« What do you mean by "They have taken over The Playful Elf" ? »
Bessara's powerful voice echoed through his office. There was no doubt that the news brought by the scared man standing in front of him were bad. And why would anyone blame him ? Who in their right mind would not be absolutely mad after being woke up too early in the morning and learning that someone stole your best prostitutes ?
« Y… Yes, faltered the one being yelled at. I… We… We could not do anything. They had entered in my bedroom before I knew they even were there. »
« Don't you have guards ? They did not warned you ? »
« They… were already dead… I think. »
Bessara looked his lieutenant in the eyes before clenching his fist and hitting his wooden desk with it with the force of anger. He was about to start yelling mountains of profanities related to his incapability to guard the brothel when something struck him.
« But if all your men are dead… Then how are you here ? »
« They… They… They let me go. They gave me a message… »
« A message ? They take over my belongings and then they send me a message ? I do not know who they work for, but I swear they will all die by my own hands. »
He has spoken those words with the voice of rage, moving his fingers just like he was trying to crush those that were opposing him.
« They say that they want to be left alone and that, to quote them, you "should not even try to take the brothel back from us." They also say that they will kill you if you even try. »
Bessara's eye's widened as the words reached his ears. He was not believing what he was hearing. At first, he simply started to smile, but it quickly transformed into an uncontrollable laughter that lasted for at least one long minute.
« They… They tell me that I should not take back what is mine and that they will kill me if I try. Seriously, who are those guys ? Do you know how many of them they were ? » he asked as he regained a more serious tone.
« I… I do not know… But there were not a lot of them… Maybe a dozen, but not more. They blind folded me before releasing me… I cannot tell for sure. »
The crime lord sat back down behind his desk and grabbed a small silver bell that was on one corner. Shortly after he strongly shook it, a man opened the door and made one step inside the office.
« Gather the men, and have them fully ready for tonight. I need at least one hundred. Recruit mercenaries if you must. I will lead them. » ordered Bessara with his authoritarian voice.
« Understood, Boss. » acknowledge the man before bowing and exiting the room.
« But… They will kill you, Boss. » launched the lieutenant, still standing in the middle of the office.
The crime puffed, both his elbows on the desk and his two hands in front of his mouth.
« We will see about that. »
As the day went on, all kinds of thugs gathered in the courtyard of Bessara's mansion, bringing with them their own weapons, swords, daggers, bows or simple clubs. At nightfall, it was truly a small army of men and monsters that were now waiting for their orders, ready to take on anyone or anything trying to stand up against Bessara's organization.
Then, it was with torches in their hands and the moon way up above their head that they started to go down the hill, the criminals hyping themselves up before the upcoming battle. Not even once has the thought of even struggling to eliminate the twelves men crossed their minds as they rather focused on their payments and the party that would come after the raid.
« Well look at that bunch of mother fuckers. Fantôme Actual, Fantôme Five. We have a large group of hostiles coming from the north. At least one hundred. Over. »
« Fantôme Five, copy all. Do we have an ID on Bessara ? Over. »
« Huh… I have a large bearded man wearing fancy clothes at the back of the pack. Looks like our tango. Over. »
« Copy. Wait further instructions. Fantôme Actual, out. »
The troops stopped when The Playful Elf finally appeared in front of their eyes. Bessara noticed that the sign was missing, only the small wood pole remaining.
« Let way. » he said loudly, and the sea of heads opened up in front of him like a Saderan Moses.
Dramatically, he stepped forward, walking as toughly as he could. It was something he always did, putting up a show so that anyone that was watching from their windows actually knew who was in charge in this part of Meridiana and intimidate them.
« What you have done here is silly, he started to yell at the closed windows of the brothel. You know you are outnumbered, and you know none of you is going to step outside this building alive if you try to fight. But I have to admit that you have guts, so maybe if you surrender your weapons now, I might find you a place in my organization. »
« Now listen to that guy… Even more of an asshole than I thought he was going to be… »
« I know right… The guy's probably believing he has power just because of his money… Reminds me of that Taliban drug dealer a few years back… »
« Oh yeah… So fucking right… »
« Actual to all. Look for high priorities tangos and wait for the signal. Over. »
Bessara got no answer. It meant that now, there was no more choice. The raid was now unavoidable, and if he was not doubting the capacity of his men to actually attack the building, he was rather worrying about the possible risk that someone might set fire to the brothel or injure one of his prostitutes.
