GATE: And So the Allies Fought There!

Chapter One

Mobilize the Reserves

Summary: During the Invasion of Ginza, not only Japanese citizens were killed, but so were international tourists and foreign workers. In addition to these people, many of the embassies and foreign consulates in Tokyo were also attacked and heavy casualties suffered. In response, the United Nations mediated that Japan would send through an initial response, but also that the United States of America would also dispatch an expeditionary brigade under the command of the SDF's expeditionary forces.

XXXX

Oval Office, White House

Washington, DC, USA

1537 hours, EST

July 2024

President James Kelly Grey sat the famed Resolute Desk slowly and methodically tapping a blue and black pen with the Presidential Seal on it. The sound of the pen tapping against the aged wood sounded throughout the stillness of the Oval Office. Not an unusual trait for those with what seemed like the world on their shoulders.

But for President Grey… It could be said that he is Atlas in human form and thus the world is indeed upon his shoulders.

Originally selected as a placeholder Vice President, the 63 old man from Oregon is now President of the United States of America. Leader of the Free World and Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful military force in known history.

It should have been a warning when Vice President Lawrence Leland Gibson was forced out of office by several terrible scandals. Scandals that in hindsight, he could not have accomplished alone or at all. He had been a party to them, yes, but the mastermind? No. He had been the fall guy.

President Mark Andrew Dirrel…

The one man to ever be impeached and to stand criminal trial for crimes as the President of the United States of America.

The only sitting POTUS to ever be found guilty in his impeachment and removed.

The only POTUS to be drawn up on Charges of High Treason.

One would think the United States of America would lose unity and cohesion, followed by a loss of global respect and dependability.

Quite the opposite had happened in fact.

The moment President Grey became his country's newest leader, he set about with reform and to rebuild what had already long been true. He is now in his second year as POTUS himself. The third year would have been Dirrel's fourth year in office.

As a Congressman, then Representative Grey was a little unknown. Most people outside of Oregon didn't even know he existed and even then, he wasn't well known in his own state. Yet he worked to support Oregon's other Representatives and even its two Senators from behind the scenes. Then he moved onto the Senate when the Oregonian governor had requested him to do so.

The act changed his life.

Somehow, against all odds, the simple Congressman had been appointed to various committees. He even sat on the Committee concerning assassinations among others such as education, environment -where he first started to appear on headlines-, and a few other minor committees. He gained greater prominence when, against all logic and odds, he had become Chairman for the Senate Committee on Finance.

There, he had worked vigorously to introduce badly needed tax reforms and spur economic growth. Then Senator Grey also worked on balancing the budget, like everyone else, yet he tackled it like a man possessed. He worked to stabilize the incoming with the outgoing and the outgoing with the incoming. He was charging both sides rather than one side of the issue.

He made quite a few enemies and friends that way. But, he was never really taken seriously. So, despite his hard charge, not much happened.

But nonetheless, it was there he was catapulted to the forefront of history, gaining a fame that would last in the decades to come and cause his rise to his current position.

He fought with the entrenched powers, leaving his party to be independent, a move that saw him re-elected surprisingly with an overwhelming majority. He made more enemies than friends. He fought for change, to improve the lives of Americans to last longer than he would live. He did what he could, fighting every step of the way, and winning everlasting respect come win or defeat.

Even knowing that he was really a compromise between the parties.

But still… He fought on.

As the Chair of the Finance Committee, he overruled the Senate Committee on the Armed Services when he nearly axed the F-35 Lightning II because it was still far behind schedule and not showing anything for its hefty price tag other than being a bottomless money pit. Instead, he granted the troubled and sickly bird a reprieve, but demanded and got the development of a simplified version to make up for the huge cost of the troubled JSF Project. That plane, which appeared as a result, is the F-36 Thunderstorm which receive the favor of Lady Luck and good fortune.

The F-36 Thunderstorm became linked to his political career. It somehow became his official mascot as well. How? He hadn't a clue.

All he knows is that the F-36 Thunderstorm looks like a non-stealth version of the F-35 Lightning II with external stores, but could still hold its Siderwinders and Slammers internally and is easier to maintain and operate. Pilots love it as the blind spot that worried them was removed and the canopy became an off the shelf component, namely taken from the F-16 Falcon.

He then went further and also demanded of the Air Force an explanation on why it was okay for them to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II while their heavy bombers, most infamously the B-1 Lancer, kept bombing American soldiers, Marines, and their allies on the ground.

His demands for explanation on why much higher cost aircraft were doing missions they were ill-suited for or couldn't do at less cost. He also wanted an answer to the costs that were made when the expensive bombers accidentally bombed US and Ally ground forces, outlining the cost for each man and woman killed or wounded, including translations of monetary values and GDPs. He told them he may not be the Chair of Senate Committee on the Armed Forces, but they still went to him about funding for the Air Force's blunders and if he couldn't be impressed…

"It seems to me, that the Air Force would rather drop Nukes on infantry and tanks they consider more expandable than their expensive planes like it is 1965 all over again. Even if those infantry and tanks are members of the US Military and it is 50 years later. If so, then I do not see a future for a service that forgets its place and therefore will submit a resolution to disband the United States Air Force and moves its assets to the Army, Marines, and Navy. Coast Guard too, if they can use anything."

He even cut off the Secretary of the Air Force when the man had argued that A-10 Thunderbolt II had only two mission roles and could not defend itself against air threats. Senator Grey informed the man who had been the SecAirForce, that he had forgotten that the A-10 had achieved Air to Air Kills of Iraqi Helicopters in Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM and was defenseless against most missile threats because the Air Force had pointedly and publicly refused to upgrade said defense ability over its entire lifespan.

He held up the request forms for upgrades and potential upgrades that had been offered and told the Secretary of the Air Force that the Air Force would receive no more money until the Government Accountability Office spent even more money to find out the true costs the Air Force was hiding or whitewashing.

Instead, he was going to recommend the Air Force to be disbanded and all of its funding, personnel, resources, and installations transferred to the Army, Navy, and Marines.

That had created one of the largest firestorms in American political history. Yet he had his way. Going as far as to bring in the men responsible for the post-Vietnam War planning. There they reminded the SecAirFor that the A-10 was brought in because of the lack of ground attack ability had forced the USAF to acquire the United States Navy's own A-7 Corsair II ground attack aircraft.

Even in Vietnam, the Air Force had been bombing US and RVN troops as much as they had been bombing the Vietcong and NVA.

After the Vietnam War, the A-10s were placed in West Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Their mission to drop bombs, fire rockets, and rake with their Gatling cannons any Soviet Red Army tanks coming through the Fulda Gap. Admission by these former officers was that the Soviet threat was expected to be in excess of at least one Army-size force. The numbers they indicated were between 7 or 9 divisions of tanks, plus infantry and artillery divisions following. So it was even worse than a mere two or three corps of tanks coming through.

It would have been half the God damned Red Army in Central Europe plus the East German Army.

Estimates were accepted that after just two weeks the US Air Force could have lost every A-10 in theater and perhaps all A-10 Squadrons that could be deployed to Europe at that time. An estimate they admitted to being perhaps nearly every A-10 in the world. The only exception would have been those in Alaska and the Pacific facing off against the Soviet Far East Command. At least 100 A-10s out of, when the last was delivered in 1984, 716 A-10 Thunderbolt IIs were in the Pacific at any time towards the end of the First Cold War.

Naturally, as a financial hawk, he rounded on the Secretary of the Navy. A dozen F/A-18 Hornets, both Navy and Marine, had been lost flying between carriers at sea and targets in Afghanistan. He demanded to know why those expensive planes were not based more safely inside of Afghanistan where costs would be lower to operate the planes. He demanded why the Navy thought it a great idea to spend unnecessary amounts of fuel to fly planes from carriers to Afghanistan?

The SecNav argued that it was cheaper to operate the planes from carriers. Costs of moving equipment into and out of Afghanistan would have been expensive. An argument for sure.

But Senator Grey responded, that if the F-14 Tomcats weren't retire and operations were short term, it would have been indeed cost savings. The Chairman then explained to the man who should have know that carriers were carrying out long term operations involving numerous ships, not all of which had Nuclear Reactors, plus that refueling aircraft had to be arranged for the trip in and out simply because the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets lacked the same range as the larger, supposedly more expensive and obsolete F-14 Tomcat.

"In the long term deployment of carriers for long range bombing, unless we have an aircraft capable of going there on its own or requiring less fuel to do so, then it becomes problematic from a cost standpoint. The US Navy is, after all, keeping not one ship, but a group of ships better used elsewhere for operations that I will admit belong to either the Air Force, if they can get their mentality sorted out with priorities as well, or an internal air force within the Army and/or Marines. Which, conveniently on that note, the Marines happen to have their own fighters, so all they need are, what is the correct term again? Ah yes. Attackers to support those fighters, but I will admit that if Navy squadrons were based in Afghanistan full time, then the problem is resolved.

But really, from a logical and common sense standpoint, the Air Force and Navy having been deployed to Afghanistan was nothing more than Pork Barrel Spending and a colossal waste of government funding that could have served not only the F-35 Lightning II, but also the A-10 Thunderbolt II and upgrade programs for the F-14 Tomcat. Simply put, being a land battle, given that Afghanistan is a landlocked nation with no large waterways to speak off, the deployment of the US Navy and its assets was a gross, incompetent waste of taxpayer dollars and will require a lengthy and costly review and I am recommending that the Department of Justice seek to file charges in accordance with such a wasteful mismanagement of a war deemed critical to national defense."

After his attack on the services for poor spending and strategic blundering, in which he also got the Army and Marines for their wastefulness, though not as obvious in the long run and hindsight as the Navy and Air Force, he moved back to domestic issues.

He tackled the decaying infrastructure of America. Something he was, and still is, greatly concern about because of the vitalness of infrastructure.

One of the things that collapsed Rome was not only a the degradation of morals and education, but also the collapsing infrastructure of its roads, canals, bridges, and the linked industries.

Without the infrastructure, costs soared and danger to the public increased ten-fold. So he went after that clear and present danger. To decrease costs by ensuring that the public could get to work safely and affordably and that goods and resources could flow safely and affordably.

It was a major turn around. He was helped in large part by the disasters befalling people, many of them fatal, as a result of an overstressed, aging infrastructure. Thus he was able to force feed through Congress the necessary funding to start massive reconstruction of the nation's vital means of survival, as he pointedly called it.

Of course, some wanted to divert funds elsewhere or build entirely new roads, bridges, and so on. But Chairman Grey refused to budge. He cited that American cities were growing too large. There was ever shrinking space to build entirely new infrastructure. That maintenance, full maintenance was required to repair or replace aging existing infrastructure.

Grey, of course, didn't win all of his fights. But he did make it clear that if a family wished to sue the US Government for failure to prevent a Wrongful Death, Congress would have to approve a fund, otherwise, the Supreme Court would order it.

Not even three weeks later, a family was indeed taking the government to court over a wrongful death. Elements tried to make the government look less responsible, but someone said something where someone overheard them and recorded the whole scandal.

Out of his personal pocket, Chairman Grey had paid the final lawsuit costs. He never requested that he be reimbursed, but the Supreme Court, upon learning of where the money had come from, ordered Congress to reimburse the honest senator and then ordered Congress to properly reimburse the family.

Of course, members of Congress had argued that it would require a passage of an act of Congress. The Supreme Court indicated it was not amused. It held Congress in Contempt and threaten action against it. Apparently, the Founding Fathers had considered the issue. They remembered to empower the Judicial Branch on several documents that had been largely obscure. Then Congress was arguing it was a breach of power. Nevertheless, the documents were not only legal, they are still binding and powerful.

Congress paid up, but not without consequences.

It also went, without saying, a number of the members of Congress lost their careers over the mess. Two even went to jail. Two members of Congress. One a representative from Ohio over Embezzlement and the other, a Senator from Texas, for trying to bias the courts and destroy evidence as well as exceeding and abusing powers.

Grey never won all of what he wanted, he didn't have to either. Several members were recalled in the wake of the scandal by their own states. Others were disgraced and forced to resign. Congress had new blood, but the same old dog and pony show.

Until the beginning of the Dirrell Scandal.

Now there was new blood and new ideas throughout Congress. The old Parties had been forced to nominate new, less Party Lined nominees. That meant that both sides could and did work together better, but also fought just as heatedly. Though now it was less about Party Line and more about personal opinions and ideals. In the end, though, they knew why they had been nominated. And they knew how to get away from their Party Handlers and do their jobs.

President Grey let out a sigh. Not only had he argued about the costs and needs, but also taxes. The US Tax Code was all over the place. Literally too. He had to search through the most ridicules amount of paperwork and documents just to find and piece together a few lines of how a tax was supposed to work or be changed or not be enacted anymore.

He had actually discovered three identical taxes under the same name and for the same thing and they had been repealed six times. That shouldn't have been possible. As it turned out, it was five identical taxes and they were repealed eleven times. And there was a sixth on the books, passed the year before he became a senator.

