Snippet #1448541

"Count me in."

A young woman who appeared no more than perhaps twenty two years old stepped forward as Satosha Uesagi spoke. The expression she wore did not nearly match the serious, almost tragic atmosphere the other soldiers present seemed to lend to the room with their downcast, frowning faces--but that was to be expected of Kaede Kurosaki. However, her light-hearted, amiable disposition was not to be taken lightly--the smiling, calm expression concealed a warrior of the highest calibre, one of Tenbatsu's best pilots, and, perhaps above all, a patriot determined to send the Britannians fleeing from Japan--one way or another, a goal that had to be achieved. The state of Japan under the rule of Britannia disgusted and horrified Kaede every time she saw children lying on the streets half naked and dirty, begging for a scrap of food that would not come--this was not how a proud people and a grand culture as the Japanese should ever be! Japan should never, ever be marked on the map as anything but a proud, sovereign nation....

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"So the last shipment attacked while passing through this province was of greater worth than I had been led to believe..."

"Yes, sir." The Britannian soldier's eyes looked back into the calm blue eyes of Commandant Jack Charing as he spoke. "The Emperor was highly dissatisfied to hear that the cargo fell into the hands of the Tenbatsu, and is considering the ramifications and consequences of their acquirement of the shipment."

"It seems we will have to punish the Japanese people further for the actions of their 'knights in shining armour'..." Commandant Charing spoke with the tone of someone commenting on the weather. "Cut food ration supplies another ten percent to all districts but District One, and increase patrols--again, all districts but District One."--District One being the area in which Britannians lived.

"But...sir...the rations were cut by ten percent already last week...surely another cut would cause...?"

"There is no need to question my orders, soldier," Charing interrupted. Despite the absence of anger or seriousness on his face--two emotions that never seemed to cross his fair countenance--Charing clearly made no empty threats. "This is war. If we wish to break the will of the enemy, we must strike where they are weakest...at their civilians."