The Saderan Capital had been taken over. News stations from past the Gate to the Unified Earth Government's own celebrated a relatively quick victory over the Empire, their troops settling in for the prolonged job of an occupation of the place while clearing out surrounding towns. Itami, Torres and Richard watched from the top of the city's outermost wall as convoys of UN Special Region Mission and UNSC vehicles rolled in to further bolster the occupation.
Richard looked at his TacPad, then hummed, slightly surprised. The others looked at him, to which he told them, "Looks like the Army's finally deploying its own combat assets to the AO. The 67th Armored Division's coming planetside today for Garrison duties and anti-Insurrectionist ops," then he lowered his arm and added, "They're also bringing a General to install a UGC."
"UGC?" Torres asked.
"Unified Ground Command. We'll basically fall under his command alongside the Army Division," The Marine replied as he leaned against the battlements, watching the allied vehicles, ranging from relief and supply to combat victors, roll into the capital through the open gates. Several outposts and defensive positions were being pre-built, with Russian Sprut-SDM2 light tanks belonging to the VDV already prepared and in fighting positions.
Itami joked, "Sounds like another officer to bloat the command structure," as he looked around. A couple escorting F16s banked right. The sky above slowly filled with clouds, specks of grey marking the onset of a gentle blanketing cold wave on Falmart and meaning the Forces arrayed would have to dig in with warm clothing for Winter.
Aside from the Clouds, however, the team could make out spots in the sky that resembled air assets more than rainfall. Said air assets were clear for all to see. Army dropships swung in, powering their engines to slow their descent as they approached the city limits. A few new Phoenix-class ships had ferried them over in exchange for a couple of the Fleet's cruisers displacing to support ops against the Storm Covenant.
"That was quick…" Henry remarked in a murmur, watching the Army Division descend from their dropships and form into neat rows by the sides of the road, letting their allied forces move in first. They'd come in with their HQ, supply units, tank units, infantry support on IFVs and so on. They even had a Military Police unit attached to them, presumably to keep the peace in the city.
The NATO and UN force present waved to the UNSC Army troops present with smiles that the Army replied to in kind, all while they set up a Forward Operations Base with the help of the Army Corps of Engineers, right beside that of the US. Just like Italica, Sadera would become the joint military defensive position for the Alliance.
"Strange, isn't it?" Halsey commented as she climbed onto the wall herself. The three officers turned back, watching the woman climb up with Tuka, Lelei(unsurprisingly), Rory and Tyuule not far behind, not to mention Delilah. The three nodded, surprised, to which Doctor Halsey said, "Indeed… Apologies for bursting your bubble, gentlemen, but we will need HITMAN-3 moving out again as soon as possible."
Richard quipped, "No rest for the wicked, eh, ma'am?"
"None indeed," She replied as she looked at the disposition of the Armies of both Worlds. She looked at Lelei and asked, "Do you think that, if we examine the Shrine here, we may get more info, miss La Lalena?"
"I have no doubts about it, doctor," Lelei replied as she cradled her staff, plus what looked like a bag with a laptop in it. Itami, Henry and Dick exchanged glances, then looked at the kid, who told them, "Doctor Halsey has requested that I be part of the Research Team operating to understand the Artifacts left behind by the Mother Goddess-... Librarian," She corrected herself, "And all else attached to the Forerunner presence on our homeworld…"
"'Course she did," Torres spoke, smiling a little.
"I am also assisting her in writing her dissertation for the Rondel mage school," Halsey spoke calmly as she gazed at the Army's MP Battalion moving in beside American, Russian, Chinese and NATO MP units to secure the place. One US Air Force MP seemed a bit surprised at the sight, though he tried to show relative calm about operating with so many different Military Policemen.
"Oh," All three men then let out, to which Lelei cracked a small smile. Rory, Tyuule and Tuka, meanwhile, simply watched the aforementioned Troops and their march. Though Rory was temporarily stunned by the simple sight of what they considered a mere Division, which was a subgroup of an Army, being approximately the size of most contemporary armies of the Empire and the allied Kingdoms.
