Hey guys, sorry for the delay and some skips. Enjoy!
Deep recon team 3 where having a nice peaceful drive across the countryside. It was a bright sunny day despite what happened over the past week. In the back of the Raven sat Rory, Chuka, Leiei and Bear who was checking up on the map. While most of the population expected the EDF to have some kind of tablet for a map, the truth was that such a map was good when it comes stationary places like a base. But when it came to being mobile carrying a tablet map that would need to be charged and updated on a regular basis was practically useless. Especially if they had to go out on long tours.
Sometimes low tech beats high tech. As Bear checked the map Leiei watched over his shoulder interested in what he was doing.
"So, ve'rrre on Trrressarrria highvay rrright now," he said showing the young witch. "and zis is city of Italica?" he asked before noticing where the eyes of the witch were and held up his compass. "Vant to see zis?" he asked with her nodding making him smile. "Vell zis is how it's used," and began to show her how it worked while Itami and Tomia just smiled.
"They called him the 'Drill Sargent from hell' and he's grinning at a little girl," Kurata said with a smile.
"Well his family was Spetsnaz before the merger," Itami said before looking at the rear-view mirror.
Chuka looked to Verona who smiled but it made the elf look away and down. Rory smiled as she leaned in to the elf's ear.
"Interested?" she asked only to make the elf blush and edge away. "So that's your type," the oracle smiled making the elf look to her in horror.
"What are they doing?" Itami muttered.
"Lieutenant," Kurata then said in a less then optimistic tone.
"What is it?" the commander asked.
"There's smoke ahead," the driver replied not taking his eyes off the road. "To our right,"
Itami followed Kurata's eyes and looked towards the right were a column of smoke rose up into the sky. "All vehicles stop," he ordered and after a few moments later the convoy stopped and Itami reached over to get a better. "Kurata, does this highway take us close to the source of that smoke?"
"It takes us right to it," the driver answered.
"This is the second time we've seen smoke rising into the sky," the Lieutenant muttered. "That's supposed to be Italica over there. I've got a bad feeling about this," as he talked Leiei tried to use the binoculars but got them wrong way round.
Turing them round she then tried again getting a good look at the location. "That's… smoke…" she tried to say in the best Japanese she could.
"You know what's going on?" Itami asked.
"Something people have done," she clarified. "A flower, it's big,"
"Flower?" Kurata asked. "Oh, I think you mean fire,"
"Fire…" she repeated.
Itami tapped his ear bud. "All units keep a close eye on our perimeter," he said. "Davies, Kyon take to the skies. Keep your eyes open,"
"Sir," the two replied before getting out of their vehicles and flew up above the convoy.
As they did Itami then noticed Rory pull up next to him with a smile on her face as she looked at the pillar of smoke. "What is it Rory?" she asked.
She licked her lips. "I smell blood," she said making eyes widen slightly.
OOOOO
The walls of Italica were under siege by the remnants of the allied armies. The Imperial forces inside the walls of Italica along with a citizen militia did their best to fight off the remnant forces. Arrows flew into the air taking a few of the bandits down causing their ranks to become more disorganised.
"We can break their centre!" Princess Pina yelled to her forces.
Hot oil was then poured down the walls burning the bandits who got to close and created a smoke screen.
"Damn it," the bandit leader muttered as he watched his forces get decimated by the second wind of the Italican forces. "Fall back!" he yelled raising his sword. "Fall back,"
The bandit forces then began to pull back to their fallback point. Pina sighed as she saw this but then turned to look at the devastation inside the walls of the trade city.
"Norma, Hamilton!" she yelled. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm alive! Somehow!" Hamilton called out as she rested on a barricade near the gate.
Pina walked down the stairs as Grey shook his head. "How cold," he muttered. "Are you not concerned about me, Princess?" he asked.
"Your safety was never in doubt Grey," she said as she walked up to him making him laugh out loud.
After shorting the remining survivors Pina and Hamilton made their way to the mansion that they where staying at. As they walked something nagged at Hamilton as she walked next to the princess.
"Princess why are we fighting bandits here?" she asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" the princess shot back getting attention from the people around her. "When we got word of a large armed group invading Countess Formar's territory, I assumed it was the other world soldiers. So, we raced here, only to find the remnants of our own allied troops turning to banditry!" she yelled before noticing someone to yell at. "You there! There's no time to rest! The bandits will come back! Before then we must dispose of the bodies and reinforce the barricades! I've sent a message to the main unit. Three days! If we can last for three days, my knights will be here to help! Hang in there until then!" and with that she turned and walked by up the long flight of stairs with the stress of command weighting heavily on her.
