Chapter 44 - Equality ? Maybe !

Now all we had to do was just show up with our numbers and a few heads of the already dead Bandits. A pretty barbaric way to show your strength and momentum. Nevertheless an effective one.

As soon as we had arrived they had pulled their guns ready to shoot us down. But when the sack of heads was rolled down the dune. You could not see loyalty or rage, just plain cowardice.

When they weren't ready to lay down their weapons, they were gunned down. Like a farmer that uses his scythe to purely cut down and reap wheat, they weren't treated any better. They were shot down before they could even object.

Seeing this series of events, the ones at the back understood. We weren't here to negotiate or imprison anyone. If any harmful action was seen they would be executed, rather than caged like it should usually happen.

Then I came, I walked to the middle of the entire camp to an already arranged seat. While I normally supress my aura and momentum. This time I was letting a little escape me. What they feel is not even a fraction, but its enough to make them hallucinate a God walking to his rightful throne.

For no one with that much power really exists in this entire universe. Well except for Truth. As I sit down all who held their breathes, start breathing a sigh of relief.

I had shut down my aura and momentum. This may seem like me showing weakness, but true masters would look at it, as a beast hiding his sharp fangs.

"I hereby announce Ishvalan Rebellion Corps' birth". My statement had sent a shock through everyone. This meant that we were going independent of the other rebellion one.

The other one is serious horse shit. I mean they were supressed twice by Amestris in the anime. Better me being independent than having useless teammates.

"But Commander Sho, all our supplies and ammunition are sent by the Rebel Forces. Is it wise to branch off them without any groundwork for our own group".

"Not really, but as they are now, winning against Amestris is a pipe dream". My statement sent waves, they had followed me because of the certainty and confidence I had shown in every event that had recently transpired.

But patriotism is like a propaganda that gives optimism, and it clouds the judgement of many sound individuals. So what is a country that has its own distinguished trait lacking in right now. Everything but patriotic madman.

"I know what you are thinking. But the Alchemists are the real reason the Rebel Force would lose. For no matter the amount we add in, those guys are like large scale bombs with a human mind, and right now it is kinda their stage".

Many could only nod in understanding. Some showed fearful expressions over the word Alchemist. But me spearheading this rebellion cause would have a better chance than idiots who burn down all information of the enemy in outrage.

The Potential Secretary or what his name really is Damun, raises his hands and says "But then without a steady supply, our efforts will have to be double or quadruple than normal because we will need food, ammunition, water on a daily basis to feed and fight with all present here".

The civilians are useless in a war but that doesn't mean they can't be fashioned for it. Women are more realistic than males and as such if they have the right amount of power they can be better leaders than many males.

Males are more suited for pioneering or doing something crazy and aggressive. Sometimes innovations are made from that crazy thought that someone once had and all males do like to try what can be said as their 'First Time for Everything' reason.

That craziness is really required, for not all plans have to follow the usual route. But go toooo far and they become suicidal maniacs and as such to balance them females are required, better so if that female is strong enough to stand side by side of her partner.

If I train the civilians, the usage food and water supply will instantaneously rise through the roof. Though the situation right now does not permit enough time. Anyway at the end we can just camp in an already established yown after a few months.

These few months will be enough to either have a good amount of elites or a sad amount of commanders. I bet we will have more elites and less commanders.

So I am stuck in a dilemma right now. If I train them, they will have a better shot at surviving but it will require more time. If I don't and let them gain experience through real combat, it would mean that the weaker ones will die before the next month.

So I thought why not just delegate according to talent. Talented personnel can take arms but others will have to support through other means. But that also means that I might squash any potential they might have. Because not all talented people shine.

Sometimes hardwork beats talent by at the least a mile sized difference. So I can only think of something that allows me to broadly but surely distribute labour with immaculate precision.

Once again I nearly went with the perfectionist route. Shit, this keeps on bugging me in my Warlord Build. How about I give them the basics and monitor their progress. The first week can be rested and secure. After that we will have to raid Amestris side for the supplies.

So I will have to weekly move around and monitor their progress and then asign them accordingly. What the f.u.c.k, wasn't I running away from administration, why am I back here again.

"Hmmmm thinking on it, it would be best to train all present here, noone is excepted. Except the elderly. As for the supplies we will have to raid Amestris' side for everything".

We had a gross total of 35 males, 28 females, 12 boys, 8 girls and 12 veterans. A sizeable group but rather lacking in terms of quality. Most are still just civilians, so I will have to retrain them from scratch.

Then another female who looked a bit nervous but had a glint to her eyes said "What do you mean by train everyone present here ???". All females had slowly started voicing out their objections with agreement to this speculation.

I had waited for some female to question me like this. So I asked her "What is your name ?".

She was silent for a minute maybe, contemplating the various ways she would be killed or humiliated due to my anger. I still do look like a child even if I am a bit larger for my age. So she meekly replied "Jill".

