Chapter 166 – MNR Liberté
"Major König," resounded the voice from the Graf Zeppelin's on-board radio, "Please give us the report on the progress of negotiations."
"Semi-stable stalemate situation, sir." I replied, trying to make myself understood into the microphone. "The Albish mages are not abandoning their current positions, and they remain alert to our every move as new ships and equipment arrive on both sides. Only today we spotted two destroyers and four minesweepers joining the Albish fleet currently in service."
"Situation among the ranks?"
"Mostly peaceful, sir," I replied, "I have ordered my officers to keep their nerves steady and control discipline among the units to make sure that there can be no firefights between the two sides. Tempers are a little tense, but for now the situation is under control."
"Very well," replied the electronic voice on the communications equipment, "avoid open conflicts with the Allied Kingdom: we have currently managed to avoid providing them with excuses to intervene in the war, and we want to avoid missteps."
"Yes sir. Just to ask, how is the situation on the pocket front?"
"I am officially informing you that we have entered the final phase of the operation: today armored and motorized forces of the Imperial Army, supported by their allied Air Force and their own magic wards, attacked stragglers near Lilfré, breaking the enemy defense line and destroying the last-known enemy supply depot near Tutrefe. As you well know, imperial air control over the pocket is de facto absolute now, and therefore the Republicans can no longer afford to send aerial supplies; at the same time, the action of our navy and rapid mobile forces has made sea resupply, even by submarine craft, impossible. Now, the Republican forces in the pocket, deprived of supplies, without food and medicine, and with little ammunition, are effectively doomed."
"How long will it take to complete pacification?"
"A week, ten days at most. At the same time, our forces deployed on the new front line are moving slowly but steadily westward and southward. Imperial scouts on motorcycles today have reached the outskirts of the Republican capital, confirming both the Republicans' inability to set up new forces to stabilize the front line and the apparent total abandonment of many small and medium-sized population centers. Nothing can stop or even slow down our armored forces once the pocket is pacified and we can begin redeployment."
"Very well, we will hold the position until further notice. Major König, over and out."
The radio link was broken, and I, condescending to the radio officer who had helped me without a word, left the room, heading for the command bridge.
It was there that Christel intercepted me.
"Major, can you come right away? There is a matter that involves you as well."
"What's going on, are the Albish forces changing strategy?"
"No sir. I wish it was just that..."
You wish? I thought with a note of discomfort. What could be that would make Christel actually hope for an active engagement with the Albish mages?
Quickly, I followed her into a room who, currently, was used by her, me and Tanya to plan the active plans and operation of our magical forces. Tanya was already there, as so were Tragen and Viktoriya. I quickly realized it was important.
"You're late, Major König." Tanya said. "If the ship was under direct attack, you would be already dead."
"If the ship was under direct attack," I replied, taking on my chair place, "then it would mean that either the radar system did not work as it was meant to, or our patrolling forces already on air got distracted on duty. Are you perhaps suggesting that the sailors and mages are that incompetent, Major Degurechaff?"
We exchanged belligerent glares for a few seconds, before Christel's voice gained both our attentions.
"Sirs, fellow officer of the Imperial magical forces, the Graf Zeppelin's command just received some news from the local Navy HQ: at 4:35 two days ago, a group of 200 Republican civilians banged into the harbor of St. Exupienne, which our forces had secured the other day, and gathered aboard an Albish transport ship, the HMS Beetle, which some Republican soldiers seized before running away. The ship had no food or medical supplies, but its engines were still in good working conditions and there was still a decent supply of fuel on board. Moreover, it is clear now that, among those civilians there were some with naval experience, at least knowing enough to plan a ship's route."
"Wait, you mean that…?"
"Yes, Major Degurechaff." Christel replied. "The civilians managed to start the ship's engine and set sail on the open sea. Our garrison was unable to stop them, because there was no naval unit yet close to the area"
"Did they use our submarine forces or naval air force to attack the ship?"
"Command vetoed the idea: not only can we not risk killing a couple hundred civilians, but the ship still technically belongs to the Allied Kingdom. We were planning to give it back, along with the others, once the war with the Republic was over."
"A quite particular situation." I said. "However… how does it involves us?"
"Yesterday, an Imperial submarine on patrol intercepted one message from the civilians: they said that the ship, that they apparently renamed MNR Liberté, is currently running low on fuel and the food that the people were able to bring with them is almost gone. Thus, they are steering the ship's course toward the closest aid they know…"
"…that being the Albish naval forces, currently stationed on their own territorial waters, just a little outside of Imperial-controlled Republican waters, where we are currently standing now." Tanya groaned, holding her front with her hands.
