Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Dark Day Tactics
Chapter 7: The War's Turning Point
The allied forces managed to reach the main Lazurian base, where the intel they have acquired, had shown that the Lazurian main force had pooled a majority of their forces there, in order to pull off a counter-attack that might change the tide of the war. All of the officers were present in the command room, as they were all reasonably unsettled by the fact that the main Lazurian force outnumbers them by a considerable margin.
"We are approaching the main Lazurian base." Lin stated, as she traced along the routes along the battlefield map, where the enemy force composition was detailed on the opposite side of the map. "This will not be easy. Their forces are led by General Forsythe."
"I learned about him in the academy. He was the hero of the Lazurian Seige! But that was twenty years ago... Is he really still fighting?" Will remarked.
"Forsythe... What are the chances I would be facing him? And here of all places…" Brenner remarked with a distant expression on his face.
"What do you mean, Captain? ...Captain?" Will remarked, as Brenner didn't seem to respond back for a moment.
"Lin, have we heard anything from Greyfield?" Brenner remarked.
"He's on his way here with the main force of the NRA." Lin answered back. "We have been ordered to carry out… active surveillance."
"Um...what's active surveillance?" Will asked, as the officers all grimaced as one.
"It means we push directly into the enemy to assess their strength." Brenner explained.
"That doesn't sound like a very good strategy." Will raised his opinion on the near-suicidal plan.
"That's because after what had happened, he truly wants us dead. At least my method worked. He won't make any orders on us anytime soon." Keiji stated. "Loathe to admit it, but trusting Greyfield's forces is like expecting a venomous snake to not bite you when you place your hand before it without caution. We will do this on our own. The odds are not truly unfavorable against us, and we can survive this battle if we fight carefully."
"We have also deployed ground, naval and air units for this operation, and there are factories, airports and ports that can be used to supplement our forces with autonomous units in case we are in need for reinforcements." Ydine explained. "I've also noticed that several meteor chunks are present on the battlefield. They block the frontal path to an unoccupied airport, although traversing through the mountains is a viable detour. Not only that, but the enemy base is hidden behind a plasma trail left by two meteor fragments. It would be wise to not make moves to the enemy base until we know how to bring that plasma trail down."
"Then we will move first to capture the nearby bases. We must be proactive in our assault, Forsythe will not hesitate to exploit any weaknesses that he will find in our formation." Brenner stated.
The allied troops immediately deployed forward, as the artillery and rocket units have taken position behind several meteor fragments, serving as a barrier to them from enemy forces, as they prepared to lock on and fire on the enemy units, as the tanks were already rushing down the roads in the area, in order to advance on the enemy forces. In the skies, battle-copters were moving forward towards the enemy, acting as the aerial vanguard to engage the initial enemy forces, while the battleships and cruisers moved forward, to engage the Lazurian naval units, and provide fire support when possible.
The bike and infantry units were already speedily making their captures on the nearby properties, as the engineers and specialists worked with frightening speed, clearing the transfer of resources to the bases and the production facilities, as the factories were already creating vehicles and armaments for the allied force.
The Lazurian force already began to advance on the allied force, as a medium tank unit managed to land a blow upon one of the allied medium tank units, as the two units traded fire with each other, taking damage from the resulting combat, as scouts reported the presence of the enemy navy moving forward as well, as the battleships began to fire on the allied fleet, dealing damage upon it, as several gunboats were lost in the barrage, and several cruisers were left with moderate damage from the hits they have taken, before the enemy gun-boats and cruisers moved forward, as they battered the ships with missile-fire.
"We're having a lot of trouble here, from all of the fire-power we're taking!" One of the cruiser captains declared through the comms. "You guys need to hurry it up, we're getting outnumbered at the sea!"
"Hold your ground, we're dispatching bombers and battle-copters to deal with the enemy forces!" Ydine ordered the captain, before she then directed a message to one of the carrier captains. "EAN Tallow, what is the status of your preparations, we need allied support into the air ASAP!"
"Our sea-plane squadrons are almost prepared. We'll be sending them off in 5 minutes." The carrier captain answered back.
"Order all squadrons to attack the enemy fleet north, we cannot afford to take casualties, and leave a gaping hole in our ranks." Ydine stated.
As Ydine was coordinating the naval forces, directing them to retreat slowly, and draw the enemy back to stall for time to get reinforcements for leveling the battlefield, Keiji was commanding a battle-copter squadron, which has managed to breach into the enemy main force, as they were preparing for a attack run.
"Your main priority is to destroy the enemy anti-air capability. Indirect weaponry is a secondary objective." Keiji briefed the pilots. "We cannot afford to allow the enemy to be able to counter the incoming bomber squads, for they are needed to ensure that the naval front does not fall."
"Roger that, we're coming in hot." The squad leader responded back, before he then began to lower his copter to attacking altitude. "Alright, all of you, check your targets, and make sure that you make every rocket count. We got a lot of men counting on our air support, so hit them hard!"
The copters then began to fire into the enemy formation, as some of them were taken out by the rapid-fire flak from the anti-air vehicles, and the lock-on missiles from the missile units, although they made sure that they took out their killer with a series of rockets sent back at them, as the enemy forces were left damaged by the attack, with a considerable portion of their AA destroyed.
"This is Gekisou Lead, attack run is complete, we've taken some casualties from the run, and we are RTB for repair and resupply. It's on the rest of you now." The squad leader remarked, as they retreated.
As soon as the copter attack run was complete, the allied tank division wasted no time in pushing forward, as they began to fire on the enemy ground units, peppering them with direct cannon-fire, taking out a majority of the ground forces defending the base.
At the same time, the sea-planes deployed from the Tallow, as they immediately began to surge towards the Lazurian navy, as their missiles were primed for battle.
"This is Wing 02 Squad from the Tallow, cavalry's arrived!" The sea-plane squad leader reported to all of the allied navy units.
"Thank god, just a moment more and we're going to be goners!" A cruiser captain exclaimed with relief. "All ships with major damage, make a retreat! All those who are still able to handle a few blows, let's push! We're going to break the enemy force over our knee!"
The navy and the sea-planes immediately pulled a coordinated assault, as the resulting battle spelled the end of the enemy navy, as they were too occupied to handle the two-pronged assault, as their weapons were being destroyed by precise shots from the various ships. It was not long until the enemy navy was nothing but wrecks, as the landers carrying the capture force were heading for the enemy ports to capture them.
"Looks like the enemy navy is no more now." Ydine remarked. "I suppose that I can take a breath now that the worst has passed."
The rockets fired off another barrage at the enemy force and the surrounding terrain, as it destroyed one of the meteor fragments creating the plasma trail, as the plasma trail disappeared entirely, allowing access to the enemy main base.
