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048. Huu handles the invasion

December 8 2992, New Oslo

Huu Eggers glared.

He had beaten the cycle, come out of it on top.

He could remember it as if it were last month.

November, New Oslo

++ Budda Beep Budda Boop ++

++ The Cycle has ended Host! Host is alive, how is Host doing? Exciting travel, enjoying life. Running! Host is making the most of life! Checking objectives now Host! ++

Knew it, they're both the same system!

++ Host has created a core industry! Established a mining system, wow Host! Host is achieving! ++

Yes, Host is achieving, get on with it!

++ Host has technically achieved objective of entertainment industry. System is disappointed in Host's choice. System... grudgingly acknowledges success. ++

Fuck off System. Radio Calisthenics is physical and entertainment.

++ Host has established a medical system for everyone to enjoy, people are healthy and having fun! Ready! Fun! Healthy... success Host! ++

System, are you okay?

++ System issuing rewards! Host may pause cycle during times of extreme emergency! Extreme emergency must be consulted with System before declaration! ++

++ Optional Objective partially completed Host! Host has changed reputation from Warmonger, to forward-thinking Warmonger! Host is failing sideways, Host needs to finish the objective completely to receive reward! ++

++ Host has achieved losses! Lots and lots of losses! So many losses that System may need to change loss payouts! Wow! ++

Hold up system, hold up. What changes to rewards? What is going on here, and why is this happening?

Who, what, when, why?

Don't do this to me, System!

++ Host is not paying attention. System is disappointed. System is depositing loss rewards, 13,293,821 C-Bills into personal accounts. Host is ignoring losses because Host is not paying attention and hurting the System's feelings. ++

Right right, back to it. Focus.

++ Bup bup beep. Bup bup Boop. ++

Does the System even have feelings?

++ Do animals have feelings? Host as the lower life form does not need to be considered. System is magnanimous and gives Host the benefit of the doubt. ++

Wow, come right back here System, let's duel this out with fisticuffs!

++ New Cycle has started, Host! Cycle Length, 3 months! Starting funds, 100 billion C-Bills. ++

Wait-a-minute. 3 months?

Emergency pause?

Is there something that you aren't telling me, system!?

The System never gives me anything nice without there being some kind of drawback!

++ New Objective: Host is developing into a true Tycoon. Someone that is able to become an Oligarch! Yet, Host is still not there yet. Host must have a hospitality business! Shelter is one of the fundamental rights of you humans, but some need it less than others! Open a hotel chain host! ++

++ Optional Objective: Host still hasn't changed Host's reputation. Soon, all the galaxy will know Host is a war hungry monster that wants to murder everything in the universe. Host must act quickly! ++

++ New Rule: Failure of Optional Objective will result in Host learning a new language from scratch! ++

++ New Rule: Failure to achieve a loss or comply with rules will result in Host hosting a social function and talking with at least 10 people. ++

++ Old Rule: Assets owned in conjunction with different companies will count as assets based on a % of Host's ownership of the assets. ++

++ Old Rule: All structures and materials worth over 1 million C-Bills will be counted as assets. 10% of asset valuation is counted as profits during System Calculation. ++

++ Old Rule: All assets must be used, assets cannot be left to do nothing. Assets cannot be sold. ++

Right... he could handle this. Building up a hotel chain?

The simple answer was to... make it on the jumpships! The jumpships that counted as educational and thus not assets... and if then he attached those dropships they were making for cheap... wouldn't he be able to create a hotel that also didn't cost him in assets?

Educational-hotel dropships!

++ ... System cannot refute. ++

Ha! He was a genius.

3 months? He could handle this, it was going to be easy.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Coming up aces, in other words!

"My Lord, Admiral Jónasdóttir has a tight beam transmission for your eyes only."

The voice of... Sauvot, that's his name, interrupted his celebration.

About the construction traitor, no less.

But, now she was his transport ship boss. What was so important that she had to talk to him personally?

Well, no harm in it!

He made his way over to the communications room... helped along by his bodyguards, that took his lacking sense of direction as normal by this point.

Was it the red line or yellow line that led him to the Wolverines?

"I'm here. What's up." He said, enjoying her wince at his casual language.

