Lots of nationalists with grievances against the old Reich would see a chance to realize their dreams if Jerusalem falls.
-
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One Stone
Basra - March 30
Metal swooshed through air. The talon-like blades of his exosuit’s gauntlet bit deep into the wooden training dummy. Elias watched the blades sit there, half embedded in the wood, before he pulled them out, leaving more cuts among dozens.
Not good enough. Again.
His mind swam with images of his real target. He saw the ex-princess cowering before him, holding her hands up and pleading for mercy. He would give her none. And as he swung down with his gauntlet, he delighted in her panic and fear giving way to abject despair. The blade bit into the dummy again. But like before, it didn’t cut deep enough.
How can you kill her like this? Weak and pathetic. She is an old woman, and you are a veteran. A war hero! God’s chosen one! You can’t even kill her?! Again!
Rage surged through his mind, coloring his vision deep red. He remembered his sister in a hospital bed, dying from cancer, coughing profusely even as she tried to reassure him. He remembered that ill-fated ambush in Mexico, vividly recalling the death screams of all of his friends and comrades as they were murdered in cold blood. He remembered what they said when he finally made it back to base.
“Thank you for your service.”
“RAAAAAAAAAH!” Elias put so much force into his punch that the electronics of his exosuit shorted out and several wires and armor plates got dislodged as he cleaved the dummy’s head clean off.
Better.
Someone knocked on the door. “Elias?” It was Theodor. “The meeting’s in five minutes.”
“I’ll be right there,” Elias said.
After getting out of the exosuit, he went to the conference room, where Theodor and Edmund Remmele had already gathered. “What is it? I’d like to get back to my training.”
“Yes, about that,” Edmund said, “I was thinking it’s time we began Gaugamela.”
Elias narrowed his eyes. “Now?”
“We’re already falling behind schedule. We have all of the troops in position. Equipment’s ready to go. And our drones have spotted an opening in the Persian lines.” Edmund handed Elias a photo taken by an aerial drone. “We could punch through that and be in Isfahan in three or four days.”
“You sure?” Elias said.
“If it worked in Russia, it’ll work here. Don’t worry, Regent. God is on our side.”
Oh, for frak’s sake, can at least one of my generals be practical for once?!
“Also, you’re going to want to see this.” Theodor handed him a tablet. “Then you’ll understand why we should act now.”
Elias scrolled through the tablet and found a video downloaded. “What’s this?”
“My firewalls intercepted it a couple hours ago. Seems they were trying to broadcast it to Europe at large, but without Tiger’s Defense they didn’t get far.”
“What’s it say?”
Theodor pointed at the tablet. “Just play the video.”
Elias did so. As soon as he pressed play, he recoiled at the sight of Wilhelmina. “You could have warned me!”
“Maybe I should have,” Theodor said.
Idiot. Once I return to Berlin with the Hohenzollerns’ extermination confirmed, I’ll deal with him. He has offended me too much.
“This is Wilhelmina, the true Kaiserin of the Romans,” Wilhelmina said with an unexpected charisma, “This message is for the traitor and coward Elias Anhorn.”
Traitor?! COWARD?! SHAEZ THA RAEL WOON!
“You hunted me and my family and friends. You stole our country from us. You perverted and twisted all of the values my people held dear and left them to suffer as your slaves and cannon fodder.”
I WAES SAHVENG ZHIS NEASHAN! FRAEM YAE! YAOU DAENT SAE EIT!
“You sought to kill us so many times before. But we’re still here. I’m still here—unbent, unbowed, unbroken. Despite everything you’ve thrown at me, I will not falter. I will not stop until I put an end to your madness. You call yourself a hero and a savior, but you murdered over a billion people in cold blood. You keep millions more in chains, sacrifice millions more on your twisted battlefields, and plot the genocide of still billions more. You call yourself a man, but you are nothing but a coward and a monster. A traitor not only to the Reich, but all of humanity.”
HAEOW DAEHR YAE!
“If you want to dispute this, come to Isfahan, if you’re man enough. You and Theodor Tesla. I know you both want to come here and kill us. Try to kill me if you can. It won’t matter. I will be the one who takes back our country from you. I will be the one who frees our people from your tyranny. Your reign of terror will come to an end, and let the world and humanity at large know that Kaiserin Wilhelmina IV will do this, in the name of all those who no longer have a voice because of your shameful actions. Live shamed and die in darkness, Elias Anhorn!”
The video ended. Elias smashed the tablet on the floor and crushed it under his foot, wishing he was still in his exosuit. “WAE MAEST GAO NAE!”
“Is everything in place?” Theodor asked.
Edmund nodded. “Everything is ready to be deployed.”
“Then let’s get to it.”
“All three birds in Jerusalem’s way will be destroyed by the one stone that is Gaugamela.”
---
Gertrude listened outside the conference room. She winced every time Elias screamed in his thick Königsberg accent. Every time he spoke like that before, it was always because of something terribly wrong. But to hear it so often was extremely unnerving to her. It was as if something had snapped inside him. Oh, who am I kidding? He’s been like this ever since Bloody Tuesday happened. She had to stop him.
It seemed Gaugamela was about to begin. Elias and Theodor were making plans to personally lead from the front, just as they did in Russia. Russia, Russia, Russia…it was happening all over again. When would it stop? Elias’ fixation on killing the Hohenzollerns had smashed entire countries to pieces along the way, with no end in sight. Over two billion people around the world lay dead because of him. No, because of Gertrude. She was the one who brought him to power. Like how old Ida, Eudokia Makrembolitissa, and Anna Dalassena paved the way for the first three generations of Hohenzollerns to reunite the western and eastern empires. Ironically, the committee had purged their names from all historical records. They had not only edited the textbooks but also destroyed the actual records. Such was the way of the 1105 Commission. She was no different, other than the fact that they had built the Reich and she had destroyed it. A thousand years of history and legacy were utterly expunged because of her. Am I the real villain here? I’ve done so much to try and “save” the Reich. I never stopped to think about what I’ve done. The people I’ve hurt. The monsters I’ve created. It’s all my fault. What the frak have I done these last 25 years? And how can I atone for it?
A thought popped into her head.
No. No way.
The thought didn’t go away.
There has to be some other way.
Her mind remained stuck on the thought.
There isn’t another way?
Slowly, she saw the reasoning behind it.
After all I’ve done, maybe it’s the only way I can atone.
It was the only way forward she could see for herself.
I’ve lost myself in all this politicking. When we first started out, I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do. I knew what message I wanted to share, but I forgot it. I gave in to the power seeking. I gave everything for Elias, even to the point where I shot myself in the foot. I signed away my own rights, thinking I’d be exempt because of Elias. I betrayed my own Kaiser and got him murdered, hoping Elias would approve. Turns out he doesn’t give a damn about me. I did it because Ellie told me to look after Elias. I thought it would honor her memory. But did it really? Is this what Ellie would have wanted? All this senseless and endless bloodshed? No. If anything, she would have wanted me to put a stop to this.
She steeled herself for the task ahead.
At some point, I have to put my foot down. Put my foot down and remember what I used to say…
Berlin
“So, it seems casualties are spiking in the Siberian and Indian fronts,” Moria said, “In the latter, we lost the Gilgit garrison and our base there altogether.”
“The Ahluwalias…” Josiah said. “They are such an annoyance. Which one was at Gilgit?”
“Banda,” Moria said, “Slaughtered all eighteen thousand poor souls without even giving them a chance. That monster.”
Heinrich scoffed. I wouldn’t be so quick to call him a monster.
“What about the other brother, Ranjit?”
“We haven’t spotted him yet. Last I heard, he was heading for Nepal.”
“Ah yes, Nepal,” Josiah said, “Our worst ally. Seriously, why did we even let them join us? They’ve done absolutely nothing but get steamrolled by three different factions at once.”
“Agreed,” Moria said, “Even more humiliating, Kathmandu’s about to fall not to any army, but to a horde of refugees. Absolutely pathetic.”
“Good thing we’ve made sure that can’t happen to us. Nobody gets in, nobody gets out.”
Moria turned to Heinrich. “What about the other fronts?”
Heinrich flipped through his reports. “Not much here. We’ve taken Kaunas, continued the razing of Vilnius, dropped nerve gas on Addis Ababa, approached Mogadishu, reached Tingvalla, pushed into central Tawantinsuyu. That’s about it.”
“You don’t sound particularly enthusiastic,” Moria said.