"The path ahead is clear now! Commander, what are your orders?" One of the tank squad leaders reported to the officers.
"Advance, we capture the enemy base, and seek to capture the enemy leadership." Keiji stated. "All bomber squadrons are to destroy all active military forces, and to avoid destroying any infrastructure. We are not here to commit meaningless slaughter when our victory is assured."
"Roger that, we'll make it there in 10 minutes tops." One of the bomber captains declared.
"Before we continue… I request that I speak with the commanding officer of the Lazurian Forces." Brenner told Keiji and Ydine.
"You're the higher-ranked official here, captain, it's your call." Keiji stated. "And I feel like you have words with him, so it's best both sides say their peace before the battle ends."
"...Thank you." Brenner thanked Keiji, before he then patched into the Lazurian public comms channels. "General Forsythe, can you hear me?"
"I say! Am I speaking to the Rubinelle commander?" Forsythe's voice could be heard on the other side.
"You are. I want to talk to you about the battle that took place twenty years ago. Do you remember who was leading the Rubinelle forces?" Brenner stated.
"I never knew his name, but he was a truly great soldier. The battle raged for a hundred days, with neither side willing to yield." Forsythe answered back, with a tone of respect in his voice. "Our only pause came when we declared a cease-fire to bury our dead. He was a man of honor and courage. I feel I almost knew him."
"He was my father." Brenner stated with a tone of grief underneath his words.
"I see... Please know I took no pleasure in his death." Forsythe answered back.
" You have nothing to apologize for. He understood the path he walked. After he died here, our government blamed him for the defeat." Brenner answered back. "It seems only his enemies saw him for the good man he was. Thank you for your words, General Forsythe. May luck be with you."
"I wish it had not come to this. But it cannot be helped now. If you are truly your father's son, I"m proud to face you in my final battle." Forsythe responded back, as Brenner exited the channel.
"Captain… So that's why you know General Forsythe…" Keiji stated.
"...Hearing how he talks about a fair war… I feel like he was the leader we deserved, not that wretched bastard Greyfield." Ydine stated. "I definitely know that he will be lined up to die if the NRA find him… but if we find him… is there any chance we can hide him like the rest of the Lazurians we have rescued?"
"I'm afraid not. Greyfield will know one way or another, and he will do anything to get General Forsythe. Hiding him will only risk the other Lazurian prisoners." Brenner stated. "...Hopefully, it will not come to a firing squad for the good General. General Forsythe deserved a treatment for being a honorable leader, even though our ideologies conflict with each other."
"Truly spoken." Keiji agreed with a nod. "Let's end this battle. It would be disrespectful to not defeat the General with all of our power, and seem like to toy with him."
The ground and aerial forces of the allied regiment began to advance on the main base, as they took out its defenders, as the infantry squads began to storm the base, only to find that the Lazurians had surrendered, as they exited their vehicles, and lowered their arms, with their arms raised.
"Please tell your commander that General Forsythe has surrendered." One of the Lazurian officers stated, approaching the allied infantry squads slowly. "We will lay down our arms and cease hostilities. I ask that you follow the rules of war, and take us in as prisoners of wars with the expected rights."
"...Commander, the Lazurians have surrendered. I'm also hearing feeds that the forces are surrendering across the battlefield." The infantry squad captain informed Ydine. "What are your orders?"
"Order them to be detained within our battalion. This is what we have been fighting for, the end of this war without any more needless bloodshed." Ydine answered back.
"Copy that." The squad captain crisply responded, before facing the officer. "Alright, the commanders have accepted this surrender under the standard conventions of wars. I ask that you come to us slowly, and remain where you are, until transport rigs are moved over to transfer you to our base. I must also ask you, where is General Forsythe? He is to be taken in under the same laws."
"...The General should be in the command center." The officer responded back. "The order for surrender has been passed to all members of our army, so I must plead that you do not harm any of our personnel inside. They are unarmed and defenseless."
"Thanks for the information. Rest assured, we are not like the main NRA force. We will not engage in senseless killing." The squad captain stated, before looking at several members of his squad. "All of you will remain here and keep the prisoners under watch. As for the rest of you, follow me. We will secure the General."
The squad then split up, as the captain's squad delved into the Lazurian head-quarters, as they encountered several non-combat personnel, which they directed to the extraction point that the other squads were holding, although they were no closer to finding the general.
Eventually, they reached the command center, seeing that the doors into it were open, which caused the captain to be alert, as he gestured for his squad to be vigilant, as they carefully made an entry into it, finding that it was completely desolate.
"What the… Where did the general go…?" The squad captain stated, before his comms received an urgent call. "This is Stork Squad, what's your emergency, the general is not located within the premises-"
"We've detected that there is a Lazurian jeep that is fleeing eastwards!" One of the recon squad members remarked. "They have refused any communication on both Rubinelle and Lazurian channels, and are leaving the battlefield! We are currently trying to pursue, but it seems to be evading us quite well!"
"...Could it be that the general has been taken away?" The squad leader theorized. "After all, he did call for the surrender. It wouldn't be logical if he just up and left his own men behind… Someone must have valued the general's life more than they would with us…"
The squad leader then opened a channel to the officers. "This is Stork Squad, we have heard reports that there is an enemy jeep exiting the battlefield eastwards. We have reasonable suspicion that it might be General Forsythe onboard it. What are your orders?"
"...Leave the battlefield." Ydine commanded. "We have come here to end this war, not to hunt down a single man. Whatever the general is going, it is going to be a far better place than being with us, now that Greyfield is going to loom over us in a few hours. Return to base, we need to tend to the prisoners as soon as possible."
"Affirmative." The squad leader remarked, as he returned to his duties of escorting the prisoners into the rigs, as the last of them were being rounded up, and being sent back to the allied base camp.
Ydine let out a sigh of relief, knowing that the war was over, as the rest of the officers shared in the moment of peace as well.
"We're going to need to get out there eventually." Ydine stated. "We will have to settle with the second-highest person in the rank, no matter who they might be. I'm heading out to receive the prisoners. What about the rest of you?"
"I will join you in receiving the prisoners. Captain Brenner, you might be the best person to handle the fallout with the loathsome Admiral." Keiji stated. "I ask this of you, because I doubt that the Admiral will be pleased to see me after what I have done to convince him to turn his thoughts around."
"...Alright." Brenner stated, as Keiji and Ydine exited the war room to receive the prisoners, as they were being moved into groups, to be accounted for and registered as proper prisoners of war, where they will be placed, until they can be transferred to a more suitable holding.
"It's funny… I thought that things could have gotten worse." Ydine remarked, seeing how most of the Lazurians accepted their current position without much complaint. "We managed to force our enemy into surrender, rather than total , what worries me is the aftermath… you look like you know what is going to happen, right?"
