“Today at Congress, Majority Leader Senator Harry Knox (TX) launched a formal investigation on the recent claims of UFO sightings along the California coast, Colorado Space Port, and Arizona high-tech industrial region. The Air Force and Space Force will provide witnesses to such activity to the congressional investigation.
The commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), an air defense military alliance between the United States and Canada, has stated that they detected anomalies in North American airspace. Senator Knox has stated that this security threat will be addressed.
The Majority Senate Leader provided footage from an F-15 Eagle III on an air patrol mission, plus additional footage from other pilots and drones over the years. The recordings were black and white, with intense grain throughout. Two of the videos had a sphere-like shape, while the other three showed a delta-like shape.
Since the age of flight, pilots have reported UFOs to their superiors, making many enthusiasts believe that aliens are visiting Earth. There have been claims going back to the 1950s, with drive-by sightings, farm signings, and thousands of pilots.
This has been an ongoing issue between Congress and the Pentagon since the 1950s. Major General Harlet, being placed in charge of the investigation, had stated that he is hoping to resolve this on-going security threat finally.” – Indi News
March, 17th, 2068 (military calendar)
Hiplose Woods, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore
*****
Feeling the rainfall, Benjamin Ford felt annoyed from getting soaked underneath his battle suit. While the Itlian brought many advantages to the average infantryman on the battlefield, stopping water from draining underneath was not one of them.
He noticed the Sergeant First Class and the Warrant Officer leaning above the ridgeline, overlooking the objective below. While the Rangers and Ivy were battling further south, the Minutemen were ordered to ambush a supply column. While the current battle was meant to be a delay tactic, the Brass hoped weakening the enemy supply lines, even momentarily, would add an additional day or two. Right now, the two teams were waiting for their sister Minutemen recon team, Phantom-2.
While their two acting leaders discussed Comanche's next move, Ford sat quietly with the others. Everyone triple-checked their equipment while getting into the mood, except for Fraeya, who saw a rock as she attempted to avoid getting mud on her clothing with one hand while holding up another, lightly manipulating the rainwater to lessen its effect on her.
"It might be wise to accept the dirt," Forest said. "Out here in the field, you will get dirty. Smelly. Sweaty. Pretty does not last long in our line of work."
"I have been coming to terms with that," Fraeya said. "However, that does not mean I have to roll around in the mud like an animal. We Noble Elves are supposed to be above this."
Ar'yla chuckled as she shook her head. "The rumors are true. I have heard Thali'ean is a beautiful place. Still, I promise you, Noble Elves will get dirty like everyone else when needed when pushed. You need to act like a Wood Elf."
"I am not a Wood Elf," Fraeya mumbled.
Ford turned to the Farian woman sitting under a tree, acting casual. Clearly, the woman was speaking from experience, which he agreed with. In Basic, beat that into every soldier they must perform in any environment as effectively as possible to win.
Seeing how comfortable Ar'lya was with their situation showed Ford how used the Farain was to live in the wild. "I take it that you've been out here for a long time?" he asked.
"You can say that," Ar'lya said. "I think I have been in Nevali for three or four years now."
"That explains why you know these lands so well," Barrios said.
"I had to," Ar'lya said. "The best type of work is to act as a guide, so I had to learn the landscape."
"Then why are you staying at Salva?" Ford asked. "If I understood correctly, you came with us because you wanted work. But I never heard you saying that you lived in the cities."
"I hate cities," Ar'lya said. "I preferred living in my hut with all my treasure. But outlaws discovered it and stole everything I had. When I was looking for them, I stumbled on you. I saw it as an opportunity to rebuild my life—at least until I realized I was going to get paid in food and not coins."
"No complaining," Forest said.
"I was not complaining," Ar'lya said. "If I wanted to leave, I would have. Coins trade better than food in most places, though."
Ford heard his stomach grumble a little as the two talked about food. Since retaking Salva and with the reinforcements coming from Fort Carson, the Americans were forced to take responsibility for feeding everyone. This was usually not a problem, as the military logistics philosophy was to live off the land like the armies of old but supply them. The issue was that those doctrines never factored in Bridge travel. They were forced to support a city of allies, as they could no longer live off the land thanks to the Aristocracy blockage. In response, a strict one-meal-a-day policy was enacted.
This did not bother him, but he could understand the frustration from light tan skin with warm medium brown fur Farian. As a military man, he was used to living off little, but it would be hard for people to try to have an honest living.
