Previous Parts
Part 1, WC82, Part 2, WC82, Part 3, RUWC 27, Part 4, CE 24, Part 5, CE 24, Part 6, WCQs 83, Part 7, WCQs 83, Part 8, WCQs 83, Part 9, WCQs 83, Part 10, WCQs 83
The sound between Halholzer and Harmonica was full of Apoxian military ships after the battlegroup recently arrived. At the dockside where the A.S Broadstar was docked, head of the battlegroup and Apoxian Army Chief of Staff General Harriet Thornely was disembarking having travelled on the destroyer from Apox to Mareibat. She was greeted by the Chief Harbour master from Halholzer, Imperial Otteley, who was now technically the Head of the Mareibatian forces. The grizzled old man shoke her hand firmly, the two of them locked in an icy stare all the while.
"General. I trust your trip was pleasant."
"Quite fine thank you Chief."
"I'm sure Mareibat won't have all the home comforts found back in Apox, but we will do what we can for you and your troops."
"I don't doubt. Enough of pleasantries though Imperial, tell me about the situation from where you're standing." The two were by this point walking along the jetty towards a warehouse at the end which was acting as mission control for the joint Apoxian-Mareibatian forces. The dockhands striding around the jetty were giving hostile looks. It seemed the Apoxians weren't entirely welcomed en masse back in Mareibat.
'Who can blame them?' thought Harriet, 'but what did I expect, generally people aren't too happy to see me.'
"The situation here on Main Island and across the way is stable but fragile at the moment. Colwinna [Head of the MDP] is hoping that once a better Apoxian presence has been established on the islands the tense situation will calm down a little. We have some soldiers inserted in the Bellight People's Army and the Mareibat Freedom Militia, who tell us that both of those islands are totally under control of those groups. The MFM have been attempting to spread to the island of Arbour to the north as well, with limited success so far. The other islands aren't under the militias' control at the moment, but also aren't particular under central control either."
They passed into the warehouse, which was partway between looking like a poorly controlled storage facility, what with equipment being unloaded everywhere and a mission control with rows of desks with computers being set up in that gloriously organised army fashion. At the back of the warehouse were three storeys of office space, and this is where the Chief Harbour master was taking her now.
"Good to hear Imperial. And what's the story with the forces controlled by the MDP?"
"Not great to be honest. The harbour masters funding and numbers were whittled away through years of mismanagement prior to this all going down. I've got just over five hundred people under my command at the moment, many of them barely trained. We've got two gunboats, left over from the previous Apoxian occupation" - she noticed a hint of resentment in his voice at that - "and a number of converted fishing skiffs as well. We're not finding a lack of recruits at the moment so I'm hoping those numbers will be bolstered soon."
"I should hope so. A force that size won't be able to control anything for long. Once hostilities are over and the situation is stable, I'm sure the higher ups will leave an Apoxian presence here to assist with training operations."
"So kind." Harriet thought she caught just the faintest hint of sarcasm in the old sea dogs voice at the last comment. She restrained herself from pulling rank and causing more tension on day one. Her mission here was as much a political one as it was combat focussed. They had arrived at a large office, complete with a floor to ceiling window which overlooked the warehouse below. Inside, a number of her aides were scurrying about, unpacking computer equipment and furniture.
"As I'm sure you can see, this will be your office base whilst you're in Halholzer."
"Indeed." She turned to face Imperial, "Thank you for your welcome, I've got a few calls to make. We had better have a full briefing ASAP, in one hour. Dismissed." The abruptness caught the old commander off-guard and he half saluted, half bowed and rapidly exited the room. She sat down on the faux-leather chair at her desk and fired up her computer. The familiar crest of the Apoxian army displayed in the signature gold and red colours before she glanced at her watch,
"Shit, conference call with the boss coming right up." She cleared her throat,
"Alrrrright people, I've got an important call to make. Dismissed, but return to finish unpacking once I'm done here." Her small army of aides filed out of the room as right on cue her phone squawked into life. A tap of a button later and she was on a conference call with the great and the good of Apox;
"Harriet. I'm guessing you're safely installed in Halholzer?"
"Indeed I am Matthias, literally just rolled off the boat. Been getting acquainted with our friend the Chief of the Harbour master."
"Good to hear. I've heard he's quite the legend on the waves. Knows the islands like the back of his hand."
"He gave off the impressive of being insurbordinate and churlish to me to be honest."
A slight snigger came over the phone,
"Now, now Harriet, he's probably just a tad upset to have us come trampling all over his party." Chief Officer Johnson, of the MIS (Ministry of Intelligence and Security) piped up. Why did the bloody spies always have to be involved in this?
"Well, we've only got involved due to the bloody mess they've..."
"Yes quite Harriet. What's your plan on the ground there? I want us to get a meeting in with Colwinna Kelly as soon as possible. Sort out some joint goals, things to work towards...." Now it was Harriets turn to interrupt.
"That's all well and good, but we've got ourselves into a war here and it's one I indeed to see through. I've ordered a briefing with the top military brass here in an hour. We can firm up plans to counter the Mareibatian threat then, and get this sorted out."
"Well glad to here you've got it all worked out then!" Now Matthias was sounding a little worked up,
"Because I'll have you know it's not all rosebuds and sunshine back here either! I've got bloody Artur Winklebottom basically implying we should just nuke the entire islands and be done with it, not to mention the Eurans squeezing my balls over the bloody ENS Swifton. Be under no illusions that we need a plan and we need a plan fast!"
"Yes sir, I..."
"And also we need a resolution to the useless Cossack holed up in his mansion. Get a platoon over there soon to monitor the situation and work out what you're going to do with all that."
"Yes sir, I'll be sure to bring it up at the meeting." Daramie Jenkins, Leader of the ANP and silent on the call up until now chose this moment to speak out,
"Just make sure as well that you're careful as well when you're planning these manoeuvres... the voter base still isn't entirely sold on this degree of aggression."
"This degree of aggression will save many more lives in the long run," Harriet said through gritted teeth. Why were the ANP so anti-war these days? Want did they want to do, sent the militia groups a bunch of gift baskets and nicely ask them to stop being so naughty?!?