Tuka, however, simply smiled and, in very childlike fashion, asked Tyuule, "Do you think my people will ever have the same place in any of these Armies as yours do with the UNSC?" while she held a very ornate elven compound bow in her right hand. She had ditched both the hardy green civilian clothes of the Forest Elves and the white shirt, blue jeans, boots and red scarf of her time as a civilian attache to HITMAN-3. Instead, she now wore a practical combination of old camouflage and new armor.
"I'm certain they will," The Queen replied with a half-smile, staring out still. They could see the faint shadow of the mountains far away and the flat plains that lead to the strange Northern Deserts, a geographical anomaly that made little sense to just about everyone present. She noticed the men looking at her, then said, "Funnily enough, Lieutenant Torres, the US has already started testing out cooperation with the Elves, using them as Scouts or light infantry."
"Huh," Torres blinked, then looked to Tuka and spoke, "Neat…" a bit surprised. Tuka smiled, hefting the bow. It was then that Torres saw that she had a sidearm clipped to her thigh in a plastic holster:An M9A1 in desert tan. Part of him wondered if they bothered to teach her its manual of arms, but, at the moment, that mattered little.
Richard, noticing that, asked, "When do we depart and where to?"
"Your first objective will be the Mountains," Doctor Halsey replied as she approached, "One of the beams that helped activate and stabilize the Gate to the United Nations' version of Earth came from there. Yet another came from the desert, but we've detected a few more energy signatures in the mountain region."
"Pack winter gear, Gentlemen," Rory spoke as she leaned against her halberd, a smirk on her face, "That place becomes very cold in the Darkest Season and we're not far off from it," only to pause as she saw everyone staring at her. She blinked and asked, "What?" as if nothing had happened. In truth, Rory had convened with Emroy again at one of the few shrines to Him here, so it did feel a bit different…
"... You look older," Richard commented, looking the woman over. Rory raised a brow, then hummed and nodded, almost as if it was normal. Though she once looked like a thin, frail, short young woman clad in a strange 'Goth Lolita' outfit, as Itami had called it, now, she looked more… Grown up. Both more befitting her age due to looking more mature in general and yet still young.
She'd grown, alright. She spoke, "It seems as though Emroy made a singular mistake hile blessing me," and she grinned wryly, "A mistake that lead to me staying the same malnourished little child that He had taken under his Warlike Wing… He fixed it when I communed with Him today, however," before she twirled around and almost sang, "What do you think, Itami~? Am I more to your liking now?"
Itami blinked, staring at her. He wanted to answer for a moment, but sighed and decided to just give a thumbs up, which caused her grin to widen. Torres looked at him, then elbowed him and whispered, "The fuck, man. You still haven't told her about Risa?"
"I and Risa broke up and do you want me to have an angry warrior demigoddess on my ass? It's not like letting down a girl at the bar!" Itami replied, also in a whisper. Rory furrowed her brows. She normally could hear whispers from this close, but only a ringing replaced it, as if saving Itami. Henry Torres, Marine officer, rolled his eyes and planted a palm on his own face in dismay.
The others stared at them, confused. All of them save Richard, obviously, who said, "Dude, you really should tell her. Risa didn't break up with you for any other reason than you both being fuckin' dunces," in a whisper, too. Tyuule giggled at that, then looked at the confused Rory, who was staring her down. She raised her hands defensively, then shook her head.
Itami told Rory, "We'll talk aboard the trucks," before sighing deeply. Halsey shook her head, mildly amused as she pushed her glasses onto the bridge of her nose. He did ask, "So, Emroy finally made you look more properly like a… WAIT, HE DID WHAT?!" before realizing fully what Rory had just implied. A GOD MADE A MISTAKE LIKE THAT.
Rory shrugged, "... Nine hundred and some years later, He found out there was a slight hiccup with my massively slowed aging, which was that I wasn't aging at all. He fixed that Spell," and that caused the entire team to stare at her like she'd just grown a second head, furrowed brows and frowns. Richard face-palmed, too.
