Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Star Wars movies, TV series, books, comics, or games. I don't own Youjo Senki/Tanya the Evil. They all belong to their respective creators and/or copyright owners. I make no money from this story. It's not for sale or rent.

The Devil's Disciple

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Chapter 1: Headhunters

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Part 3

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205th Aerial Mage Company HQ

Rhine

For the third morning in a row, what sounded like the artillery on the whole front thundered, silencing the slowly breaking storm. Tanya still had no idea what all that racket was about, however on the bright side, there were no insane assaults ordered by either side that she knew of. Depressingly enough, orders that sometimes had a very tenuous link with reality happened much more often in the military in this world than back on his, hers, whatever Earth. Back in the day, most of the crazy stunts came from employees, like that bastard who pushed him in front of a speeding train after getting his just reward. Because really, what did he expect? That he could keep misusing company money, use sick leave when not sick, not to mention all the warning he got about not being productive enough! Anyone reasonable would have taken themselves in hand and gotten back to work with gusto! But no, that bastard had to keep being himself, and then blame everything on an honest salaryman! Then there was that other, much bigger bastard, Being X!

"I shouldn't get my hopes up," Tanya thought. She did her best, as usual, however, it wasn't quite enough, again as usual, though that was often because Being X's interventions to make her life hell!

Yet, she couldn't stop hoping for a better future! All the papers she wrote, all the suggestions she made, all the time she risked her life on the front to distinguish herself as someone who shouldn't be wasted in the trenches! Those things had to matter! She more than earned a cozy, safe job far away from the front!

Tanya marched into the tent where Company HQ made the decisions on how to best get her killed. Visha dutifully followed her, obviously concerned by the latest developments. Her second in command was a valuable human resource just like Tanya was, though naturally not as valuable, one she found incredibly useful since they met, even if the girl was prone to let her emotions get the better of her time and again… It was clear that Visha was concerned Command might throw them back into the meat-grinder for no good reason, though personally, Tanya had her doubts. As of late, the Imperial General Staff had been showing some unexpected sparks of common sense, which was one of the primary reasons the former salaryman found herself in high spirits. It was almost as if they read her papers, saw the light, and now might finally give Tanya her just reward!

On the other hand, some things remained depressingly the same! Even as the military became more conservative towards freely spending the lives of its soldiers as if the Empire's manpower pool was bottomless, the mission and orders remained absolute! Disobeying clearly suicidal orders was out of the question, leaving her to do or die… and if she didn't die, that meant Command might believe something even crazier, and more suicidal, might work if she was involved!

This was immensely frustrating and lately bringing out her worst traits! While in some regards those made her even better soldiers, especially in the eyes of Command, Tanya wasn't a dummy! If some disgruntled employee could murder her just because he got justly sacked, what about one of the soldiers she might vent upon! The last thing she wanted was to get shot in the back, stabbed with a bayonet or worse, by someone on her side!

Tanya saluted the guard detail in front of the command tent and marched in, thinking dark thoughts, with Visha scurrying on her heels. Then she immediately halted, nearly stumbling when she saw that the place was packed with chairs and officers – almost all of them Aerial Mages too. There was too much brass inside to account only for the 205th Company. She recognized some of them by face if not necessary name, after seeing them during briefings or fighting beside their units all over the Empire's borders.

"So much for that cozy safe posting," Tanya thought gloomily.

Despite the place being packed tighter than a ration can, there were distinct cliques gathered together and talking quietly. Those closest to the entrance paused with her appearance and stared at her with expressions of mixed feelings on their faces. Some who had seen her in combat before had their eyes light up and their spirits lifted, something that still made Tanya uncomfortable, even if she was aware such reactions were something she could use. Others had neutral expressions and evaluating gazes, caring not that she was stuck in the body of a prepubescent girl, for however long that was going to last. Yet another sub-group either looked at her with derision, disgust or pity, and honestly, Tanya wasn't sure which was worse, even if she was getting accustomed to such scenes.

At least there wasn't outright fear, which while something that could be sometimes useful, especially among your enemies and subordinates, well you didn't want your superiors to look behind their backs for you. Things like that tended to derail or even destroy careers and in the military? That was a sure way to be "volunteered" for suicide missions until one did their dirty jobs for them. That's why it was much better to play the role of the paragon patriotic soldier, and in her concerned opinion, Tanya did it better than most!

