AES

[Penandsword81]

lord-kensington

Arcine

Piratequeen91

Jeff theTrumpetdude

Before anyone could answer Susan's questions, the ground violently shook. "What the-" Susan looked upwards.The building was shaking. "Evacuate the building!" She screamed, all emergency protocols suddenly reversing themselves, making it extremely easy to leave the building. "I need eyes outside now!" She shouted into the communications unit she had. No one responded. She, along with everyone else, ran out the building, her pistol already in her hand. "Vice-Admiral stay behind me!" She called, as the two went through the door to the outside. That was a bad mistake. She looked upwards. "B....Bombs?" She asked, having never seen anything like it. Hundreds, no, thousands of bombs were falling down from the sky. The city was under major siege. "We need to get the Vice-Admiral out of here!" She once more tried her communicator. No response again. A bomb suddenly impacted ten yards away, and instinctively she pulled the Vice-Admiral down to the ground. The explosion occurred, and suddenly the world turned to black.

Two Hours Later

Susan eyes opened slowly. Her body was sore, though it seemed as if she was lucky enough that the bomb didn't injure her minus the minor concussion it gave to knock her out. Picking her body off the ground, she glanced down to the Vice-Admiral. Knocked out cold. Very well, Susan cracked her knuckles. She would have to carry him. Luckily the bombing had stopped, though most of the city was now in ruins. She tapped her communication device, and it sprang to life. "This is Commodore Susan Bregil. Who is the ranking officer?" She stated calmly into the military radio frequency. Five minutes passed, and Susan started to become anxious. Then the machine squeaked.

"Commodore. According to our suspected Dead and Alive...... the wear about of Vice-Admiral Monmouth is unknown. However- The Martial Court is either KIA or MIA. The Synarch is currently reduced to rubble. As of now, you are the highest ranking officer confirmed to be alive." Susan grimaced. "The military is in your hands until a higher officer can be reached."

"Roger that. I have the Vice-Admiral, but he is unconscious at this moment. I currently have command. Open the frequency to all military personnel across the Country, but first I need a sit-rep. Now."

The voice on the other side of the communicator acquiesced, telling her about the previous events of what happened in Lucidus Magus, The Aes Embassy, and the bombings. Susan took a deep breath. For years she hid, refusing promotions, awards, and staying behind the scenes. Now? She was the defacto Commander-in-Chief of Aes military. s**t. s**t. s**t.

"To the Aes Military. I am Commodore Susan Bregil. Until further notice I am the commanding officer of all military forces. Today we were attacked, as you may know, by Triesten Millagon, a leader of a rogue faction of Lucidus Magus. From this point on, he is to be considered a terrorist, and all forces number one priority is his capture, and if unable to succeed in capturing him, his death. For acts of Terrorism against the Aesian state, for an open declaration of war against Aes, and for the destruction of our Capital; Triesten Millagon is now the number one enemy of the people of Aes. Enact accordingly. Our forces shall rendezvous at Port Stanley. Or what remains of Port Stanley. I'm going to be blunt, we will be participating in what will likely be the largest scale military action in history. May we be blessed in the coming battles. Commodore Susan Bregil out." Susan let out a sigh. She had no idea what she was going to do. But by whatever greater power that lay out there she would lead this military to the best of her ability. First thing first though; she would have to reorganize the Special Operations Forces. Their priority would be the killing of Triesten Millagon.

{Sorry for Puppeting, but things needed to move along}  

[Penandsword81]

Twelve hours after the attack on Konigsburgh

Location: Port Stanley

Susan Bregilmstared at her fleet. Her fleet. The truth had barely set in yet. She was currently the commanding officer of the Aesian military. Marines, ground forces, special operations, navy, all of it was hers. He'll one could say she was the leader of Aes. The one person they could look towards to lead while the Vice-Admiral lay unconscious. She thought on the last thing the Admiral had said to her. The last thing Aes needs is a war. "Unfortunately sir, it seems we are embroiled in one no matter what we want." She muttered to the air. So far the fact that the Vice-Admiral was alive had been kept a secret. Only a small group knew of his survival, let alone the condition he was in. No, it was up to her now to lead the war.

So far only three positive things have occurred in the ten hours she had been leading.
A) Ten experienced commanders had arrived to pledge support for her.
B) The Lucidus Magus government had pledged all forces to Aesian command to break the grip of Triesten Millagon.
C) The most annoying, yet important one. She was now commander in chief of all forces. Seeing how the Vice-Admiral was the only surviving military officer with a higher rank then her, there had been many challenges by same-ranked officers to take reign. Luckily the other commanding officers of the military branches had thrown support behind her, in both a gamble and in desperation. They knew now was not the time for petty squabbles.

Susan looked over the amassing forces. Three carriers. Six dreadnoughts, including their flagship the Monmouth. Fourteen battleships. Finally two hundred lesser heavy ships, accompanied by three hundred transports and five hundred fighters. Over three hundred marines were already prepped to take the landing pads, with four hundred more preparing. Sixteen hundred men were prepared to land on Lucidus Magus and participate in a bloody guerilla war to retake the island. Tanks and armour were going to come in a second wave, once a base of operations had been established. Despite the attack on Konigsburgh, over ninety percent of their forces survived, and were ready for an all out assault on Lucidus Magus.

