Plots and Plans
Plots and Plans
St Gertrude Orphanage
5th May 1924
Amelie opened the letter from Tanya, hoping it brought good news, but knowing that there wouldn't be any. Tanya was a famous and capable Combat Mage now, there was no way she'd be sent anywhere safe.
At least that was what she thought. Tears of joy dripped down her face as she read the latest news, Tanya was coming back to Berun for War College.
Her little girl was going to be off the battlefield for a while, perhaps she could even visit.
Charloburg War College, Germania
10th May 1924
As he watched the little girl get off her bicycle and walk through the front gates, the guard couldn't quite believe his eyes. She was just a child.
"You're judging people based on their appearances again," commented his more experienced colleague.
"How can you not? That's just a little girl! I thought she was just a propaganda model!"
"Well, if you weren't so preoccupied with judging her by looks alone, you'd have noticed her two medals. They don't just give out the Silver Wings and the Golden Crown for participating in photo taking sessions."
"What? But she's so young! How could she possibly have both and still be alive? They're almost exclusively posthumous!" asked the younger man incredulously.
"And yet it's true. From what I hear, she got the Wings by becoming an Ace on her first engagement with the Legadonians and got her Crown by saving Prince Otto in the Rhine. Do you still think that she's just a little girl?"
"That's insane."
Tanya fiddled with her medals as she walked through the hallway to her first class. She never had to wear any of her medals besides the Silver Wings before this, they didn't hold enough significance to justify giving them the limited space she had. But the Golden Crown was different, it was one of the highest honours she could receive, she was obligated to wear the Golden Crown above her Silver Wings.
Entering the lecture room, she saw the faces of her fellow students change into one of shock as they started to notice her. Even with all her achievements, they were still judging her based on her age and appearance. It seems the Germanian Empire still needed to work on her meritocracy.
Taking her seat at the front, she took out her notebook and prepared to learn. Even if she was taking an accelerated course, she was behind schedule. Their enemies won't wait for her to finish her Battalion.
Port Pula, Osterreich-Ungar
14th May 1924
The Ostero-Ungarian Kriegsmarine has long past its glory days. That had been the general consensus about the Naval arm of the military for perhaps close to a decade.
Yet as with news of the Phantoms' recent escapade, the Navy saw new life. Donations from the citizenry, nobility, royalty and even rumours of Germanian investments brought hope that the dying arm of the military would see the return of its glory.
Projects that should have taken years now expected to take months as the Navy's funding increased fivefold and their manpower threefold. Starting with the completion of the future king of the Mediterranean, the SMS Ozeankaiser.
Once left abandoned after its funding was cut, it now threatened to be the largest ship Osterreich-Ungar had ever constructed.
'A project that would establish the Naval dominance of Osterreich-Ungar in the Mediterranean.'
A quote that was not to be taken lightly, for the future Flagship's entourage was already seaworthy, an entire fleet of the latest Ostero-Ungarian ships waiting for the crowning of their ruler, waiting for the day they can crush the blockade that denied their dominance over the Mediterranean.
And it was all thanks to the SMS Roma. The vessel that started this Naval revolution was to have a starring role in the operation. Oh, what a sight it would be to behold, the ship that carried the name of the Ildoan capital instrumental in tearing apart their plans. Well, as soon as it was finally refitted of course.
It was truly wonderful to see just how much could be done with just the heroism of a few. The Francois and Ildoans would soon know just what a force they were dealing with.
Long Live Kaiser Karl I, may the Dragon of the South reign for a thousand years!
Having a peaceful meal was so hard to come by, but here they were, the Phantoms eating in the furnace room of a decommissioned ship. Pasta in tomato sauce stolen from Ildoan supplies wasn't all that bad, and they also had freshly baked, if albeit burnt, bread. Naval Command would never approve of using a ship as a makeshift bakery, so they best not get caught.
"Major, why did you want to capture the Roma anyway? It seemed so out of the ordinary, yet looking at how much it's done to help strengthen the navy, it almost feels like you had it all planned out," queried Katya, taking another mouthful of Penne.