Her thought's ground to a halt when a pair of pale gray eyes pinned her in place, and if she wasn't an atheist, she would have sworn, they peered straight into her soul, evaluating and dissecting it, seeing straight through her mask. Those dead eyes belonged to a tall, lean man wearing a field uniform with Colonel's silver eagles, shaped similarly to the insignia worn by Military Mages. He was in the mid-thirties or so, had a weathered face with tall aristocratic features, frozen into a small amused smile, that never touched his eyes. Short black hair finished the picture of a typical at first glance Imperial Officer.

"So this is our famous prodigy, Second Lieutenant Tanya Degurechaff." The Colonel spoke in a clear baritone, which carried throughout the tent a hint of Eastern European accent. "I've read some of your papers." The man added, immediately rising himself in her eyes, both as a danger and as someone useful to know. "They've been quite insightful, especially for someone so young." He added.

"Thank you, Sir!" Tanya straightened up like a pole and offered a perfect textbook salute. While such stunts sometimes took Imperial Officers aback, especially the older ones and thus more likely to be set up in their way, the Colonel didn't hesitate even for a moment and returned the gesture.

A few more people stumbled into the tent behind Tanya and she was sure they hurried to salute, with the Colonel returning the courtesy.

"It looks like that's all of us, is that right, Captain?" He asked, while still studying Tanya.

"Yes, Sir! The Command Staff of all Aerial Mage units in the central part of the front is present and accounted for!" That was the familiar voice of 205th's CO.

"Then Ladies and Gentlemen, take your seats, we've got business to discuss." The Colonel smoothly turned around and the gathered officers shuffled back to make way as he strode to the far end of the tent. Only when almost everyone sat down, Tanya found herself surrounded by a tall example of Imperial Officers who ensured she couldn't see a thing unless she stood on her chair, damn her petite figure!

"This would not do. Lieutenant Degurechaff, front, and center. Being stuck in the back and unable to see a thing is going to be counter-productive." The Colonel's baritone echoed throughout the suddenly quiet tent and Tanya froze, fighting the spotlight and embarrassed blush. It wasn't her fault she was vertically challenged, damn it! Besides, it was very useful when avoiding enemy fire in the air so there was that!

Tanya fixed a determined smile on her face and marched to the front of the gathered Officers as if she was on a parade, ignoring any and all whispers and digs either at her gender or age. She found herself transfixed in the spotlight, right in front of her Captain, the Colonel, and a mixed back of officers she hadn't seen before. The odd Officer raised an eyebrow at their gathered peers, then followed with a raised hand, while his face remained blank. Utter silence followed, interrupted only by the sound of a chair scraping over the ground then tearing through the air just above the heads of the seated men and women.

Tanya could detect no magic, neither could she see even a hit of a computational orb carried by the Colonel. He nevertheless lowered his hand and her chair dutifully landed in front of the gathered officers.

"Have a seat, Lieutenant." He nodded at the chair and dismissed her, turning to squarely face the crowd. "I am Colonel Dieter Veiel. High Command, in their wisdom, decided to brevet me to Brigadier-General for the coming operation, dubbed Headhunter, which incidentally is the reason we're gathered here today..."

For an endless moment, Tanya stared at the man, her composure cracking, before she gathered her wits and dutifully sat down, projecting the image of the brave little soldier. Being X had something to do with this, she was sure of it!

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Part 4

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205th Aerial Mage Company HQ

Rhine

The more she heard, the harder Tanya had to fight not to contain a giggling fit, which would destroy her well earned, not to mention, hard crafted, reputation. It helped that when she went to present sane, common-sense ideas, which should have been obvious to her Commanders, especially those who reached the exalted rank of Generals, they often basically patted her on the head and sent her away… even if she was usually right, damn them! Yet, here she was, sitting straight-backed and behaving both like a proper military officer, and horror of horrors, polite little girl, listening to a rather sensible and reasonable plan, without its source being derided or ridiculed, no matter how politely it often happened!

It was a good plan, it might even work… It was also a plan she struggled to find an excellent reason to derail, without volunteering for something even more suicidal, because when all was said and done, the last thing Tanya wanted in either life was to die heroically! She wasn't going to play bait if she had anything to say about it, no matter if it made perfect military sense! She was going to live a long happy life, which meant she was going to live long enough to get her earned a cushy job as far from the front as possible!

