Tieganhoff Offensive II: The Tip of the Spear
TIEGENHOFF UNDER SEIGE
IMPERIALS SUFFER CATASTROPHIC CASUALTIES
END OF THE WAR IN SIGHT SAYS MINISTER
Beleaguered Imperial forces in Tiegenhoff suffered a fresh blow today after Moscau launched a fresh assault on the city, the communist nation has announced today. In an interview with the world's press, Commissar of Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Skryabin stated: "The Imperial tyrants cannot be allowed to continue their enslavement of the nations of Europa, and they cannot be forgiven for the crimes they committed against the innocent civilians of Moscau and beyond." He went on to promise that "All conquered nations will be liberated, and that Federation Troops will see to it that free and fair elections resume."
It is thought that the forces committed to the task by the Federation are far superior to that of the Imperial defenders and there is little hope that such a small force could hold out against them. Meanwhile, War office sources have revealed that Imperial losses across the eastern front could be in the tens of thousands making an Imperial counterattack unlikely and prompting calls for the Allied Kingdom to open up a second front against the exhausted Hun.
When asked to comment on this, and the unusual new alliance formed with the Russy Federation, Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Ponsonby was quoted as saying: "It looks like the Empire's bag of tricks is empty. It's only a matter of time before the end now."
Excerpt from Londinium Daily Mail, 5th May Unified Year 1925, evening addition.
May 5th Unified Year 1925 17:10
St Jutta's Church, Defensive position 74 (formally Neuhausen village), Tiegenhoff
Will had never visited Tiegenhoff before the war. By the time he'd been old enough to escape his brother's clutches and get out of Letzenbourg, he'd been far too busy training to pay the monster's debt to do much in the way of sightseeing. Foreknowledge that a conflict was coming, along with the ever-present fear that the monster could blink him out of existence, made for an excellent motivator to learn new skills. Unfortunately, it didn't allow him much time to enjoy a holiday with his supposed cousin in the eastern Germanian city, but he had been able to hear all about it when she'd returned to Berlun.
From the way she had described it, it had once been a beautiful, historical and picturesque city. Full of both elegant architecture and rare cultural treasures dating back to a time long before the formation of the Empire. It had been surrounded by deep green forests and lush farmland, broken only by quaint, happy little villages and farmsteads filled with friendly locals. Cousin Regina had spent many hours horse riding and exploring the area, and she often spoke fondly of how beautiful and welcoming the area was.
"What would you think if you could see the place now?" He murmured to himself as he stared through his binoculars over the now desolate landscape.
Gone were the lush fields and trees that his cousin had described, replaced with brown, grey mud and dead, blackened stumps. The only welcome visitors could expect to receive was razor wire, artillery shells and machine gun fire, while the farmsteads and villages were now nothing more than numbered strongpoints in the array of defensive earthworks set up around the city. The only people exploring were scouts and artillery spotters, neither of whom would find much beauty in the area anymore. It was enough to make you want to cry, he was certain his cousin would.
"Just like the Rhine." He sighed wishing he'd seen the city at its best, feeling a curious stab of guilt as he thought about how his cousin would feel about the destruction of one of her favourite places. He had known that war was coming, and although he had hoped that the Federation could be persuaded to stay out of it, he'd always feared it would spread to the east too. Perhaps he should have visited the city with her when he'd had the chance.
"Or maybe you should have done more to warn them of the danger in the first place." A familiar, intrusive voice whispered at the edge of his hearing causing Will to shudder slightly.
"Why should I care? It's not like she's my real cousin anyway." He grumbled to himself, ignoring the ghostly taunter and trying to push the thought away. "Besides, I wrote a damned paper about it, it's not my fault no one paid any attention to it."
The subject of his false family had been troubling him of late, or at least the Imperial side of it. Two of his cousins, sons of the Kaiser's youngest brother, Prince Oskar, had been killed at the beginning of the Federation assault while inspecting the eastern troops. The rest of the Imperial Royal Family was understandably distraught by the news, and it had earned him some extra unwanted attention from his uncle and cousins.
Aside from the usual round of messages from Bertie and the Emperor asking him to step down from front-line duties and outright begging from Regina and a few others to abandon the war effort altogether. He'd also received news that his now bereaved aunt had taken ill and been moved to a sanatorium in the Waldstätte Confederacy under the care of Dr Frude. Considering his own experiences with doctors of his ilk, it was obvious that the phrase hid a much more unhappy fate and it had left him feeling uncomfortable as he thought about it.
"You could have done more to warn them too! Maybe save your dear auntie all that grief; not to mention the torture. You remember what their idea of treatment is, don't you? As I recall it always left you in tears." Ludwig's voice sniggered in his ear.
"It's no concern of mine. She isn't my real family. None of them are! I'm a fake, remember? They were just means to an end. Besides, I have my own people to worry about." He growled quietly, turning away from the binoculars and towards the direction of the voice. As expected, the abandoned bell tower was empty, the ghost didn't dare show himself at times like this. Not when Will was undoubtedly in the right. "Besides, the monster caused all of this. He's the one that could have saved them, not me."
He peered back down his field glasses and resumed scanning the distant enemy positions, frowning as he caught sight of a group of soldiers wearing the red star of the Federation beginning to mass behind their defensive positions. Will scowled, by now he had more than enough experience to know when an enemy was preparing an attack. They were going to make another assault on the outermost trenches. Their brief respite was at an end.
Thus far, the majority of the Federation's assaults had been from their light infantry brigades; probing attacks while they moved their main force along with their heavy equipment into position. Unfortunately, the communists had brought so many troops that even reconnaissance in force felt like a full-scale assault. The battles certainly ended with as many casualties, and the Imperial forces had only barely been able to hold on to its first defence line.
"No this isn't like the Rhine." He muttered, his glare lingering on a federation emblem for a moment longer. He clicked his teeth in frustration as he dropped his binoculars, allowing the strap around his neck to catch them before drawing his sword to stare at the number that haunted him. As ever, he didn't like what he saw. "On the Rhine, there was something for me to gain from all this."
He'd barely looked at the sword since they'd arrived at the eastern front. Considering the policy of state atheism adopted by the enemy, it had hardly seemed worth it. The number had still risen but Will was certain that it had been nothing more than luck that had delivered "faithful souls" to his blade. Either that or the Federation had sent the last few theistic holdouts to die first. Either way, the debt had yet to be repaid and the monster still held him hostage.
Will clenched his fist around the hilt in frustration. If they'd stayed in the south, or been assigned to western command's interception forces, there would have been enough by now, he was sure of it. After all, the commonwealth pilots had a saying about their missions being based on a wing and a prayer, surely taking out some of the bombers harassing the industrial areas would go a long way towards satisfying the monster.
"But no, I'm stuck here instead." He cursed, placing his sword back at his belt before summoning a communication spell. "Bluebell 1 to CP, incoming attack in sector 7. Bluebell 2, prepare for a counterattack."
