Unmei Force Shattered Heroes: Dark Day Tactics
Chapter 8: On The Run
The officers, except for Will, who was still recovering from the fact that Brenner is unlikely to be able to lead in his current condition, were gathered in the war room, as Dr Morris entered the war room, as the civilian representative, and the last member of the emergency meeting.
"Good, everyone is here." Reisen stated. "Keiji and Ydine are currently doing their best to alleviate the situation with the Lazurians. While it is a far better reaction than what was expected… I wouldn't say that we have their full trust yet."
"I know. What is the status of the rest then?" Lin answered back with a firm tone.
"After the escape, some troops have deserted. Also, some of the civilians are struggling to keep up with us." Weiss stated. "Thankfully, both issues are mitigated by the fact that our timely support kept morale high enough to prevent mass desertions from Brenner's Wolves, especially since some of them are pretty shaken after the battle that they had to free the prisoners. As for the civilians…"
"They'll have to be abandoned. Our priority is to keep moving." Lin answered back.
"Now see here! I know I'm not a tactician like you, but we can't simply-" Morris tried to argue.
"Yes. We can. We can and we will." Lin answered back. "If we stay here, we die. If we wait for the civilians to catch up, we die.A commander makes difficult decisions, Doctor. That's part of the job. If you don't like it, you're free to leave."
"Lieutenant, that's unreasonable, we can still spare the effort to create an escort force to help the civilians." Weiss stated. "After our main forces have joined up with us, we are capable of being able to fight back against Greyfield if we must, so why are you-"
"We have Lazurian troops, but no time to assimilate them. We have civilians and wounded in our ranks, and no way to keep them safe. We're in a bad spot, Lieutenant Colonel. This is far from an optimal fighting force, as much as I dislike to admit it. RIght now, we need time and space to hunker down and reorganize." Lin responded back with a stern tone.
"Lin, I know you're in a difficult position, but I just can't stomach abandoning people. Why, if Captain Brenner were here, I think he would approve of the Lieutenant Colonel's proposal." Morris argued.
"But he is not here. Right now, he is unconscious in one of the makeshift medical wards, and he is barely stable enough with all of the wounds he has sustained." Lin stated, looking towards Reisen. "It was fortunate that you and the Major were able to save him with your medical expertise. That is why I cannot risk it, especially when the Captain is in such a critical condition."
"That is true…But I stand by Weiss's words." Reisen sighed, before turning to Morris. "Talk to me, doctor. How are the civilians coping?"
"They're scared and restless. All of this running has worn them down to the last nerve." Morris explained with a grim expression. "I understand their fear, that Greyfield fellow is a complete madman."
"That's a given, considering that he is willing to fire ICBMs right into the mainland like that… Especially with the state of the world right now, he's literally speeding the world's demise by throwing these missiles around…" Weiss growled. "But still, you don't seem as frightened, Doctor Morris. Are you accustomed to this kind of fear?"
"Me? I didn't realize I was that good of an actor! Oh ho ho ho!" Morris remarked. "No, I'm afraid, I'm as scared as I've ever been. But it would do no good to panic. As the civilians' representative, I must maintain an air of calm at all times. I think they just want to know what is going on."
"We'll do that for them." Reisen stated, heading out of the tent, as Weiss was about to follow.
"Alright, but please, Weiss, do try to tread lightly as you can on the issue." Morris advised Weiss. "With Greyfield's men on our heels, the slightest shock could send them into a full panic."
"We know." Weiss answered back, before she joined Reisen outside, as the Lunarian rabbit had already gathered the majority of the troops, as the two of them began to explain the current situation as delicately to all present parties.
"...So that is our current situation. Unfortunately, we are going to be low on time and food for the foreseeable future." Reisen answered back. "Our forces can do their best to ensure that you are all safe and sound, but in other aspects, we will require your help."
"Please, good people! We must listen to the good Major and pull together. This is our darkest hour since the meteors, but we can get through it if we work as one!" Morris added, standing beside the officers.
"We will need to ask for you all to follow our orders for the time being." Weiss answered back. "We will not ask much from you, but the tasks we shall give will prove essential later on. Supporting our efforts is paramount to our collective survival."
"Bah! This isn't our war! Why ya have to involve us in your fight!? We ain't soldiers! We're victims! Why we gotta follow your orders?!" One of the Lazurian civilians declared in protest.
"I blame this on Captain Brenner! His ego got in the way of his judgment, and now we're on the run! That Greyfield is a lunatic! He'll track us down and kill us all!" Another citizen, this one with the Rubinelles, argued as well.
Weiss bit her lip firmly, restraining the urge to lash out at the civilian that bad-mouthed Brenner, despite his efforts being the reason that the 8th Combined Battalion and the rest of Brenner's Wolves were able to carry out their rescue operation. Reisen noticed her partner's stiff expression, as she spoke again.
"Captain Brenner did the best he could in the situation. He did you all right, and this is how you repay him, by dragging his name through the mud, while he barely has the strength to keep breathing?" Reisen remarked coldly, as the entire crowd became silent. "We are all trying to help you. We are aware of the fact that most of you are thrown into this situation against your choice, but there is no way out for you all, other than working alongside us. We don't ask that you be indebted to us needlessly, but as I said before: Your efforts are key to our survival. We need your help as much as you need ours. That is the clear truth."
Isabella then moved in front of the crowd, as she began to speak as well, as if Reisen's words motivated her. "Listen everyone… Reisen is right…" Isabella answered back. "We have to work together. We have to help each other. We can't let our differences divide us at that time. So please, let's not fight amongst each other."
"Oh ho! Now that's the attitude we need! Come on, everyone! Let's pull together!" Morris called out, as more and more of the crowd were getting on-board with the notion, as soon enough, the entire crowd had settled down back to normal.
Morris could only wipe the sweat off his brow, as he turned to the officers, with Lin joining them.
"I think we just prevented a rebellion." Morris stated. "Good thing that strong but generous words had great value in persuading the people not to panic."
"The danger's clear to us all, Doctor. It's only a matter of time before this all blows up." Lin stated, before noticing Will loitering around on the corner. "...Will?"
Will turned around with a sunken expression, before Ydine walked over, and lightly smacked Will's cheek a few times.
"Will! Snap out of it! You can't wallow like this forever." Ydine told Will. "Look, I know what happened before, and it is unfortunate that Brenner ended up like this, but sulking like this won't make him any better. You have to stay strong at these times."
