Operation Ingelström II: Counterstrike
40 Years After the Great War
Londinium
On the 15th of March 1926, a shell from an Obukhovskii railway gun fired its first shot in anger at the Empire. At the same time, the Commissariat for Foreign Affairs broadcast a declaration of war from the Russy Federation, officially marking the beginning of the conflict between these two nations.
It is not an exaggeration to say this event shook the world. Indeed, it was so unexpected that even the Federation's own embassy staff were unaware of the attack until Imperial Soldiers came to take them into custody. However, the true reason for this sudden assault remains uncertain, at least in the eyes of the western world.
The reason cited in the original declaration was that the Empire had refused the peaceful settlement on the matter of the disputed territories between the two nations. However, since this issue had not been raised by either party for several years prior to this point, most scholars agree that the pretext for this is false.
Later during the Yalita conference, General Secretary Josef Dzhugashvili publically declared that they joined the honourable cause to rid the world of Imperial hegemony and liberate the countries that had fallen to them. However once again scholars are more than a little sceptical about this rationale. Particularly since so many of the "liberated states" under Dzhugashvili's sphere of influence amounted to little more than puppet states loyal to his regime.
Many simply believe it was a miss calculated attempt to take advantage of a weakened Empire and that the reason the Federation hadn't attacked earlier was because its internal issues had not allowed it. However, one particularly noted scholar believes there is more to it than that.
In his book, behind the steel drapes, Professor Sherlock of the Londinium University describes an atmosphere of mass paranoia surrounding the Federation's decision to attack their western neighbour. Using surviving information seized from the Imperial General Staff, he claims that both Secretary Dzhugashvili and Commissar Loria behaved like men possessed when undertaking this war. With an almost laser-focused aim at bringing down their enemy.
Of course, since these files were seized from the opposing side, it is reasonable to assume there is some bias. However, in the absence of any other solid evidence, it is perhaps the best explanation we have.
It was fear and madness that drove the Federation to war. Then again, perhaps that could be said of all nations who entered the conflict. – Andrew WTN Special Correspondent.
TEXTBOOK FOR LITTLE CITIZENS: THE STORY OF OUR NATION
Kind Mr Josef had spent many years working hard to make the people happy. He took away all the nasty and distracting things that might make them feel sad and took care of all the worries they might have so that we could all live together in harmony.
With Mr Loria's help, he even managed to find jobs for those who usually found work too troublesome and difficult. Allowing them to count tree's in Silberia so that even they could feel like they were helping their fellow workers.
However, despite all his good work, Mr Josef was worried. The other countries did not have a great father like Mr Josef, and worse still, they were fighting amongst themselves. The militaristic imperials had started hurting their neighbours.
The Peace-loving Mr Josef was very upset by this news, and so he sought a way to bring the fighting to an end. But how? As a kind and loving father, he did not wish to hurt these wayward children. He wanted to bring them happiness, just as he had the children of the Federation.
Fortunately capable Mr Loria reminded Mr Josef that even the kindest father needed to instil discipline in unruly children and since the peoples of the Republic and Commonwealth were being oppressed by naughty imperial soldiers, it was up to him to step in.
So it was with a heavy heart that Mr Josef asked the People of the Russy Federation to fight for the safety of the world. Moved by his words the People said yes. – Excerpt from the Commissariat for Education approved textbook: The People's storybook for Kindergarteners.
15th March Unified Year 1926 06:30
The Lietuvos Socialist Republic, Russy Federation, 30 miles from Imperial Border
"No…" Will mouthed in horror as the colossal war machine fired its munition towards the Empire's border. He felt sick with worry as he stared at the smoking gun, unable to move as Tanya called for confirmation from the other companies that the other positions had fired on the Empire. This had to be a mistake, a miscommunication or misfire, the communists couldn't be attacking. This could ruin everything!
"They're attacking all the way down the front! They've declared War!" He heard Grantz exclaim over the radio, although Will was still unable to bring himself to believe it. This couldn't have happened, he'd warned them that they should do everything to maintain the peace with the Federation. The Empire might be able to take the behemoth in a one-on-one fight but it would be the casualties would be horrendous. However in a two-front war like this, with significant forces already needed to keep the Allied kingdom at bay as well as garrison Legadonia and the Republic, Will wasn't sure if even the full might of the Great Army could successfully force the communists to their knees. They would always be outnumbered.
In the Federation, soldiers grew on trees.
"Weiss, any signals from home?" Tanya asked urgently, although she still maintained her composure. Will turned to look at the other two officers, hoping to find any sign that the news would be somehow different or that they would be ordered to immediately withdraw. He didn't want to fight these people; he stood to lose too much.
"Affirmative, the Federation has sent troops across the border. Eastern command has ordered everyone to retaliate regardless of who they report to." The deputy replied causing Tanya's face to contort into a mirthless smile.
"It seems we get to perform some community service. All units, release mana seals and attack immediately, take out those guns and hit the supply dumps!" Tanya barked in reply, not hesitating for a second to retaliate against the communist assault now that permission had been given. "Wilhelm, take out the perimeter and AA defences."
"No, no, no, no, no!" Will murmured to himself even as his body automatically sprang into action; drawing his sword as he charged toward the enemy. He wasn't sure if it was his natural response to keep up appearances or all of the extra training Tanya had forced him through but his body moved automatically at Tanya's command and his close combat company soon fell in behind him. He quietly cursed the soldier's conditioning and the evil god that had forced him into this position.
He poured some mana into his pistol as he charged his company towards the nearest guard post. Not able to bring himself to look as he squeezed the trigger to rain down artillery spells on the defensive structures that had been set up to protect the gargantuan war machine. Panic spread amongst the unprepared troops as they searched for the source of the unforeseen attack and Will urged his company forwards to take advantage of the confusion, despite the sickening feeling settling in his stomach.
This was the worst-case scenario for Will. Every soldier he faced in the Federation was ideologically opposed to his very existence, or rather his perceived existence. Although he knew that individuals might feel sympathetic towards him due to his childlike appearance, the fanatical political officers would not allow them to be swayed by his words. If he were captured, those same officers would show him no mercy.
It would all be over for him; any chance of attaining the paradise he knew he deserved would be taken from him, along with his life.
