The next morning, Eric sat in the command tent with Milano. The atmosphere weighed down on the staff present, feeling heavier than any IOTV or ruck ever did. Eric was the first to speak. "I think it's time to speak to the battalion as a whole. Thus far, we have lost more soldiers than we could have expected." Eric said while sighing. "Sir, if we let this-" His words were cut off by Milano as he stood up. "You may not know this as you were never in the initial push, but back in the first stages of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, soldiers going into those god forsaken wastelands were gung-ho and thought of us as God's. When the casualties piled up, it took us months to recover as soldiers went AWOL or missed movement." Milano stopped his speech as he turned to look at the men in the room. "I think Dryer is right. We need to address the formation as a whole." As Milano was about to call for a battalion formation, A sergeant rushed into the tent. "Sir, some men with hoods are standing outside Hood Hill. They wish to speak to SFC Dryer."
Eric left the meeting while grouchy. "Goddamned old men. Why is it always me?" He thought as he walked to the bottom of Hood Hill. Meetings and paperwork seemed to be his entire life-style ever since arriving in this world. Eric walked to where the hooded figures stood, and looked at them with consternation. "Good afternoon. I have said it before, and I will say it again, but thank you for bringing that soldier back. Now, pleasantries aside, you informed our soldiers that you wished to speak to me. Is there something I can help you with?"
"Before we discuss anything important, is there anywhere we can talk privately?" A gentle female voice answers Eric from under her hood. Eric sighed and looked at the woman, nodding. "Sure." Motioning for the entourage to follow him, Eric led them to his tent. He sat down at his desk and motioned for them to do the same. "Feel free to take a seat. I am afraid I do not have much to offer in the manner of refreshments." Only the woman sat, a fact that Eric did not miss as the two men stepped back. Their eyes focus on Eric as he leans back in his chair. "Now, tell me what it is you wish to discuss?"
Silence permeated the room at first while the woman ponders what to say. She then realized that her hood was still up. "Oh, pardon me. In my haste, I forgot to remove my hood." Eric gazed at her with a somber stare as he thought "Definitely high ranking…. For fucks sake, is this a prin-" Then he saw the crown. "Fuck." He groans inwardly as he cursed every God he could inside his head. "Allow me to formally introduce myself to you." The princess says "My name is Princess Ayeolla of the Riemskin Alliance." Eric observed her quietly. Bound hair. Travel-worn cloak. No ornamentation beyond the circlet at her brow.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess Ayeolla." Eric responded while crossing his arms and looking at her evenly. "My name is Sergeant First Class Eric Dryer. Most people of the realm simply call me Eric or Dryer. To what do I owe you the pleasure of this visit?" He said while maintaining eye contact. The princess did a small curtsey as she sat down, nodding back to Eric with a smile. "Eric it is then." She sighs as she leans forward. "Eric, I will be blunt. We need your help, and I think that in time you will need ours."
Eric sighed as he scratched the back of his head in response to her words. "I'm not paid enough for this shit." He thought inwardly. He crossed his arms again while addressing the princess. "Unfortunately your highness, I am not in position to make such Negotiation or parlays. My commander is the man whom you wish to speak to." Ayeolla met Eric's eyes with understanding as she ponders for a second while looking back at her guards. "I don't think we have a choice, Princess." The left guard said as he looked at Eric. "The empire marches forward by day, claiming whatever they may on their trek towards our borders." The young woman's shoulders trembled as she nodded, resolve in her eyes as she met Eric's eyes again. "Very well, I will meet your commander." Eric nodded and then hopped on his radio. "Delta 1, prepare for reception of foreign noble." He said as he stands up, confirming command had understood and received his report. "Follow me, princess." He says as he walks into the compound.
At the command tent, the area had been cleaned as thoroughly as possible for reception of the princess. Every leader rank under 1SG for the enlisted and Major for the officers had left the tent. Soldiers stood at attention around tables, attempting to look as professional as possible while awaiting the princess.
Walking into the compound shocked the princess to her core as she processed the scene. The roars of what she had at first dismissed as beasts turned out to be carriages made of metal. Steel structures stood sturdy and firm, the feeling she derived from noticing them made her skin crawl. She then noticed the cannons on the vehicles. Even the largest magic cannons the Alliance had in its arsenal was merely half the size on the behemoth she saw. The fact that it could move was her biggest shock. She paused, wide eyed as she looked at the beast up close. Eric waved the soldiers that were trying to approach away, giving them the "I'll kill you if you say a word" stare as he walked up to the princess. "There is just one thing you must know before talking to the commander, your highness."
"We are not from this world."