"Acknowledged, we'll be ready." A voice from the local command post replied, the transmission crackling slightly as it passed through the mana field. Quickly followed by a confirmation from Sophia as she went to work getting the close combat company on their feet.
Will let out another frustrated sigh. Most of the troops were already bone tired, himself included. They hadn't had any time for a break since their mission to harass the approaching forces and all of them were feeling a little demoralised about how ineffective it had been. They hadn't even been able to get close to the approaching column let alone slow it down and the looming threat of the international mage battalion in the distance had prevented them from committing themselves without too much risk. They'd managed a few potshots before they'd had to fall back, but it had barely put a dent in their vanguard units. He'd had to use every deceptive trick in the book to spin it as a heroic first act of defiance when he'd addressed the defenders on their return. Even then, he wasn't sure he'd done much to keep up the men's morale, the entire defence seemed completely hopeless.
"Bluebell, this is Pixie. How's your supply situation? Do you require backup?" Tanya's voice returned brusquely, almost sounding as though she were personally offended by the news of yet another assault. Evidently, she had been listening in on the local transmissions; surprising considering how busy she must have been.
The way Tanya and General von Shultz had been forced to deploy the few mages in the city had left them spread a little thin, although considering the force they were facing, that was hardly surprising. Each of the companies in the 203rd, along with his own close combat company, had been assigned to support forces in different designated sections of the city, with Major Hofen and the mages attached to von Sultz's forces acting as relief whenever a company needed to withdraw for resupply. Meanwhile, Tanya and the rest of the first company were acting as a fast reaction force to shore up anywhere that looked in danger of being overrun. As such, she had been working harder than almost anyone, even if the main attack had yet to come.
Still, you could try being a little lazier with your work ethic. It would make it much easier to get us both out of here. He grumbled to himself, thinking of the boat he had waiting for him at the docks.
He had no intention of dying in this city, and being captured by communists to be paraded as a trophy through Moscau was completely out of the question. As such, he'd secretly arranged an escape route with General von Shultz long before this assault started. Something that had been surprisingly easy considering how worried people were about the recent losses to the royal family.
Originally, a boat was supposed to take him and three bodyguards to safety should a force threaten to overrun the city. He'd have liked to take more but it had taken a lot of persuasion to convince von Sholtz to allow that many, and even he couldn't arrange for everyone to escape. However, since he hadn't stipulated who his bodyguards would be, he had planned to give Tanya, Sofia and Visha a free ride out of Tiegenhoff. The others, sadly, would have to fend for themselves. He could only hope that the Federation would not treat their prisoners too harshly.
Unfortunately, Tanya's stubborn devotion to duty meant she was unwilling to leave the suicidal situation despite his obvious hints that he'd arranged a way out for them. Perhaps it was loyalty to her troops, or simple pig-headedness, but she had declared that they would stay, and he knew better than to argue with her over something like this, unless he wanted to annoy her of course.
He'd had no choice but to let time, and the Federation, make his case for him. Once things looked desperate enough, she wouldn't dare refuse the offer of a free ride out of here. If he played his part correctly, he might even be able to make it seem as though she were dragging him from the battlefield as she had at Letzenbourg, although preferably without the injuries this time. That would minimise the potential damage to their reputations at least.
Until then, he had to focus on keeping them both alive and if that was the case, he had no intention of risking her further by calling her for help. At least not until things got desperate.
"Negative. We can handle it." He called back confidently, using his flight gear to descend the damaged bell tower towards his company. The close combat unit had plenty of experience with this sort of fighting and although they were running low on supplies, there was nothing to worry about while the enemy were still only sending in infantry. Besides, he and Tanya were broadcasting on a frequency that all the local units could overhear, he wasn't about to let the other soldiers hear him begging for help this early in the game. It would be bad for morale.
Tanya replied only with a curt acknowledgement before falling silent, not even bothering to thank him for taking a little of the workload off her plate. She could be irritatingly rude at times. Perhaps when they were finally on a boat out of this place he might finally see her show a little bit of gratitude for once.
As he reached the ground, Will was pleased to see Sophia and the rest of the company checking over their weapons as they prepared for the attack. The surviving members of his once battalion were veterans on par even with Tanya's favoured 203rd members now, and it was gratifying to see how efficiently they operated, even with so little input from himself. As Tanya was fond of saying, they truly were precious human resources, and he couldn't help but feel a little proud of them all.
I'm sorry, I can't take you all with me. He thought, feeling a stab of guilt as he looked on at his troops. He braced himself for another round of taunts from Ludwig, he could still feel him smirking at the edge of his consciousness, enjoying every ounce of pain, both physical and emotional, that the monster tried to heap upon him. However, mercifully the spectre stayed quiet, leaving him instead with an ache in his chest as he thought about how he would have to leave most of them to the mercy of the communists.
"All present and correct, Sir. We're a little light on supplies but we can make do." Sophia announced as she noticed him approach, her expression hardening slightly as she studied his expression. "Is everything ok, my prince?"
"It's nothing. Good job everyone." He replied, cursing himself and quickly forcing a confident smile back onto his face. He must be tired; too much of his true feelings were making it to his expression. He would need to be careful not to let his mask slip again. Now was not a good time to show weakness, their situation was precarious enough already. It was one thing for Sophia to realise how anxious he was, but he couldn't risk the others catching on. Particularly if they were to realise he planned to abandon them.
He forced the thoughts aside, doing his best to ignore another stab of pain in his chest as he summoned another communication spell. Judging from the ever-increasing noise of battle nearby, it was time for them to get to work.
"Bluebell to Fox, Captain Jannik, we're ready." He called, listening for a reply from his infantry counterpart in the trenches not too far away. Tanya hadn't been the only one liaising with the regular forces about how best to coordinate a defence. Will had been doing the same with the troops in his part of the city since she had deployed him here and between them, they had been able to come up with some fairly efficient tactics.
Mages had the advantage of quickly being able to switch between aerial and ground-based combat and although standard Imperial flight doctrine would have mages launching artillery spells at sniping formula at the approaching enemy, Will had known his company's specialisation would make this tactic less effective. It wasn't as if they were incapable of it of course, simply that they generally kept a lower supply of ammunition for long-range fighting than the standard mage, with Sergeant Litz even sporting a flamethrower nowadays. As such, Will had suggested a different idea, one that allowed his men to best utilise their specialisation and the infantry to deploy fewer men in the forwardmost trench in the first place.
Captain Jannik would keep a section of the forwardmost trench lightly defended, making it seem like a weak point in the line for the enemy. No commander worth his salt would miss an opportunity to hit his enemy's weakness, so the Federation officers would focus more of their troops on that point. Just as they are about to overwhelm them, the close combat company would strike.
