Mein Krieg (Youjo Senki/Tanya the Evil OC)
- Thread starter Trunko
- Start date
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- youjo senki
I'm putting my bet on the Royal family, maybe even the Emperor himself
I mean, it would be nice too see, especially if they'll play some role in a plot, as they should have in canon, being an important part of the Empire's ruling class and what not
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- Location
- Netherlands
So. A revenge plot in the far future. It means that the target would be either strong, well-off, or simply untouchable, or both.
I'm putting money on Old Man wanting to shaft some of the idiotic bastards in Imperial High Command, the generals who believe in the concept of military dictatorship (and failing the whole economy and moral, as shown by snippets of two women's talk at the beginning and the end of the show). They need to much from him, and then fail some jobs and made him the scapegoat.
Or we just have a good ol' grudge of Shadow war here.
I'm putting money on Old Man wanting to shaft some of the idiotic bastards in Imperial High Command, the generals who believe in the concept of military dictatorship (and failing the whole economy and moral, as shown by snippets of two women's talk at the beginning and the end of the show). They need to much from him, and then fail some jobs and made him the scapegoat.
Or we just have a good ol' grudge of Shadow war here.
EllenTenshima
Tengu Mask
Honestly, the entire Youjo Senki series is a comedy of errors of Tanya completely failing to manipulate people the way she wants, so it's just as well that everyone else misunderstands her to be trying to manipulate the one person she treats with absolute sincerity.
Chapter 29: War and Rain
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Chapter 29: War and Rain
It was a dark and stormy day. The rain fell in torrents, and lighting continued to flash over no man's land and the trenches, like the manifestation of the vindictive will of an angry god. Though I had not yet ruled out the intervention of Being X, the fact that lightning had not yet struck my tent or the surrounding land was a clue for me that, unless he had decided to punish every other soldier on the Rhine front too, this tempest was all natural.
Not that this made it any better, of course.
The rain came with such force that it transformed the occasional stream of sewage and dirty water into concrete streams that flooded the trenches, almost turning them into channels.
I had already done a patrol tour using an inspection as an excuse and everywhere I went I saw the same thing: shivering soldiers exposed to frost, mud and dirt, unable to warm themselves up or find shelter (due to the aforementioned rain), forced to protected themselves by means of cloaks and blankets which, for all their thickness, could not do much against the fury of the elements.
The perfect targets for certain terrible diseases of the trenches, Trench foot in particular, which was caused exactly by prolonged exposure of soldiers' feet to damp, cold and unsanitary conditions. I knew that all those who would meet such a fate would subsequently suffer a worse one at the hands of a military surgeon.
True to my strategy to conquer the hearts and minds of soldiers by means of kindness and favor, and eager to show off to Strategic Headquarters, I made the decision to enact the necessary countermeasures.
First, I had decided to summon all the sergeants under my command, and informed them of the severity of this disease. I gave them the order to spread the word among the other soldiers, so that the latter could pay attention to the risks that cold, rain and dirt were exposing them.
Subsequently, I took "advantage" of my rank as an officer and what temporary political clout I had, courtesy of Mr. Gegenbauer, to order our local team of engineers to construct a small pump, operated by hand, which would allow the soldiers to empty their trench of rainwater. Finding the material needed to build the pump was quite difficult but after five days of hard work it was ready and was immediately put to work. Operating the pump by hand was a long and tiring job that left the unfortunate user with numerous calluses on their hands, but after some initial grumbling, the soldiers began to accept and subsequently appreciate my idea.
Finally, to warn our chain of command of the dangers caused by the difficult weather conditions, I decided to write a special report, in which I elaborated (in great detail) the terrible living conditions soldiers faced and how it could result in the outbreak of an epidemic , consequently leading to a collapse of our military might.
This was the tone to use: if I had illustrated the question from a solely sentimental point of view, complaining of the difficulties that the soldiers were forced to endure, in the best of cases I would have caught a lecture on how "an officer should not mix with the foot-soldiers". However, if I illustrated my concerns from a technical point of view, explaining how an epidemic crisis could be disastrous for the wellbeing of the Army, the generals in command would be much more receptive.
I was just writing the report when suddenly, a figure rushed into my tent, apparently seeking refuge from the flood that was taking place outside.
"Who are you?" I said, looking up from my work.
