I said I would have it all one chapter, but it turned into a bit of a jumbled mess. The next chapter should be out by this upcoming weekend. Hope everyone is staying safe and sane.
This We Will Defend
"They told (us) to open up the Embassy, or "we'll blow you away." And then they looked up and saw the Marines on the roof with these really big guns, and they said in Somali, 'Igaralli ahow,' which means 'Excuse me, I didn't mean it, my mistake.'"
Karen Aquilar, in the U.S. Embassy; Mogadishu, Somalia, 1991
1700 HOURS FALMART TIME CAMP ALNUS
"Welcome home Count."
Formal's jaw dropped as he exited the military truck and stood in front of the main administration building.
The last few months had felt like a blur to Count Formal. He had learned much of the world beyond the gate and the powers the Empire had foolishly declared war on. America, Japan. These were the names burned into his mind as a long and arduous learning process had been hammered in. It was an enlightening if not terrifying experience, yet a small part of him held onto hope.
He was still alive and the strange men with the CIA* promised him a chance to return home, back to Italica. Back to his daughter and the power he had sacrificed so much to attain.
But as he stood in the center of the enemy's fortress in Alnus, he still felt like a foreigner, even in his own home.
What were once verdant fields he used to ride his horse through had since been replaced by buildings and military engineering? The contraptions that he learned were called helicopters and jets frequently took off from some unseen part of the fortress and soared through the skies above. Everywhere he looked he saw military precision, the raw power of a force the Empire could never hope to beat.
Would this happen to Italica too? Falmart? No, his dealings with the CIA and America would ensure at least his slice of the proverbial pie would remain intact.
"Impressive isn't it?" The CIA agent escorting the count lowered his ballcap over thick sunglasses with a smirk. "See what we meant earlier?"
"Intimidating was the word I would use, but yes." Formal responded with no hint of melancholy as he watched as a jet shrieked into the deep blue skies. "This is certainly not the Alnus I remember."
"Not much is going to be as you remember it, Count. Just like things on our side of the gate are never going to be the same."
Formal shook his head. "A price to pay for what we did."
"Indeed, but you can help turn this around." The agent nodded. "Starting today."
Resolve filled the Count's heart, it was this same resolve that helped him adjust to his new prosthetic limbs. The flesh and steel itched under the new earth clothing he wore. It was called a suit and Formal had grown very fond of both it and the other styles he had tried. "I will see Italica today?"
"Yes, our forces are there now and are defending it as we speak. Soon as things are in good order we will take you there."
"Then let us not delay, take me to your leaders." The count took the initiative and confidently walked towards the main building and the new future that awaited him. "Myui, I'm coming home."
1800 HOURS FORMAL ESTATE ITALICA
It always felt nice to be the heroes, the proverbial cavalry coming in to save the day at the last second. At least, that's how the current situation made Aldritch and Itami feel. To say Italica's situation had been FUBAR before their arrival would have been the understatement of the century. That sentiment started with the miserable situation outside and worsened with them meeting the young girl and her maids acting as the governing body of Italica.
The meeting commenced in a lavish meeting room and at the end of a long table. Flanked on either side by demi-human maids the countess was a dainty thing, barely older than 11 by the looks of things. Yet, her determined blue eyes, royal uniform, and short neatly kept brown hair belied an air of maturity. Simply put, the girl had been through hell and she was doing her best to keep things in control.
"Countess Myui." Roger bowed his head and gestured towards the two soldiers. "This is Captain Aldritch and Lieutenant Itami."
Myui quickly stood up, her long crimson cloak flowing down behind her. "These are the ones who defeated the Flame Dragon?"
"We are with the Coalition, yes." Itami took off his helmet and mimicked Roger's gesture. "And we would like to help you here."
"I have seen it with my own eyes, m'lady." Piña nodded. "The steel beasts and the one whose armor could not be bested by the dragon's might."
The rabbit maid on Myui's right perked her head up upon hearing this information.
"By the gods." Myui sighed and collapsed back in her chair. "We are saved then."
