March 16, 2069 (Military Calendar)
Office of the Secretary of War
The Pentagon, Virginia, United States
*****
Lieutenant General Kelvin Sherman sat uncomfortably in the simple chairs outside the Secretary of War's office. He had never enjoyed this seat style; it never felt right, especially when he was forced to wait a long time.
Time was vital for gaining information about what was happening. The Lieutenant General had passed through The Pentagon dozens of times throughout his career, ranging from simple assignments to operational directives and task forces, but this time, something felt different. While there had always been highs and lows within these walls, there was always an objective reason for them. In an international crisis, you could have felt the situation. A victory celebration could be heard overseas. This... was different.
While he couldn't place his figure at room temperature, he did feel that the military capital was fear and uncertainty. He could most strongly say that no one was speaking about whatever was happening. None of his friends, contacts, or favors would speak. All acknowledged that same feeling; however, they did not know why. Something had changed, and the highest echelons of the military kept it quiet, but they could not police the mood of whatever was going on.
Hearing the door open, Sherman saw the female assistant exit the office and approached him.
"He will see you now," the woman said.
"Thank you," Sherman said before heading toward the door.
Once inside, Sherman stood at the door, waiting to be addressed by Secretary of War Charles Robinson, sitting in his comfortable chair. The man was in a traditional black suit with a white shirt. The tie was red with white stripes. While the hair still had its black color, there were signs of gray, showing the age and stress of the office.
Robinson turned toward the Lieutenant General after finishing typing on the computer. "Thank you for coming at such short notice, General. Please, have a seat," he said.
"Thank you," Sherman said as he approached the desk. "What could I do for you?"
"I will discuss the reasoning soon enough," Robinson said. "I do want to say multiple people recommended against you. But there were a few who did, and that is why I summoned you. From what I understand, you specialize in unconventional warfare. Is that correct?"
"Unconventional warfare is an overused term, sir," Sherman replied. "In a changing world, you must think outside the box. Traditional thinking, whether tank columns' clashing or chasing cartels in the jungles or American streets, you need to be prioritized; otherwise, military doctrine stagnates and is countered."
"I already see why many do not like you," Robinson smirked, saying, "No one likes a troublemaker. Thinking outside the box because if it works, it embarrasses people like me."
"I apologize, sir. I meant no insult."
The Secretary chuckled, slightly shaking his head sideways in a humorous manner. "And yet, that was not a correction. Some people I spoke with said you specialize in unorthodox warfare."
"That is correct," Sherman said. "My Task Force has been to take what we know and flip it over. I will admit, most of the time, what we come up with is nonsense, but that is the point. I will always be the first to admit that different does not mean better. But-."
"But the same does not mean it will work," Robinson said. "Was that what you were going to say?"
Sherman thought carefully about how to respond as he realized Robinson was testing him. Otherwise, why would the Secretary take great interest in a theoretical warfare like his? It was common knowledge that the military brass threw him in the basement for his unorthodox ideas about playing around outside areas of influence.
The First World War introduced trenches and the evolution of machine guns, something that Generals didn't factor into their strategies until it was too late. In the Second World War, the Japanese caught the Pacific Fleet off guard because their aircraft replaced battleships. Examples continue, as there are multiple instances of new technologies or concepts that changed how wars are fought.
The logic of his methodology gave the military credit to run simulations of unorthodox warfare, but it was strange enough not to be taken seriously, which was a blessing and a curse. He had grown used to operating independently as the brass left him to do his work. If nothing came from his Task Force, it was a few bucks within an Astralis-Superpower budget. If anything came from his project, they could take credit.
That begged the question: why has the Secretary of War suddenly taken an interest in his work? Politicians rarely enjoy people of this type, those who enjoy rocking the boat. Inventing questions to seek answers.
Robinson leaned back into his chair, staring at the Lieutenant General. "What are your thoughts on what happened at Ford Raymond?"
The General was baffled by the question. Clearly, the Secretary meant the terrorist attack by Utopianist eco-warriors that happened earlier in the month, but the matter was a Space Force matter, not the Army. He quickly realized that the politician's question wasn't the main topic but a door-opener. To what, he had no idea.
"With respect," Sherman replied. "Shouldn't you ask someone from the Space Force? I was not there."
"I understand," Robinson said. "Still. Humor me."
