Chapter 366
New Theatre Preparation Meeting
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It was already a quarter to nine by the time Claude entered the meeting room, still 15 minutes before the meeting . By the time he reached Grinosburg, it was already midnight at three . He simply found an inn to settle his men down and rest for three hours . However, his rest wasn't a pleasant one given what was awaiting him the next day . Claude would be Miselk's successor . He would formally show up in front of others as the field marshal .
He didn't think that the others had long been waiting for the meeting to start . They quieted down a little eerily when he entered . It seemed that Miselk had already primed them for the revelation, so they knew Claude would soon be field marshal .
The atmosphere was a little odd . Nobody spoke and a hint of awkwardness was in the air . At that moment, one person stood up and came to him with a face full of smiles and his arms wide open for a hug . Claude suddenly understood and hurriedly went to hug the man and patted his shoulders for a greeting . The awkwardness disappeared just like that . The meeting room's tension defused and people soon began chatting with one another again .
Two more people stood up and headed for Claude .
One of them was the vice logistics officer of the corps, Colonel Skri . He had quite an extensive relationship with Claude and used to be his superior back during their days in 1st Rangers . Claude was quite happy to see him . By the time Skri found a seat, Claude asked him with a surprised look, "So you're staying back too?"
Skri nodded . "Congratulations, my future superior . When Lord Militant Miselk came to see me and told me that you're being made field marshal, he asked whether I had any thoughts about it . I was truly happy for you back then and said I would be glad to work with you . After all, we're old partners . "
Claude recalled the conversation he had with Miselk . The man did say there would be six other solonels that would stay back on Nubissia to be promoted to major-general together . Apart from Colonel Bolonik of 1st Monolith Folk and Colonel Sevict of 2nd Monolith Folk, there were four others . Since Ranger had around seventeen colonels in total, he couldn't guess who the others would be .
To his delight and relief, Skri was staying back . This meant that he wouldn't be on his own in the war theatre . At least Skri would side with him . Claude was well aware that he wouldn't be able to dominate the hierarchy that soon after assuming his position . As Miselk had mentioned, Claude only had direct command of Thundercrash and the four other enhanced folks had their respective commanding officers .
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While Claude had the right to command the four enhanced folks around as field marshal, he could only inspect them without moving them directly . Anything he wanted to do with the folks had to go through their folksmen . Claude was worried there would be some who wouldn't be convinced of his credentials and go against him after Miselk left the place . Claude would then fall into a power struggle and duke it out with his own allies before he could focus on preparing for war .
However, what Skri said revealed something that made him relieved . It was obvious that when Miselk was picking people to join the new folks, he had asked each of the candidates what they thought of Claude being the field marshal . The officers who participated in this meeting were no doubt the ones who expressed support for Claude being Miselk's successor .
As for the officers who expressed their objection to that idea, Miselk would keep them in Ranger and take them back to the kingdom . He knew that preparing for war was a perilous task and there could be no tolerance for anyone who would object to Claude . They simply couldn't afford the time for infighting . To obtain victory in the war theatre, there could be opposing opinions, but they definitely couldn't be rooted in personal bias . Opinions should be made out of genuine concern instead of vindictive motives .
Colonels Sevict and Bolonik came over and greeted him . While they knew that Claude was going to become field marshal and their superior, their attitude towards him didn't change . They acted as they usually did as seniors to their junior as they talked about the matters in the corps . That helped Claude relax considerably .
Bolonik seemed to have recalled something as he waved for two other familiar-faced colonels to come over .
"Do you remember these two?" Bolonik asked .
Claude gave it some thought and nodded . "I know that they are my seniors from the high-level strategy class . If I remember correctly, you should be Eilon and he is Bick . I remember the two of you deeply for beating me so many times in the sand table simulations . I don't know if I remember this correctly, but I haven't heard anything about you ever since coming to Nubissia, nor did I see you two in corps command . Where have the lot of you eben over the past few years?"
"Hahahaha . . . " Sevict broke into a laughing fit . "Claude, you remember how many times they win but can't recall the time you defeated them? Those who have remembered you well . You've become their nightmare ever since and they kept wracking their brains to think of a way to defeat you . . . "
The rest broke into a hearty augh . Claude scratched his head in embarrassment . "I really don't remember . . . I only know who defeated me and I had been fussing over how to win it back . . . "
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Bolonik patted on Claude's shoulder and smiled . "Alright, let's not linger on our school memories . Claude, these two had been transferred to the colonial corps . That's why we didn't see them in Ranger . Eilon was in command of a local keeper line in the corps and he defended Port Patres from Seaking . Bick, on the other hand, reorganised the garrison forces in the three rear colonies and set up a coastal guard . The two of them have made some great contributions and are now going to be in the new war theatre with us . "
Claude now knew that the two colonels would be the folksmen of the two reserve folks . However, Miselk did say that there would be seven people who would be promoted to major-general . There were only six people now present, so where was the last one? Claude swept his eyes around the room and saw only majors and lieutenant-colonels . There wasn't anyone else .
"Why are you lot gathering here?" a familiar and annoying voice sounded . He looked back and saw General Fansnik of the corps' logistics department . He marched into the room and looked stunned . "There's a meeting today? Why wasn't I notified?"
All of them ignored him and didn't answer his question, much to his rage . "Oh, you're not obeying your superior's orders, eh? Gathering privately and planning something sneaky, I see . Don't tell me this is a meeting called for by the corps . If so, why haven't I, the chief logistics supervisor, been given notice?"
