East Sahara.
Noones Land
March 2017 A.T.B.
Operation Gomorrah ended about twenty minutes ago when what was left of the factory was blown up, leaving nothing but sand-buried catacombs. There wasn't even the slightest doubt that the Knightmare Frames development program for Knights of the Purple Rose was on hold, at least for the time being. Not to mention the level of casualties one of the Britannian orders, or at least the factory garrison, had undoubtedly experienced.
Leila could watch with a smile on her face from the balcony in the hangar of the land cruiser commissioned for her use, as the pilots of the groups that infiltrated the factory slowly left the cockpits of their machines, or as the pilots of her group greeted the returnees.
The issue of returning after the fight was another reason why the young Colonel allowed herself to smile, because the Cockpit Ejection System finally installed in the machines of the Alexander series was largely due to her efforts to implement it. Now, it has brought the first effects, because of the hundred pilots sent to fight, as many as 76 returned from this operation, including nineteen slightly or seriously injured, depending on the specific case. This was a definite improvement on Survivors over many previous stats that weren't even remotely hopeful. Now, however, it was no longer necessary, for example, to ask for so many replenishments for backup pilots, many of whom would have replaced the fallen.
Watching people cheer and celebrate a successful operation was, to some extent, extremely interesting, for many, often very different reasons. Undoubtedly, watching the soldiers happy with their return had a great charm. For behold, the brave sons and daughters of Europe return in glory and glory, after an undoubted success. What spoiled this idyllic romantic image, however, was the fact that most of the pilots, technicians and infantrymen had no idea how important this mission really was. Although Leila, as well as the officers in charge of smaller groups, were completely sincere in presenting it as necessary to stop the development of machines for Knights of the Purple Rose. Nevertheless, only a fraction of Wyvern Zero's lower-ranking staff, or the military or public in general, could have been fully aware of the technological disparity between the EU and the empire.
The best example of this were the two most common machines of both sides. On the one hand, the Panzer-Hummel is well armored and has great firepower. On the other hand, much more mobile and versatile Sutherland, armed and armored much more modestly. After all, it was the machines of the empire that had the advantage of mobility and were much more suited to many different functions. Basically, if you look at things from a slightly different perspective, the Panzer-Hummel was basically the best answer to the needs and approach of United Europia itself to the conflict with the Holy Britannian Empire, which was strictly defensive and devoid of any major offensives, only local counter-attacks. The exception would be Operation Pharaoh, but it was pure desperation at best, and little more than that. In addition, this crazy idea was successfully prevented by Prince Lucius and a surprise operation by the Knights of the Purple Rose.
Leila watched all the assembled pilots for a moment longer, then decided to go for a walk around the land cruiser. There were two purposes for this behavior. The first was the desire to refresh my mind after the whole operation. The second was to find the two most important officers in Wyvern Zero, at least for herself.
Walking through the metallic corridors, she encountered practically non-stop salutes or less formal greetings. Leila did not feel the enthusiasm that they all felt. The main reason for this was that she was fully aware of United Europia's dire position at that moment. In fact, on the East African front, there were no longer any formations large enough to hold back the advance of the Holy Britannian Empire. Even if the support from Europe came in time, it still wouldn't be enough, that's stem the Britannian onslaught.
A walk through the metallic and basically unadorned innards of the ship was also a great opportunity for her to contemplate the entire war, which was encouraged by her earlier thoughts. Ever since the decisive campaign in Central Africa, Britannian Operation Boer, the armies of United Europe have been in constant retreat, and at best on the defensive. Aside from the technological disproportion itself, what most affected such a disastrous situation at the front was the strained logistics system, unfortunately cumulated with the amazing indolence of the rear officers and those responsible for logistics. Details of such a state of affairs do not need to be described in depth, because they are extremely easy to guess.
Basically, the situation was only getting worse day by day, of which Leila, like many other commanders and politicians, were well aware. Day after day, new territories hitherto heavily exploited by the EU fell into the hands of the empire. A state whose political elites seemed to have an eternally insatiable appetite for further expansion, and whose army had almost unlimited possibilities for further expansion.
So why continue a fight that didn't make much sense, at least not at the moment? Leila had asked herself this question many times, and the answer, though obvious and clear, had been investigated many times by her. Because every time she thought about that war, she felt some inner urge to answer that question again. The answer, however, was quite simple and rather obvious, it was the lack of political will on both sides to end the war. The emperor of the empire had no intention of ending the war, which brought only constant territorial and economic growth to the empire. Meanwhile, Chancellor Verrat and his entourage did not want the conflict to end at this point for anything in the world, because it would mean, perhaps, irretrievable loss of the colonies, which until now were an ideal market for European companies. People and owners of the largest corporations and consortia, and ordinary people, would never forget such a humiliating defeat. It is therefore very likely that after something like this, the Chancellor and his palatines would have to flee the EU borders, for fear of retribution.
But aside from that, it was Leila, on her way to the recreation sector on the Land Cruiser, who began to hear conversation coming from the hallway next door. It was hard not to, given the rather loud way the exchange between the two men was conducted.
As the young Colonel got closer and closer to the source of the voice, she quickly realized that the ones who were talking were Akito and Peter. With each step, she became less and less sure. What interested her, however, was a certain question. Why would these two talk to each other in such a secret way, away from prying ears.
"Just answer me!" At one point, Peter demanded quite abruptly from his interlocutor.
A moment later, Leila peeked around the corner where she had stopped and began to watch the two officers. Akito, though undoubtedly still tired from the grueling operation, stood erect and with the dignity required of a true officer. Meanwhile, Peter was clearly annoyed, which was visible even from a distance of several meters that separated them from Leila. Such behavior only increased the curiosity of the young Colonel, although on the other hand she did not feel comfortable knowing that she was technically eavesdropping on the people she should trust the most.
"I have nothing to tell you, Peter." Akito answered him almost impassively and without clear emotions in the tone of his voice.
Still, this answer did not satisfy the Major, to put it mildly. In fact, Peter was infuriated by his subordinate's nonchalance, and Leila wasn't in the least bit surprised.
"You have nothing to say to me?" The question came up, which at this point was obviously teetering on the edge of anger. "And what happened to us at the time of the clash with the Chief Engineer? The state we both got into during that confrontation."
"Nothing to talk about, Peter." The blue-haired teenager replied, looking straight into the eyes of his interlocutor.
"You are avoiding the topic." Surprisingly, Peter lowered his voice a little and became a bit more calm than before. His anger seemed to lessen as they continued talking, his temper slowly fading.
That said, it was probably the first time Leila had seen him genuinely angry. Until now, he seemed to her as a usually calm and extremely cheerful person who was always able to give literally anyone a few words of comfort and inspiration. Now, however, and for the first time, the blonde-haired colonel could fully experience his slightly more sinister side.
"Just be honest with me, Akito." Peter continued, this time in a completely calm tone of voice, and it looked like his anger was fully contained. "If you still don't trust me, despite our shared history and the fact that we've supported each other many times in many battles, then I'm really disappointed. In fact, I thought I had earned your trust, my friend."
The captain stood up straight and stared at Peter. Although seemingly calm, in fact Akito, and above all his eyes, seemed to express fatigue above all. However, not because of the physical effort, but rather because of the emotional baggage hidden for many years, of extraordinary importance for himself.
