The prison cell was as dark and as silent as a tomb. Queen Persephone Sanguis hung from the engraved chains that fastened her to a black obelisk. Her restraints only permitted the most basic of movements. She languished away at the hands of her captures. The Pit guards only provided her minimal amounts of blood for sustenance. Just enough to sustain her, not enough to for her to heal her wounds. The severing of her spine by an armor-piercing round caused her legs to hang limp.
There was a rustling in the darkness. She peered into a black corner. A small creature crept forth. Her eyes widened. It was the skeletal remains of a rat. Its bones floated loosely, conjuring themselves out of thin air as it approached her, joining the rest of the body as it moved. Despite its deathly visage, it behaved as a normal rat.
"Interesting." she said, examining the morbid little thing.
It crept up one of the chains that restrained her. The skeleton rat perched itself on her shoulder. It squeaked.
"Truly." she nodded solemnly as if the rat had said something about her current state. Her voice was raspy, but not weak.
It squeaked some more.
This time, Persephone reacted with anger. "By the night, how foolish. She only has herself to blame, sacrificing an entire clan just to contact me. Leave it to Serene to panic at the smallest notion of things not going her way."
A single solemn squeak, then an inquisitive one.
"'twas never in doubt. All is in accordance with his plan." She said, dismissively. "Svetlana has completed her tasking then?"
A single positive squeak.
"Very well."
The rat gnashed its teeth.
"One would think. The Centurion is clueless. And yes, I do want out." she paused. "But an opportunity presents itself. Convey a message to my sister..."
----------------------------------------------
The interrogation room was small and sterile. There were four white painted walls and a one-way mirror to one side. There was a small table in the middle with a basic plastic chair. Amelie was terrified. She had spent the last several days in a cell, occasionally being called to this room. She was out for a midnight run, which had become a regular routine for her during her time on Salvo Island. Then, all of a sudden, an unmarked car stopped next to her and three men in blue suits forcibly shoved her inside and drove off. They confiscated all of her belongings and she was brought here. A blonde-haired French woman then questioned her. She accused Amelie of being a spy, which Amelie vehemently denied.
She was not tortured, and aside from the rough handling by the suits that abducted her, no one had laid a finger on her. She was terrified because they were right. They had caught her after she had tapped into a fiber-optic cable and stole a large amount of data. The device containing evidence of her espionage was in their custody. All she could do was deny it, even if it was a hopeless gesture.
When she flew with the UN diplomatic team to Salvo Island they gave the delegation an extensive briefing. The Vanguard warned that espionage, spying or any unauthorized data collection would be severely punished. The team was greatly encouraged to stay on the marked path, so to speak. In her time on the island, she did not get the impression that the Vanguard was a lawless, uncivilized or unjust group. The rank and file treated her fairly and her liaison officer was even friendly. They were the very image of military discipline and organization. But the officers who briefed them made it very clear that the Terra Vanguard did not care for the UN and any attempt to stray outside the lines would forfeit their safety.
Amelie was what they called a "white-collar spy". She did not go to places like the middle-east or the embed herself in African militias. She was trained and experienced with near-peer nations, such as Russia, the United States and France. She never spent a day of her life in the desert. She had also never been caught. For someone in her position, it seemed her life was over.
--------------------------------
"How much did she get?" Leader-Commander Tambor asked with a tired sigh.
"A lot. She got a lot." The spy master answered him. She was holding the ipod-like device that the stolen data was stored on. "This device has a one terabyte drive. A lot of it is useless slush, like weapons status, which would be OBE," Overcome By Events AKA outdated. "by the time she got it to her courier. What I'm worried about is what she actually saw. IT thinks she might have seen something while tapped into the cable that was not recorded. That cable had high-side access." She was referring to the Vanguard's most classified network.
Tambor crossed his arms. "Is it reasonable to assume,-"
"She likely knows about Project Helsing. Also Project Checkmate." Penny answered him. She put down the spy device and lit a cigarette. "I could dispose of her."
