He quickly raised his hand, signaling his warriors to regroup. The Matalebe, though fierce and skilled in close combat, were not equipped to face a well-armed, organized military force head-on, especially not one as formidable as the Votswana Colonial Army.
The leader knew they had to make a swift decision.
"Prepare to fall back!" he commanded, his voice cutting through the noise of the burning outpost and the murmurs of his men.
Suddenly, the sound of a low rumble filled the air, growing louder with each passing second. The leader of the Matalebe warriors froze, his eyes widening as he looked up at the sky. The rumble grew into a deafening roar, and then he saw them—aircraft, four of them, slicing through the sky with menacing speed.
"Take cover!" he shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the ear-splitting noise of the planes. The Matalebe warriors scrambled some diving for cover among the rocks, others standing in stunned disbelief.
Without warning, the aircraft began their deadly work. Bombs tumbled from the planes, hurtling toward the ground with terrifying speed. The first explosion rocked the earth, sending a massive plume of dirt, debris, and fire into the air. The shockwave knocked several men off their feet, the force of the blast tearing through the already devastated outpost.
More bombs followed in rapid succession. The air was filled with the sounds of explosions, shrapnel slicing through the air, and the screams of those caught in the blasts. The outpost, already a scene of carnage, was now being obliterated piece by piece. Timber and stone flew in all directions, and the flames from earlier fires were fanned into raging infernos by the concussive blasts.
The Matalebe leader, half-buried under debris, struggled to his feet, coughing as the thick smoke filled his lungs. He could barely hear anything over the ringing in his ears and the continued thunder of the bombs.
The leader of the Matalebe warriors blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the smoke and dust made it difficult to see. The intense heat from the fires stung his eyes.
"What's happening?" He looked around confusedly.
His warriors, though dazed and injured, were still alive. The bombs had been terrifyingly precise, targeting the outpost and sparing the Matalebe warriors who had been on the outskirts. The realization struck him—this was no accident. The Votswana Colonial Army hadn't come to wipe them out. They had come to send a message.
"We have no interest in your destruction," the Triesenberg official began, his words relayed through the interpreter. "We have orders from His Royal Highness, Prince Theodore Triesenberg, to make contact with the Matalebe Tribes."
The Matalebe leader tilted his head to the side, why does the prince of a Western nation care about the Matalebe Tribes?
"Why would a prince from a distant land concern himself with our people?" the Matalebe leader asked.
The Triesenberg official, still composed, gestured for the interpreter to relay the message. "Prince Theodore has interests in the region, and he understands that the Matalebe have a significant role to play in the stability of this area. He is aware of the struggles you face and the resistance you have shown against domestic oppression.
The prince wishes to propose a mutually beneficial arrangement."
The Matalebe leader narrowed his eyes. "What kind of arrangement?"
"That will be discussed if you come with us."
The Matalebe leader's eyes flickered with suspicion. The idea of leaving his warriors and going with these foreigners was unsettling. He knew that any misstep could lead to his capture or even death. Yet, the mention of a mutually beneficial arrangement piqued his interest. If there was a chance to secure something advantageous for his people, it was worth considering.
He glanced back at his warriors. They would follow his lead, no matter where it took them. But this decision was his alone to make.
The Triesenberg official watched him closely, waiting for a response. Finally, the Matalebe leader spoke. "I will go with you, but my warriors stay here. Any harm that comes to them will be met with swift retribution."
The interpreter relayed the message, and the Triesenberg official nodded, seemingly unperturbed by the leader's conditions. "Agreed. Your warriors will remain unharmed. Now, shall we?"