"Y-you're right. I'm sorry." Will apologized with a weak smile. "It's just that…"
"Don't worry, we will do our best to save Brenner. Until then-" Ydine stated,before several soldiers rushed towards the officer with frantic expressions.
"What is the situation, soldier?" Reisen asked back.
"Some of our rear-guard units have been captured by the enemy!" One of the soldiers declared. "The rest are trying to fight off the enemy force, but they are both outnumbered and outgunned!"
"...Damn. I hoped we had more time. We can't worry about them now. We have to break camp and get out of here. I want-"
"That won't work, Lieutenant… A large enemy force is also fast approaching our base. We don't have time to evacuate without risk. We have to engage the enemy force immediately." Another soldier stated.
"Then that's what we're going to do." Weiss stated, as Weiss boarded a transport copter, while Reisen rode with a recon squad. "All troops, prepare for combat!"
The initial allied force began to rush out, consisting of a mix of ground and aerial units, as the infantry divisions captured bases and cities wherever they went, all while the nearby airport churned out air units to support the allied effort.
"We're getting minced here! We need help to pull out of this hot mess!" One of the rear-guard units remarked, as they were a mostly devastated light-tank squad ahead of the allied vanguard.
"Pass through our lines. We will lay covering fire!" One of the war-tank pilots remarked, as they fired upon the enemy tank squads that were attacking the rear-guard, as the weakened tank squad quickly retreated behind allied lines. "Alright, you opportunist bastards, come and get your fill of fiery justice!"
Soon enough, the war-tank was met by another one with the enemy, as the two titanic land vehicles traded shots, taking parts off each other, while the other units covered their war-tank. The allied war-tank managed to take out the enemy tank's main cannon, in exchange for having a large part of its front armor gouged from the blasts.
Weiss pulled out a sniper rifle, as she began to snipe out the enemy infantry from the air, as well taking out several tanks with a well-aimed shot from the high-powered weapon, while Reisen was driving across the battlefield, taking out enemy forces, and evading heavy fire from the enemy armor.
"Fire! Fire! Don't let those bastards get another inch more!" One of the artillery operators declared, as the indirect bombardment units began to fire in rapid pace after each other, as the artillery fire managed to score a critical hit on the enemy war-tank, giving the ally war-tank the opportunity to land the finishing blow, as the large NRA-affiliated tank turned into a pile of scrap. With its rival taken down, the war-tank was resupplied by the nearby rigs, before it then began to use its main cannon to devastate the enemy ground forces.
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Will was sitting beside Brenner, who was under sedation, with a blood IV stand giving him back the blood he had lost from his severe injuries, with most of his body covered in bandages.
"Captain… Why are you like this…? We can't do this without you…" Will remarked, before he then heard the sound of a door opening.
He then turned around, seeing that it was Isabella.
"Oh, Isabella. Hi…" Will stated with a faint smile.
"Will, I'm worried about you." Isabella stated with worry in her voice.
"I'm sorry, Isabella. I didn't mean to worry you. I'll pull myself together." Will tried to assure Isabella, although it only made the young girl more worried.
"It's OK…" Isabella stated. "Brenner is still here, and our allies are still-"
"No, it's not!" Will shouted, as Isabella winced, before Will realized what he had done, and sagged slightly in shame. "Dr. Morris is right. I can't afford to act like this. It's just that... When Captain Brenner saved my life, everything seemed so clear."
"What do you mean?" Isabella asked back.
"I owed my life to him. I knew my role was to help him however I could." Will answered, turning back to Brenner. "But now he's only kept alive thanks to the work of Reisen and Dr. Morris… and I'm just… lost. I don't know what to do. Reisen, Weiss, Keiji, Ydine… They were all so clear on what they have to do… I don't know if I can do anything anymore."
"Will, I... I don't know what you should do either. All I know is that... I'm sad. I'm sad because you are." Isabella stated with a firm tone.
"Isabella, look-" Will tried to say, before Isabella stomped right in front of Will with a frustrated expression.
"I don't know why I feel this way! I don't know anything, and I HATE IT! But when you're happy, I am too. And I don't want to be sad anymore." Isabella shouted. "And neither does Brenner. Even Reisen and Weiss know that you can do better. You might not have done much, but that doesn't mean that you don't have the power to do what is needed. You just need the right chance to prove yourself."
"Prove yourself…" Will repeated, before he then looked back at Brenner, as he then slowly digested the meaning of those words, as a hopeful smile appeared on his face. "...Thanks, Isabella. You've made everything clear."
Will then rose up from his chair, walking towards the door. "I have to go." He stated. "Isabella, please keep an eye on Brenner for me."
"Where?" Isabella asked back, as Will turned around.
"Captain Brenner saved my life. Now I must use it to save others!" Will exclaimed. "...Captain Brenner, I won't let your hopes in me be in vain."
Will then rushed out of the medical ward, before he then found that there was an unoccupied war-tank nearby, as the crew were boarding on it.
"Wait, let me come!" Will shouted, rushing after the crew.
"What the, you're that kid who sticks with the Captain? What brings you here with us?" One of the tank crew stated. "You know that we're going to be-"
"I know, I have to come and help the commanders." Will answered back. "I can handle my duties in operating this tank, and helping to fight off the enemy. Please, you have to let me-"
"Woah there, don't get too much into it. Normally, we wouldn't be so open to such a suggestion, even if you're Brenner's protege…" Another crew member stated. "...But seeing how you could drive a tank that well at such a young age, I guess that you got proof to back up your claim. Alright, consider this as giving that bastard who got the Captain like this a sucker-punch to the face."
"Thank you." Will stated, as the crew boarded onto the tank, as Will took his place on the driver seat, as he throttled the war-tank forward to reach the battle-front. "Lin! Reisen! Weiss! Hold on! I'm coming!"
The allied bombers were destroying the flanks of the NRA force, as the anti-airs and missiles were making short work of the enemy air-force, even as the enemy air units were moving over the mountain ranges. An allied flare unit began to fire a flare burst over the allied vanguard, showing the main enemy ground force, as they were engaged before the enemy ground force could react quickly enough to avoid casualties on their side.
However, the allied vanguard didn't make their advance without troubles, as the enemy artillery pummeled the allied armor, even disabling the heavily-damaged war-tank, leaving it unusable, as the crew retreated under the cover of allied support. It was at this point that the fight reached a stalemate, as both sides lacked the fire-power to crush the other without terrible costs.
