The adventures of the Environmental Gendarmes in another world (Republished)

Reconnaissance Mission

It's five o'clock in the morning, ten hours since the incident with the mysterious group. The Gendarmes are preparing themselves for the scouting mission. The last en hours had been very stressful for the young officers. Some of them couldn't sleep as they still can't accept the fact that they have traveled back in time, but what else can they do? Denying the truth won't change anything, it will only make things worse for their mental health and might result in an emotional breakdown or even worse a loss of sanity. The best thing do to is not to think about it much. They can only play along with it and wait until it's over, and if it will ever be over.

Lieutenant Ace was checking on the mirror of his pickup truck if his jacket and hat were worn properly. They are the only things he has left along with his mobile phone, his guitar and his bicycle, which he happens to have brought with him. He never had a house to live in, even before the war. The only place he could consider home were the barracks in Atlas City. He had no other place to go. Colleagues are the only closest ones he could consider as family, although he never felt that way towards them. He was always distant from the others, never opened up towards anyone, yet he somehow succeeded in reaching the rank of lieutenant very quickly. That came as surprise to him as he never wanted to be promoted.

He hoped he could stay in the rank of cadet forever. Looks like some things aren't always possible in life. After so much pressure from his superiors he was forced to accept his promotion from Cadet to Lance Corporal, from Lance Corporal to Junior Sergeant, from Junior Sergeant to Sergeant, From Sergeant to Senior Sergeant and finally from Senior Sergeant to Junior Lieutenant. It didn't take long before he was promoted to Lieutenant, and all that thanks to an incident which accidentally turned him into a national hero.

It was five months ago during a flood near the city of Gazania. The water level at lake Agave had risen at least three meters high and it had reached the outskirts of the city, destroying over forty houses and drowning nearly twenty people. Before the disaster, the government had set up plans to build a floodproof barrier at the lake in order to prevent such disasters from happening. Unfortunately the cost was so high that construction had to be delayed by a few months. They didn't realize that these few months would lead to the disaster that followed. By the time the realized it, it was too late.

When the flood hit there was nothing they could do to stop it. It overcame the barrier and the water started to rise above its normal level. Most citizens who were aware of the danger had taken their measures to save themselves and their homes. Some citizens however decided to take the risk and unfortunately it didn't end very well for most of them either drowned or lost their properties.

During that time, the local brigade and the Civil Defense Unit along with the Agave Flotilla, which had lost its HQ, were rescuing civilians from both the lake and the flooded city with the air corps coordinating the rescue. It wasn't an easy task. With so many people swimming for their lives and others holding onto objects that were floating on the water, it wasn't very easy with twenty patrol boats and a few inflatables to save everyone at once.

Lieutenant Ace was on patrol near the city center when he received orders on the radio to head to Gazania to take part in the rescue operations. He wasn't sure if he could be of any help, his experience as a volunteer firefighter was very small and he didn't see much action. He was worried about screwing up even after so many months of training.

When he arrived the place was already a mess. Submerged houses, objects floating, cars and bikes sunken and people. People everywhere. Some swimming in the water trying to reach the boats, some holding on to wooden chairs and some waiting on the roofs of their half submerged homes. He knew how difficult the situation was but he also knew that maybe some wouldn't make it. After he got on to one of the boats he started picking up as much people from the water as possible. He couldn't leave anyone out there to drown.

After picking up several people they were about turn around when the Lieutenant saw a dog trying to swim towards the boat. It was a small dachshund dog that was fighting for its own survival. Yet no matter how hard it was trying, the tide of the water seemed to push it away from the boat. Ace couldn't leave it there to drown. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself. For him the life of an animal is equal to the life of a human.

Without much thinking, he jumped into the water and grabbed the dog but when he tried to get back up, the tide seemed to be taking him with it. No matter how hard he swam with the dog on his one hand, the distance didn't seem to change. After a few minutes, realizing that he probably wouldn't make it, he hugged the dog in his arm, tightened his hat on the head and waited for it to end. He wanted to make sure the dog wouldn't die alone. If he the dog was to die, then he would have to die with it.

Suddenly he felt a hand grabbing him and pulling him to the surface. At first he thought it was just an illusion and that he was breathing his final moments but quickly realized that someone was pulling him on the boat. When he opened his eyes he could see that he was lying on the boat with the survivors he had picked up. Surprisingly he was still wearing his hat and the dog had survived and was licking his face as a form of saying 'thank you'.