« Then it is settled. » he said under his breath as he lifted his right hand up in the air.
Behind him, the few that were holding bows and arrows started to pull on the cords of their weapons.
It was at this moment that Bessara saw one of the window shutter slightly opening, creating a space only a few inches large. Maybe they were finally going to answer to him, so he kept his hand up above his head.
« Fantôme Actual, taking the shot. »
Then, suddenly, nothing.
Bessara's body felt heavily on its back, the crime lord's face reduced to what could only be described as a red mess, and an even heavier silence fell down on the group of thugs.
Nobody was knowing what had just happened in front of their eyes. There had been no noise, there was no arrow or crossbow bolt planted in the body, so what in the actual hell was going on ?
« They have killed Bessara ! The son of bitches are going to pay ! » suddenly yelled one figure in the front, some kind of large orc that was carrying an enormous hammer made without a doubt in the intent of breaking a door or a wall.
The other criminals yelled their approval in one monstrous war cry as the group started to move in direction of the brothel.
« Six to Actual, tangos are still hostile. I repeat, tangos are still hostile. Over. »
« Copy that, six. Fantôme Actual to all, you are cleared to engage. »
It was at this moment the entire Underground broke loose on the thugs. First it was the orc that shared Bessara's fate, then the archers, and finally the ones bearing ranged weapons. Some immediately jumped behind the corner of some alley to find cover, but they were not spared as the invisible spears still pierced their defenseless bodies.
It was only at that moment that they finally saw the silhouettes on the rooftops on both sides of the street, killing the criminals that even only dared looking at them. And the worst thing was that in the darkness of the night and in the middle of the terrified and painful screams, nobody could see or hear how those figures were killing them. And so, even if they knew that those hooded shadows were probably just normal humans, they felt like they were the Gods themselves striking the sinners and the infidels.
If they wanted to live, there was only one thing to do.
Run.
« Fantôme Five, hostiles are on the run. Over. »
« Copy, Five. Confirm status of the AO and regroup. Over. »
« Copy that, Actual. Out. »
When the sun rose up in the following morning, Bessara's bloody body was lying against the wall of his own mansion, his office completely trashed, his wife and daughter not anywhere to be found and his gold reserves without any surveillance.
A simple note was stuck to what once was the fancy shirt of the crime lord.
DO NOT MESS WITH US
Imperial Capital, Cicero Estate, February 12th 2017, 1305 AT
It has already been three days since he had arrived to the Capital, and yet, Costi was not able to fully adapt to the toga. Usually, he would have been wearing a fancy three piece suit and carry around the promise of trade deals, but this mission was putting him outside of his comfort zone, and he was not really liking it.
And more than anything, the fact that the leader of the country he was at war with was only living a few hills away were making things even more unsettling.
And when he is nervous, his leg starts to shake.
« You should calm down, Sir Costi. Everything is going to be fine. »
It was hard for Pina not to notice, the movement of the diplomat's leg creating a light vibration of the fancy carriage they were in.
« Well, it sadly is not as easy as saying it, your Highness. » he simply replied, now trying to focus on stopping his leg from moving.
The diplomat and the princess were not alone in the cramped space of the carriage interior. Two men from Sergei's squad were also here, their equipment hidden by large capes given to them by the Rose Order, while two other were on top with the driver, ensuring the security of the vehicle.
They had not said one word for the entire trip from the Jade Palace apart from the radio checks. They were not showing any emotion, and, this time, it was Pina that felt uneasy. She knew what those men were truly capable of doing when they wore their suits made out of leaves.
« The first senator I want you to meet is Lord Cicero, continued the princess as she tried to change the subject. The Ciceros are amongst the richest families of the Capital thanks to the large farming lands that they own in the east. He is particularly fond of wine, so you might have a good string to pull. »
« Oh but I already prepared myself for that. I am pretty sure he will love what I brought with me in my crate. »
The crate he was referring to was strapped at the back of the carriage and was full of jars, and each of these jars was containing some of the finest French wine available on the market. Having to empty the fancy glass bottles inside simple amphora had been a real pain, knowing how much each of those actually costed, but they could not take the risk to walk around with the actual bottles.