Tambor's eyes widened at his spy master.. "That will not be necessary." Sometimes he was unnerved by how often the Frenchwoman talked about or suggested offing politicians, or anyone politically inconvenient. He always refused her, preferring a candid martial path to problem solving.
Penny shrugged and tapped some ash off of her cigarette. "You are going to have 'the talk'?"
"It might be time for that."
------------------------
The door opened and a guard entered. The black-clad Rifle only held it open so that another man could enter. A chill ran down her spine. The Leader-Commander himself had come to speak with her.
He took a seat across from her. A pregnant silence filled the room. Tambor leaned forward.
"Miss Wagner, now is the time to come clean." he told her.
"I do not know what you are. I do not know what any of this is." She gestured around her. "I am a defense analyst, commander. I have not been spying on you."
He placed the "ipod" on the table. "This suggests otherwise, analyst."
"I have never seen that before in my life," she said, her voice steady but her pulse quickening. Amelie kept her gaze leveled at him, refusing to let her nerves show. She knew this was a critical moment.
Tambor studied her for a moment, "You are a skilled politician, Miss Wagner." he meant liar. "But everyone has a breaking point. Tell me, what do you know about Project Helsing?"
Amelie hesitated. This was the moment of truth. "Only that it's consuming an extraordinary amount of power," she admitted.
Tambor leaned back in his chair, a slight smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Interesting. Your curiosity aligns with outweighs need for discretion. You see, Project Helsing is not just a project—it's a necessity for the future of the Vanguard. You could say it is the Vanguard. But we need to ensure that those involved have the right...perspective."
"And what perspective is that?" Amelie asked, genuinely curious despite herself.
Tambor's eyes softened slightly, revealing a hint of vulnerability. "A perspective that values the greater good over personal gain. Someone who understands that sacrifices must be made for the sake of progress and survival."
Amelie felt a flicker of understanding. "You think I have that perspective?"
"No. But you are convenient. We know you work for the Central Intelligence Agency and Deutschland's NDP. You are conveniently placed and, truth be told, I need a way to break the news on this."
She frowned.
Tambor nodded, as if he had planned this. "That's why I'm going to tell you about Project Helsing. Because I believe, once you understand, you'll understand what the Terra Vangaurd is. I also want you to tell your handlers about it."
Amelie was skeptical, unsure what he was playing at. Amelie's heart pounded in her chest. This was it. The moment she had been working towards. She leaned forward, her voice barely a whisper. "Tell me."
"How about I show you." Tambor cocked an eyebrow.
----------------------------------------------------
The damaged town of Kronstadt was calm. Fires had been put out and a humanitarian response was in progress. A Vanguard construction battalion was brought in to repair damage and clean the former battlefield of expended or unexploded munitions and restore basic utilities. They worked side-by-side with an international disaster response force and forces of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations. Bodies were counted and buried and medical aid was distributed. However, the civilian survivors as well as the entire world that was watching was still in shock from the attack. The sheer number of innocents killed and images of the extreme barbarity of the vampires and cultists was paralyzing. Not even the Russian government, ever in denial that anything bad ever happens on Russian soil, could remain silent.
While the political turmoil was assuredly brewing into a storm, the grounds of the town's cathedral were at peace. Access was being strictly controlled by the Vanguard while investigations were underway.
Inquisitor Aurelian stepped over the debris in the entryway and into the main gathering space. He cast an analytical eye over the former battlefield. The bodies had been removed, but most of the debris remained. Before the altar, an array of large sensors on tripods and equipment had been set up. Several ISR agents in protective gear held wands over where the vampiric ritual had taken place.
The intimidatingly tall and wide-shouldered Inquisitor approached the scene. Inquisitors held significant sway and existed outside of the Vanguards rank structure. They were investigators, deployed to the far reaches of the world to investigate "happenings" that might indicate a threat. They did not carry any ability to command Vanguard assets, unless specifically authorized by an officer in command. Despite their lack of general authority on paper, they are held in high regard. Any officer of the guard worth their salt knows to listen when an inquisitor speaks.