“What can I say?” Heinrich said. “This stuff’s getting boring.”
“Well, not to worry, Heinrich,” Josiah said, “Because things are about to get interesting.”
“How so?”
“Operation Gaugamela just commenced,” Moria said.
“Gaugamela?” What, now?!
“Yes,” Josiah said, “Don’t be such a downer, Megas Domestikos. Soon, you’ll have all of the exciting news you could ever want coming out of the destruction of Persia.”
They never tell me when they’re doing something until it’s already done. I should’ve gotten used to this by now…
The Pacific
The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean stretched in all directions around Higa Ryunosuke as he stood on the deck of Sanzan. The salty breeze whipped through his air and assaulted his nose. It wasn’t anything out of the usual. He had grown used to it years ago. Although he saw no land in sight, he knew his destination was over the horizon.
One of his officers ran up to him. “Sir, we have a confirmed radar contact. It’s Liu.”
“Liu?” Higa said. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, we’ve got visual contact as well. And not only him…”
“Zhang Jianzhou as well?”
The officer nodded. “The Fusang and Penglai fleets are joining in as well.”
“Good,” Higa said, “Just as I planned. They took the bait.”
He returned to the bridge, where everyone was at their stations as usual. It was a quiet day today. Nothing’s going on. Everyone’s doing their usual work without interruptions or worrying about the ship exploding. If only every day on Sanzan could be like this. But we’re at war. I’ll do what I must, for the greater good.
“Alright, then,” he said, “If the Tianxia want a fight, we’ll give them a fight worthy of the history books. Battle stations!”
Western Lithuania - April 1
Kowalski ran into Boris’ tent. “We’ve got to go, again!”
Boris stirred awake. “What is it now?”
“Von Haynau,” Kowalski said, “He’s found us again.”
Boris made a mark in his notebook. “That’s got to be the, what, 32nd time since we lost Vilnius?”
“33rd, sir. Anyways, we should get moving.”
Another aide ran into the tent. “Kowalski, sir, they cut off our escape route!”
A third aide ran into the tent, and Boris facepalmed. “Can you guys at least let me get out of bed?!”
“Sorry sir, but they’re closing in!”
Shots rang out in the distance, and Boris heard screams.
“Kurwa!” Kowalski cursed. “I didn’t expect them to get here this soon!”
“What are our options?” Boris said.
“Well, after that last attack, we have about…300 men of fighting strength. Not enough guns to go around though.”
“Give them bayonets and knives,” Boris said, “We should have enough from the kitchen.”
Kowalski and the two aides stared at him. “You can’t be serious. You’re going to fight von Haynau?”
“It’s not like he gave us a choice, did he?” Boris picked up his rifle and checked for jamming. It was ready to go.
“Still, sir, it’s suicide,” Kowalski said, “They’ve got us surrounded, right?”
“Yes,” the first aide said.
“And they’re already attacking?”
“You don’t need to confirm with me when you can hear it yourself.” The second aide was proven right when another shell exploded nearby.
“Then we’ve got no other choice,” Boris said, loading a magazine into his rifle, “We’re going to fight.”
“At least let us create an opening for you to escape,” Kowalski said, “We can’t risk you getting captured.”
“No,” Boris said, “I won’t get far on my own. Von Haynau will track me down in a day and kill me. I’m going to die no matter what happens. Might as well choose how to go out.”
“Sir, we can still win this, or at least get away again—”
“You don’t have to lie, Kowalski, I know when we’re truly frakked. We’re not making it to tomorrow. I can feel it. So the best thing we can do is at least take down as many of those damned Crusaders with us as we can.”
“Chancellor…” Kowalski began.
“Call me Boris,” Boris said, “With Vilnius gone, and Livonia as good as fallen, my office means nothing. I’m just Boris Bradziunas now. A sitcom-loving guy from Aegyptus who wanted to make a difference in his ancestors’ homeland. And by the gods, we will make a difference, because I’m surrounded by the bravest men in all of Livonia. I’m honored to have fought at your side. Now let’s go out there and—”
“Sir, you’re wasting your words, there’s only three of us here,” Kowalski interrupted.
“Just let me have my moment!” Boris whined. “Now let’s go out there and…frak it, the moment’s ruined anyways. I’ll meet you in the trenches. Dismissed!”
The three men saluted and left the tent. Boris slung his rifle over his shoulder. “Olga…watch over me.” Then he left the tent.
Mesopotamia
There was no end in sight to the reinforcements. The Liberation Legion and several divisions of the Artesh had been holed up in the ruins of an old medieval citadel for the last several hours, having been surrounded by an endless sea of Crusaders.
“Damnit!” Ruby said. “When will they run out of men?!”
“Actually…” Samir said. “That might be a decent strategy, by their standards. Send all of their cannon fodder out to waste our ammunition before hitting us with professional troops once we’re empty.”
“Frak, you’re right,” Billy said, “But what do we do?”
“It’s not like we have a choice, do we?” Ruby said. “Just shoot anyone getting close.”
“What do you think, Leyla?” Gulichi said.
Everyone’s earpieces crackled, and Leyla’s voice came through, despite some interference from jamming. “What I think, Gulichi, is that you should stop taking up the bandwidth to seek out my personal opinions on everything. Anyways, you’ve got to hold your position, whatever it takes.”
“There aren’t many of us left!” Samir said. “We need to evacuate.”
“The General Staff hasn’t issued any such order yet.”
Damnit, do they really want us to die out here? “At least give me a reason.”
“From what they tell me, we’re protecting Huma’s southern flank. If this citadel falls, there will be nothing stopping the Crusaders from encircling the rest of Huma, and then we’d be really frakked.”
“In other words, suck it up,” Gulichi said.
“Yes, Gulichi, suck it up.” Samir could almost see Leyla rolling her eyes.
“We should really worry about our ammo,” Samir said, “If they keep this up, we’ll run out within a day. Only shoot if absolutely necessary.”
“Then how the frak are we supposed to fight?” Ruby said.
Samir focused on his rusting bloodstained bayonet. “We’ll figure it out.”
Isfahan - April 2
On the outskirts of Isfahan, Josh’s squad trudged through a thin layer of snow. Josh’s footsteps were much heavier, the metal boots of his exosuit thumping loudly through the snow and into the pavement. He liked all of the features Theodor had installed in the exosuit. While the rest of his unit had to wear the usual winter gear, the exosuit came with a heater, though it wasn’t perfect and there were still parts of his body that weren’t fully covered. The headpiece came with a visor covering the top half of his face, which wirelessly connected to his Panopticon and expanded its display for greater coverage and detail. Each arm had two retractable blades, although he preferred using a gun—the one in his hands, not the turret that could pop up over his shoulder if needed—and his own knife. There was a wireless transceiver that could relay Panopticon information to and from nearby drones, allowing him to direct them wherever he chose. It was amazing what technology could do today. There was no need to look to the past when the present had everything he needed. The future was now. His Panopticon continuously scanned the area for any surprises, but it found none. The whole neighborhood was completely devoid of human life. Strange. After three days of constant hit-and-run attacks across western Persia, Josh didn’t know why the enemy suddenly wasn’t fighting back.
Come on, at least give me a fight. This is too easy. I don’t want my time here to end on such a stupid note.
“You don’t have to do this.” Josh looked to his left and saw Oskar walking alongside him. “You really don’t.”
“Shut up. Coward. Deviant. Traitor.” He ran a diagnostic on both his Panopticon and the exosuit, but neither found anything.
“You tell yourself that because you’re afraid to think about what I have to say.”
“I don’t have to. I know you’re wrong.”
“You’re only saying that to pretend nothing’s wrong,” Khulan said, appearing to his right.
“Shut up, girl. What the hell do you know about me? You never even bothered to properly cook for me.” He ran another test on both systems. Still nothing.
“You never let me try,” Khulan said, “Not that I want to after what you did to me.”
“You should know your place.”
“Is this how you treat others?” Oskar said. “Forcing them to suit your wants?”
“Dismissing their concerns?” Khulan said. “Refusing to listen to what they have to say?
“You won’t get far like that.”
“Shut the frak up before I do it for you,” Josh said.
“That’s no way to talk to your own mother.” That was enough to make Josh stop. Anya Johansen stood right in front of him, looking just as he remembered. A white summer dress suited for hot August days. Auburn hair flowing over her shoulders. A warm smile and wide eyes which gave a feeling of comfort and safety.
“Mom…” Josh said. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see how my son is doing,” Anya said.
