I'm late. Again. Oops.
[Sick Bay 9:00]
"I told you to get some rest," Marth murmured.
Caeda moaned and pulled the covers over her face. Marth started laughing, and Caeda peeked out.
"You really are something else… How do you feel?" He placed his hand on her forehead again. The fever's gone down so much. Perhaps...
"Better. I think Lena said they could pump me full of salts and fluids, and then try using staves to get me battle ready if you need me. It'd be temporary though…"
"My own men will be enough," he assured her. "Besides, you look terrible in a hospital gown."
Caeda pulled the covers over her face again, feigning disbelief and offense.
"I mean- I didn't mean it like that! You always look good! It's just-"
Caeda laughed. "Go to your meeting," she said. "I just wanted to bug you."
"R-right."
As Marth walked out, Caeda closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
I have to tell him when the war ends… I must-
[Meeting Room 9:30]
"So, any magical attack, shrapnel producing blast, or powerful bullet can halt the dragon while it channels its shields, then?" Marth asked.
"That's what the data suggests, sir," Ogma said.
"How do we know that it wasn't a one-time occurance? What if this King was a novice in fighting with the Dragon enchantments?"
"We haven't ruled that out for certain," Wendell said. "But we noticed a flinch when we attacked it. Still… we committed a lot of resources for one dragon kill."
Marth sighed. "Our casualties were heavy. Many of our men will have to help the war in a different way. Perhaps when we retake Altea and Archanea, we can recruit new soldiers."
He unsheathed the sword he was carrying.
"This is the dragon killing blade I was using earlier. It's like the Falchion, but not quite so. For one, it seems rather ordinary." He placed it on the table. "One swing of the blade at a vital, and it should do the trick."
"I need someone to analyse this. I don't know how effective it will be against dragons if bent into another form or how effective it will be against the new dragons in general. I trust maybe you and Merric could look at this?" Marth asked.
"Yes, sir."
"Good. There remains another issue. Castle Deli is heavily fortified by enemy Armor, heavy and light. It's Macedon too so we can expect to see more VTOLs and definitely some choppers. This will be a difficult battle, especially without Princess Caeda to lend us our own air support."
"When I went to see her yesterday, she did say that she could fight if needed," Nyna started.
"Not a chance," he replied. "I can't afford to lose her or the FREYJA."
"Right…" she said.
"Abel, did Matthis say anything about the castle?" Marth asked.
"Only that the units there are entirely conventional," he said. "Which means that we could try to insert a special operations unit behind enemy lines, retrieve Princess Maria, and exit quickly."
"Huh… that's an option. But we need to buy them time as well…" Marth thought out loud. He turned to Ogma. "How are your men?"
"Beaten, but not out. I could assemble a task force of my best to do what needs to be done."
"Give me a few of them and yourself. I'm sending you and Navarre to do that work."
"But-"
"No. It's fine," Navarre broke the silence. "We Crimsons specialize in this type of trade. I'll be happy to teach the good Captain our ways."
There was a glaring contest between the two men. Cain broke the silence.
"Sir, we still have access to advanced indirect fire. I'm sure Major Jeorge could create a diversion and keep the Dragoons off their back."
"True. But we need to get in range without them spotting us," Marth thought for a second. "Still, as much as I'd like to believe Lady Catria, I cannot ignore the feeling that this is a trap. Our planning will be all for naught in that case…"
"I've met Princess Minvera only once," Hardin offered. "While she was proud, she always kept her little sister by her side. I know family is a motivator, Prince Marth. You yourself know her perspective."
"That's true but we have no way of verifying the report, Prince Hardin," Jagen countered. "With Archanea so close, we stand a better chance going that route and retrieving the captives there."
Marth rubbed his forehead. "I have a plan, but I don't like it. I'd rather deal a heavy blow: these troops could follow us all the way to Archanea. Still the situation dictates that this is the best course of action."
He pounded on the table. "Soldiers. This is the plan;
The first thing that will happen is that PANTHER and GUARD Troop will send their best to secure an escape route for Navarre and Ogma. They will take our two mages with them. I'll designate the exact coordinates later. We'll drop Navarre and Ogma behind enemy lines next. I will be with them once they secure Maria. From there we'll travel and do an infiltration mission on the fort where Princess Maria is being held. At that point we'll go dark and fire any sort of electronic disturbance weapons we have. After we've successfully extracted Princess Maria, we'll find a way to signal to Princess Minerva."
Marth turned to face Navarre and Ogma. "I suspect that Princess Minerva isn't pulling the strings if all of our assumptions are correct. You need to eliminate the commander while you're on your mission."
"How will we-" Ogma started.
"We'll take care of it," Navarre responded.
Ogma scowled.
[Hallway 10:30]
"I got a bone to pick with you, Navarre," Ogma said. "Slow down and face me."
Navarre turned and glared. "Spare me. I have no desire to talk to a terrorist." He kept walking.
"Why you- how is being a mercenary for terrorists any more just?" Ogma ran after him and cornered him.
"You're in my way," Navarre said coolly.
"You're real scum you know that? Throwing away your honor to go kill for money. Hah! At least I put my terrorist days behind me," Ogma said.
He glared at Ogma. "Terrorists killed everyone in the Macedonian town I was from. They took the children and the women. Killed the men. Sold us like slaves. I joined the Macedonian Special Forces to fight them but instead we just brokered deals."
Ogma stared at him. "Then… why do you fight for them?"
