Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V1 Alagore, Chapter 8

"Combat Operations have ceased around Indolass, and phase two has begun. The 5th Battalion of the 75th Rangers Regiment is starting to secure the area. Colonel Hackett's Minutemen are beginning to recon the local area. The battle to secure their side of the Bridge was harsh, with many casualties. The enemy proved very determined, holding out until the last possible moment before pulling back.

The engagement with the Verliance Aristocracy defenders was fierce. Based on the field reports, the enemy left a rear guard to protect their side of the Bridge. According to the female elf known as Fraeya Holiadon, the enemy was not equipped to engage in high-intensity warfare and was suppressing a rebellion.

Based on the enemy's performance from the recent battle, we can only assume what a proper response from the Aristocracy would be. With the weapons gathered and based on the recording data, the enemy is more advanced in the sense of firearms compared to the United States, and based on the other data, they have strong offensive and defensive abilities that we have never encountered before. A new Task Force is being established to research these new weapons and tactics to help understand this new world. Tactics and weapons we consider impossible by our standard seem pleasurable when introducing what they call Magitech, a concept that will require further study later.

While the current phase is a Special Forces operation to recon the enemy and establish a beachhead for further operations, the enemy's strength has led to concerns that if the enemy attacked in force, the Rangers wouldn't withstand a conventional counterattack. I have contacted Major General Taylor Webster (4th Infantry Division) to prepare a battalion as a Quick Reaction Force, to which he had agreed." - USSF Major General Harris, Space Command, Cheyenne Mountain Complex

March 4th, 2069 (Military Calendar)

Temple of Indolass, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie,

Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

After taking the temple, Mathew Ryder looked around as the Americans began setting up base, at least, or what was left of the temple.

"Not bad for a couple of hours of work," King said.

"Not bad indeed," Ryder replied. "I do wonder, what would this place look like in its prime? It is sad that there is almost nothing left."

"How old is this place?" Barrett asked. "Thousands of years? Fraeya made it sound ancient."

"Cost of war," King said. "It is probably best that most of the ruins were degraded. That means we don't have to destroy them."

"Always the practical one," Ryder said. "Let's head back."

The three Comanche navigated through what remained of the Indolass Temple; they had to use the flashlights on their helmets because it was so dark. They saw Rangers cleaning up the destruction, removing the enemy corpses, and setting up camp. The alien bodies and equipment were being gathered for shipment back to Earth for study. In contrast, anything that hinted at magitech was being collected for analysis, and fortifications were being built to repel an enemy counterattack.

While they won this round, the unknown was the biggest threat. This didn't bother the captain, as he knew that, in time, they would learn how the enemy worked and adjust accordingly. How does the heart of their technology function? Once they understand the building blocks of magitech, they will be able to counter it. What concerned him was that they probably would do the same and were ahead of the competition. They had already taken many of their people and stole whatever technology and research they found within the NASA facility.