"I am not an economic expert," Ford said. "But until we get an exchange rate, our money is worthless here."
"What!" Ar'lya said, shocked by what was said. "You are telling me your people do not have coin?"
"We have coin," Ford said before thinking on the subject. "I think. At least legally. More than I think about it, I cannot recall when I saw physical money stateside—only in other countries currency."
"Now that I think about it," Forest said. "I have paid with my phone for everything. It is going to be weird using physical money again."
Ar'lya was about to ask what they were talking about. However, Fraeya stopped the Farian woman and warned her not to ask further questions, stating that it would only lead to confusion. While these people had technology equal to or more advanced than the Americans, the Digital Revolution was not one of them.
As some team members chuckled about the elf's resistance toward the environment, Ford turned toward the forest after hearing a crack. He saw three bushes shake and slash in the mud from the rain, all approaching their position.
The Sergeant turned toward the tree line, seeing two pairs of footsteps in the mud. The rainfall stopped above the ground, creating an outline like a person.
“Invisible mages!” Fraeya said.
Seeing that their mage was channeling her mana to her glove, Ford grabbed the elf girl's arm, stopping her casting. “Hold your fire. They are on our side.”
The two individuals' cloaks were deactivated, and a ghillie suit was around their bodies, closer to a blanket than with ferns. The suit utilized small sensors around its netting to protect the rear images forward, creating the illusion that you could see past the person as if there was no one. They wore a specialized version of the Itlian Battlesuit, with less armor and general infantry sensors. It was tailored for their stealthy role and included additional battery power for the energy-draining cloak.
Benjamin Ford picked up their IFF on his HUD when the two deactivated their ghillie cloak. It was Sergeant Terry, who was holding an M88 sniper rifle, and the other was Sergeant Maui, who was carrying an M31 and a small portable dual-fan drone on his back. It was the Minutemen recon team, Phantom-2.
One detail on both of their uniforms caught Ford's attention. On the upper right chest plate, there were skull stickers. Some were plain skulls, while others had different hats, ranging from crowns to berets. While it was clear that the stickers represented targets they had neutralized, he could only speculate that the hats meant the level of importance of the target.
Based on the amount, Phantom-2 had been busy.
Hearing the commotion, the other Comanche turned toward the Sergeant. Seeing the confused look on Fraeya's face, he turned to the two near-invisible beings. At first glance and a distance, it was nearly impossible to notice unless you knew what you were looking for. The proportions around the reflections were distorted, some not even, others having a light reflection, or the image's alignment was off.
However, the cloaking ghillie was not intended to be used this close because of those limitations, but it is excellent for small recon teams’ operations behind enemy lines.
“Phantom,” Barrett said. “What took you?”
“They have a seeker on point,” Terry said. “Those things are a bugger to avoid.”
“And be advised,” Maui said. “The beast humanoids have a good sense of smell.”
“Understood,” Barrett said. “Are they incoming?”
“Our Smalldog spotted the enemy convoy,” Maui said. “We can confirm that they are the Toriffa rear supply convoy. They will be approaching the kill zone any minute.”
Rommel King appeared next to the Sergeant First Class, adding, "Keep the Smalldog where it is. You two, go to that ridge and pick off targets of interest.”
As Phantom-2 rushed up the rockface to a higher position, King turned to Comanche and said, “Form up everyone. Fraeya, I want you to create a landslide once they enter the kill zone.”
"Sir King," Fraeya said. "I am not strong enough to create a landslide. This is more rock than dirt."
"That is okay," King said. "Just knock over some of those boulders over there. I don't need the road completely blocked, just enough to place an obstacle to delay them."
"I can do that," Fraeya said.
Comanche spread out as they took positions over the ridgeline. Benjamin Ford rushed back toward the AMTV, and when he arrived at the armored vehicle's rear, he pulled the EDM4A1 electric rifle, which is used to take out drones. He then took the bulky weapon and returned to his teammates, kneeling behind Barrett before being directed to his position.
The Sergeant then took cover behind a brush and leaned off the edge, staring at the old broken road. His IFF pointed identified Ghost, on the other side of the road further back, hiding inside the forest below, ready to catch the enemy force in a crossfire.
It took them a little while to spot the enemy formation approaching—a platoon-sized force walking through the broken road. The force consisted mainly of J'avais. Their armor was light blue and silver, signaling they were from the City-State of Toriffa with a Neko as a guide. Among them were a few dwarves operating the three wagonettes, the cart variant carrying supplies. Between them was a small walker armed with an accelerator.