"It's not a matter of trust." Akito spoke after a sigh, and his expression became somewhat pained. However, it wasn't because of the wounds. "It's just a matter of fact that I'm just not sure what's causing it. The state where we both feel an intense urge to kill those who stand in our way. I am not even remotely sure under what circumstances or when I took what I personally call the curse. Because more than once I was driven by people around me to a state where I just attacked in a furious frenzy and kills rule. As I said before, I don't know why that is, but it doesn't change the fact that the moment I'm put in a situation that I recognize as life-threatening, I'll go on a killing spree."
Peter sighed, obviously disappointed by the impossibility of getting any more information on the subject. Despite everything, he still showed a desire to learn as much as possible, which was quite understandable, given the circumstances.
"Are you going to at least tell me why this effect affected me too?" Another question came.
For her part, meanwhile, Leila was getting more and more interested in what Akito had to say at the moment. Although she didn't understand much of what the two were talking about at the moment, she did have some suspicions about it. First of all, that it could be somehow connected to several situations where, literally by a miracle, these two were able to get out of often extremely difficult situations, which at first glance doomed them to failure at best and in the worst case, to death. It was all starting to make a lot more sense now.
Regardless, however, she still couldn't understand what the two of them were actually talking about. While Leila had once been interested in the issues of telepathy and the conjecture of psychic powers, it had been a minor and fleeting interest. Nevertheless, it seemed to her to be from the descriptions, more like the transmission of impulses between two different minds.
"I'd love to tell you this, but I just can't, or at least I don't think my answer will satisfy you in the slightest." Akito replied, then proceeded to explain with a sigh, while Peter patiently waited for an answer. "Over the years, I've noticed that this particular state can also be passed on to others if I have developed a positive emotional bond with them. At least these are my conclusions, but they do not have a strong confirmation."
"I see." Peter sighed heavily, but after a brief moment of contemplation, he immediately perked up. "Damn it! We were supposed to meet the Colonel in the command center to summarize the entire operation and discuss the current strategic situation in Africa!"
Akito didn't say anything and just followed Peter, who was clearly doing everything in his power to get to the command center as soon as possible. Leila was grateful to the two of them to some extent, for she had forgotten about the meeting that was about to take place. So, as soon as the two of them were well clear of her position and on their way to their destination, Leila also set off at a brisk pace.
It wasn't long before the trio gathered around the interactive map at the meeting point. The funny thing was that they both seemed shocked that their Colonel was the one who was late. Still, it wasn't a topic that was brought up for too long in their common conversation, because very soon there was a need to bring up more pressing matters.
"It does not look good." Leila murmured softly, her emotions barely kept in check as she studied the interactive map. In fact, a glance was enough to turn her previously neutral mood into a foul one.
Immediately after turning on the interactive map, which presented all EU troop movements from this theater of operations, it turned out how much the situation had changed. So far, it seemed that the situation would be at least partially stabilized in this area. It turned out, however, that by another operation of the empire's army, what was left of the troops stationed in Egypt was pushed back for many hundreds of kilometers, and in fact pushed out of this part of the world. The only consolation was the effective and well-executed evacuation of Wyvern Zero personnel.
"To put it mildly." Peter muttered, in the same foul mood as Leila, but his condition was much more expressive and expressed through completely pale skin.
The only one of the trio who didn't react so expressively to this and kept any emotions or observations to himself was Akito. In fact, his participation in the meeting was limited to observation only.
"At present, I see no hope of sustaining our remaining colonies in Africa." Leila said as her eyes moved to new areas and she only realized how much things had gotten worse in her absence. "I doubt that any reinforcements from the mainland can improve the situation in any way."
"It's too late for any support now that Cairo has been given up without a fight, another thing is that in this situation it was the most reasonable solution on your brother's part." Peter spoke, but his next words lifted the trio's poor mood somewhat. "Even so, it's not the worst situation we could be in right now."
This statement made both Leila and by the way Akito look at him with some incomprehension, but they were curious about the basis on which he based such a conclusion.
"What do you mean, Major?" The blonde-haired Colonel asked, her expression clearly expressing her curiosity and more than any assurance. "The present position of our armies in Africa, or rather what is left of them, is tragic. Especially here, where we have been forced out of a rather strategically important place. The situation is slightly better in West Africa, where the local army group was able to temporarily stop the enemy advance, but this is only temporary. Frankly, I doubt that this state of affairs will last long. In fact, the only place that has been able to resist the army of the empire so far is a fortress in the middle of the Sahara. Even in this case, the only reason is that the forces led directly by Prince Lucius were not able to take this place, but still the garrison led by my brother at the time suffered heavy losses, more than the attackers."
"You look too detailed at everything, not seeing the macro perspective." Peter chuckled good-naturedly, much to the Captain and Colonel's surprise, prompting him to explain. "Regarding Egypt, you don't take into account the fact that the empire will start bordering the MEF after this victory, which should lead to war at some point. No. I am absolutely certain of this, for I cannot imagine that any of our politicians or military men would miss this opportunity to fight Britannia through a third country. Meanwhile, in the west of Africa, the empire's armies have completely lost their momentum and it is doubtful to regain it again."
Just then, Peter reached for the console and entered some commands on it. After a while, the map of West Africa and the area where the front had stopped was displayed in detail. However, what made Leila and Akito realize Peter's optimism were the details about the size of the EU air force and navy. That said, it became clear that stopping the advance of the Imperial armies was not a matter of chance or the exceptional skill of the commanders there.
"Now I understand." Leila nodded and a small smile crept onto her face. "The Britannians have neglected that theater of war and will basically give us the advantage to stop their advance."
"Indeed, Colonel." Peter nodded, but his smile faded. "Unfortunately, this is the end of the good news, and I'm afraid that next time we face the Knights of the Purple Rose, we may have a big problem."
"You mean the death of the Chief Engineer?" Akito asked, which made him join the conversation for the first time since the beginning of the discussion. "Understandably, Carl Tallgeese was undoubtedly a valuable asset to Purple Prince and his loss, as well as the loss of the extremely experienced staff working on Knightmare Frames, will attract his attention."
"It's not just a matter of usefulness, it's also personal." Leila shook her head in response to his incomplete view of the situation. "For all we know, Carl Tallgeese was also a close friend of Prince Lucius, as were many of his most trusted attendants. In the future, when confronted with the Knights of the Purple Rose, we will have to be as careful as possible. I have no doubt that Purple Prince will want revenge."
Bringing up the issue of Lucius, Carl Tallgeese, and indirectly the factory, reminded Leila of a question she'd wanted to ask the two of them ever since the operation was over, but had completely forgotten it.
"Speaking of which, I want to ask you what exactly you discovered in the factory?"
Peter and Akito gave each other a quick glance, but Major's quick and almost imperceptible nod turned out to be a signal to reveal the whole secret of the projects she was working on in the now destroyed complex.
"Apart from unfinished machines and a few unidentified but clearly based on a standard prototype model, we came across two noteworthy types of machines." Peter started talking. "The first were the previously unknown Knightmare Frames, defined by the Chief Engineer himself as GX series machines, but we have no idea what this abbreviation actually means. Regardless, they all seemed to be a combination of Tallgeese and Sutherland to some degree. However, it wasn't their appearance that was most interesting."
"Then what?" Leila asked, growing more and more intrigued by the discoveries of her two subordinates.
"But what the Chief Engineer thought was to be responsible for his piloting." Peter continued. "These were supposed to be algorithms based on scanned brains of Knightmares pilots."