"This is a meeting for the preparation of the new war theatre, General Fansnik . Please leave . " Miselk entered the room, followed by a middle-aged man in formal wear . a colonel dressed in dark blue keeper uniform and his aide, Lieutenant-Colonel Niwis .
"For the new war theatre?" Fansnik looked around and at the high-ranking officers and his eyes rolled . "Lord Militant, as a general of the kingdom, I request the right to listen in to the meeting . "
"Apologies, you don't have that right . " Miselk didn't hide his disdain for Fansnik at all . "General Fansnik, please leave immediately . Don't waste our precious time . "
"I object, Lord Militant, you are insulting a general of the kingdom," Fansnik said stubbornly, "If you don't let me listen in, that means you guys are going to discuss something nefarious . I have reason to suspect that this is a conspiracy against the royal family and I shall report this to the royal family and the ministry of the army so that those who participate in the meeting will be investigated . "
"Are you sure you want to listen in?" Miselk said with a sudden smirk, "The preparation of the new war theatre is top secret . Anyone who participates will have to stay to fight the next war against Shiks . If you want to listen in, all you have to do is to sign a letter of oath . That way, you'll get to join and also have to stay for the incoming war . You won't be able to return to the mainland with Ranger . "
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"Ugh . . . " Fansnik hesitated for a moment, but he snapped out of it soon . "Apologies, Lord Militant, I just remembered there are many things I have to deal with in the logistics department . I won't take up any more of your time . "
Seeing Fansnik leave haggardly, the officers present chuckled softly . Miselk nodded to his aide, Niwis, and he also left the room and shut the double door .
The middle-aged man in formal wear and the colonel of a local keeper force got to their seats . Only Miselk remained at the podium of the room . He cleared his throat and began, "The irrelevant and useless general is now gone, so let's start . As of today, the new war theatre is formed . I'm sure you all here know that Claude is going to take over my position as field marshal . Colonel Claude, please come to me . "
Claude stood up and walked to the podium before saluting the others in the room .
"First, the war theatre's command post shall be established to manage all happenings within it . Colonel Skri shall be appointed chief logistics supervisor of the war theatre and be in charge of supply and shipments," Miselk said before he got Skri to stand up .
Skri saluted the rest just like Claude . Fortunately, he didn't have to go to the podium .
"The war theatre's civil affairs shall be managed by Sir Bernard . " Miselk pointed to the middle-aged man . Claude had a feeling that guy was the only council member of the House of Dignitarians in Anfiston .
Bernard stood up and bowed tot he rest in the room .
"Colonel Saljorak, please stand up . " Miselk pointed to the colonel dressed in local keeper attire . Colonel Saljorak will be in charge of local defense, security and counter intelligence operations . "
Saljorak saluted the rest of them .
"Additionally, five new enhanced folks will be formed in the war theatre . Thundercrash will have Claude as folksman . 1st Monolith's folksman is Colonel Bolonik . 2nd Monolith's folksman is Colonel Sevict . Colonel Eiblont will be the folksman of 3rd Monolith . As for 4th Monolith, the folksman shall be Colonel Birkin .
"The heads of command in the war theatre shall be an eight-person council made up of Colonels Claude, Bolonik, Sevict, Birkin, Skri, Eiblont, Saljorak and finally, Sir Bernard . Claude shall be appointed as field marshal and his orders are of the highest priority in matters of war . As for other crucial matters, decisions should be made after joint council if Claude's opinions are not unanimously supported . "
Miselk clearly stated each of their roles . In a sense, Claude didn't have too much power like Miselk did . But he could understand why that ought to be the case . He was still young and relatively inexperienced and Miselk worried that he wouldn't be up to the task .
Not to mention, Miselk himself was someone from a purely military background . During his term as field marshal, he had left civil affairs entirely to local officials and had never thought of having a full grasp of the local authorities . As a result, he distributed the roles according to his personal principles . Perhaps he believed that this would help Claude focus more on military matters alone and excel on that front .
"That will be the end of the delegations," Miselk continued, "From now on, this war theatre's formation is no longer a secret . We will iron out the details of the five folks after the men from Ranger are transferred . We'll leave the number of men transferring from Ranger to another time . Let's just assume 20 thousand of them will be transferring for now . Each folk will have up to four thousand former rangers . If there's extra, feel free to assign them in any folk deemed suitable .
"1st Monolith shall be stationed in Robisto's Brikaman and take care of the Dorinibla River Defence Line . 2nd Monolith shall be stationed in the mining town of Rosas and take care of Claude Defence Line in Mosraka Mountains . 3rd Monolith shall be stationed in Port Patres to defend us from enemies coming from the sea . 4th Monolith shall be stationed in Grinosburg in charge of the coastal area east of Mosraka Mountains .
"As for Thundercrash, where do you think it should be stationed, Claude?" Miselk asked out of the blue . He had settled on where to station the other folks and left Thundercrash to Claude .
"I'll station them in Lanu . I intend to move the command post of the war theatre there as well since it's easy to reach and we'll be able to attack quicker," Claude said without holding back .
Miselk nodded . "You're free to decide how to go with this . However, what I'm going to tell you all right now is a little urgent . The kingdom has sent the first batch of settlers here and they'll arrive in another half a month in Tyrrsim . I hope the five folks can have a basic framework within a month . Take the discharged veterans to fill your ranks immediately after their arrival instead of letting them loiter pointlessly in camp . "