Zeroth Directive

Archive III

'General, I heard you plan to assault the pass from the front. May I offer my opinion?' 'You're that medic they were talking about? Are you questioning my strategy?' 'No, of course not, just making a few observations. See, this is the lay of the land, with one pass through the middle, and three tiny trails providing access from the side. 'If I were the enemy, and I was facing a commander known for her frontal assaults, I would strengthen my defense down the middle, while sending people down the trails to flank the enemy.' 'Makes sense. Are you suggesting I split the squad and send people to attack down the trails?' 'No, no, only third-rate tacticians think that variety is the ultimate goal of tactics. But only the most cunning can fool everyone, because you can't help but leave traces of their own work.' 'I don't get it.' 'It's simple. Would you be willing to split your squad if I suggested it?' 'No, that would be boring.' 'Exactly. I just wanted to remind you of the potential risks. As a leader, you should be aware of all the dangers you face, and face them together with those by your side.' 'How should I continue the assault from the front, then?' 'It's simple. Have some people lie in wait atop the cliffs, and throw down roadblocks from above when the enemy comes around to attack you from behind. That would both cut them off from their main force and protect your rear. 'Naturally, your retreat will be cut off too, but the fact that the enemy has split their troops simply makes them more vulnerable to a frontal assault by your main force. Victory is yours as long as you can defeat them before their troops can return to reinforce.' 'Sounds like a great idea! Let's go with that. I thought you were just a doctor, Harold. Where did you learn all this?' 'To tell the truth, I've led troops into battle before, but I found medicine to be far more interesting.' 'That so? Well, I love battles, and so do the other kids.' 'I would love war too, if all wars were as adorable. In any case, good luck, General Myrtle.' Why is Harold getting along so well with Myrtle and her group of wargaming children?

Archive IV

Oh, it's my turn? What were we talking about again? Ah, yes, each of us tells a story about ourselves. Spare me the look of anticipation, please. They say I've seen a lot, but it's nothing compared to what you've seen. Wait, what's that vintage you just took out? Alright, very well, here's one I save for special occasions. When I was young, I didn't have the slightest doubt about my duty. I believed I was fighting for Victoria, for the greater good, until I lost my leg. There's really nothing remarkable about the story. I stepped on a mine, lost a leg, spent a few months in bed, then went back to the frontlines after getting a prosthetic limb. It's a rare soldier who isn't missing a piece here or there, but I rarely tell people what I was thinking at the time. While I was lying in the doctor's tent like a mannikin, I saw for the first time my comrades being brought in, moaning in pain. Some of them recovered, others were taken away still moaning in pain, and yet others ended up with a white cloth draped over their face. For the first time, I realized that when you stripped away the glamorous exterior of glory, all that's left is the pained cries of the soldiers, and hands dropping weakly off the sides of beds. That was when I started to feel exhausted by war. ...We've come this far, Doctor. Let me say a little more. I still remember the puzzled gazes upon me when I stepped into the world of high society for the first time. They were sharper than any sword and threatened to impale me, but I took it on the chin and kept walking. To give your life for your country is an honor, but it should be by choice. No one was born to be sent to their death. The reason I'm still working so hard at this age is to find a place for the poor bastards who've stuck it out with me all these years with so little to show for it, and to set my own mind at ease. Now, don't give me that look, I'm thankful that Rhodes Island is willing to accept a bunch of old invalids like us, with all the limbs we don't have. Besides, your burden's hardly any lighter than mine. Who's pitying who here? As someone who's been there, though, the only advice I can give you is this: There's no greater happiness than being able to eat, drink, walk, and sleep. To have a few true friends, and a couple stiff drinks. A toast to your health, that we may see the sun rise again tomorrow.

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