"Jill let me ask you something ?. When you were captured by the bandits what did you feel ?".

All the females mood soured, everyone understood the gruesome result it would end in. Killing themselves might be a better option in some cases, for in a true gritty reality the actions that would be dealt is not something to scoff at.

Women who are taken as spoils of war usually die to such griveous mishaps. Dying exhausted due to forcefully entertaining their captors. This is the reality of life and what was prevalent during throughout the medieval ages and even for some time during the colonial wars.

Bear in mind that even if this world is actually nearing our era, it does not mean they are actually living in it.

Amestris is a special case since they allow benefits according to merit. Otherwise you would be hard pressed to find a country in this world that allows women anywhere near the warzone.

"If we hadn't arrived or we had lost, what would you do ?". Many of my first batch of soldiers wanted to interfere, to stop the flow of this conversation. But I had stared them down, their was no place for objections.

I continued on "Nothing, you would have done nothing".

The women had well endured upto this point but one shouted out "So what were we supposed to do, fight them ?. Did you want to collect our corpses ?".

I had gazed at her and said "Its sad that you would die down even without a fight. You females will always give out the reasons of inequality, less resources, less strength, and what not and then try to enjoy huge amounts of privileges. I call it whining".

"Pathethic, you would say or give a variety of reasons for any event but truthfully you just want to be on the high ground. Never admitting that the unfairness you experience amounts to one main reason yourselves".

By this time of the speech, everyone had calmed down or had complex emotions. The males side were unsure of what I wanted, and the females side had their anger directed at me. My thoughts and speech almost made them forget my height and age.

"So I am giving you an opportunity to rise, have pride, have the strength and power to not only defend, protect, but also save others. Why are you still hesitating ?. Why are you still clinging on the fact that someone will save you ?. Why are you still saying about the unfairness of only your situation ?".

They felt confused with what I was wanting to say, what I was trying to convey. But I continued "Tomorrow you could be your own Hero. Write your own legend. You won't lack anywhere in comparison to those Male knights in those fairy tales. So I ask you why won't you jump at the opportunity here ?".

A normal man jumps at every opportunity, even if he is blind or not sure. For he hopes to clench at that little bit, even if it may be just dregs for others. Ambition drives them, dreams move them, hope makes them continue, and these are just expressions they convey.

Like I said before women are more realistic, they curb their ambition, silence their dreams, crush their hopes and leave themselves insecure and wasted. Now that is not what every woman does but it sure remains a majority.

As if doing a little more for themselves will just worsen the situation they are in and therein lies the problem. If Einstein was discouraged by the educational system and became a loud mouth hippy, would we remember his stories and say 'Oh that Hippy, how loud he was'.

Never, but then again women are odd creatures, beings who won't jump at an opportunity even if God proclaimed it was. But they are curious beings and Politics is run on compromise. That is why I will train a batch of them and when their accomplishments begin to rival their male counterparts.

Women themselves will flock to learn under them, maybe not themselves but their children will try to follow those footsteps. Footprints are harder to erase when they are written and etched in the mind.

So I concede to them, for quarrelling with women never leaves you winning. It is always a landslide loss even if you are a God. That makes Marvel's women so cool, but the qualitative difference is rather obvious.

"How about this. Those who volunteer will be the first batch of Armed women : The Valkyrie".

Women who will pick up their hands right now will mostly be unmarried and real dreamers. Pioneers who will show Gender equality as I envision it.

But I guess women lack that dreamer like mindset the most. Only 12 picked up their hands, and most aren't sure if what they are doing is going to be good for them or not.

"With this it is decided". I shut down any room, door or window for objections. After a few months when news of our success reaches everyone, there will actually be an influx to join my army.

So I start delegating all their jobs, and like a well oiled machine they begin on their responsibilities. The women and lots of men who can fight are being trained.

The Women are at a loss to what they should do. But I am letting them learn the basics first, but in order to reinforce their will power so that they actually chase after legends, will need a trigger.

A trigger so powerful for the human psyche that even they will realise that asking for equality from the depths of their soul and running towards legends is not that easy. What they are asking right now is not equality but privileges.

So when the knowledge of what they envy will increase, their ignorance will be cleansed. Many women envision a knight in shining armor to protect them regardless of who they are or what they do. Only a select few try to envision themselves as the knight.

To understand true equality, you have to stand in anothers shoe. That is why I will deny them the role of a princess and make them the knight. Only then will they realise that being the knight isn't such a happy thing as they imagine.

And in such a way the first few weeks passed by. Then our supplies started running low. But I had long since planned for this and let the scouts run around and gather intel. I did this in a rotation basis so that even my scouts may be balanced in their strength and not lose their lives wastefully.

Lo behold, the data of an Amestris supply convoy heading a little bit far away from us, to their next destination. Awwwww they plan to deliver themselves to us, so I will try to reciprocate very nicely.

My grin cannot be concealed and so begins the raiding events that will terrify Amestris for a while.