"Viktor."
Viktor groaned and kept his eyes firmly shut. Whatever the problem was, it wasn't worth getting up. He just wished his headache would go away.
"Viktor, get up."
He groaned again and shut his eyes tighter.
"Viktor, get up!"
With a deep sigh, Viktor gradually opened his eyes. Whoever wanted him up was insistent. "The fuck do you want?" he muttered in Russian.
Whoever was there didn't respond.
Viktor sighed again and lifted his head from the bed he was lying on, his body protesting every movement. He wasn't in the inn's attic that was for sure. Instead Viktor found himself in a large room. I didn't get my own room…
"Finally awake, you idiot." Viktor snapped his head to the person who was speaking. It was Giselle with a smile on her face.
"What the fuck happened?" He quickly realized his mistake and switched to Saderan. "What happen?"
Her smile widened.
Viktor suddenly had a panic attack as he realized the implications of where he was. "What you do?!"
"Relax, you fell asleep at the bar last night so picked you up. I didn't want to wake any of the others, so I brought you here. Nothing happened," she explained with a laugh.
With his tired mind, Viktor could hardly understand half of what she'd said, but it seemed like he was in the clear. He needed to be more careful when he got drunk.
"Thank you?" Viktor suddenly remembered his drinking companions. "What happen to others?"
"Demian went up to bed, Igor and Kilment slept at the bar."
"Not bring Igor and Kilment up? Only I?" Something here wasn't right.
Giselle's smile returned. "You're just special."
Viktor shivered and chose to ignore the comment. Patting himself down, it seemed that Giselle had fortunately chosen to leave all his gear on him. That was probably why his body ached, sleeping with body armor on was never comfortable. His rifle was lying next to him on the floor, untampered with.
Grabbing the gun, Viktor stepped outside Giselle's room. It seemed the rest of his squad was also getting up. Sergei walked down the steps that led to the attic.
"Good morning, sergeant. Get some good sleep?"
"Barely…" Viktor muttered as he walked down to the bottom floor of the inn.
Igor and Kilment were passed out over the bar counter. The innkeeper was giving them a nasty glare as Viktor came down. Grabbing both of them by the collars, Viktor yanked them out of their seats to wake them up.
"The fuck was that for?" Igor grumbled.
"We're leaving, get up."
He let them stumble to their feet and walked out the door. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a brown haired woman with some sort of bag filled with stuff. Arpeggio if he remembered correctly. Right, I hired her…
"So, where are we going? When do we leave?" Her energy never seemed to die.
"Get in iron chariot and be quiet." He pointed at the BTR while holding his head with his other hand. The headache wasn't going away.
Viktor didn't wait for her to acknowledge his command, he just walked to the BTR and opened it up. Settling down in his seat, he took a deep sigh. Today wasn't going to be a fun day, he could feel it in his bones.
Bellnahgo was unrecognizable to Tullus. The wood and stone structures were being replaced by large metal and concrete ones, slaves no longer stood at street corners waiting to be sold, and most noticeably the Temple of Hardy had been completely replaced by a building bearing the Russian flag.
It was in this building that Tullus was sworn into office. Legatus Tullus was no more. He was now President Tullus Co Creseces, leader of the Republic of Bellnahgo, a federal subject of Russia.
Coming in, there had been much work to do. Imperial resistance, while minor, still plagued the city and many people were without homes due to the destruction caused by Russian forces.
To compensate for this, Tullus asked for more supplies to build housing and reconstruct the city, he was granted it. He also expanded the Bellnahgo People's Militia to form a reasonable policing force. More extensive training was given to them and proper uniforms were created to distinguish them from Imperial forces.
His efforts had been so far successful. The Russian "Krushchyovka" housing wasn't very eye catching, but the large capacity and cheap construction costs they boasted made them very appealing. Besides, they were equipped with electricity and indoor plumbing, two things none of the citizens had ever experienced before.
As a result of the Bellnahgo People's Militia, Imperial resistance had all but stopped. Though their methods were harsh, with hundreds of suspected loyalists being locked away, they were extremely effective. Because of them, the real Russian forces were able to sit back and relax.
