GATE: Where the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion Fought

AN: And thus, yet another story divides my attention. When inspiration hits hard, writing flows smoothly and fast! As a quick point of note, I will be drawing on the original Light Novel content for information for both series, as well as the manga and anime for both, where I feel appropriate.

Without further ado, enjoy!

July 24th, Unified Year 1925

"Fire!" "Suppressing fire!" "Fire!" "Go!"

As orders were shouted over the din of battle, Major Tanya von Degurechaff wished she was doing the same. However, with most of her battalion still returning from their truncated vacation, the only subordinate still in Berun with her was her adjutant, Second Lieutenant Viktoriya Ivanovna Serebryakov.

"Although, perhaps that's for the best," Tanya muttered to herself, as she flew toward the sounds of combat. "Letting those war maniacs loose in our own capital would just be asking for trouble..."

Tanya did not have time to ponder further, as her eyes widened when the first target came into sight.

It was a dragon. A living, breathing dragon.

Although, given its small size, no larger that a fighter plane, perhaps thinking of it as a 'dragon' was an exaggeration, but there was no denying that a winged reptile was currently turning to face her, the armored figure on its back turning to point some sort of lance in her direction.

Of course, as soon as Tanya had learned that magic existed in this world, she had done all she could to find out if any sort of monsters existed. After all, one had to be aware of threats existing in order to prepare for them. However, despite her own country's flag featuring the iconography of a two-headed dragon, she could not find a single record of any creature not found in her original world, nor was any creature aside from humans capable of using magic. And yet, appearing through the strange gateway that had appeared in the middle of the city were yet more of such creatures.

Even as these thoughts crossed her mind, Tanya's training kicked in, as she raised her weapon and sent enchanted lead spraying toward her target. She watched as sparks flew off the reptile's scales, leaving not so much as a scratch on its body, but tore through both the webbing on its wings and its rider's armor with ease, sending both plummeting to the ground. Even as she zeroed in on her next target and began firing, Tanya activated her radio.

"Fairy 01 to CP."

"CP, report."

"Aerial enemies are organic in nature, rider-mount pairs. Mounts are extremely resistant to ballistic damage, except on wings. Recommend targeting riders and/or using explosive attacks."

"Recommendation acknowledged, Fairy 01. We'll spread the word."

The 'dragons' were not the only strange enemies. Aside from humans, the enemy ground forces included creatures that Tanya would later learn were called Goblins, Orcs, and Centaurs. In addition, she would later find out that the 'dragons' were actually called Wyverns.

However, there was not a single firearm amongst the attackers. Their weapons and armor could only be called medieval, and Tanya felt that was generous. And although Tanya could sense some measure of magical power from the monsters, and a few of the humans seemed to have the potential, there was not a single true mage among the attackers rising up to meet her.

"Aside from the surprise attack and the monsters, this is Dacia all over again," Tanya said with a sigh, as the last wyvern fell from the sky, and she watched the rest of the invaders being slaughtered by the local ground forces.

"It does seem rather familiar," Lt. Serebryakov agreed.

'I doubt an incident this easily contained will do much for my career, but if Lt. Serebryakov were to receive an award or promotion as a result, it would reflect well on me as her superior,' Tanya thought, as a smirk spread across her face. Out loud, she said, "The pigeons have fallen, but it seems some rats remain below. We can't have that, now can we, Lieutenant?"

"No sir!" Lt. Serebryakov replied immediately.

Berun was free of hostiles mere minutes later.

1100 Hours, July 25th, Unified Year 1925

"...Thus, given your zealous performance in this most recent battle and with your service record taken into account, the General Staff has selected the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion to spearhead operations beyond the Gate," Lieutenant Colonel Erich von Lergen finished giving Tanya her new assignment. "In addition, with your battalion once more at full force, your call sign will be changed from 'Fairy' back to 'Pixie' once more."

'Dammit! This is what happens when you work beyond your paycheck!' Tanya ranted inwardly, but kept a neutral expression on her face as she asked, "I take it this supersedes our orders to hunt down the Republican remnants in the south?"

"Unfortunately, we do not have the troops to properly respond to this new threat. Therefore, we most leave the distant enemy for another time, in order to focus on the one at our doorstep," Lergen admitted. "In fact, we had to leave Berun's local forces understaffed in order to secure our foothold beyond this portal."

"Portal, sir?" Tanya asked.

"Indeed. From the reports we have received, the lands beyond the Gate do not match up with any of our maps. At the very least, it leads to another continent, although some of our scientist propose that it may be another world entirely," the lieutenant colonel explained.

Tanya's eyes widened as she was unable to stop an eager grin. 'Another world!' She thought. 'If Being X isn't responsible for this 'Gate', then perhaps I can finally escape his grasp!'

Lergen felt a cold sweat on his brow as he saw the bloodthirsty grin on the young major's face. 'What is the General Staff thinking? I know we were the ones attacked, but to unleash this monster onto a foreign land with almost no oversight...' Clearing his throat, he focused on his duty and asked, "Are there any questions?"

Schooling her expression once more, Tanya asked, "Is our primary objective retaliation or information gathering?"

"Information gathering, for the moment," Lergen replied. "The General Staff will expect at least weekly reports, unless specific permission is given for longer sorties. Given the nature of the attack, we do not believe that the enemy adheres to international laws of war, so the methods for gathers information will be left at your discretion, and will not need to be included in your reports."

'In other words, get results and don't leave evidence,' Tanya thought. "Will I need to return through the Gate to make my reports?"

"No. The General Staff has tasked me with directing the forces defending the Gate," Lergen replied. "Report to me, and I will relay it to our superiors, as well as passing any further orders on to you."

"Do we have any information regarding enemy forces?"

