by Carlo Zen
"I believe that's true, ma'am."
"Then all we need to do is procure them from the Federation Army. The company Weiss organizes will be deployed as an assault unit for that purpose. Let's capture any weapon stockpiles, stores and supplies, and generally any property of the state that can be used for military operations."
"Please allow me to point out a somewhat delicate issue. It can be rather difficult to tell which property belongs to the state and which belongs to private individuals..."
Weiss is an outstanding officer, but it seems his mind-set is different from the rest of the world.
Tanya is happy to debate the finer points of military law. She welcomes it with her intellectual curiosity---but only if it doesn't disrupt business from getting carried out.
"Major Weiss, you must be exhausted, too. Exactly what front do you think you're standing on?"
"Ma'am?"
Seeing from his reaction that he missed the point, Tanya glances at Serebryakov in spite of herself. Her eyes are enough to convey what she wants to say.
"Front...? Huh?"
Her adjutant nods, seeming to get it as she lets out an "oh."
"Isn't our enemy in the east the Communist Federation? The wonderful Commies reject the idea of individual ownership of private property---they're reckless enough to declare everything to belong to the state."
It's like how one plus one is two.
The only ones who seek proof of this are mathematicians. Similar to the practical application of mathematics, Tanya will always value the importance of a simple explanation.
Denial of private property rights.
The advance of nationalization.
With these givens, the conclusion is self-evident: Practically everything in the Federation can be considered "movable property of the state." And the law of war doesn't prohibit an army from capturing property belonging to an enemy nation.
"Now, here's the crux of the issue... Are there any laws that prohibit the seizure of property of the state when private property rights don't exist?"
"Isn't that forcing it a bit much? Even in the Federation, surely property on an individual level exists..."
Serebryakov's counterpoint is correct. Setting aside the law for a moment, there's no practical way for us to separate or discriminate between what property belongs to whom.
But Tanya has to mention something as well.
"Of course, in practice, they may have something like that. But all we're doing is determining ownership rights according to the civil code the Federation authorities established. We're not a judicial organization, so what power do we have to reinterpret Federation laws? So what is their definition of 'private property'?"
"...If you twist the interpretation a certain way, almost all property in the Federation is state owned."
"Correct, Major Weiss."
In a sense, this is an exceptional environment scholars of war laws could never even dream of. How wonderful that the law of war was written without taking Communism into account!
In Tanya's circumstances, it's the perfect tool for justifying her actions.
"Legally, I imagine we're permitted to take quite a lot."
Anyone who digs deep into the world of law will find themselves in the world of legal logic. Not ethics. Individual opinions vary as to whether something being legal makes it morally good or not.
But that's how laws go.
Just like the rules of a game.
Thus, the individual known as Lieutenant Colonel Tanya von Degurechaff figures she's fine as long as she adheres to the framework described by the rules.
"There will be legal problems with the classification of public facilities and other immovables, but there's nothing wrong with us attacking Federation partisans and having them share their weapons and ammunition with us."
"...Indeed, it's almost as if you're proposing a form of warfare that could be called a 'plunder economy.'"
"You seem to be getting a handle on the economics of war," Tanya responds. "Excellent."
It's like what Sun Tzu says in The Art of War.
Anything you can procure in enemy territory will be spectacularly more effective than the same thing brought along from your home country.
First, the transport costs are as good as zero. And there's no time or effort spent ferrying things all the way to the front using the railroad network.
Second, anything that helps you hurts your enemy.
These are all good things. What else can you call it but terrifically delightful?
"I don't imagine we'll be able to fulfill all the Kampfgruppe's needs, but I think it's a better use of a mage company than setting up camps and outposts. I'll lend you Lieutenant Serebryakov as an interpreter. Go ask our neighbors to lend us some weapons, food, and ammo."
"Ha-ha-ha. Communists love sharing, so I'm sure they'll cry tears of joy."
"I'm sure they will. Do as the locals do, right? I'm merely trying out the Commie way of life. Organizational-level seizure. This seems like a great time to try that out. Now, then..."
Tanya smiles.
Seeing that Weiss's humor deficiency won't be a problem at the moment is a major development. It's a good sign that he has the wherewithal to crack jokes.
We can't afford to neglect our work. Military service is a job, after all.
"On that note, I'd like you to form a company and move out. Find a group of armed Commie insurgents to lend us some gear."
"Understood. And is that company supposed to oversee transport as well?"
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm planning on attaching Lieutenant Wüstemann's replacement company as support."
"I see. So basically they'll be conducting a training flight with an added transport role?" Weiss nods as if satisfied by that explanation.
His response has Tanya grinning immediately. "That's exactly right." Then she suddenly adds a word of warning. "Knowing Lieutenant Wüstemann, he'll want to engage in combat, but don't let him."
"Understood."
"Um..."
Tanya turns to her adjutant, who has spoken up.
"...Are you sure, ma'am? There's almost no substitute for live combat..."