Finding the meeting strange, Sherman decided to play along, despite having no choice. The progression of this meeting confirmed his suspension and that something eldritch was going on. "It was a terrorist attack. The report said it was from one of the many Utopian groups," he answered.
"You don't sound conceived."
"No. While they would do something like that, attacking a facility with senior political and military personnel, it was too focused. Why were there that many senior personnel at a next-generation engine test anyway? Also, the security situation made no sense, focusing on interior over exterior threats. I know it is unrelated to what happened at Raymond, but the 4th ID has been conducting unusual training missions since then with a blackout zone around the Fort."
"I see. Please, have a seat."
Sherman understood from Robinson's mannerisms that more was going on than the cover story stated. He saw three old-style chairs in the center of the office. The General sat on the one with green cloth, while the Secretary sat on the dark brown chair in front of him, holding a folder.
As the General settled, Robinson removed his jacket and placed it around his chair, making himself comfortable.
"You are correct," Robinson said.
The Secretary then grabbed his cell phone and activated the television screen on the wall. A video showed an Army Ranger platoon engaging an unknown enemy who was taking cover behind a rock formation. The unit was in the middle of an intense firefight.
As the Lieutenant General carefully watched. He quickly noticed colorful flashes from the enemy position, impacting the area around the Rangers. This confused him as the flashes loomed like energy-based weapons, but nothing the General had ever seen. A new hostility emerged before he could inquire what he was witnessing. At first glance, the hostile-looking human was larger and taller, in dark armor that looked closer to a history book than to modern warfare. However, the hostile hands glowed a bright blue as lightning struck the Rangers.
The screen shut off as Robinson turned toward the Lieutenant General and said, "What do you think?"
The General struggled to understand what he saw. Besides the device's screen resolution limitations, everything in the video looked realistic, assuming it wasn't AI-generated. However, what he practiced were unorthodox ideas beyond anything he could conceive. It was as if he were watching a video game or something.
Sherman's first conclusion was that the video came from a programmable intelligence MovieBox device, a home device that allows PI to gather information from the Internet to create movies for home use. For the more expensive boxes, a skilled user could make a decent movie with the PI device, with enough examination that the human eye could detect the flaws. With this, outside the strange magical elements, he found none.
However, the General knew he wouldn't be summoned over an online PI video. He didn't want to state his mind outright until he gathered more information, so he decided to play along.
"Is this a joke?" Sherman asked. "Is this another PI-generated clip floating around the Net? Why is the government caring about a MovieBox creation?"
"If I had a dollar," Robinson found humor in the response. His mannerisms then became serious. "I can tell you do not believe what you see."
"If it is an artificial creation, it is the best I have ever seen. The question is, is it?"
Robinson took a deep breath as his mannerisms changed. The cheerful switched to serious. "What you witnessed was taken three days ago as part of a counterattack against an alien empire called the Verliance Aristocracy. The skirmish you just watched took place on a moon the locals call Alagore, orbiting a gas giant called Tekali."
While General's mind struggled to accept the details presented, it was putting all the pieces together. Everything was starting to make sense—why the tension within the Pentagon, the strange attack in Colorado, and why he was summoned? He couldn't imagine something more unorthodox if the United States were somehow at war with an alien civilization in another world.
"What is this, Verliance Aristocracy, you said?"
"Correct. They are a Vampire-led fiefdom that has been giving the locals trouble. Skirmishes like these have been happening around the city of Salva, with which we have allied. We have been operating there for about three weeks now and have secured a foothold at great cost. Our forces have established an outer perimeter outside the city, but it won't hold. Colonel William Hackett is currently rebuilding the City-State defenses for a lengthy siege with the objective to hold the line until we can properly deploy additional forces."
Seeing that this was not some random kid online spreading a fake PI fantasy video, Sherman asked, "How did this begin?"
"You might find this humorous, but they contacted us," Robinson said. He then began explaining the concept of the Bridge, how it was sitting in a London Museum warehouse collecting dust. The trigger for all these events started with an Orb on Mars, an unknown alien facility that the Marines and Guardians are attempting to capture from the facility's defenses, known as the Akuma. The Orb acted like a microchip or command code for the alien device. Regardless, the Bridge opened to Alagore, and since then, US forces have been protecting these resistance fighters against the Verliance Aristocracy.
Sherman struggled to grapple with what he was being told, as it was a lot to consume. It was not because none of it made sense. In fact, it was the opposite that terrified him. Hearing about Mars automatically made him believe in the possibility of a two-front war with this new enemy and old ones.