OOOOO
The mansion that the Princess and her party were staying in sat in a walled off section of the city. It was one of the more secured places in the city while this battle was waging. As soon as the princess walked in, she found a room and fell onto the chair sighing with relief. But that didn't last long as a voice called to her.
"Excuse me, your highness," she opened her eyes to see a butler standing close to were she was sitting down.
"What is it?" she asked. "Do you want to surrender?" she asked as she reached over for a drink.
"No, I'm just wondering if there's some way to avoid fighting," he clarified.
"It's easy. Open the gates," she said with a sarcastic tone before taking a sip. "In exchange you'll lose everything. He men will be killed, the women raped. I'm confided I could remain sane after one or two had their way with me, but not fifty or a hundred,"
"Surly you jest," the butler said.
"If you don't like the sound of that, then you must fight," she said shutting down any kind of argument he would come up with. "As hateful as war may be, if you ger fixated on avoiding it, you'll end up losing everything,"
"Here you are your highness," the head maid said as she walked in carrying a tray.
She set it down and Pina took one of the round biscuits from it and began to nibble on it. "Neither it's flavour nor quality are sufficient," she muttered.
"If you fill your stomach with rich flavours when you're so exhausted, you'll surly fall ill," she commented speaking from experience, something the Princess picked up on.
"You've been though a battle like this before?" she asked.
"I once lived in the town of Rosa," the head maid clarified. "It's Imperial territory now,"
"I see," the princess muttered seeing what the woman was talking about.
The meaning behind it was simple, before the town was peaceful but now it wasn't. She finished up the food resented to her with no more complaints.
"I'll be resting in the guest room," she said before turning to the door. "If there's important news send it directly to me," she walked towards it while the head maid stepped to one side.
"Of course," the woman bowed.
The princess stopped before she opened the door and glanced back at the maid. "What will you do if I don't wake up?"
"Splash water on your face until you do," the maid smiled.
"Excellent," was all the princess said before she left.
OOOOO
Laying on the bed, the princess was too burdened to let herself fall asleep. Instead she just looked up at the celling.
"We've only a few trained soldiers," she muttered. "And the civilian conscripts, the brave ones are dying first. Morale has hit rock bottom. This is how my first battle goes? This…" her mind fell asleep and dreams of her childhood and now filled her mind.
The pain, the stress, the frustration… all came back and now she had a change to prove that women could be knights as well. But this didn't last long as a splash of water over her body made her wake up. Looking up she saw Grey and the head maid standing in front of her with the latter holding a bucket, she sat up quickly.
"What's happened?" she asked quickly. "Is it the enemy?"
"I'm not sure if they are enemies or allies," Grey admitted as he adopted a thoughtful look. "Just come with us please,"
OOOOO
At the east gate Pina and Hamilton watched though a hole in the wall as strange metal things approached. They were green making her think that these could be those who took out the dragon, but she wasn't sure.
"What is that?" she asked unconsciously.
"A- an armoured carriage maybe?" Hamilton suggested.
"No, that's forged iron," Pina said as whatever they were stopped.
"Who goes there?" Norma yelled. "If you aren't enemies then show yourselves!"
The sound of fire then made them look up to see two people land either side of the green carriages.
"Where did they come from?" Grey practically yelled as someone emerged from the back of the lead carriage holding a staff.
"That staff," Pina muttered. "A true Lindonite mage?" as she spoke a blonde elf then emerged. "And an elf? True magecraft and spirit magic can make can make for a nasty combination," she said in surprised but the next was truly surprising. "Rory Mercury?" she asked almost losing her voice.
"Is that the famous Rory the Reaper?" Grey asked.
"Yeah," Pina confirmed. "I saw her once at a national religious service,"
"But why would an Apostle of Emloy really join with a bunch of brigands?" Grey asked.
"Knowing that bunch they might," she said making Grey look to her with a concerned look. "The deeds of their god, to me, seem to be no more than simple whims. If the priests heard that, there would be trouble. I'm sure, but the words of their god are nonsense anyway," as she said that more people in strange armour exited from the carriage.
"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that," Grey said pulling away while Pina and Hamilton watched as the strangers approached.
"What will we do, Princess Pina?" Hamilton asked.
Pina pulled away looking at the crowed gathered behind them before turning to her friend. "If Rory's church had joined forces with the bandits, Italica would have fallen already,"
"That's true," Hamilton said nervously.
"But there's no proof that they aren't our enemies," she said 'what do I do?' she thought before the was a band on the gate. "If they are not enemies, though, then we must get them on our side!"
"Princess," Grey explained as she pulled up the holding rod and opened the door.
"Welcome," said to the new commers but they weren't looking at her but at something on the floor.
