The South Touli War

[Greywall]

Yeeda knew death waited for him if he accepted those terms, but at the same time he knew the battle was out of hand, the 5th army was utterly battered, and reinforcements were too far off. "We can't accept those term, you've invaded our nation and you're interfering with terrorist. We will die to preserve our nation, send your interlopers home fox." Yeeda turned his horse around and saw the scared and shock face of the junior officer, 'I have to get to Yakando'.

Once Yeeda arrived back at the camp and entered Yakando's tent he found the gazing hateful eyes of the commanding officer. "Well? What did they want?" Yeeda swallowed what little moisture he had in his mouth down his burning dry throat, "They wanted us to surrender. We're cut off from the city deployment, we're running low on supplies and the 3rd Army-" Yakando's fist slammed into the table "SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH YEEDA! YOU GODDAMN COWARD, YOU WOULD SURRENDER EVERYTHING YOU FUCKING WORTHLESS SACK OF SHIT. YOU SHOULD KILL YOURSELF RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW, DO IT, DO IT! YOU'RE A WORTHLESS COWARD! GET OUT! GET. OUT!" Yeeda left shaken and walked back to the front, right where he was at with the other infantry. "What's the word sir?" asked a Union soldier. Yeeda looked at him and a few others, "See those horses in the back?" they nodded. "Once the fighting starts, we'll order a controlled volley. I want you on one of those horses and you drive it hard you understand me? You ride to Tarafan and find the damn 3rd Army."

[aimway921]

"I shall leave the matter of politics to the politicians," Captain Dirka responded, as Yeeda was turning his horse. "What matters to us now is the situation in front of us. Know that you are dooming your boys to needless suffering by your refusal. We shall give you 15 minutes to think over your decision. If we do not see a rider under a white flag by then, we shall consider your refusal final." With those words, Dirka turned his own horse around, and galloped back to his own lines.

"They refused," he reported to General Yeremenko. 15 minutes. 15 minutes for the soldiers to catch their breath before hell breaks loose again. 15 minutes for troops to run up to the Tachankas that were taken out and salvage the machine guns and remaining ammunition. 15 minutes? No, Yeremenko had a better idea. He sent a messenger into the city to inform the chief Ashinaran commander of the theater - General Lishenko - of the events unfolding South of the city - and to request additional mortars and ammunition. The previous battle he has made an important observation. While Ashinaran field guns had less range than the UST ones, the mortars were able to outshoot their enemy by over 500 yards. They would simply pound their enemy into submission. The troops meanwhile were ordered to dig in, in case the Unionites would decide to launch a desperate final charge. Most of the remaining Tachankas had their machine guns taken off and positioned into the positions that were being dug, leaving only 10 to act as mobile machine guns - the now gunless carts would be used to ferry fresh supplies from the rear lines. The cavalry, meanwhile, was ordered to stay in the back, to keep them out of danger - but keep a watchful eye for cowards. Yeremenko was determined to prove his point to Yeeda - until surrender is announced, not a single Unionite would survive this battle. Even desertion and fleeing would not save them.
Half of the mortars kept themselves zeroed in on the enemy artillery, while the rest adjusted their sights to where the aiming officers spotted the Unionite trenches through their binoculars.

---

Fourth Wave has set sail from Ashinara:

10,000 Heavy Infantry
50 Mortars

Munitions to fully restock previous 3 waves

[callmedelta]

Royal Franerri Army Temporary Headquarters, Saint Parsson.

“I’m telling you, I have a right to see him and make my proposition!” Marshall Zelgius heard from the shouting voice outside, muffled by the wooden door between them and sighed. Quickly sliding the unopened telegram from the man he received three days ago into a desk drawer, Zelgius stood, idly wondering if he had heard Admiral Blaise Guillaume’s voice more muffled through doors or face to face. He loathed that incompetent money sink, but Zelgius and and staff didn’t have time to hear that persistent man’s incessant whining all week before Guillaume got the hint and left. The Marshal straightened his hat, but on his best disciplinary frown, and opened the door. Both the aide outside and Guillaume turned, Zelgius waiving him in without a word. The office, formerly little more than a chaotic mess of papers, was ever so slowly transforming into a proper room.