Of course, she couldn't stand up and tell the General, a brevetted one or not, that she wouldn't obey orders because they were too dangerous! In fact, she could already feel intent eyes boring into her. There were expectations that came with being Tanya Degurechaff, and she intentionally created many of them! People would expect her to stand up and gleefully volunteer as a bait to be blown up for Fatherland and Kaiser.

Instead, Tanya kept stubbornly sitting down and fighting the hysterical laughter trying to escape her lips.

"Operation Headhunter is divided into multiple consequent stages…" General Veiel said. "First, a diversion to the south, where a preparatory artillery bombardment and Stormtrooper infiltrators will create the illusions of a localized counter-offensive. Second, at 03:00 tomorrow, we'll conduct our infiltration of enemy lines in the central sector of the front on the heels of Stormtrooper infiltrators sent in to clear the way…"

This used to be a tried and tested tactic, which had limited utility nowadays, and with the said statement of intent, Tanya's estimation of Veiel took a sharp nosedive, then her eyes brightened. She could use this as a string, pull it apart the right way and she could undermine this whole insanity before it could get her blown up! Tanya decisively raised a hand and stared up at the General, all the while everyone else in the room stiffened and looked warily between her and Veiel.

"You have a question, Second Lieutenant?" The man inquired lightly, yet emphasized her junior rank, and by extent, her youth, the bastard!

"Yes, sir!" Tanya snapped at attention faster than most Mages could cast a spell. "Infiltration tactics are tested and true, however, as the war progressed their practical utility diminished. They are something everyone knows to look for and prepare against. I believe that our Aerial Mages are up to the task of piercing the enemy lines while using Magic to enhance themselves, however, that would immediately reveal the location of the real attack, with predictable consequences! While I am of course ready to lead this component of Operation Headhunter, I do have doubts concerning its strategic feasibility, sir!"

Was there a spark of amusement flashing through those dead eyes?

"Running around, stabbing or blowing up people while glowing with Magic so everyone in this part of the continent could find you would be counter-productive, Second Lieutenant. If that was my intent, I wouldn't have used the term 'infiltrate' in the first place, but something more accurate, like 'assault'. As far as feasibility is concerned, over the past three nights, I personally led raids to recon the enemy lines in the central and southern parts of the front, so I can assure you, infiltration is very much possible."

"Ah, that explains the excitement as of late." Tanya kept smiling. "Would it be presumptuous of me to conclude that after the raids, the enemy would be on their guard and would have increased security on the front-line?"

"You would presume correctly, Second Lieutenant. Last night Republican forces had orders of magnitude increased security. They also have eight decapitated divisions facing us, with four more in the area slatted for the diversion."

That bombshell produced a lot of excitement, not to mention disbelieving whispers among the gathered officers.

"This leads us to the third and fourth components of Operation Headhunter, respectively. Once we've infiltrated through the front, we'll raise hell in their rear areas, making it painfully obvious where we have our Aerial Mages concentrated. We will disrupt enemy logistics and wait for the Republic's Mages to respond, then kill as many of them as possible."

"Thus Headhunter…" Tanya muttered, her mind racing for all it was worth. If they could break free within the enemy's rear areas, for as long as their mana lasted the only thing that could properly pin them down would be the enemy's Mages, thus an opportunity to cull them. It was a very nice possibility, in theory. It was also something that Tanya might have conceived herself if it wasn't utterly suicidal. Best case scenario? The plan worked as advertised, they didn't get all killed while making their way through the enemy trenches, run afoul of artillery, trap, or overwhelming numbers… Then they would have to fight the Republic's Mages with little to no support, while the enemy could call in on as many men and material as they had available. So that best-case scenario? A mutual kill with a lot of damage in the Republic's rear areas, something that might be of strategic value if it allowed for a successful counter-offensive.

It was going to be cold comfort for anyone who followed that madman Veiel into his suicidal fantasy!

The excited and outright scared muttering carrying on throughout the tent was proof enough that many of the other officers reached the same conclusion.

The question remained, how to convince either the General or High Command not to get them all killed even if expending them might be prudent from a purely military perspective?! It was all right when Tanya crafted plans that might get other people killed, well kind of, it was war and that was her job! It was never all right when some crazy Officer with delusions of grandeur figured a novel and creative way to make a martyr out of her! And it might get to that because this "plan" it sounded like something that even eager use of the Type 95 might not get her out of intact and the last thing Tanya wanted was to give that bastard Being X the satisfaction on calling on him again for help!