The carriage stopped in front of the entry of a large residence of what could be called "The Saderan Style", somewhat of a mix between Roman and medieval architecture with a little touch of inspiration taken from some of the other species living on the continent.
The two Fantômes that were on top of the vehicle quickly jumped off and, after taking quick but focused glances all around them, opened the door. Both of them were keeping their two hands hidden as much as possible, ready to pull out their guns in case of danger.
The two passengers exited the cramped space and the other two operators quickly followed. VIP protection was not really the thing the Thirteenth was specialized, but it was a welcome change after the long observation missions.
A middle-aged man in a toga had been waiting in front of the estate's door and quickly made his way towards them as the last Fantôme closed the carriage's door.
« Your Highness Pina, what an honor to see you here today ! » he launched with a large smile on his perfectly shaved face.
« I am also happy to see you Lord Cicero, she calmly replied as he stopped in front of her and bowed. Sir Costi, this man is Lord Cicero, host of this party, owner of this house and influential member of the Imperial Senate. »
« I am honored to meet you. » said Costi as he also bowed down, trying to follow the politeness rules that the Knights had told him.
« Lord Cicero, this man is Sir Costi. He is a man from a country far away that wants to discover the Empire, and I met him on my way back from Italica. Now I want to introduce him to the way of life in the Capital. The men with the cloaks are his guards, and they never leave him alone for his safety. »
« Oh, you should not worry about security here, Sir Costi. Those hills are guarded by the most competent men of the City Guard. There is nothing to fear. »
« Oh, you know, I always thinks it's better to be too much protected during uneventful periods than lacking protection when unlikely things happen. »
Cicero laughed loudly before tapping on Costi's shoulder.
« You are quite the talker, and I like that. But please, proceed inside my mansion while my servants unload your crate. More guests are coming. »
The princess, the undercover diplomat and their escort continued their way inside the estate while under the curious look of the few people that were already there. According to Pina, those were mainly members of rich trading families that were close to Lord Cicero's, but a few of them in the bunch were also senators holding more or less political power.
The party in itself went rather smoothly as the many dishes came and went on the long table around which every guest was sitting. Costi did not really trust local food, only tasting what had been obviously cooked, trying not catch some weird food poisoning but also trying to blend in. And, apparently, it was working, the only thing looking different than your standard Saderan noble being the four Special Forces operators standing nearby and ready to any eventuality.
There were no true courses per say during the meal. The servants, Costi guessing they were some kind of premium slaves, taking away the empty plates and bringing new ones, progressively getting towards the sweet end of the taste spectrum.
Then when the final plates are finally brought back into the kitchens, wine and other beverages are given to the guests while musicians start to play their instruments, creating a mood perfect for discussion, trade deals and, the whole reason he had traveled to Sadera, diplomacy. It was at this moment that Cicero finally made its way back to Costi and Pina with the same large smile.
« So, Sir Costi, how did you find your first banquet in our Capital ? » he asked with a delighted tone.
« It was delicious, answered the diplomat, although I still have to get used to some of the ways you eat here. But the Princess and I have important matters to talk about with you, but not in public. »
Cicero raised an interrogative eyebrow towards Pina, who nodded in confirmation. He then led them to a small reception room filled with sofas and comfortable chairs, all the while away from undesirable sights.
« So ? What is it that you want to talk about, Sir Costi ? » asked Cicero again as he sat down on one of the seats.
« I have heard that you are quite the wine connoisseur. » said the Frenchman as he sat down in front of the senator.
« Indeed I am. What can you expect from someone owning such a large amount of vineyards ? »
« Then I would like to make you taste some of the wine I brought with me from my homeland. I hope that it will fit the taste of the Imperial nobility. »
This news made Cicero smile even more as he ringed a small bell that was on the table and ordered the servant that entered to bring the crate and some cups.