"My King, your plan has succeeded. We've been given a 14 day exclusionary travel zone at the L3 Lagrange Point, as well as a 100,000 kilometre wide travel route to New Oslo. LCAF Navy has seconded Eggers Shipping vessels around New Oslo for the duration of this crisis. I am looking forward to the success of your plan!" Her voice and shuddering holographic form was full of jubilation.

"Plan? What plan?" His, meanwhile, was full of confusion.

"My King, didn't you plan for this?"

"No? I don't even know what this is. What exclusion zone? Why is the Navy taking control of your ships?"

"... if you do not know my King... then neither do I. We have been given no explanation as to the reason for this."

He paused. So. There was something... fuckey going on here.

"Do they have the authorisation for this?" He asked, voice serious.

"Yes sir, it is the Archon's signature, through Margrave Winston Munster."

"So... Archon Alessandro?"

Her eyes narrowed on the hologram.

"Yes sir. I think, that we have not been informed on something of critical importance. Shall the Wolverines investigate this matter further, My Lord?"

++ System Reminder; Assets seconded for non-Educational purposes count as full Assets. ++

"Yes... urgently please."

Fucking System, always ready to screw him over!

+_+

December 12, 2992 New Oslo

"Sauvot-" A cough interrupted him.

"Right, Number 13, Any news on what is happening with that exclusion zone?"

"No sir. The Wolverines have not been able to uncover anything regarding this. Our contacts with the LIC have been quiet, while this isn't abnormal, we cannot be sure if this is part of standard LIC operations... or if they have been ordered to keep quiet by the Archon."

Huu was worried.

Very worried.

"If there is an invasion, Eggers Shipping does have the firepower to shut it down, yes?"

"Yes sir, currently there are 450 Razorsquigs in inventory. We have 100 pilots, but this is enough to ward off any invasion force. However..."

"However?"

"However, if Admiral Jónasdóttir does break with LCAF orders to destroy a potential invasion force... that will be considered grounds for a trial of treason My Lord... and since Admiral Jónasdóttir was ennobled by yourself... if she is convicted, you can be convicted by extension. She is reluctant to do anything that may endanger you."

Right. That was a thing.

"Right, right... keep at it. I can't believe that nobody is willing to say nothing."

+_+

December 13, 2992, New Oslo

And now, everything had come back wrong.

He had been betrayed.

No.

It wasn't his people that had done it.

He had been attacked.

He had been optimistic, had been ready to celebrate, a three month cycle with a simple objective, with his Kingdom (what did you even do with a Kingdom) losing him money.

He had even, just yesterday, achieved his objective of raising life expectancy! He had become allergy free! All that money into healthcare had worked out for the best of everyone. They got to live longer, he got to become allergy free!

Which meant, that for the last week, Huu had been devouring things with milk and milk byproducts. Like cheese-sausages. Or regular milk! All the things that had been denied to him over the course of two lifetimes! Or just walking around without a mask. Which was actually... kind of cold. All that air on your face? That's cold, what the hell, world. Why is there so much... moving air outside?

Or the hand-eye coordination. Being able to catch balls that were thrown at him, being able to walk in a straight line without tripping over his feet. Being able to run a marathon without falling on his face at some point. Or swing a sword and not have it fall on his toes!

All the things that made him feel great!

All the things that were now at risk of being denied!

These... fuuuuuucking Combine!

What had he done? What had he, Huu Eggers, had done to the Combine? Why had they attacked him? Were they stupid or something?

Oh, the incredible rage he felt towards them at this moment in time.

Why? Because, right now, he had 6 months to solve the problem before his Noblesse rewards were stripped away.

Fuuucking, System, always ready to screw him over.

++ ... ++

So. He had to deal with the Combine.

Who had the fucking gall to invade his planet. Sure, he hadn't asked for this, but they were his now, his loss making citizens, and the Combine was here to kill his people?

Yeah, nah.

Not happening.

++ Bum Beep Boop. ++

What now System? The Combine is invading, and attacking my people, and making life a pain in the ass. What are you here for?

++ Noblesse System New Objective Host! Host must demonstrate Noblesse Oblige by preventing further harm to Host's citizens. If a True Noble cannot protect their citizens, they must avenge them! Protect your citizens or avenge them, Host! Make sure this never happensagain. Like a True Noble! Solve this conflict within 6 months Host! Further Noblesse System Objectives blocked until crisis has been resolved. ++

...

Fuuuuucking System!

