47 SoTtE Arc - 5

Bullets were flying and explosions were plenty. As Tanya was leading her Battalion in a maneuver that was disguising a retreat as a full-scale invasion. Her troops were exhausted, but it honestly could be a lot worse. A benefit of having Khan provide tactical support in the form of sniper fire.

The enemy soldiers were reluctant to do anything other than blind cover fire. Even the artillery was stuck without any spotters. Mostly because if anyone stuck their head out to try and get a cleaner shot, would suddenly find their head was missing.

Even though they were firing blind, there was still enough bullets and shrapnel peppering the sky to make it dangerous if she dropped her guard. A quick status update from command let her know the evacuation was at 65% complete. While she insisted, they would stay until the job was done, in the back of her mind she was frustrated on how long it was taking.

Once the evacuation was complete, and Tanya's mind was allowed to wander. She began to ponder on Khan's motivation. She suspected that he was in a physical relationship with both her female officers. Not that she really cared since he wasn't military and it hadn't kept Serebryakov and Schubert from doing their duty.

Remembering they story she's been told so far, his insatiable need for female companionship is probably something he still very obsessive over. To the point that his desire might turn to her one day. A sigh of relief reflexively left her mouth as she acknowledged that he wasn't some pedophile.

Once again Tanya pondered on Khan's motivation. He didn't need her power, if the event at Arene City was indeed because of him. Then she wondered why he was waiting to tell her why. That answer came rather quickly. Khan admitted to knowing exactly how her life was meant to play out. He wanted her to voluntarily follow him without feeling like it was a manipulation from the word go. She decided to wait until he tells the last half of his story and tells her what he needs her for, before she passes any judgment.

An expression of disbelief was clearly visible on the Major's face as she was being shown the prototype V1 rockets. This was clearly going to be a very dangerous assignment, one Khan wouldn't be apart of because command didn't know he existed. So, she had no way of putting him in a rocket, because as far command would be concerned it would be empty.

A couple of hours later Tanya and a dozen of her men were flying towards their respective targets. They had to knock of the command center, radio communications station, and an ammo dump. She was upset by the fact that she was supposed to climb the ranks from a safe rear deployment, instead she has had one death defying assignment after another. As she mentally cursed Being X for constantly interfering with life, she got the notice and then informed her squad to drop the "door-knockers."

Her part of the operation was off to a bad start as it appeared that the command center was abandoned. Her spirit was lifted as the rest of her squad reported a roaring success. Her men reassembled and they made their way to the extraction point. Soon they were on a ship back to the empire.

...

Khan watched as the chaos consumed the Republican soldiers. They weren't expecting a pincers attack with the enemy coming from the rear. He then turned his attention to Tanya who would soon be ambushed by the fanatic and the Allied Kingdom.

Khan aimed his rifle, it only a moment to find the target. The man was already aiming his special rife. Khan pulled the trigger. The resulting explosion was bigger then he was expecting. Not only did the man's gem explode, but also triggered a chain reaction that detonated the charged trench gun shell he had.

The explosion not only incinerated the fanatic, but took out almost every mage the Allied Kingdom had sent. The only one to survive was the squad leader. He didn't even bother trying to collect any of his comrades effects. He just turned tail and booked it.

Tanya didn't fail to notice the big ass explosions that came from high above her. However, command was already issuing orders that prevented her from taking advantage of it. Even from a distance Khan could see Tanya was upset.

Then the radio transmission that signaled the end of combat started. Everyone began cheering, Khan silently laughed as he imagined the looks on their collective faces when the actions of the New Republic get announced.

For now though, he had a new notice to deal with. He made a mental note that they had been showing up less and less. He opened up the notice to see what this one was about.

[Congratulations, you've taken out a dangerously unstable enemy, and simultaneously punished those who tried to use it. You are rewarded with:

Dark Justice: (Passive) Whenever you destroy those who commit atrocities in the name of "good." You will be give a modest boost of restoration towards whatever is at its worst. (Vitality, Physical Condition, etc.)]

Khan thought, 'So, it's a skill that rewards me for killing hypocrites. I wonder though, does it apply to people who are just foolish, or will apply to blatant liars. Either is fine by me.'

...

Tanya was sitting in her office finalizing some reports. Most of her men were celebrating at the beach. The ones remaining were her assistant Serebryakov and Lieutenant Schubert. Over the course of the campaign, they had grown close. Although admittedly she didn't know if it was because of their shared relationship with Khan or if it was something else.