“I’m doing fine. Everything is well.”
Anya narrowed her eyes. “You’ve never been able to lie to your mother. I can see right through you.”
“I’ve changed since you last saw me, Mom,” Josh said, “I’m stronger now. I can defend myself. I’m making you proud.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Josh did a double-take. “What do you mean? Of course I am. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you?”
“Everything?” Anya gestured at the deserted storefronts and empty street. “All this killing? The slaughter? The differing? Endless war? That was for me?”
“To build a better world for you, if you were still around,” Josh said.
Anya sighed. “Josh, have you never bothered to ask me what I really wanted? I didn’t want this.”
“You…didn’t?”
“I never did. All I wanted was for my little boy to have a good life. Make friends, go to school, get good grades, find something you were passionate at. You always loved to read your history books. What happened to them?”
“Words of the dead past are useless in a world that only values the now.”
“Is that the truth, or something you believed so hard you made it your truth?”
“I…” Josh couldn’t answer.
“You were always so happy and excited every time I got you a new book,” Anya said, “That time I got you that biography of Anna Komnena for Christmas, you lit up the room with your joy. I still remember that smile you had. I miss it. Why don’t you smile anymore?”
“I…”. I don’t remember having such a book. But it sounds so familiar…
“What happened to my little boy? Where did he go since I last saw him?”
“I…” Josh stammered. “You must hate me, after all that I’ve done, don’t you? It’s what you think I deserve, don’t you?”
“No, that’s not it,” Anya said.
“You must think I’m a monster.”
“I don’t.”
“Liar!” Josh raised his voice. “There’s no other way! I chose this path, of my own free will! I became strong! I did what had to be done! I chose to become a vulture to protect myself and to save this nation! I even dealt with Danuta for you! But you must see me as a monster for doing all this! My mother would never have liked any of this!”
She…wouldn’t? What am I saying?
Anya shook her head. “No, Josh, you’ve got it wrong. Yes, I never wanted you to do this. But do I think any less of you because you did it? No. I may be a little disappointed, but I’m still your mother.”
“Don’t you dare say it,” Josh spoke through gritted teeth.
“I would never think of my own son as a monster, no matter what he did,” Anya said, “I won’t give up on him. I hope he can eventually find the light. No, I believe he will eventually do the right thing.”
“Don’t say it!”
“Because I love you, Josh,” Anya said, “And I always will.”
“RAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHH!” Josh activated the exosuit’s turret and emptied its clip in front of him, aiming at where Anya was a second ago. But they hit nothing.
While the rest of the squad stopped and stared at him, confused as to why he would suddenly shoot at thin air for no reason, Gustav approached him. “You okay, Josh?”
Josh nodded. He pushed away all of the words he just heard and forcefully shoved another clip into his gun. “Yes, Uncle. I’m completely fine. Now let’s take this stupid city.”
Isfahan - April 2, morning
Everything went as expected, in a way. Actually, the best case scenario was that the invasion army stalled at the border or one of the in-between cities like Susa, Ahvaz, or Dezful, but of course that didn’t happen. It took three days for Operation Gaugamela to reach Isfahan itself, and now Wilhelmina could see smoke rising from the outerlying districts as the city’s defenders fought tooth and nail for every single block, just as they did for every mile between here and Basra. The Artesh wasn’t the only army defending Isfahan today. Wilhelmina had seen Indians, Turks, Yavdians, Afghans, Roman exiles, and even a few Russians, Scandinavians, and Livonians in their own units or militias, making sure Isfahan—and Persia—didn’t end up like their homes. As their convoys rolled out past the palace to the front lines, she could hear their war cries and patriotic songs, relayed in myriad languages from all across Eurasia, rising up to her balcony. After all that planning, the enemy was finally at the gates. This was what Wilhelmina, Gunduz, and the others had been preparing for. It all came down to this. She could feel the weight of this battle pressing down on her. Whoever won today would decide the course of the war.
“Being poetic, aren’t you?” Sophie said.
“It calms my nerves,” Wilhelmina said. Though not by much. I’m still really scared.
“Ah, that takes me back,” Sophie said, “I used to write poetry in my head before battle sometimes. It was terrible, and I always got really embarrassed reading it later on, but it’s the thought that counts.”
“It’s finally time, huh?” Wilhelmina said.
Sophie nodded. “Yes, yes it is. I have to hand it to you, I didn’t think you’d take the initiative like that.”
“I simply trusted in the advice my friends gave me and chose the one we all agreed on.”
“Still, you went along with it. You could’ve backed out at any time. Just stayed put with what you had.”
“What, and let Gaugamela come after us anyways?” Wilhelmina scoffed. “No, if I hid and pretended nothing’s changed, then I’d still die. At least now I have a chance of survival. No, we all have a chance to make it. No more running and hiding, like I did in Russia or the bunker. It’s as you said in the bunker. I’m taking a stand.”
Sophie smiled. “Spoken like a true Kaiserin. Reminds me of myself back in the day.”
“I don’t think I’ve said this before,” Wilhelmina said, “But thanks. Thanks for always being there for me. Guiding me throughout this long journey.”
Sophie smiled. “No problem. We’re family. We look out for each other.”
“But you’re not my direct ancestor.” Sophia died childless. And spouseless.
“We’re still Hohenzollerns, aren’t we?”
“After all that propaganda Jerusalem’s put out about me and my family, even I’ve started to be swayed.”
“It’s all lies.”
“How do you know?”
“I was there.”
“Hey, Willie!” Gunduz called.
Wilhelmina turned. Gunduz waited in the hallway. She had changed her usual dress out for combat fatigues now, but she still didn’t carry a gun.
“I like the new outfit,” Wilhelmina said.
“Shut up!” Gunduz snapped, awkwardly looking down to hide her reddening cheeks. “Who the hell likes fatigues as a fashion choice, anyways? You can only make one statement with them, unlike with a dress.”
“Glad to know you’re still in high spirits, Gunduz. You ready?”
“I was about to ask the same of you,” Gunduz said.
Wilhelmina gripped Enonon. The sword sat in its scabbard. “I’ve practiced for this. I can’t lose, so I will win.”
“...I don’t follow the logic.”
“It made more sense in my head. Have all of the remaining evacuations completed?”
Gunduz nodded. “Yes, aside from a few thousand civilians who insisted on staying and helping. I can’t believe we evacuated almost fifteen million people in a week. I’ve never seen or heard the city being so quiet. I love it.”
Same here. It was so eerie, seeing empty streets and hearing none of the usual city noises at night, especially after the traffic gridlock of the first few days.
“Enough chitchat,” Gunduz said, “Should we get going? Shayan and Gebhard are waiting in the bunker.”
“Of course,” Wilhelmina said, “Lead the way.”
---
You probably know this already, but Wilhelmina’s speech was blatantly inspired by Camina Drummer’s on The Expanse.
- 2
Well it looks like Theodor's days are numbered. However I hope Thea gets to take him out in the end.
I am glad that Gertrude sesames to be finally getting her head out of the proverbial sand but I fell like it is to little to late.
A part of me fells like Nepal is the Poland of TTL in were it keeps getting beat up by it's larger neighbors but still survives.
Yea but if they use all of the "cannon fodder" as well as their professional troops then who is going to work in the factories? We have seen it in both OTL and TTL's WWII in that slave labor can only go so far.
I know the past few sub-arch's has been building up to this but this update truly make's it feel like the end is near. Lets hope that this battle truly is a modern Stalingrad but one in were the Committee loses two regents as well as their entire army.
The vultures are starting to turn on each other.
In her current state, she may end up doing more harm than good.
Yavdi was always the closest to Poland (and Yavdiball is still canon even though nobody has or will mention it in-universe) due to getting partitioned and taken over by its two larger neighbors but still coming back each time. Nepal only popped into existence after WWI as a Chinese client state carved out of India, kept alive through the 20th century thanks to the Chinese military, and now is starting to question why it still exists after China democratized and stopped controlling its politics as much.
Yes indeed. But the committee, aside from Josiah since he's the economist, doesn't think that far ahead.
I wouldn't say their entire army since the overwhelming majority of their active troops, not even counting the reserves, are on other fronts like the Eimericas, Taurica, India, Scandinavia, and so on.
All excellent scenes, but Josh and his delusions easily takes the cake. There's a decent person buried under all that hate, and he knows it.