"You would know their capabilities as well as anyone at this point. As for their numbers, we should know more when we arrive on site."

"In that case, when do we ship out?" Tanya asked her final question.

"Today at 1400 hours," Lergen replied. "I understand your men arrived back just this morning, but we have judged that to be the maximum amount of time that can be spared to let them rest."

"That will be sufficient," Tanya confirmed, knowing that her troops hand functioned on far less.

"Then, you are dismissed, Major."

1300 Hours, July 25th, Unified Year 1925

"It seems command thought quite highly of our hunt in the Republic," Tanya said, addressing her troops. "As so, rather than keeping us as guard dogs, they have decided to let us loose as hounds, in an untapped hunting ground! Rejoice, for we shall fight where no soldier of the Fatherland has ever fought before! Rejoice, for we shall face beasts of legend and write a legend of our own! Rejoice, for we shall smite the cowards that dared to strike our backs!"

"Yes sir!" The entire battalion replied without hesitation.

"Get your hunting gear together, men! We leave in thirty minutes," Tanya commanded, taking travel time into account.

As she left her second in command, First Lieutenant Matheus Johan Weiss, to give more detailed instructions to the battalion, Tanya left to finish her own preparations, her adjutant falling in step behind her.

"Is it true that the Gate leads to another world?" Lt. Serebryakov asked as they walked.

"That is one possibility," Tanya replied. "However, we should not make assumptions. Prepare for anything."

"Yes sir!"

An hour later saw Tanya's forces arranged before the Gate, awaiting the arrival of Lieutenant Colonel Lergen. With precision that even Tanya could not fault, Lergen arrived precisely at the top of the hour, with something unexpected in tow.

Eyes widening, Tanya exclaimed, "Ehrhardt!"

Behind Lergen's vehicle were three Ehrhardt armored cars, whose drivers were exiting the vehicles and saluting. Lergen's vehicle stopped, so that he could address the major. "While we have no troops to support you beyond those holding the gate, there is slightly more leeway with equipment. Given that the greatest threats we have seen so far have been airborne, it was determined that you should have a form of land transport, so as to draw less attention to yourselves. While enough for your whole battalion could not be spared, these will allow half your force to be out of the sky at once, as well as giving you means to transport non-mages without carrying them, should the need arise." Lergen straightened his glasses before adding. "While we have more leeway with equipment, even this much is extraordinarily generous given our situation, Major. I expect you understand the importance of keeping them operational, and that there will be no replacements available."

"Of course, sir." Tanya replied, before calling out, "Lieutenant Weiss, assign drivers immediately! Companies 2 and 4 will take first shift in the vehicles."

As much as Tanya longed to be safely inside one of the armored vehicles, her small form would never have been able to drive one, and simply riding in one would be seen as laziness, at least if she did it right away. So, she hid her reluctance and lead the two companies that remained in the air through the Gate.

And as soon as they passed through, they were met with gunshots and distant screams. The undeniable sounds of combat.

"Major Degurechaff!" Lergen called out. "I am headed to the command post. You are to assist with defeating the enemy here before continuing with your mission!"

'Well, at least this should satisfy these war maniacs for a while,' Tanya thought as she saluted the lieutenant colonel as he drove off. She signaled the advance, with herself in the lead, before addressing her soldiers over the radio. "Men! What is our mission? Absolute extermination! Not a single enemy will stay alive! We will create a living Hell for these maggots! And how better than with the new toys given to us by command? Show them that playing with those toys won't slow us down!"

"Yes sir!" Tanya's battalion replied, hot on her six as they rushed toward the battlefield.

What awaited them was similar in composition to what Tanya faced previously, but on a far grander scale. Tens of thousands of troops marched toward them, with hundreds of wyvern riders in the air above. Despite that, a relieved smile spread across Tanya's face. These troops were no better equipped than the last, and unlike the previous battle, the enemy did not have the element of surprise, while her allies on the ground were properly entrenched, with no civilian to get in their way. In all likelihood, this would have been a one-sided massacre even without her unit's presence. However, it would be remiss of her to pass up achievements handed to her on a silver platter like this.

"Pixie 02 to Pixie 01," Lt. Weiss' voice came over the radio. "Shall we on the ground reinforce our allies' defensive line?"

"Pixie 01 to all units. There is no need to reinforce a defensive line against maggots, no matter how numerous," Tanya said, unable to keep a sneer out of her voice. "Does each of our new toys have a proper supply of ammunition?" receiving affirmations from all three vehicles, Tanya went on, "Squadrons 1 and 3 will deal with the aerial pests, so you can have fun down below."

Each Ehrhardt was equipped with three machine guns. Along with nearly a full centimeter of solid armor, four wheel drive, a weight of nearly 9 tons, and a top speed of over 60 kilometers per hour, anything short of a tank that was not gunned down would simply be crushed in its path. Against an army riding horses and swinging swords, it would be like they were facing Death itself, the path of each vehicle a swing of its scythe through their army. The only risk would be if an archer got a lucky shot through one of the windows, but since the ones inside were mages, even that would do nothing.

In short, this was not a battle. It was a bloodbath.

AN: And there we go! For those familiar with both series, I will leave this note; since there is an 'Empire' in both worlds, I shall refer to Tanya's country as the Fatherland or the Reich or Reich Empire, while the attackers country will be referred to as the Other World Empire.

Also, as a fun fact about the first line of this story, 'Fire! Suppressing Fire! Fire! Go!' in German is 'Feuer! Sperrfeuer! Feuer! Los!', which is the first line of the song 'Los! Los! Los!', which is the ending theme of the Youjo Senki anime.

Will Tanya be able to find the escape from Being X that she seeks? Is there anything in this new world that can stands before the Fatherland's most elite mages? Find out in future chapters of GATE: Where the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion Fought!