by Paul A Jones
Sergun was depressed at the talk. It was why he preferred the Army in war. He ruled and made instant decisions and could interpret events quickly. The Minister's weakness and inflexibility wasn’t going to help his lands survive. Paper rules for paper gods Kall had said. Yet it was no longer steel which ruled the battlefields recently.
They debated and argued further. Sergun found it dull to hear. Admiral Marsh supported the war but admitted his forces were little able to assist as the huge coastal waters around Tharne were his responsibility and around sixty ships were on the northeastern coast patrolling the seas near the captured cities. He could spare perhaps a pitiful twelve ships to assist in landing.
Minister Sadiza was for staying within the current borders and not risking Tharne’s recent conquests. He could not accept the reality of the Keratha’s threat to their future. His eyes were fixed on the present, not the future.
‘Esteemed soldiers and Ministers you have made your case well. We will discuss the outcome with our leader and update you as soon as possible. You will either go to your homes in peace or will be preparing for a bloody war.’ Minister Thorne stated.
‘I’ll give my recommendation to our leader. Great armies are not intended for only defence. A leader must recognise when it’s time to strike before it’s too late.’ Marshall Zenal spoke.
43. Preparations
After the meeting, Sergun spoke with the Lord in privacy. ‘It’s good to see you again and in excellent spirits. The Ministers are dull and have had too long eating good food and sitting on their arses. ‘
‘Agreed. I did not believe it would be an easy task to convince them. The oracle’s inventions are wondrous. Our guns can now fire up to six kilometres and we have enough of the secret weapon’s poison to fire for several days. Do you fancy battling the Keratha?’
Without the new technology, Sergun would have said such action against the Keratha was suicidal. The weapons used against the Raiders were both outstanding and devastating.
‘They’re fearsome. None has won a victory against them in memory in any number. To be one of the soldiers sent to lead an expedition to end their occupation of this continent is a heavy burden and a tough challenge. I’m not certain of any victory against these creatures. It may break our lands.’
‘I would shake the oracle's hand if it had one. It seeks safety for itself and us. You will need to meet with the other generals to discuss the battle plans for the invasion of the Keratha lands. If the oracle states our chances of survival or zero within our lifetimes we must not waste time.’
With a sense of foreboding Sergun agreed. ‘If we could strike a fearsome blow against them it would a colossal strike and may well change the course of history.’
The thought of leading an army against the Keratha struck him as the idea of a madman. The fearsome alien enemy had lethal horrifying weapons, a single sting from their barb was near fatal, they were armoured naturally from near head to hoof. He would rather have faced forty thousand Raider horsemen than ten thousand Keratha. Now it seemed they might have to face many more of the enemy than he thought possible. If they failed in their mission then the enemy was sure to swarm over Tharne lands obliterating them. Not just his family would perish, but all of the good people he had seen, every man, child, woman, and Gall. Every pretty Raider girl or woman would live under their domination.
‘How close are we to battle?’
Lord Chromosol replied. ‘I’ve contacts who watch our leader. Minister Thorne will convince him with my assistance. I’m confident we’ll assemble our forces soon.’
‘You spy on our leader? Is that wise?’
‘I represent the Military. You know how powerful the military is and how many troops and workers it can occupy in times of war. We have always had eyes in the other Ministries. Just as they have their eyes in ours. Marshall Zenal is a good man. He is too desk bound and that’s why he gives you control of the Third Army.’
Sergun had kept out of such intrigue during his time in the army. It was true in war spies were inevitable and indispensable.
He would not be returning to his wife and family for many days yet or perhaps ever. It was time to write them what could be his final letter if they failed or his position was overcome during the war. Fighting against the Keratha creatures was sure to be the worst battles he had fought in. The troops of the artillery regiments were highly skilled and he was confident if the oracle said it was now time to attack they should follow its suggestions. Grer and his comrades were sure to want to fight. He wondered how many battles against them would be fought with steel and spears? They needed to kill as many of the aliens as they could with their gas and explosives. Only time would tell. His side would have to ensure as many fights as possible were fought with artillery against them. Traditional battles against them were sure to end in the elimination of his side’s warriors.