The soldier saluted, before taking off the helmet, revealing herself as Hana.
"Hana. What's happening?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir." she said, taking off the dripping blanket off her shoulders. "But I carry an urgent order meant for you personally."
"Oh. Is Schoenauer asking us to go out on patrol again? I thought that, with this climate, all operations for us wizards had been suspended…"
She nodded. "I believed that too, sir." before handing me a roll of paper she had protected from the rain by hiding it inside her jacket. "But apparently, the Republic is too greedy for our resources to be deterred by bad weather!"
I gave her a warm smile, while I put away my half-written report in a safe place. I did not want to risk the water damaging the writing in any way before it was ready. I then reached out and took the message, breaking the military seal.
"Sergeant?" I said turning toward Hana.
"Yes sir?" she responded.
"Please indulge my curiosity: how is the situation with others? Especially with this rain."
"Sir, the situation is… not very good, to put it mildly. The rain continues to cause damage and is putting a strain on the strength of the soldiers, physical and mental…"
"I see. Have any of them requested a medical examination?"
"No, sir. We are all in the grip of frost and rain but fortunately, there have been no reports of illness or injury so far. However, let me say this, if the climate does not change as soon, we could risk losses from exposure."
"So you believe the instructions that I gave you and the others the day before yesterday were useful?"
She smirked. "Yes, sir."
I held a little laugh, before finally at the orders. Within seconds, the laughter died on my lips, replaced by horror.
"Sir? Sir?" asked Hana coming nearer to me. "Is something wrong?"
Yes, it is, the thought slipped into my mind as I looked away from the orders.
For a few seconds, I was completely silent, trying to think what I could do. My first impulse was to tear up the order and pretend that I had never received it. However, had I done so and the lost order had then been found, I would have gone straight to court martial for "omission of official duties". The fastest and most direct route to the firing squad.
I had no choice. I already knew what to do, but that didn't make the reality of it any easier to swallow.
"Sergeant!" I said, straightening myself up. "I need to get away for an unspecified period of time. Take the lead in my absence!"
"Yessir!"
Not that this made it any better, of course.
The rain came with such force that it transformed the occasional stream of sewage and dirty water into concrete streams that flooded the trenches, almost turning them into channels.
I had already done a patrol tour using an inspection as an excuse and everywhere I went I saw the same thing: shivering soldiers exposed to frost, mud and dirt, unable to warm themselves up or find shelter (due to the aforementioned rain), forced to protected themselves by means of cloaks and blankets which, for all their thickness, could not do much against the fury of the elements.
The perfect targets for certain terrible diseases of the trenches, Trench foot in particular, which was caused exactly by prolonged exposure of soldiers' feet to damp, cold and unsanitary conditions. I knew that all those who would meet such a fate would subsequently suffer a worse one at the hands of a military surgeon.
True to my strategy to conquer the hearts and minds of soldiers by means of kindness and favor, and eager to show off to Strategic Headquarters, I made the decision to enact the necessary countermeasures.
First, I had decided to summon all the sergeants under my command, and informed them of the severity of this disease. I gave them the order to spread the word among the other soldiers, so that the latter could pay attention to the risks that cold, rain and dirt were exposing them.
Subsequently, I took "advantage" of my rank as an officer and what temporary political clout I had, courtesy of Mr. Gegenbauer, to order our local team of engineers to construct a small pump, operated by hand, which would allow the soldiers to empty their trench of rainwater. Finding the material needed to build the pump was quite difficult but after five days of hard work it was ready and was immediately put to work. Operating the pump by hand was a long and tiring job that left the unfortunate user with numerous calluses on their hands, but after some initial grumbling, the soldiers began to accept and subsequently appreciate my idea.
Finally, to warn our chain of command of the dangers caused by the difficult weather conditions, I decided to write a special report, in which I elaborated (in great detail) the terrible living conditions soldiers faced and how it could result in the outbreak of an epidemic , consequently leading to a collapse of our military might.
This was the tone to use: if I had illustrated the question from a solely sentimental point of view, complaining of the difficulties that the soldiers were forced to endure, in the best of cases I would have caught a lecture on how "an officer should not mix with the foot-soldiers". However, if I illustrated my concerns from a technical point of view, explaining how an epidemic crisis could be disastrous for the wellbeing of the Army, the generals in command would be much more receptive.
