Eodem: A Rifle and Sword Adventure (Complete)

Chapter 62: There are Predators and there are Prey

Rainfall drenched the soil of Kalmte today as the start of the Autumn weather phenomena known as the Drwg Mynd. Translated to 'bad going' from Vaikuri to English, this even of time between median period of the Gliesian harvest season is when rainfall begins to fall down upon the northern territories of the Slaegian Empire. The rainwater wets the ground into a mushy paste causing any form of traffic, wheeled or footed to be severely hampered. Conditions of the ground aside, the sky is no better as the once shining Malynaris was blanketed in robes of gray clothes heavy with precipitation, covering the land in a soft shroud of mist. Most UFEAF's activities in Kalmte have been kneecapped with Drones and Supply Chains operating in sub-optimal capacities, but it was a temporary setback. Once they retrofitted themselves for the coming change of seasons ahead, the Northern Sweep will continue onwards as schedule.

Already he has ordered the Engineering Companies in charge of the Gold Arrow Express supply line to start paving the earthen-clay roads with asphalt as his soldiers tighten the noose on the last Slaegian Holdouts on their way to Ghana's Wall. Although expected to finish before the Gliesian Winter's arrival, it is a fatal mistake to not come prepared in case the adversary decides to enlist the help of General Winter to their advantage. Major Holyfield took precautions to prepare to be behind schedule for the operation in case the insurgent Slaegians decides to draw out this war longer than expected. The Wigs back home on earth can tolerate a hill-hiding Insurgency since the political objectives achieved during the previous Operation Haymaker has satisfied the Party's Ends for the time being, but ultimately, he and Colonel Polonsky must decisively cut the head off of the resistance at the soonest in order for the Gliesian Pacification Campaign is to be seen to fruition. For now, all of the participating UFEAF Troops across the Front must make do with temporarily frustrated supplies and support. Light to Medium weight vehicles will have to pick up the pace in their heavier variants absence which means no Ullrs and Cataphract Tanks doing the heavy fire fighting for the advancing infantry.

It wasn't the first time that General Mud proverbially disrupted the Armed Forces of the Federation but even in spite of their advancements, there were places Mother Nature still held mastery over those who attempt to tame her. Even more so when it comes in regards to the strange plague that began to slowly enrapture the former Imperial Region as reports of hostile 'walkers' began to roam around the region assaulting refugees, soldiers, or even themselves alike in a blind haze of rabid cannibalism.

Stryder Group hunkered down for the past two days at the ruined Parish Temple that centralized within the village of Egni much to her chagrin. The plague had forced her team under quarantine as official bureaucratic work was being made to accommodate Samantha and her squad's exemption from the Egni Containment Zone hosted by the 12th Infantry's Captain Fred Feldchrist. The CRBN Company overseeing this measure wasted no time in studying their invisible enemy much to the unnerving chagrin of their Native Charges. Many of them were probed, forcibly separated from their loved ones, and yelled into slum-like conditions as the Hazmat-Suited soldiers separated the infected from the non-infected.

"Looks like you are in the clear Captain. Doctor Lee Haneul just came in now with all the papers you need for me to legally let you out of the Containment Zone." Captain Feldchrist removed his Gas Mask as he put on his reading glasses. He looked over a Smartpad over written Data as Samantha stood up from her cot.

"So, what exactly these poor folks are suffering from?" Samantha asked.

"I'll skip to the straight stuff here so here goes." Feldchrist swallowed his breath. "This 'Primal Boil' as the locals call it, is actually some kind of the functional hybrid between Rabies and the Roto viruses, Genome mapping, Reproduction and all. This new virus is making them act all zombie-like without actually getting shot of those Necromancy Magic that exists here in this reason, scary enough that I just said all of that." Captain Feldchrist explained darting his eyes towards Iris with his stiff prejudiced gaze. "Doctor Lee got this very ancient detes dating back before the Federation's founding. For formalities sake, the Docs are treating this as a wholly new Virus... with similar characteristics to Roto and Rabies."