The leader of Tharne’s decision was bought to Sergun and Chromosol. He did not come to meet them in person. The letter greeted them and said a hard decision had been made and war was the only way. All resources were to be allocated. The utmost secrecy was necessary and anyone suspected of aiding the enemy was to be imprisoned for the duration of the fighting. Only the Marshalls, four Generals and Lord Chromosol would have the attack plans. Subordinate commanders were to be told it was a training exercise.
In the map room at headquarters, no servants were present. The room was guarded by blue-clad stern men. Tharne could not spare enough to attack in great numbers via ships. Their coasts were vast and to build enough new ships would take too long. To attempt to land the only artillery without sufficient supporting troops to defend them wasn’t considered constructive. This meant only two places were the attacks could realistically come from were via land: Northtown or via Edge City.
Sergun listened to the plans and discussed strategy for hours. The soldiers would leave from both Northtown and Edge City under cover of darkness. They would seek to surprise the Keratha and overwhelm them with their forces and devastating new weaponry. If uncovered and their forces were destroyed the way through Edge City and Northtown would be poorly guarded and the northern areas of Tharne would be overrun. The capital would be exposed. Failure of their mission meant the collapse of Western Tharne. More weapons and masks were being produced every day but they could not delay the attack on the Keratha.
Assembling the army took weeks. Troops and weapons were sent in disguise as civilians in wagons and often travelled only at night. Complete surprise against the Keratha was the aim. No one knew if any spies worked for the aliens in Edge City but precautions were essential. The alien ambassador showed no unusual activity.
Watching the relentless wagons full of equipment and troops leave their barracks was both an awesome and also a worrying sight. Sending so many to fight the Keratha was the only way to achieve victory against them, yet at the same time, it left Tharne more exposed than at any time in the last ten years. Sergun recalled exactly what the Oracle had said. The time to act was now. Any delay would only aid the enemy cause. War was always a great risk. Complacency would lead to the end of Tharne and the domination of the aliens over the world.
Lord Chromosol was in great spirits again. His task was to organise the artillery, the hundreds of large guns and nearly a thousand mortars. To ensure they were in good order, supplied and ready to fire quickly.
‘I’ve missed this intensity. Home life is good, warm, tender, and sometimes fun. But this experience is fulfilling. It excites me more.’ The Lord said.
He appeared immaculate in his officer’s outfit.
‘It’s good to hear. The old comrades are assembled. This time the enemies are non-humans and any who ally with them.’
‘You believe the Raiders may assist the Keratha?’
‘Raiders have never allied with Tharne. They trade more with the Keratha than us. I don’t trust them but some of their women are most pleasing.’
‘Hah! Wild Raider girls have long been men’s fantasy. I’
m sure some are appealing but I wouldn’t trust one.’
‘We should be able to save some slaves. At least those Raiders we free will appreciate being saved even if it’s by Galls and us!’
‘Our primary aim is the destruction of the Keratha forces and the control of their capital city. If we save Raiders there that will be secondary.’
‘Of course.’ Said Sergun. ‘Intelligence on the enemy lands and capital are hard to come by. Can the oracle help?’
‘It cannot advise us during the battles. It’s too precious to take with us to the Keratha lands. However, it has given us technology which will provide assistance.’
‘What kind of technology?’
‘There are gasses lighter than air. If we put these into a large special sack it’ll rise up high. A man positioned in the basket beneath and carrying a telescope or binoculars will be able to provide reports on the enemy intentions.’
‘There are in use already but they explode readily.’
‘A new discovery from the Oracle gives us balloons which will not explode so easily. Much safer for the occupants.’