I was just writing the report when suddenly, a figure rushed into my tent, apparently seeking refuge from the flood that was taking place outside.
"Who are you?" I said, looking up from my work.
The soldier saluted, before taking off the helmet, revealing herself as Hana.
"Hana. What's happening?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you, sir." she said, taking off the dripping blanket off her shoulders. "But I carry an urgent order meant for you personally."
"Oh. Is Schoenauer asking us to go out on patrol again? I thought that, with this climate, all operations for us wizards had been suspended…"
She nodded. "I believed that too, sir." before handing me a roll of paper she had protected from the rain by hiding it inside her jacket. "But apparently, the Republic is too greedy for our resources to be deterred by bad weather!"
I gave her a warm smile, while I put away my half-written report in a safe place. I did not want to risk the water damaging the writing in any way before it was ready. I then reached out and took the message, breaking the military seal.
"Sergeant?" I said turning toward Hana.
"Yes sir?" she responded.
"Please indulge my curiosity: how is the situation with others? Especially with this rain."
"Sir, the situation is… not very good, to put it mildly. The rain continues to cause damage and is putting a strain on the strength of the soldiers, physical and mental…"
"I see. Have any of them requested a medical examination?"
"No, sir. We are all in the grip of frost and rain but fortunately, there have been no reports of illness or injury so far. However, let me say this, if the climate does not change as soon, we could risk losses from exposure."
"So you believe the instructions that I gave you and the others the day before yesterday were useful?"
She smirked. "Yes, sir."
I held a little laugh, before finally at the orders. Within seconds, the laughter died on my lips, replaced by horror.
"Sir? Sir?" asked Hana coming nearer to me. "Is something wrong?"
Yes, it is, the thought slipped into my mind as I looked away from the orders.
For a few seconds, I was completely silent, trying to think what I could do. My first impulse was to tear up the order and pretend that I had never received it. However, had I done so and the lost order had then been found, I would have gone straight to court martial for "omission of official duties". The fastest and most direct route to the firing squad.
I had no choice. I already knew what to do, but that didn't make the reality of it any easier to swallow.
"Sergeant!" I said, straightening myself up. "I need to get away for an unspecified period of time. Take the lead in my absence!"
"Yessir!"
As soon as I left my tent, a violent breeze of rain and bitingly cold air hit me. Whether that was the case, a simple coincidence or the umpteenth "punishment" of Being X to my detriment, I did not care.
What mattered to me was the fact that Command had decided, without warning, to launch a heavy offensive against the Republican army, without even waiting for the end of the violent weather.
I went on. As I passed through the tents and the temporary housing of the soldiers, I could not help thinking about how the idea to attack in such a period was... moronic.
Our army was in no state to defend itself. The rain had practically eliminated the combat and emotional capacity of our forces, to the point that several occurrences of desertion or attempts at such had already occurred. Some of the divisions in better fighting condition were reduced to 50% of their operational efficiency due to illnesses and deaths caused by bad weather, and managed to hold the position only because the Republicans had also been so weakened by the climate that they had to stop any offensive action.
And now, some general in search of glory and medals to be stuck on his chest wanted us to attack, without even waiting for the weather to clear? Malarkey! Absolute madness!
Attacking in similar weather conditions was a mistake that could cost us dearly. The Republican Army could limit itself to defending its positions while our soldiers are being massacred by machine gun fire, then move on to an offensive once ours was exhausted and the weather improved.
This could cost the Imperial Army a lot.
The only hope I saw was to point out the difficulties of such an undertaking and hope that common sense prevailed. True, I was only a second lieutenant, but if I explained my reasons convincingly, I could prevent what could very well be the greatest massacre of soldiers in history.
I passed by a group of soldiers. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that none of them had saluted me. Under normal conditions, I wouldn't have given it too much weight. At most I would have made a report on the issue to their officer. This time, however, an alarm bell rang in my brain.
When soldiers begin not to greet the senior officers any more, or if they do, they do so with obvious suffering and unwillingly, it could only mean one thing and one thing only.
Suffering and harsh discipline were at this point wearing down the confidence of the soldiers in their superiors to portend a possible revolt, or even a real mutiny against the officers. The thing I feared most.
Even in my world, during the First World War (The war to end all wars, I thought ironically), there had been mutinies of soldiers, platoons or entire divisions.
