In a different Iteration of the time loop that plagues Chrom and the Shepherds, the Plegian Commander Vasto considers the choices he and his country has made, and comes to a conclusion.
Master & Commander
Chapter one- Diary entry no.124
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"Today was the same as yesterday. As the day before that. As the day before that. The Weak and pathetic Yleisian's have almost no real army. If they weren't on the defensive, they could probably barely get close to this mountain fort. This war will be over by the time the year is out. And...
And then what? Do we sink to the Ylissian's level and slaughter them? Is Gangrel Mad enough to demand a genocide?
Or will Cooler heads prevent that. Then what happens? The last war drained our people. We may have a great army now, but most of the men are conscripted, and will leave when this war is over. We haven't the soldiers to control all of Ylisse, and no doubt, whilst the Exalt has kept them weak and defenceless, without such constraints it may be far far more difficult to control them.
This war becomes more and more pointless. Gangrel grows evermore insane, and our greatest foe, the Shepherds, are on the march.
Just this morning a sealed letter from Mustafa arrived. He asked me about my opinion of our King, in a rather unsubtle manner. I find it difficult to believe that a man such as him, as honourable as him, would stand for what we are doing. I keep the letter on my person, so as to make sure even if I throw it way, it won't end up in the wrong hands.
It's probably good that I am a man of much lesser courage then him, else I might have lost this job years ago.
I hear that there are those within Ylisse that may which to aid our victory. If there was one thing that Mustafa taught be, was to never ever abide Traitors. A fair weather friend is no friend at all."
A knock was heard upon the Commander's door.
Vasto, stroking his chin, closed shut his diary and turn around.
"Come in!" He shouted to the door.
A tall thin Private, a archer if Commander Vasto had to guess, walked into the room. The man gave a quick salute. Vasto got out of the chair and half heartedly returned it, not overly bothered with whatever policy Gangrel had stated or reinstated for saluting, for there was no doubt it would change latter anyway.
"Sir, another letter for you." Said the Private, as he passed the piece of paper into Vasto's hand.
"Have you looked inside this letter!" Said Vasto, worried for if it was another one of Mustafa's mildly Treasonous letters.
"No sir!" shouted the private.
Vasto stared into the Private's eyes for a few seconds. Vasto never put much faith into his ability to detect other's lies, but the fear on the man's face suggested that he was more scared of false punishment then him discovery the lie. And Vasto knew that should he develop a reputation of giving out punishment easily then he would not survive long on the battlefield against his own men.
Besides, he aught to check the contents of the letter before hanging anyone.
"Good. Continue with whatever you were doing." Said Vasto. "And I thank you for understanding basic Confidentiality."
The Private saluted again, turned around and walked through the door.
Vasto turned back to his desk and opened the letter. It lacked Mustafa's Seal, so Vasto had little fear that anything dangerous would have been leaked.
He opened it up and read the contents.
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Commander Vasto Of Plegia
One of our spies within the Haildom has managed to force the Movement of the Exult and the Shepherds towards Breakneck pass. This pass will be the perfect opportunity to both abduct the Exult and deal with the Shepherds. You are the closest Commander to this area, Therefore, it is your responsibility to spring the trap. We are sending additional support, however, the enemy must not discover your location before you are able to surround them. A map of the area is attached. Please set off ASAP, and stay low, your presence must not be discovered. Do not return to Plegia without the Exalt and the informant. Preferably Alive. Dispose of the Shepherd's, but attempt to capture the tactician.
General Campari Of Plegia
May the sins of the past be avenged, and long live our king
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A real mission? And one that could end this war? A little Daunting, Vasto had to be honest, but the map suggested it would be easy to surround the Shepherds and the Exult. A simple pincer manoeuvre should herd them near the river. As long as they have few Aerial units, it will be simple to cut them down.
Vasto immediately began to grab his armour and his Axe, wiping a hand through his hair. The march was still some distance, and he could not in good conscious leave the fort undefended and allow the Ylissiens to march into Plegia. He needed good men. The temptation to bring just mounted units to speed up the march was great, but the Shepherd's were known for their versatility. They would no doubt easily kill a army of similar units.
Vasto began to pace around the room. He was cursing himself for not requesting more mages, but most were in the Capital or following the Generals armies. As a fresh Commander, Vasto doubted he could've requisitioned any mages.
Hopefully General Campari will send forth some Mages to even out the army, but he needn't worry about that now.
Vasto knew the best soliders of every specialisation in this fort by name, it would be easy to get them to come along.
Breakneck pass was a good 4 days away, and there was little way of knowing how long they could wait. He would have to bring about 30 peoples worth of rations, and make sure there were enough for two weeks. Any more days, as unlikely as that would be, would mean having to go into the local villages and trading, possibly breaking their cover.
Vasto quickly and scruffily wrote down the list of soliders he would bring, and walked out of his room.
