“Wow.” Colonel Marie stared at the triangular formation, which had pursuing them for the past three days, only to suddenly stop and huddle up for some unknown reason. “Guess it finally hit them, eh?”

“Gotta give their scouts some respect,” said Captain Aziz. “But they came a bit too late. We’ve got them nicely boxed up.”

“Still,” said the colonel, “why aren’t they attempting to disperse? Surely they know that the Limitless Shot can penetrate up to three people at once?”

“I doubt that they actually know that, though.” Aziz pointed at the undulating mass of soldiers. “Most of these guys and their commanders are new to this field — they have to be, because we’ve been killing most of our enemies up before they can return with more intelligence. It’s already a miracle for them to focus on strengthening their Palisades.”

“Surely they have to know that something’s up when few of their…allies managed to make it back?” Marie narrowed her eyes at the massive infantry unit in front of them. “It’s been three days, but I haven’t even seen a single flying squad from them yet, just some disorganised Knights. Don’t they even know about our existence?”

“It is rather anticlimactic, but maybe this force is commandeered by exceptional fools.”

“Fools don’t lead over sixty-five thousand men into a field of death,” Marie said sternly. “Please apologise to that term.”

The others behind them laughed. “Colonel, what do we call them, then?”

“Company Commander Hans,” said Marie, “Maybe the other company commanders haven’t taught you that yet, but we call them egotistic asses.”

“What a mouthful.” He rolled his eyes and turned to the four platoons behind him. “Well men, you heard what the Battalion Commander said. Remember to call them that when you fly overhead.”

The hundred and twenty men behind Hans laughed.

First Lieutenant Hans, Aziz corrected himself mentally. The old platoon leaders of Thunderbolt Company had been promoted in the hierarchy when enough fliers to make up a battalion volunteered to join them. Most of them were from the cities the Republic had taken over, who’d joined once they saw that the new regime was making good on their word for an equal world.

The old platoons were therefore broken up and reformed, at a ratio of one Thunderbolt veteran to three newbies. So far, there had been very few casualties, and Marie’s training had been…replicated faithfully.

Very faithfully.

Colonel Marie, once followed by a devoted company, was now followed by an entire battalion of equally devoted men. Captain Aziz didn’t know what magic made this possible, since she hadn’t taken charge of their instruction, choosing to leave it to their respective commanders.

It was an amusing sight to see, however. Marie was always troubled over what she saw as excessive devotion, and she had to keep restraining herself from going onto the field once the captain reminded her about her fanatical men. In fact, the colonel had told the captain that she was already being considered for membership in the Council of Camp Napoleon…or rather, the State Council, as chief of the air forces.

None on the Council knew what to do with her, and none of them wanted to know what would happen if she were to die or get injured in the course of duty. Shuffling her into politics was probably the next best idea.

“Anyway, Captain Aziz,” said Marie, rousing the man from his thoughts, “it looks like we’ll be floating here like dummies for the next few days. What should we do?”

“Hmm.” The captain thought for a moment, and then turned to Hans. “Hans, go organise a shift system. One platoon up in the air at all times, and the rest to be asleep or daydreaming.”

“Yes, sir!” He saluted. After passing a few words down to his platoon commanders, a cheer broke out as two platoons descended, and the captain couldn’t help but laugh as all them were directed at Colonel Marie.

He could see her fist ball up, but he wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment, anger or just an urge to burrow into the ground. “You should go back to rest too, Marie.”

“And have two platoons worth of people bringing me drinks and food?” She shuddered. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not interested in being a laughing stock.”

“I’m quite sure that they’re going to fly back up, hand some food to you, and then some drinks afterwards anyway.” The captain rolled his eyes. “They’ll never have a good rest that way.”

An odd sound leaked out from her lips, and she forced herself to descend.

“And that’s how you get her to rest, Lieutenant Hans.” Aziz laughed lightly. “How’s it like? Alpha Company is a regular sized company now, with only three platoons, so I find it a bit smaller than usual.”

“Well, the men are always quiet when on duty,” said the lieutenant. “It’s a bit boring. They could liven up a bit, yeah?”

“Don’t let the colonel hear what you just said,” replied Captain Aziz. “She’ll chew you out, and then maybe have some target practice with you as the board.”

The two laughed, and continued to exchange light banter as the men below them continued to dig trenches, creating a snaking line that crawled slowly towards the enemy forces. Aziz was sure that the enemy forces knew about their gradual advance, but the lack of a response was beginning to get to him.

Hours passed in such a fashion, and before he knew it, Colonel Marie zipped up to replace him. One of Hans’ platoon leaders were following behind her closely, the look of his face something between worship and fanaticism.

Captain Aziz wanted to say something, but desisted the moment he saw the colonel’s defeated face, and patted her shoulder instead. Hans, on the other hand, behaved the same way as his subordinate, and the captain almost had to pull him away for a rest.

“Get your ass down here, you hopeless dolt,” muttered Aziz. “If the battle begins and you’re still dithering about the colonel, she’ll wipe you on the floor tomorrow, and turn you into soup.”

After making sure that the lieutenant was lying down on a hastily constructed hammock, he hopped onto one and closed his eyes after getting an aide to wake him up six hours later. He glanced at The History of Orb, a book that Marie had given him to read on pain of death, and looked at the first paragraph to induce drowsiness.

But alas, his sleep was not to be, as the Republican forces began a full assault four hours later