"Tch, with this kind of stalemate… Greyfield will be able to stall for time to get the reinforcements he needs to turn the battle around…" Ydine remarked, as she was using her rocket-launcher to take down the approaching enemy tanks with her squad, although they barely managed to avoid being blasted away in the following moment. "We need to push… but without a leading unit… we're not going to get much ground and not to mention the losses…"
"It's a necessary price, Sergeant Major!" One of the UUF infantry squad leaders responded back through the comms. "We can't let these bastards get far ahead, or there will be a repeat of that shelter incident!"
"Nrgh…" Ydine winced, as she began to push forward, out of the cover of the allied armor, as she began to aggressively blast enemy units, emptying rocket after rocket into the enemy forces to little avail.
She then noticed that there was a artillery barrage shooting towards her location, as the soldiers in its target area began to rush for cover, although Ydine found herself over-stretched, as she frantically sprinted for cover, even as the shells were moments from reaching her.
However, the enemy shells were impeded by them hitting Will's war tank, which rushed into formation to defend the allied forces from the incoming barrage.
"Greyfield! You will never defeat us!" Will declared, before the war-tank began to fire on the enemy forces, as Will's piloting of the tank seemed to be fairly skilled, despite the fact that he was far younger than almost all of the men in Brenner's battalion.
"Will!? What are you doing out here!?" Ydine exclaimed.
"Finishing the fight. I heard that the enemy is just one push away from being taken out. I'll lead that push, Sergeant Major Ydine." Will declared. "We'll win this, because we're all united to the same cause, and we got each other's backs. I won't let any of you end up like Captain Brenner!"
"Will…" Ydine remarked, as she was motivated. "...You really are one hell of a kid. All troops rally after Will's tank! It's time for a full offensive!"
"Follow that order!" Reisen declared. "Defend the war-tank, and crush the enemy force!"
The allied units began to gather around Will's war-tank, creating a massive force with the war-tank acting as a spear-head, as he began to throttle the tank forward, shooting down enemy units left and right, as the light and medium tank squads supported their leading unit with cannon barrages of their own, as the enemy vanguard was sustaining severe damage from the attack.
Eventually, the allied force pushed deep into the enemy formation, destroying their essential anti-airs and artillery units, as the display of force was beginning to shake the NRA's will to fight, as some units turned tail out of fear of facing such a powerful and cohesive force with what little power they had. The last straw was when Will's war tank rampaged through a squad of light tanks, and fired a powerful shot that destroyed the last of the artillery units, which was parked near the NRA front-line base, taking out parts of it.
"The enemy is running! We've got them on the back-pedal!" One of the fighter squad leaders declared.
"Aw, man! No! No, don't do that!" Davis tried to remark through the hacked NRA channels. "Aaaawww… crud. We gotta retreat! We need reinforcements!"
"Bah! Unacceptable! You weak-minded, cowardly, pathetic simpletons! I took care of that traitor Brenner and yet you cannot finish the job?! I'll see you hanged for this! All of you! No one fails Admiral Greyfield!" Greyfield spat through the comms.
"Shut up, Greyfield!" Will roared through the comms, taking the chance to declare his viltrol to the despotic admiral.
"WHAT?! How dare you address me like that!" Greyfield stated.
"I dare, and I won't let you intimidate me or any of us anymore!" Will defiantly declared. "You'll never defeat us, you bloated gasbag! You hear me!? NEVER! With Major Inaba and Lieutenant Colonel Schnee fighting with us, you won't have your way any longer! You'll pay for everything you have done, especially to Captain Brenner!"
"What an insolent whelp you are! Davis! Gather all of my forces! I want these worms crushed NOW!" Greyfield barked.
"But sir… it will take time for-" Davis tried to argue.
"I DO NOT CARE! I WANT THEM ERADICATED THIS INSTANT!" Greyfield roared.
"We should head back and continue the relocation of our troops. With the respite we have brought, we have more than enough time to rescue what remains of the captured units in that front-line base of theirs." Weiss stated. "And we dealt a great blow to that wretch's ego. He will definitely be dragging himself deeper into his own well-deserved demise, the more we shatter that pride of his."
The allied forces then began to retreat, as Keiji and Ydine organized a rescue force to save the captured rear-guard, which found themselves with only moderate injuries at worst from being rough-handled in their interrogation.
"Heh… for a bunch of soldiers under the dictator…" One of the rescued UGF sergeants remarked, with bruises across his body and a few drops of blood under his nose from having it broken. "...They interrogate like a bunch of wusses, including that limp-wrist of a cadet."
"Easy now, you need to recover yourself." Keiji stated, as he helped the sergeant along. "You did well to ensure that no essential intel fell into the enemy hands."
"Hah, I think you should be worried about how easy they fell for the fake intel… Not many brain cells to rub between all thousands of them… Heh heh-" The sergeant chuckled, before he then began to cough harshly from the pain.
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Lin and Will met up, just as Will disembarked from his war-tank.
"Hey, Lin. Um, I mean… sir." Will stated.
"At ease, Will. I'm glad to see that you're looking better." Lin stated. "Evidently so from how you could pilot that war-tank with so little actual experience."
"I… Sergeant Major Shimada taught me the essential skills and drilled me hard in them." Will admitted. "He wanted to ensure that I would have been able to be of some help if we were to be attacked directly. I know I've been pretty pathetic lately, but I'm pulling it together."
" Don't be too hard on yourself. This is a rough patch for everyone. It has only been a few days since Captain Brenner…" Lin stated with a calm tone, before she flinched. "Well, since…"
"It's OK, Lin. Really." Will assured Lin.
"I know you took his current state harder than most. To be honest, I wondered if you would be able to fight for us again." Lin answered back.
"Yeah, I was in a bad way. But I thought about what the captain would say if he was here, and... Well, that turned it around. I guess I kind of idolized him, huh?" Will responded back, ending with a light chuckle.
"You could do much worse in that department." Lin bluntly stated.
"He would have told me to stop being such a big baby and get to work! Of course, he would have been nice about it... Anyway, that's why I decided to fight. I'll make time to apologize to the captain later, if he wakes up any time soon." Will remarked with a melancholic expression. "I'm sure he would be proud of how I managed to lead my first fight to victory."
"I may have misjudged you, Will. You're stronger than I thought." Lin admitted with a faint smile.
"Not as strong as you! I saw how you pulled us together after we lost Captain Brenner. I know people say you're kind of coldhearted...:" Will stated, before pausing to reconsider his words. "Well, never mind. Whatever they say, you're a great leader."
"Actually, Will, that brings me to my point. I have something to ask of you." Lin remarked with a steely look in her eyes.
"Yeah, OK. What is it?" Will responded back.
