I'm back. Just to answer foldguy24 questions the mechanical units (like tanks or other vehicles) have individual AI's just that they may not be as complex as Athena. The human units (like other peacekeepers, javelins, etc) are combat robots similar to TresIques in Trinity Blood (that's the only explanation that I can get to the fact that the building could just churn out the units). However, since combat robots may have rather limited creativity in the battlefield, they have some real humans mixed in the group to make them into effective strike forces (that's why Blake was a peacekeeper). Spies are an entirely different story since they are much smarter than the peacekeeper and javelin combat robots so could be able to do stuff themselves (made the allies sigh in relief since they don't need to send more letters to grieving families about dead loved ones). Also before you ask for the animals, yes they are real and were in the MCV's before the shift. Yes he does have access to both allied and soviet tech and arsenals since he controls both of the MCV's with some help from Athena and as for the ore let's just say that it's just the same as any real mining operation on the surface just mechanized. Another thing to note is that since Athena is an advanced AI and maintains communication with the commander it is able to get the gist of the language of Halkagenia to allow the spies to get information easily. On another note this is Red Alert 3 there are no Chrono Legionnaires and from the looks of things they don't know how to build a time machine even though they got a chronosphere. Also thanks to reader for the gun idea. Couldn't have done it better myself.

Chapter 4: The Sword and the Party

It has been several days since the duel with Guiche and all of the students were put on edge, mostly because of a certain commoner where currently rumors of the origins of the said commoner was running rampant. Some people claimed that he was an elf in disguise, other claimed that he was a fallen noble, and others claim that he was a commoner that somehow stolen magic from nobles. It had gotten so bad that Blake made a proclamation that if anyone was willing to talk to him as an equal, he would be more than willing to say what is true or not true about him. So far none of the students were willing to take up that offer, probably since they were either scared or were not willing to treat a commoner as an equal. There were some students that wanted to try to teach the commoner a lesson, but when they tried to get anywhere close to the MCV's they were met by the terror drones. Fortunately, no one got hurt in any of the encounters; however, it solidified the fact that this commoner would only allow you in only if he wanted to and is not to be taken lightly. There were also rumors of giant dragons taking off from deep within the forest in the dark of night, but that was mostly considered as people whose nerves were just being frayed by the commoner since dragons don't tend to fly in the night.

-inside the MCV

O.k. according to the information that was gained from the spies, it would seem that there could be a war just over the horizon. Albion is currently under a civil war where the royalists are fighting against a group called Reconquista who proclaim that they are fighting for the commoners but in reality are just using them for their own goals which was uniting Halkagenia by force to make a Crusade against the elves. There has been some indication that someone rather high up in Gallia is funding the Reconquista, but who and why would require more time. So far the liaison between Reconquista and Gallia has been identified as a woman called Sheffield, but who she is connected to has yet to be discovered. Gallia is ruled by a king named Joseph who quite frankly is insane; personally I think that the country would work better if Tabitha who is a student here were to take the reigns as she is rightfully the one next in line (his own daughter from the reports is a total brat). The princess of Tristain is in love with the prince of Albion but is engaged to a Germanian prince so to have a marriage alliance. Romalia is led by a Pope called Vittorio who is very young and quite frankly a total fanatic for the guy called Brimir to the extent that he doesn't have any regret that his mother who was a heretic was killed. Speaking about Brimir it seems that the cult about him regards him the founder of the magic system which consists of 4 elements and a fifth one that is lost called void (would not call it a religion because it's not about a god who created the universe or a set of ethical standards). Void is classified to be as powerful as either a proton collider, vacuum imploder, or a psionic decimator but is much harder to field and much easier to kill (just shoot anyone that is standing in the open and chanting with everything that can kill people instantly). Apparently, Louise is a void mage since the brand on my left arm says Gandalfr which is someone who can supposedly use any weapon with ease (not that I really need it and seriously the only way to get rid of it would be either kill myself or kill her, probably would come off if I "died" for about half a minute and then come back). Also there are supposedly three other familiars to the void which suggests that there are three other people who can do void magic (need to find out as soon as possible and if problem freeze them in cryoprison permanently to break chain or just kill). The elves which are the target of this cult are relatively peaceful people in my opinion since they don't go and attack people for stupid ambitious reasons like a certain Premier of the Soviet Union. Quite frankly they had more advanced technology on the planet considering that they had ironclads that had actual turrets; however, they were still sail powered so they are almost equivalent to the Korean iron clads than the civil war ones. It would be nice to make contact with them (hey, who doesn't want to get in good relations with elves), but they would be wary of me since I am a human and they have a history of humans attacking them. Better send a delegation over there as soon as I set up the permanent base of operations which quite frankly makes Albion the perfect place to set up shop. It's an island in the air which makes it a perfect floating fortress (like the Empire's but theirs was manmade). Also my discussion with the staff was rather fruitful since I have discovered several people that are currently outlaws, but with high ethical standards that I can recruit to my cause. One that stands out is Fouquet, apparently she's a thief that steals priceless items from the nobility and is currently the secretary of the headmaster (the spies can find out things in mysterious ways). I will have to find a way to get her and have her join the cause, but that will be later. Currently the security is detecting the pinkette entering the premises; better go see what she wants, unlike a certain red head and her familiar who basically wanted him for other reasons (it has only been a week and she had tried to get past the terror drones about 23 times, none of them successful thank the Lord).

