“You betrayed the Legion,” said Aurelius, his voice calm and as sharp as a razor.
“What are you talking about?” snarled Garibaldi. “Sit down before I strip you of those stupid medals and have you flogged for insubordination.”
“You fail to understand,” explained Aurelius, his tone darkening, “you’re no longer in charge. When you created the T’kri’t’ek and threw away the lives of my men, you betrayed us all. You are a traitor and a coward.”
“How do you know about that?” demanded Garibaldi. “Who told you?”
“How I know should not concern you,” explained Aurelius. “You should worry more about the consequences of your betrayal.”
“What are you going to do?” snarled Garibaldi. “You are obsolete! We no longer need any of you! The day of the Legion is done. I can destroy you all with one word.”
“There is only one problem with that,” said Aurelius, shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet.
“What?!” screamed Garibaldi. “I will have you executed! Praetorians, take Aurelius into custody, immediately!”
Aurelius waited a moment to let the fact that no one was coming to his aid settle into his mind. The Praetorian Guards were watching the tableau unfold before them. A few of them had started to move but were stilled by the Centurion in command. The Praetorian Guards were not supporting a traitor. Aurelius could see realization sinking into Garibaldi’s brain.
“I’ll see you all sent to a penal colony!” screeched Garibaldi, his face growing red with his increase in blood pressure. “I’ll…”
He never finished his statement. Aurelius drew his Spatha and sliced at an upward angle, cutting Garibaldi from right thigh to left shoulder in one pass. Reversing the blade, he swiftly decapitated him with one pass of the razor-edged blade. The look of shock was frozen on the pudgy face of Garibaldi as the head rolled down the steps of the grandstand and onto the cobblestone parade field.
His mouth was still opening and closing like a landed fish as the head came to a rest facing the legion. His body collapsed to the floor of the stage and his blood pooled around him, while the stump of the neck continued to spurt for several moments until it gradually subsided. The expensive suit was split open along with the flabby flesh beneath it.
“Fratres!” roared Aurelius. “This traitor has paid with his life.”
Silence filled the arena. Every eye was now on Aurelius as they hung on his every word.
“You have all heard the transmission,” he began. “You know what they had planned for us all.”
There was a murmur of assent that ran through the legions.
“You also know that the T’kri’t’ek are coming,” he continued. “They will be here in less than twenty-four hours. Fabretti Interplanetary has betrayed us all. Now is the time for us to rally the Legions under a new banner. Now is the time for us to claim our rightful place and build our own destinies. Let us proclaim this world as our own and plant our flags. Once we have secured this world, we can rally the remaining legions still under Fabretti control to us. They will all know the truth. We shall see to that. Every legionnaire will know the treachery of Garibaldi and of the corporation that we all dedicated our lives to defending.”
Uncertainty passed through the legions as they all pondered their fate. Clearly, they could no longer trust Fabretti. The legions had lost their purpose. They had lost their direction and the only homes that they had ever known.
“Why should we follow you?” demanded Praetorian Livianus. “What gives you the right to surpass even the Legion Council?”
“If you will follow me,” said Aurelius, moving to stand in front of the podium, “then I will lead us against the T’kri’t’ek. I have defeated them before and will do so again. We shall destroy them and build our own homes, starting here on Hadrian. We shall build our own futures and decide our own fate. We shall build our own EMPIRE!”
A roar of approval rippled through the formations. First the Iron Legion, then the Felix Legion took up the chant. Then, one by one the others echoed the cry of Caesar.
“Hail Caesar!” they roared in unison.
“Does that answer your question?” Aurelius asked, turning to face Livianus. “The legion has spoken.”
“The council will back you against Fabretti,” said Livianus, reluctantly. “Once that is done, we shall see if the Legion remains loyal to you.”
“Of that,” said Aurelius, softly, “I have little doubt.”
Turning to Cassia, Aurelius leaned away from the podium, so she could hear him.
“Get the fleet on the COMM,” he instructed. “I need to know where they stand.”
“Of course,” answered Cassia, smiling.
Turning back to the legion, Aurelius lifted his hand and gestured for quiet, so he could speak. The legion complied and soon silence returned.
“Legio Ferrata,” he called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” shouted the Legion.
“Legio Felix,” he said. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” called the Legion.
“Legio Scythica,” said Aurelius. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” resounded the Legion.
“Legio Victrix,” Aurelius called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” roared the Legion.
“Legio Fretensis,” Aurelius called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” thundered the Legion.
“Legio Fulminata,” Aurelius called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” roared the Legion.
“Legio Augusta,” Aurelius called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” boomed the Legion.
“Legio Gallica,” Aurelius called. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” rumbled the Legion.
“Fleets of the Legions,” shouted Aurelius. “Where do you stand?”
“Hail Caesar!” replied Praetorians Octavius and Livianus in unison.
“Excellent,” whispered Aurelius, smiling.