Will's close combat company was at its most dangerous when it was on the offence, additionally, they had all earned their wings clearing positions on the Rhine. They had been baptised in the trenches, and they had made it their preferred killing ground. The Russy had no such experience, and although their lives were worth nothing for the monster's debt, Will would make sure they were dealt with as efficiently as possible if it helped him get Sophia and Tanya out of the city safely.
"They're almost at the forward trench, we're pulling back to the second line. We'll leave them to you."
Will grinned mirthlessly as he ordered his men into action, funnelling mana into his flight gear as he accelerated forward through the village. They kept low, skimming along the ground towards Captain Jannik's position. Had they still been on the Rhine, Will might have felt a measure of excitement. The prospect of reducing his debt to the monster had always given him the boost of energy he needed to get through combat, despite his general disdain for violence.
This time though he felt nothing like that, just a listless desire to get through all of this and a burning feeling in his chest as he thought about the people he would soon be forced to slaughter for no good reason. He thought about the creature forcing him to do this, the monster that put these soldiers in front of him knowing Will would have no choice but to strike them down and he felt his anger toward the thing bubbling up within him once more.
It's the monster's fault, not mine! He's the one who's killing them! He repeated to himself inwardly, drawing his sword and gripping both the blade and his anger tightly. He would need both if he were to survive.
It took only a few seconds for the company to reach the outer trench line. Even with the debris and personnel obstructing the way, the speed in which mages could travel far exceeded an ordinary infantryman and the Federation soldiers storming the forward trench did not have any time to respond.
Will's sword sliced through a soldier as he raised his weapon to fire at Captain Jannik's withdrawing infantrymen, the force of the acceleration coupled with his mana-reinforced blade splitting the man in two as Will barrelled into the advancing troops behind. He brought himself to a sudden stop as two more surprised Feds were thrown backwards as they were struck by his barrier before quickly spinning around and bringing his sword down on another, firing his pistol into the crowd as he turned.
By now the rest of the company had caught up with him and were beginning their own assault on the shocked Federation advance. Sophia and her platoon descended upon the approaching soldiers like demons, her twin pistols firing off explosive formula as her men fired their machine guns into the survivors. Meanwhile, Sergeant Litz and his troops fell on those who had made it into the trench with brutal fervour, his new toy engulfing the poor fools in flames.
The communists reeled from the strike, the soldiers not caught up in the immediate fighting too stunned to react while their officers stood on helplessly as they frantically tried to process the sudden paradigm shift. The indecision causing more casualties as Will and his troops did their butcher's work, bullet, blade and flame claiming lives with brutal efficiency. Their dithering would not last long however, as a whistle sounded from the secondary trench line, the signal for Captain Jannik's company to turn and retake their trench.
As one, the second trench opened fire and a yell went up from the Imperial defenders. Soon Jannik's men climbed over the top and surged forward to retake what was rightfully theirs. Being trapped between this new threat and the mages amongst their number was enough to finally tip the balance in the mind of the Federation soldiers and they soon began fleeing back towards their lines. Will fancied he could hear the shouts of a few of their political officers threatening them for their supposed cowardice, but to no avail. The human desire for survival was too strong, even with the threat of enslavement in the Lageri.
"Should we pursue?" Called Sergeant Litz as the flames of his weapon chased the routing communists away, adding the smell of burnt flesh and hair to the already acrid stench of the battlefield.
"No." Will replied quietly, his gaze drawn to the corpses at his feet. "They'll be back soon enough."
This is all so pointless he thought looking at the face of the last man he'd struck down. He still wore a look of surprise on his face despite the lifelessness in his eyes, as well as an expression of terror that Will was all too familiar with.
This man was no different from him really. A soul placed in a desperate position by an uncaring and monstrous god who wanted nothing more than to torture the beings it was supposed to care for. The man had seen his death coming and felt the same pure horror in the depths of his soul that Will had experienced when the monster had started undoing him. But for what reason did this man die? Was he a faithful soul?
It wasn't even worth looking at the sword to check. The communists didn't believe in God, this man couldn't be faithful, he wasn't allowed to be. His sacrifice would have been for nothing in the eyes of that evil creature. It was more likely some sort of punishment, but is it for me or him?
His thoughts were soon broken by a low boom in the distance, followed by the shattering of his barrier as a sudden kinetic force struck the edge of his protective shell. No sooner had the shield shattered did a large explosion land by the trench behind him and the force knocked him forward onto the ground, filling his mouth with mud.
He swore under his breath as he spat out the dirt, ignoring the ringing in his ears as instinctive self-preservation drove him to scramble towards the safety of the trench. Another curse followed as he rolled into the dugout, a stab of pain hitting his shoulder as he hit the ground and a twinge of shame at allowing himself to become distracted colouring his language as he gathered his thoughts towards the new threat.
"Enemy armour inbound!" A call from nearby reported, as more explosions peppered the trench, driving the defenders further into cover. "How did they sneak up on us?"
Will's thoughts echoed that of the soldier. Sure, fog of war was a problem that marred any battlefield but surely they would have noticed if the enemy infantry had armour supporting their advance. But then…they hadn't had armour backing them up.
Will frowned as he realised his mistake. The communists had used the infantry assault as a screen to hide their armoured force, allowing their own troops to die just to pin him and his company in the trench. Any normal army wouldn't have dreamed of using human lives to shield their tanks but evidentially the Federation commanders had decided blood was more disposable than steel. Will had failed to consider that they'd attempt something so barbaric; their disdain for life might have even rivalled that of the monstrous god and now he and his troops were pinned by the armour and in danger of being overrun.
"Switch to armour-piercing formula and open fire!" He ordered, momentarily glancing at his pistol with a frown before holstering it and his sword in favour of the rifle on his shoulder. Even with magical enhancement, the stopping power from the handgun would not slow a tank. It would require an incredibly lucky shot to do even minor damage at this range and Will fancied he would need every shred of good fortune to get through this siege. "Captain Jannik, we need some anti-tank guns up here."
The sound of another shell struck the ground nearby, drowning out any reply his infantry counterpart might have had. Fortunately though, by now he'd managed to summon enough mana to reform his barrier and the shrapnel and dirt bounced off it harmlessly as he readied his rifle to follow his own orders. He climbed up a trench ladder, knowing his short stature left him too short to use the firing step, and balanced awkwardly on it as he opened fire on the approaching armour.
Usually, a mage had little to fear compared to a regular soldier when they poked their heads over the top. Their barriers offered a great deal of protection to them and, if used correctly, those around them. Often allowing them to offer a barrage of fire before the weight of enemy machine gun fire would force them back into cover. However, Will felt more than a little trepidation as he got into his firing position this time. The Federation had already proven that the cannons on their tanks were easily enough to shatter a magical shield and there was a very real danger he could lose his life if one of them got lucky.
However, he had few choices if he were to prevent a breakthrough.
A flurry of armour-piercing shots left the trench as the rest of the company joined their fire to his. With so few of them, it was hardly overwhelming compared to the approaching armoured column, however, it was at least effective against its forwardmost elements.
