Very well, since you've all agreed to help us, we'll report back, and inform our superiors. Until then, you'll be escorted back to your quarters until further notice," The American agent said. "One more thing before we leave, you said that was your sister, right? On the screen earlier?" she said toMamina.
"Yes, she is." Mamina nodded her head as she replied.
"Good, we'll make sure she's transferred here immediately." With that, the agents left the room and the guards escorted the various demihumans back to their cells. It would only be a matter of time until the go-ahead was given and they would be brought across the Gate once more. This time, however, it would be in the service of the United Nations Defense Force.
Falmart Airspace
10 Klicks from Alpha Point
1230 Hours
"There can't be many of these bastards left out here!" Dunn commented as the Warbird he and his squad were in tore through the skies away from the hill. The task at hand for his team and the others currently deployed was to Search and Destroy any remaining Saderan forces in proximity to the base and preliminary reconnaissance of the nearby area for later recon teams. "About how far do you think they could've gone?"
"There's a lot of factors to take into account," Mitchell replied. "First being it's been six hours since the fighting ended. With the adrenaline pumping through their bodies, even if they only ran for an hour, that's still anywhere from five to six miles bare minimum. Combine that with the fact that these people live in a pre-industrial society, and have to walk most places they go, they'd be pretty used to being on their feet constantly. So while I doubt they'd be running nonstop since the morning, they could very well have run quite a distance from the hill."
"That means at least a few dozen square miles need to be checked," Foley said, "And they want us scouting around for nearby settlements"
"That's why the other squads are all searching sectors towards the north. Command wants to make sure there're no surprises waiting for the recon teams that will be dispatched at a later date. And with the E-LORAN transmitters still being set up back at base, what drones we do have are extremely limited in range, so we have to make do," Mitchell explained.
"They also want the combat engineers putting up signs roughly ten or so miles from Alpha Point in all directions, especially on any roads that might lead towards it," Foley told them. "The Swedes, Norwegians, and Canadians are having their men put warning signs to try to deter peasants and enemy forces from approaching the hill. Writing it in the local language of course, but I don't know how much good it'll do."
"It might keep a random trader or farmer from being blown to shit by landmines or mortars," Griggs said. "But if another army comes marching our way, it'll take more than some words on a poster board to stop them."
"It won't be long until we get some more action, don't ya'll worry," Mitchell reassured them. He was right, they wouldn't wait long until something required their attention. Soon the pilot's voice came through the cabin, alerting them to something ahead.
"We've got contact 300 meters to our left!" the pilot shouted back at the SEAL's, who readied their weapons in anticipation of a fight. "I count thirty plus contacts on the ground. They've got some travelers and their cart encircled and trapped." The pilot informed them as he swung the aircraft to its left. The door swung open, giving Mitchell and his team a full view of what was going on below them. The fresh morning air smacked them all in the face as Foley brought out his binoculars and began surveying the scene below with the built-in IFF scanner.
"I count a total of thirty-two hostiles and four local civilians," Foley informed them. "Looks like these bastards have turned to banditry! Take a look at this," he said disgusted as he handed the binocs to Mitchell. As Mitchell looked through, he saw that the legionaries had completely surrounded a small family and their cart. Some legionaries dragged the children from the back and threw them on the ground, while others beat the man, and pinned the woman to the ground. He couldn't hear anything, but he didn't need to hear to figure out what was going to happen to them.
"Pilot, get us down there now!" he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the pilot replied as the Warbird began its descent to the ground. But by that point, the Saderans on the ground knew they were coming. The roar of the engine might as well have been a banshee's cry to the Saderans, for there were those among them who had survived that fateful day in the otherworld. Those who remembered the horrors inflicted upon their ranks by the iron Pegasi and chariots. Some tried to run. Others tried to fight. But it was all in vain, for their enemy was swift and brutal in their work.
"Irons, Diaz, get to the civilians, the rest of you, don't let a single one of these bastards escape!" Mitchell barked as he and his team raced into action. Shots rang out as each SEAL focused on a legionary. Irons and Diaz, with their speed already augmented by their exoskeletons, took only a few seconds to close the distance to the would-be victims of the legionaries turned bandits. One was still in the process of pulling up his trousers when a 5.56 round from Diaz's rifle tore through his plate armor, and through his heart, killing him instantly. The next tried to swing his gladius at Irons, who responded by ducking and sliding behind the man. He sprang to his feet directly behind the man, and slammed the stock of the rifle directly into the back of the man's neck, killing him instantly.
One of the men beating the father attempted to pull his gladius, but was met with a bullet to the skull for his trouble. "Diaz, get to the woman. I'll get the father and children!" Irons ordered as he knelt down to the father, helping him off the ground. "Don't worry, we're here to help!" He said reassuringly.
"Please listen," Diaz practically begged to woman. "We're not going to hurt you." The mother however, wasn't convinced. Even at the sight of another woman, she shrieked and clawed at Diaz, who desperately tried to help her. Both Irons and the husband had to help calm her down as the fighting died down around them. By the time they succeeded, the fighting was done. The V-99 had landed just 50 meters to the south and the rest of the team was scanning the surrounding area for any remaining legionaries.
"You’re from the otherworld, aren't you?" The husband asked the SEAL's. "If so, why did you help us?" He asked.
"Why shouldn't we have helped? We couldn't sit by and watch what they were going to do to you and your family," Irons replied.
"We had heard stories months ago of the Empire sending a diplomatic mission through the Gate on Alnus Hill. When the diplomats were killed, the Emperor sent several legions and auxiliaries in response to the attack." He explained. "However we were told the attack had failed and that the remaining legions would fortify the Hill against future attacks. But seeing as you are here and those legionaries aren't on the Hill, I can rightly conclude they failed." As he finished explaining, Irons and Diaz just looked at each other in disbelief, before turning back towards the man.
"I'm not sure what you've been told, but there was no diplomatic mission sent to our world," Irons started. "What they sent was an invading army, which slaughtered and enslaved thousands of innocent people. You’re right that we came from beyond the Hill, but we aren't here as conquerors. We came to exact justice on the force that declared war on our world," Irons finished.
"And just because we aren't from your world, doesn't mean we won't try to help those in need," Diaz added. "Our quarrel is with the Saderan Empire, not the average person living in it." The man just sighed as he heard what they told him.
"I should have assumed what we heard was false. After all, they sent no such mission when they conquered the vassal kingdoms, nor with the demihuman kingdoms, so it would be foolish to think otherwise. Regardless of your allegiance, you have our thanks, but I'm afraid we can't compensate you for your generosity."
"There's no need," Irons put his hand up towards the man. "All that we ask is that you spread your story to those who will listen. We want everyone to know we aren't faceless monsters or violent barbarians. We don't seek to enslave citizens of these lands, nor will we tolerate the practice. For those you do tell, and those who listen, tell them we're the United Nations Defense Force, and we fight for peace!"
Imperial Calendar 687
Sadera, Falmart
Sadera, the crown jewel of the Empire. For centuries it stood as a symbol of power and influence across the continent of Falmart. It's majestic architecture was renowned across the continent. The ornate, golden domes of the Imperial Palace and senate, unrivaled in their beauty, and the city itself was host to riches beyond measure. The city boasted a population of over one million people, the largest in the known world. Sitting in the center of Falmart, with large mountain ranges to the west, a sea to the south, and even more mountain ranges to the north, the Imperial Capital was well insulated from any potential threat. Only the east was absent of real geographic defenses, mostly consisting of grasslands.
But not once in the history of the Empire had any enemy dared to come close to the city. Even during the Arctic War, and the even more recent vassal rebellion, they hadn't dared attack Sadera directly. Several legions directly guarded the city, including elite Praetorian Guard, and even the magically imbued Immortals. If that wasn't enough, Sadera itself was home to over half of the Imperial Wyvern Corps, as well as the father flame dragon, half of its offspring, and the mages who tamed and controlled them. All of this made the city impervious to any attack.
Inside the Imperial Senate building, a discussion was underway regarding recent events that had just transpired in the otherworld. The entirety of the senate, as well as the Imperial Family, were present within it's halls as the a great debate raged by all those inside over what to do next.
"What we face is an unprecedented disaster, your majesty! From our failed attempt at conquest in the otherworld, combined with our losses on Alnus Hill, The Empire has lost nearly half of its military strength! What would you have us do? How do you plan on leading the Empire during these trying times?" Spoke Senator Marquis Casel. He was now relaying the news of the defeat to most of the Senate, who had only vaguely been informed of the campaign. He, like the others that truly understood the situation, wanted to know what course of action would be taken from this moment forward.
"Marquis Casel, think about how the people must feel. It is true that our losses have been heavy, and we no longer enjoy the military advantage we once had before. They worry that the vassals might once more rise up against the Empire and attempt to attack the capital itself. How pathetic!" Molt chuckled, much to the surprise of Casel and the other Senators. "Every time our Empire is in danger, the Emperor, the Senate, and it's people become on to confront the danger, and bring about even more progress." He finished.
"But how are we to face the enemy after suffering such losses?" Marquis Palesti interrupted.
"No war is won without some loss. Do you not remember the Arctic War? Where 60,000 men were lost at the battle of Akuteku? Despite such losses, the Empire rebuilt its strength and continued the fight. In the end the Northern tribes were subdued and vassalized, and our Empire emerged victorious!" Molt answered. "To think that another nation dares surround the Imperial capital...I trust none of you will waste time in court." The senators in the room chuckled at the last remark.