"...Yeah." Keiji stated, before he then noticed that there was an unruly prisoner that was trying to break free, as it seemed to be a red-haired woman with aviator goggles on her head, a short black shirt, woven sleeves that are joined with her black gloves, and black boots, as she was struggling heavily against her bindings. "What is this…?"
"Let me go, you Rube bastard!" The woman growled with animosity. "If you're going to execute me, at least leave me with some decency to die with!"
"Lady, you need to chill the hell down, we're not here to massacre your entire nation or something!" The soldier trying to hold her down was declaring. "Stop being such a nuisance, and join the others, I assure you, the only thing you're getting is a proper place to be held in until we can find better lodgings for the prisoners."
"Wait a minute… that voice…" Keiji remarked, hearing the woman protest. "...That's Wing Commander Tasha. I heard her in the first battle for the coast, and it seems that she is as abrasive as she was on the other side."
"Oh, so that's what's going on? I'll handle this, and set her straight." Ydine remarked, patting Keiji's shoulder as she walked forward to face the woman. "Soldier, let her go, you've done enough."
"Right away, Sergeant Major!" The soldier answered back, as she let Tasha fall to the ground, as she let out a pained grunt as a result, before slowly rising up with a leer in her eyes.
"All right, Rube! I'm ready! Now you'll see how a Lazurian faces death!" Tasha stated, although Ydine only just walked closer. "Do it! Pull the trigger! I know how cold blooded you Rubes are! What, do you want to shoot me in the back? Fine! I'll turn around-"
Ydine then launched a powerful back-handed slap across Tasha's right cheek, as the Lazurian was left reeling, before Ydine then grabbed the wing commander by her collar.
"The only thing turning around is your twisted attitude." Ydine spoke firmly. "I don't know what the fuck you have been taught, but no self-respecting officer would demand her own enemy to kill her while insulting them! What is your major malfunction, you bitch!? Can't you accept the damn fact that we're taking all we have as prisoners of war!? It's a better damn fate than being all planted six feet under, and like all of the men are telling you, WE'RE NOT HERE TO KILL YOU ALL!"
"Ha! Where were your noble thoughts after the meteor strike?! You started this war! You offered peace and then stabbed us in the back!" Tasha roared back, having regained her anger.
"For fuck's sake, we may be with Brenner's Wolves, and allied with Rubinelle, but we're NOT Rubinelle, we're just their allies and we don't give approval for what they have done in stabbing you-" Ydine roared, before she then realised what she was saying. "Wait, roll that back, you said something about backstabbing a peace treaty?"
"What, you don't know!? The entire conference was blown to hell by a missile strike! Some peace Rubinelle offered!" Tasha screamed with rage. "You killed CIVILIANS! You and all other Rubes! I saw it with my own eyes! Your Admiral Greyfield spared no-one. Women, children, even my brother John…!"
Ydine was silent, before she then slowly lowered Tasha with a more calmer expression, although her eyes were still hard with anger. "...I knew that something was wrong. First Greyfield abuses his own nation for this stupid war, and then I hear news that he's responsible for being the cause of multiple forms of war-crimes." She started, with a tone that hid her burning anger, with how clipped it was. "Well, we can agree on one thing, Greyfield needs to die, and so does everyone who follows his mad regime for whatever damn reason pleases them. But you're not going to get your revenge for the people by choosing to die here. If General Forsythe persuaded you to surrender, that means that you're not entirely against us. I assure you, we will take care of this matter ourselves. One way or another, you will have your revenge, and when the time is right, I'll let you be the one to savor. But for now, you need to keep your head down, and avoid getting outed by any of the NRA soldiers. You'll definitely be dead if they find you're in our custody."
Tasha was left silent, as Ydine sighed deeply.
"Look, I know the pain of losing a brother, in fact, I lost a few people that were just as close to me." Ydine sighed. "But that doesn't give you the right to go on a blood-soaked rampage across all people without distinguishing those who deserve it and those who don't. Not all people are party to the entire mess that made you so bitter. In fact, if you would just open up a little, you'll find that there are people even in Rubinelle who would decry such a thing, even the world like all of us. We all are fighting for a better world, and no borders will change that."
"...Fine, I'll trust you." Tasha relented. "But if this is a lie… I will not go quietly."
"You have that right." Ydine nodded, before another soldier came over to escort Tasha, and this time, the Lazurian officer did not resist being moved into the prisoner group that she was assigned to.
As soon as the majority of the prisoners were moved back into their rigs, safe from the NRA's prosecution, the scouts noticed that Greyfield's force was moving in, as the jeep holding Greyfield was in the center of it, as they transferred the information to all present officers.
"Captain Brenner, Admiral Greyfield has arrived." One of the scouts reported to Brenner.
" ...Too late to help us…" Brenner muttered, as he came out to greet Greyfield who had Waylon beside him, with his own personal guard watching over him.
"Brenner… I suppose you did passably well." Greyfield remarked, before he then stood before a large platform, as the soldiers gathered up around him. "Hear me! The New Rubinelle Army has won a decisive and historic victory! And now I, Admiral Greyfield, would speak to the leader of this Lazurian rabble!"
Brenner debated whether he would have to offer up any of the high-ranked prisoners, before one of them, a colonel from the uniform he was wearing, stepped forward with a defiant look in his eyes.
"I am Colonel Grenwild, acting commander of the Lazurian forces!" The colonel declared. "If you want your leader so much, you fat cat bastard, then you'll find me suitable for your twisted-"
Greyfield then ordered the colonel to be silenced, as he was struck on the back of his head, before he was brought before the megalomaniac admiral, as Greyfield stomped on his head repeatedly.
"You and your wretched army are a pathetic spectacle! A disgrace!" Greyfield declared with vitriol, as Brenner moved forward to intervene.
"Enough! The colonel surrendered honorably by the general's order and brought the war to an end. Striking a prisoner is against all rules of military law!" Brenner exclaimed.
"Military law? Meaningless pieces of paper! We are the victors! We have crushed our enemies like flies!" Greyfield declared, grinding his heel on the stomach of the Lazurian colonel. "The only law of this land is the law of Greyfield!"
"...What?" Brenner blurted out, utterly appalled by what he heard, as Keiji quickly restrained Ydine, who looked like she was about to kill Greyfield right then and there.
"Now, Captain Brenner! I will usher in the rule of King Greyfield the Mighty! But before that…" Greyfield stated, before he then made the soldiers lift the colonel up to his feet. "You will tell me where that wretch Forsythe has went. My victory will not be complete until I see him dead before my feet!"