Zelgius withdrew a pocketwatch from his coat, noting the time, and set it on the table. “We both know I don’t like you, Guillaume, but in case you haven’t noticed we are in the middle of a war. So I will give you five minutes to explain whatever it is you are bothering me with before I will order my soldiers to escort you out of this Fort and bar you from further entry. Your clock has already begun.”

Guillaume stood there stunned for a few moments, before sputtering, “D-did you even read my telegram?” Zelgius just continued to just frown. Seeing he’d get no response, Blaise, to his credit, began to explain. “There is an island just to the south of the mainland that the Union controls. I wish to start a naval blockade of the Union to prevent any arms shipments, and perhaps commence some shore bombardments and raid some coastal infrastructure if possible. That island could serve as a base for our ships to repair and hold supplies at, as well as reducing the area the navy would need to patrol to keep up the blockade. I don’t know if taking and garrisoning that island will be possible with the 10,000 marines under my command, and any further troops need to come from you. Hence, me standing here.”

Zelgius, who’s eyes had been glued to the watch, looked up and stared at the expecting Admiral. It had only been 4 minutes and 30 seconds. To the Admiral’s credit, that was a decent plan. Zelgius had expected the man to say something idiotic, like taking his entire army and storming Noscovo, but naval pressure on the southern front could force the Union to redeploy troops to protect from an invasion that will never come. Zelgius didn’t know if the Union were actually importing arms, but perhaps most importantly at all it would give the damn man something to focus on and keep him occupied for the rest of the war, hopefully.

The Marshal closed his watch. “I will spare 10,000 conscripts for this mission of yours.” Blaise’s excitement dampened a little at the mention of conscripts. “If any more are required, I will make sure your telegram reaches my desk and will be read the moment I receive it.” A blatant lie from Zelgius to get the man’s spirits back up, but the Admiral didn’t see through it. He left the Marshal’s office happy, but most importantly out of Zelgius’ hair.

~

Inside Le Troi

The makeshift command center General Tauroneo found himself in was a hub of activity. A map of the city had been scrounged up from somewhere, and the last known positions of Franerri, Ashinaran, Rebel, and Union forces were marked with whatever the General’s staff could get their hands on, pieces seemingly updated every minute. Despite the chaos, Tauroneo was sure of one thing: with the arrival of the 5th and 6th divisions, Franerre was decisively winning the battle inside the city. The Union army was in shambles, and so long as no reinforcements came, their defeat was inevitable. “Get these orders out to all units,” the General said, “All units are to push on the Union lines until they finally surrender. Don’t stop until they thrown down their guns and come out with their hands up, we’ll figure out what to do with the prisoners once the battle is over.”

~

Outside of Le Troi

“Sir!” the man said, saluting Major General Saunders, “It looks like the negotiations between the Ashinarans and the Union have finished.”

“Did they surrender?” the officer shook his head. “Well then,” Saunders said, “We didn’t beat the Union by charging the first time, another charge would just be the same. I want all infantry to pull as far back as we can, and all artillery to pour indiscriminate fire on the Union position. Nowhere will be safe for them until they surrender or until we run out of shells. Shoot everything we’ve got, I’m sure we’ll get resupplied from Franerre before the Union can muster any reinforcements. You.” Saunders pointed to the officer who delivered the news. “Go get the artillery we sent to the Ashinarans in the north and get them down here, get the Ashinarans up there too if you can.” The word given, the artillerymen got to work. The stakes on the wheels of the guns would be planted, and on the signal roughly 25 rounds per minute of burst fire from each of the 50 individual guns would be sent towards the Union base.

~

The city of Saint Parsson


Private Richards groaned. His division was the first from the 2nd wave from the north to arrive in Saint Parsson, where they had immediately been loaded down with another rifle and the ammunition for it and told to get marching. Richards wasn’t out of shape, he kept up with the training at the base, but asking a man to march across the countryside carrying even more weight on top of the already heavy field kit had to be some sort of crime against his legs. They had only just left the city, and he could already tell the next two weeks of marching would be hell. Of course, if he actually verbalized his complaints, all the Private would hear would be ‘suck it up. Soldier!’