An agent, who had been standing back while the others did their work, saluted him. Aurelian gave him a Roman salute, an outstretched arm and flat hand with the fingers closed. The agent cringed. The Roman salute could be very easily mistaken for a Nazi salute.
"Report." Aurelian commanded.
"I have good news, good news, bad news and something strange, Inquisitor." The agent answered. Aurelian motioned for him to proceed.
"We have reviewed the footage taken by the Rifle's and completed a preliminary scan. A ritual did take place here. We can confirm that they did not open a portal to hell or summon a demon. Invisible or otherwise. The Rifle's involved showed no signs of malignant influence after their exposure. We can say with certainty that the ritual was occultist and spiritual in nature. However, the spiritual resonance is chaotic. Whatever they did, it was done hastily and had a limited scope."
"Good." Aurelian said.
The ISR agents tone turned solemn. "We can also confirm with certainty that the soul of Rifle First-Class Antonio Martinez has been extinguished. He is no more, in this life or the next."
The inquisitor clenched his teeth. The Inquisitors of ISR were fanatically driven to purge the vampire menace. Any souls lost in the process was taken personally by every one of them. "Can you tell what they were trying to accomplish?" he asked the agent.
"No, Inquisitor. Just that it was of limited scope, a soul was extinguished, it was performed by the Queen of this clan-"
"Whom we still don't know the identity of." Aurelian muttered.
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"-and a rat was involved."
That caused him to raise an eyebrow.
"That was more practical forensics than paranormal. We found rat DNA in the blood and on the ground. I'll be able to tell you more in twenty-four hours. However, the cascade is fading. Soon, this entire site will go cold." The agent informed him. "There's also a bigger mystery. The mass graves on the cathedral grounds are empty."
"The cultists removed them for sacrifice?" Aurelian asked.
"Unknown. Reconnaissance and satellite photos show the graves being dug, filled with bodies and covered with dirt. We dug up the graves for identification purposes, but found no bodies. The graves that were incomplete, as in they were still being filled, show no anomalies. Of the covered graves, we didn't even find clothes. I ran back the timeline personally. The bodies simply disappeared."
"This is all connected. Vampires don't do anything without reason." Aurelian peered upward in thought. Sunlight shined through a hole in the dome. "Inform me when the results develop. We need answers."
----------------------------------------------------
All Vanguard ground units rotate through a variety of roles while on the island. These can range from logistics work, to pulling security or general labor. These roles are adopted in between their combat missions. In general, this cycle consists of four phases:
PMT phase: This phase is for Pre-Mission Training. Units are placed in PMT when they are expected to deploy for a pre-determined mission, or to be available for rapid unscheduled deployments, which are quite common. These units undergo rigorous training on new techniques as well as honing old ones.
Active Phase: This is the phase in which a unit is fully combat ready in all respects. These units are either hot-staged at one of the islands airfields or ports, or already loaded onto a sky-carrier. They are ready to fight on a moments notice.
Post-deployment phase: This is also known as the maintenance phase. Units returning from the line may be in worse shape than when they left. This time is dedicated for bringing in and training replacement Rifles, vehicles and equipment. It is in this phase, major maintenance to loadouts and modifications to vehicles are made.
Interim phase: This is the "vacation" phase. Previously active units will fulfill one of the aforementioned background roles that are necessary for the Vanguard to function. A small core of specialists exists that are permanently assigned to these roles and they are supplemented by the greater manpower made available to them by the newly maintained unit. These tasks can range greatly from admin work to pulling security and even infrastructure construction projects.
This cycle ensures that all Rifles are well versed in every aspect of the army in which they fight. It ensures the force is always busy and the highly dedicated nature of the Terra Vanguard means Rifles embrace their taskings whole-heartedly until the next comes along. This allows the Vanguard to function on the same level as a superpower with a fraction of the personnel.
The 1st mechanized was in their post-deployment phase. The nature of the mechanized brigade meant that their maintenance period was particularly intense because of the number of heavy vehicles, tanks, IFVs, APCs and self-propelled guns in their inventory.
