Calls for Aid

"The who call for aid?" said the general as he looked at the report he had just been handed.

"The elves, sir." said the corporal, "We received a runner at 0647 this morning, dressed in chainmail and carrying a sword of some sort. He looked really rough."

"Elves? As in long-eared, almond-eyed, bow-wielding, elves? Is that what you're telling me corporal?" said the sergeant major.

"Yes, sir. He's sighting a treaty between humans and elves from the year 319 BC. He has a copy of the treaty and it's signed by Alexander the Great."

"Well, by all means, send him in. This ought to be good." the general said.

"He only speaks ancient Greek, so we have a translator, Private Popagopalis from Linguistics."

A few minutes later an armor-clad elf and a private in fatigues were escorted into the general's office. "Private Popagopalis and Herathon of the House of Leaning Pines, reporting as ordered, sir." The elf bowed low as the private saluted.

The elf's armor was damaged and had several small holes in it, he had been bleeding from several wounds on his face, but they had been treated by the medics.

"OK private, let's have it." said the general as he leaned back.

"Yes, sir," he said a few words in Greek to the elf, and the elf began to rattle off heavily accented Greek and placed a scroll of papyrus on the general's desk. a few minutes later the elf stopped talking and waved his hand at the private. "Herathon greets you as a superior officer of the human forces. He explains, at length, that his people have come under attack by an ancient enemy, their name doesn't translate, and as per the treaty signed by the leader of the known world, he invokes the right of reinforcements. The portal to his people's land is open again and the time is short."

"Have we looked into the veracity of this parchment?" said the general. "This seems like some sort of elaborate joke by our Greek allies."

"Yes sir, it's ancient papyrus and the signature matches ancient examples. We have a sample running through the mass spectrometer and it's being radio-dated." Said the private.

"Well. Then who are we to refuse aid to an ancient ally? Ask him how many of the enemy there are and what forces his people have, and their general disposition."

The private asked several questions and explained the general's position to the elf, who replied as he ticked off points on his fingers. "He says that the enemy numbers in the tens of thousands and his people have four thousand of their best warriors holding the walls of their city, but he is unsure as to how long they can hold out. He asks for mounted cavalry and archers as laid out by the treaty."

The general smiled, "Run it up the chain of command, tell the higher highers that we are sending a platoon to investigate the "invasion" until they reply, send forth platoon, second company to recon the situation and report back to me. This ought to be priceless. Warfare at the ren fair."

Popagopalis translated to Herathon that the general was sending a scouting force in front of a main force. Herathon smiled and bowed deeply, speaking several Greek words.

"Herathon says that is a wise decision to take in the field of battle before committing all of your troops, that you are a wise commander, and that he looks forward to working with humans again." said the private.

"Again?" said the sergeant major.

"Yes, sir, he has said that he worked with humans during the last great siege by the enemy over two thousand years ago."

"You're dismissed. Take our new friend and introduce him to platoon command."

"Sir!" the private saluted and he and Herathon left the office."

The sergeant spoke, "You don't think this is legit do you sir?"

"Of course not. But if the Greeks are playing a joke on us, I'm willing to play along until it breaks. I like a good story."

"Yes, sir."

Three days later stratcom returned orders to stand down the platoon once it returned from its "patrol" and get to the bottom of the foolishness.

The general inquired to his counterpart in the Greek forces what they were up to, but he swore he had no clue what the general was talking about.

Nine days passed and the second lieutenant in charge of the fourth platoon and three of his soldiers were ushered in, they were covered in soot, mud, and sporting several wounds each, "Second Lieutenant Rhinehart reporting sir."

"What in the name of God happened to you soldier?" said the general, "Get a medic in here. Now."

The sergeant major picked up the phone and called for a medic to the general's office.

"The elves sir, it's a real situation, there is a portal of some kind in the woods, it's not like anything I've ever seen, about ten miles out. We moved through as ordered. We encountered resistance almost immediately. We encountered and engaged about three dozen warriors with spears and bows. Not sure what they were sir, they were not human or elf. We took out the attacking group and made our way to the elven city. They are in a bad way, sir. Outnumbered six to one at least, their enemy has bows, siege towers, and catapults of all things. Along with a variety of other ancient weapons. It's straight out of Lord of the Rings sir. We've lost three men in the platoon to their advances, sir. Our weapons are making a difference, but we are only one platoon. This was the first chance I was able to make it away from the battle to report. I'm officially requesting reinforcement, sir. Whether the treaty is real or not, it's a real fight, sir."

The medic arrived and started treating the lieutenant's, and other soldiers, wounds.

"Well if there is a fight, and we've lost soldiers to an enemy force, then we will respond in kind. Get second, third, and fourth companies ready to roll heavy. We're going to end this decisively. When you get back have Popagopalis tell the elves that the humans honor their end of the treaty. No one fucks with the USMC and gets away with it."