Dimensional Travels: World at War-Chapter 48: Esponia outpost

In the morning, Eric grumbled as his alarm woke him up. Mia was already up and about. Today she would be briefing Milano about the possible avenues the empire would take in response to their next phase of the plan:

Taking control of the Esponia mountains.

Mia chuckled while noticing Eric’s drowsiness. She handed him a cup of coffee and pecked his cheek. "Good morning sunshine." She teased while setting the table for breakfast. Eric grumbled in response. "It’s too early for this shit."

"Well it’s your own fault for playing poker with Kamer and Hammond until three in the morning. You’re almost thirty, not twenty-one."

They got ready after breakfast, joking with each other the entire way to Hood Hill. Eric drove with his hand on her thigh, while she propped her feet on the dashboard. "Does this dress make me look fat?" She asked, turning to him with a grin.

Eric groaned as he parked the Humvee. "Does every woman ask that question in every world?" He thought while turning to his wife. "You are pregnant, not fat. That makes you the most beautiful gem in any world." She blushed in response while holding his hand. "Mm. Such a gentlemen."

They let the jokes stay outside the compound as they walked into the fledgling base. Equipment and vehicles were parked in rows at each company staging area, arrayed outside of the company buildings. A barracks was being built in the background, and the berms had been replaced by solid walls. "Man. Our trade with Riemskin is making hood hill a bonafide base now." Eric said with a whistle of appreciation. I didn’t know you had concrete in this world."

"That’s the thing, we don’t. Your soldiers told us about the mixture, and we were able to produce it." Mia responded, he eyes wide as she looked up at the Battalion Headquarters. "The things you can build are genuinely amazing." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Eric laughed as they walked into battalion headquarters. "Wait until you find out about electricity."

Mia looked up to see the wires passing through the command building, and the lights emitting no mana signature even though always staying on. "I think I get it."

At the command room, Eric had Mia sit at his chair. Heads would occasionally turn to look at her, curiosity and confusion apparent as she didnt say a word while the meeting droned on. Eric stood quietly behind her before Milano turned to her. "Mrs.Dryer, thank you for being here."

"Thank you for having me here, commander." Milano nodded while pointing to the map on the table. "This is a topographic map we had made using our capabilities. Once we control the outposts, where do you think the empire will target first?"

Mia nodded as she looked at the maps before circling three targets. "Empire doctrine dictates espionage and supply chain cut off before they ever try a frontal force attack. They will try to squeeze out their opponents into kill areas where they unleash either the Brios depending on size of unit, or overwhelm with superior numbers."

Milano leaned back in his chair as he tapped his fingers against his desk. "What size unit do you think they would respond with, if we took all six encampments?"

"I think it would be a brigade or higher. While I do not know the exact number, those encampments are critical terrain. We need control of those passes as much as they do. Controlling what comes in and what goes out of this valley is crucial for shaping the war. Their success thus far in invading before your intervention has been attributed to the usage of those passes."

Milano sighed as he looked at the map. "Yes, those passes are indeed critical terrain. They are the only way to get vehicles through the maintains." He stood up and looked between S2 and S3. "What are your thoughts?"

The S2 OIC looked at the map before turning to Eric. "Dryer, your wife and yourself are the only people in this room that have any experience with the empire personally. What do you think?"

Eric placed his hands on Mia’s shoulders, gently squeezing them before responding. "They have shown that they are competent and coordinated. I think the last few engagements have taught them enough to realize their usual tactics of overpower and outnumber will not work. That being said, that passage is no joke. There is very little room for error. I’d say the maximum width of the passages is approximately twenty five feet wide. At its narrowest they are probably two feet wide."

Milano pulled out a can of chew as he studied the map. He then looked at Mia. His eyes flicker to her stomach. Then, he meets Eric’s gaze. "Dryer."

"Yes sir." Eric responded reluctantly. He had now been on those passes for what seemed like an eternity, even though it had only been a few months. He knew that this time would probably be the last though. Mia was going to give birth in a few months, and he would not miss that.

"Tell me what to do as well." Mia said as she looked at the map, her face expressionless as the orders were given.

One day later, Eric was sitting on a rock on the slope over looking the encampment. His arms were crossed as he noticed the commotion inside the gates, guards were rushing back and forth between patrol sites, while commanders and NCO’s were barking orders. The roars of engines and the clinking of metal echoed in the still air, causing the soldiers to stop dead in their tracks as they looked at the vehicles setting up across from their gates. "Hold fire!" A commander said wearily. "Do not engage!"

The commander knew that engaging these machines was a death threat. All over the empire, rumors of tan and green machines laying waste to any and everything had been spread. Rumor had it that only ten of these machines had destroyed an entire corps.

His men then pointed out a green man on the slope watching them. The commander yelled out "If I come out, will you kill me?" Eric arched his eyebrows in surprise. The commander would come out himself? "No. So long as you do not engage, we will not do so either. There has been too much bloodshed already."

The commander nodded while approaching the position Eric was at. He stopped approximately 10 feet away as Eric climbed down to meet him. "Why are you here?" He said, his worry painted on his face.

"To make you leave." Eric responded calmly. "We will not harm any civilians, soldiers, or destroy any infrastructure, however, we will be taking over all of your encampments."

The commander sighed while looking from the vehicles to the encampment. He barely breathed as he stopped to think. "All?" He whispered quietly.

"Yes. All." Eric responded evenly.

The commander then walked back inside the gates. "All soldiers, retreat. We are going back to the capital. Anyone who stays behind will be treated as a traitor, and if found in empire territory will be executed." He turned to Eric. "Give me twelve hours." Eric nodded, his arms crossed as he watched panicked soldiers uproot their lives. Families were herded together, children cried, while wives tried to argue.

Sighing, Eric watched the scene, his expression never betraying his true thoughts. "Maybe suffering really is the price of change." He thought, trying to picture himself in the same situation as the encampment soldiers.

In the growing darkness, wails and sobbing were heard from the group that was heading down the mountain path. Eric stayed by the radio, hearing the chatter.

So far, only one encampment had pushed back. What had surprised him was that in one of the encampments the soldiers had killed their commander. They offered the body up to battalion forces, and requested to be integrated into their forces. Eric felt a headache coming along as more reports were forwarded to him. "Un... be... lieve...able."

It had only taken the battalion twelve hours to capture and man all six encampments. Eric sat at the desk reserved for him, his life turning upside down as a watch commander, Lieutenant, and three senior Empire NCO’s stood in front of him. "Hello again." Eric said to the Lieutenant. The man chuckled while looking at Eric. "I see you don’t have rings under your eyes anymore. I hope your wife is doing okay."

"She is, thank you. Now, can someone please tell me...

What the actual fuck is going on?"

The commander stepped forward, placing a large stack of documents in front of Eric. "I understand your concern and wariness. Due to that, we came prepared. Every soldier in our encampment is ready to work for you. We are so serious about what we desire, all soldiers signed soul seals. Here are the four hundred and fifty two signed documents."

Eric stared blankly at the soul seal, and then to the commander. "What’s a soul seal?"