"Brain Raid System." Leila whispered loudly enough for the other two officers to hear. "I heard about this system once, which people I spoke to said could improve the synchronization of pilots with their machines. However, I'm not sure how this hookup would actually work. I only know that one of the developments of this project would be the Brain Algorithm System, which was supposed to be exactly what you are talking about. However, all attempts and tests aimed at implementing the assumption ended in failure. More specifically, this invasive level of brain scanning of test subjects has reduced them to a state of being little more than plants, completely at the mercy of their environment."
"So the Britannians have once again almost surpassed us on another technological frontier?" Peter asked rhetorically. "As it is, I am more than happy to see this project destroyed."
"I'm happy with that too." Leila nodded in response. "Nevertheless, you mentioned something about a second type of machine. What was that?"
"Something that definitely surpasses our drones and outclasses even algorithms based on scanned pilots' brains in every respect." Akito was the one to answer this time, and he did so in his typical tone of voice, with his typical and seeming lack of interest or commitment. "It was a machine controlled, at least seemingly, by the Chief Engineer himself. In fact, however, he only supervised the operation of the machine, and another system he created was responsible for piloting it. This time, it was Artificial Intelligence."
"Artificial intelligence!?" Leila asked completely shocked, and the reason for this was the knowledge of the theoretical possibilities of this extremely dangerous invention. "Is the machine destroyed!?"
"Yes, otherwise we wouldn't be here." Peter replied calmly, but he was curious about her reaction. "I am genuinely surprised that you react so emotionally to this one project."
"Because it was rejected by the EU military, but not because of its flaws, but because of the potential losses it would cause." Leila didn't hesitate to answer because she felt they had every right to know. "To put it bluntly, the tests revealed quite advanced fears that the self-improving computer might at some point not so much get out of control as become completely unpredictable. It's easy to imagine a situation where a machine concludes that the best solution is to sacrifice an entire army to win the war."
"I see." Peter replied, then smiled at the blonde-haired Colonel. "The politicians in power at the moment of United Europe would not have tolerated tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters becoming bitter enemies for such a sacrifice."
Leila gave him a threatening and indignant look at such an insensitive comment. Still, she had to quietly admit that the essence of such a charge was perfectly valid. In fact, if something like this were allowed to be used on the battlefield, the mere leakage of information about it could cause a real storm in a society that would not be willing to accept the prospect of having relatives who would fight on a modern battlefield, with self-education as companions. machine.
"But aside from those issues, was the fight really as hard as you're implying now?"
"More than that." Peter acknowledged it with a quick nod. "We started with the GX series machines, and the Chief Engineer didn't come into the fight until later. Actually, it's the machine he pilots, called the Tallgeese II. Definitely more powerful and much more efficient than the prototype that Char Anzable pilots. From moment to moment The Artificial Intelligence piloting this Knightmare Frame kept getting better, more flexible, and adaptable to the situation more and more easily."
His words paused for a brief moment, and it seemed as if the memories of his recent clash had returned. But that wasn't true, because Peter deliberately paused before saying anything more. He was not eager to reveal any of his friend's secrets, so it was necessary in his estimation to omit some unpleasant facts, even if it meant deceiving the commander.
"But in the end, a machine is still a machine." He continued after a short while. "Something like Artificial Intelligence, even if there was a significant development in the course of the fight, but it could not ultimately match our skills, and the survival instinct that is typical of any organic being."
"I am more than happy that this type of machine, without any sense of honor or emotional connection to the soldiers fighting alongside it, will not see the battlefield any time soon." Leila nodded in satisfaction. "Since we're done with this subject, I trust that..."
She didn't get a chance to finish when one of the techs alerted her to an upcoming transmission from her adjutant.
United Republic of Europia
Paris
February 2017 A.T.B.
In the house belonging to General Gene Smiles, seven people met once again, who once decided to take responsibility for the future of Europe and the next generations that will live on the continent.
At present, however, despite the obviously disastrous news from Africa and several subsequent riots in the largest European cities brutally pacified by the police, the mood of the people gathered here was extremely good. First of all, this was due to the fact that Reinhard Goldenbaum's election campaign started with full force and this man was constantly gaining more and more supporters.
Currently, all seven have gathered to watch a special report prepared for this reason, by RTL Europia station. Basically, everyone derived great satisfaction from how great a phenomenon in the eyes of journalists became the NSPE, the National Socialist Party of Europe, formally founded by Reinhard and Conan Mintz, who in a narrative specially prepared for the public image, was created as the patriotic right hand of the president party.
Undoubtedly, the manipulation of facts has not been easy in the age of the Internet and effectively prevents any crude or completely contradictory propaganda. Therefore, in the narrative prepared for the needs of the campaign, it was necessary for the seven and their associates to prepare the appropriate bending of some facts, but nothing that would be completely at odds with the facts.
All this had the intended effect, and the current host of RTL, Tuchilda Wernher, presented in most cases appropriately bent versions of events. Reinhard Goldenbaum, a former military man, a great patriot and also a Member of the European Parliament, would allegedly see through the corruption that beyond any doubt permeates the current and most important EU politicians, in particular those associated with Chancellor Lawrence Verrat. Seeing this corruption and exhorting a large group of ex-military or idealistic politicians was supposed to enable him to gather around him a large group of like-minded people. Ultimately, people with Reinhard at the helm were to set up the NSPE entirely on their own initiative to save Europe and its inhabitants from the suicidal and irresponsible policy of Chancellor Verrat and people associated with him.
But before anything else could be shown, Gene turned off the television, and the living room fell silent for a moment. The general was more than pleased with the results of their joint work and did not deny himself the pleasure of expressing it aloud.
"Well, I have to tell you, I haven't been as satisfied in a long time as I have in the last few hours since the election campaign started in full swing."
This brought nods from the others, but the only one who had some doubts was Franz Malcal Sr. Basically, he was the most politically savvy of all the people in the room except maybe Conan. The best proof of his vast experience was the fact that more than thirty years ago he managed to become the Chancellor of the EU, and people still remember his tenure as one of the best periods in the entire history of United Europe. It was hardly surprising when he managed to successfully ensure a reasonable balance of power between the Holy Britannian Empire, the Chinese Federation and United Europia, not to mention the Sakuradite supplies to Europe, which successfully sufficed both the needs of the military and the civilian market or development . Basically, his tenure was so good and so successful that it could only get worse from there, as there have been as many as Twenty-one different Chancellors to this day. The vast majority of these terms of office were full of corruption scandals, embezzlement of public money, strange cases bordering on the law or abuse of one's own position in political struggle. Simply put, United Europia's current situation was the work of many political generations, and Franz Sr. could only wish he had not fought for a second term as Chancellor.
"Nevertheless, I have quite a few doubts and, I think, well-founded fears." He stated, and seeing the confused looks of the other six people gathered here, he decided to explain and expand this thread. "What I mean is that the NSPE, despite many genuinely committed politicians, is still in its infancy. Not to mention the internal ideological contradiction of the group we created."
This appealed to everyone else in the room, especially General Golsaldia, who took the liberty of asking Reinhard and Conan a few questions in this context. While these two may have been acting under the authority of the other members of the Magnificent Seven, the details were left to them as it was felt they could handle it without much trouble or error.
"I have to agree with Franz." Conrad supported him openly in his fears, but for very good reasons. "First of all, I don't understand why the name of the party is National Socialist. It is more than clear that the two words contradict each other."
"To a certain extent?" Reinhard interrupted him calmly and seemingly not reacting at all to his attack. "Undoubtedly. However, this does not change the fact that an ideological compromise between both ideas is still possible."