Worse still, it was likely that no one he killed in this country would count towards paying his debt to the monster! The Federation and all of its constituent "republics" were all atheist states, religion was suppressed and sometimes even ridiculed. The country's previous leader had gone so far as to call it "a method for the exploitation and stupefaction of the working class" and there had been rumours that priests had been rounded up and imprisoned. How could he find faithful souls to sacrifice to the monster in such a place?
The bitter irony was these people were some of the few that had figured out how cruel God could be and had worked to stamp out His influence. If there were anyone other than Tanya in this world who could truly be made into allies against the monstrous deity it was the communists. Unfortunately, they hated royalty almost as much as they hated God.
If only things were different, we shouldn't have to fight.
"I'm sorry, I have no choice." He winced under his breath as he reached the defence line, plunging his sword into the chest of a stunned man trying to organise the defence of the road gate. A second tried to strike back and hit him with the butt of his rifle but Will quickly countered, ducking low as he removed his sword from the fallen guard and swung it around to slice into the second man's stomach. Meanwhile, the Letzenbourgers' war cry filled his ears. The bursts of submachine gun fire that followed told him that his men had joined the assault and were quickly dealing with the remaining soldiers, leaving him time to think about what was happening.
He didn't want to do this, there was no profit in this war for anyone. It would just be a bloody battle of attrition until one side decided they'd lost too many troops. A pointless waste of life that he couldn't take advantage of to pay his debt. Why did he have to be here? Why couldn't he be sent on one of the Albion raids instead? At least those from the Allied kingdom would count as faithful, why did he have to fight here?
There was a whoosh from overhead and the sound of a volley of disciplined fire. He glanced over in time to see a bright burst of flame as one of the ammunition depots exploded. Soon after there was a crash of tortured metal and the colossal barrel of the railway gun tumbled to the ground. It seemed Tanya and the others had gone to work; she was intent on punishing the Federation for their transgressions with her usual brutal alacrity.
Even in the midst of battle, she could hear her jeers as she took down the communists. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn she was enjoying it.
He didn't have long to dwell on all this, however, as several shots struck his barrier and four soldiers rushed him from a half-collapsed building nearby. He reacted instinctively, raising his pistol and gripping his sword tightly as he moved to countercharge. He sped on towards the group, his flight boots skimming just above the ground as he focused on powering his shield. Several more bullets illuminated the barrier as he closed and without even a thought he squeezed the trigger and placed a bullet in the skull of the first man. Countless hours of combat experience urged his body to act without the input of his brain as he reached the second soldier, his magic-infused blade cutting deep into the man's side causing him to scream in pain.
The third met his barrier and was launched backwards before smashing into the bunker and crumpling into a shattered mess on the floor. The speed Will had been travelling combined with the strength of the barrier was the equivalent of the man hitting a brick wall at over a hundred kilometres per hour, without magical augmentation there was little chance he would survive. Finally, the fourth met the same fate as his commander, sword through his chest as his eyes filled with the terrible mix of emotions Will had seen time and again as his life drained from him.
Suddenly it felt eerily quiet. The sounds of battle still surrounded him but seemed to fade as he stared at the lifeless corpses of the Federation soldiers at his feet. He felt strangely isolated and alone and found himself letting out an involuntary shiver. He hadn't wanted to kill these people, they didn't need to die for the monster; he wasn't a murderer that killed for no reason.
It was self-defence. Self-defence is fine. He told himself as a pool of warm blood formed around his flight boot but he couldn't quite make himself believe it. This may have been a country filled with communists, and enough firepower could bring down anything but in a surprise attack like this, there was no way average soldiers could stand up to a mage. He'd slaughtered these men for nothing.
"I hate this." He whispered quietly under his breath as smoke filled the air around him and for a moment he thought he saw the face of Ludwig grinning at him through the smog. He shook his head, chasing the apparition out of his imagination before he had the chance to mock him once again. He couldn't afford to have the ghost distracting him right now. He turned and began striding away, opening his mouth to order his company to regroup when he felt something catch his boot. He looked down once again to find a small metal locket on a chain by his feet, evidently, something dropped by one of the soldiers.
Despite himself, and the dangers of his surroundings, a detached sense of curiosity drove him to investigate further and he used his blade to pick up the trinket. As he drew it closer to his face, it fell open revealing a picture of a young woman holding a baby in her arms. A wife and child perhaps?
Suddenly a vision of Haussmann filled his mind. He stood healthy, as he had been before the fall of Letzenbourg but with a sad look on his face before it suddenly the vision morphed into the lifeless and bloody corpse he'd left spattered over the cobbles of his home city. He felt a stab of pain in his chest. Haussmann had left a wife and child too, the only thing he'd ever wanted was to keep them safe and happy. Had that been this soldier's wish too? Had Will made this woman a widow and robbed a child of their father? For what? Nothing, his death didn't count. To God these people were worthless.
"Damn you!" He yelled as he tossed the locket to the floor angrily, bringing his blade down on top of it and crushing it into the dirt. No, it hadn't been him. This was all the monsters doing, the cruel god that had set this up and forced him to kill for its amusement. It wasn't Will's fault, he'd had no choice. He wasn't the one making widows and orphans, that monstrous god was responsible for all of this. He had nothing to feel bad about.
So why does it hurt so much? He thought as he removed his blade from the locket, raising it out of habit to look at the blade. To his surprise, the number had changed. Its ethereal glow showed a few digits more than he remembered.
I suppose these men weren't worthless after all he thought sorrowfully as he glanced back towards the bodies. That knowledge should have made him happy, but knowing that he'd somehow found some of the few people that had escaped the communist purges made him feel all the worse. They had all been victims of that monster.
"Sergeant Litz, we're done here. Withdraw and regroup with the others." He called, shaking the thoughts from his head and using a little mana to project his voice to make himself heard over the din of the battle. The sooner they got out of here the better. At least he could take some comfort that they'd be heading back to friendly territory soon. They couldn't stay behind enemy lines now that fighting had broken out and they would need to get out of here before the Federation sent in reinforcements.
Lost in thought, he took to the air confident his troops had taken care of any nearby threat. Litz and men would be along shortly he was sure, in the meantime, he had to think of a way for them to get out of this mess. He'd been lucky to find those poor souls that could contribute to his debt but he wouldn't always be so lucky and the Federation's involvement cast doubt on whether the Empire could still win this war. His paradise, and those of the people he cared about, was in danger. He needed to do something.
