Chapter 8
Anya briefed me a few days ago, the house cleaning of the military was done, a big part thanks to Mike's swift processing the personnel data, aided by having the Brit, a near untouchable Information and Hardware supplier whose work is deeply tied to worldwide Blackmarkets and backdoor channels for safe and swift traffic of Information and Materials that otherwise wouldn't be going around the world. With his information on every single person in the Military, it was easy for Mike to clear house after confirming the data validity.
Today, the back to Operational capacity High command of all branches would have a Meeting with me included.
...
"If this concludes the Army, Navy and Airforce, can we shift to the other parts?"
No objections, it continued.
'Thank Mike the Army's sole big problem is getting a new Generation Line of Combat and Transport Armored Vehicles, the Airforce however will be stuck with whatever Mike scrounges from ARMS TRIGGER surplus sales he will broker for Germania, then there's the Navy needing to manage to hold their Ports with what lifetime remains of those old ships as the Shipyards build the new series of Destroyers, Super Carriers and a small Line of Cruisers...'
"The Training Divisions sent to the Germanian Alps reported the Aerial Kage facilities in there can be used with some repairs and restablishing the key essentials of the facilities such as Water and Heating. But they suggest a thorough reform of it to also include a Magecraft and Orb Engineering training facility."
"Makes sense, but so far, international Scouting of talents interested in those technical fields has been slow. For now, Mage R as well as Training can be kept to Kruskos Airbase."
"Understood. Due to the need to take out most of the Special Forces elements, the training Division lost the personnel responsible for that area."
"With luck, the Stark Wolves elements under Mike's command will have personnel with experience in training SF candidates, once he's back from the Republic, I will talk to him."
Those were what little the rebuilt Training Department of the Military had to say.
"For what we got to R , anything related to the reopened Mage branch will have to wait. But there was a proposition by some members of the Tactical Mobilization branch that caused some fight of ideas."
"You mean the proposal to develop a new line if Platforms using slightly upgraded designs of the half a Century old MTU engine power block?"
"Indeed. Those of the Materials Research branch oppose it under the argument that this would restrict the new Engine to be made to have severe Restrictions on size and output if they were to be retrofit compatible."
Materials research... I remember the Military of my time had been imvesting a shitload of R budget elsewhere though...
"Eisenbach, what of the R branch of Mana Integrated Power?"
"That Branch hasn't been active since the 2030s... I fear most of its recorded proposals are lost already."
"Not all. Within the Vault of my Estate there're some I was more personally involved in designs. They are Mana Generator systems to he implemented within Ground Vehicle Engines and nuclear Powered Vessels of the Navy, I will have Anya deliver a Copy of those, have R verify the possibility of having it made use in the new designs."
"As you wish, but I believe that Magecraft even at its peak still necessitated a Mage to properly Fine tune thingsz no?"
"Those were limitations brought forth by the need of a Mage providing a Kickstart of Mana for a Spell to start taking effect. However, the core of it is raw Calculations, and the technology of that period still couldn't merge the Mana input alongside a more Automated Orb operation design. I believe the Tech of nowadays and going foward has reached its necessary level to do so."
If this adds a few more Years to the decreptic Leopard 2A9s and Puma A12s Ausf G block XV, good enough. And if the Gains for the next generation Tanks, IFVs and Artillery systems are good, even better. Missiles nowadays have become easily countered by Interceptor Missiles or Stacked CIWS battery systems, our Border Bases along both the East and West all pack generous Anti-Missile MLRS batteries alongside 120mm Autocannons, 50mm Double Barrel alternating fire Autocannons and 30mm Recoiless Three barrel Rotary Autocannons. Laser defense systems to shoot down Missiles became unpopular once the main Strategy, courtesy of Brasillia's war against the US in their honeland, was to deploy a first Volley of Laser/Beam disruptive smoke with Chaff loaded missiles, which would make most Lasers unable to shoot down most of the second Volley onwards.
'Even then the problem is most of those guns haven't seen a replacement design in decades. Only the stagnant Militaries of our Hostile Neighbors keep the Parity as well.'
...
"Does anyone have anything else to add to today's meeting?"
A very average duration meeting, things were just starting, and none of those men now in charge of their respective Military branches wanted to jump the gun with overly ambitious ideas. Though the Navy Branch head lifed his hand.
"Holy Kaiserin, while the construction of a new member of the K class family of Super Carriers was never approved, our Archives seem ripe with many blueprints made by... Rather inspired people."
