99 Dragonite Crystal (1/2)
As the week passed by peacefully, the damages to the Pass were repaired and most traces of battle were cleared, except for some blood stains still lingering behind despite some rain. 1st Marine Battalion, 2nd Company, slowly emerged out from the forest edge, finally after more than a week of combat patrols and sweeping of the area of any remnants of the Empire army and the prisoners that were released a week before, had ended their week-long patrol mission.
The tired Marines cheered when they saw the Wall in the distance and picked up their speed, marching in lines of two as they climbed up the slope. Suddenly a with a flap of wings and a dragon swooped down over the Marines, sending them diving for cover, the Marines yelling and shouting, ”Aerial contact!”
The dragon flared its wings, beating furiously to hover on the spot and the Marines who raised their Magelocks found the dragon was actually dressed in armored barding, in counter shaded digital camouflage scheme, all dark above except for a multi-scale pattern at the edges.
It crackled out something suspiciously like laughter before flapping its wings away, heading towards the forest as it went on its aerial patrol. ”Damn, fat lizard!” The Marines yelled insults and shook their weapons at the dragon flying away. ”Goddamn Air Force pukes!”
”Alright, funs over,” The sergeants ordered the men to continue their way back. ”I want a shower!” The massive repurposed cargo doors slid open on oiled tracks, granting entry for the weary company, they noticed several changes made to the defenses, such as dozens of Czech hedgehog laid along the slopes, which served to prevent siege engines from being pushed up.
As they pass through Wall Alpha. they saw the sides of the mountain were being flattened, and the beginnings of concrete towers and bunkers were being constructed. Finally leaving behind Hell's Gate after passing through Wall Beta, the men were dismissed back to their barracks.
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Sawtooth Mountain Pass Defense Command Center, The Pit
”Attention on deck!” The Marine on duty called out as Captain Blake entered the staff meeting room,before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.
”At ease, people,” Captain Blake gestured everyone to take their seats. ”OK, what's today's agenda?” He looked around the room and the display screens showing other people's images.
Most of the command staff were present at the meeting room, while those not physically here were present via video conferencing from the ship's meeting room. ”Sir,” Commander Ford spoke up from one of the displays, ”Today will be a briefing on our current material and supply situation and future plans on how to handle the new growth and our stance against the Empire.”
”Great,” Blake rubbed his hands, ”let's start.”
Quartermaster Chen's image on the display screen flickered as he stood up and said, ”Sir, our current material needs far outstrips our production capabilities. Be it ammunition, weapons, rune stones, and even clothing. Our fabricators and simple factories are barely able to keep up the demand at our current rate of consumption.”
”We are lacking in many vital resources such as niter, copper, zinc and even our stocks of salvaged steel is dwindling. We need to secure sources of resources! Even with the iron and crappy steel that was looted from the Empire army, it still barely enough!” Chen's face was full of worry as he gave his report.
”Princess,” Blake called out, ”How are the mines going for those sources of copper, zinc, and iron we found?”
”Slowly, my Lord,” Sherene's image in the display replied. ”There had been several reports of goblin activities going on south of the new mining locations, we are still trying to secure the area.”
”Captain,” Major Frank spoke up, ”I have sent in another company of Marines to sweep the goblins out of the woods, but it takes time to ferret out the sneaky green skins.”
”Work with the Air Force on this?” Blake suggested, ”Get the dragons to help sniff out the goblin nests.”
Frank nodded and sat back down, casting a look at the newly promoted Flight Lt. Commander Tommy, who was taking the role of Air Force Commander, returned a nod to Frank.
”Food production just still ongoing,” Sherene spoke next, ”We erm, stored the dead dragons and the meat yield from them are more than enough to sustain the population needs for meat for a couple of months.” When the hoomans proposed to use the dead dragons for food, Magister Thorn nearly had a fit, while Sherene was kinda put off by the whole idea, but when she first tried dragon steak cooked by the hooman chef, she changed her mindset almost immediately.
And the fact that the other living dragons didn't really mind them eating their kind also helped, as to them dragons, meat was meat, they said all things followed a natural order, the strong preyed on the weak.
”The designated farmlands had been just cleared, thanks to the wonderous vehicles and planting has begun. We implemented a land lease scheme with the citizens, granting parcels of land to anyone willing to farm the land. Farming equipment was loaned to the farmers at 25% of their harvest for a period of two years.” Sherene looked directly at Blake and gave him warm smile, ”Response was great! We currently have over 800 hectares of land being cleared and farmed right now. It should be more than enough to support our needs with a surplus when harvest comes.”
”Most of the ex-slaves and soldiers are farmers, to begin with,” Sherene continued, ”Once they are cleared to work, we can increase both our minerals. materials and food production greatly.”
”Good work,” Blake praised Sherene, earning a sly look from Ford, whom Blake ignored.
”And we have some good news,” Sherene beamed, ”In the saltpeter mines, the miners found a large deposit of Dragonite crystals!”
”Dragonite crystal?” All the humans looked at each other with confused looks. Magister Thorn nearly jumped out of his seat, almost pressing his face against the display screen. ”DRAGONITE?”
”Calm down. Magister, can you all explain what that is?” Blake gestured Thorn to calm down.