Huu was irritated beyond belief.

But.

But these were his people now, and well, he had always been accused of being a hoarder. Even when something had risen to a worth of a thousand American dollars on the marketplace, he had been unwilling to sell his collectables. An eclectic collection who's only connection being that they were his.

The people of the Kingdom, the Rasalhague Kingdom?

These were his people now.

He didn't need the System to tell him that.

They were his loss making citizens.

Letting some... idiots assume they could just come in and kill them without some kind of retaliation?

Impossible.

Which, was naturally, when things got worse.

"My lord. I have something urgent to tell you." Mairi, Vice-Lord, head of his personal guard. A personal guard that was so personal, he had forgotten what it was like not to hear the whine of the hydraulic assists.

"More urgent than... this whole invasion?"

"Yes Lord, more urgent." The voice at a whisper, as the other guards surrounded them to block out sight and sound.

So, he had followed to a guard station, one operated by the Wolverines. Guaranteed silence.

"My Lord. We have been betrayed... by the LCAF, and members of your inner circle."

Ah. So, he had been betrayed. His gut instincts... always right about the worst things.

"The invasion fleet?"

"Yes Lord. Admiral Jónasdóttir and Lady Sandra have received orders as of five minutes ago. The fleet is to guard the passage of the Combine dropships so that they may make planetfall. The Archon plans to use this opportunity to deliver a crushing victory upon the Combine to stabilise his rule. They bear the witness signatures of Margrave Winston Munster, Kommodore Marci Tandevaal, Kommandant-General Anton Brein... General Marzio Cocci... and your father."

"All these people working to harm my people for... Alessandro... And Jónasdóttir cannot move without permission... or she'll get tried for Treason."

"Yes, Lord, she is willing to take the risk and is preparing to move now. If she destroys the fleet and commits suicide, it will keep New Oslo safe."

"Denied. De-fucking-nied. She is one of my people, I refuse to allow Alessandro fuck this up as well. He's fucked up Deep Raid, he's fucked up Kalidasa, and he's about to fuck up New Oslo. He's not going to fuck up my people as well."

"Lord, if the fleet lands on New Oslo... your people will be caught in the crossfire."

Huu took in a deep breath.

Right.

Sacrifice one to save the many?

In his past life, he had always advocated sacrificing the one to save the many. But in this situation, as much of a traitor as she was, making him profits... was that enough to condemn her to death? It was just profits... and she was one of his.

"And... Lord. I have just received an update, Margrave Munster has produced a direct order from the Archon. He bears orders in the Archon's handwriting, and it has been genetically verified. It... it says that any who disobey the orders contained wherein will be executed for treason on the spot. Their superiors for failing to control their subordinates will be tried for treason."

Huu took in a deep breath.

"And how does he have the authority for this?"

Mairi looked uncomfortable.

"He is Margrave. His is a military appointment on behalf of the Archon. While he acts, he has the Archon's authority. He... can trial civilian nobles such as yourself regardless of rank. Margraves in the past have done so before."

Huu felt Alessandro's regard... or disregard his people. Treating them like... chess pieces on some imaginary board.

"What... options do I have? I am not exactly a tactical master on the battlefield." He admitted it freely. Looking at Mairi through his helmeted head.

"As of this moment, sir, the only forces that have not been seconded to the LCAF for the duration of this conflict are yourself... and ourselves as your Honour Guard. If you wish to act, sire, without being tried for treason, you may only act according to the Brandenburg Reforms of Nobility and the recent Tharkad Reforms of Nobility. Specifically, you may defend your planet on your own initiative, as long as you do not co-opt LCAF assets to do so."

"So... it's just you and me, and the Veelvraat then?" The few to protect the many? Or was that hubris?

"Yes Lord. The EDF and Wolverines have been given their orders. The EDF will serve on the front... and the Wolverines are to travel and find berth in the Eggers Shipping vessels for the duration of this conflict."

...

He thought back to his high school education. The Articles of Acceptance, that each planet signed gave the Archon the ability to commandeer any private military force in the Commonwealth, didn't it? It had made sense in school and, he had made a presentation supporting it. Centralising authority in the face of disparate enemies or something. He would like to go back in time to smack younger him over the head.

