Flying in low and fast, two UNSC aircraft landed on the helipad built near Palace Blancneige. Admiral Nakano disembarked from one of them, her hat under her arm. Behind her, Captain Ambroz had finally decided to get his feet on solid ground for a change. They'd come to visit a certain group of officers, namely the Alba and their two ONI spook twins. Higher above, a fighter of the San Magnolian Air Force flew.
The UNSC attempted a surreptitious rebuilding of the Air Forces of all nations with the promise of offering them XGBUs and other EMP-capable weaponry to disable the Legion's swarms before they could swing at them and dive into their intakes. The F-21 Air Superiority Fighter was among the first aircraft to incorporate the new tech, including the non-nuclear EMP cannons usually mounted on the Gremlins and a lighter Fusion engine which was still undergoing testing.
The Admiral couldn't tell from this far away, but remembered the blueprints. The F-21 was a sleek, rounded design with twin thrust-vectoring engines, meaning it had a hell of a lot of maneuverability. Admittedly, the necessity for a Fighter seemed to elude a lot of the high commands of all allied nations, but the UNSC knew better than to dismiss the Legion's own Air Capabilities as non-existent.
Beside the F-21, there'd be a ground attacker and a bomber built specifically for use by all nations, with the added bonus of streamlining avionics and equipment for ease of production. The UNSC's factory-ships, including the UNSC Spirit of Fire, remained untouched in the heavens above the Planet, churning away with the resources the mining drones were gathering from the Kuiper Belt of the system.
The woman hummed, then said, "Think the A-134's gonna be good?"
"The Wipeout's based on an old, rugged design from the late twentieth century. Once it gets into production, it's gonna be the most dangerous thing the Legion ground troops have faced since the Sparrowhawks in the Spirit of Fire's arsenal made themselves known," Captain Ambroz replied calmly, looking up at the F-21 dancing in the sky, the pilot probably having a blast as they did so.
"Hope that pilot doesn't knock him or herself out by testing the bird's maneuverability," Nakano noted, then smirked and said, "C'mon. Lena's probably waiting..." before turning to the bird and waving forth a newcomer. Clad in a scarlet uniform designed to resemble the napoleonic-era militaries. Golden epaulettes sat on the shoulders which fluttered in the wind, white dress pants and black dress shoes.
The young 'woman' that had come with them from their visit to Roa Gracia, more a strange amalgam of weirdness, seemed almost emotionless. Porcelain skin like that of an old statue's, bright azure eyes that adjusted weirdly to the light, jet-black hair caught in a bun on the back of her head and a strange golden gem and jewelry attached to her forehead. She looked around, then said, "So, this is the Republic..."
"Indeed," Nakano said, feeling a slight shiver. Roa Gracia's soldiers were the most terrifying thing she had seen since the Legion and the Eighty-Six were revealed to them. Still, she chose not to judge at this point. Anything to win a war, as the saying went, sadly. The Admiral motioned to her to follow them into the Palace Blancneige, then whispered to Ambroz, "That Idinarhok kid scares the living shit out of me with his dolls..."
"If we're allowed to replicate non-weird variants of them to replace ground teams in combat? Fuck, I think it's worth it," Ambroz remarked in a whisper.
"Agreed," Sighed Nakano as she pushed the door to the Palace open, finding it a hive of activity manned by both their staff and the Republic's newest Officer trainees and old reservists that wanted change and rejoined the military out of a sense of duty to their motherland. The trio regarded the hive of activity as the crews inside continued work, several of the staff present snapping salutes as they moved from one corner of the building to another, delivering files and other various menial tasks, including supply req forms and such.
The Admiral paused as she saw Lena and Karlstahl talking to a pair of younger officers of the UNSC, one of which belonged to the Supply Corps. Lena seemed focused, sharp and quick-witted as she explained whatever it was they were talking about with the two. Nakano and Amborz both looked to one-another, then smirked and approached, with the Roa Gracia girl close behind them.
Lena noticed them before they got too close, then smiled, ran up to them and saluted, stating, "Admiral Nakano, captain Ambroz! Good to see you two!"
"Apologies for the tardiness, Colonel," The Admiral said jovially, "We just got caught up in the talks with the United Kingdom."
"Oh. How'd it go?" She raised a brow.
"We're allowed to deploy troops on their territory. Once at least five more Republic Divisions are ready and armed, we'll be redeploying a portion of what we have here. Otherwise, we've already started sending an advance force. Rest of the Army and Marine units aboard are being kept as a QRF, though," The Admiral replied calmly. She looked back to the Roa Gracia girl and said, "Ella, this is Colonel Vladilena Milizé. She's the officer commanding much of our effort in the Republic and our liaison to the wider San Magnolia military."
Ella, though seemingly surprised for a moment, gave Lena a quick once-over and saluted, "Ma'am. Sirin Alkonost operator, code name 'Ella', at your service."