"Stable master!" Shouted Vasto, as he paced around the stable yard of the fort, unable to stay still for even a second.
"Sir, yes sir?" replied the Stable master a few seconds later as he saluted.
"I require Yamakaze, my Wyvern." Vasto explained.
"Sir, at this moment she is out in the mountains, hunting, I believe she should return within the..." Said the Stable master.
Vasto pushed him aside, placed his fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply 3 times.
The sharp sounds echoed throughout the mountains.
"Sir, Perhaps a search..." Said the Stable master.
Vasto merely pointed towards a rapidly approaching speck in the cloudless sky.
Within a few seconds, the shape was recognisably a Wyvern.
It landed right in front of both Vasto and the stable master.
"Who's a good girl. Good hearing Yamakaze." Purred Vasto as he rubbed the Wyvern's crest.
The Wyvern let out a great gulp.
"Put her in the stable, I will be needed her soon. And go ahead and give her some Mountain goat. I don't think she caught anything." Said Vasto to the Stable master.
The Wyvern dutifully follow the lead of the Stable master as Vasto left the stables and headed towards the Fort's mess hall.
Vasto was still thinking of how best to do the mission, who to place in charge of the fort whilst he was gone, and other such particularities, when a solider walked in front of him and saluted.
"At ease. Lad, If I am walking between corridors I don't need to be saluted and blocked from passing." Said Vasto.
"Sir, I understand. However, there is a matter that requires your immediate presence." Said the solider.
"By Grima... What is it?" Asked Vasto.
"Sir, Sergeant Arca and Sergeant Clavis are duelling to the death in the Main hall again." Said the solider.
"Again? Honestly, I knew the last guy allowed this kind of crap to occur, but I will not let my men bloody kill each other." Vasto Sighed.
Vasto marched away from the mess and towards the main hall.
Bloody idiots. Oh look at how bloody macho I am, killing a fellow solider. Honestly, if it was some Ylissien idiot I wouldn't mind, but a fellow Plegian? We're better then this.
Vasto pushed open the doors into the main hall. Sure enough, a large crowd had circled the two men, fighting with swords. Vasto would be all for letting them duel to first blood or surrender, but he needed these two for the mission immediately.
Vasto pushed and shoved his way through the crowd, making sure the two combatants didn't notice him.
Vasto stopped for a second, and looked at the nearest solider. A Myrmidon. He was eagerly looking at the fight and had barely noticed Vasto's presence, even if Vasto was taller. His mates behind him however had, and were trying as smoothly as possible to back away from the Commander.
Vasto, in one swift motion, grabbed the sword from the Myrmidon's sheath, and moved into the impromptu duelling ring.
Just as Sergeant Arca was about to bring down his sword onto Clavis' head, Vasto swiftly parried the blow.
Glad that worked. Haven't used a sword since the last war. Thought Vasto Grimly.
Arca turn to face Vasto, momentarily wondering who dared to interrupt their duel, when he noticed that he who dared was in fact his commanding officer, and he did not look happy.
Arca quickly dropped his sword as Clavis got onto his feet.
There was a few tense seconds of Silence, before Vasto broke it.
"Well. Glad to see your practising your swordsmanship Sergeant Arca, but I can't help but notice that you seem to be using Sergeant Clavis as a practise doll. Now, he may move like on and have just as good conversational skills, but I will not have my own men kill each other!" Shouted Commander Vasto.
"Sir! He..." Said Arca.
"Did I say at ease Solider! Where is my Grima Damn salute sergeant?" Vasto Shouted again.
Arca immediately saluted Vasto.
"I'll get back to you in a second." Said Vasto, Leaving Arca to keep saluting. "And you, Sergeant Clavis. I will not have good men of Plegia lie down and allow Rookies like Sergeant Arca to kill them. And where the hell is my Godamn salute Sergeant!" Vasto shouted.
Clavis steadily got onto his feet and saluted back at Vasto.
"Good God people. I wouldn't complain at these death duels that the previous Commander allowed if you weren't all so fucking crap at them!" shouted Vasto to the crowd.
"You are better then a bunch of headstrong, short tempered drunkards with a need to compensate for whatever you might lack with a honking great big sword and a sweaty, close, intimate encounter with a fellow man!" Shouted Vasto.
"Luckily for you guys, I need you right now. You can stop saluting." Said Vasto, addressing both Clavis and Arca. "I don't care who started this, or who slept with whose girlfriend back in Plegia. I don't care if Clavis ate your dog or if Arca took your mother out to a nice dinner and never wrote back to her, in this fort, in that uniform, during this war, you two are the best of friends! You will die for each other. You will kill For each other! And you will not, under my command, try to figure out the colour of the other man's insides! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!" Shouted Commander Vasto.
"Sir, Yes sir!" Shouted both Clavis and Arca.