War is the continuation of politics, or so the saying went. This was the lens through which the Empire looked at both its armed forces and war in general. Although Will didn't believe this to always be correct, it was a decent way to think if one wanted to gauge the motives of those engaged in conflict. There was a reason behind this war declaration, some sort of aim or prize that Dzhugashvili hoped to seize. Once they knew what this was, a way out may present itself.
The disputed territory along the border was an obvious motive, the people of Russ had claimed much of that land even before the revolution, before even the formation of the Empire. However, Will could see no reason why they might wait until now to press that claim, particularly when both sides had been working towards a somewhat cooperative relationship in recent years. Neither side had been willing to give up their claims of course, but both sides could live with that sort of uneasy peace. The Federation had always tolerated the Empire because, without them, the world powers would look at the eastern giant as their greatest threat. The strip of land they claimed was not nearly as valuable as keeping the Empire on the top of everyone else's hit list.
No, there was another reason. It was probably the shift in power within Europa that had brought them out of their isolation, the fall of the Republic must have led them to re-evaluate their stance towards their western neighbour.
The non-aggression pact must not have been enough to convince them we're not a threat, they must have gotten spooked by the Empire's success. Damn those diplomats in Berlun, I wrote an entire paper warning them about the need to keep the Russy out of the war. They should have had hundreds of civil servants working to keep them happy. What went wrong? Why wouldn't they listen?
Still, things weren't as bad as they could be. Unlike the Allied Kingdom, the Federation had not joined the war as an ally to the other parties, it had instead joined as a co-belligerent. That meant a separate peace was possible. The Federation had attacked assuming that the Empire was too busy on the other fronts to adequately defend itself, they probably thought they could sweep in and trim the eagle's talons before the Great Army could divert itself from its staring contest with the Allied Kingdom. If the Empire could hold firm, it may persuade them otherwise and open up an opportunity for a white peace.
Yes, all they had to do is put up a stiff resistance; then the diplomats can hammer out a quick peace. That was the point of the interior lines strategy after all. If they were lucky, the history books might consider all this little more than a border scuffle. Once this issue was dealt with Will could get back to fighting enemies with a greater chance of helping him pay his debt and paradise would be back within his grasp. At least the parts of it he still had left.
He began feeling a little more confident as he returned to Tanya and the other company commanders. By now the battalion had regrouped and they were looking down at the devastation they had wrought upon the communists. Tanya looked especially pleased with her work and she wore a wide grin as she watched the survivors attempt to deal with the flames.
"Lieutenant Grantz, any sign of enemy mage reinforcements yet?" She called, not taking her eyes off of the flames. She seemed almost lost in thought and wore a strange look on her face that even Will struggled to decipher the meaning behind.
"Nothing yet commander, they're sending additional troops but so far we've seen no sign of any mages." Grantz reported quickly, sounding slightly confused by the news. It was understandable, had they still been on the Rhine front they would have expected an entire regiment of mages to show up after the damage they'd caused. To say there had been little to no response was odd, to say the least.
Could those rumours about the Russy mages be true? He thought, wondering if he should share the hearsay about the potential purge of the Federation's magic corps. It made him feel nervous that the communists were so confident in their forces that they could afford to rid themselves of some of their most powerful soldiers. Not to mention that they had managed to capture and neutralise so many mages in the first place. It was possible they might have anti-mage technology that was more effective than even the Allied Kingdom.
Then again, would Tanya pay any heed to rumours? She rarely trusted anything he tried to tell her anyway, she probably would dismiss anything he tried to tell her out of hand unless he had some sort of proof.
"Strange…" Tanya said thoughtfully still staring at the destruction as her face contorted into a wide grin once more. "Then again, they are commies, making stupid mistakes is what they do."
Will felt a twist of anxiety in his stomach. It was unlike Tanya to underestimate an enemy and her casual disregard of the enemy's strength made him nervous. It was as though she didn't consider them a real threat. Surely, she must be aware of the sheer weight of manpower the Federation could bring to bear; even she was vulnerable to the amount of fire they could commit to a firefight. What's more, her smile showed him something of her he'd never seen in her before, although he'd heard almost everyone talk about it in the past. It looked like she almost relished the idea of fighting these people.
"Ma'am, we've received further orders from eastern headquarters." Weiss cut in, handing a headset back to Sergeant Reinhardt, one of the battalion's radio operators, and breaking Will from his thoughts. "The Eastern army is following plan 315 and begun elastic defence tactics. We've been ordered to support the delaying action while high command mobilises the Great Army. Command has given you full discretion on how to proceed."
It was good to hear that the Eastern forces were fighting back, but it was crucial that they don't cede too much land to the Federation before the Empire's main force arrived for the counterattack. How much they could slow down the enemy in the next few days would be crucial for the negotiating hand of the diplomats. How the 203rd employed its strength could be a game-changer.
Will watched Tanya carefully as she considered what the next course of action for the battalion would be, hoping to divine some idea of what she might be planning from her now serious face. He wasn't afraid to admit she was much better at strategy than him, although he would never tell her that to her face. She would doubtlessly figure out the best way to strike at the enemy.
One thing was certain though, they'd need to get back to friendly territory. That meant striking through the front lines; not exactly an easy task and likely one she would want Will and his close combat company on the vanguard of again.
"We'll take the easy way back through the lines for once." Tanya called as a confident grin returned to her face. Will let out a sigh of relief, if she'd thought of an easier way he might not have to kill as many people that wouldn't count to his debt just to get to safety. Not to mention reduce the chances of being downed and dragged off by the Russy secret police. I knew it was a good idea to trust her, as long as I follow Tanya's lead we'll be out of here in no time.
"We attack Moscau!"
Every member of the battalion fell deadly silent, and Will was fairly sure he wasn't the only one whose jaw had metaphorically hit the floor when they heard the girl's ludicrous suggestion. Tanya meanwhile was grinning from ear to ear and had a twinkle in her eye that not only told him that she was deadly serious, but she was actually looking forward to the idea.
She's gone mad!
"The Federation capital?" Will spat incredulously, hoping that somehow they'd all misheard her. "You want to take us deeper into enemy territory?"
