REPORT

TOWN AND HILL 187 TAKEN. ALL HOSTILES ARE EITHER DEAD OR CAPTURED WITH NO SOLDIERS HAVING FLED.

CASUALTIES AT 37 DEAD AND 92 WOUNDED. MOST WOUNDED HAVE ONLY SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND WILL RECOVER SOON.

1ST BATTALION, 3RD COMPANY IS SEVERELY UNDER STRENGTH AND WILL REQUIRE REINFORCEMENTS FOR FUTURE OPERATIONS. REQUEST HAS ALREADY BEEN SENT TO HIGH COMMAND.

A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION IS RESISTING BUT THE SITUATION IS UNDER CONTROL. POPULATION SHOULD BE NO THREAT TO FURTHER OPERATIONS.

THE FRONT LINE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED THREE KILOMETRES NORTH OF HILL 187 WITH NO ATTACKS ON IT AS OF THIS REPORT.

DAMAGE TO VEHICLES WILL NEED AN ESTIMATED 18 MAN HOURS TO REPAIR AND BRING THEM TO BATTLE READY CONDITION.

THE OFFENSIVE HAS THEREFORE BEEN DELAYED FOR AN ESTIMATED TWO DAYS.

FULL REPORT WILL FOLLOW SOON.

 

Edward set down the paper and wiped his eyes. Yet again he was spending his day in his quarters running through reports. The lack of windows and the white interior of the room not lending to the most pleasant work environment when sat down alone.

The delay wasn’t good news at all, but he expected it. They weren’t taking a city unless they were as close to full strength as possible given the RoE.

Though he was starting to doubt his position on it, given the further advances some of the pictures of captured equipment had shown.

They might just need to be able to bring in CAS and artillery to properly clear out the place and reduce their casualties. Though, given how willing the enemy was to use people as human shield, it could likely backfire.

Though there one thing that they could do is try and do something to drive off the civies. Maybe some sort of display of airpower with a leaflet drop could work… Though it’s effect would be a little limited given the lack of reading skills in a place like this. But it was certainly something to discuss with David and the squadron commanders for the Raptors, Gremlins and Hercules. And it would make use of the extra set of paper they had been delivered by mistake. Because of course they had to get one more mistake in before Edward finally tracked down the source of the issues. Bloody contractors can’t even handle orders to a space port.

But, luckily at least, Laurence would be involved in the attack on Prophet’s Founding, the capital. It was annoying how she didn’t like to talk to Victor, though it shouldn’t be too much of an issue hopefully. Given how he was going to ask them nicely tonight to just get along for gods sake for one battle. And if he was correct about them, Laurence would listen to him, and Victor would be glad she’d been finally officially subordinated to him for the battle. Though that last part might not sit well with Laurence, even if it was only temporary.

But it would be needed to make sure the battle went smoothly and the Blacksuits would actually be available for any frontal assaults Victor might need them for.

But there was one thing that was bugging Edward.

A few days ago, while he was in the CIC an incident happened.

There was nothing special that was going on in that day until RADAR picked up a brief contact before it then entered the atmosphere and was engulfed in re-entry plasma. The best theory on that day was it was probably a comet but that didn’t quite add up. But they didn’t have enough data to decisively prove it was anything else. The crash site was close to the capital but they weren’t over the area to take any pictures and they were still a few hours off from passing over that area again.

One theory Edward had however was worrying. He’d been given another document before they had left which had given him a second set of orders. Those orders were to look out for suspicious activity out of the norm and if they found it to record it, then make everyone else “forget” about it. David would help with getting that sorted and would be not need to have much explained to give the needed reply of, “What thing? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything like that.” But if this was related at all to this and his suspicions were correct, this deployment might get a bit more stressful.

He chuckled to himself. Oliver said it wasn’t a black ops mission and he wasn’t lying, even if this second one certainly was one. Though it seemed more like this second mission was command just being paranoid. Well, he hoped it was.

But from the same set of orders, he was told that the Blacksuits would do most of the dirty work if it came to it. They were completely and utterly loyal to the Commonwealth, so it wasn’t exactly an issue to keep them silent on anything that needed to be kept top secret.

It would be nice if they had other power armour troops given what they were going into but that couldn’t be helped. The light power armour units like the Ritter Schützen or Army Airborne Battle Infantry would be perfect.

But as he was reaching to his keyboard to marvel at pictures of them a knock came from the door.

He straightened himself up in his chair, straightening his on-duty uniform before finally calling, “Come in!”

The bulkhead door squealed open, Alex showing themselves in and closing the door behind them. They weren’t rushing in, so it was safe to say everything was alright and they had a casual, relaxed expression on their face as they turned to Edward.

Edward relaxed a little, a slight smile spreading across his face, “How are you doing then mate?”

They smiled back “I’m alright, just, something was nagging in my head, so I needed to take some time to ask you...”

“Why not ask me later?”

“Well…” Their smile faded a little as they sat down, looking Edward in the eye, “You know the comet we saw?”

Edward’s smile disappeared, “What about it?”

Alex studied Edward, their face hardening as they swallowed before answering, “I don’t think it was a comet and I think you think the same.”

Edward’s eyes flicked away, “No, it’s the only sensible explanation for it. There were no ships due to come our way and there isn’t anything else other than those two can act like that.”