The peace and stability brought by the Russians was an effective tool for swaying citizens to their side. Hunger relief, electricity, running water, housing, and an influx of wealth into the city made citizens start to prefer Russian rule over Imperial rule, even if it had come at the cost of thousands of lives.
Most notably, the former slaves were now equal citizens to everyone else. Old masters were driven out of their places of power and very quickly slaves capitalized on the situation while others grieved for their losses. They snatched up the vacuum left by dead merchants and craftsmen. Now former slaves ran the businesses while others worked for them.
In all, the city was changing beyond recognition and Tullus was driving it further down that path.
They were lost.
By all means, Viktor's squad should have arrived at Italica by now, but something was wrong and now they didn't know where they were. Maybe their map was faulty, maybe they took a wrong turn, Viktor didn't know what had happened.
Caelia was of no help either. She couldn't recognize where they were, only that they weren't on the main road. This had forced them to spend the better part of their day essentially going in circles.
They were out of radio range too, which meant if something went wrong they were truly fucked. Night was already falling and they'd have to make camp soon.
Viktor muttered out a swear. They'd successfully achieved nothing.
Not wanting to set up in the open, Viktor ordered their driver to head for a small bunch of trees. It would provide cover from dragons or wyverns or whatever the Empire used for aerial recon.
Viktor's squad dismounted. There wasn't all that much to set up, the squad slept on or inside the BTR making tents pointless. All they needed to do was take their IRPs and set up the small stoves that came with them.
"How the fuck did we get lost so easily…" Viktor wondered out loud.
Luka looked up from his stove. "None of our aircraft have gone this far south. The maps we're using are a result of limited ground recon mixed with local maps. It doesn't make for the most accurate maps."
"A major city like Italica can't be that hard to find though…" Alina complained.
"I'm sure we'll find it tomorrow. Just get some sleep." Viktor yawned.
They finished up their ration packs, Giselle finishing her third one, before heading to sleep. Viktor assigned watches so that at least one person would be awake at all times.
It was when the sun was just coming up that Viktor heard it. A loud thumping noise echoing across the land. Helicopters.
He sat up from his position on the top of the BTR. There was another noise too. It wasn't the sound of any machine, it was music. Wagner?
The rest of the squad was soon awake. Sergei was the first to spot the source of the noises. Several helicopters were flying in front of the rising sun, heading towards a large plume of smoke.
"Those aren't Russian helicopters," Igor muttered.
Tomas looked at them through his rifle's scope. "It's the Japanese."
That was bad. Viktor's orders were to avoid contact with the JSDF if possible. If his squad was spotted it could end very badly for them.
"Everyone down! We can't let them see us!" The squad clambered to follow Viktor's orders.
With their thick plant cover, Viktor hoped they'd be invisible to the helicopters while inside their patch of trees. As far as he knew, the government still hadn't made the Novinka gate public. It would be very hard to explain their appearance should the Japanese find them.
Sergei muttered a prayer, Viktor silently joined him.
The first sounds of gunfire reached Viktor's ears minutes later. Soon after, explosions followed. Viktor couldn't see what was happening, but the more and more smoke began to rise. They're not here for us, they're here for Italica.
It was only around ten minutes later that he stopped hearing the sounds of battle. As quickly as it started, the gunfire and explosions stopped. They must have taken the city.
Something wasn't right. Bellnahgo has taken hours to crack, yet they finished Italica in thirty minutes? Maybe they didn't have to face the same guerilla tactics we did. It could have also been that Italica was just smaller.
This presented a new problem. Viktor's mission was to investigate Italica, he couldn't do that if JSDF soldiers were occupying the city. He needed a new plan.
"Alright, get comfortable because we're not moving until we can be certain JSDF forces have left or we can find a way out of this place without being spotted." Viktor could hear his squad audibly groan when he said that. This was going to take a long time.
"President Malikov." Several cameras flashed as the president turned to face his next question. "What is your response to the Japanese reports about civilian casualties potentially caused by the JSDF in the Special Region. Will Russia be taking any diplomatic action?"