"Think of it as a strategic diversion. An attack so far behind their lines will force them to pull troops away from the front, meanwhile, we can take the long way around to get back to the Vaterland." The girl explained with a voice brimming with confidence. "We'll take the pressure off the Eastern forces while subjecting ourselves to minimum risk."
If we're not hounded every step of the way back! Will felt like screaming, but he was forced to hold his tongue for the sake of appearances. It was true that a raid deep behind enemy lines would likely force the Federation to pull troops back from its assault, but attack their capital? The centre of their government and ideology? It was too risky. He felt in his bones that it was the wrong thing to do.
Thankfully, he was not the only one to think the plan insane and Weiss soon interjected in a far more diplomatic way than Will might have done had he allowed himself to vent his frustrations.
"With respect ma'am, this isn't Dacia, Moscau will be well defended."
"Good one Captain Weiss, nice to see you've maintained your sense of humour." Tanya replied with a hearty chuckle, doing nothing to convince Will of her mental stability. "Everyone knows the commies have shit for air defence, Captain Hozollern did you even take any incoming fire during that attack?"
Will shook his head, trying to keep the unease from his face. It was true that the defences he and his company had attacked never fired a shot from the AA guns protecting the Railway cannon. He assumed the soldiers manning them had simply been taken by surprise and hadn't reacted quickly enough. They'd been fortunate, but that didn't mean that luck would be replicated. Wouldn't the Federation keep their elite troops back to guard their capital?
"You see? You could land a Cessna in red square, without being bothered by the red's so-called air defence. We won't have any problems." Tanya continued oozing confidence and bravado as he spoke, even as those around her looked on with confusion.
"A Cessna?" Both Visha and Weiss asked in confusion, echoing his own thoughts. He'd no idea what one of those was but he was certain that landing one in the Federation capital was a one-way ticket to one of the Federation's fabled Lageri.
"Never mind, the point is that even an average teenager could break through their air defence." Tanya continued, shooting Will a smirk. "Or perhaps I should say even a child."
Will did his best to ignore the girl's words, he could tell she was loving how uncomfortable this whole situation was making him feel and was clearly trying to tease him for it. She probably thought of it as some sort of payback for some perceived slight. Still, he doubted she would plan an operation simply to get back at him.
Then again, perhaps her confidence wasn't as misplaced as he feared. She did have a better understanding of both tactics and strategy than he did, and she'd had plenty of experience with strikes like this. She'd been right about these sorts of things before and although she'd admitted that it had been luck on occasion, such as the strike on the Republican command in the south, she always seemed to produce the desired result.
It wasn't as if the plan didn't have merit; a limited raid on the Federation Capital would cause a great deal of disruption to the Federation's battle plans. Even if they failed to penetrate their defences, the presence of such a large group of mages behind the lines would probably cause their commanders to panic, they'd have to pull troops back from the front lines.
But still, something didn't sit well with him about the plan and he wasn't quite sure what it was.
"Couldn't we achieve similar results attacking infrastructure while we're behind their lines? I can't help but think there are too many unknowns if we attack the capital." Will persisted, hoping that he might be able to win the support of the others with a safer compromise. However, he could already see that many of the others had already been swayed by the Major's confidence. She'd led them into Hell and back enough times that they trusted her judgment completely. If she said it was possible, there was no question that they could do it. Ironically, Tanya was the only one who seemed to give his alternative any serious thought.
"The front lines are huge, it's doubtful we'll be able to do enough damage to divert attention from more than a small part of the line that way. They could easily reroute their trains to bypass our damage so it's doubtful they'd need to move too many troops away from the front to protect them. Besides we'd still need to get back through the lines once it was all over." She replied thoughtfully, leaving Will's hopes of avoiding the girl's plan in the dust. "However you raise a good point, we should at least run this one by command to make sure there are political considerations to be taken into account before we leave."
Will felt his heart sink as he watched Tanya's widening grin. He fully expected the General Staff to back her plan and it looked like she did too. Meanwhile, Will was left with the unshakable feeling that something would go wrong.
"I can't wait to get authorisation." Tanya said happily as she stared out over the oblasts towards their distant target.
Will just wished they could go home.
15th March Unified Year 1926 20:00
Conference Room One, Offices of the Imperial General Staff, Berlun
"What's the disposition of the enemy forces? How many units in the first wave?"
"What's happening? We're getting conflicting reports from along the front."
"We need more information! Send out more recon planes!"
"Is the Great army on the move yet? What about the strategic reserves, are we mobilised?"
Captain Sophia Zerbist found herself unsure whether she wanted to laugh or cry as she watched quietly from the corner of the conference room as a dozen different men shouted to be heard at once. The Imperial General staff was considered one of the greatest groups of minds in the world, yet now there was a crisis most of them were acting like panicked children desperate for some comfort from their mother.
It was terrifying to think these were the people making the life and death decisions that affected the soldiers on the front lines. Soldiers like the prince. Perhaps furious would be a more suitable reaction than laughing or crying.
"Do we have enough trains running to bring them in?"
"We're yielding too much ground! Can the Eastern Forces hold them for long enough?"
"What about the rear positions? At this rate, we might not have anywhere to send the reinforcements to."
Was this really the best the Empire had to offer? Were these the people they had trusted to lead them to victory? She'd never seen the prince act like this, or Degurechaff for that matter, both were infinitely more calm and mature in a crisis than the supposed cream of the imperial military. What had happened to all their meticulous planning? It was almost as though they'd forgotten about the much-vaunted interior lines strategy the moment the Federation had opened fire.
It was rather pathetic that so many generals and senior officers were so useless in an emergency. If her sister had been here she would have probably wanted to shoo them out of the room so as not to disrupt the adults from their work. She could easily imagine her doing it too, she'd never been one to put up with this sort of behaviour.
The mental image of her sister ushering the top brass out of their meeting made her smile before leaving a pang of heartache. Christina still hadn't awoken from her coma; she missed her sister dearly and it always hurt to think that she might never wake up. She wouldn't allow herself to be distracted by those thoughts, however, not while she still had to get back to her prince's side. Perhaps one day she could persuade His Highness to see Christina, she was certain her sister would awaken for him.