Great, they want to make a Sankt Kaiserin Super Carrier.
"While I am not opposed to create another crown Jewel for Germania's Military prowess, our main need now is have our D class Destroyers replaced by the planned Silver D Destroyers, there's also the fact our Shipyards will venture back to Cruisers, and the Carrier capable ones will be building a number of sisters of the Kaiserin Class Super Carrier. If the remaining Budget can afford such venture, you can do so after the priorities have been fulfilled."
"Understood."
The meeting was completed aftewards, as no one else had anything new that may need my approval or Blessing.
X-X-X-X
What once had been a pristine and source of Pride for the people of Francois now only reminded them of their folliee, pride, arrogance, and most of all, Ignorance. Decaying structures, marks of the fiery burnings that plagued their Capital decades ago, several shut down Business with broken windows, Boards as replacement for them. Yet in a basement accessed by a staircase in an alley of such streets, a slightly cleaner sight, with a display board made of real wood, not a fake made of Bioplastics, it stood unperturbed, as anyone who heard of the business said board belonged to, knew it would be suicide to commit such fellony.
Two men in trenchcoats arrived and uncerwmoniously enter, the door bell rang a simple yet easy to recognize chime. The bar was Empty, as usual, the Bartender dutifully cleaned some glasses, always ready to serve a drink.
"Oy! What happened to Claude? Never seen your face around here."
The one in a Brown fake Leather trenchcoat asks, his pal in a Grey one seems ready to draw his Iron hidden inside said coat.
"Claude made a last minute call to the Boss, food poisoning from a last minute meal before work. Today's my rest day, work at the Broken Eiffel Pub."
The passcode assures them, relaxing a bit, they sit. The Red Haired man is tall, and indeed good looking enough to earn good tips from female customers, if any were crazy to walk the streets after work hours that's.
"Get us a Rhine Diamond and a Bleu Devil."
"Right away."
The Bartender swiftly and with skilled handiwork crafted the drinks, pouring them in the glasses of shots. The two took each their prefered drink and downed it.
A minute later, someone else arrived. A man still in his dishevelled work clothes, wary and always on watch, he walks to the pair sitting.
"Gaule, what's the hurry?"
"Nothing much, an Inventory Manager just reported to me that a shipment to our Businesses abroad has had some last Kinute Addition of Indochina goods."
The two look at one another, nodding, they gesture to take this outside.
"Will you leave it on the Tab?"
The Bartender asks.
"Yeah, yeah, you know which tab."
The three, in a hurry, turn to walk to the door.
"Right, leaving the Tab on Mr. DeLugo, Monsieur Calvar."
They all stop and turn to the Bartender, before the trenchcoat duo could move their hands for their guns, they drop dead, mouths foaming, poison.
The third tries to pull his one, the Bartender doesn't even try to act.
"Oh well, Dead men leave no Tabs, eh?"
PSSSHHH
A barely recognizable shot noise pops off, right next to the Gaule man. Several figures become visible inside the establishment, their Thermoptic Camouflage disengaging, as like random static noise of a TV screen not tunned to anything cracks on the capes that kept the clearly PMC men invisible deactivated.
"Stahl 3, get Asbestos team and have them get those Noveau Main Bleu shipments to the She-Wolves. Aurum Leader, here."
The Bartender, Mike in actuality, Pulls a large secure Transport case to the Leader of Aurum Squad, Matt, his prodigal son.
"Get this to Jacques hideout, tell Zero "To Open the Wine of 1984"."
"Mkay... "
Matt picks the package and leaves.
"Mike, it's one thing to tease her, if she ever finds out..."
"I can take some beating, things need to speed a bit in the current Phase. Cant keep delaying or holding those things at bay forever. Those Vaults need to be opened, closure must come."
"Right, Right. Anyways, Asbestos Squad, on me."
Mika leaves to do her task.
After cleaning up the mess in the Bar with aid of Chlorine Squad, Mike left. Stopping by a spot where one once could see the Eiffel tower, now a more modern tower stood, the Eiffel having collapsed during the Third Great War. The new Tower only represented the Oppressiveness of the current Government of the Republic. But it was something to occupy his eyes for a moment.
"Sorry for it Fraulein. But the plot must move."
He gets back to walk.
"Oh well... Better fo grab that Ildoan wine she asked for. Should also go see if I can get some Carbonara Pasta for her when I visit back, yep! She will totally forgive me, right?"
Laughing a bit at himself, Mike sets his next Destination, Ildoa.