The first wave of 10k Heavy Infantry units with 100 Artillery and 500 Special Infantry, carrying extra weapons enough to arm 5k Tafatu and resupplies for their own forces were expected to take two weeks to make it to Le Troi, have left Saint Parsson.

~

The city of Do'rville

The city of Do’rville that the 20,000 cavalrymen of Major General Bronst found themselves arriving at was much different than the one 19,000 men left a season ago. The 1,000 remaining defenders garrisoning the city had transformed the exterior of the city into a maze of prepared trenches and protected dugouts for artillery emplacements. Even considering the three months they had been given, it was impressive work. Bronst rode into the city at the head of his cavalry, meeting the Franerri and Tafatu commanders to receive an update on the situation.

“We haven’t received any word from either the 19,000 men that left or the units that were supposed to be in Le Troi,” the Franerri commander explained, “We’ve been holding position, but we’re completely in the dark on the greater situation.”

Bronst nodded. “Alright then. The Dragoons and most of the Cavalry will hold positions here and fortify Do’rville with you. 1,000 Cavalry will set up checkpoints on the major roads to the city as far as two day’s ride out. I don’t know enough to confidently send out 21 thousand men to what could be nothing but a slaughter in the making, but I want to know as soon as any sort of army starts getting close.”

[Greywall]

Rebel forces

Kendaya stood over the makeshift cot holding Aniyah, she had been injured in the fighting but was going to live, she was unconscious from the pain inflicted by the 10mm round in her collar bone. "Sir, the Union is folding, the Frannerre are pushing forward." a rebel officer told him breaking his sorrowful gaze, "Then lets end this." Charles said letting the officer return to the front, "Move forward!" the rebels for the first time began moving forward with Frannerre forces firing at Union infantry trying to hold the Southern section of the city. The rebels weren't exactly trained well for assaults and suffered casualties going out into the open to be easy targets. "Move with the Franch! Stop going into the open street!" Beyond the plaza and past the barricade the Union forces were using buildings to fire from and whatever cover they could use. 

It was clear however hard they fought, their resolve was gone, they now fought in desperation their firing out of synch and wild. Even then it was too dangerous to push hard into the Southern district. The rebels would supplement the Frannerre and Ashi forces within Le Troi to fill in gaps to push the Union out, but as untrained soldiers basically conscripts, they were still outmatched by Union standard and light infantry.

Union forces

In Le Troi

Gunfire was exchanged at a rapid pace as hundreds to a thousand rifles fired at advancing Frannerre forces, rebels now joined them flooding ranks with easy targets. Union forces slowly crept back thinking they had a fallback position. "Sir we have bad news, Ashinara and Frannerre forces are between us and the artillery line." Union scouts in the Southern district caught the movements of Frannerre and Ashinara heading right for the southern line. "are they positioned against us?" the scout shook his head, in any of the positioning made by Frannerre and Ashinara, neither were prepared for an assault from the city itself. "Pull the bulk of infantry, leave the companies fighting in the streets to cover us." A good 40,000 Union troops began pacing to the Southside of the City and from the rear flank of the Ashinara and Frannerre forces that were hammering the Southern line a last bugle charge was made, "CHARGE!" waves of men swept from the city likely hitting any Ashinara or Frannerre troops that didn't position for a counter strike from the city itself. They were most likely sandwiched now between the massive assault and the entrenched Union troops causing a crossfire.

"No mercy! Kill em all!" officers shouted, a frantic assault pressed the Ashi-Franch into the entrenched line and with most of their artillery facing the entrenched line along with machine guns it would be difficult to ascertain if they could react.