Fortunately for the Imperial General Staff, there were a few islands of calm in the frenzied and tumultuous sea of panicked officers.
Although largely silent, the figures of Major Generals Kurt von Rudersdorf and Hans von Zettour managed to dominate the room with their cool demeanours. The former surveying the room with a dispassionate look as he sucked on his cigar, something few had ever seen him without. While his comrade in arms leant over a map, studying each detail with a calculating eye.
These were unquestionably the true powerhouses in the General staff at the moment. Others may have outranked them, and they officially reported to the high command, but it seemed that in a crisis all eyes turned to these men for answers. They would probably be better off leaving the entire war effort to the pair, the men that had given the Empire its victory over the Republic didn't need officers like this to distract them. Then again, the military was a place of politics as well as strategy, they likely had to keep up the appearance of listening to men like Generals Marchese and von Brok so as not to risk making enemies that could threaten their positions.
There were only a few others that Sophia judged as competent in the chaos of the conference room, one of which was the reason for her being allowed into the conference in the first place. She had been scheduled for a meeting with Colonel Eric von Rerugen about her reinstatement when the news about the Federation attack had arrived. Although she'd known the man would likely be busy, she'd gone along anyway and used the news to make a big show of wishing to re-join the prince and the 203rd as soon as possible. In truth, very little acting was required. The Prince had always warned about a potential conflict with the Federation and she was concerned about his safety.
Fortunately, the colonel seemed to have a bit of a soft spot for her and he had revealed quite why that was technically impossible at the moment. The 203rd had already been deployed behind enemy lines. To say the news had been worrying was an understatement but it had at least allowed her to secure an invitation to sit in on the staff meeting. Considering the dangerous position the prince and the rest of the battalion had been in at the time he seemed to think it prudent. She was glad he had been so considerate, it meant she wouldn't have to embarrass the man later when she found out the details from more clandestine sources.
Unlike the other officers, who were still busy trying to speak over each other, Rerugen was looking over each and every report that was being delivered by the overworked signalmen who rushed in from time to time with fresh news from the front. He shared a similar sense of calm as his superiors and carried himself professionally despite the chaotic atmosphere. However, perhaps due to her closer proximity to the man, she could see more signs of tension on his face as he read through the incoming messages. A furrowed brow and a clenched jaw as his eyes darted along the page told her that the news was not as encouraging as he might have liked.
"Gentlemen." General Zettour called, raising his voice slightly to be heard over the din as he raised his head from his charts. "Although, these events are unfortunate they are not completely unforeseen. Plan 315 has already been put into action and we are redeploying our troops in accordance with the interior lines strategy."
Sophia felt her smile widen as Zettour took charge of the room. He spoke in a tone that showed confidence in their preparations, or at least the calm knowledge that nothing more could be done for the moment. It did wonders for her confidence in the Imperial leadership to see him at least try to force some calm amongst their members.
Still, he was right in more ways than one, this shouldn't have been all that unexpected, the prince had warned of the risk of a Federation attack years ago in his political treaties. They should have been ready, they should have listened to him.
"Agreed, now is not the time to lose our heads." Rudersdorf added blowing a puff of smoke into the air as he spoke. "Colonel von Rerugen, what's the latest?"
The room seemed to fall silent as the assembled officers turned to look at Rerugen. To his credit, he did not seem overly perturbed about suddenly having the undivided attention of so many high-ranking officers. Instead, he simply adjusted his glasses and began leafing through his notes.
"As you are all aware, the Federation launched an all-out assault along the entire Eastern border. According to the latest reports, their forces are split into three main thrusts: one focusing on the north towards occupied Legadonia, one in the centre towards Tiegenhoff and a third striking the into the occupied territories in Dacia." The man began explaining professionally, keeping his voice level as he delivered his summary. "Our forces have adopted planned defensive strategies as per plan 315. However, as General von Brok intimated, we have been forced to yield some ground, particularly in the south."
"Hardly surprising" Grunted Rudersdorf with a frown, "Eastern command have been stretched pretty thin trying to hold the entire Border, especially now they had to defend Dacia and Legadonia as well."
Sophia noticed the look the moustached General shot towards Generals von Brok and Marchese. She was willing to bet that Rudersdorf had pushed for reinforcement in the east before now but had been rebuffed. Probably by these same officers, she'd heard that they had been pushing for an invasion of the Allied Kingdom and wanted to keep as many troops as possible ready for the task.
"The infrastructure in Dacia is also inferior to that in the Vaterland's" Zettour continued rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "It's harder for our forces to reinforce and it'll be difficult to divert too many troops that way. Still, it's better that the enemy make gains there rather than on Imperial soil."
"What about Imperial soil?" Marchese interjected, either unperturbed or unaware of Ruddersdorf's previous glare. "Will we be able to hold until the Great army can reinforce?"
"We have had more success in the centre and the north. However, it's difficult to say at this moment in time." Rerugen replied in a manner far more calmly than Sophia might have in his shoes. Surely the man must know that no officer could make that sort of guarantee. The attack had only happened this morning, at this point they were lucky that they'd managed to hold what they could and amass what information they had on what they were facing.
"It is with that in mind I think we should consider how best to delay the enemy." The colonel continued, however, Sophia sensed him become slightly more tense as he spoke. It was almost as though he were hesitant to bring the subject up.
"You're speaking of the request Major Degurechaff sent? A strike on the Federation capital?" Zettour asked causing a rumble of murmurs to pass through the room. For once, Sophia felt herself joining the feeling of shock and confusion that crossed the room. An attack on Moscau? Impossible surely. If nothing else she was certain the Prince wouldn't allow it, or at least he wouldn't allow himself to be involved. He deeply mistrusted the Federation, he would want to get out of there as quickly as possible. Unless Degurechaff had emboldened him somehow.
"Yes Sir, I believe it is the perfect distraction. We should allow the attempt." Rerugen replied, however, Sophia noticed a subtle change in his body language that was at odds with his words. Did he not trust Degurechaff? It seemed strange considering the praise that the major had so often heaped on her superior. Doubly so, since despite the misgivings he exhibited about her, he was advocating for her plan. However, not everyone in the room was quite so optimistic and several of the officers broke out in protest.
