by Tim C Taylor
Uhll reported that the Hummer story was plausible. The energy generated in a large gas giant such as Euphrates was certainly enough to power a massive-scale operation such as the barrier. How the power was harnessed, and how the barrier operated around Athena was beyond his team, but they had seen changes in the orbits and geological activity in all of the other moons orbiting Euphrates. That was consistent with the idea that Euphrates was being tapped for power on a scale beyond anything he’d ever heard of.
The one element of information his team had extracted from the debriefing of the Hummer team was that the code they had inserted into the barrier controller, carried in their own bodies, had not been written by Hummers. The controller was a modified Hummer but was still only a living tool. The engineers who had written the code – who had designed and built the barrier – they were the White Knights themselves.
As for whether the Legion now had the ability to switch the Athena barrier on and off at will, Uhll would only be drawn to say that the second Hummer team recovered from Euphrates had reported that their mission was a success.
“Can we switch off the barrier or not? I must press you for a recommendation, Major,” Indiya insisted. “That is an order.”
“Very well then, Admiral. The main variable here is political, not technological. My answer is dependent on your assessment of whether you trust the Hummers more than you distrust them. If, on balance, you think the Hummers we inserted into Euphrates were sincere in their reports, then I say that, on balance, I think we can switch off the barrier. If you think the Hummers are acting out an elaborate charade to deceive us, then I do not think we can switch off the barrier.”
Indiya could sense Kreippil’s anger at Uhll’s roundabout answer, but the Tallerman was right that everything hinged on whether the Legion could trust the Hummers.
Del-Marie and Lieutenant-General Aelingir, the Jotun commander of Army Group Armored Fist, tried to act out various positions of loyalty and treachery that the Hummers might be taking. Was there really a rival Hummer faction behind the Hardits, and if so what was their goal? Who had supplied the codes to the Hardit Hummers in the first place? Del-Marie and Aelingir did their best to enact credible answers, but the Hummers were so different from every other race there, that trying to think from their point of view was of limited use. The Khallenes and Trogs had the most unusual evolutionary path of all the races to contribute to the meeting, but that was no help in understanding the Hummers. The mudsuckers were almost as strange, but they were strange in a different way. And despite Faraday cages, jamming systems, and both Finfth and Arbentyne-Daex present to prevent or detect Hummer eavesdropping, Indiya had to acknowledge when pressed by Xin that the aliens could be listening in or even directing the decision making.
The exercise in trying to second-guess the Hummers produced no new insights, and so Indiya moved to wargaming the possibility of there being a Hardit warfleet waiting for the Legion to be engaged against Athena’s defenses. ‘Z’ Fleet’s commander, a Friokeban named Admiral Jiann-Hax-Jiann had been tasked with doing her best to fortify the Legion Navy against an attack from a Hardit fleet that could not be detected. The result was a grid of detector lattices that worked on the principle of firing tagged projectiles from one edge of the lattice to the other. If the projectile didn’t arrive at the far side, then there must be something blocking its trajectory, even if other sensors insisted there was nothing there. The basic principle had been tried and tested on a much smaller scale, such as protecting the entrance channels to wet navy bases, but space was vast in comparison – even the small region in the vicinity of Athena – and there were broad gaps between the lattices that meant ‘Z’ Fleet had to make do with mining the area as heavily as possible.
All in all, the Legion’s position was far from impregnable, and relied on the assumption that the Hardits would have to switch off their stealth capability before fighting – which they had done up till now. None of this was certain, but Indiya was satisfied that the Legion was in a stronger position to fend off the Hardits than they had been when Tawfiq had appeared out of nowhere – and chosen not to attack the Legion. It would have to suffice.
Finally, Admiral Kreippil argued the case for withdrawing from the Olympus-Ultra system altogether.
