Hey there folks, firstly I would like to apologise for this 1-week delay, to which the reason for is that I had my 19th birthday last week, (at least at the time I was writing this) so I decided to take everything a bit easier for that week, including writing, I also (at least tried to) thought about this story; how to make this better, how should the story go, etc. during that 'break'. But here we are again continuing this, but before that the usual responses to reviews:

-High Lord Wolnir: There already are, mortar synths were used in the battle for City 17, and the 'Assassins' are in fact from a beta unit showcase I saw.

-qazse: That's medieval/roman way of thinking for you.

-fug: I'm working on this don't you worry.

-Larry The Mailman: Thank you very much, the fighter seems a bit OP, but there certainly are elements that I'll 'borrow'.

And without further ado, here we go:

Falmart, Alnus Hill, 10 days after the Battle of Alnus Hill

The first phase of the Overwatch's base construction was almost complete, the only things that were still not finished were the satellite-launching platforms for the mortars and the Headcrab-canister silos, but they were close to completion. Meanwhile the first field medics arrived, who were quickly integrated into the standard Overwatch squads. The first Hunter packs were also deployed to the other side, which were now working in tandem with other Combine special forces and surveillance drones to recon the hill's surroundings and to harass an incoming native force, numbering around 120.000 soldiers. They had strict orders to only engage when there was a 100% chance that no survivors would escape, so only smaller supply convoys and depots were targeted, though such occasions were plenty, these natives were particularly zealous, and were not deterred by such tactics. Currently they were predicted to approach the hill within a few days, so the Combine forces within the fort were placed on high alert. It looked like they preferred learning things the hard way.

Via Appia highway, approx. 60kms from Alnus Hill

Unlike most of his fellow Kings, Shahs, and Basilias of the Allied Kingdoms, King Duran of Elbe was rather apprehensive since their call-to-arms by the Empire. All of the vassals armies, 120.000 men against a force of 10.000? Surely the Empire could've handled them by themselves, though it was true that Imperial reinforcements were promised, he was still at unease. Supply trains and scouts disappearing without a trace, accompanied by the roars and shrieks of beasts he never heard before, his instincts were screaming at him that unspeakable horrors were awaiting them at the Hill. If it was up to him, this campaign would've already been stopped dead in it's tracks or at least postponed until they linked up with the Imperial reinforcements.

But he couldn't do that, his reputation both within his domain and with his Imperial overlords would be tarnished, not to mention the stain it would cause on his honor. So he kept leading his men, as he always did, at the front of the column, always sharing their hardships, he knew that these soldiers would follow him to Hardy's realm without hesitation. Something that couldn't be said about a lot of the vassal nations' soldiers, because unlike them he preferred paid, professional soldiers, equipped and trained in Saderan style, over peasant levies.

Shaking off these thoughts he once again tried to concentrate on the here and now.

"How much farther are we to Alnus Hill?" asked Duran from one of his bodyguards

"If we continue to keep this pace up, we should be at the Hill by tomorrow afternoon, my lord."

"Good, and what about our supply trains? Are they still being harassed?"

"Not since we dispatched extra cohorts to guard them, my lord. From what I can tell, this will be a short victory against a cowardly foe that can only sit on the Hill and attack undefended supply trains."

"I don't think it's that simple, I believe there's a much more sinister reason for this" as if to emphasise, another one of those shrieks could be heard in the distance, sending chills down the warriors' spines.

"My lord?" asked the now intrigued retainer.

"The enemy doesn't want to show us their cards, at least not yet. They never left eyewitnesses and now that option is not available to them anymore, so they are just silently tracking our progress, always out of our scouts' reach. All this just to keep us in the dark, to be surprised in our weakest moment."

"What shall we do against them then, my lord?"

"What we always did son, fight and stand like men. If the Gods will it, we will be triumphant."

The response from the bodyguards was a short, but well-known cry of approval within the Kingdom of Elbe.

"Áuh!"

The army's musicians took this as their call for a new marching song, something that both noble knight and common foot soldier was grateful for.

Duran knew that even if they were to die on the Hill, it would be a death worthy of legends.

Earth, City 17, Citadel, around the same time

To say that Sextus Galba was experiencing a culture shock was an understatement. The things that he was so sure of, his very notion of reality has been shattered and turned upside down more times than he could count. From the basics of the Otherworlders, or the "Universal Union"'s weapons and soldiers as he learned they called themselves, to the true extent of their power on this world alone, and even meeting this world's "Administrator", Dr. Wallace Breen, from what he was told the closest comparison would be one of the Allied Kingdoms' kings to him.

He was an extremely convincing man, able to dissipate all his remaining doubts and worries with a single lengthy speech about how their true destiny awaited them among the stars, the way there being paved by their collaboration with the Union. Of course he also learned that this world was merely a vassal, for lack of a better word, of the greater Union, which, in all honesty frightened him to no end. If they commanded such power over this, rather "average" world, he couldn't imagine what would've happened if the Gate opened inside their empire's heart. A quick massacre, that's for sure. In fact he was encouraged not to think anymore of that, because the truth would "make his head hurt" to put it mildly.