No one was amused and Congress again was ordered by the Supreme Court to act.

Now there is a uniformed tax code. Everyone could read the whole thing. Still, taxes aren't easy to understand, even with a simplified and uniformed system. The whole scare that tax assistance would become a thing of the past had proven to be another scare tactic by some individuals who had already known the truth.

Unfortunately, they were dead and gone, preventing them from being taken to court.

Even as that came to mind, a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles soar by overhead. The daily air patrol. One of the signs of the times. War has changed everything, as it inevitably does.

The POTUS suddenly stands up and walks over and gaze out of the windows of the Oval Office. The spider cracks from an assassin's bullets still littered the glass, but work crews on the outside are working to replace the armored glass.

The world was still in sore shape. The Middle East is still a warzone, the People's Republic of China continue to urge calm, claim it wants peace, and still encroaches on the sovereign territories of other countries. How ChiComms think, he has no clue. Few do.

And even that can be called guesswork.

The Russian Federation is still a pain in the ass. But since things started in 2010s, things have improved considerably. Now NATO and Russia aren't trying to show the flag to one another. They're just glaring daggers while trying to deal with mutual threats.

His other nephew once told him that the mistake made by the second President Bush and the Republicans in regards to Iraq in 2003 was to use too few troops and rely on Blitzkrieg. If they had used a million soldiers with hundreds of tanks and thousands of other armored fighting vehicles with a steady advance of some 30 miles a day, he just threw out a random number to make a point, Iraq would not have become the sheer hell it had later.

Indeed, technology had proven to be an Achilles' Heel in that war. It was expensive, complicated, and couldn't compete with the large numbers that appeared. There had been too much emphasis on everything, but using the right tools and numbers for the job. Plus the lack of oversight by every organization that was supposed to have an oversight!

Then again, the terror that had spread later had been the result of President Putin of Russia posturing. While Grey would never truly know, nor would anyone else, what happened, some speculation included a threat, which was publicly used later, that Putin would unleash Russian nuclear weapons could have prompted President Obama to back down. Nevertheless, the Syrian Civil War and the War in the Donbass Region had effectively been a twin Second Afghanistan for Russia.

Perhaps that had been the plan. The resulting collateral had not been expected. Perhaps, various intelligence groups had truly failed to understand what they were up against. More concerned with the opposing states than the small fry. Unfortunately, people paid for that. Innocent people.

Or so said the men who had tried to kill Grey a week ago.

The whole thing has been a terrible waste no matter what.

And then this mess with that completely unneeded and damnable complication in Japan!

The Ginza Gate.

Turning and walking back to his desk, the President sits back down and looks over the papers on his desk. They are documents regarding the new tax reforms that had been enacted over the last year and a half. The other half of waging war, is maintaining the economy to support the war and the nation. But these are more important than that.

After more than two decades of war, America's longest war to date, and the quick fix tax legislation of the past 30-40 years, the US economy had hit its worse since before FDR had become President.

And that wheelchair-bound man of honor had inherited a badly hobbled economy from a President who had the misfortune to be in office in 1929 and then took too long and mishandled on several occasions the recovery efforts.

Now, thanks to the changing of the guard from the old Cold War minded leaders to ever increasingly young and forward thinking new generation of leaders, not only America, but other countries, are beginning to see things differently.

President Obama's move to reestablish diplomatic ties and ease restrictions on Cuba helped. Both Cuba and the United States are both enjoying ever improving ties, though there are the inevitable bumps in the road. The local economy for Florida alone had begun to flourish as families travel back and forth to see one another and Americans tended to go through Florida to get to Cuba in the first place.

And many Cubans use Florida to get into the USA.

Plus there is the massive dent in smuggling and piracy, that has definitely helped both countries and the entire region.

Picking up one report which spoke of a joint American-Cuban Narcotics bust. Some 1,000 kilograms of drugs being smuggled on a Cartel Submarine had been successfully intercepted and depth charged to the surface. That new plane he had insisted the Air Force at least try out, had actually worked as a Counter Drug Interdiction Patroller.

The US Coast Guard had snapped up some 150 planes and then requested another 200. The USCG found the plane to be excellent in maritime searches for Cartel Submarines. Slow and hidden beneath the waves, they were hard to find at times. Damn things are nice and quiet at times as well and have been known to make the US Navy sweat bullets looking for them.

Yet with the new P-12 Sea Scorpion, the Coast Guard had been able to locate and sink or captured some 30 Cartel Subs. A total of cost of some 600 million US Dollars seized or lost.

Not bad. To say nothing of the time a Sea Scorpion flying patrol over the Atlantic, and pushing itself to its absolute limits, to drop life rafts to fishermen who had to abandon their boat in such a hurry, their own life rafts went down with it. Then it stuck around long enough for a merchantman to show up and pull the crew aboard and get them into port and awaiting ambulances.

The pilot had to make an emergency landing on a carrier and the good news had been that it had been a great landing because both plane and pilot could return to duty after stints in a repair hangar and hospital respectively.

But this report indicated that the Cartel Submarine had a new version of Crystal Meth on board. The analysts and agents who are handling the new drugs are unsure to the costs at this time. But from what little they could gather, the brave Cubans who had boarded the submarine, fought the crew, and then prevented its scuttling while a USCG vessel brought it under tow allowed them to estimate that the potential street value would equal about a 250 million US Dollars not only from its quality, but the surprising amount seized.

But that wasn't what was troubling him right now.

It is Ginza that is troubling him. This bit of good news is just one thing to be said. There are similar reports on his desk. Saying good things. Yet an intelligence report indicated a failed interception of arms from a terrorist stronghold to one of its many hidden cells in the world. Fortunately, everyone had learned since 2010s. The President hopes, at least.

On to other matters now.

President Grey pulls up a report on the new IRS report about internal revenue. According to it, the new tax system is having a positive effect. The amount of revenue coming in is still the same in terms of percentage. But in the terms of actual dollars, it is the best the government has seen in years.

And the IRS expects it to get better as reforms take more and more effect.

Another report on taxes gained from imports are also promising. They are showing a bit of a negative decline, but the incoming is still high. Best of all, the reason for the decline is that many ports and entry points are undergoing ever increasing renovations and upgrades. One harbor, he could see as an example, is nearing completion has not only tripled its current capacity, but greatly improved efficiency and was only running at below its new capabilities because it was in the process of hiring new staff and getting them trained and experienced while also being finished.

Another report, this one on bridge inspections, indicated that America's abilities to travel on road and rail over its waterways is at its best since the Johnson Administration. All of the old bridges have been inspected and those with priority are nearing completion or starting reconstruction while others are being worked on. Yes, there is a disruption that will prove costly, but the upside is that once the work is done, there would be an increase in travel and should, theoretically, not need anything more than proper maintenance and upkeep for some 60 years.

Actually 70 years, as vehicles are getting built better and begin to have less impact on the roads they travel.

Shaking himself, he has to think about it. About Ginza Gate. It is difficult. So much of it… It's just so fantastic! It simply shouldn't be possible.

President Grey picks up another report. He reads through it. Nods and closes it. Then leans back.

"So we have the ability to support Japan's expedition to the New Frontier," the POTUS states aloud as he closes his eyes to contemplate.

He doesn't believe in the Nihon-koku, to use the proper name, Right Wing government's claim to sole ownership. A whole new world opened up like that? Even if the Ginza Gate is in Tokyo, that Gate would be no different from say Cape Canaveral. Or even the new, prototype Mass Driver in the Mojave Desert.

Just because America owns both, doesn't mean that it owns space.

It doesn't mean that when Astronauts landed on the Moon that the USA became its sole owner.

It is perfect nonsense. But then again, the Japanese are some of the most isolated people on the world. Given their country's distance from land. Even Iceland can be a little naive at times. Heck, it took until around a decade and a half ago for the first person to be killed by police in a violent resisting of arrest to finally occur.

President Grey feels truly sorry for the officers involved. Ill-fortune is what happened that day for them. But the police of Iceland took it in stride, knowing it had to happen sooner or later. They probably wished they would prove to be an exception.

He did not blame them.

But even Iceland wouldn't claim the Gate as their own and the lands beyond their own. Especially considering the number of innocent lives lost. Foreign lives.

The UK's embassy is still under inspection about what's left of it and the US embassy needs to be torn down and rebuilt.

As his British counterpart told him, utter rubbish.

Since Japan could not finance an operation alone nor defend itself, the President of the United States of America had made it very clear:

They would get US financial aid in exchange for allowing US forces to go on the expedition. Otherwise, they could forget about it. There would not be one US cent spent on such an expedition and the US would side with the People's Republic of China on the matter and make it a UN concern instead.

But he had worried. Still does. That someone else might finance the Japanese Right Wingers.

Fortunately, the Right Wingers had badly burned their bridges with the two Koreas, the Republic of China, the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia, Indonesia, and others. In addition, other nations such as the PRC is against it, the Russians simply wouldn't support, America's NATO allies want to send their own forces through, and still more countries just couldn't support three JSDF divisions plus other assets going through.

Especially with so much being spent on military matters for national defense and combating crime world wide.

And there was that Typhoon whose name he still cannot pronounce right -something Thai or Laotian?- that had just devastated some territory in the Pacific. So there are nations, including America, sending aid that way.

It wasn't the old days anymore. The US Government didn't just throw out money anymore. It literally couldn't afford to do so anymore.

That and new tighter, stricter rules.

But he digresses. Especially given he helped draft and write the new rules since his Representative days.

The POTUS looked over the plan the Joint Chiefs of Staff had sent him a day ago.

It detailed the idea to form an expeditionary brigade and start training of at least two others. A bit larger than a typical Brigade Combat Team since it would have its own logistic units, yet smaller than a Division. The Expeditionary Brigades would be made up of Army and Marines. The proposed brigade that would enter first would be largely Infantry with vehicle support.

Two Armored Battalions, one from the Army and the other from the Marines would follow as attached elements. It is an older concept from before the Second World War. They would be attached to the Brigade's respected Regiments of that particular service.

In addition, the JCS also recommends increasing national defense and bolstering of their allies. The proposal includes reactivating the Marine Corps' 5th Marine Division and reorganizing its 6th Marine Division into a Reserve component alongside the 4th Marine Division. While nothing would actually change in the placement of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Marine Divisions, the 5th Marines would be deployed to join US Forces-Korea and become part of the 8th Army while the 6th Marines would be placed either in San Francisco, Hawaii, or somewhere in New England.

There is also the proposal to create the 7th Marine Division and assign it as the New Frontier's sole Marine Division.

For the Army's formation, it proposes to fully reactivate the 7th Infantry Division and assign it immediately to US Forces-Korea, attached to the 8th Army. Alongside the already placed 2nd Infantry Division, the sole Army division in all of Asia and one of two in all of the Pacific, and the moved up 5th Marine Division, it is believed that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea would be fully convinced to stay north of the 38th Parallel.

Damn… He just realizes just how screwed America has been in the recent decades. No wonder why they've been getting a butt kicking. While America can still sit down, it still smarts to do so.

In addition, several other divisions are also to be reactivated. Among them is the short lived 2nd Cavalry Division which would be based in the Midwest, undergoing extensive training before being shipped out to go into the New Frontier. Another, the 11th Airborne Division, would also be reactivated using elements from the 82nd Airborne Division and be assigned to the UK as a permanent contribution to NATO.

The Air Force also proposed reactivating a number of Heavy Bomber squadrons, something that could serve as both deterrent against a possible State vs. State war as well as making sure that there is a response to another invasion through the gate. In addition, the proposed number of B-52 Stratofortresses could be used offensively against terrorists.

Apparently, Operation RUNNING BACK had had such an effect on the war of terrorism, that the war has changed in regards to taking back cities… Again.

Though, during their investigations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the US Air Force managed to discover a number of older aircraft thought scrapped years ago. The discoveries were found on the less used portions of the base and some forgotten underground storage hangars. The latter had been built to protect reserve aircraft in the event of Nuclear Attack.

There had been some Navy aircraft as well. Little surprise. The Navy had shut down its own version of Davis-Monthan something like 40 years ago. As such, there had been found a wide assortment of forgotten and long thought scrapped aircraft such as a handful of F7U Cutlass fighters and Marine A-4 Skyhawks.

The latter being of use to the Marines for the upcoming operation, while the Navy struggled to figure out what to do with a squadron's worth of Cutlass fighters and their spare parts and equipment.

The Navy pretty much didn't have much to offer beyond helicopters and SOF teams. At least for now. If they could get near any body of water deep and wide enough to support the Riverine elements, then that would change. Until then, the Navy was more concerned with keeping trouble from happening in their own world, but were considering sending some A-7 Corsair II Attackers to the New Frontier.

Another one of the plans is also to bring one of the old Iowa-class Battleships potentially back into service. Unfortunately, that might not be possible. On the other hand, the remaining World War Two Battleships are a possibility. Yet those had problems. There was a reason the US Navy quickly decommissioned those ships.