"Let's go inside. I don't want any little birds overhearing this." Lin stated. "Other than the Major and the Lieutenant Colonel. But that's only because they're invited to hear and persuade you."
Will was confused about the situation, as he followed Lin into the war tent, where Reisen and Weiss were.
"Major Inaba? Lieutenant Colonel Schnee?" Will remarked, seeing the two commanding officers.
"Ah, Will, you're here. I suppose that you're in adequate condition to prepare for the shocking news we have for you." Weiss stated. "I do believe that you might be torn between being terrified or overjoyed with what you have to hear… although I doubt the latter would be true. And please, call me Weiss and my friend, Reisen. You earned that right."
"What do you mean, Lieu- Weiss?" Will answered back with a confused expression.
"...Will, as per the rights possessed by the current leading officer, Lieutenant Lin, and the second and third opinions offered by us both…." Reisen explained. "...We instate you as the commander of Brenner's Wolves, more commonly known as the 12th Rubinelle Battalion."
Will was left shocked silent for a moment, as he tried to process what he heard, before his mind finally recovered itself, as he blurted out a loud frantic 'YOU WHAT!?'
"...You're not filling me with confidence here, Will." Lin responded back with a frown.
"B-but, Lin, Reisen! You can't be serious! I can't lead an army!" Will exclaimed.
"Brenner's Wolves has lost its commander. We need to find a successor. After considering various options, I feel that you are the best choice for the job, and both Major Inaba and Lieutenant Colonel Schnee agree." Lin responded back.
"That's crazy, Lin! YOU should be the leader, not me! I'm an idiot! In fact, Reisen or Weiss would do a far better job than me! Or even Keiji or Ydine-" Will exclaimed.
"Brenner's Wolves need a person that they can relate with. Foreigners like us can command them well, I will not dispute that fact…" Reisen answered back. "But it is someone like you who the people will rally to, like you did before in leading the finishing blow to the NRA forces just then. Not to mention that your presence will have the benefit of earning trust more easily, with a more idealistic and more relatable commander at their command."
"But what about the fights-" Will tried to argue.
"Don't depreciate yourself, Will. I saw how Reisen's lessons sunk into you." Weiss stated. "You are as good of a commander that your first act of leadership has proven. You just need the right time to prove it, and now is the chance. You'll be the one who will lead Brenner's Wolves into victory."
"What's more, following the Major's point… Will, are you aware of how many people are currently in this camp?" Lin added.
"You mean exactly? Um... Well, let me think…" Will pondered. "OK, there are 314 men in the Wolves and 345 civilians in training. Oh, we've also got 749 non-combatants."
"There's also 613 Lazurian troops waiting to be integrated. Add them up, and we're actually larger than a standard battalion. But putting all these people together is going to require a delicate touch. And a young man like you is more likely to be accepted by the Lazurians." Lin stated. "Especially with the fact that you stood up for them several times in the past. And there are civilians to think of. They like and trust you, unlike myself."
"I know that this is throwing you off the deep end with such a situation, but please understand that this is for the best of everyone." Weiss answered back. "We wouldn't have done such a thing if we believed for a moment that you wouldn't be able to meet the standard. But you are a far better person than you think. Brenner's will was passed onto you with such great clarity, and that will is the drive to make you an officer worthy of leadership."
"I… I can't believe this…" Will remarked, taking a deep breath. "...But if you all really believe this… Do you really think that I can match up to the responsibilities that I'm going to have to take care of? I'm still a young man after all."
"That's right. You're a kid. You're a wholesome, likeable kid, and that's what we need. We need someone that all of us can rally around. That's all a good leader really is." Lin nodded.
"Honestly, I agree with Lin. Your charisma is great at preventing mutinies and ensuring the loyalties of all groups of people within our care." Reisen agreed. "I have taught you well enough to handle the basic officer duties and I can assist you in dealing with the rest. You will learn in time, and then you'll be a proper commander, no matter what people will say about you."
"Sooooo... I'm in charge, but you're really in charge. Is that it?" Will asked Lin.
"Precisely, you are deficient in military knowledge, and you haven't reached the same tactical awareness that we make our plans at. Right now, you can only be trusted with the most common tasks, as well as the easier ones, such as briefing your men, and filing reports." Lin answered back.
"Right, I can handle that much. At least I'll be treated like a proper officer." Will nodded back, before looking towards Reisen with an uneasy expression. "...For both good and bad for myself."
"We have to tread carefully. Between the civilians and the Lazurians and the lack of food... Our force should be on the verge of collapsing from the inside out." Lin stated, as Will remained silent, being well aware of the situation himself.
"That's why your main goal as the commander of Brenner's Wolves will be this: Ensure that unit cohesion remains well enough to handle the fighting to come, and to ensure that we do not end up with a messy outcome from any potential mutinies." Weiss stated. "Talk to the people, and do your best to alleviate doubts and resolve the tension amongst the different societies. That's the best you can do for all of us, Commander Will."
"Commander…? Huh, it's going to take a bit for me to get used to that." Will remarked with a slightly timid tone, rubbing the back of his head.
"You'll get used to it, Commander. You have to, Commander." Lin jested, with a faint smile on her lips.
"OK, OK! I'll get used to it!" Will exclaimed.
"In that case, let us move onto more important matters." Reisen stated, unfurling the continent map on the table, as she gestured to one of the points. "North from where we are, there is a village that has been marked to be of benefit to our force."
"Do you know the village?" Will asked Lin.
"It's a small trading post. The community has always been friendly toward us. We should be able to resupply there." Lin stated.
"Hopefully, we can find some reprieve around this land." Weiss sighed.
It didn't take long for the force to reach the village, as a small vanguard force was deployed to cover a scout unit, as they went into the village, to find that the entire front gate was desolate, which was already setting off alarms within the heads of all present officers.
"...Something's not right. Be careful." Weiss stated, as several soldiers scaled the gate, before unlocking it from the inside with the use of some gadgets.
It didn't take long for the group to split up, searching the entire village from sector to sector, as Weiss decided to stay along with the main group, which had Lin and Will among them.
" I don't get it. There's no one here." Will remarked.
"It seems that the Lieutenant Colonel's warning seems to become more and more true the longer we wander here." Lin answered back. "I don't know what… but something must have invaded this village. This is not the kind of reception we are to expect, despite everything that happened."
"Do you think they were attacked? Maybe Greyfield beat us here." Will suggested.
"Unlikely, Greyfield would be too arrogant to go around attacking villages, when he is hell-bent on eradicating us." Weiss stated. "...I have a suspicion that we're not quite done with the ones who have troubled us several times before…"
"You mean the ones who supplied the raiders and attacked the automated crop factory?" Will asked back. "You sure it's them?"
