The revolt of the home army after their disbandment came not as a shock but a known threat for a while. However, it was the act of the emperor that had stopped any formal committees, task force, or department to put a stop to such worries. When the revolt happened. Over a hundred regiments from both the infantry, cavalry, artillery, and even the emerging flying corps joined the march. Some called it the march of the thousands. Others simply called them traitors.

  What is known was the devastation caused on their way to the capital. The massacre of Augentus, the burning of Isapolova, and the slaughter of Ketherburg forest. These three atrocities finally moved the emperor to action. The mobilization of SWRD companies, army brigades, and municipal police finally ended the march. A firece battle near the rail hub of Himmeldorf. Which resulted in the region being mostly devasted. Which caused the revolt to be crushed. However, in the ensuing raids and captures. Many regiments of the home army escaped.

  Many regiments fled across the empire. Mostly taking and controlling small remote villages, noble estates, and creating micro fiefdoms. It was these very same regiments that protected the empire. Are now carving and killing it like a parasite. All the while the emperor was trapped by his council. Unaware of the disaster that was eating away at his empire. It wasn’t till several key attendants smuggled information in that caused the emperor to decree SWRD’s mission and goal. As well as the power needed to do so in his name.

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  Kettler

  The following morning

  In the tavern

  Owen stood at attention in front of the lieutenant’s table as she ate. A modest breakfast of greens, fresh bread, and a pitcher of water. Vance stared out the window in a huff. Outside the window the rest of the company had arrived. Taking turns as pickets they numbered no more than a hundred men and women. Owen gripped at a series of papers that he and the Hynrich had made using the tavern owners, remaining stock of ink and paper.

  “Lieutenant, ma’am. I bring you a report on the status of the silver mine, banditry numbers, and their armaments.” He placed the paper before returning to attention. The lieutenant glanced at the paper before picking up a piece of the bread. “Do you know why I love the countryside, Owen?” Owen stared perplexed but shook his head. Audelia smiled and continued “the countryside in all its simplicity is a liberating place. It is not confined to the smog of a city, nor are its inhabitants evil in nature. No, instead they are penned up by the wilderness. They rely on the cities to protect and bring economic nourishment while they do so in kind.”

  Owen looked confused, his eyebrow raised, in a wonder of what the lieutenant was talking about at this time. Audelia after sipping from the pitcher, which looked rather appealing in the warm spring. “Call Corporal Kobala and his squad to the hall. At the double quick.” Owen saluted and jogged out the room.

  After a moment the fourteen men crammed into the small hall and stared at attention. At this point Audelia sat facing them. “At ease, I have read the files and to be rather frank. I am not looking forward to what I will be saying.” Hynrich glanced at Owen nervously. Shifting the weight between his feet. Audelia continued “we shall liberate the mines from the deserters. They shall be arrested and brought to the local garrison for questioning.” Hynrich almost jumped at the proposal his eye’s widened with fear, but a hand on his shoulder from Owen caused the corporal to relax ever so slightly. “Ma’am I am sure you read about the disposition of the company in the report?”

  Audelia grabbed at the short three-page report. “I did sergeant, I believe in your own words it is a solid piece of good ground. The mine is situated overlooking the heights. The deserters' number a hundred strong, have two machine guns, one mortar, and may be equipped with a light tank. Is that correct?” Audelia leapt from the chair standing in front of Owen. Mere inches away from him. She continued “that is why I have thought of a way for you men. To have absolved yourselves of any crimes you may or may not have committed. I hope Owen will join you on this. Otherwise, corporal Vance will have nominal command of this contingent.”

  The group looked at Vance who sipped at a cup of iced water. The condensation staining the wooden cup. “I pray that Owen takes lead. I would rather be with SWRD members than some ragged bunch of kids.” Hynrich stared at Vance seething in anger. “My boys and I survived the frontline. Corporal...” He couldn’t finish that sentence because Owen shouted an affirmative to the lieutenant.

  Owen stared to see Audelia clapping her hands in excitement. “Perfect to the rest of the plan. You lot shall be flanking the mines from the east. The owner had informed me of an old goat herder’s path that came from good pastures. While the rest of the company will advance in a 2-1 formation. Two in the front, one in the back. We shall begin assaulting the hills. Once your squad takes the machinegun on the right flank. Everything clear?” Owen noticed that the lieutenant had a smile on her face the entire time. Almost as if she thought an operation such as this would end in no casualties on her side.

