A Battle Unseen

[hyraemous]

Somewhere in Jildrath...
October 5627

Over the next few months, after the soldiers had slipped through Legionairy patrols and territory, they built up a medium-sized network of informers and saboteurs willing to work to cause damage to the Legion. Things were going so well that some reinforcements had been moving in, and more saboteurs were signing up and receiving training on how to misinform, how to cause damage, and more.

There was a lot of fear that the Legion would catch them one day, at least in the saboteur camps, so calls to act on their information were growing. Then the command came from the highest of highs (in Etxea): attack.

Gathering information had taken a long time, and in that time, they had gathered information about the location of local police stations and Legionary offices. They also obtained information about their interiors, hiding spots, and employee numbers. Surveillance of these locations had also been going on for some time to outline when people left and when the fewest and most people were in these buildings. 

These reports were streaming back to Jildrati City. Thus, on 12 October 5627, President Tiberius Claudius Nero ordered that explosives pass through. The order was classified, but the intention was clear.

The missile strike in Etxea had changed things. While it would be evident that the Kundrati Union and the Kundrati Legionary State would never reconcile, at least for the time being, there was a general lull in fighting and a sort of peace over the last decade. Children today only knew peace, although that peace was on a knife's edge. Now that missile strike hit the island - and during a delegation visit too - everything changed. The youth now wanted blood. The people now wanted it, too. The Etxean cause was growing internationally, too, given Egelion's influence. There were also rumors that Kalistan and Etxea would see a rapprochement.

So it was ordered. Strike back.

Over the next week, saboteur teams roamed around parts of Jildrath. They arrived at night and broke into the police stations and Legionary offices. They placed the explosives in specific areas that would hopefully bring those buildings down. This was done during the night; after all, it was identified that not many people would be at these places at night, and the explosives were set to explode on the evening of 20 October.

The day came. 20 October.

The base camp in Jildrath had set up communication links with the saboteurs and troops. When the hour came, the command to explode would be given, and the command staff would see for themselves buildings exploding and chaos roaming. Some soldiers were left behind to monitor the areas and ensure the explosives went off as scheduled. 

The hour came. The command was given.

...

...

...

Nothing.

Calls were made to the saboteur teams.

Nothing.

Calls were made to the soldiers.

Nothing.

They looked at the communication feeds. Many went dark, and many others were too fast. It was obvious they were running.

A few hours later, a few soldiers arrived at an undisclosed location. Some were the saboteurs as well. A command staff member met them, and it was revealed that police and the Legionnaires had spotted them. They had to run. Many others were reportedly arrested. But what was clear was that no explosives had gone off. It was a typical evening in this cursed land for all intents and purposes.

And so it was foiled. But the camp seemed safe. Nobody there was arrested, and the team made it back. Nothing had changed, excluding the evident sadness that came from being unable to cause some chaos in the Legion.

A good chunk of the saboteurs and some of the soldiers listed were arrested that night. They would be taken away and controlled by the Legion, and they would control their fate.

And thus, preparations continued.