Chapter 84: Navarese Civil War V
Part 1: Gates of Balaguer
TIME: 12:37 IT
DATE: War Day 767/11 Quintillius, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Outside Balaguer, Spain
The Navarese 1st Battalion (very understrength) was deployed along a broad front, preparing to enter the town. The pickups we'd gotten to swell their ranks were as trained as we could get them in a few days, and given permanent assignments. While I didn't like the idea of sending troops with incomplete training in, I recalled that the Rangers with only a few days of it, managed to win their own battle.
And I had those Rangers with me. Derpy, Sweetheart, Octavia, and Scratch. We were near the front with the girls, as part of a blockade force. We intended to give the defenders of Balaguer a way out, towards Llieda, but we would not allow any more to approach from other sides.
The Dukes knew the plan, and their frontal troops had experience. He also had plenty of support, from the Neighponese, Germane, and Prench - each had a battalion and change, here. We, Equestria, had closer to two. Mainly support troops, but we had five regiments of combat troops here - 1st Infantry, 1st and 2nd Rangers, and support from the 1st Artillery Regiment, under Cosmic's direct command. We also had the 1st Division Support Regiment, and the 1st Combat Engineer Company under Ambrosia's command.
Fully loaded with supplies, too. We had the Navarese outfitted with as many Sherman Mk. 6 rifles as we could, since they were more similar to the Navarese CB-2 Rifle. Each Navarese rilfesgoat carried five to seven rifle magazines, two HE grenades, one smoke flare grenade, and either a spare Funston rocket, a spare machine gun belt, or two extra HE grenades, plus two meals worth of food, and half a gallon of water, in addition to tools like a Bayonet, a folding shovel, fire starters, and the like.
They had the tools, they had the talent, they had the leadership, and they were getting the experience real quick.
I looked over to Diego Garcia, now with a Litter Carrier's armband on. His break had been crippling in the moment, but he refused to go home a total coward. I had him reassigned to fetching casualties and transporting them to our medical facility.
We had with us, part of the 1st Field Hospital Company from Equestria, led by Dr. Allcome, Dr. Stat Stabler, and Dr. Well Wishes, but they were joined by the Sisters of the Order of Grace, a monastic group of what amounted to chaste Nuns of Celestia, whom all trained for nursing duties to provide respite care to the sick and injured poor of the world, as well as Dr. Renfiler Brocher of the Royal Hospital of Paris, and our old friend from Marelin, Dr. Strichen Knochen and his lovely wife, Bruchelda.
I.. was commanding the rear area, the blockade element. So, I wandered around. I had the girls with me the whole time - they talked of things like what they'd do after the war, of fashion, and beauty. I smiled at the chatter.
K: "Dr. Knochen!" I stepped up.
Mrs. Knochen: "Ahh! Herr K!" She hugged me immediately. "Ich entschuldige mich fr meine Taten im letzten Jahr. Kannst du mir vergeben?" She gave me puppy eyes - odd from a woman in her 50's.
K: "Ja, ja, Tante!" I hugged back. "Nothing to forgive." I nodded to Dr. Stabler. "Stat, good to see you."
Dr. Stabler: "K." He nodded as Mrs. Knochen stepped back. "Balindra's around here somewhere.. she was talking with that kid Diego, earlier."
K: "Good. He needs some.. brain healing." I shrugged. "Not all wounds can be seen from the outside."
Dr. Knochen: "Ja. Ist very true." He nodded to me. "I am glad I can assist.. hah. I thought, you know, my career vould be skinn't knees und schniffels." He smirked a little. "Now.. now I really help."
K: "You're going to get flooded as the battle goes on - I have two of the Prench Falcons rigged up with an Evacuation Platform." I gestured a bit to our improvised airfield.
One advantage of neutral bouyancy aircraft was the fact they could have very short runways for take-off - vertical in some situations - meaning field aerodromes could be incredibly simple. The Evacuation Platform was something similar to the MARCh system, but had to be fixed to the aircraft before take-off, and the aircraft couldn't do anything else until it was detached. It consisted of a very long, very thick rope attached to a folding platform that opened up like an upside-down umbrella. Once locked open, it had room for up to three casualties and one medic, or four casualties if it was that dire. Six ponies could stand on the platform for a combat insertion.
Dr. Brocher: "We will be prepared, mon ami." He nodded to me. "Zees war will be finished one day, et we will go BACK to zee sneeffels un ze skeenned knee." He patted Knochen on the shoulder.
Typical Prench bravado.
Lightning Strike: "General! Battle's starting." She paced over and encouraged me to come to the crest of the hill, where the main Observation Post was.
Indeed, the battle had begun. We could see the Infantry advance behind the Cavalry and Recon. Recon were probing the flanks, Cavalry was punching through, Infantry was following on and going house-to-house. Just as planned. They were taking fire, I could see, but they were returning it smartly.