"...I have a hunch." Weiss stated. "Pray that it's just a simple feeling, nothing more…"
Eventually, the group split up again, as Weiss decided to follow along with a squad of soldiers, as they searched one of the blocks, before they found that there were bodies nearby one of the buildings, which caused them to approach carefully.
When they were sure that the coast was clear, they moved towards the bodies, before finding that they were already ice-cold corpses, as there was blood-stains everywhere, as well as discarded bullet casings and bullet holes in the bodies of the deceased.
"...Shit, do you think…" One of the soldiers started.
"It can't be an ambush… Someone committed a slaughter here, but it can't be possibly done with small-arms like these…" Another soldier argued, picking up a discarded hand-gun, which had bloody finger-prints on it. "Lieutenant Colonel, what do you think of this."
As Weiss looked at the scene for a few moments, the pieces began to click in her head, as the realization made her pale greatly.
"Sir, what's wrong!?" A soldier asked Weiss.
"...They killed each other… and then the remaining ones must have committed suicide…" Weiss stated. "...It makes sense, there's no way that any raiders who came here would have made these deaths as clean as they look right here. But the motivation… What is it? Whatever it is, it must be something that people are willing to kill others, or even themselves for… We have to report this to the others."
Weiss's squad managed to regroup with the rest of the squads, as they found Lin and Will.
"Anything?" Will asked both of the commanding officers.
"All we found are bodies and traces of small-arms fire. It looks like these people tore themselves apart." Lin stated, as Weiss nodded, much to Will's concern.
"Why would they do that?" Will stated.
"...Either our mysterious assailants dropped some sort of bioweapon that made people go berserk and kill themselves with such little reason…" Weiss stated. "...Or the fear of something created a domino effect that caused the same conclusion… Neither case is not good at all."
"You don't suspect it is a civil war, Lieutenant Colonel?" Lin asked Weiss with a raised eye-brow.
"That's ruled out after the fact that all those here are dead. Civil wars never result in complete annihilation of a society, with no survivors, especially not if there are only small arms involved." Weiss stated. "...We have to head back and leave this place… I have a bad feeling."
Meanwhile, with Reisen, the female major began to search the entire sector alone, as the rest of her crew were searching the nearby sectors, as she scaled one of the buildings, finding more and more corpses, which only furthered her hunch that a terrible event happened here recently.
Eventually, she reached the top, as she began to survey the nearby area from the heights, before she then noticed a trio of individuals that she believed were out of place in this atmosphere, too distant for her to clearly see with even her enhanced eye-sight.
She then pulled out a pair of binoculars customized for her use, as she used them to zoom in, finding that one of them was a white-haired man with pale skin and a snake-like expression on his face, dressed in a stained lab-coat with a black under-suit and black boots. The other two seemed to be far younger, as one of them was a young girl with twin-tails tied by pink ribbons, a white frilly dress with black ends on the sleeves, and black stockings paired with hot-pink high-heels, while the other had pale skin as well, as well as resembling Richard in appearance far too much to be a mere coincidence, with a thin smirk to his lips, dressed in a gray officer coat with black army jeans and boots, as there was also a ammo belt around his waist.
'Could this be… the fragment Yukari was talking about…?' Reisen thought to herself, as she used a listening device to focus on the trio, as she remained still to avoid any disruptions to her device.
"...Father! How long must we stay in this wretched place?" The girl remarked with a haughty tone. "I'm growing weary of all this muck and dust. And my shoes are in a terrible state!"
"Oh, come on, Tabitha, a little mud and grime wouldn't hurt. After all, even Penny enjoys it sometimes." The look-a-like quipped, much to Tabitha's irritation.
"My dear, be patient. There is a wealth of information for us to discover here. By the way, it seems that we have visitors." The man remarked with the same eerie tone that Reisen heard speaking with Forsythe, as he turned around towards the sound of mobilizing forces in the distance. "They seem to be behind the village. Tabitha, would you like to test out that new toy of yours?"
"Oh, Father! Can I really?" Tabitha exclaimed with glee.
"Ah, buh buh, remember that it's 'May I?', both because you have to learn your grammar like the posh miss you are, and because you shouldn't demand from Father so much." The boy remarked, wagging a finger. "I'm sure that even for you, Tabitha, he wouldn't take that behaviour lightly."
"Shut up, Mars! Stop being such a nuisance! You're not the one doing things here, I am! So I'm Father's most prized child, not you!" Tabitha growled at the boy.
"Suit yourself." The boy remarked, crossing his arms with a carefree expression, as Tabitha gnashed her teeth in return.
"Mars, behave yourself. You have been unorderly for quite a while. Do not make me discipline you." The man warned the boy, before turning to Tabitha. "And yes, you may. Nothing is too good for my little Tabitha. But remember, this is serious work! I must watch and record the results. I am fascinated to see how they will react to this little weapon of mine."
"You never tire of your research, do you, Father?" Tabitha sighed.
"There you go again." Mars rolled his eyes. "Fine then. Father, I think that it would be of your best interest that you take my excitable sister and get her into the Talon Gun. Hopefully, this time, she will put it to good use. Such a shame you don't lend me such great weapons."
"Very well, come, Tabitha." The father remarked, as both he and Tabitha retreated into the distance, as Mars was alone.
Reisen then quickly activated the comms, as she began to quietly speak through it, not wanting to risk being detected.
"This is Major Inaba, I have managed to confirm the presence of 'Unknown Force Alpha' within this location, from the appearance of their commanding officers." Reisen reported. "I highly request that you prepare for battle, we are likely to be under siege soon."
"Roger that, the main force is on the way, ETA 30 minutes." The operator answered back.
When Reisen looked through the binoculars again, she found that Mars was walking over towards a nearby weapon case, before he then pulled out a large sniper-rifle that seemed to be too cumbersome for someone of his physique to wield. Yet, Mars held it around like it was a child's toy, as he slammed a clip into the empty bottom of the large rifle, before pointing it towards Reisen's direction.
"...You know, it's not nice to eavesdrop on family talk." Mars directly spoke to Reisen, as the listening device picked it up, as his finger began to ease on the trigger.
Reisen's instincts flared immediately, as she leapt off the edge of the building, just as the rifle fired, launching a high-powered sniper round right where Reisen was standing, as the shot managed to take out a good portion of the roof that Reisen was standing upon. Reisen then managed to land safely on another rooftop, as Reisen kept her eyes on Mars in the distance.