The maintenance warehouse was alight with activity. Outside, vehicles were lined up and inspected while the scope of the repair and maintenance work required was determined. Inside, goliath bays hosted rows of disassembled vehicles and equipment. Turrets were lifted off and tracks hung loosely from their drives as heavy work was conducted. Techs and Rifles poured over the advanced and heavy machines.
To one side was a brand new bay where the kilo-class combat frames could be worked on. Tetsu hung limply from chain falls as his frame was refurbished. Robotic arms, similar to those seen on an automated assembly line poured over the combat frame. They cut away damaged armor panels and replaced them with new ones. Hoses snaked into various ports in his back and sides, purifying or replacing his hydraulics and cooling fluids. His damaged sensor pod had been removed and now sat on a bench next to him. The new one was hooked up to a diagnostics machine and undergoing inspection before it could be installed.
With Tetsu was Junior Rifle Kurt Schaft, who was overseeing the process. There was no practical reason for him to be there, other than to observe and learn about the combat frame system. Though Tetsu was counted as a member of Alpha squad, he was still classified as equipment; and Rifle's are expected to have intimate knowledge of their gear.
Kurt was bored out of his mind.. He idly observed the diagnostics process, when he was shaken from his half-awake stupor by Tetsu.
"Where is R1C Milovovich?" The robot said. Its voice was still slightly warped from the damage and its voice transmitter had not yet been replaced.
"Uh, him and Tora got pulled for security duty." Kurt answered. One of brigades currently in the security rotation was shorthanded after a training exercise injured several Rifles.
"Request permission to ask a question, Junior Rifle?"
"Shoo- uh go ahead." Kurt almost said 'shoot' but caught himself. It had been found that the Kilos sometimes misinterpreted the command.
"What is your assessment of our squad leader, Rifle First-Class Milovovich?" he asked.
"You mean, why is he like he is? Don't you have a database for that?"
"I do not have wireless transmission capability. I am not connected to the internet or any Vanguard network." Tetsu chided him.
"Right. Well he's, uh, just kinda like that." Kurt had taken a liking to Tetsu, but he still found it weird talking to what was essentially still just a computer.
"I assess that his tactics or leadership style are reckless and dangerous." Tetsu's tone suggested he was not happy with Kurt's answer. "When we were evading vampiric forces on Kotlin in a communications-denied environment, we should have regrouped and returned to friendly lines. Instead, he chose to press on and engage isolated enemy formations. This was extremely risky and produced little reward. During the raid on the cathedral, he was technically second-in-command behind the Lieutenant. Likewise, that raid on the enemy command center was reckless and not well thought out. He should have cautioned or offered alternatives to Lieutenant Walker, but he did not. It resulted in numerous injuries. You almost had your run-time terminated."
Kurt had to think through his response. "He's been through a lot." He crossed his arms. "Y'know, he used to be an officer."
"I do not know. I told you I do not have access to-"
"It's a figure of speech. Anyways, he got busted down. And down again. I don't know the 'deets, this was before I, uh, 'joined'." he lingered on the word. "Supposedly, he suffered a critical mission kill." Mission kill was the Vanguard term for a exceptional mission failure.
"So, he does not care for his life?"
"No, I know him well enough to tell you it's not that. He'll never say it himself, but I think he wants revenge on the suckers. He wants to kill as many as possible."
"And you agree with his...risky methods?"
Kurt shrugged. "Fuck it, I'm here to kill. Ride or die 'til the fuckin' sky."
If Tetsu could nod, he would have. He was reminded of his primary purpose: To kill.