The most famous case that came to mind occurred in 1917 in France, when nearly half of the army rebelled against their officers, demanding an end to the senseless fighting. There, the officers had had come off relatively lucky, since even the most riotous soldiers had declared themselves willing to defend the front against the enemy, without attacking. If the soldiers had truly mutinied and started a revolt, or even opened the doors to the advance of the German army, the war could have ended differently.
It almost did in Italy. After the disastrous battle of Caporetto, where the Austrian army, assisted by the Germans, managed to break through the Italian defensive line. A terrible mix of frequent punishments, draconian discipline, sadistic officers, reduced rations, terrible fighting conditions and general suffering had caused the entire army to flee, leaving the entire territory beyond the Piave River to the enemy. A disaster that had almost cost the victory to the peninsula.
And now here I was, observing in another world the same seeds take root.
Mentally, I wondered what I could do to avoid this. Could I do something to prevent the impending revolt?
However, the more I thought about it the more I realized that my hand were tied. I was an officer, true, but I possessed a relatively low rank and my authority did not go beyond my command tent. The high army officers were mostly extremist conservatives, who rarely considered any innovation or change. It made little difference to them that we now lived in an age of trains and planes, cannons and machine guns, barbed wire and mortars. They had grown up studying the military campaigns of Napoleon, Frederick the Great or Hannibal, which had been brilliant but were conceived long before gunpowder and rifles.
Attacking a barrier of barbed wire protected by machine gun nests, snipers and minefields while marching in rows, as was the custom at the time of the "sporting" wars between the rulers of old Europe, was a concept that had been dead and buried for centuries in my original world. No one would have done it, unless he was the bravest man in the world ... or the most idiotic.
Here, on the other hand, it happened often. In the first weeks of conflict, which in a certain sense still existed today, this or that officer ordered an attack charged against an enemy trench.
Moreover, despite this, despite the fact that these tactics did nothing but throw away precious lives and destroy the army's reserve manpower, the authority of the men responsible was not taken away or even curtailed. You see, the military hierarchy was like an anthill. The ants higher up defended the lower ones. The system cannot be reformed unless it was assailed by one that possessed the kind of power the Emperor had. I did not have that.
I was an insect going up against an elephant. I had no chance of winning. It was clear then how I could do nothing but pray that nothing bad happened.
I had stopped praying for a long time.
As soon as I reached the tent I was heading for, I immediately realized that something important was happening. The cloth that covered the entrance of the tent was in half-open, and from within seeped a warm and luminous atmosphere, mixed with vigorous shouting. I had no way to know how many people were in there at that moment, but I recognized that the tent was hosting more occupants than usual.
I came closer. As soon as they saw me, the two guards at the entrance to the held up their rifles, aiming at me.
"Halt!" one of the two shouted, coming nearer to me. "Identify yourself!"
"I'm Second Lieutenant Frederick König. I'm here to see First Lieutenant Schoenauer!"
The guard stepped forward.
"Sir!" he said saluting me. "I am sorry to inform you about this, but there is a private meeting in progress right now. First Lieutenant Schoenauer has asked us to let nobody pass until the meeting is over."
"It is a very important matter!" I said, slamming my left boot into the muddy ground. "I need to talk to him immediately!"
"I'm sorry sir, but I believe there is no way for…"
"Lieutenant König!" came a familiar voice, its owner emerging from the tent.
I immediately saluted. "First Lieutenant Schoenauer!"
"What brings you to my tent, Second Lieutenant? Any problems in your unit? Did the Republicans attack?"
"No, sir, at least, not yet. However, I received word of a matter I wanted to bring to your attention immediately."
Schoenauer looked at me for a moment before smiling. "Well, what a coincidence! I was just about to come to you to personally discuss the orders I sent you, but your presence here has just saved me the trouble of walking in the rain. Soldiers!" he barked, looking at the two guards. "Let him get inside!"
The men resumed their post and I followed Schoenauer inside.
As soon as I entered the tent, I got to see the other officers inside. I didn't recognize their faces, but I could recognize their ranks. First and Second Lieutenants, even captains, majors and colonels. In a sense, I was unnerved by such a concentration of senior officers. It was like being a sardine in a tank full of sharks.
I proceeded. It was then, that the other officers noticed me.
