Summoning America

Chapter 134: Escalation

November 19, 1640
Washington D.C.

The bustle of the White House grounds was uncharacteristically quiet, as if the entire world held its breath in anticipation of something monumental. Inside the Situation Room, President Lee sat at the head of the table, his calm and composed demeanor masking the concern he felt about the situation. Director Fitch sat to his right, preparing documents and intelligence reports for review. Secretary of Defense Robert Hill, the epitome of stoicism, sat to the President's left, his gaze directed toward a screen showing a live feed of the ongoing conflict in Mu. Also present in this meeting were Director Klein, Secretary Heiden, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Brent McCarthy. The room was bathed in a muted light, as if to mimic the gravitas of the situation at hand.

The atmosphere inside the room was tense, as they had just received a report on the Battle of Hytal. It was a pyrrhic victory for the EDI, who managed to drive away the Gra Valkans from the doorstep of the Holy Mirishial Empire at the cost of an irreplaceable Pal Chimera and Plasma Dragon. Although the Gra Valkans suffered significant losses to their carriers and aerial assets, the industrial capability of their nation was more than enough to replace these without a second thought. As they mulled over the implications of this mess, the discussion eventually turned to how to support the EDI and weaken the Gra Valkans as much as possible. The group was determined to do whatever it took to ensure that the EDI would emerge victorious.

Analyzing satellite images of the wreckage around Hytal Base, the men in the room couldn't help but feel frustration at the Gra Valkans' growing capabilities. They knew the Gra Valkans weren't stupid; they would adapt eventually. However, they didn't realize they would adapt this quickly.

Using a presentation to guide his explanation, Fitch discussed the underlying reasons behind the Gra Valkas Empire's success. "...Originally, we never expected the Gra Valkans to be able to eliminate a single Plasma Dragon, much less a Pal Chimera. We knew that their achievement during the Battle of Otaheit was a fluke, and the Mirishials certainly wouldn't let something like that happen again. However, we overlooked a critical development in Gra Valkan weapons technology: magically-enhanced rockets."

A zoomed image of blue explosions ravaging a Pal Chimera popped up on the screen. Fitch explained further, "Much like our own magically-enhanced weapons concepts, the Gra Valkans were able to integrate magic into their arsenal. Where standard MR-2 rockets would have failed to even graze the Pal Chimera, their enhanced variants, which we are dubbing the MR-3, have demonstrated the ability to readily blow past heavy shielding and armor. We're attempting to acquire more information on their weapons programs. Director Klein?"

Klein stood up, taking over where Fitch left off, "Mister President, our assets have been so far unable to breach the heavy security in the Gra Valkas Empire's secretive research facility, Hel's Gate. We're currently coordinating with the Department of Defense to secure a submarine from which we can deploy reconnaissance drones, as we've already ruled out the possibility of infiltrating the facility as personnel. The information we've managed to glean so far has been derived from rumors amongst the Doves and grunts within their military, as well as psychological hints given by Gra Valkan combatants captured during the Battle of Hytal. Although our intel is somewhat lacking, we can safely assume that the Gra Valkans likely have other forms of magically-enhanced weaponry."

President Lee sighed. The Gra Valkans already have a numerical and technological advantage over the EDI. If they kept winning battles of attrition and expanding their arsenal, not even daily shipments of weapons would be able to stop their advance into Mu. Perhaps it was the time to consider direct action, he thought. Seeking the opinions of his advisors, he began, "This news does not bode well for our proxy war. Shipments of supplies won't be enough with the way this war is going."