The sun had not yet risen, but all the Federacy troops were ready to go. Charlotte, Sophia, and Nathan joined the crew of Vanadis, with some of the convoy's supply wagons designated for the wounded who were willing to go. Lena scanned the area where the refugees gathered, noticing a suspicious pattern.
"Mrs Primevére, are those the only people who decided to go? I've seen many familiar faces, most of them Celena. We won't be able to accommodate many more injured. If they take only their supplies, a couple of thousand healthy ones should be able to try at least. There won't be any more chances, this is the final escort. If they don't want to die, make them carry their food and go with us." She was tormented by the gut feeling the numbers should've been much higher. The percentage of the high class was unusually large, making her wonder why the poorer population decided not to join.
"Maybe they are less intelligent, or more bound by the sentiment. You shouldn't worry about the choices other people make. As long as we continue our Alba bloodline, the Republic will be reborn. A fewer Alabaster or Adularia could actually work to our benefit. Diluting the noble Celena bloodline was a wrong choice from the start…" Yvonne quickly turned against her fellow Alba, as she was aware the higher the number of people the slower the convoy would move. Besides, food rations and seats for the sick were limited, so tough choices had to be made about who would take them.
"Since you have no Eighty-Six to bother now, you're moving on to a new segregation? How typical of you. Please inform everyone we'll be leaving in half an hour, and for God's sake, make them leave all the useless junk they are carrying. They will tire themselves faster trying to move the heavy valuables, and I assure you, we won't be waiting for them." Lena scoffed at the woman, seeing the rich acting like they should move their whole houses. The number of people trying to bribe to get a seat or faking an injury was absurd. Curses were flowing from both sides, with the troops' patience wearing off with every wiseass. The hate towards the Eighty-Six also tensed the atmosphere, as a ludicrous notion of the Processors having to transport people in Reginleifs had gained traction. Some even suggested that the 'non-humans' should be the ones walking, giving their vehicles away to drag Alba's belongings on trailers, with them residing in the cockpit.
"Stop bickering, young lady. Show me which automobile is mine to take, I'll go there as soon as I finish the allocations." Her tone was patronizing, with Yvonne not seeing Lena as a real leader. She was a confused little girl in her eyes, with revolutionary ideas steaming from a rebellious phase that would pass.
"I've told you, we are taking the children and the injured, no one more. As the inspirational leader you are, be a good representation and walk up front. I'm sure the citizens will respect you much more if you volunteer to be an example." Lena knew this topic would come sooner or later, but the audacity of this woman still managed to astonish her.
"Me? I'm the chief representative of the government of the Republic of San Magnolia. Do you seriously think such a treatment would pass? I demand to speak with your superior, you seem to have no idea how the diplomacy works." The indignation coming from Yvonne was immeasurable, as she tried to argue her way in. The much younger commander ignored the outburst, rubbing her forehead to banish the rising headache.
"Be glad I'm not making you take this journey in cuffs. The Republic's crimes are up in the open, with unanimous international condemnation. I wouldn't blame them if they left this country to rot by itself. If you plan to bark further, you better conserve the energy for the march. It's going to be long and strenuous, I promise." Lena left the offended woman, going towards the Vanadis.
"Colonel, we got to go NOW. Some dormant units were located in the area surrounding the country, I hadn't seen them before. The Legion is resuming its attack." Shin gave the ominous message in a grave tone, suggesting the situation was much worse than anticipated.
"Prepare your Squadron, and go with the Nordlicht to buy us some time. Do not engage in direct combat if possible, use long-range missiles to slow them down. Can you do it?" She knew the man's capabilities, but taking the risk to cover the backs of Alba wasn't a usual request.
"You know we signed up for this." Shin replied, sending her the approximate numbers. Lena analyzed the situation quickly, going through different scenarios in her mind.
"To all units. We depart immediately. Legion forces were detected nearby. Prepare for combat." Lena looked at the map, realizing the fight was inevitable. "Change of plans. All refugees who can walk, move through the fields directly, Brísingamen Squadron eliminates the units on their path. Most of the forces are coming from the west, we'll stall them here. At the rendezvous point, the Federacy will send transporters. Do not pause for any reason. I repeat, do not stop, even if it means leaving people behind."
"Won't you lead the Column? Those shithead people will ignore any words coming out of our mouths."Shiden pointed out a flaw in her thinking.
"I don't want to leave the Eighty-Six alone to shoulder the burden of Alba running away. It is only fair the commanders share the risk of staying." Her moral compass dictated the less obvious solution to be taken. She didn't want to be a hypocrite again, telling her friends to stay behind and fight, while running away from the fight.
