Chronicles of Two Powers

Chapter 28 - Within the Palace Walls

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Royal Palace – Throne room.

December 14th, 1773

Sollan was gradually reconstructing itself. Police patrolled the streets alongside civilians, maintaining order, directing traffic, checking papers, and monitoring the busiest intersections. The city square was mostly closed for essential repairs, given its significance as a symbol of national power both internally and internationally. The large bronze statue in the centre narrowly avoided damage from the aerial attack, but the surrounding area was not as fortunate, charred black, with large craters and debris all over.

The Royal Palace still stood proudly above the rest of the city, its silhouette unmistakable against the skyline. Visible even from the streets below, a quartet of Japanese-procured M163 VADS guarded each corner of the palace walls. Along the stepped tiers of the roof, Bastanian-made Norrstål L/70 40 mm guns had been emplaced, each fitted with radar guidance and integrated fire-control systems.

Inside, the contrast with the still slightly damaged city outside was far different. Order had been fully restored within the palace walls; it was obvious that the palace and nobles would naturally hold far more importance. The throne chamber was warm and well-kept, with red carpets lying spotless across the floor and freshly polished marble reflecting the light along the pillars and walls.

Six soldiers stood at attention around each of the chamber's pillars, perfectly spaced and unmoving. Their gold-plated armour was clearly for show, maybe for escorting a rowdy noble at most, but not deadly combat. Each carried a bolt-action rifle, the Model 1750, held in more ceremonial readiness.

Queen Savannah IV sat composed on the throne. A semicircle of advisers and military analysts gathered around her in discussion. Maps, reports, and handwritten notes lay spread across a table nearby.

Although the Americans never deployed soldiers to the Aetesian operation, their impact was nonetheless significant. Consistent intelligence packets, reconnaissance summaries, intercepted communications, and naval movement estimates arrived, outmatching any ally. This information saved lives, rerouted convoys, and averted multiple sea disasters, and the Queen's council recognised its value.

Rear Admiral Fred G. Cromwell stood at the edge of the table, one hand resting on a folded briefing folder. He spoke plainly, without ceremony.

"By December twentieth, Your Majesty, the coalition's primary objectives will be largely complete," he said. "Air superiority has already been secured. What remains is consolidation."

He gestured to a marked map. "Over the past three weeks, coalition aircraft conducted sustained precision bombing across military targets only. Airfields, fuel depots, communications hubs, and naval facilities. In total, just over nine hundred sorties were flown. Roughly seventy per cent were Japanese strike aircraft; the rest were American. Civilian infrastructure was deliberately avoided, per our doctrine."

"As for casualties," Cromwell said evenly, "coalition losses currently stand at approximately three thousand four hundred personnel." He paused briefly before continuing. "Enemy military casualties are estimated at a ratio of roughly one to eleven. Conservative projections place their losses significantly higher, though we are still verifying final figures."

A quiet murmur passed through the chamber at the numbers. Someone whispering the number could be heard in disbelief. Cromwell did not dwell on them.

Queen Savannah IV leaned forward slightly. "And what, Admiral, do you foresee as the outcome of this conflict?"