The Eternal Fortress (Star Legions Book 6)

by Michael G. Thomas

  “Who are these?”

  “Automatons of Arteshban Qarz, Governor of this Taochian Fortress world.”

  Ariaeus was well aware of who the Arteshban was, and if the warriors had been anybody else’s, he might have felt confident. He’d seen how these soldiers fought, though, and they did little to inspire confidence. It looked like they were flooding out to engage the Terrans in multiple directions. Small clumps of black were all around his Northern bastion, some as close as five hundred metres from him and the only breach in the wall.

  “These are the Terrans?”

  The Taochi approached, looked at the information, and grunted.

  “Yes. They are scattered, but one group is massing at this point. They will attack any point of weakness.”

  He pointed at the display with his large hand. His fingers were much too thick, but Ariaeus had already found the larger force of Terrans.

  “So they are coming for a weak point. Where will they strike?”

  A loud whistling sound came from above, and the ground shook from more rockets landing around them. The Taochi commander moved to the breach and then looked back to Ariaeus.

  “They are massing in formation. I see over a hundred, and they are shielded. They must be probing the walls.”

  Ariaeus swallowed, suddenly realising that the Terrans were heading for his position. He’d chosen this fortified sector of the wall for its size and obvious security. Now it would be the lynchpin of the planet’s defences. He grabbed the Taochi commander.

  “Get your troops inside the Fortress, and prepare for defence around the keep.”

  The creature didn’t hesitate and headed the gap in the broken wall. He made it three steps before Ariaeus called after him.

  “I want all of your soldiers. Get them in cover and hidden. Understood?”

  He looked back, nodded, and then left, leaving Ariaeus and his mercenaries inside the keep. Four of the senior commanders waited patiently for their orders. Ariaeus looked to the first two of them.

  “You will take your warriors and reinforce the walls. I want a soldier every ten metres along the Northern sector.”

  They saluted and left, leaving just two, plus Bijan.

  “As for you two. You have around three hundred warriors between you, is that correct?”

  Both nodded.

  “Good. Take your troops and prepare a defensive position north of the pyramid. If any Terrans make it past us, you will be the last line. Shoot anybody leaving the bastion.”

  With them gone, just Bijan was left of the senior officers.

  “You will hold the breached tower and protect this bastion. Consider this recompense for your failure with the fleet. If you are victorious, you can expect riches beyond your wildest dreams.”

  Bijan didn’t seem very impressed with that. He even hesitated, but the look on Ariaeus left him with little, if any position to manoeuvre.

  “Your reputation is now fact in the Empire. If we fail here today, then all will know that the Hooshang Brothers managed to lose ships with a greater lineage than any Terran battleship or Titan. If you live, you will be ostracised from the Empire, and the Terrans will still want your head.”

  There was no further discussion, and he left as quickly as the others. Ariaeus waited and listened to the sound of battle. He could make out the engine roar of dromons and the answering sound of regional fighters. It was the gunfire that as always intrigued him, and with each blast he felt less and less secure.

  I need to prepare.

  * * *

  The Eternal Fortress, Shattered Systems

  “Hold the line! Shields up!”

  The accent was thick, coarse Laconian, and every single spatharios obeyed. Every one of them was in position to create three separate phalanxes, each one almost fifty in number. Laconians filled the front ranks and used their body shields to protect the unit, the odd few Terrans with portable generators helping to create additional protection in other directions.

  “Step!”

  They covered the ground to the shield wall at a fast walk. The open ground between the crashed dromons and hundreds of discarded parachutes was now littered with bodies. The majority were the unfortunate automatons that had rushed out to try and stop the assault, but there were just as many burning vehicles sending plumes of smoke up far into the sky.

  “Incoming!”

  Another long burst of pulse cannon fire ripped into the formation. The heavier calibre rounds were strong enough to knock a shield aside, or even disable a shield if it hit at the correct angle. Luckily, there were enough Laconians to create layered shields from which to fight behind.

  “That is not just a wall; it’s part of the shield generator complex,” said Xenophon.

  From behind the wall, he was relatively safe and used the time to plan the next phase of the battle.

  Glaucon looked to him and then twisted about so that he could raise his pulse cannon. It roared, and a pair of automatons was cut apart. Several more ducked back down and took cover on the flank of the phalanx.

  “What was that?”

  Xenophon laughed nervously, pointing to the shimmering dome that was only visible when struck by gunfire. He lifted his right hand and took aim with his Laconian weapon. One shot was all he fired, and there was a pulse of energy as it hit the dome.

  “We need to get that gun offline.”

  The gun turrets on the walls were unable to hit them, but the massed infantry waiting safely at the battlements had little problem in firing down at them. The phalanx did exactly as instructed, and step-by-step all three of the groups moved ahead in a triangular formation. The ground was getting difficult now as they passed dozens of wrecked armoured vehicles, bunkers, and dromons. The only real benefit being that the amount of cover had increased exponentially.

  “About another hundred metres, maybe a little more,” said Glaucon.

  Xenophon lifted his head slightly above the phalanx, checked the walls ahead, and then dropped back down.

  “Stratiotes, flanking positions!”

