War Season 42: Air Force Briefing

From FiranMUX

Donos walks briskly into the barracks, gesturing as he does so. "At ease, apologies for my delay, my niece's wedding went..considerably longer than I was expecting. Now, find somewhere to sit where you can hear me without my shouting and we'll begin." *Firan*

Riosan stands up immediately as Donos enters, salutes, and quickly follows his order to sit back down. The sentry gets a slightly sheepish look on his face as he does all of this, realizing that it wasn't the most efficient way to go about it.

Aeryk salutes briskly, a salute paired with a slight acknowledging smile. He as promptly takes a seat.

Eriden slips in right behind Donos's guards and finds a seat after bowing to Aeryk.

Hufimo salutes, and stands in the 'at ease' position, waiting to listen to what will be said.

Donos says "Pilots, and their archers by extension, have a particular status in the Republic. Along with that, you get generally better respect and treatment in the military. Albeit it might be for my own piloting history, but you are less called on to perform the sort of drills the infantry do. There's a trade off for that, however. You will be the first into battle. You will often fight far in advance of our lines, possibly outnumbered. You are, in short, the first strike of the army. You are the javelin we cast ahead before the lines crunch together. And that javelin must strike true." *Firan*

Aeryk nods. This is not a brisk nod. It would almost be leisurely in its slowness if he didn't look quite so passionate about it.

Riosan listens to Donos with his broad grin forming on his face. He leans forward slightly paying rapt attention to his words.

Eriden nods slowly as Donos speaks, glancing around at the others before turning his attention back to the General.

Donos says "Now, to accomplish this, at war your tents will be positioned along with the farriers near to your birds. If you're not on duty, you will be seeing to your griffons. If there's something wrong with one, you should be the first to know. The health of your griffons will determine our scouting, the defence of the infantry and, more importanty, whether you can destroy the enemy pilots in the air..every time. We have been training for this extensively. Young pilots" He nods towards Riosan. "And veterans alike" He looks across to Hufimo. "You are the best the Republic military has to offer. And you will be going against the best the goats have. They may well outnumber you. They will not outfight you."" *Firan*

"No," Aeryk notes almost under his breath with that slight smile. Donos's words are certainly carrying him.

Riosan's grin quirks a tiny bit bigger and a bright twinkle comes to his eyes. So maybe he is a new pilot, but that doesn't seem to be bothering him at all.

Donos looks about the room, marking the responses before continuing. "Before each battle, your flights will be formed up and ready to take to the air. In the main, I will be sending you in first. However, there may be times I wish to hold you back for various strategies. At least once, for example, we shall be using horses to disrupt their griffons..obviously I'm not going to disrupt ours at the same time. But, here is the key. I want you in the air, showing our infantry that they have friendly troops above them. And then I want to let the infantry see the enemy birds falling, one by one, let them see the enemy defeated before the lines have even clashed, and know that you will be wreaking the vengeance of generations of Firans upon the Goats. Every time you go into the air, remind yourselves why we are here, what they have done to us and how sweet it shall be to say 'Ellish is free'."

Riosan leans forward further in his seat with a bright fire burning in his eyes. His hands tighten into fists and he looks quite inspired.

Aeryk cants his head a bit, as if this would improve his hearing, and thus his comprehension, but then he's nodding again with the same slow burn of anticipation.

Hufimo is being looked at. Alright. He nods to that. Fight for victory, with all they got and to the death if they have to, which he already did once already. Heh. He faintly smiles to the following words, since he was a kid that he said that he would one day fly to Ellish and be one of the first to set his feet there as a free city, and he was called a fool, it is nice to know that there are other 'fools'.

Donos says "You all know your training. It is your responsibility to ensure that after each battle, your birds are fed and rested. If the enemy flee..which they will, you will be the troops sent to slow their routing troops and delay them so the bulk of our forces can re-engage and rescue any soldiers they have captured. You will not have the luxury of finishing a battle and lying down to sleep, for you will fly patrols after the battles, in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening. When I outlined this intention to some of my staff, they questioned it. 'How can you expect so much of them they said?' I answered simply 'Because they're pilots'. I'm not wrong, am I...Pilots?" *Firan*

The slight smile is gone. Aeryk's smile has grown into something full. "Of course not," he says, his voice still quiet, but no less intent for all that.

With each hardship listed that the pilots will be facing, Riosan's grin becomes even larger. When questioned, he shakes his head and calls out proudly and firmly, "No Sir, High General!"

Eriden grins, slightly cocky, knowing how the pilots will answer that. He adds quietly, "Not wrong, Lord High General, not about pilots or their archers." *Firan*

Donos smiles with a slight shake of his head towards Riosan. "First General, Lord Jalil is the High General as appointed by the Clan Council. For this war, however, I am _your_ general. I will be at every battle. I will walk with the infantry. I will fly with you. I will be there to comfort the dying, to hold funerals to the dead. And when we have won this great war. When we walk into a Free Ellish, I will sing the praises of my troops until every one of you is shown the respect and honour this Republic owes to its military. This will not be easy. It will be hard, it will be bloody. There will be mud, and sweat and pain...but as every Firan knows, we are a people who rise to difficulties. You, my pilots, will be tested more than any others on this campaign. And I know you will rise above those tests and show why it is that every child looks into the sky and says 'I want to be able to fly'." *Firan*

Eriden lets out a cheer at that! "Hear hear!" *Firan*

Eriden cheers Donos!