+_+

December 2992, New Oslo

Sitting inside of the control room, beside his father, and strangely, not his mother... and assorted command personnel. Only two of which were not LCAF or LCAF adjacent, Marzio (the actual traitor) and Guðlaug. Huu looked at the image that was being displayed on the holo-console.

"Why, exactly, is there a 14 day travel bubble around the pirate point?" He asked, looking with irritation at those around him. His father, the system-commanders, the militia commanders, of course Marzio (he would get even) were here. Wanting to get some answers from someone that wasn't his own guards.

Answers from those that had given the orders.

The people, in other words, who were in charge of the defensive operations of this battlefield.

The response from those around him was not... encouraging.

"An exclusion zone was ordered in the area around the lagrange point, my King."

His head swung to the right.

"An exclusion zone? Right before an invasion force jumps into my system? An exclusion force that will serve to do nothing but protect these jumpships, which, I might add, all arrived intact, in formation... as if they knew exactly where to jump. Who gave that order?" His voice, if anything, was glacial at this point. for those in the room, it felt as if there was a specific twinging sensation in their ears as the sound caused bones to vibrate unpleasantly.

"Well, King Eggers. We have... over the last several months observed a great deal of build-up of the Combine DCMS in the last several months. This has led us to assume that they will be launching an invasion. We have worked out a... tentative plan that the DCMS was likely pursuing... and have worked on a... wordless understanding." The naval officer spoke, his tabs indicating he was from the LCAF-Navy. Which, in turn, meant that he had no authority over him. As much as he might wish otherwise at this moment.

Huu put a hand up, stopping the man from continuing.

"The Coordinator, whoever he is, wanted to kill off some officers, Warlords, whatever. Why were they allowed to jump in... and leave safely. Why is this being allowed? Why wasn't I consulted?"

The room took in a breath, unwilling to speak, before his father interrupted.

"Well, two reasons really, son. First, we've gotten reconnaissance of the Combine worlds by jumping 24 light hours away from their worlds in the region. Observing the planets closest to us, in the traditionally Rasalhague region. They're all defenceless. Worlds in the Combine proper, have been fortified to the same level that New Oslo has been. Roughly 20 worlds along the Commonwealth and Kingdom borders have been identified." Phan ticked his fingers off.

"Takashi is essentially saying-" He was cut off by the Hologram at the head of the table.

"What Takashi is saying is irrelevant. As King under the civilian articles of nobility, you have no military authority in this situation. The LCAF, has no obligation to keep you informed of any military actions within the Commonwealth. Please understand, King Eggers, you are here as a courtesy alone. If you, or your people, break with the orders that have been set forth, you will be tried and executed for treason under the Articles of Acceptance which govern the realm." His bushelled face, a beard that ran down his neck, wrinkled face, and crows feet at the eyes did not lend well to the image of a young, dynamic commander. Rather, this one looked as if he were chosen solely because of social connections.

"There are no exceptions. I speak with the Archon's authority in this matter, and Archons past have removed House Tamar and House McQuiston from their positions. Archon Alessandro is not afraid to do the same again to another District House. I hope you understand. The plan is as follows. The Jumpships will be allowed to leave, the dropships will be allowed to land. Upon landing, they will be the Combine's armies will be destroyed. The LCAF will launch a counter-attack. Everything else is beyond your remit as a civilian authority." He finished, glaring about the room.

"So we let his jumpships get away, let his soldiers kill themselves honourably on the ground. Why? Why should I let this happen? Why can't I, as King of the people of Rasalhague, order the dropships annihilated before they even breach atmosphere. What about the orbitals?" Huu had sat himself down, elbows on the table. Fingers interlaced, thumbs supporting his chin.

"Again, you are a civilian noble. I am Margrave, of military rank. I outrank all civilian nobles, which includes yourself. Further, regardless of rank, the LCAF has made it clear, you are to leave this alone. It is beyond your remit. Leave the fighting to the soldiers, King Eggers, we know what we are doing." His smugness almost radiated off the hologram.

He could see the reasoning. Mairi and Guðlaug had explained it to him. That this would result in a battle so bloody it would buy half a decade of peace.

Yet, where was this understanding here, now? Where was the explanation for using his planet, his people to achieve their goals. Goals that they were not even willing to explain to him? What fresh hell was this bullshit?

That he hadn't even been consulted over it? That he hadn't been told that this was happening? His people were suborned from underneath him?