"Oh... Hi...?" Lena replied cautiously, saluting, "Uhm..."
"It's a really long story," The Admiral noted, "And a really fucking terrifying one... I'm sure Ella can bring you up to speed."
"How so?" Lena raised a brow.
"Because I have been assigned under your command as a future liaison to the United Kingdom's Forces. I am told we're expecting a Large Scale Offensive from the Legion," Ella replied as straightforward as she could, "Command wants me to act as a representative to the Republic during this combat while the last details are put in place in regards to forming a specialized combat group with the help of the UNSC."
"I see," Lena nodded, "Welcome to the Republic of San Magnolia, miss Ella."
"Thank you, Colonel. I shall serve to the best of my abilities..." The girl stated. Lena then looked upon the two UNSC officers as an awkward silence set in between the four of them. A silence Ella decided to break by stating, "Perhaps we should... Get to work, Colonel...?" to which the young maiden of the Republic jumped. She nodded, showing Ella to follow her and bidding a respectful goodbye via salute to the Captain and Admiral.
"They're good kids..." Murmured Nakano, smiling.
"Definitely," Ambroz replied, before bringing his hand up to the communication device in his ear. He nodded, replying, "Roger," and turning to the Admiral, "Reports have finally come in from the Federacy. We've got a couple of situations that need tending to. One of them involves an old SanMag FOB near the Old Border with the Empire. Report given by... Well..." He smirked, "Guess who."
The Admiral took a moment to process this, before flashing a grin, "It took the Federates long enough to tell us they're alive. Can I go tell Lena?"
He shook his head, "Sorry. I feel like we'll need to be in the Federacy soon enough, so it'll have to wait. You also need to assign a strike force to deal with the FOB. Kids said it's important to do so now, apparently..." to which she sighed and nodded. He spoke, "We'll leave a message for the President. 'Till then, tell me who I should patch you through to."
"The Spirit of Fire. Rest of its forces need to stretch their legs a bit," Noted the woman, "Give me the report while we're starbound. I need to read it. Send a copy to Captain Cutter as well and tell him to contact Red Team. I'd like for us to have our best on the ground before we send in any other troops... Plus, they're in the same FOB as Spearhead was. Shorter distance to travel."
"Understood, ma'am," He nodded as the two clambered back aboard a Pelican.
"Short stint downstairs," Murmured the Admiral as the aircraft's engines powered and they took off. She felt the rumble of atmospheric exit as the aircraft shook slightly. Ahead of the gunship was the Fleet, still in orbit and still just casually waiting for targets. They had the ammo, they had the equipment to process the ores they set out to get and they had everything they pretty much needed.
Meanwhile, on the ground, Lena continued the tour of the Palace Blancneige, leading Ella around the nerve center of San Magnolia's and the UNSC's operations in this sector of the Continent. UNSC Officers had noticeably also deployed planetside to help the San Magnolian military continue its training, with Lena herself still receiving some degree of instruction on how to best command her forces. Adding that onto her already veteran-tier skills meant that she would hopefully be able to effectively counter any Legion assaults.
"Quite interesting that the Republic would choose the royal palace of the former kingdom as their military's command center," Noted Ella as the two strolled through the halls.
"I think command figured it better to have the HQ in a big enough building. Plus, if I recall correctly, this place has some underground catacombs that have been set up as underground command posts should we need to retreat there," Lena replied, then waved to a few of the new officer corps recruits. She continued, "The UNSC's already working on improving the place, adding EMP-resistant materials and the like just in case we do have to move our command below the surface."
"Catacombs converted to air raid shelters and command posts," Murmured Ella, "Interestingly fitting..."
"Yeah," She smiled, then paused as a Lieutenant belonging to the UNSC approached. He saluted Lena, then handed her a tablet. She hummed, her expression that of confusion as she thumbed it for the biometric scan to open, then her smile returned. She handed the tablet to Ella, so the girl might see what had gotten the Colonel grinning ear to ear.
She paused as she saw the aircraft. Bulky, rugged, its wings flattened out at the tips. and its engines located in aerodynamic nacelles between the main wings and the rear ailerons and the twin rudders at their tips. It had a capability of carrying armament on twelve separate pylons and even hitting targets with precision-guided munitions while flying low and fast, but its main armament was an ancient design brought back from the dead for the Allied Air Forces, one that could tear into the enemy's more lightly-armored units...
A thirty millimeter, seven-barrel cannon sat offset to the left, next to the in-built full-view targeting pod just below the cockpit, its ammo count capping off at around eighteen-hundred rounds and its fire rate at four thousand rounds per minute. The ammunition read as "Depleted Uranium, Thirty Millimeter, Anti-Wraith". A massive shell about length of her forearm and just about as thick in the casing, with a round that'd be fired out at breakneck speed.