Hearing his name over TEAMCOM, the Sergeant saw Barrios digitally marking the Seeker within his HUD. The enemy drone hovering above the enemy force had a red box placed over it. Based on the Seeker's movements, it was studying the elevated position that oversaw the road below. As the alien device turned toward Comanche, it scanned the terrain. This forced Ford to hug the mud to be as invisible as possible.
The drone hovered in place as if it was staring at the team. Moments later, the infantry below started firing against the ridgeline. The forward senior Toriffa commander rushed from his vehicle and started providing organization; however, he was shot live as a sniper from Phantom quickly assassinated the enemy soldier.
"We have been made," Wallace said.
"What was your first clue?" Barrios responded.
"Comanche," King said. "Let them have it!"
Comanche opened fire against the enemy from their elevated covered position. The well-placed aim of their M31 battle rifles forced them to break formation to seek cover. Enemy bolts impacted the rocky cliff as Comanche focused on the enemy soldiers up front. The forward wagonette was excluded from an unguided rocket, trapping the enemy.
Seeing the Seeker, Ford fired the electric anti-drone rifle at the construct. The side of the enemy drone exploded, and the construct spun until the device impacted the ground.
Confirming that the Seeker was destroyed, Ford switched the electric rifle for his M31. Once situated, he prepared a grenade capsule and fired it into his underslung launcher. The fragmentation grenade exploded next to a wagonette, killing the two J'avais who were taking cover by an enemy transport vehicle. He then left his position and rushed down the line for a superior firing position.
Seeing an enemy commander of some kind, Ford aimed his M31 and fired. The J'avais armor stopped the first shot; however, the second shot quickly penetrated, killing the hostile. However, when he was seeking a second target, he noticed the entire enemy platoon started charging toward them, with the Walker leaving position, aiming its cannon toward them.
A small explosion impacted its side before the walker could fire its heavy circiletum. The projectile impacted the cliffside, causing debris to spray. Another enemy infantry was suddenly taken out from their left flank by Ghost. The other Minutemen team took the enemy by surprise and was not in the crossfire.
Seeing that the enemy was distracted, Ghost opened fire, catching the enemy from behind.
The rock formation behind which the Sergeant was hiding crumbled from the intense enemy fire, so he repositioned next to Charles Higgins. The Airman ducked for cover as energy bolts impacted the ridgeline.
"There’s three right below us," Higgins said.
The two Comanche soldiers grabbed their fragmentation grenades from their battle suits and tossed them into the road below. Two small explosions were heard, and the two peaked over their protection and aimed their weapons at the Toriffa forces.
From the grenade explosions, three enemy soldiers were neutralized as their enchanted armor couldn’t withstand the multiple shrapnel that sprayed the area. Only one was crawling away, wounded from the shrapnel. The rest of the Toriffa forces fanned out in disarray as Comanche maintained the high ground, picking off targets individually.
The walker between the remaining wagonettes moved toward the left to gain a better firing position. Three hostiles adjusted the accelerator ballista toward Ghost. Once in position, the weapon fired. The projectile flew through the forest, tearing apart all the tree branches. It tore apart a large tree near where Ghost was, causing it to land between some Minutemen and forcing some to abandon their cover.
Ford loaded his under-sling grenade launcher and fired it toward the accelerator. While the grenade killed one of the operators, it failed to neutralize the weapon platform. The remaining Toriffa soldiers rotated the accelerator and fired it toward Comanche this time. The projectile impacted the ridgeline, causing dirt and rock to spread into the air.
"The operators are panicking," Forest said. "See, the operators are reacting, not focusing. Wallace, tear up that dwarf. You two, focus fire on that walker."
At first, Ford needed clarification on what the Staff Sergeant meant by the walker reaction. Looking down at the trap, he saw a dwarf in blue and black armor, which he assumed were the colors of Toriffa. Then he saw what Forest was mentioning. The dwarf was yelling at the walker operators, directing them where to fire next – as they had been firing blindly at anything that was firing at them first. If the dwarf could reorganize the enemy accelerator, it might cause problems for the two Minutemen teams.
Sergeant Wallace readjusted his position and aimed his M252 at the dwarf. The first few shots failed as one of the hostiles predicted Comanche motives and held a shield. However, the shieldmen quickly faltered from the sheer volume as a few 6.8mm found their opening, cutting down the shieldmen. The team's machine gunner then adjusted again, killing the venerable dwarf with a burst fire.