“Each of the Legion fleets should regroup on our main supply bases: Khallini, Shepherd-Nurture, and Tallerman. By the time we return in force – and it will take us decades to get back – we may need to retake those systems, but once we have all three, we can launch a series of flyweight counter offensives to steal the initiative from our enemies while we rebuild our strength. The Hardits are the biggest unknown. We may need to seek new allies and then return to Tranquility. The risk of this approach stems from what happens while we are in transit.”
Indiya sucked in a breath. Kreippil had spelled out the big worry of interstellar war. The average journey time between star systems was sixteen years. Even a victorious fleet could arrive at their next stop to find that the war was over, and they were on the losing side.
Kreippil continued. “If we took the Imperial citadel and had the Emperor of the White Knights within our power, the galaxy would know within the day. We would be immeasurably stronger. On the other hand, if we withdrew, the galaxy would soon know of that too, and with such a reverse, our position would be correspondingly weaker, even more so than we now find ourselves. As soon as we left this system and reached cruising speed, I expect the Old Empire would turn on us and we would find ourselves in a war on four fronts.
“And the Amilxi?” asked Xin. “How do they fit into your thoughts, Admiral Indiya?”
Xin’s interruption sounded laden with meaning to Indiya’s ears.
“It was,” said Finfth in Indiya’s mind. “Xin is emotionally hurt and seeks to wound you too. I don’t know why she would… oh, the Bonaventure… the images your spybots captured… I apologize Indiya, but your thoughts are uppermost in your mind.”
“The Amilxi,” said Indiya to the wider group, ignoring Finfth, “are unknown and unknowable. They are a risk we may need to react to. No more.”
“There are so many unknowns,” said Xin, “and just a single certainty – that we are being manipulated. If we can, indeed, open the barrier, then why not use the opportunity to rain down nukes until the moon is sterilized? Do you imagine I would shed a tear if the White Knight homeworld was burnt to a crisp? And I recommend especially dirty nukes ringing the Imperial citadel, so if the Emperor lets down the citadel’s barrier to take an exploratory stroll outside, he gets the hot reception he deserves.”
“We stick by General McEwan’s decision,” Indiya replied. “We take the Imperial citadel, hold the Emperor in our power, and negotiate through strength. I am still assuming that General McEwan will be fit enough to lead those negotiations, with the assistance of Ambassador Sandure.”
“But the general isn’t here,” said Xin, “and you told us the decisions are yours. What are your war aims, Admiral? Or don’t you have any? If I survive this war, will my child be born into the Cull, or will she be free of such horrors?”
“Those decisions are for General McEwan.”
“Admiral, if we proceed then my Army Group Sky Strike will descend into the most heavily defended world in the galaxy and rip it open so that General Aelingir’s army group can scythe through its interior. When I explain how tough the nut is that they are to crack, what do I tell my soldiers they are fighting for?”
“She wants to discredit you,” Finfth advised.
“But General Lee’s question is also a very important one,” added Daex.
“Tell them they are fighting for a better future,” said Indiya. “That I can guarantee.”
“My friends, have faith,” urged Kreippil. “The Goddess tests us, as she was always wont to do. If we are to achieve victory against the blasphemers then it will only be once we have faced our darkest hour – that moment when so much appears hopeless, and we must rely on our faith to push onward to the fi
nal battle. We now face that moment – our divine test. Throughout the Human Legion there are those who must now call upon their faith, and I recognize that many do not place their faith in the divine. Some place their trust in their training, the morality of our fight for freedom, or in the wisdom of their commanders. They may not feel that their faith is spiritual in nature, but I believe that sentients of every race have the capacity to believe in something bigger than they are – something that deserves to be believed in – and when large numbers of people come together with faith in their hearts, great feats can be achieved that defy rational explanation. Admiral Indiya, you are right to subject your decision to the utmost scrutiny and in the transparent manner you have chosen, but, realistically, we have no other choice but to trust the Hummer plan will work. Forgive me, Admiral Indiya, I know you told us not to argue our cases, but I felt that the spiritual dimension of our situation needed to be articulated.”