The Southern line

"Hold!" Yeeda cried as mortar fire pulverized the Southern line, Union artillery desperately tried to match the enemy but were well behind. There wasn't much they could do, the enemy wasn't assaulting them anymore just pulverizing them with artillery fire. Heavy losses were sustained Yakando was already packing his command tent and preparing to admit there was nothing left they could do. "What do we do!?" a soldier cried to Yeeda at the front, he didn't know if that runner made it or not, the sheer barrage from Frannerre and Ashinara was vicious. Union Artillery fired everything it had to inflict what damage it could, "There has to be something." Then he heard it, somehow he heard it amid the cannon fire raining around him, that damned bugle, he hated it. Old world Colonial shit he'd call it, as he popped his head up from the trench he saw waves of blue slamming the Frannerre and Ashinara forces. "Oh my.." he knew this was it, no chance in hell they'd win. But if they could force the enemy to withdraw somehow maybe they could save some of the men, Yeeda stood up revolver in hand and was going to order the charge when "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he turned and saw Yakando. "Look Yakando, our forces from the city. They're sallying forth, if we can link up in an assault maybe we can get some of them here to withdraw." Yakando stared at him with those dark eyes filled with contempt and hate, "we're leaving Yeeda, we're leaving them." Yeeda knew Yakando was scum, but this was, "You call me a coward before and now you run." BANG the flash of a revolver struck Yeeda in the stomach, Yakando held it as it was smoking. "You wanna die with him, go ahead, we're taking what men we can and running for Tarafan." Yakando ordered what men he had left to abandon their positon entirely even leaving his artillery corp to fire helplessly at times into the city forces trying to reach them. Yeeda was left behind bleeding, tears running down his face as he watched the men rushing out of the city left to be butchered. "Damn you Yakando...i'll see you in hell". 

Yakando and the remains of the 5th army began a full retreat for Tarafan utterly abandoning the forces within the city.

[Greywall]

Results

Union casualties: 7,400
Rebel casualties: 156
Frannerre: 2,322
Ashinara: 2,498

[aimway921]

The Ashinaran officers were pleased with what they were seeing. The Unionites we're being torn to shreds, and were not expected to hold for much longer. Suddenly, one of the officers heard a soldier's cry.

"Sir!!! The main force we flanked! They're pulling out of the city and charging right at us!"

Captain Dirka, while shocked from this event that they failed to account for, took over the situation immediately.
"Turn the machine guns around! Protect the mortars! Don't let them get close! They are desperate, this is their final charge! We must hold out!"

The soldiers did as ordered, as much as it was possible. Thank the spirits for the tachankas that were left with machine guns mounted on them, as they were able to turn around rather quickly.

Meanwhile, the Carabineer riders spotted the Southern Union line to start pulling back.

"Alright boys, now it's our turn! Run down those cowards!" The cavalry has charged, killing anyone who was too slow to get away, although not giving chase to those who have already retreated, focusing on harassing the rear of the retreating enemy.

After the fighting died down, a detachment of surviving Ashinaran dragoons, led by Captain Dirka, began combing what was left of the Union positions, looking for trophies and prisoners.

[callmedelta]

Inside Le Troi

Lieutenant Colonel Jordane was at the head of his battalion, chasing the fleeing Union troops. He spurred his horse onward, crushing a wounded Union soldier beneath his horse’s hooves. Jordane fired his revolver wildly into the crowd of running men, the last of whom had left the city gate. Jordane pulled his horse to a halt, quickly reloaded his revolver during the lull. He looked back at the men who were following him. Behind the Carabineers ran mixed Franerri infantry and Tafatu rebels, unsure of what to do next. The sounds of battle raged outside, though Jordane couldn’t tell why.

“Sir!” one of Jordane’s surviving scouts called out, “It looks like we have some Franerri and Ashinaran troops fighting outside the city.”

‘Since when did that happen?’ Jordane thought. “Well then, what are we waiting for? Continue the charge, crush them between us!” The sound of hooves beating on cobblestone and grass was nearly drowned out by the shouts of the Franerri cavalry and the mixed infantry behind them, continuing to assault the retreating Union troops.

~

Outside of Le Troi

It was only the Ashinaran’s reaction that alerted the Franerri forces to the oncoming tide of Union troops. “Shit,” Saunders muttered. He looked one last time at the fleeing remnants of the Union’s own artillery. “There isn’t any time to get the heavy guns around!” he called out, “Artillery crews, abandon the guns, grab your carbines and get on the line. Gatling crews, see if you can get turned around and on the frontlines. Everyone, affix bayonets!”

