Youjo Senki - Volume 12 - Chapter 2.1

[chapter] II The Stage

THE END OF NOVEMBER, UNIFIED YEAR 1927, THE HEADQUARTERS FOR THE MULTINATIONAL FORCES

Winter was cold in the Federation, but was it the reason for the chills running down Drake’s spine? He knew it wasn’t—the temperature wasn’t all to blame for this chill in the air. Whenever Mr. Johnson made the trip from their home country, he always came bearing bad news.

The moment the agent caught sight of Drake, he offered a pleasant smile and cheerfully waved his hand. On the surface, he was as gentlemanly as could be. Seeing that alone was enough to convince Lieutenant Colonel Drake he should brace himself for the worst. And yet…or perhaps, as expected…Colonel Drake couldn’t keep himself from questioning what Mr. Johnson had to say.

“What? We’re going to retreat from the Federation and deploy to Ildoa…?”

“It isn’t a retreat, Colonel. You’re being strategically repositioned at a new location. I understand how important your mission here is, but the Empire’s attack on Ildoa has changed everything.”

Mr. Johnson wore a small grin.

“Just take a seat. You’d do yourself a favor to make yourself comfortable. We’re going to have a small chat.”

Drake picked up on something interesting when he sat in the offered chair. This was the most inviting seat there was, the one closest to the warm, cozy fire.

“And here I thought that this was our command center, and you’re the guest.”

Kicking back and relaxing, the old gentlemen had taken out a cigarette and began smoking as if he owned the damn place. He nonchalantly shot a glance at the samovar, as if to ask for some tea. Drake ignored this, which seemed to make it clear to Mr. Johnson that his presence wasn’t welcome. The man offered a slight frown, only to shrug his shoulders as if he’d remembered something more important. He had really made himself at home. It was quite the show of bravado.

“Let’s talk about work.”

Drake could hardly believe it. Mr. Johnson had up and decided on his own that now was the time to talk business!

“The sun must set just as surely as it must rise. This is a law of nature. Our country abides by the laws of nature as well; changes in political circumstances always translate to problems in the field.”

The old man looked tired when he mentioned the word problems. Colonel Drake, however, wasn’t so wet behind the ears or pure of heart to be swayed by his pantomime. He knew that whenever a fellow countryman made the far trip to visit Colonel Drake out in the east…they always brought immense burdens with them.

“I know I shouldn’t compare myself to someone who fights on the ground such as yourself, but I’ve been worked to the bone as well. They’ve sent me all over this continent to deliver absurd messages like the one I’m about to give you.”

Mr. Johnson let out a clear sigh as he sat in his chair, grumbling.

“It’s so troublesome to be a loyal subject to His Royal Majesty. Truly, we both have our trials and tribulations to endure. Don’t you agree?”

He kindly offered a cigarette to Drake as he said this, making a sentimental gesture. At a glance, his words and gesture were convincing enough that Drake instinctively wanted to share his complaints with the man. It was clear, though, that this intelligence agent’s gestures were purely superficial. Drake knew that he and he alone was the only one who deserved any sympathy between the two men sitting here. He was sure of this from the bottom of his heart.

“And somehow, all of the trouble seems to fall on us out here.”

“That’s your ego speaking, Mr. Drake.”

“I’m sorry, but it really isn’t. Neither you nor the rest back home get shot at regularly on the battlefield. We were deployed here to fight a war. Do you have any idea how long it took to prepare ourselves? And you want us to just drop everything?”

Drake’s face was grim as he made his retort, but the easygoing intelligence officer simply shrugged it off.

“I’m not the one who makes these decisions.”

“I know that, but it doesn’t make this order any less unpleasant.”

Drake glared at Mr. Johnson, who maintained his usual calm and tactful persona. The man was a talented intelligence agent who never showed what he was truly thinking.

“Though I’m merely a messenger, I sympathize deeply with your mental and physical anguish. I’m beside myself by the mere thought of the harsh missions you endure.”

Elderly Mr. Johnson shared his superficial sympathy as his gentle smile slowly morphed into a more dastardly grin.