The problems of a war where the main method of attack might not be enough or simply unavailable.

There is still that movement to ban Cluster Munitions. The said movement claims it to be inhumane and should be considered a war crime. They sight evidence of what Cluster Munitions can do to people and how they have been extensively used on civilians.

Well… Last President Grey checked, so were bombs and bullets, spears and arrows, swords and axes.

What were they going to do? Call for anything that could used as a weapon to be outlawed?

Grey didn't fancy self-mutilation or global genocide to be rid of war.

Oddly enough, the FBI just broke up a group of crazies who thought that a brilliant idea. Unfortunately for them, that meant doing what they preached against. It was such an hypocritical group the FBI doesn't know if they should just book them into jail or the nearest asylum?

Ah.. He's getting off topic.

Well… He has time to go through them. Not like there is an emergency to command his attention. Things are just fine right now. Until the next crisis.

Two F-22 Raptors flew over the city next on their patrol.

When the rattling stops, he notices a little something from his other nephew. Gregory Ashton Reed. A smart man, older than Steven by a few years and like Steven had been a late joiner to the US Army.

Unlike Steven though, Gregory had been in the service for three years of a planned six years in the Active Army. Assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. There he had meant a girl less than half his age and struck up a friendship with her as both were avid readers and wanted to write their own books.

The girl also wanted to grow up to be the first female baseball player in the MLB.

Well… She may not be with a farm team at the moment, but the University of Oregon and the Oregon Ducks are happy to have her.

Not like she can go back to Korea.

That was one of the few times he used his position for less than proper means.

Now, though, the POTUS smiled at the picture of her.

Gregory had taken her in and James used his position to get Hye US citizenship. Now though, she isn't a ward of his nephew. The two did eventually become romantic. When she graduated from an American high school, she became Hye Liberty Reed.

And now she is a star shortstop for the Oregon Ducks.

And Gregory has started up his own business.

And seeing opportunity, he's offering his company's product.

And it's so crazy, James schedules a meeting with the JCS about it.

Well… If anything else… If the lands beyond that damn gate are fantasy medieval, might as well get some Science Fiction to release on those poor, poor bastards.

It would only be right after all.

XXXX

Five Days Later

Japan

Corporal Steven Grey Ryan yawned as he got up in the morning. Like his cousin Gregory, he loathed early mornings. Getting up at O-800 was just perfectly fine to them. Anything before that was manageable. O-500 or before, the person is looking at an extended hospital visit.

If they got lucky.

Still… When the Command Sergeant Major calls out for company on his morning jog, you answered.

Even if it annoys the hell out of the neighbors.

But Corporal Ryan digresses. The morning is nice and comfortable. It has been a good month since his big promotion from Private Second Class all the way up to Corporal. A surprising thing for a man with less than a year in active service. But then again, combat had the habit of getting people promoted fast.

Still, that meant there is now one more corporal in his platoon and that would complicate things.

Well… For now they weren't. He pretty much carried on as a Private except to do Corporal assignments every now and then. Apparently, the El-Tee loves having one more Corporal to dump stuff on.

Or rather, Second Lieutenant Georgia Gwen Huntington enjoys dumping things on her sergeants who in turn dump things on their corporals. And since there is now one extra Corporal in the ranks, more things are getting done faster.

Amazing how things work out.

Army politics and bureaucracy getting the pants kicked by the promotion of one man.

And now they are approaching that school that has taken on an overflow of students given that the area around the 'Gate' is now a quarantine zone.

And furthermore, that includes everyone who was there.

Ah… The joy of being quarantined. Getting pricked and prodded every couple of days. Doing the same repetitions and breathing into the same devices. Not to mention turning your piss in everyday, along with your shit, literally.

It was so big a quarantine, the US Navy had towed over half the aircraft carriers sitting around as museum pieces or in the Reserve Fleet from America to Japan in order to facilitate the movement of supplies as helicopter carriers.

Then again, every man, woman, and child, combatant and noncombatant, that were there on G-Day or come into contact with someone had been, found themselves quarantined and it has been pushing the limits of nations to support more than ten million people in quarantine.

The only upside, has been the chance to see women bathing. Not many males were complaining. Though amazingly enough, the military men and women of all nations have been purposely avoiding getting anywhere near the bath areas during the Jailbait Time.

The time when everyone under 18 years of age would be bathing just before they would go to class.

Then again, despite the bravado of all the military men, none of them were too sure about seeing naked flesh so regularly. It is one thing when there is agreement between two adult parties. It is another when there is no agreement between adult parties as well if there is only one adult party and a minor party. Plus it was not just the Jailbait, but also for the civilians in general. Something like this caught them off guard and they didn't know how to adapt. Surprisingly, many had proven more shy than had been thought or boasted otherwise.

As they pass by the school, the children are beginning to stir. Most kids simply stay at the school for now. It made things somewhat easier. It allowed them to concentrate on their studies and clubs and kept them from thinking about the quarantine.

And right on time, as the column of cadence calling soldiers pass by, there are students out getting water and getting showers as the smell of the cooking tents begin to produce breakfast.

Some girls and boys shamelessly wave at them from changing rooms and showers. Some of the girls even more daringly step out either half naked or fully naked to wave at them. There are even some boys who run out to wave at them going by in similar state, but more in the excitement of seeing soldiers go by than in being flirtatious.

Maybe the idea had been a little too good.

Now they have too much to think about.

"You okay Corporal Ryan?"

I turn to the voice and there is Private 3rd Class Margaret Anna Seamus.

She's about 25 years old, maybe 24 years, I can't recall at the moment. She's new to the platoon. She has her walnut brown hair cut to military standard and like me is wearing military issue glasses.

Private M.A. Seamus is the newest member in my platoon. She's been assigned to my squad specifically. She was in the division prior to G-Day, I know that much. Assigned to USF-J Headquarters I think. Yes, she was now that I remember. She was to replace Corporal Kelly in the next company over. The man, like myself, had just been promoted to replace Sergeant Bass who had also been promoted to replace First Sergeant Goodwin who had been preparing to retire from the Army.

Now, like the rest of us, he's in it for the duration and I don't think I've seen him this happy in a long time. He was really excited to get into a fight with some of those Roman-like guys. Of course, I know he hasn't seen a 'good' fight, at least in his opinion, in more than two decades.

But now, that left Seamus without her original assignment and it just so happens, that my platoon is technically down a man. So I know she was assigned to us, though there is a guy back in Hawaii awaiting to be assigned as well. So technically, Private Seamus is my replacement for when I get transferred.

Or will that be Staff Sergeant Francis Richard Hollin? The man is supposed to get promoted and would be transferring over to the Guard back home. Forget which state unfortunately. Well… I see she's still waiting and dang...

They say she used to be a model. Had a very good gig going too. Found at age 14 and working her way up in fashion, she quit the life and joined the Army. She is being sued for breach of contract, but has made it clear that if they want her money, they would have to find her in a warzone.

Despite her military training and physical conditioning, I notice she still has some of that model figure.

But the Private asked a question.

So I answer.

"Just not firing on all cylinders and probably still going over what happened a month ago," Ryan answers Seamus' question.

"I hear the first time never actually affects no one," the ex-model nods, "Is that true Corporal Ryan?" she is curious about it. Folks been talking about the first kill being the hardest.

"When it hits the fan and it takes all you can to hold it together, training takes over," the blooded corporal responds as they continue their run at the pace set by the Command Sergeant Major.

Nice guy to slow down and check on his newest corporal too.

"Feeling alright there Corporal Ryan?" the CSM inquires with a friendly tone. "Sudden big battles can really shake a fella up. Especially when the battle lands you a two rank promotion."

Ryan nods. The Command Sergeant Major is a man who is a dying breed. He has 38 years of experience and is to be mustered out of the ranks soon. Poor guy. But he's still a Command Sergeant Major until then and so Ryan smiles to him.

"Fit as a fiddle Sergeant Major," Ryan keeps his tone from being interrupted by their little run, "I guess I just haven't been affected yet. We'll know the next time around or sometime in the future if it has been adverse."

The Command Sergeant Major nods and speaks his mind on that, "No surprise. First time is always different. Some guys never get affected at all. If this keeps up, it will likely be the ones that would be memorable under any condition. Something that just stands out. Like I remember this one time in Somalia I killed a man and the conditions had been unique to that moment, but I know I killed men before that in Panama and in the Gulf back in '90 and '91."

The Command Sergeant Major didn't elaborate on the 'Unique Conditions.' This is a Corporal he's talking to. Not an officer or another Sergeant.

"None of them stood out?" the CSM inquires, probing for anything that might not come up easily.

"Aside from armor, weapons, and the creatures… Yes, one does," Ryan thinks it over, "I do recall one guy. Got in close to me with his sword. I barely held him back with my rifle before managing to roll over to the side." A confused look is clear on the new corporal's face, "Not sure how I ended up on my back over some sandbags. But I was in that position with him on top trying to push his blade down into me. Fortunately, we were at the end and I was able to roll us over the edge and get on top."

"Not a position to shoot and no knife in hand…" the CSM mutters a bit after that, "So you bashed the man's face in with the butt of your rifle," the CSM nods as Ryan confirms it.

"Yes Sergeant Major," Ryan thinks it over, "Can't say how many times, but I left him bloody, broken, and very dead."

Ryan didn't break his stride, but he did sway a bit and the Command Sergeant Major grabbing him gently to keep him upright knowing the memory must be bugging him now.

"Don't worry so much Corporal Ryan," the CSM turns his head to nod to some little old ladies and calls for everyone to jog in place, "I had that happen to me in the Balkans when out on a patrol. You might get some troubled nights in the future, but you did your duty just as he tried to do his. Simple facts. You won to think about it and he died not needing to think about it."

The elderly women crossed the street at a meandering pace. Several nearby police officers running over to help them across so the soldiers could get back to running. Once they were across and had bowed, the entire column moved on and caught up to the forward group a mile later, also jogging in place waiting for them.

During which time, the most senior Non-Comm took the time to speak with Ryan and get the corporal to relax about his new rank and how he got there. The two continued to talk throughout the run. This allowed Ryan to realize he had been overlooking a few kills and eventually, he began to see the battle taking shape once more. From the moment he woke up that morning until he passed out with the medics tending to him and an empty water bottle in one hand.

"Feels so surreal now Sergeant Major," Ryan winces as he thinks about it, "I guess it did get me deeper than I thought. Thank you Sergeant Major."

"No worries Corporal," the CSM smiles at the half as old as him young man, "It is what we Sergeants are here for. Making sure you can get that squared away to live out your lives. Whether you go on to be Command Sergeant Majors yourselves or go back into Civvie life, you want that squared away and taken care of so you can move forward in your lives."

"Thank you Command Sergeant Major!" one man calls out from behind the trio.

"Thank you Command Sergeant Major!" could be heard from the guy next to Seamus.

"Thank you Command Sergeant Major!" a woman in front of them calls back.

"You're all quite welcomed," the Command Sergeant Major responds to the thank yous from the various soldiers. "Remember that a Sergeant's door is always opened and that we take care of you in the best ways we can."

"Thank you Command Sergeant Major!" all of the soldiers call out.

"Then take care of yourselves for the rest of the run," he chuckles, "I tha I tha I saw an officer who needs someone to talk to as he gets used to running with us Legs, right?"

"Yes Command Sergeant Major!" comes the reply.

"Then I will see you at the mess hall soldiers!" and with that, he drops back to a struggling officer alright. Now that's a sight that messes with the soldiers. Fortunately, they have their Command Sergeant Major to look after him.

"Feel better Corporal Ryan?" it was the Company First Sergeant.

"Yes First Sergeant, I do, thank you," Corporal Ryan nods to the man.

"That's good," the First Sergeant responds, "I was worried you were avoiding it. Glad you are not now. Never good to just think you're unaffected. In some way, you are."

"Yes First Sergeant," the Corporal doesn't feel as bad and feels quite good now, but also quite hungry, "Man! I feel like I already could eat a horse!"

"That's good to hear!" the First Sergeant laughs as they run, "I noticed you haven't been eating as much as you usually do. Glad to see that you have your appetite back. See you at the mess hall Corporal."

"Yes First Sergeant!" Ryan is a little taken back by the fact he hadn't noticed he hadn't been eating the same.

"Carry on," and the Company First Sergeant moves on to another soldier looking troubled himself.

The run went on for another 10 miles. During which time, they passed the internment camp for the 'Romans' camp followers. A lot of women and children plus some others, men, women, and children who were either slaves or servants to the nobles. There didn't appear to be much of the former. If any in fact. Then again, Ryan knew that the Romans had laws about slavery that were pretty damn different from those before or after. But what did they know about these guys?

As the US soldiers ran by, they could all see the children coming out to point at them. Uniformed in their Summer PT Gear of grey shirts and black shorts with ARMY emblazoned in black and bordered by yellow on their chests. Their grey socks and black running shoes added to the uniformity of the ranks. It would be quite clear to them that these were soldiers who had fought and defeated their fathers, and perhaps grandfathers as well, in armed combat.