"So long as we can get the situation under control, yes." Aldritch kept his M4 slung and approached the map that was on the table. "What's the current situation of the enemy forces beyond?"
"Not good, but nothing we cannot handle." Roger slung his weapon and pointed at a series of circles drawn around the city. Prior to you getting here, we sent a few drones up."
"Drones?" Myui inquired as she sheepishly got up to look at the map.
"It is what allows us to see things from the sky. They are scouts." Itami answered.
"That would explain a great many defeats." Gray shook his head. "So these 'drones' seem to have confirmed what I already knew, your highness. We are indeed surrounded."
Piña furrowed her brow and sighed. "Astute as ever Gray, but I suppose our newfound allies have a solution for this?"
Aldritch blew some air out from between his lips as he took in the tactical situation. "Yeah…yeah, I think I can drum something up here." The captain turned his attention to Itami. "Do you have any ideas Lieutenant?"
Itami took a closer look at the map. "Your tanks split off into sections of two and repulse the Northern and Western approaches. My team can defend the Eastern approach." The lieutenant paused and began tapping his lips with an index finger. "Break their offense and push into a counter offense? We get on the horn with mainside and coordinate with air assault units?"
"And they flush out any pockets of resistance, break the enemy's retreat. Exactly what I was thinking." Aldrtich nodded somewhat impressed. It was a pretty simple strategy all things considered, but he had seen plenty of other officers muck up simpler missions.
"So what about you and your boys?" Aldritch raised an eyebrow at Roger. "Going to sit this one out?"
"We have a mortar with some smoke and illumination rounds." Roger shrugged. "Unless you feel like trying to coordinate the air."
"Less workload for me, you got any HE?"
"Course we fuckin' do." Roger replied flatly.
"That just leaves the Southern approach then." Itami pointed at the southern part of Italica. Unlike the other routes, the southern road into Italica was channeled into a narrow path between two forested plateaus. At the end of it a long bridge served as the only path into the city over a river.
"That, my knights can handle." Piña answered confidently. "Our enemy has preferred that route least, they can't mount an offense large enough to get through."
Gray beat a gauntlet against his chest plate. "I swear to you we will hold."
"If the two mages and Rory assist that would be an extra boon to our efforts. The princess turned her attention to Aldritch. "That leaves one last matter. Captain, when you lead the counteroffensive, I wish to be there with you." Piña's grip on her sword tightened. "I will run my blade through the enemy leader's chest."
"Not going to happen." Aldritch retorted. "We can handle it ourselves."
"I will not sit on the side and let my en-" Piña paused to correct herself. "Temporary allies fight our battles for us. The people need to see that we are not so willing to give up."
"With all due respect your majesty you are just going to get in the way-"
"Why because I am a woman?"
"No, because of how we fight. The last thing I need is to accidentally open fire on you."
Piña stomped. "Then stay your hand! Or can you not control your zeal?!"
"Our zeal?" Aldritch scoffed. "It was yours that started this war and I am not going to let someone who does not even look old enough to drink yet talk to me about-"
"Okay okay!" Roger stepped between the two leaders with hands raised. "Hey now hey now, let us just calm down."
Aldritch and Piña grumbled. It was a pointless back and forth.
"Both of you are right, so maybe we can find some sort of common ground?" Roger looked at Aldritch. "Captain, I have seen her fight, she is pretty capable with a sword and her fighting alongside us sends a very strong message." The operative chuckled. "Hey, could make for some pretty good art too."
"I agree." Itami nodded. "W-with the message of course, the art is uh, obviously not as important."
Defeated, Aldritch sighed. "I will instruct my men to hold their fire and signal for you to advance with us. Just understand this will limit our fire."
"And if things become too overwhelming I will stay near your 'tank'." The battle of wits had gone in her favor, but Piña was not one to let a good victory go to waste. She smirked before extending a hand. "Surely you can pledge to protect a lady of royal blood?"
Seeing this gesture Roger switched back to English and muttered under his breath. "This is the part where you kiss her hand."
"I am not doing that."
"Do it, it'll score major brownie points. Just say some hammy knightly shit, it's what they do here."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, don't they teach you Marine officers etiquette or some shit?"