Riosan gets a very sheepish look on his face and a bit of color comes to his cheeks. He doesn't sink in his seat so much though, as the important thing /is/ that he's the general. That's what counts, right? Each hardship again pushes him forward in his seat until he cheers for Donos heartily.

Riosan cheers Donos! Riosan cheers Donos!

Donos takes a deep breath before concluding. "If you need armour, request it. If you don't get it, see me. If you need arrows, the same. If you have questions..ask them of your officers. If your officers aren't around, well, I know Sentry Hufimo as one of the best pilots in the Republic and one of its finest instructors...I'm sure he'll show you how to turn a bird to strafe like you were dancing at a ball. When it comes to the campaign...make me proud, that is all I ask....Now, any questions on the very slight weight of my expectations for you?" *Firan*

Riosan shakes his head at Donos and salutes him from where he's sitting. He lets out a firm, "No Sir." *Firan*

Aeryk even allows himself a very small laugh. "They are no less than they should be, General. I am honored to be flying under you. And I have no questions." *Firan*

You have to love Bear dry sarcasm. Eriden shakes his head, "No Lord General, no questions."

"Not a question lord General, but a request. If allowed." Hufimo calmly says.

Donos turns, tilting his head towards Hufimo. "Go ahead, Sentry." *Firan*

Alastor makes his way into the army barracks.

Alastor sneaks through quietly on his way to the chow line. Umut eyes Alastor sourly and starts scooping out the order. Umut, the army cook unceremoniously dumps a plate of barley soup in front of Alastor.

Ranselis slips in quietly, salutes, lalala, all that good stuff, settling down and staying quiet.

"Thank you, m'lord." Hufimo briefly bows his head then says, "I know that at least some of the pilots would feel more at ease if at least their favourite griffon's had the feathers blessed, it is as much for our mounts as for the pilots themselves. However there has been no ceremony of the wing scheduled, could you perhaps remind them of that, m'lord? Priest to priest and as a pilot yourself."

Alastor drinks 1 barley soup.

Alastor settles down at a table, prepared to gulp down his food and leave before he can attract attention or, worse yet, more duties. But then he overhears something about griffons, and that has him lingering, to listen. The pilot meeting. That's what this must be.

Riosan nods at what Hufimo says with his brow rather furrowed. That /is/ a good point. It'd be nice to have the blessing.

Donos frowns, tilting his head to the side. "I was informed by Lady High Priestess Taleena that a ceremony was organised. I'll speak to her and make sure it happens. We'll get our feathers Sentry, and Lady Uf will fly with us into battle, I'll make sure of that." *Firan*

Eriden raises a hand, "Lord General, are there other blessings we should do? I haven't been to war before, so I hadn't thought about this part of it." *Firan*

"None of it so far. The Srennan temple has scheduled the weapons blessing and they are usually the last, so that's why I began to wonder if it would happen." Hufimo explains then nods, "Thank you m'lord."

Donos looks towards Eriden. "The Srenians will do weapons blessings. I myself and the Zinian order will be undertaking a blessing of protection for the entire army before we embark onto the boats. And...well, let's just say...the gods will be with us on this war. I'm making sure of that." *Firan*

Aeryk nods silent, pensive agreement to - everything. Sum-up nod. He folds his hands together and glances briefly down at them.

Eriden nods once, "Thank you, Lord General." *Firan*

Ranselis can dig the nodding thing, he too nods.

Donos looks about the barracks once more. "Very well then, I'll attend to that matter. You all attend to your training, your gear..and your families before we embark for war. Dismissed." *Firan*

Eriden stands and salutes. Then bows. When in doubt, do both! Then he heads out the doors.

Aeryk rises to his feet with that same pensive air and bows deeply. "Thank you, Lord General, for these briefings. Your words have served as reassurance of our purpose and as fire to our resolve. I am, again, honored to serve under you." *Firan*

Alastor missed the stuff about griffons, apparently, so he starts digging into the soup more in earnest now -- and with Umut cooking, it really /is/ digging. Literally. Soup's awfully sludgy today.

Eriden walks by the guards and out the door.

Riosan stands up quickly and salutes Donos seriously, "Thank you First General! You can count on us. To a man." He chuckles a bit and a bright twinkle comes to his eyes. "It will be a pleasure and an honor fighting under you." *Firan*

Ranselis raises up and snaps off a salute before heading off.

Donos nods back to Aeryk with a wry smile. "I will never have a greater honour than to lead this army south, Lord Aeryk." *Firan*

Hufimo offers a bow to the general and heads to the other end of the barracks, stretching up and randomly commenting with a passing by soldier, "I guess all we need now is a long lasting away party at the Dove to make up for all those days that we aren't going to get any." *Firan*

Donos offers some more nods to soldiers he passes before moving out of the barracks.

Donos heads toward the Army Barracks -- Officer's Lounge. Donos has left.