Agreed, hopefully we will see Josh be confronted like that by more of his victims, like the X-Division crew and Jenna, in the future. It's a shame that it's too late for the person Josh could've been to be uncovered from all that hate. At this point, if Jerusalem were ever defeated and Josh was convicted for war crimes, then I don't see Josh getting anything less than a life or death sentence.
Josh refuses to acknowledge the good still in him, because to do so would be to admit that everything he’s done up until now was wrong and for nothing, so instead he doubles down on it.
- 1
No way is Josh getting away from anything other than the most servere punishment at this point, unless Jerusalem wins.
- 1
Chapter 467 is done. That still took me a while to finish despite cutting back on the length of some sections. The last month had been pretty challenging for me, so I didn't have it in me to write as often. It took me a couple weeks just to finish Ryukyu's section, but things are better now. Just now, while finishing the last section, I went on a lengthy tangent talking about the historical evolution of a certain political theory in the context of this timeline. It wasn't in the original plan, but I thought it fit really well with what that section talked about. Also, I'm going to be on vacation for most of December, so this Sunday's upload will probably be the last one this year. I think I need a break before starting work on the next story arc.
- 2
Glad to hear you were able to get Chapter 467 done, looking forward to it. Out of curiosity, what political theory are you planning on talking about? I'm curious about how dependency theory would shape out here given that this arc is about how smaller and weaker nations the Eimericas, Persia, Ryukyu, Russia banding together to face the authoritarianism of the two major powers and India's destruction.
Speaking of Dependency theory, I recently ended up stumbling across a hard sci fi anime Planetes which, going off the wikipage, seems like it has a lot of material you could use for inspiration for early game Stellaris, like the physics.
I do wonder how early game colonization and space exploration will play out in Stellaris since the Superpowers that have the resources and manpower necessary for space exploration and haven't been completely destroyed by this war, like Jerusalem and China, are very inwards looking and have even made it difficult for the rest of humanity to take part in space travel for another few decades due to waging this war.
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That is perfectly understandable. Writers especially those that do fan stuff like AAR's and Fanfiction are great because they not only create amazing stories but also do it on their own time with no pay and do it mainly because they love the fandom. So it is predictably understandable that you guys need to take a break every now and then. I hope that you enjoy your break as well as everyone else. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
I really suggest seeing it for yourself in 467 since it may spoil the next story chapter and the plot consequences that will affect 467 and later chapters, but if you want, it's republicanism.
I don't think dependency theory would emerge in the same way it did in OTL since global economics operates differently and almost every country in the 21st century is fully developed and industrialized. The postwar 20th century was divided between the industrialized Schengen countries, China’s colonial empire, and the Soviet sphere. While it was true China extracted resources from its colonies and the nations it granted independence to, those countries managed to industrialize and fully develop. The Soviet sphere operated in a similar manner, and the post-Soviet states also developed very quickly, which was how North Eimerica went from the post-equalist wars and Mexicanist insurgencies to the Federation in thirty years. No country fell into the middle income or resource traps. Africa is integrated into the Eurasian economy and more akin to the American South than OTL African nations. I intentionally changed statistics in Afghanistan's lore breakdown to show it was far more developed and stable than OTL Afghanistan. The global economy here still has richer and poorer nations, but the “poorer” nations aren’t that much poorer than the rich ones. It’s more like the socioeconomic differences between EU countries than the differences between OTL European and African countries. Our Persia, Ryukyu, Mali, and Afghanistan aren’t enriching the Reich, China, and India at their own expense. They get something back from the major powers. Dependency theory might instead focus on the neocolonial dynamics of the Cold War: like the equalist states with the Soviets; China and its colonies; and the Reich with Neurhomania and Africa. After the Cold War, it would look at how Roman Africa remains economically behind Roman Europe despite being relatively developed.
I might check that out at some point. But I’m currently going through Legend of the Galactic Heroes, and it's quite the grind especially with the subpar subtitles I'm stuck with. I finished the first three episodes and found something I might be able to use in the next story arc. I'm also thinking of going through the Code Geass recap movies at some point since I finished Akito a couple weeks ago. My current plan for the next story arc is to focus on Julian and political intrigue, so I could sure use some Lelouch content. So it might take a long time before I get to Planetes. But I'll keep that in mind.
I wrote in-game space events for the rest of the century, but they operated on the old “no committee and giant world war” assumption, as well as being poorly thought out due to me rushing through gameplay sessions. I’ve also come up with many new ideas in the 4+ years since I wrote those events. I can't explain the new roadmap I'm hashing out without spoiling the war, though. But I will say I've been researching actual research papers on hypothetical space exploration and colonization while also reviewing hard sci-fi like For All Mankind, The Expanse, and various fan-made projects like Starmoth.
Chapter 467 will have a small mention of space-related stuff, but not what you might expect.
This megacampaign initially started out in 2015 as a side project done in between college classes to wait until the China rework for Kaiserreich on Darkest Hour released and I could use the content for ROTCE2. I chose to do a megacampaign after my friend who introduced me to PDX games told me they were possible, I read CzokletMuss' This is Madness, and I then joined this forum to participate in Idhrendur's megacampaign iAAR (also the first link in my signature currently, but who knows if I change it in the future). Writing a story arc in that iAAR inspired me to do ROTCE1 and later on Hohenzollern Empire. I actually finished ROTCE1 and the first four parts of this megacampaign in the hiatus since the Victoria 2 section ended, and for a time I joked I could finish the whole thing as well. My story arc there (which was initially based on The Peshawar Lancers since I was reading it at the time) is technically canon to the story here, but it's not required reading so I don't need you to go digging through the pages there. When the HOI4 section starts, I plan on continuing that arc with lore bits inspired by Hohenzollern Empire (one of my major plot points was eerily similar to the Worm cult of Hohenzollern Empire before Stellaris was even a thing) and the new writing skills I've picked up since then.
Enough sidetracking. My initial goal with this megacampaign was to avoid common bad history myths I've seen pop up on the Internet every so often. For example, I wanted to avoid myths like the Dark Ages, Martin Luther nailing stuff to a door, Europeans in Columbus' time thinking the Earth was flat, the trial of Galileo, Gavrilo Princip's sandwich, and the virgin soil ("smallpox wiped out 99% of Native Americans as they had no resistances or immunities, leaving a conveniently empty New World that Europeans could colonize free of guilt or genocide") hypothesis, or at least depict them with a disclaimer. That last one will be addressed in 467 because I didn't go over it well enough in CK2 or EU4 and Pesah requires I talk about it. Pesah's true nature led that section to indirectly contrast our North Eimerica's current situation with how the virgin soil hypothesis was true in the Annionaverse. I say indirectly because 467 doesn't mention the Annionaverse as the general public doesn't know about it. But yeah, that's how this project started, and how I wanted to set it apart from all of the other AARs and megacampaigns at the time.
Over time, this megacampaign took on a life of its own and I started building it into a believable world in its own right (hence all of the retcons lately, and oh boy does 467 have a lot of them). Obviously I still haven't gotten around to ROTCE2 yet
Happy holidays to everyone here!
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Don't be sorry. I love hearing about the thought prosses that some authors go through when writing stories like this as well as the thought proses for things like tv shows and games.
Fair enough for the global economy of the pre 2030 world order, but I imagine things will be quite different after the Reich and China abandoned international liberalism in favor of an extreme version of realpolitik/realism (through after your discussion of dependency theory, I’m not sure this political theory would emerge the same way here either, especially with how Bismarck ended up in TTL and the lack of a Kissinger figure here, through the Reich definitely wasn't above propping up far-right dictators or violently ousting left-wing governments in the cold war, especially during Wilson's tenure in office), mercantilism and imperialism.
I‘m sure finishing LOTGH will be worth finishing, as there seems to be a lot of references to it in the Annionaverse threads, especially since Dragoon used a LOTGH mod for names. As for anime that could inspire the fantasy side of this megacampaign, I mentioned before, but the worldbuilding of the Index franchise does seem like stuff that could fit with interactions the Hohenzollernverse's traditional magic systems and Stellaris' psychonic power systems.
Speaking of old discussions, since you've finished FMAB, do you have anymore thoughts to add onto this old post or do you think it would be mostly the same here?
Agreed, that detailed thought process was really nice, it's really nice to see how this megacampaign has evolved over the past few years. Happy holidays Zen, hope you have a great vacation!
I’ve actually been meaning to explain my writing process for a while now, but I always thought I’d have to wait until the end to get to it. I’ll probably go more into detail once I’m done.