"I hate this place." Aldritch bit his bottom lip before putting on his best smile and taking a knee. He took Piña's hand in his, despite the callouses, her skin was remarkably smooth and cool to the touch. It was small compared to his own, deceptive considering how skilled she was with a sword.
"I Captain Aldritch, do pledge to protect her highness, Princess Piña Co Lada, while she is by my uh-"
"Yes?" Piña was enjoying this far more than she'd like to admit.
"-In my charge." Aldritch quickly planted a kiss on her hand eliciting a few quickly stifled giggles from one of the maids and a gasp from a now stunned Hamilton.
"I do hear this pledge and hold you to it." Piña smiled. "You may rise Aldritch, consider this pledge a symbol of our trust and cooperation."
"You should feel honored Captain Aldritch, I didn't think her highness possessed the vernacular to make such a pledge." Gray chuckled. "And she did it with a man who was her enemy just a few hours ago-"
"Enough Gray." Piña snapped back, discouraging her subordinate from further jests.
"Well, looks like all is well then." Roger clapped his hands. "Countess Myui Italica is in good hands, we swear by this."
Still embarrassed but otherwise unfazed Aldritch got back on his feet and fixed his vest. "I need to head back and talk to my men. We will begin preparations at once."
"So it begins." Myui collapsed back into her chair. War was not her forte, nor was leading a town. It was taking a toll on the young girl's mind. "Italica will soon see peace."
"Yes, yes you will." Itami chimed in confidently with a thumbs up. "You just leave things to us."
Myui had seen Roger and his comrades perform the gesture many times before. It was supposed to mean that everything was alright. The countess gave an awkward thumbs up just as the troops began to take their leave.
FORESTS NEAR ITALICA
Inside a dimly lit tent, the leader of the Vassal remnants slammed his fists on a table, sending bags of coins and other various knick-knacks scattering. Next to him, a siren and one of the remnants' few remaining magic users, almost jumped out of her chair.
"Why here, why now?!" The leader looked back up at the scouts that had delivered the bad news. "And you are sure it was them?"
"Yes, the very same tan monsters at Alnus that wiped out the War Elephants of Elbe." The lead responded solemnly. "One of the soldiers almost killed us."
"Damnit!" The leader spat.
"There is other news sire, dire ones."
"What could be worse?!"
The lead scout gulped. "I….I am not sure how to tell you-"
"Out with it!"
"Rory Mercury is working with them!"
Things within the tent became deathly quiet for a few moments. The leader of the remnants could only stand there shocked, almost slack-jawed. Everything they had done, all the sacrifices they had made. Ruined, all for naught.
Another leader within the tent pointed an accusatory finger. "See this!? I told you, I told you we should have just gone home! Punishment has come for our blind lust for revenge!"
The siren got up from a stump serving as a chair. "Surely I and the others can challenge her? She cannot possibly take all of us on."
"Are you an idiot? Have you never heard the tales?" The other leader shook his head. "The fact she is even here is a portent."
"And what would you have us do? Runaway?!"
"Yes, I would dammit! This is madness, can we not just lay down our arms and surrender?!"
"No! Not when we are so close." The leader returned his attention to the scouts. "How many of the tan behemoths were there?"
"Four my liege."
"So, it is them and a small group of weakened Rose Order Knights." The leader scoffed. "We still have the siege engines and the advantage of numbers. It will be a tough fight, but if we can take and fortify Italica, we may yet prevail."
He clenched a fist. "Putting that whore princess Piña's head on a pike. If I could do that then my quest would be complete and I might yet die a fulfilled life."
"You?! What about us?!" The other leader stood there flabbergasted.
"You can leave if you want, take your chances on the roads beyond surrounded by enemies."
Silence.
"Then it is settled." The leader folded up the map and rubbed his tired eyes. "We attack tonight, ready yourselves and make peace with whichever god you favor curry to. If we die, know that we leave this world enacting some measure of revenge against those who wronged us."
There were no war cries or boasts, everyone inside knew in their heart of hearts what was about to happen. With the battle plan, flawed as it was, set in motion. The remnants returned to their men and prepared to march to their doom.