"But what shall we do?" Another voice cried out from the large group of senators. This time is was Marquis Dussie. "The remaining forces on the hill were defeated in less than a day. It has been a week since that day, and now the Gate, as well the holy hill of Alnus, has been captured by the enemy. Legate Marcus tried to reach the enemy on the hill, but his forces were smashed. And the fairies sent to scout the hill have reported the enemy is building a massive base on this side."
"Then we shall fight!" General Podawon shouted as he slammed his fist on his breastplate. "If our forces are insufficient, we can just gather more men from our tributary states!"
"What good will brute force do!" Another senator shouted in reply. "Whoever this new enemy is, has shown themselves far more capable than any foe we've ever faced!"
"This enemy has killed five of our flame dragons, including the mother! One-fifth of the Immortals’ total strength has been obliterated! At the very least, we should consider negotiations!
"So do you suggest we meekly submit? Have you no courage!" As the argument intensified between the senators and generals in the senate building, Molt simply went into a deep train of thought. He was well aware of how quickly the Imperial army had failed in the otherworld, but his nightmare from that night was something that wouldn't leave his mind. Before he could raise his hand to quell the argument, a familiar voice cut through the cacophony of noise
"If I may offer some assistance in this matter." The voice was from Crown Prince Diabo El Caesar. Normally the quietest of the royal family, it was odd for him to even be present, let alone actively participating. "One of the Wyvern scouts had picked up a survivor of the battle two days ago. I believe that this man could provide us some insight on just what happened and what we face." He turned around and motioned for an unseen individual to come forward. As the man came into view, it was clear that he was a broken man. He stared blankly at what was in front of him, was bruised, and had a bloody patch over his left eye. It was clear to those present that whoever this man was, he had been through hell.
"Tell them everything you told me. Leave out no detail." Diabo told the legionary.
"My name is Decius Co Vergilius and I served under Legatus Marcus Asinius during the expedition through the Gate, as well as the defense of Alnus Hill, both of which you must know the result of now. It all started in the early morning hours before the sun had risen, the enemy had appeared through the Gate and directly into the minor fortifications dug by our forces. Their steel elephants initially got stuck in them and were incapable of moving, but they didn't take long to escape them. At the same time, many of our legionaries emerged from holes dug in the ground in order to catch the enemy off guard. Even a small group of Immortals took part in the attack, managing to rip a small snout from one of the elephants, but in the end they were quickly obliterated by the enemy, who took up defensive positions on the hill. What came next..." Decius paused and shuddered at the thought of reliving those terrible moments.
"Take your time soldier, just don't leave out any of their capabilities," Diabo said calmly.
The man sighed once more and continued his story. "We tried charging up the hill to clash steel with the enemy, but their magic was far beyond anything any of us had seen before. When we got within 800 paces of their position, they rained their deadly magic upon. Thanks to the mage present at the battle, our armored ogres were enchanted with speed and a magical barrier to protect them from damage. They made it far closer than we did, and managed to survive repeated hits from the snouts of the smaller elephants. But then a giant arrow took to the sky and landed directly on the lead ogre, killing it immediately. They repeated this four more times, killing each one with a single hit. By then, over half of our numbers were depleted from enemy forces on the hill.
The Immortals had made their charge and were accompanying us up the hill, hoping to finally slay those who had taken so many of our fellow legionaries. The siren we had in our ranks proved quite useful, as her wind magic simply stopped much of the enemy's magic from hitting the remainder of our forces. But the enemy soon realized this, and focused their attention on her. I was leading the flank directly behind her when a massive explosion overtook us. When I awoke, our forces were in complete disarray. Our dragons fared little better. The enemy was smart enough to send three large groups of elephants against the flame dragons we had. While some of the enemy elephants were slain in the process, both of the young flame dragons went down.
The Immortals had managed to reach the hill and took many enemy soldiers with them. It was then that the mother dragon had arrived in. In her fury, she landed directly on top of one of the enemy elephants, completely crushing it in the process. The remainder of them, which had slowed down their magic use from sheer exhaustion of fighting her offspring, began a disorganized retreat away from her. We thought we would win, but then those flashes appeared. From atop the hill, a group of much longer and thinner metal carriages appeared. On their backs were long snouts that spat blue and green magic. Each time it spat fire, a loud roar erupted from the hill, and each hit tore through the mother dragon. Within minutes, her shrieks of pain ceased as she collapsed to the ground, dead.
From that point onward we realized it was lost. What remained of our forces began a retreat from the hill, as our numbers didn't amount to a full legion of men. No Immortals were left, our dragons were slain, and all our magic users were either dead or missing. The enemy overran the encampment shortly after, demanding the surrender of all those still alive. Last I saw of Legatus Marcus was in command tent, which was entered by a group of strange figures in all black armor. After that, I don't know what had happened. I kept running until I passed out. After wandering through towns on my way back to Italica, a wyvern scout found me. And they brought me here." As he finished, the senate chamber was completely silent. Many just looked at each other in disbelief, others with looks of rage or pity on their faces. Even the royal family said nothing, as Pina couldn't believe the story she had heard, Zorzal shook his head, and Molt was deep in thought. It was general Podawon that broke the silence.
"You are a damn coward!" He shouted at the legionary. "You should've stayed and fought to your dying breath like a man!"
"And what would that have accomplished?" Marquis Dussie snapped back. "Leave us without details of the enemy's capabilities and strength? Leave us with more dead heroes instead of living soldiers? Who are you to judge someone that survived such hell?"
"I've never abandoned a battlefield in such a way! I fought until complete victory was achieved!" He retorted back. It wasn't long before the senate was once again in an argument with one another. The legionary was escorted out of the chambers on the orders of Diabo, who stood silently at the arguing intensified. It was only by the hand of Emperor Molt, that the argument ceased.
"Enough! I do not hold any of you accountable for our recent failings in the otherworld and Alnus." He spoke. "I do not wish to stand idly by. Therefore we must fight. Send delegates to our tributary and neighboring states. Ask for help in defending the continent from the men from the otherworld." He stood and raised his hand before continuing. "We shall lead the Allied Army to victory over these barbarians who occupy the holy hill of Alnus." With that, the senate broke into cheers of praise for the Emperor. All but Marquis Casel who couldn't help but feel this was wrong. That this would be for nothing.
"Your majesty, it'll be a bloodbath." He pleaded. Molt just replied with a sadistic smirk at Casel.
"That's entirely the point." Molt's thinking was simple. Getting rid of the vassal states as a threat would mean one less front in this new war with the otherworlders. He just hoped that the same destruction brought upon the Imperial army, would be brought down on the vassals. He couldn't deny this enemy was far more powerful than any he had ever faced. With the vassals gone, he could focus on the training of new legions, bringing forth the Rondel Defense Corps, and above all else, the newly laid eggs of the mother dragon. He just hoped there would be enough time to bring them onto the battlefield and against this new enemy.
Operating Base Alpha
March 30th, 2081
1200 Hours, Icelandic time
D+5 hours
"Where the fuck are they?" Mitchell asked as he marched down the hallway of the barracks. He and the other squad leaders had just left a briefing with Perryman. They would be responsible for running forward recon of local areas, as well as infiltrating enemy cities and settlements. The latter would require the use of alphabet soup agencies to help pull off since that was something they were good at. Even then, he needed his entire team geared up immediately, and he couldn't find a few of them. As he sped up along the hallway, he noticed Diaz exiting her room in a hurry. "Get to the damn armory, we're getting ready to go."
"Yes, Captain, right away."
"Hold on," Mitchell grabbed her shoulder before she disappeared down the hallway. "Have you seen Allen? He isn't in his room." As he asked this, she tilted her head to the right. He already knew, or at least had a good idea of where Allen was. "Do I even need to ask?"
"He was in the Japanese barracks last I saw, Captain," she answered. All he could do was sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose in response.
"I swear to God, I'm gonna put my foot up his ass if he keeps going off without letting someone know. Thanks, Diaz!"
"No problem, Captain!" she replied quickly before taking off.
"And stop calling me Captain! We're all friends here. Just use my name!" he yelled down the hall just before she got out of sight.
He made his way into the Japanese barracks which were just about empty. As he entered, he only saw Kurata and Furuta, whom he noticed chuckling as he walked by. It wasn't long before he reached the quarters of a particular JSDF sergeant. "Allen, if you’re in there, you better be decent." With that said, he gripped the door handle and swung the door open, getting a full view of the room and what was in it.
"Have you heard of knocking?" Sergeant Kuribayashi screeched as she popped her head up from underneath the blanket, alongside his missing SEAL.
"I gave you fair warning," Mitchell quickly replied.
"You barely said anything before swinging the door open!" she argued.
"That was the best we were going to get, Shino. We should be lucky for that." Allen spoke up.
"Didn't the rest of the squad tell you? We're being put on assignment. All teams need to report to the armory."
"We weren't told anything, Captain," Allen responded, slowly sighing as he did. As he did, Mitchell noticed movement underneath the end of the bed sheets.
"Ok, who the fuck is else is in here?" Mitchell said in a slightly aggravated tone. More shuffling occurred underneath the blanket before another familiar face popped into view.
"Really, you too?" Mitchell asked as he watched the SDF medic look up, embarrassed at the situation. Mitchell stood there, slack-jawed, and at a loss for words. All he could do was shake his head.
"This is unfair," he heard Kurokawa mutter to herself. "Haven't even started yet."
"Sorry Kurokawa, maybe next time," Kuribayashi sheepishly told her.
"You have ten minutes." All three of them looked at him with confusion, to which the Captain replied by putting up ten fingers. "Ten minutes, Allen. Don't disappoint either of them. Once that's done, all three of you get to the fucking armory. That's an order."