After the flood had cleared, a damage analysis was done and the results were devastating. The headquarters of the Agave flotilla were completely destroyed and over half the city's population was left without houses. It is estimated that the repairs cost at least half a million dollars and at least five thousand people had to move to other cities until the repairs would be completed.

Ace's rescue hadn't gone unnoticed either. When word got out about him rescuing the dog, his superiors congratulated him for his heroic action as it represented the solidarity for which the republic stands. After the city of Gazania was rebuilt, a ceremony was held in the city center and Ace was promoted to Lieutenant for his actions during the flood and was awarded the title of National Hero for saving the dog. As much as he wanted to refuse the title he couldn't. His superiors told him that there was no way of refusing such title. It would mean a life in shame and regret and while he wouldn't have any regrets for refusing, he had already felt way too much shame for himself even though he never did anything wrong.

The Lieutenant cleans his ultrasound pistol, puts it in the holster of his belt and gets in his pickup truck. Right now what matters is the mission. He must discard any useless thought and focus on his mission which is simple. He just needs to go to the designated area, report and return, nothing more.

It's now five fifteen and the cadets are armed and ready. At last they decided to accept the harsh reality and fight, no matter what. Whatever is out there they must find it out. They may be stuck back in time but they have a job to carry out.

With the emergency lights flashing and the Gendarmerie flags waving, two of the pickup trucks, one military police and one of the Atlas Brigade, and one patrol boat depart towards the designated area. Not a very big show of force but the Lieutenant doesn't want to take any risks. As this is his first time of being in command, he is trying to be as careful as possible. A single mistake and the mission can be doomed. On the other hand, by sending only a part of his forces, he can keep both the presence of the entire Gendarmerie secret and keep the base secured and protected from an enemy attack and that justifies the small recon force.

At six o'clock the small convoy reaches an old wall, similar to the walls build during the medieval times. The vehicles stop at a distance of fifty meters and the patrol boat stops at the same position it had stopped yesterday. It can't get any closer as it might give away their presence. Even though a few people already saw them, they do not want to expose themselves to anybody else. They don't know what dangers are out there yet and right now it's better to maintain the low profile.

Using his goggles, Ace observes and analyzes the walls. They seem to be made made of stones and reinforced with moat, the same material as the one used in the 14th century in medieval Europe. Above the walls a few men in medieval knight armor are guarding the place. They are all armed with lances and swords, ancient weapons. On each tower a heraldic styled flag of purple color with an axe and a crown can be seen waving. That's weird. No such flag existed during the middle ages. Then why does this flag exist now? Could it be a flag used by bandits? Something's definitely off.

Suddenly a few parasites are heard and a voice speaks on the radio.

-'This is patrol boat 246 calling scout one, come in scout one'.

Ace, realizing from the voice tone that something is wrong, presses the button and speaks.

-'Hearing you loud and clear 246'.

More parasites.

-'The coastal town is under attack I repeat the coastal town is under attack. Unknown naval forces in full assault on the coastal town'.

This confuses the Lieutenant and the three cadets who had decided to join him on the mission. 'Unknown naval forces', that's odd. Before he can think of any possible answers, more parasites are heard on the radio.

-'We need to engage now'.

-'Are you taking fire?', Ace asks doubtfully. While protecting civilians has always been the top priority in the Gendarmerie, exposing their presence now would cause serious problems. He may not be able to face the consequences fi something like that were to happen.

-'Negative, we are too far away', responds the voice on the radio.

-'Do not engage, stay back', Ace responds. He decides it's not the time to make their presence known yet. They have to wait.

-'Repeat scout one, repeat', says the voice on the radio, trying to protest.

-'I repeat stay back, do not interfere', the Lieutenant responds.

-'Copy that', responds the voice in a disappointed tone.

Ace the the three cadets continue to observe the walls. They need more information in order to think about their next move. The only way would be to cross the walls to the other side. Normally they would send a drone to gather information from above but the few drones they have with them, they left them in the armored vehicles which are guarding the command post. They'll have to bring them on their next reconnaissance mission. Right now the best thing to do is to continue monitoring the enemy's activity.

The hours pass and night falls. Nothing particular happens, nothing at all. Despite their continuous surveillance. After contacting the patrol boat, he is informed that the attacks ended but the city is almost destroyed from the shelling. The lieutenant comes up with two possibilities of what could be happening. Either the country is at civil war and the government attacked a rebel held town or this naval forces were from another country. Either way that's not important right now. For now it's best to maintain surveillance.

Looks like they'll be spending the night there. They must continue surveillance at all times. It's tiresome but it has to be done. Besides if he must return to the command post they will call him on the radio. For now all he and the three cadets can do is wait.