~

The Port City of Desterque

Pierre let out an appreciative whistle as the large cargo ship pulled into port. He strained his eyes looking at the letters on the side of the ship. “Republic…of…Marrlan. Marrlan?” Pierre asked himself, “Marrlan, Marrlan.” The name rang a bell, though he couldn’t place the country on a map. Either way, he’d never seen any of their boats in port before. “What the hell’s up with this shipment?”

“Well,” Remy, the foreman said, holding a clipboard, “This boat’s full of weapons for Saint Parrson, going to the Tafatu, apparently.” That certainly caught Pierre’s attention. “Well then, get to it!”

~

The city of Saint Parsson

The second wave of 10k Heavy Infantry units with 100 Artillery and 500 Special Infantry, carrying extra weapons from Marrlan to supply 10k Tafatu, have set out from Saint Parsson.

~

The March to Le Troi

The first wave of 10k Heavy Infantry units with 100 Artillery and 500 Special Infantry, carrying extra weapons enough to arm 5k Tafatu and resupplies for their own forces are now one week from Saint Parsson, with one week remaining until they arrive at Le Troi.

[Greywall]

Rebels

Rebel forces went with Frannerre troops as the charge happened, the large rabble of armed civilians swiftly retook streets and slowly fell behind the Frannerre supporting them in the rear flank. Kendaya finally sat down feeling relieved, the battle was over somehow a miracle had happened in which they won. An officer approached him lightly touching him on the shoulder, "Aniyah is awake". Charles propped himself back up on his crutches and made his way to her, she was breathing rather heavily trying to not focus on the pain as the painkillers in her took a awhile to kick in. "Aniyah, seems like your mission was a resounding success, the UST is breaking" Charles told her. She kept her eyes closed trying to focus on anything but the pain of her shattered collar bone, but hot tears began to stream down her face, she had saved the rebellion and likely her people. 

"Kendaya, we're regrouping at the plaza. Our forces pushing South are reporting in now." said the officer that spoke to Kendaya before, after giving the officer a nod "Kendaya stood up and began to make his way out of the room when a weak and soft voice called out, "it's not even close to being over...is it?" Charles knew it was Aniyah and he knew she understood his answer. "Get some rest, there's a lot of wet work to get done." 


Union

The Frannerre-Rebel charge utterly broke the line of infantry trying to hold the flank of the charging infantry. Union infantry exhausted either broke rank or flung their arms up to try and surrender. What few that tried to fight were cut down rather quickly, the collapse of the flank made the charging infantry exposed at the rear.

The charge was successful, sending a shock wave to the Ashi and Frannerre forces in which the commanding officers hoped the Southern line would see them and also join in. "Push up! Push up!" volley fires of rifles into soft opened flanks followed by a mass bayonet charge with over 35,000 infantry would have been difficult to react. As the bloodbath raged officers realized their rear flank had collapsed, "Shift rear! Shift rear!" desperate volleys fired into the charging and Frannerre and rebels. The madness of men engaging in melee combat and bullets tearing through the open air began to disorient and fill the commanding officers with dread, they looked through the smoke and fighting to see the Southern line fleeing. "Yakando! You're a fucking coward!" cried out the officer, he fired his revolver in vain now realizing it was over. "Fight to the last man!" a sharp pain struck his chest and leg, 'ignore it, keep firing' finally a round shredded the side of his throat tearing open his artery. He collapsed as the last real command the UST had at Le Troi sending shock waves of Union troops surrendering when they could. The officer was tended to but drifted into darkness, the cries of his men deafened out and a weird warmth filling him as he faded. 

The Southern line abandoned their position running frantically with the only organization being Yakando's officer corps. Then bullets ripped tearing running infantry down. Yakando turned to see Ashinara cavalry chasing them, "Goddamn foxes" he pulled his revolver firing wildly at them. The Southern line broke and scattered into the nearby hills doing what they could to get away from their pursuers. Yakando and his riders pulled away to let the slower infantry be victim to the chase rather than him get caught, he would take what's left of his forces to Tarafan and figure his next move. 