And worse of all... it had been done legally according to the Commonwealth laws and customs... of which he was a part.

His only option here was, in simple terms... was to rebel. He couldn't even push a lawsuit, not when Rasalhague didn't even have a representative on the Estates General as an associate member of the Commonwealth.

Fingers to temples, he paused.

"So this has all been planned out. There's nothing I can do to stop this."

"Well..." Muttered one of the analysts, silencing after a stern look.

"Nothing I can do to stop this, that won't make everything infinitely worse, for my people and myself."

A pause.

"Correct. Accept it and move on. I was appointed directly to this role by Archon Alessandro. I can guarantee you, that I know exactly what I am doing." Again with the insufferable smugness.

He took in a deep breath, stood up, and leaned forward. Both hands on the table.

"Let it be known, here and now, that I consider this a betrayal by Archon Alessandro Steiner. Consider myself, King Eggers, First of his Name, to be opposed to the Archon. In every action he will take, in every policy he may propose, I will tell the people of the Commonwealth just why, I, King Eggers, who has been betrayed by Archon Alessandro, disagree with everything he is doing. I will, under my rights as a Lyran Citizen, publicly tell everyone, why he is a threat to the Commonwealth. I will be exercising my rights to their fullest, Margrave. This does not end here."

In the meantime, I will be exercising my own rights as a civilian noble. I will be training to use an Armsman suit. Let me know where they will land. As King, I will be there, fighting with my people. Exercising my right as a noble under the Brandenburg Reforms." He stood up and walked out. Not letting them get a word in as he did so.

Ignoring the storm of protests that were coming from those in the room. Most pointing out how his allergies were going to get him killed. How he just wasn't ready. That the marathons were just physical training, not actual combat training. And, of course, that he couldn't do this, it was an LCAF affair, that he, as a civilian was forbidden from doing this.

But, that didn't matter, even if the allergies had still been present. These were his people, they were being expected to die for him... and they, in turn, expected him to treat those deaths as meaningful.

To give them the respect they deserved for it.

And so, he would be there for them, in the words of the Noblesse System, it was required to be a true Noble.

++ Host is truly on the path to Nobility. Host has self-actualised True Nobility! Host to be rewarded with actual battle skills. True Nobles lead from the front Host! ++

Right. This time, at least, he felt better about a System message.

+_+

December 30, 2992, New Oslo.

Sitting on a makeshift chair, that more resembled a throne, Huu Eggers, King of Rasalhague, First of his name, waited.

As a noble, he should lead from the front.

As a King, he couldn't risk himself unless absolutely necessary. His death would do more harm than his meagre assistance.

Yet.

Yet, here, now, in the Cradle where the Combine had sent the majority of their forces, he was waiting. Unable to help, unable to contribute.

"Artillery has breached zone 95. Emergency triage teams being routed to repair the damage."

"Exosuit push along Blocks 123A, to 126A. EDF forces are being pushed back by due to presence of Light Battlemechs."

"Blocks 87A, 142C, 10C have been retaken by militia forces. Medical triage has been dispatched. Militia units have been classified as combat ineffective, 60% losses."

"Battlemech combat in level 1 maglev area concluded. Combine mechs have been routed or destroyed. Wreckage preventing further movement."

"EDF 1st Company, 4th Battalion, 95% casualties. Combine deploying fragmenting shells in tunnels of Block 32A."

The voices continued to rise and fall in the command centre around him. Huu himself, clad in an Armsman suit, as were all of those in the room. Large wires underneath sheets of tape, connecting to different communications hubs and the matching consoles. A mere one hundred and fifty metres from the front. 5 hexes, nigh-impenetrable, in other words.

The command staff rushing bodies back and forth, in and out of combat as necessary.

Voidy was unconcerned, lifting the fingers on his left hand one by one. Raising it up, then dropping it, raising it up and dropping it. The matters of humans were just... not of concern to the creature, apparently. Not the way his people would need mental health services as standard after this, not the way the weapons his companies were producing contributed to this grinding death-slog.

The sheer, grinding nature of the conflict meant, in simple terms, that any unit that was sent to the tip of the spear, would be ground down until it was barely functional. There was no other way around it, not when one or two individuals were at the very front of the battlefield, hundreds of men and women behind them. Marching forth into a firing squad as the ones in front died, and the ones behind replaced them.