Shortly after, a pair of men entered with said container and put it down on the ground next to Costi while another brought a plate with three golden glasses on it.
« Let get started, the diplomat said as he opened the chest and grabbed the first amphora. We are going to start with red wine. This one is an eight years old Bordeaux. »
Slowly, he poured a small amount in each of the cups. He was no wine expert, yet he knew the basics of wine tasting. He knew that reading all those wine magazines while waiting for medical appointments was going to be useful one day.
« First, the first thing you will notice is that it is as liquid as water. It also smells differently that what you usually drink. » he said as he handed Cicero his cup.
The senator almost naturally put his nose in the cup first before taking a deep breath. It was immediately followed by a look of surprise.
« Indeed. I never smelled any wine like this. I cannot say that I was expecting it. »
« But wine is made for drinking, is it not ? So please, go ahead and taste for yourself. »
The red liquid quickly made its way down Cicero's throat. His pupils had widened at the moment the wine reached his taste buds.
« Wonderful, he only said as he put down the cup on the plate. This feels familiar and different at the same time. »
Costi also put down his own cup before turning around and picking a second amphora from the crate.
« Now, onto white wine. »
He did the same movements again, refilling the Senator's cup before handing it to him.
« This is wine ? » he asked, looking curiously at the yellowish liquid
« It is. Taste for yourself. »
After drinking, Cicero did not speak for at least a few seconds, giving time to Costi and Pina to also empty their drinks.
« This is… soft. How in the world can a wine taste like this ? »
A small smile appeared at the side of Costi's lips.
« Oh, but it only gets better from here. Now, I am going to make you taste what is the true drink of important people and of great occasions. »
Cicero's surprise did not had the time to fade away that he was handed his cup again, this with another golden liquid, but with another twist to it.
« Bubbles ? »
« Yes. We call this Champagne. Every feast or party that pretends to be upper class needs to have some. »
Again, surprise followed his first impression.
« By the gods ! This might be one of the best drink I have ever tasted ! » he exclaimed, his loud voice ringing on the wall of the room.
It was at this moment that a small, almost sadist, smile appeared on the corner of Costi's mouth. Pina noticed it, but did not move or say anything. She had already understood what was going on.
« Too bad that Maximos was not able to bring some back to you. »
That sentence dropped like the hammer of an expert blacksmith striking the burning metal sitting on his anvil, hitting heavily the point on which it was going to have the most effect.
The joyful expression of the Senator brutally disappeared.
« What… What did you say ? How do you know my son's name ? » asked Cicero with anger rising in his voice.
« I am just saying that your son, along with a lot of his friends of the Imperial Army, tried to come to my country a short while ago. Sadly, drawing the sword at the first contact has the nasty side effect of causing war and people being killed and taken prisoner… »
The diplomat had launched his line with an ever larger smile, while the princess remained as silent as stone. But for the senator, the reaction was completely opposed.
« You… You… You are the enemy ! » he barked as his hand tried to reach for something under his toga.
But that last movement was immediately met by the four body guards all pulling their P90s from under their cloaks. He might not have known what those black objects were, but that move was intimidating enough for him to stop.
« I highly suggest you not to pull that dagger out of its sheet or call for help in any way, continued Costi, or one of these four kind gentlemen will be forced to demonstrate the entire potential of their skills. As for the "enemy" part, I am here to fix that. »
Cicero let go of the small blade he had hidden under his clothes, before asking a question with his voice still showing his anger.
« What do you know about my son ? »
It was the voice of a man that wanted answers.
« Oh do not worry about him. He is alive and well in a prisoner of war camp back in France. I have read his record and the interrogation transcript. The poor kid wanted to make his Empire and his family proud of him, but he got hit hard by reality. Apparently he fought as well as he could, even when trapped inside an apartment building with only a few surviving men. They had to send some of the best troops on our side to capture him. As a prisoner, he is apparently relatively calm, but shows signs of aggressiveness towards the non-human inmates. »
A tear started to roll on the senator's cheek. This portrait, as rough as it was, was truly representing his son. It was a success for Costi, he had hit the weak spot of his adversary.
Suddenly, Cicero raised his head just like something had stroke him. She had remained so silent during the two men's discussion that he had almost forgot she was there.