Three shots struck the leading vehicle, causing it to lose one of its tracks and grind to a halt in the mud. Several more struck the next in line and it too ground to a halt as its crew became incapacitated under the weight of fire. As for his own target, it seemed luck had not yet abandoned him; he must have struck some poorly stored ammunition as the whole thing erupted in a tower of flame.
This success was short-lived however as the vehicles behind carried on towards the lines smashing through the steel corpses of their fallen comrades, heedless to any survivors that may have been left inside. The tanks fired once more, eager to avenge their losses and the company was again forced to take cover in the trench to shelter from the combined firepower.
Will grimaced as he ducked back down into the trench, hastily searching his webbing for ammunition to reload his rifle. However, all he found was another curse on his lips, a few strips for his pistol and one grenade as he patted himself down. Between the delaying action he and his troops had taken, and the attacks they had already repelled, he'd almost drained his supplies. Worse still, he knew the rest of his company was likely in a similar situation. They were quickly running out of options if they were to drive off the rest of this Federation attack.
"Shit!" He growled to himself as he processed his options. He couldn't allow the armour to break through. He had no way of knowing if Captain Jannik's second line had managed to bring up the anti-tank guns and if the Federation broke through his line the city itself was at risk. It might even cut him and Sophia off from their escape route. He needed to do something to hold them up.
He winced as he considered the option of calling Tanya for reinforcements, knowing it was probably the best course of action. However, she too had been fighting hard all this time, she could be reaching her limits too. He might end up exposing her to more risk by calling her here, or worse, they might all end up trapped too far away from his rescue ship. But what other option was there?
"Damn it all! Prepare for a counter-charge! Sophia, find Jannik and his anti-tank guns now!" He growled through a communication spell as he drew his sword once more. He knew this action was desperate, but it was all he could think of. At least he had an excuse to keep Sophia away from such a suicidal action.
He slipped a fresh magazine into his pistol and steeled himself for what was to come, this certainly wasn't one of his better ideas. He tensed, drawing on what was left of his mana reserves as he listened for the guns firing again, the sound of battle making it difficult to pick out over the din. Finally, there was a low boom and readied himself for another explosion to strike the defences and again the trench filled with dirt, shrapnel and screams. But now the canons would be reloading, it was now or never.
He gave a yell as he urged his company to charge, angling his barrier forwards and pouring power into his blade. Some of the tanks towards the back began firing from their secondary weapons and coaxial machine guns to cover their fellows, with more than a few shots finding their marks, but Will forged on regardless, trying his best to ignore a shriek of pain from one of the men following him.
A burst of machine gun fire struck his barrier, but it was not enough to slow him as he reached the leading tank. He hastily readied his blade to strike, then, using every ounce of magically augmented strength he could muster, he brought it down on the barrel of the vehicle's cannon, surprising even himself as he watched the tube fall away.
Although he'd taken the tooth from this behemoth, it wasn't enough to blunt the whole advance, and he soon realised that if they wanted to put a real dent in this force, he needed to cut them open.
He surged forward towards his next target, opting this time to aim for the commander's hatch as once again poured mana into his blade. By now it was glowing molten white, and it quickly burned through the locking mechanism as Will plunged it downwards, allowing him to rip it open and expose the surprised crew inside. Will tried not to look at their faces as he dropped his last grenade into the lap of the commander, instead leaping away as his scream was quickly drowned out by another explosion.
He took a moment to search for the rest of his company, fearing he may have overextended himself; however, they weren't too far behind. Several other of the leading tanks had also been immobilised or incapacitated by their initial charge but now his men were all in desperate battles to find anything amongst their limited resources to slow those who followed. Sergeant Litz was even attempting to make use of his flame thrower, with a spell funnelling the flames into one of the drivers' periscopes, cooking the men inside. Still, they were all beginning to struggle, they were running out of options.
"Sir, the anti-tank guns are in position." Sophia's voice crackled through the mana field. "Fall back we'll –"
"Just open fire!" Will interjected as he took the opportunity to plunge his sword into one of the tracks of another nearby vehicle. Most of the tanks he and his men had dealt with still posed a threat until the anti-tank guns finished them off and there were still more surging towards the lines.
"But your–" She began protesting with undisguised concern but again Will cut her off.
"I trust our gunners. Open Fire!"
In truth, he knew that friendly fire was a very real danger in this situation, no matter how much he claimed to trust whoever was firing the guns. However, he needed to be sure this advance was halted and he didn't have any better ideas. Besides, he was fairly sure that von Sholtz's men could tell the difference between the silhouette of a mage and a tank. If anyone were hit by an anti-tank round, it would have to be due to bad luck.
"Company to me! Do what you can to slow them down for the big guns!" He ordered, desperately trying to think of any way to slow their momentum despite the feeling of exhaustion rapidly catching up with him. He was becoming acutely aware that he was burning through his magic reserves at an alarming rate, but he wasn't in much of a position to pull back now. Besides, he fancied they'd be safer assaulting the tanks deeper into the column, Jannik's guns were busy picking off the ones at the front and although they had secondary armaments to discourage it, no armoured vehicle was especially well disposed to fighting at such close quarters.
He raised his pistol to fire some explosive formula as he passed another armoured squadron. Although it would do little to pierce the steel shell, he hoped the grenade-sized blasts might just dislodge a track or cause the crew a moment of hesitation while the infantry behind him finished the job. However, just as he began to squeeze the trigger a sudden flurry of fire lit up his shield.
He staggered as he felt his barrier waver and turned towards the new threat, feeling a lump beginning to form in his throat as his situation worsened. The enemy infantry had regrouped. No, worse still, they'd brought reinforcements to attack in the wake of their armour and Will and his company was standing directly in their line of fire while already in the midst of their armoured column.
He cursed himself once again for allowing his troops to become so overextended. He'd gambled one too many times and his luck had finally run out.
He began to call for a retreat, hoping they might be able to mount a fighting withdrawal back to the trenches, when another burst of fire struck the group, finally shattering his shield. Time seemed to slow for Will as he realised he had no reserves of mana left to draw from to reform the barrier, nor did he have anything to propel him back to friendly lines. He stood in dumbstruck horror as he expected another barrage of fire to end him there and then but mercifully, help arrived in the nick of time.
The charging Feds erupted in a wall of fire as the low whoomph of a group of aerial mages flew overhead. The mages turned in the air before unleashing a second volley of fire into the armoured units, engulfing two more as one of the mages broke off from the formation and descended towards them.
Will let out a sigh of relief as Sophia returned to him but couldn't help but feel a hint of unease as he watched the other mages circle around for another pass. There was only one mage he knew that cast such a small silhouette.
"Bluebell, fall back now! I won't have my record marred by a friendly fire incident!" A familiar voice crackled through the mana field, confirming what he'd already surmised. Despite all he'd gone through to avoid exposing her to any extra risk, Tanya had decided to join the battle herself.
