"Mono/Dialogue"

  'Inner thoughts'

  Narration

  [Message/communication apparatus]

  Date: Winter 1919 NWC or 646 AU.

  Location: Northern Convallis Tenebrea.

  POV: Narration

  Watcher Alpha One’s team had reached the designated RV point. Other watchers and supporting elements had assembled a simple FOB to prepare for potential casualties. Xue noted the assembled force to be far heavily armed than for this to be a simple hunting trip, then a BDA clean up.

  “Park there, Private,” Vijanta spoke to the driver, his left hand pointing at a space between MIT-6A1 and A2 Gahads. There are other lighter vehicles, but that specific cluster told him all he needed to know.

  The former sports a simpler equipment of turret with a heavy caliber machine gun, tearing infantry when able, but encouraged not to. While its cousin was the so-called combat refit improvement, with a turret-mounted 30mm autocannon and an externally reloaded pair of ATGMs.

  Both could carry a whole squad in and out of combat. Although A2 will be required to ditch its cargo, mostly filled with spare ATGMs and autocannon belts, to make room. It is an infamous tale how infantrymen are often assigned an uncomfortable ride, which might be their st.

  “Wilco, Sarge.” These vehicles were actually based on its specialized radar vehicle, MIT-6 GSSV, capable of monitoring the battlefield up to 400 km (320 miles), tracking up to 200 targets in real time. This complements the wider strategy of defense well.

  The worsening warfront and apparent weakness of M34s forced the nation to forcefully convert avaible designs as a stopgap. The results are the Gahads, named after an old mythical Hero according to their Grand Autarch. These Gahads performed adequately as a fire support vehicle as M34 flounders alongside M223s.

  MIT-6 Gahads have thicker armor and slower speed compared to M223s, but they have grown to become an icon in the army. There are many variants, but the fact that transport and combat variants are present gave them a little stomachache.

  “What the hell are we gonna find around here?” Xue compined, but her hands rummaged inside the vehicle for that disposable AT uncher meant for emergencies. She inspects the seal for any damage. It is actually a common complement for their vehicle ever since the war turned bad.

  Every vehicle must be capable of offering resistance against NIIO’s armored column. The solution would be the mass production of disposable ATs, cheap and quick, while more than enough to force the enemy convoy to a full stop. Of course, it doesn’t always work, but there’s little Regalia could do.

  As she worked on her uncher, Reedy twisted his body to turn around and fetch the ammo box, opening it to see several magazines neatly packed inside. These are the rest of their munitions given by the quartermaster. Another precaution on their unpredictable reality. Reedy also pulls the single-shot grenade uncher that was confiscated from a NIIO’s armory.

  The rest of their equipment is also neatly packed on the trunk, ranging from medical supplies to combat drugs and backup weapons. These backup weapons varied because most were from NIIO’s stockpile, again. The paperwork was a nightmare Vijanta was forced to endure daily, higher-ups and their many whims and bright ideas…

  Reedy distributes these mags to his comrades, before his eyes settle on their driver. “Xue, fill Jason’s backpack first.” Xue nodded as Jason mouthed off thanks. Vijanta took his allotted mags, but not before wearing his carrier pte. The temperature here is ass. He was the first to dismount when his 4x4 vehicle came to a halt.

  Others follow suit. Reedy noticeably calmed down some more, but his eyes and gaze kept scanning the tree line. His trigger discipline seems to be fraying around the edges, but for the most part, he kept himself on the line. Jason took stock of his backpack, noting the extra ammo might come in handy for ter, and then took out his canteen.

  The FOB is being worked on, with the commanding tent being installed with a sophisticated communication array in lieu of soldiers heading in and out holding stacks of documents. The digger dug earth out of its smooth surface, creating a trench capable of being fully expanded ter on. Local armory could be seen in the center of this encampment, prompting Reedy’s eyebrow to rise minutely.

  Xue spots several army engineers bickering about something regarding the nding and helipad.

  “What took you so long?” Another Watcher Alpha’s NCO hailed him, offering a handshake and grim smile. “Got held up on the road, Rick, so what’s the status?” His vision moved past his colleague and faced straight ahead. The forest has been quiet without natural noise, leaving only armed industry to fell trees and dig up mounds.