"Remind me to thank Antonia for sourcing the ingredients for the bread," Marcel confessed his thoughts, "Truth be told, I never thought that far, I was just planning to play games with the Ildoans. Taking their capital, so to speak. I expected it to crush their morale, but I certainly wasn't expecting it to fund our navy. The propaganda division must be working overtime."
"When will they name a ship after me, then? I've donated so much!" demanded Petra, shoddy rations doing nothing to dull her self-importance.
"Probably never, naming a ship after someone as high maintenance as you would be a curse. The thing would probably be so temperamental it never works," struck Katalin, out for blood, "Besides, isn't your father selling the Navy the steel for the ships? You're getting richer from this!"
Felix forced away his grin, taking another bun out of the furnace, "I hear they're planning to commission one named after our Battalion though. Too bad the war will be over by the time it's done. Still, something named the SMS Phantom is sure to strike fear into the hearts of future enemies."
"Quite the positive outlook, Becker. You think the war will end soon?" asked Petra.
"It had better, I can't imagine a reason for anyone to want to drag out the war."
Charloburg War College, Germania
22nd May 1924
Life in war college hadn't been easy, and having limited knowledge from the 'future' made studying tougher. Thankfully those were issues that could be remedied with hard work.
Most of the topics Tanya had become acquainted with during her time studying with Marcel had limited usefulness here. He was a field commander, not a General. His expertise mostly lay in winning engagements, not choosing which ones to fight. Instead, a few things in her journal had shown their usefulness, as distasteful as they may be.
But those were the least of her issues. There were inevitable problems facing the Germanian Empire looming in the future, things that she had no choice but to be a part of. If she didn't form her Battalion, the fate of Germania would be grim. She needed to meet Brigadier General von Zettour.
Tanya Degurechaff had her work cut out for her. Perhaps a visit to a church to curse Being X would relieve her stress.
Space Beyond Mortal Comprehension
Time Beyond Mortal Understanding
Through the pain of having his shell slowly crack from his essence changing, Kysll had to deal with the irritating feeling of knowing that there were mortals cursing his existence.
He really wished mortals would stop insulting him while in church, it was frankly kind of rude. At least outside of holy places, he could pretend to ignore the blasphemy.
The woes of being a deity, he couldn't ever please everyone. Why couldn't they just be atheists instead of blaming him for everything bad that happened to them? It's not like he was short on faith.
Wien, Capital of Osterreich-Ungar
May 1924
Nagy Hendrik had expected the war would cause Osterreich-Ungar to make strange alliances, but he wasn't expecting a meeting like this.
Sitting across from him was an Albish 'envoy', offering a deal. The Commonwealth would provide loans to the Ostero-Ungarians, who were pulled unfairly into a war, in exchange for keeping Albion interests in mind.
Ostero-Ungarian intelligence had already expected the Commonwealth was giving out loans to all three belligerent nations, so it was likely that the Albion Kingdom was playing both sides. No matter which side won, they had something to gain.
So the question was whether they could be brought to favour Osterreich-Ungar more. The Empire had no colonies; a few short lived expeditions to the southern continent had proven that they didn't have the resources to effectively maintain them.
They could offer the colonies of the Francois if they won, but that would be akin to selling eggs that had not yet been laid. Perhaps something from the Ildoans? The Ildoan front seemed to be going well, perhaps they could force them to capitulate by the end of the year.
The details of the transaction were finalised and a deal was struck. Hendrik hoped their fair-weather friends would hold their end of the bargain as the war raged on. But there were other deals to be made, the Balgariya-Dacian Union had their own ambitions in the southern continent, and the Kingdom of Jugoslavija was tiring of the blockade, trade had slowed to a near halt.
It would be a very busy period for a very tired man. That promotion was really a curse.
Charloburg War College, Germania
6th June 1924
Tanya looked through the shelves, searching for the information she really needed. It was clear that the Geopolitical situation was different from the one in her Journal.