"Too late, bastard… He's dead. He might have finally died, but at least he died an honorable death at the hands of a soldier who respected his final wish!" The colonel spat. "We may have been crushed, but we will not stop. As long as you live and breathe, you bloated piece of filth, people across Lazuria will rise again and again to stop you! Forsythe's death did nothing but embolden our spirit to never let a wretch like you win! You can strike as many of us down as you can, but your tyranny will end one day! You will burn as you have burned our cities, and the world will rejoice when the plague that is your existence is wiped from the world!"
Greyfield seemed to be enraged, as he turned to Waylon. "Waylon! DISPOSE OF THIS TRASH RIGHT NOW!" He bellowed with fury.
Waylon merely smirked, before he then pulled out a revolver, and shot the colonel through the chest several times, as the colonel fell onto the platform as blood pooled underneath him.
"Captain… Brenner… Know that… General Forsythe… bears no… grudge… even at… his last… moments…" The colonel wheezed weakly, as he was mortally wounded by the shots.
"Damn you, Greyfield! He had surrendered! He was unarmed! Why did you shoot him?!" Brenner exclaimed, as he had enough.
"He was a Lazurian, and death is all he deserved." Greyfield declared, not even sparing a look at the fallen colonel.
"You're no leader.. You're a coward!" Brenner snapped, as he slowly walked towards the platform with his fists raised. "And if no one else will stand up, I'll stop you-"
"Aw, shucks. I hate to be the bad guy and all, but you're gonna have to stop right there." Waylon stated, turning the revolver towards Brenner, as it caused a stand-off between Brenner's allies and Greyfield's forces, as guns were pointed at each other. "Don't make me shoot you, now! It's been a long day, and I'm tuckered!"
Brenner surveyed the situation, as Ydine, Keiji and Lin were intent on firing the first shot, as their soldiers were ready to kill Greyfield and his guard with a single order that Brenner could easily make, although he considered the fact that his men will likely suffer many casualties in the ensuing shooting, as it was enough to dissuade from pushing the issue.
"You will pay for this, Greyfield…" Brenner seethed, as he backed off.
" Listen to you! Squawkin' away like a crow on a wire. This is Greyfield's world now, brother! Ain't no one going to help you!" Waylon mocked.
"We'll see about that, Waylon." Keiji remarked, as the situation de-escalated itself, with all sides putting their arms down.
"Take the Lazurian dogs to the internment center for execution. My great victory is almost complete!" Greyfield remarked. "With their so-called general dead, there is no-one left to oppose me! The 12th Battalion will personally oversee the prisoners to their final destination!"
The rest of the prisoners were unceremoniously thrown into the rigs by the unsympathetic NRA forces, as Greyfield left behind a token force to watch over the transfer of prisoners, as the allied regiment departed from their base camp to head for the internment center in the icy plains north of the area.
"What can we do now…?" Will remarked. "At this rate… The Lazurians are going to be all wiped out. I know that the colonel was right about the fact that Greyfield won't have his way unopposed… but with that much power… what can be done…?"
"That's not the worst of it. I'm thinking that our use is coming to an end as well." Keiji grunted. "I was hoping that we would have been able to get as far away from the NRA when the aftermath of the war happened… but Greyfield must have shoved this order on us, for the sole purpose of having us boxed in… The Lazurians are not the only ones getting executed."
"What!? Then what are we doing then!?" Will exclaimed with horror. "We have to-"
"Panicking won't change things." Ydine stated. "But don't worry, we already have a plan in mind, long before this battle has begun. Admiral Greyfield may think he has us right where he wants us, but a short-sighted fool like him wouldn't be able to realize the machinations we have set up for him. If he's going to try and kill us, then there's no dishonor in making the pre-emptive strike."
"...Is it true, have we been set up to die all this time?" Will asked with a despaired look on his face. "...The war is over, but now Greyfield got what he needs to exert his rule across the world… and we ended up helping him do it, and we're now-"
"Hey, don't you dare give up hope." Ydine scolded Will. "Reisen and Weiss will get the message that I have sent long before Greyfield has arrived. They'll get their main force together, and they'll rescue all of us, the Lazurians, Brenner's Wolves, everyone that has followed under Brenner's banner. They would never fail us, the Lazurian Colonel was right, Greyfield will burn, and we're going to be the spark that ignites his reign into ashes."
As Brenner's Wolves were moving the prisoners to the internment center, back on the main-land, one of the comms officers received a message on it.
'Operation Reverse Dagger has been requested by order of Sergeant Major Ydine and Sergeant Major Keiji Shimada.'
"Get the commanders! They need to see this!" The comm officers shouted to his comrades, as they all rushed out to find Reisen and Weiss.
Reisen and Weiss returned after their rounds in patrolling the shelter together, in order to help them relax from the previous few battles in defending the shelter and driving the raiders back, before one of the soldiers found them.
"Lieutenant Colonel Schnee, Major Inaba, we have received news that Operation Reverse Dagger has been initiated." The soldier informed them. "We need to join the 8th Combined Battalion ASAP!"
"I knew that snake would show his true colors." Weiss growled. "He won't get any of our men if we can help it…"
"We have enough firepower to rival his army. With the surgical strike we will perform, we will put this miserable force down, before that bastard Greyfield even gets any time to enjoy his short-lived reign." Reisen stated, as they rushed to the comms room. "Report to me, the current coordinates of the 8th Combined Battalion."
"They are all gathered at coordinates 135,278." One of the comms officers reported back. "That's where one of the Rubinelle internment centers are… Sir, I think that they are planning a prison break in conjunction with the standard directives."
"All the better, we might be able to make allies from the Lazurian forces imprisoned within." Weiss stated. "Ready the air-force, they will be the first strike against the twisted NRA."
Reisen then boarded a long-range transport copter, as Weiss took command of one of the bombers, as the massive air-force began to take off from the large airport that the forces have made, passing through airport checkpoints for refuelling, on their way to Lazuria, as a return message was sent to the 8th Combined Battalion.
Brenner's Wolves and the 8th Battalion were on standby, as they were awaiting for confirmation that allied reinforcements would come to bail them out of the situation, as Keiji and Ydine were patrolling the internment center, as their soldiers were keeping watch across the entire facility.
Keiji then received a call request through his comms as he patched it through. "This is Sergeant Major Shimada." He stated. "What is your current status?"
"The air-force is in-bound to your location. Major Reisen has ordered that you proceed with the directives under Operation Reverse Dagger." The comms officer on the other side notified them.
"Received loud and clear." Keiji answered back, before he then patched into the private battalion channels. "To all units, prepare for the start of Operation Reverse Dagger. All sabotage teams, move in and locate the power sources. Those who are patrolling around the NRA rear-guard, standby for battle."
"Roger that, time to wash our hands of this sickly mess." One of the tank commanders stated.