Her eyes wondered down to see one of the green soldiers laying on the floor moaning. She must have pushed the door a little too hard and pushed him off balance.
"Was that… my doing?" she asked with the elf, mage and oracle nodding but the others just laughed.
OOOOO
After pulling the man in green behind the gates Chuka pulled out the water canteen from the Itami's belt and looked to the woman while splashing his face.
"What were you thinking?" she asked. "You didn't realise someone might be in front of the gate? Even a Dwarf or commonote would be more careful! Not checking makes you worse than a goblin!"
As she said that Itami opened his eyes only to have Rory look down at him with a smile. "Oh, you're awake," that made him sit up and look around.
"Oh, are we inside the gates?" he asked before his radio activated.
"Lieutenant are you done with your nap?" Kurata asked.
People just stared at him as they had never seen a radio before, but Itami ignored them and just pressed his ear bud. "I'm alive, I'll find out where stand then contact you. Stay on standby,"
"Understood," Kurata confirmed.
"So, who's going to explain what's going on?" and all eyes turned to the woman who knocked him over.
"Huh me?" she asked.
"Impudent fools!" a brown-haired woman then yelled. "This is an affront to the third Imperial Princess, Pina Co Lada!"
"Imperial princess?" Itami asked with a confused voice.
After some introductions, Pina brought them to the walled off mansion.
"This fortress city, Italica, stands strategically at the intersection of the Tessaria and Appia highways making it a major commercial hub too," she said as she, Itami, Chuka, Rory and Leiei walked down the hall of the mansion. "For generations it's been ruled by the Counts of Formar, Imperial Nobility. But when the last count died suddenly, the three daughters left behind struggled for dominance. The eldest and middle sister had already married into other families. They fought over who would be the guardian of the rightful heir, the youngest sister, Myui,"
"Family power struggles huh, seems like that happens in every world," Itami muttered.
"Itami, I've been meaning to ask how you can understand people without knowing their language," Leiei then said.
"Ah," he muttered pulling out his ear piece. "It's a universal translator, with the hostages we have we've been able to get enough words and how the language works and put it into here," he said as he then placed it back in his ear.
"Then the empire sent the expeditionary force to the other world," Pina then said making Itami look to her with an odd look. "The head of every family was expected to lend their troops into battle there. None returned. As a result, the security situation in Italica deteriorated quickly, to the point were defending the city is proving difficult now," they then came to the door and Pina turned to the visitors. "Behind this door lies the current ruler of Italica and countess of Formar, Myui," she then opened the door.
Inside sat at one of the chairs was a young girl in a pink dress. "A child?" Itami questioned.
"I believe the countess turns eleven this year," Leiei added added.
"While she is head of the family, it's too much to ask her to lead an army," Pina said as she walked over to stand next to the heiress. "As such I'm taking commander in her stead,"
"I see," Itami muttered.
After that introduction Pina brought them to one of the meetings rooms and had wine brought in. As it was set on the table Itami made Pina and offer to which she couldn't refuse.
"Your saying you'll help us correct?" she asked in a surprised tone.
"Yeah," he confirmed. "We cannot sell the wyvern and dragon scales with all of this going on,"
"Very well," Pina said seeing a benefit. "We'll have you guard the south gate,"
"Sounds good to me,"
OOOOO
The gates to Italica opened and the four unknown carriages rolled in. People stopped and watched as these strange things roll into the gates of their city. Once inside people claimed out of them wielding strange weapons and armour. They all lined up and began to do some add things. From one of the battlements Pina watched them as they prepared for combat.
"Do you think that these are the soldiers in green people are talking about?" Hamilton asked. "The ones who killed the flame dragon?"
"So, it seems," Pina said as she looked at them with a hesitant look.
"Was it really wise to let them in?" her friend asked.
"We don't have a choice," the princess admitted. "We need to use whatever we can,"
Inside the Raven, Itami was on the radio to Alnus command to apprise them of the situation. The commander on the other end was not happy with the news.
"You're not coming back today?" a man with a thick Texan accent yelled earning looks form the locals. "What are you talking about Lieutenant?" thoughts of boot camp came back to him.
"We've got caught up in a battle here," he tried to explain.
"I'm questioning why you aren't more concerned about this!" the man yelled. "The UN council has summoned you; you need to get back here now!"
"Oh that, well sir I have a bit of a request," he said with a bit of a smile.
With the sun setting, Recon team 3 stat up above the battlements of the south gate keeping an eye out. Bear used his eyepiece to get a look at a three-man scout team.
"You see them?" Itami asked.
"Da," Bear added. "Zey seem to be skouts. Zeirrr main forrrce is behind zem. Five orrr six hundrrred I'd say,"
"Think they're after the south gate?" Itami asked.
