Chapter 112: New Reality
As the eting ca to an end, Milano called the president. He looked around, sighing as reports ca in. Accidents had occurred on the highways, and Ergency responses were being delayed all around the City. Austin units were being mobilized as the two city fire and police exchanged information back and forth. Fires were erupting from so of the accidents, causing widespread damage amongst the city streets.
"Sir, we have the periter of the city secure. Austin units from the fire departnt and police are being mobilized to help in the chaos. 4-1 Cav is setting up barricades and blocking the exits to each road. The city will be contained. Nothing will get in, nothing will get out."
Nieto looked at the cabinet mbers around him, the eting had been underway for over an hour, but nothing had been decided yet. He placed Milano on speaker.
"General Milano, you have been on this planet for over a year now. How best should we respond to this situation?"
Milano exhaled, turning to Eric.
"Sir, when Austin and Vegas fractured, we maintained security for a week. In the first few days there will be unrest. The civilians will be scared, and riots may ensue. You will have to maintain a strong police presence. After those first few days, things will settle down. Austin and Riemskin began a trade route of sorts. Riemskin cares about their autonomy. They realized early on that if we wished to take control of their country, we would. I decided early on that that would not be wise. They are the only free country in the world."
Nieto nodded. "I agree. In tis like this, we do not betray our allies. I am sure there will be calls to take control of Riemskin in the future, but I will never give you that order."
Milano paused. He tapped the desk before responding carefully. "Sir, with all due respect, if that order was ever given, it would be disobeyed. The soldiers have intermixed with the Brishan locals."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "One of out lieutenants even married the princess of the nation."
Nieto looked at the phone with a deadpan expression as he registered the information Milano had just given him.
"I see. Well that actually makes this easier. We can use that to make the public understand these people are not our enemies."
Milano laughed.
"Yes sir. I agree. So of the soldiers have even taken to social dia to show the world their..."
He sighed as he finished his thought.
"Catgirl wives."
Nieto blinked.
"Anyway. Tell
what your next plans were for your operation. I assu based off the reports that you were planning an operation."
"Yes sir. We were planning to push into Cartharic territory. Apparently there are Beastkin, Dwarves, and Elves being kept captive in caves and mines. The Emperor, Mithrael has ordered for no more slavery, but our Intel suggests that those edicts have largely been ignored."
Nieto paused, considering the ramifications of what Milano was saying.
"Let’s put that operation on hold. I want to make sure that things are stabilized here first. Do you think the Dragons and Riemskin would be willing to sit down for a formal eting?"
Milano sighed. He had been expecting the operation to be put on hold, so he nodded to Eric before responding to Nieto. "They are looking forward to it imnsely, sir. They have expressed an interest in eting you and signing non aggression pacts, as well as alliance treaties."
"When?"
"Whenever you are ready, sir."
Nieto deliberate the implications before looking at his aides. "We will do it tomorrow. I don’t want to wait on this. I think securing allies is the most important thing we can do. Now, you brought up a na earlier that I want to circle back to. Emperor Mithrael. What information do you have about him?"
Milano sat back in his chair. He tapped on the desk before looking at Eric. The phone was on mute. "Should I tell him?"
"Yes. It never hurts to rip the bandaid off early."
Milano stared down at he desk in resignation before unmuting the phone. "Yes sir. Emperor Mithrael is a God who ca down to this world to rule over it. He runs the empire like the old world empires were run. He holds sole power, and has a cabinet that advises him."
As the news broke to the white house staff, Nieto stared at the phone blankly. The aides had stopped taking notes, while the Secretary of War stood from his seat. He walked over, grabbing the phone. "PREPOSTEROUS! THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD!" The man yelled, his face red with anger.
"Sit down!" Nieto yelled at the man. "This is a new world, and new rules. We can’t bring our old views here."
The Secretary sat back down, sighing. He held his hands in his lap while struggling to maintain composure.
"You told
before that there was a Goddess as well. Are there any more divine figures we need to know about?"
The picture of a phoenix flashed in Milano’s mind, and he looked at Eric. Eric ignored the look, and the Phoenix who was currently perched on his shoulder. Dreha smirked, looking at Milano with his eyes raised.
"Uh... No sir." Milano said flatly, his words sounding uncertain. "We are not aware of any other divine presences at this ti."
Eric had to stifle a chuckle as he shook his head. Milano had just lied to the President of the United States. He smirked as Milano tried to look anywhere but Eric.
Eric then pulled out his phone. He texted Jessica, his eyebrows furrowed. "Everything good?"
Jessica looked at her phone, seeing that she got a text from Eric. "Why is he texting ?"
She had been enjoying a quiet nap with Liara after a long day of babysitting. Liara had beco more active as of late, now no longer sleeping all day. The infant had been keeping both her and her parents up all night, and also awake during the day.
Everyone slept while the baby slept.
When she felt the vibration from the text, she murmured angrily. "Why are you asking? I was enjoying a nap!"
"Do you not know yet?"
Jessica stared at her phone, frowning. "Know what?"
"Check the news."
Jessica groaned, texting back a thumbs up before pulling up her social dia.
She saw the trending news, and her eyes widened.
"What the Fuck?"....
She dropped her phone in surprise.
"Okay.... wasn’t expecting that, but yes. We’re good here." She answered back before putting her phone up.
"Washington D.C. of all thingss." She groaned while making coffee.
After texting Jessica and making sure things were okay at the house, Eric paid attention to the phone call between Milano and the president. Milano looked up at him. "Mr. President, I have Master Sergeant Eric Dryer with
right now. He is able to explain in more detail how to navigate operations here in Brishan. He has been on the frontlines in every major conflict, and roughly six months ago led a rescue mission that took him deep into enemy territory."
"Good. Master Sergeant Dryer, are you there?" Nieto responded, motioning for his aides to keep taking notes.
"I have one question for you, Master Sergeant. What should we expect when pushing into Empire territory?"
Eric put his phone away and grabbed the phone. He traced the world map with his finger while rembering what Mia had told him the other night.
"Mister President, I believe at this juncture that the Empire has realized they can’t beat us on a force on force fight. Their standing army does outnumber us ten to one, but our technology overcos that gap. Because of that, they have been massacring their own people, and blaming it on us. When I led the rescue mission General Milano alluded to, we found two villages that had been burned down to embers. They had purposefully left corpses out in the street for what I assud was for people to discover. They left behind so M4’s they had captured from our n to make it look like it was us."
Eric could hear sharp gasps coming from the other side of the phone. He heard soone mutter sothing about Iraq, and Eric sighed.
"Yes. Exactly. They seem to be willing to do anything to want to undermine us. They are aware that we are the biggest threat to their power. Intel suggests that a few months ago they were planning on using humans as suicide bombers, but we have recieved no indication that plan was ever pushed forward. During the siege, they were planning on using Brios cannons on Austin. I fear that once they learn of the existence of Washington D.C here on Brishan, they may reconsider that option."
Nieto sifted through his notes, looking for ntion of Brios. "What is a Brios, Master Sergeant?"
"Think of it like a tactical nuke, sir."
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