Balaguer was a fairly large town. We hoped to capture it mostly intact. It had a population of over 12,000 goats, and we were hoping, many of them were loyal to the Throne. We had a plan in place, and the Dukes - backed by Forest Spirit and Saquet, not me - were in charge of executing it.
Less and less reliance on my direct intervention. Unless, of course, Tirek had other, more mystical plans - that was always something The Elements were going to have to handle.
I observed as the Cavalry made it to the bridgehead, and as planned, secured the near side, and dug in. After the Infantry or Recon arrived, they'd take the other end of the bridge. It just depended on who got done with their assignments first.
[End of Part 1]
Part 2: Balaguer
TIME: 13:17 IT
DATE: War Day 767/11 Quintillius, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Outside Balaguer, Spain
About forty minutes later, and after several airstrike calls, we started getting casualty evac calls. At first, it was the expected here and there - gunshots, shrapnel, hand-to-hand injuries, a cracked horn or two.. then it picked up the pace, as the forces all converged on the bridge after clearing the town of its defenders (which were about two companies of green troops).
The enemy force that used this town as its HQ returned while the fight was in progress, and launched a counter-attack at the bridge. Exactly what we didn't want to have happen. Our forces were locked in a pitched battle over a narrow birdgehead, against a superior enemy force, and casualties ramped up.
Dash: "HEY! Next batch coming in!" She zoomed down by me and landed. "It's getting real bad, K. The Dukes want to know if we should start heavy artillery bombardment - Spirit and Sacquet both say yes."
K: "Oh, I agree. Get Cosmic on it - we can break them with the amount of artillery we have, it's just going to be a bit, and the enemy casualties are going to be horrendous." I shrugged. "And get over to Spitfire and tell her to get a flight of Falcons loaded with Napalm - we may as well go all out."
Dash: "Got'cha!" She took off as one of the Falcons assigned to CasEvac set down its Evac Platform.
K: "DIEGO! Get your team and get over here!" I motioned.
Diego and his litter carriers moved smartly, and I went over to lend a hand.. and saw someone I did not want to see.
K: "Oh, Celesta.." I picked up Demetrio Garcia and set him down on the first litter - Diego's - and grabbed the other handles. "Come on!"
We ran over to the Triage area where the nurses were picking out the most serious cases and getting them to the doctors. I set Demetrio's litter down, and knelt next to him.
K: "Coldheart!" I motioned her over, as Diego knelt on the other side of his father.
Garcia: "Ah-heh-heh.. K.." He winced in pain, bleeding from wounds all over his body. "Ees a.. good fight, senor!"
Diego: "Papa! Papa.." He held his father's hoof in his.
Garcia: "Be good boy, Diego.." His eyes winced shut. "Papa.. papa can't be there.. any more." Limp.
Coldheart: "..I'm sorry, K." She whispered to me. "He's.."
I felt his neck for a pulse myself. Then stood up. Another brave old man, gone.
K: "Diego. Get back to your post." I stated. "I'm sorry."
Diego: "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He threw himself over his father's body. "NO! PAPA!" And sobbed for a few moments. "No.. no, I will not be a COWARD any longer!" He stood up, and grabbed his father's rifle and magazines, and ran.. ran to help his friends and family.
K: "DIEGO!" I called after him.. but he was gone like a shot out of a cannon.
Applejack: "Aww..." She knelt by him as Coldheart moved to her next case. "..he was a sweet old goat." She caressed his forehead. "This war.. honey.." She sniffled. "..jes' takin' too many friends from us."
I knelt beside her, and held her, as she cried a little into my chest. My wife. Her bitter tears. I couldn't stand it. They hurt me.
K: "WEBLEY!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
She was over by me in a flash, skidding to a stop.
Webley: "..you want a short-range parajump behind the enemy formation, ready to go ASAP." She just stated.
K: "Yes." I stood, pulling Applejack to her feet. "Enough of this. Artillery can dig them out, Napalm can burn them out, but they won't give unless we make their assault untenable or we kill the vast majority of them. We're.. not moving fast enough." I pulled Applejack into a short kiss. "Get the girls, Norfy, Gaze, Burst, Gorcat and Gilda."
Me? I went to see the Dukes.
K: "You're in a quagmire." I said, stepping in.. only to have Forest Spirit and Sacquet look up at me, each of them with a Duke in their hooves. "..what happened here?"
Duke Alfonso: "We are..."
Sacquet: "..having a.."
Duke Condor: "...minor disagreement.."
Forest Spirit: "..over strategy."
K: "We're sending in paratroopers to the rear of the enemy formation." I said, stepping up to the sand table. "I'm taking tactical command of the paratrooper unit. We're dropping here... here.. and here." I pointed, ignoring whatever happened before. "The enemy is attacking with force, and throwing everything they have at them. Ochre - estimate on troop strength?"
Ochre Wave: "About two battalions. The Navarese Royalists are outnumbered about three to one, sir." He stood up. "Mind if I come with?"