Those that wanted to avoid that fate by shooting around corners and corridors given the zigzag nature of the tunnels, resulted in stalemates... broken by the same grinding death as mentioned above.

As King, he listened.

These were his people, and they were dying in his name.

A King that, really, hadn't been part of their lives for all that long. That didn't have that much of an impact, not when it was his department heads that were doing the work. He was, there, as he was now, a figurehead. As he was now.

It was, basic courtesy then, to listen to the voices of his people as they fought and died, as he sat here impotently. To do this for them, to hear their final words even if none else could.

Their screams, their pleading, their begging for mercy, calling out for loved ones, mothers, fathers.

He sat.

He listened.

For these were his people.

"Mairi." He said over the private communications channel he had with his Veelvraat, one that wasn't accessible by Heimdall... one of the perks of being a designer in the system.

"My Lord?"

"The ones who planned this. The ones who organised this... bloodletting of my people. I want them gone."

"Asking us to kill the Archon does count as treason, my Lord." Mairi's voice was light, almost jovial. He too must feel frustrated regarding this matter.

"The Archon... let's think on it, he's too far away to reach right now. But for the rest. I want them gone, a warning to everyone else who thinks of my people as nothing more than... tools for their glory." His voice was alien to him, unfamiliar. Cold. He did not like this side of himself, hated it, in fact. For his people, he would accept it.

"Yes my Lord. We will... work on it." "And he was as deadly serious in this as Huu's. Both wanted retaliation for this.

"Breakthrough, Block 34B, militia forces have been driven back. No reinforcements within range. Possibility of large-scale breakthrough is possible. Sending request for reserves to be moved up!"

"Impossible, reserves have been deployed to 8 breakthroughs on B-Level."

"Bastards played us! We need to get something there or they will break through and encircle our forces on B-Level."

"Issue the order for the units to retreat, we cannot allow them to be encircled, we'll block off the area and enclose it!"

"Freight elevators to levels A and C are present within the area!"

The burble increased as the panic increased.

Huu sat upwards, the slight whine of his hydraulic assists not audible at all in the noise. His Veelvraat, however, noticed.

"My King?" Vice-Lord Mairi asked, voice concerned.

"Reserves are needed to prevent the collapse of this front. Are we not reserves?" His voice was genial, one might say... calm.

"My King, while it may sound serious, such a breakthrough will result in less than 6% of the Section falling under Combine control. It is a small portion of three levels, such matters do not need your personal intervention. You currently don't have the training to make a difference, my King, pardon my bluntness." Mairi sounded as if he were trying to placate a feral cat.

Huu meanwhile had stood up, he had a duty to his people as their King.

"Lead the way Vice-Lord. We have a breach to plug."

The room had paused in seeming shock, their faceless helmets still displaying some kind of shock at his intentions.

Huu was already moving, his system-imparted personal skills (he was sensing a theme), giving him the ability to move the suit at all. His marathons at the system's directions giving him the stamina to train in said suit over the past 27 days. He was, given the system had imparted the skills directly to his brain and body, quite good.

This would be the first combat trial, he was shaking in fear.

Legs were soft.

Hands couldn't stop shifting around.

Only able to stand upright because of the Armsman exosuit.

But.

He had a duty, expectations to fulfil.

January 2992, New Oslo

Mairi watched the Lord, as much as he could, from their relative positions in the small room.

With a large kite shield on his left arm, eschewing a machine-gun altogether, and a mining pick, not dissimilar to that of prospecting geologists with its square spiked head. His Lord had strode forth and demonstrated heretofore unseen skills in the operation of an Armsman suit.

Descending into what could only be called a silent berserker rage, their Lord had stunned the Veelvraat by slaying multiple Combine Armsman. Using the simple concept of a shield being more useful in these close ranges, to close in under fire, to batter aside arms and blades, opening them up for the spike into neck and joints. Unable to hear anything from his command authority override besides panting, the Veelvraat could only watch as he smashed the pick down into vital organs, smashed shield into faceplate.

Hammering repeatedly as necessary until a death had been confirmed, blood gushing from the ventilated holes in their armour.

Their Lord, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system to such a degree, that he had inspired a following. Going beyond just melee weapons and a gun, to melee weapons and a shield.

Like a warrior of old.