"The A-134 Wipeout's based on an old design, the UNSC says, but they've upgraded it for in-atmosphere tank-hunting, specifically to hunt the aliens they've been fighting for a while," Lena explained, a smile on her face, "Guess they figured it's as good a place as any to test its tankbusting capabilities by throwing it against the Legion's warframes. Procurement office said it's on a ten-year plan to buy at least three squadrons, or up to 90 aircraft. Well, 'buy'. Acquire them. UNSC's willing to let us produce them ourselves, so..."
"How very kind of them... Why?" She raised a brow.
"They've proven to act in the world's best interest by siding with us, helping the coup and a few other things," She shrugged.
"Yes, that's what I'm asking. Why? What would their endgoal in helping a less-advanced mankind in their wars be?" Ella inquired, to which Lena simply squinted, confused. She spoke again, "It's quite illogical to dedicate your forces to helping someone you don't even know, especially if you're a spacefaring naval force that seeks a way to return home. How do you know they'd be friendly to you?"
"Well, we can't exactly look gift horses in the mouth..." Lena shrugged, "Plus, they lost a force of special ops to the Legion, so..."
"Ah, so it's also a bit of payback," Ella murmured.
"Yeah," Lena chuckled, "Anyways, the first test of the Wipeout's bound to start. That's what the Lieutenant was here to tell me. If you wanna tag along, we can watch its first runs," and she motioned toward the outdoors areas of the Palace. Ella made a mental note that the Colonel was the friendly type, openly welcoming newcomers that wanted to aid them on the front-lines. A weird one, but understandable. Hope in mankind still existed among the youth.
... Alas, perhaps that hope would be dashed...?
In the catacombs below, tunnels which spanned the entire city were now occupied, not by rats and other wild animals as one would expect. At least Yvonne knew she was being dragged through the underground right now. She could feel the smell through the knapsack that had been placed over her face. Deep within the catacombs, the woman was gently set onto the floor on all fours, before the knapsack was removed.
"Barbarians," Murmured the woman as she stood up and turned, "How dare you bastards do this to m-" And she paused as she saw members of the Republic Military. Namely, soldiery that had opposed the coup, as it seemed, but managed to escape. Both of the men wore black helmets and vests over tattered desert BDUs and both carried Republic battle rifles in their hands and pistols in holsters.
"Apologies for the rough welcome," Stated a voice from behind her. A man's voice. She turned around, a chill shooting up her spine as she remembered. A fellow Alba, his silver hair buzzcut and the small handlebar moustache clearly dirtied by the place. He pushed his rounded glasses up onto the bridge of his nose, then turned to face her, revealing the dirty General's uniform and the soot-blackened epaulettes.
"G-General Puaud..." All color drained from Yvonne's face as she stared at the scarred man sitting before her. Around him, in the dark, several more figures resided, including infantrymen that protected each tunnel to and from this centralized hub where they could meet. In the middle of the meeting area, resided a large table with pitchers of various drinks. A central light beat down on it and the marble floor of this strange bunker.
"A pleasure to see you well, miss Primevére," He replied, stepping fully into the light to reveal the extent of his scars. Burn marks reached from his chest and left arm up to the left side of his face, draping over his eyelid and up to the receding hairline. In his left hand, he held up an ornate pipe which he slid between his lips, taking a drag from the tobacco inside, before puffing the smoke to the side, "You were lucky we found you before the New Republic sent you out to the maximum security stockade."
"... These are your men?" She motioned to the soldiers behind her. Professional-looking, stone-faced and with eyes unbetraying of any emotion.
"Indeed. Quite professionally trained, if I may say so myself," He stated, "Unlike anything the Republic has had before. All of them, loyal to me and me alone..." And he approached Yvonne, offering her a hand. She took it and was lifted to her feet. He spoke, "You are the last of those I could get to this little meeting of the minds. We all are aware of what has happened."
"Is this about the Coup?" She asked, a hint of anger behind her voice as she recalled the humiliating downfall of the Republic.
"Yes," He replied, "These traitors to the Republic and their masters. They took our beautiful country from us and perverted it into something it was never supposed to be. Even prior, we had grown abhorrently weak and docile, letting ourselves believe this War would end without revenge..." And he turned to face the rank and file present. Yvonne soon recognized some of them despite the darkness. Ministers that had opposed the change in government, military staff and officers that just outright abhorred the new Regime.
"And you want to restore it to what it once was?" She asked, smirking.
"No," The General replied, his voice hard as he stared her square in the eye. She staggered, taking two steps back, to which he said, "I want to change the Republic for the better myself... But a betterment for her true citizens, rather than some rejects from other nations like the Colorata. I want to make San Magnolia's dreamed land for us, an Utopia for the Alba and Alba alone. One free of the impurity and corruption of both what had been before the coup and what is now, with the new, pro-Alien leadership in place."
