Major General Mountbatten entered the room through the western entrance.
"Return to your posts, and watch your conduct."
He glared and roared.
Intimidated by both his voice and rank, the officers fell silent and straightened up respectfully.
His attendant took the major general's helmet and sidearm. Mountbatten strode to the map table and surveyed it.
"There was no warning of their raid?"
"None at all, sir."
His staff officer answered.
"After raiding Lins Basin, we originally estimated that Blood Fang's legion would need at least two or three days to arrive and deploy its forces, but only one night has passed—"
"Assessment?"
Mountbatten did not respond. Instead, he leaned forward over the map table and asked.
The light from the lamps on either side illuminated his face.
"We are still awaiting real-time intelligence from the Civic Temple in the rear."
His senior technician answered. After the Civic Temple had fully entered into cooperation with the New California Republic, engineering and technical personnel had been assigned to every division so the army could adapt to its large quantities of new equipment as quickly as possible.
"But the disruption of the electromagnetic field has caused—"
"I'm not waiting for those images."
Mountbatten cut him off sharply.
"Someone give me a proper assessment!"
"A large-scale invasion has broken through Positions 88 and 96—the ten-kilometer fortified line between them in Tagz Hollow."
Colonel Vitter traced a line across the map with his finger.
"We cannot determine the enemy's exact numbers at present, but I estimate at least seventy to eighty thousand."
"I agree with Colonel Vitter's estimate."
Another staff officer spoke up as well.
"Their troops arrived eight minutes ago, then used sheer numerical superiority to punch through the fortifications and defensive lines."
"And they did all that without giving us any warning?"
Mountbatten's