Aleos
07-09-2007, 12:45
“There’s going to be a storm tonight,” this was the only sentence passing through the ranks of the marching soldiers. They were lucky, they knew they were, only a few more miles and they’ll reach base, but the others were going to face the full wrath of nature.
“Think they’ll make it?” a soldier asked his companion, curiosity and not concern etched on his face.
“Probably, but they’re going to face hell, not a good way to end your training,” the one asked replied.
“I faced one of those storms, lost a third of my company in it, but I doubt this will reach the same level,” another one added to the conversation.
“We’ll see about it. If they’re not able to surpass that, then they’re not able to serve,” an older man, by the looks of it an officer ended the conversation as everyone nodded in agreement to his words.
======
Sixty miles behind them, the ones they were talking about marched with increasing speed. They too have noticed the signs of the approaching storm and increased the pace. It was clear to the ones that faced them before that they won’t escape it, but they had to find some shelter.
“How much more?” one of the ones marching on this path for the first time asked with indifference in his voice. It was clear that he didn’t care about the answer; nobody actually did, but he asked the question nonetheless.
“Just the worse,” a veteran replied, answering and not answering the question in the same sentence. And he was right.
Just a few minutes after this short exchange, the storm started the cold, ruthless storm of the North. For the ones experiencing it before it was nothing new, they had faced it before, but for the new ones it was a frightening experience. But no matter what they thought, veterans and rookies alike prepared for the worse.
Shortly after the start of the storm, visibility reduced to a zero as the furious winds bit at them freezing them and covering the soldiers in snow. There was no mercy for the marching soldiers as the very land they walked upon turned treacherous and laid traps. A slippery slope there, a dangerous ravine there, there were enough dangers already, without the weather adding to them. And yet, they marched. This is what they were ordered to do.
======
At a spartan office somewhere in the capital of Aleos a man was checking the latest reports. Among them there was one about the annual training procedures of the Third Peacekeeper Army, also known as the Northern Army. There was only one other person in the room, and he was waiting for something.
“Remember the Road of Sisif, general?” he asked, before adding with a chuckle, “I just received the most interesting reports about it. It seems someone has just breached our record.”
The only response he got from the other man was a calculated look in his eyes and two words, “They did?”
“Straight to the point like always. Yes, it they only lost twenty four men during a class five storm, quite a feat if I might say.”
“Indeed. Might I inquire as to the other reasons for my presence here?”
“And also impatient like always. Good to see some things never change. To answer your question, the reason for this is simple. I plan on ending our isolation,” came the reply.
“Sir?” the general asked, an inquisitive look replacing his previous expression, “You plan on bringing Aleos on the international stage?”
“Yes, it seems like the right time to do it and I believe we’re ready,” the man replied, fixing the other with his eyes.
“What need do we have for the outside world?”
“Much. As you well know our petrol reserve is dwindling. We need oil general. We are very close to exhausting our resources and we need to make preparations for that.”
“I understand sir, may I know what part am I to play in this?” the general, aware of the general situation in the country, now had his mind trying to find a reason for this meeting. His advice was not needed, but if he was here, then something was planned for him.
“That’s easy general. You have just been named the new Foreign Affairs Officer of Aleos. Congratulations!” the man behind the desk informed him. He now realized that it was a careful political ploy. He was getting too powerful and as such he had to be removed, but he was also too valuable to be lost. A brilliant political move if he knew one.
“I understand sir.”
======
Official communiqué
Salutations to the nations of the world. We the Peacekeepers of Aleos, have emerged on the international scene after a long period of isolationism. We are interested in developing relations with countries around the world and acquire raw materials for the needs of our industry.
The Foreign Affairs Officer of Aleos
“Think they’ll make it?” a soldier asked his companion, curiosity and not concern etched on his face.
“Probably, but they’re going to face hell, not a good way to end your training,” the one asked replied.
“I faced one of those storms, lost a third of my company in it, but I doubt this will reach the same level,” another one added to the conversation.
“We’ll see about it. If they’re not able to surpass that, then they’re not able to serve,” an older man, by the looks of it an officer ended the conversation as everyone nodded in agreement to his words.
======
Sixty miles behind them, the ones they were talking about marched with increasing speed. They too have noticed the signs of the approaching storm and increased the pace. It was clear to the ones that faced them before that they won’t escape it, but they had to find some shelter.
“How much more?” one of the ones marching on this path for the first time asked with indifference in his voice. It was clear that he didn’t care about the answer; nobody actually did, but he asked the question nonetheless.
“Just the worse,” a veteran replied, answering and not answering the question in the same sentence. And he was right.
Just a few minutes after this short exchange, the storm started the cold, ruthless storm of the North. For the ones experiencing it before it was nothing new, they had faced it before, but for the new ones it was a frightening experience. But no matter what they thought, veterans and rookies alike prepared for the worse.
Shortly after the start of the storm, visibility reduced to a zero as the furious winds bit at them freezing them and covering the soldiers in snow. There was no mercy for the marching soldiers as the very land they walked upon turned treacherous and laid traps. A slippery slope there, a dangerous ravine there, there were enough dangers already, without the weather adding to them. And yet, they marched. This is what they were ordered to do.
======
At a spartan office somewhere in the capital of Aleos a man was checking the latest reports. Among them there was one about the annual training procedures of the Third Peacekeeper Army, also known as the Northern Army. There was only one other person in the room, and he was waiting for something.
“Remember the Road of Sisif, general?” he asked, before adding with a chuckle, “I just received the most interesting reports about it. It seems someone has just breached our record.”
The only response he got from the other man was a calculated look in his eyes and two words, “They did?”
“Straight to the point like always. Yes, it they only lost twenty four men during a class five storm, quite a feat if I might say.”
“Indeed. Might I inquire as to the other reasons for my presence here?”
“And also impatient like always. Good to see some things never change. To answer your question, the reason for this is simple. I plan on ending our isolation,” came the reply.
“Sir?” the general asked, an inquisitive look replacing his previous expression, “You plan on bringing Aleos on the international stage?”
“Yes, it seems like the right time to do it and I believe we’re ready,” the man replied, fixing the other with his eyes.
“What need do we have for the outside world?”
“Much. As you well know our petrol reserve is dwindling. We need oil general. We are very close to exhausting our resources and we need to make preparations for that.”
“I understand sir, may I know what part am I to play in this?” the general, aware of the general situation in the country, now had his mind trying to find a reason for this meeting. His advice was not needed, but if he was here, then something was planned for him.
“That’s easy general. You have just been named the new Foreign Affairs Officer of Aleos. Congratulations!” the man behind the desk informed him. He now realized that it was a careful political ploy. He was getting too powerful and as such he had to be removed, but he was also too valuable to be lost. A brilliant political move if he knew one.
“I understand sir.”
======
Official communiqué
Salutations to the nations of the world. We the Peacekeepers of Aleos, have emerged on the international scene after a long period of isolationism. We are interested in developing relations with countries around the world and acquire raw materials for the needs of our industry.
The Foreign Affairs Officer of Aleos