If only you knew. He smiled before responding, "It is the official belief of the Russian government that Japanese forces are doing what is necessary to ensure their country's safety. No diplomatic action is necessary and thus it will not be taken. Next question."
"How successful has the suppression of the terror cult in Novinka been? Will civilians be able to return to the area anytime soon?" a female reporter asked.
"Russian forces have bravely been fighting these terrorists with great success. However, it is the case that these extremists have resorted to guerilla tactics that will require significant time to deal with. All civilians have been successfully evacuated and provided with adequate housing, their safety is our highest priority." Malikov made his statement without revealing the falsehood behind it.
Another reporter stood. "Does the Russian government have any involvement with the recent disappearance of several journalists investigating Novinka?"
Malikov sighed, this is where it turned ugly. "Russian officials have no knowledge or involvement with the disappearances, however police reports indicate they strayed too far into the Novinka exclusion zone and were attacked by terrorists. Next question."
"What do you say to the documents released last Friday by the United States indicating that Russian forces were not in Novinka to fight terror groups, but instead for other purposes."
Malikov looked the reporter directly in the eye. "Have you read those documents?"
The reporter was clearly unprepared for this and fumbled his words. "I-I've read the nonclassified ones."
"I have read those documents, in them they reveal no specific evidence, no facts. Just assumptions, allegations, and conclusions based on the allegations, nothing more. If there was something specific or concrete, we could discuss that, but I've read none of that in the documents." Malikov had already had his answer before the reporter had finished her question, he'd prepared for everything.
Still, they couldn't keep the gate a secret forever.
"Next question."
The helicopters had left about an hour ago. Viktor had personally watched them as they flew back to what he presumed was the JSDF's main base. Despite this, he didn't want to move out yet.
Viktor's new plan was to wait until nightfall then do a quick observation of Italica's state before heading home and reporting their findings. With Caelia's knowledge, Viktor had managed to pin down where Italica's location was using the smoke they'd sighted.
"Sergeant! I see three JSDF vehicles on the road!" Tomas shouted out from his position on top of a small ridge. "Two trucks and one LAV!"
Fuck. Viktor pulled out his binoculars. Tomas was right, three JSDF vehicles sped down the road. He signalled for the squad to take up firing positions. Everyone went prone, hiding themselves among the greenery and aiming their weapons at the Japanese. Sergei and Kilment prepared their RPG, adjusting the sights to be able to hit their target.
"Don't fucking fire unless I give the order! Understand?!" Viktor shouted at them. Everyone was tense here and the last thing he wanted was to cause a skirmish with the Japanese.
Their BTR was thankfully hidden by a small indent in the ground, making it so only the very top of its turret was visible from the road. Both driver and gunner were inside, ready to spring into action.
Viktor suddenly spotted Giselle and Arpeggio still standing straight up on a ridge with little concern for hiding themselves. Keeping his head and body low, he ran over to the two and yanked them onto the ground. "You fucking morons! Get down!"
Both looked startled by Viktor's tone, but they followed his command. He heard Giselle mutter something about being more gentle next time. Viktor returned to his prone position and trained his Kalashnikov on the Japanese.
Tomas shouted out to him, "Mounted units moving in from the east!"
Viktor immediately shifted his view to the east. He could see at least twenty, maybe thirty, women in armor riding directly at the JSDF vehicles. They carried a banner with a rose on it above their heads.
"Luka, Alina, Demian, shift aim towards the mounted units!" Viktor was becoming less sure how well they'd do if things went hot.
Refocusing his attention, Viktor watched as the JSDF stopped within two hundred meters of the Russian's position and allowed the knights to approach them. A few words were exchanged before the white haired one drew her sword on a JSDF driver. The other knights followed suit and lowered their lances.
"Steady now…" Viktor whispered. He had to be quiet with the enemy so close. "Don't fire unless I order."
One of the JSDF soldiers stepped out of his vehicle and approached the knights, without a weapon. What the fuck is he doing? Several more words were exchanged and the man was slapped in the face. Why aren't they retaliating?
"Steady…"
Suddenly the vehicles started reversing, they turned around and took off in the other direction, fleeing the area. They left a man behind.
