He spoke to the world of Colossi and what its presence at the Frontier meant. He elaborated on the discovery of the First Apostle and the power of the fleet the legions possessed. That matter in itself caused such a cacophony of outcry and noise that he had to plead with them for ten minutes to hear his words before they stopped. All that time, the legionnaires stood there, impassive like statues, watching the way the human Empire reacted to the Lord Governor.
Any fool could understand why the people were so anxious for answers, desperate for their questions to be given attention so that they could come to terms with what this all meant for them and the Empire. One man yelled, remarkably above all the rest, about the inadequate explanation for the legionary fleet’s hidden presence in orbit of Gothica, but the Governor quelled the challenge with a statement about the imperative need for secrecy whilst the Apostle was found on the ground.
Others asked about how news of the Guardians had not reached them until now, given how they had travelled from the Frontier to the Meridian for several years. Again, the Governor was able to satisfy their thirst for comprehension by feeding them the knowledge of the legions’ space technology, with their wondrous abilities for evasion and stealth. All this, he assured, was testament to how safe the Empire’s future was in their hands against a simple-minded, bestial enemy. He argued that, in many ways, Gothica was actually the first world to hear of the Prophecy’s fulfilment and that this was how it should have been. After that, the audience seemed to challenge him less, convinced now that the Senate had good reasons for everything that they did. Lupus noted this, amazed that it took such a short time for the Lord Governor to rebuild the trust of the people.
Still, the Governor would not take the fresh faith of the public for granted. He knew that he had to explain what the Empire would do to face the threat of war, and he chose to deceive the people as planned. He spoke in detail about the way the Colonisation Wars had made them stronger, rather than weaker, and how they would defend every world with pride when they could. Casting responsibility on the Guardians, he inflated the reality of their numbers and their abilities, preaching to the crowd how safe the Empire was with their protection. Yes, the Vorlan Conglomerate is still at our heels he admitted, but we shall repel them also!
Lupus chose this moment to step forward, and by introduction from the Governor, revealed to the people of Gothica his true Apostolic form. As the Lion, a transformation he insured was gradual to both impress and keep the people calm, he stood on all fours proudly and fiercely, radiating strength and instilling hope in equal measure as the Governor continued his speech.
The crowd was helpless to the deception and drank in every bit eagerly, allowing themselves to believe that they were truly safe with the Guardians by their side. The Governor spoke for an age about the Prophecy’s truth and how the will of the goddess who created it, and the Guardians She sent to protect the human race, could change through time and space and mould the fate of all living things into what it should be. They could adapt to any evil they faced and vanquish all the enemies of mankind that sought to end them.
He chose not to tell the people that Vermillion was, in reality, gone. Instead he claimed that the Apostles were Blessed as a symbol of Her love for the human race, not as a sacrifice She made at the cost of her life. It would not do well to announce the existence of dead gods and goddesses. He wove with marvellous intricacy a web of truth and lies, so that even if the deception was discovered later, none could accuse him of wholly lying. What he said, the Senate would contest, could be interpreted in a multitude of ways, each clearly as subject to change as the future itself.
At the end of the Lord Governor’s address, Lupus spoke to the people of Gothica arrayed before him. He was certain that his voice, his words, would be carried across the world and to all the corners of the Empire, his psychic message transmitted and magnified by the vast satellite technology the humans possessed. With this certainty, he found the words that would fortify the humans’ faith in him and the legions forever, no matter what evils lay ahead.
Men and women of Gothica, children and elders alike. Lupus waited a moment for them to adjust to his unconventional method of speech. I am the Lion, First Apostle of the Black Guardian Legions. You have nothing to fear from the future; that, we promise you. It is our war, and ours alone. Have faith in us and the enemy the Prophecy speaks of will never set foot on this world. By our lives will your homes be kept safe. By our blood will your own be unspoiled. We come with the power of a true goddess, one that has vowed to destroy our foe. She has a love for you that will never be quenched. We are your protectors for all time and we shall never give up. Victory is in our grasp; believe in us, for we will never tire, and we shall smite the enemy through the very walls of this dimension.
The crowds erupted in cheers, rejoicing at the promise of their protection. The speech was flawless. Even the legionnaires were visibly inspired.
Chapter 5
THE NEXT DAY, after the public address had been spread to the people of Gothica and from there, the Empire, Lupus called Sabre to his side.
“Answer me truthfully friend, how did the world react?” he asked the commander, who advised they should retreat to a private antechamber in the Senate House. It had been set up as the temporary accommodation for the Black Guardians, alongside several other Senator’s rooms. The politicians didn’t give away how they felt about that.
“It’s too early to tell for sure, my Lord, but it appears that the majority of people are more than satisfied with what was said. I think it is safe to say that they assume we will go to Frontier as soon as we can, and destroy the enemy now” Sabre replied.
Lupus considered that perspective for a moment, pleased with how informative and resourceful his legion was proving to be. He didn’t know how Sabre found out the things he did, but he was grateful for it.
“There is only one human planet at the Frontier; Pheia. It would be wise to convince them not to tell the rest of the Empire about the implications of the Reality Lock on our efforts. What are the Senate doing now?” he inquired.