K: "Sure, grab your gear." I looked at Forest Spirit and Duke Condor. "Forest Spirit, you're in charge. Duke Condor, Duke Alfonso, listen to him." I said, not even having to guess that Sacquet and Forest Spirit had the better ideas - I knew them too well.
As I exited with Ochre.. he seemed to slip right in to our flow just right. He spilled the beans about what had happened in there.
Ochre Wave: "The Dukes wanted to send in their reserve, fortify the bridgehead, and dig in. Then call for more artillery and air strikes. Also, the enemy has been trying to use assault bridges." He shrugged, hefting his Bradley.
K: "I thought as much - that's standard strategy for a siege resistance. Problem is, we're not doing siege tactics, we're doing some variation of a Blitzkrieg. It's going to take a lot to replace our losses as it is." I looked at the latest row of casualties coming back on litters. "My strategy relied on keeping the force intact. They're going to give us a Phyrric Victory here, and destroy their faction. That's a no."
Ochre Wave: "That kinda what happened in your world, sir?" He asked as we got over to the temporary airfield.
K: "..call me K, Sergeant." I smiled a little.
Ochre Wave: "Only if you call me Ochre." He nodded back, as the lads came up.
K: "He's one of us, now." I nodded to him. "And, yeah, kinda, Ochre."
Gorcat: "Welcome to the club." He grinned, and handed him a pony-sized parachute.
Norfy: "We're about ready, K. We have three squadrons of Buffalo ready to take us." He nodded to Ochre. "You've earned this."
Ochre Wave: "I.." He nodded. "..will do my best."
Webley: "Seventh, eighth, and ninth companies are ready to drop. If the gliders had been ready, we could bring some armor with.." She shrugged. "Whenever you're ready, General."
K: "Let's go." I led the way - as usual.
We loaded up into the C-1 Buffalo cargo aircraft, and got ourselves secured into the back. Like all the other aircraft in this world, it was a neutral bouyancy LTA craft, verging more towards the heavier side. Unlike the Fighters, which could just about float with little engine power, the Buffalo under a full load, needed some power to get and maintain altitude. Not as much as a fully heavier-than-air aircraft, however, which fit our comparitively lower powered engines just fine.
I was going to bring this battle to a close.
[End of Part 2]
Part 3: Airborne - Target: Balaguer!
TIME: 14:12 IT
DATE: War Day 767/11 Quintillius, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Over Balaguer, Spain
We were in the first aircraft in the line. All our paradrops were by static line parachute, they opened automatically once we were a certain distance from the planes. The C-1 was designed to drop us from the rear of the aircraft in pairs. It was certainly wide enough. Each C-1 Buffalo could carry half a company, and 12 were assigned per squadron. We had just enough cargo planes to pull this off.
Webley: "GREEN LIGHT! STAND UP, HOOK UP!" She was first, standing on her hind legs and using her mouth to affix her hook. "CHECK HOOKS!"
I was second, AJ was third, Norfy was fourth. Norfy checked my hook, and I stood ready. Between each Squad was one Weapons Container - as previously mentioned in the Arooster County Incident, this was necessary, as a pony simply couldn't jump with a standard rifle - even the Mitchells weren't workable.
Webley: "PREPARE TO DROP!" The rear hatch lowered into place as she yelled.
The green light flashed - we were over the target area.
Webley: "GO, GO, GO, GO!" She was out first, no fear.
I went second, counting to ten before jumping. Suddenly, I was in the skies again.. thinking of my grandpa. Tuck and roll. I felt the jerk of the parachute opening, and grabbed the rigging (something a pony really can't do).. I looked down. We'd be dropping about a kilometer behind the reinforcement column. Our objective was to find their headquarters and capture it, then reinforce the bridge defenders from the rear flanks of the enemy formation, and squeeze them until they died or surrendered.
The ground grew closer.. closer.. tuck and roll, kid! And, this time, I managed to roll right into a perfect combat crouch. I detached the parachute, and drew my sidearm - the Type-34. Webley was just ahead of me by about 10 meters.. I advanced towards her.
K: "So far, so good. I'll get the weapon container." I said, standing up, and looking for it.
I didn't need but a moment to spot it. It landed between where Norfy and Gaze had come down. I ran for it, and grabbed the flare at the top, and pulled its igniter. A smoke column would tell my staff where to muster.
I got the container open, and got the weapons out, as Norfy came up.
Norfy: "I'm sure they saw something, sir." He said, grabbing his Bradley.
Gaze: "Aye.. prol'em is, did they figger out whut it was?" He snatched his Ridgway, handing Toola hers.
Toola: "I suppose-"
*Gunfire!*
Two rounds hit the top of the container.. and we all hit the dirt.
K: "They did!" I grumbled, and raised up, aiming in the direction the shots came from, and firing a full magazine in a general spread in three controlled bursts of 8-12 rounds each. I ducked down and reloaded, as Twilight and AJ got over to me. Webley was holding position near a large rock, with her sidearm.
K: "WEBS!" I threw her Bradley to her, along with a chest bandolier of four magazines.
