The door screeched open, and there was a single person in it a male Kyntari with the rank of Lieutenant.


    “Welcome to our humble abode Colonel, I am Lieutenant Raspberry come in.” Raspberry held his hand and allowed us into the concrete pillbox. There were several concrete walls blocking our view of the outside behind them, with an entryway next to the door I saw sunlight pour in from the concrete wall.


    A simple peak showed several HMGs peering out of the small slit opening giving me enough viewing space to see the forest that surrounded us.


    I got out of that area and saw there was a table in the center of the room, a shelf and couch pushed up against the left concrete wall that offered protection. There were small holes in the concrete wall, its design was very similar to the forts that guarded the broken wall. Meaning there was internal and external protection.


    In the center of the pillbox was a metal trap door in the center, a long table with a few chairs was pushed up against the right wall.


    “Alright the map is down here.” Crumpet said, opening the trapdoor revealing a ladder into a bunker.


    “Alright.” I said, as Gunther and Ronin allowed me to go down first, after Crumpet and Raspberry.


    When I got down I was met with a room lit by an oil lamp at the top of the room. There were 5 bunks beds spreaded out through the largish bunker. That was around 3 times the size of my own officer bunker. My bunker would be half the area the pillbox had, or about 1.5 times the area the pillbox above us had. Give or take that much as it was eyeballed.


    To the right of the ladder was another steel door, blocked with a shelf.


    “That there is the door that leads to the Tunnels, we haven’t touched it in a couple of days.” Crumpet said Ronin seemed to also be afraid of it as well.


    “Is Ronin afraid of the tunnels?” I asked.


    “Well according to him he is actually scared of the dark.” Crumpet said.


    “Well I am also scared of the dark, and small spaces.” I said.


    Gunther looked at me, “You worked on a spaceship that would’ve spent several years headed to Pluto. And you''re scared of small spaces?” I asked.


    I looked at Gunther with an annoyed look. “I am more scared of space than claustrophobic spaces, so I am more worried about the ship losing pressure than the small spaces available to everybody on the ship.” I said.


    “Make sense, one phobia overpowers the other?” Gunther asked.


    “It''s not a phobia, especially with space, it''s more me rationalizing the risks of space, but also my fear of small spaces formed after the mission.” I said.


    “Oh, so trauma then.” Gunther said.


    “Yeah.” I said, unyieldingly showing no hint of reacting to my past.


    “So show us the map.” Gunther said, changing the topic before things broke down for me.


    “Give me a second.” Crumpet said, moving the bunk bed on the opposite side of the room from the ladder and door. “Come here.” She said, bringing out a box and bringing out a rolled up piece of paper. Then unrolling it out onto a nearby night stand that dotted the claustrophobic bunker.


    “So this is the map.” Crumpet said, rolling out a fancily designed map showing an extremely complex web of trenches and rectangles. I and Gunther crowded around the nightstand with Crumpet as Ronin looked at us from the bunker above us.


    In the bottom right of the map was a legend, blue lines were trenches, and red lines were tunnels. Squares were bunkers, circles were pillboxes, thin rectangles were heavy artillery emplacements. In the center of it all was something titled the FEI50.


    I pointed at the FEI50 “What is this?” I asked.


    Crumpet eyes lit up, “it''s a railway gun we built, it does work just that its minimum range would’ve made it unusable on the map.” Crumpet explained.


    “What is its range? 50 miles?” I asked.


    “Yes we designed it to be able to shoot in a 50 mile radius, its minimum range is however only 6 miles in radius.” Crumpet explained.


    “Alright, do you guys know what it shoots?” I asked.


    “Yes it does, in the game it just hits the invisible wall on the other side of the map. Doing nothing much, so it was mostly there to look good.” Crumpet said.


    I nodded, “Then where are we on this map?” I asked.


    Crumpet pointed not that far from the main bunker I lived in, “We are here near the center of the defensive line, the pillbox we are in is actually right in front of the final flag on our side.” Crumpet happily explained.