The Reich and China always had the power and influence to dominate their neighbors, but they never used it due to their values. Jerusalem and Han’s China have no such qualms and throw around their power like a bludgeon now.
I could check that out at some point. I still need to firmly establish the specifics of my magic system and the new additions that Stellaris will force me to address.
I did notice a few LOGH vibes in the names of some Terran leaders, like Lothar von Kofenhiller, and some people pointed it out in the thread too. The show will definitely be worth it. I know I’ll like it, but the sheer length is the main thing getting in my way.
Eh, nothing really. Equivalent exchange is the biggest thing, and I don’t think there’s anything else I could incorporate at the moment. Maybe the state alchemists could inspire how the Inquisition operated in the 19th and 20th centuries, like how Supernatural’s Men of Letters influenced my take on the modern Inquisition.
On the subject of anime I finished lately, I watched the Rebuild movies of Evangelion last week. I liked them, but there probably won’t be anything I’m incorporating from either. Though mechs in space and a character with Mari’s personality do sound really cool. Also watched Akito and Lelouch of the Resurrection on the Code Geass side, just finished the latter an hour ago. Both enjoyable for the most part. I may be taking something from the former for a future gameplay chapter—you’ll know if you see it. As for the latter, I’m not sure yet.
Thanks. I’ll resume uploads in January, and I assure you it’ll be worth the wait!
Counterattack, Part 1
(Republic City Under Attack - LOK)
Isfahan
Wilhelmina and Gunduz went downstairs to the bunker in the basement. There, Shayan and Gebhard had set up a makeshift war room. Their staff sat at battle stations and stood around a table with a map of Isfahan. The sound of ringing phones constantly filled the air as more updates came in from the front.
“We lost Isfahan Tech,” Gebhard said, “Sedeh is completely under enemy control now.”
“Pull back the line to Nausherwan Street,” Shayan said, “We can hold them off there.”
Gebhard turned to the staff. “You heard the man! Get those orders out now!”
The staff picked up their phones and began issuing orders to the troops in Sedeh.
“Ah, you’re here,” Shayan said, “Apologies for the lack of decorations. Or leg room.”
“No worries,” Gunduz said, “It’s a bunker, and we’re at war. This is to be expected.”
“Ma’am, I’m honestly kind of nervous.”
“How so?” Gunduz wasn’t in the mood for snark.
“The enemy’s in our capital right now, and if we mess up, we’re done for.”
“But we won’t, Shayan,” Gebhard said, “We’re not out of the fight just yet. We can still turn this around.”
“By isolating and taking out their leaders?” Wilhelmina said.
“Yes,” Gebhard said, “I’m going to take the field soon. Make myself visible to the enemy. I’ll lure out the enemy commander that way.”
“That would be your brother, right?” Gunduz said.
“Yes. We know Edmund’s here, thanks to Argeiphontes. Next, there’s Theodor Tesla.”
“Thea and her team are on it,” Gunduz said.
The palace rooftop
“One…two…three! Heave!” Alex, Alexandra, Thea, and Magnus heaved with everything they had, pushing the reactor closer to the middle of the rooftop. Even without the majority of its inner components and with the help of a large dolly, it was still extremely heavy.
“Okay, that’ll be visible enough,” Thea said, “With any luck, Theodor’s drones should be seeing it soon.”
“Let’s set up the lights, then,” Alexandra said.
Magnus hooked up a car battery to the reactor and used a foot to push it into an alcove underneath it. Alex flipped a switch, and the LEDs they had put inside the reactor lit up with a light blue hue. The other device they hid inside also hummed. He checked the keyboard on the side and did one more test run. The program Magnus had written took about a minute to boot up, but it successfully activated.
“You think that’ll be enough to fool Theodor?” Magnus said.
“I know my brother,” Thea said, “He’ll be fooled, alright.”
“And then comes the hard part, dealing with him,” Alexandra said, “We ready for that?”
“Once he’s in range, I’ll handle it on my end,” Thea said, “As for defense…”
Tania snapped a scope onto her rifle. “That’s where I come in. Don’t worry, Thea, I’ll make sure they don’t come close.”
“But if they do…” Thea picked up a pistol. “I’m ready.”
“Careful, you’ll only have one clip of EMP rounds,” Tania said, “That’s all I could make.”
“I know,” Thea said, “I won’t miss.”
Alex had seen that gun before, but he had never gotten used to it. Note to self: never get on her bad side. Good thing I’m going with Alexandra. “Is the Impala ready?”
Alexandra held up the Impala’s keys. “Yep. Car’s ready. Angelica?”
“Just say the word,” Angelica said, “I’ll give those Argus merde-heads what-for.”
“Looks like this is it,” Thea said, “It’s time to take down Theodor.”
“And Josh,” Alex said.
I’m not waiting for Josh to hunt me down again. I’m not going to run and hide like I did when we left the Reich. It’s time to end this on our terms. Bring him to justice, the way Oskar would’ve wanted.
Magnus pointed at his watch. “Time’s a-wasting.”
“Right.” Alex shook Magnus’ hand. “Good luck.”
“Same here,” Magnus said.
“Take care of Thea for me, will you?”
Magnus nodded. “Of course. You take care of Alexandra too, okay?”
Alex patted Magnus on the shoulder. “Did you have to ask? I will.” Next, Alex walked over and hugged Thea. “Be careful, Thea. This is Theodor we’re talking about.”
Thea nodded. “I won’t underestimate him. You, on the other hand, better be careful with Josh.”
“I promise,” Alex said, “Thea…no matter what happens today…I want you to know how much I love you.”
Thea responded with a light kiss. “I love you too.”
They broke away. Alex took one more look at Thea, Magnus, and Tania. Then he, Alexandra, and Angelica ran to the stairs. Tania clasped her hands, as if in prayer.
“May the Dola watch over us today,” she said.
The palace bunker
“After Theodor, there’s Elias Anhorn,” Gunduz said, “Willie, you ready?”
Wilhelmina checked Enonon. It was still where it was. Although it remained still, her hand vibrated nervously. “Y-Yes. It’s time to end this.”
“Okay, so I know you have that whole ‘don’t kill’ deal going on, but can you at least make an exception for this guy?”
Wilhelmina hesitated, unsure how to answer.
“If I may,” Gebhard said, “I wouldn’t recommend charging straight into Sedeh. Even with whatever you have, you’re still just one woman with a sword.”
“I know, which is why we’re bringing them to us,” Gunduz said, “Got a camera?”
Shayan took out his phone. “What about my phone?”
Gunduz sighed and rolled her eyes. “…Fine. That’ll work. Let’s get going.”
They left the bunker.
“Oh, and remember, Willie,” Gunduz said, “Follow my lead…and act natural.”
Operation Gaugamela forward operating base, Sedeh
The Crusaders set up their base of operations in the Shah Cyrus II Stadium, a football stadium deep in the Jerusalem-controlled Sedeh district. Here, Edmund Remmele oversaw his troops’ progress. As the general issued orders through his Panopticon, Elias lounged in a chair, spinning his knife in his hands.
“We know they’re in Ali Qapu,” he said, “Why aren’t we hitting it?”
“Elias, I need to shore up our defenses first,” Edmund said, “We only just barely made it to Isfahan yesterday.”
“But we made it.” Is he stalling? Is he secretly a traitor?
“At the cost of several thousand Crusaders.”
Elias casually waved his knife-holding hand. “They were conscripts and prisoners. It didn’t hurt us that much.” He’s holding himself back. Why?
“In the way of experience and cohesion, yes,” Edmund said, “But in terms of numbers and logistics? If we had lost just two divisions, the Persians could’ve encircled us like we did to their Operation Huma. Our position here is not fully secured yet. We’re still clearing out a few blocks for mines and enemy holdouts. We can’t push into downtown yet. Though we could if we opt for a surgical missile strike, we could minimize our own—”
“No.” Elias cut him off. “I do not want the ex-princess to be killed by a stupid missile. I want to do it myself.”
“Yeah, yeah, I heard you the last 43 times,” Edmund said.
“You were counting?”
“No, I guessed.”
Theodor entered the room. “Guys, we’ve got a response from the Shahbanu.”
“Ah, so they responded to my ultimatum,” Elias said.
“You already know what the answer’s going to be,” Edmund said.
“I still want to watch.”
Theodor put a tablet on the table. It played a video of Gunduz walking through Naqsh-e Jahan Square, right outside of Ali Qapu Palace. “Guess who’s still here, mâdar jende?! Let me make this perfectly clear, you knuckleheads. We will never lay down our arms or sell out our friends. We will never surrender. We will defend our country with everything we’ve got. Pâyande Bâdâ Irân! Glory to our heroes!”