The most general reaction I saw in their eyes was astonishment. I believe that I too would have felt astonished in their place, if I had seen a child in uniform and with one of the most prestigious medals of the Empire on his chest.
"Who would you be?" asked a short man with brown hair graying and the ranks of captain, looking right through me.
"Second Lieutenant Frederick König." I immediately saluted him. "I came here to speak with First Lieutenant Schoenauer but I did not expect such a meeting to take place."
I saw his eyes narrowing at me. What was he thinking, I did not know. I just knew that it probably was nothing good.
"Captain Keer." said another man, speaking from behind me. "Leave the young man be. He is in his rights to be here, considering what is at stake."
I turned around, and I was quite shocked to see an old man in a dark black uniform. And the rank of a General.
"Sir!" I saluted him. "I apologise for the intrusion. I did not mean to…"
"At ease, officer." the man said, looking at me with a benevolent smile. "You have every right to be here."
"Every right to be here?" I asked, dumb folded. "B-but… is this not a reserved meeting between high officers?"
"It is." the general said. "But since the subject of this meeting pertains to you personally, it is all well and good that you are also present. Also, you have been vouched for…"
"Vouched for? By who?"
"Me!" said a voice that, while I have not heard in a long time, I had no problem recognizing. "Frederick, I'm kind of surprised you survived until now without me."
I rotated slightly, trying to do my best to suppress my anger.
"Tanya. What a… pleasure."
- Location
- At home
I loathe you...
The cliffhanger was evil.
The cliffhanger was evil.
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
- Location
- United States
Uh, no. None of them saluted you because "Sniper check, SIR!" is the kind of thing you only do to officers you want dead. If you're in the trenches on the front lines, being saluted is either a sign of naivete or stupidity, or a desire for some jackass on the other side of no-man's land to plug you one in the dome piece.
While it's possible that this is not yet standard procedure in Not!WWI, it is a learned behavior that would be picked up rather quickly after the first few times someone gets pegged after being saluted in the field.
- Location
- Philippines, Manila, Tarlac City
A cliffhanger.... You monster....
BY ORDER OF COMRADE STALIN YOU WILL BE SENT TO THE FRONT IN A PENAL BATTALION! AND LIFETIME IF GULAG IF YOU LIVE!
Thoug in all honesty that was a nice way to keep people hooked. No mattee how painful to the gut it may be.
BY ORDER OF COMRADE STALIN YOU WILL BE SENT TO THE FRONT IN A PENAL BATTALION! AND LIFETIME IF GULAG IF YOU LIVE!
Thoug in all honesty that was a nice way to keep people hooked. No mattee how painful to the gut it may be.
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
I'm sorry if the cliffangher hurt you all, but I had good plot-related reasons to do so.....
...How dare you misname General Secretary Shalin?! You absolute enemy of the people!
And nice to see a situation when he has a damn good reason to stand against Tanya.
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- Location
- Philippines, Manila, Tarlac City
No Im not really angry and Im sorry if it seemed that way. I was mostly just poking fun.
JuliusClonkus
Scatterbrained Speculator
- Location
- Federal Reichspublic of Karlsland
Oh dear. Are they being taken off the front again? Are we going to see the elite mage unit being formed now?
- Location
- Actually pretty lost
I don't believe this was common practice until well after the second world war. The British Army, for example, had officers wearing a different uniform and casually walking to check up on their men whilst being shot at because it was believed that seeing an officer crouching and running like they were scared would affect morale.
- Location
- Oblivion
This is Tanya's idiotic plan isn't it?
- Location
- Netherlands
You know, it is possible that Tanya would favor a lightning strike while Fred prefers holding action. Both have their own merits and the General decides to test it out (of course, he is not stupid, he would send the two to two ends of the zone).
Somehow, the two idea works. In the same time. In equal stellar manner. Tanya is able to make a beachhead, giving a full scale unit to take control of the Republic trench, and Fred is able to hold off an attack ten times his unit's size. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how we have Tanya "Demon" and Fred "Iron Shield".
/And then the Republic ships them together, purely because of the banters the two made via unsecured radio, ones that used to demoralise the Repulic/
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
- Location
- Netherlands
Which part? The part where they propose opposite ideas and proceed to kick arsed, or the part where the Republic troops ship them together?