Halsey mumbled, "This only heightens my belief that some of my theories about the 'Local Gods' are true," before she looked at a confused Lelei. She told the girl, "Let's return to the Palace. Research must continue while the Army sets up," to which Lelei simply nodded, walking onto the stairwell leading down from the wall.
… It wasn't long after that the teams boarded their transport vehicles. HITMAN-3 departed the confines of the Wall not long after, joining up with a much larger Convoy heading toward the Mountains to pacify the enemy presence there. Said convoy was mostly made up of Russian troops of the VDV and US Cav Scouts.
Nominally, Cav Scouts would have had Bradleys with them, but due to the presumably treacherous terrain, they were issued MRAPs, while the Russian infantry drove around in BMDs and TIGRs. IFVs and MRAPs, too, but much lighter and thinner compared to their American counterparts. A supply train began travelling behind them soon after with medical supplies, food and warm winter clothing.
The leading vehicle of this Ad-Hoc Formation was a BTR-D with a KORD Machine Gun mounted in an armored turret on the top hatch. Itami, Richard, Henry, Tuka, Rory and the others could see the crewman manning the MG, already clad in winter camouflage. He looked back at them and they could see his balaclava. Lifting his hand off the stock of the Kord, he gave a wave to the team.
Itami gave a small salute, smiling at him, then looked back at the bed of their truck, noting the presence of a couple of small boxes containing UNSC-standard Marine and Army cold-weather gear. Tyuule lifted one of the Parkas and hummed, then looked at Delilah as she picked up and slid the gloves on her hand, looking them over.
"Glad to know we won't go cold with the UNSC around," Joked Shino. She looked back at the truck carrying the rest of the squad, plus the Humvees, Saddlebacks and other MRAPs and hummed, murmuring, "First time we're actually operating with the Russian Airborne this close. Should be freakin' interesting."
"Long as they keep their hands where they belong," Rory joked as she leaned back into her seat, casting a glance past Richard and out of the window as the vehicles rolled forward. The chopping of helicopter rotors filled their ears, a Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter apparently here to provide escort if the radio chatter was to be believed.
Shino and Rosie started playing cards under Tuka's watchful gaze, while Mari was fast asleep, hugging her rifle and medical kit closely. Ikari snorted at that, then looked forward and noticed Rory staring at Itami still. Despite her having gotten the glow-up, she was still acting like the Rory they knew:A slightly obsessed warrior princess.
Regardless of that, Shino felt prudent to switch subjects and ask, "Hey, why haven't they sent tanks with us?"
"Roads and possible ambushes," Itami replied as he gently turned the wheel to keep up with the BTR-D ahead. The vehicles entered a village that had been liberated a while back as part of the operation to surround and siege the Capital. It housed a platoon of US Army troops and their Bradley CFVs, too.
"... Right, sorry," Shino blinked, then scratched the back of her neck, "Had a bit of a brain fart there. Forgot you don't do tanks… Wait, so why the BTRs and BMDs?" before looking back at the transports. Truth be told, there was only one BTR-D leading the formation and a couple of BMD-4Ms with them. The rest of the group shrugged.
Richard said, "Ruskies said that we might want the artillery support a 100mm rifled gun can provide. Y'know, arcing shells to nearby cliff faces," as he turned back and asked, "You doing better back there, Sergeant? We might be diverting through Rondel at some point, so if you don't wanna do that, you can just hang back as garrison staff for the Capital…"
"I'm okay, sir," Shino nodded, cradling her rifle, "Not like I'll be forced to repeat that, right?"
"Hopefully not," Dick sighed, then looked forward again. The people in the village, Demihumans, normal humans and beastfolk alike, waved to the crews with surprising smiles. Torres, though visibly tense, didn't do anything stupid, while Itami gently drove them forward. To that, Richard asked Torres, "Are you good, Henry?"