Not that their Lord was perfect, eight times now they had to pull him back lest he overextend, or suffer catastrophic armour damage.

Coincidentally, over the past 3 days, there had been 8 breaches. The sheer mass of Combine seeking passage within. Combined with the King's insistence on being at the forefront of the reserves, had seen them rushing about regardless of casualties. If the Veelvraat hadn't been here, their Lord would have died several times over.

Unable to see the strategic situation, he had rushed in blindly, almost like his mother in a way. Yet, unlike his mother, he wasn't able to think about the wider situation, instead focusing on the here and now to the point of tunnel vision. Unable to realise he was about to extend far past the protection of his Veelvraat, his gluttonous ones.

Which, really, was saying something given they were the best.

As Mairi shoved his short sword into the neck of a Combine Armsman, his shield swinging upwards to open said Armsman to said strike. He called out over the short-wave radio "reinforcements?"

"Inbound Vice-Lord. 3 minutes. Combine forces on New Oslo have been whittled down. Their main offensive capabilities are withdrawing for one final stand at their dropships. These are the last of them on New Oslo."

The voice of his command liaison came through.

Mairi acknowledged before turning his head back to the front. Two of his men carefully tapping their King to pull him back. His Hyperdimensional pet ending the last threat by simply phasing through the helmet. The body dropping as if its spine had been cut. Which, really, was exactly it. The armour cleaning teams mentioning the words 'explosive deconstruction' to explain the effect on the unfortunate soul's head... assuming their soul had passed onto the afterlife once Voidy was done with it.

His King looking down the tunnel as the Veelvraat secured it. Finally, (to Mairi's relief), he started the trek back to 'their' lines.

As satisfied as the Wolverines had been regarding the idea of a leader who was... capable of fighting in his own trials.

It was also terrifying.

All knew of the ending of the Great Father, Nicholas Kerensky. Knew how the Clans had degenerated once he had died, the chaos that would unfold if their new Great Father, Huu Eggers had died before his vision could be realised.

Now, despite their King's miraculous skills with an Armsman (which, really, how did that happen?) he wasn't going to get himself killed in the final moments of this battle.

The Combine had fought with... suicidal tenacity.

To prove that even though war had changed, their way of life was worthy of respect.

They still died, of course.

In their thousands.

But, in a way, he could respect it.

He could also respect a leader who know how to delegate. Handling the... vengeance of New Oslo were a few Wolverines of the more... clandestine leanings. A message would be sent on behalf of their Lord. All who had half a brain would heed it.

Duchess Eggers had been at the forefront as always.

Having had to make significant concessions to prevent herself from dying from the sheer attrition that battles on this scale possessed. For all her skill, one couldn't dodge hundreds of projectiles from a hundred different angles.

Shooting at range in her custom Smialy, utilising a 120 mm sniper-cannon to fulfil her urges. The inability to get in close, grating on her the entire time. Frustrated at how this had turned out, how the LCAF had muscled in and demonstrated, again, their incompetence.

Some had said she was immeasurably jealous of her son for being able to fight hand to hand in the tunnels.

Mairi shook his head to clear it, things were winding down... soon there would be the counter-attack, and it was going to escalate once again.

+_+

March 2992, Casere

Huu frowned.

In order to get the jumpships required for a counter-attack on the scale, he demanded. Enough to get dropships over every world in the 'Rasalhague region' that the Coordinator (the bastard) had left under-defended. He had to use the communications dropships. The LCAF wanted small counter attacks, wanted to show they were reacting.

Huu said fuck that noise. If they were doing this, he would push to the hilt. No more raids, no more weak little pushes as Alessandro had planned out. A big... re-enactment of Deep Raid or something equally useless.

No.

He would take these worlds, fuck Takashi, fuck Alessandro. The moment the emergency orders had been concluded, he had sent orders for the EDF, his people Cocci, to move out. The Archon wanted a victory? He would give them a victory.

His.

The massive mobilisation had meant the massive mobilisation of his eudcational jumpships. Something that had meant they were now counted as non-educational.

Which meant that they were, for their total value of hundreds of millions of C-Bills each... were added to his asset valuation. Nigh trillions. Every single jumpship and dropship pressed into temporary military service.

He was going to be making profits this cycle, no matter what he did.

There wasn't enough actual liquid assets to spend to create losses to counter the sheer number of dropships and jumpships he had.

