Chapter 22
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 22
The Empire's Suppression Force arrived at the northern frontier. Word had it that the rebel forces were massing their strength there.
Rumble!
We had just disembarked from the train and begun setting up camp when a high-ranking commander's airship descended from the sky.
'No combat airships. No aerial vehicles.'
No matter where I looked, there wasn't a single combat aircraft in sight. It struck me as strange that we'd be fighting without air support. There had to be a reason.
Beep.
At the chime, I checked the message on my retinal display. An officers' meeting was scheduled in five minutes.
"Kodrak, I'll leave the rest to you."
Kodrak, who had been directing the platoon in construction, gave a nod. All across the camp, soldiers and androids moved busily, raising barracks.
Military camps were built to a standardized blueprint. Every facility sat in the exact same position. For any soldier of the Empire, even a camp seen for the first time felt as familiar as home.
As if by unspoken agreement, Ilay and I met on the path halfway between our respective encampments. Spotting me, Ilay gave a slight nod and approached.
"No time for a long chat, Luka," he said, his face calm as we started walking toward the command post.
"Is this about the Ramones Family?"
A bitter smile tugged at my lips every time I said that name. Claude Ramones, cut down by a Holy Knight during a mission I'd commanded... he had died without even realizing it. It was over before he could feel fear. That was the only mercy in it.
And then there was his younger sister, Lillian Ramones. I'd treated her harshly. But that didn't mean I hated her, or even disliked her. I was simply indifferent.
"...Yeah. It's because of the Ramones Family," Ilay replied weakly.
"I know you're close to them, but there's nothing we can do, Ilay. If you throw in with rebels, not even being part of the Kartika Family will save you."
"I'm not asking for a miracle. But Luka—if there's a chance... I want us to save Lillian. Somehow."
I couldn't answer right away. My eyes locked onto Ilay without blinking. I gathered all my insight, trying to read what lay beneath his expression.
Normally, Ilay never let his emotions slip past my observation. But right now, he was fragile. Honestly, I didn't think he belonged on the battlefield at all. He couldn't even keep his own feelings in check.
"Do you... like Lillian Ramones?"
I cut straight to the heart of it. Ilay turned his head stiffly. His lips trembled, his composure cracking.
"...Not anymore. She was my first love."
I let out a short, dry laugh.
"And you tried to set me up with your first love? You really are something else."
"Because Lillian hates the idea of marrying a nobleman," Ilay said bitterly.
Lillian hates being matched with a noble? I wondered. But I didn't bother asking why. That wasn't what mattered right now.
"Hey. Get a grip. I've put up with your nonsense until now, but not this time."
I shut him down flatly. Even if my heart were a little softer, my answer wouldn't have changed.
Trying to save Lillian was an absurdly dangerous move. This wasn't the sort of thing that ended with mere disciplinary action. If we were caught, high command would execute us on the spot—without even asking why.
Before we knew it, other commanders were drifting nearby. The command post was close now.
"...Ilay, enough about Lillian. Don't bring her up again."
Lillian Ramones had to die. Whether Ilay accepted it or not, that was the reality.
High command had commandeered a large transport ship as their headquarters. Anchored firmly to the ground, it looked like a permanent structure—a featureless triangular vessel standing like a pyramid.
Ilay and I entered the command post's briefing room. It was large enough to hold well over a hundred people with ease.
At the center of the room, a holographic map turned slowly. I stood straight near the wall, waiting for the meeting to begin.
Cadets like me and the low-ranking officers lined the perimeter of the room, while the high-ranking officers took their seats one by one.
"Luka, how's your platoon shaping up?" Ilay asked, nudging my forearm.
The meeting hadn't started yet, so the room was still noisy. Some of the cadets had brought their adjutants along. They seemed to lean on them heavily. One way to do things, I supposed.
"We'll see," I replied flatly.
At my indifferent answer, Ilay chuckled, as if he'd already worked out my situation.
"Couldn't keep your temper in check, huh. Already clashed with them?"
"Made a preemptive strike. Figured my adjutant would treat me like a kid otherwise."
"Well, from their side, we are kids."
"Act as soft as you do and your subordinates will walk all over you."