There was no likelihood that Balgariya-Dacia would declare war on Germania. In her previous life, the Dacians only joined the war under pressure from the Francois and Legadonians, but in this life the Union was powerful enough to stand against the whims of other nations. Besides, they'd have to march through Osterreich-Ungar to get to the Germanian border.
The only likely threats would be the Albion Kingdom, well known for their meddling, and the Russy Federation, because communists need a common enemy to not tear each other to shreds. Perhaps the Unified States too, they were another military superpower. None of them were forces that Germania would want to take on, much less all three at once.
Putting back her books, she went to look for more references. This time about the historical relationships between the two allied Empires. She found it or at least she knew where the book was. The book out of her reach, she searched for a step stool, cursing the body forced on her by Being X.
It was a mildly amusing sight. A mind so sharp, held back by a small body. She was by no means small, just slightly below average for one aged eleven. But that was the crux of the issue, her age. Despite all her achievements, it seemed like too many people were still against her.
As Lieutenant Degurechaff began to read about the historical enmity between Germania and her southern Neighbour, the silent observer moved behind her, looking over her shoulder.
"Excuse me, you're in my light," she commented, focused on her book.
"My apologies, I was just interested in knowing what you were reading."
Turning around to find out who the offender was, the sharp words she prepared were thrown away.
Behind her stood Brigadier General von Zettour.
How embarrassing, she had almost insulted the member of the General Staff she was waiting for.
"General! Please take a seat, I can tell you all about the book, I have time to spare."
"I'll take you up on your invitation then, why are you reading a book on Osterreich-Ungar?" he questioned, "Surely it would be better to read up on our more hostile neighbours?"
"Their public sentiment now is that they were unfairly pulled into the war by Germania. They are only our allies due to the defensive pact, if the war takes a turn for the worse, they may abandon us, or… worse."
"Oh? Well then Lieutenant, I want a young person's opinion, how do you think this war will turn out?"
Was he testing her? It didn't matter, she was ready.
"If I am allowed to speak my mind? This will be the worst war the world has ever seen. A World War. A war that will take up all the resources a nation can muster."
"A World War? On what basis?" asked the General. She had gotten his attention.
"As of now, we already have five major powers entangled in it. The Empire is superior to its current enemies, and if we fought them one at a time, we would come out victorious. The same could be said for Osterreich-Ungar, they are currently dominating their ground engagements with Ildoa and are making headway in their Naval operations. It would certainly alarm the other powers that the two nations are allied. The Commonwealth and Federation won't like it if we win, they may join in as well."
"Even if they have no direct interest in the war?"
"They may not have any direct interest in the war, but the Albish have always preferred a disarrayed Europa, and the Rus? I doubt they will like having two of the strongest nations sharing borders with them. If we beat the Republic, the two Empires would establish their dominance over the continent. Not something any of the other powers would want. In fact, I bet the Albish are already supplying most of the belligerent of this war."
"What is our goal, then? If we are to avoid the worst possible outcome? How would we do that?"
He was on the verge of understanding that the rules of war had changed, just another push.
"We force our enemies into an unfavourable position and have them make concessions, we limit our attrition until we have favourable terms, as it was for the Ostero-Ungarians. Peace is victory for the defenders."
"How will we do that?"
"You know the answer as well as I do. Aerial Mages have the firepower of Artillery, yet are more mobile than even planes. I expect you've been trying to form a Special Operations Battalion, similar to the Ostero-Ungarians. Our own problem solvers. Give me that Battalion."
Shaking his head, the General rejected her, "You're asking for too much. Your medals may have proven your ability as a Mage, but you do not have enough credentials as a commander. Your achievements make the Nobles envious, there are some Staff members who wish to bury your talent."
"What if I graduated as one of the Twelve Knights? Would you fight for me?"
"Perhaps that would be enough. If you succeed in that, I will do my best to give you that Battalion."