“After all…the Ildoan theater will be the ultimate stage for the multinational unit.”

Am I wrong? he asked the colonel with his eyes, alerting Drake to exactly what his country’s aims were.

The multinational unit was like a mascot for the Commonwealth. Nothing more than a pawn that the politicians back home would happily send to dance in the spotlight at center stage. The feelings of the actors, who had to actually fight on the battlefield, were a lower priority. That said…the Commonwealth soldiers out in the field ate out of the same pot with Federation troops as they went up against the formidable Imperial Army. They may have been Communists, but they were still comrades in arms. Colonel Drake’s obligation to the people who fought on the same battlefield compelled him to argue against relocation.

“Mr. Johnson. Please take into consideration the fact that we’ve finally started to form a strong mutual trust with the Federation soldiers.”

Drake didn’t want to leave his friends here. He appealed to a bond that could be considered the starting point for all soldiers and warriors—becoming brothers in arms—but all he got in response was a warm smile.

“I understand.”

Nodding in agreement as if this were a well-known fact, the intelligence agent patted Drake on the shoulder to let him know his plea had been heard. It was an unsettling reaction that set off alarms in Drake’s mind.

“Are you willing to respect the bond we’ve created here?”

“Of course we will. That’s been our intention this entire time. It’s why we’re making arrangements for you to strengthen your bond further. We wouldn’t want you to abandon those who you fight alongside.”

Drake questioned Mr. Johnson’s words.

“You believe we’ll be able to maintain our bond even after relocation?”

How, exactly? It was a small miracle that Drake didn’t flatly ask this outright. His eyes made his doubt and distrust clear, but Mr. Johnson simply smiled and nodded.

“We would never separate you from your new friends. You’re all going to Ildoa, together. The same goes for Colonel Mikel, too. Everyone will be kept in the same group. You’re all headed for Ildoa, where it’s much warmer.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Johnson, but it sounds like you’re suggesting we move the entire multinational volunteer unit to Ildoa?”

“That is precisely right, Colonel.”

It was too convenient. Their entire unit was going to Ildoa, together? To say there was doubt in Drake’s eyes as he questioned the gentleman would be an understatement.

“And the Communists are okay with this…?”

“That’s right, Colonel.”

“I have a very hard time believing that.”

There was a time when Communists fully rejected training mages. They were only using them because of the dire needs of war, but it was well known that their mages were under heavy surveillance. Perhaps the idiots who made these decisions weren’t aware of this.

“Do you mean to tell me they’ll allow their mage troops to go abroad where the government can’t keep an eye on them? I’m sure the Communists would be happy to get rid of us Commonwealth mages, but I doubt they’ll allow their own to go.”

“What a narrow-minded disposition you’ve got there, Colonel.”

“I beg your pardon, but what did you say?”

Mr. Johnson stared at Drake with the surprised eyes of a math teacher who caught a student making an elementary mistake.

“The multinational volunteer unit was a political creation from its very inception. I thought you knew this… Perhaps you forgot during the war.”

“How could anyone forget! I understand that fact to my very core. I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to.”

Mr. Johnson offered a look of bewilderment as Drake blurted out his response.

“It seems your core is overlooking something. And that something is the Imperial invasion of Ildoa. I’d recommend an officer such as yourself to maintain a higher level of awareness when it comes to worldly affairs.”

“You must be joking,” Drake scoffed. “Is that meant to be an insult? Not a day goes by where we don’t pay attention to the Empire’s movements.”

“So what you’re saying, Colonel, is that you have been observing the Empire?”

“Of course we have,” Drake said with a nod. “The Empire is only fighting with Ildoa to protect its flank. The true battle is here, in the Federation.”

“And?”

“This is where this war will end. And you want us to take our mages out of here and send them to Ildoa? Can’t you see how that would be a massive mistake in priorities?”

Drake was brimming with confidence as he spoke but was met with a shrug from the old intelligence agent.

“You’re correct from a military standpoint, but fail on the political end of things.”

“I’m sorry?”