    “Ok then, so to the north of us is the railway gun. Then according to this map there are several dozen miles worth of tunnels, some going right below are previously existing tunnels and trenches.” I said, tracing the map.


    “There was a tunnel that did go under the enemy side, but it is now underwater. Nor is it like we ever went above ground or near any of their tunnels, bunkers or trenches with it so there''s that.” Crumpet added.


    “Alright then, let''s go and check if there''s anything in the tunnels.” I said.


    “I’ll get the rest of my squad to back you guys up.” Said First Lieutenant Rasberry, taking out his clipboard, “If it''s fine that they are taken from their jobs.” He asked.


    “That’ll be fine, I want to keep this as a small reconnaissance mission. I do not know if there are goblins here and if they are watching us so tell them the Colonel has a mission for your squad and to report back here.” I said.


    Seconds later I saw a message appear in front of me.


    “Come back home, we have a mission from the Colonel herself.” Orders from Lieutenant Raspberrypiecake.


    I sighed, “this area is too large for just ten people to explore so we need to break it down by area.” And I asked the two builders. “So Raspberry, Crumpet where do you think we should start looking for goblins?” I asked.


    Crumpet, and Raspberry got in deep thought.


    Finally Crumpet spoke first. “Well what do you think the goblins are wanting to do with the defensive lines?” Crumpet asked.


    “Well I’d say it would be a good base of operation. If there''s as many bunkers, pillboxes, and trenches you said there were. It''s easily defendable even with primitive weapons, close quarter combat is what fighting in trenches is like anyways.” I said.


    Crumpet and Raspberry looked at the map once more.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Raspberry pointed at the southern part of the map, “This is where I would hold up if I was a goblin with an army. There''s a lot of food there, all edible in fact.”


    I stared at Raspberry blankly. “So you''re telling me there''s food here? What kind?” I asked.


    Raspberry seemed unfazed by my staring. “Well, the food there is mostly what you would find on a battlefield for an army. Canned food mostly with a few officers'' foods there, with enough food to feed the 1000 people on our side for 3 months.” Raspberry explained.


    I sighed, and looked at the map once more, “So there''s a lot of food here, and no one knew about it?” I asked.


    “It was to give attention to detail for the final art project. Just like you, we didn’t expect that we would be sent here.”


    I sighed and pinched my nose, “The problem is you didn’t tell us that there was food here. I feel like a fool for telling everybody to start butchering bodies for food.” I said.


    Gunther finally spoke.“And that is an issue, because the goblins have possibly been here for a couple of days, a little less than we’ve been here. Assuming they are here, they could have eaten several days worth of rations already?” Gunther asked.


    “Yes, and we do not know enough about goblin biology to accurately deduce how much they could’ve eaten.” I said.


    “So you are saying we are to get moving?” Crumpet asked.


    “And to summon every single soldier on our side of the river to get access to that food.” Gunther said.


    “I have one more thing to ask, Crumpet, Raspberry. Was there another one of these art projects on the Noxu side?” I asked.


    Crumpet and Raspberry both gulped, “Yes…” Crumpet meekly said.


    “Fucking hell.” Gunther cursed.


    “We have to inform Shark and John about that.” I said.


    “Well it couldn’t be all bad. There''s a good chance the builders on the other art team could’ve also told them about the other art project.” Crumpet said.


    “I know the other art team, they are good people that will step up to the occasion and tell them about the forts, and food.” Raspberry said.


    “Then why is the Noxu side going hungry?” I asked.


    “Um…Uh…” Raspberry said, before going silent.


    I sighed, “lets go focus on our side for now.” I said.


    Bringing out my clipboard.


    “All Majors except for Shark report to the Bunker for a meeting.” Orders from CeoMacNCheese.


    “Well let''s get moving.” I turned to Lieutenant Raspberry. “Have your squad get to the maps as soon as you possibly can once they arrive. Get as many as you can and bring them to the surface to be handed out to everyone as soon as you can.” I turned to Gunther, “Tell Ronin to stay with them, and don’t burn the maps.” I said, before leaving the area.