Still, Susan was worried. They had zero intel about enemy forces. They had the anti-air guns, confirmed by the Lucidus Magus government. But past that zilch. No numbers, no air fleet intel. This was either going to be her greatest moment or her worst. But still, she needed to lead.

"Tell all troops, we are leaving in six hours. Everything must be ready by then. The enemy doesn't need any extra time we give them. Six hours gentlemen" She spoke into her communicator, her voice not betraying any of the reservation she feels about the lack of intel or Special Forces the initial assault would have.

Only a foot hold is needed. The rest can come later. Susan reminded herself, mentally preparing for battle. The troops needed their commander-in-chief.  

[Arcine]

(I'm headed this way after a few posts.)  

[Penandsword81]

Fifteen hours after the attack on Konigsburgh

Three Hours before the launch of Operation Silence

Location: Port Stanley

Susan was pleased on the progress that her troops had made. Three hours before the attack, and they were at eighty-five percent readiness. An hour before the attack they should be at one hundred percent readiness, minus one or two small details. Lack of intelligence about the enemy worried her still, yet it was too late to change this course of action.

More troubling, however, was the reports that her troops were hunting for vengeance. Or, as she overheard directly from one of her troops: not knowing she was listening of course, that they would 'gut every single Magus b*****d they met.'

Susan shook her head. Clearly there were issues that she needed to address. Clicking a few buttons, she prepared herself on the intercom.

"This is Susan Bregil speaking. I have heard a few concerns about troops wanting to enact vengeance upon the people of Lucidus Magus for what happened to our capital. Millions died in the attack, that is true. But we fight to honour those fallen souls. Revenge comes when we do not fall down the path of dishonour and slaughter, as Triesten Millagon and his forces have, but instead embrace the Justice of taking down a terrorist who has no qualms about killing his own people as well as any others. Remember that we are not fighting for only ourselves, but in order to protect those unable to stand up to the forces of Triesten Millagon. I will not lie. There will be civilian causalities, and they will be on our hands sometimes. But know that any attack on civilians will be investigated, and more importantly, any deliberate attack on a civilian will be punished by the full extent of Aes Martial Law. Susan Bregil out." She didn't know if her message would truly get through to her troops. But she certainly would be damned if she would allow them to think that civilians were targets in this war.  

[Bigfranklins13]

Philip Frank Crow

The reporter stood to the side, waiting for the commander to give him his assignment. Suddenly the mysterious Susan Bregil's voice popped over the radio, and gave her speech. It seemed lacking. There was emotion behind her, but the speech was obviously impromptu. With that thought planted in his mind, he suddenly turned and walked away, moving towards the Commander-In-Chief's office. Hopefully the guards wouldn't shoot him this time around. That had been an interesting experience last time.

Cecily Sarah Elizabeth Hedan

Cecily heard the commanders speech as she continued to wield another plate of steel (Or whatever one calls the armor protecting their battleships) onboard the ship she was currently working on. The Deviation. She was assigned to this landing craft, and would be aboard as part of the crew who would be seeing action on the island. All hazard pay was going to her family. The idea was that she could help place up quick fortifications and help secure the foothold that Aes would gain on the ground. Her only hope was that they wouldn't shoot down her craft before she got off. No one ever called her a brave soul.  

[Penandsword81]

Fifteen hours after the attack on Konigsburgh

Five Minutes before the launch of Operation Silence

Location: Port Stanley

The talk with Philip Crowe had been most informative. He had given some pointers on how to interact with the troops. Currently, as he stood by Susan's side, his offer went through her mind. Embedding reporters inside of units was one way for them to behave with more conscious decisions. He, of course, would be sticking around her, trying to get to know the Commodore. For whatever piece he would write after the war was over. She didn't mind that, not if it helped keep soldiers discipline in hand. Indeed, no one wanted to commit acts of terror or horror if there was a chance that it would become a national crisis.

Susan watched as the clock winded down. The invasion would begin very soon. Boarding the ship Monmouth, she looked at her troops. Men and women who would be risking their lives to take down a terrorist that would be most dangerous. A terrorist who had already shown he had no compunction with killing innocents. A monster in her eyes. But then again: Her eyes were biased. She wondered what the people of Lucidus Magus thought of her. She had heard the rumors of course. She was a ruthless violent beast who only wanted bloodshed. The furthest from the truth. She didn't want war. Triesten though, he had forced the issue. No one would blame Aes for trying to take him out.

Her eyes glanced around the cabin she inhabited. Finally they settled on a clock. The mission was to leave at Fifteen hundred. Exactly one minute twelve seconds from now. She opened communications to the Fleet. "In one minute, Operation Silence will begin. I'm not going to be long winded here. Just wanted to say: May whatever power you believe in give you the strength to fight, and the compassion to do what is right. May the God I believe in give mercy on my soul, and yours too for any action we may take that will end innocent lives. I wish us all blessed." She cut off the communications. Five seconds past Fifteen Hundred hours. Operation Silence was a go. The fleet moved towards the floating island of Lucidus Magus. May the Gods have mercy on everyone's souls.
(To Lucidus Magus the Fleet goes)

(The conversation between Susan and Philip was already decided when we both agreed that we would have to launch the fleet today. So, the fleet is leaving, and we'll just pretend that Philip told Susan what she recapped.)