“Exactly. So, what if it was a ship? They could maybe some remnants who jumped in on the other side of the planet or they could be-“

“It was a comet, and we won’t be proving anything else till we get a look at the crash site.”

Their curiosity was admirable and rather typical for them, but this was one of the few times he didn’t want them to use it. He was trying everything he could with his limited control of his body language to try and tell them, as subtly as possible, to get them to forget it for now. But they weren’t biting; even as his expression hardened.

“Look, you don’t need to hide anything from me,” They continued, “Its not like you being wrong wi-“

“And I’m saying it was a comet as my honest opinion. You’re not getting a different answer from trying to dig any further as there is nowhere to dig in the first place.”

“And this isn’t quite like you.”

He froze for a moment, considering his next words, even as Alex’s eyebrow raised.

“Alex, I will say this as plainly as I can and with all due respect. Do not go any further right now, this is way above your pay grade if, IF it is not a comet. If I also need you to forget anything now, soon or ever, you do so. Right now, this is just a comet, that is it.”

“But whats so important if its no-“

“It’s above your pay grade. Now, repeat after me; It is just a comet.”

“It’s just a comet…”

“And there we are. You also never asked me about this, okay?”

“R-Right…”

“Now,” He sighed, “You can go back and just say you went to your quarters to get something. I’m not risking having anything get out, it’s that high security.”

They swallowed and nodded, slowly getting up from their desk and exiting the office, opening the door and then closing it behind them with not another word.

Edward’s heart started to pump hard, his mind hoping that this didn’t cause anything to get out. Though the worst-case scenario for or getting out hadn’t happened yet.

But still that threat hung above his head like the Sword of Damocles. One of the most important parts of that order was that nothing should be let out at all. No one should be talking about the seventh or asking uncomfortable questions about this and that. The news was only getting out when the government decided it, or it became impossible to deny. Until then it’d be like The Empire and Skaven. Denied despite all the hints.

He needed to figure out plans on how to make sure that everyone was quiet. Proper concrete ones and get those shifted over to David without anything that might give anything away. For if in a few hours he was left scrambling to make sure nobody in the CIC got chatty at break time or worse, got loose lipped during a chat with their family and friends, his entire career could be down the toilet. Hell, he might end up in even deeper shit than just a demotion or discharge.

And he wasn’t ruining his chances to explore the galaxy and command a fleet with a capital ship. Nor would he want anyone of his subordinates to be court marshalled either or stuck behind a desk for the rest of their time in the service.

First thing first, orders to David.

 

REAR ADMIRAL FLETCHER TO LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ANDREWS

RECONNAISSANCE PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF THE CRASH SITE OF THE UNIDENTIFIED COMET SHALL BE SENT TO ME DIRECTLY. NO ONE ELSE SHOULD LOOK AT THEM.

ABSOLUTE DISCRETION IS REQUIRED IN THIS MATTER, AND I TRUST YOU CAN PROVIDE THAT. AS IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THESE ORDERS ARE FOLLOWED. I CANNOT TELL YOU THE REASONS HOWEVER, BUT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I CAN’T KEEP YOU INFORMED ON EVERYTHING.

 

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The CIC was filled with the usual chatter and buzz just like any day as Edward walked in. The main screen was filled with a projection of their orbit over the planet with little dots on the line marking the points where the fleet would start taking recon photos. Just a normal day without anything unusual.

The current points marked for this were the Capital of Prophet’s Founding, some nearby outposts, a few towns, the main roads, some possible crossing points along the river and of course, the crash site.

“David?”

David looked up from the command console, the words of a report cast across his face. “Yeah, what is it, Edward?”

“Do you think you could help me make some psyops fliers?”

A smile crept across his face, “What sort?”

“Just one to try and get the civies to clear out of the city and maybe have a few troops in the city surrender.”

“Can we-“

“I’ll stop you there and say no for now. I know what sort of slogans you’re thinking of now and I don’t think they’ll work.” He said, waving off the grinning 2IC as their smile was damped.

David sighed, “So, how are you delivering these leaflets then? Please tell me there’s some exciting idea you have on how to do that at least?

“I do… We’re going to create an air show over the capital with every combat capable aircraft other than the valks. Hercules O-As, Raptor S-As and the Gremlins, all flying in formation to make the duke and king completely shit themselves.”

David’s smile returned back to its full size, “See, these are the decisions you should be making here! I’m guessing you’ve saved some rocket fuel just for this then?”

“Of course. I’ve thought about doing this ever since we got those attackers. And now seems to be the time to give a demonstration of force.”

His 2IC chuckled, their eyes wandering over to the central display as pictures started to be taken of the various recon targets.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary really. There were a lot of earth works being built up outside the capital and barricades built inside.

It was an impressive city. Built upon a bend in the river with the south side being oddly enough the side of the river with the main part of the city. Upon a hill lay the palace. Built inside a thick set of second walls in the city and onto of a terrace contained within it, it was large, grand, well-built, and beautiful. All without sacrificing defensive utility.

Edward would want to preserve it as best as he could along with all of the other landmarks and district cores across the city. But if the war required them to be rebuilt after being knocked down, so be it, even if it pained him deeply.

For getting the bastards that laid inside of it and bringing them to justice was worth it. And from there that palace would be turned into this kingdom’s new state parliament where the elected would rule and not the aristocracy. With all these days contained in the history books.