    “Ma’am.” Gunther said, behind me I turned and saw he was saluting.


    “Yes, Lieutenant?” I asked.


    “Can I lead these kids? They aren’t exactly military and you are sending them on a potentially dangerous mission.” He asked.


    “If you think that is best.” I said.


    “Tell me I have permission followed by my Rank and Name.” Gunther requested.


    “You have Permission First Lieutenant Gunther.” I said.


    “Thank you ma’am.” Gunther said ending his salute and he turned to the three in the bunks. “You heard what the Colonel said, I am in charge now.” I grabbed the ladder and began climbing, not hearing the rest of what Gunther was saying.


    When I exited the Pillbox, I was met with a group of people outside of the door.


    “Are you the Squad of Lieutenant Raspberry?” I asked them.


    “Yes, we were sent an order by Raspberry. I am assuming you are the Colonel?” The closest one asked, he was a rifleman with a long bayoneted rifle on his back.


    “Yes, you have an important mission to get down into your bunker. The commander I assigned you is going to begin his briefing and planning.” I said.


    They all looked uncomfortable and simply nodded, except for one in the back.


    “What do you mean commander you assigned?”


    I looked at the person in the back.


    “Shut up Jerry, we don''t need to hear this now.” I heard the one in the front say.


    “You have a mission, but you are artists not soldiers are you?” I said, approaching the tallish Kynari male medic.


    “Yes, I know that but what do you mean by Commander you assigned? This isn’t the Soviet Union or the American Imperial days.” Jerry said.


    I looked at Jerry straight in the eyes, he backed off. “Well you guys are untrained, and you have a job that will stop everybody here from having to eat human flesh for the next month. So you will have someone who actually knows what they are doing to lead you, so please shut up.” I said circling him with a careful step.


    He gulped “and if I don’t?”


    “We’ll all die, or just…” I ran my finger nail along his neck, “you, depending on the success of your mission.” I slowly said.


    Jerry seemed to take pause at my sudden demeanor change.


    “So please be quiet and follow orders, or I’ll make you wish you were quiet.” I said slowly, I stopped several feet away from Jerry respecting his personal boundaries once more.


    Jerry didn’t respond and seemed to follow it.


    “Good, you aren’t brain dead like some people I’ve abandoned in my life. Get in there now, you have a mission to prepare for.” I said, before walking away towards the main bunker. Doing a slight skip.


    “She’s fucking creepy.” I heard Jerry whisper under his breath.


    I stopped and I faced Jerry, looked on the ground and cracked a stick which gave a loud snap in my direction. Everyone looked at me, including Jerry.


    “Get inside or I’ll make you.” I said loudly.


    Everyone hurriedly shuffled inside the pillbox followed by the door loudly screeching and slamming closed with a clunk as the steel door was locked.


    I turned around and began making my way towards my bunker, I was also on edge constantly checking my surroundings to see if I was being followed. But there was nothing following me, and I made my way back to the bunker by myself.


    When I got there it was empty with a few people in there, I saw several of the Majors in the Bunker making their way to my room.


    I joined them.


    “Hello Colonel, what''s with this sudden meeting?” Fish asked.


    “I’ll explain once everyone I told to come, gets here.” I said, as we arrived at my door. It was a metal door, not as sturdily built as the entrances to the bunker or pillbox. Which we keep open almost all the time.


    I opened the door, and saw nothing but darkness.


    “I’ll light up the room, you guys wait here.” I said entering the dark room with my lamp in hand, then it suddenly lit up the room and burned a dull orange glow with my shadow being casted.


    There weren''t any blue particles, it just lit up, like someone else did it for me. But no one was next to me, it just lit up.


    I didn’t hesitate in hanging the lamp on the hook on the ceiling. I felt paranoid at how it lit up by itself, but I forgot about that the moment I saw, whiteboard and markers on the back wall of my room. With a projector hanging from the roof above my desk.


