TF Amethyst

Nate's Office, Castle Lagra

13:10, 2 Nov 2025

For the last few days, situation was calm and quiet. Battle Group B loaded a massive number of water and provision to their ships. But after that, they just sat idle on their base. As for Battle Group A, they just conducted their daily routine like any other days.

Therefore, Nate could sit in his office and took care of Oplan Black in The Night's post-operation report. He had finished everything, except a few things related to Captain Isak. And so, after he had his lunch Nate called Captain Isak to his office. 

As he asked Captain Isak to sit, Nate opened the conversation, "Captain, before we go into main subject, is there something you want to say regarding Oplan Black in The Night?"

"Yes, Sir." 

Captain Isak calmly replied, but inwardly he was nervous as hell. First, because this was his first time he had talked face to face with one of TF Amethyst’s high-ranking officers. Second, because Lt. Colonel Luther had warned him that executing POW without permission could drag him into military court.

After calming his heart, Captain Isak then continued, "About our loot, I and other Vanguard Squadron's officers decide that we will combined it, convert the valuables into money, and then distribute it evenly to every personnel who participated in the operation."

As he gave Captain Isak a curious gaze Nate asked, "Did your unit get good loot?"

"Yes Sir. It's a massive harvest."

"I see. Glad to hear that." 

"Each Squadron could only spare one platoon to collect the loot, but we manage to secure more than twenty thousand personal money bags, along with a lot of jewelry and high valuable items from special quarter for high-born officers." Captain Isak then put a beautiful box made of sandalwood in front of Nate and continued in low tone, "And this is our token of gratitude for you, Sir."

As he smiled from ear to ear Nate checked the jewelry in the sandalwood box, and then he took a ring with tiger eye jewel and pushed the rest back to Captain Isak.

"Thank you," Nate smiled amusingly before continuing, "I had supervise countless raid, but this is the first time a field officer share some of his loot."

"Sir?" Question mark immediately appeared in Captain Isak's forehead.

"These are your unit loot, do whatever you and your men want to do with it. Looting and foraging is legal as long as you have permission, no war crime in the process, and no messing around with operation's objective." 

"Understood, Sir." Captain Isak nervously took back the sandalwood box.

"Now, let's talk about the main reason why I call you here."

"Sir."

"Captain, in the future, please refrain yours self from execute POW without permission. It's a serious war crime and can lead into unwanted diplomatic issue in the future." 

"Sir, I will gladly accept the punishment."

"For this one, I will let you off."

In an instant Captain Isak flabbergasted. He had prepared to accept the consequence for his action, and expected that Nate would use him as an example.

Without delay, Captain Isak hastily said, "Sir, thank you, Sir."

Nate lightly nodded and then asked, "Can I ask your opinion for a few things?"

"Absolutely, Sir."

“Good.” Wasting no time, Nate immediately gave Captain Isak a summary. 

In short, TF Amethyst plant to form 1st Buriek Vanguard Brigade, and its core units were three infantry squadrons and two archer squadrons that participated in Oplan Black in The Night.

The brigade would be projected as a rapid reaction force that always ready to be deployed on short notice and able to operate for long duration together with TF Amethyst's element.

Its main job was to help TF Amethyst's higher-up to shape the flow of the battlefield into their favor. Especially, when there was an objective that must be neutralized without the use of heavy airstrike or artillery strike in order to avoid collateral damage.

Also, its sister unit or more precisely 1st Tuscan Vanguard Brigade had already finished its first three-week combat simulation a few days ago.

 

After taking a sip of his tea, Nate casually asked, "So, what is your opinion?"

Captain Isak calmly replied, "I will faithfully follow TF Amethyst arrangement."

"Good."

"Sir, may I know, who will lead this rapid reaction brigade?"

Nate calmly looked at Captain Isak as he replied, "You."

"Me?" Captain Isak asked with a half shriek voice as big question mark appeared in his forehead.