Meanwhile alone in the trench wincing in pain was Yeeda, as the pain intensified, he began to black out. 

[aimway921]

Captain Dirka walked over the sea of dead bodies. His men were under orders to look for any soldier who's uniform might indicate that they might be an officer. In addition, they were to pile up any arms and munitions they could find. They could be used to arm more of the rebels, and if there were not enough munitions - then at a later time the Union guns could be smelted down and recycled into the future Tafatu industry.

"I see some movement!" a soldier cried out, as he ran up to a lone Unionite in a trench. Captain Dirka was quick to follow. On the verge of blacking out, Dirka recognized the man - it was Yeeda, the Unionite officer he parleyed with just a little over an hour ago.

"Get a Tachanka here!" Dirka shouted to his soldiers. "Get this one to the hospital and patch him up. Guard him, make sure the Tafatu don't kill him. We shall question him for information when he wakes up. For now, this man is officially my prisoner, no one is to harm him."

[Greywall]

Results

Union losses: 9,876
Rebel losses: 350
Ashinara losses: 9,002
Frannerre losses: 8,324


Union forces surrendered or retreated. Yakando has escaped with 3k men toward Tarafan. 

total combat deaths since war started 

11,341 franch

13,452 Ashi

60,508 union

10,639 rebels



94,940 dead in combat losses

[callmedelta]

Inside Le Troi


General Tauroneo still stood hunched over a table, thinking. The map on it was no longer of Le Troi, instead of the entire Union of South Touli. He sent out runners calling for the leaders of the Tafatu, Ashiaran expedition, and his own forces. The soldiers could regroup, resupply, tend to the wounded, bury the dead, and celebrate in the joy of victory. For men like Tauroneo, there was only the great act of planning their next move. Or perhaps that wasn’t how they operated, but it was how he operated, and how he thought this war ought to be run. Always looking ahead. Always planning their next move. Always marching forward, unceasingly.

~

Outside Le Troi, southern side

Major General Saunders sat on the ground, drained. They had won. Victory belonged to the Coalition. That just left the aftermath. The stench of blood and death overpowering that of the gunpowder, even in the middle of the Franerri line where he sat. Medics and chaplains moving through the crowds of fallen men, healing those who could be saved, performing the last rites for those who couldn’t be, or for those who had already passed on. The bodies of Union soldiers, the bodies of Franerri and Ashinaran soldiers, they all bled the same red blood. The ruined city of Le Trou was the perfect backdrop to the carnage at her southern flank, smoke still rising from fires somewhere in the city. Saunders made sure to burn this scene into his head, though that implied he could have forgotten it even if he wanted to. The only thought that could run through the tired mind of Saunders was ‘why?’

~

Outside Le Troi, northern side

Two days after the conclusion of the battle, the first 10,000 men of the 70,000 strong second wave arrived at Le Troi. The 2nd 10,000 are now one week from Le Troi, and the third wave has arrived at Saint Parsson.

[Greywall]

Kendaya went to General Tauroneo, his people still celebrating in the shattered streets while some were tending to the wounded and the dead. It was a victory, but a difficult one to obtain.

Several rebel troops began taking rifles from the UST along with any ammo they could find to arm themselves, piling rifles they couldn't use to the side. "Send riders to Bellen, tell them we need fighters." an officer would call out sending some rebels on horseback West, in a matter of days 70,000 armed civilians in the North would make their way to Le Troi rallying around their victory against the UST.


Yeeda was still out cold, the UST prisoners were put to the side and kept watch by several rebels.

[Greywall]

--Juaz--

600,000 troops led personally by General Taronki arrived in Juaz several weeks ago. Taronki ordered them to begin digging trench lines and makeshift fortifications, "Here, they shall not pass" he ordered. Once his defenses were structured up he would begin the long campaign to retake the North and possibly counter invade Frannerre. Once his supply lines however reported Golden Turban rebels now occupying the region South he had to change his plans, ordering the 8th UST Army to secure the road stretching its 100,000 man deployment as far as it could to patrol and secure the flow of supplies. He also sent a letter to Noscovo for additional reinforcements to deal with the Turbans while he planned for the war in the North.