Hours later
2400 HOURS, ITALICA DEFENSIVE PERIMETER
The last rays of sunlight had long disappeared over the horizon, bathing the lands in never-ending darkness. Fortunately, it was a cloudless sky which meant the moon and stars offered some small measure of light.
Not that it mattered to the Marines and Japanese soldiers in and around Italica. They were just as proficient in fighting at night as they were in the day. Especially against an enemy who lacked night vision. The plan had already been laid out and everyone knew their roles. Now it was just a matter of carrying it out and ending this nightmare for the citizens of Italica.
In the multicolored lit turret interiors of their tanks, the Marines anxiously waited for the order to attack. Not because they were looking for action or a chance to save the day, but because they were ready to head back to Alnus and get some RnR in. They were tired, smelly, and most importantly, starting to get agitated.
Kincaid sighed in relief as he took a swig from his thermos. Wilkes had made field coffee for the crew and it was a welcome respite on a chilly night such as this.
"You don't think these guys are dumb enough to fucking try something right?" The gunner capped his thermos and returned it to a storage bin before looking back in his thermals. "I mean, I get they were betrayed and all, but c'mon. This is suicide."
"Rage is a hell of a motivator my man. Maybe they just want to go out with a bang." Elton responded from within his station. Like Kincaid, he too kept an ever-watchful eye on the road ahead.
"Hell of fuckin' bang boss man." Benitez chimed in. "Well if that's what they want, we'll give it to em'. If it means these people are safe."
"You believe in that shit huh? Saving people and whatnot." Wilkes chuckled. Unlike the rest of the crew, he was enjoying the fresh air outside the tank. He loved the cold and more importantly, he loved the promise of being able to shoot his 240. "Tankers ain't heroes my dude, you got some sort of bleeding-heart for these people?"
"Si, I do. I think it's a noble cause man." Benitez folded up his manga and stowed it behind an instrument panel. "Feels good to be doing something good for once, a clear enemy and a clear goal."
"That's what they told us in Afghanistan too." Kincaid grumbled. "And hey, check it out, we're still fucking there."
"This ain't Afghanistan ese, c'mon have some faith!"
"I admire your pluck, I really do." Kincaid scoffed and shook his head. He remembered a time when he was still fresh in the Marines. Time in the service had taken a lot of that optimism away as did the pain of loss. "Fine, let's go save the day or whatever the fuck." The gunner spun his hand and rolled his eyes.
"Both of ya'll need to miss me with that gay-hol' up." A blur in his optics caused Elton to quickly traverse his .50. Sure enough, he could see them, the rank and file medieval soldier they had grown accustomed to fighting. He watched as they fumbled about in the darkness with torches, setting up crude siege engines and getting their forces into position. This was it, the prelude to battle.
"Three, Four. You see our friends down the road?"
On the opposite side of the road and parallel to Here We Go Again, Belligerent Three's turret traversed in the direction of the enemy. "Yep, multiple sets of troops. Siege engines and cavalry."
"Copy, gonna send it up."
"So they're doing this then." Kincaid cracked his knuckles. "Right then. Guess there's still killing to do."
"Seems so."
The gunner glanced at the kill tallies sharpied onto the turret wall. He started the countback when the invasion kicked off, a fruitless endeavor. He had lost count once the number got into the triple digits.
He wasn't proud of it, if anything, he was more turned off by it than anything else. This wasn't a conventional war against a near-peer enemy. It was a glorified clean-up job.
Now Kincaid was about to raise that kill count even higher. The gunner sighed and raised his balaclava, it was going to be a long messy night.
2400 HOURS CAMP ALNUS AIRFIELD
Van Hauser and the other Marines huffed and puffed down the tarmac towards the waiting helicopters. Next to them, several Japanese squads did the same.
In true military fashion, the order to move out had been given suddenly and without a lot of details. Some important market town called Italica was under attack, so it was up to the infantry to shore up the defense and kill whatever idiots dared to piss the coalition off. Evidently, it was going to be their new home too as everyone had been instructed to bring their heavy Ilbe* packs along. What didn't make sense, at least to Van Hauser, was why there was a sheepish-looking elderly man in a suit sitting next to him on board the CH53.