"You seemed busy my prince, so I called for reinforcements on your behalf." Sophia added as she rushed to his side, still firing at anyone who dared approach the close combat company.
Although he could hardly blame her for calling for Tanya given the circumstances, Will couldn't help but feel defeated and what little energy he had left felt as though it were draining away. His body began to register the familiar aches of over-exhaustion and his legs began to wobble slightly as mana fatigue started to take its toll on his body. Sophia must have noticed this and moved to steady him as she ordered the company to withdraw, putting his arm on her shoulder and carrying him away from the battlefield.
"Bluebell two to Pixie One, orders acknowledged." She replied in his stead, using a communication spell as they sped away.
"And Bluebell one?" The curt reply of the younger girl bit back, and for a moment Will thought he imagined a hint of concern in her irritated voice, however, he quickly dismissed it as wishful thinking on his part.
"Just a little drained ma'am, nothing to worry about." Sophia replied giving him a reassuring smile, but Will's fatigue allowed him to feel very little of her encouragement.
"Fall back to the Dohna supply station and resupply and regroup. Tell your Captain I don't like to see my troops worked to exhaustion." Tanya replied, the communication spell seeming to become clearer the more irritated she sounded. "I'll try to find the time to make sure he understands that later."
Will ground his teeth in frustration. This wasn't how things were supposed to be, he was supposed to be doing what he could to keep Tanya and Sofia out of danger not leading them into it. Yet once again, it felt as though events were getting away from him, he needed to get back into control until Tanya was willing to get on the boat and leave.
But at this point, he barely had the energy to move let alone fight. He would need to take drastic measures if he were to get them through this. Christina wouldn't have approved, but then again it was his fault she wasn't here to voice an objection in the first place. If he wanted to prevent something like that from happening again, he didn't have a choice.
May 5th Unified Year 1925 20:00
Federation 7th Army Group headquarters, Insterburg, 35Km east of Tiegenhoff
There were few people in the world that Captain of State Security Serge Krugov disliked more than his direct superior Levrenti Loria. Even Tsarists and other traitors rarely elicited much in the way of true animosity from him in comparison. What was the point of getting upset about someone who would soon be dead? Especially when it was likely that you would be the one delivering the sentence. In truth, there was a very short list of people that could truly draw Krugov's ire. However, the cheerful Albion "diplomat" in front of him was doing an excellent job of putting himself somewhere near the top of it.
The man was the very epitome of everything he despised about the people of that deplorable little island nation. His tone, demeanour, and even dress, oozed an arrogant display of implied superiority that grated on his nerves, while every sentence the man spoke contained a veiled insult or criticism disguised by pleasantry. Worse still, although his smile gave the impression that he was just as clueless as any of the other Albish diplomats he'd had the misfortune of meeting during his career, his eyes betrayed that he was fully aware of the implied insults he was delivering, and this bumbling was deliberate. He suspected the entire display was for Krugov's benefit.
Krugov was almost certain he was one of the commonwealth's famously skilled intelligence operatives, a man who until recently he would have been interrogating purely on the basis of this suspicion. Worse still he was almost certain the man knew that he suspected him and knew there was nothing Krugov could do about it. The new "friendship" between their nations meant he could not simply have him arrested, at least not until there was evidence of some sort of wrongdoing. And as a result, the spy was using this opportunity to mock him.
He'd sent some men to keep an eye on him, but so far, they has seen nothing he could act on without major diplomatic repercussions. He would have liked to lock up the man for sharing information about the upcoming attack, but since the information had been obtained by the commonwealth in the first place, it made for a poor excuse for arrest. The irritating agent was a wily one.
However, the man was technically a diplomat, and he was a political officer. It was his duty to represent the interests of the Federation regardless of his personal disdain for the Albions. And although he had his suspicions this John Walsingham was much more than he seemed, both the General Secretary and Comrade Loria had ordered that every courtesy be offered to their new allies, at least for the moment. As such, he would grin and bear the intolerable attitude of the aggravating man.
Besides, the envoy had come bearing gifts and secrets from his country that could be put to good use. Although Krugov wasn't especially pleased about accepting capitalist toys, he wasn't above using them to further the communist cause. Particularly, if there was a chance they might be put to use against their fair-weather allies later. Their "friendship" was only a matter of convenience after all, it wouldn't last forever.
"I must admit General Pavliv, I was surprised to find that you fellows were so behind when it came to mana detection." The pompous Albion commented, gesturing towards the bank of equipment and specialist personnel he had brought from his home country. "It was my understanding that your military had been putting quite a lot of effort into modernising its technology and matériel. I'd heard it was the envy of the world!"
Krugov felt his eye twitch with annoyance as the man briefly glanced his way as he delivered the politely delivered insult, resisting the urge to grind his teeth as he quickly suppressed his frustration. Despite his foppish appearance, the man was no fool, and although protocol demanded he address the senior-most military officer in the room, he knew full well Krugov was the eyes, ears and mouthpiece of the party here. Even if he seemed to only act as an interpreter.
Pavliv was also acutely aware of this fact and was not nearly as subtle about looking to Krugov for permission to reply. In truth, Krugov wasn't even sure if the man even understood what the Albion was saying, and Krugov did not bother to pass on all the details as he translated for him. All the General needed to do was mumble some platitudes, Krugov would deal with the rest.
"Our people have abandoned the superstitious and outdated practices of magic in favour of true science and technology." He began, quoting directly from the official party line. "Thus, our focus has been on improving our weapons and equipment, hence why our artillery and aircraft vastly outclasses the other great powers."
Krugov allowed himself to feel a sliver of pride in his nation as he delivered his reply; theirs was not a state that needed to rely on magic, soon they would show that no one did. Although it was true that mages could be incredibly powerful, they were also exceptionally rare and required both specialist equipment, additional training and extra rations to be effective.
This was why they had been the Tsar's favourite pets. It was easy to keep a small group of so-called elites to prop up a corrupt regime. Give them comfort, luxury and power while the masses starved, and they would provide a force to suppress the noble workers fighting for freedom from the tyrant's reign.
However, the Revolution had taught the Federation well. The Tsar, along with all capitalists, had underestimated the power of the common people. Individually, each of them was only a drop of water, but together they were an ocean. While mages could wield concentrated power, the people were power incarnate, their numbers gave them strength. It was impossible to fight the tide.
In the time it took to train and equip a mage to adequately fire an artillery shell, they could build an entire battery of heavy guns. Instead of using a company of flying mages to harass an advancing enemy, they would use a sea of bombers to flatten them instead. And where they sent their mages to try to stop them, they would use their faster and more powerful fighter planes to shoot them from the sky.
The age of the magic user was over. They now lived in a new age of enlightenment; one led by the guiding light of communism.
The Albion seemed unperturbed by his words, however, save for an almost imperceivable shift in his smile. It was clear he didn't believe him; his stereotypical Albion superiority complex would not allow him to admit he was wrong. But it was of no concern to Krugov, soon the world would see what could be achieved without magic.
