The Janus Campaign

Chapter 31: Cocktail Warfare

Camp Augustus

After nearly causing the respected Legate to have a heart attack, Ruth sat back down next to Octavia, the two women quite satisfied with their mischief. Germanicus, ruefully laughing at how the pair had caught him so completely unprepared. He could only be thankful that Videlia was back home. The last thing he needed was to have three of them working together. He took his seat on his wife's other side, while Taylor took the empty chair between his mother and Panache.

"So, mom? What do you think?"

"I think… I'm going to like it here." She shrugged. "That apartment is a bit boring, after all. Not enough for me to get into. Your brother and I haven't spoken since he stormed out. I haven't seen Claire in years and to hear her say that she didn't consider your brother as her daddy hurt. As much as I think Bryan needs to get himself together, I know how much he loves that girl." Ruth sighed. "And your sister has her hands full with Jonathan and now with Rachel and Casey and now Rebecca too! But she and I just don't seem to be able to meet half-way. I'd love for them to visit but I'm not going to be able to live up there. So that doesn't leave many choices.

"On the other hand, she smiled over at Galador. I've got a new grandson to get to know, two boys I'm just dying to be an Aunt to, And four well-mannered young ladies who want to give me more grandchildren And I've traded up in the sister department. I need something new in my life. So, if it's alright, I'd be happy to stay."

"Ruth," Octavia told her. "We would be delighted to have you with us!"

"What about when they go back through the Gate mom?"

"Son, you've got horses, clean air, fields of grass. Those are things I miss. Not to say I wouldn't mind a couple of solar panels. I like my TV and my DVD player and my coffee maker. But I haven't driven a car since you were fifteen. Washers and Dryers are nice but I've done it by hand. Nothing new to me. And I can be useful again. That's something I need."

Taylor nodded. He knew his mom was right. "Of course, there is one tiny matter…" He hesitated.

"Oh? What's that?"

"They're English." He said the word as if it were poisonous.

"English?" His mother narrowed her eyes. After testy relations with her in-laws, it had been her standing joke about not trusting the English. That her experiences had been with a not truly representative sample of English was beside the point. Several others also queried the word.

"Well, only distantly," Taylor admitted."We already knew that Saderan High Tongue is a form of English. So the upper classes speak a recognizable form of English. It's a good thing too, because Mother's," he indicated Lady Octavia, "library has some answers."

"Oh?"Octavia quirked her head.

"You have Chaucer's 'Book of the Duchess'. But you also have a book written by one John Chaucer:'Imperium' The answers are right there. It's just that one side didn't have the answers, didn't even know we didn't have the answers and on the other side, all the answers but forgot the questions or at least why they even mattered."

Taylor shook his head. "Imperial Year 103, 1396 on our calendar, John Beaumont, Fourth Baron, Beaumont led a force of three thousand men, including nearly one thousand knights plus longbowmen and auxiliaries, including the fifth child of Geoffrey Chaucer, named after the author's friend and patron, John of Gaunt, set out for Nicopolis in Bulgaria but never arrived. As it turns out, the crusade ended in a disaster. The English never arrived but the French couldn't exactly say anything since their knights were the ones that broke the Crusader ranks for a glory charge which caused the battle to fall apart. So despite reports that an English force had gone out, the English denied it ever happened.

"But apparently, it did, and according to 'Imperium' even if it wasn't the battle Beaumont meant to fight, three years later, in Imperial Year 106, The Saderan Empire was split between Cadus Sol Gaius, who had an army supported by the Orc Confederation and Aemilianus Co Senna, backed by the Senate over succession to the Imperial throne. Beaumont had carved out a small territory and threw in with the Senate in exchange for Beaumont's son being adopted by Senna. And with Beaumont came Middle English, Longbows, and one of the symbols of Beaumont's purported patron, the Duke of Lancaster, The Lancastrian Rose."

"What about the original Saderans?" Aurelia asked.

"I'm still working on that. The Legio IX Hispana seems to be a possibility though. It disappears from history sometime in the second century."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Ruth chuckled "Well, I suppose that's not too bad. Everybody's got to be from somewhere."

"True," Octavia smirked. But I find the future much more interesting, don't you?" She asked Ruth mildly.

"That's for sure."

"Well then! Welcome to the family!"

Akusho District, Sadera

Mizari looked around the Venus with satisfaction. Ever since the death of Bessara, the place had been closed while the new owners carefully cleaned and repaired every inch of the establishment, Having come with the building in the bargain, Mizari and the other thirty girls had been forbidden from working until the healer said it was alright for them to do so. But still, they and another twenty girls whom Mizari had been instructed to hire had been more than well paid during this time. They were taught new rules for the conduct of their clients and also told that they would only service clients who showed a special token at the door. Three girls had actually not gotten permission from the healer to return to work but instead of being thrown out, they were under the healer's care and assigned to serve drinks instead. It was all very strange.