"Thank you, Captain." With that, Mitchell slammed the door and made his way towards the armory.
"Holy fucking shit!" he exclaimed as he put his face in his hands. "They better not fucking be late." Mitchell continued onward until he had reached the armory, going directly over to his team section, and to the locker with his name. After donning his exoskeleton, he made one final check of all his gear. Eight magazines for his MDR, two fragmentation grenades, and one EMP grenade. Protein and energy bars in his pockets, and a canteen of water. They didn't expect to stay out in the field for long, but it was better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. After a few minutes passed by, Allen eventually walked in and went straight to his locker. All Mitchell could do was shake his head and walk over to the Japanese section of the armory.
The two SDF members he had encountered earlier, Furata and Kurata, had noticed him and smirked. Mitchell was already annoyed with both of them, for various reasons, and recent events just added to this. "Is there something we can help you with, Captain?" Kurata asked.
"Why didn't you tell them?"
"Tell who what?" Kurata asked. They both knew Kurata was playing dumb and it only further pissed Mitchell off.
"Cut the fucking shit, sergeant!" Mitchell snapped. This surprised both the SDF members, who were caught off guard by the Captain's sudden change in attitude. "You knew full well what Allen was up to with Kuribayashi, and that we're being called up for assignment. You could've told them and saved me the trouble and time of dealing with them. We're at war and we can't afford to slack off, especially since we're about to enter an alien world!"
"We were just trying to have some fun," Furata said.
"Save that for when you have time off. Now's the time to be serious." With that, he grabbed the rest of his gear and linked up with the other squad leaders. The first he encountered were Captains Jiang Lee and Andrei Harkov. It was always good to see familiar faces, especially the faces of people he knew very well. He also recognized the MARCOS captain he had met in Reykjavik although he couldn’t remember his name.
"Harkov, Lee, it's good to see you two again!" Mitchell said as he put out his hand. Both the men accepted and returned the gesture. He then offered his hand to the Indian operator. "I'm afraid I didn't catch your name when we first met. Captain Mitchell, it's a pleasure to meet you!"
"Captain Rajiv Singh, pleased to make your acquaintance. Seems that we're going to be the first teams through."
"Makes sense when you think about it," Lee spoke up, "Our countries are already providing nearly half the manpower, as well as much of the logistical support for this operation, so it seems logical we get to go first."
"History repeats itself," Harkov said. "After all, our four nations not only provided a large percentage of the economic and military strength during the War but also came out better than most other nations as well."
"'Came out better’ is entirely subjective. Both Russia and China were facing severe demographic problems leading up to the war. Those were only further exacerbated the situation even worse." Mitchell explained. "And it wasn't just our nations. So many millions of young men and women were lost, it looked as if those who survived might very well be the last generation."
"We can't pretend our governments didn't do morally unsound things in the aftermath," Singh interrupted. "Hell, democracy everywhere took a big hit for the survival of the human race. Our governments post-war shelled out untold billions for women to have children, in addition to the subsequent natural baby boom, to replace all those lost."
"Not to mention how military forces operate under far less civilian oversight, especially in wartime," Lee reminded them, "That's part of the reason Price isn't in jail after Reykjavik."
"Speaking of Price, where is he?" Mitchell inquired.
"He ain't coming back, unfortunately." A voice from behind spoke up. As they looked back, they were met by the familiar face of one of the SAS members. It was Gideon.
"Why not? Something happen?" Harkov asked.
"He finally gave up. The old man'd already been through hell and back since before any of us were born. And after everything in Reykjavik, especially after what he ended up doing to those prisoners outside the embassy, finally did him in mentally. From what I've been told, both he and command thought it best for him to retire from further combat assignments." What Gideon had told them came as a shock to them all. Price was by far the most experienced operator they knew, and with him gone, his valuable experience would be gone as well. "At best, he'll be relegated to training duty. But most likely he's going to completely retire and live out his days back home."
"So where does this leave his old team?" Lee asked.
"His second in command, Sergeant Garrick, is taking over that spot."
"Looks like all the old guys are finally retiring," Harkov commented. "A man named Viktor finally retired from the SOF."
"It seems that way, doesn't it? Nearly all of the old guard are finally retiring and going to live the peaceful lives they earned," Gideon said, "Anyway, transports will be ready in 15 minutes, Your teams, as well as Garrick's, Nilsen's, and Weber's, will meet you there. Good luck, mates."
"Likewise Gideon." Mitchell gave a short reply.
"Don't take too long to join the fun," Harkov chuckled.
"See you on the other side," Lee added.
Alnus Hill
1200 Hours, Icelandic time
The battle was over. In less than half an hour, UN troops had completely shattered the remains of the Saderan force that sat just below the hill. At the cost of almost 200 soldiers, and that same number wounded, a force of 55,000 men had been utterly obliterated. In the closing moments of the fighting, a mechanized force overran their encampment and captured thousands of Saderans, and rescued a small number of civilians from Iceland. Now it was morning, and the full extent of what had happened became clearly visible to everyone. Tens of thousands of corpses littered the landscape, with a pungent smell that assaulted the noses of all those present. It was so bad that nearly every soldier in the field had to equip field respirators to avoid the horrid smell. The sight of so many dead made many of the soldiers lose the contents of their stomachs. The disgusting squelching sound of their steps from the vast amounts of blood, entrails, and body parts that covered the ground made it worse.
Some, after realizing just what they had done, had even broken down shortly after the battle ended. Many individuals had to bear the reality of the fact that they single-handedly killed dozens, if not hundreds of men. The worst cases were sent back to Iceland for a psychiatric review and chaplain visits. The events weighed heavily on every soldier who participated, but they knew it had to be done. Like their parents and grandparents before them, they knew they had to take up arms in defense of their world. But, at least for now, the fighting was over. The UN troops had established a beachhead in this new world and were in the process of building a base on the hill, one large enough to accommodate the massive influx of troops this world would see over the next few months. In the spearhead, 10,000 troops came through. Now, in the early morning hours, that number had increased to just over 30,000 soldiers, many of them combat engineers, working hard on erecting barracks, and a runway for aircraft. For now, the only aircraft available were small drones, and helicopters brought in on flatbeds.
The infantry forces now stationed here had a different task. There were thousands of enemy combatants that were still alive, crying out in pain as they lay injured below the hill. Many had had their limbs blown off or otherwise been rendered unable to escape. But the soldiers who took part in the initial push didn't have to deal with that. Instead, troops from Japan, Spain, and Morocco were given the task of finishing off those who survived the fighting. Many realized it was a grisly task, made even worse by the gore littering the fields, but it had to be done. Once they were all dead, their bodies would be dumped in mass graves away from the hill.
"Can you believe this shit? Like seriously, just look at all this?" said Pierre Awad as he observed all the death before him. His squad was one of many ordered to issue mercy to the poor souls still clinging to life in the fields of death below the hill. "All this death and destruction. Just how many of them did we kill?" he asked to no one in particular.
"Well, we killed roughly 85,000 back in Iceland. Add that to the 50,000 killed just hours ago, the total goes up to 135,000 men killed. That's the size of a small city." The reply came from his squad leader, Sergeant Aziz. "These Saderans just lost an entire damn field army to us and won't give up."
"Even worse, when considering that their army can't have any more than a few hundred thousand men left. We've wiped out a significant percentage of their military," another squad member added.
"What bothers me most about this is that they knew damn well what we were capable of," he added as he approached a wounded Saderan on the ground. Bayonet fixed, he flipped the man on his back using his foot, before shoving the blade directly into the man's neck, killing him. "Just who the hell is leading such a nation? To throw away so many lives for so very little?"
"I don't know Sergeant, but from what I overhead from some of the Americans, these Saderans still truly believe they can beat us. Even after all this carnage." As he finished speaking, he noticed that there were soldiers scavenging bodies of the dead. That bothered him, as he was taught to respect the dead. "Why are they looting the corpses?" he asked Aziz, who merely shifted his gaze in their direction for a few seconds, before going back to scanning the bodies around him.
"Orders from up top. Any intact weapons or currency are to be retrieved and stored for future use. I don't like it either, Awad, but command believes it could be of benefit to us later," Aziz replied.
"I just don't see the purpose in us stealing swords or gold coins," Awad said in a slightly disgusted tone.
"Command wants to embed special operations teams deep within enemy territory. To do this, they need to be capable of blending in with the populace. Using local currency and having weapons that don't stick out will help them tremendously with that goal. Everyone knows that stealing weapons from the dead isn't moral, but there isn't a choice in the matter. If we're to win this war quickly, many of our morals will need to be thrown out," he explained.
"I guess it makes sense from a strategic point of view. Still, there's going to be far too many bodies for them to check."
"Not to mention the biological hazards here." The team's medic spoke up. "All these bodies being piled up has already attracted an ungodly amount of vultures, as well as some strange hounds that tried attacking patrols earlier this morning. It'd be best if they hurry up and get this over with because the smell is awful."
"I imagine that smell will linger for some time. In Iceland, the snow and cold temperatures slowed the rotting of the corpses and reduced the spread of disease by freezing the bodies. Here, in this heat, it’s much worse. Anyway, it's time to add another body to the pile," another squad member said as he approached an obviously wounded Saderan. He noticed the Saderan desperately try to pull himself away, but it was no use. His hand reached for a nearby sword but was met with a firm boot directly on his wrist.
"Quaeso, obsecro vos, non..." His words were cut short as a bayonet was lodged in his throat, silencing him forever.