What Serebryakov says makes sense. Yes, I see now. Wüstemann and the other freshly minted mages lack experience. It's not the worst idea for them to get to know what it's like in the field.
But in the end, Tanya shakes her head in a vivid display of refusal.
"Sorry, but the risk of losing recruits who haven't had enough training is too high." I'm glad I confirmed this detail with them. Tanya begins to detail her reasoning. "Listen, Major Weiss, Lieutenant Serebryakov. We may not even be conscious of it because it's so normal to us, but flying long distances in assault formation and then carrying out an attack is actually incredibly exhausting. For these new guys, it will be all they manage just to accompany you."
The two officers nodding and going "Oh, right" must have forgotten.
"That's what I thought."
I had a hunch. Tanya winces.
The service records of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion are formidable.
Serebryakov, who has been with Tanya since the Rhine front, is a distinguished veteran even among the battalion members. In other words, she has a rare amount of experience for a soldier in the Imperial Army.
And Tanya knows that even sensible Weiss is a proper warmonger on the inside.
It's only natural that the pair of them would stop being able to tell what is and what isn't unreasonable.
"I bet you were gauging the difficulty according to your own standards, right?"
"It's just as you say, Colonel."
"Ha-ha-ha. How very like you, Major Weiss. You're an outstanding soldier, but depending on the situation, expecting the same out of everyone around you can become a trap."
"I'll be careful," he replies with an expression that seems to indicate he gets it...but objectively speaking, Tanya worries how much he actually understands.
After all, t
he old hands are seasoned heroes worthy of the term elite.
Not a single person in the whole roster of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion is either a Named mage or otherwise skilled enough to be worthy of the title. A run-of-the-mill long-distance assault is something they've done countless times.
Raiding partisan camps and hidden Federation Army supply bases to collect some souvenirs isn't so tough.
Sadly, most people in the world find that an incredibly trying feat.
From an objective standpoint, we're talking about assaulting a base after infiltrating deep into enemy territory. It's self-evident that anyone who isn't a veteran will get worn down just by accompanying those flying the mission.
That alone will be plenty of experience for the new kids.
"I beg your pardon, but what is our primary mission, acquiring supplies or training the new soldiers?"
"I don't deny that it'll be difficult, but while the overarching goal of the mission is to acquire supplies, I'd like you to focus on minimizing casualties of the recruits as much as possible."
The answer to Weiss's question has to be clear. We mustn't forget the logic of He who chases two hares catches neither. With that in mind, Tanya advises her subordinates on their simple plan.
"To cut to the chase, as long as no one is harmed in your or Wüstemann's companies, I don't intend to take issue with how well the mission is completed."
In other words, we'll prioritize the staple of on-the-job training: a field trip.
"You mean we should prioritize turning the deadweight into fighting power?"
"Do your best to make something usable out of the cards we've been dealt. That's why I'm lending you Lieutenant Serebryakov to interpret. Get this done right."
Only the shadiest companies crush newbies under a pile of work right off the bat. That's the Commie way, and it's an extreme tactic that can be considered only when you're flush with human resources.
"Understood. I'll confer with Lieutenant Serebryakov and pick the members of my company. I'll get started on this plundering mission right away."
"Let's call it a 'special procurement mission.'"
"That does have a milder ring to it, doesn't it?"
"Without a doubt," Tanya answers with a straight face.
To avoid any legal misunderstandings, I'd like to present the mission in the most benign, euphemistic terms possible. Something similar to taking preventive medicine.
"I'll make this clear: Avoid firing on civilians. Excessive cruelty against partisans is also prohibited."
Of course, she doesn't intend to be the type of clueless commander who issues orders before sticking the guys in the field with impossible restrictions.
"Frankly, though it'll be a challenge with the state of the battlefield, I'd like you guys to conduct yourselves as befitting an upstanding military unit."
"...We'll do our best. May I ask what prompts such specific instruction?"
"I want to fight the Federation's propaganda with the truth that the enemy army behaves well while the friendly army wreaks havoc. Instead of inspiring nationalism, I want to take a bite out of the enemy's sense of loyalty."
I suppose you could call it a variety of psychological warfare.
"We'll undermine the Federation propaganda war by showing them how disciplined the Imperial Army is. If we can make a good impression on the Council for Self-Government as well, then we hit two birds with one stone."
"Understood. Allow me to confirm one point." Weiss lowers his voice quite a bit to pose his question. "It's possible that we...may witness friendlies committing illegal acts. Do you have instructions for us in that case?"
"There's no doubt that any behavior violating military law benefits our enemy. I find it hard to imagine anyone in our unit would dare, but if you see someone on our side doing such a thing, deal with it strictly and fairly."
"...Are you sure?"
"Since you won't have any military police with you, you can take provisional measures as necessary. If you get in trouble for not following procedure later, I'll go to bat with the General Staff for you. I won't hold back any support that will help my troops accomplish their mission."