Webley: "Two shooters! Over there!" She pointed.
Gorcat: "Not anymore!" He yelled, from that direction.
Gorcat came out of the brush with Ochre.. holding two dead goats by the horns. One was clawed to death, one was stabbed. Ochre was cleaning off his knife.
K: "Regret ever joining the Navy?" I smirked at him.
Ochre: "Can't have fun like this at sea." He smirked back - Sigmask had taught him well.
Everyone else from my command team got to the container and loaded up.
Gorcat: "Looked like a patrol - just these two." He held out their rifles - interesting locally-produced single shot rifles with actions very similar to the Sagebrush shotgun.
Applejack: "Come a long way from Lonehoof Ridge." She twitched her mouth.
K: "We have. Let's reassemble with 9th Company and find that headquarters." I motioned, and we were off.
It took us a full 20 minutes to gather the squads - not terrible, but not the best they can be. I knew this was their first combat drop, so, I wasn't critical about it. Experience would make them better, more drilling after this would make them faster.
Major Clara Bells: "General. Company assembled." She nodded to me as she came up with the HQ Squad. "Ready to move."
Webley: "Not bad - more drilling, and you'll be faster." She patted her on the shoulder.
K: "Let's move. Keep the sharpshooters to the flanks, AT gunners towards the rear." I indicated.
Maj. Bells: "Yes, General." She passed the order to her squad leaders.
One advantage the Funstons gave me was the ability to outfit very light units with anti-tank punch, a growing necessity these days, as both us and Tirek started fielding larger numbers of armored units. Really, in a lot of ways, we went from a pre-World War I war, to mid-World War II in about three years. Given the technology available on both sides, I wasn't shocked by this at all.
One advantage Airborne units had, was, unlike standard Infantry Regiments that had a Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), Airborne worked on a Battalion structure instead, with three Regiments of 6 Companies each, sharing one Headquarers unit. Then again, Airborne Battalions had 12 Companies of Combat Infantry, 2 Artillery, 1 Armored, 1 Pathfinder, and 1 Engineer. An Infantry Battalion on the other hand, had 9 Companies of ground troops, 3 Recon companies, 3 Weapons companies, and 3 Headquarters companies - each Regiment was its own self-contained combat unit. I did it this way since an Airborne Infantry company generally wouldn't have much support - like now - that can be airlifted directly to them in the initial jump. A standard Line Infantry company, on the other hand, was NOT expected to fight without a lot of integrated support from other units.
Speaking of which, as the company advanced towards the Balaguer bridge, we indeed did encounter a proper enemy rear guard force. Interestingly, these forces - who we'd yet to properly identify - were equipped with Herdiet/Roostian tanks and equipment. Now, though, I understood why this was such a problem. This was the Herdiet Union's backed faction, or a major part of it.
K: "Major." I motioned for her to advance up to me, as we took cover behind a large stone wall that bordered a farmer's wheat field.
She advanced up with a Comspony.
K: "Call this in - we need air strikes. We don't have Gliders right now, so we can't bring in the Airborne heavy stuff." I pointed to the Rear Guard positions. "They're dug in - at least a full regiment. They're even digging the tanks in. Those are light tanks with 40mm main guns. The Rear Guard also seems to be their best troops, so, they're also probably the reserves they plan to throw in once our lines suffer enough casualties. Every air asset we have, I want them plastering these positions."
Major Bells: "Yes, General." She moved off a bit with her Comspony.
Applejack: "Whut's th' plan, hun?" She snuggled next to me.
K: "Break them with air strikes, then attack on the ground. If this is their reserve, their elites, if we break them and advance, they won't have anything left to attack the bridges with. They'll either withdraw along the road, or surrender." I gently pointed out what looked like a small command post in a woodsgoat's hut near the edge of a stand of trees. "I bet that's the rear guard's HQ." I looked over to Gorcat. "I want to be in a position to ambush that building when the air strikes end. Cut the head off, the rabble will break and flee."
Gorcat: "Sounds fun!" He smirked.
Twilight: "Who do you need?" She had her Merrill braced ont he stone wall.
K: "Me, 'Cat, Webley, AJ. Rest of you, stay here, and back up the Major." I nodded to her. "Webs, grab AJ, 'Cat, grab me, fly us over to the right, then into the woods from down the road a bit."
Webley: "Got it." She smirked.
Gorcat snatched me up in his claws, and we zoomed off, staying as low to the ground as possible. Off far to the right, we turned, and were in the woods. As soon as we landed, I flattened out on my belly, and waited. It didn't take long for the F/A-1 Falcons to come overhead, and start their gun run. Twin 11mm machine guns tore up the ground all over the place as 4 Falcons in a fingertip formation hosed the area down. The four behind it, dropped two 45kg fragmentation bombs each, causing more chaos and more death. Behind them, the last four Falcons hit with four 76mm rockets that were, essentially, Funston warheads on larger rocket boosters, hitting the armored vehicles, and destroying them.
