Chapter 248 - Glorious Future

Note : Another chapter finished at the last minute. Given that I had a breakdown yesterday, this is probably going to be the end of the streak.

Chapter 248

Red Sands Desert, Principality of Rebirth

Trade City of Erakis

"General Coledar! It's good to see you again." Said Alexandra as the general stepped into her 'office'.

Since she more or less ruled Erakis, by virtue of controlling it's entire military defenses, she had to open her very own office to meet with people. It kind of peeled off the aura of threat and mystique she'd acquired, but it was a trade she was willing to make for the administrative smoothness.

Plus, it anchored her as someone of power, not just the 'ally in the shadows' of the baroness. It was already the case in Rebirth, but that needed to spread to the rest of the Principality, and places they wanted to become part of it. Which, right now, was Erakis and Darthar.

"Likewise lady Crystal." Said the general as they exchanged a handshake. "I assume you know my purpose here?"

"Well, this is hardly a courtesy visit. I'm guessing it has to do with the unsubtle hint I dropped at your brigadier…Malcom, was it? Hints pertaining to a substantial quantity of weapons and ammunition in exchange for potential relics."

"It does. With our withdrawal from the wasteland, there is no real point at having our, as you say, relic for dealing with the sand krakens, and general Amelia felt it would be better used in your hands. Furthermore, giving you the relic would also demonstrate that we don't intend to betray our word. As they say, a little trust…"

"Goes a long way." Alexandra relaxed, looking every bit as if she'd been expecting this for the last few days, and not been thoroughly dead. "And actions go further. Thankfully, I planned ahead."

"So you will start distributing muskets through your dungeon?"

"My dungeon? My dear General, I will ship the weapons directly to you."

"Ship?"

"I have considerable stockpiles of older weaponry at my main dungeon. If you are willing to settle for less than my best, and accept the delays and cost associated with shipping, I do believe I could send some substantial assistance your way."

The costs in shipping would actually be surprisingly minimal. With the massive fleets and armies that had swept the route recently, monster attacks were at an all time low, though undefended vessels would still vanish if they tried the crossing. That brought insurance premiums down and decreased the number of escort vessels needed per convoy.

Not to mention, with her kicking the trade with the Republic wide open thanks to the revolution, and the stop of the trade with Darthar the lines were constantly expanding, with the ships that had been doing the run to the Kingdom more than happy to divert back towards Erakis.

That wasn't even mentionning the complete deletion of import tarrifs in the town. Shipping wasn't just booming, it was exploding. It was getting to the point that they were starting to requisition part of the airbase built to support the Republic's fleet to handle the civilian traffic, though they had kept the newly built docking tower -something they could thank the senate for at least- purely out of it for now, since it was the only practical way to resupply admiral Artay's capital ships.

Since so many ships were doing the route, chartering the empty cargo space any of them happened to have was remarkably easy, and there were ongoing negotiations for some ship to give up half of their cargo capacity for such runs in exchange for being provided a military escort for the crossing. Since they'd have to start sending ships back and forth to Erakis, if only to cycle the vessels there for refits and overhauls, it was an interesting deal.

"That would be…wonderful, lady Crystal."

"Excellent. Here is the list of my stockpiles." Alexandra extended a flimsy sheet of paper, whose only pretense of officialness was her personal heraldry stamped on the top section.

The General gingerly took it, and quickly began to read, before letting out a strangled cry.

Alexandra watched patiently as the New Republic officer took a solid fifteen seconds to try and get something coherent out.

"My…Milady, this includes…there are thirty six thousand golems on that list."

"Yep! Three full divisions, with fifteen hundred field guns, one hundred howitzers, and three hundred spider tanks." All obsolete…and stuff she had stopped true mass production of before they'd even finished dealing with the Old World attack on the town. Oh, she still made them for the fourth floor, but no longer in the obscene quantities of before.

She idly wondered how the general would react if he learned that she had almost fifty thousand of her modern Standard Combat Units, each of them an order of magnitude deadlier and more survivable than her musket golems. The only reason she didn't have more was that she had stopped scaling their production up, and diverted all new industrial installations to her airships. It was the only reason she was able to build something like the So Much For Subtlety, let alone sustain the Freedom program with the expeditionary trading vessels for Sarth, even with shutting down the constructions of more Corsairs and Raiders for the time being.

Which reminded her, she'd have to check up on how close they were on gathering enough mana to power up the NLR core to the next plateau. She was really going to need that extra mana if she had to march her army across the wasteland.

"That's…extremely generous."

"As you said, a little trust goes a long way. Besides, it will reinforce our alliance in a great deal many ways."

She could practically see the gears turning in the General's head at that. Having that much hardware would massively increase their firepower…but also make them dependent on her for ammunition, spare parts, and replacement weaponry.

It was a testament to how important liberating his people and preserving his men were that he barely seemed to hesitate once he was done processing.

"It will. And hopefully, lead us to a great and glorious future!"

"Indeed."

Great and glorious. Sure.

After the collapse and bloodbath the Order and the Church were busy preparing.

*****

"Nice of you to join us, commander. Welcome back to the lands of the living."