  Like rats deserting a ship, scores of stratiotes, many of them Night Blades ran out from the cover of the shielded phalanxes. Unlike the rigid formation used by the spatharii, the stratiotes looked for any cover they could find, and then placed their customised Doru rifles in position. In seconds, the first shots were fired with unerring accuracy.

  “Beautiful!” said one of the Arcadians.

  Xenophon looked in the direction the man was facing and spotted a pair of enemy soldiers falling from the walls.

  That’s impressive.

  He gave a hand signal, and the phalanx widened as those at the front moved apart. It was enough to give space to those with heavier weapons, but not enough to create major gaps in the formation.

  “I need breaches. Bring that wall down!”

  Some of the Thessalians and Arcadians came up behind the Laconians and lifted unusual weapons to their shoulders. They were short cylinders powered by an explosive gas charge, and although short-ranged, each sent a large spigot high into the air. More than a dozen went up at the same time and then dropped down around the wall. Two hit the top and sent bodies flying in all directions. Direct hits in the wall blew chunks of metal and masonry, yet still there were no breaches.

  “What about there? Our raider created the only opening in the entire wall.”

  Glaucon pointed slightly to their left where the Attican phalanx was within seventy metres of the fortified structure. They were taking heavy fire, but it was hard to see much of what was happening, due to the columns of smoke all around the Fortress.

  “I don’t like it. Just look at the defences. It’s a death-trap inside there.”

  A pair of automaton controlled gunships passed overhead. Unlike most of the other craft being used, this one had special fans under its wings so that it could move in slow, lazy circles over the Terran positions. Several shots struck down among the Terrans before it was spotted.

  “Get to cover!” yell
ed one of the Arcadians.

  The spatharii broke ranks, and a handful of the others followed him. Out of position, and away from the shielded Laconians, they were cut down in seconds. Xenophon snapped in a rage.

  “Stay in formation and get to the breach!”

  It was not where he wanted to go, but their phalanx quickly wheeled to the left and advanced to join the others. On they went while gunfire licked at the three shielded phalanxes. They were close now and soon joined up with the other two to create a solid wall of Terrans. The stratiotes stayed in cover, waiting for the perfect shots and then picking off soldiers and any fighter foolish enough to hover near the scene of the devastation.

  * * *

  Terran Titan ‘Valediction’, Shattered Systems

  The command deck was silent, quieter than the most sombre of funerals. Broge Monsimm began to speak quietly as he acknowledged the latest officer reports. Chirisophus looked to him, a look of growing impatience growing across his face, one that was shared by so many of the others.

  “Contact!”

  A shape appeared behind the Titan Herakles, and then another as mercenary corsairs swept in. One of the ships was burning near its port engine mount, but there was no sign of battle damage. Broge Monsimm was taking no chances.

  “Shields up, prepare for battle!”

  One alert tone warned the crew, and each of them went to work. The Laconians were effectively bred for war, and nothing, not even the possibility of battle would get them over excited. The ship’s gun ports were open in less than ten seconds, her guns active, and the shields at full strength.

  “It is Kallinos!” said Jeane Coxand, the tactical officer.

  Already the VOB system had positioned key data around the damaged ships. Coloured shapes marked where the hulls had been damaged in the past, but the sensors could detect no recent battle damage.

  “Incoming message,” said the auletes.

  Chirisophus nodded but didn’t bother to even open his mouth to answer.

  “Strategos. I have been forced to withdraw. The enemy weapon found our range and eliminated one of my scouts.”

  The Strategos looked to his officers, as if to tell them he’d known all along.

  “The last message I received said that Timasion, Xenophon, and their forces are scattered and assaulting the pyramid, but they’re trapped around the defensive positions at the pyramid, and the attack has slowed. They are no more than a kilometre from the target.”

  “And? Why tell me this? We will not jump in until the weapon is disabled.”

  Kallinos said several words in an unknown language before answering properly.

  “Their attack has slowed due to heavy resistance. They will be close enough to disable it in minutes, but the orbital debris has made it difficult for the Medes and their allies to target our ships from the surface. It is an opening, not much, but there is a chance.”

  Chirisophus’ nostrils twitched. Kallinos spoke to one of her own officers and then continued.

  “A chance for what exactly? What are you telling me? Can Xenophon not complete his mission?”

  Kallinos again said the same words, and Chirisophus guessed it was a kind of curse or insult. He ignored it; the words of barbarians meant little to him.

  “Their chances of success are good, but there is another option. My crew estimate the debris field will be clear within the hour. Until then, we have confused the target sufficiently to grant us a window to attack. If we are to strike, it must be now.”

  Jeane Coxand moved the schematic of the Fortress, along with the latest data sent over from Kallinos. There were a dozen ships in orbit around the planet, but all of the Terran vessels were now just debris.

  “The shipyards, where are they?”

  Kallinos was not able to see where the officer was pointing, but she was more than familiar with how the battle had been progressing.

  “Yes, Xenophon was able to destroy part of the shipyards, along with one of the Imperial flagships. That is all part of the debris heading for the surface. It is the reason for our window, and opportunity to strike.”

  Chirisophus contemplated the options available to him.