It’s a flat pain towards the enemy capital. It sounds like it’ll be helpful.’ Replied Sergun. ‘The oracle is quite a find. To think the creature lay so long in a swamp and did not go insane.’
‘Remarkable indeed. I’ve only been permitted to see the creature once and have sworn not to reveal its existence to anyone. Its intelligence is extraordinary. To know it flew between worlds and stars is beyond belief yet it has no reason to lie. I hope it’ll guide us to complete victory.’
44. The Expedition
The bulk of the 3rd Army of Tharne left Edge City at night in huge numbers. Elite Scouts were sent in advance as surprise was critical. Kall was optimistic and in excellent spirits. It was good to have such a cheery companion. They had sent so many forward if they did not succeed their lands were at risk. The thousands of wagons were filled with shells for the guns and supplies for the troops. The array of equipment looked fearsome yet Sergun knew if many Keratha warriors armed with flame cannons appeared before they could deploy they could be obliterated. There was no way of hiding such numbers of wagons and riders approaching the enemy lands. Each night they rested and did not light fires. It was a tense time, wondering if they were to be attacked at night and ripped apart, burnt alive or choked to death on gas.
In Sergun’s large tent they talked.
Kall said. ‘I saw Precca, she was sent home to us intact. The Keratha can be trusted at times. But she said she saw many slaves less fortunate than her. Experiments were performed, and crude surgery. They value our lives like cattle.’
‘I’m glad she’s alive. I think of Yurul and use her as an example. To save all innocents and free them is our aim. Alien monsters who hate us need to be vanquished. They only respected me because of my ability to kill them. The oracle told me our expected chances of survival against the Keratha in the long term are zero.’
Kall shuddered. ‘I think of Jersa. Thousands and thousands of young Raider girls imprisoned. We can free them.’
Sergun smiled. If they live. We’ll save them. Raiders or not.
Sergun was also pleased but not surprised at the excitement of the Galls in the mission. There were near ten thousand of them. The Officer in charge of them advised that in the long history of the Keratha and Galls the Keratha had always regarded the Galls as inferior. No alliance between the species had ever been made. With the Cities defeated it only meant the Raiders were the unknown factor. Logically they should ally with Tharne to defeat the Keratha, but logic and human emotions did not always agree. The Raiders traded with the Keratha but did not trade with Tharne and in the last battles, they had sent thousands against his side. He hoped they would ally or stay out of the fighting and prayed they would not side with the Keratha. Only time would tell. The oracle could not reveal the future. That would be decided on the battlefields in the north.
Grer and his band of elite fighters were present. They looked formidable on their hybrid steeds and in armour.
‘The Keratha view us as animal slaves of the humans. We’ll show them how powerful we are united together.’
‘It’s good to have you with us. This fight will be tough.’
‘United to crush the monsters. United after the war as well. There are still many Raiders who are no friends of us.’
‘We both need one another.’ Sergun agreed.
A day’s ride out from Edge City they encountered the scouts from the forces which left Northtown. It seemed impossible for the aliens not to have noticed the huge force of troops approaching. The trail of wagons and horses stretched all the way back to the horizon. Was it pure luck that no Keratha hunting party had spotted them?
General Vorn led the 5th and 9th Divisions and the 2nd Artillery Regiment. The General was a confident man, slim and softly spoken yet his reputation was of a zealot who men respected and feared. His thin face showed bright eyes and a long scar across his right side and neck from a sword wound. Some fifty thousand men and galls joined together with some thirty thousand horses. The combining of the armies was impressive even to Sergun. Yet he knew how quickly a horde of Keratha Flame Cannons could burn through an army.
Confidence was high in the troops now they had joined forces and travelled so far without resistance. It was the largest army assembled since the Deep War.
‘This is the greatest feeling since I bedded two young maids a few years back. No, hell no, this feels even better than that!’ Kall said, laughing.
