“I see. And this has nothing to do with your lover getting himself into trouble on the surface of the Fortress world, does it? You understand if he fails, I will be forced to wipe out the entire area from orbit with atomics. Nothing will live down there. Why would I risk my ships and my people, even my life, for your benefit?”
She turned away and then looked back at him.
“What is it you want, Chirisophus?”
The look on his face made it more than clear.
“Come aboard my ship so that we can discuss this further.”
He moved in closer and reduced the volume of his voice.
“Perhaps we can come to some...arrangement.”
In any other circumstance she might have walked away, but there was something about the splitting of the fleet that seemed more personal, even more disturbing than normal.
“Strategos,” said Kentarchos Monsimm, “The Poseidon is powering up her engines.”
He looked to him.
“And the mercenaries, are they joining the Dukas?”
Kentarchos Monsimm looked back and checked some of the data before replying.
“Yes, Strategos. They are jumping...now.”
A segment of the fleet vanished with a flash as the Titan and a sizable escort of cruisers and battleships went with her. He watched them go before turning his attention back to Artemas.
Oh, I will join them soon, but not before I have exacted a price from you both.
“It is all up to you, my Lady. I wait to be persuaded. Don’t wait too long, though. I suspect time is of the essence.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Terran Titan ‘Valediction’, Shattered Systems
Chirisophus waited in the Great Hall, alone and impatient. Though not far from the command deck, he was still able to monitor the fleet and view the reports from the Eternal Fortress at his leisure. For a brief moment he thought he had been tricked, but then the doors opened, and in walked Lady Artemas. She no longer wore her military clothing and was dressed in a long flowing cream dress that trailed behind her. Her face was partially covered in the exotic and barbarian fashion.
"Strategos," she said quietly.
"Come to me. We have matters to discuss."
She walked the length of the Hall but stopped halfway and placed the headdress on the table. With it removed, she could shake her hair free.
"Yes, you made your point well. Continue."
She then carried on walking until she was within a metre of the man. There she bowed slightly and extended her hand towards him. He rose to his feet and removed his Corinthian helm. As soon as it touched the long table, he looked to her.
“So, you wish to have me send in the rest of the Legion. I do not see why there is such a rush. Xenophon can deal with the Medes, so why are you so worried?”
Artemas took another step so that she entered his personal space.
“The battle for the Fortress will determine the fate of this legion, and with it all of our lives.”
Chirisophus smiled.
“I know, that is why I will send the order within the hour.”
Artemas staggered back a few steps.
“An hour? Why the delay?”
Chirisophus was expressionless as he spoke.
“Xenophon has been trouble from the start. Either he will be successful and earn his place as one of leaders of this expedition, or he will die. I suspect that based upon the enemy numbers, it will be the latter.”
Artemas lifted her hand to strike him, and he shook his head with amusement.
“Strike me and I might have to consider taking additional caution. It would be better to lose one third of this fleet than to lose the entire force, don’t you think?”
Artemas looked at him, drinking in his face and body language. She could see he wanted her. It was difficult to hide, and she suspected he would not want anything less than to brag to Xenophon and the others of his barbarian conquest.
“What would it take for you to take more proactive actions?”
He leered at her.
“I will take more action, if you will do the same for me.”
He grabbed at her throat, and though she brought up her hands, he still managed to take firm hold of her. Artemas tried to cry out, but he squeezed tightly and then spun her about, throwing her down onto the table. She lashed out with her feet, but the much stronger Terran struck her hard in the back of the head. She dropped down and smashed her face on the stonework. Her vision began to fade, and she shook her head violently.
No, fight back!
Again she kicked, but the man had moved to the side and easily avoided the strikes. At the same time, he held her down with his left hand. She shuddered and twisted, but still he held her. Then came the sound of clothing ripping as he yanked at her long, lightweight dress.
“When I am satisfied, I will send the command to the fleet, not a minute earlier. Xenophon has had his fill of your barbarian wills. Let’s see what it is about you that is finds so...”
His sweaty hand began to slip around her neck and part of his thumb came perilously close. Without hesitation, Artemas strained her neck and then clamped down hard. Chirisophus howled in rage, and she bit down even harder. Blood ran down her face, but the grip suddenly relaxed on her neck.
“No!” she managed to scream.
Now just partially free, she kicked hard into his groin, like a mule striking out behind, and then rolled off the table, her clothing hanging from her body from the multiple tears. Now separated, they looked at each other, Artemas with contempt on her face, and Chirisophus simply bellowing in a loud rage. He threw himself at her even as the blood continued to pump from his wounded hand. Artemas ducked aside, kicked at him, and then moved back. She grabbed at one of the dozens of chairs and smashed it on the ground, giving herself a simple club.
“Oh, I’ll find a use for that, Medes whore!”
She missed with the first strike, and he lurched ahead, laughing as he came at her. Artemas stepped in rather than backwards and brought it down hard on his forehead. He might have been built like an ox, but even he couldn’t stand up to the blunt force impact. He staggered, and Artemas managed to hit him twice more before the door crashed open. She looked around and spotted Komes Artemis and two of his elite Epilektoi.