As the dwarf was being taken care of, Ford and Higgins focused fire their M31 battle rifles at the accelerator. The two operators seemed to raise one of its legs to act as a metal barrier from the two Comanches as they adjusted their accelerator. Now that they were pinned and unable to move, Bruno Barrios had the opening to fire their recoilless rifle, destroying the enemy vehicle.
After the enemy heavy weapon platform was destroyed, the remaining hostiles broke from their positions and rushed into the forest, abandoning the supply convoy. Comanche held their position as they waited to see if the skirmish had ended. A haze from the combat hovered over the road and slowly disappeared. Besides the moaning of wounded soldiers, everything was silent.
On Benjamin Ford VISOR, his IFF identified Ghost as they left their positions, sweeping the ruined convoy. Comanche Warrant Officer-1 ordered the unit to hold their positions over the radio and keep their rifles directed at the corpses that littered the area, just in case of a kamikaze trap.
After a few minutes, Ghost reported that the area was clear. Rommel King rushed behind the Combat Fire Team, ordering everyone to secure the convoy.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Ford followed their medic, Marcos Gonzales, down the ridgeline until they reached an opening. The opening, while not a path preferred path, was slopped enough to slide down safely with their battle suits. Where they could slide down to the road. Once on the ground, the Twins and Forest left to secure the direction where the enemy retreated while the others joined Ghost.
The smell of death reeked the road, partly contained by the southern ridge. Smoke from explosions and energy bolts still filled the area, causing Ford to keep his VISOR down to see Ghost correctly.
Seeing two Minutemen, Gonzales rushed over and began treating the wounded J'avais. Ford took over as security by aiming his rifle at the enemy soldier, allowing the two Ghosts to leave.
Watching the Comanche medic at work, Ford asked, "Are you even able to help? They might be human, but does that mean they have the same biology. They are aliens, after all."
"Still Human," Gonzales said. "Everything seems to be in the right place. All I am trying to do is stop the bleeding. After that, the Brass can do what they wish."
"Still Human?" Ford mumbled. "That part is still hard to accept. When meeting space aliens, I never imagined meeting a subgroup of humans from our past."
Gonzales placed a large bandage over the wound and said, "In any of your manga, you never read anything like this?"
"Not off the top of my head," Ford replied.
Hearing someone approaching, Ford turned and noticed Fraeya approaching. She held a cloth over her nose, struggling with the foul smell. "You okay? You can stay on the ridgeline if the smell doesn't agree with you."
"I will be fine." Fraeya stopped and watched Gonzales treat the wounded. Confusion consumed her, and she said, "Why is Marcos helping our enemy?"
Ford turned toward the elf girl and replied, "We have to, by law."
"What are you talking about? What Law?"
"It's called the Geneva Convention," Gonzales said. "It is an agreed-upon set of rules where nations agree on how to treat soldiers, such as providing medical treatment to the wounded."
"Rules of war stuff," Ford said.
"That is different," Fraeya said. "I have heard of rules in warfare but was not expecting this. Most of it is based on an honor code that is beyond me. All I know is that these J'avais would not do the same for you."
"I think we have been getting that impression," Gonzales said. "However, until the President states otherwise, we treat the wounded to the best of our abilities."
"Besides," Ford said, "I think the Spooks will enjoy him. It's like when you were our prisoner but less pleasant."
"Hard to imagine something less pleasant than that," Fraeya mumbled.
Seeing that the enemy prisoner was secured, Ford turned to the damaged wagonette. Three Minutemen from both teams were inside, investigating what the enemy was transporting. Like the others, it was a skeleton in nature, like they had seen before. This time, the vehicle needed to be retrofitted for the transportation of infantry but for supplies.
"Find anything good?" Ford asked.
"Food," Higgins said before tossing two small bags.
Ford caught them and handed the others to Fraeya before opening the bag to see what was inside. Inside was purple with blue square orange-like fruit, a biscuit, salted meat, and a cracker. "Cool. Maybe we can have dinner tonight."
"I wouldn't get your hopes up," King said.
"What do you mean?" Ford asked. "Isn't this what we want? DARPA would love to tear apart this wagonette."
"Let alone all this food," Higgins said. "We cannot leave it here to spoil."
"We are going to satchel the vehicle," King said. "We just got reports that Aristocracy Brigaton broke through east from here, so a recovery vehicle won't be sent out. Ghost will stay behind to plant the charges and escort the prisoners back to Indolass."