"Don't be stupid. You will be nothing but a liability during the battle. Besides, Vanadis is awfully sluggish and not built for combat. You will slow us down during the retreat." Shin joined in, knowing fully the state she was in. Right now, Lena wasn't in her prime condition, so having her command during the battle from here would only make him worry. None of the Eighty-Six wanted such a rash show of comradery, they all knew the sincerity of her beliefs.
"I agree with the Undertaker, Colonel, you'll be much more useful managing your stubborn people. We'll catch up with you in no time, don't take the unnecessary risk." Bernholdt shared this belief, not wanting a distraction in need of protection. The Legion drew near horrifyingly fast, so there was little time to squander.
"Fine, you're right. I let my emotions get the best of me. I'll lead the convoy, please, pull back when the danger will be substantial. This order comes with a heavy heart but ignore the civilian casualties. If you want to come back alive, there will be no time for pedestrians. Those who chose to stay made their bets, we can't do more." Marcel sped up, placing the Vanadis in the front of the formation. A long crowd of people moved behind them at a painfully slow pace.
"You made the right choice. There was nothing m-more we could've done." Charlotte put her hand on Lena's shoulder reassuringly, knowing such decisions always come with a price. She remembered how the girl acted during the occupation, tough during the day, but haunted by nightmares each night. Lombardy temporarily moved in with her and Annette, as the company had helped to get through the hard times. They all needed someone to rely on, further deepening their friendship.
"I know, but I can't understand why so many people have decided to ignore the help. I expected troubles with dividing the rations, but no such thing has occurred. I regret leaving this process to the government, if we had more time, public encouragement could've helped…" Lena sighed, angry at the scheming Yvonne and her elites. She had no idea how they would navigate in a much more liberal Federacy, but this ticking bomb was a hazard they had chosen. Ernst's compassion was commendable, although it could blow right into his face later. No matter the outcome, to contemplate about the future, she had to safely move the people despite the surrounding mess.
September 3rd Republic Year 368 (Stellar Year 2149)
9 days since the start of Legion's Large-Scale Offensive
Each day felt like torture, with merciless death marching grimly through the streets. The hope dwindled with every hour, suicides became more common. It was no longer a surprise to see a dead body hanging in the bathroom or hear a single gunshot followed by dreary silence. They were running low on ammunition, with the energy not being produced, and using the factories was out of the question. Most of the Sectors were occupied by the Legion, with unrelenting attacks into the center a few times a day. The sky had long lost its color, Eintagsfliege plundering every last ray of sunshine. Despite it being a summer, the temperatures dropped to unprecedented degrees. Without any heating, people slowly came ill from their wounds, mixed with cold and lack of hygiene. Ironically, they would kill for rainfall, as the drinkable water was becoming a scarce luxury.
"We won't last another week. Everything is failing, Lena. Don't you see it's useless?" The girl with broken glasses was close to giving up. Her house had fallen apart, her laboratory was in shambles, and their attentively gathered supplies were dwindling at a terrifying pace. Even if they somehow secure more ammunition for the next few days, their food wouldn't last for half a month with their current numbers.
"We are alive, I consider it a pretty big success. Look, I know it's bad, but maybe my mom somehow made it. Imagine, a neighbor nation coming to our rescue! Or Legion deciding to go elsewhere, considering us conquered. I don't know Annette, I just try to survive each day. A wise man once had told me 'What kind of dumb ass hangs himself just because he knows he's going to die tomorrow? Even if you have no choice but to walk the gallows, you can still choose how you're gonna climb the steps.'. What do you want to do?" Lena asked, reciting Raiden's words. If this was the end, why should she lay still and wait for the executioner? Each day was a small victory, like a mocking gesture to the cruel fate, giving her best despite the odds. This was once their decision. Now, it has become hers.
"With every passing hour, I feel closer to the pile of bodies ditched in front of the cinema. It's exhausting. I'm frightened, starving, and freezing. This shit sucks! We all are fucking dumb for trying…" Annette's face was filled with despair, with the sleeping pills being the only thing keeping her functioning. She had scared Lena two nights ago by taking the whole blister, but she insisted it was for better sleep, not death. Nonetheless, Charlotte and Lena closely monitored their friend going through the breakdown, helping her endure the hopeless situation.
"Here, take my jacket. You can also have my today's portion, I don't have an appetite. This way, we have two out of three covered!" Lena was willing to do anything to keep her best friend going. She was the opposite in terms of bad life choices, taking an absurd amount of stimulants found in Nicolas's hideouts pinpointed by Sophia. At first, they ignored the ones filled with solely drugs, but as time went on, they created their usage.