"You must be joking! It's ridiculous, they will be too well defended! If it were an attack with high-altitude bombers then maybe, but mages? It can't be done!" Again the loudest objection came from the direction of General Marchese's faction, although this time it was von Brok who voiced his disapproval.
Unfortunately, she found it difficult to disagree with him, although she wished she could. Seeing the amount of anti-air defences the Empire had put around the capital, it was difficult to see how even bombers could successfully assault a modern city, let alone mages, who were forced to fly much lower. Major Degurechaff may have managed to succeed with such a strike in Dacia, but everyone knew the Federation had a much more modernised military.
"I understand your doubts General, but in a sense, we succeed in our goal simply by making the attempt." Rerugen continued, undaunted by the disapproval from the opposing faction. "If the Federation diverts troops to the rear to protect their capital, it limits the forces they are able to use on the front lines. Indeed, a strike so deep into enemy territory will likely cause concern about future attacks on their infrastructure and rear supply lines. Even if the attack has little penetration, it will serve this purpose. However, the more successful Degurechaff is, the more forces they will feel they need to divert to protect themselves."
Sophia nodded in understanding; that must have been why the prince was content to go along with this plan. There was no expectation of hitting Moscau especially hard, the idea was to spook the Federation into pulling troops away from the front. Prince Wilhelm must have seen it as an opportunity for the Empire to prepare a counterattack and possibly convince the Federation to accept a white peace.
"Yes but for the attack on the capital to have any meaningful effect is easier said than done." Added General Marchese doubtfully, "Is this really the sort of adventurist attitude that we can expect from our field officers? We are not in the business of throwing our troops away. Surely another target would be more advisable."
Sophia found herself glancing back towards Generals Rudersdorf and Zettour. They had been noticeably quiet throughout this exchange, relying on the colonel to speak for them. They've already made up their minds, she realised as she studied their stoic faces, perhaps the rumours were true; these two are now the de facto leaders of the general staff, this is all just for show to keep the other senior officers on side. But can Rerugen really persuade them?
"With respect General, no other target would be nearly as effective, and this is Major Degurechaff we are talking about. She's a talented soldier, who despite being assigned some of the most dangerous missions has succeeded with minimal casualties in the past. Additionally, she has had experience with precisely this sort of attack. The Dacian capital, the Rhine headquarters and most recently the Free Republican southern headquarters. That she has asked permission is proof he believes it is possible, I suggest allowing her to go."
Sophia studied Rerugen as he made his case and again noticed a disparity between his voice and body language. He was telling the truth she was sure; his voice showed he believed every word he was saying. However, the slight frown he wore and tightly clenched fist held behind his back told a different story. He was hiding something, it was almost as though despite all his praise there was something about the major that gave him pause.
"Degurechaff may be a silver wings recipient, but she's developed quite a mixed reputation." Von Brok spat back. "You seem to place an awful lot of your trust in her for someone who has been so critical of her in the past."
Rerugen remained silent, his features returning to a neutral frown as von Brok attempted to stare him down. He would say no more Sophia realised, whatever he was holding back was now preventing him from furthering his case. Meanwhile, the other officers began debating the pros and cons of Degurechaff's plan.
It wasn't her place to add an opinion so she kept quiet. Besides, the prince had not raised an objection; she had complete faith in his ability to see them through this situation. At the moment she was more interested in what this criticism von Brok had mentioned was. Perhaps she should investigate this before she returned to the prince. She was certain that Major Degurechaff was unaware of any disapproval from the colonel and the prince would doubtless be interested in any information about what was preventing her from being transferred.
"Enough, we don't have the luxury of a lengthy debate." Rudersdorf cut in through a puff of smoke, drawing the attention of the room back towards himself and Zettour. Evidentially he had decided that it was time to retake control of the meeting from Colonel Rerugen.
"Indeed we are wasting time here." Zettour added thoughtfully, "I judge it acceptable to grant permission."
There was a flurry of objections from the officers loyal to the major general's rivals but they were quickly silenced when Rudersdorf spoke once more.
"Let her try it, a bottle of my best says she'll succeed."
With that, it was clear to everyone present that the decision was final. Rudersdorf and Zettour were in agreement and nothing would dissuade them at this point. Sophia wanted to let out a sigh of relief that the General staff was in such capable hands. However, she found herself unable to fully relax; something still felt slightly off.
Colonel Rerugen hadn't unclenched his fist.
16th March Unified Year 1926 03:30
The former palace of Kuskovo, Moscau, Russy Federation
Mary jerked awake in her bed, doing her best to stifle the scream on her lips and cursing herself as tears fell freely down her face. Her heart ached with the phantom grief she experienced within the dream and her mind swam with the mix of emotions she'd felt making her head throb. It was all too much, the sensation threatened to overwhelm her. She swallowed hard and tried to force the feelings down to calm herself.
It wasn't real, it was just a dream! She told herself as she tried to chase the vision of the burning farmhouse from her mind. She bit her lip hard, tasting copper on her lips from blood as she desperately tried to force her subconscious to accept that both her mother and grandparents were safe. There was no way the Empire could get them in Arkansas. There were no soldiers there, no cannons, no repeat of the terrible crimes she'd heard about at Arene. The Empire could never reach them in the Unified States.
Come on Mary, pull yourself together!
She couldn't be seen like this; she couldn't be seen like some wailing child in front of the others in the darkened barracks. She was supposed to be a soldier; she was supposed to be someone that protected people and prevented children from crying, not some kid weeping and calling for her…
"Papa." She whispered with a sniffle as the vision of the man's soft smile entered her mind, and the memory of his stubble tickling her face the last time they embraced. Just the thought of him made her feel warm. The memory of his presence making her feel safe and chasing her fears away. However, the feeling was fleeting and moments later the feeling of emptiness returned. Anson Sioux had been part of her happiness, part of her paradise, and he had been ripped away from her.
She pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as she buried her face in her knees so she could smother her sobs. The nightmare had shaken her far more than she cared to admit, and the emotions she'd experienced felt as raw and painful as an open wound.
She'd been back at her grandparent's house, down in the orchard collecting apples for one of her pies for when Papa would come to stay. Perhaps she should have realised at that point it was just a dream, he'd never had the chance to visit the Unified States, but it all felt so real. Everything from the warm summer air to the smell of wildflowers as she'd ran through the fields had felt so peaceful, even the sweet taste of the apples on her tongue had been perfect.
