The Black Shield had used Stefan’s week-long incarceration to complete numerous tasks. They began connecting their new base to the network of tunnels that ran through much of the Yeupisian continent, on top of which they dug graves for their fallen comrades. They patched up the wall that surrounded the depot, deeming it a level of security that although would not protect them physically, it would keep the soldiers psychologically secure, being obscured from all sides from unwanted eyes except above. The dead Titanians were buried inside the wall, being used as both a reinforcement and as a way to humiliate them even in death.
As leader of the Black Shield, Jay had called for a large group meeting that included the 2,500 survivors of the battle and a much higher number of northerners that had been recruited during the war but had not been properly onboarded to the organisation. It took place in the officer’s mess, but due to how many people were on base, most soldiers watched it televised from the enlistee’s mess, the enlistee’s barracks, and the officer’s barracks.
“The battle that took place on this background has been a major victory for humanity,” Jay began as he stood at the podium, his Black Shield mask removed. “We took away a vital lifeline for the Titanians. They underestimated our strength and knowledge, causing their operations to be delayed. It would not have happened without the hard work and bravery of Lead Engineer and third-in-command Vigdis Maas as well as the crew who kept her safe during the operation,”
He paused, allowing his men and women to digest the official announcement, and a few moments to celebrate it with cheers.
I kind of did all the hard work at the end, Stefan grumbled internally.
“And on top of that, support for the resistance across north Yeupis has grown exponentially. Even those who’d been in the Free Army have not seen such an increase in resistance enrollment. I am pleased to announce that over the four months that this war has gone on, we have recorded 12,000 new comrades joining us and taking up arms!”
“12,000?” Stefan mused aloud as people all around him once again erupted into applause.
“Pfft,” Ivan hissed in contempt, as he sat to one side of the boy in the front row before Jay. “If they really took this serious, they should’ve joined way earlier.”
“You don’t really have any room to complain, my friend,” Valto informed the hotheaded subcommander. “Help is help, no matter when it comes.”
“Yeah, yeah, sure it is.” Ivan rolled his eyes.
“However, my comrades, we ain’t in the clear yet,” Jay continued. “Far from it, in fact. Your leaders and I have concluded that it’s very possible the Titanians will shift their focus to capturing the depot in the Glacial Lands and making there way southward from there. I will allow Niklas Rask to explain it further.”
The Martian marquess, who had painstakingly traveled to the Barrens despite his own--albeit less intense--conflict in his homeland and having to covertly leave Mars, rose from his seat in the front row and took to the podium, Jay having moved aside.
“Our intelligence suggests a growing concentration of Titanian soldiers in the Glacial Lands. Although it will take a long time for them to mobilise near the numbers they did when they attacked this depot due to the fact they will have to be flown up there, they will come south as some point. Your Black Shield and Free Army will not have the strength to counter them, even with your new recruit friends,”
The audience erupted into gasps. Some groaned with fear, while others bickered about how adamant they were to wipe the Empire off of Terra no matter the odds.
“As it stands, the Anti-Imperial fight against the Empire grows more intense as well. We won’t have the ability to lend you more of our soldiers at this time. So Jayant and the rest of your leaders have decided to initiate a dire, but necessary last resort. Jay?”
“Thank you, Marquess Rask,” Jay said, taking the podium back. “Vigdis, Aulis, Goran and I have decided that we have no choice but to seek help from the outside,”
The crowd broke into whispers, this time curious.
“Outside help?” a soldier mused.
“Who in the entire solar system could possibly be strong enough to give us a hand?” another wondered.
“I know you’re all very curious to know who we wish to reach out to. However, we don’t want to cause you more stress than you already face. So we will provide further details once we inform those who will be involved in getting the help and have them sent off. Until then, you’re all dismissed. Please return to your usual duties.”
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Each building soon cleared out with most soldiers returning to the duties they had been working on for the past week. They rushed to complete their tasks since everyone knew the slowdown in the war was temporary. Others took the chance to grab a fresh meal from cafeteria’s in either mess, providing much needed nourishment for their hard effort and something to distract them from the war and the stresses it brought.
Several soldiers manned the kitchens to wash the plates their comrades had emptied. Stefan scrubbed away of plates and utensils from a mountain of them which had been stacked at a counter.
A long while after, he saw that most of them were gone, and the comrades who he had been working with started to leave for the afternoon until only he was left. Unexpectedly, he felt disappointment when he saw that there was nothing else left to clean.
I guess Janine’s house rules will always stick with me, he thought as he sauntered through the enlistee’s mess.
The dining area was sparsely filled, only a handful of other soldiers spread out among the tables. Some were writing letters home, while others were fixing the buttons of their shirts or cleaning their boots. As he approached the end of the hall, he noticed a figure doing none. They rested their face on their forearms which were practically glued onto their table. He stopped curiously to get a look at them and see why they were napping.