"It's possible," Bear admitted looking to the squad commander. "Zey don't have enough men to surrround city. norrrth side stands against sharrrp cliff, so zey'rrre prrrobably going to koncentrrrate zeirrr forrrces on other thrrree gates. But what vorrries me is …"
"I know," Itami said as he leaned against the wall. "We're a decoy. There's only 12 of us defending he south gate, which the bandits broke though before. That Princess plans to make this one look undefended as bait. Then she'll finish the battle at the second line of defence behind us. A classic tactic,"
"But vill enemy fall forrr zat?" Bear asked.
"She's the commanding officer here, right?" Itami asked with a sigh. "So, we've got to listen to her, don't we?" he then realised something. "Oh right, tell them we don't need a campfire," the team nodded and got to work.
Itami watched at the team move the fire standards from the battlement stairs. As he watched Kyon called him.
"Squad commander," she said walking up to him. "Your eyepiece," she said handing him a blue screen with an ear like attachment.
"Oh thanks," he said before looking to one of the squaddies while Kyon walked off. "Furuta!" he called. "The final protective line should follow along the forts walls,"
"Right," the rifleman said before looking around trying to get a good idea of defence.
"Hey Itami," Rory then called getting his attention. "Why are you helping the princess of an empire that's supposed to be your enemy?" she asked.
"To protect the townspeople," he replied.
"Are you serious?" she asked before noticing another aura around him.
"Yeah," he said as he fitted his eyepiece to his helmet. "The EDF was made to help people, granted people had different ideas in mind but we know what we fight for," he then pointed to the EDF winged globe. "When we join, we take an oath to protect, not matter who we fight. We make an oath to this flag to protect and that is what we do,"
Rory smiled. "Emloy is the god of war," she said. "He does not consider killing a sin. But that makes your motive very important. Lies and deception, taint the soul,"
"Well there is one more thing," he decided to add. "I want to show the princess it's better to be our friends, than try to fight us,"
"I like it," Rory smiled with sadistic glee. "I love it!" she declared. "You're going to terrorize her soul to it's very core!" she jumped onto the battlement wall. "If that's it, I'd be happy to help. It's been so long since I had a chance to go crazy. Can't wait!"
"Well I suppose…" he muttered.
OOOOO
Night soon fell all gates kept their eyes open for the bandit attack Norma just stood looking into the darkness. After a while he noticed lights in the dark growing brighter, closer.
"Enemy attack!" he yelled as the fire arrows hit and they took cover. "Archers return fire!" he ordered.
The civilian militia open fired with their arrows but because of the darkness they couldn't see what they hit. In fact, they hit nothing as the bandits used their shields to stop any incoming arrows. They were in a tight formation wither their shields above their heads keeping them safe. The bandits were going to try again as they moved up to try and set up ladders.
"Send a message to Princess Pina!" Norma said while his archers did their best to take as many of the bandits out as possible. "The enemy's attacking the east gate!"
The messenger ran as fast as he could to
"The east gate?" Pina asked in surprise as she got the news.
At the south gate, Recon team three just looked at the glowing ball in the desistance. Much to Rory's annoyance.
"Weren't they going to attack us here?" she asked.
"0311 hours," Itami muttered. "Perfect time for a night attack,"
"Zey maybe bandits, but zey arrre trrrained soldierrrs," Bear added.
"Just like the Kindred," Jack added.
"Has the east gate requested reinforcements?" Kurata asked.
"Not yet," Davies answered making all eyes look to the glow in the distance.
The attack was increasing with intensity as ladders managed to be put up against the wall. Archers tired to stop them, but a spirit mage used wind magic to redirect the arrows. In response one of the militiamen used his axe to take out one of the ladders. It falls back taking out a few of the soldiers while an archer took him out.
"Your no match for us!" the archer called out rallying his fellow bandits.
They managed to start getting on top of the battlements and began to attack the weakened militia forces. Norma charged in with one of the bandits and slashed him across the chest. The weakened soldier tried to attack but missed and fell down dead with a smile on his face. It creeped him out.
"Have they come here seeking a place to die?" he asked.
As he said this Pina, Hamilton and Grey made it to the gate. All the princess saw was a slaughter.
"It fell so easily…" she muttered looking onwards. "I had no idea reality can be so different from one's plans," the sound of moving wood then met her ears and they saw two bandits pull the gate open to let the rest of their forces inside.
The battle had begun.
OOOOO
General Hamza stood in his office. Inside were 8 commanders and their seconds that the EDF had sent with him as his command staff.