And yet, for all of that and possibly what their mothers, and grandmothers, feared did not affect them.

Then again, the US Army had convinced the JSDF to let someone else handle security. The Bicolor of red and white with that centrally placed red Maple Leaf marked the Canadian soldiers who stood guard over them. The Canadians wore uniforms they never thought they would actually need. Fully enclosed C-BURN uniforms with combat armor. Very different from the more well known versions. Ryan hadn't a chance to catch the name, but knew that the Space Age looking Armored Hazard Battle Dress was developed throughout the Dominion during the Thatcher Government.

And there is also a US version developed under the Reagan Administration which he and the others might very well wear in the future.

The Canadians also had been charged with guarding the POWs taken.

"Some 60,000 were killed I heard," two soldiers near Ryan and Seamus were talking about the prisoners. "A whole six divisions, gone in just two days of combat."

"I heard the Defense Forces managed to round up some 6,000 prisoners, not counting the Camp Followers," his companion responded, "I heard the Marines bagged another 5,000 and our response got another few hundred, don't know how many though."

An officer jogging just behind them and on the outside guy's right moved up to let them know.

"We managed about 1900, but we also didn't have a ship full of Marines about to pay port a visit either," the three men chuckled about the luck of the Marines. "Unfortunately, they estimate at least another 20,000 may have escaped and are holed up in the countryside with the JSDF hunting them down right now."

"DAMN!" the first soldier couldn't help it, "That's a lot of enemies."

"To say nothing of the dragons that got away," the second soldier says nervously. "A lot of folks here don't have guns. Even makeshift spears won't do a lot of good. Doubt real swords would either."

"Won't matter either," another guy joins in, "I saw ole Ma Deuce struggle to pierce those hides. I doubt any hunting rifle on the market would do better. Even Elephant Guns are likely to not be enough."

"Cheery thought, right private?" Ryan asks Seamus who shudders in response.

"I think I'll be requisitioning an extra LAW or two if you do not mind Corporal?" the woman looks a bit hopeful.

"I'll put it before the Sergeant and let him put it higher up," Ryan nods as he too wants a pair of 66mm rockets to 'dissuade' any dragon from doing something violent remotely near him, let alone upon him. "Until then, I'll write out the paperwork for everyone to have a little extra punch to play it safe and hope it gets approved."

"You and me both Corporal Ryan," Captain Dexter 'Rex' Ronalds suddenly appears next to the two, "Until then, consider it a Company-wide approval and I'll get the Company First Sergeant to write it out at once."

Everyone in earshot sighs with relief. Nice to have some extra punch for those extra large enemies. They had found out the hard way that 5.56mm NATO didn't bring down Orcs and Orges as quickly as would be liked. But the new 6.8mm rounds had better luck. Just not as much as 7.62mm and good ole .30 caliber did.

The corporal looks his company CO over. The man was born to appear as a fictional character come to life. Aside from a name like Dexter Ronalds, his appearance, especially how he groomed himself in the US Army, made him look like famed Star Wars Clone Captain, CT-7567 Captain Rex.

The man even fought sometimes like Captain Rex. With two pistols and a barrage of orders. The guy is called an Old School Combat Officer because he prioritizes fighting over politics, though he does consider them. Typically though, he carries a M4A10 which fires the newer 6.8mm round, just like the new M16A10. He normally doesn't use it and has been known to carry a M4A1 as well.

There is still plenty of 5.56mm NATO to be used up.

To Captain Rex, an officer engaging in combat is Dereliction of Duty. An officer should only be in combat if absolutely necessary or if the fighting has reached the officer. A bit of contradiction to his Fighting Officer reputation, but Dexter Ronalds believes that an officer's duty is to stay safe and alive in order to keep the men and women under his command alive. As such, he carries more of an officer's kit than a fighting man's kit.

Doesn't mean that once he's in combat, he'll shy away.

They don't call him Captain Rex for his looks and style. He fights just as determined as Captain Rex did in the Clone Wars and afterwards as part of the Rebel Alliance. The man is a skilled leader and turned down being an SOF Operator to lead troops.

The fact that he doesn't shy away is shown in the fact he now has Heterochromia Iridum thanks to an IED in Iraq and a scar very much like the Clone Captain's on his chin.

The only traits that are different is the fact that Captain Ronalds had been born with blue eyes and has natural light blonde hair. His right eye is now permanently an orange color thanks to that IED. No one is sure how that happened. But as he still retains full use and vision in that eye, no one is really looking too hard right now anyways.

"Let's hope that things can be settled soon," the officer next to the other three enlisted men finishes his discussion with the three.

"Agreed," the third man states.

Another 5 miles of the running and eventually, the soldiers returned to their barrack encampment to finish up morning routines, wash their bodies, and dress for the day.

Just because they are in quarantine doesn't mean they get out of their daily routines. They are still members of the US Armed Forces and are obligated to keep themselves sharp and ready.

Besides, they might be called upon to help hunt down the fugitive enemy soldiers. Not all that hard. They should be ready to quit soon.

Of course, the quarantine would first have to come down.

Days later, as the month is ending, the quarantine is lifted. No one has been showing any signs of anything. So with that proven and taken care of, there was no further need to keep people trapped. So the quarantine came down and equipment and supplies packed up to be shipped back to wherever they came from.

And most importantly… Families that have been long divided are now reunited at long last.

XXXX

White House, Washington, DC, USA

August 2024

"The formation of the 1st Expeditionary Brigade is nearly complete, Mister President," President Grey listened to his National Security Advisor going through her latest reports.

"In addition, the training of the 2nd Expeditionary Brigade has begun to show signs of nearing readiness much sooner than expected and may be ready two weeks ahead of schedule," but for every bit of good news, there is bad news, "Unfortunately, the formation of the 3rd Expeditionary Brigade is running into trouble from those in Congress wanting to send an entire division of soldiers instead of another specially tailored brigade."

"What else is new?" the POTUS mutters with some annoyance. "The 1st and 2nd will just have to suffice until we can activate the 3rd and make ready to send them through."

"Very well sir," the NSA responds, "As for language, we're struggling a bit. The Japanese are being problematic about sharing."

Snorting even as fresh coffee is poured for both, "Thank you," the POTUS tells the waiter and gives the woman a grateful smile before going back to topic, fresh coffee in hand, "Tell our Diplomatic Staff to lean a little harder if they have to. Get heavy on them if they must. Weigh them down with the knowledge that without our money, they can't even send a battalion through."

"Yes sir," the woman replies, liking that answer and the man in front of her.

It's so nice to have a decisive and sensible President in charge for a change.

Made her life easier too.

"The formation of our other forces?" the POTUS asks next.

"The 7th Infantry Division's headquarters elements already existed," the woman looks through her notes, "We just needed to get units together that operated under its command and worked regularly enough together to need minimal training before we started Language Training."

The woman flips through her notes, checking and rechecking facts before speaking again.

"The 7th Infantry Division will ship out in nine days and be fully in Korea in 10 days thereafter. Part of the delay is the 5th Marine Division is also being reformed, the Marines scrambling to form its primary elements, and is also scheduled to head out in nine days. The 5th Marines will be badly undermanned for next two months, but the Commandant assures me they will be fully ready in four months time. Three if they can get extra recruits, but they will be pushing their training facilities hard."

"Stop BRAC, reverse it if you have to. I want the Marines to have a full division as soon as physically possible in Korea. How's the 4th Armored Division coming along?" President Grey had thought about it and decided he wanted more tanks in Korea to actively thwart any potential invasion by passively being there.

"It will take four months before the first units are available," the advisor sighs, "The Army is trying, but they just don't have the manpower for such an expansion at this time. We can substitute a National Guards brigade as an interim measure, perhaps two. It would be close to the size of division."

"Contact the appropriate people and check on that. Best not to be quick on using our Guard troops too much again. We need them here at home more than in the field far away."

"Yes Mister President," the NSA says in response as she goes through her files, "The 3rd Armored Division's reactivation is nearing completion on the other hand." She knows why too, "Congressional members insist on using the division for operations in the New Frontier."

The President snorts again, "Tell them they can kiss my ass all they want, but those tanks are heading for Poland."

"I had made that very clear that you intend for the 11th Airborne for the UK, 24th Infantry for Germany, and the 3rd Armored for Poland," the NSA officer states even as she looks over the documents in her hands and laid out before, "The 2nd Armored Division has been partially reactivated already and has since returned to Fort Knox, Kentucky. The base's reactivation is already in process as deemed necessary, though we are getting complaints from the private sector and commercial sector because they wanted the land."

President Grey chuckles to himself, "Guess they forgot to read the papers about the unexploded ordnance found on the base's grounds right?" he chuckles again, "Serves them right if they hit an unexploded shell and have to pay up to the family of the late operator or crew."

"Mister President," his NSA starts more seriously, "There is the matter of the 5th Infantry Division." She hands him the Priority List for Reactivation, "The Army believes it important to reactive the 5th Infantry as soon as physically possible."

The POTUS takes a drink of his coffee before responding, "Tell the Army if we do need divisions in the New Frontier, best to have a division with a brigade already onsite."

The NSA gets the message, "I will inform them immediately."

"The biggest build up of US Military might since President Reagan," President Grey looks very sad at the thought. "I had hoped we would not need to do this in my lifetime. I came to the conclusion long ago we needed more forces to keep world peace, but I never thought we would have to go for a fleet nearly as large as that built in the 1980s and with an Army so massive, I don't think we had this many troops since Vietnam to say nothing of the bomber number that rival that we had during Vietnam."

"I know sir," the NSA sighs sadly, "The Marines have gotten by with just three active divisions and one reserve division for 70 years." She slowly shakes her head in sorrow, "Now we are considering adding at least one or two more Marine Divisions to the rolls as the two inactive divisions are either reactivated or moved to reserve status."

After a moment of silence, "How goes the Marine Raiders? They should be getting organized, correct?"

Shaking herself back to the task at hand, "Yes. Congress has authorized to expand the Special Forces. The Marine Raiders alone are to be Brigade strength and likely relocated elsewhere or have itself split into two Regiments with one on each coast."

Thereafter, it is entirely about what is now available and will be available for services other than the Army, aside from the fact that the US Army Special Forces units are to be expanded. Their need in the world keeps going up instead of down. The world they live in.

The Rangers alone would also be Brigade strength with one Battalion of Rangers to go with the 1st Expeditionary Brigade as an independent detachment.

The Navy has judged a new need for Helicopter Carriers. The Cartels alone are keeping them on their toes. Aside from Marines and Navy Special Warfare being assigned to the Carriers, the Carriers themselves are older ships that will be recommissioned for a minimum of 15 years. The time required to design and build entirely new dedicated Helicopter Carriers.

Then, in a pinch, the Helicopter Carriers could be used to carry out Aerial Insertions for either the Marines or SOCOM.

The Gerald R. Ford-class is not going beyond the USS Nimitz, CVN-82 as expected. The class is a bit on the fragile side and there was too many issues in the costs and development. Even the USS Kitty Hawk, CVN-81, and the Nimitz are different in a number of aspects to the first three Ford-class Carriers.

That is an undesirable trait in military design. The difference between the first three and the latter two is almost enough to consider CVN-81 and -82 an entirely different class. A major headache in the government when it comes to funding the military.

On the other hand, there is the Improved Gerald R. Ford-class Initiative which has successfully been passed in Congress. The class name has also been decided on by the letter a young man from Alhambra, California who took the time to pen a letter of appeal to the Secretary of the Navy for a new ship to be named after John C. England and to fulfill a promise of Admiral of the Navy Ernest Joseph King, when he declared, "There will always be an England in the United States Navy," because of the success of the first USS England, DE-635, when she sank five Japanese Submarines in just one week, a total of six in two weeks of May 1944.

Thus, Congress has reallocated the funds for five more Ford-class Carriers, as well as additional funding, to be used to construct six John C. England-class Carriers.

In addition, the Navy has decided to build big Gun Ships again. The first of these ships will be a Heavy Cruiser that has been named the USS Monitor. The Monitor is to receive the hull number CA-141 and is considered a Modernized Des Moines-class Heavy Cruiser.

The Navy hopes to have Large Cruisers as part of its operational forces in about 20 years, 30 years at the latest.

Again, another sign of the changing times as the Europeans, Russians, and Chinese have cracked the issues holding up their own Laser Weapon System developments. To say nothing of the planned Chinese development of large Laser Turrets to defend critical locations. It was like that video game he vaguely recalls seeing Gregory play about 10 years ago.

Only it has been judged that Lasers cannot react fast enough to stop a railgun slug.

So conventional warfare will still be in the cards for decades to come while nuclear warfare might go the way of the Dodo bird.

Who was he to complain about that?

The Air Force side of things are less complicated. Mostly, the Air Force feels the need to reintroduce heavy bombers. Largely since the Air Force, despite personal differences, are being summoned more and more often. There is also the fact that many available bombers are getting old. Plans have already been drawn up for the B-2050 series.