She'd felt happy, it was almost like she imagined heaven to be.
But then everything had changed, the blue skies had become dark and oppressive and the flowers had wilted and died in front of her, while the apples turned rotten in her mouth. Thunder had sounded overhead, with bright flashes striking from the direction of her grandparents' farmhouse. No, not thunder, now she was back in the waking world she knew what the sound really was. She'd heard it while the other soldiers were training. It was an artillery barrage.
In the dream, she'd ran, desperately trying to reach the farmhouse so she could save her family as the noise became more and more deafening and the eerie orange glow of distant flames filled the sky. But she'd been too late.
The farm had gone, the entire landscape replaced with flames and rubble, a cruel recreation of the atrocities that was inflicted on the Republic. A man in a long trench coat and a spiked helmet stood watching the destruction, an Imperial, and at his feet lay Mary's family, everything and everyone she held dear.
What had once been her heaven.
That was when she had woken up, with the vision of her lost mother and grandparents spreading fresh terror through her mind. They were all she had left; she couldn't imagine a life without them. That had been why she had joined up in the first place, but now she was so far away from them that dreams like this were becoming more and more common. The closer they came to facing the Empire, the more she feared she would lose what was most precious to her.
It had been a fear that had been growing ever since the day that Papa had first gone to war. For as long as she could remember, the newspapers and radio had warned about the Empire and its ever-growing military. How it had stolen the land that rightfully belonged to its neighbours and how it used the threat of its army to bully those who surrounded it.
Everyone had said the only reason to build such a large army was to attack your neighbours. Everyone had said that war was inevitable.
At first, she hadn't paid much attention. Papa had always said it was an exaggeration and that grown-ups should always try to settle their differences with words instead of wars. However, as she grew older, she saw the angry looks on people's faces when she visited the town. The crowds that gathered to listen to the speeches of their leaders as they denounced the evils of the Empire. She hadn't understood the words, but she understood the feeling behind them.
They were scared.
Then came the day that Papa was called away, as an officer in the Legadonian military it was his duty. He had always told her that his job was to protect their country and make it a safe place for her and her mother to live in. However, on that day he had worn a frown that told her how worried he was. Even then, Mary had known something was wrong.
She hadn't found out until later what was happening. Counsellor Abensoll had declared they would no longer live under the threat of the Empire, they would stand up to the bully and take back what rightly belonged to them. In town the people cheered, saying they were finally free of Imperial oppression. They all said that the Empire would not respond, after all, everyone knew that bullies were cowards and the Empire would back down once the Legadonians stood up for themselves.
But that hadn't happened, the Empire struck back and all of their worst fears had been realised. Not content with simply pushing them out of the demilitarized zone, the Imperials continued over the border. Despite the best attempts of Papa and the others, they pushed further and further into the Fatherland and proved what the news had always warned. They wanted to conquer them, her country's attempt to stand up to the bully had given them the perfect excuse to strike. The perfect excuse to take everything away from them.
She rarely saw her papa after that, and her worry increased day by day. Even after the Republic joined the war, she felt ever more fearful; she was worried her happy life was being slowly taken away from her. Especially after the newspapers began to report about the cruel things the Imperials were doing in the occupied parts of the Republic and the homeland. By the time she and her mother were sent to the Unified States to live with her grandparents, she was worried that any chance of life returning to normal might be gone forever.
That's why she had been happy that the nice man from the Allied Kingdom had helped her with her Christmas gift for Papa. She knew a gun was a strange thing for a girl to give her father, but there wasn't much she could do to help him. She thought that if she could help her father protect himself, he would be able to fix everything.
She had truly believed that back then, part of her still thought that if he were here now he still could.
Her time in the Unified States would have been the happiest of her life if they had not been the agonising wait for news about Papa. While her grandparents had been kind, and the farm had been fun and exciting, she had longed for the day that Papa would join them. They'd make a new life and live happily together.
Even on the day that they heard the news of Legadonia's surrender, she hadn't given up hope that he would come back. She had joined her mother in weeping for what was lost, everything she had ever known had been taken. But they still had their life in the Unified States, once Papa came home they could still be safe and happy.
Except, he wasn't coming back.
She still remembered the pain she felt when the soldiers had given them the news. She still felt it every day, it had not abated; not even slightly. It was a sharp hollow feeling that drove into her very soul, a void that could never be filled, a wound that could never be healed.
Her happy life in the Unified States was no more, everything had been tainted by the terrible grief she felt for her father. As she saw other children play with their parents, she was ashamed to admit that she felt jealous of them but worse still she felt that same fear once again. Not only the fear that the rest of her family might be taken from her, but fear that the same thing might happen to these children too. She couldn't bear the thought of another feeling the same pain she'd gone through.
But so many already had, so many in the Republic were going through that right now, and even in the distant south. The Empire didn't care, it just wanted to conquer, the Albion newsreels were filled with stories about how the Empire had refused their offer of peace, their offer to return everything back to the way it was. And now the rumour was they wanted to attack the Federation!
Why do you do this? She thought with a sob, she couldn't understand what drove them to be so cruel.
"Mary, are you ok?" a voice whispered through the gloom.
Darn! Mary cursed silently to herself as she hastily wiped away her tears. She must have been too loud and had woken Vivi, her neighbour in the barracks. Although she knew the girl wouldn't make fun of her for her childish outburst like some of the others might, she didn't want to disturb her. She would only worry the older girl.
"I'm fine Vi." She whispered in reply, hoping that her friend wouldn't notice the shakiness in her voice. "I just woke up a little early that's all, I think I might go for a walk to clear my head, you should go back to sleep."
There was a moment of silence as the older girl took in her words. Mary was certain she didn't believe her, Vivi was too good at telling when she was lying. However, she didn't want to talk about all this right now, the dream was too fresh in her mind and she needed some time alone.
"It's past curfew, you'll get in trouble if you're caught wandering the grounds." Vivi whispered in return. She was thankful for her friend giving her the space she wanted but the reminder that she might get in trouble almost made her want to cry all over again. She wasn't sure she could bear being under colonel Drake's disappointed gaze.
"You're allowed to go to the chapel at any time though." She continued as though reading her mind, "But you know that he'll be there. It seems like he always is."