"Correct." continued Christel. "Now, the ship is currently at three nautical miles from our position, and moving toward the Albish force. They do not appear to know it yet, but they will soon. We have a short time of advantage to plan what to do."
"Let's send our forces to the ship, raid it and bring it back to the continent?"
"That's NOT an option, unfortunately." Christel replied. "Not only is the situation with the Allied Kingdom volatile as-is, the ship is technically theirs and our forces raiding it could be interpreted as an act of piracy. Moreover, the last thing the Empire needs is to gain a reputation of attacking civilian vessels in the wrong place and wrong time."
"And if we simply ignore the issue and let them reach the Albish fleet?" I intervened. "I mean, they are not carrying weapons or military intelligence, and they have no deserters among them, so they have nothing that we should worry about leaving the Republican front. If we let them go, and just stand our ground as they reach for their supposed safety, we can avoid huge diplomatic incidents."
"That was a good idea, but it can't be done the same, for reasons I am going to explain now." Christel took another paper. "According to some listeners, informants we spent time and resources infiltrating into the Allied Kingdom's military forces and lower government, some of the top brass of the Albish military are not sufficiently scared of us. In truth, they think that our forces will fold at the first attack…"
"This behavior kind of reminds me the thinking that led to the Entente government starting this whole war." Tanya mused.
"Indeed. So far they are neutral, as the Albish government and their royal family do not support starting military operations against us. However, as some of our informants say, we cannot risk showing ourselves as weak. If that ship passes, we could accidentally send the wrong message and let them think that we are too afraid of them or too weak to even try and stop them. The Empire wants peace with the Kingdom, but it has to be an equal peace, with both our nation standing as equals."
"That's a quite tricky situation, don't you think? Whenever we chose, we risk something."
"Actually," I said, "there is a third option we could check on."
"And, what would that be, Major König?" Tanya asked.
"Captain Heider, you said that the reason why those civilians are approaching the Albish forces is to request assistance, for both fuel and food, as well as medical attention. We can't take the ship back, nor can we let them pass unckecked. However, how about inspecting the ship and assist them first?"
"What do you mean?"
"Quite simple: the world might frown on the image of Imperial soldiers storming a ship full of women and children. However, if the image was of brave Imperial soldiers delivering food and medical aid in the name of common humanity and care for non-combatants…"
We thought about it. I knew in my heart that it was the best of the option, but also the most difficult to pull out. It only needed someone who got nervous enough, a couple of fingers who moved unconsciously, a bullet shot without intention… and it could end in a bloodbath.
"Major, you think you can pull this off?"
"What a joke." Tanya replied. "They are Republicans, they see us as the enemy!"
"They are also hungry, with many women and children, grabbing whatever hope they had left in order to survive." I said, my smile turning evil just like Tanya has, without intention, taught me to do so "When we'll offer them food and medicines, when we will show them the choice between loyalty to a defeated nation and the safety for their kids… will they follow their heart, or their stomach?"
"Ship in sight." said one of the battalion mages, his eyes glued to the binoculars he was carrying. "Speed is 5 knots, the deck is full of refugees."
"I don't believe it." Tragen said behind my back. "Did they really have no idea what to do after they managed to seize the ship?"
"Probably." said I with a grin. "Their plan only went as far as the part where they seized the ship and sailed to safety, and they miscalculated the supply of provisions to take on board. Or perhaps they thought, just as the ship was fueled, they would also find sufficient food on board..."
"Major König, this is submarine U-86, we are about half a mile from the current position of the vessel. If they try to escape, we will target the rudder and neutralize it."
"Copy." I replied in my communicator. "I advise you, however, to surface and fire a warning shot with your forward cannon before proceeding. I want to hold any option that could be seen as an attack in reserve, until the very last moment."
"As you wish. All things considered, that wreck will not be able to go far, given its condition."
I shut off the communicator, quickly proceeding to give the tactical orders for the various teams in the battalion. "Alright men, we have a mission ahead of us, and I want each team to stick to their tasks: Leitgeb, you and your squad with me and Tragen, we will position ourselves so that we are exactly in front of the approaching vessel. Baumer, you and your men will be on the right flank, Metternich on the right! I want you low enough to be clearly visible, but at the same time high enough that whatever they can throw at you cannot reach you."
"Sir, but what if they hide some weapons on board?"
"Unless they've managed to hide a heavy machine gun or a self-propelled artillery gun, they don't have anything that can breach our shields." smiled I. "Keep your cool and your nerves steady, and all will be well. Nadelmann, what is the condition of your men?"
"All in good health and well equipped, sir." he replied. "No matter what happens today, we are ready for anything!"