- Location
- Miami, FL
The cliff hanger made me feel like I was punched in the gut
I must suffer a while longer for the next glorious chapter
I must suffer a while longer for the next glorious chapter
Chapter 30: Operative Briefing
Trunko
Dissatisfied writer
- Location
- Milan, Italy
Chapter 30: Operative Briefing
"Gentlemen," said the general, looking at us. "if you would take your seats, the briefing is about to begin."
We sat down quickly. Those of us who were too slow to claim a chair for themselves were forced to remain standing, hoping that the meeting would not take too long. However, I was not in the mood for being happy with my quick reflexes.
"As many of you know..." continued the general, wearing a pair of glasses. "In the previous days, the Republican army launched a series of raids against our forward positions, with mixed successes. Our counter-intelligence service believes that these operations are probing attacks meant to prepare for an imminent large-scale offensive by the Republican army, aimed at winning several key positions in the territory and destroying our production capacity. This offensive should have taken place some days ago, but bad weather has forced the enemy to postpone the beginning of the offensive, which is being delayed until the weather improves."
A murmur ran between the officers present. I pricked up my ears, trying to understand what they were saying but after a few seconds I gave up: It was impossible to eavesdrop on their thoughts.
"The Republican attack forces, given the report of our counterespionage service, will include elements of the 15th, 29th and 32nd Infantry Divisions, for an approximate total of 39,000 men, with the support of over 500 artillery cannons."
"How soon will these forces attack our lines?" a captain to my left asked.
"This is a question Colonel Prantl can answer. Colonel?" responded the general, looking toward a dark-haired, bespectacled officer.
"Sir, the estimate given by our study commission is between five and nine days. But times could be even shorter, as could be the number of enemy soldiers employed in the operation. We need more information and since the weather conditions keep our planes from taking off, we can only rely on the information we can get from our spies."
"Sir!" asked another officer, raising his hand. "Do we already know in which sector the enemy will attack?"
"Yes." said the general approaching a nearby map. "From what we know, the enemy will try to attack the sector between the cities of Dimoble and Richtenstedt, currently defended by the 324th Motorized Division and armored elements of the 13th Panzer group. Unfortunately, we are unable to send reinforcements due to the extreme shortage of manpower. I have already contacted Strategic Headquaters to request further divisions, but I doubt they will arrive in time."
I did not need to look at the map to fully understand the situation. The 324th and the 13th Panzer groups were strong units, but against them the enemy could impose many more divisions. Moreover, heavy rainfall made it impossible to use armored vehicles, whose usefulness would be reduced to their use as almost-immovable artillery guns.
"Luckily, we have a strategy to prevent the enemy's attack."
I raised my eyes, looking at the general. Was he talking about the offensive plans that I read in my message earlier? It could not be!
Could it?
"Our way to prevent it consists of a preventive attack on their refueling bases, with the objective of destroying the enemy's supply lines and thus making their attack impossible before our reinforcements arrive. However, this strategy must be implemented before the enemy is ready to attack. Consequently, we will commence operations before the weather conditions improve."
I groaned, already imagining what this would mean, for me and for the men (and women) under my command.
"Sir." asked the officer from before. "I realize the importance of striking the enemy before they can do the same, but attacking in these weather conditions is suicide. We have neither the equipment nor the resources to support a similar offensive. Moreover, the morale of the troops is decidedly too low to be able to attempt such an undertaking…"
The general looked at him. For an instant, I feared he would be jetted out of the tent.
The general then headed towards the map, pointing at a spot marked on it.
"Therefore, our first assault must take place here, in the area south of the village of Kufben. We know, thanks to reports from our spies that the Republicans are setting up various supply depots in this sector in order to feed the future advance of their troops. Luckily for us, the enemy forces present in the area have not yet established solid lines of defense that could resist an attack on our part. Moreover, we have just received confirmation that the Republicans themselves are preparing a road, through which our armored vehicles will be able to advance quickly without suffering the negative effects of the terrain and weather. We do know, however, that they have numerous light and medium artillery guns in the area, which could slow or even halt the advance of our panzers. To prevent this, the cannons will have to be silenced before our armored units arrive…"
"Does the plan involve the use of saboteurs to destroy the cannons? Alternatively, maybe an aerial bombardment?"