Turning to face the far left of the parade field, he looked directly at the assembled Praetorian Guards. They had not reacted when he executed Garibaldi. How they reacted now would determine if this day would end with more blood of legionnaires on this field.
“Praetorian Guard,” Aurelius said. “Where do you stand?”
There was a tense moment before the leader of the black and purple clad Praetorian Guards stepped forward. He was a battle-hardened old Centurion, but Aurelius knew that he had to have come up through the ranks in the legion. No one was tasked directly to the Praetorian Guards without proving themselves in combat, first.
“The Praetorian Guards stand with you,” said the Centurion. “Garibaldi betrayed us all. We will see this through, if you will allow us to continue as Praetorians.”
“I see no reason to change that,” replied Aurelius.
“Then it is agreed,” said the Centurion.
Turning, he nodded to the formation of Praetorian Guards. Although they only had ten cohorts, they were all combat veterans. Aurelius knew that they would fight as hard as any legion.
“Hail Caesar!” shouted the Praetorian Guards, in unison.
“We have a great deal of work to do and less than twenty-four hours to get it all done,” roared Aurelius. “We must be ready for the arrival of a much larger force of T’kri’t’ek.”
“What are your orders?” asked Casca, stepping up beside Aurelius.
“All of Garibaldi’s men must be rounded up and prevented from warning the others that we know they are coming,” replied Aurelius.
“I’ve already blocked all outgoing communications,” said Cassia, stepping up beside them. “They will not be able to get a transmission out without the override authorization code.”
“I will see to it that all of Garibaldi’s supporters are rounded up and placed in the brig,” said Octavius. “You and your men have bigger tasks at hand, I believe.”
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“If the fleets are truly with us,” added Aurelius, “then we have a good chance of stopping the T’kri’t’ek before they even reach orbit.”
“Then we all have work to do,” said Octavius.
“We will begin preparations immediately,” added Livianus. “Our fleets will coordinate and be ready when they come out of slipstream.”
“Good,” said Aurelius. “Then let us prepare a welcome that they will not soon forget.”
Chapter XVI
Order of Battle
“It is not death that a man should fear,
but he should fear never beginning to live.”
- Marcus Aurelius
Things began to move quickly once the decision had been made. Aurelius fell into the new role with confidence and skill. His first move was to promote Casca to Legatus Legionis of the Iron Legion. Centurion Sempronius Densus was promoted to Primus Pilus. Although the Iron Legion was going to be fighting with fewer men than the other legions because of the losses taken in the battle against the T’kri’t’ek, Aurelius knew it was in good hands. The Legio Ferrata would hold the line.
His next orders were for the Agamemnon to begin shuttling down every suit of armor in the ship’s inventory. With spares and replacement parts, there should be enough drop armor to equip two entire legions. Legio Ferrata and Legio Felix would equip with the drop armor. Although Legio Ferrata was the only legion trained with the armor, Legio Felix had at least seen it in combat. That gave them a slight advantage over the other legions. Casca would oversee giving Legio Felix a crash course in armor operations.
The remaining legions outfitted themselves with the lighter combat armor that the legions had changed to after the end of the Harvester Fleets. Aurelius was pleased to learn that the legions still used the energy Scutum systems. Even without the drop armor, they could still link shields with the others. Everyone carried the Gladius and Pilum systems. Heavier ordinance would have to be provided with blaster technology. The other legions were assigned their own tasks.
Legio Scythica and Legio Victrix were given the task of setting up the Ballistarius or Artillery emplacements. This time, they would be ready to give the T’kri’t’ek the full battle capabilities of the legion. To them would go the task of directing heavy fire onto the enemy once they reached the planet’s surface.
Legio Fretensis and Legio Fulminata were tasked with building fortifications and fighting positions for the legions to fall back to, if they were overrun or the T’kri’t’ek broke through their lines. These positions would be crucial if the battle did not go the way they hoped it would. If the T’kri’t’ek overwhelmed them on the ground, then the fighting positions would also be where they made their final stand.
Legio Augusta and Legio Gallica set about placing heavy charges in the tunnels that the T’kri’t’ek had already dug beneath the planet. If the bugs went back below ground, then it would be easier to burn them out than to send men to their deaths in a futile attempt to flush the enemy out. It would also be possible to collapse the tunnels on them if it came down to it.
The Fleets were just as busy. Coordinating the efforts from the bridge of Agamemnon, Praetorian Octavius directed the fleets to fan out in a blockade, to prevent the T’kri’t’ek from reaching the planet. They would destroy as many ships as they could before they even reached orbit. If fortune was on their side, they could possibly destroy them all before they entered the system.
All fighter squadrons were placed under the direct command of Centurion Flavianus. The fighters would begin placing mines at the edge of the system, leaving a path that only they would know. Flavianus knew that his friend was on the planet and every bug they killed in orbit was one less that Aurelius had to fight on the surface. Flavianus wanted to make certain that none of them made it through.