And so, in accordance with the emergency procedures, had declared it an emergency. The cycle would pause...

And he would make a profit for this cycle. But, thanks to the pause, not make a profit over the next cycle, and the cycle after that because of these assets. For however long this emergency would last.

For his people, he had willingly made a profit. To finish this farce of a conflict as soon as possible, he was willing to... ugh, talk to people at a party. His wedding with Iris was still pending... maybe he could talk to people there and finish the penalty that way?

There was also a victory over Alessandro.

The cost? Enormous profits.

The satisfaction of destroying his plans? Priceless.

He hoped they appreciated the lengths he was going to in order to protect them, his loss-making citizens, his people.

Standing inside the Haptic Control System of his Smialy, itself clamped inside the Sojourner Class Retro-Dropship, the cigar-like vessel and its ilk being pumped out of Eggers Orbital Construction slipways... a large number of them that were currently deployed... counted as assets.

He shuddered.

The sheer profits this war had made, despite all the money being spent on ammunition, pay, transport... the sheer profit in assets was killing him.

"Ready for drop!" The voice called over the intercom. The hundreds of Smialies attached in boxes that opened directly into the void. A pair of rails and clamps allowing the loading of each Smialy (sideways)... and served as a boost to shoot them out if necessary. The design for separate Standard Container units, working perfectly with a plastic case in the same shape containing a Smialy.

Like now.

The sensation as they burned through Casere's atmosphere, the twisting sensation in his body telling the King that the dropship was spinning at the same time. Ready to shoot them out like a seed dispenser on a tractor. Depending on the pilot, one could aim for a general spray... or a concentrated deluge. Ejecting containers in the event of a hazard, performing the same role in the case of a planetary invasion.

Huu for his part had double-checked the mech-scaled parachute before climbing in. The only method to slow down the fall of the Smialy. As King he would be here, to finish this entire conflict as a Noble should.

If he didn't die here... this entire conflict would end... and he could get back to making losses. Looking after his loss making citizens.

Damn the Combine for making him do this!

Killing his people, swaggering into his Kingdom, slapping his face.

Damn Takashi for making him play into this.

Damn Takashi all for dragging him into his fucking game. As if he couldn't reform his own nation without using his Kingdom as a trash bin.

Damn Takashi for hurting his people, as if it were an afterthought. A side effect of letting them get one last charge in.

Damn Alessandro for forcing his hand.

Damn Alessandro for using himself and his people as pawns in his fucking power games.

Damn Alessandro for being so incompetent that he didn't even fucking ask him about his opinion on the matter.

Damn Alessandro for not even taking advantage of the enormous weakness Takashi had set up, and was just weakly poking at it. Why? Why hadn't he taken advantage of it to launch a full invasion?

Damn himself for not predicting that this would happen. For not having enough Aerospace to frighten off anyone that would try to invade. Not enough anti-orbital weaponry to scare off anyone stupid enough to ignore the ASF. For not having an army terrifying enough, that anyone with the brain too small to notice, would die before anyone even realised they existed.

As the acceleration drove him out of the Dropship, his visor displaying the bright blue sky beyond.

When this was all over, hopefully, in the next few days... he was going to rethink just how his Kingdom was defended.

Because the idea of something like this happening again, to his people, was unacceptable. 7956 dead civilians, 21,981 dead EDF and Militia.

Oh and 53,829 dead LCAF soldiers. But, really, who cared. They were not his, they were the Margraves, and thus, Alessandros.

The others, his people, had been ordered about by incompetent commanders, had died because of LCAF incompetence. They were the ones he considered important.

Something needed to be done about the Archon.

A change in Archon... and a new treaty of Acceptance perhaps. One that would give Rasalhague more independence in its own matters. The question then, was who would be a suitable new Archon with which to sign this treaty?

One who was close... but not too close.

He would need to think on it, to ensure this never happened again.

29,937 of his people dead because he had been attacked, unable to ward off any attempts with passive threats of annihilation from his defensive fortifications.

It wasn't to say he hadn't had his people die in battle before, civilian or otherwise. But being there in person? Listening to his people breathe their last? Knowing these were not volunteers, those that chose the life of danger and conflict?

No, in the future, his people, his civilians, the ones who didn't have a choice? This would not happen again.

If there was going to be war, it was going to be on their lands, their people.