K: "Go!" I got to my feet, and charged, Bradley out in front of me.
As we neared the cabin, I stitched up the two guards outside. Gorcat got there first, and just as the rest of us approached, he back-kicked the door off its hinges. AJ and I were first in, and we jumped a staff officer, and a guy with a lot of ribbons on his chest, as Webley came in behind us, and double-mule-kicked the last staff officer in the side, hard enough to send them flying into the wall. Gorcat entered, and helped us restrain the prisoners.
K: "Names!" I ordered. "Cuales son tus nombres?!" I demanded.
Largo: "Emilo Largo!" The one I'd tackled, spat at me. "El commandante Emilo Largo!"
K: "Well.." I blinked, and shrugged, taking out my hand radio unit, and getting on the horn. C> "Alpha Actual to all callsigns, Emilo Largo is captured." I looked back to him. "Sir, I am prepared to accept your unconditional surrender." I stuck a fist to my hip as Gorcat and Webley went to secure the door.
Largo: "Fat chance, humanos." He narrowed his eyes at me, using Human like a racial slur.
K: "I am General-Field Marshal K---- K--- of the Equestrian Armed Forces, Supreme Allied Commander of NEIGHTO, and Knight of the Crystal Realm." I glared at him. "You can surrender to me, honorably, and order your goats to lay down their arms, or face prosecution by the Throne of Navarre for Insurrection and Treason to His Royal Highness - the first one may get you a prison sentence when this is over, the second means death." I shrugged a little. "Your choice, el commandante."
Largo: "Do you even know who backs us?!" He demanded.
K: "I do. Because I dropped one of their atomic warheads on the city of Moscow a year ago." I rebuffed him back. "And, now, I have many more." I smirked. "Quite the thing to present your Sun Goddess with the power to make multiple miniature suns. Now, what's it going to be?"
Largo: "Go ahead! Take me prisoner! It matters not! My goats are loyal to The Cause! Someone will replace me!" He spat at my shoe, but not directly - a sign of defiance, not disrespect.
K: "Fine, then." I shrugged. C> "Alpha to all callsigns - Largo has refused to surrender. He has been captured, but refuses to surrender his forces to us. Skyfire Actual, meet us on the field. Details and orders to follow, Alpha out." I nodded to Gorcat. "Bring him and his buddies."
I'd also called for Princess Ember and her select Dragons to meet us out here.
Gorcat: "Sure!" He smirked, and threw Largo over his shoulder, along with grabbing each staff officer under one arm.
We exited the hut, and made our way towards the stone fence - the Paratroopers had already made their attack, and what goats could resist them, had been cut down. Their rear force, whether a reserve or a rear guard, was destroyed. Now, we had the bridge to deal with.
[End of Part 3]
Part 4: Airborne - Target: Bridge!
TIME: 16:07 IT
DATE: War Day 767/11 Quintillius, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Near Balaguer, Spain
We were at the rear of the enemy formation assailing the bridgehead. We had three companies of Airborne Infantry, minus six ponies wounded too badly to fight. We had destroyed a unit thrice our size, already. We had captured their commander.
We were now advancing on a unit about a Battalion's strength, and we were roughly a Regiment - remembering, of course, that Equestrian Regiments are about the size of two Companies on Earth, and three of those made up a Battalion.
I was in the lead, with my team, and the prisoner marched before us. I was going to try to appeal to the individual unit commanders, and hope they weren't all stubborn old goats. Show them that their faction's leader - Emilio Largo - had been caught, and they were without superior command. And hope they didn't decide to stand-or-die for their Cause - Marexist Socialism, as backed by the Herdiet Union.
We got near the battle area, and Major Clara Bells, the Regiment commander, ordered her troops to spread out, and get to defensible fighting positions once we got within 300 meters. My team kept marching, along the road, and towards the local command center.. we were within cover range of the Airborne Snipers and machine guns, but not the riflesponies (they could hit to 300m, but they'd have to aim pretty carefully).
K: "ATTENTION IN THE COMMAND CENTER!" I yelled towards a hasty collection of GAZ-style jeeps and a couple of covered trucks.
My team got to cover, just in case this didn't work.
Officer: "COMMANDANTE!" An officer noticed Largo immediately - and my gun to his head, and pulled another officer from his position to look.
Some of the HQ guards moved to present their rifles, business end first, but awaited orders.
I had Largo in bit-and-bridle, his mouth bound shut.
K: "I am General-Field Marshal K, Supreme Allied Commander of NEIGHTO! Your force is surrounded! Order them to surrender and I will spare their lives!" I demanded. "Resist, and you will be destroyed! Think of your goats! Think of their families! Your rear guard has been completely eliminated, you have no tanks, no armor, and no reserve!" I gestured in a nod, back, about a kilometer towards a smoking horizon, at the crest of a small hill, where a burning tank was visible.
Officer: "We..! WE NEED A MOMENT, MARISCAL!" The officer said, before getting into a huddle with the other unit commanders.