  “The bird had been secured, a cinch in fact.” He pointed west at a rge cage where a gryphon is feasting upon a deer. It’s chirping contentedly, even as the guards around it never truly let their focus down like their guns. These soldiers were mostly made up of recently conscripted men and women; suffice to say, their experiences are cking.

  “What are those folks over there?” Vijanta frowned as he nudged his chin at a group of white uniformed personnel speaking excitedly over each other. Rick shrugged as he took another whiff of his cigarette. “What they really are is above my pay grade, but they are definitely scientists.”

  “… If you are making FOB, and there’s them… you found something you shouldn’t be, huh?” His suspicion prompts Rick to grin. “That’s right, we met some undocumented passage.” Vijanta’s brows were raised. “Rebel hideout?” His compatriot shook his head. “If it’s just them, Grasdivis or Air Force would be paying a visit any time now.” There’s a slight stress on his voice when stumbling over Grasdivis’ part, and Vijanta wisely shuts it.

  “We are now just waiting for the higher-ups to pull their brain cells to use. What we might see beneath the subterranean level can be…” Rick chooses his words, his tongue tasting his upper gum. “Above our pay grades, and we will be told to shut up about it.”

  “Joy…” Xue smirked sardonically. Reedy heaves a sigh as he settles on his fate. “Just perfect, absolutely perfect… it will be even better if we find some kinds of-” Jason offered him his canteen, and he gdly took it.

  “So what’s the ball they had thrown at us?” The young driver spoke as he slung his M11A5 over his chest, a pair of duct-taped magazines in pce for his rifle. Xue turns around, walking backward as she answers. “Possibly? Must have been a portal of some kind. Fancy pants won’t be pulling troops from tasking without something real bad going on.”

  “Ain’t that right? You should have seen a small portal in your life, right?” Reedy chimes in, keeping his peripheral vision focused on the edges of this clearing into the woods. “Yeah, seen one when I was eight, then a few more when I was older, nasty stuff coming out. Dogs with teeth are no different than jagged gss.”

  “Now you've got the handle of it, so expect at least that and multiply it by then.” The Taisharagi woman turns back around, throwing her hands behind her head. “If we are seeing Gahads, then the advanced party found a problem requiring heavy firepower. If we're gonna see some Onyxes, then shit has really hit the fan.” Conversely, Rick and Vijanta exchange info.

  “So what’s the bottom line here?” The leader of Watcher Alpha 2-2 turns his head to a jet that flies overhead. “Combat or containment?” Rick puffed out smoke. “Most likely containment. Grasdivis used to deal with the unknown while we hold the fort. Can’t say I envy them; they can have all the glory they want, but me? I just want to stay alive and return home.”

  “You know, talking like that is a bad sign, yeah?” His counterparts answered pensively, but he just ughed it off. “Meh, who knows? This is a screwed up world, gotta find our own little world at times.” The group was just walking around the camp before the command center’s announcement rang.

  [All Watcher Alphas in base to head towards the commanding headquarters immediately. I repeat-] the system transmitted such an announcement as men and women who were called up to the center. Others continue on their duty.

  “Well, that’s our cue.” The group follows the instructions. Vijanta surmised that at least Watcher Alpha One, Two, Six, and Seven are present. A good augmented squad level of unit. The commanding tent is within view soon enough, or more like a command vehicle because it's an APC with a tarp and camoufge above it. The officer on station is the one looking over a newly made map; he stands straight once his assembled force arrives.

  “Welcome to FOB Lenore, I am Major Cameron, and I will be the highest-ranking officer present. Without further ado, let’s start the briefing.” He nodded to his assistant, who disseminated several colored photographs onto the table.

  “We had received words from our forward sentries that this cave is crawling with critters… that would have been grand if they kept to themselves down. Unfortunately…” Another photo shows several humanoid-looking creatures with teeth and cws as sharp and long as a small dagger. Their beady eyes, gaping maws, and drooling lips don’t paint them as welcoming. Their fur appears too sharp in the photo, and they appear to be… conversing?

  “They had resurfaced and didn’t exhibit a sliver of intelligence or restraint like that gryphon in our custody. I want you to spearhead the cordon unit. Engagement is ill-advised, but if they tried to scatter any further, you are clear to engage.”