Other than Bombers, there has been increased demand for dedicated Attackers. Multirole Strikefighters are just simply too expensive to operate as often as had been previously predicted. The costs of the multirole planes have caused no amount of trouble as they are generally more expensive and harder to replace than dedicated Fighters or Attackers.

It would seem that unlike ships and vehicles, finding the niche between Fighter and Attacker is much harder. Performance loss, increasing costs, and fewer aircraft. As such, Multirole Strike Aircraft are largely just going to be rounding things out rather than being the main line standard.

The joys of finding these issues out so much later.

President Grey wasn't sure if he wanted to use the Resolute Desk or one of the West Wing's walls to bash his head against.

But then he and his NSA are interrupted by the arrival of the Secretary of Justice.

The man doesn't speak. He only hands the President a simple note. Nevertheless, the National Security Advisor has never seen the POTUS look so serious. His look… She cannot, for the life of her, find a word for it.

James Kelly Grey nods to the SecJus and the man's lips, already drawn thin and his eyes piercing, are drawn into an almost invisible line and his eyes look like they could pierce armored plating.

And she is left wondering what that was about when the man leaves and the POTUS goes suddenly very quiet and appears to be in deep, deep thought.

XXXX

Itami Residence

Tokyo, Japan

August 2024

Very late at night

First Lieutenant Youji Itami lays in bed. Far removed from what the US President is going through. Next to him, laying peacefully asleep is his wife Risa.

Peacefully now, thanks to some American Command Sergeant Major who had spotted them fighting.

Americans were known to stick their noses into everyone's personal business. But for American Sergeants, it was part of the job. Someone had to look out for the both the Enlisted and the Officers.

Itami could safely say it is true what they say. That the backbone of any military force is the Non-Commissioned Officers. Without them, he figures a military would be a motley gathering of men and women with no real idea of how to operate together.

Yet, here he is. In bed with Risa and after a rather hot night. A night he has to admit, makes being married worth it.

Not a game over as some would say.

Rather, it is a nice, warm…

Itami failed to notice that as he thought how actually happy he is, that he is also quite sleepy. His eyelids are closed before he knows it. His breathing even and peaceful. He moves in closer to his wife, bringing her willing form so the two of them can enjoy the peaceful night.

Because in a few days, Itami will be an officer in the 5th Infantry Division and assigned to enter the Ginza Gate.

If the Americans agree to help finance the whole thing.

And if he had still been awake, Itami's mind would have headed off in that direction. How the Minister of Defense has been making it clear he cannot spare the troops without American assistance and financial aid. The Jeitei is simply not that big nor well funded to go through the gate and defend their beloved Nippon-koku.

Itami really hoped for the Americans to come along. Just as they used to say, "It is best to go hunting with a friend, if only to have help carrying the hunt back."

Though it would be nice to have others as well. Three arrows may be hard to break. But four or more are even harder to break and can eventually be too great to get a both hands around.

XXXX

Nagoya, Japan

August 17th, 2024

Smoke choked the otherwise clear blue skies and fires could be seen burning at various locations. The pilot of the BBC New Chopper maneuvers as carefully as possible allowing the helicopter's cameras to rest on the situation some distance below. The news reporter in the next seat angling the onboard cameras to catch the protest turned riot as she reported back to her London-based counterparts.

"I am seeing a lot of military also down there," the woman reports as the pilot carefully avoids a JASDF helicopter, the cameras catching the CH-47 Chinook carrying water for a large fire in a residential area. "It appears that the Japanese Diet have ordered out the SDF to help quell the riot and assist in emergency matters."

"What can you tells us about how this started Karen?" the London-based host inquires, "This riot appears to just have happened. Any idea how?"

Angling a camera to show a brutal fight between the Japanese Riot Police and what appeared to be a few hundred citizens.

The police line was broken in several spots resulting in vicious fighting by isolated police officers and riot officers trying to reestablish their lines. Officers are badly outnumbered, but their training and equipment is clearly giving them an advantage. Though they are forced to hit so hard, that people can be seen falling down, some are in pools of their own blood, but officers can be seen down and in pools of their own blood as well.

Eventually, the arrival of more police and the extensive use of water cannons, flashbangs, tear gas, and even smoke grenades begin to take a toll. Some firing lines can be seen and the cameras show people falling with blood flying out as they are shot.

"That is really bad," the pilot shakes his head, "First time I've ever seen a police force resorting to live ammunition."

"Currently, the cause is unknown to us," the reporter informs her London colleagues, "And the situation appears to be right out of the Troubles years down there. We believe we are seeing police resorting to using live ammunition. We can also see smoke grenades being thrown. There are perhaps as many as 20 or 30 fallen officers that we can see and more than triple that in other persons. The lines are broken in a few places, but reinforcements have begun to shore up and isolate the breakthroughs and it looks like the authorities are getting it in hand."

"And the heart of this riot were protests concerning the Ginza Gate, correct?" the London co-host also inquires as she's handed a sheet about something.

"Correct," the reporter responds as she pans the camera to show the JSDF has brought in armored vehicles. Some Armored Recovery Vehicles can be seen hooked up to large trucks being used as barricades. The military men then rev their engines and begin pulling. Designed to move 60 ton disabled tanks and remove even heavier field obstacles, the trucks are no match and two are pulled more than 20 meters allowing the GSDF to just flood a protester camp with green uniformed soldiers. "That camp is done for. Looks like the JSDF is spot on down there with what needs to be done and how to do it."

"Can you tells us more of the protest before it became a riot?" the London-based host is going through some documents and speaking with someone really quick off to the side and out of camera.

"It appears that the initial protests were against a military response," the reporter points to a place and the pilot follows her directions. "The protesters wanted to send a peaceful delegation through. There also appeared to be a protest about the rumors going around that the US Military would also be going through the Ginza Gate at some immediate time in the future."

The co-host speaks up there as she finishes reading a document, "We've heard rumors to that effect here and Parliament as well," holding up the report, "But according to this latest dispatch, the American President has called any American incursion into the 'New Frontier' as being unlikely unless in coordination with other countries with Japan's approval to move American forces through Japan and into the Ginza Gate."

"Well, that's all- WOAH!" the reporter cries out as before her eyes, the windscreen spider cracks.

"We've been shot!" the pilot shouts as he struggles, "Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Requesting emergency landing clearance!"

XXXX

That same time

Outside of Tokyo

USF-J Forward Position Camp Gekko

"Well," Corporal D.C. Pierson puts his coffee cup down as he turns to Corporal Ryan, "That was unexpected."

With a sigh, Corporal Ryan groans out, "I thought we were in Asia, not fucking Desertstan!"

XXXX

Pentagon

Washington, DC, USA

A few days later

The Joint Chiefs of Staff have broken up another meeting. The rising threats in the world have increased as of late because of the Ginza Gate. Various groups, especially those of Radical Islam, have decried the Gate and what came through it. Their reasonings are not uniformed and as far as the Joint Chiefs are concerned, little more than another excuse at causing conflict and disorder.

As the men prepare to depart the Pentagon, the entire building shakes as multiple explosions rip through it.

Suddenly, the security details rush in, helping the most senior US Military commanders to hidden underground passages that will lead them to safety. The most important of secret files and data go along as well. Alarms are already wailing and gunfire can be heard as the external security teams are locked in combat with attackers of unknown origin.

Fortunately, two F-36 Thunderstorms are loaded with air to ground munitions and are on patrol over Washington, DC as part of its Air Defenses. Two A-10 Thunderbolts are also nearby, but are currently on the other side of the city, well away from it in fact, refuelling from a tanker. Two F-22 Raptors are loaded for air to air combat and are now streaking over the city to ensure their are no violators and, if need be, they still have 20mm guns to fire at ground targets.

To say nothing of the fact that AIM-9 Sidewinders still have the tendency to lock-on ground targets if they produce enough heat.

XXXX

A week later

Corporal Ryan listened to the news idly as he ate what passed for morning breakfast.

Surprisingly, it passes muster. Speaking of which, he hopes to get in line ahead of the privates so he can get some mustard for his chow at lunch. Otherwise, a burger without mustard is like spaghetti without sauce.

Ketchup only goes so far in his humble and honest opinion.

"Can you believe it Corporal?" the Command Sergeant Major had evidently decided to check on the mess hall for the enlisted. While it had upset the Mess Sergeant in charge of the kitchen, the Command Sergeant Major had stated he approved of his handling of his kitchen, finding the food to be properly served and in excellent portions with a taste like it is homemade by his own mother. "Domestic Terrorism. Shouldn't be surprised."

"Something about the Ginza Gate Sergeant Major?" Ryan looks up, the last time he had French Toast in this very mess hall, it had been better to say it was Trench Toast. The Civilian Contractor had come under fire for serving poor quality food at orbital high prices.

Of course, his uncle, the POTUS, had long been against Civilian Contractors being involved too deeply in the military. He wants the US Military to be able to operate anywhere and feed its forces anywhere. Unfortunately, Civilian Contractors are usually very disagreeable about many places soldiers would need to go. The costs alone of limiting the troops mobility to major staging areas had proven time and again to be a faulty plan of action.

Good thing the Army is moving up the time tables for replacing civilians with its own cooks again.

Do the crews of Navy ships always eat this good?

"You are correct Corporal and no one really has an idea of why either," the Command Sergeant Major shrugs, "At least currently. My bet is that they just wanted an excuse for violence. Clearly they've been preparing for a long time if they got so close to the Pentagon of all places."

Corporal Daniel Calhoun Pierson chimes in from next to Corporal Steven Ryan.

"I heard that that bunch is from the Midwest," Pierson looks thoughtful. Guy could be in Intelligence if it wasn't a contradiction of terms. "If so, they are likely religious fanatics of the Christian variety this time. There's a few out that way with their own militias that give the rest a really poor name and that's saying something Sergeant Major."

"Don't we have a religious zealot from the Midwest?" the Command Sergeant Major inquires next looking like a Command Sergeant Major at that moment.

"That would be Private Second Class Darien Jonas Parker if I'm not mistaken," Corporal Pierson answers at once, knowing who off the bat. "I noticed some odd behavior from him earlier in the week and informed Sergeant Branson of it and he said he'll have Specialist Acker keep an eye on him."

Nodding, Corporal Ryan agrees, "Specialist Acker has the best eyes in the Regiment. Possibly the whole Division now that I think about it," taking a sip of his coffee, he never was a coffee guy, but he's in the Army. No private rooms or telephones, so he can forget about a private cup of hot tea.

Ironic since they are in Japan.

"That's good news," the Command Sergeant Major is deeply religious himself, but he knows when to speak a sermon and kill a wolf. Which is a bit sad in his opinion. The Command Sergeant Major loves wolves and even raised a wolf pup when he was a kid.

And considering he comes from a sheep ranch family, there was a case study in irony.

Sheep Wolf.

Couldn't get any better.

"Speak of the devil," Private First Class Marianne Cathy Strauss suddenly speaks up, "There's Private Parker now."

"What's he doing?" Private Seamus notices the man acting strange. "He isn't heading to the chow line?"

"Is that a rucksack on his back?" a Private from another platoon asks aloud.

The Command Sergeant Major on the other hand spots the two wires heading into the right hand and two dangling wires that peeking out under the left hand.

"SUICIDE BOMBER!" the Command Sergeant Major shouts before the suicidal soldier flips off the tabs, screaming something crazy, and-

Three bullets place themselves into Parker's right hand. The hand is almost completely destroyed, but the control stick is shattered. A fourth bullet nearly removes Parker's left thumb and a fifth and sixth shatter the control stick there and hole the man's other hand.

Parker cries out in pain before a door is thrown open and a MP enters firing his shotgun.

The suicidal soldier has been disarmed and is now on the ground with two beanbags laying on his chest as blood covers the floor from his mangled hands.

All around, soldiers had dove for cover or to cover one another. Tables had been upended and food and drink spilled all over the place. Now the Military Police begin filing all of the soldiers out in an orderly fashion under the watchful eyes of the Command Sergeant Major.

Corporal Ryan stands next to the Command Sergeant Major nervously holding a can of orange juice in his hands. His pistol now in the hands of a MP sergeant. Nevertheless, despite being shaken by his own quick response, Corporal Ryan manages to hold it together.

He's a corporal after all. No longer a private. He now has to be the source of leadership for the soldiers under his command. And that means holding it together.

With that last thought, he manages to down the orange juice. He feels much better. Taking a deep breath afterwards and releasing it, he feels the tension go away as well. He had just done his duty.

And protected the lives of his fellow soldiers.

"Feeling better Corporal Ryan?" the Command Sergeant Major looks over to find the Company First Sergeant having dashed on over to check on the still new Corporal.

With confidence and calm, "I am First Sergeant. Much better, thank you for checking on me."

Releasing an explosive sigh of relief, "Good to hear," then he shakes his head, "They found Acker barely alive not more than five minutes ago. She was beat up pretty bad. She managed to grab and hold onto Parker's dog tags. We had just started looking for him when everything happened," the Company First Sergeant turns to the Command Sergeant Major, "My apologies Command Sergeant Major. It won't happen again."