“Not at all, Admiral Kreippil. I think there is a deep truth in what you say. And you have aided my decision. Thank you, my friend.”
“But the Cull?” said Xin. “Is the eradication of the Cull your personal war aim or not, Admiral Indiya?”
“I have given my answer,” Indiya replied coldly, “and I am not in the habit of repeating myself. Flag Lieutenant Hood, mark this moment as T-40. The invasion of the White Knight homeworld will commence in forty hours. Freedom shall be won! And we shall win it right here.”
—— PART IV ——
THE INVASION
OF
ATHENA
Human Legion
— INFOPEDIA —
HISTORY OF THE LEGION
– Order of Battle for the Invasion of Athena
The table below shows a representative sample of the major fighting formations of Army Group Sky Strike. Other units played a vital role but have been excluded: e.g. Recon battalions, cyber-strike battalions, and logistical units.
ARMY GROUP SKY STRIKE – LT. GEN XIN LEE (HUMAN)
Marine Navy Component – Cmdr. Stone Gaze (Jotun)
Heavy Support Squadron
Void Defense Squadron
Marine Air Force Component – Group Capt. Shliack (Gliesan)
1st Shock Wing – Wing Cmdr. Kulka (Human)
1st Scour Squadron
2nd Scour Squadron
3rd Scour Squadron
2nd Strategic Aerial Destruction Squadron
3rd Strategic Aerial Destruction Squadron
2nd Fighter Squadron
3rd Fighter Squadron
5th Fighter Squadron
6th Fighter Squadron
2nd Shock Wing – Wing Cmdr. Dock (Human)
8th Scour Squadron
16th Scour Squadron
17th Scour Squadron
21st Scour Squadron
4th Strategic Aerial Destruction Squadron
1st Fighter Squadron
7th Fighter Squadron
8th Fighter Squadron
9th Fighter Squadron
3rd Shock Wing – Wing Cmdr. Druas (Tallerman)
4th Shock Wing – Wing Cmdr. Abayomi (Human)
5th Shock Wing – Wing Cmdr. Scalahal (Tallerman)
I Marine Army – Sub-General Balor (Jotun)
Marine Combat Engineer Regt.
3rd Field Artillery Regt.
1st Assault Marine Division
8th Tactical Marine Regt.
12th Assault Marine Regt.
87th Assault Marine Regt.
2nd Aerial Artillery Regt.
2nd Assault Marine Division
12th Assault Marine Regt.
87th Assault Marine Regt.
301st Void Marine Regt.
342nd Void Marine Regt.
1st Aerial Artillery Regt.
3rd Assault Marine Division
2nd Assault Marine Regt.
7th Assault Marine Regt.
8th Assault Marine Regt.
352nd Void Marine Regt.
3rd Aerial Artillery Regt.
1st Mechanized Infantry Division
1st Infantry Regt. (Human irregulars)
2nd Infantry Regt. (Human irregulars)
2nd Armored Claw (Tallerman)
3rd Armored Claw (Tallerman)
7th Armored Claw (Human/ Hardit irregulars)
II Marine Army – Sub-General Rutherford (Human)
III Marine Army – Sub-General Pree-Haccarem (Littorane)
IV Marine Army – Sub-General Byleist (Jotun)
Similar O/Bs are available for the following units:
Army Group Armored Fist – Lt. Gen Aelingir (Jotun)
Army Group Deep Strike – Lt. Gen Mountain Root (Troglodyte)
Orbital Reserve Army Group – Lt. Gen Graz (Tallerman)
— Chapter 28 —
The universe was on leave of absence – or at least the region around Athena that had decided to sever all links with Indiya’s reality.
Indiya had reported the situation to the Emperor, using the last dregs of material chbit polarized and then quantum entangled before being split: one part remaining in the Imperial Citadel, and the other having found its way through a tortuous route to the Legion flagship, Holy Retribution. The Emperor’s voice was the only indication that the region inside the barrier still existed in some form.
