“Attention.” Her voice is small, and no one listens.
At this point, that’s not surprising. By the time soldiers are routing, they’re nothing but a mob of individuals consumed by terror.
But people being scared isn’t useful.
And these troops have to be put to use if the Empire wants to win the war. This is total war, i.e., a conflict where the entire population plays an active role in the war effort. The situation has gotten so out of hand that I almost want to laugh.
Tanya repeats again, with composure, “Attention.”
Hmph. She sniffs, reaching for the gun at her hip.
Paying no mind to the fact that her action rattles even the weak-kneed soldiers, she aims horizontally and waits until the last second to lift the pistol into the air to shoot.
“Attention!” She raises her voice and checks the response, but the outcome is only a commotion… “Arrrgh.” Her patience runs out. “Lieutenant Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff is calling you to attention! Shut up and listen!”
After emptying an entire magazine, she raises her voice again. “What are you doing? What about your posts? Who’s your commander?”
“C-Captain Ryan’s dead! W-we’re done for!”
Did the tension break? One of the kids screams that their unit has been wiped out, his face an unnatural pallor. This is a good opportunity. In response to the numbskull panicking over the insurmountable odds, Tanya sighs.
There’s no denying that it’s going to be a tough fight.
But so what?
It’s not as if running away is going to help anyhow.
People who flee despite the lack of an escape route are lemmings. If you’re just planning on falling into some water and drowning, then fighting to the bitter end seems more promising.
“Wiped out? Soldiers, are those legs just for decoration?” Tanya laughs at them. “Aren’t you still alive?” Her expression changes in an instant. “Or what? You there, right in front of me. Are you saying you guys aren’t imperial soldiers? Are you Federation soldiers who have kindly come to inform us that our western position has fallen?”
When she glances at her subordinates, Serebryakov and the others seem to catch her drift—they place their fingers on the triggers of their weapons.
The one issuing a warning and the ones being warned are all soldiers. Everyone understands what’s going on.
If she doesn’t need to explain every little thing, that’ll make this go quicker. Fantastic. Tanya continues, feeling quite satisfied.
“This is simple. There are imperial soldiers, and there’s a position that needs to be held. It’s obvious what needs to happen.”
This can’t be called a threat. It’s just proof that there really are idiots in the world who can’t regain composure without having a gun pointed at them.
True idiots are constantly falling short of the lowest expectations of sensible people like Tanya. There’s nothing to guarantee there won’t be a deranged fool mistaking us for enemies and firing.
“Are you enemies? Or are you Imperial Army, like us?”
“What do you want from us, ma’am? There was nothing we could do!”
“If you have complaints, you can tell them to a counselor, if you like—after you survive. Right now, you have a decision to make. Will you take back the position with us? Or will you resist us as an enemy? Give a clear answer. I can’t wait all day.”
“…Are you serious? Why are you doing this?”
“That’s obvious. We need to save our position right this instant.”
It’s good to see some startled faces remaining. It will stay secret that Tanya is incredibly relieved when she surveys the ragged remnants and spots some survivors with faces that are just barely passable for soldiers.
If we can find more instructors, it’ll make things easier. Leaders take on a lot of responsibility.
When someone is staggering toward you, you should call out to them. What a human thing to do, right?
“Lieutenant, you can still fight, yes? Great, round up your men.”
“I—I…”
Rank insignia, age, ribbon bars. Even if you can’t actually tell a person’s worth from a badge, it is one criterion that can be used to make decisions.
“Didn’t you rise through the ranks? Unless you’re a fool who’s just been letting the years go by with your thumb up your ass, do what you need to do. If you can’t, I’ll lay you to eternal rest right here!” When Tanya smiles encouragingly to say, C’mon, you can do it, the effect is immediate.
“Ha-ha-ha! Ha-ha! You’re a monster, huh, Colonel?”
“The fatherland’s enemies approach. Are you saying I should flash them a loving smile?”
How rude! She puffs her cheeks out to pout.
“Yeah, you’re right, Colonel.”
“Damn straight, Lieutenant.”
“Understood… All right, fellas, let’s do this.”
His muttered words are low, heavy, and mixed with a sigh. There’s no mistaking that will. If a soldier still has enough energy to sigh, he passes muster.