Things were going her way. With a smile, she replied, "Yes sir."
It worked out. She had put her heart into understanding the topic the journal had put so much detail on. Brigadier General von Zettour now understood the severity of the war and had a solution for it, just like her past self had dictated.
It was inevitable that she would be given control over the Battalion, it already happened once. The Empire would need a competent Mage as the commander and who better than the 'Spectre'? The Nobles may complain about her age, but which other living Mage boasted having the Silver Wings and the Golden Crown? In the end, she was the right choice and they knew it.
Her only chance to obtain a peaceful life was by achieving victory. To end the war with her own hands. Best brush up on her command skills, she wouldn't want to disappoint her mentor.
As he left, Brigadier General von Zettour turned around to watch Lieutenant Degurechaff looking through her books.
The future of warfare had been a question long thought about by the general staff. Yet Lieutenant Degurechaff was so sure of how it would play out.
A world war. If it came to be, the Empire would need to escape as intact as possible. Perhaps her plan would truly be the best choice.
Train to Norden
13th June 1924
Erich von Lehrgen looked at the packet General Rudersdorf had passed him just before he left for Norden. It was something that General Zettour had shared, a paper of some sort.
Opening the packet and putting it to the side, Erich started reading through the document. Line by line, he felt his unease growing, until he finally felt that familiar pain in his gut.
The paper in his hands predicted a terrible future. A War that would shake the world. The Alliance between Germania and Osterreich-Ungar had made them both stronger. It was the reason why the Francois, Legadonia and Ildoa had united against them, to balance that power.
Erich von Lehrgen couldn't find any way to disagree with the paper. If Ildoa fell to Osterreich-Ungar and Legadonia defeated by Germania, it would only be the Francois left, an obvious victory for the Great Central Alliance. The other World powers certainly wouldn't sit still knowing that was a possibility. It was possible they would join in.
But there was just one issue he couldn't put his finger on. Why was the whole document so unsettling, was it all the terms he'd never heard about?
Charloburg War College, Germania
24th June 1924
The class that Tanya was dreading had come and gone, with the only thing to show for it being her latest assignment, she had to write a thesis on countering a rebelling city.
As she held her pen to write the paper, Lecturer von Bastion's words kept repeating themselves over and over within her head.
'No reason not to push any advantage you have. Never assume the enemy plays by the same rulebook.'
He was right. The Francois wouldn't play fair, they would use innocents as shields if it meant winning the war. So why should Germania play by the old conventions?
If she didn't write this thesis, the Francois would cut the supply lines to the Western Front, potentially killing tens or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers. A necessary evil.
But yet, she hesitated. If she submitted this idea, there would be no turning back. The world would forever judge her as the one who suggested this horrible idea, the one that suggested that the military burn its citizens.
'They will judge you one way or another.'
Gritting her teeth and putting her thoughts on morality aside, Tanya knew she had to do what was practical and logical. She had to pen a horrifying new page into the Book of War. She would be the one that suggested the 'Devil's Plan', she would be the one that caused the Firebombing of Arene.
In the end, she picked the lesser of two evils. She couldn't go soft, she couldn't let her feelings on the matter take precedence over winning the war. This concerned more than just her.
Signing her name on the cover of the thesis, Tanya let out a curse, "Screw you Being X!"
Screw you, you heartless bastard.
Port Pula, Osterreich-Ungar
12th July 1924
"They caught another one, huh?" asked the sailor.
"That's the sixth saboteur so far. Those Ildoans really want to sink the ship," answered his shipmate.
"It's our worst insult to them so far. Those Phantoms are crazy, stealing such an important ship right from under their noses. Scared them so bad they started hiding their ships in their ports instead of using them."
"Haha, those cowards should have known better than to attack us. Crushing them in the mountains and the seas. Probably the plains too, no news being good news and all that."
"Those Ildoans won't forget this war, that's for sure."
"I can't believe we're stuck playing babysitter to this damn ship. Taking care of it is more effort than it's worth. We're the Phantoms dammit, not the Guards," complained Antonia.