He turned his back. "I've killed half of my former employers. Stained my hands with enough blood to turn a black shirt red. Earned a hell of a living doing so. Truth is, I'm looking for something." Navarre turned to face his uneasy ally. "I don't know if turning my rifle for justice is enough to atone or to convince me to stop looking for her. But this is all I got."
"I… I can understand," Ogma said. "But the past doesn't make us all monsters."
"Is that so?" Navarre murmured.
"I didn't choose this life you know. I was born into this before the Princess saved me. Killed and pillaged for my living. Got caught. Risked my life so a few of my own could go free," Ogma explained. "The second chance our Princess gave me was enough to show me that there's atonement beyond the past."
"Hmph." Navarre shifted. He relaxed a bit. "We ought to discuss this operation later. Since this is my old home we'll play by my rules."
"Right."
"Keep the prince safe. If your princess matters to you, he cannot die."
[Castle Deli, outskirts 1:45, 2 days later]
"LIGHTNING-6, I got two soldiers on me. Cover our backs. We're getting some info."
"Roger, CRIMSON," Ogma motioned for his men to fan out and find cover while Navarre's men secured their hostages. A few minutes later, the two Crimsons returned, dragging the soldiers with them.
Navarre spoke in the local dialect, "You can tell us what we want to hear, or we'll have a bit of fun with you."
"N-not a chanc- mmmmph!" One of Navarre's men pummeled the soldier in the face.
"Who is your commander?" Navarre demanded.
"Go to He- mmph!" Another man pummeled him in the face.
"Boss," Navarre's spotter said. "Can we search 'em?"
"Not yet," Navarre said. "We just want to know. Who's your boss and who's his boss?"
"Donnavan! They're gonna search us anyway! Don't you dare- mmph!" A Crimson pummeled the second man.
"Search them," Navarre ordered. "Get me everything. Tags, electronics, everything. After that, we're leaving these two here tied together naked."
"N-no! Please, no!"
"You had your chance," Navarre said.
Navarre's men wrestled them to the ground and began emptying the captives' uniforms.
"Boss, we ran this through the decryptor. Looks like Colonel Zharov is in charge of this post," Garr said.
"Zharov. Didn't think he'd make it this high up in the world. Anything else in there?"
"A shoddy palace map, troop locations, nothing fancy," Garr said.
"Thank you, Sergeant Garr," Navarre said.
"Wait… Garr, Navarre? That means-"
"That you'll never get to tell Colonel Zharov we're here," Navarre finished the sentence for him. "Bags over the heads, men. You know the drill."
"Wait- no!"
Navarre's men tied the bags around the captives' heads and left a small indent for oxygen.
"Hold on," Ogma said. "Don't the legends say you tear their fingernails off to get the information you want?"
"I knew they had what I wanted," Navarre replied. "But I wanted to see if they had more. The second man made it obvious that they didn't."
Navarre motioned for his men to move. They left their captives tied together in the center of the room.
"Besides, torture is messy, and I won't sully the good prince's name unless I have to."
[Castle Deli, basement 2:35]
"ALTEA-6, we're in. About to go dark."
"Copy, CRIMSON-6. Good hunting."
Navarre switched off the radio. He tapped Ogma on the shoulder.
"Kill the lights. NVGs, on."
Ogma killed the lights in the palace and smashed the fuse box and generator. They proceeded onto the dungeon.
"Heads up boss. I count two guards, body armor on the dungeon gate."
"Take them out," Navarre said.
Two shots rang out and the men fell. Navarrre's men moved quickly, securing the area. One of them threw Navarre the keys.
"Ogma," Navarre pulled his rival to the side. "Secure this location and don't let me down."
Ogma nodded. "Where are you going?"
"To kill Zharov," Navarre said. "Nobody should rank up this quick from a career of hiring foreign mercenaries."
Navarre motioned for Garr, his spotter, and a few others to follow. He softened a bit.
"Take care of the Princess too. I'm not very good with women and children."
[Castle Deli, throne room 4:00]
"This is VANGUARD-X," the man said, coughing. "New orders from higher. Princess Minerva is the new leader of this post. All of you. Stand down."
"Good," Navarre said in the local dialect. "Only took a couple of your teeth and a fingernail to do that."
The man spat blood from his mouth. "But why? Who are you?"
Navarre took off his helmet in the moonlight. Zharov gasped. "You…"
"Of course, now that you know, I have to kill you."
"Captain Navarre! No!"
Navarre slit the man's throat and threw his body out the window.
"ALTEA-6, this is CRIMSON-6. We've got the setup. We're gonna get Princess Maria out of here."
"Copy. Good work CRIMSON, LIGHTNING. RECON sees troops moving in. See what you can do and get out of there."
[League HQ 7:10]
"Minerva, this is ALTEA-6," Marth said into the open channel. "Run for the sea. They're coming for you. Don't worry, we have your sister!"
Marth set the communication device to loop after that.
"Well, dressed like that you look like a real soldier," Marth said. "How do you feel?"
"Better, now. Those men took good care of me. So…" she gasped. "You must be Prince Marth! (my he's so dashing)."
"Hm?"
"Thank you for rescuing me! It was quite an ordeal. You must let me help your cause!"
"But-"
"No protesting! I wish to help!"
Minerva's going to kill me.
"W-well just hang on for a second. Your sister will be here soon. Come with me. Let's go!"
Marth left from the room to the hangar.