"Be careful, Princess. At this pace, you'll leave me first, with an unspectacular cardiac arrest before hitting twenty. Damn, that would be such a lame way to go…" She cheered up a little, seeing her friend going to such lengths to help her. Her cowardly nature was eager to escape, but the thought of dying scared her even more.
"Yeah, I'll need my trusted scientist to help me when it's over. Who else could salvage this overused brain of mine?" Lena laughed as if the future was guaranteed. She was ready to accept any ramifications resulting from her reckless behavior if it meant living on to see the future.
"I guess I have no choice then. Every doctor will get you out of their clinic when they hear the stupid shit you put your body through. Without me, you'll be at the mercy of some charlatans selling magic cures…." This wasn't a funny vision in the traditional sense of the word, but it brought Annette a spark of hope she needed. After finishing half of Lena's portion, she put the plate before her friend, with a stern look. "Now eat. I'm already full, and I don't remember when you last ate. Come on, trust your future clinician."
"How scary! Will you try to fly the spoon into my mouth if I resist? Nobody had done so in ages!" She laughed, obediently putting the bland mash inside her. It was a tasteless base for the Republic meals, lacking the additional flavor or shape. They have chosen it because of the cheap price, making them able to buy large quantities. After a few days of the nutritious pulp, no one had a real appetite for any meal.
"Yeah, but I will tell everyone about your humiliation. I wish I had my camera, getting it on film would be a perfect blackmail material…" Annette looked more lively, imagining this scenario in her head. After a few hours had passed, she decided to nap, leaving Lena with the newly arrived Charlotte.
"A-any progress?" She asked, not expecting a positive answer.
"Not really. We found some ammo in the plant production's basement, which is a pleasant surprise for a change. Most of the Processors are sleeping off the last battle, we suffered heavy losses again. We could really use a miracle right now…" Unlike with Annette, she was more honest when talking to Char. Both switched in the control panel, monitoring the Legion's movements to alert for an attack. Lombardy used the spare time when Lena took the shift to search through the vital locations with Sophia, looking for anything edible or useful, like winter coats.
"Well, b-better update than the last time. G-go take a break, bags under your eyes are starting to develop t-their own bags." Charlotte cracked a joke, taking on the girl's seat.
"Thanks, you look no better. I'll go to my bunk bed, wake me up if there is an attack." She moved to the shared sleeping room, crowded beyond the capacity. A shallow sleep took over her body, with a gentle shaking waking her up sometime later. "Charlotte?"
"No, Miss. It's me, Maria. I'm so terribly sorry to wake you up, but it's crucial for you to hear it." The elderly woman was a familiar face, seen in her house each day of her life. It was her mother's personal maid, who left with her in the armored vehicle. She looked badly beaten up, with a compounded fracture visible on her right leg.
"Maria? What had happened? Why are you here? Where is Mom?" Adrenaline in her veins instantly brought back her senses, with a panic building up in her brain. The maid's state was awful, making her wonder how she managed to get here.
"The Madam…" She broke off in tears, not finishing the sentence. She didn't have to. The emptiness filled Lena, not prepared for the news. "I'm sorry. It's so heartbreaking… We were getting closer to the Gran Mur when a big tank appeared on our way. There were children… I can't…"
"Breath slowly, I'm going to take care of your wounds. You can talk when you're ready." She said automatically as if she wasn't there. Lena didn't know how she found the first aid kit or when she put on all the bandages, but when Maria spoke up again, the girl felt like she was torn out of the trance.
"The tank was going to trample them, and the Madam couldn't bear the sight… She threw herself to save the baby, losing her life in the process. You wouldn't believe how brave she was… The last words she told me were 'Lena wouldn't leave them like that'. Jenkins and Anna wanted to go forward with the saved two children, while I was too heartbroken to continue. It took me many days with my injuries, but I've finally found you, Miss! Now this poor soul may rest in peace, knowing the Madam's courageous act won't be forgotten. I don't know if the rest of them made it, but I pray to God they do." The life slowly faded from Maria's eyes, no matter how hard Lena tried to save her. Nothing seemed to be working, with the woman gently grasping the girl's hands. "I was truly happy living with your family, assisting your mother since she was an infant. Please… know both of them would be very proud of you now, Miss."
"Maria, please. Try holding on, the doctor from the nearby shelter will be here any minute. Please, don't leave me too." Lena pleaded, crying her eyes out at the hands of the older woman. This was a person raising her throughout her life, always helping her in need. The sight of Maria's peaceful expression had broken her heart once again. There was no longer a trace of a soul inside her eyes, with the lack of pulse confirming her passing. The string of hope pulling Lena together snapped, broken by the cruel reality.