Keiji then rushed towards Ydine, who had heard the announcement, as the two of them immediately looked for Brenner, who was sitting on a nearby bench, as there was a expression of unease on him.
"Captain Brenner, we need to talk." Keiji stated. "We cannot afford to stand around and allow the Lazurians to be executed without mercy. We are about to-"
"I know. Greyfield has gone too far." Brenner answered back. "...I'm planning the breakout of the Lazurian prisoners, orders be damned. I require your assistance to take down the NRA. We all have no love lost for them right now. Rubinelle has become a nation that I cannot serve with an honest heart."
"We know. That's why we've been preparing for the break-out ourselves. Glad that we're on the same page here. Tell your men to get ready." Ydine stated. "The start of the operation will be when the end of the hour comes. We don't have long to break them out, as in six hours, the executions will start."
"Then we must act fast." Brenner stated, as the officers immediately rushed off, as they headed to the cells of the Lazurian prisoners, telling them about the eventual break-out.
Some of the Lazurians didn't buy it at first, although the compatriots that had been in the officers' care helped to persuade the dissenters otherwise quite effectively. It didn't take them long until all but a few Lazurians were notified about the plan, as the last few were in the cells over at the next block, where they found Will, speaking with Tasha, and Gage, who seemed to be a man in a leather jacket, with short blue hair, and a cold expression on his face.
" You're wrong! Both of you! The captain... The s-sergeants…" Will tried to tell Tasha and Gage, as he was fairly disturbed.
"That's enough, Will." Brenner stated, as Ydine and Keiji were beside him.
"Captain Brenner! These people are saying that-" Will was about to say, before Tasha turned towards the officers with a restrained expression of anger.
"I'm only going to ask you this once. If you can't give me a straight answer, you might as well shoot me now. Is it true that General Forsythe died in the battle?"
Brenner thought a long time on the answer, as he was confident that General Forsythe was not counted among the dead, despite the colonel's statement, although he was worried that Tasha and the other Lazurians would take it as a lie. However, before he could answer, Keiji stepped forward.
"That's wrong." Keiji stated. "We have heard news that General Forsythe was rescued from the NRA forces, and is currently out of their reach."
"And how can we be sure that you are telling the truth, when the rumors speak otherwise, especially the colonel's late words?" Gage retorted back with a cynical tone. "You do not know what happened to the General before the surrender order was issued."
"Because we witnessed a jeep escaping the battlefield several minutes after we were told about the surrender." Ydine answered. "And I saw the look in your Colonel's eyes. He was ready to die, and he was prepared for what he had to say. Despite what the death represents, he went along with announcing it. It's too good to be true."
Tasha was left silent at the statement, as Gage showed a faint hint of shock at that statement, before he quickly wiped it away.
"...Who was the one responsible for the execution of Colonel Grenwild?" Gage stated.
"Greyfield ordered his execution, and Waylon pulled the trigger." Brenner explained. " But the final responsibility for his death lies with me. I underestimated Greyfield. I didn't think he would kill an unarmed man. But I accepted your general's surrender, and now one of his higher officers is dead as a result.. I can make no excuse. I'm sorry."
"Damnit… Grenwild was set up to be the successor to Forsythe… If he's dead, and Forsythe is really gone… we have no hope in making a comeback against those bastards." Tasha cursed. "Still, how do I know that you're genuine?"
"You will have to trust us." Keiji answered back. "I will not excuse and justify for being an accomplice to the NRA's countless war-crimes. The fault lies with us, but we are intending to make up for our mistakes by doing what we should have done a long time ago. If this is the cost of ending this war… then it would have been better that this war ended in Lazuria's victory. Right now, we are going to be pulling a mass break-out in the internment center, to free all the Lazurians."
" ..You're doing what?" Tasha asked with shock.
": Greyfield is going to execute all of you in about six hours. But I've had enough. I'm not going to sit around and wait for his orders to be carried out. You need to escape. Now." Brenner explained.
"Why should we trust you?" Tasha asked firmly, as Ydine moved forward.
"Because like it or not, Greyfield isn't going to stop with all of you. Our spies have found intel that Greyfield is going to back-stab us for our 'great service' to this pointless war. Since we're going to all be killed for his tyranny, we may as well work together to bring him down." Ydine answered back. "After all, the saying goes that an enemy of your enemy can be your ally with the right situation. And this is exactly how it is. Besides, the General wouldn't want you all to sit here and wait for the end to come. I told you before, we're fighting for a better world, and right now, that bastard Greyfield is the enemy of that wish."
"...I still don't trust you." Tasha grumbled, although there was some acceptance in her voice.
"What's your plan?" Gage asked.
"Right now, there are spec-ops squads within the facility, sabotaging the facility and assassinating the guards cleanly. They will soon destroy the power generators maintaining the facility, which will allow us to break you all free without Greyfield detecting it before the plan goes through to the next phase." Keiji explained the plan. "After we have broken all of the prisoners, and armed them to fight, we will clear through the Northern Ice Plains, by destroying the NRA rear-guard, while Greyfield is busy celebrating his premature victory."
"That's a risky plan. Who's going to provide covering fire?" Gage asked back.
"...Isn't it obvious? That's for our regiment to do." Ydine responded back. "Before you go into loyalty issues, our reasons are two-fold, one, we honor the promise that General Forsythe has relayed to Captain Brenner, and that is to ensure that you will all survive this entire mess. And second of all, we've been waiting for the moment to stab Greyfield in his greasy neck this entire time. Whether it would have been back in Rubinelle, he's going to get a fiery baptism for his crimes."
" I…" Tasha stated, before the lights immediately powered down, shocking the prisoners.
"It seems that the operation is starting." Keiji remarked, as everyone present could hear the sound of gunfire, and the cries of battle. Keiji then proceeded to walk to the cells, as he used a forged key to spring the prison cell open, as Tasha, Gage and the other Lazurian prisoners spilled out of it. "Follow us, we'll guide you to the prison armory to arm yourselves, and then the hangar to get the vehicles necessary for the battle ahead."
Gage nodded firmly, as the group began to rush through the wing of the internment cell, as Keiji and Ydine checked the corners and hallways for the unarmed prisoners, before they came into contact with several NRA soldiers.
"Over there! The prisoners are escaping… with the officers of the 8th Combined Battalion-" One of the soldiers stated, confused at the situation, as Keiji and Ydine wasted no time in drawing their rifles, as they shot the soldiers down without mercy.
"Get moving, we can't afford to lag behind!" Ydine shouted to the prisoners, as they made a turn through the wing, reaching a choke-point created by the allied soldiers, using furniture and metlalic panels as a make-shift barrier, cutting down the NRA troops that were going through it.