“It is as you say, militarily speaking. The Empire will die in this land. But this isn’t the stage. Now that center stage has shifted to Ildoa, this is where you belong. This is just how politics work.”

Mr. Johnson was curt with his retort. Colonel Drake was left blinking to himself at the unexpected remark.

“And your reasoning for this is…?”

“It’s simple, you see. We, the world, must help each other to defeat a powerful common enemy.”

The intelligence agent sat back in his chair as he casually hit Drake with something beyond his wildest imagination.

“Wait, what? Help each other? Has our raison d’état evolved into something that looks out for countries other than our own?”

“You must throw any illusions you have about your country into the rubbish bin.”

Drake was dumbfounded by the remark. It was easy to tell as he leaned back and shot his blank stare up at the ceiling. Seeing this, Mr. Johnson used a bit of a preaching tone to give the man a small warning.

“Both we and the Federation, with our honest egos, will send the multinational forces to Ildoa. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Mr. Johnson held out a paper cigarette and sighed.

“The Federation already agreed to this without hesitation.”

He thrust the cigarette into an ashtray before taking out a lighter while he stared straight at Drake and continued to speak.

“It’s a shame, you see. That good Commonwealth subjects are politically inferior to our evil Communist counterparts. They have a sense of immediate and complete agreement on their side that we lack.”

“Excuse me, but…I need to ask. Have you really gotten them to agree to this?”

“They have indeed. I had a wonderful friend of mine help me convince them.”

“A friend? I didn’t realize you had any friends in the Federation?”

Drake’s entire body made his doubt clear to Mr. Johnson, who responded with a knowing look as he explained their country’s latest decision.

“The world will be our friend when this is all over.”

“You must be joking.”

“It’s true. The fact of the matter is that our interests align this time. If there is one consistent thing about the devil, it’s that he always obeys the terms of his deal.”

“The devil?”

“Yes, the loved and respected Commissariat for Internal Affairs. Their soon-to-be chief made this deal possible. Thanks to their efforts, preparations to leave this country are as smooth as can be.”

Smooth departures were something Drake was all too familiar with. And yet, he found himself standing up in shock.

“Hold on now, Mr. Johnson. You think the Commissariat will support us in any way?”

“Rest assured, they absolutely will. With a smile on their face. They might even see you off with a nice cup of tea.”

For those familiar with the Federation, it was hard to believe anything positive about the Commissariat for Internal Affairs. The world’s most terrifying secret police, smiling?

“I’m having a difficult time believing that, Mr. Johnson.”

“Quite the skeptic, eh?”

“I’ve worked with them enough to know,” Drake answered, but little did he know, Mr. Johnson was about to surprise him by opening Pandora’s box.

“I have a letter of endorsement that will get the bureaucrats moving.”

“A letter?”

“Show it to anyone who gives you any trouble. As long as they’re not suicidal, they’ll let you go with a smile. Take good care of these,” the old man said as he tossed the documents onto the table.

Mouth agape, Colonel Drake picked up the bundle of papers and scanned them.

In perfectly legible Federation and Commonwealth writing, he could see that it read: Highest Travel Priority Authorization. With this, the multinational unit could even requisition any boat or vehicle they needed. To top it all off, it clearly stated that any entity unwilling to comply would be subject to investigation by the Commissariat for Internal Affairs.

“What the hell kind of orders are these…?”

“It’s written out for you to read, Mr. Drake. The entire Federation Army has agreed to allow the multinational unit to leave the country and is willing to support them in every way possible. It has been signed off by both the Commissariat and Army Command.”

“So this is real…?”

“That’s what I’ve been telling you this entire time. The same orders should have reached Colonel Mikel by now as well.”

He grinned. It was an ominous grin, the sort that made it clear a colonel had no say in the matter. Mr. Johnson had told him that he would be departing for his new post. All Drake could do was comply with these new orders.

That said, there was one thing he still wanted to ask.

“May I ask what circumstances made this all possible…?”

He stared right at Mr. Johnson as he asked this, but the only thing he saw was a grave look. It was the sort of expression that suggested the man wanted him to think for himself. Drake considered this for a short moment before shaking his head. He was a colonel, a marine mage by trade. His country didn’t pay him enough to concern himself with the backroom deals and conspiracies that drove these sorts of decisions.