  They inspect the map and photos, matching the topography that has changed slightly. The road will be too deep and dense for vehicles to penetrate, so they will be forced to approach on foot. Creatures like these, haranguing the outside, will require a formation to immediately combat ambush. Reedy didn’t comment as the other fireteam needs to double-back to their transport for more arms and ammo.

  Xue fiddles with her AT again, her brows knitted close from seeing her uncher and photos on the table. If she’s not careful while aiming, it might colpse the cave. She’s positive they’re not here for demolition, so she huffed while stowing the AT onto her back. Jason checks on the other’ team's weapon, seemingly entranced by a guy wielding a light machine gun.

  Besides them, the small group began their own things. Regalian are used to seeing strange creatures from another dimension, but it doesn’t make them grow indomitable bravery all of a sudden. Most of these people, despite their genetically altered and stronger selves, are ultimately human with fear and emotions. These men aren’t Grasdivis, who are noted for their eeriness by many; these are just men. Men see freaky shit, and they will not like it.

  Cameron let his subordinates digest the information, and the sentries are still giving updates on these creatures. They reported that more are exiting the cave, but they did nothing but wander around the mouth.

  It is unknown if they’re hostile, but seeing their heightened state, Cameron is inclined toward hostility. Dozens of these abominations are crawling outside; there might be more of them inside. It will be best if these humanoids merely look scary, but so far, he can’t discount the fact that Regalia is already getting their hands on meddling with this world.

  His eyes wander off to the scientist-looking folks still engrossed in their data gathering. These b coats are strapped with handguns, but he doubts they will be of much use in combat. Most of them are in the prime of their lives, but his men are young and would have been in the b coats’ pce if not for that asinine war.

  “Questions?” A corporal of another team raised her hand. “It might be obvious, but are we being dispatched there for the same reason those b coats are here?” Cameron held back from sighing. “Official stance, they don’t exist, and you all should remember that.” That’s not the answer she hoped for, but military bureaucracy dictates otherwise, so she nodded. “Anyone else?”

  “Shouldn’t we just bomb them?” Jason raised a hand; his simplistic answer elicited chuckles from everyone present, even the Major's lips quirked at the edges. “If we had clear sight of them, we wouldn’t be dispatching a unit for forward observation. High Command had dictated the creation of a cordon and control zone. We have a satellite monitoring the field, and civilians have been notified to refrain from leaving their homes. Garrison had been notified, and more reservists would arrive. Until then, we got to make do.”

  “Affirm, sir.” Jason resignedly muttered, briefly considering taking a sip of his canteen, but refrained. That’s just rude. “Anyone else?” Rick half-heartedly raised a hand. “Ordnance limit and targets?” Cameron pointed his finger at the cave. “As long as you don’t make the entrance colpse, it is weapons-free on these abominations. Be warned, if we colpse them, it might cause an alternative entrance to be formed. So act with caution, we know little of this world.” The soldiers nodded and murmured their agreement.

  “Anything else? No? Good. I expect the mission to be finished before nightfall. Remember, you’re not meant to exterminate and infiltrate. Keeping them contained at the mouth and observing will be preferable, but I’ll have an Onyx on station to provide supporting fire. Using colored smoke, ser, and fre is useless this deep in the jungle on a sunny day. ” He then looked at Rick.

  “First Lieutenant Patrick Dougs will be given tactical field command and leadership.” The major turns his vision to Vijanta. “Master Staff Sergeant Vijanta Adamson shall serve as his 2IC. If they are combat ineffective, Sergeant Farah Carmaine or Sergeant Hauss McKinsley shall be next in line, and then further down. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir!” They answered in unison, eagerness or anxious anticipation was cognizant in the air. “Dis-” As he was about to dismiss his men, one of the b coats approached.

  “Excuse me, sir! Sir! Excuse me, make way, please!” The approaching fellow is a nky man with a gaunt-looking face, but bright as a sunny day tone, short in stature, and radiates joy… and their own ideas to mingle with military minds. Cameron feels like chewing a nearby steel pilr holding the tarp and camo, but he reins it in. The grunts swallowed their apparent dissatisfaction, for all they knew, this guy could be under the Grand Autarch’s order herself.

  “… Yes? Anything you require?” The nky man beamed, his missing teeth showing. “I will attend the first contact!” The Major bit back from shouting, but his eyes turned a shade darker as his gaze. The nky, half-bald man doesn’t notice how others are gncing at him with disfavor.