"All right then. Mess hall, all of you, on the double!" shouted Vasto.
A few mutterings of agreement, some passing of coin, and grumbling about the anti climax, and everyone made their way to the mess hall.
One Myrmidon checked his sheath, only to notice something.
"Looking for this?" Asked Vasto, hefting the Myrmidon's sword into the air.
The Myrmidon gulped and nodded.
"Your weapon is a extension of yourself, do not allow a enemy to take it so easily." Said Vasto, before placing the sword onto the ground and kicking it towards the Myrmidon.
The solider uttered a thank you and ran to catch up to his friends heading towards the Mess hall.
"Attention maggots!" Shouted Sergeant Master Halio. Halio was unofficially Vasto's second in command. Vasto may have been experienced, and was a commissioned officer, but the sergeant was older, somehow even more gruff and had a voice like he swallowed broken glass every time he talked.
The entire mess hall stopped talking, and payed attention to Sergeant Halio, and the taller Vasto stood next to him.
"Thank you everyone. Now, you're probably wondering why I brought you here, and I know your anxious to go ahead and try and kill each other again, so I'll be quick." Said Commander Vasto.
"We have new orders, straight from the top. Capturing the Exalt." Said Vasto.
Upon these words, there were murmurs throughout the crowd.
"I know. But General Campari wouldn't ask this of us unless he had full faith in the abilities of you and your fellow solider. Whilst I'm gone, Lieutenant Parma will be in charge. You will treat his orders like they are from Grima himself." explained Vasto.
Lietenant Parma wasn't a Vet of the last war, and Vasto held little respect for him, but he was officially the second highest ranking here. Vasto assumed then, rather Vasto's training and Friendship with General Mustafa getting him this position, Lieutenant Parma had made friends with Validar, and if there was one person Vasto trusted less then traitors, it was priests.
Vasto's views on the whole Grima worship thing were one of absolute lack of care. On the one hand, it was for the right to worship Grima that Vasto's father had died for and Vasto himself had fought for at the age of fourteen. On the other hand, Grima was supposed to be the god of death and oblivion and a bunch of other ominous titles. And Vasto had used Grima's name in vain at least twenty time more often then he ever prayed to him.
"I'm going to call out a list of names, the names I call will meet in the courtyard in two hours, packed, armed, and ready to march. Sergeant Master Halio, and his squad. Sergeant Clavis and what remains of his squad. Sergeant Arca and his squad. Officer Goristi, and "the four Wyverniers." Quartermaster Johio and his assistant Flastio. And finally, Sergeant Suscepto and his "40/8 thieves". Everyone else, return to whatever you were doing." Said Vasto.
The people he had selected were some of the best he could gather. Thieves, barbarians, Archers, Wyvern riders and scoundrels. 29 of them in total, not including him. Most of them Vasto had fought with on the battlefield before, and he was familiar with most of their abilities and limits, even some of the Privates.
Johio and Flastio would make sure the food keeps and maintain weaponry. Halio would maintain order, while Vasto and some of the Thieves will attempt recon. Hopefully this will go much smoother then that mess in Kalbibai, or Vasto's and Mustafa's first attempt and saving Gangrel in the last war.
A few hours later, and all 30 of them stood in the courtyard. The few horses on base had been giving out to the soldiers, and whilst they weren't trained for using them in combat, they would make the journey down the mountain and towards the pass much smoother. Of course, Vasto himself was on his Wyvern Yamakaze, and would fly ahead with the other Wyvern riders to scope out the area.
Everything was ready. By this time next week, Vasto would be returning to Plegia with the Exalt, and Chrom's head on a spike.
"Gentleman, in the coming days you and I will decide the course of this war. We can do to them what they did to us over fifteen years ago. We can finally have what we Plegians have wanted. And there is no finer group of Bastards, Arseholes and twats I'd rather do it with! I know you'll make Plegia proud. I know you'll make me proud. And you'll make yourselves proud! We do this for every Father that didn't come home, Mother who lost a son, Friends who never saw each other again. We do this not because the Ylissians deserve it, but because they, the ones that didn't come home, that we lost, deserve it!" Shouted Vasto.
His men cheered.
"And in the following years, you, my brothers, can tell your grand kids that it was you that stopped the Shepherd's, it was you that silenced the Exalt. It was you that made Plegia Great again!" Shouted Vasto.
The men cheered even louder, and rattled their weapons.
"MARCH! For Plegia! For our King! For Greatness!" Shouted Vasto, as he and Yamakaze took to the sky.
As he saw the men ride, out of the fort and down the mountain road, talkative, yet resolute, Vasto smiled and stroked his chin.
How hard can It be to bring down one snobby prince?
Welcome to Master and Commander. Yep, That character that was on screen for maybe ten minutes, what's his story? Well, read on reader, and find out!