She then began to scale from rooftop to rooftop, as Mars fired the powerful rifle over and over again, taking out parts from the buildings that Reisen stepped on, as it caused a ruckus that alerted the rest of the forces present in the small town, as they moved to prepare for battle.
Reisen then managed to get to a distance close enough, where she could get a precise shot on Mars, as she, instead of aiming for Mars directly, fired a sniper round through the rifle itself, as the bullet hit the magazine of the rifle, jamming the clip, as Mars was forced to ditch the rifle, as Reisen rushed towards him, before she leapt down from the rooftops, and tackled Mars just as he grabbed a revolver, as he preemptively fired a round that Reisen dodged, even though the bullet grazed her cheek, as the two of them were left tumbling across the ground, fighting to get control of the grapple, although they were in a dead-lock, much to Reisen's surprise.
Reisen quickly shoved Mars off her, as she readied her side-arm, before Mars swept himself onto his feet in a fluid motion, with the gun pointed at Reisen.
"Well, finally a face to put to you, Major." Mars remarked, not the slightest bit intimidated by the situation. "And now you get your side of the wish as well."
"Were you responsible for what happened here? No, was your father the one who caused this meaningless slaughter?" Reisen stated with a stoic tone.
"Appropriate wording, although Father wouldn't necessarily agree. You see, this situation is a result of a very nasty development of a little affliction that I'm sure you're familiar with." Mars stated. "But yes, Father did indeed incite this entire frenzy, which unfortunately wiped out everyone here. Then again, a small village doesn't even compare to what kind of chaos would happen, if all of this happened in a far bigger establishment."
"...You're talking about Creeping Derangea, the Creeper, aren't you?" Reisen questioned.
"Bingo, that's right. I wouldn't like to spoil that surprise for you, but I'd be hoping strongly that you aren't going to be the next victim… Oh, maybe that statement will spoil it for you." Mars stated. "Well, since I can't help but blather, I may as well leave before I say something else I might regret. We can settle our matters-"
"Not a chance. You're not going anywhere." Reisen answered back. "I don't know who you are, but you are definitely the person that I was looking for. There can't be any other possible outcome from this. You will come with me, that is not a choice for you to make."
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice either." Mars shook his head. "I don't doubt your skill, you're a super-human like me. But I definitely know for a fact that there is nothing you can do to stop me without endangering yourself, Major. The soldiers from both sides must have heard the commotion, and Tabitha is already bringing the Talon Gun online as we speak. If you value the lives of your men, you should go and lead them, instead of wasting your life trying to capture me. I don't have much to give after all."
"You're lying. You know far more than you admit." Reisen growled, as her finger eased on the trigger of her gun. "And I know that there is a connection between all of you and Isabella. It doesn't matter what it costs me, I must get her the answers that she needs."
"Her? Isabella?" Mars stated, tilting his head. "What are you talking about, is that person the one who's looking for me? Sorry, but whoever she is, it has little to do with me. I'm just simply a person born to fulfill a single purpose."
"And that is…?" Reisen remarked, before she then noticed that while her eyes were focused on him, Mar's foot was lingering towards the empty weapon case.
"...War." Mars smirked, before he then swung the case into the air, towards Reisen, as she was forced to dodge, before Mars then fired his revolver to suppress her, causing her to reactively crouch down, just as Mars slipped behind cover, as he escaped Reisen's sight, even as Reisen fired her side-arm to try and disable him.
"...Damnit, he got away…" Reisen cursed, before she then turned to leave. "...I have to settle this later. Will and Weiss will need their help to deal with the incoming threat."
Reisen then boarded her jeep, as she headed towards the allied base, and into the war room, where Lin, Weiss and Will were waiting for her.
"About time, we heard that there was a battle within the city." Lin stated. "Are you injured, Major?"
"No, I'm not. I can definitely confirm that this is the unknown force that has grieved us with several problems, including the Lazurian-Rubinelle War that you have managed to pull through." Reisen answered back. "I have managed to encounter one of them, Mars, he says he was. From the records I have heard, he is accompanied by their father, who is likely the one orchestrating the war efforts."
"That sounds bad… What kind of person would encourage a terrible war like this…" Will stated, curling his fists angrily.
"Commander, come in! Commander!" Tasha's voice was heard through the comms. "...Damnit, Will! Talk to me!"
"Tasha! What's wrong?" Will asked back, taking the comms.
"Someone's trying to kill us, that's what wrong!" Tasha growled. "I hate it when people do that! I'm going to take command and make 'em pay! Oh, and Will?"
"Yeah?" Will asked back.
"I was... I mean... Look, this ain't easy for me, but... I... I said a lot of bad things about Captain Brenner, and I was wrong. You were right. He was a good man. ...Sorry." Tasha apologized.
"You don't have to apologize, Tasha. I'm just happy that you know." Will answered back.
"The captain risked his life for us, so now I'll fight with you. You may be Rubinelle, but we're all on the same side now. I will find those bastards in the NRA, and I will have revenge!"
"Wing Commander Tasha, I ask that if we could send our assistance on the matter." Weiss stated. "We have battle-copters and some bombers at the ready as aerial support."
"As for on the ground, the tank squads are ready. We have even made use of the repaired war-tank that we have recovered from the previous battle." Reisen stated. "However, from what I can gather, the enemy has made use of tank-destroyers. It would be foolish to engage the enemy without taking care of them first."
"Right, got that. Thanks for the aid, I can trust that you all have my back." Tasha remarked, before her fighter squadron took to the air, as she surged through the air to examine the enemy forces. ": All right, you devils! I'm gonna come in there and blast every last…"
Before she could finish her sentence, just as she soared over the mountain range in front of the allied base, she noticed that there was a large tower-like structure in the center of the battlefield, with a ring of cannons and turrets along the circular top, as there were enemy forces surrounding it.
"...The HELL is that thing!?" Tasha exclaimed.
"Hang on, we need to get a clear look at it." Weiss stated, as the scout units moved atop the mountains, as they began to examine the large structure carefully part by part, as the intel was passed onto the officers.
"It looks like a weapon." Gage remarked through the comms, hearing the intel from his own scouts.
"I've never seen anything like it before." Lin stated about the intel. "...A structure with that many weapons, and a 360 degree coverage… what kind of purpose does this kind of structure serve."
"...Perhaps Isabella might shed some light. Let me get-" Reisen stated, before Isabella entered the war-room herself, as if she had something urgent to say.
"It is a Talon Gun. It was developed by the private defense contractor IDS." Isabella answered back.