  “Mister…” Cameron looks at his nametag, and it says ‘Dr. Sully M. Deithart.’ “Deithart. I assure you that-” He was cut off by the man. “No, no, please, call me Sully! I am one of you after all!” Rick snorted beside his comrades, but this man still doesn’t notice. “Alright, Mr. Sully… we are dealing with unknown. It will be best if we could ascertain whether they are hostile or not-” He was cut off again. “You will need me!”

  “Sir, that’s ill-advised, and I choose not to risk someone of your importance.” Sully ughed at his answer. A wry smile or something of the sort shows on his face, but that doesn’t seem to have won him any positive points.

  “Oh, you can stop talking like that, my friend, your career is fine, and anything happening won’t leave a smudge. You people could be so over-fixated about protocols…” Cameron’s eyes darkened as the man in front of him rummaged through his pockets. Cursing and tripping over his own words as he searches for something. His search isn’t even done, and he opened his mouth once more.

  “I won’t care what you put on your paper; my duty takes precedence, and we are on the cusp of something monumental! Don’t you see the gryphon we had been prodding for minutes?! These… creatures could be non-hostile! I don’t think it will be smart to point guns their way! Imagine the many, many great things to-” Cameron has had enough, he put his feet down.

  “I will not send my men under dubious cause. You will be given the heads up when we clear the area.” His assistance stealthily recorded the proceedings, in case the Doctor tried to make up some schemes to get his way. Sully doesn’t notice it, or perhaps he doesn’t care after all; his eyes glow with the manic fervor of a man lusting for solving puzzles and finding truths between lies.

  “Dubious was it? Then let me tell you of the many proofs that these new locals aren’t hostile to us.” His tone shifts higher and higher, sounding less coherent as he heaves breaths between sylbles. “How sea mammals only attacked our vessels due to panic, how wyverns that penetrated our air defense network prefer to fly above farmnds, and many more! We cannot just go in there like what happened on Nova Leuvelica! This is our homend, a scalpel on this wounded realm is much preferable to a sledgehammer! What? Don’t tell me you are just going to bomb the hell out of perfectly good soils?” Cameron held his emotions in check, but his politeness had been fraying around the edges.

  “Sir, there have been casualties against these New World creatures. I’ll concede, yes, there were reports about perceived docility, but these things don’t look friendly. I will say this, but not to undermine your position in this group, you shall be granted ease of access once we can determine it for you.”

  The soldiers are gring in Sully’s direction, and even Jason shifted on his feet as Reedy’s fist clenched and unclenched. Sully finally realized his surroundings… and far from being intimidated, he stared the taller Major in the eyes.

  “Had I misheard, my friend? I could have sworn I was cooped up too long in my b.”

  “You heard yourself, then?”

  “Oh, I do, and I know you. You who cannot be made to see reason and take practicalities without weighing potential. Never wanting to take risks. If you think you’re the only person staking your cim and those below you, you’re mistaken.”

  Cameron soon replied, his tone solidifying on ice. “That’s what an officer is supposed to be, Sir. We are here to achieve objectives with as few casualties as possible. I believe that sacrificing the bigger picture is not the most optimal solution. You’re a man of science, I believe you to be more capable than I upon such puzzlement.” Some of the soldiers snickered, but Sully wasn’t deterred.

  “Indeed, and in fact, you are staring at the bigger picture.” Sully smiles as he pulls a sealed envelope from his coat's inner pocket, letting it fall above all other documents on the table. The soft thud silenced his agitated surroundings. It is a bare bones envelope with nothing noteworthy other than a bluish-bck seal.

  That single, deadly piece of paper worked further on cooling off the more heated members in their midst. Still, most are no doubt very unwelcoming of the Doctor’s heavy-handed meddling.

  “Imagine… if I… say… had been given authority to pursue what is necessary to better the benefits of this realm? What if I say my, no doubt frivolous-looking, action was sanctioned by those at the top? It might not be the Grand Autarch herself, but I suspect our devotion is an ironcd fact, no?”

  Cameron takes the unadorned envelope and reads its contents. His men can see how his fingers dug into it, the Major trying his best not to let his boiling emotions spill over. His eyes darted from each line hidden from view, each sylble and word as undisputed pieces of steel shoved into his mind.