"I just want this over with as soon as possible. I'm not sure about any of you, but doing this brings me no joy," the soldier said as he pulled his bayonet out of the man's neck and continued onward.
"I don't believe any sane person would enjoy killing people, but in the end, we have to do our duty," Aziz reminded them.
"Although it seems those special forces types revel in this shit. I mean, we all saw what they did to those legionaries in Iceland."
"That was more out of anger than enjoyment. Can't really blame them for what they saw, nor do I feel sympathy for those they executed." As the medic continued to scan the battlefield, something caught his eye. Roughly 25 meters ahead, he could make out a green shape just barely moving. He motioned to his squad mates, who noticed this as well, and they began approaching it.
"What the hell is it?" Awad asked as they realized what they had found. The birdlike creature was obviously female, injured, and looked absolutely terrified of them. As they got closer, the bird-woman tried to crawl away from the squad of soldiers, but her already bruised and damaged frame gave out under the continued movement. Her eyes were filled with terror as she realized there would be no escape.
"Just put that damn creature out of her misery so we can move on already!" Aziz ordered as he began walking away. But just as the medic pulled his sidearm out, preparing to end her life, he was stopped by a voice shouting in his direction.
"HOLD YOUR FIRE!" someone shouted at them from behind. When they turned to look, they saw a group of soldiers rushing to their position, including a medical team with a gurney. Their gear suggested that they were special forces. And as they got closer, the flag on their shoulders identified them as Americans. "Don't shoot it!" the lead American said.
"What is it this time?" Aziz muttered in annoyance.
"Command wants that one alive. Apparently, she caught the attention of some snipers during the battle."
"She can barely move on her own," the medic pointed out. "How is she important?" He asked.
"Something about her disrupting the wind patterns on the battlefield. Snipers reported that they couldn't hit their targets until a mortar unit took her out," the American told them.
"Look, my orders are to bring this thing back to the hill and put her with the rest of the prisoners."
"So be it then. Are you going to look over any more of the wounded or are we free to continue our task?" Aziz asked.
"As far as I know, aside from gathering intact weapons and coins from their corpses, this was the only one we were sent for. I'll leave you to it," the man said as he and another soldier picked up the bird woman's body and placed it on a stretcher nearby, before heading back towards the hill.
"This is going to be a very long day!" Awad sighed.
"Quit whining, the quicker we do this, the quicker we can leave all these rotting corpses behind and relax. Now get moving!" Aziz barked.
The next few hours were relatively uneventful for them all. The occasional gunshot rang out in the air as the number of survivors dwindled further and further. Soon, the only soldiers still alive in and around the hill were UN forces and the prisoners taken in the aftermath of the battle. It would, however, take days for all the bodies to be completely removed and dumped into gravesites, and much longer for the stench of death to disappear. But the soldiers did their duty. They might not have enjoyed it, but there was nothing else they could do.
Hilltop Prisoner Area
Those who had survived to be taken prisoner by UN forces found things far from what they had ever imagined. Many of them awaited death's cold embrace. Like that fateful day many months ago, they were brutally beaten by a force they had made the mistake of angering. Many had cursed the gods, demanding to know why they had allowed this to happen. Others pleaded for salvation from the clutches of the enemy that now had them in shackles. But most cursed the Emperor. It was because of him that any of this had happened. He had demanded the mages expand the Gate and sent a military expedition through it. It was his fault that they were in this situation. That they were all that was left of the once-proud force that had believed itself invincible.
But what they thought now was far from the latter. Those who had survived had experienced something their world had never seen. The majority of those still alive were scarred either mentally, physically, or both. Some sat entirely still and stared blankly at nothing. Others broke down and sobbed, all the while begging for mercy. But there were those who sat smiling. But these were not smiles of joy or humor, but of broken men. Men who had witnessed death and destruction on a scale they couldn't comprehend, their minds broken by the experience. Suffered by soldiers who had fought in Earth’s numerous wars, this illness had many names over the years. Shell Shock. Soldier's Heart. Combat Fatigue. War Neurosis. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. All different names for the same illness that plagued untold millions throughout the course of history. Its effects could be seen first hand here on Alnus Hill. The thousands who were huddled together would never be the same.
They could only watch in horror as more and more soldiers and war beasts poured through the Gate, ready to unleash their fury on this world. It was at this point they knew the war was lost. For if a force numbering in the tens of thousands could do this, what would 100,000 do? Or 500,000? Or even 1,000,000? They could only imagine what horrible fate awaited their brothers in arms across Sadera. This is what was running through Legate Marcus’ mind as he pondered just what was going to happen to him. When he awoke, he found himself seated amid rows of hundreds of legionaries. Patrolling around them were enemy soldiers, backed up by their iron carriages. Iron chariots soared in the sky above them. As he looked around, he could only see more and more of the enemy. He soon came to realize that his own forces were now outnumbered.
"How did it ever come to this? The conquest was supposed to be easy and resistance light!" he wondered. "Now look at me. One of the great legates of the Saderan Empire, now a prisoner to an enemy nation. And they have the gall to place me with both legionaries and demihumans!
“Do you people have no honor?" he shouted as he stood up, facing a nearby UN soldier. But soon a hand placed on his shoulder forced him to the ground. As he turned to face who had done it, he became even more infuriated. Not only was the soldier a female, she resembled one of the dark elf auxiliaries he once commanded.
"Be quiet!" she ordered before continuing down the row of prisoners.
"YOU DARE!" Marcus shouted at the woman, who turned around glaring at him. Standing up once more, he gathered the attention of not only his fellow Saderans, but of quite a few UN personnel who looked on in amusement at the spectacle. "What makes you think you can touch me, woman? I am a legate of the Saderan army and I will not tolerate such disrespect from a lowly commoner like yourself! Now I demand that you-" His words were cut off as the stock of a rifle slammed into his stomach, knocking him down, and driving the air from his lungs in the process. When he looked up, he saw not only that same woman, but half a dozen other soldiers surrounding him as well. They all laughed as the legate tried to catch his breath from the blow. He even tried striking the woman but received a kick to his back which forced him down once more.
"Sudeni rokudenashi no te o shibaru dakedesu!/Just bind the bastard’s hands already!" he heard one of them say. He then felt his arms being forced behind his back and bindings tying his hands together. Then they simply walked away, leaving him on his stomach, unable to get up. The embarrassment was unbearable at that point. He even heard some of the surviving demihumans laugh at his misfortune. But despite how much he struggled, he could not get up. Defeated, he simply closed his eyes, praying to any of the gods that would listen, hoping they would save him. But his prayers, like those of the thousands of other captives, would go unanswered.
But he was far from the only one who was having a rough time. Myuute Luna Sires found her situation arguably worse. She had thought her magic would be enough to prevent the otherworld forces from gaining a foothold here. But she was wrong. Their explosive magic had blown through her wind barrier and badly injured her. Despite how much she tried, she couldn't move. When enemy soldiers finally came upon her, she had thought her life was sure to end. However, when they not only spared her life but began to treat her wounds, she was at a loss for words. She couldn't understand the kindness being offered to her. She was well aware of what happened to women when conquering armies are on the march. But none of what she had expected, ever happened.
Despite this, they seemed apprehensive around her. They spoke in a language she couldn't understand, but she could tell they didn't entirely trust her. Even with her injuries, two men stood around her constantly with their hands on their strange weapons all the while. Being a Siren, she began to sing in order to calm herself down. At first, her guards, as well as other soldiers in earshot didn't mind. In fact, many seemed to enjoy the tune, but they weren't aware of the effects of listening. Siren songs are known for hypnotizing those who listen. The harmonious effects are unfortunately involuntary, as they can't control whether or not their singing puts someone to sleep. As she looked around, she saw many of the otherworld soldiers holding their heads or stumbling around as if they were exhausted. Even the Saderan legionaries taken prisoner weren't immune to the effect of her song.
But the otherworlders weren't stupid, nor were they all men. The women among their ranks seemed to have greater resistance, or outright immunity to her songs. One of them was the guard standing by her right side. She felt a hand cover her mouth, before being shoved on her stomach, and a sensation of cold steel pressed against her head. From what she could see, dozens of soldiers began rushing towards her, pointing their strange staves at her. Others were picking themselves off of the ground, dazed and confused at what had just occurred. She had revealed her secret to the otherworlders, to which they responded by sticking a strange sheet of thin, gray material, over her mouth. Now she couldn't make a sound.
"What the fuck just happened?" one soldier said.
"She just started singing, and before you know it, our men are dropping to their feet. Same for those legionaries we captured," the soldier pinning her to the ground answered.
"Looks like she's got more tricks up her sleeve than we first thought," a voice interrupted from behind. When the others turned, it was one of the American special forces operators, accompanied by a Chinese and Russian operative. "First she starts creating wind patterns to block bullets on the battlefield, now she's capable of singing a song that causes men to pass out."
"The appearance of a harpy, yet the powers of a siren," The Chinese operator chuckled. "This world really is strange, isn't it?"
"That's not the strangest thing either. This Empire is a mixture of cultures from different eras. We've seen Roman legionaries and medieval knights, yet these people have yet to discover gunpowder or anything associated with that era of history," the Russian added, "Not as if it matters though. When this war is all over and settled, archaeologists and historians will have a field day here. Until then, it's our job to win this war."
"So what about this thing? You here to take her off our hands, because we have enough to worry about with the five thousand POW's," the soldier guarding Myuute asked.
"Don't worry, we're here to take more than just her off your hands. We'll be taking that legate as well," the American replied. "We'll also need that elf and those bunny chicks. They are priority prisoner transfers and have transport waiting."