"Nevertheless, it doesn't change the simple fact that it's sending a conflicting message to voters." Franz was not in the least bit pleased with this explanation and did not refuse to criticize himself further. "If we are to win these campaigns, we need to send a consistent and understandable message to voters across the community. You're not going to make it easier for us by combining two conflicting worldviews."
Both Reinhard and Conan took the attacks on their own actions with equanimity. It was becoming clear to everyone that they were convinced of the rightness of their actions.
"I understand your concerns, but in the current situation and with the current narrative, they are completely unfounded." The ex-military man remained completely calm and serious as he looked everyone else in the eye to emphasize his point of view. "Were it not for the fact that we are currently in a time of chaos, war and uncertainty, the concept proposed by me and Conan would probably not have a chance to work. At the present time, people will turn to anyone who promises them security, law and order. And given my reputation and the reputation of many former military people, we fit that model as best we can."
This explanation convinced both the Generals and Claudio Clément. Despite everything, Franz remained skeptical to say the least. However, seeing the conviction in the eyes of both faces and the formal leaders of the NSPE, he decided to let it go and move on to a more irritating topic for everyone, especially the military.
"Now, however, we should focus on a much more delicate issue, and that is war." His statement, as if by magic, put everyone present in a much worse mood. "Although I have no exact knowledge of this, it is more than obvious that our army is being pushed back on every stretch of the front. Meanwhile, with the capture of the Suez Canal, Britannia has the opportunity to successfully invade Europe."
"It's not possible yet, at least not from the African side." Gene denied this, and his familiarity with the possibilities of the EU and the vast experience acquired over many years of service gave his words great weight and value. "If they do invade at some point at this point, it will almost certainly be from the sea and to the coasts of Portugal, Spain, France or Ireland."
"Invasion from the Sea?" Conrad asked, surprised by this reasoning. "I doubt the Emperor or Prime Minister of the Empire would allow anything so risky."
"Well…" Reinhard interjected. "While such an idea may seem irrational at first glance, I assure you it is not. In fact, if I were in their place, I would sooner launch an invasion from the Atlantic. Mainly to gain the all-important element of surprise."
"Gentlemen, I think we're running too far into the future." Claudia interrupted them, deciding to redirect the conversation to slightly different and, in her opinion, much more important issues. "We should focus on something more important, the technological advantage Britannia has over our military. While my engineers and I can work intensively on new Knightmare Frames that will close this gap, in many ways the empire still has a definite advantage over us."
"You shouldn't worry about that, he's working on solving our problems." Reinhard interjected again. His words confused everyone present except for Conan, for armaments, technology and industry were far beyond his remit or what he was supposed to do. "The creation of the NSPE by me and Conan has resulted in attracting to our cause not only a large part of ordinary people, patriots, nationalists, militarists, workers and some socialists, but also some industrialists, clearly dissatisfied with the political situation in the EU or the way this war is being conducted by the Chancellor . They offer help in rebuilding our army after winning the elections. They seem to be doing this not so much out of profit, but rather out of genuine concern for the future of United Europe and our freedom."
The explanation wasn't enough. While the source of Reinhard's ability to do so was explained, it did not in the slightest reveal any of the details that most interested the other five in attendance.
"Do you have something specific in mind?" Claudia was very curious, not so much because of the potential benefits for the EU military, but rather because she wanted to know the exact projects and companies involved in the project. "Honestly, from what you're saying, it's more like a really big matter."
"There is and I'm going to give you the details, those and more." Reinhard replied smugly. Most of all, he was satisfied because of their expressions of pure and utter surprise. "First of all and most importantly, I started with the infantry and its modernization. Adaptations, to the modern battlefield and with the potential to cause damage. The answer to this demand will soon be provided by the Mauser Consortium in the form of a new assault rifle, the Stg.17. This is a return to the concept of a weapon, adapted to fights for about half a kilometer, with a grenade launcher attached to it, the projectiles of which are supposed to give at least a small chance of winning a fight with Knightmares. In addition, a larger version was created, appropriately adapted to the role of equipment for Knightmare Frames. Meanwhile, Konzern Henschel has started work on improving the armored personnel carriers in such a way that they can be easily used as anit-Knigtmare. If I'm not mistaken, so far they have developed the first model adapted to this role, called the Boxer."
Conan was the only one who wasn't surprised, for he was fully aware of all these innovations. Eventually, he became Reinhard Goldenbaum's right-hand man, and although he dealt mainly with political issues, it was not at all a problem to be involved in the man's military projects at the same time. In fact, Conan could say beyond any doubt that Reinhard himself had been involved in all these constructions, and had spared no effort. While earlier the young politician could have had doubts about the former military man's intentions, at that moment he had no doubts that this man would do whatever was necessary for the survival of United Europe, and that he was what was absolutely necessary in the present times.
"That's a lot and potentially very useful innovations." Gene was genuinely pleased with what was being mentioned to him at that moment. Although he was uneasy about Reinhard's use of so many German companies, it still sounded very promising. "But you seem to be forgetting one thing, since you put so much emphasis on proper infantry armament."
"What do you mean Gene?" The questions were asked by Conrad, who did not understand his allegations against these actions. "I don't understand your concerns, because the preparations to arm our army with better equipment seem to be very well thought out and, if implemented, could undoubtedly change the course of this war. Of course, all provided you use it wisely."
"My point is that the mechanized cavalry, as I like to call it, has gone into oblivion in this era of panzer infantry. It's the same with tanks that have no use on a modern battlefield." General Smiles retorted and confused Conrad. "The role of the infantry has been reduced to occupying the ground cleared by the Knightmare Frames, which have taken over the role of the spearhead in modern warfare. Personally, I consider the attempt to equip the infantry with a tool capable of effectively, but only theoretically, I think, destroying Knightmare Frames as a waste of time and resources. We should be fully focused on improving the machines we have of this type."
"Not necessarily, Gene." Claudia interrupted him, to the surprise of absolutely everyone. It seemed that as an engineer working on the construction of Knightmare Frames, as well as the owner of factories producing these machines, he would be in favor of fully betting on this type of armament. "If what Reinhard is working on proves to be a viable solution, we may have something that will enable us to offset the greatest strengths of the Imperial war machine, Knightmare Frames. In addition, we would gain time to get rid of obsolete Panzer-Hummels, or W0X-Type01 machines created in a short time and on the spur of the moment."
Criticism of the machines created by her and her team of engineers, and produced in her factories, seemed to be the most important statement that only this woman could afford at the moment. It practically defied any logic! Yet, despite the simple fact that such words were not in her best interests, they did come from Claudia's lips.
"Did you just criticize machines created by you, among others, and produced by your factories, for the time being exclusively for Wyvern Zero use?" General Golsadia almost lost control of his emotions as a result of hearing those words. His voice was proof of that.
Regardless, no one was surprised by his reaction, because the others had similar ones. Even the so far relaxed Reinhard, and the perpetually calm Conan, had to pinch themselves to make sure this wasn't some dream or hallucination.
"What's so surprising about it is that he admits to making a machine of not the best quality." Claudia asked confused. "Ultimately, the first machines of the Alexander series, although tested earlier thanks to the prototype, were put into production in a huge rush and were full of manufacturing defects. As I said before, the Types01 were created and put into production primarily out of the need of the moment, not because of their amazing performance or quality. We haven't even developed mass production methods that are efficient at the same time. The Wyvern Zero engineering team, including my daughter, had to work hard to fix many manufacturing defects, or to install something as basic as the Cockpit Ejection System, which dramatically reduced the fatality rate of the W-0 pilots. To deny all these facts is like saying that the water in the ocean is red, or that the EU has a great chance of surviving a war with the empire as it stands."
