Dateline 3127.120-124

General Buck’s advanced HQ on West Continent, Cydonia

Having made sure that the INN reporters were fully briefed on what we had offered (and been rebuffed) we then offered to withdraw completely from the West continent and for that part of it held by us on 3127.100 to be declared a DMZ. We also made sure that it was clear that we started this war because of state sponsored terrorism committed by the NCC and DMC. That we had processed most of those arrested at the start of the war and released the majority as innocent, convicted a significant minority after due process and in open trials where the evidence could be reviewed and had a small number still under investigation who would be released or charged soon.

I asked both the NCC and the MAFC to allow my forces in ENSEMBLE to be allowed to fly out. While the NCC agreed that we could leave unmolested the MAFC General (Brigadier Arthur, AKA the butcher of KUTCHI) refused to give any assurances.

Accordingly, to avoid needless civilian casualties I declared ENSEMBLE an open city and my infantry brigade moved to the north on the only road away from the city we had. The sea marine force also there dispersed as guerrillas because they were unable to move without 

transport and I couldn’t be sure that the transport flyers could get them out unmolested. At the same time I put all available AIR and flyers on a combination Cover/Support over ENSEMBLE (the decision to pull out being a last minute one). This gave us temporary local air superiority, and if we’d chosen to fight would have made the enemy pay dearly.

Elsewhere I started to prepare an evacuation plan. The logistics base in DEANVILLE started to move along the road back to where the sea logs base was located. 2nd Republican Tank Brigade (now at 1/3 original strength) was loaded onto ships to be taken back to the East continent. Other units were brought back up to strength using remaining RMP. The Mech Brigade on the Southern coast road fell back to the neck of the peninsula (just to the west of BLACKBERRY).

Lastly I made sure that INN were fully aware of our unilateral actions to avoid unnecessary civilian casualties and that our retirement was in good order and of our own choosing rather than as a result of enemy action.

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