"Commander! We're seizing control across the internment center. There are currently no reported casualties among the target personnel and our men." The sergeant leading the defense reported to Brenner. "Squads 5 to 9 have managed to successfully get their prisoners armed for battle, and are moving towards the hangar. You guys got the last few prisoners. Take some of our men, you'll need some fire support."
"Thank you, let's move, men!" Brenner commanded, as the soldiers tasked with the protection of the prisoners, moved into a circular formation around them, as the officers lead it, as one of the soldiers handed one of their rifles to Brenner for him to use.
They soon reached the armory with little resistance, as they noticed that there was a NRA squad guarding it, as Ydine quickly slid into cover, laying down suppressive fire on them, causing them to all duck in cover.
"Contact, the traitors are heading for the armory, we need backup-" The NRA squad leader remarked, before Keiji unclipped one of the personal frag grenades he had, cooking it to half duration, before swiftly throwing it behind cover, as the squad was annihilated before their leader could finish their request.
"Go! We'll cover you!" Ydine shouted, as the allied soldiers took up formation behind the cover, as the prisoners rushed into the armory, as they picked up several rifles, as Gage fashioned himself with a customized sniper rifle, and Tasha with a machine-gun.
"This is Sergeant Major Shimada. We are pushing towards Hangar C from East Wing Point B." Keiji communicated to his men. "We request that all forces present in our route engage all enemies and divert them away from our path."
"We copy, you heard the officer, let's raise hell!" One of the squad leaders remarked, as the sound of war-cries were heard, with the stuttering fire of rifles, and even a distant explosion.
The group moved from cover-to-cover, as they took down any stragglers from the NRA defense force, as Gage led the charge for the prisoners, using his sniper-rifle to take out enemies with frightening efficiency and skill, impressing Ydine and Keiji, as the prisoners were motivated from the display, fighting back harder against their oppressors.
The group reached the hanger, as they saw the allied forces clear out the NRA forces quickly, as the allied vehicles were departing, with the prisoners making use of several recon vehicles to move their non-combat personnel quickly through the snow.
"Over there, use that rig." Keiji stated. "Any of you who can drive it, do so immediately, we must get moving as soon as possible, because there is no telling when the NRA main force will receive news of this rebellion."
"I can do it." One of the Lazurian engineers among the prisoner group stated, as he quickly boarded the rig from the driver seat, as the rest of the prisoners boarded it, as Tasha gave the officers a sympathetic look, before the rig doors closed, as the large transport vehicle began to move.
"That's all the prisoners accounted for." Ydine stated. "Keiji, may I ask if I could-"
"There's no need to ask, it would be unfitting to let you fight in the cold, even though you wouldn't mind so much." Keiji stated, as he quickly boarded the medium tank that his crew was inside, as he quickly took control of it. "All squad units form up around me, we are going to breach the enemy rear guard."
The other tank squad members replied in affirmative responses, as Brenner took control of a medium tank squadron himself, as the two tank squadrons moved together, as the large battalion force was already on the move, leaving the internment camp behind, as they reached the maze of bridges that connected the internment center to the main-land.
"All units, report your status!" Ydine relayed through her comms.
"All units are accounted for, Sergeant Major. We have initial intel of the path ahead. It seems that there are more plasma trails barring the path ahead. We will need to destroy the meteor fragments before we can-"
"BRENNER! What in the name of Rubinelle do you think you're doing?! I order you to turn around and–" Greyfield's voice rang through the army channel.
"The 12th Battalion doesn't take orders from you anymore, Greyfield." Brenner declared.
"This is high treason, and the reward shall be death! Death for you and every member of your pathetic battalion!" Greyfield threatened.
"You think that you can beat us right now? Sure, we can't handle your main force, but we can still make them bleed while we're pulling back." Ydine mocked back. "You're nothing but a diseased mutt trying to act like a pack leader. You try to put on airs that you're some invincible being, and surround yourself with mindless yes-men who reinforce your deluded vices. Don't think that we didn't know that you would have had us put to the gun. So in a way, this is your fault in one way. But then again, I did always want to tear that flabby head of yours off, and wave it around to show the world that you're nothing but a paper tiger."
"You whore! Prepare for your final hour!" Greyfield seethed, as Ydine cut the comms quickly.
"All units! Make for the city to the west!" Brenner shouted. "Once you clear it, push hard and don't look back!"
"I... I…" Tasha responded back.
"Understood, Captain. Tasha! Let's go! Come on!" Gage declared, as the rig that was holding them was already moving west-wards.
"We have scouted out the enemy rear guard." Keiji stated. "They seemed to have artillery and rockets set in certain key-points. Our armor will handle that front. The rest of you, assist the Lazurians and the rest of the battalion to the retreat point!"
"Wait, what about Captain Brenner!?" Ydine exclaimed, before Keiji turned the tank around to follow Captain Brenner's squad.
"I'm not going to abandon a man with values that easily. We may not have the fire-power to face down the full enemy force, but we can at least assist Captain Brenner with stalling the enemy." Keiji stated. "All squad members, spread yourselves across the bridge junctions, we cannot allow the enemy to pass us!"
"I'll keep Greyfield busy. Now make for the city, go!" Brenner shouted, before he then noticed Keiji's squad roll into formation with him. "What are you doing, Sergeant Major, I ordered you to retreat with Will and the others!"
"Negative on that order. None of us who are guarding the bridges intend to run away from this battle." Keiji responded back. "We may not be enough to turn the tide entirely, but we can at least help to take down as many enemies as it takes to give us the breathing room to get you out."
"No man gets left behind on our watch. The only ones we will truly leave behind are those who have passed from this world… and we will always reclaim them for a proper send-off." Ydine answered back. "Don't try to persuade us otherwise, the rest of our units will be sufficient enough to take down the rear-guard."
The escape force were already moving, as one of the light tank units attacked the NRA rocket unit that was preparing to launch a salvo, as the attack managed to weaken their attack capabilities, while the anti-airs that were driven by Brenner's men took out the mechanized infantry that was heading for the allied rigs.
"Here they come!" One of the tank commanders from the defense squad shouted, seeing the NRA medium tank squads hurtle down the various bridges, as battle-copters were fast-approaching to attack the group as well.
"Take the tanks out first! The battle-copters can be dealt with by the anti-air unit we have nearby!" Keiji ordered. "Don't let the enemy fire first! We cannot afford to let ourselves get bogged down!"
The allied tank squads immediately fired on the NRA tank squads as soon as they came into their line-of-fire, as the cannon shots rattled the enemy tank squadrons, although the return fire did manage to take out several of the allied tanks, as one was blown to scrap, killing its crew.
"Captain Brenner! Sergeant Majors Shimada and Ydine! Come on! You have to go now!" Will exclaimed.
"Sorry, kid, no can do, we're not backing out until we're sure you guys got a clear shot out." Ydine answered back.