"That's ok, he isn't really a bother. He probably won't even notice me." Mary replied as she gathered her things and got herself ready to leave. Damien had spent almost every spare moment in the makeshift chapel since the nice political officer allowed them to set the shrine up in an old unused corner of the dacha. He seemed to pray even more often these days, as though he too were expecting something to happen, although he had never shared what that might be.
"You want me to come with you?" Vivi whispered still sounding concerned as Mary gathered her belongings and headed out of the barracks.
"It's fine, you get some rest." Mary replied as she crept out of the room and through the darkened corridors of the old mansion. As much as she appreciated her friend's attempt at comfort, she knew she'd try to push the issue and have her talk about her nightmares. She wasn't ready for that yet.
Fortunately, she was able to make her way to the chapel without being noticed. There were few guards within the estate, with only a few Allied Kingdom MP's roaming around the halls in search of truant mages like herself. She would have liked to go flying instead, the feeling of freedom in the air always made her feel better. However, there was a strict no-fly zone over the city. She had been warned there would be big trouble if anyone were to break it.
She'd seen little of their Federation hosts, so far they had mostly kept their distance and confined their activities to the perimeter. It was a shame, Mary would have liked to get to know them better; even if Vivi insisted that they gave her the creeps. So far she'd only really managed to get to talk to Lieutenant Tanechka, the political officer attached to the volunteers. Even then Colonel Drake had glared at her every time she had spoken to her.
Finally, she reached a small door, partially open and allowing a sliver of candlelight to escape out into the gloomy corridor. She quietly slipped inside and was unsurprised to see Damian knelt in front of the cobbled-together alter at the far end of what had once been some sort of storage room. If he noticed her, he chose not to react and instead continued his silent prayer.
Mary meanwhile found herself staring, wondering how the boy maintained such strong conviction when such terrible things were going on in the world around them. She was ashamed to admit that she felt her own faith waver at times like this, fear that something might happen to her family filled her with doubt. Just the thought of it brought tears to her eyes again as it reminded her of the pain she felt in her heart.
"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, the Lord is with you wherever you go." Damien spoke aloud from the far side of the room. He had not moved, and as far as Mary could tell he had not even noticed her presence but his words…it was almost as though he had read her thoughts.
"I will strengthen and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." He continued and Mary found herself closing her eyes and joining him in prayer as a warm light filled her. The words that Damien spoke did not matter, the act itself was enough. Before she knew it the light began to help ease the pain brought on by the nightmares. It almost felt as though the grief and sorrow were being washed away from her.
She could still see her father's face in her mind's eye, but the sting that usually accompanied it was lessened. She could almost feel his warm embrace. It felt as though a wound was finally starting to heal.
She was unsure how long she remained this way but eventually, she became aware that the room had fallen silent and Damian's voice no longer echoed around the room. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes, fearing her newfound feeling of peace might flee, but was pleased to find it remained as she saw Damian's quizzical face looking down at her.
"Sist...Mary, are you well? You seemed lost in thought." He said quietly, almost slipping into his old habit of referring to people as sister or brother as he watched her with worried eyes. She almost wanted to laugh, she hadn't felt so good for months! He was clearly completely ignorant of the effect his prayers had on her and seemed completely caught off guard as she drew him into a tight, friendly hug.
It was only once she released the confused boy that she realised that daylight was now creeping in from the small windows. She glanced down at her wristwatch and stifled a curse. They had been here for hours. Not only had they missed breakfast but if they weren't careful they'd be late for training. Colonel Drake would be livid if that were to happen, not to mention how worried Vivi would be.
"Come on, we better hurry or we'll be late. Sorry for making you miss breakfast." She apologised as she climbed out of her seat and led the boy out of the chapel. She would need to find a way to make it up to him, thanks to his efforts she felt energised and ready to take on the world. Even without her morning rations.
They quickly went their separate ways and got ready for the day's training, only narrowly avoiding a grilling from Lieutenant Colonel Drake as she arrived on parade. Her good mood made it difficult to focus though and she soon found herself happily staring up into the sky.
Perhaps that had been why she was the first to notice them, the devils that descended on the Federation capital.
Author's notes
Hello everyone and as always thank you all for reading.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter as I very much enjoyed writing it, particularly Wilhelm's part. It was nice to have a little bit of role reversal between him and Tanya, or at least how they perceive each other. I like the idea that for once Will is the one desperately wishing he was in the rear while Tanya is enthusiastic about dealing with what she views as her ideological nemesis. It has also been a while since we've been inside his head so it's good to write from his pov again.
I wanted to keep the General Staff meeting that was in both the LN and the movie but didn't want to just rewrite it as a Rerugen section because it felt a bit too copy and paste from the other sources. It did mean I had to crowbar Sophia into it a little, but hopefully, it isn't too forced.
I also wanted to show Rerugen a little more uncertain about Tanya's suggestion. It always kinda felt like he'd sort of forgotten that he used to be opposed to her on most things so I wanted to keep some of that intact, even if that's not how he's shown in that part in the LN and movie. Sure he knows that her suggestion is logically sound, and that she's uniquely qualified for this sort of strike but why would he suddenly abandon his prejudice against her? He may know it's irrational but it hasn't stopped him before, even when he knows that even he's seeing things from what he still thinks of as her twisted point of view.
Mary's part might also seem a little odd in places for some as well, but this again is on purpose. I wanted to give more context for why she and the other allies oppose the Empire so much and fear driven by the propaganda she grew up with seemed a good place to start. We already know that Legadonia's nationalists were the ones that initially stirred up the war so it made sense to me that she would believe their version of events as she grew up with them. Additionally, since the Allied Kingdom and to an extent the Unified states are anti-Empire so their news would reinforce those ideas for her. Especially after Arene, it may have been legal but since it was the first such action of its kind in the YS universe (that we know of anyway) the international press would show it as an atrocity and the Empire s monsters. Legal doesn't mean right after all.
All this is why some of the details in Mary's section don't necessarily quite align with the canon as we know, such as her belief the empire was going to attack the Federation. She doesn't know better and would believe the rumours about the big scary empire that burns down cities and would be cared they might do the same again.
Again, thank you for reading and I hope you're still enjoying my story.
Xanen