Largo, in my arms, was fighting like a mad goat. I jammed the barrel of the Type-34 SMG HARD into his neck.
K: "Knock it off, Commandante. I know you want to tell them to keep fighting, but if you keep this up, I'm going to EAT you.." I harshly whispered into his ear. "Humans eat goat, you'd go great with some grape leaves and a nice chianti." I growled into his opposite ear. "You refused to surrender - your life is mine. Now stop, or I will make your final moments nothing but terror and pain without end."
Mostly.. mostly empty threats. I had to admit, I was curious, but I didn't want to upset the Dukes.
Colonel Salinas: "MARISCAL! I am Colonel Felipe Salinas! I wish to Parlay!" He came out with a white flag in his right hoof.
K: "AJ, take the Commandante." I tossed Largo behind me, and heard AJ lasso him and drag him to cover.
The colonel approached - I noted he wore the same two-point hat as the Dukes did, with small tassels on the tips.
Colonel Salinas: "We have determined I am of proper rank to negotiate, Mariscal." He nodded to me.
I stuck my hand out, in a show of trust.
We shook.
K: "Colonel. My terms are this: Surrender now, and your Goats will be taken prisoner until the conclusion of the Civil War. The Throne of Navarre has promised full and complete pardons for every Soldier Goat that acceeds to its authority. The Throne wishes for the killing to stop, and the nation to reunify in the face of greater threats. If you order this surrender, I will see to it that you are extended the same pardon as your troops - to all officers that agree, as well." I gestured behind me. "I have a regiment of crack Equestrian Paratroopers back there with heavy weapons - we don't need even half that force to crack your defenses, and kill everyone here. Let the killing end, Colonel. Show all of Navarre your mercy, honor, and graciousness." I clamped a hand on his shoulder.
Colonel Salinas: "..and what of the Commandante?" He tilted his head, swishing his horns a bit.
K: "The Throne will deal with him - they will not forget that he refused to surrender his command, and has let more of your Goats suffer." I shrugged. "Well, Colonel?"
He lowered his head a moment, then gently plucked his sidearm from his holster, with his mouth, and put it in my hand.
Colonel Salinas: "We yield. I will transmit this immediately."
K: "AJ! CALL IT OFF!" I yelled behind me, then nodded to the Colonel. "Go right ahead, Colonel." I patted his shoulder. "May Navarre remember you as a brave goat, willing to extend his trust, and help rebuild what has been so badly broken."
The colonel gave a small, genuine smile, and moved back to the command area, to inform his comrades. I motioned for a unit of Airborne to come up and start collecting weapons and taking prisoners. Radio calls were made to the forces at the bridge, telling them to cease fire.
Within ten minutes, not a shot could be heard - just, total silence.
We'd won.
TIME: 17:44 IT
LOCATION: Balaguer, Navarre
The casualties on the Royalist forces were not light. They were down to three companies of troops that could still walk and fight. I found out, tragically, that Diego had also been killed in action. Maria was the only one left from her village, and she was more or less... in my lap.
Almost asleep, too, after finding out that her dear Uncle, her cousin Diego, and her own brother.. and all the others from Monterey.. were all dead. All but her. She had no one to console her, so, I did.
Not that I found her the least bit attractive - this world had its almost cartoonish ways about it, but it did not make the goats around here, in any way, sexy. Besides, AJ was here, too.
Duke Condor: "We apologize, K." He looked to his cousin. "We let our overconfidence cloud our judgment.. as a result, two thirds of our force has been killed or wounded." He heaved a sigh.
K: "We all make mistakes, Duke Condor." I said, still petting Maria's neck. "The problem we have, now, is that the wounded need time to recover, and we desperately need more recruits before we can even THINK of taking our next objective.. or, we let the International Brigades do all the work. None of these are good options." I shrugged. "But, as of this moment, you have credit for destroying one whole faction, and more than half of another - and, these, being two of the factions most responsible for the Coup in the first place." I gestured to the field hospital. "Many suffered in the name of Justice.. but.." I looked up at them. "Falco would not have done much better. In fact, he likely would have had a higher casualty rate, given he hasn't our resources."
Duke Alfonso: "Still. Our bad choices, cost lives." He lowered himself on his knees. "And what is your name, Senorita?"
Maria: "Maria Garcia, Your Highness." She nodded a little. "This battle cost me.. my uncle, my brother, many cousins.." She lowered her head a little. "We come from a small village, named Monterey. We join just before Mariscal K arrived. Now.. I am the only one left." She sniffled a little.
Duke Alfonso: "..I beg your forgiveness." He gently nuzzed her neck.
Maria: "Oh!" She righted herself. "Your Highness! It.. it would not be for me to ask such a thing!" She covered her mouth with one hoof.
Duke Condor: "Nay, Senorita." He lowered himself down as well. "This is not how it should be. We.. we may be dukes, but.. we serve you. If we choose poorly, with our power and authority, you suffer. And that should not be. I beg your forgiveness, too." He lowered his head below hers.