Nobody wanted to argue with such arguments, because it would be the height of stupidity to oppose well-constructed and thought-out arguments. Regardless, however, Reihrand also referred to the humanoid issues of the machine, and the proposal he received in this regard.
"Actually, I also have some suggestions for the development of Knightmare Frames." Once again, he drew attention to himself, and therefore he pulled out the schematics he kept in his pocket, and then began to spread them out on the table. "The Porsche Concern, after studying the data extracted from the Tallgeese series machines and after analyzing the components obtained from the battlefield, came up with a very good answer to the enemy machines."
The other five in the room glanced at the unfolded schematics of the latest machine, and then couldn't hide their surprise given the level of sophistication and the potential systems that would have to be used to power this machine. Potential equipment for this beast that only exists on paper. All data and details were combined in one coherent document, which quickly caught their attention.
Model Number: PKF-01 Ritter (Porsche Knightmare Frames Ritter)
Overall Height: 5.60 Meters
Gross Weight: 8.75 Tonnes
Power Source: Kraftstrom Drive
KMF Generation: 7th
Eequipments:
Standard:
- Landspinner Propulsion System
- I.F.V (Identification Feind or Verbündete) Transponder
Optional:
- Sturmgewehr 17/35mm
- Storm Faust
- Battle Hammer
- Shoulder Shield
Description: Porsche Knightmare Frames Ritter, the first full-fledged Knightmare Frame of the 7th generation, and the pinnacle of United Europia's technical capabilities. Heavily armored, well equipped with a powerful rifle and melee weapon. At the same time, highly mobile. The main goal is to be a versatile war machine, capable of operating on the front line, special operations or to be sent to the most threatened sections of the front to save the situation. However, the priority is to be an excellent destroyer of Knightmare Frames and a spearhead for ground forces, capable of breaking through any obstacle it encounters.
However, apart from the data and description, the machine was definitely more human than the machines of the Alexander series, not to mention those of the Panzer series. The legs and basically everything below the head are clearly inspired and based on Tallgeese. Still, the differences were more than noticeable. Some of the wiring was exposed, and some angular pieces of armor were made as streamlined as possible. However, what distinguished him the most from the original was his head. On the one hand, it resembles the head of a German soldier from the first half of the twentieth century, wearing a gas mask and a characteristic Stahlhelm helmet.
"Impressive." Claudia stated, and her words perfectly expressed the opinion of everyone gathered on this particular topic. "The first machine of the seventh generation that could give us an overwhelming advantage on the battlefield in the future. At the same time, it seems to be quite specialized and has some systems that I'm not familiar with."
"It's probably Identification Feind or Verbündete and Kraftstrom Drive?" At a nod, Reinhard continued. "It's basically our version of the Britannian I.F.F. designed by programmers on behalf of the Porsche concern, which is used to precisely identify enemies and allies on the battlefield. Meanwhile, Kraftstrom Drive is nothing more than a more efficient and less Sakuradite version of Yggdrasil Drive. In fact, it's supposed to be the standard drive for future projects. According to the designers, the purpose of this is to use and shift some of the work of the systems to electricity, and not that generated by Sakuradite."
"But aside from that, when are your friends at Porsche going to put this into production and make the ideas a reality?" Gene asked him.
Although none of the other five participants would ever admit it, it was clear that for the first time they were completely taken aback by this extraordinary German. Moreover, they basically had the impression that this man was one or several steps ahead of them, and he succeeded at an extremely fast pace. They were impressed and somewhat terrified at the same time. What was the guarantee that at some point he might no longer need them and get rid of redundant allies? A justified fear, which in the best case could end with some of them being pushed to the background.
"I don't have an answer to that question, because it's still, as you probably know, an idea." Reinhard's mood soured slightly at this question. Mainly due to the impossibility of completing everything on time. "The work can take many months, and the prototype, beyond any doubt, will not be ready until the end of the election. Despite the fact that everything is created to a greater or lesser extent on the basis of a conquered construction. In addition, after that, it will be time to test, eliminate factory defects and test the practicality of all these assumptions. The final design may and will likely be less impressive than these predictions."
"You do not have to tell me that. I know perfectly well how long the process of constructing new machines is." Gene replied, then turned to Claudia. "Therefore, he proposes that the largest possible resources and the best quality should be directed primarily to the machines of the Alexander series. Basically, if we win the election, we should start fully mass producing these machines."
Franz Sr. was genuinely surprised and disturbed by this statement, so he turned to the General. "Gene. Do you realize that mass production of these machines now that the core panzer infatry of EU is centered around Panzer-Hummel is impossible? Apart from contracts for further production of these machines, higher production costs, in the absence of appropriately adapted assembly lines and the most efficient production methods, it will be impossible to do so or it will lead to a considerable strain on the Republic's military budget?"
"I am aware of that, Franz." replied Gene. "However, given the fact that Types01 has been in production and development for so long, the right steps towards mass production have been made."
"You're right, Gene." Claudia replied, obviously pleased with herself and being able to tell everyone the very good news. "Although waiting for Reinhard to win in the next elections, and therefore government contracts, costs me a fortune, everything has been prepared. As soon as we receive the contract, we will be ready to start mass production."
Conan was surprised at the ease with which she said all this. "Aren't you concerned that the Clément Factory might go bankrupt as a result of doing this?"
"No." Claudia answered him calmly and nonchalantly. "Aside from my fortune, there are still spare lines that produce spare parts for Pazer-Hummels and Wespes."
Then, too, her gaze turned to Franz Senior. "Besides, I'm sure I can count on some small financial support from you, Franz."
"You can. What kind of patriot would I be if I allowed a company to go bankrupt that was preparing to produce a machine that would level the playing field in this war in the future?" The indignant patriarch of House Malcal replied. "Nevertheless, we should conduct these operations carefully. Chancellor Verrat and his minions act with greater boldness and disregard for the law every day, and they will miss no excuse to destroy those they consider enemies."
There was a dead silence in the living room. The paranoia of the Chancellor and his associates was no secret in high-political circles, and it was becoming more and more visible to the wider public.
"We don't have to worry about that." Reinhard interjected, becoming more and more emboldened by the moment. "While the Chancellor's aides are undoubtedly powerful and influential, they have become increasingly incompetent as the Republic's crisis deepens. They may have the services in their hands, but their officers are acting more and more incompetently and sluggishly, which in my opinion is not a coincidence.
His words immediately brought understanding from Franz Senior. "I understand, they deliberately act this way. They cannot refuse to follow the orders of their political superiors on pain of losing their jobs. Nevertheless, they can and will slow things down as they see the chancellor's reign coming to an end."
"So far, everything seems to be going our way." Conrad Goldaldia noticed. "At least in terms of domestic policy. It is a pity that the same cannot be said of the ongoing war, which will inevitably reach Europe's borders and the fighting will take place on the continent."
"Nothing has been decided on this yet." Gene replied. "In fact, many things may still happen and I doubt that our armies in Africa will be defeated or driven beyond the Mediterranean. If we go completely on the defensive, the advance of the Imperial forces can be stopped for many months, which will give us time to prepare a much better equipped force."
Reinhard shook his head, then expressed his doubts about it. "I'm afraid that's not possible at the moment. The Empire simply has too much of an advantage to be held back, let alone defeated, for any length of time."
General Golsadia turned to him with hope in his eyes and an unmistakable dose of pure curiosity. "I believe you already have a solution to this undoubtedly great problem for Europe."