As the two Minutemen teams gathered valuable supplies and prepared the few prisoners, everyone suddenly saw one of the Minutemen who were on watch on the ridge stating that airships were incoming. Ford saw the general direction the Ghost member was pointing. He saw Orgat airships fly toward the Minutemen position.
At first, he prepared for them to drop their warriors on top of them. However, the two airships flew past the two teams and headed south.
"Where are they going?" Fraeya asked.
Seeing the two Minutemen teams scrambling, Ford noticed Comanche Airmen speaking into his radio, probably informing command about the incoming airships.
Frayea approached the gathering group and asked, "Why did they pass us? Is that a bad thing?"
"South of here are the main US forces," Ford answered. "But that can be anything."
"Probably conducting a hit-and-run tactic against something," Barrett said.
"Regardless," Wallace said. "Unless the Aristocracy had a major tech upgrade in the last couple of days, that is the Unity."
"I got it," Higgins said. "They are attacking a nearby town that Ivy is occupying. You are going to want to listen to this, sir."
"Shoot," King said.
The Airman opened the DEFCOM to allow everyone to listen to the radio traffic.
"Mayday, this is Second Platoon. Two enemy aircraft ambush our position, and we are surrounded. We are being assaulted! Requesting immediate assistance!"
"What is the plan?" Wallace asked.
"Hold on." King turned to the Ghost leader and asked, "Captain, permission to-."
“Rommel,” Miller said. "We will handle things here. Go to the village and reinforce Ivy."
March, 17th, 2048 (military calendar)
Salva, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie
Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore
*****
The streaming sound of 30mm rounds rippled the air, and loud explosions echoed, shaking the glass window. Ryder turned toward the window and thought how persistent the enemy was. Seeing that it was only harassment fire, he grabbed his coffee and took a sip to ease his nerves.
He was not too calm because he feared the enemy artillery but because the Captain was still frustrated that he had been removed from his team, even though it was temporary. The Comanche Captain understood why; however, he did not enjoy being left behind while his command was angry.
Feeling a strong taste, Ryder sat the mug down on the small wood bed table and said, "If that isn't rations, I don't know what is."
The Captain then returned to his tablet and continued learning Latin. The app was glitchy because the Programmable Intelligence software vastly created it. So far, there have been no new Latin words from Alagore, only the Earth version. Being a dead language on Earth, the app was limited in educating him on understanding the native language. However, he hoped that the app would give the basic knowledge in the hope of expanding on it later—at least until the app is updated with the native terminology.
Feeling frustrated, Ryder laid the tablet on his wooden desk—not because he struggled with the application but because he felt guilty. Not being allowed to resume command of his team, let alone them going toward the front, sickened him. He understood that his imagination was running wild and that Rommel King would do his duty well; he didn't enjoy being sidelined away from his unit.
While the Comanche Captain understood why the Colonel removed him from combat, his wounds from being captured by the Verliance Aristocracy and barely surviving his escape through the wild. However, what the Minutemen leader said bothered him—placing so much focus on Assiaya and quality time.
He noticed Assiaya walking by, dressed in the Palace red and white maid outfit. Since arriving here, she has voluntarily continued her servant work within the Palace, bringing all the other officers and NCOs who were at their desks working drinks. When no one wanted anything, she would find things to order or clean them all without him asking. He didn't mind, as it kept her busy and was located in the most secure building within the city.
Besides, it was the girl's idea as she wanted to help, and Ryder couldn't see a reason to say no if she kept out of the way. The girl knew when to interact, understanding when the officers were having a meaningful conversation and when it was acceptable to gather their dishware. It came from her time as a slave for Kallem; he could see why the girl was good at the job.
The Captain found the sight humorous, in a twisted sense of fate. Knowing that the girl was secret royalty but still watching her act like an ordinary servant, he couldn't imagine a more contradictory situation.
As Ryder watched, she casually wandered around performing her job, brightening the mood of many of the Minutemen within the large operations room. Yet, the sight couldn't fix his mood. The girl confessed her identity, which answered some of his questions about her relationship with the Vampire Lord and why the Head Maid let them go. However, he still had many other questions.
This revelation that Assiaya is the daughter of the former King of these lands could resolve the United States Army's creditability problem. On Earth, most of the time, when a foreign nation entered someone's countryside, relations were not always cordial. That was in a world where his people lived. He could see why so many people here hesitated to trust them, as a nation couldn't be more foreign.