Maria: "Oh!" She gasped, hiccuped a little, and nodded through her tears. "I forgive! I forgive! If that is how you feel, I could not be mad at you, Your Highnesses!" She sniffled, snorted snot, and hiccuped again.
And I could see.. right here.. bridges being mended, fences being repaired between The Throne, and the people. Perhaps that was needed all along, and the Royals simply didn't see it? That they needed to learn this lesson, in blood, to refresh their memories for the next few thousand years?
Friendship is Magic, after all.
Things to consider.. now, though, we needed to focus on the present.
[End of Part 4]
Part 5: Reconstruction of Force
TIME: 09:00 IT
DATE: War Day 776/20 Quintillius, 1004 C.S.
LOCATION: Artesa de Sangre, Navarre
We were back at the "abandoned" town, licking our wounds. And they were some hefty wounds. The Royalists lost 497 out of 722 soldiers killed or maimed in the Battle of Balaguer. That left them with 225 soldiers, of which, 44 were in hospital, still. We decided that Artesa would be where all the maimed soldiers would be given land and basic support for their families, so they would have some means of supporting themselves after the war.
After all, no one lived here, any more. May as well invent a new village from wholecloth, minus the buildings.
From Balaguer, however, we took in 1,147 new recruits. In addition, another 537 goats had come to us, so far, from communities all over north-eastern Navarre, after hearing that The Throne had crippled or destroyed both Collectivist factions. Granted, it was the International Brigades that killed off the Kyangese faction, and it was a group effort with the Herdiet one, but The Throne was getting all the credit - that was what mattered.
We would, however, need to now consolidate our gains and rebuild the Royalist Army. As a side benefit, this allowed me to move in more forces of the International Brigades. We had the entire 1st Brigade here, or about 3,300 Equestrian soldiers alone. The Neighponese, Prench, Ambleonian, and Germane armies had all contributed a full Brigade each. That gave me two and a half Divisons of troops, plus another almost half a division in mixed small units - around 30,000 ponies.
At this time, I was having the International Brigades go back along our rough lines and dig in, securing the rear areas, and ensuring a flow of supplies, recruits, and local support reached us. And.. we trained every new recruit that made their way to us, got them properly equipped, and assigned them to units. The Royalist Army had grown to 1,865 soldiers.
Maria was now promoted to Sargento, and was given a new Squad to teach. She taught them many things.. every trick she could recall her Uncle taught her, and every one that had kept her alive to this point, passing on the experience she'd gained.
Once the Royal Army was finished training, we would target the major city of Llieda.. over 40,000 goats lived there. We hoped for a large mass of recruits. For the moment, I was seated in the large community hall we'd turned into the mess hall, having a late breakfast.
Applejack, my dear wife, was practically in my lap.. given the situation, it was a comfort.
Twilight: "Seat taken?" She came over with a large stamped steel food serving tray - a Prench donation, of all things.
Applejack: "Mm. Have a seat, sugah." She smiled sweetly.
Twilight: "This has been a rough campaign." She sighed, sitting across from us.
K: "It has. We've been here nearly two months, fought several large battles, and for some reason, have been joined by five nations, each giving about a third of their ground forces." I shrugged, and munched my toast.
Dusty: "Hey, save me a spot." She got in on the other side of me. "Man.. this's been the toughest it's been, so far." She leaned in to me, a bit.
K: "This is a good warm-up." I nodded. "The International Brigades have tasted blood, and been bled in return. They have a small idea of what the invasion of Tirek's home land is going to be like, in a couple years." I grabbed some eggs with my fork. "I'm glad I won't have to send in 100% green troops." I looked over at Maria, who was bringing her squad in for breakfast, after morning formation and drills. "Captain Espinoza's getting out of the hospital, today."
Dusty: "I'm glad to hear it. She fought really hard.." She shook her head. "Still, she lost over half of her unit."
K: "It happens. What the Navarese experienced? Is what we're going to experience when we start our invasion." I slowly shook my head and ate. "It's going to be Tartarus, no two ways about it."
Twilight: "And here, we've.." She lowered her head. "..we've had our share of the fight, too."
K: "Oh, yes. Equestria is going to stand tall as the most experienced military left. But, no nation will be able to say it was free from battle.. all nations will be reminded of what war can bring, and given the nature of Ponies, I expect there won't be much war after this, for a thousand years. You just don't have it in you - you'll remember this one, and whatever disagreements you'll have, will look petty." I patted Twilight's hoof. "And you and the girls will be there to remind them."
Applejack: "Ah hope you will be, too, hun." She nuzzled me.
Dusty: "Same." She nuzzled my other side.
K: "And I'm going to be buried in the best horse pussy in the world." I smirked, as Katrina sat down next to Twilight. "Probably cat, too."
Katrina: "You know my terms, K." She gave me a very flirtatious wink, and leaned over a bit, to let her tactical vest-covered bust tilt towards me, so I could see the gap between her fur-covered mammaries.