"Unfortunately, neither option is feasible." responded the general. "Many of our commandos will committed further north, for a distraction operation of the enemy reserve forces, in order to prevent them from ascertaining our true objective. The soldiers of the remaining teams are too few in numbers to attempt the operation. Furthermore, we know for sure that the Republican guns are manned by fresh garrisons, which makes a vast operation of infiltration and destruction difficult. As for aviation…" stopped talking for a second, to catch his breath. "Weather conditions make precision bombardment impossible, while high altitude bombardment would not have the same level of efficiency."
I noticed that the general had not yet spoken about the magical corps (of which Tanya and I were part). I had a bad feeling about that.
"To destroy the Republican guns, we have no choice but to use our magical corps. They have both the speed and the firepower necessary to hit the cannons and retreat before the Republican magicians can intercept them and engage them."
I almost had a heart attack, as I heard the words spoken by the general. I had no illusions about their meaning: we had just been "volunteered" for a front-line attack, all-out combat. The worst place in the whole front. The one with the highest mortality rate.
"I'm sorry, sir." I said, raising my hand to make him notice me. "But as a wizard of the Imperial army, I don't think that..."
"Excuse me, who is this?" asked an officer with the ranks of colonel, looking at me with a scolding face.
"Sir." said Schoenauer getting up, making me realize that, until now, he was just a few chairs from me. "This is Second Lieutenant Frederick König, an officer under my command and the best wizard of my company. He has a lot of field experience and I think his opinion also deserves to be heard."
"I completely agree." responded the general before looking at me once again. "Please Second Lieutenant, continue."
"Sir, have you spent time outside the tent?" I said while trying to find the words that could make me appear as less of a defeatist. "It's raining heavily. The weather conditions make it difficult, if not impossible, to get up in the air. It is precisely because of this that we wizards are currently stuck on the ground. And even if we succeeded, we could not guarantee sufficient accuracy to be able to destroy all the cannons. If you ordered us to get up in the air and destroy the cannons, obviously I would obey without hesitation, but I cannot guarantee you a quick operation, nor one without heavy losses."
"I believe that Lieutenant Frederick is seriously underestimating the power of the magical corps," said a voice that I knew too well.
I looked around, just in time to meet the smug grin of a child-like demon.
"It is true that up to now," continued Tanya, looking at me like she was crushing me inside her fist. "adverse weather conditions have been a source of detriment and operational incapacity for us wizards. However, a new operation orb, developed by our department in the previous weeks, could turn the tide, allowing us to act despite bad weather."
I looked at her, dumb folded. What was she talking about?
"Yes, the new operative shield." asked the general, looking thoughtful. "I thought that it was not ready yet."
"The prototype has been perfected since this morning." she said still smiling in my direction. "We still need a couple of days to work out the kinks, but I think we're mostly done."
"Indeed." he said, before turning his attention back on the audience. "Gentlemen, I know you have many commitments for the rest of the day, so the meeting is officially over. Inform your departments of the upcoming offensive, and prepare everything necessary so that your soldiers are ready for combat. Dismissed!"
The officers around me began to stand up, blundering opinions about the meeting and the project of the attack. A couple of them, who had been close to me during it, did not fail to look at me with meaningful glances.
I could not blame them. I had just been a terrible fool in their eyes, and in all likelyhood it would take a long time of distinguished service on my part to make it go away. But the fact that it was Tanya, the person I had once considered my best friend (well, at least, before she left me)... that hurt. It really did.
I was just starting to move, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned, and found myself face to face with the person I least wanted to see.
"Frederick?" Tanya greeted me with a gentle smile. I was not fooled.
"Tanya." I replied, glaring at her. "What do you want? Do you perhaps forgive yourself for having made me look like an idiot in front of almost all the officers of the Front of the Rhine? Forget it."
"I am not here to discuss your lack of preparation, Frederick. The general wants to see us. Now."
The general's provisional office was not too different from mine. He too was entitled to a desk, a folding bed, some chairs and accessories and although the difference between him and me was like that between a small fish and a shark, it was almost impossible to define it by the quantity and beauty of our ornaments.
War is the province of friction, General von Clausewitz said, and I had a feeling that every man (and woman) of the army was putting him to the test.
I was sitting in the chair on the right, looking at the general. Tanya was on my left, moving her gaze between him and me at short intervals. The general, on the other hand, was looking at the weather outside the tent, almost without blinking.