"That name again…" Weiss remarked with a thin frown.
"Development began six years ago at the request of the Lazurian government. However, the cost of the project quickly spiraled out of control. Work has halted after only a few prototypes were constructed. That is one such prototype." Isabella explained.
"How the heck do you know that?" Tasha said through the comms.
"I...I don't know." Isabella admitted.
"The fact that you know all of this weaponry, it paints a clearer picture of your purpose… and it's not good." Reisen remarked seriously. "But for now, we should use the intel well. From what is gathered, the Talon Gun has an effective range of several kilometers, inferred from the data pulled from the analysis of the structure. What's more, its positioning of weapons indicate that it can fire on several squads in range of it, so we will assume that any targeted squads will suffer severe casualties. Not to mention that its structural weakness is small enough that only a few attacks can be performed at once."
"So you're hinting at the fact that the destruction of the Talon Gun is a battle of attrition." Lin stated, as Reisen nodded, causing Lin's expression to sour. "...We'll have to gather up a strong force to rush the enemy and take down that Talon Gun before we suffer more casualties in the long run. Wing Commander, I advise that you do not engage the enemy until we have properly readied our forces. The enemy is likely to charge us, but as long as we hold our ground, an opportunity to make a counter-attack will show itself for us."
"Don't talk as if charging recklessly is something I'd do." Tasha chided in return. "But yeah, I understand."
The allied forces took the time to build their forces up, as the indirect units began to set up their positions near the city that served as the mid-point to the road between the Talon Gun, and the allied base, as the infantry squads traversed the area on foot, capturing key points along the way, as the northern squads aimed for the airports that were situated in a small plains area surrounded by the mountain range. As soon as the other war-tank was readied, Will immediately boarded it, as he began to slowly head towards the choke-point, where a medium tank squad has situated themselves within the city for defense, just in time for the enemy forces to advance upon them.
"The enemy is engaging us down south! We also got enemy movement on the north front!" The comms officer informed the commanding officers..
"We need to hasten our preparations for battle." Reisen stated. "How goes the effort in capturing the objectives north?"
"The squads have reported that the airports and the factory are already in production. As per pre-defined orders, they are currently creating more bombers to prepare for the attack on the Talon Gun and the defence force, as well as fighters to stave off the enemy air-force from all fronts. Missiles are also being constructed as an anti-air measure." The comms officer responded back.
"Continue the production of the forces. Send orders for the southern force to hold ground until the Commander's tank is in position, and the rocket units are also situated for maximum efficiency." Reisen stated, before opening a channel to Tasha. "On my mark, tell all of your squad to aggressively engage the enemy air-force. We will have the Talon Gun occupied trying to handle the ground assault."
"Will do, just don't put any of my men at unnecessary risk… I'm not having more of them die in all of this…!" Tasha answered back.
The southern force continued to defend the choke-point, as tank squads repeatedly exchanged positions, to allow any wounded forces to pull back, and recover at the nearby cities, as sympathizers helped to repair the wounded units, as the rockets ensured that the enemy artillery would never get the chance to finish any of the retreating tank squads, or allow any enemy forces to breach the choke-point.
Eventually, Will's tank managed to reach the choke-point, as he checked the situation using the tank peri-scope, seeing that the allied forces were still in optimal condition, even though there was some inevitable casualties from the battle.
"...About time you got here, commander…" One of the tank squad leaders remarked. "We've been waiting for some real fire-power to move in."
"How is the situation ahead? I heard from the Major and Lin that the northern units are rapidly producing the units required for the decisive attack?" Will asked the squad leader.
"The enemy is throwing themselves into us. I swore that someone was piloting one of the medium-tanks with frightening skills… Lost a few good tanks to them." The squad leader stated. "Good thing that it got taken out by a few focused rockets to the hull. Don't know what happened to the crew, but we got bigger fish to fry. It's a good thing that big tower of theirs can't reach us over there. I don't want to experience a rain of fire after the meteors…"
"You won't have to endure it long, we're going to take that gun down!" Will exclaimed.
"...All forces advance, the time is right to strike the enemy down!" Weiss exclaimed. "The enemy defense has been weakened enough to assault them! Take them all out before they get the chance to use that weapon of theirs to their advantage!"
"I've been waiting for this, time for you to pay for all the damage you did!" Tasha growled, as she shoved her fighter into full throttle, darting towards the enemy forces, as she dumped missile after missile into the enemy squads, sending a large number of them into the ground as flaming wrecks, with the help of her own squad.
"You heard the Lieutenant Colonel, let's go!" Will shouted, as he began to move through the city choke-point, entering the large plain where the Talon Gun was situated, as the enemy defense force noticed the swelling force advancing towards them, from both flanks.
"For the Captain!" One of the tank squad captains remarked, as he and his squad rushed the enemy war-tank that was defending the Talon Gun, dealing considerable damage to the machine, before some of them were taken out from the counter-attack, although a bomber moved into position to finish the war-tank off.
"We have the enemy target in sight. Hit them with all you got!" One of the bomber pilots remarked, as the large bombardment vehicle moved over the Talon Gun, dropping several bombs on it, as it took out some of the guns, and even damaged the structure visibly, before several battle-copters rushed ahead of the bomber, as they fired rockets into the strucutral weaknesses, weakening the large structure even further.
"Take that, you bastards!" One of the copter squad leaders shouted, as debris began to drop from the massive structure, although it was still active, and preparing to attack, as the guns began to rise up from its cover. "...Oh boy, looks like we didn't finish the job fast enough…!"
"Sir, the Talon Gun is readying itself to fire! Mutliple squads are in its range!" One of the scout leaders reported to Reisen.
"All units, if possible, retreat out of the effective range of the Talon Gun! If not, take cover, and brace for impact!" Reisen ordered firmly.
"Damn, I didn't think that this thing would be this-" Will growled, before the Talon Gun fired, as it fired off a barrage of anti-air flak and heavy cannon-fire, hitting both air and ground, as the war-tank was buffeted harshly by the blow, as Will was jolted heavily from his seat.
"Commander, the tank took a few hard blows! We're not going to be able to take another one!" The tank engineer shouted to Will.
"Don't worry about me, what about the others!?" Will declared.
"Well, we manage to just barely pull out of the range…" One of the anti-air squad leaders remarked. "But shit, that's a lot of damage, it took out a good chunk out of our forces."
Will looked around from the damaged peri-scope, seeing that there were multiple casualties among the squads, as they were further damaged by the advancing enemy forces. However, despite this, the allied forces refused to back down, as they fought back hard, taking out what remained of the defending tank-destroyers, as the tank-destroyers on the allied side began to fire on the Talon Gun, doing their best to take out the machine as quickly as possible.