    Along with a Printer on the floor next to my desk, the laptop was still where it was still closed.


    I sat down as the last of the majors entered my office.


    “Good morning Colonel, what is the reason why you called us here today?” Punisher asked.


    “The reason why I called you here today is to tell you the fact that we may have goblins in our walls.” I said.


    Fish raised an eyebrow. “Goblins? The things that attacked us the second night and then you proceeded to defeat why would that warrant a meeting?”


    “They also might be where all our food is.” I added.


    Everybody seemed to explode at me, each talking over each other.


    “Food? As in not human flesh?” Punisher asked.


    “We have food and you didn’t tell us?” Fish asked.


    “Food?” I heard Shadow ask.


    The majors yelling became an incoherent mess, and I raised my hand and started yelling over them “quiet! Please!” I yelled.


    Everybody got quiet at my request.


    “If you want to know, I just learned of this today not that long ago. So let me explain our situation, there is a potential that there are thousands of goblins in our walls where we live. Eating our food, the issue is those goblins are more than likely in a fortress one that was built as an art project, with enough supplies to last us months, in not just food but also supply and materials. But also space.” I explained.


    Memezboss spoke, “So you are saying that we have allowed the enemy in our territory? We didn’t even bother to check for food or anything else?” Memez asked.


    I responded, “Yes, but that area has miles of tunnels and trenches. If the goblins figured out its purpose and all the defenses were in it, it would be impossible to take back. So we need to start planning now, however the fortress is so complicated you need a map to be able to effectively navigate it.” I explained.


    “Do we have maps?” Fish asked.


    “Yes we do, the issue is that they are somewhere in the fortress and the only map we did have is with the team and I didn’t memorize the map so we’ll have to wait until they come back with the maps.”


    “Well we could plan out where to check out the above ground map.” Silenz suggested.


    I nodded “Alright then, where should we start?” I asked.


    “I say we simply start from the Broken wall and start following the trench lines towards the direction the food is stored.” Fish suggested.


    “Alright, that works.” I grabbed a marker and started writing on the board with a black marker. I wrote down what Fish suggested.


    “Where did you get the marker and board?” Silenz asked.


    “The same person that teleported the laptop here.” I said, writing down my own idea to scout out the forest to make sure nothing is hiding there.


    “I say we turn our artillery towards the direction of the fortress, for direct fire support if needed.” Village suggested.


    “Alright what else?” I wrote down the idea.


    “We could put some AT Gunners on a boat and have them act as a moving artillery support platform along the river.” Fish suggested.


    “Alright.” I said, writing down the idea.


    “We could activate one of the behemoths, if our troops encounter any stiff resistance we get that tank over there and blow up whatever is causing them trouble.” Lolz suggested.


    “A little expensive but could work well.” I said, writing down the idea.


    “This may be a bit of a stretch, but if the tunnels turn out to be too much of a hassle to clear out we could gas the goblins with Mustard gas.” Silenz suggested.


    “Mustard gas in the tunnels, I like your thinking.” I added the idea to the board.


    This went on until the board was filled with increasingly violent methods in which we could clear out the tunnels which just turned into full on sadism to just kill them. I didn’t help in preventing the sadism, as I think I started the increasingly sadist ideas.


    “I say we stick with realistic ideas in clearing out the tunnels. We could use these ideas later when we have more resources, but I don’t think we have even 10 of the resources required for these ideas.” I said.


    A message came in from Gunther.


    “Gunther Here, We got the maps, the issue is the tunnels are filled with goblins and also big guys that look like Ogres. Send men please, before Ronin accidentally burns our maps.” Orders from Lieutenant OneGermanGuy.


    I raised my eyebrow at Gunthers name but ignored it as I turned towards the Majors.


    I began giving out orders. “There are Goblins in the Tunnels, but also Ogres too. So everybody get your soldiers together, we are going to war.” I said exasperated.