  Hynrich looked towards his men. Their faces were a mix of trepidation, fear, and uncertainty. However, when he looked at Owen. Hynrich’s face tightened. Owen had a face of calm serenity. It was like he was home. Hynrich gripped his waist belt a bit. “Lieutenant, I am glad to be under the command of sergeant Albrecht once again. I am certain that he’ll try his best to achieve victory. Owen turned a hand on his chin. “Right, corporal. I’ll need to be equipped.” He turned to Audelia “do you have a spare weapon for me?” The lieutenant smiled. “I have a reserve pistol.” She reached towards her back. Pulling a moderately sized revolver. Owen gripped the walnut grip and grimaced at the thing. “It’s a Winifred Model 3” Owen nodded in familiarity. “A service revolver chambered in 9.65mm X 10mm. For civillian use.” Audelia nodded “a six-shot revolver, single action. Break top actioned. I got some moon clips for you to use. Wouldn’t want you to load the thing in the heat of the moment with a round at a time” Audelia said with a smile.

  A silence filled the hall as the lieutenant clapped her hands. “Alright let’s get to work.” Owen simply nodded and called for Hynrich and the boys to follow him. Leaving the town they entered the desolate and emptied pastures of the town. One of the boys muttered a few words underneath his breath “fat bastard.” Which caused Hynrich to hiss in response. Owen turned to inquire and Hynrich responded. “Captain Kruger along with his personal platoon. Took the cattle. Killing them near the mines They engorged themselves over the winter as the village starved. We went down to give some food. However, it didn’t end well.” Owen nodded along, however, focused on the task at hand ordered the squad to advance at the double.

  After a while of wandering on the side of the mountain they found a little cliff overlooking the mines. Owen stood peering down, his field grey uniform blending into the background of the mountainside. Hynrich crouched peering over the cliff. He pointed towards two key locations. “Sarge, those are the two machine gun nests.” Owen looked and muttered beneath his breath “those are Junker guns.” Hynrich nodded along “yes, sarge. We took them from the splintering.” Owen shook his head. The Junker gun was an air-cooled belt fed machine gun that sat on a tripod. It fired the standard 8.8mm cartridge of the model 17 even using belts or trays to feed ammunition through. “That’ll tear the lieutenant’s lead elements, sarge.” Owen turned to agree with a private.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Alright, Hynrich. Here is the plan. I’ll sneak into the camp. Take over the machine gun. While you guys provide covering fire. Once I capture the gun, I will suppress the other machine gun. I will need to rely on you guys to cover me. Understood?” Owen stared to see that most of the boys’ mouths were agape. Hynrich was the first to shake himself from such a stupor. “Sarge, that's an awful idea. Four of the lads and I will join you. While the rest provide accurate covering fire.” Owen stared realizing that the determination in their eyes was enough. “Alright, okay. You’ll join me. Ready your bayonets. Leave behind anything that’ll jingle. Better not to let the bastard know about us until it’s too late.” The squad nodded and prepared themselves.

  The small group headed down the pass. Until they were situated behind a series of crates. The guards to the mines were sparse. Hynrich provided some quiet advice. “Most of the deserters are asleep. They captured some deer in the forest and had a party. They sent us down to acquire some liquor.” Owen nodded and whistled drawing the attention of a sentry. Who approached the crates cautiously. In the shadow Owen could see that the guard was tired. There were shadows underneath his eyes which shrouded his face. In a single motion he grabbed the sentry and knocked the guard with the butt of the revolver with a satisfying crunch. The guard let out a small yelp before passing out.

  Owen and the party continued after hiding the body behind the oak crates. Approaching the machine guns an idea popped into Owen’s mind. Stopping the party he quickly relayed “once we take the gun cover me. I’ll take the second gun. Once that is done, we’ll suppress the mine entrance. Understood?” Hynrich nodded but worried that the boys on top of the ledge may fire at Owen. Continuing they advanced on the nest. The nest had only two guards. Which were surprised to see Hynrich who tripped into the nest. A fight ensued with the boys rushing one of the guards. While Owen began to grapple with the other guard. Hynrich gripping his bayonet stabbed into Owen’s assailant. Owen then using the revolver backhanded the other guard.

  However, the scuffle caused the other nest to be alerted. A shout of alarm erupted throughout the camp. The cliffside erupted in volley fire as the boys atop the cliff suppressed the nest. While Hynrich and his small group shifted the guns toward the entrance. Owen leapt out sprinting towards the second machine gun nest. All the while he heard the disjointed shouting of the deserters. “What the hell is going on?” Another shouts “what happened to Maxim’s gun nest? Why are they firing on us?” He heard a final retort “it's because...” the deserter couldn’t respond as Owen leapt into the nest brandishing his bayonet and revolver. Firing the revolver point blank into one of the deserters faces and stabbing the bayonet into the guts of the second deserter.