Wilhelmina popped into frame and waved. “Hey, I’m here too!” She flipped the bird at the camera. “If you’re watching this, Elias Anhorn—HEY, STUPID REGENT, GO FRAK YOURSELF!”
The video ended just as Gunduz turned towards Wilhelmina with a shocked expression on her face and the princess spontaneously started laughing. Elias slammed his knife down on the table so hard it split in half.
“SHAE MAEKX MAE! WAE SHAEL GO DAESTRAE HAER NAEO!”
“Calm down, Elias!” Theodor said.
Elias took a deep breath. Then another. Slowly, his rage subsided. He remembered what he had planned.
“Thank you, Theodor.” As much as I hate to admit it, Theodor still has some use. “Okay, let’s summarize our goals.”
“We have two objectives here,” Theodor said, “Obviously we have to take the city and kill the ex-princess. But I also want to secure that special reactor my disappointment of a sister stole from me.”
“What’s so important about an oversized engine?” Elias said.
“A lot of things.”
“Are you sure that reactor’s even in this city?”
Theodor picked up the tablet and pulled up an aerial photo of central Isfahan. He zoomed in on the roof of Ali Qapu Palace. A large mechanical contraption was clearly visible. “There it is.”
“Theodor, in my honest opinion, that is a textbook example of a trap,” Edmund said.
“Even if it is, it wouldn’t matter,” Theodor said, “I’ll take Johansen, his squad, and some more men and drones. And I can defend myself. I built a third exosuit.”
And you didn’t bother to tell me? Elias clenched his fist. We’re going to have a long discussion about that tomorrow, after the ex-princess is dead.
“What about my plan?” Elias said. “Are the assets ready?”
“The assets are ready to be deployed,” Edmund said, “We can respond whenever you want.”
“Good,” Elias said.
“Honestly, I’m still not sold on this plan,” Edmund said, “Are you sure she’ll come?”
“I know she will,” Elias said, “People like her always come running to help. I can count on it. Her empathy and compassion will be her downfall.”
Mesopotamia - early morning
The sky was unexpectedly clear today, letting the rising morning sun bake Samir’s dark hair. His eyes looked at the horizon, where the blue of the sky met the light brown of the plains of eastern Mesopotamia. The Crusaders had withdrawn after their previous attack, no doubt to lick their wounds after another failed assault. His eyes looked much closer, and he saw white lines he had painted into the ground at a certain distance from his position. They would come in handy later on, he hoped.
“Say, Samir,” Gulichi said, “What do you think this citadel was used for?”
“What, you want me to bet on it?” Samir said. “Like the other three things you asked me about an hour ago?”
“No, no, I was just curious,” Gulichi said, “I haven’t been outside of Yavdi, so the biggest building I’ve seen were the ones in our cities. No castles or citadels like this, other than Tayisung’s place.”
“Probably was built during one of the countless wars with Persia.” Fought by thousands of throwaway conscripts, waged by countless monarchs with grudges against each other.
Gulichi turned to Ruby. “You owe me five dinars.”
“So you were betting on it!” Samir shook his fist.
“What?” Gulichi shrugged. “It’s not like we have anything better to do.”
“We’re probably gonna die anyways, so the money’s not going to mean much,” Ruby said.
Their earpieces buzzed. “If you’re done betting, it’s time for a status update,” Leyla said.
“What do you have for us?” Samir said.
“I hope you enjoyed the supply drop, because that’s the last one for a while,” Leyla said, “Airspace is too dangerous now.” All four of them lowered their heads. “That was the good news.”
“Oh, for frak’s sake, what could possibly be worse than—actually, I think I know,” Billy said.
“We expect the Crusaders’ll start the assault within an hour. We’re still lacking air support.”
Ruby threw up her hands. “Oh, so it’s up to us again to hold the line.”
“Yes.”
“Is that all?” Gulichi said. “Please tell me you’ve got some more good news. Maybe we’ve been given the order to retreat?”
“Unfortunately not. No order yet. I’m sorry today’s going to be terrible, but you’ve survived far more. Command wants us to tie up Crusader forces which would’ve otherwise been deployed to Isfahan. So let’s keep at it, and we’ll at least have a chance of seeing tomorrow. Got it?”
Gulichi sighed. “Yeah, yeah, got it. Thanks.”
Leyla disconnected. Gulichi leaned against a broken pillar. “If only I was in Isfahan.”
“I don’t think the troops in Isfahan have it much better off,” Samir said.
They’re the same as us. Thrown into the same giant meat grinder to die for the elites. And for what purpose?
Tingvalla - sunrise
The sun peered over the trees and hills to the east of Tingvalla, casting Lake Vänern in shades of purple and orange. Today was a clear day. Which sucked, because that meant Jerusalem’s drones could easily scout out the area. Fortunately, Clara didn’t see any so far. She had woken up early and taken over for the night watch. A pistol was strapped to her side. It wasn’t the Athanatoi-issued Roman model she was used to, but rather a Scandinavian one smuggled out of the town armory. It would have to do.
How long has it been since I last held a gun? Bremerhaven? Damnit. I’ve done so much to move on from Bremerhaven, only to end up in another besieged city. Maybe it’s fate. If Irina were here, she’d say something about the Rozhanitsy or whatever wanting me to confront my past. Maybe she’s right.
A metallic tapping echoed up the watchtower Clara perched on. She peered over the edge and saw Sylvia standing below, a plate of food in her hand.
“I brought breakfast,” she said.
That warmed Clara more than any blanket or heater could. “Thanks, Sylv. But I’m on duty right now.”
“Surely you can spare five minutes for breakfast? You’re going to need it to get through the day.”
It is rather tempting…we never got food this good in Bremerhaven. “Sorry, Sylv. I can’t.”
Although she was fifteen feet below, Clara knew what face she was making. “Clara, if you’re not going to eat, then I guess I’ll sit down and wait until you do!” She sat at the base of the tower. “So you better come down and eat breakfast with me!”
Ah, that takes me back to when we were dating. “Sylv, I’m going to be up here for at least another hour. And it’s going to be a cold morning.”
“I don’t mind, as long as it’s with you,” Sylvia said.
“What if the Crusaders attack now?” Clara said.
“I’ve got a gun.” Sylvia held up her pistol. Like Clara’s, it had been liberated from the armory with the help of the sympathetic security guards. “And besides, I have nothing to fear as long as you’re here. My big and strong Athanatoi agent of a wife.”
Clara blushed. “You don’t have to say it like that.” I’m pretty small!
“But it’s the truth!” There was something earnest in how she said it that melted Clara’s heart more.
Then her heart dropped like a rock.
Smoke rose from the woods in the west. Trees swayed as if pushed aside. Flocks of birds fled into the skies, and she saw herds of deer fleeing the tree line. The tranquil stillness of the morning air was shattered by the sound of hundreds of engines and the hum of drones. Clara’s face paled when she recognized the black tactical gear of the Crusaders, something she had seen everyday in Bremerhaven. Her hands tensed up, like they did in the weeks after she escaped that doomed city. Her mind raced with memories of Crusaders killing her comrades. It froze on a particularly visceral one. Her nose winced, and her ears heard the sound of thin glass breaking. Her back ached with a phantom pain, and she shuddered as if slammed into a wall. One hand instinctively reached for longer hair that hadn’t existed in years.
“They’re here. Kreuzies.” She hadn’t used that slang since Bremerhaven.
Clara picked up a loose shard of metal and used it to bang on the tower three times in rapid succession. Seconds later, she heard a watchtower behind her respond with another three rings, followed by the one after that, and then the ones in town. Soon, the whole town sang with the sounds of hundreds of bells—both big and small—ringing together.
“So that’s what they look like,” Sylvia said.
“I told you they could attack at any time!” Clara climbed down the tower and jumped onto the ground. “You should go.”
Sylvia sighed. “Really? After all that talk we had about Oliver and Irina? I’m staying.”
She playfully elbowed Clara. “And besides, I feel perfectly safe as long as I’ve got you.”
Clara smiled. Her heart rose again. Sylvia took Clara’s hand in her left, and in her right Clara felt the grip of her gun. Which shook her back to reality. “Can we at least get back to town?”
---
Snorrison stormed into the mayor’s office, his hands covering his ears. “What the helvete is that infernal racket? Don’t they know it’s early in the morning?! A man’s gotta get his sleep!”