If the Hummers’ reprogramming of the Euphrates barrier generator was more than a charade, then the Legion was about to substantially alter the region inside Athena’s barrier. With no knowledge of what had happened inside the enemy’s sphere of contravallation, Indiya’s plan relied on surprise mixed with brute simplicity.
The solid red bar to the side of the main display screen in Holy Retribution’s CIC began to drain away, counting down the final seconds to the invasion.
The CIC was flooded with water, and the crew stations were not set for maximum acceleration buffering, both reflections on Indiya’s preference for the crew to have clear heads and optimal communication, rather than be ready to hightail it out of the area with bone-crushing acceleration. Being cocooned in a coffin with your mouth and lungs stuffed with buffer gel was not the best environment for fast thinking.
They were moments away now, and Indiya couldn’t help noticing the stiffness in the tails of the Littorane crew: a sure sign of tension.
She felt guilty for not offering a votive speech to the crew, invoking the spirit of the Goddess as the guarantor of their final victory against the blasphemers. But Indiya didn’t think she could pull that off. Not today. Her nerves were shot because… because this was it! The fighting would not be over, but today the war would be won.
The countdown bar drained away, and a signal was transmitted to the living barrier controller inside Euphrates.
The view of the missing region where Athena had been went haywire, forcing Indiya to look away, fearing for her sanity. When she looked back, she saw a huge moon wreathed in swirls of orange and brown clouds, and about that moon were the survivors of the New Empire fleet.
Whatever instinct had forced her to turn her head hadn’t afflicted the AIs controlling the armada of missiles that were circling the moon, waiting for the barrier to go down. Thousands of them selected the highest value local target and raced to contact.
The defenders had been caught unawares, but enough automated systems were alert to the Legion’s appearance that their warships and orbital defense platforms fired back.
The Legion sent a second signal to the controller.
The barrier reestablished itself, trapping the enemy’s fire inside.
After waiting eighty seconds for their first salvo of missiles to do their work, the barrier was lowered again, and this time the Legion fleets moved in, attacking at point blank range.
Outnumbered, and with their command and control still reeling from the unexpected hammer blow of the initial missile attack, the Imperial response was feeble and uncoordinated.
The Legion swept all before them, not ceasing in their assault until anything orbiting Athena larger than a gra
in of sand was destroyed, irradiated, or boarded.
As soon as she had won total control of orbit, Indiya broadcast the pre-recorded ultimatum to the doomed forces on Athena that were still besieging the Imperial Citadel.
Against Kreippil’s protests, Indiya had insisted on using her old mentor and creator, the Reserve Captain, as the herald of the Human Legion. The ancient Jotun recorded a message from the cabin in Vengeance of Saesh that she hadn’t left in years, and almost certainly never would. Speaking in the Jotun tongue, she urged the New Empire forces to surrender in return for guarantees of safety. All this, declared the Reserve Captain, was done in the name of the lawful Emperor, a political necessity Indiya was glad she didn’t have to hear in human words.
If the enemy found it less shameful to accept the ultimatum from the respected Jotun scientist, and surrendered, then the bloodshed saved would be worth any number of battles with Admiral Kreippil.
The New Empire commander responded to the peace overture without hesitation, sending over a hundred missiles up against Vengeance of Saesh.
The Legion fleet in orbit swatted away the attack with ease and readied the next phase of the invasion.
— Chapter 29 —
From her command post in the troopship Gallipoli, in orbit around Athena, Lieutenant-General Xin Lee considered the tactical view of the world below. She wasn’t one for empathizing with the enemy, and certainly never suffered doubts about the morality of what she did. If the defenders of the New Empire forces wanted to live, they should have accepted the Legion’s terms of surrender. And so it came to this: Operation Blowtorch. Beneath the poisonous mutagenic clouds that shrouded the moon, a toxic brew known as Flek, was a habitat that impressed even Xin in its arrogance.