"Anyone else?"
"Nope, the rest will have to wait for a little bit. Command honestly thought most of them would just fight to the death. Transport is still being organized for the rest of them. Available facilities back home are crowded with the thousands we already have. For now, the most valuable get first passage." As the American finished speaking, he took out a roll of duct tape from his pocket and approached Myuute with it. Ripping a piece from the roll, he yanked the girls head up violently and put the tape across her mouth, blocking her ability to speak. "Just to make sure you don't sing another melody, you damn freak!" he said as he pulled the girl up to her feet and ushered her forward. The same was soon repeated on the legate, elf, and bunny warriors as they were marched away from the main body of prisoners by the operators.
Each had knowledge or abilities that had intrigued the powers back home, something that would be exploited in the near future. The rest of those gathered at the hill would be shipped off to one of the dozens of prison facilities reopened in the wake of this new, unexpected conflict. As the day came to a close and more troops took up position on the hilltop, they bore witness to the frightful military might they were up against. As they were herded into the backs of trucks, their futures uncertain, all they could do was pray to their gods that those they loved would be spared any suffering.
Unknown Location
Those in the room stared blankly at the television screen in front of them. They knew not how it worked, but they knew it was real. The Saderans, both human and demihuman, who had been considered "trustworthy enough" to be put in UN service, were granted the privilege of watching a recording of the UN counterattack from the moment the first tanks passed through, to the complete disintegration of the Imperial forces remaining on the hill. As they spent hours watching as more and more troops continued pouring through the Gate, any lingering doubts as to how this conflict would end were swept aside. Some of them even took a special interest in certain prisoners. The demihumans that were the first to be marched through, had been noticed by those in the room.
"That's my sister!" Mamina gasped as she watched as one prisoner, ears bleeding, and stumbling about, was shoved in the back of a metal carriage, and soon out of sight. "What did you do to my sister?" She snarled at one of the nearby guards in the room.
"My people haven't done a damn thing. Hell, my country hasn't even deployed any personnel into your damn world," the guard snapped back. "And given what we know about you people, if I was a betting man, your sister was on the receiving end of a flashbang. Be lucky she even survived to be captured in the first place." Mamina was furious. The Imperials had always looked down on her people and saw them as barbarians. She felt that same aura radiate from them. Just like with the Imperials, she and her fellow demihumans were seen as foreign and barbaric. Yet it was the Empire that had come into their lands, conquering and enslaving her people. These "United Nations" as they called themselves, were no different. They were in the process of doing the same thing to the Imperials. They even bragged about their victories, as evidenced by the images she saw before her, to those who had already felt the full brunt of their power.
"You humans are all the same!" she sneered.
"You keep thinking that, but it couldn't be farther than the truth," the guard told her while waving his hand as if to tell her to leave him alone. She wanted to jump out of her seat and tear the soldier’s head from his shoulders, but a feeling on her shoulder prevented her from moving.
"He isn't worth you getting into trouble, Mamina," Delilah warned as she moved closer to her friend. "They've done much for us, there's no reason to be so hostile to them."
"They carry themselves the same way the Imperials do. That smugness is unbearable. Don't tell me you don't feel it from them?"
"We all do, Mamina," Hodor cut in. "But it would be most unwise to start a fight now of all times, especially against those who have treated this well."
"I still don't understand how you can trust them so much."
"We don't." He corrected. "But they've shown themselves to be far kinder to their prisoners than the Imperials. None of us have been tortured or thrown into slavery. I'm sure they have motives that are beyond just getting their people back, but for now, don't fight them. Remember, they did help you all those months ago."
"You've seen how they treat the Imperials, haven't you?" Delilah reminded. "They tend to be far more brutal and unforgiving with them than us. Many have even shown themselves sympathetic to why we're even here in the first place."
"Yet they still boast their power whenever they get the chance."
"That's not entirely the point," a familiar voice said from behind. They turned to see three people whom they had become accustomed to meeting. “Agents,” they called themselves. The best they could understand was that these "agents" were the equivalent of a spy guild. The woman from a nation called America, while the males came from two nations known as Russia and China. "Since the powers that be decided you can be useful, this is to let you know you'll be going back home soon. We've begun to establish our foothold in your world, and soon we'll need those who know the land, as well as having ties to the local kingdoms."
Count Colt felt all eyes on him as those last few words exited the woman's mouth. Her demeanor, as well as those of the other two agents, never changed. Her words haunted him since the day they met. What she had told him the day they met never left his mind. "Awakening a sleeping giant and filling him with a terrible resolve." Now he understood fully what she had meant by it. He may not have entirely understood the history behind the statement, but he had seen it in action. Now that giant was poised to strike the Empire in all its fury. A fury that would destroy all who opposed it.
"That's where you come in, Count Formal," one of the men said, "You have connections with the vassals of the Empire. Vassals who we’re are not at war with, but will almost certainly be called to arms against us. Said nations have committed no crimes against us and we do not wish to spill more blood than is necessary in this war."
"Then by your measure, our peoples are almost certainly guilty of crimes against your world," Hodor responded. "If that's the case, why should we help you?"
"We are aware that your people were conquered by the Saderan Empire long before this war began. Our leaders won't hold that against you. And thanks to our means of surveillance, we know that your people didn't engage in acts of rape and murder of civilians, unlike many of the legionaries, orcs, and goblins during the attack." The Russian paused before glancing over to the woman who sat beside Hodor. "Your daughter saved the lives of many children during the invasion. As was explained by those who captured her, that's the only reason they spared her life. Your tribes will not suffer repercussions unless they attack us."
"What guarantees do we have that you won't go back on your word?" A dark elf known as Crow from the back of the room spoke up. He was the eldest of the dark elves sent with the Imperial Expedition. "You have nothing to lose and much to gain in our world."
"We have no reason to lie. Your tribes and ways of life are of little concern to us." The Chinese agent told them. "You are right in that there's much we can gain from your world. Aside from retrieving those we lost, and exacting revenge on the Empire, your world is full of untapped resources," he explained.
"I knew it!" Mamina said aggressively as she stood up, facing the man with a look of pure hatred. "Deep down, you humans are all the same. Wanting to expand your empires at the expense of us! Your nations are no better than the Empire is." In a burst of speed, she crossed the distance between her and the agent, getting directly in his face. This prompted the guards to activate their stun batons in the process.
"MOVE BACK NOW!" one of the guards ordered as he rushed towards the situation. However, he halted as the agent in question put his hand up to stop him. The rest of the guards had batons and rifles at the ready, but the agents remained in place.
"We don't seek the enslavement of your people, nor their fealty. We're just being honest. You people know your world better than we do. You know the trade routes, military outposts, and major economic hubs. We know you want vengeance against the Empire for everything they've done to you. This is your chance to get it. You get your freedom back and can go back to your normal lives. We get our people back, as well as taking down the Empire in the process."
"Dammit Manima, think for a minute!" Delilah pleaded. "This could be our chance to strike back against the Empire! After all they've done to us, we can finally hit them back!" Murmuring ensued among the various demihumans in the room, as well as Count Colt and his few surviving advisers. Many still seemed apprehensive and didn't fully trust the agents. Some just wanted revenge, but others worried about their homes and what would become of them afterward.
"You say you want resources," Hodor interrupted. "What if you find resources in our homelands? What guarantee do we have that you won't force us off our land and take what you want?" He demanded. The agents looked at each other before the woman stepped forward and answered.
"Something like that wouldn't go over well with many of our citizens." She paused for a few seconds before continuing. "My nation's people, in particular, wouldn't go along with such an idea. In the early days of my country's history, we had just won our independence from the British Empire, who once controlled one-quarter of our world. Over the span of 200 years, we gradually expanded our territory from one end of the continent to the next. In the process of doing so, however, we forcefully removed most of the native tribes. Most of the time it was done violently, but sometimes we made treaties. We put them on reservations, as we called them, allowing them to practice their beliefs in peace. But over time, most of those lands were either seized by the government or bought.
While some of these lands still exist, such lands make up little over three percent of my nation’s territory. My nation's history with its indigenous peoples is not a proud one by any means. Even my ancestors were taken from their homes centuries ago. What my nation did in its history did was horrible and there is no denying that. But that is the story of many cultures and civilizations in our world's history. One people got stronger than the next and overcame them. But we've learned from our past mistakes and we have no intention of repeating them. Whether you wish to believe us or not, we do not want your lands, nor do we wish to expel you from them."
Most in the room had no idea how to respond. Some believed what she had said; others didn't. The agents said nothing as debate arose among those in the room. All except for one who had kept silent. Crow kept quiet, observing the woman intently. He studied her for any hint of dishonesty, trying to determine if she was really telling the truth. "In my long life, I have learned to understand when a human is lying or telling the truth." He spoke up, gaining the attention of those in the room. "If I am certain of one thing, it's that she speaks the truth. I have but one question before I agree to help."
"And what might that be?" She replied.
"To repeat what Hodor has asked, regarding resources, should you find something you desire, would your leaders be willing to compensate our people properly for access to mining rights?"
"If and when that time comes, ambassadors can certainly be assigned to work out trade treaties with your respective kingdoms. However, surveying for resources will wait until the war is over. For now, we focus on rescuing our people and bringing down the Saderan Empire. Can we count on your support? Not ass vassals, but as equal allies?"
"If it means we can be free once more, then I will join you," Delilah said.
"For many years I've sought vengeance against the Empire for taking my wife from me. For unleashing the flame dragons that killed so many of my tribe. For forcing the survivors into service of the Empire." Hodor slowly looked up towards the agents, eyes burning for vengeance. "I want nothing more than to avenge my people and keep my daughter safe. I will join you as well."