Waving it off, "Don't worry yourself First Sergeant. I was as surprised as anyone." The Command Sergeant Major isn't going to hold it against the Company First Sergeant. "Not the first time we've had a soldier attack his own unit. Though in this case, I believe it might be a security failure elsewhere than here."

The Company First Sergeant nods, "Yes Sergeant Major. The Military Police are launching an investigation already."

"Good."

"Crazy way to start the day," Corporal Ryan had to throw in. "Though what was he screaming about? I was a bit more interested in his hands and where to put my bullets than what he was saying."

The two sergeants shrug. The Company First Sergeant was elsewhere and the Command Sergeant Major had been throwing himself over Pierson, Strauss, and Seamus at the time.

At least they had Parker alive for interrogation.

XXXX

Oval Office

37 hours later

"By the Good Lord in his Heaven," Vice President Jay Larry Mack states with a face of utter shock. "And your nephew is unharmed sir?" Vice President Mack has more than once met Corporal Steven Grey Ryan. A rather likeable fellow in his opinion.

Like the POTUS, his hair is going grey quite fast. Unlike the President, Jay L. Mack is 47 years old and has rich chocolate brown hair or he had rich chocolate brown hair. He also had his hairline more forward than in the last couple of years.

Taller than the President at 6 foot, 7 inches, almost 5 inches taller than the President and built only slightly different as being a Midwestern farmer can make him to the President who had worked as a logger from 16 years to 24 years in order to pay for college and more. They both had. Which makes them unique among recent American leaders.

But at the moment, his face shows concern. His cheeks are weathered by years working the farm back in his native Iowa. His blue eyes are like a pair of marbles set into his deeply tan face. His nose is a bit short for someone his size and his nostrils flared a bit wider than average too. Otherwise, quite average in facial appearance.

And all of it is lined with worry right now.

With one more sigh of relief as he read the report, President Grey nods, "Steven had gone to breakfast armed, a lot of soldiers are armed these days even if there is no need for it, and in this case, there was need."

With a breath of relief himself, Vice President Mack manages to sink into one of the couches in the Oval Office with only part of his energy drained. "Thank the Good Lord, His Son, and the Holy Ghost in one breath that there was an angel watching over all those men and women."

"Especially since Steven hadn't actually planned on going to breakfast armed," Grey states with an explosive breath of relief himself, "But he said he had felt so funny when he had gone out of barracks, that he had turned around gone back in, and then walked out with his Gloch 21 strapped to his belt and with a full magazine."

Mack merely shook his head in disbelief before speaking again, "That nephew of yours is going to somehow make officer in a year, I just know it. Only if he manages to put it off will he not."

"Gregory doesn't know at the moment," Grey chuckles a bit at the cost of his older nephew, "But he has his own awards from that flare up in Korea a few years back and a wife to show for it too."

"Medal of Honor as well," Mack points out. The highest award given to a combat soldier in a combat situation. Currently, there was not enough evidence to give Steven one, but he did get a Silver Star out of G-Day. "Though at this rate, I would not be surprised if Steven gets one too."

Grey sobers up and seriously states, "Let's hope not. Enough of those are given to the next of kin or highest ranking sergeant of the unit."

"Amen," Mack agrees.

It had almost been that way for Gregory too. Next of kin getting his medal.

And Steven's Silver Star had nearly been the same too.

"So what do these terrorists want?" Jay changes the subject. He finds the timing of their attacks unusual.

"Officially," Grey shakes his head, "They want us to wipe out Ginza and the Gate. Unofficially, the FBI and ATF have been monitoring them for some time. Haven't been able to get close, but they believe they want to set up a theocracy in America. Another Caliphate State basically, but unlike ISIS, they are considerably less a threat and more a nuisance in the grand scheme of things."

Nodding, Vice President Jay Mack knows that. Most Christians didn't see wanton violence as being constructive anymore. Quite the opposite. It was now seen as against the Teachings of Christ. The Crusades are long over with the Crusaders dead and buried, leaving no one to really be calling out for anymore. Well… Except for crazies like this bunch.

"Are they anything like that other group with the ranks that no one could figure out where they got the names from?" Mack is curious about that.

Shifting through the latest FBI report, "Pretty much. Even new names for ranks. No one is quite sure how to pronounce them, except the agents who got them in the first place and even they don't have them right all of the time."

"They seem well organized in any event," the Pentagon, an infiltrator in the 25th Infantry Division, and some system of organization that apparently allowed them to get the drop on the government and military.

"The ATF and FBI both agree they weren't planning anything for some time and then the Ginza Gate appeared," Grey shrugs, not even bothering to second guess crazy. "They guess that the appearance of those Orcs, Ogres, and Dragons set them off prematurely. That's why they were caught off guard."

Making a disgusted sound, Mack makes his strong opinion well known, "I believe in the Holy Scriptures and the Bible and the Good Lord, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, but I do not believe in using religion as an excuse for conflict."

"Me neither," Grey then taps another report, "But onto good news…" he hands the file over to an aide who carries it to Mack who takes it with a thank you.

Mack reads the report carefully. According to it… The Japanese government has finally caved in. They will accept US Military forces as part of the expedition as well as US access to the other side of the Ginza Gate in return for aid and a few other minor concessions that Mack has little doubt that Grey will haggle over and get some more favorable actions out of the Japanese.

Most importantly, the Japanese have agreed to observers going along. Armed Observers. That should make a few nations quite happy.

On top of that, NASA has finished repurposing their latest Martian Rovers for use by the US Army to send through the Ginza Gate on very long cables, each so long, they have to be handled by specially trained Combat Engineers and NASA personnel to ensure that the cables don't become fouled somehow.

"And here I thought going deep under the sea needed long cables," Mack states with some surprise as to their length. "They're long alright. A total of 20 kilometers of cable for each rover. And we don't know if that's too long or short until we try."

"To say nothing of the specialized environmental combat suits that we've been refurbishing," Grey shakes his head in disbelief, "Those suits are 40 years old and are still our best bet to keep our people safe and yet we also have to supply the Japanese with them too."

Mack's only reply is simple, "At least NASA's happy with the increase to their budget."

A snort from James caught his attention before a file was handed over.

Mack took the file and opened it. Inside of it, he found out that James had been very busy since becoming President. The man had reopened long closed cases. Apparently, he had decided to hunt down domestic terrorists and their backers well before this current mess.

The Neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan are going to be having some very bad days in the future. At least in terms of leadership and funding. Their overall support is also likely to erode and that is just those two groups.

Even in stable America, there are groups hell bent on destabilizing the country for their own political ends.

And that is before you get to the foreign groups and street gangs operating in America. Organized Crime, the Drug Cartels, Asian Triads, and European Mafias, especially the highly violent Russian and other Eastern European Mafias, are all making some sort of trouble in the USA. All are major criminal issues throughout the country.

Then you have those street gangs. Some are so violent, that police have struggled with violence in courtrooms. The hardest ones are the family members of innocent victims not related to any form of crime. The loss of loved ones can be so overpowering that several laws had to be passed in recent years to help those bereaved family members who assaulted criminals in court in order to keep them out of jail themselves and help them move past and continue their lives, as hard as it always is.

Unfortunately for the criminals and fortunately for the innocent… The sitting President has decided to take a very large bite out of crime.

And he's going for the jugular on the first bite.

It was going to be a long headache.

But as the Vice President closes the file in hand, he smiles to his boss.

"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of law."

XXXX

September 3rd, 2024

Joint Training Field Alpha-21, Hokkaido, Japan

1243 hours Local

The simulated explosion 'killed' several men of the next platoon on the right of Itami's own recon platoon. Itami swung out of cover to get a burst off and somehow managed to pick off two Marines whose MILES Gear sang out their 'deaths.' The first lieutenant swung back into cover as simulated rounds are reported to being impacting the wall he is sheltering behind.

He takes a risk to take a look out and the moment he does, he spots some gung-ho brunette charge out into the open, but before he could go after her, his own Sergeant Major Souichirou Kuwahara pulls him back as the MILES Gear registers a round from an M14 rifle impacting just where his head had been.

The brunette is not so lucky. She's 'killed' by a strafing AH-1S Super Cobra. The same helicopter that has been messing up their advance all morning and now into the afternoon.

"Sergeant Kurota!" Itami calls out and the man suddenly pops up with a grin on his face as he 'fires' his Type 91 Hand Arrow, but then his MILES Gear begins screaming that he's 'dead' now from a single shot to the back of the neck.

"SNIPER!" Kuwahara yells, but it hardly matters as Itami spots the end of the exercise suddenly around the corner.

"Okay, it's over," the first lieutenant states with a somewhat bored tone before the M60A3 'fires' its M68 105mm main gun and 'kills' everyone left in Itami's recon platoon with Anti-Personnel shot.

XXXX

Several hours later, Itami is going over what went wrong with the training exercise today. The USF-J had them by the balls all day long. While he never really cared for performing like most other officers, Itami is not a quitter either. He also didn't like losing like they had done so.

As near as he can see it, going over the reports and records, the American advantage had largely been the fact that they are more experienced at combat. Plus the predicted conditions were more to their favor as well. The only differences were likely to be the terrain features which the Americans were welcoming.

Itami has the feeling, from their language, the Americans are thoroughly exhausted with deserts and don't want to be in another desert country for another hundred years!

Still… Itami began making notes and tactical decisions on what not to do next time and what should be done. Even if it went against the tactical manuals. As far as he can see, the Americans certainly rewrote theirs based on experience.

Of course, there is the matter of equipment. Itami could see that Nipponese armored forces did somewhat better than their American counterparts. The Americans having to readapt to vehicles and configurations they haven't used in a minimal of two decades. Nevertheless, their combat experience shone through and carried them to victory.

The only units to really struggle were the American SPAAGs. They were using second hand vehicles some of their allies happen to still have. Also, by some miracle, the US National Guard still had a number of the old M42 Duster SPAAGs in its reserve inventory. In addition, the US Military had acquired some Italian made Otomatic 76mm SPAAGs for some reason several years ago.

Unfortunately, there is no one left in service who knows how to properly maintain and operate the M42 and the Otomatic. The US Army and Marines are struggling to get them operational as Itami can see clearly. The only successful units were the still in service AN/TWQ-1 Avengers, most with the Gunvenger alterations, the USMC's LAV-AD variant of their venerable LAV-25, and the US Army did have the M6A2 Linebacker.

Unfortunately, the US Army and Marines could rely on the units in most other roles, due to the highly specialized nature of their work. Arguments had existed when the Secretary of Defense, brought in under ex-President Dirrell and retained by current President Grey, had ordered extensive research into the air defense of the US Military and found the ground forces were still weak in their own organic air defense and almost too reliant on Fighter Protection. So there has been a long running argument for reintroducing more powerful Self Propelled Anti-Air Vehicles.

Itami let out a bit of a breath, knowing the US Army had decided to lease several of the JGSDF's own SPAAGs for further research before this all happened. That alone should have allowed them get some advantage in the exercises thus far.

Nevertheless, for the sixth day straight, the SDF has had its butt handed to it on a silver platter with gold silverware.

Up until G-Day, the only guys with any combat experience had been the SFG, the MSDF, and the guys in the ASDF. For guys like him in the GSDF, there had been no combat since the time of Emperor Showa and the Imperial Army, except for some guys getting sent to Iraq years earlier. Maybe some off the books operations and missions that even his friend, the Minister of Defense, doesn't know about, but Itami truly doubted it.

The GSDF is about to get its formal baptism by fire.

And in such a strange way too.

"Oh! It's you Lieutenant Itami," the Japanese officer blinks as he turns to see Corporal Steven Ryan of all people with his head sticking in the door. "I saw that someone was doing something in here, despite that there's supposed to be no one using this room."

Shaking his head and worried he had gotten too deep into his thoughts, Itami shrugged it off and waved for Ryan to enter all the way. Not like Itami was doing anything against regulation. Besides, Ryan is a good guy. May have been on the OPFOR, but that's just how things currently were. Besides, maybe talking with the corporal would help him out with some of his thoughts.

"Man oh man," seeing what Itami had been up to, Ryan is immediately impressed. He had noted earlier that not all of the SDF guys were taking this seriously. Then again, the Right Wingers had chosen a lot of poor probable candidates. "I can see why the Minister of Defense asked us to be as hard on you guys as possible."

Itami is startled by Ryan's words. His old friend had asked the Americans to be so hard on them? Then again… Itami is hardly the fool he plays. A number of his compatriots resent the American involvement. Plus, there was rumor of possible European involvement. Something the Americans were supposedly supposed to be preventing.

Then again, Itami had personally seen the remains of what had been the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's embassy. The whole place was not only gutted and wrecked, but pretty much leveled to the ground. Plus a lot of Dominion citizens lost their lives. Naturally, the British would be up in arms over this.

To say nothing of other countries.