However, as Natilite put it, this was a blessing in disguise. The Americans are new to this world, and while they are unknown—and everyone fears the unknown—this also means that they do not carry any baggage, unlike the native empires. With a world that values royal bloodlines and Family Houses, this could break Kallem's hold in the region if successful.
Still, as Ryder watched the girl handing water bottles, he understood that he had to protect her. While the Captain admirably envied her desire to help the Salva civilians at the dwarf borrian, this would require her to enter politics and be a figurehead of the Salva rebellion and the United States objectives on Alagore. While he was not a fan of using her as a symbolic figurehead for his people's cause, he knew Natilite was correct that this was their best hand at the moment.
And that lays the problem for him. Assiaya, about twelve, would be used helplessly with the abuse of power around her. While the Captain loved his country and believed in the founding principles, he was not naïve enough to believe the US government and military wouldn't abuse her age and lack of experience to force their agenda.
This meant Ryder had to find a way to protect her. After everything they had been through, he couldn't imagine allowing anyone to abuse the girl for personal gain, regardless of loyalty. This is why he adopted her to protect the powers that be and her.
What bothered him was that he was keeping all this from Hackett. The Comanche leader had never deceived or withheld information from his mentor before, at least not to this scale. He trusted his mentor with his life and more. It was being there during his darkest hour.
To tell his mentor now would force the Colonel to report to his superiors, beginning the domino effect he feared. The only plan he could muster was to make the adoption official before revealing what he had learned. He also understood that this might end his career and friendship with Hackett. However, while watching the girl, he felt he had no choice.
Mathew Ryder wondered if there was a third option, but he hadn’t discovered one yet. It made him sick that he could throw away his most important friendship. The man who got him into Special Forces shepherds him to this day, but at the same time, he swore on God and his dead wife's name that he could protect Assiaya.
As the Comanche Captain leaned back in his chair, dwelling on the matter, he noticed Captain Smith. The Colonel's assistant approached his desk. Some of him felt worried, but his training kicked in to help control his emotions. "What can I do for you, Captain?" he asked once she reached his desk,
"Captain," Smith said. "Colonel Hackett wants you."
The Captain felt a sudden knot in his gut. He was surprised to learn about a meeting today. He wondered if Hackett had discovered his plan to legally adopt Assiaya before informing everyone that she was a formal Princess of the regional royal family.
"I will be right there," Ryder said.
"He is in his office," Smith said before leaving.
Surprised there was no escort, the Captain wondered if he was overacting. Being the head of CFT-1 and with their long friendship, it was common for the two to have long conversations and input in private. It reminded him of their topic before everything related to the Bridge began, in which he stared at all the still photos on the Colonel's wall. The memory only brought sickness to his gut as he despised hiding this knowledge from his mentor. But then he stared at Assiaya; he knew he had to place her needs first.
The Comanche Captain left his desk and navigated through this large lobby room's dozens of other desks. Assiaya saw him, and he stated that he would be back and stay within the Palace, not going by windows or balconies so that a sniper wouldn't spot her.
William Hackett's office was in the underground labyrinth with the rest of the command infrastructure, adding additional protection from enemy artillery. This city had an extensive network of underground tunnels and buildings built by the dwarves some time ago to provide further depth to its markets and residential areas.
This was a different concept the Americans, while they do build underground the vast majority or city design is vertical upward, not into the earth. Once downstairs, Ryder entered the makeshift office and saw his mentor at his desk, staring at the computer plugged into a small battery on the floor. Like everything else, the table was made of red oak wood, repurposed furniture from the Palace. The walls were already reinforced with steel bolted against the stone wall. The room had no windows, which was most likely the most secure.
"Sir," Ryder said as he stood at attention.
"At ease," Hackett said. "This is a social visit."
After adjusting his body, Ryder stared at his Colonel and waited to be addressed.
William Hackett continued his work for a few minutes before standing. He walked around his desk until he was on the other side, leaning against the edge while stating that this was a casual meeting for Ryder to feel comfortable. "How are you feeling, Matt? The chest alright?"
"Doing good," Ryder said. “I still have this stinging feeling, but the doctor said it should fade away in the next week or two."
"I was concerned about that. Still, with the beating you received, you should be lucky. Thanks to those potions, that is all you must put up with. But everything has a cost if you don't use it right."
"There was no manual, and I was desperate."