For now, he would turn Juaz into a fortress, a base to launch his war from and repel the Ashinara-Frannerre invasion. He sent riders West to check on the status of the 3rd Army who he assumed was on their way to aid in Le Troi as news of the outcome had not reached him yet.

Grey line is the trench line, yellow are artillery.

[aimway921]

Almost a week has passed since the last UST resistance was broken down. Under Ashinaran direction, with the help of Tafatu soldiers and civilians, a POW camp would start being constructed outside of the city to house surviving Unionites. At first it would be just a big fenced off square with watch towers and guards patrolling. Later wooden barracks could be built - perhaps by the POWs themselves.

New waves of troops coming from Franerre were consolidating in Le Troi, while the survivors of the battle were patching their wounds, repairing their broken equipment, replenishing their ammunition.

News of Dirka's capture of a high ranking UST officer, Yeeda, has quickly been relayed to the top commanders of the Ashinaran, Franerri and Tafatu forces, who'd all eagerly await for the man to finally regain consciousness so that they can begin extracting information from him. Ashinaran medics would be posted at him 24/7, doing all they can to speed up his recovery.

Meanwhile scouts were ordered to ride as far as Tarafan in search of other Unionite forces, to have an idea of what their enemy is doing, and if they should prepare for a new battle.

General Lishenko suggested building basic fortification around Le Troi, and later, if time allows it, upgrading them to a permanent fortified line to act as a final fallback line in case they ever need to retreat in the future.

[Greywall]

The fields of wheat made the scenery around him look like it was made of gold, the sweet smell of fresh hay being bundled flooded his mind with wonderful memories of growing up on the farm. "Yeeda!" the boy turned his head from his mindless gaze over the fields, "Come down son, help me get the hogs loaded up for the South!" the boy hopped down and in that unrelenting youth immediately sped toward his father, "daydreaming again, what am I going to do with you?" the father took his rough callused hands and patted the young boy. They both walked over to the the pen holding the pigs when Yeeda felt his coveralls pull harshly backwards, "What is it pa?" he looked up in confusion and saw a most serious look on his father's face. He then followed the gaze to see four men he didn't recognize standing at the pig pen, "you the owner?" Yeeda's father nodded, "that's good, then you'll know now we're taking these pigs." the men walked up holding guns and clubs, "Get behind me boy" Yeeda did as he was told the men came into view roughly dressed and dirty. 

"You take the pigs, then go." his father demanded, "That boy of yours, how old is he?" Yeeda felt a chill run down his spine, "Get. Off. My. Farm." A loud crack followed by the sensation of warm liquid splashing over Yeeda sent his father falling down. "PA!" Yeeda cried, "Shut up boy, you're coming with us. You'll be a nice toy for someone." Yeeda was in shock but managed to run back to the hay bales, he heard whizzing shots enter the dirt around him and the sounds loud pops behind him, "Don't kill him you idiot! He's worth more alive!" Yeeda ran as hard as he could, his eyes burning from the tears and blood running into them. He found the bale he was at and hid behind it in some small hope he wouldn't be found. "Hahahaha, you gotta be kidding. The little shit is behind the bale!" he heard the footsteps close in, "Maybe we'll have a go at you first, just a little test. Then we'll se-" A loud pop from another direction came as the sound of thunder came rolling over the hillside, Yeeda looked and saw several men in blue uniforms firing on the men, as soon as it started it was over. 

Yeeda was frozen as one of the horses came over to him, "Son are you okay?" the man asked riding, Yeeda couldn't respond. The man dismounted and knelt to him, "Hey...those men are gone now. They'll never hurt you. Hey." The man lightly touched Yeeda's shoulder sending a cascade of tears down, "It's okay, my name is Taronki. We're going to take care of you now." Yeeda barely remembered much of the rest, the riders buried his father and burned the raiders bodies in a pyre. All Yeeda knew from that moment forward was that he wanted to be a Union Soldier.

A loud ringing came followed by a white noise and Yeeda woke up in a hospital bed, he looked around and saw the Ashinara near him. "Oh shit." he muttered.