“They are already making the preparations we agreed. It will take some time of course, perhaps even several years, for the Gothican fleet to return to this sector or to be redeployed to the east, but their speed surprises me. I did not think they would rebound this fast from such a vast change” Sabre answered, a look of hesitation and trouble on his face.
Lupus caught it before the legionnaire could hide the expression and told the commander to speak freely.
“My Lord…do not question my loyalty when I ask you this, instead blame it on my own misunderstanding…but why are we bringing the human fleet all the way back here, from all corners of the Empire? Would it not be safer to keep them only a sector away from our own forces?”
Lupus placed a hand on the legionnaire’s shoulder in reassurance as he answered.
“Commander, have faith in this plan. We have three decades to prepare the Empire. If we give them the hope that we alone can defeat the Great Enemy, then they will have no reason for fear. I believe that we can be victorious with the right strategy. The human race is simply not prepared for a war on this scale; mentally or physically”.
Sabre nodded as he spoke.
“When we can delay it no longer, we will introduce the war to the Empire so if we do have need of them, they will be ready. Trust me when I say I am not underestimating the Great Enemy, but neither am I underestimating us. You may not know the other Apostles yet, but I was shown them; I already understand them and what they are capable of. Together, we can defeat the Phantoms. We should have no need to bring the Gothicans into this” he said, conviction and confidence both healthy in his voice. “Nevertheless, even with all their own might, we will strengthen their forces in the east so that they may one day join the fight in the north if they wish. For their sake, I hope they never want to”.
“I understand, Lord” Sabre replied. “But Olympus, Sire…he worries about the west.
The humans fight a foe called the Ghoul Hosts there. They cannot afford to withdraw from the Hades and Aurora Sectors without opening the way for an invasion on that side as well”.
“It won’t be undefended, Commander. You have faith in me yet you wonder what my plans are?” Lupus said, aware now that he had to communicate with his legion, even if they did claim to trust him. They had to understand what they were doing if he expected them to do it. “Very well, I shall tell you sooner than I planned to Sabre, but only you. The others will learn in time.”
Sabre acknowledged what that meant with a nod of his head.
“We will reinforce the west and north, to create a barrier around the Frontier. There is no need for us to assault the Ghoul Host worlds; I very much imagine the Phantoms will do that for us, and perhaps it will cost them dearly to our advantage. Defence is our best option, Sabre. We cannot approach the Reality Lock too closely, and we have yet to find many missing legions, let alone the other eleven Chosen” Lupus said with a certainty that spoke of the experience that Vermillion passed down to him. He may not have fought a war physically, or even with the legions before, yet he had all the memories of it, all the acumen and strategy.
“We stand with you, my Lord” Sabre replied.
Lupus smiled warmly back at him. “I know you do, Sabre. Have the preparations been made for our departure?”
“They have. The 237th and 701st are going to stay behind to help the humans as we promised. The Senate are eager to accrue all the knowledge we can give them. There is a Stormfalcon waiting in the courtyard ready to take us to the fleet in orbit. We may leave when you desire” the commander answered.
“Good. We should bid the Senate farewell before we leave. It would be unseemly to depart without closed terms”.
He went with Sabre alone to the Great Auditorium, where Althea of the 237th was in a deep conversation with the Lord Governor and his most trusted aides. The room seemed barren with so few people inside, but the importance of the issues being discussed was still as great now as before. The mixed group looked up together as Lupus and Sabre entered the chamber and met with them.
“I understand that you are leaving us, Apostle” the Lord Governor said.
When Lupus stood next to him, the man no longer seemed to be intimidated by his presence. “It is time. There are things we must attend to elsewhere in the Empire, matters that are crucial to the war preparation. We hope to find the other Apostles and their legions before we ask anything of your worlds. You will have as much time to withdraw from the agreed Sectors as we can give you” Lupus replied.
“Very well, you must do what is necessary” the Governor sighed, reluctant to see them go as if their presence would have helped him to manage his own race better. “I…I would like to apologise to you all, on behalf of both myself and the Senate, for being slow to…accept you. Our imperial history has taught us to be mistrusting and wary of false prophets; given the Corrupts that have infiltrated us, perhaps we were right to be sceptical. I would like to think we can be allies for more than just duty. You will need a world of your own and a new purpose after your victory, after all” he smiled ruefully.
Lupus wasn’t expecting the admission and found he gave the Governor some credit and respect for it. It was not easy to admit that one was wrong, especially over a matter as fundamentally crucial to the future of an Empire, built from years of struggle and hardship, as the fulfilled Prophecy was.
“Do not be so fast to admonish yourselves, Senator. The way things have happened was not as it should have been. We can only do what we can with the situation that fate has put us in”.
The Governor reached out a hand in the only gesture of camaraderie he could think of. Lupus took it and shook his hand firmly, his strength evident even in the tiny squeeze that he gave.
“Be of no illusion, Governor. I have only agreed to your plan to hide the reality of the war from your people because of its true horror. I do believe that with the other Apostles and their legions we can face the Great Enemy alone, despite what cost it may bring to us. Vermillion bought us time to protect you, not because you may already be overwhelmed, but because even a glimpse of the war could break the psyche of the human race.