"It's going to take more than a few angry revanchists to change the current leadership," Murmured Yvonne, "Especially so recently after the Coup..."
"Which is why we will wait for them to get comfortable," The man said, turning back toward the table, "As our agents infiltrate deeper into the ranks and prepare. I have much reason to believe the Legion is set to strike at all countries. That is our chance to recover San Magnolia. We will do everything in our power to make sure that it succeeds in destroying this country."
"WHAT?!" Yvonne gasped, doubling over as if she had been punched in the gut. With no color remaining on her face, she demanded "You want our people to die?!"
"Just those who sided with the traitors and their little Coup," He replied calmly, taking another drag from the pipe. He continued, clouds of smoke leaving his mouth as he spoke to her, "Those that wish to be saved will hide here, in the Catacombs... Where the great heroes of San Magnolia's revolution against our oppressive kings and queens now rest. And, from here, the new Republic will rise. One not held back by the notions and hedonism of the old Royalty, nor by those of a current, equalist government so weak as to surrender itself to a bunch of Xenos... A Republic of the strong. One that will lead this world in reconstruction."
Yvonne didn't know what to say, or whether to be horrified or happy that she was among those selected to be part of this New Order. She stood there, mouth agape, staring at the man. She looked around at the rest of those around, their faces slightly obscured by the darkness. Even past it, she could see they stared with a combination of pride and fear at the man and at her. The soldiers, however, were mostly a prideful bunch.
She swallowed air, then asked, "What do you need me for...? I was one of the least important of the old governments."
The man turned toward her, then smiled. It was a cold smile, devoid of any true emotion and backed by two grey, hate-filled eyes. A cold chill ran up her spine, causing her to straighten up. He spoke, "Quite the contrary. The face of the propaganda machine of San Magnolia, the one who has kept our people unaware of the Eighty-Six and the treatment they receive for the better part of a decade? Why, I'd say you may be the most important cog in this machine I seek to construct."
"... A Minister of Truth, then," She asked, her heart sinking, "You... Want me to build up this little... Thing... Of yours? So that we may get recruits?"
"Yes," He nodded, "A portion of the population remains undecided on if this United Nations Space Command-led coup and the subsequently installed government are going to be good for the country. We will need to sway them to our side, so that they, too, may be saved when the time of the Purge comes," And he extended his hand to her, "What do you say, Yvonne? Help us save our country and you will be raised on a pedestal as a Hero in this new Alban Utopia."
The woman looked around at the soldiers, then asked, "And what do we call this little organization, then?"
"The Ordenstaat," He replied, smiling dangerously, then added, "Rather Giadian, I am aware, but believe me when I tell you, we have our reasons for electing this name."
She had little choice. Either she accepted this and partook in what would presumably have been the greatest crime that San Magnolia has ever committed against its own, or she refused and died by the guns of the armed guards in the room, to be made an example of anyone who denied it. Yvonne did love San Magnolia and what it had once been, even in the past. She sighed, then gripped the man's hand, stating, "Very well, general. Let us build this utopia you speak of."
He nodded, "Very good, Yvonne. Very good..."
"If..." She started before the man turned, "I may ask... Where are we?"
He smiled with malicious glee, then showed her to follow him. The two walked under the watchful gaze of several of the man's guards toward an alcove. Inside it, there was a single sarcophagus made of stone, its top lifted off and set aside, leaning against the wall of the eerily-decorated burial item in the middle of what seemed to be a crypt. Ancient devices of some kind lay in the corner of each room, she now noticed, all of them made of a silver alloy, all obscured by the darkness somewhat.
She stopped dead, however. Before her eyes lay a beautiful Alba woman with flowing silver hair. She was clad in a beautiful white dress and gripped an ornate sword with both hands, the blade pointed toward her feet. On her head, there was a tiara of silver with blue gems and, below her, lay the first standard of the Republic of San Magnolia from its Revolution times.
All were perfectly preserved...
"... My God..." Yvone whispered, noticing the injuries and the scarring, just like the history books wrote of her death. She blinked, covering her mouth, then looked to the General, who was finally, genuinely smiling out of joy. She then asked, "is she alive...?"
"She lives in all of us," The man replied, "And she will return to us soon, as the clock strikes midnight on the fateful day of the Purge."
Yvonne suddenly felt a pit in her stomach. She was fairly certain that she had just made the biggest mistake of her life by deciding to tag along with them. Then again, what choice did she have. She let out a mere concerned "Oh," as she and the General loomed over the incredibly-well-preserved corpse of the woman who martyred herself to bring to them the Republic they knew. "How? Her corpse had gone missing...?"
"She was laid to rest here after the Revolution, so that none may desecrate her body," He replied, "Now... Let us move. We have much work to do."
Yvonne certainly regretted even letting herself be dragged here now...