The mayor of Tingvalla sat at his desk, attending to paperwork even though it was the early morning. “Oh, that? That’s the improvised early warning system for Crusader attacks.”
“Crusader attacks?!” Snorrison banged a fist on the desk. “There is no Crusader attack! Unless you just admitted to treason right in front of me!”
“I can see, with my own two eyes, that there are Crusaders approaching this very town,” the mayor said, “Like I can literally look out my window right now and see their drones!”
“Nonsense!” Snorrison said. “Those are our drones!”
“Chancellor, the last of our drones ran out of power three months ago.”
“That’s defeatist talk!”
“Says the man who issued the unconditional surrender.” The mayor leaned back and put his feet on the desk.
“Y-you!” Snorrison glared at him. “That was the Fylkir! I was merely relaying his orders!”
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”
Snorrison pulled out a pistol. The mayor didn’t even flinch. “Oh, it appears they missed one when they cleared out the armory last week.”
“They WHAT?!” Snorrison was livid.
“I thought you knew,” the mayor said, “Though I can understand how you didn’t, living in such a delusion.”
They heard gunfire outside.
“Damn bandits,” Snorrison said, “Another raid? Seriously, there are better targets.”
“Listen to yourself, Chancellor!” the mayor said. “Knud might be stupid enough to tolerate your skitsnack, but not me. You keep deluding yourself into thinking we’re perfectly safe, when we’re not. You keep punishing those who call you out and try to address the coming crisis. And now that the enemy’s here, you still deny they even exist. What the absolute helvete is wrong with you?”
“Funny, I was just about to ask the same with you,” Snorrison said.
The mayor stared at Snorrison, even more dumbfounded by what this man was saying and the realization that he had somehow become chancellor. “Snorrison, with all due respect…you’re a frakking idiot.”
Snorrison put a bullet between the mayor’s eyes. “And in the name of the Fylkir, you’re dead, traitor!”
Western Lithuania
The Crusaders weaved in and out of the trees, firing off bursts of machine gun fire as they switched hiding places. However, their black tactical gear—which came with no camouflage—made them easy targets for Boris. He ducked into his trench to avoid an incoming hail of enemy gunfire, then he emerged and fired once, hitting a Crusader in the head.
“So far, so good,” he said, “How many does that make it? Thirty?”
“Thirty-five, sir.” Kowalski shot another Crusader. “Actually, thirty-six.”
“And how many men have we lost?”
“Uh…another twelve.”
“Damn,” Boris said, “That’s twelve too many.”
“On the bright side, that means more ammo for the rest of us,” Kowalski said.
“What good’s the ammo gonna be if there’s too much for us to reasonably use?” Boris pointed to the boxes of bullets surrounding his feet. “Imagine a pile twice as large.”
Kowalski took another shot, then reloaded. “Still, ammo’s ammo. As long as we have it, we can still fight.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Boris sniped a Crusader attempting to rush the trenches from the right.
“Say, I’ve been wondering,” Kowalski said, “Why don’t they just bomb us or something?”
Boris crouched in his trench. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ve been thinking that myself. They could’ve just wiped us out while we were building the trenches.”
“Maybe it’s the tree cover?”
“No, I don’t think that’s it. Jerusalem’s never been stopped by trees before. Remember that time we fled Kaunas and we fed them fake coordinates to some woods? Well, they firebombed that whole forest.”
“So much for environmentalism, huh?” Kowalski chuckled. “So if it’s not the trees, then what is it?”
“I don’t think it’s a what, but a who,” Boris said, “Engelbert von Haynau.”
“The Butcher himself? Wanting to…not butcher us?”
“Think about it. Haynau’s been trying to conquer Livonia for months but has always been turned away at Vilnius by Konstantinov and me. He’s shattered Konstantinov’s army now, which leaves only me. He wants revenge against me.”
“If that’s the case, why doesn’t he just incinerate us with some napalm?”
Boris shook his head. “I don’t think that’s what he wants. Maybe what he wants with me is not just death…but humiliation.”
“As if a monster like him could humiliate you!” Konstantinov said.
Boris shrugged. “Maybe if he got ahold of my sitcom collection, but that was burned with most of Vilnius. Regardless, I won’t even let that happen.” He shot another two Crusaders, then reloaded. “We won’t let that happen.”
“Of course, sir,” Kowalski said.
“I told you, drop the sir! That’s an order!”
“Sorry, sir.”
Boris facepalmed. “Oh, forget it.”
The Pacific - April 1, late, Hawaii time
The sun was close to setting, but the battle showed no signs of stopping. All sides had taken heavy casualties, and the Ryukyuans were no exception.
“Sakishima reports damage to its rear secondary guns and point defense,” one bridge officer reported.
“Pull it back to Iguaque and Mata ki te Rangi,” Higa Ryunosuke said, “Their missiles should provide enough cover.”
“A torpedo just hit Repun Kamuy. It’s listing to port.”
“Move the Mexicans to reinforce the Ainu.”
“Incoming enemy fighters! Chinese squadron, five klicks and closing from the northwest.”
“Direct suppression fire on the northwest, get Fifth Squadron in the air ASAP.”
“On it.” Two minutes later, the anti-aircraft guns on Sanzan and nearby escorts opened fire, spraying orange tracer fire into the northwest.
“Status on Fifth Squadron?” Higa asked.
“Final checks underway, should be airborne within a minute.”
A minute passed. An explosion bloomed on Repun Kamuy, taking out its front gun and a missile launcher. Flak explosions filled the sky, courtesy of the battleship Hokuzan. Then the jets of the Fifth Squadron roared down Sanzan’s runway and into the sky, their afterburners clearly visible in the diminishing evening light.
“Fifth Squadron away.”
“Continue the search for Xi Wangmu,” Higa said, “We need to take out Liu.”
“Understood.”
The bridge crew continued their duties. Higa continued standing near the window, surveying the flight deck and the ships around Sanzan. Behind him, he heard phones ringing, officers relaying orders, and machinery beeping—the sounds of an aircraft carrier at war. An enemy missile made it through Hokuzan’s flak screen and impacted on the battleship’s middle, violently tearing cannons and radar arrays off.
“Sir,” one officer said, “Fifth Squadron took heavy casualties and has pulled back.”
“How bad is it?” Higa said.
“Three went down.”
“Damn.” That’s three more of my men who won’t be returning to their families. “How many did they take out?”
“We…miscalculated. The Chinese had two squadrons, total of 20 aircraft. We were outnumbered.”
“Have Fifth Squadron land on Noguchigera. What about the enemy squadrons?”
“Still inbound.”
“Direct all suppression fire on those two squadrons. Pull back Third and Seventh Squadrons to Sanzan.”
“Radar contact! One klick and closing!”
Higa could now see the Chinese formation through the window with his own eyes. From a kilometer away, they seemed like albatrosses lazily drifting across the ocean skies. That image was quickly shattered when the jets let loose a flurry of missiles. Twenty lines of smoke streaked towards Sanzan. Higa spun around, trying to keep calm. “INTERCEPTION FIRE, NOW!”
The aircraft carrier’s guns directed their fire at the incoming missiles. One by one, the missile exploded, but each remaining one crept closer to Sanzan.
Twenty missiles, one kilometer.
Sixteen missiles, half a kilometer.
Ten missiles, 250 meters.
Four missiles, 100 meters.
One missile, 10 meters.
Higa opened his mouth. “Brace for—”
He didn’t get to finish his sentence before the missile struck the carrier’s superstructure, just below the bridge. The ensuing explosion rippled outward and upwards into the bridge a split second later. The floor split, and flames engulfed the room, incinerating several officers before they had a chance to scream.
The next thing he knew, he was on the floor. He slowly got to his feet, feeling some pain in his torso and arms. Fortunately, nothing seemed to be broken, but he wouldn’t know for sure without seeing the ship doctor. He looked around and saw what remained of the bridge. Most of the consoles had been destroyed or even torn off the floor. The helm and much of the area around it had been severely damaged, but they were still usable. Only two officers were still alive. The rest lay dead on the floor. He staggered over to them. “You two get yourselves to the medics. I’ll take care of this.”
The officers left the bridge. Higa next went to a still working phone and picked it up. “Engineering, status report.”
“They hit the reactor! Nothing too serious, but we’re not going to have propulsion for maybe an hour.”