"I have." Reinhard answered him without thinking and once again surprising everyone. There was no longer any doubt that he had come to this meeting with plans of action ready. "'Festung Europa'. This is the name of my plan, the main assumption of which is to fortify those sections of the coasts of southern and western Europe that are most exposed to the invasions of the empire. By focusing on the most critical points, we will successfully avoid a situation in which we will disperse our army's resources too much. Additionally, I found the perfect use for the outdated Pazer-Hummels and Panzer-Wespes, which should be ideal for this form of defense."
The plan presented here provoked a very lively discussion later in the meeting, and for good reason. It was sort of a throwback to concepts like Hadrian's Wall that had proven unreliable. Nevertheless, Reinhard's skillful arguments, who argued that such structures should primarily facilitate defense and not be its main pillar, and Conrad's support, finally convinced the seven.
The meeting ended a few moments later, when the clock placed in the living room showed that it was already ten in the evening. The vast majority of the meeting participants left the house of Gene, and only he and Franz Sr. remained inside.
"What do you think about all this?" The General put a question to the former Chancellor.
"About how Reinhard clearly plans ahead and may stop caring about us over time?" Franz asked, almost nonchalantly to the General's surprise. "If it was anyone else, I would be very concerned about it. Ultimately, you and I created the Magnificent Seven to dialogue with like-minded patriots with the intention of bringing this country out of crisis. All based on joint decision-making."
"If it was anyone else?" Gene narrowed his eyes at that choice of words. "Are you suggesting that such a young man can be given so much power with minimal supervision from us?"
"Not only from ours, my friend." Franz answered him. "You seem to forget that there are still citizens who ultimately verify and judge every authority based on actions. But if he tried to abolish democracy, which I personally doubt, people would rise up and wipe him off the face of the earth."
"I do not share your optimism, my friend." Gene wasn't convinced by that explanation, much less satisfied. "Not to mention he's still quite young..."
At this point, Franz couldn't help himself any longer and started laughing. "Dear friend, I thought it would be the other way around."
Gene didn't quite understand what he meant, so the patriarch of the Malcal family decided to clarify and clarify it. "I used to be convinced that you would be the one who would call for great power to be given to the young, while I would insist that, above all, great wisdom and equally great experience are necessary. In fact, it's the other way around. So let me put it bluntly, we should give way and let young people with fresh potential and fresh ideas enter the stage."
"So you're suggesting that Reinhard play a decisive role?" Gene couldn't believe what he just heard, but he kept his poker face on. "I thought you would rather offer a decisive role to one of your children."
A heavy sigh escaped Franz's lips, and it became clear that continuing this conversation would require a certain amount of alcohol. "Gene, believe me, if I had the opportunity, I would offer a decisive role in politics for my firstborn or stepdaughter, because they have the most to offer in terms of public image and are not mired in any major scandals."
"So where does this support for Reinhard come from?" The general became increasingly confused as he reached for a bottle of good-quality whiskey and two glasses, then returned to the table where the two of them were talking. "If you have these two, and you know them extremely well, and you know that I am inclined to support this because I know them as well, then where do you see the problem?"
"In the fact that neither Franz nor Leila have the slightest interest in politics more than in the influence of warfare with the empire." He replied as the General poured alcohol into glasses. "They are limited and unwilling to go beyond their military competence. Personally, I regret it, but on the other hand, you can't have everything. On the other hand, Reinhard is the perfect candidate to become the leader of the new and fresh United Europia political class."
"I have many doubts about that." Gene replied, then proceeded to clarify his own doubts. "First of all, I have concerns about entrusting so much responsibility to young, inexperienced and often reckless people."
"That's what we, old and experienced people are for, to give tips and lend our experience to young, fresh generations." Franz replied with complete conviction bordering on arrogance. "There are many geniuses and promising talents among the young generation. Reinhard, Leila, my firstborn and only daughter Claudi are the best examples of this. Our future, the future of what our ancestors forged in the fire of the Great Revolution, is now in good hands. I don't have the slightest doubt about that."
"I have serious doubts about that, Franz." Gene was still unconvinced, but he held his glass up anyway. "However, I trust your decision and your common sense, which has never let me down before. So let's drink to the next generation and their successes."
"Cheers, my friend." The two men's glasses collided, and the toast was done, the strong liquid teasing their palates.
United Republic of Europe, Egypt
El Alamein
March 2017 A.T.B.
The journey back to the lines still occupied by the Republic army was straightforward and there were no major incidents or clashes along the way. Only the over-exploited elements of the land cruiser from time to time provided any form of distraction from the dull return. Without it, technicians were busy repairing damaged Knightmare Frames that were salvageable at all. The wounded were recovering in the infirmary while medics were busy trying to get them fit for duty. Infantrymen practiced on shooting ranges, while Alexanders pilots on simulators. All with the intention of improving their skills as much as possible and preparing for the next fight.
However, apart from the general feelings of the crew in this regard, Colonel Leila Malcal herself could not complain about boredom, regardless of the technical condition of the land cruiser in which she was traveling. Practically all the time, she was busy fulfilling her duties as commander of Wyvern Zero. Mainly, it was coordinating the rather scattered remaining squads and their technical teams. In addition, and as her aide had informed her, she was to meet her elder brother immediately upon her arrival in El Alamein.
As a last resort, the trip took about five days in total, a bit longer than the trip to the factory area. The main reason for this was the constant patrol of Britannian fighters whose pilots were undoubtedly looking for the Land Cruiser with the intention of notifying headquarters. Needless to say, if that happened, the fate of Leila and the entire Delta would be sealed, as squadrons of fighters equipped with homing missiles would immediately be dispatched to destroy the Land Cruiser and avenge those killed during the operation.
Apart from that, after a rather tedious journey, they finally arrived at the concentration of all the surviving formations. It was quite an impressive grouping, spread over many tens of kilometers, where fortifications were also erected from hastily imported resources. While this might seem like a stupid and unnecessary effort, it wasn't so in the slightest. In fact, the design capabilities and time, thanks to the use of suitably adapted Knightmare Frames, was much faster and more efficient than ever. For this reason, the concrete and metal fortifications around El Alamein were erected very quickly by the engineers. And the assortment of fortifications included: concrete-walled and metal-reinforced trenches, bunkers, gun emplacements sized to accommodate Knightmare Frames, and even underground shelters large enough for both infantry and machines.
Watching so many people working and struggling to fulfill their task filled Leila with a feeling she couldn't define. Pride in loyal and ready to endure the hardships of soldiers? Perhaps, however, it was definitely not enough and did not fully reflect what she felt. It was definitely more of a relief. Relieved to know that the army in this part of the world is still fighting and the empire will not take over the rest of Africa.
However, apart from these issues, it took the land cruiser an additional few hours to reach the military base located in the vicinity of the city. Specifically, three. The reason was simple, and it was such a huge concentration of vehicles and troops that traffic jams on the main roads were not avoided. It didn't help the whole thing that some of the more nervous soldiers or officers, from time to time, started fighting with each other for a place in the queue, or because of urging each other to speed up. A truly embarrassing sight and unacceptable in a professional army.
Leila, Franz and Akito went down to the square where a group of six soldiers and one officer were waiting for them. A small welcoming committee, which, as it soon turned out, was sent by Franz with the task of leading Leila and her assistants to the headquarters, where the adoptive brother of the blonde-haired Colonel was supposed to be staying.
