The Finest Hour

by Carlo Zen

  But that's only from a purely military standpoint. Or... Tanya has second thoughts and revises her conclusion. Maybe the General Staff is proposing policies from only a military standpoint from the start, and the rest they leave up to the government, not wanting to step on the administration's toes.

  But if that's the case, Tanya has to bury her head in her hands.

  "...What good will it do to expand the front any more than this?"

  What does the Empire possibly gain by taking former Republican colonies in a desert? Has the will to fight any enemy you find on the battlefield spread to the politicians in the rear, who are supposed to maintain their calm and think about strategy?

  As she follows this train of thought, she trembles at her horrible vision of the future.

  "Then...then how...? How are the politicians at home going to end the war?"

  She murmured it to herself.

  But that one sentiment gives her a dreadful chill, like a curse. Are the imperial politicians capable of ending the war?

  We, the Imperial Army, are winning in the field. We also have the initiative. That's why we're enjoying such good times right now.

  Yes, both politically and militarily, this is our finest hour.

  ...So if this really is our finest hour, then...?

  What a waste, she laments. It's our finest hour, but the Empire is still hemorrhaging its national power in a war that has no end in sight.

  NOVEMBER 1, UNIFIED YEAR 1925, COMMONWEALTH

  HOUSE OF COMMONS

  "Subjects of the Commonwealth, today I inform you that the day approaches when the Empire, that dreadful military nation, brings its power to bear on us."

  The voice of the prime minister speaking to all the Commonwealth's people over the radio conveyed their harsh reality.

  "And unfortunately, I must also inform you that they mean to attack. But allow me to say this: I hope it will be of some small consolation that I promise you on behalf of the Commonwealth, it will be impossible for them to come by sea."

  Contrary to the content of his speech, however, his tone contained a hint of humor.

  "But even our wooden walls, praised since long ago, would find the evil enemy we currently face a significant trial. War is no longer what it used to be."

  So he spoke, touching on the way war had changed.

  "At this point, we must frankly acknowledge, without losing heart, that we are entering a terrible age."

  Everyone listening carefully understood that he meant it would be a hard fight.

  "This war will be harsh, and it will demand lengthy endurance. We will probably have to fight until either we or our enemy collapse. And it will be a fight that takes every last bit of strength our fatherland has."

  Along with his predictions, he made a declaration.

  "But I promise my beloved fatherland."

  Each and every word was crystal clear.

  "Someday, we will destroy them."

  Someone in a pub shouted, "You bet we will!" and multiple people nodded in agreement.

  "But for now, I simply hope that in the Commonwealth of a thousand years from today, our children's grandchildren will read in a history book written by one of us that now, this moment, was the best of times for the Empire."

  That was the history it was their duty to create.

  "For us, it is truly the worst of times; dismal, it should be said. At the same time, for the Empire, it is the best of times."

  He was even arrogantly confident that they would exist in perpetuity a thousand years later.

  "Now then, ladies and gentlemen, a toast to our worst of times. And don't we want our grandchildren to say it? Don't we want them to say these times were the Empire's best? To now, to our eternal fatherland's worst of times---cheers!"

  (The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Volume 3: The Finest Hour, Fin)

  Appendixes: Mapped Outline of History

  Afterword

  To everyone who picked up Volume 3, long time no see. I'm terribly ashamed to have kept you waiting this long. And to the heroes here for the first time, who have purchased all three books at once, may you have a bright future on "this side."

  Anyhow, this is for a limited time only, but you can download an audio drama---an audio drama! Wow. Unless I'm constantly hallucinating without realizing it, you may already be enjoying that content now.

  Surprisingly, it can be said that everything went according to schedule (per an announcement from General HQ). Last time, my productivity was hindered by that "east-side company" and their malicious interference in what Clausewitz would call "friction." This time, with no such malicious interference, things went accordingly...things went according to schedule.

  Actually, I'm even ahead of schedule, aren't I? Even though it's fall, I'm writing this in my room with not my heater but the AC on.

  This is not a lie. At the time of this writing, the temperature is a ridiculous eighty-three degrees Fahrenheit.

  Let me explain. My manuscript and real life overlapped with each other, and it was an extremely bitter fight. Having gotten through it, I headed jauntily for the airfield and quietly boarded a plane to the United States. I was so proud of myself for successfully balancing my manuscript and real life that I was happy-go-lucky.

  Then as I was chilling in the American South, suffering from the gastric strain of American-sized food portions, I saw news of a terrorist attack in Canada. What the heck? I reached for my tablet to check a news site, when Oh? I had a new e-mail. I opened it with warm fuzzies, wondering who was concerned for my safety, and was shocked.

  It was an e-mail telling me to write an afterword by [X-Day]! Oh my God.

  So it is that I'm coming to you, banging away on my keyboard, thinking, It wasn't supposed to be this way, from where I'm staying in the southern United States. I imagine that by the time you get this volume in your hands I'll be back on Japanese soil.

  Humans are always falling into the same trap when they accomplish something. I feel like I must have been taught the importance of vigilance, how the most dangerous moment is when you think you've defeated your enemy. In other words, this is what I get for forgetting the proverb "One must tighten one's helmet straps even after a win."

  And so, I've realized that I need to reflect on the things I've done.

  For example, how about that wonderful beach scene I delivered as promised? Now I feel nothing but regret for how ingratiating it was. Though it was a desire imparted to me by you, the readers, I am doing some serious, gentlemanly reflection on whether I might not have been too true to desire and worldly passions. Wondering if I will be scolded, I am unable to face my conscience. This is a book for good citizens with an established reputation as a wholesome novel, so next time I'll try to portray things a bit more moralistically.

  I hope you'll forgive me for this volume's unscrupulousness.

  I am leaning toward giving you my word that I will deliver Volume 4 at blitzkrieg speed (compared to previous efforts), and I swear to you now, though it's only a personal promise, that I will make my decision as soon as possible.

  Last but not least, thanks to Tsubakiya Design who did the great design, the proofers who worked with me on all the obnoxious proofing, the team who combined their powers to make the audio drama, and many, many others.

  November 2014 Carlo Zen

  1 HALO drop A type of parachute drop. If you consider a basic drop as descending to your destination with your parachute open, the HALO style has you jumping from outside of visual confirmation range (around ten thousand meters up) and opening the parachute around three hundred meters from the ground so your parachute isn't as conspicuous.

  2 restitutio in integrum A diplomatic idiom that means "restoration to the original state." Specifically, it calls for a return to the pre-conflict status quo, so in this case it would mean reverting to prewar state lines and diplomatic conventions.

  3 revolving door One way to lure and exterminate an enemy. For details, see the diagrams at the bac
k of the book.

  4 Horatius From the Roman legend, "Horatius at the Bridge." The story goes that Horatius and his friends blocked the enemy trying to enter the city while having others take the bridge down.

  5 Dunkirked You let your enemy get away, and on top of that, they come back, mount a counter operation, and eventually defeat you. A textbook example of that scenario.

  6 Cannae The greatest instance of an encirclement and annihilation carried out by the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal. A landmark in military history. Hannibal is so Hannibal. He probably would have won if he hadn't been up against Rome.

  7 John Bull spirit An indomitable sarcastic spirit of taking both sports and war very seriously. Just their food is no good.

  8 Spaghetti Monster A being possessing great intelligence. So noble that even atheist scholars believe. RAmen.

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