It’s not my job to figure these things out. And so, Drake opted for a more direct approach.

“Mr. Johnson. I’m not a canny man. I may very well mess up the departure process due to my inability to pick up on the more subtle side of things. I’d like a decent explanation for all this. I do believe I deserve one.”

He knew he wouldn’t get a quick answer. Plenty would be kept from him. The principle of doling out information on a need-to-know basis was what oftentimes kept him and the others on the battlefield in the dark.

So what do you have to say? Drake watched the old man…who answered his request with a big smile.

“That’s a fair demand, Mr. Drake.”

“So you’ll tell me why, then?”

“Of course! You wish to know why the Federation is willing to go this far, yes? It’s quite simple. We believe it’s because rather than be on the receiving end of aid, the Federation wishes to be the providers of it.”

The Federation had been widely supported by the nations of the world throughout their long conflict with the Empire. The Unified States was a notable example because of the widely publicized lend-lease program. It was the Commonwealth, in fact, that was in charge of escorting the shipments of lend-lease war materiel. Not only that, but a small number of military advisors, including Drake himself, were stationed in the nation as reinforcements. While it was easy enough for Drake to understand what being on the receiving end of all this aid meant in a political sense…he still had questions.

“So it’s a matter of saving face? Why would the Federation need to concern themselves with that? They currently bear the brunt of this war with the Empire. I fail to see why receiving aid is so galling.”

From Drake’s perspective, the Federation was playing a much more central role in the war compared to the Commonwealth. Sharing the continent with the Empire was what made the two nations such sworn, natural enemies.

“Politics, my friend, aren’t as rational as you are.”

Mr. Johnson gave a wry chuckle as he pointed this out.

“The Unified States has dispatched their forces now that Ildoa has been attacked. We, too, of course, and the François Republic will send what we can to the new war zone.”

“That is reassuring.”

“It is indeed.” And then Mr. Johnson got in close and whispered to Drake, “With the number of resources the capitalist nations of the world are pouring into this war, the Communists, who are proposing a rich, abundant society for all, can’t be seen as begging for aid this entire time now, can they? It goes against their very ideology.”

Though confused for but a moment, Drake quickly picked up on what Mr. Johnson was getting at. Of course, he found the sentiment of it all repulsive as someone who was being sent into the fray purely because of this superficial posturing.

“So you’re telling me that any reinforcements sent are all for show?”

“Precisely. That said, due to the eastern front encroaching so far into their border, symbolic reinforcements are the most the Federation can afford to send at the moment.”

Symbolic. Colonel Drake died a bit on the inside when he heard the disparaging term. The multinational volunteer unit was symbolic in its essence.

“A small number of elite mages such as you and the forces under your command are quite easy to use in this regard. You will be welcomed as a powerful asset on the battlefield while serving as powerful symbols.”

Drake didn’t hide his disappointment when he heard exactly what he expected.

“If these are my orders…then I will do everything in my power to see them through. This is a nightmare, though.”

“A nightmare?”

“We’re commanded by the Federation, despite being a multinational unit made up of Federation and Commonwealth soldiers. On top of that, we’ll have to keep pace with the Unified States and Ildoan troops in Ildoa…”

It was easy to throw the word support around in the political sphere.

But what would this look like on an actual battlefield?

In what sense were they expected to fulfill the role of essential reinforcements? As organic firepower?

Such an intricate collaboration wouldn’t be possible without significant training, and rushing in without preparing properly would only result in catastrophe. The colonel could see it already. No amount of bluntness was enough to push this serious concern of his. Colonel Drake also sought to curb the optimism he felt coming from his superiors as much as he could.

In a rare turn of events, however, the intelligence officer showed a willingness to listen to Drake’s plea.

“Ah, yes. You needn’t worry about that.”

“I’d much rather not hear more empty promises.”

“Let me assure you. The new command will be established in name only. You will maintain total command authority over your own troops. The Ildoans are quite brilliant in this regard.”