“Stop this!”
Chirisophus swung his fist and struck Artemas as she turned to look at the new arrivals. The three Laconians were running across the hall as she stood back up and proceeded to duck and strike, each time hitting him across the face. Just as they reached her, she swept the back of his left leg and sent him to the ground. They had to pull her from his throat as he groaned. Artemas walked back towards the entrance and stopped only to pick up the elaborate headdress she had left there. Once in her hand, she looked back to the Laconians.
“This a one hundred and eighty degree space scanner, and it has recorded the entirety of this meeting.”
Chirisophus was on his feet, helped by the two guards. Komes Artemis listened in stunned silence.
“You will join battle, or I will show them all how you refused to help your brothers in arms, all so that you could enjoy your time raping me aboard your ship.”
Chirisophus made to move towards her, but Komes Artemis pushed out his arm and blocked him.
“No. You will stay here, Strategos. I will escort Lady Artemas back to her ship.”
Again he struggled, but the Komes spoke to him with obvious anger.
“You fool, this could start a war between our own people. Let her go. Send in the fleet and do as you were ordered. Lead us to victory, or suffer ignominy in the Legion.”
He looked to the Komes and then spat on the floor, a large globule of blood and saliva.
“Get her out of here and send word to the fleet.”
He turned his back on the Median woman.
“It’s time to end this, once and for all.”
* * *
The Eternal Fortress, Shattered Systems
Glaucon was through the breach first, with Desma at his flank. The breach was big enough to fly a dromon through or perhaps twenty warriors in a line abreast. The ground was raised at the breach, and it required a little effort to clamber over the broken masonry and shattered sections of metal. As they went in, it was easy to see the long furrow dug by the wrecked raider. It had smashed through the outer wall and slid nearly a hundred and fifty metres before wedging itself again the large tower to the left of the fortified keep structure.
"Just as well we jumped," said Xenophon.
Glaucon laughed.
"Yeah, and we're in exactly the same place."
They dropped inside, and an entire horde of spatharii quickly followed them. The gun battle outside was as loud as ever, but the shattered interior of the bastion appeared to provide a degree of solace from the fighting. More and more of them streamed through the breach and then onto into the open space beyond. Xenophon jumped through as a handful of shells struck the walls.
“More automatons have arrived in armoured vehicles. They are going to try and surround us.”
Glaucon looked back, took aim, and fired with his pulse cannon. The weapon shuddered, and he ducked back with a grin on his face.
“Surround us? That happened ten minutes ago. Look.”
He pointed to where they had come from at the shape of a dozen or so tracked vehicles. These massive vehicles dropped ramps from each of their flanks, and hundreds of automatons flooded out. Xenophon gave them one look and looked back at the ground they had just taken. Bodies of mercenaries and automatons littered the place, but the Terrans had easily overrun the section, and he could almost have laughed at the enemy's lack of preparation.
"They were not expecting an assault like this. Their forces are spread out nearer the landing zones for heavy ships, but this will not last. I want everything here, a place we can hold until the time comes."
Glaucon seemed to agree, but his attention was removed for a moment as his personal squad of spatharii dragged a captured mercenary over to him. He began talking to the prisoner, but blood bubbled out and ran from his mouth as three bullet wounds appeared on his torso.
"Cover!"
The shots seemed to come from the damaged keep further inside the fortified compound, and flashes of light quickly picked out the sniper positions. Xenophon moved closer to Desma, whose shield was still powered up and active. One round glanced off impotently, but Glaucon was forced to shelter behind a section of damaged tower. A single pempas of Night Blades shifted to the left and up one of the ramps to the inner wall. Two stopped, took aim, and then blasted a sniper from the top of the keep. The shooter's body fell and vanished amongst the rest of the debris. Glaucon bent down closer to the fallen soldier.
"Check him!"
Another spatharios helped drag the figure behind a large rock. Glaucon checked his pulse, turning back to Xenophon with a look of utter disgust on his brow.
"They killed him, their own man, why?"
Xenophon sighed.
"Either because he knows something or because he was running. Who knows?"
He looked to the Night Blades who had taken control of most of the walls that faced out towards the automatons. Now the attackers had become the defenders, and the stratiotes were much better shots. Rockets and shells dropped down from the automaton positions, but any moving over the wall simply exploded on impact with the shield.
"Of course," laughed Glaucon, "We are now shielded from them, and if they knock out the shield, the weapon will be vulnerable."
Xenophon nodded in agreement.
"Yes. And would you want the shield off, after seeing their skill at shooting?"
A single dromon spiralled out of control above the shield. Tracer fire from hidden anti-aircraft positions reached up to it, but it was unnecessary. The broken craft finally lost enough forward momentum and dropped out of the sky. The impact with the shield resulted in a massive flash that made the very ground shudder. For nearly three seconds, the dome turned bright white, and Xenophon could see how it rose up from the circular wall that ran around the pyramid, the same wall now being used as a defensive position by his own stratiotes. He turned back to Glaucon as he tapped his communications node.