  Vijanta and Rick looked onto their feet, sighing as they understood what would happen soon enough. Their comrades were able to do naught but watch silently as the whole chain of command had been uniterally overturned with whatever was written inside.

  After what feels like eternity watching the Major read his paper carefully, he sighed and gently closed it back. He reinserted the paper back into its envelope, his hands gripping the metal table hard, which gave sight to slight tremors that shook it. He looks back up.

  “… Very well. You may embed yourself onto the team… welcome to the team, Technical Sergeant Sully.” Sully raised his fisted palm high. “Finally! That wasn’t so hard, wasn’t it? Alright, wait a bit as I prepare my equipment! Oh, I can’t wait to see what is there to discover! Gd to be working with you guys and gals.” He ran past the sea of gring, unwelcoming eyes as he really did win a lottery. Rick looked back at the Major, who could only smile bitterly and apologetically.

  “Sorry, boys, legitimate order from upstairs. Mission commence T-Minus 15, good luck out there, dismissed.” The teams swallowed their dissatisfaction and headed back. The added fifteen minutes doing nothing worsens their mood.

  “Goddammit all… the hell were we to him? Some test subjects?” Xue spat as her team heads back to their vehicle, perhaps taking a bit more medical kit. “Simple and speedy mission turns into babysitting duty… our luck is rotten, man.” Their driver grinned sardonically, the usual overruling in the military because someone, somewhere, has a brighter idea without truly looking past their office door. “Hah… a grunt’s life is rough.” He ended his train of thought with just that.

  “Aight, stop mopping. Get an extra portable stretcher in our kit. Reed, haul ass to the armory and pick up extra smokes. Xue, ditch the AT and get yourself a fmer from the engineering section, also in the armory. Jason, you stay here, we might need to welcome Technical Sergeant into the team so he won’t do anything too stupid.”

  “They have that?” The woman answered with baffled bemusement, but her legs followed after Reedy. It left just Jason and his direct NCO, who looks fed up with life too. “Is this how you usually operated in the Marine, Sir?”

  “Hmm? Oh yeah, I was part of GAMC. It was a short tenure before I got hit in the head and deemed too much of a liability for the short tasks asked of Marines.” Jason looked at the man beside him. He is certainly old, but his gait is… rexed.

  “That’s why you refuse early retirement?” For someone who got the boot away from such a prestigious unit… he doesn’t look bitter, just stubborn. Jason thinks. Vijanta doesn’t dissuade his curiosity. “More or less, 20 years of service and counting. I have no one expecting me home; they are well cared for by my brother and his wife. So I can focus on serving her…”

  Jason sees that same glint in his eyes, the glint of many he had witnessed who look upon the Grand Autarch to be above them all, a look of utter devotion that seems to sit uneasily inside his heart. Every time the young d sees the statue of one who stood above all, all he sees is… a deeply puzzling feeling.

  “Must have been the sight, huh?” Of course, he knows better, but the young private tears his gaze away to look upon Sully and his colleagues. All of them… they sport that same chilling glint, but theirs felt too much too different, like staring at stained gss of an incomprehensible facet.

  He had found it and witnessed just how rge that was.

  After he had thought of such, a pair of Grasdivis VTOLs came into view, bearing in their holds the infamous bck armored enforcer of Her Grace’s Will and Whim. These gasmasked death squads didn’t nd; they keep pressing onward to some unseen objectives.

  Their lifeless gaze sweeps across the camp, searching and observing for a reason, or perhaps that’s their modus operandi to be the manifestation of eyes that never sleep, never relent, and never fail.

  Barring some exceptional exceptions, traces of detractors and rebels had been going sparse nowadays. Tales of those surrendering in droves and being put through reeducation camps or sent to the orphanage had been trickling in. Regalia’s massive military bureaucracy had been churning up orders nonstop, and common folks should y their thoughts and theories to rest.

  This same bureaucracy has far-reaching consequences.

  [END OF CHAPTER]

  Author’s Note:

  Yo there, this is me, myself, and I, the author who had just stumbled upon IRL problems.

  This problem had been absolutely screwing with my mind, but I managed to let it go. No point in dwelling too long on them, a waste of time.

  Here we see the small tidbits that I will go back into ter. I really wanna flesh out the magic, but I cannot entirely focus on them before the first arc concludes. That’s all.

  Update is I don’t fucking know, lmao.

  Ciao