"I believe it in the best interest of our tribe that we repay this kindness you have shown us, in your fight against the Empire. Do you all agree?" Crow asked his fellow dark elves.
"If it saves our people from further death and destruction, I will do anything," Yao replied swiftly. Met, Komu, and the rest all nodded their heads in affirmation. Even Mamina begrudgingly accepted the proposal, after much pestering from Delilah in the process. This left Count Formal as the only one to not give an answer yet.
"What about you, Count?" The Russian asked.
"As I told you before, I will do whatever it takes to keep my daughter, and my city, safe. I will help you establish contact with the vassal states of the Empire, but I can not guarantee you they'll be willing to open relations with your world, or even submit to talks of peace."
"All that we want is an option to try. If negotiations fail, we're fully prepared to use both lethal and nonlethal methods to end a fight before it starts. However, since your city is of vital importance to the Empire, and it'll be well guarded by the Empire, your knowledge of the city and its defending garrison, would be of great value to us."
"I'll do whatever you ask, just spare my daughter's life." He begged. "She's all I have left."
"If possible, we'll attempt to evacuate her from Italica before any fighting begins. We'll also try to keep destruction to a minimum, but should the defending garrison attack our forces, we can't guarantee harm won't come to the city." With this, Count Formal looked towards the warrior bunnies present in the room.
"Delilah, Mamina, can I trust you to help them keep my daughter safe?"
"Of course, My Lord," Delilah replied. "After everything you've done for us, the least we can do is help Countess Myui."
"Very well, since you've all agreed to help us, we'll report back, and inform our superiors. Until then, you'll be escorted back to your quarters until further notice," The American agent said. "One more thing before we leave, you said that was your sister, right? On the screen earlier?" she said toMamina.
"Yes, she is." Mamina nodded her head as she replied.
"Good, we'll make sure she's transferred here immediately." With that, the agents left the room and the guards escorted the various demihumans back to their cells. It would only be a matter of time until the go-ahead was given and they would be brought across the Gate once more. This time, however, it would be in the service of the United Nations Defense Force.
Falmart Airspace
10 Klicks from Alpha Point
1230 Hours
"There can't be many of these bastards left out here!" Dunn commented as the Warbird he and his squad were in tore through the skies away from the hill. The task at hand for his team and the others currently deployed was to Search and Destroy any remaining Saderan forces in proximity to the base and preliminary reconnaissance of the nearby area for later recon teams. "About how far do you think they could've gone?"
"There's a lot of factors to take into account," Mitchell replied. "First being it's been six hours since the fighting ended. With the adrenaline pumping through their bodies, even if they only ran for an hour, that's still anywhere from five to six miles bare minimum. Combine that with the fact that these people live in a pre-industrial society, and have to walk most places they go, they'd be pretty used to being on their feet constantly. So while I doubt they'd be running nonstop since the morning, they could very well have run quite a distance from the hill."
"That means at least a few dozen square miles need to be checked," Foley said, "And they want us scouting around for nearby settlements"
"That's why the other squads are all searching sectors towards the north. Command wants to make sure there're no surprises waiting for the recon teams that will be dispatched at a later date. And with the E-LORAN transmitters still being set up back at base, what drones we do have are extremely limited in range, so we have to make do," Mitchell explained.
"They also want the combat engineers putting up signs roughly ten or so miles from Alpha Point in all directions, especially on any roads that might lead towards it," Foley told them. "The Swedes, Norwegians, and Canadians are having their men put warning signs to try to deter peasants and enemy forces from approaching the hill. Writing it in the local language of course, but I don't know how much good it'll do."
"It might keep a random trader or farmer from being blown to shit by landmines or mortars," Griggs said. "But if another army comes marching our way, it'll take more than some words on a poster board to stop them."
"It won't be long until we get some more action, don't ya'll worry," Mitchell reassured them. He was right, they wouldn't wait long until something required their attention. Soon the pilot's voice came through the cabin, alerting them to something ahead.
"We've got contact 300 meters to our left!" the pilot shouted back at the SEAL's, who readied their weapons in anticipation of a fight. "I count thirty plus contacts on the ground. They've got some travelers and their cart encircled and trapped." The pilot informed them as he swung the aircraft to its left. The door swung open, giving Mitchell and his team a full view of what was going on below them. The fresh morning air smacked them all in the face as Foley brought out his binoculars and began surveying the scene below with the built-in IFF scanner.
"I count a total of thirty-two hostiles and four local civilians," Foley informed them. "Looks like these bastards have turned to banditry! Take a look at this," he said disgusted as he handed the binocs to Mitchell. As Mitchell looked through, he saw that the legionaries had completely surrounded a small family and their cart. Some legionaries dragged the children from the back and threw them on the ground, while others beat the man, and pinned the woman to the ground. He couldn't hear anything, but he didn't need to hear to figure out what was going to happen to them.
"Pilot, get us down there now!" he ordered.
"Yes, sir!" the pilot replied as the Warbird began its descent to the ground. But by that point, the Saderans on the ground knew they were coming. The roar of the engine might as well have been a banshee's cry to the Saderans, for there were those among them who had survived that fateful day in the otherworld. Those who remembered the horrors inflicted upon their ranks by the iron Pegasi and chariots. Some tried to run. Others tried to fight. But it was all in vain, for their enemy was swift and brutal in their work.
"Irons, Diaz, get to the civilians, the rest of you, don't let a single one of these bastards escape!" Mitchell barked as he and his team raced into action. Shots rang out as each SEAL focused on a legionary. Irons and Diaz, with their speed already augmented by their exoskeletons, took only a few seconds to close the distance to the would-be victims of the legionaries turned bandits. One was still in the process of pulling up his trousers when a 5.56 round from Diaz's rifle tore through his plate armor, and through his heart, killing him instantly. The next tried to swing his gladius at Irons, who responded by ducking and sliding behind the man. He sprang to his feet directly behind the man, and slammed the stock of the rifle directly into the back of the man's neck, killing him instantly.
One of the men beating the father attempted to pull his gladius, but was met with a bullet to the skull for his trouble. "Diaz, get to the woman. I'll get the father and children!" Irons ordered as he knelt down to the father, helping him off the ground. "Don't worry, we're here to help!" He said reassuringly.
"Please listen," Diaz practically begged to woman. "We're not going to hurt you." The mother however, wasn't convinced. Even at the sight of another woman, she shrieked and clawed at Diaz, who desperately tried to help her. Both Irons and the husband had to help calm her down as the fighting died down around them. By the time they succeeded, the fighting was done. The V-99 had landed just 50 meters to the south and the rest of the team was scanning the surrounding area for any remaining legionaries.
"You’re from the otherworld, aren't you?" The husband asked the SEAL's. "If so, why did you help us?" He asked.
"Why shouldn't we have helped? We couldn't sit by and watch what they were going to do to you and your family," Irons replied.
"We had heard stories months ago of the Empire sending a diplomatic mission through the Gate on Alnus Hill. When the diplomats were killed, the Emperor sent several legions and auxiliaries in response to the attack." He explained. "However we were told the attack had failed and that the remaining legions would fortify the Hill against future attacks. But seeing as you are here and those legionaries aren't on the Hill, I can rightly conclude they failed." As he finished explaining, Irons and Diaz just looked at each other in disbelief, before turning back towards the man.
"I'm not sure what you've been told, but there was no diplomatic mission sent to our world," Irons started. "What they sent was an invading army, which slaughtered and enslaved thousands of innocent people. You’re right that we came from beyond the Hill, but we aren't here as conquerors. We came to exact justice on the force that declared war on our world," Irons finished.
"And just because we aren't from your world, doesn't mean we won't try to help those in need," Diaz added. "Our quarrel is with the Saderan Empire, not the average person living in it." The man just sighed as he heard what they told him.
"I should have assumed what we heard was false. After all, they sent no such mission when they conquered the vassal kingdoms, nor with the demihuman kingdoms, so it would be foolish to think otherwise. Regardless of your allegiance, you have our thanks, but I'm afraid we can't compensate you for your generosity."
"There's no need," Irons put his hand up towards the man. "All that we ask is that you spread your story to those who will listen. We want everyone to know we aren't faceless monsters or violent barbarians. We don't seek to enslave citizens of these lands, nor will we tolerate the practice. For those you do tell, and those who listen, tell them we're the United Nations Defense Force, and we fight for peace!"
Imperial Calendar 687
Sadera, Falmart
Sadera, the crown jewel of the Empire. For centuries it stood as a symbol of power and influence across the continent of Falmart. It's majestic architecture was renowned across the continent. The ornate, golden domes of the Imperial Palace and senate, unrivaled in their beauty, and the city itself was host to riches beyond measure. The city boasted a population of over one million people, the largest in the known world. Sitting in the center of Falmart, with large mountain ranges to the west, a sea to the south, and even more mountain ranges to the north, the Imperial Capital was well insulated from any potential threat. Only the east was absent of real geographic defenses, mostly consisting of grasslands.
But not once in the history of the Empire had any enemy dared to come close to the city. Even during the Arctic War, and the even more recent vassal rebellion, they hadn't dared attack Sadera directly. Several legions directly guarded the city, including elite Praetorian Guard, and even the magically imbued Immortals. If that wasn't enough, Sadera itself was home to over half of the Imperial Wyvern Corps, as well as the father flame dragon, half of its offspring, and the mages who tamed and controlled them. All of this made the city impervious to any attack.