"We're in position! Time to put this beast to rest!" One of the rocket spotters exclaimed. "Target that weak-point! That thing needs to go down NOW!"
The combined rocket-fire surged towards the Talon Gun, as it hit the central structure of the tower, breaking it, as it began to collapse under its weight, turning it into rubble.
"The Talon Gun is down! I repeat, the Talon Gun is down!" One of the allied tank squad leaders exclaimed.
"That's the worst part dealt with…" Reisen stated. "With the manned and unmanned units we have deployed on the field, we should have a tactical advantage over the enemy force. Now we will take the momentum, and use those who were not injured by the attack to lead the charge-"
"Sir, the enemy's pulling out!" One of the allied scouts reported to Lin. "It seems that taking out their trump card has forced to fold out!"
"...This doesn't sound like a victory to us… but it's the best we can take." Lin scowled. "Wing Commander, you were in range of the Talon Gun, has there been any casualities?"
"We managed to avoid the clustered fire, if that's what you're asking. Other than a scuffed paint-job, my boys are still flying well and proper." Tasha answered back. "I'm worried about the kid though, I saw his tank get hit hard. Still, if it's not smoking, he's gotta be fine. At least the bastards paid for it though."
"Then we should pull all our forces back. We have no need to leave our force outside." Weiss stated. "We should keep moving, before the NRA catches up and forces us into battle in our currently vulnerable state."
"I understand." Lin nodded back, before opening a channel to all active units. "All units, pull back and return to base, we will depart from the village outskirts immediately."
Suddenly, Dr Morris burst into the room, with a frantic expression on his face.
"Everyone! Listen up!" Morris exclaimed with fear in his voice. "We have an emergency! As soon as Will comes back, he needs to hear what I have to say as well."
"What's wrong, Doctor Morris?" Reisen asked back. "Something must have truly spooked you."
"The worst has happened, Major. The outcome that you and I have been fearing has finally come true." Morris answered back.
Reisen flinched greatly at the news, as she bit her lip, as Weiss caught the expression.
"Reisen, what's wrong? What is Dr Morris is talking about?" Weiss asked Reisen.
"It's best that Dr Morris explains it. We will head to the lab and wait for Will." Reisen spoke with a solemn tone.
The officers quickly headed for the lab, as Will came in, looking for the Doctor, as they found him fairly concerned, standing over a set of photos.
"Doctor, what is going on? This has better has importance to the current situation." Lin stated.
"I'm afraid that it is, in the most terrible way possible." Dr Morris shook his head, before holding a photo to Will. "Will, look at this picture… and tell me what you can see."
Will took the photo, as he looked at it, seeing that it was someone infected by the Creeper, except instead of being as young as the child victim that he had saw an year ago, the current victim was a man in his peak adult years, with more severe symptoms, as a large part of his body was covered by the lush green vines, and disarmingly beautiful flowers.
"Oh… Oh no…" Will remarked, as he let the photo fall from his hands in utter shock and disbelief.
"I found it in the village's medical center." Dr Morris stated. "I think it was taken quite recently."
"The Creeper… with a new group to infect… this is bad, now none of us are safe from it." Weiss stated.
"Viruses are capable of mutation, so that's what I thought this was. But this is a dramatic change. It's too perfect." Dr Morris stated.
"Explain." Lin stated.
"I can." Reisen stepped up to take Morris's place. "From all of my knowledge in medical studies, an optimal virus lifeform requires a long incubation period and mild symptoms to survive. It is the law of infectivity. A virus with high severity or lethality without a proportionally high infectivity rate will die out very easily, without any chance to mutate with beneficial effects that can sustain its survival. With all of this, Dr Morris and I can finally reach a conclusion about the virus, with the findings we have gathered throughout the entire year we have been working together."
"And what is that?" Weiss asked back.
"...Endoflorescens terribilis, Creeping Derangea, or the Creeper, whatever it is called…" Reisen stated gravely. "...It's not a natural disease. It is not like small-pox, or AIDS, or Ebola, or any other pandemic virus we have heard about. Its symptoms and its process of spreading makes it possibly a biological weapon that has run out of control. But even that is under doubt, because of how perfectly it teeters on the line of being infectious enough to infect all within its vicinity, and severe enough to kill all those who receive it, within a short period."
"No… that's… That's impossible! Who would do such a thing!?" Will exclaimed with horror.
"Someone who has no interest in the continuation of humanity. There is no purpose in creating such a weapon, with little to extort for, and no values to even lay claim to." Reisen answered back. "And I do have a major suspect on that list. There was a boy whose name was Mars. As you can infer from the previous recordings that both Sergeant Majors have given as intel, this person is a part of the unknown force that attacked us just recently. He knew of all of this, and I have reason enough to believe that his 'Father' is responsible for the creation of this bio-weapon. As a weapon of genocide, it aligns with all previous intentions in sparking the Rubinelle-Lazurian War, and destroying the automated crop factory… they are working against the interests of humanity, and thus are a threat that must be eliminated immediately."
"Damnit… How could they…" Will growled.
"Even with this terrible news, we have not slacked on making a cure." Reisen stated. "Ever since a few months ago, we have been working on a cure. Using diluted or inactive samples of the Creeper, as well as the voluntary contribution of people within the afflicted age group, we have managed to make great progress towards creating a cure to the virus, and towards a vaccine to immunize us. So long as the new variant does not make drastic changes to its genetic structure, our cure will be made in time to prevent further losses to the disease."
"For now, this news is to be kept between us." Weiss stated. "Dr Morris, while we are on the move, I will hand over all of my medical staff to assist you in the screening of the virus, and the development of both cure and vaccine. For the sake of everyone here, I ask that you do your best to progress towards the counter-measure…"
"I already am, Lieutenant Colonel…" Dr Morris sighed. "...I already am."
Term of the Chapter: Artillery
Both the UFF and UGF have ways of supporting their ground force through artillery bombardment. The UUF-owned A-777 self-propelled howitzers, also nicknamed as the 'Shamrocks', are known for being capable of causing precise destruction on enemy forces with minimal allied casualities due to the usage of shaped Dust rounds that focus the damage toward enemy units. For the UGF, the TF-03 self-propelled howitzers are renowned for being able to quickly switch between movement and firing stances, making them valuable in battles that dynamically changes at a rapid pace, with reliable fire-power that can pierce all but the strongest of armoured defences.