"Ok listen up!" the general yelled. "Recon group 3 has received a request from the city of Italica's representative, Pina Co Lata, to provide support for local peacekeeping operations. They are requesting additional support,"
"I'll handle it sir!" an African commander yelled. "My combat group will assist,"
"No!" a voice with a thick Texan accent yelled. "Ground forces will take too long to get there. General, my Airborne group can get there faster than any ground forces,"
"We also got the speakers working!" his second said. "Wanger is all ready to go,"
"Finally!" the Texan yelled as he adjusted his hat.
Hamza just smiled. "Ok, the 101rst airborne will go. Speed is essential here, we need to get there quickly,"
"Sir!" the commanders yelled ad they poured out.
It didn't take long for the 101 Airborne combat group to get ready as their gunships and dropships were already ready to take off at a moments notice. Hamza watched as they took off with jet troopers following them. They headed towards the rising sun in the distance. This was a show of power to the empire, one way or the other this war would end.
OOOOO
More and more bandits began to pour into Italica with speed. On top of the battlements Norma, with a group of militiamen fought off the bandits. But the quality of skill was staggering. These bandits were former military, making them a major threat. This battle wasn't going to be easy.
"Defend this area with your lives!" Norma called out. "This is our last stand,"
As the militiamen moved as one of the bandits the tried to impale Norma on his spear. But the knight moved quickly out of the way and thrust his sword into the bandit killing him. Another bandit cam in from behind and managed to get a slash in. Norma turned to attack but was ganged up by two more bandits who plunged their swords into his back. As the pulled back what was lest of Norma's life made him stagger and was about to fall off the battlements before the bandit commander trust his sword though the dead man's torso.
"The enemy commander has been slain!" he declared. "Listen up men! Now this is war!" as he spoke, he tossed Norma's dead body off the battlements like a rag. "The murder and death we saw at Alnus, which our fellow soldiers never saw!" he raised his sword and the people cheered. "We will kill the enemy and die satisfied! That shall be our hymn to the war god Emloy, the god of war!" shields bashed, spears pounded on the ground with a cheer. "Here we have found our war!" the bandits cheered and advanced. "The knight Norma has been slain!"
Nearby Pina just gritted her teeth and pressed her nails into the palms of her hand so hard that she drew blood.
"Norma…" was all Hamilton said.
"The east gate has fallen!" one Pina's commanders. "Civilians have entered combat! They're requesting reinforcements!"
"We have none left to send!" Pina countered.
Over at the south gate, Recon team 3 just watched as Rory was acting rather weird. The way she was acting made the faces of all round go red.
"At this rate," she moaned as if she was in heat. "I'm going to go crazy!"
"What's going on?" Itami asked.
"The souls of the soldiers who died on the battlefield are being sent to Emloy though her body," Leiei said in her monotone voice not being affected by the sight. "It affects her like an aphrodisiac might,"
"Well," Davies said turning away. "That explains a lot,"
Rory cried out a bit more as Kyon walked up. "This looks bad," she muttered.
"Can we do anything to help?" Itami asked.
"I believe all she has to do is fight," Leiei answered.
"Have we heard anything from the east gate?" Jack asked as he looked over to the glowing sight of the east gate.
"None," Chun- Li answered.
"We have to guide the reinforcements too," Itami added much to his growing annoyance.
Over at the east gate the situation was going from bad to worse as the highly trained bandits took on the poorly trained civilian militia. They didn't even stand a change.
"Where are the men in green?" on asked before his face was smashed with a with a ball and chain.
Several people soon hit by a massive ball and chain welded by a massive metal masked man who roared. Panicking the rest of the militia. This wasn't a battle anymore; this was a slaughter.
"If this keeps up, they are going to break through the bulwarks too," Grey said in fear as he watched the elite troopers walk in. "If that happened the city will be pillaged. You must order the people to evacuate,"
"If only my knights were here," Pina muttered.
Back at the south gate Itami made his mind up.
"Bo-Ra," Itami yelled. "Stay with Rory, keep her safe,"
"Right," she said as she got down to the same height as the oracle. "Hold on, we'll be going in a moment,"
Rory then reached out to the angel's shoulder and pushed herself off the battlements and towards the fight.
"Move!" Itami yelled. "Angel, Davies fly over there and lend Pina support!" he ordered. "Bear, Jack, Verona, Chun-li, you're with me!" he yelled.
Everyone nodded and moved. Angel and Davies jumped into the air and flew towards the fight while Chun-li jumped in her mech and the others got into one of the ravens. They drove off after the apostle of Elmoy, as they did Itami was on the radio.
"101," he called. "The enemy is at the east gate; I repeat the enemy is at the east gate. Marking the target with a flare!"