Also, since the Verliance Aristocracy was the baseline, it was only possible with further investigation to predict what the enemy was like. While the screen showed some alien technology that had been discovered, he knew this was only the icing on the cake.
The Secretary passed a large file, and he began diving into it. While there was too much to dissect here, skimming proved what his eye saw. An alien Bridge at Fort Raymond, US forces on a moon fighting alien fantasy creatures. All because of an orb that was discovered on Mars.
"There is more than that," Robinson said. "As you can see, we are in a pickle."
"I can see that," Sherman said. "You are telling me we are on a moon fighting magical aliens while helping these Salva people. The only way to supply them is through this one device or portal. That will complicate logistics for a regional theater, at least until we can establish ourselves. However, if what you said is true, we have local allies with a solid defense."
"You pick up quick," Robinson said. "The people saw are only a regional vassal—their masters, the Unity, as the native calls them. The Minutemen made first contact during a rescue mission."
"I see why you have not gone public," Sherman said. "But that won't last long with the resources required just to hold the city."
"That has been a constant topic of conversation at the White House and Congress. The truth is, we are still figuring out what to do about the situation. While we have repelled the enemy from the Bridge and gained a foothold at Salva, telling the American people that an unknown alien force surrounding their soldiers wouldn't be well-received. The President is looking for a decisive win before going public to help smooth over the announcement."
The General understood the politician's perspective. Coming out now would only frighten the public, so they want a more stable situation. This was not a factor in the India-Russian Alliance, Indonesia, or Türkiye response. While the situation was stabilizing, going public was still not ideal, as public support would be key for an adventure like this.
"Let me ask you this, Sherman," Robinson said. "What do you think we should do?"
"Before I answer, what are our goals?"
"It is pretty simple. A Utopianist faction is taking over the world, and we want to stop them. That would be a major public point. Another, they came to us seeking help, and they are the first aliens that we have ever encountered. And let us not forget, this is the first time we have encountered aliens from another world, and many want to be our friends."
The points made sense for the General. Many of them were feel-good reasons, easy for the general public to dismiss. Assuming that they play this once in a millennium opportunity.
"And the private reason?"
"People have been labeling this new area of spaceflight as a Second Manifest Destiny: sailing into the final frontier, homesteading on Luna and Mars, and such. However, such expansion has significant limitations, for obvious reasons, such as breathing. However, this Bridge device could be a new dawn for humanity. They have resources and technology that we have never seen before. This magic could spark a second industrial revolution if we master it, but most importantly, we have people. That was a resource our grandfathers took for granted."
The General couldn't disagree with the Secretary's points. The scientific and economic wealth could be endless, based on the video. The fact that Alagore has a population of great interest to many nations of Earth, and that it is declining. If the United States could carve out a sphere of influence in this world, it could secure a long-term future in trade and stability, and the country as a dominant power for centuries to come.
"What is stopping us from closing the Bridge?" Sherman asked.
"Right now, nothing," Robinson said. "If we lose our side of the Bridge, which we almost already did, the plan is to destroy the device and call it a bad memory. If we take that option, we would rather have it before going public. Again, for obvious reasons. Once we go public, we don't want to then explain how we lost and were forced to destroy the possibly greatest opportunity in human history, and we are the ones who screwed it up."
Robinson then reached over and grabbed a bottle of beer from his desk. The Secretary offered Sherman the position, but the General rejected it.
"However, there is a concern about a long-term threat if we don't address them now," Robinson said. "We know so little about them, and they have made threats against Earth."
"Genuine threats?"
"They seem hollow now, but we have no idea. We are operating in the dark at the moment. Hell, the ancient Romans and Chinese knew more about each other than we do right now."
Now the General understood why he was summoned. He felt ashamed that he didn't figure it out sooner, but this situation was unprecedented. "What do we know?"
"A Minuteman from CFT-1, Captain Ryder, was taken prisoner for a few days," Robinson said. "He saw firsthand what they are capable of. It could be an empty threat, but we need more information to make an informed policy decision. The real threat is this Unity. We barely understand the Verliance Aristocracy, and we know less about their masters."
"What about the fact that Captain encountered an Akuma?"
"I was getting to that," Robinson said. "It is clear that there is a connection between both worlds if the same robotic soldiers are there. As I said, we do not know enough to make an educated decision, so we have to play ball."
"What is the situation regarding that alien facility?" Sherman asked.