If we should fail, against all hope and against all our determination, if some tragedy should befall us from the chaos of war, you will have no choice but to fight alongside us. I hope, for the sake of all the Empire, it will not come to that.”
The Governor listened to these words solemnly and from the focussed look on his face, it was clear that he was finally taking Lupus seriously without any desire for challenge.
“I don’t doubt you are capable of protecting us, Apostle. You have been Blessed with the spirit of a goddess, that is easy for even someone with as weary a soul as mine to see. Nothing, I imagine, should be able to stand against you. We will give you anything you need. You have but to ask for a world to fortify, and it is yours. We refuse to lose this Empire to outsiders who have no place in this dimension”. The Governor gave a stern, determined look to Lupus. “I bid you farewell and good fortune, Apostle, as do all the people of this world.” He was being genuine, Lupus could tell, but something was off. His eyes didn’t seem to share the sincerity of his lips.
Lupus would remember that look. Despite the kindness of the Governor’s words, there was something about him he didn’t trust. He turned to exit the Senate House for the Stormfalcon waiting outside. Before he left, he looked to Althea and gave her a comforting smile.
“Be resolute and strong, Commander” he told her.
“I will, my Lord” she answered.
With that, he departed with Sabre, leaving behind the most powerful political figure in the human race with one of his most important legionary commanders. He wished, but in his heart knew not, that the Governor was truly as ready to do what was required from his position. He had no doubts over the abilities of Althea, but of the human race itself, he was uncertain at best.
These thoughts were cleared from his mind as he and Sabre climbed aboard the Stormfalcon. He ordered it to return to the fleet, and as the transport lifted from the ground, he felt an odd sense of loss as he realised his old life had now completely slipped away.
Reaching the upper atmosphere and breaking out into space, Lupus could not help but wonder if all his life before this point had been meaningless compared to the future he now certainly faced. As the first ships of the fleet came into view through the Stormfalcon’s viewports, he could not bring himself to accept that it was. After all, it had given him Calla, which in turn fuelled a love in his heart that gave birth to a determination and strength so fierce that he would never tire or cease until his foes were destroyed. With that energy raging inside him, he looked at the fleet and still marvelled at its own power and magnificence.
SABRE HAD BEEN on a comms link to the ship their Stormfalcon was approaching when he noticed his Apostle staring in wonderment at the legionary fleet. He confirmed some things with the legionnaire on the other end and ended the transmission, taking his hand away from the small bead in his ear so the absence of pressure would sever the connection.
“My Lord?” he began, withdrawing from the cockpit where he had made the private call before taking his seat again.
Lupus didn’t tear his gaze away from what he was seeing. Out of the small window of the transport, he was beholding a sight he had not dreamt possible for an age. Orbiting the heart of the Gothican Empire was a huge vessel, its presence unlike anything the humans could claim to have. It was the epitome of humble strength and purpose, a craft with such importance that its simple design belied its greatness and function.
“I didn’t think I would see this ship so soon” he said out loud.
The ship was massive, and although it was far from the biggest in the fleet currently surrounding Gothica, it was clearly more potent a war machine than anything the humans could have mustered. It appeared as a long, solid stretch of obsidian floating effortlessly through space. The skin
was so dark that it blended into the pitch space around the ship, making it hard to determine its true size. Its back was laced with supportive ribs to keep its bulk together, studded with weapons batteries to fend off any daring attackers. The front curved suddenly down to form a formidable prow, with no obvious indication of a bridge. The network of masts and structures that weren’t slaved to defensive actions reminded Lupus that the command centre of the massive ship, like so many of the legionary fleet, must have been hidden away inside, the sensors granting anyone inside as flawless a view of space as would it have been at the prow
At the back, large engines a quarter of the ship’s size gave it unfathomable levels of propulsion. Plasma burned away into the cold of the void as the vessel was driven through orbit. The engines were concealed within toughened armour several dozen metres thick and formed an inverted ‘V’ shape with the room between filled with engineering decks vital for repairs and maintenance.
The Stormfalcon banked starboard and afforded Lupus a sidelong view of the ship. It seemed to be an indeterminate length, and between the prow and the engines were enormous docking sheds for smaller ships to gain access to its belly. These structures ran intermittently across the span of the vessel on both sides and took up the top half of the decks.
Below these docking areas were kept the medical decks of the ship; the real purpose behind this leviathan. It wasn’t possible to know this from seeing it from the outside, but Lupus knew what the heavily protected underbelly of this ship served as. All along the bottom were vast swathes of surgeries, triages, medical theatres, hospitals, laboratories and pharmaceutical factories all ready to combat the diseases and injuries that the legions suffered in war.
It was arguably the most important ship in the entire Black Guardian fleet, bar one. The arsenal of weaponry protecting its flanks and underside were testament to this, capable of safeguarding the ship against extensive force should it become lost from the main fleet. It was a beautiful vessel, the sight of which instantly filled Lupus with hope and elation.
The Deian War: Vermillion's Apostles Page 14