"How fortunate we are to have such powerful allies. I admit to feeling quite embarrassed that my country has to rely on such outdated concepts." The Albion replied, both his tone and smile revealing he felt no such thing. "Still, I suppose it's fortunate we are so far behind, or we'd have no mana detection at all. It seems you outpaced the rest of us backward nations so quickly that you overlooked its necessity when it comes to fighting mages."
Krugov suppressed another twitch at the veiled insult. Unfortunately, in this case, the so-called diplomat had a point. The Federation's drive to stamp out magic users had meant they did not consider their detection a priority and their method for tracking mages was rudimentary at best. For the most part, they still relied on visual identification from ground forces, and their mobility meant that reports were quickly obsolete if they were spotted in the air. However, within the confines of the city, this would be less of an issue and Krugov could take some satisfaction knowing that the Albion was overplaying the importance of the equipment he had brought for this operation.
"There was one other thing." He continued, reaching into his briefcase and producing a thick file of papers. "I've been cleared to give you all the information we've been able to obtain about the mage unit operating in Tiegenhoff; along with reports on all the named in the city. We've sent a copy along to your superiors of course, but we thought it might be of some use to you here."
Krugov quickly snatched the file from the envoy's hand as he proffered the file to the general. The party had yet to examine this information, it couldn't simply be handed over to a field commander without being properly scrutinized. Particularly a commander who was already on thin ice like Pavliv. Besides, as the officer responsible for bringing any of the captured mages back to Moscau, this information was far more relevant to his own duties. Pavliv had enough resources to bring them down regardless of whatever was contained within the file. Krugov however, would need to know all he could to prevent such proficient magic users from escaping en route to the capital.
"Thank you, Mr Walsingham." He replied, attempting to remain diplomatic despite his dislike of the man. "I will see to it this information is properly inspected and disseminated to the relevant parties. If there is nothing else, I will have some men escort you to the embassy."
They shared a look for a moment, Krugov staring into the man's eyes and daring him to object or make some sort of move that would give him cause to detain him. However, the "diplomat's" smile did not waver for even a second and instead, he simply bowed slightly as he thanked them both before excusing himself.
Krugov felt another stab of frustration as he watched the man leave. Somehow, he felt as though he had lost the verbal sparring match they had just engaged in, despite gaining everything he had needed from the Albion. He could only hope that his men found some plausible reason to take the man into questioning. He was itching to pry whatever secrets the man had from his head.
He pushed the thought of interrogating the annoying Albion from his mind. It was an insidious desire, one not consistent with the true socialist values the party strove for. His job was a necessary evil, to take any joy in even the thought of punishing the irritating man would make him no better than that snake Loria. Besides, there were more pressing issues at the moment than a possible Albion spy.
"Comrade General, I would like to discuss your strategy for capturing the city." He declared, switching to his native tongue as soon as the Albion was out of earshot. "It seems you are not using the full strength that the General Secretary has seen fit to give you."
"No Comrade Captain, for the moment we are conducting probing assaults and shaping attacks so that we can better position our troops without too much harassment." Pavliv replied, nerves lacing every word as he cautiously tried to explain the high casualties amongst the advanced units.
Krugov was willing to admit that he wasn't especially strategically minded, although he held a military rank, he was not trained as a soldier, so knew little about conducting an assault such as this. However, what he'd seen so far seemed wasteful; necessary sacrifices were one thing, but Krugov did not like to see loyal lives thrown away for nothing. It was hardly any wonder that the General had failed to properly take the city in the original invasion.
"To an uneducated eye, it might seem that you are drip-feeding our forces into the waiting hands of the Imperials." He warned, glancing up from the file to glare at the General. To his credit though, although he squirmed slightly under his stare, he stood his ground.
"With respect Comrade, the enemy has been far more tenacious than we could have reasonably expected." He began cautiously, clearly gauging how much he could defend against the political officer. "These attacks were originally only supposed to be limited offensives so that we could position our forces for the final push. However, the enemy counterattacks forced us to commit more troops than was originally planned. And with so many officers missing due to the purges, it's been difficult to coordinate our…"
The man fell silent as Krugov's glare intensified. It was an unwritten rule of the party that you did not mention any of the traitors taken during the purges. For all intents and purposes, they never existed. Simply mentioning them was enough to draw the ire of the commissariat of internal affairs but the way that Pavliv had spoken could easily be construed as criticising them. Perhaps even criticising the party and General Secretary. Had he not already been living on borrowed time, Krugov might have considered taking him in.
"…We have had some success though comrade!" He continued, changing gears in a pathetic attempt to save his own skin. "We've captured the outermost defences and now have a staging area for further strikes into the city."
Nothing but an attempt to justify your ineptitude. Krugov thought mentally dismissing the General's explanation. He may not have known much about strategy, but he knew about the application of force. There was no point in probing attacks when you had the forces to wipe the enemy off the map. If the first punch knocked a man out, you did not need a second.
"You have been given a force that should easily finish off the defenders General, and a great deal of men at the front sacrificed themselves so it could get here unmolested. I suggest you use that force before the General Secretary revaluates his decision to offer you mercy for your past failures." He cautioned darkly, causing the general to shrink back slightly.
"But if we don't reinforce the western side of the city, they could stage a breakout. The shaping attack was primarily so we could move them to−."
"Then attack as soon as they are in place. I authorise the use of the air force if necessary." Krugov interrupted with a growl, he had no time for the man's excuses. "I will be sure to mention your reticence in my report."
He turned and stalked away, leaving the General to stew on his thoughts; just being around the buffoon was irritating. Still, there was no point in letting it get to him. His comments today ensured that no matter the outcome of the battle, Pavliv would find himself either executed or in the Lageri before long. And Krugov had something much more interesting to concern himself with.
"The mages that dared try bring our glorious party so low." He murmured to himself as he opened the file the Albion spy had given him. "Let's see what we can learn about you."
May 6th Unified Year 1925 03:00
Dohna Supply Bunker, Kaiser Square, Tiegenhoff
Tanya let out a frustrated sigh as she watched the flashes of light ascend into the night sky towards the distant Federation aircraft. The anti-aircraft batteries were now firing near constantly in their seemingly endless duels with the bombers, any concerns about conserving ammunition had been quickly tossed aside once they received word that they would not have help from the air fleet overnight. Yet despite their valiant efforts, it was clear to anyone watching that it was woefully insufficient. The enemy was simply too numerous, and fire now rained down on the city.
Still, it wasn't her problem. At least not for the moment.
Although she and her loyal band of war nuts were capable of taking down aircraft if push came to shove, they had been ordered to hunker down for now. Being bombed was hardly ideal but General von Sholtz had opted to only allow the anti-aircraft defences to engage the bombers so that the remainder of the troops could have some sort of rest, even if it were a little perilous.