"Peachy," The man replied, tapping his foot nervously, "We're wading into the mountains, same way we did back in Afghanistan, both us and the Ruskies," and he looked through a window, watching a Chinese Convoy passing through an intersection ahead, which halted their vehicles for a bit. He added, "Except the snow's sticking to both the mountains and our boots this time."
Itami nodded, then said, "And we're wading into the place without scopes on the SDF's weapons," as he looked at his Howa, "We're gonna have a lot of sniping to do with iron sights if the Insurrection does decide to take potshots at us… Not to mention whatever ambushes the Imperial Remnant forces prepared…"
"As I said back when we heard we were moving up there… Afghan Two-Point-Fucking-Oh," Henry scoffed as he checked his rifle. He paused, however, as he heard the trotting gallop of hooves. He looked back and saw a Rose Knights banner approaching, alongside a patrol of the Order's Knights. Led by Piña, of all people. She stopped beside their truck, dismounted from the horse and, with a smile on her face and warm clothes beneath her armor, she knocked on the back door.
Tyuule opened the door and asked, "Your Highness? What are you doing here?"
"I and my Knights were supposed to be reinforcing you, ladies and gentlemen," She replied with a smirk, "We are quite capable guides and Beefeater and her family had a winter home in those mountains. She knows them like the back of her hand," to which the short-haired one with purple hair in the back gave a wave.
"Ain't that lucky," Henry spoke, then said, "You girls should stick back, though… Taking into account the shit we're expecting when we climb those mountains…"
"We can handle ourselves, Lieutenant," Piña quipped, "Now, follow us! Stay close!" Then she slapped the back of the truck. The doors closed and she climbed back onto her horse, dividing her unit to cover both sides. Henry also noticed something else:The horses had kevlar blankets on their bodies, while Piña and her Knights had at least sidearms clipped to their belts.
As the vehicles started up their road again the moment the last Chinese tank passed, they were now being led from both sides by the horseback cavalry of the Rose Order of Knights. The Russian gunner in front turned back toward the others, wide-eyed, to which Itami and the gang laughed and gave him a wave of the hand. He pumped his fist up happily, then looked over to one of the other girls.
As he started talking to said girl, she seemed to be responding well to his advances. A redhead with green eyes, a beautiful one at that. She giggled when he made a joke and leaned his head onto his hand. Torres spoke, "Man's got balls, I'll give him that…" as he looked out from behind Itami. Shino laughed a little, shaking her head.
Rory herself joked, "It certainly might take him much less time than it took Richard," and she grinned, while the UNSC Marine sputtered and Tyuule blushed, hiding her face with her ears. The others laughed heartily at the quip, with various faces. The Apostle then giggled and said, "Apologies. Emroy's finest can joke, can she not?"
"Certainly," Tyuule grumbled, letting her ears flop back up while Delilah gave her a pat on the back.
Time continued to pass, the transports rolling ever further past a few more secured villages which contained an assortment of forces and into the hilly areas at the foot of the mountains, where forests grew and started giving way to distant pines and snowy slopes, peaks hidden by the grey blanket of clouds ahead.
As they reached the entrance to a valley and the first narrow path, Piña called a halt from the front. The village they were within, the largest access point to the mountains, was filled with activity. Crowds of people milling about in winter clothes, dressed like the Inuit peoples and even bearing similar-ish features, if not for an abundance of Imperial genes mixed in.
As they dismounted, with the Lieutenants jumping out of the vehicles, too, Piña stared at the treacherous path ahead. The three men and the Russian and American officers approached, with the Princess stating, "Foot one hundred is the edge of what was once the Empire's borders, gentlemen… We're entering the territory of former tributaries to our people. The Dwarves."
"Dwarves?" The officers looked at her, with Itami quipping, "Like the Tolkien short, stout fellas with axes and stuff?"
"That would be them…?" Beefeater spoke as she approached, "Never heard of this 'Tolkien', however? Is it a known clan?" to which the humans from the two Earths/Humanities exchanged glances. Of course, they wouldn't have heard of Tolkien, all five of them thought, with the Russian officer letting out a sigh and a quiet 'blyat'.