Serebryakov came in holding the final forms Tanya needed to fill out. Serebryakov started talking about what she was going to do once the Armistice went into affect. Tanya stopped working asked, "Is that what the brass said? Armistice and not peace or end of the war?"

Serebryakov not sure what was going on answered, "Yes mam, they said Armistice." Tanya immediately started searching for a scout report on the Republican army. A few minutes later she found it. It said the Republican army was seen gathering around a port preparing to head south.

As she finished reading the report everything became clear on what the Republic was planning. She was about to shout orders for Serebryakov and Schubert to assemble the men immediately, but suddenly the phone rang.

She answered and felt her heart sink as she was officially notified that the armistice was now in effect. She let out a sigh and then said, "Lieutenants Serebryakov and Schubert, tell the men to be on standby. There is a very real chance that we'll be shoved into a new campaign in a few days. I'm going to Strategic HQ and try to prevent a major disaster for it's too late."

With that Tanya left, with her Lieutenants looking flabbergasted, but they still carried out her orders.

...

Khan observed Tanya from a distance as she tried to contact command. Only to find they had left hours earlier to celebrate. Watched as she gave Lt. Colonel Rerugen a speech that turned his opinion from a monster in the form of a little girl to the devil incarnated.

Khan smiled at the look of disbelief on Rerugen's face as the soldier told him about the "New" Republic's declaration. As the Generals, who were jovial just yesterday, eat in silence as their failure to truly defeat their enemies.

After that he found himself in a boat, heading towards the desert campaign. He was on the observation deck, when Tanya decided to join him and ask, "In your vast experience, would you know why a defeated enemy would continue to fight."

Khan said, "Yes, the long answer is usually that; due to entitlement and delusion that they will believe themselves to be the good guys, or that they are on the "right side of history." They always fail to understand that when it comes to war and conflict, it's only in the rarest of circumstances is there a clear good guy and bad guy. Each participant will always have some excuse to justify there actions. Only when viewing the soldiers behavior when the believe that they have an advantage or how the celebrate victories will you understand whether or not there even is a bad guy."

Tanya said, "For the most part, it appears that there is no real villain in this conflict at least. The soldiers aren't raping defeated citizens, nor are they rounding up the people just to kill them in the most painful way possible."

Then she said, "We have a few days till we reach are destination, if you're willing, I like to hear the next part." Khan said, "That's fine, but just so you know it's the final part. So, the next time you and I speak, I'll be telling the offer. Which will come three months after a campaign in a land of snow."

Tanya answered, "Alright, let's get started." Khan began to tell her about his conquest of a land called Skyrim. His opening choice between; Soul of a Dragon or Soul of a Daedra. That time he was a nameless individual simply called, Shepherd. Mostly because that was his job.

He was a Nord, a full eight years before the incident that signaled the return of dragons. His task was to survive until, the World Eater was slain. He learned how to create his own spells very quickly thanks to MacGyver Intellect. Khan had crafted spells that no one could match. He told how he took advantage of both the chaos and the fact that certain groups were actually trying to keep it going with no clear winner.

Then he talked about the hero, a female, Dark Elf. Who he manipulated from the moment she emerged from a cave underneath a smoldering ruin of a city.

Used her to get to places he couldn't on his own. He eventually hollowed out any of the organizations that she had joined. After the big bad final boss was slain, she and her supporters were totally blindsided when an army of Daedra started to lay siege to the holds.

The fact that he would build up his army whenever she was unavoidably indisposed, or working on some quest that required her to work with specific individuals. He advanced his own agenda while simultaneously manipulating hers. The result was that he had conquered Skyrim with such speed that the other countries were unable to react until his armies were already at their door.

Tanya was her usual self as she listened, and when Khan was done she ultimately only had one question. She asked, "Do you still have access to those spells you created?" Khan answered, "No, during the beginning if this latest ordeal of mine, there was a time where I was lost. I tested a few of them, but sadly the fundamental law that allowed them to function doesn't exist outside of that reality."

Tanya said, "Unfortunate, the ability to create any spell you desire would've been a game changer." Khan gave a small laugh in agreement, then he spotted off in the distance, the land of the desert campaign. He couldn't remember how long this one would last, but after this would be heavy conflict with Russy Federation, and then three months of down time. Which means soon enough his own time here was soon to end. Whether it was time well spent or a massive waste would all come down Tanya's answer.