Even the Communists wouldn't attack during a bombing run after all. From what she'd seen she doubted they could even coordinate a decent follow-up attack in its wake either. Although they had been forced back from the outermost earthworks surrounding the city, the most coordinated attack the Feds had managed so far was a disorganised mixed force of infantry and light armour; and that had only caused a problem because Wilhelm was too proud to ask for reinforcements. Once she'd arrived on the scene, they'd posed a few problems as she covered the infantry's withdrawal to the next set of earthworks. Although she would reluctantly admit that the little captain's company had pushed them to the breaking point before she arrived.
Then again, they hadn't felt the full force of the Federation's attack yet, command surmised they'd only experienced the tip of the spear.
She sighed again as she thought about the irritating little captain. She'd need to talk to him again, he should have called for a rest and resupply much sooner than he had; the idiot must have still been trying to prove to her that he wasn't afraid to fight the communists. That was all well and good but endangering the position he was supposed to be defending for the sake of his pride was unacceptable, particularly when he was so close to exhaustion. It made her look bad!
She knew she pushed her soldiers hard, but she never asked them to work themselves to death, aside from when she'd been trying to make them drop out during training of course. Tired troopers were no use to anyone, human resources needed to be managed properly to avoid a catastrophic break in efficiency. But equally, it was important to mirror that on a personal level and manage your own actions accordingly. His own well-being was important too! Why couldn't Wilhelm see that? If she didn't know better, she'd think he had a death wish.
"Honestly, fixing your warped attitude might just be the end of me." She murmured to herself, stifling a yawn as she turned, closed the steel door and descended into the supply bunker that was now acting as a temporary shelter. Even the most overworked employees were allowed some downtime, herself included, and she fully intended to make the utmost in any lull in the fighting while the bombers were overhead. It was unlikely she'd have much opportunity after sunrise.
There was a low murmur echoing around the corridors as she reached the foot of the stairs, even the noise of soldiers trying to catch some sleep carried as the sound bounced around the cold concrete structure. The air was filled with the smell of someone cooking field rations, ersatz "meat" soup and K-brot if she weren't mistaken. Although anyone who had tasted it would admit it was not especially appetising, it would not have smelled quite so bad if it weren't tainted with the unpleasant, but unfortunately all too familiar, stench of human sweat that mixed with it in the close confines of the bunker. Unfortunately, bathing was a luxury they didn't have right now.
Still, she couldn't help but screw up her nose a little. As if I need something else to put me off eating field rations. She grumbled inwardly, mentally swearing vengeance on whoever had invented the "technically nutritious" excuse for food. She'd become almost convinced that whoever it was, had been born without taste buds. However, her mood soon began to turn as a hint of something new hit her nostrils, something she had been craving since they'd arrived here.
"Major!" The cheerful voice of her adjutant called, following in the wake of the alluring small of her favoured caffeinated beverage. Not for the first time Tanya marvelled at the girl's ability to stay positive regardless of the situation. However, her marvel soon morphed into gratitude as she proffered up a mug of coffee for her. Ersatz or not, Visha knew how to make the most of what she was given when it came to coffee, or most things come to think of it. "I thought you might need this. I've also got some food on the way if you want some."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," She smiled gratefully as she took a sip, relishing the familiar warmth and bitterness. "I'll skip on the food for now, I have some chocolate to keep my energy up. Is there anything else?"
"Erm…well, you asked me to report if Prince Wilhelm was getting enough rest before he redeploys…" She began carefully, clearly feeling a little uncomfortable at whatever news she was about to report. She knew the older girl was not especially happy about having to spy on the little captain. "Well, he has had some sleep and he is having some rations right now but I overheard him asking Captain Zerbist about some pertavin."
What does that idiot think he's doing? Tanya thought feeling a sudden stab of anger rise within her.
Pertavin was a combat stimulant that was widely used within the Imperial Army. As well as keeping soldiers awake and energised, it was shown to increase mana regeneration so although officially discouraged, it was sanctioned for use by the higher-ups and often saw a lot of use, especially in particularly demanding theatres.
It was even used within her own battalion, although she tried to discourage it. Most notably her deputy had used it on occasion to stave off fatigue, and once in Arene when he hadn't realised he'd been shot. However, as a methamphetamine, it was not without its drawbacks. Not least addiction, an unpleasant comedown, and possible long-term medical side effects. Hence why she wouldn't dream of going anywhere near it; even if her age didn't legally prohibit its use.
She found herself clenching her teeth in annoyance at the thought of Wilhelm using the drug again. Although she personally disdained even the idea of its use, and was not all that keen on her troops using it, as a general rule she was willing to allow her men to use the stimulant if they wished. She could see how some might find it useful and it was within their rights as a productive human being to do whatever they wished to their body as long as it conformed to the law. She had no intention of standing in the way of somebody's personal freedoms.
However, it was different with Wilhelm.
Like her, he was far too young to be using it, the medical corps had identified the inherent risks involved with the drug and had banned its use for anyone under a certain age; its use was even restricted amongst those outside the military. Wilhelm wasn't ignorant of this, meaning he had purposely broken the rules and chosen to endanger his own well-being for the sake of a few more hours of energy. She had become used to him ignoring whatever regulations and laws he didn't see fit to follow but she thought he'd at least have some care for his personal safety.
Damn it Wilhelm! Are you trying to give yourself a heart attack before you finish puberty? She growled inwardly, unconsciously balling her hand into a fist. It seemed she couldn't put off reprimanding the little brat any longer. He'd probably get himself killed if she allowed him to continue doing whatever he pleased.
"Thank you, lieutenant, I'll see to right away." She replied with a frown as she gulped down the remainder of her coffee and left to find the boy. For some reason, it no longer tasted nearly as good as it had before the girl had brought the news. It seemed Wilhelm had a way of ruining just about everything when he put his mind to it.
She stalked off in search of the little captain, grumbling to herself as she went. Part of her wondered for a moment why she was so angry about his lack of concern for his own health. It was his life and his body after all, why should she care what he did to himself? Yet the more she thought about it, the more frustrated she became with him.
Idiot, don't you ever think about how these things affect everyone else? How bad it makes me look as a superior? Who do you think will get the blame when your heart explodes in your chest just because you wanted to prove a point? She complained inwardly, grinding her teeth as she strode purposefully through the bunker. She was responsible for him after all, as his superior it was only right that she would have to think about his physical well-being.
Finally, she found where Wilhelm had sequestered himself, a quiet storage room filled with various non-combat equipment and canned goods. As it turned out, the earlier smell of soup had also been his doing and he was sat by a small stove, eating what was generously described as soup out of his mess tin. However, he placed it back on its tripod as he saw her approach, before getting to his feet and smiling at her with one of his most irritating grins as he began to greet her.
"Tanya, to what do I owe −."
She was not in the mood to play games with him however and she quickly cut him off by grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the wall.