« Your Highness… You… You knew about all of this… »
« Yes, she simply answered as she drank the last drops that were in her cup of champagne. I have already made an agreement with the French government regarding the first prisoners to be liberated in case a peace agreement is found. »
« What do you mean by that ? That we should surrender without a fight ? »
Cicero's feeling were mixed between hate, anger, sadness and hope.
« Well you tried to fight, replied Costi, but it did not really end up that well for you. I just want to point out that we do not seek your destruction nor your annexation. Too costly, too risky, bad for politics… The only thing we want is justice. »
Pina stood up and stepped in front of Cicero, looking him directly in the eyes.
« Senator, it is now your turn to make some efforts. »
The sun was already high in the sky as the few senators quickly walked down an uneven path through the woods owned by the Rose Order. They were following the princess, Lord Costi and on of his bodyguards, letting their wives and kids back at the palace for the party that was acting as cover for this meeting, but none of them knew what to expect. No one really dared to say anything, too busy asking themselves questions about what was going to happen to them and their families.
All the senators had two things in common : one or several of their sons was currently prisoner on the other side of the Gate and all of them had met Costi in the same way. At a party, the princess and this unknown man surrounded by his bodyguards ask to talk to them in private before giving fine presents. When the senator ask who made it or where it was made, Costi brings up the fact that he came from the other side and then tell their son is alive. Some of the senators that had went on diplomatic missions before could only salute the move while other were still enraged by the fact that they were bargaining for their sons.
Suddenly, the group reached the border of the forest, and a word echoed in the skies.
« Garde à vous ! »
This voice was immediately followed by the sound of hells hitting each other as the senators finally found out what was going on.
In front of them was group made up of soldiers from the enemy army with all of their equipment. They were in a clean line, standing perfectly straight, their hands along their bodies. In total, they were twelve, eleven in line and one, obviously the leader of this team, standing in front of his men.
All of them were wearing similar uniforms, with long sleeved shirts and pants covered by green and brown markings, what seemed to be the only piece of armor they were wearing on their bodies and a helmet covered in the same pattern. Hanging from their shoulder, they all had in front of them some strange looking devices, hardly describable in any way other than metallic staves.
As the senators strangely looked at those soldiers, even surprised that two of them were women, they had not noticed the sand bangs laying on the ground, nor the wood logs planted in the ground and covered by Imperial armor down in the field.
The princess and the diplomat stopped in front of the leader that immediately raised his right hand next to his forehead in what could only be described as a salute.
The princess nodded and the man put his hand back down along his body before launching another order to his soldiers.
« Repos ! »
The soldiers suddenly shifted stances, getting more relaxed but still remaining in line, and still looking menacing.
« Gentlemen, said the princess as she turned back towards the group of senators, this man is Lieutenant Moreau. He will present you some of the weapons from the other world. »
« Thank you, your Highness. I am Lieutenant Moreau, officer of the French Army and leader of the Third Recon Team of the NATO Special Region Task Force. I and my men are glad to be here today to what we hope is going to be one of the first step towards peace. »
As he spoke those words, the senators were looking intensely at him, trying to find out what kind of man this "lieutenant" was. But nobody was able to conclude anything, the man's eyes being striking, focused on his mission and nothing else.
« We are going to start with the presentations. The NATO Special Region Task Force is composed of detachments from France and three allied nations. Those nations are the United States of America, The United Kingdom and Germany. »
As he said those names, he pointed towards some of his soldiers, allowing the senators to finally find out who was who.
« NATO is an alliance treaty between many other countries which origins are far too complex to explain quickly. It revolves around one principle : an attack on one member is an attack on all the members of the alliance. It means that, contrary to what some rumors say, no one here is the vassal or the lord of anybody, but allied countries providing support in a French led operation. »
They could not say they were surprised by hearing this. After all, different world means different political structure. Numerous small and allied countries could probably assure wide stability as well as a large and unique empire.
« Every country being independent, each one has almost entire decision over their militaries. I say almost, because some rules exists, like for example what kind of weapon we use or how we communicate, to facilitate joint operations. »
It was at this moment that the man's words were starting to get confusing. It does not matter from which nation a sword comes, it is still a sword, and chains of command are only involving officers speaking the same language.
