The holographical dashboard allows brigade commanders to monitor their forces. Command staff is equipped with a collection of gadgets connected to the command table’s terminal through an impregnable network. These gadgets gather real-time data on troops disposition down to a soldier, casualties suffered, relative morale, weapons and ammunitions, combat effectiveness, consumption rate, unit request et cetera. The data are then fed into the command table’s terminal. The all sorts of charts on the dashboard is created based on those data. It updates every couple second but one can set it to refresh manually. Various intelligence on enemy forces can also be fed into the terminal. In fact, a complete knowledge of the battlefield allows it to create a lethally accurate prediction on the outcome of the battle.

Things appear to be working out. Holvmeer doesn’t know where Sir Edward acquired his witchcraft. He doesn’t want to know for now. It drove the Guards back and he couldn’t ask for anything more. His presence on the field reinvigorates the troops. Either fear or zeal, it makes them fight better. The outcome elates him. He’ll be home just in time for his daughter’s birthday. All he needs to do now is to focus on concentrating his forces around Patih Tread, most notably the D230 highway. The enemies will not let themselves become vulnerable. To his luck, Command just diverted more reinforcements his way. Perhaps they’re doing it in favor of Sir Edward. It will quicken his task regardless.

He has been here for a month. His forces have been draining the enemies’ local fighting power since then. But Holvmeer believes that they’re still out there. They are waiting for him to drop his guard and make a mistake. Then they will strike and undo his progress. It doesn’t matter to him if he achieved them on his own. He didn’t. He traded the sweat and blood of hundreds of men and women to secure the town. He can’t fail not because someone above him demands it. He can’t fail because he has to honor those under him who have fallen, fighting for his objectives.

Azure glare glazes the room. Holvmeer scrutinizes the holomap. He pays careful attention to the positions of his forces. Some of his detachments have been depleted. He tried his best to save as much lives as possible. But killed-in-action still ranges in tens of men. Even though the majority is Androids, where most are specifically made for combat, he has to allocate precious manpower to pull them out; the manpower that he could use to consolidate his gains. He thinks that he should be fine as long as no-one stir up a commotion.

Sir Edward won’t be around for long. It’s now or never, while the troops’ morale is on their zenith.

He brings up his daughter’s picture again on his utilizer. He hasn’t seen her for almost two years now. How he missed her smile. How he missed the cheerful times whenever she is around. Now he understands why Sir Edward is popular. For him, the man just raised his hope. He’ll go home soon and kiss his daughter’s forehead at her seventeenth-birthday. It deserves a gratitude. Though it is once again attributed to his wizardry, Holvmeer doesn’t care. He utilized it for the good of the army, that’s what matters.

Feld suddenly surges into the room. His haste draws all straying attentions nearby. The man addresses Holvmeer before sitting down beside him.

“You might want to see this.” Feld presses a button on his utilizer.

He sends a document to Holvmeer. The colonel brings it up. An image of grassy plains appears. It is still early in the morning. The sky wears a darker shade of blue. He spots three poles in the distance, slightly sloping to one side; enemy artillery. They have sandbags surrounding their positions. There are nets covered with all sorts of foliage shading them. The image is geolocated as well. The sync between Holvmeer’s utilizer and the command’s table allows the holomap to point exactly where those guns are stationed. They’re to the west past Patih Tread. There’s a fork on the road heading southwest that leads to them.

Holvmeer turns his attention to his friend. “It’s just three guns.” He says.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Feld shakes his head. “Look closer.”

Holvmeer squints at the image. Besides of each gun, there are bundled cylinders sticking out of the sandbags.

“Thorns.” He gazes to his friend. “What’s with them?”

“We have to go after those tanks.” Feld says.

“Sir Edward disabled them, didn’t he?”

“And we should use this opportunity to seize them. Take them to the studies.”

Holvmeer isn’t convinced to take the action. “I failed to see the urgency, friend. They aren’t threatening us, are they?”

“They will soon be, if we don’t act.” Feld leans closer. “They could be gathering more up there. We could be facing mass-bombardment from twenty of those steel beasts.”

“We can send airstrikes, or our own arties after them.”

“We can’t do that. You’ve seen it yourself how they can survive our artillery. And airstrikes? We only have three Kris left in our disposal. Only an armor column will do.”

Holvmeer tilts his head and let contempt shows in his face. “Are you serious?” He asked. “You’ll only send them to their deaths.”

“We sacrifice a few to save more. Better than not saving anyone at all, don’t you think?”

No matter how hard he tries, there’s always a number of people that perishes in battle. He can’t save everyone. Yet he is still not convinced on what Feld is saying.

He glares down his eyes. They have been working together ever since they first became officers. Holvmeer could always rely on him. During the battle of Parisya Bulk three years ago, his units were wavering under constant enemy pressure. The command table even thought that defeat was certain. Holvmeer had laid out plans for an organized retreat. Feld suggested otherwise. He concentrated the remainders of his units and struck at the weakest point in the Guards’ line. He defeated them in detail, inflicting heavy losses on the Guards. They stalled them in the end until reinforcements arrived. There are times where Feld made mistakes. But they were always able to work them out together.

This time however, Holvmeer isn’t sure. He doesn’t see any advantage of capturing those heavy tanks other than a showoff. Sure, it could demoralize the Guards. But he doesn’t think that it’s worth risking his men for it. And the Guards can still inflict damages even on low morale.

Holvmeer relaxes himself. He looks at Feld with indifference. “Not going to happen.” He said. For now, he wants to focus on controlling the D230 highway. He can’t let himself be distracted with anything else, even if it can mean something to his efforts. “We will focus on the highway. Period. Besides, the men are going to need some rest. We have fresh manpower heading our way, but it’s not enough to carry out your ingenuity in the next two days.”

Feld flattens his lips. He slowly glances away and nods. “Sir.”

Holvmeer never thinks that the man has harmful intention. Everything he does is to the interest of the army, and of the state.

He grabs Feld’s shoulder. “I’ll keep it in mind.” He says. Though he is not sure since those tanks probably won’t be there once he has achieved his objective.

Feld stands up and nods. He then silently walks away from the room. It isn’t the first time they have different take on the course of actions. Most of the time Holvmeer called the shots and Feld would go along. He didn’t have any problems then, and he should have none now. Holvmeer turns his attention back at Patih Tread on the holomap. At the same time, he assures himself that Feld will commit to the order he laid out.