"Lass is right, , I don't think these little birds' are flyin' anywhere. We got some business to settle... Ain't that right, Brenner?" Waylon mocked through the comms.
"Why don't you come down here so we can talk it over, Waylon?" Brenner retorted back, as his tank took out another tank moving into his attack range.
"No thanks, brother man. My mama didn't raise no dummies. Why are you sticking your neck out like this anyway, Brenner? You think any of this makes a difference? I just don't get it." Waylon sneered.
"And you never will." Brenner answered back with a cold tone.
"Fine by me, brother man. Fine by me. Say, you remember what I said the first time we met? I TOLD you this responsibility gig would lead to an early grave." Waylon scoffed.
"Better early to your grave than late to your own humanity, Waylon." Brenner icily answered back.
"Ain't that a thing. Almost makes me feel bad about what I'm gonna do. All units target Captain Brenner and his band of misfits! Time to bag us a few heroes!"
"Sir, they're bringing the tank destroyers in!" One of the light tank squad leaders reported, seeing the enemy units advance forward, before several battle-copters attacked his position, as most of his squad were taking out. "Argh! The battle-copters got a clean hit on us! We're going to have to pull back! We can't hold down this bridge!"
"What is the status of the retreat?" Keiji asked Will and Lin. "Have you managed to make some progress?"
"We managed to pass through the first check-point, thanks to the artillery destroying the meteor fragments powering the plasma trail." Lin answered back. "All it will take is destroying the NRA recon unit that is blocking our path, we're clear to move out."
"Captain Brenner, the war-tanks are moving!" One of the tank squadrons remarked, before he was cut off by a massive explosion from one of the destructive rounds, as the entire squadron was cleared off the map.
Keiji's units were getting battered by the constant assault from the NRA anti-tank squadrons moving in, as their far longer range than the tank cannons made it disadvantageous to attack them, as he was losing tank units left and right.
"Keiji, we have to retreat, we're getting wiped out!" Ydine advised Keiji.
"But if we leave, then the Captain will…." Keiji remarked, before he then saw a distant explosion, where Brenner's squad was. "CAPTAIN BRENNER! Captain! Respond to me! Are you there!?"
"I can hear you clear, Sergeant Major." Brenner stated. "I'm abandoning the destroyed tank with the rest of my squad. We're continuing on foot to find a place to hunker down."
"Captain! Come on! This way!" Will exclaimed. "We're almost clear! Just come over here, all of you!"
"I told you to run, Will, and that's a damn order!" Brenner growled.
"But, Captain-" Will stated with worry in his voice.
"Lin! Get him the hell out of here!" Brenner shouted through his comms.
"Brenner!" Lin exclaimed back, as there was the sound of scuffling, as Will's fading cries could be heard on her side of the comms.
"Listen, Lin. There's...there's a lot of things I never got a chance to say... But I know you. And I know you understand what I'm about to do... Now move! MOVE!" Brenner exclaimed.
"...Understood, Captain. We're gone." Lin answered back, with a eerie tone of acceptance. "...Goodbye."
"...Thank you, Lin." Brenner answered back, before reaching Keiji and Ydine on the comms. "And now, it's both of your turns to escape. There's still time to join up with them."
"Captain, with all due respect, I cannot follow that order-" Ydine stated, before there was another loud explosion, as they saw that the war-tanks are starting to fire on the bridges themselves, as the paths connecting them to Brenner were all destroyed. "...Damnit! The NRA took out the majority of the bridges! They want to take us all out!"
"...There's no choice then. If we try to save Brenner… We'll only end up throwing ourselves in the jaws of the beast." Keiji relented, with a pained expression. "...We can't hesitate anymore. If we don't retreat, we will be lost as well."
"...Hold on there, Captain." Ydine stated, as what remained of Keiji's unit began to turn back and head towards the escape point. "...We'll come back for you, so hang on until then!"
The damaged unit managed to join with the rest of the battalion, as the rig was already at the city limits.
"We're clear!" Gage declared. "Now move! Get out across that ice!" Gage exclaimed.
"Move it! We can't let Brenner's sacrifice go to waste!" Tasha stated.
"Sergeant Major Shimada! Take command of the left flank! We're getting out of here!" Lin ordered.
"Understood. We got some distance from the enemy force." Keiji stated. "All units, we're exiting the battlefield."
"But, Captain Brenner-" Will tried to say.
"Sorry, Will, but Captain Brenner has gone underground. We don't have the firepower or the time to get him to safety." Ydine stated. "All we can do is pray that he holds out long enough for either our main force to rescue him themselves, or us to coordinate a rescue effort."
The regiment immediately continued to push through the icy plains, until they have reached safe land, where they set up base, in order to treat their wounded and deal with other issues within their unit.
"I think we lost them. But they're going to be looking for us." Tasha told Lin.
"Probably. We should get moving as soon as we have sufficiently recovered our forces." Lin answered back.
"Any word from Captain Brenner?" Gage asked back.
"No. Will, Keiji and Ydine are trying to establish radio contact, but so far, nothing." Lin shook his head.
Inside the radio tent, Will was shuffling through frequencies, as Keiji and Ydine were doing the same, as the three of them were still trying to contact the lost Captain.
"Captain! Captain! Come in! Can you hear me?" Will exclaimed, only to get static in response, although he didn't change his channel, hearing the faint sounds of rumbling on the other side. " Captain Brenner, this is Will! Please respond! Please!"
"...Will, come… Capt…" Brenner's voice came through, as his voice was still garbled with static, although the voice alone lifted Will's spirits.
"Lin! I got him! I got him!" Will shouted, moving outside the tent to get the message across, before heading back to speak with Brenner "Captain, where are you?!"
"...126...272... Derelict building in... ...south of ...ice field…" Captain Brenner answered back, as his signal was getting clearer, as his voice was fairly weak, which made Will's heart quiver with fear. "...I'm surrounded by… enemies… They shot me… couple of times… the whole squad is down… Things didn't go… quite according to plan… eh, Will?"
" Captain, we're heading to your position now! You have to hold on!" Will exclaimed, as Keiji and Ydine were already boarding a jeep in order to head for the designated location, with a small strike-force made of recons and light tanks to assist them. "Sergeant Major Shimada and Ydine are moving out right now!"
" ...No, Will... Don't come...back for me... ...Stay...away... ...Greyfield...wants me... I can... ...buy you time... ...That's... an order…" Brenner groaned.
"We're not leaving you, Captain!" Will stated.
" ...I'll...join you later... ...Just need to...rest here... ...for a while…" Brenner stated with a tired tone to his voice.
"Captain!" Will exclaimed with horror, as Keiji and Ydine could see the ruined city in question, as they saw the NRA forces surrounding it.