"Yes. You, Captain. We will promote your rank into a Brigadier."

"With all respect, Sir. I think you overestimate my ability."

"Maybe," Nate casually replied, "But the thing is, the brigade will be stationed at Castle Lagra and will have a lot of direct communication with Viscount Issel.

Therefore, TF Amethyst put a significant amount of consideration into Viscount Issel recommendation. He is the one who ask me to pardon your illegal execution."

"I never meet, not to mention talk with Ser Issel." Puzzlement was clearly visible in Captain Isak's face as he continued, "So, why does he recommend a small fry like me for such a high station?"

"In the offensive on Lagra City, you refused to execute children that were captured by your unit. It makes Viscount Issel has a good impression on you." Nate paused for a moment before continued, "As for other Buriek Guard's officers, especially the high-born officers, he still hold a deep resentment towards them.

He even proposed an idea to replace Buriek Guard's personnel in Sandhur Region with mercenary and ready to pay the expenditure."

Captain Isak slightly nodded, and then he asked in a low tone, "Can I refuse, Sir?"

"No, I don't have other candidates," Nate replied firmly.

"Then… I'll do my best, Sir."

"Good."

Nate ignored Captain Isak's complicated expression and happily nodded.

"The official appointment will come out in two days. You may return to your station, Captain."

"Sir."

After giving a salute, Captain Isak then exited the room with an expression as if he had just drank a glass of vinegar. Unlike high-born officers who were graduated from Buriek Military Academy, he was just a base-born officer who crawled step by step from lowest pecking order into his current station. It was uncommon for such officer to be promoted higher than a rank of a captain.

'I'm screwed.' 

Captain Isak walked the hallway dejectedly. He was an illiterate, so he shuddered when he imagined that as a CO of a brigade, he had to read a lot of report and intelligence, or write a neat battle plan.

---

Knock knock knock!!

After Captain Isak left, Nate just about to lean his back to his chair, but someone suddenly knock the door of his office.

"Come in." 

Nate casually said and Analyst Stockwell immediately entered and approached his desk.

"Sir, I have something to share with you."

As he saw there was a deep concern on Analyst Stockwell's face, but there was no document in his hand, Nate immediately asked, "Is it an emergency?"

"No, Sir. It just my assumption, but I think I have to share it with you as soon as possible."

 

"What kind of assumption?" Nate asked as he signaled Analyst Stockwell to sit. 

"I think Battle Group A is preparing to launch a tunnel attack on us."

In an instant curiosity filled Nate's gaze, "Give me the detail."

Without delay, Analyst Stockwell used his tablet to show a picture of eight-wheeled cart with broken axis. 

"A cart usually only has a pair of wheel to make it easier to turn. However, the carts used by Battle Group A have four pairs of wheels

Aerial surveillance only showed us bags of grain and other provision on the carts. But with a long cart, it's possible to hide wooden blocks and construction materials under the provision bags."

Nate nodded and said, "Continue."

"Normally, when axis on a cart is broken, they will move the goods to another cart and take the broken cart to repairing facility.

But they repair this cart on the spot without moving the goods. Moreover, they did all unloading inside the storage house."

"And the statistic for the carts and the storage house?" Nate curiously asked.

"They have 36 of high-roof storage houses, each one with capacity of 300 carts. But yesterday, there were at least 400 carts entered each storage house. It would enough to feed the whole camp including the slaves for seven meals a day."

"Is there any trail lead to the place where they throw the excavation soil away?"

"No, but if they put the provision and construction material to the underground storage, then they can pack the excavation soil into sandbag and put it inside storage house. Moreover, because it's not grain or flour, they can stack it up as high as possible."

"Fuck me." 

Nate massaged his forehead as headaches suddenly attack him. “Battle Group A already sat in the border for a long time. Who know how big or long the tunnel they have dug."

Analyst Stockwell looked at Nate for a while before adding, "Sir, the same pattern also happened in their second camp. They also have storage houses more than they need."