Despite my words, I wasn't actually worried about Ilay's platoon. Ilay was shrewd—he'd manage his people skillfully, coaxing and cajoling as needed. My real concern was that he might cross paths with Lillian.
While we talked, the lights in the briefing room went out. The chatter died as if by magic. No one gave an order, yet a perfect silence fell over the room.
Whirrrr.
In the dark, the holographic map glowed brighter. Our gazes rested on it for a moment before shifting to the podium.
Imperial Guard Captain Heilas Custoria stepped onto the platform. Clad in his uniform, he began the briefing.
The Empire's military was always direct and concise. Petty procedure and formality were kept to a bare minimum.
"...The rebel stronghold is an Arcane ruin."
The holographic map zoomed out, revealing the Arcane ruins. A brief murmur rippled through the room.
By anyone's estimation, the Arcane ruins were a fortress. It looked to have served as one a very long time ago. A double wall encircled the site in heavy layers.
'A fortress...'
Traces and ruins of the ancient Arcane civilization were scattered all across Planet Novas. They took many forms, but fortress-type ruins were rare.
Being an Arcane fortress alone wouldn't normally be a problem—active ruins were practically nonexistent these days. But this time, I had a bad feeling. The rebels had entrenched themselves in the fortress, and the Imperial Guard Captain was flagging it as a critical point.
"The rebels have figured out how to operate the Arcane fortress. A high-density Force Shield encases the entire structure in a dome, and turrets—presumed to be Arcane weapons—are shooting down any aerial vehicle that approaches."
Barely captured footage played on the display behind him. Bluish energy blasts tore mercilessly through aerial vehicles.
That explained it. The Suppression Force had abandoned air support in favor of a ground assault.
"There appear to be five turrets. The 11th Armored Brigade will spearhead the breakthrough into the fortress and eliminate the turrets, after which the entire army will surround and breach the perimeter."
The turret positions predicted by the tactical computer blinked as red dots on the map.
An armored brigade was an elite unit—not quite Legion-class, but fielding mass-production Full-Armor Prosthetics. The Empire was committing serious muscle to this suppression.
'An active Arcane fortress.'
I flicked my eyes toward Ilay. He'd always had a deep fascination with the Arcane civilization. A boyish curiosity was probably stirring in him right now. Or maybe he was too consumed with worry over Lillian to spare it a thought.
"...The operation commences at 14:10."
An hour and a half from now. Swift and decisive.
The lights flickered back on. As the meeting broke up, murmurs rose from every corner.
The main topic was the activation of the Arcane fortress. Everyone speculated there was some link between it and this rebellion.
Ilay, too, was lost in thought, leaning against the wall with his chin propped on his hand.
"Ilay, let's head back," I said, tapping his shoulder.
He nodded and walked out of the briefing room with me.
Beep.
A one-time, short-lived data packet transmitted to our terminals—the manual for this operation, complete with guidelines for various contingencies.
The temporary data would self-destruct if not read within the time limit. A security measure.
Ilay and I committed the operational details to memory as we walked. After about two minutes, we looked up from our terminals almost in unison.
"So, just as I figured—we're background extras," I muttered, sour.
The main body of the Suppression Force would push into the fortress and break the defensive line. Units led by cadet platoon leaders like us were slotted to enter only once the situation had stabilized somewhat.
"Only natural. High command doesn't actually want us dead," Ilay said, slipping his terminal into his inner breast pocket.
"At this rate, how is this any different from a picnic?"
"That sounded a little warmonger-ish, Luka."
I shrugged. I wasn't a warmonger. But since I was already on the battlefield, I wanted to make a mark.
I knew it was a childish thing to want. And yet I felt like I could actually do something. The urge to prove my strength, my worth, was growing restless in me. Maybe it was because I'd been shut out of real combat missions for so long.
We stopped at a fork in the path. My platoon's barracks lay to the right, Ilay's to the left.
"Ilay. Don't do anything stupid. This isn't advice—it's a warning."
I took a step back, leveling my index finger at him. A sorrowful flicker passed briefly through his eyes.
"I know."
My insight caught the lie in his words. If he crossed paths with Lillian, he fully intended to get her out—no matter the cost.
Please. Let Lillian Ramones die in the chaos. Let us not find her alive... I prayed, desperate.