"We are in the construction stage," Robinson said. "We know they're hostile within the alien facility. It will take time to build the base before we can neutralize those Akumas. But that isn't the main issue. We are confident that the RIA knows about the facility."
"I think it is safe to assume," Sherman said.
"For now, Space Command will be taking the lead on Mars. The Army will be handling the Alagore theater."
"I understand. Now, back to our operations on Alagore. I am reading here that we have issues with the locals. I thought you said we are allies."
"Yes and no," Robinson said. "Relations have been rocky overall. Salva is currently leaderless after a recent battle before our arrival. Local villages and towns have been hesitant to side with us. The truth is, we have a credibility problem."
"I understand. We are the aliens, so I should have realized that. Even a best friend at some point becomes an unwanted guest."
"Correct. We are trying to figure out a solution to the problem. We thought about installing a Military Governor. The other is to promote one of the locals."
"Neither of them is ideal. While installing a Military Governor would work in the short term, it would send the wrong message to the other towns and villages. It would only show that we are aliens looking for conquest. If we want to show that we are supporting rebels of an illegitimate regime, we will want a native to have political control. However, it couldn't be any average Joe as they wouldn't have the proper credibility toward the same people we are trying to influence."
"That was our conclusion."
The General was again surprised by the response. While, of course, the White House and other government agencies would develop a simulation to determine the best outcome, there was always a gap between the brass and the facts on the ground. Most of the time, he is self-inflicted by political bias, by wanting to achieve an outcome through unrealistic methods, or by laziness. However, based on how the Secretary had spoken to him and the pre-agreement they had been in, he could only conclude that the White House was taking this situation far more seriously than he was accustomed to.
Sherman quickly scanned the file that the Secretary of War gave him. He noticed the detail regarding the Coalition – the Noble Elves dominated the Thali'ean Fiefdom, and the ones who sponsored Mr. Raegel and Miss. Fraeya Holiadon expedition, the Hispana Republic.
"What if we contact one of these two? They are potential allies, and if we make contact with them, we will resolve this issue."
"Impossible," Robinson said. "We currently have no means of contacting them. Even if we could, the enemy would block all land routes between us. By the time we could create a corridor between them and us, it wouldn't resolve the credibility that we are facing."
"Alright," Sherman said, feeling stumped on the issue. "Whoever takes command of this operation will need to address that issue. We won't be able to resolve it here."
"I was afraid you would say that," Robinson said. "Colonel Hackett has been looking for a solution to the manner. His last report stated he might have a lead, but it was too early. Assuming that issue gets resolved, what would you do going forward?"
Sherman started as the Secretary, understanding that he was being tested. The Lieutenant General then skimmed through the recent battle reports, studying the situation. "First, since this is a classified operation, you must keep as much in-house as possible. You need to establish a dedicated Corps for this operation and have all units deployed on Alagore under it," he said.
"Simple enough."
"That part, yes; the rest, no."
"What do you mean?"
"According to her, Unity has an Air Force. They will have more airports than we can create in the near term. The enemy will force us to fight a defensive war, and there is nothing we can do about it, regardless of whether the White House goes public. The priority should be to expand until we find a better defensive position and dig in as deep as possible."
"I see where you are coming from, but the White House will not tolerate a passive doctrine for long."
"It is not about what the White House wants. Focusing on this region will become a bloodbath, and forces will be surrounded. That is why Nevali shouldn't be our long-term focus."
The Secretary of War stared at the Lieutenant General with a puzzled look. "Okay. You have my attention."
"Once our situation stabilizes in Nevali, we should redirect our focus to contacting and supporting the other factions. Hispana and Thali'ean are pronounced. The enemy will try to keep us contained in Nevali; we should ignore that and focus on potential allies. We keep the war on their territories, forcing the Unity not to consolidate against us, because if that happens, we lose. If successful, we will have multiple stages to wage an offensive war with proper native support."
Robinson crossed his legs, staring at the Lieutenant General. After what felt like minutes, the man chuckled and nodded his head. "A Defensive-Offensive Doctrine. Interesting. Alright. You got the job."
"Sir?"
"You understood what I mean. You must have known what this was about. A friend of yours strongly pushed for this, and I can inform the President that it will be an appropriate choice.
The two stood from their chairs, and Robinson was the first to extend his hand. Sherman took it, and the two shook.
"Welcome to the war, Lieutenant General. You leave for Colorado in the morning."