“This is Xenophon. All forces congregate on my signal at the Northern bastion structure. This will be our strongpoint until relieved.”
He then pointed inside and towards the vast pyramid complex that lay on the other side of the bastion.
“We will hold off the automatons here. Where is Timasion?”
Glaucon was already talking on his own device. He looked to Xenophon and pointed outside the breach and off to the one side.
“His forces have broken through and are moving in on our position.”
“Good. I want him to reinforce the outer wall, facing back towards the automatons. We will create a temporary defensive line from here to two hundred metres in each direction along the wall, understood?”
He nodded just as another dozen Terrans pushed past and deployed into cover. Two groups carried a quadruple pulse cannon unit on a tripod and dumped it on the ground near the breach. One kicked the end, and it spun about to face where they had just left. Another Terran lifted a metal shield unit and pushed it onto the mount to provide extra cover for the shooter. Glaucon gave more signals, and warriors ran off in all directions. A group deployed in a loose line, utilising every metre of cover they could find. Luckily, there was plenty of broken masonry littered about the floor.
"With me!" yelled a junior pentarchos.
A small formation of enemy soldiers, perhaps twenty automatons, had been caught out heading towards one of the towers. The spatharii dropped to their knees and unleashed such a volley that only two remained. They didn't even bother to shoot back and ran for cover. Glaucon shook his head and laughed.
"This is not much of a fight. We will have that gun offline in minutes."
His expression altered, and he glanced at Xenophon.
"Our atomics, they were in Night Scythe. What will we do now?"
Xenophon pointed back to the breach.
"Timasion has his own atomics. We will secure this site and create a path to the power systems for the weapon. He will be here soon."
“And you?”
Xenophon grinned.
“I’m going for the weapon.”
Desma was now there, waiting at his side.
“What is the plan?”
The spatharii now numbered more than fifty, and more were coming through the breach. Stratiotes spread out on each side and moved up the ramps leading to the walls. There was fighting as they encountered mercenaries, but not even these hired guns could stand against the ferocity of the Night Blades.
“Follow me!”
He went down from the breach and into the open ground between the towers. Scores of spatharii accompanied him, but far fewer now carried operational shields. Those with portable units had lost them earlier in the fight, and only the Laconians were able to offer any form of protection. On they moved until reaching the lower wall running between two more towers. Between them was a heavily damaged keep that also operated as a vast gatehouse into the pyramid site.
“Spread out, loose order,” said one of the commanders.
The ground before the keep was simple stone, but there were also two more trails around the keep and towards the large towers that flanked it. Beneath these towers were dark arches that might lead to the other side.
“Dukas!” yelled one of the Arcadians.
Xenophon automatically stopped and ducked down. There was no gunfire, though, just the screams of wounded men. He looked to his right and spotted three spatharii half buried on the track.
"Xenophon!" cried out another of the warriors.
At the same time, a shadow lifted from behind and beneath the shattered keep. It might easily have been a trick of the light, but then the tips of long rifles appeared, all only a hundred metres away. From behind cover, and inside the keep, came wh
at must have been two hundred automatons, perhaps more, and they deployed much like the spatharii. They marched in silence until all were in view, and then the weapons pointed directly to the Terrans.
"Phalanx!"
* * *
Bactrian Grand Battleship ‘Aegospotami’, Shattered Systems
Komes Devereux jumped back up from the exquisite throne for the fifth time in as many minutes. It was comfortable and offered the perfect view of their journey through space, yet each time she rested she felt soiled.
What is wrong with me? Just sit on the damned thing.
She looked back at the thing and laughed, then spotting the expression on some of her officers. A short turn and she could see Lady Artemas walking towards her. As usual, she wore her unusual hybrid of corset, armour, and Median clothing while carrying her weapons at her side. It was the large red mark on the left side of her face and the cuts to her forehead that surprised her, though.
“Artemas, what happened?”
Roxana stepped from the throne and towards her. The Median woman was stoic as she could be, but once Roxana was close enough, she almost fell into her arms.
“Are you okay?”
Artemas held her for a short moment, and then stepped back, doing her best to remain calm. She had seen Artemas after battle, after training, and even after she’d been bloodied in a fight. Not once had she ever seen the look of surprise and horror that was before her.
“We are on course?”
Roxana nodded, but still looked confused. She wanted to ask more, but Artemas obviously did not want her to, and the needs of the mission came first.
“Yes, we’re due to arrive in a matter of minutes. You managed to persuade the Strategos to continue the attack. Was there a problem?”
Lady Artemas almost blushed at the question.
“No. No problem.”
Roxana knew immediately that she had identified the issue. The large numbers at the front of the room continued to count down, and there were just seconds before they would arrive. She looked to Artemas and did her best to keep her anger under control.
The Eternal Fortress (Star Legions Book 6) Page 23