-outside

Currently Louise is carefully approaching the location of the "Metal Carriages" which her familiar claimed was called an MCV. Unfortunately, he didn't elaborate what the name stand for but she didn't ask as not wanting him to send the terror drones after her. This in fact both scared and enraged her, scared that her familiar has the power to take on the nobility and enraged that since he is her familiar and a commoner he should've been more subservient, but everything in the past couple of days have shown that he was anything but ordinary and probably has more tricks up his sleeves than what they knew. Fortunately, the terror drones seem to allow her to pass by and so she kept on going until she finally saw her familiar exiting the said MCV. "Hello, Mr. Blake." she said with lots of self-control (doesn't like the fact that she has to treat him like an equal). "Why hello Louise, what brings you here at such a wonderful hour?" "….I wanted you go come with me to go shopping with me since this is the Day of Void. I need someone to watch my purse.""Would it be at the capital? If so I would love to come!" That surprised her a bit that her familiar wanted to go shopping with her if it was at the capital, but having her familiar come along was what she wanted so she didn't sweat the small stuff. "Yes, it would be at the capital." "Then what are we waiting for let's go!" With that her familiar started marching towards the academy until he suddenly stopped and turned to face her. "I just gotta ask. Are we going to get there by horse?" "Why of course you idiot, how else are you going to get there and back, on foot?" With that he gave her an evil smile, "No, but I've got something better."

-to Blake

This was the perfect opportunity to see their nation's capital up close. Typically the place to get information about what people think about the current regime in the country and how well it is doing is usually at the corners of the capital. He would have to somehow manipulate Louise to go around the said area and pick up on any conversations along the way. But for now it would be time to introduce her to another thing that he wanted to use. The Multigunner IFV.

-after introducing Louise to multigunner where at first she didn't want to get in but later reluctantly did so since he said that it was either this or good by shopping and gets shocked by how fast it goes saying it being faster than a dragon or a griffin with him laughing his head off the look on her face. Both didn't notice the dragon following them until Athena privately gives Blake a heads up and he said not to worry about it but have a Apollo and a Vindicator to follow just in case.

-to the dragon

"Just how fast is that thing going?!" exclaimed Kirche. Tabitha had to agree with her friend. That contraption was going faster than her dragon and it was doing its best just to keep up with it. "….Impossible..." she said aloud. "I know. It's like he keeps pulling these things out of nowhere and that just doesn't make any sense since he is a commoner. He shouldn't even have the capability to do this in the first place!"

-back to Blake and Co.

They get to the outskirts of the city where Blake parks the car behind a bush telling Louise that it may scare the people if they tried to drive it into town of which Louise agrees and they go off their shopping spree. They managed to stay in downtown for a while since Louise is a girl and all girls want girly stuff, but later he tells her that he wanted to check out the weapons shops to see if anything is suitable for him to use, mostly this is a lie for him to check the outskirts of town and get information since currently Athena is making an assault rifle for him after realizing that engaging mages with long range weaponry is better than trying to get up close like he had to do with his shotgun. Louise not knowing better agreed with his request and proceeded to examine weapon shops on the outskirts of the capital. Along the way he complied the surrounding conversations that were basically about the civil war going on in Albion how some people think it would or wouldn't succeed, saying about their worries about the princess (not that she was a bad person but the fact that she was very young to be the ruler about 17 from his guess), and their concerns about allying themselves with Germania since they considered it a barbaric country. Eventually, one of the weapons stores they visited the clerk tried to give them a trashy sword that probably break on the first try which of course he refused. This lead to the discovery of a talking sword called Derflinger which from he remembered from the notes was the magic absorbing sword that Gandalfr used. This he had to get which they managed for 100 gold (which he promptly gave to Louise stating that she would need it more than him with her getting red faced in anger but resigned under the truth) and continued to window shop until they had to go home which was by multigunner again. Once they managed to get back they both went their separate ways Louise to her room and Blake to the MCV. However, Louise tried to get Blake to sleep in her room which now she managed to get a mattress, but he kindly refused saying that he had a real bed in the MCV and that he had standards such as not sleeping with an unmarried girl in the same room alone unless she is in elementary, a baby, fiancé, or the wife. Which Louise accepted with grace (mostly because she is not being treated as a little girl). Then Kirche landed with Tabitha and her dragon saying that she had a present for him which was the crappy sword from earlier which he promptly gave back to her and told her to either use it as a trophy or get rid of the useless thing, which made Louise to crack a smile.