Although asking questions had never been encouraged by the previous owners, curiosity finally got the better of Mizari, who asked just why her new employers were making so many changes. Lieutenant Theisman explained:

"What we want is to attract clients who are willing to trade a little inconvenience for safety and discretion. And will pay well to get it." What was left unsaid was that the sort of men who could and would pay more for these services were men of a higher grade and station than a fresh-faced miles or an ordinary street hustler. These men would be men with information and secrets to hide.

Officially, of course, seeking out brothels was forbidden among the allied troops. Of course, Theisman mused, our governments certainly never envisioned us going out and actually operating a brothel but here we are. But while the brass might publicly proclaim a 'Zero Tolerance' policy, reality knew better: That, at some point, some men would succumb to temptation and it was best if they were encouraged to go somewhere carefully monitored. So, unofficially it had been allowed to spread through the grapevine that personnel frequenting certain sanctioned establishments would not face censure. Theisman did not expect this to be a concern at the Venus or the Bacchanalian since the only allied personnel in Sadera were the very operatives now running those establishments. Still, it was best to have the rules in place, just in case.

Mizari was simply told that any allied personnel who showed up as clients would have to follow the same rules as everyone else. Everyone would be required to surrender any weapons on entry and Mizari and the other girls were not to take abuse from anyone. While theirs was hardly an ideal profession, the situation for the girls at the Venus was at least better than it had been. Going from a succubus to a courtesan, it was a good deal, Mizari decided.

Estate of Baron Varus Du Cinna

Varus Du Cinna had been a powerful man once. Physically imposing, he had been a skilled warrior with a lust for life and a fondness for wine and women and had parlayed a successful career as a soldier and a number of successful campaigns into becoming a powerful voice in the Senate, backing the expansionist lobby. But now, time and loss had changed the proud veteran. In the years since his last active campaign, his appetites had only grown unchecked. Still, despite the excesses, he had used to care about his appearance. That was before the loss of both his sons and his grandson in the Empire's latest disastrous campaign. One son had commanded the Seventh Legion and had been proud to bring his own son named Varus in his father's honor, with him. No word had ever been heard from them since they crossed the GATE. His other son had commanded the Forty-Second Legion and died attempting to retake 'Sacred Alnus' from the Barbarians. His body had been recovered but Trajus had hardly been recognizable. His body mutilated by the Barbarians' weapons.

His wife had contentedly passed on years earlier but now Varus, the venerable old warrior, sat in his empty house, eating too much and drinking too much and cursing the Emperor for appointing that incompetent bungler Germanicus to command the Expedition, cursing that fool Godasen for wasting his other son and coming back alive without having retaken Alnus, cursing Germanicus loudly, loud enough that the man should still hear him in whatever justly deserved hell he was now in, cursing the Senate for their cowardice, cursing the gods for each and every sin they had committed against him. Right now, he was cursing his serving girl simply because he wanted to.

The servant in question simply bowed her head submissively and refilled his cup. His perpetual glower softened just a little as she gave a small smile and flicked her tail flirtatiously. Not that she wanted this old man to touch her but it did calm his disposition some. In any event, a little more wine and his lordship would probably be passed out for the next few hours, especially with the dwale added in for good measure

This made Baron Cinna's estate a very useful meeting place for Bouro and other important members of the Haryo. In her lord's absence, Vendetta was able to ensure the security and privacy that Bouro's plans required. Unlike Tyuule, Bouro's 'ally' of convenience, Vendetta was no slave. Nor had she been a queen for that matter. What she had been was a mistake, an indiscretion, and one that like so many others had been quietly discarded before she could become an embarrassment to the powerful man who had sired her. That had been twenty years ago and she had endured the rough streets and alleys of Akusho while her mother suffered as a discarded plaything, a gentle and refined courtesan and mistress, now reduced to bedding the most base and vile men in the Empire to survive and to keep her daughter fed.

Vendetta was the name she gave herself when she was recruited into one of the local street gangs. If it was unpleasant, it was one way to stay alive in an unpleasant world. She had quickly learned how to handle herself in a fight and no one made the mistake of underestimating her twice. Except for the owner of the dive where her mother worked. It was an open secret how Nerus cheated his girls, at least those who couldn't fight back. He owned the flops where many of them lived and lent money when they were short on the rent or other necessities, ensuring they were caught in a cycle of dependence as they worked ever harder and he continued to cheat them.

