-Vaverfront | 1011-
General Lahja
The room was in Chaos. General Lahja had been called to Vaverfront for immediate and important business, she had not expected to emerge to a war room in Chaos. Sitting in the middle of it all, trying his best to calm everydeer down sat Field Marshall Manntlerheim. Around the room tables were scattered, filled to brim with maps, charts and other documents heated discussions were being held and interrupted by other discussing deer needing to see a specific graph or map.
Lahja almost toppled over as behind her two deer entered the room carrying a radio, one of them uttered an apology she could not understand over the general noise. Walking towards the middle of the room where Manntlerheim sat she could understand some of the ambient discussion.
5 deer stood around one of the tables, frantically discussing the possible meanings and reactions to Equestrias troop movements, everydeer had read the report. The map depicted presumed and confirmed locations of Equestrian troops and the route they had taken, some of the troops had been moved all the way from the Stalliongradian Border, apparently of lesser importance. Swivelling her ears to the other side Lahja could hear a discussion about the continued resistance in both Tuhota and Vessalipolis, one of them was arguing a strict curfew and further patrols of the city would eventually quieten the situation, and while some of them agreed Olenia simply did not have enough Manpower to fulfill such garrisons. The only reason Ditrysium and Lyctissä hadn't fallen yet was the goodwill shown to Ditrysiums Queen and the deeritarian aid given in Lyctissä.
Continuing through the room she arrived at the desk of Manntlerheim, he had given up on trying to organize the room and instead was consulting a general on his assignment in Seimi. Lahja knew she wasn't supposed to listen to any of this but she did so anyways, one could never have enough information for the future.
Stepping forward to Manntlerheims desk, which was also filled with different papers and maps, she gave a salute and waited for his acknowledgement.
"General Lahja." Manntlerheim greeted her while looking over one of the papers on his desk. "Congratulations, you're being sent back to the Changelings." He looked up from his paper to look at her for a second. "I know you've complained about your numerous recent assignments there, but we cannot afford to have anyone idle in these times. You will go to Sorth and reestablish order, lest the other Hives get any Ideas."
"Understood sir." Lahja could've killed him right now. There were probably more than ten generals in this room, doing basically nothing. Why was she sent back, not one of them? Alas she knew she had to follow Manntlerheims orders yet it was still enraging. Nodding more to herself than anyone else, she waited for her dismissal, fidgeting in place.
Manntlerheim waited for a moment before speaking. "You are dismissed, take the Train North as soon as possible."
Stepping back Lahja weaved through the mess of deer once again, the radio was beeing set up in a corner by the door who had bumped into her earlier while a signaller was impatiently waiting to start relaying messages.
Exiting back through the large entrance door she turned around a corner and breathed out. The noise of the room was finally muffled by the thick concrete and brick walls. Making her way through the Military complex Lahja exited it through the relatively small entrance and embarked on her way to the train station. She had slept in her own bed only a day ago and yet it already felt so far away, she would sleep in trains or on a hard mattress for the foreseeable future.
Lahja was awoken by the screeching brakes of the Train, she was halfway to her destination and would make a days stop here. Laying on the window of the moving train had given her uneasy sleep, and a headache was probably to follow. She hoped the small town of Ristit would contain a hotel or something similar for her to spend the night in.
Leaving the train she arrived on the Platform, the uneven cobbled surface of the station a stark contrast to her last stop in Tuska. There was no Station building, so Lahja simply stepped down and went on her way towards the town, a group of old Changeling sat together in front of a house near the station, all eyeing her suspiciously.
Quickly continuing along the street she soon came to the center of Ristit, seeking out one of the larger buildings her suspicions were confirmed. There was indeed a hotel here, the Devium Domus. Entering through the front door she was excitedly greeted by a Changeling behind the counter, he had his back to Lahja but when he turned around his smile slightly faded.
"No Olenian" the Changeling said, gesturing at himself. He fiddled for a key and held to her. "Just pay" Lahja looked around the reception, finding a small sign written in Olenian it told her the stay for the night would cost 98 markkas.
Fishing around in one of the pockets of her uniform she took out a note of 100 and gave it to the Changeling, receiving a two markk coin and a key in return.
Walking through the hallways of the hotel searching for her room she periodically crossed large communal rooms filled with chairs, a radio and a lone bookshelve, Classical Changeling architecture. Finally finding her room number of 043 she took the key in her mouth, turning it in the keyhole and opening the door revealed a small room, one single bed at the far wall and a side room containing a toilet. Sniffing she found the room was stinking of puke.
Closing the door with one of her hind legs Lahja set down the coat of her Uniform as well as her bag on the ground and tiredly crashed onto the bed, testing its softness she decided it was worth the slight smell of puke, and laid herself to rest. If it weren't for the holey and metal ceiling of the room Lahja could have almost imagined to be at home, but she needed rest first and foremost. Daydreams were better reserved for the Train.
Lahja nestled deeper into the bed, calming her breathing she speculated on the situation in Sorth. As far as she knew the Changelings had driven out the Olenian Garrison and declared an independent state, worrying already. But some first hand radio logs she had read up on during her train ride revealed the Sorthian forces to be much stronger than what she had to work with, realistically reinforcements would be needed but Lahja knew Olenia could not spare any. Lahjas eyes drifted closed for the final time today as she finally slept.