Record of Langran War - Chapter 1

RECORD OF LANGRAN WAR -CHAPTER 1-

The 29th day of the 4th month, in the year 45111
Langran, capital city of the Republic of Langran
"Enemy signatures detected! Ten thousand! Lots of relics, too!"
The report was just as Tanser Zenosakis had expected, but that was little comfort.
"Type and number of the relics?", captain Warek, the second-in-command, asked the messenger.
"Five hundred tanks, a hundred howitzers, four hundred armoured vehicles, and several other smaller ones."
"Five hundred tanks!?"
"That's ridiculous! Are you sure of this!?"
The messenger's words shocked the council, and Tanser too could scarcely believe it. 500 tanks was thought to be all the forces Ravana could possibly muster.
Relics were no different from expendable supplies. Though 100 years had passed since the end of the dark century, no country had yet been able to restore its technological and social infrastructures. All the nations were still rebuilding their storages of food, their public facilities, their ability to maintain order, their educational capabilities... The Second Ravana Empire was  no different. Their industry was not yet developed or even stable enough to manafacture products of high technology like  tanks. And with production out of the question, they could only repair what they already had. But tanks are delicate, sometimes breaking down from just traversing terrain. Age was also a problem. Most of the tanks' parts had degraded greatly over the last two centuries, and electronics were at this point pure scrap. To even get a single tank to work you'd have to scavenge parts from half a dozen.
"It seems that Zaham is throwing all of his armoured divisions into this one battle", spitted colonel Zenart. But Tanser wasn't sure. Capturing the capital city of Langran would of course be a big blow to the republic, but both the administrative body and civillians had already evacuated the city, only leaving the military behind. The Langran government had already expressed that the nation would resist the invasion with all its might, and Emperor Zaham should know that conquering the city would not be enough to force a surrender, that this battle would not be a decisive one.
Tanser was sure that Zaham wouldn't be foolish enough to send all of his forces to a single battlefield. The Ravana Empire was at war with more than just Langran, and while the battles with those other countries had currently been fought to stalemates, there was no way that the armoured divisions on the other frontlines could have all been withdrawn sent to Langran; If that were the case, Ravana would already have fallen.
"But... If this is all of Ravana's forces, then there's a chance that we can win this war."
Tanser couldn't help but laugh at Warek's naive optimism, for at this point he felt the exact opposite way; To him it seemed that Ravana had far more forces than they could have possibly anticipated, and that there was no chance at all of them winning this battle, or this war.
"Captain Warek, optimism on the battlefield leads to bad choices. Calm yourself down."
"Yes sir, sorry sir."
Warek straightened his back and Tanser looked at his face, on which remained still some traces of adolescence. Warek was about five years older than his son.
(Now that I think about it, it's Randol's birthday today...)
Ever since Tanser's wife had gone missing, his son Randol and daughter Melina had been being looked after by his friend Dyme. His job had already kept him busy and unable to meet them much previously, and ever since the declaration of war two months ago he hadn't been home at all.
If this operation went well, they should be able to deal significant damage to Ravana's armed forces, possibly even enough to get the empire to agree to peace. Maybe then he'd have time to see his children.
Tanser laughed again, this time at himself, once he realised that he was being as naive as Warek was.
(There's nothing wrong with having hope, but first we ought to take a good look at reality.)
Tanser walked over to the window and looked outside. The temple they were using as a headquarters was at the top of a small hill in the city, providing a decent view of the surroundings. Perhaps he might even be able to see some of Ravana's forces, camped outside the city.
While the size of Ravana's armoured divisions came as a surprise, urban warfare would help to alleviate some of their advantage. The operation's goal was to sacrifice the capital in order to sap at the Ravana's armoured forces as much as possible. Tanser did not entirely agree with the idea, for while he thought it was a good one from a tactical point of view, making use of the republic's sprawling territories, he also felt that it put too much of a burden on the people.
"What's that sound?"
A rumbling, as if the earth itself was shaking, yet oddly shrill, cut through Tanser's thoughts. The sound grew gradually louder, until the temple's windows too started to shake, and then the earth did shake, rocked by the sound of an explosion.
Warek pulled Tanser down to the ground.
"A bombardment!? But we're twenty zeggoutes away from the front!"
"I don't know!", replied Warek, confused as much as Tanser was.
Relic artillery could not possibly attack from that far way. And Tanser was bothered by the sound, for he thought he recognised it. And if it was what he thought, there was to be a lot of trouble. Wanting to know no matter what, he got up and looked out the window again.
"General! Get down!"
Tanser paid no head to Warek's words. What he saw was something he had only before seen in books, or as ancient wreckage. Never had he seen anything of the sort in motion.
"Airplanes... No, bombers...!"
Relics, all thought to be lost in the dark century. Not just one, but a dozen. Helicopters as well. Smoke rose from around the city, from where allied forces were positioned. Ground forces had no way of fighting back against attacks from aircraft.
"Impossible... Just how...?"
Tanser was overcome by shock, but quickly caught hold of himself. It didn't matter how Ravana managed to get aerial forces. What mattered was what would become of the operation. Tanser thought long and deep before gritting his teeth.
"We can't win."
The 29th day of the 4th month, in the year 45111
Langran, capital city of the Republic of Langran, fell to the armoured divisions of the Ravana Empire in a mere four hours.

-END OF CHAPTER 1-