----------------------------------------
The spy, the spy master and Tambor were brought to the roof of command tower. Two guards escorted Amelie. She hadn't known where she was being kept until that moment. The view from the top of tower afforded a commanding view of the fortified Citadel City and surrounding installations. She could even see the massive coastal defense guns. The view was fleeting as she was quickly ushered towards a waiting Foxhound. The aircraft was the Leader-Commander's personal aircraft. The Foxhound was heavily modified. A large sensor dome protruded from the nose. The usual under-nose 30mm cannon had been done away with and replaced by a high-powered laser. The heavy machineguns at the doorgunners positions were replaced with .50 cal tri-barrel gatling guns. The nose of the craft was painted with a threatening crocodile's maw. Despite its official operating capacity, the inside was not lined with luxurious furnishings or upholstery. It was the same as any other workhorse in the fleet.
The big VTOL's engines were spooling up. Once aboard, the guards were replaced by a larger security force of four men. Their armor was peculiar. It didn't look entirely combat oriented. All four looked better outfitted to fight in a cloud of sarin gas than pull security for the Leader-Commander. Once off the ground, they began flying inland. Tambor asked her a question.
"What is the difference between how a vampire warrior and a human soldier think?" He asked.
She sensed the question was rhetorical, but answered anyway. "Nothing." she shrugged. "Vampires were once human. They retain their human minds. Their mental capacity is no different.."
"Indeed." Tambor nodded. "But how a vampire thinks is different. They may retain their original faculties, but their mentality is changed. Immortality and power at the expense of the soul-because of the lack of a soul-changes them. They have great warrior prowess, that is true. But they have no martial discipline. They fight as if they are the only one who matters. They will gladly sacrifice their fellows for a temporary edge. They do not understand the importance of unity, of working as a cohesive unit. Their prowess in battle is undeniable, but it's raw and undisciplined. They rely on their individual strength, speed, and power. This makes them formidable opponents in single combat, but when faced with a well-organized force, they falter. They lack the strategic mindset that comes from martial discipline."
Amelie leaned forward, intrigued. "So, you're saying their strength is their weakness?"
"Precisely," Tambor replied. "Martial discipline is about more than just following orders. It's about trust, teamwork, and understanding one's role within a larger structure. A human soldier is trained to think beyond themselves, to consider the mission and the well-being of their comrades. This creates a powerful synergy, where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A disciplined unit can execute complex maneuvers, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain cohesion under pressure."
She nodded slowly, beginning to see the difference. "So, a disciplined force can outmatch even the most powerful vampire?"
"Exactly. Warrior prowess may win battles, but martial discipline wins wars. A vampire's lack of discipline makes them unpredictable and often reckless. They might achieve short-term victories, but in the long run, they are vulnerable to a coordinated, disciplined force."
"I see." Amelie processed what the enigmatic commander told her.
"So now my second question. Where do you get such a fighting force?"
"Don't you recruit veterans and poach members straight from the world's armed forces?" she answered.
He allowed himself a slight smile. "That is what your CIA thinks, yes. But what else have they noticed?"
Amelie was growing tired of his coyness. "That that is not happening. No one has gone missing. Leader-Commander, where are you going with this?"
Tambor looked out of his window. "We're coming up on the facility housing Project Helsing. Here, you'll need these."
A guard handed her a pair of polarized ballistic goggles. It was so dark when she put them on she couldn't see anything, it was pitch black. Like the lens were designed for a welders mask.
"Look to your left." Tambor told her.
The Foxhound flew over a ridge and descended into a bowl that used to be an active volcano. It was extinct now. Green shrubbery and small trees were nestled amongst the rocks. When Amelie looked out her window, her jaw dropped. She was awestruck. What she saw was the Helsing facility. It was a loose collection of buildings centered around a massive tunnel into the side of the ridge, the opening was the size of a football stadium. From it poured an intense white light of otherworldly origin. Even with the glasses, it was hard to look at directly. Its rays fluctuated in beautiful patterns.
A massive highway extended into the tunnel. Automated trucks with empty flatbeds were lined up to enter on one side. From the other, marched out small groups of soldiers and more trucks, heavily laden with materials. What got Amelie to speak was what the soldiers were wearing. They were not wearing Vanguard uniforms. Their clothes were mismatched. Some wore green fatigues, others wore flight suits. Some even wore iron plates.