-back to Blake in MCV

"Oh my, what a day." he said while lying down on his bed. "Well quite frankly this was a rather fruitful endeavor. The people think of the princess rather highly, but feel rather afraid on the fact that she is rather inexperienced in ruling a country. Can't blame them however, I sometimes get nervous whenever I get a new recruit. Unfortunately though it may seem that there is a rather large proportion of nobles that still treat commoners as trash so unless something is done on the system this will continue." he mused. Come to think of it, it would seem that he hadn't seen Siesta since this morning. So he went to the kitchens to ask the chief (who had taken to calling him the gun, which he corrected into Colonel) where did Siesta gone to. What he got out of him made his blood boil in anger (considering the fact that Siesta gotten 'hired' by a Count Mott which would mostly mean other business) no one is going to do that to such a sweet girl that treated him better than the nobles that he knew and he already had considered as a friend. This will not stand! Not under his watch! With that he ordered an entire contingent of riptides (loaded with peacekeepers, javelins, attack dogs, spies, cryo legionnaires, flak troopers, conscripts, and tesla troopers), an Athena cannon, and 4 mirage tanks. Then he got directions of where exactly Mott's mansion was by getting one of the maids to point it out on a map and made a surveillance sweep of the area before chronoing themselves in. This is how the party got started.

-outside Mott's mansion

Everything seemed to be a rather peaceful night, several guards are slightly dosing off at the front gate with nothing better to do. "…What?" said one guard sluggishly "What was it Mike?" said another. "I don't know but I've could've sworn that there was a blue glow in the forest." "You must've been dreaming." "Wait, something's coming up the road." They looked intensely in the dark with their spears at the ready until they saw a man wearing rather strange clothing and tinted glasses come walking up to them smoking a stick. "Halt, who are you and state your business here" The strange man then stopped looked at them and said, "My business is with you fine gentlemen."(imagine English accent) "…..What?" they asked confused at the answer (also considering the fact that someone is talking nice to them and is actually talking to them). "Tell me dear chaps how much does your employer pay you?" they looked at him funny before deciding to play his game, "10 copper coins a week, maybe a bit more give and take Count Mott's mood." "Well then gentlemen, what if I told you that right now you could earn 5 years' worth of pay each for doing something rather simple?" That got their attention, "What is it that you are asking?" "Quick to the point I see, very well all I ask is that you tell me what Count Mott's magic is, where is the new maid located in the house, you tell the other guards and servants of this one time deal, don't say a word of what has happened here, and go back to your villages right now." "….So you are telling us to basically betray Count Mott?" one of them said with indignation. "Why not? I would assume from the amount of pay you boys get is that the Count doesn't hold you brave boys in very high regard. You slave in and out to protect that rich lard just for some measly copper, when you could've asked for at least a silver a week. Quite frankly I would say that it is the Count that is in the wrong by belittling the good work that you chaps do for him. Like I always like to say every man has his price." They had to admit, this man had a rather compelling argument, they knew that the count had more money in his coffers but was very stingy with the pay. Even to add in the fact that they had to deal with assassination attempts day in and out with some of their own men dying from such attacks, and to add on the attitude that the Count had towards them and the fact that they couldn't get another chance like this again just made the offer very worthwhile. "Fine, then but up the payment to 10 years' worth of pay and we'll call it even." With that the man smiled brought out several giant bags of gold from his jacket and said "Pleasure doing business with you gentlemen."