The officer grimaced.

"That's Count to you, pipsqueak. Where the hell am…I…"

Alexandra's smile turned from cold to outright predatory as the rebel officer opened his eyes, and took in the scenery around him.

They had found a new purpose to the infirmary after all…and along the way, turned it into a very secure, if temporary, holding facility.

"...I assume I am a prisonner of war?" Asked the officer.

Alexandra nodded. Looks like he was a sharp one, despite his age.

Hopefully the rest of what the rescued slaves had said about him would prove accurate as well.

"Correct."

"Count Imikan Balrok. Commander, third ducal artillery regiment, duchy of Lorenz, assign to the Southern Army of Restoration." He smiled. "That is all you are getting out of me, interrogator."

Equivalent of name, rank and matricule number uh? Interesting.

"I somehow doubt that. Though don't worry, I don't intend to torture you. Though I'm aware you or your superiors wouldn't have returned the favor."

The officer winced. He hid it pretty well, but even his control slipped, and Alexandra's smile got wider.

Yep, the slaves were right.

Every army had its weak link…and every ideological shithole had its decent people.

Even the most horrific of organizations mostly had just regular people working for them, not mustache twirling villains. Hell, the Terran Hegemony had been headed by good people. Their good intentions had just served as the paving for their highway to the deepest reaches of hell.

Alexandra waited for a few seconds, but the commander kept quiet, and she sighed as she moved her chair to sit closer.

"I'm goin to be…candid with you. My first reaction would have been to have you shot. Straight up. The atrocities Sunrise has unleashed deserve nothing else. But you're not Sunrise, are you? Nor do you condone what they have done." The commander stayed silent. "Someone…close to me convinced me that a different approach was necessary. A tribunal. Fair. And balanced. But do you know the fascinating part about that? When we asked for weaknesses, your troops came forward." She leaned in. "Tell me commander, why would someone whose slave soldiers jump in front of their saviors in order to plead for mercy keep quiet in a situation like this?"

The commander gritted his teeth.

"I took an oath."

"I know. It's why I'm having this discussion with you. This isn't an interrogation. I don't care about any information you have, I don't expect, and I do not wish, to get it. This is a courtesy. So you understand why your fellows will end up in front of a firing squad and you won't." Alexandra leaned back. "Your troops bought you mercy. I'm here to meet and honor the man who would keep his oath and his humanity in such a situation."

She was doing it for herself…but mostly for the apparition.

Ghost was the one who had spared them after all…including that man.

What would have they become, had they had his fortitude? Would they have found another solution at Europa?

Probably not. But they might have. Things could have gone differently, if they hadn't had been nothing but fanaticism and hatred after loosing their siblings at the hands of the UIS.

He would be the first in a line of many. Because this time they would make things right.

And perhaps they'll be able to lay the specters haunting them to rest.

The commander was speechless, and Alexandra nodded.

"You'll be transferred into the baroness' custody momentarily. You'll be treated fairly, you have my words, and hers. Good day, commander Imikan. May the Gods watch upon you."

*****

"All hands, all hands, brace for launch!" Said Subtelty, her feet firmly planted on the deck.

Alexandra looked up as alarms blared, and the top of the mesa began to open, massive blastdoors receding into the rock.

The ship shook as the docking clamps began to detach, supporting the ship still, but no longer holding it in place.

Then the propellers rumbled to life, and the So Much For Subtlety rose out of the shipyard, and into the morning air.

"Ascension complete." Subtlety gestured at her 'officers', her labcoat billowing around her in the flensing winds. "Raise the wards, level us out." She turned towards Alexandra as the wind abruptly cut out. "Milady, siege ship So Much For Subtlety launched and ready for deployment."

Alexandra nodded. It was odd to have an airship without balloons, but with vertical launch missile launchers, a balloon would be an impediment. In any combat situation it would have to be released and then the ship would have to maneuver out from under the rising form to clear it's launchers.

It simply wasn't worth it. And with the new efficiency plateau for the NLR core close, as her mana reserves grew, she should be able to afford it.

Should.

"Very well captain. Take us out, and join the squadron. Complete the shakedown cruise." The dungeon core looked at the town below. "I have politics to take care of."

"Aye aye, joining squadron and undertaking shakedown cruise. Good luck, milady."

"Thank you." Alexandra looked once more at the town below, where she knew Allya was calling a council meeting, and decided that this time, theatrics would be more than justified.

Besides, she wanted to take her new 'avatar' golem for a spin.

She vaulted over the ship's railing.

*****

"When you told me 'a new ship' I was not expecting a capital ship." Said Willar in hushed tones.

"Relax. It's only a battlecruiser."

"Only?!?"

"Compared to what she's already demonstrated? Yes, 'only'."

"Where is our resident dungeon anyway?"

"She'll be here-" There was a commotion as a soldier pointed out, then a thunderclap as the golem hit the ground like a homesick meteor. "-momentarily. Greetings Crystal."

"Hello Allya." Said the dungeon core as her golem stood up from the superhero landing she'd just sustained. "I believe we had a meeting, and this was the fastest way I could arrive. Shall we go inside and begin? There is much to do."