“Wakey, wakey.” he spoke cheerfully, shaking the resting person’s shoulder. With a groan, the girl wearily picked her head up.
“Oh…” Anwen groaned as her eyes adjusted to the soft light of the mess. “What time is it?”
“Not late at all. What are you doing sleeping here?”
“D-Did Jay or Vigdis call on me?” Anwen said, snapping back to reality at the prompt of Stefan’s question.
“No, I was just wondering.” Stefan chuckled.
“It’s been a really busy week,” she rubbed her eyes. “Pretty sure I dozed off right after the meeting.”
“You definitely look like you need the rest. I almost feel bad for waking you up.” A howl of laughter escaped the boy's mouth.
“You got all the rest you wanted in that dainty little cell,” Anwen scoffed. “And I spent pretty much every hour the past week busting my ass off in the storage hangars. Give me a break.”
Anwen’s rather loud counter drew the eyes of the other soldiers in the mess. Stefan took a look to the side, then glanced back at Anwen again.
“That might be our sign to take our conversation outside.”
Anwen stared at Stefan blankly as she stood up.
“Yeah.”
The two exited the building. Above them was a waning sun that would completely descend below the horizon in an hour, and below their boots was a solid grey pavement that echoed with each step they took. Despite Stefan’s proposal of speaking outside the mess walls, it was a few minutes before either youth spoke again.
“What Jay and Rask said scares me.” Anwen admitted.
“Outside help? Who could possibly be our saving grace now? With all the technology the Anti-Imperialists brought us, I honestly thought this would be a somewhat easy war. But it doesn’t seem to be the case.” Stefan added, sharing Anwen’s concern.
“Jay isn’t just strong, he’s smart too,” Anwen added. “I believe in him. He’ll find a way.”
Anwen glanced up at Stefan as he gazed forward at his path.
Has he always been that tall? Anwen had finally noticed the change in appearance after not just four months of being apart, but in just over a year of knowing him. His eyes and his hair. They’re different too. He looks like another person now,
She guessed that he was no less than a half foot shorter than Gareth was, which was still grand for a Terran. His formerly russet brown pupils had become intertwined with lots of warm green, making for hazel eyes. His chin-length ash brown hair was now sandy, the waves that made its form no longer present, having devolved into straight strands.
“I just… I just hope people won’t have to die in droves for his plan to work.” Stefan mused.
But that hopeful, selfless boy I knew. He’s still in there. I hope that never changes.
Anwen said nothing as her lips spread into a beam, and her pace quickened slightly.
“How long have we been walking for now?” Stefan asked. “Where are we even going?”
“To the officer’s barracks. Seeing as I can’t sleep in the mess…”
“Why there?”
“Because I have a room in the officer’s mess?”
“Since when were you an officer?” Stefan chuckled. “Did something happen while I was locked up?”
“I’m not in the leadership, obviously. Jay decided that I deserved a room there. Hey, you should stick around for a bit.” Anwen offered.
“A-Aren’t you going to take a nap?” Stefan raised a brow.
“And not show you to the cool things there first? They’ve set up a little bar, a game room, even a cute little barber shop. You definitely look like you could use a haircut.” Anwen said, glancing back at him, taking a jab at his unkempt hair.
“I suppose getting a look around won’t hurt.” Stefan sighed.
“Walk faster then!” Anwen stopped to grab his wrist and pulled him through the doors of the barracks which were now right before them. The officer’s barracks were much smaller than the enlistee’s barracks, and their short tour of the building lasted only 10 minutes. Their last stop was the empty bar where they decided to quickly stop for a drink.
“Two ciders, please!” Anwen asked the bartender, who was another Black Shield soldier.
“Make them apple ciders, please,” Stefan quickly rectified on the girl's behalf, before turning to Anwen with a stern expression. “I still remember the last time you had a bit of alcohol to drink. It wasn’t fun.”
“Ah... right,” Anwen said. Her cheeks became warm as she smiled, but it wasn’t apparent to Stefan due to the dim lighting of the barracks interior and her umber-toned face. “Thanks for looking out.”
Stefan reciprocated a smile, and shortly after two tall glasses filled with diluted apple cider were slid in front of them.
“Hey, kid.” the bartender directed to Stefan. “Heard about what you did during the battle. Keep it up, tough stuff.”
Is it the 50th time I’ve heard that today, or the 500th? Stefan wondered about the attention he had gathered throughout the day.
“Um, thanks, man.” Stefan sheepishly nodded before the bartender returned to his work.
“Ooh, looks like someone’s popular.” Anwen teased.
Stefan responded by burying his face in his hands, groaning with annoyance.