The lieutenant buckled himself in and shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. "Hey, who's this guy?!"
Next to the local, a middle-aged man wearing khakis and high-speed gear leaned in and smiled from behind thick combat goggles. "Count Formal, just so happens to be the guy in charge of the town we're about to save!"
"Awfully far away from home!" An inquisitive Boyd chimed in from next to Van Hauser.
"Well yeah, he was there at Ginza. Just don't tell the Japs that!"
"Yeah, probably a good idea!"
All of the Marines including Van Hauser grunted as the helicopter blades began to pick up speed, lifting the heavy-duty transport copter up and into the air. Meanwhile, Count Formal held on for dear life. Seeing helicopters was one thing, riding inside them, an entirely different matter.
Van Hauser looked out the back of the dimly lit red interior of the helicopter and past a crew chief. Behind the helicopter, various other transports and gunships flew in formation away from the city of lights at Camp Alnus and over the rolling plains of Alnus.
What was most interesting were the two Hueys with loudspeakers that trailed behind. Van Hauser had caught a glimpse of the names stenciled on their tails before he had gotten aboard the 53. Wagner and Beethoven, ironic considering neither of them was playing anything close to classical music. No, they had chosen some generic American rock and were gleefully blasting it through the skies for all to hear. Including the soon to be terrified forces attacking Italica. It wasn't the first time the tactic was used and it likely wasn't going to be the last.
"Foo Fighters?! Seriously?!"
"Hey Everlong is dope, fuck you!"
"Sir! I forgot to tell you!" Van Hauser perked his head up as the platoon corpsman reached over and patted one of his knee pads.
"That feline we rescued back at the checkpoint?!
"Yeah?!"
"Oh, she's doing well, figured you'd want to know! She was looking for you!"
"Oh! Well, damn I guess!"
Van Hauser shrugged with just a slight hint of melancholy. Perhaps he'd get to see her again. For now, he had to focus on the task at hand. Getting to Italica before the tanks took all the glory. That or the jets that had just screamed past the helicopters.
ITALICA DEFENSIVE PERIMITER
"My lady! You must wake up!"
Piña had been meditating under a tree near Aldritch's tank when Hamilton shook her awake. It was time for battle and the sounds of the two tan behemoths coming to life were the herald.
The battle would be hectic once things had gotten started and Aldritch would be unable to communicate with her. So, Itami had given Piña a strange device that allowed her to communicate with Aldritch, even from afar. They called it a radio and it was how their soldiers communicated and coordinated their battle plans. Fitting, considering the man had taken a pledge to keep her safe, an achievement that the princess was still quite proud of.
"Very well, let us not be found wanting." The princess got up and mounted her horse, Hamilton doing the same.
"What strange times these are. Fighting alongside our enemy from another world."
"You are quite confident, all things considered." Hamilton gulped. "We still have to survive tonight."
"We will survive tonight." Piña responded confidently as she nudged her childhood friend and fellow knight. "You won't get to know that handsome fellow on the other tank if you die here."
"I w-what?! I have not the slightest idea what you are talking about!"
"Hamilton, I have known you for years. I know when you are sizing up a potential suitor. You had that same look in your eyes with that Ellbean Knight years ago." The princess chuckled. "You were awestruck when he let you aboard his iron steed, perhaps there was something else you wished to ride?"
"Stop that!" Even in the darkness, Piña could tell Hamilton's face was turning red. "You are one to talk, getting Knightley pledges from enemy captains!"
"Merely a strategic move." Piña responded proudly.
"If you say so." Hamilton huffed. "You are not the only one who possesses knowledge of others."
"Well, now that we know he has caught your eye perhaps you can explain to me how he did in the first place?"
"...I am not sure." Hamilton muttered under her breath.
"Do you even know his name?"
"There is a slight language barrier between us..."