"Very well. You and your men will position yourselves above us, and you will maintain visual and techno-magical control of the airspace around us. If anyone intervenes without our knowledge, you will be our shield to give us time to regroup and counterattack."
"Sir, what about us?" asked Katarina Engelmann and Ulrich Lettmann, commanders of the battalion's last two squadrons.
"You will be in reserve and support for Nadelmann, you will assist with control, and if someone attacks us, you will be on the front line the time it takes to reorganize. But let's try to get home without dead civilians, just for today."
"Very good sir."
"Proceed!"
The various teams separated, each setting up at his or her station and role, while Tragen and I, accompanied by Leitgeb's team, set up on the ship's route. The poor visibility worked in our favor, and many people on board would not notice us until they were well within the operational range of our guns and spells.
As I saw the dark silhouette of the ship approaching, I saw that someone had written, in red color on her right side, the name MNR Liberté. Had they perhaps seen in such a broken-down vessel a providential ark for their salvation?
The Ark, however, was not supposed to be bulletproof, I thought with pervese pleasure.
"HALT!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, once I was sure someone on board could hear me. I could see the skinny, wispy bodies snapping back to life, eyes opening, people standing up and turning their heads as the ship, though without stopping, decreased further in speed.
"Damn you filthy imperial dogs!" shouted someone on board, shaking their fist. "How dare you follow us here?"
"I'm sorry," I said, quickly getting on my 'cute, innocent kid' voice and personality, "we received your distress call, saying that you need for and medical aid for the people on board. Though our nations are currently on war, there is no need to not behave ourselves like civilized people."
"Civilized, you monsters?" he cried again, launching something (that I believed was a spare wrench) toward me, but missing due to long distance and the weight of the wrench sinking it. "We do not-"
"Pierre, stop!" an older woman, who looked quite old enough to have grandchildren said, putting her hands on his arm to stop him, before turning to face me. "You, come closer. But let me tell you that we are armed, and willing to die instead of letting yourself capture us."
"I hear you. I'm coming alone." I said, moving forward. Tragen winked, as we both knew what to do.
I flew until I was right above the ship's deck, and then landed myself, quickly surrounded by curious eyes. I could see many men and women, as well as quite a lot of kids , who were wary and nervous by my presence, but also attracted by the supposed supplies I was bringing.
Let's give them a taste... I thought as I unloaded my military backpack, quickly grabbing some food rations and medicines I had prepared for this reason. For me, they were worthless, as the medicines were very basic ones and the food rations were quite awful, something we only ate when everyday food was unavailable, but for them… it was a treasure worth much more than a mountain of gold and jewels.
Their eyes laid greedy of the food once they saw it, and I could see their hands trembling in anticipation. The minds that were so determined to escape once, were now driven by the primordial feeling of hunger.
"Consider this a gift, to prove the goodwill of me and my soldiers, as well as the Imperial Armed forces. We do not want to bring you back home, nor we want to incarcerate you. You want to leave, that's fine. But since we found out about so many people dying of hunger, we could not stand still while you simply starve. We have food, and you need it, we have medicines, and you need it. So please, allow us to help."
"You bastards!" the man from before yelled, quickly approached by some other men who were clearly siding with him. "You want to sweet talk us into chains? You soulless tyrant bastards! What do you want?"
"We want nothing!" I said, accentuating my kid voice and my puppy eyes. "In the ancient times, when knights fought, the defeated one could be treated with chivalry and friendship from the victor, as it was deemed inhumane to grant them the honor they are bonded to. Why can't we take lessons from our past, and show you some generousity? We know that, if we would have been the losing ones, you would have done the same!"
"We do not want it!" he said, moving to the food, grabbing it and then throwing it overboard, the impatient eyes of the people that were planning to take it for their own use and for their families silently screamed. "You Imperials believe the world is yours, you believe you can come here and pummel us into submission, but we will not yeld! Go to hell!"
I stopped, appearing hurt. "Very well, we'll leave you alone, if that's what you really want."
It was then that the men and his friends, so sure of them a few seconds before, noticed the angry eyes pointed at them. The married men, the lone women and the wives, the starving childrens, the old people who could still found strength in their bodies to move, they were all glaring at them. A silent, but unstoppable rage in their eyes.
For a few seconds, no one said nothing. Then, one of the kids moved forward, and the man, realizing it, slapped his hands away. As soon as violence started, the battle erupted, and the few hairline republicans were destroyed by the people that they explicitly said they would let starve to death in name of an empty moral and a defeated nation.
The man was wrong: we were not here to punch them into submission. They would do it to themselves, with the right motivation. And an empty stomach is stronger than any patriotic tendency.
"Erst komm das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral" First comes a full belly, then comes morality, as someone born in the Empire once said.