"What are they doing?" She asked, astonished. her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Those are new recruits." Tambor said. He was looking out with a proud smile.
"N-new recruits? From where?" she asked.
"Everywhere." He answered. "And every time."
Amelie was having trouble comprehending what she was seeing. She could not peel her eyes away. "What am I looking at?"
"You know how our enemies can perform paranormal feats? They do that by interfacing with another dimension, one best described as hell. We do the same thing, except that," he pointed, "is a portal to heaven. We recruit souls from the ranks of history's dead. They come here, and fight for the future. All voluntary of course."
Amelie was overcome with emotion, she had to look away. She shook from the overstimulation of what she was seeing and what she was being told. The light had a profound effect on her. Slowly, she gathered her bearings. "How?"
"There's some people down there that can answer that question better than I can. It started out as a natural anomaly. We simply expanded it."
"Did you come from there?"
He shook his head. "No, I'm a bit of an anomaly myself. I washed up on the beach, but they say my soul bears of the mark of someone who has passed through the portal."
She gestured to the other soldiers in the compartment. "And them?" Due to their gear, she could not see any distinctive physical traits and had to know them by their voices.
One spoke up, he had a German accent. "Stalingrad, 1942. Wehrmacht. I stepped on a landmine."
The next was an American, but he didn't sound like one. "New York, 1777. General Washington's Continental Army. Cannonball took my head right off."
Then another, he had a strong Viet Minh accent. "Khe-Sahn, 1968. En-vee-aye. Turned to dust. Napalm."
The last was the most shocking to her. "The Emperor's 10th Legio!" he declared proudly. "Syria Palestina. The damned barbarians got in a lucky thrust."
"This is impossible. This must be a logistical nightmare, to train so many from different places, and cultures and-and times!?" Amelie was exasperated.
"You'd be surprised the things these guys know right off the bat when they join us. Anyone with the right values and motivation can learn anything." Tambor rapped on the bulkhead behind him with his knuckles. "Our pilot hit the beach at Gallipoli. Now he flies the most advanced aircraft in the world."
Amelie was beginning to regain her composure. She ran a hand through her hair, calming herself. "I have questions. One: is this light radioactive or hazardous?"
"It is hazardous. If you look at it without eye-protection, you WILL go blind. That's why all the haulers down there are automated. Exposure to bare skin will cause tingling and numbness given time. Simply remain covered and wear those glasses and you'll be fine." Tambor answered her. She nodded.
"Two: I'm sure you're aware that reconnaissance satellites have overflown this island. They did not detect this uh, portal, how have you been hiding it?"
"We haven't. The light you're seeing is not simple photons. It is invisible to all imaging systems."
"Okay." Amelie took in a deep breath. "Why are you showing me this?"
"You are simply convenient." he told her plainly. "I need you to tell your CIA and NDP about what I've shown you. Let the information flow naturally through official channels."
Amelie looked skeptical.
"The world is about to become a very dangerous place, Miss Wagner." he said, his tone unwavering. "I need the world powers to be onboard. They need to realize that the Terra Vanguard is the solution. We-humanity- need unity."
Amelie shook her head. "That is frankly impossible, commander. The fourth turning is in full swing. Russia and NATO are facing off over Ukraine, the PRC may move on Taiwan any day now and the Red Sea is a no-go zone. We are on the cusp of a World War."
"Good." Tambor stated. "The world needs to be ready. It needs to be armed to the teeth." he emphasized. "The black sun will not wait."
Amelie's expression grew grim. "It is true?"
Tambor met her gaze. "So they told you. It is getting closer. And we think it's what's causing all of this."
Amelie nodded, coming to understand his reasoning. "I can promise nothing. I will disseminate this information, but you must understand that you are asking the impossible. What if the world does not cooperate?"
"Then we will all die." he stated flatly.
From behind a light cloud of smoke, Penny Sierra chimed in. "La Résistance Française, 1943. If anyone cares." She said passive aggressively and took a drag from her cigarette.