"I get that, and no one can blame you for that."
The Captain turned the folding chair around and leaned against the back, arms crossed. "Tell that to the Templar. I think she wanted to kill me when she found out."
Hackett chuckled before reaching around and grabbing a water bottle. "I bet. Over twenty years of marriage, I learned never to piss my wife off unjustly. I cannot imagine what it would be to piss off an augmented super soldier."
"I got that impression. But Natilite seems like a nice person and is committed. She will be an excellent assistant to the team."
"That is good. What about Fraeya? How is she holding up?"
"She is struggling, but I expected that. The elf is untrained but high-spirited. Her being a mage, however, has been a great assist, something I'm still figuring out how to exploit. I believe she will get into the mold of things and integrate into the team over time. The elf is worth the investment."
"I am surprised she made it this long. I have nothing against the girl, but she does not seem like the soldier type. But I will give her credit where credit is due. As long as she does not become a hinger, you still have my full support."
"Thank you, sir."
"Do you think we should adopt this tactic with all the Minutemen teams?"
Ryder glanced down as he considered the matter. It had crossed his mind; however, he had not had the time to consider it properly. Fraeya and Natilite joined Comanche out of desperation, needing local allies to help them navigate the world and utilize the abilities they didn't have. They had become key aides to his team, something he no longer could imagine without.
"I would say yes," Ryder said. "Maybe in a more formal matter going forward, but the knowledge and their abilities had proven to be an advantage."
"I am leaning in that direction," Hackett said. "I am drafting a report for our new commander, General Sherman. He requested a detailed report on what has happened and my thoughts, problems, and solutions."
"I would support it," Ryder said. "They might differ from us, but that could be a long-term benefit over Unity."
"I agree," Hackett said. "Using the strengths of this world while using our strengths could be the key to victory. Transparency will be the key to achieving that goal; I assume you agree with that point?"
Slightly surprised by the question at the end, Ryder agreed.
The Colonel nodded his head in agreement. He took a drink from his bottle and then stared at it. "I noticed that girl was handing these out. Very sweet of her."
Ryder couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, she has a servant's heart. I hope you don't mind; I think it is the only source of normalcy she knows. I told her that as long as she stays out of the way, she could do some basic things around the Palace."
"I don't think that will matter. As I said, if Assiaya does not interfere with Operations, that is fine. Besides, she will fit well within these walls. It will be good for the other Minutemen to adjust with her around."
The response took Ryder off guard. Most commanders wouldn't tolerate a little girl moving around the command post, and for good reason. The girl was only there because she was with him, and he lived in the Palace. But this was only temporary. However, nothing Hackett said implied that he knew anything, which also concerned him as the Colonel was always careful with his wording.
"Speaking of her," Hackett said. "What are your plans with the girl? Since you two arrived, she stuck around you like glue. Some might think it was cute if the reason behind it wasn't so traumatic."
"Yeah. Being hunted down like dogs while being lost in the wild would do that. I promised her that I would protect her."
Hackett leaned around and grabbed his water bottle. He took off the cap, and right before taking a sip, he said, "Is that why you are pulling this stunt?"
Fear consumed Ryder as he stared at his mentor, their eyes deadlocked, with the Colonel having no fear or doubt. This was a challenge that the Captain knew he couldn’t win. It was clear that his mentor knew what he was planning, but how he had no idea. The Comanche commander would lie, asking what the Colonel was talking about. However, seeing those dagger eyes sent a powerful warning toward the young Captain. Deciding it was hopeless, he said, "I am going to adopt her."
"Matt," Hackett said as he shook his head. "That is not a state secret. The moment everyone saw you two together, the entire universe saw that coming from a mile away. That is not what I am talking about, and you bloody hell know it."
Seeing that his mentor meant business, the Captain took another deep breath, fully understanding this would not be a comfortable conversation. "Earlier today, about nine hours ago, Assiaya confessed to me and Natilite that she was the daughter of King Balan, the formal leader of the Daru'uie Confederacy, the formal ruler of these lands."
"And you were not going to tell me?"
Ryder stared directly at his commanding officer. He had this encounter before with Kallem, lockstep in the ring. But this was different. This time, the young Captain was scared, not from fear of death but of their long history. When the Captain was a prisoner under Kallem, he never felt like this. It was clear why: the fear of disappointing the most important person he respected.
"I was, but after I adopted her."