Pencil in hand, looking up from his sketch, Adolphus confessed, "Hmph, I quite like this, it gives me time to sketch out my next art piece. 'The Steelclad Insult', it's going to be sought after by every single noble House. It'll be worth a fortune!"
"Why are they taking apart the hull anyway? I thought they said the Major only messed up the insides, it should have been completed by now."
"The Admiral said they're refitting it. From what I can tell, they're reinforcing the front, apparently they want it to be able to ram through the blockade," clarified Hugo, showing his newfound expertise in structural engineering.
"They're really planning to make the operation as dramatic as possible, huh. Hopefully I can get a picture of it happening, newspapers would pay top dollar for things like that," concluded Antonia.
"Ever the money minded," replied Adolphus with a disapproving tsk.
"Hey! You don't get to say that! You were literally just talking about how much your painting would be worth!"
"Port Brindisi is full of those new Ildoan ships. Having two Major Naval ports so close to the barrage makes everything harder, they'd probably send out everything they have to keep us from breaching it," frowned Marcel, looking at the latest reports from intelligence with his chin on the table.
"We'll have to take at least one out before the Operation, then. I'll gather the commanders and we'll figure out how to go from there," answered Nikolai, fading into the shadows before Marcel could respond.
"I'll never get used to that, he's way too used to being in his sister's shadow for his own good. Speaking of sisters, I wonder how Tanya is doing in war college, she hasn't written in ages."
The Alps, Germania
18th July 1924
Tanya cursed her frail body as she marched through the snowy mountain. The day had started well enough, waking up in a resort, a nice walk through a peaceful town. But it led to the hell that was now. While the Germanian Empire had been kind enough to provide accommodation for female officers, there wasn't any regulation on how much weight they had to carry. Whoever came up with the lesson plan was a maniac.
The purpose of the field trip was to gauge the ability of the officers in making decisions while under extreme conditions. Nothing she couldn't handle, she was already combat fit. Lieutenant Viktor Strauss on the other hand, was not.
"Strauss, say an enemy built a defensive firing position up on that hill, and you have been ordered to make a swift advance on them. How would you do it?" asked the instructor.
"I would go around, it would be difficult to break through."
"I'd like to see you try! Look at the topography before you speak! Degurechaff! How about you?"
Dammit Viktor.
"Do I have Artillery support?"
"Assume you don't."
"The safest option would be to make a long retreat and manoeuvre along a different ridgeline."
"If you don't have the time?"
"Skirmish tactics, Mages to take out the emplacement, and the infantry to back them up."
"What if you only had infantry?"
"That would be an impossible task. Just southeast of here, Ildoans are paying for that very same mistake with their lives. Their Air Support, Artillery and Mages have all been taken out by the Ostero-Ungarians and yet their infantry still charge uphill hoping to succeed. As a commander, it is my job to inform you that it cannot be done. We should not waste brave men on foolish tasks."
"I'll take note of that, we'll resume the march!"
Port Pula, Osterreich-Ungar
20th July 1924
"An attack on Brindisi? That's madness. It's a port full of the latest Ildoan ships!" complained Admiral Sterneck of the second fleet.
"Which is why we need to remove it. We won't be able to take out the blockade with two ports worth of ships breathing down our necks. Brindisi is the obvious choice, Taranto is too far away."
"I understand the reasoning! But how do you propose we do that? My fleet is at least a decade out of date! The SMS Gottesschwert has nowhere close to the power of the Ozeankaiser nor the Roma."
Employing his glib tongue, Marcel tried to smooth things over, "I have a plan, of course. It's not going to actually be a naval attack, we will use aerial bombardment for most of the damage. We really just need the fleet to stage our Naval Mages. You just have to fire a few volleys and call it a day. Afterwards, you can even leverage that success to have your fleet refitted, I know you've been sending in requests for a while."
The Admiral tried to excuse himself, "I-I need to go, but I'll think about it."