The march through a simple and mainly functional facility passed in a rather pleasant atmosphere. Because all the soldiers or technicians they encountered saluted and often congratulated them. As it turned out, the news about the only and undeniable success in the last dozen or so days spread rapidly among the fighters in Africa. Personally, Leila had suspicions that this was a deliberate ploy by the officers, whose aim was to improve the morale of Europeans, which had deteriorated drastically after a series of forced retreats.
However, apart from a rather warm welcome, it was not difficult to see a lot of work among the base staff. When asked about it, the officer immediately replied that the reason for this state of affairs is the fact that many formations have still not been withdrawn and it is necessary to coordinate or provide adequate artillery support. The base staff had their hands full. Especially that all this cumulated with the need to supervise the construction of the local fortifications, which also required proper supervision.
Finally, after about ten minutes of walking and watching, for example, soldiers training and improving their skills, or pilots practicing in simulators or cooperating with technicians. The group reached the door leading straight to her brother's office. The guards on duty and the Lieutenant overseeing them saluted the approaching ten, while Leila and the others saluted back.
"Colonel Malcal, good to see you, ma'am." The Lieutenant, who was clearly approaching forty, said with satisfaction. "It's an honor to meet such a young woman who has achieved so much at such a young age."
Leila frowned at his praise, for she did not share his optimism. "I don't quite understand the reason for these laudatory statements, Lieutenant. The only thing I've essentially accomplished so far is forming Wyvern Zero and will be the face of another Pyrrhic victory or defeat."
"You definitely underestimate yourself, ma'am." The lieutenant laughed and a large number of the people gathered around did the same, which completely confused both Leile and her two companions. "You were able to get tens of thousands of troops out of encirclement, along with their equipment. However, when logistics broke down, you and your formation repeatedly cover the leaves with our division. Were it not for all this, I am convinced that we would have been driven out not only from Egypt, but from all of Africa long ago."
Leila felt a slight blush creep into her cheeks at the praise she didn't think she deserved. The two adjutants accompanying her, however, were of the same opinion as the officer and supported her by a simple gesture of placing their hands on her shoulders. Nevertheless, Leila decided to quickly change the subject and not talk about something that in her personal opinion was quite one-sided and not worth mentioning.
"But aside from the past, Lieutenant, may I see General Malcal?"
The lieutenant held up his right hand as if trying to stop her. "You'll have to wait a while for that, ma'am, because there's a meeting going on inside the office that unfortunately you haven't been invited to."
"Meeting?" Leila asked in surprise. "I am, after all, the commander of Wyvern Zero. An elite formation that is part of an army group led by the General. Why shouldn't I be part of it?"
"Please don't ask me, ma'am. But I guess you'll have an opportunity to ask the General about it soon, when…' He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, for he was interrupted first by the sound of footsteps coming from behind the door, and then by the door opening. "Here is your chance to find out the answer to that question, ma'am."
After his answer, quite a lot of stupid, about twenty officers gathered so far inside, started to come out. They were Generals, Colonels, Majors and the lowest ranking, Captains. Staff officers, commanders of divisions or larger formations and people responsible for logistics. In other words, a meeting of the entire staff of the army group was held here.
Men and women of all ages and often from different countries that make up United Europe. At the same time, it was a reminder of the biggest difference between the EU and the other two world powers. The fact that the countries that are part of the Republic are in this system entirely voluntarily, without coercion, and that the citizens of all countries of the community enjoyed the same rights and freedoms. The difference could only be in economic matters, because the west of Europe was definitely more prosperous than the east.
Soon, they all left the office and went their separate ways to perform their assigned duties. They were so busy that they did not pay even the slightest attention to the young teenager, who at the same time did not claim her fame, and who brought all this as the only truly good news.
A moment or so later, her older stepbrother appeared in the door leading to the office. He seemed to have aged and lost some weight in the last few days, but the latter could only be a mistaken impression from the Colonel herself. It didn't change the fact that his hair was greasy, obviously unwashed for days. Meanwhile, a pair of distinct shadows appeared under the eyes, while the whites in the pits were bloodshot from lack of sleep. The uniform was crumpled and unworthy of a proud Republic soldier who always tried to serve his citizens with the highest possible honor and dignity.
"Leila!" Although Franz Malcal Jr. had been exhausted a moment ago and dreamed of nothing but ten hours of sleep, his tired eyes shone with new light and energy at the sight of his younger foster sister. "It's good to see you alive. Especially since you brought me great news, in the form of a victory in the operation you were assigned to perform."
"Good to see you too, sir." Leila replied politely, without showing affection in front of third parties, as was required of any professional. "It's just a pity he's not in full health, I see."
Franz laughed at her remark and clearly didn't care much about the current state he was in. "Everyone tells me I need some rest after a few sleepless nights when my body and mind were fueled solely by caffeine. All to make sure we save as many as possible fleeing to the west."
"As usual, you put our lives ahead of your own health and comfort, sir." The lieutenant guarding the door spoke, but this time without joy and instead calmly. "You should rest, leave the chores to someone else, before you drop dead here. The last thing we need right now is the death of the army group commander and leaving all these divisions in chaos."
"If you insist, Lieutenant." Franz reluctantly accepted this argument against his intensive work. "As soon as I finish this meeting, only then will I go to rest and General Geyer will take over my duties. Now, though, I invite the three of you inside."
Leila, Peter and Akito obeyed his command and followed him while the door was closed moments later by the guards. On the other hand, the office they entered was not surprising and was arranged exactly as one should expect from a military base, modestly and primarily focused on functionality. The equipment consisted of one large and round table with a built-in screen in the middle, and swiveling metal chairs around the table.
What surprised Leile was the meeting inside two people she knew. The first was Major Warwick, shabby as usual, unshaven and wearing his usual smile. The blonde-haired Colonel was honestly happy to see him, because this man was, after all, invaluable support and always able to lift the spirits of others. They both nodded politely.
Even so, what was more surprising was the sight of a certain teenage girl with long, bright purple hair, sparkling green eyes, and a heart-soothing smile. Dressed in a light blue and red uniform, lighter than Leila's and typical of the Engineer Regiment, but with the rank of Captain. It was Anna Clément, a daughter of Claudia Clément and a teenager responsible for fine-tuning the first Alexanders sent to W-0. In addition, Leila's longtime best friend.
"Anna." The blonde-haired Colonel smiled at her, and then both teenagers hugged in greeting. "Good to know you and Major Warwick seemed safe to retire here."
"Good to see you too, Leila." Anna replied, and a moment later the hug ended. "I am also glad that you managed to achieve the main objective of the operation and survive."
"I have similar feelings." Major Warwick joined in the greeting. "I heard that you had a chance to fight Full Frontal himself and survived, I see."
At this statement, both Franz and Anna gasped in surprise mixed with shock as they were not at all aware of this particular fact regarding the operation and the confrontation that took place during this particular encounter.
"Why didn't anyone fucking tell me about this!?" At the General's furious question, literally almost everyone in the room flinched, the only exception being Major Warwick.
"Because you never asked me, sir?" Major Warwick's response could have been considered brazen or provocative, and purely theoretically could have resulted in him being kicked out or even worse. "If I had been ordered to inform you of this, I would have done so without hesitation. Nevertheless, such an order from you never came."
Franz Junior, under normal circumstances, would have been furious to the max in response to so much insolence and blatant disregard towards him. Not to mention that this topic was extremely important to him on a primarily personal level. Nevertheless, he had already gotten used to his behavior to such an extent that in this case the fury could at most consider a single lightning discharge that hits the target, followed by an echo spreading around, and finally silence once again.