Inside the Imperial Senate building, a discussion was underway regarding recent events that had just transpired in the otherworld. The entirety of the senate, as well as the Imperial Family, were present within it's halls as the a great debate raged by all those inside over what to do next.
"What we face is an unprecedented disaster, your majesty! From our failed attempt at conquest in the otherworld, combined with our losses on Alnus Hill, The Empire has lost nearly half of its military strength! What would you have us do? How do you plan on leading the Empire during these trying times?" Spoke Senator Marquis Casel. He was now relaying the news of the defeat to most of the Senate, who had only vaguely been informed of the campaign. He, like the others that truly understood the situation, wanted to know what course of action would be taken from this moment forward.
"Marquis Casel, think about how the people must feel. It is true that our losses have been heavy, and we no longer enjoy the military advantage we once had before. They worry that the vassals might once more rise up against the Empire and attempt to attack the capital itself. How pathetic!" Molt chuckled, much to the surprise of Casel and the other Senators. "Every time our Empire is in danger, the Emperor, the Senate, and it's people become on to confront the danger, and bring about even more progress." He finished.
"But how are we to face the enemy after suffering such losses?" Marquis Palesti interrupted.
"No war is won without some loss. Do you not remember the Arctic War? Where 60,000 men were lost at the battle of Akuteku? Despite such losses, the Empire rebuilt its strength and continued the fight. In the end the Northern tribes were subdued and vassalized, and our Empire emerged victorious!" Molt answered. "To think that another nation dares surround the Imperial capital...I trust none of you will waste time in court." The senators in the room chuckled at the last remark.
"But what shall we do?" Another voice cried out from the large group of senators. This time is was Marquis Dussie. "The remaining forces on the hill were defeated in less than a day. It has been a week since that day, and now the Gate, as well the holy hill of Alnus, has been captured by the enemy. Legate Marcus tried to reach the enemy on the hill, but his forces were smashed. And the fairies sent to scout the hill have reported the enemy is building a massive base on this side."
"Then we shall fight!" General Podawon shouted as he slammed his fist on his breastplate. "If our forces are insufficient, we can just gather more men from our tributary states!"
"What good will brute force do!" Another senator shouted in reply. "Whoever this new enemy is, has shown themselves far more capable than any foe we've ever faced!"
"This enemy has killed five of our flame dragons, including the mother! One-fifth of the Immortals’ total strength has been obliterated! At the very least, we should consider negotiations!
"So do you suggest we meekly submit? Have you no courage!" As the argument intensified between the senators and generals in the senate building, Molt simply went into a deep train of thought. He was well aware of how quickly the Imperial army had failed in the otherworld, but his nightmare from that night was something that wouldn't leave his mind. Before he could raise his hand to quell the argument, a familiar voice cut through the cacophony of noise
"If I may offer some assistance in this matter." The voice was from Crown Prince Diabo El Caesar. Normally the quietest of the royal family, it was odd for him to even be present, let alone actively participating. "One of the Wyvern scouts had picked up a survivor of the battle two days ago. I believe that this man could provide us some insight on just what happened and what we face." He turned around and motioned for an unseen individual to come forward. As the man came into view, it was clear that he was a broken man. He stared blankly at what was in front of him, was bruised, and had a bloody patch over his left eye. It was clear to those present that whoever this man was, he had been through hell.
"Tell them everything you told me. Leave out no detail." Diabo told the legionary.
"My name is Decius Co Vergilius and I served under Legatus Marcus Asinius during the expedition through the Gate, as well as the defense of Alnus Hill, both of which you must know the result of now. It all started in the early morning hours before the sun had risen, the enemy had appeared through the Gate and directly into the minor fortifications dug by our forces. Their steel elephants initially got stuck in them and were incapable of moving, but they didn't take long to escape them. At the same time, many of our legionaries emerged from holes dug in the ground in order to catch the enemy off guard. Even a small group of Immortals took part in the attack, managing to rip a small snout from one of the elephants, but in the end they were quickly obliterated by the enemy, who took up defensive positions on the hill. What came next..." Decius paused and shuddered at the thought of reliving those terrible moments.
"Take your time soldier, just don't leave out any of their capabilities," Diabo said calmly.
The man sighed once more and continued his story. "We tried charging up the hill to clash steel with the enemy, but their magic was far beyond anything any of us had seen before. When we got within 800 paces of their position, they rained their deadly magic upon. Thanks to the mage present at the battle, our armored ogres were enchanted with speed and a magical barrier to protect them from damage. They made it far closer than we did, and managed to survive repeated hits from the snouts of the smaller elephants. But then a giant arrow took to the sky and landed directly on the lead ogre, killing it immediately. They repeated this four more times, killing each one with a single hit. By then, over half of our numbers were depleted from enemy forces on the hill.
The Immortals had made their charge and were accompanying us up the hill, hoping to finally slay those who had taken so many of our fellow legionaries. The siren we had in our ranks proved quite useful, as her wind magic simply stopped much of the enemy's magic from hitting the remainder of our forces. But the enemy soon realized this, and focused their attention on her. I was leading the flank directly behind her when a massive explosion overtook us. When I awoke, our forces were in complete disarray. Our dragons fared little better. The enemy was smart enough to send three large groups of elephants against the flame dragons we had. While some of the enemy elephants were slain in the process, both of the young flame dragons went down.
The Immortals had managed to reach the hill and took many enemy soldiers with them. It was then that the mother dragon had arrived in. In her fury, she landed directly on top of one of the enemy elephants, completely crushing it in the process. The remainder of them, which had slowed down their magic use from sheer exhaustion of fighting her offspring, began a disorganized retreat away from her. We thought we would win, but then those flashes appeared. From atop the hill, a group of much longer and thinner metal carriages appeared. On their backs were long snouts that spat blue and green magic. Each time it spat fire, a loud roar erupted from the hill, and each hit tore through the mother dragon. Within minutes, her shrieks of pain ceased as she collapsed to the ground, dead.
From that point onward we realized it was lost. What remained of our forces began a retreat from the hill, as our numbers didn't amount to a full legion of men. No Immortals were left, our dragons were slain, and all our magic users were either dead or missing. The enemy overran the encampment shortly after, demanding the surrender of all those still alive. Last I saw of Legatus Marcus was in command tent, which was entered by a group of strange figures in all black armor. After that, I don't know what had happened. I kept running until I passed out. After wandering through towns on my way back to Italica, a wyvern scout found me. And they brought me here." As he finished, the senate chamber was completely silent. Many just looked at each other in disbelief, others with looks of rage or pity on their faces. Even the royal family said nothing, as Pina couldn't believe the story she had heard, Zorzal shook his head, and Molt was deep in thought. It was general Podawon that broke the silence.
"You are a damn coward!" He shouted at the legionary. "You should've stayed and fought to your dying breath like a man!"
"And what would that have accomplished?" Marquis Dussie snapped back. "Leave us without details of the enemy's capabilities and strength? Leave us with more dead heroes instead of living soldiers? Who are you to judge someone that survived such hell?"
"I've never abandoned a battlefield in such a way! I fought until complete victory was achieved!" He retorted back. It wasn't long before the senate was once again in an argument with one another. The legionary was escorted out of the chambers on the orders of Diabo, who stood silently at the arguing intensified. It was only by the hand of Emperor Molt, that the argument ceased.
"Enough! I do not hold any of you accountable for our recent failings in the otherworld and Alnus." He spoke. "I do not wish to stand idly by. Therefore we must fight. Send delegates to our tributary and neighboring states. Ask for help in defending the continent from the men from the otherworld." He stood and raised his hand before continuing. "We shall lead the Allied Army to victory over these barbarians who occupy the holy hill of Alnus." With that, the senate broke into cheers of praise for the Emperor. All but Marquis Casel who couldn't help but feel this was wrong. That this would be for nothing.
"Your majesty, it'll be a bloodbath." He pleaded. Molt just replied with a sadistic smirk at Casel.
"That's entirely the point." Molt's thinking was simple. Getting rid of the vassal states as a threat would mean one less front in this new war with the otherworlders. He just hoped that the same destruction brought upon the Imperial army, would be brought down on the vassals. He couldn't deny this enemy was far more powerful than any he had ever faced. With the vassals gone, he could focus on the training of new legions, bringing forth the Rondel Defense Corps, and above all else, the newly laid eggs of the mother dragon. He just hoped there would be enough time to bring them onto the battlefield and against this new enemy.
FILE 153: Discovery of Object in Greenland Ice Sheet
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
This document is Top Secret, and only available to those working in direct relation to the project, or by military, and government officials with Level 3 security clearance.
The following report was written upon the discovery of an as of then unknown object in Greenland, on December 19th, 2080, by an American reconnaissance drone. The drone in question, an older model MQ-4C Triton, was tracking the flight path of the sole surviving Saderan wyvern that survived the Battle of Iceland, which had fled after its rider was shot off. The previous aircraft tracking the wyvern had relayed its position to Thule Air Base, which launched the drone to further track it. 25 kilometers north of the base, the wyvern was reported to have gone to ground, and landed on a thin patch of ice, which is subsequently collapsed under its weight. After spending 15 minutes circling above the sight, no movement was spotted, and the order for retrieval was given. Two platoons, backed by air support, flew to the location of the wyvern, which had yet to leave, was found shortly after the team had arrived.