OOOOO
The 101 airborne flew towards the battle zone at speed, but they had sent several jet troopers forward as scouts.
"We'll reach the combat zone in 5 minutes!" one of the pilots called.
"Understood," the radio operator said on the lead gunship. "Reports indicate that fighting has already begun inside the east gate,"
"Understood, head for 10'oclock," the Texan ordered. "All units move into attack position,"
As he said that the formation of helicopters moved into a more lose formation allowing them to drop people and attack with ease.
"Start the music," the commander then said and his second turned on Ride of the Valkyries. "Tonight, we ride with the Valkyries!" he declared.
Soldiers across the airborne group then readied themselves with weapons in hand from the humble Anteater to the massive multi-barrelled breaker chain gun. The Empire made a mistake taking on the EDF, these were people who fight tooth and nail, skin and bone, life for life against the aggressors. These people, welding swords and shield would not stand up to the men and women of the EDF.
OOOOO
As Itami shot a flare into the sky Rory landed in front of the bulwark sending a shockwave around making people took to what made the wind blow. An axe welding soldier then tried to charge her but she used her glave and sent him flying into a wall with a smile on her face. But before anyone could do anything else the sound of jets met their ears making them look up. Davies and Angel landed in front of the bulwark. Davies had a bit of a lax attitude, but Angel smiled with an evil look on her face.
"Right or left?" Davies asked.
"Right," Angle said as she drew the plasma sword from her back.
As she drew it, the edges of it glowed blue she then charged in to the right side. A couple of the bandits tried to charge in. One of them attacked but Angel blocked it at and as metal met plasma, the blade was cut in two shocking people around. The soldier didn't have time to react a Kyon then cut him if half. What shocked his fellow soldiers was the lack of blood that poured out of the two halves of his body. As soon as his body hit the floor another nose made people stop and look around. But Kyon and Davies knew that sound all to well.
Looking up the sight of EDF helicopter gunships was a welcome one. They opened up their guns on the bandits on the outside of the gate taking them down fast and dropping troopers down. as they did this two of the bandits tried to use a ballista on the walls but a gunship stopped them. The sweeping and clear tactics of the gunships prevented the bandits from getting a good foothold against the EDF forces. A few tried to let off a few arrows, but this act was in vain as they got cut down by the machine guns.
Rory looked on impressed before the bandits tried to take her out. But the way she moved as so graceful like a dancer, that they couldn't get a hit on her. She beheaded them with ease, as another group tired to get into a tortoise formation. But that was nothing as she swung the glave crushing the bandits with ease. A mountain of a man then charged up behind her but White Bear stopped him. He smiled and pushed the bandit back who tried to stop him. The combination of the PA gear and the big Russians muscles prevented him from doing anything.
Bear smiled as he ripped one of the man's arms off like it was little more than paper before he landed a punch onto the man's face. He punched so hard that his skull collapsed. Leaving him falling down dead.
"Contact!" Davies then yelled. "D-class creature!" he shot up into the air as an ogre walked in.
Kyon and Bear were about to attack but the squad's Kuratus mech charged in pushing the ogre back outside of the gate. The bandit's stopped and watched as this mechanical beast pushed one of the biggest things in their force with ease. The mech the picked the ogre up and threw it a good 10 meters before pulling out the auto cannon and firing. The high explosive rounds detonated against the ogre's flesh ripping him apart with ease. It fell down dead allowing Chun li to focus on the bandits around her.
Rory watched with fascination but an explosion sent the enemy commander onto the top of her blade making her look to him.
"This isn't war," he said as the life ebbed from his body.
But she didn't care, the bodies around told here that this wasn't a war for him. Not in his twisted broken min, this was slaughter. She let her blade fall before pulling it up and killing him. Before she could do anything Kyon flew into the air and Itami grabbed Rory in a bridal style and ran out of the bulwark with bear close behind. She soon found out why. Looking up she saw one of the iron flying machines that the EDF used to fly, but this one was thinner, less bulky. Once bear left the area the from weapon opened out with a loud noise.
Everything that was left inside of the bulwark was turned to dust. Pina and Hamilton watched as the helicopter hovered for a few more moments.
"An iron Pegasus?" Hamilton asked.
"What is that?" Pina asked before she looked at the destruction the men in green ad wrought. "Absolute violence that no human can withstand, the power to crush everything. A power that denies, pride, honour, and everything else," her mind buzzed there was no doubt in her mind now, these people could not be beaten. "Is this the goddess mocking us? How fail, worthless we humans are,"
As she said that she then witnesses more troops get out of their iron beasts and rounded up the rest of the bandits. The ones who were left alive anyway. This was over.