"Tell me, Lieutenant König." finally the general said, drawing my attention. "Do you really believe what you said?"
"W-what are you talking about, sir?"
"I refer to your statement that the idea of using wizards in these weather conditions is a terrible idea." The general said, turning towards me.
I gulped, realizing what he as implying. I, as an officer, had the audacity to go against the will of the general staff. This could cost me dearly. I had to react before he took my silence as a confession.
"S-sir." I responded, trying to conceal my nervousness. "This is not what I wanted to say. I had simply expressed my doubts about the ability of our wizards to operate in such adverse weather conditions. But I'm ready to go on a mission even now if you ordered it."
The general looked at me for a second, before his frozen face melted and he started to smile at me.
"Don't try to justify your concerns. There is no need for it. Your doubts were motivated and had a solid logical basis. You need not fear how other people may judge you."
I felt relieved. For an instant, I looked at Tanya, and I realized she was quite shocked under her peaceful façade.
"Thank you for your understanding, sir. I really had no idea that our forces were actually developing a way to fly even in such severe conditions…"
"This is something I wanted to investigate directly from the source. Lieutenant Degurechaff?"
Tanya straightened herself up. "Yes sir?"
"I think I need more information on the new technique used to develop the new generation magic shield. Would you be so kind as to summarize the idea for the design and development process, so as to inform König?"
She looked at me once again, for a few seconds. Although her mouth was smiling, her eyes were saying something very different.
"It would be a pleasure, sir." she beamed. "The concept for a more powerful magic shield came to me about a week ago, during the lightning operation scheduled at the Kurten salient…"
"I have read the report," the general said, looking at her. "According to an anonymous source you threatened to have imperial wizards shot because they were refusing to obey your orders."
"Sir, I had every reason to do so!" Tanya responded with a look of determination. "The corporals Pfisterer, Hirsh and Kraus showed cowardice in front of the enemy. The just penalty for such cowardice in the first line is the firing squad!"
I looked at Tanya for a moment as I reflected on the meaning of these words. The ravine that separated us was ever widening. I did not hesitate to act as a tough officer when necessary. I tried my hardest to establish a positive relationship with my soldiers, if only to avoid problems that class hatred and classism could generate. Tanya, on the other hand, did not seem to care about that. Only one thing mattered to her: follow the rules. To the letter.
"Oh, that is certain," said the general. "But the rules are written by men and men are not always perfect. Therefore, even the rules may not be perfect."
"As you say, sir."
"Uh, sir, may I ask a question?" I said, raising my hand. "Why did you want us to be here? I guess it is not to discuss our policies with subordinates."
"As a matter of fact, you are right." the general responded. "Although certain policies with the lower ranks could be… questionable," he said glaring at me. "As long as they do not affect our war potential we can afford to ignore them. The real reason I wanted you here... is this." he said, putting a written document on the table.
Instinctively, I reached out to take it, but Tanya did the same. As soon as we realized it, we turned to each other with a shocked look
"What you have in front of you," the general started his explanation. "Is an operational report from some of our reconnaissance units deployed in sector 40B. In this sector, a small lightning offensive will take place, aimed at supporting a greater offensive further north. Here is a long-abandoned abandoned republican artillery station. Recent but unreliable rumors say that it is in perfect operating condition. If this were true, the Republican guns could jeopardize the success of the attack, hitting our troops and preventing them from reaching their objectives. An aerial survey is impossible due to adverse weather conditions, while a land survey would not have the same effectiveness. I need a small team of soldiers who can approach the station, check the operating conditions and report."
"Sir," I asked, "if you suspect that this artillery station could be operational, why not simply order our heavy artillery or aviation to destroy it?"
The general laughed. "I was hoping someone would have ask this. What you are suggesting is in fact the option that I intend to take, but only and exclusively if the station is found to be operational. Otherwise, I would do nothing but attract the attention of the enemy in a sector that must remain quiet, for the success of our future offensive."
I got up. "Sir, my squad will be ready to do this tonight itself!"
"Nonsense!" Tanya responded. "My squad is better equipped to…"
"Do not worry about the responsibility of initiative," said the general. "I talked to your superiors. Choose three men from your team and report at 10 PM at Colonel Metze's tent. He will give you more details"
"Y-you mean that…"
"Yes. I'm sending you both on this mission…"