« To continue my explanation, I am going to ask you to move here, next to those sand bags. »
They followed his instruction and moved next to a clear line of sandbags that were clearly here to delimitate something. The lieutenant made some hand movements and gave another row of orders in an unknown language, his subordinates quickly obeying. Three of them, one of each country, stopped along the line of bags while other stood around as guards or checked crates.
« The basis of any army is the simple foot soldier, and most importantly its equipment. Winning battles is much easier if you can cut through your opponent's armor while you stay safe. In our world, this strategy evolved into trying to hit the enemy from a longer range than his own. That is why we use firearms. »
With his right hand, he pulled out a strange object from its sheet that was along his leg. It had a short handle, a curved trigger and a short, straight part perpendicular to the handle. At the end of this straight part was a large cylinder that was looking like it had been added later.
« This is a firearm, or a gun. It is a mechanical device that fires a projectile out of a cartridge. Different types of guns fire different kinds of cartridges for different kinds of use. The gun I am holding is called "Handgun", this particular model being called a PAMAS, and its main use is for self-defense in close quarters. »
Holding the gun, he managed to make a rectangular object slide out of the handle with a small metallic noise. At the top of this rectangle, the senators could something gold colored. Before they could ask anything, he pulled it out of the rectangle, revealing another one stacked under it. It was a small cylinder, a little smaller than a thumb, flat on one end and curved on the other.
« This, the lieutenant continued as he showed the cylinder to his audience, is the nine by nineteen millimeters cartridge, the smallest round used by NATO militaries. Only the top part flies out and a few of those can kill an unarmored man. It is useful to about fifty meters and is perfect for, as I said, neutralizing threats in self-defense. »
Some senators shared amused looks. How can such a tiny piece of metal be deadlier than an arrow ? The lieutenant put back the bullet in the rectangle before sliding it back into the gun and turning to face down the field, looking at the closest of the armored wood logs.
« Oh, and one last thing. You can see all those large tubes at the ends of all our guns here ? Those are called silencers and they make our weapons less noisy. We use them here because guns are in reality really loud, and we do not want anyone outside of this meeting hearing the gunfire and alert the authorities. »
He slid his hand back and forth on the top part of the gun, creating another metallic sound, but this time more intimidating, before pointing it towards his target and putting his finger in front of the trigger.
There was a moment of silence, and then everything happened in an instant.
He pressed the trigger, the gun jerked slightly up, the upper part slid backwards, a part of the golden tube was ejected upward and a chunk of wood exploded of the targeted log, all happening while the air was pierced by a sudden sound, like a striking whip.
The senators stood confused, looking at the target and at the shooter.
Then it happened again, twice.
They watched as other part of the wood log fell down on the ground and one hole was pierced through the piece of armor that was standing against the log.
Silently, the soldier put back the gun in its sheet along his leg before stepping next to the soldier that was directly next to him. The senators were still under the effect of shock as he continued his explanations, some wondering what the larger guns could do.
« If the Imperial Army has the short sword, then we have the Assault Rifle. It is the weapon used by the wide majority of ground troops. As you can see, it is way larger than the handgun I just showed you. »
While they observed the long weapon in the hands of the soldier from the United Kingdom. It was like a short staff with a handle similar to the handgun situated in the middle and the box containing the bullets situated sticking out at the back.
The lieutenant had a similar looking gun in front of him, but it still had differences with his subordinates, like the large handle on top, hosting what looked like a larger trigger, or the fact that it was completely black instead of metallic. He pulled out the box and grabbed a longer and thinner bullet from it.
« All the NATO rifles fire this same round. The mighty five fifty-six by forty-five millimeters round. With the L85 rifle used by Private Cavendish here, a single round can kill a man at up to eight hundred meters. »
With moves he had obviously done hundreds of time, he put back the bullet inside the box before sliding it back inside the rifle. He then stepped back, allowing his subordinate to pull the handle that was on the side of his rifle, creating an even more intimidating sound, before shouldering it. His target was another wood log covered in armor, but twice as far away as the first target.