After a few hours, the mop up operation with the EDF helping the local civilians. It was hard to believe to the locals that the EDF could manage such a feat. But now was the time for repairs and not questions. Pina looked over the dead body of Norma was he lay covered by the imperial flag.
"It's over," Grey muttered. "The brigands are defeated. Yes, we are victorious," but that last remark pissed the princess off.
"No," she said with anger. "It was the Priestess of Emloy, Rory, and the EDF who won," she said with growing anger. "Not me, and the EDF is our enemy which continues to occupy the holy hill of Alnus," as she said that Hamilton looked at her with wide eyes coming to the same conclusion as the princess. "In intending to save Italica, have I not called in a far more terrifying force? Those iron beasts and powerful magics whipped out those brigands out in but a moment. If they turned towards Italica…" her mind then drifted imagining as if she was a prisoner of war. "…then both I, and Myui, the countess of Formar, would quickly be turned into prisoners and one of the Empires agricultural areas would fall to the enemy. And the people would welcome them with cheers and open arms,"
"That's not true…" Hamilton tired to say but the princess shot that down.
"Can you be so sure?" she asked. "They were the ones who truly saved the town," both her subordinates fell silent. "If they were to demand our surrender, I might respond by falling to my knees and begging for mercy, and kissing the soles of their feet,"
OOOOO
After a good few hours of clean-up Itami, Chuka, Rory, Leiei and Commander Clyde 'Sly' Riley, the leader of the 101rst Airborne, stood in the throne room of the mansion listening to what the Princess had to offer. Itami was less then happy however as his right eye was black and blue due to touching Rory is a less than appropriate place.
"We are grateful to your rescuing Italica," Hamilton announced holding a scripture. "And would like to negotiate your compensation. The second article, the safety of a delegation, and its expenses, will be taken care of in accordance with Imperial protocol. And the third article, trading rights for the Alnus corporative, poses no problem, either. But I'd like you to understand that the rights to the prisoners lie with us,"
Clyde nodded. "We understand that labour is necessary to rebuild Italica," he said in a different language to what Itami spoke surprising the princess and Hamilton but Leiei translated for him. "But we want assurances that they'll be treated humanely,"
"No translator?" Itami asked and Clyde shook his head.
"Broke," he spoke in Japanese.
"Humane…ly?" Hamilton asked.
"To be treated well as one would treat a friend," Leiei clarified. "Or a relative,"
"Would friends or relatives attack a peaceful town pillaging and killing it's people?" Hamilton asked with annoyance.
"Those are their rules," Leiei said. "But they have clarified that they do not expect them to be treated like royalty. But they have said no torture, interrogations, or any kind of aggression against them,"
"Understood," Hamilton nodded. "That settles the treatment of the prisoners. Al that's left is the military withdraw and treaty period,"
Clyde spoke and Leiei translated. "We have no problems as it written,"
Hamilton then looked to Pina who nodded, she then turned to the EDF delegation. "Then that concludes the negotiations,"
OOOOO
Pina relaxed on a wall as she talked to Grey. "How did it go?" he asked.
"They took several prisoners and asked us to take care of any diplomatic delegations security and expenses," she said. "And released from all trade taxes in Italica,"
"Those are rather small demands for the victor," Grey said thinking about what motives they could have. "So, will they occupy the city?"
Thankfully she shook her head. "They're leaving immediately," she said.
"Then they barely gained anything out of this," Grey said surprised. "I've never heard of an army that would accept such conditions,"
"Yes, to make them give up the natural rights of a victor would take incredible negotiation skills," she said before starting to walk off. "I would love to know what kind of magic Hamilton used.
OOOOO
But Hamilton wasn't having the best day either as she looked at the list of demands that the EDF had provided trying to understand it while Itami was nearby pointing at the prisoners they were going to take.
"Her, her and her," he said pointing at one of the demi-humans.
"The one with the feather in the hair?" Kyon asked.
"Yep," he nodded as Hamilton thought that looking at their demands from another angle would show their true motives.
"Vu'fe only bicked vomen," Verona noted.
"That's just a coincidence," he tried to wave off.
"That seems unlikely," Angel said looking at her officer with an odd look.
"It's a coincidence," he insisted.
"Ein coincitence huh?" Verona looked at him with the same look as Kyon.
"Yep a coincidence," he said making them sigh.
"Vell, I can Hunderstand zat ve can't leaffe zee girls here," Verona admitted while Kyon looked to Hamilton who was looking at the treaty a little too closely.
A short time later, the helicopters took off getting waves from the locals to which the EDF waved as well. As they took off Jack looked to Itami.
"Shouldn't we get going too?" he asked.