"You have not thought any of this through, have you? Do you have any idea how long that would take? Especially with an alien girl? Last time I checked, there was no protocol for that. That would bring much attention, which was the opposite of what you intended."
"I guess you can say that. How did you find out? Natilite?"
"I talked with her, but she didn’t mention it," Hackett said. "It was the Wood Elf named Folen Elstina who came forward two days ago, offering his arms workshop to support us. During our conversation, he told me who Assiaya was and wondered if we would back her claim to the throne.”
It took a moment for the Comanche Captain to realize what had happened. Then it finally clicked: He saw why Hackett benched him and Natilite, why the Colonel wanted him to spend time with his soon-to-be daughter.
"I see." Ryder thought carefully and then started at his mentor, saying, "I apologize, sir. I meant no harm, but I don't regret my actions."
"Of course you shouldn't," Hackett said. "I would be disappointed if it was that easy for you to regret your actions. I know you very well, Matt. To tell the truth, I knew this was how everything would play out the instant the Folen told me about Assiaya. I knew exactly what you were going to do because of what happened to your wife. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that you would become overprotective of Assiaya after learning her background and doing something stupid like this. My issue is that you didn’t come to me."
"Because you are a Colonel of the United States Army," Ryder boldly stated. “I trust you with my life. I trust that you have the best intentions with me, and I would never question your order because of that—maybe to a fault. However, that relationship is not above our loyalty to our duty, which is to the military. If I came to you, you would be forced to inform your superiors, and you know what they will do to her without some kind of protection."
"And your point is?"
Ryder stared at Hackett, not knowing what to say. He knew the Colonel was more thoughtful than this, so he expected a hidden meaning, which he couldn't figure out. "I don't know how to respond."
Hackett rubbed his nose with frustration and said, "Matt, you are good at the tactical level, but you are entering the strategic level where the Brass lives. There is politics within my ranks. I am a Colonel of one of the most elite special forces branches within the military, and you do not think I don't know how to play the game?"
"I…, it never crossed my mind. I didn’t want to put you in that situation."
"So, you decided to go lone wolf?" Hackett asked. "If you are going to play these games, you need to be smarter than that. I get your intentions, but we both know good intentions do not equal good results. You should have come to me and done this together."
The Captain stood, struggling to find a response. It was clear to him that this was a mistake, and his gut was divided on the matter. Deep down, he must have known that was not going to work out, but he loved Assiaya, and the need to protect her overrode his rationality.
Seeing that Ryder had nothing to add, Hackett continued, "I do not blame you for doing what you did. Suppose I was in your position with your background. In that case, I might have done something similar, which means it was my fault for not properly preparing you for this encounter. Still, if you wish to be her father, you need to be smarter because once you enter that game, which you were right to fear, you need to keep a level head. In combat, you die once. In politics, you die multiple times."
Ryder rubbed his forehead with his hand, feeling like a building was coming down on him. However, he took a deep breath to maintain his composure. "I apologize, sir. I allowed my emotions to take control because I did not want a repeat of my wife."
"I understand that. We all pretend to know how we would act when a life-altering moment appears. The truth is, we don't. Most people fail to learn when that test arrives and slide backward for the rest of their lives. I am happy you can admit it. Now tell me, when you agreed to adopt Assiaya, what did you tell her?"
The Captain knew he was being tested, as Natilite would have already informed him of that conversation. He confidently said, "If she wanted to be a Princess, I would support her. However, she would always be my daughter first. Our family would come first. Those were my terms."
"Good," Hackett calmly said before taking another sip from his water.
Hackett left his position and sat back in his chair, leaning back while holding his hands together. "Now, Matt. I will ask you a simple question, but I want you to think carefully. Do you trust me?"
A part of Ryder saw the question of a joke as the obvious answer. However, he understood the more profound meaning and what it represented going forward. He slowly nodded before saying, "I do. William."
"Good," Hackett said. "This is what you are going to do. I will arrange a meeting with the dwarf borrian, Vagahm. You and Assiaya will go there, join Major Smith, and negotiate the release of the hostages. If this world wants to play House, we will play House."
Ryder was about to protest placing Assiaya in danger like that, but he saw the do-not-protest stare in the Colonel's eyes. He decided it was wise not to challenge Hackett, especially since he had just said he trusted in his mentor, which he does. Whatever the Colonel was planning, he would follow it.
"Roger that, sir," Ryder said. "After that, what about Assiaya?"
"You need to trust me. Enough said."
"Enough said."