  “Without the weapon offline, I risk the entire fleet.”

  Mentioning the fleet reminded him of the words Xenophon had often preached, words about caution and planning. His gut said to send in the fleet, and to smash the enemy immediately. Then he could see the face of Xenophon, the man that almost seemed to be trying to outwit him.

  No, let’s see you outwit them first.

  “Strategos. The window is small, and once the debris field clears, there will be no way any of our ships could close with the planet. They are capable of firing every thirty seconds, and my engineers estimate it can destroy a cruiser, perhaps even a battleship with a single hit.”

  Chirisophus knew he needed to bypass the Fortress, but he also knew his resources were finite. He opened his mouth to refuse when the auletes looked back to him.

  “Dukas Xenias, Lady Artemas of the Aegospotami, and Dukas Philesius all wish to speak with you immediately.”

  The Strategos could not have looked any angrier, but he showed incredible restraint and waved his hand to put them on the VOB system. The two Dukas appeared first, and then Artemas.

  “Chirisophus, why have we abandoned our people on this fortress? Xenophon and Timasion need assistance, and we have an opportunity that must be acted upon,” said Dukas Philesius.

  His old voice was gruff, and he was clearly not happy.

  “I concur,” Dukas Xenias added, “Kallinos has forwarded the reports to all Dukas, as agreed. Our forces are in a strong position, but not for long. We must attack, and quickly before we lose the element of surprise. Xenophon has created this window of opportunity; it is our responsibility to help him achieve this success.”

  Chirisophus almost laughed at the strangeness of the position they were now in. It was usually him demanding action, and now a cohort of commanders faced him, each of whom wanted him to offer battle.

  I could send in the fleet, but what if Xenophon fails? This Legion will not hold together after another debacle.

  He knew deep down that he would have to allow some form of action, but he also needed to retain control of the event. He nodded as though listening carefully to their words. Only Lady Artemas had not yet spoken, and that was the only thing he didn’t want to have to listen to.

  That Median witch, she has no business here. Not now.

  “I have listened to you, and I have seen the tactical data sent by Kallinos. Xenophon has taken a gamble. He knew that at the onset of this mission, and now he has run into trouble. It would appear the defensive forces around the Fortress were more formidable than he thought.”

  He let that sink in and enjoyed the moment of downplaying Xenophon’s successes.

  “Even so, we must take this sector, and we will not leave our fellow warriors to die on a Media slave world.”

  He almost spat out the words, clearly hoping to provoke Artemas, and she was quick to respond. He turned away and signalled for the auletes to cut her audio feed.

  “I will send in a single Titan and escorts. The rest of the fleet will stay here. That will be more than adequate to complete the task.”

  Again he rubbed at his chin, considering his options.

  “I ask for a volunteer to lead this rescue mission for Xenophon.”

  Philesius and Xenias were silent, and Chirisophus found it impossible to hide his amusement. Both were apparently keen to assist, but neither wanted to do it alone. Finally, Xenias answered, just as Chirisophus had hoped.

  “I will lead the attack.”

  “Good. Kallinos, you will lead a scouting screen of defunct transports, along with your remaining corsairs. Behind you will come Xenias and the Poseidon with a cruiser squadron to bombard their remaining orbital defences.”

  He looked at each of the Dukas in turn.

  “Once their defences are fully engaged, you will contact Xen
ophon. If he has failed to disable the weapon, you will launch an orbital strike using the fleet’s atomics and hit the entire area. You can then mop up and bombard anything still functional on the surface afterwards. Just get that weapon down.”

  That was when he looked to Lady Artemas.

  “I do hope Xenophon will succeed in his mission. If the weapon system is still operational, we will lose thousands of Terrans. Lives I have been chosen to protect. That is why I will stay back, along with Dukas Philesius to protect our valuable warriors.”

  This time the audio was working, and Lady Artemas appeared to be angry. She shook her head and then spoke.

  “If there is any way of disabling the weapon, Xenophon will find it. He just needs more time...”

  Chirisophus smiled.

  “I hope so, Lady Artemas. For your sake, and mine. Time is sadly something none of us has a surplus of today.”

  He then looked to his officers.

  “Dukas Philesius, prepare your ship and your warriors. It is time to end this once and for all.”

  The man acknowledged and then left, shortly followed by Dukas Xenias. His own deck officers went back to their tasks, leaving just Lady Artemas still connected, as well as Kallinos. He looked to the mercenary.

  “I suggest you also prepare for your return.”

  “I have done my job, and we have sustained losses. We are no longer required to...”

  “This is not a negotiation, Kallinos. If my ships fail to leave this sector, we will be trapped out here. Your fate is now linked inextricably to ours.”

  She hissed a response and then the channel closed. He moved his eyes a fraction to gaze at Lady Artemas.

  Even I have to admit she does look positively ravishing, even if she is a Median noble, as she likes to call herself.

  “Lady Artemas. You have something to say?”

  She paused, presumably considering her words.

  “I think sending in a fraction of the fleet is foolish. Xenophon will disable that weapon system, and he will need help down there. The greater the number of ships we send, the greater chance we have of victory.”