The senators braced themselves, knowing that he was going to shoot, but when he did, it still surprised them. The target was far away, but they could perfectly see the log shake upon impact and hear the metallic ring of the projectile hitting the armor.
Each shot was taken a second after the other, and the spectators started to get slightly used to the rhythm. But then he stopped, and with one of the finger of the hand holding the handle, he pushed a tiny lever that was on the side of the rifle. Some did not even noticed he had made the gesture.
But then, the entirety of hell broke loose upon the poor wooden log as five or six bullets left the barrel in an instant. And in the mind of the senators, the last hopes of a military victory over their enemy shattered just like the target situated down range.
When the onslaught finally stopped with the weapon clicking instead of firing, none of them dared to say anything, their worried looks shifting from the target to the soldiers to the rifles and to the other senators.
The lieutenant probably expected that kind of reaction, and he continued his presentation like everything was normal, going as planned. He continued by talking about how sometimes, you have to hit your target from really far away, and presented the "Sniper rifle", capable of killing someone from more than a league away. The demonstration that followed was the proof, as the target situated at the complete opposite side of the field fell backwards under the strength of the projectile.
Then, he continued by presenting the light machine gun, short and heavier than all the other gun they had seen so far, wielded by the dark skinned woman from the United States Army. The usage of this weapon was simple : fire a lot of bullets without stopping to keep the enemy's head down, but it apparently proved extremely effective against large groups of enemies out in the open.
Exactly the way the Empire fought.
But at this point, it was just hammering down a message that the senators had already understood.
With the presentation over, they all turned around to face Sir Costi and Her Highness that had looked over the entire display of force like something they had already seen.
« So, your impressions ? » asked the diplomat as they stepped towards him.
« What does France wants in exchange for peace ? » asked Lord Dowan, the most influential of all the senators present that day.
« We only need four things, Costi replied while maintaining eye contact with the senator. First, the area around Alnus Hill will be handed over to the United Nations. Second, long term diplomatic ties between our countries must be established. Third, the Empire will have to pay compensation for both the damages caused during the Battle of Paris, as well as the costs of the military deployment. Lastly, the Emperor, as well as all the military staff involved in the planning of the initial attack on France, will be arrested and judged by the International Penal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. »
The senators started to whisper to each other, saying how impossible those things were. How would someone turn over their beloved Emperor ? But their thinking was interrupted by one of the cloaked men whispering something in Costi's and Pina's hear. They both nodded as the soldiers already started to pile up and gather their equipment.
« What his going on ? » asked Cicero, confused like the rest.
This time, the princess answered.
« It seems that we are going to have some uninvited guests. »
Hello, and thanks for reading Chapter 24 of Gate : Opération Marteau de Justice.
I have a really bad news. After a month and a half of classes, I realized that I really need to reduce my writing because the first results I got so far are pretty mediocre. I really want to continue to write OMJ because I find it fun and because I know that all of you guys are enjoying reading, but sadly this is a sacrifice I have to make I only have one shot at the engineering schools entry exams. So consider from now on that the monthly schedulde doesn't apply anymore, and that chapters will be published at a unknown time.
So... To cheer up a little, let's actually talk about this chapter. I'm surprised I actually managed to write so much about so little source material. I really tried to put the focus on the perspective here, writing from the point of view of those that discover new things, with Costi discovering the Saderan way of life while the senators discover modern weaponry. I already did this in the past, but I think this is the perfect exemple.
But now, let's head towards the reviews.
Guest - Je ne crois pas que ce soit la chose la plus logique a faire, sachant que les relations sont toujours tendues entre les deux camps. Donc peut-être, mais absolument pas maintenant.
smugglervalen - Oh yes I am ! At first, I needed a name for the French General, and I remembered that the General from AH was French, so I was like "fuck it, let's do it, no one will notice." Then, when I was writing chapter 14, I watched an AC0 playthrough and the quote popped up, and I felt like I needed to implement it. The same thing with Thunderhead, remembered it while writing the chapter, thought it was sounding good enough so I included it. Anyway, great to have another AC fan reading my story. (btw I think you missed another AH reference in chapter 10. hint : the helicopters)