I was sitting in the cafeteria with Erika and several members of the crew, what the hell were we doing? Eating, an action for me and my aid is redundant since we are maintained by Mana passively but it is good for morale to show that I am not above to crew.

Though I have no idea if that actually matters... regardless, what I'm eating is some mashed potatoes and sausage with gravy, Erika was having a hardy meal of salad... wait a minute where the fuck is Medusa?

The thought made me stop eating and look around, not seeing her I closed my eyes and searched for her that way but still no luck.

Turning Erika I asked, but she shrugged and suggested that she had ran off with a Enlistee and is in the wild somewhere... pinching the bridge of my nose I sent a message to her.

"Medusa where are you?"

Her reply was short and brief, "Scouting and still within sight of ship." That answer was both unexpected and yet diligent of a maid to preform since we are in a heighten state of alertness... we are still expecting an attack from those only a half KM away, well if she is scouting.

"Report?"

"Four new craft have come and left. Rough head count is fifty to sixty." Leaning over I told Erika and she frowned and pulled up the system and started doing calculations, and with a grimace she showed it to me.

[Victory Probability of Early Threat Removal]
Sixty enemy head count, with an averaging skill level of a rank 2 with rank 1 and 3s as outliers 
Enlistees Count of eleven full sections and a half complete, all rank 1
Crew count of two full sections, all rank 1
Fight in open terrain victory is: 11.234% with total loss of the Empire, Ship crew including all Bosses, Assistant and Mistress 
Fight in the Dungeon victory is: 36.34 with total loss of the Empire, Ship crew including Bosses, Assistant and Mistress

Without actual combat data of the soldiers the percentage will be screwed one way, and I wish to think that it is underestimating... but the system isn't one to pull any punches. This is fucked.

I fought worse odds. Getting another piece of sausage on my fork and drag it through the potato and some gravy, after stuffing it into my mouth I stood up and gave a brief wave before walking towards the Hanger.

Erika wasn't to far behind though I could sense her interest as these sudden actions of mine are rather flamboyant and or rash, and just as I leave the Dungeon, looking out I saw four buildings that are the spawners... 

Before I could think any further Erika spoke, "Mistress what are you planning?"

"Well, if one is spawned every five minutes, and a section is only twelve strong, can I ask why do I have less men then normally should? The blood hunter came only a day and half ago, and yet." I gesture out, "Where are my hundreds of Enlistees? Why do I only have eleven sections? that is barely more then a hundred, is there something I wasn't aware of?"

She two looked out and is just as confused, "There should be more." She said, "Give me a moment." With those words she started walking towards those I can tell are section one from the way they instantly started getting into formation the moment one of them saw her. What looked like a one sided confusion and her returning with a deep frown.

"Judging from that I am not going to like it." I said.

"We have eleven section since other sections keep throwing themselves at the locals." Her voice was slightly forced to remain calm, but I've been with her long enough to tell that she was bordering on killing a few idiots.

"Leave 'em, my plan was to constantly attack them so that they can't sleep, and myself, Medusa and you. If you wish and pick off some of there rank threes or leaders... but I know that one is a civilian along with a few others under him." With a little illusion magic I create an image of that Smith guy... Marsalis, "This one and is fellows are civilians, and should have no bearings towards us when they attack... Erika I want you to remain here and insure that we maintain eleven full sections. Once you have two sections over that send them to attack, I could careless about combat effectiveness, I just want them to be sent." She nodded and doing as ordered rallying section one to her side as they sent everyone that wasn't apart of the existing eleven sections to attack right away.

Pulling my flintlock off my back I start reloading, leaving it at half cock and throwing it back over. I checked my saber next the sheath was firmly on my hip and the blade was easy to draw. I'll wait till night, looking at the buildings and using the shadows they gave I could guess that we were approaching dusk... good a few more hours then the real fun can start.

Though I am annoyed that my own are throwing themselves without orders from Erika or I, nonetheless. Releasing a breath, I spawn a two dozen shovels and nearly blanch at the stupid cost. Whatever.

"Section two, three! Front and center!" I bellowed, the called sections rushed to stand in front of me, with some within copying the formation section one's training and attempt neat rows. "Take these shovels and start making small fighting positions, foxholes or if you all are feeling some real comradery make a trench system or two." I ordered, at first they were stunned by the order but after tossing said shovels at them they did as commanded... to an extent to were even a child in the sandpit would be disappointed. I've got a few hours to burn and spawned another shovel, time to show these idiots how to make a foxhole.

Field issued shovel is three and a half foot long, and a foxhole should be the shovel height and half long... that is a regulation foxhole. Thou no one is going to complain if you make a shitty foot deep hole to lay down in, funny that making a foxhole was considered a universal/essential knowledge for all within the military.

taking off my gloves and placing them into my back pocket and grabbing the shovel, walking about fifteen meters from the closest building to the little base camp the invaders have going. Once I started it was almost like the craziest thing had happened, all the Enlistees looked at me with shock and confusion. I ignored it and kept digging getting my hands back into the rhythm. 

I couldn't help but smile, as I had five kilos worth of shit on my body from my musket and sword, and that wasn't counting the cartridge box which weights another kilo or two... and there are my Enlistees struggling with only a little sidearm and several magazines of ammo. But whatever. 'Diggy diggy hole, we're idiots and we're digging a foxhole.' That parody of a parody kept repeating within my mind as I dig.

After nearly ten minutes I had finished, though if I was still a cadet I would get yell at for not packing in the dirt I had put around my position, with a shrug I hopped out and packed in the dirt around my foxhole making a little spot done. Turning around my smile disappears once I notice that none of the rest had really started.

"Well, you've seen your Empress make one, get on with it!" I ordered, and started on my second foxhole a meter away from the first. At least this time they started actually digging, and the smarter ones of the lot where following what I was doing and used their shovels to measure how much they had left to dig, but still taking more then three times as long.

After my fourth foxhole I shrugged and started connecting those I have made making a small trench system... by now it had gotten dark and from my count another four sections have been sent and never returned. By the time I had finished my little trench system I noticed that a few of the Enlistees also connected their own to either mine or each others.

Planting my shovel into the dirt and wiping my hands using my uniform seeing that they are decently clean I put my gloves back on, and sat down and rested for the remaining time.