"Oh, perhaps I should ask Admiral Schiffsbug for the First Fleet's assistance instead? I've heard him brag about the Szent Landzsa being the best of its class."
"He said that? That bastard! He's got a big head just because it's called the Landzsa class! Fine, we'll do it once you get the approval."
Marcel smiled to himself, sometimes it was just too easy.
Cafe Zolka, Berun
25th July 1924
Visiting the Café had become a part of Tanya's routine. It probably started after her first visit with Marcel and Amelie, but it somehow feels like it could have been earlier? Faint memories of visits that never happened occasionally drifted by.
Nevertheless, with coffee and food that was infinitely better than whatever the mess hall served, there was no reason not to visit. She was getting paid to study after all, just one of the benefits of a society that valued their scholars.
Having given the waitress her order, Tanya opened her newspaper, hoping to get more insight of how the war was progressing. It seemed like there wasn't much of a change since, nothing as interesting as a few months back. Then again, it was hard to beat capturing a battleship with Mages.
From what she heard about the Ostero-Ungarian Naval reforms, Major von Bastion probably had it all planned out from the start. Just capturing a vessel was already a dangerous task, they would have been vastly outnumbered with no space to manoeuvre, casualties were practically guaranteed. Yet he had picked a target that was worth the danger, one that severely damaged the enemy's morale after it was captured.
She had to work harder, to fulfil his expectations of her. A Mage that would surpass even him? He certainly knew how to give her a challenge.
Maximilian Johann von Ugar was one of the brightest of his batch. He was on the path to being one of the Twelve Knights, there were few that could match up to him.
But one of them was the girl sitting in the very cafe he was walking past. Reading a newspaper while in her custom sized uniform, Tanya Degurechaff was quite a sight. She always held herself with an air of confidence, like a model soldier.
His curiosity had been piqued a long time, he needed to talk to her. Walking to her window booth, he called out to her, "Lieutenant Degurechaff, a coincidence to see you here, may I take a seat?"
Putting down her reading material, she returned the greeting with a salute, "By all means. Though, you look overdressed for a meal here."
"I was just passing by when I spotted you. I couldn't help but want to ask you a question."
"Well, I'll be happy to answer your questions."
"Why did you enlist as a soldier? Surely someone as talented as you would do well anywhere."
Her body stiffening, she replied, "I needed freedom from the orphanage. I was treated well, but I couldn't just sit there waiting for the future to happen. I needed to do something. Unfortunately there's very little an orphan can actually do, talented or not."
It sounded like ambition, but it was something else. What was it that drove her?
"But you're just a child, you shouldn't be in the military! Surely neither of your parents would have wanted this for you. I can't stand it. I can't stand seeing a little girl having to fight for the Empire. I recently became a father myself, I can't imagine sending my own daughter to war."
"Congratulations, I know you'll make a great father."
"That's besides the point, I cannot imagine seeing my daughter have to fight. There's something wrong with a society that sends its children off to war."
"Like Major von Bastion, you're also someone with common sense. He also recommended I quit."
The Wraith asked her to quit? Was that why he spent so much time with her, then? Was he doing his best to protect a little girl that wanted to fight?
Even as he was thinking about the implications of her words, Degurechaff spoke on, "But I can't do that. I have to fight, I can't give up and let fate control me. I need to forge my own path. Instead, I have to suggest that you quit. I have no family, but you have a wife and a child. Get yourself to the rear before it gets worse. Perhaps the railway department would suit you."
She spoke as if she had nothing to lose, as if fighting was the only thing she had. What a depressing thought.
Tanya knew that Ugar's place was not at the front. He had the talent for the rear and it would be a waste for him to die, he would be a source of the best chocolate and coffee beans while she was at the front. She had handed him all he needed to succeed in the rear, hopefully it would keep another of her friends safe.
The fact that her standings as one of the Twelve Knights would improve if one of her competitors were to leave was just an added bonus.