Piña rubbed her temple. "So you admit you are attracted to a man whose name you are not privy to and who also just so happens to serve the army the Empire is at war with?" The princess shook her head. "After just one day? I see some things never change with you."
"Do not chastise me!" Hamilton pointed back at her superior and close friend. "You made that man pledge to keep you safe, such a thing does not just expire overnight and it most certainly involves a deepening of bonds!"
Piña chuckled, her plan worked. "Dearest Hamilton I do not chastise you. I am actually impressed with how bold a decision you have made."
"I-what?"
The princess gave the now confused Hamilton's shoulder pauldron a reassuring smack. "I approve, now you must survive this night and learn who your soon-to-be suitor is." She put a finger under her chin and smiled. "His name is Hicks by the way and he is seconded to Aldritch in command of their unit, if you were curious."
"Thank you." Hamilton grumbled as she fidgeted with the reigns.
Her subordinate's resolve renewed, Piña picked up her radio and depressed a button atop it just as Itami had shown her. "Captain Aldritch, how goes the preparations? My sword arm aches for battle."
"I have been instructed by my superiors to try and reason with the enemy."
"W-what?! Why?! They are traitors to their homes and their people!" Piña almost fell off her horse hearing this absurdness. "Was such an olive branch offered to our armies!?"
"It was once we learned your language." Piña could see Aldritch rise up from within his vehicle with some sort of strange white cone in his hands.
"And if they refuse?"
A dull thud went off from within Italica followed by a bright ball of light that was sent up into the sky. The light spread across the land and illuminated all underneath it, including the remnant armies near the outskirts of Italica. Piña gasped, there were hundreds of soldiers and their auxiliaries. Even from where she was, Piña could see the old standards they still proudly flew and the hate in their eyes. The defenders of Italica were outnumbered, but it wasn't that that sent chills down Piña's spine. It was the confident words of Aldritch that came out of the radio.
"Then we destroy them."
XXXXXX
Aldritch cleared his throat and smacked the megaphone a few times to ensure it worked. He had instructed Roger to send up an illumination round. The reasoning was dual purpose, it allowed the captain to get a more accurate idea of where the enemy was. It also allowed the enemy to see who was talking to them and the grave mistake they were about to make attacking Italica.
It also emboldened the people inside Italica, letting them know they were safe tonight.
"Remnant armies of the allied nations. My name is Captain Aldritch with the United States Marine Corps. Italica is under our protection starting now. Lay down your arms and surrender and I promise you will be treated fairly in accordance with military law!"
No response.
"Do not throw away your lives for a senseless act of revenge. Many of you have fought us before at Alnus. You know how this ends, do not make that same mistake!"
Aldritch lowered the megaphone and waited, anxiously, for some sort of sign. A white flag, anything that would prevent further bloodshed. Aldritch was a fighting man, a Marine's Marine, but even he had some measure of empathy.
As the light from the ordinance above began to dim a war cry emanated from the forests beyond, a long loud cry that echoed across the lands. Weapons were rattled and standards hoisted high in the air as the soldiers began to charge across the fields. As this happened, siege engines were put into position, ready to unleash primitive payloads.
There would be no peace.
As darkness began to envelop the land, Aldritch brought the megaphone up one last time.
"So be it those who surrender will be spared. Those who don't, you will soon wish you had."
The tank commander dropped into his hatch and keyed out over the radio net. "Horsemen, Horsemen One, weapon control status tight. 2, you and I take siege engines, 4 you and 3 will take dismounts, push on my order."
As soon as the tank commanders rogered over the net, the killing began. The tanks thundered their hatred at the enemy, each muzzle flash following a thunderclap temporarily lighting up the surroundings and revealing the tanks. Pieces of siege engines and their crews were sent scattering. Those not caught in the fireballs were cut in half by the dancing red and green lines of death cutting through the air.
The defense of Italica was in full swing.
I was gonna keep the psyops choppers Japanese, but that doesn't seem like something out of their playbook to be honest.
ACRONYMS/TERMS USED:
CIA: Central Intelligence Agency. You guys know who they are lol.
ILBE: Improved Load Bearing Equipment. It's basically a big fuck-off huge rucksack.