  Grabbing at the machine gun and ratcheting the firing bolt began to fire. The gun chattered away something akin to a sewing machine. The tracers coming out every fifth round. Lighting the open campground as the deserters began to flee to the entrance of the mine. Owen grimaced as he fired all the while hearing footsteps creep behind him. He turned to fire his revolver but was met with Audelia smiling in glee. “Perfect sergeant. I knew you had it in you. We mopped the patrols in the forest, and I see you got them pinned.” She turned to Vance. “Vance take over this nest.” Turning to Owen, she ordered him to rejoin Hynrich. Nodding he got up and jogged back to Hynrich. However, it was not looking good.

  He noted that the cliffside had begun to be attacked by another squad of deserters. While Hynrich was being suppressed by another group. Checking his revolver and his bayonet leapt into action. He ran as the deserters noticed and began firing at him. However, giving time for Hynrich to focus fire on them. Each step Owen took the closer he came. The closer he saw the fear in their eyes. He got close enough where Hynrich began to shift fire to those that attacked the squad on the cliff. Owen on the other hand jumped onto one of the soldiers. Burying his bayonet into the man's chest he looked up pointing his revolver. He fired it mercilessly. Killing two more men at point blank the blood spraying onto the other deserters. Who dropped their rifles and ran. Owen seeing this shouted a roar. He tried to shoot the running deserts but found his revolver empty. Ripping his bayonet out of the chest of the dead deserter.

  Not missing a beat Owen breaks the top of his revolver sending smoking cartridges in an array of directions. The smell of spent brass and burnt powder filled the air. Slamming the moon clip in and flicking it closed. He begins charging up the cliffside. His boots finding perches within the rocky landscape. He catches the deserters in the rock formations. Their surprised faces shining in the ever-growing moonlight. Suppressed by Hynrich and his squad’s machine gun. Owen rushed in like a ghost. He stabs, bludgeons, and shoots any of the remaining deserters. He acted as if it was a sort of dance. He stabbed pirouetted and shot another deserter. Their screams almost mirrored that of a tragic opera.

  Once he reaches the top he sees the fear within the soldier’s eyes. “Sarge, you scared us to death. You look like a demon cacked in all that blood.” Owen blinked confused for a moment before he looked at his own hands. They were a deep shade of scarlet. He wiped it on his tunic. “Oh” he said realizing that his tunic was soaked. He looked back down the cliffside to see a gory sight. He composed himself once more looking at the rather terrified soldier “let’s move down the cliff. Regroup with Hynrich.” The soldiers nodded and scrambled down the cliff face. Clearly avoiding the mess Owen had made on his ascent.

  Upon linking up with Hynrich the corporal blinked in surprise at the sight of Owen. “The devil has returned, aye, sarge?” Owen grimaced at the nickname. He had earned it after a particular engagement on the front. He just prefers not to think about it. Audelia came jogging from across the camp to see Owen and was appalled and shocked by his sight. “Sargeant, your red?” Owen turned to stare at Hynrich who stifled a chuckle. “Aye, lieutenant. The devil of the west has returned.” Audelia frowned at that. Owen pondered for a moment for this was the first time he saw her frown. Something about it made Owen’s spine tingle with apprehension.

  Audelia composed herself once more before speaking. Owen noticed she centered herself after taking a deep breath. “Sergeant, your squad is to break through the enemy defense. There is a second entrance that we found to the east side here. Take your men and surprise the bastards.” Owen nodded and turned to his boys. “Fix bayonets. Get ready for some business” before he continues Audelia stopped him. “Take this sergeant. I am pretty sure you would love this.” From her side she produced a stocky metal framed gun. Smaller than a rifle. A magazine stuck out from the bottom of the gun. Owen took it with curiosity etched on his brow.

  Audelia smiled wide “this is the Bernstein Model 1 Sub machine gun. Thirty round stick magazines, fires a 6.5mm X 12mm cartridge, full auto. You’ll blow them away. This is a prototype gun. So let me know about its teething issues. Also take these” Audelia produced a bandolier of several stick magazines across a chest. The squad erupted in cheer at the sight. Hynrich slapped a hand “you always wanted to try one during the war Sarge, but the upper brass thought it was untested.” Taking the gun and charging the gun with a satisfying chunk sound. Owen smiled and called for the men to follow him.

  They ran jogging for a moment before reaching the side entrance. A small squad of SWRD members had set up a small blockade. Upon seeing Owen, they saluted him. “Sargeant, we have the situation under control. Once you are ready, we’ll open the gate.” Owen nodded and called his men to form two lines staggered on both sides of the entrance. Hynrich will lead one the right line while Owen led the left. Owen looked to the men and said “remember boys, just like the trenches on the west. I’ll do an initial clear, followed by the next man. Make sure no one sneaks up on us you hear. We are not losing anyone today.” The men shouted their affirmative, and Owen saw Hynrich smile once more. “Just like old times, sarge.” Owen smiled. “Breach.”