The creature was in no position to move under its own power, as it had been near starvation, and had attained wounds that would later be attributed to a 25mm shell from a naval F/A-32. However it wasn't the creature that is the subject of this report, rather the newly discovered cave system it was found it, and what was located inside of it. Private First Class[REDACTED]had noticed an unusual discoloration of a section of cave wall close to the creature. Once the creature had been subdued and secured, team leaders had taken notice, and alerted command at Thule Air Base. Upon breaking the ice, it became clear there was an object buried deep cave walls. On closer inspection of the area by recovery teams with metal detecting equipment, metal fragments were found throughout the cave, although the main body of the object was within the walls. Over the course of a week, the object was discreetly removed, as well as all metallic fragments that could be found in the cave system, and samples of the ice core were taken for analysis.
Once the object was loaded, they were moved to an undisclosed facility for research as to the purpose and origin of the object. From what was guessed early on, the object was estimated to have been some type of interstellar probe, based on some similarities it held to much older NASA probes, albeit much larger, and the fact that it was obviously unmanned. The writing on the outer hull was completely unreadable, as well as heavily degraded, due to the crash. However it was thanks to the ice, that it was preserved as well as it had been. Once researchers had begun taking the probe apart, it was very clear it didn't belong to either the Human Race, or the Phauthi. In fact, the technology was rather rudimentary, and primitive compared to examples of technology used today. It seemed more along the lines of late 20th century, just robust in its design. Some internal components looked nearly identical to older American and Soviet counterparts used in probes during the Cold War.
When the ice core samples had finally come back, there were even more questions raised among those studying the probe. The age of the ice around the probe was estimated to be roughly 900 years old, give or take half a century. This means that the probe had arrived in the mid to late 12th century, a time period marked with the Golden Age of Islam, the age of Cistercians in Europe, and collapse of the Toltec Empire. This not only intrigued, but also terrified many of the researchers working on it, as there was a gap of nearly 1,000 years between its arrival, and the present day. This was made worse when a single digital file was recovered from the recording equipment on the probe, which displayed a European Crusader in chain mail armor, riding a horse, wielding a spear, and shield with a cross on it. While getting a literal glimpse of the past that far back would make many historians jump with glee, there was much worry for those who found it.
Even now researchers are still attempting to recover more from the probe's inner workings, including any hint as to where it came from, but one thing was made very clear with this discovery. Whoever launched this probe was space faring long before Humanity or the Phauthi had. Both of them were pre industrial species when this probe had arrived on Earth, and its still unclear where it came from, and how long it had traveled through the vacuum of space before arriving. One thing is for certain, the galaxy, and the universe at large, is far from empty. Between us, the Phauthi, and the species they subjugated, and now this 6th unknown alien race, it only adds to the reasons we need to be cautious of our interstellar surroundings. If whoever this probe belonged to is still out there, they will have had nearly a full millennia of technological advancement, while we are just barely starting to reach into the depths of space.
Bear this in mind, and never forget it, we are young species. We've had the ability to put objects into orbit for less than two centuries. When Sputnik was launched into space in 1957, the Phauthi had already conquered their first star system aside from their own, subjugating a second species. The race responsible for sending this probe would have been far beyond them even then, just as they would be ahead of us now. Even putting aside the complete disappearance of the star, KIC 84622852, which so far has yet to been explained, or older reports from a rich and eccentric Phauthi citizen, who claimed to have seen a large fleet of spacecraft travelling from the Perseus arm of the galaxy; we must keep in mind that space is vast. There are likely to be much more deadlier forces out in the vastness of space. The best thing we can do is prepare for the eventuality that we'll once again be faced with a situation similar to that of the First Contact War, if not even worse. The knowledge that wormholes, as well as inter dimensional portals are now possible, gives humanity the chance to expand in more ways we once thought possible.
Further updates will be available when our research teams learn more from the probe. For more information regarding KIC 8462, or the rumored fleet travelling from the Perseus arm, refer to files 071 and 118 respectively.
The following report was written upon the discovery of an as of then unknown object in Greenland, on December 19th, 2080, by an American reconnaissance drone. The drone in question, an older model MQ-4C Triton, was tracking the flight path of the sole surviving Saderan wyvern that survived the Battle of Iceland, which had fled after its rider was shot off. The previous aircraft tracking the wyvern had relayed its position to Thule Air Base, which launched the drone to further track it. 25 kilometers north of the base, the wyvern was reported to have gone to ground, and landed on a thin patch of ice, which is subsequently collapsed under its weight. After spending 15 minutes circling above the sight, no movement was spotted, and the order for retrieval was given. Two platoons, backed by air support, flew to the location of the wyvern, which had yet to leave, was found shortly after the team had arrived.
The creature was in no position to move under its own power, as it had been near starvation, and had attained wounds that would later be attributed to a 25mm shell from a naval F/A-32. However it wasn't the creature that is the subject of this report, rather the newly discovered cave system it was found it, and what was located inside of it. Private First Class[REDACTED]had noticed an unusual discoloration of a section of cave wall close to the creature. Once the creature had been subdued and secured, team leaders had taken notice, and alerted command at Thule Air Base. Upon breaking the ice, it became clear there was an object buried deep cave walls. On closer inspection of the area by recovery teams with metal detecting equipment, metal fragments were found throughout the cave, although the main body of the object was within the walls. Over the course of a week, the object was discreetly removed, as well as all metallic fragments that could be found in the cave system, and samples of the ice core were taken for analysis.
Once the object was loaded, they were moved to an undisclosed facility for research as to the purpose and origin of the object. From what was guessed early on, the object was estimated to have been some type of interstellar probe, based on some similarities it held to much older NASA probes, albeit much larger, and the fact that it was obviously unmanned. The writing on the outer hull was completely unreadable, as well as heavily degraded, due to the crash. However it was thanks to the ice, that it was preserved as well as it had been. Once researchers had begun taking the probe apart, it was very clear it didn't belong to either the Human Race, or the Phauthi. In fact, the technology was rather rudimentary, and primitive compared to examples of technology used today. It seemed more along the lines of late 20th century, just robust in its design. Some internal components looked nearly identical to older American and Soviet counterparts used in probes during the Cold War.
When the ice core samples had finally come back, there were even more questions raised among those studying the probe. The age of the ice around the probe was estimated to be roughly 900 years old, give or take half a century. This means that the probe had arrived in the mid to late 12th century, a time period marked with the Golden Age of Islam, the age of Cistercians in Europe, and collapse of the Toltec Empire. This not only intrigued, but also terrified many of the researchers working on it, as there was a gap of nearly 1,000 years between its arrival, and the present day. This was made worse when a single digital file was recovered from the recording equipment on the probe, which displayed a European Crusader in chain mail armor, riding a horse, wielding a spear, and shield with a cross on it. While getting a literal glimpse of the past that far back would make many historians jump with glee, there was much worry for those who found it.
Even now researchers are still attempting to recover more from the probe's inner workings, including any hint as to where it came from, but one thing was made very clear with this discovery. Whoever launched this probe was space faring long before Humanity or the Phauthi had. Both of them were pre industrial species when this probe had arrived on Earth, and its still unclear where it came from, and how long it had traveled through the vacuum of space before arriving. One thing is for certain, the galaxy, and the universe at large, is far from empty. Between us, the Phauthi, and the species they subjugated, and now this 6th unknown alien race, it only adds to the reasons we need to be cautious of our interstellar surroundings. If whoever this probe belonged to is still out there, they will have had nearly a full millennia of technological advancement, while we are just barely starting to reach into the depths of space.
Bear this in mind, and never forget it, we are young species. We've had the ability to put objects into orbit for less than two centuries. When Sputnik was launched into space in 1957, the Phauthi had already conquered their first star system aside from their own, subjugating a second species. The race responsible for sending this probe would have been far beyond them even then, just as they would be ahead of us now. Even putting aside the complete disappearance of the star, KIC 84622852, which so far has yet to been explained, or older reports from a rich and eccentric Phauthi citizen, who claimed to have seen a large fleet of spacecraft travelling from the Perseus arm of the galaxy; we must keep in mind that space is vast. There are likely to be much more deadlier forces out in the vastness of space. The best thing we can do is prepare for the eventuality that we'll once again be faced with a situation similar to that of the First Contact War, if not even worse. The knowledge that wormholes, as well as inter dimensional portals are now possible, gives humanity the chance to expand in more ways we once thought possible.
Further updates will be available when our research teams learn more from the probe. For more information regarding KIC 8462, or the rumored fleet travelling from the Perseus arm, refer to files 071 and 118 respectively.
mwkillkenny84
Well-known member
Cue mass surprise of both Humanity and Phauthi when the Race, self proclaimed Most Advanced Race of the Universe, arrive with armaments that would have been a problem only for Humanity from WWII and before.
Last edited:
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
I'm rather surprised many people didn't get the reference I made with the Perseus Arm fleet. The plans I have for the Race, on top of the other mystery fleet, will be for the sequel to this story. At best, there will be a small appearance when I finally roll out the last chapter of this story, in who knows how long.
Sydney Uprising Wikipedia Page
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
Battle of Iceland Wikipedia Page
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
This took me far too long to complete, but here it finally is.
Battle of Alnus Hill Wikipedia Page
Quickdraw101
Beware My Power-Green Lantern's Light
Good story.And good thing,that you made Saderan stronger.As weak as they were in canon,they would not last minute.
Maybe Hardy would support them ? goddes against technology - l would love to see it.
P.S Now,which of your SI would get which girl ? since it is Gate,that question is as important as politics.
And who would get Giselle ? poor girl need love.
Maybe Hardy would support them ? goddes against technology - l would love to see it.
P.S Now,which of your SI would get which girl ? since it is Gate,that question is as important as politics.
And who would get Giselle ? poor girl need love.