"Apart from these matters, I would like to hear a detailed description of the exact plan for the defense of this last piece of land that we currently have." Leila moved quite neatly from that topic to something else, and basically much more relevant to the current situation.
Franz Junior sighed at her words, which made it clear what the current situation was. "First of all, I planned with my staff to expand the El Alamein fortress as soon as possible and prepare this section of the front for a possible attack from either the Knights of the Purple Rose or the main forces of Princess Cornelia."
"You expect a frontal attack on this well-fortified fortress?" Leila asked this question mainly because of doubts about the likelihood of such a scenario materializing. "It's rather unlikely."
"I am aware of this, but I do not have enough reserves at the moment to send them south and block the possibility of an attack from this side or prevent the possibility of cutting off and encircling El Alamein." His statement was quite grim, but the mention of it made him smile moments later. "Nevertheless, our reinforcements, which were originally supposed to be landed and unloaded at Alexandria, were successfully diverted and were unloaded at Tobruk two days ago. In a few hours, the formations should reach our current position."
Leila was satisfied with that answer. "I believe they will take up a position in the south and have the task of preparing them for defense."
"I have no other plans for this, given our current situation." Franz replied calmly. "Additionally, we should be given several long months of peace as the Prime Minister of the Britannia, along with the Imperial Foreign Minister, have petitioned the Chancellor and the government for an armistice."
"Cease-fire?" Leila asked confused, both in surprise and not understanding why they would ask for it. "Why would an Emperor accept such a thing when the imperial army goes from victory to victory?"
"Probably because of the pace of the fights and the constant marching forward." Fraz presented his hypothesis on this topic. "This incredibly rapid progress and virtually constant advance must have pushed the pilots and soldiers to the limit of their endurance at some point. The urge to breathe without being able to attack from the enemy simply had to reach the Prime Minister's ears at some point, and he decided to take appropriate action in this regard."
"So, at least theoretically, we would be able to make a successful counterattack against the tired army of the Princess Cornelia?" Leila pondered, and the desire to carry out this plan immediately sparked her fantasy. She did not take one but extremely important factor into consideration.
"Colonel, you're forgetting that our military personnel are also tired and unwilling to continue fighting." She was snapped out of her fantasy by Major Warwick, who was in a cheerful mood when he talked about it, as always. "This time is also invaluable for us, because we can not only prepare fortifications or give our soldiers a rest. Moreover, it will also give us the opportunity to mobilize additional divisions, train conscripts and send them to the front."
"Conscripts?" Leila asked surprised, she didn't expect it in the slightest. "I thought our army was 100 percent professional, and despite defeats or heavy casualties, there was no indication that the government was about to start mass conscription."
Franz and Warwick exchanged subtle glances, and the former decided to enlighten his adoptive sister on the matter. "Leila, just eight hours ago, the Chancellor and the Minister of War made a decision on partial conscription among the population of United Europia. All without any consultation with any legislature or the United Council. This has caused quite a bit of protest, but nothing can be done about it until the election, unfortunately."
Leila was furious, not for the first or last time in her life, not even in the last six hours. In fact, the object of her wrath was not only the corrupt and clearly clumsy Chancellor. But also, or even most of all, Leila was clearly angry with all the political people around the chancellor who had been complicit in leading the military and the Republic in this very specific direction, right over the edge of the abyss. Even so, the blonde-haired Colonel didn't have the opportunity to feel it for long, as it was interrupted by the words of her adjutant.
"Conscription issues aside, Wyvern Zero won't be here for long. For we have received orders from General Smiles to withdraw to Europe as soon as possible."
"For what reason, if any?" The colonel felt the need to find out the specific reason why her unit was to return to the old continent.
"Because of the need to fully and professionally integrate the entire unit." Unexpectedly, Anna was the one to answer, though the teenager felt someone else's eyes on her. "Although Wyvern Zero has always received the best pilots, equipment and the most difficult tasks to perform, the pilots and other military personnel have not been fully professionally integrated to be considered a full-fledged formation."
But apart from this explanation and the ongoing conversation, no one paid the slightest attention to one subtle but quite clear detail. It's the multiple and buttery looks Peter throws at Anna. Although the two had never met, Major Kowalsky had heard of her many times and quite clearly. The gray-haired young man was told by the technical staff that she was an extremely beautiful and intelligent teenager. Nevertheless, what he saw exceeded his wildest expectations in that regard, and literally every fiber of his being felt that Anna simply had to become his girlfriend, one way or another. He had no idea yet, but he felt that he would succeed sooner or later.
At the same time, however, the conversation continued. No further explanation was necessary, and Leila, along with the other four subordinate officers, left the office after saying goodbye to her half-brother. At that moment, an extremely strong bond between them became apparent, developed over many years of mutual support, as real siblings should do.
A moment later, Franz was left alone in his study and felt a weariness creeping up on him, but not from work, lack of sleep, or the enormity of responsibility for the lives of all those people gathered here. More, it was the fatigue of seeing a young teenage girl having to grow up too fast. The blonde-haired Colonel, who became more and more beautiful and more mature every year. Franz was also proud of it, because he had contributed so much to it, and was also sad about it.
He shook his head a moment later before tears left his sockets. He practically never cried or showed weakness in connection with the difficult situation. Why would he make an exception at this point? It didn't make sense and he couldn't afford to feel too much. Regardless, he felt that the young teenage girl whom he had the undoubted honor of calling his sister would play a major role in the conflict with the Holy Britannian Empire, which at this point could only escalate.
The general also had no doubts and almost instinctively felt that Prince Lucius vi Britannia would compete with Leila more than once and not twice. While their rivalry on the battlefield had enough of an obvious one to turn the two into fierce archenemies.
Franz literally fully felt the great sublimity of this moment and the importance it would have for the events that followed. So he decided to retire and prepare himself for the next challenges, but first he summoned General Geyer to take over as commander-in-chief for the next few hours.
This is how the foundations for the future fate of the conflict between the United Republic and the Holy Britannian Empire were written. The two rival commanders gained a lot and lost a lot. Purple Prince gained glory and respect in the empire's army by participating in this war, but he lost a valuable friend. Leila gained as much or even more, but it required even more commitment on her part than before.
Everything was ultimately leading to one great clash of two undoubtedly exceptional personalities, which was to decide the fate of this war.
AN: Hello, my dear readers.
This is the official and complete culmination of the Egypt Arc. The conclusion is rather unsurprising, at least in my opinion. The EU is driven out of this region of Africa, while Britannia, thanks to Lucius, has a clear path to invade the Middle East and seize Thouhgt Elevator.
In the meantime, great politics is going on in Paris and the idea of PKF-01 Ritter is presented. Let me warn the curious right now. Yes,
The PKF-01 Ritter is based on Gear Zulu's AMS-129-129 Gear Zulu. Personally, I had a dilemma between this and Gear Dog's AMS-119. In the end, however, I settled on something a bit more like a Knightmare Frame, which could be produced by Germany.
As for the next potential machines, soon, because in the next chapter, you will find out about the new machines that Kinnon Zimmad will design for the Knights of the Purple Rose. You won't be disappointed with your choice, I can promise you that. All I will say is that the name is KPR-02 Deathtrooper.
By the way, I don't know if I'm the only one who noticed this, but in this story, ironically, I devote more space to United Europia than to empire. Despite the fact that the main character is the Britannian Prince. I will try to fix this minor oversight in the next chapter. Especially since it gives me a field for interesting world building, which in the original series is very general and basically devoid of deeper details.