"Thank you."
It probably doesn't need to be mentioned aloud that some of the finer points in my decision are based on my principle of self-preservation.
While we may be at war with a hostile nation, that's not everyday life. If I dirty my hands now, once things return to normal, it'll be hard to avoid trouble---that holds true in any era.
I want to minimize the faults that could possibly be found. It's important to have the law on your side. These are considerations Tanya must have.
"I'll prepare written orders that make your authority clear. You'll have them by the time you leave. If for some reason you don't get them, wait before sortieing."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Let's call it a special surveillance and pacification operation built around the pretense of a limited strike. Make sure you recon the enemy the way a unit directly serving the General Staff should."
"Leave it to me, ma'am."
Weiss performs a textbook-perfect salute---how reliable. Tanya returns it and tells him that she's counting on him to carry out the mission.
AT THE SAME TIME, FEDERATION CAPITAL MOSKVA, SPECIAL SUBTERRANEAN MEETING ROOM
Even with the heater running and the lights set on bright, there was still something chilly about this Moskva underground meeting hall.
My comrades probably look bleak because reading reports with dismal expressions has become a chronic condition among our ranks, thought Commissar for Internal Affairs Loria with a wince.
It was inevitable given the power structure within the Communist Party. It was understandable that no one would report a life-threatening error with a cheerful expression.
The warping of reality was an unavoidable result. In that atmosphere, everyone wanted to minimize their failures and exaggerate their successes. What their situation really called for was levelheaded and even coldhearted objectivity---but that was frequently forgotten.
The head of the Committee for Resistance in Occupied Territories, who had been reading a report since a short while ago before Loria, must've been thinking similarly.
...Put another way, this man was probably also intentionally avoiding the whole truth.
"To give an idea of the overall situation, it appears General Winter is presenting a major obstacle for the imperial forces. I'll add that they seem to be running into difficulties with all their precise machinery designed for conditions in their warmer home country."
That was a fine report.
Loria's agent had delivered the same. That meant it probably wasn't a mistake, per se. But even if the factors making up the report weren't fabrications, the most critical part---the analysis---was awful.
"I'd like to ask a few questions as the Commissar for Internal Affairs." Loria casually addressed the committee head comrade trying to finish his report. The question he asked in a supremely calm tone of voice was driven by his curiosity. "It's great that the Imperial Army is having a hard time, but I'd like you to tell our comrades here how much power they can actually bring to bear against us."
"The enemy's condition is currently being analyzed."
Loria was skeptical of how seriously the man meant "being analyzed." He wouldn't say it was mindless to present intelligence that hadn't been properly looked over first, but he did sense something contrived about that excuse.
"So you mean the state of the enemy forces is currently unclear?"
Loria stared silently.
Suddenly put on the spot, the other man's eyes started to become panicked. The sight of him anguishing over what excuse to make next was simply too disgraceful.
While Loria could understand the feeling of wanting to present only good news at meetings, there wasn't any reason he should respect it.
"This is...only a rough estimate for reference purposes, but..."
So when the head of th
e Committee for Resistance in Occupied Territories opened his mouth, seeming to have made up his mind, Loria furrowed his brow slightly.
I asked for analysis, and he's offering a reference point? What the hell?
"We've received word from our comrades in the field that imperial combat strength has dropped to half or possibly even lower."
"...Is that true, comrade?"
"We're conducting a careful investigation to look into it."
Loria was after levelheaded analysis and data, but this man didn't seem to understand that. His response missed the mark. It didn't take the others in the meeting long to notice. Yes, it was right about when the entire room was beginning to get disgusted with him. Bathed in the concentrated fire of their gazes, he hurried to speak.
"B-but we do know for sure that their fieldable forces have decreased."
"You mean they're having a tough time because of General Winter?"
"Yes, Comrade Commissar! The Imperial Army is freezing solid in this cold weather. I believe we can state that much."
I see. Loria nodded. When he glanced over again, he saw the idiotic face of a man who seemed to think he had managed somehow.
To Loria, it was utterly disappointing foolishness.
After it was clear that not a single piece of useful information regarding the Council for Self-Government was forthcoming, this man had become garbage. He must not have possessed any understanding of his role and what was expected of him.
...Meanwhile, the Commissariat for Internal Affairs had already acquired quite a lot of intel.
They even managed to embed a truly capable agent at the executive level of the Council for Self-Government the imperials had set up.
His organization had far more intelligence about the issues the Imperial Army was facing than the blockheads in the Committee for Resistance in Occupied Territories.
It was certainly in a tough spot.
But then again...
Loria smiled wryly. There were blockheads forgetting that the enemy wasn't the only one suffering. And apparently Loria wasn't the only one who couldn't stand it.
Several people in uniforms who had been silent until now suddenly spoke up.
"Your claims seem to conflict with the report from the Thirteenth Air Army. Far from maintaining air superiority, it's uncertain whether we're even managing to keep a balance."