With a satisfied nod, Tanya offers a hand.
“Good, good. What’s your name, Lieutenant?”
“Second Lieutenant Barchet at your service, Colonel.”
“All right, Lieutenant Barchet. Let’s hop to it, shall we?”
Time to go to work. Tanya smiles faintly.
Now we have the people. Even if we detach some mages to support the defense after we take back the western position, it won’t need to be that many. If we do it right and get them organized, we might be able to cover most of the flank with them.
It’s always wonderful to have a reason to feel hopeful.
And you can’t look down on the powerful desire to work. Being able to expect a bright future is fabulous. All right, then. Tanya smiles. “Follow me! Let’s go!” She waves her pistol to encourage them and then runs off.
I’m not a big believer in mind over matter, but then again, mindless corporate slaves can only produce empty victories.
We’ll just have to devote ourselves to our work as members of a proper human society.
“C’mon! We’re counterattacking!”
“If you’re going to die, at least die falling forward!”
“You imbeciles need to be taught how to fight like infantry from aerial mages? Get your asses in gear! Run!”
Hmph. Tanya slumps her shoulders and even makes a joke to her adjutant when she comes jogging over.
“Man, we should never act like a blocking unit. Things got a little dicey.”
“…It was rather intense.”
What? That was nothing. Tanya shrugs. Sure, it’s a pain in the neck, but it’s the easiest way to “persuade” someone without risking a call from Legal.
It was a piece of cake, no sweat.
You could even call it a civilized conversation.
Rallying troops together, reorganizing them, and reminding the mob of their duties is so human—Tanya rather likes that part.
Luckily, there are no other disputes at this urgent juncture.
Relieved that they might be okay after all, Tanya takes direct command of the provisional unit that will reinforce the defensive line.
As that group is hurrying back to the front, a monster appears out of nowhere, rearing its ugly head.
Hulking frame. Painted red star. Though they’ve never seen it before, there’s no soldier on the eastern front who could mistake that familiar silhouette. More than a few people are cursing.
“Tank! Is that a new model?”
Several aerial mages abruptly cast explosion formulas as they’re conditioned to, which function both as a smoke screen and an attack. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to have any effect besides putting up some concealment.
“It’s sturdy! Shit, it’s a new model for sure! Aim for the treads! If we can stop it, we can slug it to death!” Barchet yells an appropriate order. “Bring up the anti-aircraft guns! We can use them to pierce the armor!”
I take that back. He seems to be fighting this war with nothing but an infantry mindset.
“Sheesh, Lieutenant. I can’t have you forgetting us. Mages, follow me! We’ll pry their lids off and heat them up like canned rations!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The reason aerial mages reign in urban areas is their ability to conduct combat in three dimensions. We’re more flexible than helicopters and smaller and nimbler than the humanoid weapon platforms you see in science fiction.
Well, blasting through the canopy of a tank is easy enough. That doesn’t change even in an encounter battle in a village.
“Major Weiss! Leave some intact so it can be used as cover.”
“You can leave it all to me!”
“The enemy is running scared! This is where we start our counterattack! Charge!”
Let’s clean them up! Leading from the front, Tanya’s time serving as a sort of blocking unit ends almost the moment it begins.
The counterattack drives off pretty much all the enemies, and once Tanya can sit back and admire their handiwork, she sighs as if to say, Finally.
Even if the enemy strikes with artillery support, as long as they don’t have aerial mages, too, they won’t get anywhere.
On that point, perhaps the Reich should give an award to the Federation “comrades” who sent all their mages to the lageri. It sure makes our battles easier.
“Hmph, I guess that’s that?”
“Magnificent work, Colonel.”
“Lieutenant Barchet? It’s all thanks to your support.”
Without the different branches cooperating, there is no chance of victory. An army that does the obvious as a matter of course is best. You can say that an organization’s performance depends on how well it can stick to basic principles.
“So can we leave this up to you now?”
“Of course. When this is over, I hope you’ll let me treat you to a drink.”
“As you can see, I’m not allowed to imbibe. Make it a cup of your finest coffee.”
If Tanya drinks at her age, neither military nor civil laws will protect her. The Empire is rather unforgiving when it comes to minors drinking or smoking.
“Oh, how thoughtless of me. Would some milk or meat from the east be all right?”