"I'm not surprised," Itami decides to responds to the Corporal's words, "Minister Kanou has been saying we cannot make this happen without foreign assistance and military power. We're simply too undermanned and funded to even attempt it."

Ryan nods, being the nephew of the POTUS, he keeps himself up to date on these things, "The GSDF has been ordered to send in three divisions, plus supporting assets to the other end of the Ginza Gate." Turning to the officer, "That's what? Some 24,000 combat troops, plus another 35,000 support troops?"

With a resigned sigh, Itami answers honestly, "The plan, from what I've heard from my old friend, is that we are to push reinforced divisions totalling 36,000 combat troops and another 50,000 support personnel through the Ginza Gate."

Blinking, this is the first Ryan had heard anything about reinforced divisions. As near as he knew that is what Captain Ronalds knew too. He heard Corporal Pierson mentioning some odds movements and troop arrangements. Could Japan afford to send through the Ginza Gate almost 90,000 members of the GSDF? That is not counting the movement of the ASDF through the Ginza Gate either!

To Ryan, who knew what the support being approved by Congress is going to be, this was absolutely astounding! The typical GSDF division was between 6,000 and 8,000 men. To reinforce such numbers should only be up to 9,000 men, possibly 10,000. Those weren't reinforced divisions. That was entire JSDF army!

Rising up from where he had been sitting, Ryan stood tall and straight, showing just how much taller than the average SDF man is, "First Lieutenant Youji Itami, with all due respect sir, that is not three reinforced divisions. That's six divisions in two separate corps! A quite literal army by the accepted standards of organization."

Itami is surprised by the corporal's response. Yes, he had figured that out himself. Dumb idea he might add. But this is startling. He didn't know many soldiers these days that still used 'With All Due Respect Sir' when they spoke up about something wrong. Clearly, what he had heard about Corporal Ryan being a soldier who spoke and sometimes acted like an old school American GI Joe were true.

"I'm aware and not liking it one bit," Itami did not rise up, just remained sitting where he is. He looked up at the American, to see his next move.

"Sir, I must inform my superiors of this," Ryan states, clearly like a soldier of some time long ago, but he is clearly also trying to remain respectful to the officer before him. "All of our plans and the agreements with Nippon-koku," Itami is actually almost knocked from his chair by the proper address of his country, "are based on the belief we will be working with at least half that number, at most some 50,000 men and women of the GSDF! To tell us that you intend to move an army through the Gate is to throw that all into turmoil!"

Recovering, Itami stood himself. Tall by Nipponese standards, Itami still finds Ryan towering over him. And that is Ryan. He had seen another Corporal, a black woman from Ryan's company, that is taller than Ryan himself. Honestly, seeing her, Itami had been quite intimidated. He heard she's actually from South Africa and had joined the US Army to get out of legal trouble in her home country.

He could probably see why towering South African blacks had been terrifying to the Imperial Army in 1945.

"That is the decision of my government," Itami states to the Corporal.

"If true, then not for long or this operation is already over," Ryan challenges the First Lieutenant.

"We will see," Itami informs the corporal who nods, salutes, and leaves the room, though not slamming the door.

"That went well," moving out from where he had been hiding, an older man in a grey suit and faded tan trench coat emerges. "I'm glad we got our read on Corporal Ryan quite well. With his connections, the American President can mount pressure to reduce the numbers back down to three divisions and allow room for other foreign troops."

Itami sighs off to the side, "I did not enjoy that."

The Public Security man nods, "Me neither, but I'm not a fool. We both aren't in fact. We both know that with two of our Destroyers still in port for repairs after that running gun battle with the North Koreans back in Nigatsu."

"I recall," Itami states as he does remember, "One of Risa's cousins was wounded when his fishing trawler was attacked, requiring those ships to respond and then the dispute nearly became war."

The man smirks, as Itami keeps his eyes on the door. The shadow beneath just at the edge, shows that Ryan never actually left. He had heard the American is as sharp as a tack and would have realized something amiss with Itami so casually talking to an enlisted man of another nation about the government's plans.

"We need those three divisions to stay in Nihon to defend it," the agent wasn't kidding, "The PRC is, as always, still a step away from sending their forces at us. Their amphibious abilities have improved to be arguably on par with the Americans and NATO members."

With a sigh, Itami turned to the man, "I know and hate it."

"Well…" the agent rubs the back of his neck while looking to the ceiling, "Let's just hope this doesn't blow up in the Prime Minister's face."

Corporal Ryan leaves and heads back to report his findings to the CIA agent who had assigned Ryan the neat little bug that allowed him to see and hear the two on the other side more clearly than they had guessed.

After all…

Corporal Pierson would have been in Intelligence if it wasn't a contradiction of itself.

XXXX

It had finally arrived… C-Day.

The day the joint Japanese-American Task Force would crossover into the New Frontier or Special Region, depending on your nationality.

With them were the observers from other countries. The British had sent some Royal Commandos and a vehicle squadron of FV510 Warriors. The Irish had sent a company of infantry in light vehicles such as the Mowarg Piranha IIIH and RG-32M LTAV with a pair of Scorpion CRV(T)s. The Belgian Land Component has sent only a group of commandos with their own vehicles. The Israelis, on the other hand, have sent a full mechanized, including tanks and supporting elements, and infantry companies to be part of the crossover.

The Finns have also decided to join, but only sent their T-55 Marksman SPAAGs, which have been heartily received. The Germans have likewise only sent some Flakpanzer Gepards, but given the type of hostile air support, they are greatly welcomed.

All together, the Observer Force is roughly two battalions worth of soldiers.

The British and the Israelis are being kept segregated from the Irish who have been placed with the Finns and Belgians to form the 'Second' battalion as the Germans are placed in the 'First' battalion.

For many, it will be the first time they have ever left their home regions.

The US 1st Expeditionary Brigade is also together. The 1st EB consists of one regiment of US Army Infantry and one regiment of US Marines. Included in its TO&E, are two battalions of armor again split between the Army and Marines. Together they number 6,700 men and women and include vehicles and supporting elements to follow. Though they will be initially reliant on Self Defense Force for everything. Which isn't surprising. Everyone going through is using as much as identical equipment as possible or at least use the same kind of ammunition and fuel to simplify logistics.

The two attached Battalions of armor, with older M60A3 Main Battle Tanks and M8 Bufords, for example, use the same fuel and ammunition as the GSDF's own Type 74 Main Battle Tanks.

The leading elements of the SDF's 5th Division have also assembled. Due to the hurried nature of the operation and the needs of national defense, the 5th Division and the two to follow it, are equipped with a mix of modern and older vehicles. The most obvious of the older is the Type 74 Main Battle Tanks. The Nippon leaders know they simply do not have enough Type 90s and Type 10s to spare.

Nor would they want to at this time.

As the SDF troops stood with their foreign counterparts, it became clear they were clearly used to standing on their feet and listening to long, oft times boring speeches. Like the foreign soldiers, the SDF men and women had become well practiced at standing at attention as someone spoke a long winded speech. True, this was meant to inspire them, but honestly, the new politicians just didn't know how to shut up.

The guy speaking has a good heart, but he is still a politician and thankfully, he is nearing the end of his speech.

"This bill has been accepted thanks to the efforts of former Prime Minister Houjou and the officials of all political parties, and lastly, as Nihon-koku's new Prime Minister, I Motoi Shinzou, have also agreed with the blessings of our beloved Tennō Heika to dispatch our noble and brave men and women of the Jieitai through this very gate, heavily fortified and having since become known as the Ginza Gate, behind me to the Special Region beyond. The honor of leading this have been granted not only to our 5th Division of the Rikujō Jieitai, but to the men and women of United States of America's 1st Expeditionary Brigade, a joint US Army and US Marine Corps unit that will be going with our forces to the other side of the Ginza Gate. With them, go the men and women of six other nations, the Suomen Tasavalta, Éire, the Koninkrijk België, Medīnat Yisrā'el, Bundesrepublik Deutschland, and finally, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. All of you, regardless of nation, the mission you have been charged with is of great importance, not only for our respected countries, but for the whole world! We wish you the best of luck and that you be blessed to return safely from this mission that you are about to begin, to a new world that you will be our first explorers too!"

The crowd immediately goes wild at the Prime Minister's words and the soldiers snap to attention as the Prime Minister steps back to allow the US President to step forward and speak next.

"Men and women of the uniformed armed services of eight different nations…" the POTUS begins, "It is hard for many families that you are here and not with them. Yet, as we can see, off to the side, there are those whose families are not returning as the memorial marks what happened to them."

All of the soldiers shift with some unease at the American President's words, but they also know he is reminding them that a military mission was decided for that very reason.

"We ask, continually, of you to do things that are hard and difficult at the best of times under the best of conditions. But ever always, you answer the call. I wish we could send a diplomatic party to speak peace and resolve this tragic mistake. Unfortunately, you are that diplomatic party and your mission is to ensure our peace, back here, in our home world."

The President takes a moment, seeing each soldier, studying them quickly, but placing names to faces as he has gone time and time again over the lists of names and seen the photos of the soldiers who go with those names.

"Among you is my own nephew. I personally know how your families feel. I have a second nephew who was fortunate to survive a brush with death at the hands of the so-called Democratic People's Republic of Korea. My nephew with you now, also survived a brush with death on G-Day. He again came close to death when an American terrorist that had infiltrated our Army attempted to blow himself up along with many of my nephew's fellow soldiers, but was stopped before he did so."

Everyone had heard of that. It was no secret, so the President didn't try to hide it. Instead, he spoke of it. For a reason.

"That fear of death coming close to him twice worries me for those of you who have done so before for your nations and those who will be facing it for the first time. I beseech the Almighty Father in His Heaven to bring you all home safe and sound with a successful mission. I care not of the difference in religion or politics. I see only you, our brave and courageous men and women who put those of us who say will defend something to the last, but not mean it and yet…"

Again, he looks them over, each and every last one.

"You mean it. With every fiber of your being. And that is what makes me proud. Makes your families proud. Makes your countries proud. And inside of each and everyone of you, makes yourselves proud of yourselves."

The soldiers stood up a little straighter. This is a speech they could appreciate. Because the speaker was appreciating them as more than a single group, but a collection of individuals with their own stories to tell.

"Most importantly, you stand here, selected or volunteering, for a mission we have never thought possible or likely to ever happen. I feel as though I should be sending you to Mars to fight Klingons or Romulans!"

Laughter broke out at that.

"But instead, I'm sending you through a gate that our scientists have yet to figure out and the best I can get for a straight answer is that it is a magical gate."

The POTUS looks over to where the Ginza Gate is covered over and sealed tight. Then he turns back to the soldiers and crowd.

"Never in my wildest dreams as a full grown adult would I have ever thought I would be saying that to you! It is like World of Warcraft. A gate to a whole new world using something that is quite literally magical."

He shakes his head in disbelief before continuing.

"And until science can tell me yes or no and what it uses, I'm stuck calling it a magic gate. Which is infinitely much more easier to say than Transdimensional Gateway Powered by Diamonds of Unknown Elements and Origins."

More laughter.

"But what happened here was not a laughing manner. What you are embarking upon is not either."

The President lets the seriousness come fully forward. He is done with the jokes. This is no longer funny. This is serious.

"When you go across, remember that you have homes and families to return too. Do not die. For the sake of everyone you are leaving behind, all of you come home. We already have enough dead as far as I'm concerned. Too many dead and no doubt that number will be increasing soon enough."

People nod and soldiers become grim.

"But always remember that you the best trained, armed, equipped, and motivated fighting forces this world has ever known. You have leaders of experience and commanders of talent and skills. You have each other and you have the backing of entire nations. Together, we number in the tens of millions. Alone we are strong. Together we are invincible. And you will go forth and show this truth to our newfound enemies.

You will teach them the strength and fire you each have. The might of both our populations and our economies. You will show them that they may have dragons. They may have pegasi. They may have true magic, but they don't have the industrial and martial prowess of our great nations!"

The civilians cheer and the soldiers look even more ready. A drive and fire now burns in their eyes. This is impassioned speech, meant to do more than state, but ignite a fire inside of them.

"We come from different countries, but we are united by more than treaties. We are united by common beliefs and hopes and dreams for the future. We wish for peace and not war. Train as you do and armed as you are, we all wish for the day of war to not come, but come it has and you are here, ready to fight having answered the call to arms!

Today marks a new chapter in our history. While I wish that it would be a peaceful chapter, I will accept that we are still making history. We are not only going to fight an enemy in a whole new world, but we will also be exploring it. Learning about it. To paraphrase the words of a generation, the generation that followed, today's generation, and the generations to come, 'To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.' That is your mission! One of discovery that is much more important than that of war! You are not only the soldiers to fight our battles, but also our diplomats that will help forge new ties and bring a lasting peace! I wish you all the best of luck and for your safe return, I have invited one person to give you the blessing for the sake of this mission and its success!"

The President of the United States of America nods to his head of security detail who speaks into a radio.

Moments later, as the President of the Free World steps away, the one man no expected steps forward.