Port Brindisi, Ildoa
24th August 1924
"Major, enemy Mages at five!" announced Lieutenant Nikolai Morozova as he looked through his binoculars.
"Reapers and Banshees, counter them. Don't let them get close to the fleet!" commanded the Major, "Wisps take out the anti-air! Wraiths take out those naval batteries! Explosive spells authorised and recommended!"
Long distance rounds struck the defending Marine Mages, taking out a few before they scattered, trying to spot their enemies. While the Ildoan Mages were tied down, piercing shots tore through the hulls of the naval guns and the anti-air artillery, opening the port for a naval raid.
"Company pull out of the splash zone! The bombers are coming in!" ordered the Major as the drone of propellers came from the East.
A few bombing runs prepared the tomb for the defending vessels, crippling their ability to fight back. Shells fired from the raiding fleet rained down on the disarmed ships, turning them from 'fleet in being' to 'scraps of steel'. Buried amongst the wreckage were the latest additions to the Ildoan Navy, too precious to use, docked in the port as a show of force. Their treasured fleet sank before they ever saw real combat. The steel spent in making them would have been better used making kitchenware.
Unfortunately for the Ildoans, they couldn't stop the Mages from neutralising their defences before the enemy's naval forces entered the fray. The naval emplacements that were meant for planes and ships were too bulky to deal with the agile Mages. Their own Mages outclassed by the enemy's.
The Ostero-Ungarian attempt to turn the tables on the Ildoan navy worked, the largest threat inside of the Adriatic was no more.
One more task completed before the real show!
Imperial Palace, Berun, Capital of Germania
15th September 1924
Marianne looked at the newspaper like a lovestruck schoolgirl. Her one true love was doing such a great job with Ildoa. She had already spent some of her money on funding the Ostero-Ungarian Navy, but surely he would appreciate it more if she sent over soldiers of her own to help him.
But that couldn't quite work, it would be hard for her to move units from the fronts. Perhaps she could sponsor the creation of a new formation? A Mage formation would be most useful, one led by someone popular and famous. Perhaps the little Mage that was talented enough to foil her plans? She did overhear a few of the Nobility arguing about giving her command over a Battalion.
A Battalion under her name. If Marianne played her cards right, she could help her beloved while increasing her own popularity with the citizenry of both nations, perhaps she could even overshadow Otto and claim the Crown.
Yes, she may not be allowed anywhere close to a battlefield, but Marianne could still win over the soldiers.
General Staff office, Dining Room 1
24th September 1924
The worst birthday meal ever, sour meat, oversalted vegetables, her one bastion of sanity, the plain potatoes. Just how poorly do they feed their officers? Do the kitchen staff even know what cooking is?
"So Captain, how was the meal?" asked General von Zettour, obviously a veteran of the meals here. He didn't even touch the dish in front of him.
"To be frank, Sir. It's much like how a real battlefield is," she replied, holding back from adding 'surrounded by enemies' to her statement.
"A fine answer! Perhaps we should name it the perpetual battlefield dining hall then!" joked Colonel von Kordel from Personnel.
Please don't.
"Your attitude is commendable, Captain. Please don't hold back, you should eat up."
Lying through her teeth, she answered, "It's fine, I have a small stomach, I've had my fill."
"Let's get to the matter at hand, then. Congratulations on your promotion, Captain von Degurechaff. We're here to discuss your assignment. We'll take your wishes into account," said the Colonel, handing over a stack of documents, then a much thinner one, "And here is the one from General Staff. In light of your achievements, you get to choose. We will not force you. Now, I best be going, I have other tasks to attend to."
A curse and a blessing. The only way to fight Being X. She had already chosen before this meeting.
Picking up the thinner binder, Tanya looked at General Zettour, "I would have thought the Nobles in the General Staff would have fought harder against me."
"Well, it seems like the Princess still has her eyes on you. She has offered to be the sponsor for your Battalion, it has made things much easier."
Princess Marianne? She must love her brother very much to be treating his saviour so well.
"When do I begin?"