"What the fuck is wrong with these Japanese pricks…?" Kilment quietly wondered.
"Sergeant, are we just going to let those bastards take the Japanese man?" Alina asked Viktor.
"I uhh..." He honestly didn't know what to do. Viktor knew the Imperials didn't treat their prisoners kindly, but he had specific orders not to contact the Japanese.
"We can't leave them!" Demian protested with a sharp whisper.
Viktor shook his head. "Caelia, what's the standard procedure for enemy soldiers captured by the Imperial army?"
"Prisoner if important are ransomed. If not important, they be executed or enslaved," she spoke quietly due to her experience with hiding from the enemy.
"We can't take that risk…" Luka muttered.
He's right. Consequences be damned, we can't let this happen. Viktor took a deep breath. He pulled his mask up before suddenly standing up with his rifle raised. The rest of the squad followed suit.
"HALT!" he yelled at the top of his lungs in Saderan. The knights looked towards him.
Sprinting forward, he and his squad crossed the 200 meter gap in less than a minute, keeping their rifles ready. The knights chose to observe them as they ran out of cover. Viktor could hear the BTR rumble behind them as the driver moved to follow.
He signalled his squad to spread out when they got near the female knights. The BTR came up behind them with its main gun trained at the center of the mass of horses. Viktor could see the JSDF soldier had an uneasy smile on his face as he raised both hands in the air.
"Demian, tell that man to get his ass over here!" He couldn't risk letting the man get caught in the crossfire if something went wrong.
Demian nodded. "Koko ni kite!"
The Japanese soldier slowly backed away from the knights and made his way over to Viktor's squad.
"Priestess of Hardy, who are these men?! Why do you stand in our way?!" the white haired woman yelled to Giselle.
Giselle didn't get to respond before Caelia stepped forward. "They are the Masked Men, you Imperial scum! They are a hundred times more powerful than you will ever be!"
"You threaten us, mercenary?" The blonde one glared at Caelia. "Do you know who we are?!"
Viktor flicked off the safety on his Kalashnikov. He could see the others do the same while Arpeggio brought out some sort of necklace with beads on it.
Caelia unsheathed her sword. "You Imperials are all the same! Arrogant scumbags!"
The blonde one reared up her horse, clearly preparing to charge. Viktor couldn't let that happen.
With one accurate shot, he killed the blonde one's horse, causing her to go tumbling to the ground. Her comrades looked shocked by the gunshot.
Viktor took the opportunity to make his demands, "Drop weapons! Get off horse!"
As predicted, they chose not to follow his demands. Fortunately though, they didn't conduct the typical Imperial strategy of charging straight into them.
Instead, the blonde one was pulled up onto the white haired knight's horse and they rode around the men. The knights took off down the road, going straight towards where Viktor knew Italica was.
His whole squad let out a collective sigh of relief.
Things weren't all good though. Once again, Viktor had a problem. He'd just picked up a soldier who's squad had abandoned him, he had no idea what to do.
It was at this time the Japanese soldier decided to open his mouth, "Dare desu ka?" Viktor looked to Demian.
"He asked who we are."
Viktor sighed. "Tell him that's not important."
Chapter 10! I can't believe I've gotten so much support for this story. When I started I expected it to be mostly buried, but you guys are the best.
BattleUnit3: Thank you for the review, Russian settlers will start coming in but only once the government announces they have a gate.
Blood Business: Arpeggio vs Lelei contest is definitely happening.
Alarick07: Thank you, the driver and gunner for the BTR were made anonymous because honestly I was lazy and didn't want to create new characters for people that weren't going to have much action in the story, but as the plot progresses I may give them more stuff and give them characters.
anaspautina: I can say one thing only, Russia will not just be leaving the capital after a single raid.
Nicolas: Thank you, I appreciate the reviews.
Feerzo 14: Thanks, I might end up doing a JSDF perspective, but it's not currently planned out yet.
History Channel: I might have them give a little bit of Russian history for the intimidation factor.
GhostScorch: Thank you, more interaction between JSDF and Russia next chapter.
I think I was actually able to respond to everyone's reviews this time. Thanks for reading, please review!