Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V3 Vagahm, Chapter 14

"Colonel Hackett, I have been reviewing your reports from Alagore, and I am pleased to state that your Minutemen have performed outstandingly under extreme circumstances. In every situation, your 2nd Special Forces Detachment has been on the front lines, fighting in battle, interacting with the locals, and securing key objectives.

More importantly, read about how your teams navigated the wilderness behind enemy lines, looking for Captain Ryder. It was brave and stupid to conduct an operation on an alien world. They all would be lost with one wrong turn and your three Minutemen teams and a British one. I bet the enemy was not expecting to see them causing mayhem.

I have informed the president of your proposal about installing Assiaya onto the throne and her now father, Mathew Ryder. Creating a political identity around these two was smart; even though it is crazy, we have the President's full endorsement. If this world wants to play House, we will beat them at their game. I do have to admit that when the State Department learned of our arrangement, they were not pleased, most likely because they didn't have a say in the creation of this puppet government.

Even though the Captain's passion sold me, I was not convinced that the White House would have supported your plan, especially with one of your Officers being taken by the enemy. But it all worked in your favor, as the Press Secretary said when they go public, how an American soldier saved a former Princess, bravely fighting through this world to safety and now adopted her would be good for PR. I feel bad for Matt. I served with his father during the Cartel War. The boy has no idea what firestorm he is about to enter. I hope his love for Assiaya is strong enough.

You seem to have adapted well to this world's way of thinking, but that is what we must do. Your Minutemen have proven effective in this war, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and my VII Corps want to continue having your teams lead us into this new frontier. It has been agreed upon that all three squadrons should be deployed to Alagore in addition to creating three more under your command. Also, under my directive, all allied Special Forces and armies created under Captain/Duke Ryder House will fall under your command, preventing any bureaucratic interference, only reporting to me.

The President isn't thrilled about the reports that this new enemy is surrounding Salva. This is a vulnerable point for our operations. We have no room to navigate if the enemy can break through the Salva defenses. Between the mountain ran to the west, a lake the size of Lake Erie to the south, and a plateau that the enemy was fortifying to the north.

You have two simple objectives: hold Salva at all costs and break the siege. The entire 4th ID is in the theater, and 4th MDTF missile defenses and offensive units, along with a brigade from 1st Astralis, are being deployed to provide security and reserves. However, the White House is only willing to authorize this conflict until we go public, which is contingent on the outcome around Salva.

The President does not want to go public in a weakened state, and a victory at Salva would lessen the concerns that the United States is at war with a new, alien enemy and all the baggage that brings. - Lieutenant General Kelvin Sherman

March 20th ,2068 (military calendar)

The Citadel, Cornt, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie

Welrindor Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Standing on the hard stone floor, Kallem stared at his beautiful capital: skyscrapers reaching ten stories and long keeps as far as one could see while a select few reached high into the sky. Hundreds of lights from the natural gas lines illuminated the evening sky.