"The General Staff intends for you to have your Battalion as soon as possible. You'll get your posting as a Formation Officer before the end of the week. While I am not your direct superior, you can consider yourself to be working for me."
"Formation Officer, quite an antiquated title. Hence the promotion, I assume?"
"That is correct, and when you complete the formation of the Battalion, you will be promoted to Major."
"For all intent and purposes, I am a Battalion Commander? Do I have full authority over the formation effort?"
"Yes, as long as you keep the unit within forty-eight members, you can organise it however you wish. Your formation number will be V601, unless you have a special request?"
"No sir, it's fine. I've already gotten so much, I don't want anyone getting more jealous. I'll have the Battalion formed as soon as possible."
"You should be proud that your achievements can make even the Aristocracy jealous."
"I try to stay humble. My mentor taught me that complacency is equal to failure and frankly I'd like to keep both my eyes."
She got the Battalion, time to fill it up with the right people. If only she knew what the flyer that got that mountain of applications looked like. It was unfortunate that past Tanya never wrote it down, she must have forgotten. Tanya needed as many choices as possible, she needed a Battalion that rivalled the Phantoms.
But first, a real meal to celebrate her birthday. A trip to the orphanage would suffice, she did promise to visit.
St Gertrude Orphanage
24th September 1924
It had taken much persuasion to convince her to come back and celebrate her birthday together, it only had gotten slightly easier when she had added the fact that Tanya was graduating war college. It would only be her third time visiting since she came back from the Western Front, it was somewhat upsetting how rarely she visited even though she was almost always in Berun.
Yet her promise to visit did nothing to ease Amelie's worries as she paced up and down the corridor restlessly. It was already so late, but Tanya had yet to arrive. The moment the doorbell finally rang, Amelie rushed to open the door.
Standing from the steps, Tanya greeted the nun, "It's been a while, hasn't it? Good to see you again, Sister Amelie."
Leading Tanya to the dining hall, Amelie replied, "Yes, good to see you too, Tanya. It's quite late, have you eaten dinner?"
Leaving her soldier persona behind, Tanya complained, "Nothing that could be called that. I couldn't stand eating what the Military gave me."
"I'll prepare something for you, then. While you wait, why don't you look at the present Marcel sent," said Amelie, gesturing to a box on the table.
Looking curiously at the box, she began to slowly unwrap it. Inside she found a Waldstatten utility knife, and a note.
'It's always good to have a utility blade on hand. Try not to use it on any allies,' read the note.
Tanya gave out a sigh of disbelief. That additional remark was unnecessary, she had already learnt her lesson. He didn't have to bring that up.
Picking up the knife, she found that it was much lighter than expected. Examining it, she found her name engraved on the handle. What she found most curious was how Marcel had gotten something from Waldstatte to her while also fighting Ildoa. Enigmatic gifting methods aside, he had gotten her a practical gift. Perhaps she should get him something else in return.
Finding herself curious about Marcel's date of birth, Tanya asked the one person that would know best, "When is his birthday? I want to send him a birthday gift."
Looking up from her cooking, Amelie answered, "Oh, that's a nice thought. It's the thirteenth of May. But he doesn't really celebrate it anymore. The past few years have been quite busy for him. Since he travels so much, I would usually mail him a letter instead of a gift."
That solved the issue of the when, now to wonder about the what.
Port Taranto, Ildoa
27th September 1924
Captain Angelo Agosti was a man of faith. He believed that the recent Ildoan naval losses were a test of God. Those accursed Ostero-Ungarian Mages had done enough damage, the deeds of the Devil's pawns! He would strike them down soon enough.
He would be the one to put an end to their machinations. On his name as a Naval Mage Ace, he'll put the RN Roma to rest and bury the Phantoms in the sea! God was with Ildoa!
Deus Lo Vult!
War College has come and gone. Some things change and others stay the same. What are the implications?
It's fine if you wish to discuss older chapter in this thread, but you're always invited to do so in my discord server instead.