"Welcome your Holiness," the President allows the Pope himself to step forward and smile to all the assembled soldiers before him.

"I know I come as a surprise, but I have been moved by President Grey's request. I have come to give you a divine blessing, so that you may return home. Even if you are not of our beliefs, you are still a brother and sister to not only to each other, your countrymen, and your leaders, but to myself and the other servants of God himself. We are here, for those in great need or carrying a heavy burden, to provide support in ways that cannot be achieved physically or mentally, but only spiritually."

People nod and feel better. The soldiers seem to have a bit of weight lifted from them. The last few Popes have been men of the people and working towards bringing lasting peace to all people. They spread the Message of God through means of noble action rather than just of common word.

"I have prepared a prayer for you all. One that is specially made for each and every one of you. As I said, no matter if you are of a different Faith or are strongly against Faith at all, you are my brothers and sisters and this is the only thing I can do for you all right now. It is small, I know, but I hope you will accept it and be safe on your journey that you are about to embark upon."

With that said, the His Holiness removes from his vest a very simple piece of paper and lays it out before him. Among the ranks, soldiers remove their helmets. The Irish are down, on their knees, the occasional hand raised. A number of Americans and Europeans also go to their knees. The Israelis stand with their helmets before their feet, heads bowed, and their hands held together, respecting a man that has worked how to help them and heal the wounds that have divided their faith from the world for so long. Several soldiers of Muslim heritage bow low to the ground in acknowledgement and welcome a final prayer from a man that seeks peace for all faiths.

To many people's surprise, there are Japanese Christians among the SDF soldiers in the expedition. They too go to their knees and raise their hands or bring their hands up in prayer. Before all the world, the oft overlooked diversity of Japan is brought to people's homes. Even in Nippon-koku, people are reminded that there are those of outside faiths in their country and yet they are productive members of their society.

For Corporal Ryan, it is a surreal moment. Being a Lutheran, he never expected to have a prayer with the Pope himself in attendance. Now he's being blessed by the man himself. Taking out his personal Bible from his personal pack, he puts it between his hands and closes his eyes.

As such, he doesn't see others who also pull out Bibles and those who pull out the Koran and the Torah from their packs. Together, they will all pray. They are one people, united not by a faith, but by belief of faith.

"Dear Heavenly Father in Your Heaven, in Your name and that of Your Son, Jesus Christ, as your faithful servant, I humbly beseech thee to bless the men and women gathered here today. For they are to soon embark upon a journey that will test them in ways that they have never known. They embark in the name of country and people, but I ask of of you Oh Lord, to grant them your blessing and to protect them from evil and to give them strength and courage in times of great need.

I ask that in your name Father, that you protect their souls. For a land unknown to us has had the path to it opened. A land that we know nothing of. A land filled with strange mysterious and danger.

Protect them Oh Lord! Protect them, our children and siblings. So that they may return home safe and sound with spirits and heads high. They go to war Oh Lord, but show them the path that they may take to achieve peace through dialogue and friendship. That the sons and daughters of their enemy may return home alive and safe just as I ask for Your protection so that they may return to their homes alive and safe.

I pray that they find missions of greater worth than that of war. That you will guide them to find where they are most needed. That where they can save rather than take lives. That where they go, they bring light that chases away darkness. That the light that they carry is Your gift to them, to keep them safe so that they may keep others safe.

Should danger prove much, protect I beseech you, so that they will remain safe. That families, bereaved and worried, may know peace as their love ones go upon this journey. To know that their love ones left behind will always be there, waiting Oh Lord. Waiting for them to simply come home safe and sound, so that there is one more place filled at the table and laughter and joy may fill the air of the table. That when a parent cooks, the meal they prepare is prepared hotter and that children will awaken to find their parent home alive and well to be with them as they journey towards adulthood themselves. That this mission they are to embark upon, be short and peace be their success. In Your name Oh Lord, please beseech Your almighty strength upon them. I pray, not alone, but with countless voices that Your wisdom and guidance will see them safely return to us.

In Your name Oh Lord, the name of Your Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen."

"Amen," people repeated not just there in Ginza, but the world over.

"I will continue to pray for you, always," His Holiness smiles upon them all.

"Thank you Your Holiness."

"Amen Your Holiness."

"Bless you Your Holiness."

Others call out and thank the man, who without real power, has a power that he uses for wisely and for good.

Once the leaders and the Pope depart, the stage is broken down somewhat. Now the fortified gate to the Ginza Gate Dome can be seen by the soldiers. Everyone makes ready. Personal items are collected and stowed in sealed containers. The men and women whose business is war seal up their suits and place their helmets on their heads. With audible snaps and hisses, the helmets seal themselves to the futuristic like space man suits they all wear. Then the armored visor plates are lifted up, allowing their faces to be seen behind armored glass.

Then their commander for this campaign steps forward.

"I am Hazama, your commander for this operation!" the Japanese general announces loudly to them all with a determined look and a strong tone of steel, "Many scouts have entered the Gate this past month, following behind the tethered drones provided by the United States Government and NASA. Unfortunately, despite all of that, no one really knows what will happen to use once we enter the new world beyond the gate. Therefore, you must be prepared for combat to begin the moment we cross through the gate."

For First Lieutenant Youji Itami, his attention is taken when he spots a woman and a child at the memorial stand. They must have just laid flowers, but it is the little girl that catches Itami's attention. There, before his eyes, is the stark reminder of G-Day. A little girl whose parents he had been unable to help her find before he had been forced to turn her over to police officers so that they could take her to relatives. It was a painful feeling. Still is.

"We will be entering the gate shortly!"

Itami knows, that to prevent anymore… He will go through and do his duty. For his wife Risa. For his friend Kanou. For his countrymen. For the world. For that little girl and her grandmother.

Itami turns his attention back to General Hazama…

He will give his all no matter what.

Soldiers load their weapons and chamber rounds as visor plates close and vehicles are boarded. Hatches are then secured and vehicles come to life as engines are started. Radio checks are carried out and air supplies double, tripled check. Water and food with medical supplies are given one last final check.

Once that is all done… The ground guides standby as the first barriers are opened into the immediate perimeter of the Ginza Gate Dome. The convoy of military vehicles begin their slow approach and stand by on the guides instructions.

Then the second barriers are opened. The once bustling, alive streets are now a fortified military area. Buildings that once housed homes and businesses are now military facilities. The vehicles advance again through this deserted area as soldiers stand ground against a possible counterattack.

They stop again at the ground guides' command.

Then finally, the third barriers are opened. The vehicles advance to the last barrier, the Ginza Gate Dome's sealed barrier doors. They appear very much like barriers meant for a fortress at sea. Reinforced Concrete and Steel doors up to a meter thick. Mounted on rails and sealed by a complex array of locks. Nothing gets in nor out without clearance.

That final barrier than opens up and the endless black void that is central to that Greco-Roman structure is revealed back to daylight for the first time in more than a month.

"Move out!" Hazama orders once the doors are fully opened and the security troops, the Gate Guards move back and out of the way.

Ground guides guide the first tanks through, a pair each of Nipponese Type 74 and American M60A3. As the tankers enter, they go into their vehicles and secure their hatches above them. They aren't the only ones as each vehicle enters, it is sealed tighter than the doors to the treasure vaults of the Olympian Gods and Goddesses.

Once inside, lights come on as drivers guide their vehicles through a pitch darkness they have never seen before. A series of strange lights occur from time to time. Almost as though their own lights are being reflected oddly after strange mirrors.

Inside his command vehicle, General Hazama is informed that that the vanguard has entered the Gate and is now heading to the other side. The general worries about his forces being engaged as soon as they are through. But decides they will have to hold until more forces can be pushed through. He can only hope that they can get through and deployed before a counterattack can be mounted.

In one of the SDF vehicles, Sgt. Kuroda speaks up in order to chase away the nervous feeling he is having in this eerily silence, save for the noise of respirators, engines, and the creak of vehicles and gear.

"Hey Lieutenant Itami?" lifting up his armored visor plate.

"Huh?" the officer in question opens his own armored visor plate to look at one of his sergeants across from him.

"You think there are any catgirls on the other side of the Gate?"

Somewhat dumbfounded, Itami can only stare numbly at his soldier. Before long though, he smirks a little.

"Why wouldn't there be?" he replies with a smile on his face.

Both men chuckle before closing their helmets back up.

Someone, wanting to lift the mood had started playing some kind of music theme. It was uplifting in a way. Making them feel at ease, yet know the gravity of what they are heading into. It is a good song that plays among a chorus of others.

Then the lead tanks spot it.

The entrance to the other side.

"We're about to exit!" Captain Ronalds calls over the TACNET to all of his company. "Officers get the troops ready. We're about to write a new chapter in the history of the United States of America and our whole world!"

The exit is out into a grassland with some trees here and the other end of the gate atop a hill. Mountains can be spotted in the backdrop behind the gate. Stars shine high above in the sky and the moon is crystal clear.

There is also darkness as far as the eye can see. In this late hour. How long had they been going through the gate? Are the two worlds even in synch with one another?

Nevertheless, the first units out, the tanks, begin sweeping the area around them for signs of life. Lights off and sensors on. They have to find out if there is danger or not and if there is company or not.

As a Type 74 turret pans, it is the first to spot it.

Torches that seem to stretch from one end of the horizon to the other in the darkness.

The gunner and commander zoom in even as the report is passed on. Soon enough, they can make out the locals. They are the Empire they have heard about. It's army to be exact.

And there are a lot of them.

"Enemy is sighted!" comes the call as confirmations of the enemy's placement between two mountains in a pass below their current elevation.

Hatches spring open as soldiers pour out and begin moving for their designated positions. Maps of the immediate exit having been provided. The Low Light Visibility Optics in the helmets allow the soldiers to move with trained and readied ease into position. Some defensive points have already been dug by rovers and drones.

"Let's move it! Come on!" Corporal Ryan makes sure everyone in his squad is their designated positions. "Torrent 3-4 in position," Ryan reports after a head count.

Ryan sees Lieutenant Itami lead his platoon to their designated location and they begin to hunker down and wait for instructions. Nearby and between the two platoons, a mortar team sets up. A M60A3 rolls forward and takes up position next to a M113 and a LAV-25. The rest of Ryan's company is off to his right somewhere and Itami's recon is to his left with the rest of Itami's company just behind the Nipponese officer.

A .50 caliber Browning Machine Gun is positioned right on Ryan's position. It will add heavy firepower. It's angle to cover the approach to the company. The vehicles between him and Itami would provide the base of fire support to their front along with the mortar team.

As everyone gets into positions, mortars and vehicles launch flares, filling the night with light. Men and women begin shoveling dirt and rocks, improving their positions. That is all that can be done. Orders are to keep weapons safe and wait. Glaring at the other side who appears content to do the same back.

Then… As daybreak begins, the use of flares tapers off and entrenching tools are put away.

Just in time.

War horns bellow and the enemy begins their advance.

"Standby," Captain Rex orders over the radio, "Standby. Standby," the enemy approaches as loudspeakers are used to try and convince them not attack.

"Standby."

It is clear it won't work.

"Permission received, Torrent Company open fire!"

And Ryan does what he has been trained to do and he isn't the only one.

Begun, it has… War.

XXXX

Tomcat Lover:

Finally! Finished. This has not been easy to complete. Getting details just right have been less than enjoyable. Nevertheless, I had some good fun writing this one.

Creating an ongoing development of what happened during the three months was tough, but enjoyable. Creating OCs a bit of a headache, but also fun. Then trying to create a military force to go through the gate. Now that was easy. I knew precisely what I wanted. So that was quick and finished very quickly.

I also hope folks enjoy my shout out to Star Wars!

The speeches and the prayer were the major trip up. I had no idea what I wanted to write. So I kept working at while doing some fine tuning elsewhere. Now I have completed it.

I also want to dedicate this to the men and women who are so far from home for Christmas and the upcoming New Year's Day. None of them want to be so far from home, but they are. Out doing a job that diplomats have failed to prevent needing to be done. Leaders who forget that while not their family, that the men and women of the Armed Forces have families worried sick about them. Missing them so far from home.

And for that, I wish for people, on Christmas Day to find and listen to Christmas in the Trenches. To remember that our soldiers overseas only want to come home and celebrate holidays in the comfort of home, far from the deprivations of war.

All we can do, is pray for their safety and that they can help our allies. Those allies who are fighting for more than land and resources, fighting for family and future. That with the aid we provide, they can hurry up and close the battlefronts that currently are being waged and then can begin rebuilding, but also be alive to enjoy a good few kicks of the football/soccer. Then, when all is done, return to family and live peacefully.

Merry Christmas to us all and a Happy New Year and may she be a damn sight better than the last one.

Refit Notice:

Hiya guys! I was just doing some badly needed maintenance on this here story of mine. I normally don't go back and do corrections, but meh, what can I say? There is always something needing to be fixed, ya know?

Just so happens this one badly needed it. Expect more Refit Notices!