"What the hell are you up to Wilhelm? If you're trying to get yourself killed it'd be easier to just let the Russy shoot you!" She yelled as she pinned him against the wall, causing him to wince slightly at the impact. In truth she hadn't meant to be so rough with him, however, in the moment she felt another stab of anger at the boy and, although she was ashamed to admit it, she may have momentarily lost control of herself.
"What are you−?" Again she cut off his reply as tightened her grip on his collar.
"Don't try to play innocent with me." She snarled, bringing her face closer to him to keep him in place as she began searching the pockets of his flight suit. It did not take her long to find what she was looking for and she soon produced a small cylinder from his breast pocket. "What exactly do you intend to do with this?"
The look of surprise on the boy's face softened and a brief flash of annoyance passed across his eyes before another false smile made its way across his lips. He held her gaze for a moment and for once she found herself unable to read what exactly the boy was thinking behind those emerald orbs and she felt an odd feeling in her stomach.
It would not last long, however. Suddenly, and without breaking eye contact, he brought a hand up to break away from her grip and slipped past her and away from the wall, snatching the cylinder from her hand as he went before crossing the room and finally breaking away from her gaze.
"Traditionally you swallow them." He shot back mockingly. "And I intend to make sure we survive this mess!"
"By destroying that excuse for a brain in the long run? I knew you were insane but I didn't think you were this stupid!" She turned on him and began to approach again. However, he was more wary of her now and kept his distance this time, despite his apparent nonchalant attitude.
"A brain is hardly any good to me if I'm already dead is it?" He bit back sardonically before adding. "I'd prefer not to use them either, but unless you want to come with me to the docks to get out of here I don't see any other option!
"Stop trying to deflect the issue with stupid jokes!" Tanya snapped barely allowing the boy to finish his sentence. "What use is an officer who can't even look after himself? You're working yourself and your company beyond what they are capable of and relying on drugs instead of seeing to it they get proper rest. You didn't even request reinforcements when it was clear they were necessary! If you rotated out of combat for resupply like I ordered you'd−."
"Well unfortunately the Russy aren't interested in your rotation schedule!" Wilhelm returned irritably, cutting her off and causing her to unconsciously grind her teeth once again.
Once again Wilhelm was twisting facts to suit his warped point of view. Although it was true that the Federation wasn't going to pause an assault as they tried to rotate their troops out, it didn't mean it was impossible to accomplish. Infantry on the Rhine had been able to accomplish it easily enough, with the mobility of mages it shouldn't be a problem to disengage. It wasn't as though his was the only company that they'd withdrawn under fire.
"Stop making pathetic excuses. Using those pills is illegal, if I see you take one, I will put you on reprimand and report it to the MPs." She warned. Usually, she preferred to deal with Wilhelm's punishments herself and in truth, she didn't know if the Feldgendarmeries would even want to act against him. However, she hoped the threat would dissuade him, even the idea of him being dragged off by the military police wouldn't be good for his precious reputation.
"Fine! I'll do what I need to if it gets us out of this." He returned quickly, becoming increasingly more agitated. "Better a little more risk to me than losing−"
"Erm….excuse me, Ma'am." A small awkward voice at the doorway interjected causing both she and Wilhelm to round on the unexpected visitor. In truth, she was so frustrated that she almost snapped at the intruder, but she quickly smothered the impulse. It was unprofessional to lose one's temper at someone who didn't deserve it and once she realised who the trespasser was, she was doubly glad of her self-control. Visha knew not to interrupt her unless it was important, and she certainly wouldn't want to mistreat someone who'd proven herself as capable of her.
"Sorry to intrude, but the bombing is letting up and there's a message from the command post." She explained, shrinking slightly at the initial hostile reaction from her and Wilhelm. "The enemy is repositioning some forces to the western side of the city. The General is requesting reinforcements in that area."
Tanya felt her frown deepen. Until recently, the western approach to the city had seen far less enemy activity than the rest of the city. It had been General von Sholtz's hope that should any relief come from the main force, they might be able to orchestrate a breakout in that direction and regroup with the rest of eastern command. If the enemy were moving forces into the area, such an assault would be that much more difficult. Worse still, if the Federation were gathering there, there was a good chance they were preparing for another assault from that direction.
Unfortunately, she had few options of who to send. Most of the battalion was already deployed in various parts of the city and although they too would be sheltering from the bombers for the moment, the positions they'd been allocated were crucial to the city's defences. That left her with two options; herself and first company or Wilhelm and his now rested close combat troops.
She scowled as her frustration grew further. Considering the boy's behaviour, and apparent desire to cause himself long-term health problems, she was reluctant to send him anywhere. However, going herself restricted her ability to respond to changes in the tactical situation. Besides, she and her company could do with some downtime themselves, although she had been scolding Wilhelm for working to exhaustion, the truth was she wasn't too far behind him.
She became aware of a presence at her shoulder and she could practically feel the little imp of a captain grinning as he came to the same conclusion as she had.
"Permission to sortie Commander." He purred smugly, causing her eye to twitch slightly as she heard him slip one of the pills into his mouth.
"Fine." She growled, for now, it seemed she would have to admit defeat. She would need to find an excuse to have the doctors run him through a full medical if they got out of this mess. She wondered if this world had invented rehab yet. "But I expect you to keep your troops supplied and don't overexert them. And you will call for reinforcements if they are needed."
"Of course major." He smiled sweetly before drawing his sword dramatically. "I'll do whatever is needed to get us out of this city alive."
Author's notes
Hello everyone and as always thank you all for reading.
Slightly longer chapter this time but hopefully it's worth it. Will's part especially is much longer than usual but there was a lot I wanted to cram in, and I got a little carried away doing the fight scene. I hope it's something you all enjoy because I often have trouble writing the fights but I feel like I did something decent this time.
Vickers, my beta reader, pointed out that the scene with Krugov and John maybe wasn't strictly necessary but I kinda just wanted a moment between them where Krugov can't do anything to him. Also, I wanted it to seem as though John is having a bit of fun, he's certainly trolling a bit with some details. For instance, Walsingham is the last name of Elizabeth I's spymaster so he's almost telling everyone with his name.
The Tanya bit was also kinda fun, but also a little difficult. As usual, they are talking past each other to an extent and Tanya especially isn't really listening to Will. Even when he's on the cusp of telling her something important. So it's a bit tricky to balance how much they should actually say and understand each other without them coming across as a bit dim. It's also probably very frustrating for you readers too when they aren't properly communicating with each other, which I only partially apologize for.
Vickers also mentioned he didn't think that Tanya would allow any of her troops to take drugs like pertavin, which I do get. However, she also is very keen on personal freedoms so I don't think she would necessarily stop it unless it was illegal. Besides which, Weiss canonically asked for a stimulant in Arene, so I'd argue she allows their use. Then again, Tanya is also a hypocrite at the best of times so who knows? For the sake of the story she allows it.
Again, thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows. And I hope you are still enjoying the story.
Xanen