Eventually, her mother owed too much. Nerus suggested that if her daughter started working for him, he would 'erase' the slate. But Andromeda had refused. Instead, offering herself to him. It was after a particularly brutal night that Vendetta learned what was happening. She snuck into his room the next night and pressed her dagger to his throat, and warned him never to touch her mother again. A week later, Andromeda was nearly beaten to death by Nerus in retaliation as his initial fear had been overcome by anger and a need to punish them both for that fear. That night, as her mother stayed with one of the few trusted healers in Akusho, Vendetta returned to Nerus' chambers. The next morning, his mutilated body was found face up in his bed. It was at this point that Bouro stepped in. The gang which Vendetta belonged to was one of his recruiting groups and According to Bouro, Vendetta and her mother would be useful to him outside of Akusho.

Bouro explained that he was a half breed like Vendetta and that they represented a 'New Race born upon The New World' That she and her mother could be useful in ensuring the survival of their kind. Not really trusting Bouro but having no real choice, Vendetta agreed to become his agent, and soon, she and her mother were moved to a safer place where Andromeda was told to instruct her daughter in the ways of courtly manners and grace. And when Vendetta had learned her lessons to Bouro's satisfaction, he arranged for her to be hired into the Cinna household where she was to ingratiate herself and report on the goings-on of the household.

Vendetta played her part to perfection, never letting anyone ever suspect where her loyalties lay. She had actually been working on attracting the attentions of the Baron's grandson. He was a perceptive young man who was rather attractive and well built as a human. It was an unfortunate shame that he had been lost in the disaster of The Expedition, especially worse since the loss of his father and his uncle meant that her current position relied on the survival of one foul old man.

Strangely, Bouro had said that amid this calamity might come an opportunity. And as he and her other 'guests' arrived it seemed that her time was coming.

And when that time came, she planned to settle some accounts long overdue.

Imperial Park, Sadera

Youji Itami was very much relieved to be back to doing something a little closer to his normal skill set than chasing dragons. With the Diplomatic Mission ensconced in the Jade Palace and with the first overtures made to Lord Cicero, it was time to put on a little demonstration to underscore to Cicero and a select group of Senators, whom Pina had named as possible swing votes in the matter of the Senate's willingness to pursue peace, just how outmatched they were. It did not matter how many bodies they conscripted, in the measure of that army's killing power, the Allied Forces were exponentially more powerful in ways the Saderans could never match. Of course, while Itami's squad was there to spell out the military situation to the Senators, the actual diplomacy would be in the hands of Ambassadors Sugawara and Russell and of course, Princess Pina serving as hostess.

Surprisingly, Pina was aided in her efforts by the elder sisters of Countess Myui. With Pina having taken de facto guardianship of Myui, her sisters had both been chastised and somewhat embarrassed by the whole matter. What they had also begun to notice is that in spite of the failed assault on Italica and the damages done and losses sustained there, Italica was prospering in a way no other location in the Empire was faring. With the two older sisters suitably chastened by their husbands after their behavior had nearly sparked a house war between them, they were now both anxious to repair their standing in the eyes of the Third Princess and to partake in the prosperity that Italica was now experiencing. With these goals in mind, both sisters were quite eager to offer Her Imperial Highness any assistance they could, making a not inconsiderable contribution to the fete, providing both staff and helping make the arrangements for the social part of today's festivities.

Among those attending was Sherry Tyueli, daughter of House Tyueli. Her father was a close cousin of the noted Senator, Marquis Casel. But what mattered to Sherry at this moment was the strutting of her cousin Amarula as she showed off the pearls gifted her by the Count of Campari on behalf of his son, a young man of seventeen, one of a very few who managed to distinguish himself amid the disaster of the expedition, rescuing his injured commander who had been wounded while leading his troops back to the Gate amid the chaos of the day. Having survived such a defeat and actually distinguishing himself, the young man had become quite smitten by the graceful young Amarula and with his father's consent, announced his desire to court her in marriage.

So it was that Sherry, all of thirteen and only just shy of her fourteenth birthday, could not quite suppress the envy she felt, being herself ready to find a husband in a country where eligible young men were currently in scant supply. But Sherry saw greater possibilities. She had been introduced to Ambassador Sugawara briefly at a much smaller gathering at Marquis Casel's estate two weeks earlier. The introduction had been perfunctory but Sherry paid close attention to the alien and enigmatic diplomat. He was certainly more refined than the young men she knew. Now Sherry intended to catch the eye of Sugawara. It was only right that if Amarula could find a suitor, then so could she.