Still not a furry.
K: "Tease!" I smirked, and forked some potato into my mouth.
Applejack: "Mm." She kissed me. "Mah stallion." And winked at Dusty. "Not that a gal cain't share, a bit."
Rarity set her tray a little harder than needed, next to Applejack, sat, and scooted her ass into AJ's, and gave her such a lewd, evil look, and when Applejack looked over and caught eyes with her, she got a spoonful of applesauce stuck in her mouth, by Rarity.
Rarity: "You certainly can.. darling." She looked to me, then, and wiggled her eyebrows.
Fluttershy: "O-oh, my.." She was blushing, just about to set her tray by Twilight.
Dash: "Well." She sat her tray on the other side of Twilight, with Gilda on her other side.
Gilda passed me a flatiron steak made from the remains of the dead Cowreans.
K: "Last of the beef?" I tilted my head - she had beef liver (which she'd found she was a huge fan of - being a bird/cat, it fit).
Gilda: "Sure is." She nodded. "At least for now." She shrugged, and watched as Rarity spoonfed Applejack, applesauce, and got all lesbianly lewd about it. "Get a room, you two." She snickered. "With K - he needs it." She gave me a very lezbro wink.
Dash: "No kidding - we're all stressed." She shrugged her wings.
I intentionally nuzzled my wife's head out of the way, and took the next spoonful of applesauce before Rarity realized who she was feeding - I also bit down on the spoon, overpowered her hoof's 'grip field' easily, and leaned back. I then plucked the spoon out of my mouth.
Rarity: "Cheater!" She giggled.
I stuck the spoon back in her hoof, though.
K: "Dash is right.." I looked up as Balindra Turner got herself a seat next to Fluttershy. "..Doc?"
Dr. Turner: "Ya ain't wrong, K. It's good we're gettin' some down time, yeah? All the Nav'rese troops're gettin' some combat fatigue - the vet'rans, anyhow." She shrugged.
K: "I thought so." I shrugged. "Human troops, even, wouldn't have been able to go through that meat grinder without some psychological damage and, ideally, some time to rest and let off steam." I shook my head. "At least THIS world is more in touch with its feelings, and understands the basic idea of stress and psychological pain."
Dr. Turner: "Oh?" She tilted her head.
K: "Oh, yeah - in the human world, addressing your feelings, or - God Forbid - a male shows any emotional weakness, is seen as a general weakness, to be mocked and a cause for emasculation. Remember, reversed gender roles, and males in my world have a lot more on their shoulders, as it were. Yeah, men in my world just are not allowed to show their emotions, even in the comparitively more enlightened age I'm from. Doing so, admitting weakness or pain, is to be viciously mocked by other men, and women, and seen as a broken, useless, weak, undesireable person." I shrugged. "So, men generally bottle up their emotions."
Dr. Turner: "An' let'em out around their mates..?" She leaned in a bit, idly eating her toast.
K: "Nnoooo.. hahaha.. no, that's the last person you admit your feelings to. Yeah, admit you're in pain to your spouse, she's going to see you as a pathetic weakling, not fit to be her protector and provider, and she WILL start sleeping with other men, and likely divorce you in the worst way possible. Like.. we're talking.. false domestic violence allegations, rape allegations, and if you have kids, they'll get the kids to say you went all Toes Tapper on them. My J-- wasn't like that, though - she was the total opposite. We were soul mates, too.. I mean.." I was looking at the coffee in my cup as I spoke.. and I didn't realize all the girls were looking at me, in horror, or that two nearby tables had been listening in.
Dex: "...like... no way, dude." He was hushed in that, in disbelief.
K: "Oh!" I realized I had an audience. "Well, think of it this way - look at this world, compared to what I just said. Is it any surprise that those in pain, or those that actually care about another's, wouldn't want to make a connection with a world like this, on some level?" I gestured to all of them. "You.. all of you.. are the antithesis of that. Right?"
Dr. Turner: "Yeah.. no kiddin'.." She blinked. "Kinda funny.. yer world wantin' a connection ta 'dis one, kinda like.. an injured pony seeking a doctah.." She pursed her lips. "Maybe 'dats what caused our worlds ta get drawn closah in da foist place?" She rubbed her chin. "Pain seeking healing? Hm."
Dr. Well Wishes: "I'd.. never considered.." He shook his head.
K: "Ahhhh.. think nothing of it, Well, you guys.." I dismissively waved my fork. "..as I said, this place has that as a positive. Right?"
Toola: "K's right - that's one of our strengths! We're in touch with our emotions and we can be.. a LOOOT more honest about them than humans can, and without any of those cultural hangups they have! Which means, it's easier for US to help our friends!" She tapped her hoof on the table.
Applejack: "Yer right, Toola." She smiled broadly.
K: "I think that's one of the biggest lessons this world could teach mine." I nodded slowly.
It really is.
{End of Chapter 84}