"...Never wanted you to...see me like this... ...It's... up to you...Will…" Brenner stated, before there was the sound of a ringing signal. "...What… What is this…? Is that you… Sergeant Major Shimada?"
"No, this is Major Reisen Inaba." Reisen answered back, as Will's heart soared at the fact that the main force has managed to make it. "We managed to hear about the current plight on our channels. We have an air-force inbound on your location. Until then, hold on, your miracle is about to come."
"Major! You're here! Please, the Captain…" Will remarked with great joy and relief, as tears spilled from his eyes, and his voice was shaking. "...You have to save him!"
"We're preparing for the deployment of the vanguard forces. The rescue force that Keiji and Ydine have made are in sight of us." Weiss stated. "Our bombers are ready to drop onto the enemy formation, so just-"
"Commander Schnee! We're detecting multiple missile launches! Designations indicate that they're ICBMs!" One of the radar specialists aboard her bomber declared with concern. "It's heading for the city!"
"Damnit, things are getting worse… All fighter squadrons engage the enemy ballistic weapons! Do not allow them to reach past the safety line!" Weiss declared.
"Major… you have to…" Brenner tried to say, before he then coughed, as it sounded wet.
"You're bleeding out, captain. That means that we don't have long. Just press down on your wound as firmly as you can, stall the bleeding as much as you can, you said that hope never dies. So you can't give up now either!" Reisen exclaimed. "Drop us down! We need to rescue the captain!"
"...Heh, never thought that those words… would be used against me." Brenner chuckled weakly.
Will could only watch with dread in his heart, as he saw the distant shapes that were the ICBMs fly through the skies, before several smaller shapes, that were the fighters, as they attacked the ICBMs, before taking them out, creating multiple aerial explosions that created shock-waves that could be felt from even as far as the regiment was.
"Look! The sky's lighting up like suns are being born inside it!" One of the grounded fighter pilots remarked, pointing at the skies, as most of the personnel were left unable to tear their eyes from the mesmerizing yet terrible display before them.
Weiss bit her lip, as she watched as the ICBMs were being intercepted one by one by the fighters, as some of them got too close in comfort, as they managed to almost knock out several of the copter squadrons from the resulting blast jostling them out of position. Eventually, the explosions stopped coming, as the ICBMs were shot down.
"All ICBMs have been confirmed to be shot down. I repeat, all ICBMs have been confirmed to be shot down!" The radar operator exclaimed.
"So this is how far this madman is willing to take his rule…" Weiss grit her teeth. "...Bomb the NRA forces. Crush them all until not even a single scrap of their force remains."
The aerial force then ruthlessly bombarded the NRA forces surrounding the city, as the ground was lit up with several high-payload bombs hitting the ground, as even war-tanks were no match for the falling bombs, and the supporting missile-fire and gun-fire from the vulcans cleared out what remained from the main bombardment.
At the same time, Reisen dropped down onto the ground with her spec-op team, as they began to search the premises for Brenner, shooting down any NRA ground forces that infiltrated the city, using their anti-armour rifles, and their magic-powered RPGs that blasted any enemy blockades and emplacements they encountered.
"I'm currently tracking the captain's signal, we're close." One of the squad members remarked, pointing at a ruined building in the distance. "The comm signal seems to be coming from over there."
"We're moving at full speed. We can't afford to waste time while we have a critically wounded HVT to extract." Reisen stated, as she rushed forward towards the building, as she encountered several NRA soldiers who were heading towards the building, as she dropped them in sync with her squad, as they took cover within the building.
They then proceeded to sweep through the ruined building, clearing room after room, until Reisen detected movement in one of the rooms, as she carefully checked the surrounding area, before she rushed into the area, to find Captain Brenner, who was heavily wounded, with bullet wounds on his shoulders and abdomen, as he noticed Reisen, with a weak smile.
"Major…." Brenner stated.
"We're all glad that you're still breathing. Come on, we need to leave this place." Reisen stated, as she helped Brenner up. "...This is the Major, we need extraction immediately. Prepare medical supplies, I will have to perform medical aid mid-transit."
"Copy that, finding a LZ within your coordinates." One of the transport copter pilots remarked, as Reisen began to haul Brenner out of the building, as her squad covered the both of them.
Eventually, they saw as a transport copter landed down on a desolate square ahead of them, as the squad made their way to them, before the personnel aboard helped to move Brenner onto it, as one of the passengers handed Reisen the first-aid kit to treat Brenner.
"Will, can you hear me?" Reisen contacted Will. "We managed to find Captain Brenner. He's heavily wounded, but with my help, he's going to make it. We're heading towards your camp. Our other forces will rendezvous with you all within the next few days."
Will collapsed onto the ground, unable to truly handle what had happened, as he tried his best not to cry at the fact that despite insurmountable odds, Captain Brenner would still make it back.
Keiji's force immediately made a return to the base camp, with their mission completed thanks to Reisen's and Weiss's timely intervention, as it did not take long for the aerial division of the army to arrive in the base camp, as Brenner was being escorted into the medical tent ona a stretcher.
"I thought for sure that Captain Brenner wouldn't make it…" Lin stated calmly. "...What possessed you to go after him, even though he is willing to remain?"
"Captain Brenner is a unique existence, a beacon of hope to his men. To let him die would broker the plummeting loss of his mens' morale, as well as the prisoners that we have promised to care for." Reisen explained. "...This world needs a man like him, so no matter what trials it will take to preserve his life… It is of little consequence to us."
"...Major, I know that right now, you and Dr Morris are the only ones who can treat him right now." Lin stated. "But before you do what you need to do to save him… I have something to say… Thank you. Thank you for putting yourselves at risk for the Captain, even though you could have let his death be a sacrifice to save the others."
"There is no need for such gratitude. We are merely officers who know how to do the right thing." Weiss answered back. "If you want to repay us… then do your best to lead in Brenner's stead. And perhaps let Will do some work as well. I have seen how he takes after Brenner. He'll be a good leader if he has the chance to prove it."
"...I'll try." Lin nodded back.
Reisen gave a faint smile, as Reisen entered the medical tent, as Lin, for the first time, had hoped to herself, that the Captain would survive this ordeal…
Term of the Chapter: Fighters
When it comes to the air-force, the UUF has an edge over the UGF. Integrated with top-of-the-tech technology, the Harrier fighter-line is known to be the pinnacle of both space and aerial combat, possessing a variety of weapons that prove their capabilities in all sorts of situations, from air-space control to destruction of enemy targets. The UGF themselves have the Fujuka air fighters, which are renowned for being able to overspeed even peak-condition tengus, and the handling to weave through the sky with all possible aerial maneuvers with that speed, as well as being the king of air-to-air combat, with the Subako swarm missiles.