"...Be a good girl and you will receive a wonderful gift. I promise!"

Those words from Sugawara were like electricity to Sherry, causing her to blush and feel so much like the child she repeatedly assured herself she was not. It had been such an impetuous act but Sugawara had seen fit to give her his pledge! It was as simple as that.

As Sherry left with her parents, Ambassador Russell strode over to where Sugawara was standing with a mildly amused Princess Pina.

"I'm sure in a few days, that girl will be receiving a set of Japanese pearls that will leave her cousin quite envious!" Pina noted.

"I'd love to have a connection with Marquis Casel."

"I would be very careful to make sure I forged the right sort of connection, Mister Sugawara. A young girl often has expectations and a girl with expectations spurned can be a very dangerous enemy," Russell noted.

"You know a woman's heart well, Mister Russell," Pina chuckled.

"Only more in hindsight than foresight. I find diplomacy infinitely simpler," Russell said in rueful amusement.

"Well, that girl definitely has a crush on you Mister Sugawara." Pina smiled.

"Surely, you jest!" Sugawara replied, genuinely surprised at the notion. Of course, the briefing packets had mentioned that Saderan daughters often married at a younger age than was the accepted norm in modern societies but intellectual knowledge was not the same as emotional knowledge. And in a man, so career-driven as himself, Sugawara had developed an emotional blind spot in regards to his own social awareness.

"She's quite serious, Mister Sugawara. Powerful and mysterious are the currents of a young girl's heart," Ambassador Russell noted.

In the meantime, Itami began the demonstration of the Howa Type 64 rifles carried by most JSDF personnel in the Janus Theater. In addition to Cicero and Lord Ducie, six other Senators were in attendance, along with Gaius Fure Scipius, one of Pina's Thorns and the archery instructor for the Rose Order, as were a fire team from Lieutenant Mayer's Marine detachment led by Sergeant Hill and manned by other veterans of the fighting at 'Alamo East'. The marines had suggested some modifications to Itami's plans. First, rather than the empty armor suits recovered after the initial assault on Alnus, The marines arranged for the armor to be strapped onto several pig carcasses. That the bullets would penetrate the armor was not in doubt but adding blood and allowing the Senators to inspect the wounds would further underline their message. Before Itami's men took to the range, Scipius would demonstrate the comparative range and efficiency of the standard Imperial Warbow as a control. A series of targets set at fifty-yard intervals were provided for him and, indeed, in a performance that impressed Sergeant Hill, Scipius was able to hit a target over four hundred yards away and even effectively penetrate targets at three hundred yards and maintaining a rate of six shots a minute over several minutes in a performance definitely worthy of the second-best archer in the entire Rose Order.

It was a master's performance and the Senators all understood that as they were allowed to inspect his targets.

Then, the range was cleared and Third Recon's rifles opened up.

Seeing the torn and bleeding carcasses, Cicero and his fellows were aghast, shocked at the level of carnage they witnessed. Cicero's first instinct was to try and convince Itami to sell rifles to Sadera or better yet tell them how to build their own but it quickly became clear that their opponents had no intention of tossing away any advantages they held over the Empire.

Next, One carcass dressed in the armor of a Saderan General was set up behind and to the right of the Senators. After inspecting the damage inflicted by the Japanese rifles, the Senators were invited to watch as Hill radioed Corporal Rice to 'Begin stalking'.

"Roger that."

Sergeant Hill and his men provided each of their guests with a pair of field glasses, showing them how to focus in on one of the distant targets.

"In this exercise, Corporal Rice is out there somewhere. The objective is to spot him before he shoots our target, General Porkus Maximus, standing back over on your right."

Over the next several, tense minutes, the Senators searched until suddenly a shot rang out, striking the target square in the chest, piercing the armor and savaging the tissue behind.

"Good shot Corporal. Stand up."

Standing up roughly eight-hundred yards away, Corporal Rice then took aim and sent six more shots into the target in rapid succession, underscoring that the initial hit had, in fact, been taken by someone unseen, firing from a range far beyond any archer in Falmart.

This was followed by a demonstration of small, portable mortars. The demonstrations had the desired effect as Cicero, Lord Ducie, and the other Senators present understood that a continuation of the War would only bring the Empire to ruin.

Further conversation was interrupted by the approach of uninvited riders. Itami and Hill quickly assembling their people to secure the site and evacuate Cicero and his fellows while Sugawara returned to the Garden Party.

"We have company," Sugawara said as he approached Pina and Ambassador Russell. The two ambassadors blending in with the local nobles and Mister Russell looking for all the world like the patriarch of some great Imperial family.