Most of his time here was spent by laying on a metallic bed that steadily funneled information and knowledge to his brain; how the Union's military on Earth operated, it's command structure, what the primary methods of fighting were, "anti-necrotic", "anti-exogen", and "anti-anticivil" contingency plans, he was quite literally learning so much that it would've taken him decades to master by traditional means.

He was currently in the middle of one such 'session' when the door opened to reveal the "Consul", the man that brokered the deal with him. He was holding a set of photos.

"Galba, I have some questions for you, if you don't mind." said the Consul

"No, what is that you wish to know?"

The Consul showed him the photos.

"These were taken by our Shield Scanners, about 60 kilometers from Alnus Hill, you know who they are, aren't you?"

Galba took them. He was still baffled how realistic they were, even though he understood the basics of taking a "photo" he was still marveled by such feats of technology.

"Yes, this is the army of the Allied Kingdoms, on the warpath it seems. Have they turned against the Empire?" asked Galba.

"No, they're heading straight for the hill, if they continue like this, they'll be at the hill in 3 days at worst." said the Consul.

"So it seems that the Emperor has called on his vassals to be cannon fodder, it seems. There isn't enough of them to retake the hill." said Galba, holding up a photo taken from a higher altitude, showing most of the vassals' army.

"Yes, it looks like they're expecting further reinforcements, but we haven't spotted any more major forces in the vicinity. Imperial or otherwise." said the Consul.

"The Emperor is sending the vassals' armies to their deaths, then, so they won't rebel against the Empire once they learned of the grievous mistake the Empire has made." stated Galba, matter-of factly.

"Hmm, we could use this to our advantage in the future. Turning the vassals against their overlords by exposing the Empire's approach to their fathers and sons as disposable troops only good at softening the blow to the Empire." said the Consul.

"Indeed, truth be told the relation between the Empire and her vassals wasn't always as 'cooperative' as in these times." said Galba.

"Thank you Galba, that'll be all." said the Consul.

As he was making his leave, Galba suddenly said: "Consul, a question, if you may?"

"Yes?"

"How long until I get sent back to the other side?" asked Galba.

"Soon, my friend. Soon." was the answer.

"And how come you asked me directly? Didn't you say that you've copied my memories and mind?"

"Let's just say that I still like the face-to-face method. Helps build mutual respect."

"I see. Thank you Consul."

"Thank you for your time, Galba." said the Consul before leaving.

Back to the 'study-bed', as Galba called it, it was for him.

Falmart, Alnus Hill, 12 days after the Battle of Alnus Hill

It was a quiet morning for the Overwatch soldiers keeping watch in their fortifications, just like all those days that came after the first battle. Though ever since their scanners spotted an indigenous army in the vicinity heading for the hill, the base has been on high alert, with regular radio checks between each squad and the commander.

One such squad was feeling rather bored. They were promised a one-sided fight, -no a target practice to spice their time spent here with tedious inspection drills and endless hours of guarding forcefield generators that, from their point of view were impenetrable by the natives, up a bit, but even that wasn't coming.

::Report all radials free::

There was the usual squad check-in, for the hundreth time at least today.

::Sweeper Zero has negative movement, grid 5/16::

::Shadow Six reporting clear::

::Savage Eight report all positions clear::

::Reaper Two, Sector is secure, no viscon::

Now all they had to do was just look out onto the same boring field that they did for hundreds of times now, nothing to see again. What a surprise-

Suddenly they spotted a horseman cresting a hill in the distance. He wasn't alone for long though soon more horsemen and infantry appeared beside him, their numbers swelling from the tens to the hundreds and eventually the thousands.

::Viscon! Viscon! Contact dead ahead, range 2 kilometers!::

::Weapons off safe, prep for contact::

::Overwatch is at code 6 by 6::

::Overwatch hostiles numbering in the thousands, with aerial biotics as support, requesting reserve activation::

::Overwatch orders 3cc stimm boost::

The base erupted into a flurry of activity, the squads' radios exploding with radio chatter. Soon the Overwatch loudspeaker started giving out orders.

::Sector breach confirmed, all stabilization teams move to designated hardpoints. Code: Clamp, Suppress, Coagulate::

APCs, synths, and snipers took their positions as one, while Overwatch soldiers rushed to their bunkers and dugouts. Hellion batteries were brought online, eagerly waiting for the order to fire. To an outside observer it was almost like an enchanted forest mustering it's defenses, only metallic.

The Allied Kingdoms' armies quickly organised into an attacking formation, and started their march towards the Overwatch perimiter, eagerly throwing warcries and insults at the fort in front of them.

::Hostiles breached the 1500 meter mark. Pounder, Zulu, Juggernaut, Specter commence fire missions at grid 12/79 and grid 25/32::

'It looks like this day wouldn't be so boring afterall' the Overwatch squads' thoughts must have been as shells started raining on their foes.

AN: And we'll leave it with this cliffhanger, hope you enjoyed. Reviews and the like are appreciated, you know the drill if you read these notes. (seriously, does anyone even read these?) anyways hope you'll have a wonderful week, and as always, see you in the next chapter.