Ad Astra - The Alagore War

AA V4 Salva, Chapter 23

"To the President, I have received word from our combat forces that the enemy attack has been repelled. The northern front had advanced a quarter kilometer, claiming enemy entrenchments. 3rd Armor Brigade, 4th ID had rescued the Unity beach landing zone and are mopping stragglers. For Salva, Colonel Hackett and Colonel Burke had secured the city.

Our QRF from Earth, 3rd Battalion, 1st Astralis Division, is conducting a blanket sweep from Indolass to Salva to remove any remaining Unity pockets. Those not neutralized troops retreated to Vagahm territory when the landing zone was captured. From there, they were evacuated by airships and naval ships, retreating to the port of City-State Tarvass. There was a debate about deploying an intervention force against the retreating enemy; however, I denied any counterattack for two reasons.

1) The enemy attack has crippled the critical capability our forces had on Alagore to the extent that I was concerned about overextension. Plus, after a long night of combat, with wounded and exhaustion spread throughout the battlespace, it was more important to reform. 2) We, and the Aristocracy, have a treaty with Vagahm to respect their sovereignty and neutrality, which the Unity had violated. I have reports that border guards have clashed against the Unity forces and a public disowning from the city. Clearly, the dwarves had sympathies for our cause, and I did not want to jeopardize positive relations with them. Now, I have moral high ground with the other city-states in the region.

Casualties are still being identified. Preliminary reports show that the enemy was going for the kill in this battle, going after our support units. 4th MDTF Odysseus Battalion, Air Defense Battalion, and 4th ID Artillery suffered significant damage. If the enemy forms for a counterattack, we do not have the combat support, so I am deploying the rest of the 1st Astralis Division to reinforce our lines, temporarily swapping Division Missile Artillery with 4th MDTF and 4th Artillery until they recover.

However, I don't worry about an imminent counterattack. The enemy is withdrawing from their positions around Salva and the northern plateau. We are working on recon teams to investigate the status of the enemy, but they can no longer sustain the blockade. I want to give it a few hours, but we have uplifted the siege and achieved victory." - Lieutenant General Sherman, Corps VII

April 20th, 2069 (Military Calendar)

Salva Plaza, the former Confederacy of Daru'uie

Nevali Region, Aldrida, Alagore

*****

Ryder stood, his leg gently trembling from the burning pain. Though treated as a minor wound, his battlesuit had absorbed the brunt of the energy blast. The medic assured him that he would be combat-ready within a few days.

After the battle on the plateau, the Comanche returned to Salva, taking refuge in one of the interior plazas. With the fighting over, civilians emerged from emergency bunkers to begin recovery efforts and deliver supplies to the battle-weary defenders.

The atmosphere was mixed. Some celebrated the victory over the enemy, but the carnage had left most in shock. Much of the recently rebuilt city lay in ruins. Many were still searching for loved ones or recovering from injuries.

Ryder looked toward Natilite, who sat on a piece of rubble, a towel wrapped around her. Gonzales and a Brevia Neko named Ayaka tended to the Valkyrie's back and wing wounds. The Maiden exfoliated the burns, removing necrotic tissue before Gonzales applied a burning gel—preparing the area for a Sanamancy mage's healing touch to prevent infection or accelerated degeneration.