In less than twelve hours, they had made all the preparations that they could possibly make. Everything was in place and Aurelius ordered them all to get some rest. It would not be beneficial to them at all if they were too tired to fight. Instead of worrying about the results of the battle, Aurelius instructed the fleet kitchen crews to prepare a feast for them all. On the ground and on every ship, they would all celebrate this night of freedom. They were free of the bonds of Fabretti. If for only one night, they would celebrate as brothers and sisters of the legion. If they fell in battle tomorrow, they would know the sweet taste of freedom tonight.
Once the places were set and the fires were burning, Aurelius walked through the legions. He spoke with the men and drank with them. Although they greeted him as Caesar, he wore the uniform of a soldier. There were no special markings or weapons. The only difference was that he now carried the Spatha that had belonged to Cyprianus. A new blade would be forged to present to Casca after the battle. This blade was special. Aurelius would carry it until he fell, to honor the man who had been like a father to him.
Early warning sensors would alert them with hours to prepare for the arrival of the T’kri’t’ek. Although no one drank to excess, they all celebrated their new life. They had earned this night of revelry. For the first time since the legion had been reborn, they were free. There were no corporate masters dictating their fate. The Legion could now choose the course of their destinies. If they survived the coming battle, then it was their duty to liberate their families and as many of the indentured workers that Fabretti treated no better than slaves. They would build something that only existed in the history texts. They would build lives of freedom.
Although Aurelius was pleased that they would name him Caesar, he knew that he could not hold that title long without risking corruption. No one could. Once the battle was done and they were truly free, then they would attempt to build what the legion once defended, back in antiquity. It was common among the legion to wear the tattoo of the SPQR. Aurelius had one on his left shoulder. They would make that dream a reality. Senātus Populus que Rōmānus or "The Senate and People of Rome". They would build a republic where all citizens were free and had a voice in the government. Fabretti only answered to their stockholders.
Chapter XVII
Blockade
“For those to whom much is given, much is required.
It is not whether you get knocked down,
it's whether you get up. There is no substitute for victory.”
- General Douglas MacArthur
Agamemnon moved into a high geosynchronous orbit directly over the capitol. This would maintain direct communications with the ground forces, while simultaneously allowing them to relay to the fleet. While Octavius had assumed operational control of the entire fleet, he had turned direct control of Agamemnon over to Cassia.
The entire fleet was on high alert. The intercepted communications that they had decoded indicated that the T’kri’t’ek should be arriving within the hour. So far, their sensors had detected nothing travelling at slipstream velocity. There had been nothing at all on the long-range scans except a previously unknown asteroid field. Beyond that, nothing had appeared on scanners all day.
“Where could they be?” said Cassia, softly.
Clearly, it had been a rhetorical question. Everyone on the bridge had heard her, but no one answered. The tension mounted as each of them checked and rechecked their instruments. No one wanted to be the one who missed something. Missing even the smallest hint might mean the difference between life or death for the legions below on the planet. The fleet would not fail their brothers in the legion.
A series of beeps came from the scanner console. The officer manning the scanners looked confused as he began to readjust his controls. Cassia noticed the look on his face and turned to face him.
“What do you have?” she asked, a note of urgency in her voice.
“It’s nothing,” he said, frowning. “It must be a slight discrepancy in the calibration on the main sensor array.”
“Explain,” she said, sitting up in her chair.
“It is just a sensor glitch,” he explained. “It has to be.”
“What do you mean?” she demanded, her voice taking on a dangerous edge.
“For just a moment,” he replied, “it appeared as if the asteroid field had altered its course. The original readings must have been off.”
“Helm,” said Cassia, turning to face the front of the bridge. “Can you verify?”
“Confirmed,” added the young officer at the helm. “There was a point zero six-degree alteration in the approach vectors of the incoming asteroid field. They are now on a direct course for the planet.”
“They must have hollowed out the asteroids to hide the T’kri’t’ek from our sensors!” said Cassia, bolting to her feet. “ETA to the edge of the system?”
“The field has passed the outrider positions and is approaching the mine field,” replied the sensor operator.
“Will the mines stop them?” she asked, already dreading the answer.
“Our mines are designed to breach hulls and stop ships,” explained the engineer at the back of the bridge. “The mineral composition of the asteroids appears to be heavy metals and stone. They do not have enough explosives to blast through that.”
“Get Praetorian Octavius on the COMM, now!” roared Cassia.
The communications officer began working his controls frantically before a series of beeps indicated that the desired channel was now open.
“On speaker!” she roared, not waiting for his acknowledgement.
The speakers came alive and she could hear Praetorian Octavius’ clear basso voice.
“Octavius,” he said, simply.
“Sir,” said Cassia excitedly. “We have an asteroid field entering the system. We believe that the T’kri’t’ek are hidden inside.”
“You’re certain of this?” asked Octavius.
“We tracked the asteroids as they made a course correction, sir,” replied Cassia. “They are now on a direct approach vector for the planet.”
“Ingenious,” muttered Octavius. “Nice work, Praefect. I shall alert the fleet.”
Lost Legion- Blood and Honor Page 17