“Let’s make it a can of pineapple. Now then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Ha-ha-ha. Time to leave the rest to Barchet and swiftly switch gears to the next task.
“02, what’s our status?”
“No losses, three light wounds. Nothing that will knock us out of the fight.”
“Very good. Then we’ll move around the outside of our troops’ defensive line. Let’s treat ourselves to the fun of kicking the Federation Army in the flank,” Tanya barks. To her, it’s an easy job. No, strictly speaking, it’s probably better to say that it’s more easygoing, since the outcome is clear.
As long as there are no mages mixed in with the Federation troops, the imperial aerial mages can run wild. That artillery division is the only enemy worth fearing in the vicinity, but given that there haven’t been any incoming shells since the initial bombardment, they’re probably either out of ammo or building a position and thus left out of the equation.
So far, nothing’s happened to disprove that theory.
“…Sheesh, I guess that’s it for now?”
The enemy attack has been repelled. The infiltrating enemy unit has been eliminated. Tanya nods in satisfaction at these results, which on the whole can be termed a successful instance of ideal interior lines defense.
“Colonel, I found the second-in-command of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment.”
“Lieutenant Colonel Kreisler, at your service. Thanks for the helping hand.”
“Likewise. I’m Lieutenant Colonel Degurechaff.”
Filling each other in, as if they had agreed to ahead of time, the discussion about everything that had been neglected during the panic is incredibly smooth. As expected, sending Weiss in to negotiate really helps move things along.
Things would have gone more smoothly if I hadn’t sent a useless greenhorn officer with the message.
Is that why? She finds herself, in the natural course of things, praising the capable one with a good recommendation.
“Your Second Lieutenant Barchet did a fine job. We met him partway through this ordeal, and I must say that officers who are promoted from the enlisted like him are a precious resource. I realize you’re short on people, but I’d even like to have him if I can.”
“Oh, you knew him? He was from my battalion.”
“Oh my. Well…” Tanya apologizes and bows her head. She can’t help but notice the past-tense nature of his reply.
“I’m sure he would have been happy to know someone with the Silver Wings Assault Badge thought highly of him.”
“…You mean?”
“At the height of the counterattack, he got hit with a Federation grenade. He was groaning until just a short while ago, but the surgeon told me…”
There’s no need to add We couldn’t save him. If anyone on the eastern front shakes their head with such mourning, the meaning is clear.
“I had a comrade. He sleeps; I walk. Oh Lord, please have mercy on his soul.”
“Couldn’t have said it better. Well, my unit is withdrawing. If we go now, I think we can make it to the next marshaling point. What are you going to do?”
He must be inviting us to go with him. Give and take. It’s a mindset I appreciate. But Tanya shakes her head.
No aerial mage unit should travel the same road as an infantry unit.
“My troops are nimble aerial mages. We’re used to being the rear guard. We’ll stick around here for a few hours after you’ve left and then head to the marshaling point at our own pace.”
“I really appreciate it…but are you sure?”
“Of course.”
Tanya responds with a broad smile.
In contrast to slow-moving infantry, aerial mage units are made for mobility. To put it another way, their ability to shoot and scoot is their chief feature. If there’s no need to hold a position, they can simply fly away. That’s a strategy that works well on the eastern front, where the usual order of the day is defense in depth—though the static defensive battle the unit just fought in is not a great example.
Anyway, outside of times when operating as a Kampfgruppe, there’s not much appeal in sharing the fate of another unit.
“Oh, we’ll just throw a wild party with the jettisoned supplies of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment—if you don’t mind forgetting some choice rations.”
“…So your Silver Wings aren’t just for show, huh?”
“Oh, they definitely are. All right, Colonel Kreisler, I hope we both have good luck.”
The good-bye ends with salutes and well wishes. Tanya and the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion members watch as the others leave the crumbling building.
“Are you sure you don’t want to withdraw with those friendly troops?”
Tanya nods at her vice commander with absolute certainty. “Major, we and the infantry move at different speeds, as I’m sure you know.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Honestly, considering how we can consistently outrun the Federation aerial mages, if all we want to do on the eastern front is escape, it’s extremely easy. Not to mention that the huge group of foot soldiers making up the Fifty-Fourth Regiment serves as a great decoy. Our retreat should go quite smoothly.