"Brother!" Pina called as she recognized Prince Zorzal at the head of the riders entering the park.

"You seem disappointed to see me," Zorzal noted as one of his men sniffed the air with a frown.

"Not at all!" Pina answered her brother. "It's just that you never seemed to enjoy gatherings like this. Had I planned a tournament, then surely I would have invited you right off! That is if I could not convince you to participate. But your skills are somewhat wasted amid mere social gossip."

"I suppose you're right," Zorzal chuckled. Apparently, he was the victim of either a prank… And gods knew that Diablo was perfectly capable of pulling something like this simply to enjoy making him run about like a fool. Or he was merely the victim of an old man's paranoia. Well-intentioned but still a bit of a waste of his time.

"Forgive me, your Highness, but what is that smell?" One of Zorzal's men, Vedastus, if Pina recalled correctly, sniffed with disapproval.

"It must be the food," Pina suggested. "Since you came all this way, it would be rude not to offer you food and refreshment." She gestured to where a large powerfully built man with a thick beard was turning a sizeable rack of meat. "Ah! Mister Dessioux! Brother, meet Mister Dessioux, he and Mister Furuta have been in charge of catering this affair for us."

Even as Vedastus continued to sniff with growing consternation, Zorzal having already decided that this errand had been a waste, turned to inspect the various meats. One, in particular, seemed to catch his eye. "It's yellow," He noted.

"Ah! That would be Furuta's Karashi Mustard," Dessioux noted. "I prefer a friendlier blend myself. That Karashi has some serious kick to it but I'll admit you gotta be a real man to handle it."

Zorzal, of course literally bit at the implied challenge. Even as his eyes watered and he fought down the fire, he pointedly glared at his fellows to join him, daring them to flinch in front of him as he declared the Karashi rubbed Ma-Nuga meat to be worthy of his tastes.

Vedastus frowned as he stared at the meat.

"What's the matter, boy?" Dessioux frowned. "There are only two kinds of folk that turn their nose at good barbeque: Food Snobs or Vegetarians. Which one are you?"

Under Prince Zorzal's glare, Vedastus bit into the Ma-Nuga meat, riding down the burning in his throat. He finally slowly, reluctantly nodded his agreement with his Prince's appraisal of the meat. Still…

"This is still not what I was smelling before, sire. A foul smell of sulfur…"

"Ah Then!" Mister Russell spoke up, approaching Pina. "That would be the smell of Firesticks from the land of Zhongguo." He nodded to where a couple of young men were lighting fireworks. The men in question were actually a couple of Marines in local garb. They had been setting off fireworks for the past hour or so to cover the sounds from Itami's makeshift firing range. "I'm told they're supposed to drive off evil spirits."

"Better light a few more. There's still a rather nasty one right in front of us," the voice of the Second Imperial Princess spoke up from behind Pina, its owner giving a disdainful look at Zorzal. Then her expressions changed as she addressed Pina as Princess Livia walked up, cradling her son contentedly.

"Ah! Pina!" Claudia exclaimed. "So sorry to drop in unannounced!" She said conversationally then turned to Zorzal. "Though I am surprised to see you here. What? Did the zoo throw you out? It is a zoo after all, not a hunting preserve."

Zorzal snorted superiorly as Pina watched the interplay between her siblings with visible dismay. "Such an attitude, dear sister. Remember, I will be sitting on the Imperial throne one day. You need to learn to speak with greater care. Especially in front of my nephew. It would do him no favors if he learns to emulate your behavior."

Livia looked up from her son, her voice pitched low and deadly cold. "You may become Emperor one day, Zorzal. But, my son is a king. It is you who should choose his words with greater care in my son's presence."

After an infuriating moment, Zorzal laughed. "I see life away from Sadera has not done anything for your temper, sister." He turned to Pina. "It seems our siblings all conspire to make sport of us. I, however, have no more time for games. I will trouble your cooks for a bit more of that excellent Ma-Nuga meat before I go. I admit it is a breath of fresh air to a palate which has been disappointed as of late. I may have to steal the cook!"

"Of course brother!" Pina nodded in relief and as soon as his mounts had been fully laden with 'take out' as Pina remembered the term Taylor used, Zorzal and his entourage finally left.

Watching them go, Claudia gave them a smirk and a little wave as they departed. Livia merely sighed as she held her son, who was still content to sleep in her arms. But now she looked up and nodded to Claudia, who nodded back and turned to Pina.

"Now that pale imitation of a quarter-wit is gone, shall we discuss what you are really up to, little sister…?"