GATE - War of Two Worlds Part 1

V12 - Chapter 136

"Today President gave the first Medal of Honor in the war against the Empire. It is Staff Sergeant Tomas Espina of the 75th Ranger Regiment. During a diplomatic mission with an Elf tribe, the Empire conducted a sneak attack and nearly overran the Ranger unit(1).

During the attack, Staff Sergeant Tomas Espina was manning the vehicle M2 .50 caliber. He was able to stop an incoming charge from the enemy, preventing the unit from being overrun.

However, during the battle, he was shot three times by archers. Each time he was hit he refused to take cover for medical assistance and continued fighting. Because of his heroism, most of the attackers were killed and the unit was saved.

But he died when the third arrow hit him in the neck, killing in instantly. The President said bravely like this is, not our technology is why the United States is winning this war." – SCNR News

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--- Fort Minick, 8th Infantry (Alnus) Division, 5 miles south of Fort Alnus, mess hall ---

January 12th, 2026

Colonel John Yang is sitting at a table in the mess hall, looking down at his tablet. He is at the newly constructed Fort Minick, a few kilometers away from Fort Alnus. It is part of an expansion program to help secure US interest in Falmart.

Mainly thank to Major Sharpe and his Vanguard team, the US has recruited many locals to help in the war effort. Delilah is a clear example of local assistance, who has been helping with reconnaissance missions. Myuute is another who comes to mind, helping bridge the alien gap in the Alnus Community.

He glances up and sees Guardian Beluutie or known as Pinkie by some of the troops. Another nickname and character from a long list from Sharpe. While he has had many amazing men and women under his command, he has never had an officer like Sharpe. The strange ability to turn enemies into allies continue to impress him.

Both him and Captain Sarah Rose has talked about it and both came to the same conclusion. Sharpe is a true believer in what he does and why he does it. The freedom, the liberty and everything that comes with that. For most, it is an idea you think about in your free time during the fourth of July. Sharpe's greatest strength is his that conviction, that is what gravitates people like Rory, Pina, and Beluutie but it is also his weakness. While Major is his most trusted and experienced officer he has, he does worry that he goes too far and feels like it is his responsibility to place limits and red lines on him. Sharpe will put himself in danger and if he does not keep an eye on that, sooner or later he will cross that line for the last time. As the saying goes, what goes up must come down and both him and Sarah saw what happened when he was down once.

Beluutie is sitting there at a corner table with some other defected soldiers from Legrath. She is holding up a potato chip and analyzing it like it is a diamond.

He finds it humorous, seeing what is considered normal by his people as amazing or strange.

He goes back in checking the reports about one of his Rangers bitten by a batboy. The Army hospital reports that Sergeant Andrew is not infected by anything. The medical personal was worried that he was infected with an alien version of Corona virus because he was bitten by a bat.

The report also mentioned that the Alnus boy who got his arm chopped off. The doctors said they were able to reattach it in time, but there will be some permanent damage. He has seen it done before, the doctors reconnect the bone and get the blood going again. The key is getting the nerves reattached before they die so speed is the key. The wonders of modern medical science.