“We have the leeway to take it slowly. I see no problem with staying here until we have cover of night. Sleep in shifts now, while you can.”
“The beds were all blown away…”
“I’m sure you’ll be able to find enough for half an aerial mage battalion. The troops who aren’t getting some shut-eye should have some tea and high-calorie chocolate.”
“That’s quite the leisurely shift.”
You’re not wrong. Tanya agrees with her vice commander’s grumble but doesn’t forget to tack on a warning. “If there’s no enemy attack, that is.”
“Certainly. Then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go first.”
“Yes, switch up in two hours. I’ll wake you, so get some shut-eye.”
“Understood.” Weiss salutes, and as she watches him go, Tanya realizes the first lieutenants are standing next to her.
“Lieutenant Serebryakov, you too. Get to bed. Lieutenant Grantz, you’re with me. Go look for some coffee beans or something.”
“Coffee beans, ma’am?”
“Sort through the remains of the Fifty-Fourth’s regimental HQ. I’m sure you’ll find at least one bean. If that doesn’t work out, grab some of the troops’ tags and we’ll trade them in for luxury goods when we return to the rear.”
“Got it. I’ll task a few people.”
As the mages set off with their shovels, Tanya makes good on her words and chomps into some chocolate.
In any case, we’ve earned a breather. All that’s left is to make our way back to the rallying point and join up with the rest of the Salamander Kampfgruppe.
To be frank, when coordination is doubtful, cooperating with another unit is an absolutely terrifying prospect.
It was hard to not let it show on Tanya’s face. Synchronizing on the fly is hard to pull off even for pros. To cooperate with amateurs who are fuzzy on even the basics is sheer horror.
A ragtag crew is basically a walking nightmare.
If someone makes a mistake and ruins themselves, that’s their own fault. Sadly, the fundamental principle of war is collective responsibility. And your life is what’s at stake.
I’m not about to entrust that to someone I can’t believe in.
How would that be any different from getting treated by some quack doctor who doesn’t have a license to practice medicine.
Even in cases of disease or injury, I’m extremely reluctant to leave my fate in the hands of a doctor. But it must be done. As long as they guarantee professional standards, they deserve my respect.
Quacks and other fakes, however, should be shot. There’s no waste more toxic than an incompetent fool who thinks they’re an expert. That goes the same for soldiers at war. If you’re receiving payment and putting your life on the line to fight, there are no compromises allowed. Troops who can’t be put to good use are nothing but dead weight, not even usable as meat shields.
If you’re not a pro, don’t even speak to me. Don’t bother me. If at all possible, make yourself useful and cause some damage to the enemy. While it’s incredibly self-centered, Tanya is confident that these sentiments are utterly human and normal. That’s what a human is to Tanya von Degurechaff.
Being taught that humans are political animals who construct society to serve their own interests is one of my earliest memories from Japan, my onetime schoolhouse.
Back then, I probably didn’t fully comprehend it.
“Sheesh, you can’t sniff at lifelong learning, can you?”
There’s no limit to the amount that can be invested in human capital. It’s a virtue to learn whenever the opportunity presents itself. Ultimately, there’s no such thing as a professional who stops learning.
“I guess that’s a pro’s job, huh?”
In that respect, the members of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion and the Salamander Kampfgruppe are model, certifiable experts.
They enjoy combat just a bit too much, but, considering the current situation, Tanya can only rate them highly. Personality, education, and taste are all secondary factors when it comes to evaluations. The main criterion is whether or not they can properly fulfill their duties.
In other words, people who can’t do their jobs well are garbage. In private life, I’ll be respectful. But working with them is impossible. If it’s a choice between war maniacs who can fight a war or good-natured people who can’t do anything useful, I want the former beside me when I’m on the front line…
Then Tanya is suddenly struck by something.
“…Why am I assuming that I’ll be fighting in a war?”
If you say it’s because she’s currently at war, then there’s nothing else to it.
But for a peaceful peace-loving liberal democrat like Tanya, the state of war should be an exception. Not a natural state of being.
War shouldn’t be used as a justification for anything.
“Fucking hell.”
This war needs to end.
Tanya swallows the words instead of saying them and turns on her heel, a glum look on her face.