"No wonder the number of slave workers in these camps is too little. The slave workers must be works in the underground tunnel." Nate then looked at Analyst Stockwell as he continued, "Do you have prediction for their target?"

Analyst Stockwell slightly nodded. "If their target is Foc Venom, they will already use the tunnel to attack it. But it seems like their target are Levsait and Raisait. 

Unfortunately, Count Isak has visited Levsait and Raisait dozens of times. He knows the layouts both Levsait and Raisait to some extent."

After heaving a deep sigh Nate said, "I let him enter Levsait and Raisait and even show him capability of our small arms to make him understand how big the difference in our combat potential, but it backfires on us."

Analyst Stockwell nodded and said, "Base on Count Isak visit and interest, I already made prediction of the targeted area."

"Good, let's deploy Tunnel Rat and MCG to sweep the area." Nate paused for a moment before continuing, "After the incident with Terry Hill, MCG also developed new tactic to counter tunnel attack, let's ask them to prepare it."

Analyst Stockwell silent for a while before asking, "Sir, can I say some unpleasant things?"

"You can," Nate replied casually.

Analyst Stockwell immediately took a deep breath before saying, "To observe Battle Group A, we only have two analysts. First is Analyst Jackson in Foc Venom, but he had priority to track and locate Prince Makar. So I'm sure he will ignore everything else.

Second analyst is me, over here in Castle Lagra. But my primary role is a wild card that had to study intel from other hot zone. As a wild card, I work randomly and rely on luck to find jackpot. If three days ago I didn't coincidently see the cart with broken axis, I will never dig deeper and sniff this possible tunnel attack. 

However, if we have more analysts, I'm sure they will recognize the abnormally between the number of provision cart and storage houses as soon as they processed the collected intel into statistical data.

In short, we lack of analyst but having too many hot zone to observe. The Guest From East, Battle Group A, B, & C. Kingdom of Makai's covert ops in Northern Coalition's territory, Makai Royal City's intel gathering as preparation for Tiger Leap, and contra-intelligence against Makai Intelligence Service in Magwurt City."

Hearing Analyst Stockwell who usually cherished his word as if it was diamond, suddenly make a long complained in one breath, Nate immediately took a deep sigh.

"Stockwell, even if I'm seven years younger than you, I had my fill as analyst a little longer than you. So believe me, I understand why you are very upset with current circumstance in IDG."

"Sir."

"The sudden expansion of AO to Kingdom of Buriek is really mess up our rhythm." Nate said weakly, "But we have no choice. At Foc 1750, I and XO already throw away our conscience and ready to hand over the refugees from Sandhur Region.

But the opposing side refused our gesture of good will and showed us a crystal clear hostility. At that time, we have no way of knowing if the refusal was personal initiative or Kingdom of Buriek's interest. Therefore, our only option was to jump in into conflict between Sandhur Region and Kingdom of Buriek with everything we have."

"Understood, Sir."

"Good." Nate nodded before continuing, "I want you to accompany Tunnel Rat and MCG while they conduct the sweeping."

"Sir?"

Seeing big question mark appeared in Analyst Stockwell forehead, Nate immediately explained, "Levsait is 1200 square kilometers of flat field on the highland. It’s two times bigger than Chicago. As for Raisait, even if it's slightly smaller, it’s still a big area. 

It will be a great help if Tunnel Rat have someone to give them a proper advice directly."

"Sir, I don't mind doing field work. But right now, in my office there are eight long tables filled with mountains of intel and I haven't finished studied it."

"You can leave it for a few days."

"Understood, Sir."

Wasting no time, Analyst Stockwell got up and exited the room. Meanwhile, Nate tidied up his desk before going to command center.

*****

Footnote:

AO: Area of Operation

Tunnel Rat: A 260-men company specialized in tunnel warfare. They operate under command of Ground Combat Group.