Henry spoke, "That's gonna be a lot of reading for you all to do whenever we return to the Capital," before he gazed down upon the valley ahead. A river flowed from the top of the mountains down to here, flowing ever onward and bending North-West within the village itself. A few mills ran off the water, grinding what must've been the little grain the locals got.
The Russian officer said, "We'll need to get food and medical to these people," as she pointed at several of the gathered crowd bearing injuries and signs of starvation. She looked to the Princess and inquired, "Can we get information as to why they look so injured?" to which Piña nodded. She looked at Beefeater, who bowed and walked over to talk with the village Chief.
Piña spoke softly, "It is strange to be… Finally cooperating with the people who were once a threat to us."
"We're trying to be nice," Torres shrugged, then asked, "Did your dad let you do this?" to which she shrugged and slowly gave a nod. He sighed and told her, "You really should ask permission before wandering off into combat with a bunch of weirdos like us," then he fully turned to face her. She chuckled, blushing a little and rubbing the back of her neck.
"I'm an adult, Lieutenant. By both Imperial and Earthly standards. I can make my own decisions, regardless of my father's wishes," She offered, acting as if she wasn't one of the next in line to the Imperial Throne as she tapped her finger on the hilt of her sword. True, she had reached well past eighteen years of age. Last he recalled she was in her twenties and not far behind him.
He shrugged, "Alright… Well, we're gonna get shot at if we enter contact and those peashooters on your hips won't help much," before he pointed at them. She chuckled
"Then train me how to fire one of your 'rifles'," She requested as she crossed her arms to her chest. He blinked, then looked over to the other Officers, all of whom were grinning. Tyuule gave an eyebrow wiggle to the man, which caused him both to blush and to snort, before he nodded in agreement and fought to stifle a laugh.
A few Russian scouts had taken position up by the road and were peering through binoculars at the slopes that were waiting for them. They were talking to each-other calmly, utilizing their binoculars to scan the area ahead and offering reports via radio to the Helicopter that orbited overhead. It was also providing reports back to the convoy about possible movement.
Some specks on thermals here and there, but nothing too big to worry about for the moment. Even so, already detecting things on thermal meant either that there were animals in the incoming storm, or that there was something else afoot there. As Beefeater returned, she told them, "The Locals say the Imperial force that fled through this place stole all they could from their food stocks. They also advise us not to move ahead. A blizzard is coming."
"So, we delay the hunt," Mumbled Tyuule, sighing.
"Only for the night, Lady Tyuule," Beefeater spoke. The clouds overhead gathered and the wind began to howl, with the locals immediately putting up large, arched tarps and covers over their smaller streets to allow snow to fall off to the side. A few of them waved the troops in, with Beefeater even saying, "They are telling us to bring our vehicles and horses under the tarps for safety."
"Tell them we said thank you," Torres quipped as he looked at the Drivers, Itami included, board the transports and gingerly move them off the main road and into town. Most soldiers remained aboard the vehicles as the chilling Northern Winds began to blow through the place, shaking the tarps and the covers of the vehicles. They utilized heating lamps and other warming implements to stay warmed up.
Others picked to go into the town's few inns and occupy them, obviously paying for the rooms and whatever service could be provided. Meanwhile, Command had sent forth a snowcat and a few other pieces of equipment meant to fight the snow, not to mention food and water supplies for the seemingly beleaguered town.
A few vehicles remained on guard duty, namely the BMDs and the MRAPs with turret covers. Each scanned the area ahead, while the horses neighed, afraid of the howling winds and weather. The troops donned jackets and parkas to make sure they stayed warm while outside and the local civilians were giving them warm drinks.
… It was honestly kind of nice, Richard thought as he stood guard by their vehicle. Winter combat wasn't gonna be, though. Every slope could hide a possible machine gun nest or rocket launcher, every tree-covered depression, a possible site of an enemy base or an ambush location and every narrow road, a possible death trap.
Not the kind of fighting either side looked forward to going back to…