"We should, but we need to wait for the girls selling the wyvern scales," he sighed.
"Oh da, zat's why ve'rrre herrre in firrrst place," Bear nodded but that did nothing for Itami's mood.
OOOOO
At one of the trader posts Rory, Leiei and Chuka were talking to one of the local traders who was still in town.
"Why'd we get caught up in all this trouble?" he asked as Leiei produced a large wyvern scale.
"I want to sell this," she said.
"Oh," he said picking it up. "A wyvern scale," he asked picking it up. "From it's size it was a full grown one,"
"Yes," Leiei nodded.
"How many do you have," he asked before she produced a bag shocking the man.
"200 scales," she said opening the bag.
"2…200," he asked with a surprise.
"I just received release from all taxes in this territory," she added.
"You became a special merchant?" he asked with mounting surprise. "Congratulations," he as he began to tally the scales and amount. "Then that would be 200 gold cinque pieces and 4000 silver denarii. But after the last battle we've been low on silver. I can pay you 1000 denarii immediately,"
"And the rest?" Leiei asked.
"And I can give you a draft for 2,000 immediately, but…" he trailed off.
"All right, I'll give you a discount of 1,000 denarii. In exchange I want information worth 1,000 denarii," Leiei then offered.
"Information?" he asked with interest. "Of what type?"
After talking out the deal the merchant's apprentice watched as the three girls met up with the men in green.
"Information on the markets for 1,000 denarii?" his apprentice asked.
"If it's got a price, it's a product," he said with a smile looking at the scale. "And our motto is 'top quality products', right?" he asked.
OOOOO
The drive back to HQ was so far peaceful with Rory, Chuka and Leiei sleeping on one another in the back of the humvee.
"I'm tired Kurata," Itami moaned as he yawned.
"I know the feeling," the driver answered. "That was a rough fight,"
"It was horrible," Itami complained. "I'm exhausted,"
"You don't get to komplain about something being horrrible orrr exhausting until you go head firrrst into ant nest!" Bear then yelled from one of the ravens.
Kurata smiled but something up ahead made him stop hard but that pushed people from their seats and onto the floor.
"Smoke ahead!" Kurata then said.
"What again?" Itami asked as he grabbed his binoculars. "It's coming this way, bit it's preventing me from what's there,"
"I see something, a tiara," Kurata added.
"A tiara, okay," his commander mutter before double taking. "Wait a tiara?"
"Blond hair!" the driver said.
"What?"
"Ringlets…" he continued while Itami moved in closer.
"Ringlet?" he asked as he looked down his binoculars again.
"I've sighted one blond with ringlets," Kurata said excitedly. "One beautiful girl in boy's clothes, and several hot chicks behind them,"
"Can I slap them?" Kyon asked before Itami's tone changed.
"Those are roses," he said.
"They are roses," Kurata confirmed.
"That tri-coloured rose crest…" Itami muttered.
"The knights the princess spoke of?" Jack asked.
"I've never actually seen a girl with ringlets like that before," Kurata admitted pissing off Kyon even more.
"So, the ringlets girl is the yellow rose, and the one with short hair nest to her is the white rose?" Davies asked.
The knights slowed down as they approached team 3's vehicles. "Stay alert, do not open fire," Itami ordered over the radio. "No overt signs of hostility, it might violate the treaty," he got a call from each of the vehicles as the knights walked up next to their vehicles.
"Where did you come from?" the one with short white hair asked.
"We returning from Italica," Jack replied.
"To where?" she asked.
"Alnus…" he was going to continue but found a sword in his face.
"The hill of Alnus?" she asked making the others draw their own weapons.
"Hold fire," Itami said as the blonde grabbed Jack by the collar.
"Are you the enemy from the other world?" she asked.
"Excuse me," Itami said getting her attention while holding his hands up. "Has my man there done something to offend you?" he asked but got stopped by a sword pointing at him.
"Surrender!" the short haired girl demanded.
"Now, we can work something…" he tried to say but the blond slapped him.
"Don't shoot!" he ordered as her heard the clicks of guns. "RUN!" he yelled.
They didn't even hesitate pulling back and driving off leaving their commander to the mercy of the female knights.
EDF equipment:
Plasma sword: This weapon was made due to the ever-mounting complaints of low ammo on the battlefield. This was one of the causes of major casualties among the EDF. As such the plasma blade was made. However, due to the danger of using plasma as a cutting blade the project was in danger of being shelved.
This is where the church of Jedism came in. After the aggressor came to earth more spiritual religions began to take over, one of them being Jedism who offered to help the EDF figure out how to use the plasma blades safely. This created the first real world order of Jedi who became CQC trainers for the EDF.