-Siesta in Count Mott's study

Siesta was contemplating how fate had now decided to give her a rotten egg by having her to catch the eye of one noble with a very bad reputation. It was said that any female servant that was hired by this man was never heard from again, and it was to be assumed that they may have been killed after gratifying the pig that was Mott. She personally decided that if she were not to come back alive from this at least she would try to take him with her. With that the Count came into the room looking over his new prize while slowly walking over and started untying one of her bows, she was getting ready to take him down when suddenly the double doors to the study was blasted open by and explosion. They looked over to the door to find an armored man carrying a strange musket with two barrels one underneath the other, while being flanked by men carrying the same musket and armor and other men carrying long sticks with tubes connected to tanks on their back or had sticks as hands. "Who are you and how did you get in my house?" yelled the Count. "We just came through the front door." The man replied which Siesta recognized to be the Colonel. "Outrageous! Guards, Guards! Protect me and kill these insolent fools!" nothing happened. "Where are those fools when you need them, oh never mind what is it that you want commoner?" "What I want is for you to release the new maid into my custody, never speak a word of this, and don't bother her anymore or else we kill you." "That is outrageous! Do you know who you're speaking to you damn commoner!?" "Count Mott, Triangle water mage and Royal messenger to the crown of Tristain. Has a thing for getting female servants while dressing them in skimpy clothing and humiliating them to the extent that they commit suicide, just a corrupt man who is drunk on his power and position." that got the Count very angry. "Well let's see what you have to say after this you damn commoner!" With that the Count waved his staff and summoned some water from a nearby vase. "Have a taste of the power of a triangle water mage plebian!" He was getting ready to shoot the water snake at the commoner when one of the men behind him pointed his stick and started spewing very cold air that immediately froze the water snake. "What! Is that man a water mage!?" "No this is done by good old know how. Also this is your final warning to just accept our terms and we won't kill you." "I don't know what you just said, but that doesn't mean that I will accept your terms. A noble never agree with a commoner!" Then Count Mott used his magic to the now ice serpent to impale the arrogant commoner. "Oh well, at least we tried to warn him." With that the peacekeepers armed with M16 assault rifles with a Master Key attachment and the Tesla troopers opened fire, pretty much killing the Count instantly. "O.k. now that the tango is down lets clean this place up! Are you O.K. Siesta?" Siesta then broke out of her stupor after seeing these men kill the count as easily as killing a fly. "Oh! I'm fine, but you just…" "Killed a noble. Yes I did it because I couldn't let someone who has been helping me out the most since coming to this country be taken by a man such as the count without a fight. I make it a personal etiquette to save people who I've considered as my friends out of sticky situations." "Well that's fine and all but now that you've killed a noble all of the other nobles would be coming after you!" she said with fear and despair that the man who saved her shall have to be hunted by the nobles. "Well they would've if it wasn't an accident." "What do you mean?" he smiled evilly and teased, "You'll see, but promise keep all that you've have seen tonight as our little secrete."

-after getting all of his troops a safe distance away from the mansion with a blindfolded Siesta in tow he dialed up the Athena cannon to fire the proton satellite on the mansion thus setting the building in flames.

"O.K. that should do it. That would prevent any evidence of what happened tonight a secret for a while." he mused. "Alright lets chrono out of here!" he yelled not knowing that someone out there was looking at him and his group intensely.

-The someone again (still not telling… yet)

Good he had managed to deal with the fat noble without them needing to have to kill the man themselves. Quite frankly it was better off this way since there was no way that they've covered up the death as well as the "Base Stealer" did it. If they had done the deed it would've been a rather messy scene. It was nice to know that the man that was told in the stories when they were but a child was still basically the same man that was standing out here tonight. Brilliant and cunning, yet kind and willing to do anything to help those who were less fortunate. It would do them great honor to aid this man in his endeavors; however, for now it would be best to keep the themselves secret from him a bit longer. One does not easily reveal their secrets.

This is it for chapter four. Yes I'm betting that you are wondering just who the someone is, but everything will be revealed all in good time. So make your best guesses people! Also here are some data of the modified units.

-modified Multigunner IFV

The multigunner is the same design except that it uses the same lightweight and strong metal that Blake has been using to increase speed and survivability. Also the seating capacity has been increased to allow room for four people including the driver comfortably or two people with cargo. Also with the number of people that's seated its effects also increases. However, that can only work by having the same unit in the car. Typically can't allow mixed unit seating mostly from complaints of units trying to use their weapons at the same time and messes with the weapons system.

-modified riptide

Seating capacity of this transport vehicle has been expanded to allow more troops to be carried. It also houses anti-air missiles on one hard-point on the upper portion of the vehicle along with its standard weapons allowing for effect boost when javelins are housed in the vehicle. Making it one of the best all rounded transport vehicle in the arsenal.

-special spy

These spies are different from the typical spies since they have special smokeless balls that give off an odor that can only be detected by animals which would destroy their sense of smell. They also have special cigarette guns which are working cigarettes that contain a single bullet charge.

-upgraded peacekeeper

A recent development, these peacekeepers carry assault rifles that could shred enemy infantry while having the added ability of a shot-gun attachment known as the master key.

-special Cryo Legionnaire

These Legionnaires have longer boost time than their contemporaries allowing for quick traversment across land get to locations quickly. Also they have the special ability to cause a miniature ice-age surrounding them when they are surrounded by enemy forces.

-modified Athena Cannon

The Athena cannon is practically the same; however, it has the added armament of several medium machine guns making it a rather formidable foe for approaching infantry.

-Special Tesla troopers

These units have the ability of doing everything that the normal tesla trooper can. But with a better generator and battery system it has the added ability of surrounding itself with electricity to either stun or kill targets that get too close. They also house a mini-iron curtain since the boosted power system has more than enough energy to power iron curtains making these units the worst nightmare on the battlefield.