Frak, we don’t have an hour. “Thank you, Engineering.” He put down the phone and pushed the button for the flight crew. “Flight deck, status report.”
“We’re clearing the debris and wreckage from the deck. It’s going to take a while.”
Them too? “Alright, you guys make sure to get it done ASAP, you hear?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Thanks.” He put down the phone and slumped down into a chair. They couldn’t have done this on the first day? We’re going to lose all of the progress we’ve made so far at this rate. It must be so demoralizing for the crew, to see the bridge hit like this. Wait, not just this ship’s crew, but everyone in the fleet. I have to do something to keep morale up.
He found a working comms console and opened a public channel, making sure to broadcast on all frequencies. “This is Admiral Higa Ryunosuke.” He took a deep breath, trying to block out the pain in his body. “I’m still here. Some of you may have seen a missile hit the bridge of Sanzan, which did happen. But I survived. It’ll take a lot more than a single measly missile to take me down. So keep fighting, my comrades! I know we can still win this battle!”
That ought to do it. Higa stopped broadcasting. He sat back down in the chair and tried to make himself comfortable. He had a long evening ahead of him with repairs and strategic planning, but for now he just wanted to rest. Yet there was still a nagging feeling at the back of his head telling him he still had something to do. Something, something, something…what is it? Wait…
Higa got up again and left the bridge. Making his way down to the deck, he went to the back of the superstructure, which remained intact, and waved down two nearby signalmen. “You two, can you help me?”
“What do you need, admiral?”
“I need you to hoist a certain flag for me. And light it up.”
Higa remained on the deck for a while longer. Once the signalmen found the appropriate flag, Higa helped them affix it to the flagpole and hoist it up. His arms ached, and his hands smarted from rope burns, but he persisted. Once the flag had been hoisted to the top, they next aimed the lights upwards and turned them on. The wind picked up at that moment, unfurling a fully illuminated Ryukyuan flag for all to see. To the allied fleet, it was a whisper of encouragement, and to the Chinese, it was a sign of defiance. Everyone saluted the flag.
“Sanzan banzai!” Higa bellowed.
Long live the Three Mountains!
“SANZAN BANZAI!” repeated the crewmembers.
“Ryukyu banzai!”
Long live Ryukyu!
“RYUKYU BANZAI!”
“Sanzan banzai! Ryukyu banzai!”
“SANZAN BANZAI! RYUKYU BANZAI!”
Ali Qapu Palace, Isfahan - April 2
Behind the lines of machine guns, sandbags, barbed wire, and improvised trenches set up by the Artesh’s most elite soldiers, the palace gates opened. The contradictory sounds of tires screeching and a horse neighing echoed out from the palace, confusing these battle-hardened men and women. Then a black blur with blue highlights, along with a white blur with purple mixed in, zipped past. Wilhelmina heard Heidi’s hooves clopping against the street concrete. Heidi accelerated into a gallop with a determined neigh. Next to her, Alexandra sat behind the wheel of the Impala, equally as determined. Alex rode shotgun and kept tabs on the betharium engine, which radiated light blue from its exhaust ports, with a tablet. Angelica sat in the back with her windows down and a pistol in her hands. All three made eye contact with Wilhelmina. Alexandra nodded. Alex gave a thumbs up. Angelica grinned with eager anticipation. Wilhelmina simply nodded back. At the next intersection, the two split off from each other, Alexandra turning left and Wilhelmina turning right.
“Godspeed, valiant heroes,” Wilhelmina whispered.
It was time. There was no backing down now. She already told Sophie she wasn’t backing down. Now she had to make good on that promise. She was still scared, though. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t. There were so many people counting on her today. She was worried she wouldn’t be able to live up to their expectations.
Calm down, Willie…everything’s going to be fine. Stick to the plan, and we’ll make it.
She decided maybe putting on some music would help her. She reached to her belt, where she had strapped her Walkman. Fortunately, Alexandra and Thea had slightly tweaked it so it could work with wireless headphones, one of which was now in her ear. She pressed play, and the Walkman belted out ancient music, reminding her of better times.
Fire Emblem guide my way through
light and shadow I can’t fall, for
this is the path I’ve chosen to walk, and
I will keep fighting on and on
Our home has been ravaged and torn apart
And many of our friends have given their lives
But I’ll keep their memory dear to my heart
So I’ll protect all those left with my life!
I can’t forget that fateful day
When my world came crashing down and
I lost everything and even more! But
I continued on and made new friends
Forged new and greater bonds lifting us up
And now I rise up with our new strength
To protect the weak is my creed!
For now is the time to fight back (even if the entire world’s gone mad, and)
I won’t rest until I’m done (I’ll keep fighting on and on)
For the sake of all my friends and my home (and for those I love dearly)
For the sake of all the world and my love (I think of you the most of all)
Our bonds are strong
And they shall never falter (hold strong to save tomorrow)
With you at my side
I can face my fate at last (may this never change as)
Darkness is driven out and
Light gathers on our flag
To shine boldly to tomorrow
Our bonds are strong
And they must never falter (hold strong to save today)
This our only chance for our deliverance
Which is why
Let’s rise up
It’s time to fight and seize our fate!
Such is a heroine’s destiny
Binding Shield and Falchion guide our way
Into the dawn!
With her morale restored by an admittedly cheesy song from 26-year-old game, she continued down the street.
---
New format for music links. I'm just going to put the name and source underneath the link in case of DMCA.
There’s the full lyrics for A Heroine’s Destiny I promised a long time ago. They had been finished since the village arc, but I was saving them until this moment. The original plan was to put it a little later on, but I decided against that. I admit I’m not a songwriter and the lyrics are kind of weird, but I tried my best to line them up to the beat of the music. I edited a couple lines before posting because they sounded weird. It still does, but less in my opinion.
Gunduz’s video is inspired by some of Volodymyr Zelensky’s videos taunting the Russians in the early days of the invasion, as well as the defenders of Snake Island. I also reference a few of Zelenksy’s quotes in the previous chapter and later ones.
For these parts, I’ve used LOK tracks, specifically tracks from the last three or so episodes of Book 1, since I’ve taken a lot of inspiration from Book 1 for the overall arc and we’re entering the endgame, so to speak. Then again, this is Part 1 of several...
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Looks like we're at an important event for this war. I doubt Jerusalem will fall quickly after this battle, but this will definitely be an important turning point for the war. Here's to hoping our main characters make it out of this battle, however unlikely it might be.
Now that you've started watching Anime, are there any mangas, light novels or visual novels you've been reading by chance? I've been meaning to read Berserk for a while and I have the Steins Gate VN on steam, but I haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I remember you saying awhile back that a streamer you followed was playing the Ace Attorney games so I'm wondering if he managed to finish the series?
No matter what happens and who comes out on top, the course of the war will change today.
Eh, I haven’t read that many manga in a while. I have been regularly following Pokémon Adventures for years, but the release schedule has gotten pretty erratic and slow. It’s got only one writer who can’t keep up with the speed at which Game Freak releases new games, and he no longer gets advance copies or good marketing like used he used to—he’s still covering Sword/Shield content right now. A shame, since the manga easily outshines both the games and anime in many respects but is the most obscure and forgotten part of the franchise. I read a fan translation of the Fire Emblem 4 manga I referenced in the FE breakdowns, but the translators haven’t finished yet, and I haven’t checked if the next chapter has been translated yet. I finished the Fire Emblem 6 manga last year and have occasionally read one-offs for Awakening and Fates. I can’t remember any other manga I may have read in the last year or two right now.
Not necessarily a manga, but I did listen to a few of the Code Geass picture/audio dramas (was surprised they were dubbed) and occasionally follow the Legend of Niiko and Legend of Genji fan comics which are two different takes on Korra sequels. Still need to get around to the latest official Korra comic and the Yangchen book.
In the realm of visual novels/stuff adjacent to them, I played Famicom Detective Club and the Ace Attorney original trilogy earlier this year. Haven’t gotten to the other AA games yet since this year has been loaded with
The streamer you mentioned played The Great Ace Attorney a while ago, and she plans on going to the original trilogy next, but she is waiting for now as she is arranging for Greg Chun (the voice actor, whom she knows) to cohost with her and voice some of the characters. She did play the main Danganronpa games as well.
Another streamer (a Pokémon-focused Youtuber, but he occasionally streams other games—specifically Persona 5, his streams actually were my introduction to the franchise) played a demo for the fanmade Pokémon Academy Life visual novel so there’s that. And that one actually does have manga characters, funny enough.