Sergun was pleased Kall remained in good spirits. He felt wary of some trap. During his youthful junior leadership days, he was responsible for small areas of battle or control. Now he was one of the top commanders he saw the entire Tharne lands and wondered where the Keratha were preparing to strike.
‘Our army is quite a sight. Let’s hope we can get into position in time.’
‘We’ll win this war. We’ll return in triumph as heroes of victory. I’ll marry and have two fine mistresses as well as lands and bodyguards.’
‘I’ve found one woman is quite enough.’
Kall smiled. ‘The trick is not to live with them. That’s enough to drive any sane man crazy. I’ll stay with the troops and visit my wife once a week.’
‘Good luck with your plans.’
Three days later the scouts reported contact with the Keratha. They raised the Tharne banners and requested an audience. They were told to approach the poles and wait for instruction. They arrived at the stated line a day later. The wooden stakes displayed the heads and bodies of many dead Raiders both male and female. Sergun didn’t know what they’d done to deserve such a fate. It only served to convince the troops the end which awaited them if they failed in their battles.
To their astonishment some of the bodies on the poles were still moving. Sergun walked closer to one and a male raider’s gruesome head without its body opened its eyes. Its expression was one of agony. It spoke. ‘Go back fools. You will die here.’
‘What trickery is this?’ General Kall said.
Sergun did not know how the aliens were able to get a head without a body to talk. Perhaps the oracle would know.
‘Where are your masters hiding?’
The raider’s head laughed.
The men who walked by looked at the bodies and talking heads with disgust and a little amusement.
‘Come join us.’ Said one Raider woman who might have been beautiful if her body hadn’t rotted away in many places.
It was a cold day. The barren land lay ahead. The sun was hidden beneath banks of grey clouds. The scouts advised they needed to advance at least another six kilometres for their guns to reach the city. Before this was possible the Keratha appeared in number. At first it was only a few. Within an hour hundreds appeared. They sent one forward for negotiation.
The Keratha was huge and armed with two vicious looking swords. Its barb was uncovered and it wore military markings. It stated. ‘You violate our lands. You wi
ll leave immediately or die.’
‘We have come to talk with Spear Thrower. Tell him General Sergun has come.’
‘There is no talk when you come in such numbers. You come to make threats. You are foolish and insolent. Be gone!’
‘Tell him General Sergun is here.’
The Keratha sent word back to the capital. It was a tense situation. They were too far away to attack the alien city.
The ‘bags’ filled with gas which Lord Chromosol mentioned were in the air. They were huge red balloons at least a hundred metres above the ground. Like lookouts on a tower or ships crow’s nest, they were sure to help warn of incoming attack or the enemy positions.
Sergun looked back and to the left and right at the impressive number of forces assembled. The Keratha must understand that it was a full army. In front of his forces, there were perhaps a few hundred of the aliens. Sergun wondered if this was a trap and the armies of the enemy were elsewhere? Were they coming around from the rear or were they thousands of kilometres away on another continent? His scouts and spies reported no Keratha were found anywhere except in the Ambassador’s Residences.
Spear Thrower eventually appeared. ‘Greetings General. You come for battle then? Killing two of my people has not satisfied your love of violence? Your troops will die in their thousands. Are you taking drugs that have warped your small minds?’
‘Spear Thrower, I follow the command of my leaders. Their demands are you will release all human slaves, agree to never trade in them again and open your city for us to examine.’
‘Your leaders have succumbed to arrogance. Your kind is mostly prey. The slaves are our property and we need them. You think you can crush us like you crushed your human brothers? They have sent you to your doom.’
‘You are hostile to my species. Even now your ships head towards our coasts.’
The Keratha’s expression was unreadable. He denied what Sergun said. ‘You issue threats. Reap what you sow; there will be no further dialogue with your kind. I will honour the one who kills you. Your head along with all of your leaders will sit on the ends of our spears by the end of this day. We could kill you all without even wasting a single one of our lives. Breathe well our sweet perfume.’