The Occupied Territories, Undisclosed Location, headquarters of Nobodies’ forces.
“This is a bit cruel don’t you think?” Tubarin asked Ahmaianos who was besides him as they supervised the preparations for their next operation.
“It’s all fizzletham to me.”
“What? There you go with that strange lingo again!”
“Sorry, but that’s what the kids in my class say now, and I have to try and connect with them!” Ahmaianos said to him which made Tubarin shake his head in amusement.
“At least’s that’s what should be the answer, ever since that day on the roof everything feels so strange, prices are cheaper, the slang is different and things feel so very more extreme than they used too, what’s happened?” he thought to himself as he pondered the possibility that he may be cracking, war does that to a person’s mind.
“So, about my earlier question.”
“Well what about it?”
“Like I said don’t you think it’s cruel to make all these trained war machines doodle and draw with colored crayons for several days?”
“Well, it’s just half a day each, since they also have to train, but I don’t see why you would call it cruel, just different I suppose.”
“But why are we doing this? I mean look at the drawing’s they all look like little kids made them! And the ones who can actually draw are told to keep’em ugly, what’s with that?”
“Well Nobody told us to do it, so he must have a reason!”
“Oh, okay.”
“What?! No sarcastic comments, no criticism?”
“We’ll, he’s led us this far with soap on a rope, so I suppose I should keep an open mind, after all there’s no reason colored crayons and drawing couldn’t contribute to our victory!”
“That’s very progressive of you!”
“Times are changing man, at least I think they are.”
“Though I think your previous statement was a little inaccurate, personally I think it’s rather funny that trained soldiers and fanatics are made to draw bunnies and teddy bears and sunshine’s with rainbows and field of flowers.”
“You know Ahmaianos your right! When you think about it, it is surprisingly funny!”
Volun 4, Imperial Fleet, Cornelia’s Flagship Skyfall, orbiting outside the newly build Fortress 224.859
Ealiupus 17th 14:00
The doors to the conference room chimed open as Metternich along with Butz entered the room, they where both caring a couple of bags filled with drinks and snacks.
“I figured I should bring some refreshments, I got everything from the vending machine down the hall except those chocolate covered strawberries, apparently they ran out of them.” Metternich said as he gave a visual check on the contents of his back, he then shifted his gaze forward and stopped in his tracks at the sight of the Supreme Commander, who had suddenly rising from her desk and was now standing right in front of him.
There were many things that the Commodore would expect from the Field Marshall, a dressing down for being late and stopping for snacks, a thank you for the same reason, but she did something not even he expected.
She was starting to cry!
“I’m sorry ma’am! I’ll get some strawberries!” he frantically said trying to stop her tears, while behind him Butz was frantically going through every satchel and pocket he had to try and find some strawberries.
“Oh, it’s not that!” Cornelia said as she dried her tears before her crying got past a light sobbing.
“Forgive me, I just had a rough day and I appreciated the gesture.” Cornelia said lying trough her teeth, for in truth she was very distraught about what she was forced to do.
“I’ve received an order from the Prime Minister, you are to be promoted to the rank of rear admiral and take your forces to capture Galiana.” The Field Marshall told him.
After this sentence silenced reigned in the room, no one moved or dared say word, even Butz who had stopped searching for strawberries and was normally stoic had the appearance of surprise on his face.
Only the ticking of the wall clock provided some sound to break the silence.
“What forces are at my disposal?” Metternich asked, his voice barely above the bare above a whisper, his frame showed that he was visibly trying to prevent himself from trembling.
“I’ll be giving you a full battle wing of 5.000 ships, to which you can organize at your leisure with your corps.” Gerula replied.
“What are my operational parameters and what degree of flexibility will I be given during the mission?”
“Total freedom of planning, full access to our resources and maximum freedom of command; if you feel the mission if unfeasible you are authorized to abandon it!” Cornelia immediately jumped to answer that and emphasized the final words of the sentence.
“What Intel can you supply me on the enemy?”
“The remaining forces stationed in Galiana are about 9.000 Volunian ships and 35.000 Federal ships.” Zula gave him the reply, to which he closed his eyes for a moment and after a few calming breaths he asked his final sentence.
“I’ll leave as soon as I can get my troops organized and after getting a few things from the supply ships for the operation, also I’ll need every drop of information you have on Galiana and its current high command.” Metternich said to which the Spymaster agreed.
“Commodore, you can turn it down, no one will think any less of you, and your career will certainly not suffer for it! And you have the full support of every one present if you refuse.” Cornelia said worryingly and the rest of the occupants of the room nodded their heads in agreement.
“I thank you for your kind words, but I’ll still take the mission, because honestly for a long time now I’ve been thinking of several ways to do something like this and I’ve come up with a few ideas, I don’t know if there will be any opportunity to use them, but I must try, if not then nothing will ever change.”
“Well said! Damn well said Commodore, I’m sorry Admiral!” Gerula said as he got up from his seat, walked to Metternich and shook his hand.
“I’ll be taking my leave now to prepare; I’ll depart as soon as possible.”
Metternich then saluted them, spun on his heels and walked out the door.
“Rear Admiral.” the voice of the Field Marshall was heard.
“I’m serious about what was said earlier, withdraw if you think you must; Hell! If need be just stay in that system for only a moment and then retreat; we’re soldiers, not butchers, we don’t fight battles that are lost and especially battles that can’t be won. Withdraw at your leisure, do you understand?” she said with as much seriousness and intensity her voice could muster.
“I understand commander.”
He was about to leave when Casper stopped him.
“Admiral before you go I wish to inform you that I’ve just received a message, which I think you will find very pleasing”
“Good news then?”
“Yes, I believe it is. Five minute ago a ship was reported joining the fleet and is now docking with the 378th corps.“ Casper read the message, pausing to catch his breath before continuing.
“The Vampire’s Vengeance has just arrived.”
The Occupied Territories, Maramanakama, Governor’s Palace
Ealiupus 25th 9:00 Local Planetary Time.
“Bravo! Excellent! Excelsior and all that!” Gelios said cheerfully as he was reading the morning paper.
“What is sir?” his assistant Discanula said, she was now currently in her second form and looked like any normal human girl.
Well any normal girl, with red skin, sharp fangs, and a horn out of her forehead.
“I’m talking about this!” Gelios said as he handed her the paper.
On the front page was an article about the battle of Volun 3 and the subsequent capture of Volun 4 and construction of Fortress 224.859.
“Well that is good news!”
“No
t just good news! It’s excellent news! We are winning, which means that the terrorists will become less bold with their attacks and the size of the threat we now face from Nobody will be nothing like it was before!” Gelios happily said as he savored his breakfast.
After his in all but name interrogations of the ‘rainbows’ in his command and the horror of discovering just how much was kept from him and how desperate the situation was becoming, this was a life line to bring him from despair.
“In fact this calls for thanks! Get the car ready, we are going to pay our proper respects to the Creator!” the governor said as his assistant went to fulfill his orders and he went into his closet to change into street clothes.
“Things are looking better already!”