Centurion Tiberius Tacitus and his 2nd Cohort were defending themselves from a sustained attack by the 4th company, led by Amelius Crispus. Whilst utilizing half of his men in standard box formation, Tiberius drilled the rest in the deployment of the new, portable, dual-energy walls. Incorporating both null-point and chameleon shielding, it was hoped the latest defensive measures would provide a considerable tactical advantage to those units forced to operate within enemy territory.
Three sets of emitter rods had already been triggered, and formed an open U shape. As the withdrawing centuriaes slowly edged backward toward the dormant side, their teammates prepared to activate the final poles.
A flurry of blunted arrows with lead-ball tips flew out from the 2nd Cohort, providing a moment’s grace for the retreating wall of shields to unlock from one another. Their bearers made a break for the gap. As the legionnaires ran between their waiting colleagues, the final emitter was slammed into place and the barrier activated. Within seconds, it appeared to onlookers as if mirrors had suddenly sprung into existence, as the entire defending squad disappeared from sight.
Men on both sides cheered.
Someone shouted an order, and the 4th Company responded by shooting a volley of arrows at the invisible barricade. The barrage met the negating energy field, and dropped harmlessly to the floor.
“That was impressive,” Corporal Stuart Williams of the 1st Platoon muttered.
“It certainly was,” Sergeant Jake Rixton, his senior officer, replied. “Did you know, the Roman Legions built an actual encampment at the end of every day’s march? Not only did it have staked walls, but they also dug a dry moat filled with oil around the entire fortification. That way, their attackers would have to battle uphill just to reach them. If it ever looked to the defending soldiers like they might get overrun, they simply set fire to the oil.”
“Painful.”
“And bloody effective. Just imagine how much easier their job will be with these new shields. I was speaking to Marcus this morning. His men are still determined to erect a fort whenever they make camp. But from now on, they’ll do so behind the protection of the null barriers and be able to take their time about it.”
Stuart nodded and shrugged in appreciation. “But you didn’t just invite me here today to watch legionnaires play, did you?”
“Ah, you got me.” Jake grinned. “You’re right. I asked to meet you as I’ve something to discuss. Commander Cameron called me into his office this morning. The hierarchy has decided it’s not good for 1st Platoon to be without a lieutenant. They offered me the job. It’s not common knowledge yet, so keep it to yourself. But I’m going to say yes.”
“Is it a brevet or substantive promotion?”
“Well, seeing as we’re not going home, I’ve been told it’s permanent.”
Stuart slapped his friend heartily on the back. “Congratulations, Jake.”
“Thank you. I’ve got some big shoes to fill. Lieutenant Fox was a very competent young man. I just hope I can do his memory justice. But that’s not what I really wanted to talk to you about.”
“Why? What else is there?”
“Well, seeing as I’m moving up the ladder, it will leave my current position vacant. I want you to be my platoon sergeant.”
Stuart’s jaw dropped open.
“Obviously, you get to select your own corporal,” Jake continued when he realized his companion was too shocked to speak, “but choose wisely. It’s essential to pick a candidate who’s competent, and someone the men can trust.”
“I’ll get right on it,” Stuart mumbled, “and thanks.”
“Don’t thank me just yet. Your acceptance means you have to submit yourself to a full medical. Part of the procedure, evidently. When we’ve finished here, get yourself over to the health center. They’re expecting you. Oh, and give my regards to Surgeon Major Clark and Surgeon Captain Anders. Tell them I’ll be along later.” Shrugging, he explained, “With the skills they possess, they’re too valuable to risk on general duties. That’s why we haven’t seen much of them over the past weeks. It looks like they’ll be working there permanently from now on.”
“They’re not the only ones we haven’t seen for a while.”
Jake caught the reference to their former captain. “Ah hell! I’d forgotten about that.”
“Do you know what’s happening with him? Or when he’ll be back?”
“No. And I don’t care. Although I must admit, I’d love to see his face when he finds out I’ve been promoted to full lieutenant without his consultation.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Shilette Abyss
The gentle pace of the horses continued to weave its subtle spell over Marcus and the rest of his company. He was dozing in the saddle. Despite his many years of service, Marcus had developed a soldier’s habit of snatching rest where he could. And if an opportunity arose while he was quietly trotting along, it was only natural that custom would take precedence. Apart from the picket patrol, it was a pattern that had been adopted by most of the experienced riders about him.
The highway had been a great boon in that regard.
It had surprised the legionnaires to discover the route toward the Shilette Abyss was graced by a road so straight it would have made even the most stubborn and fastidious Legate burst with pride. That the Ardenese were a highly advanced society was obvious. That they had also liked to drive for the sheer enjoyment of the experience had been a delight to discover, for it made their current journey so much easier.
Traveling east past Boleni Heights, the expedition took the first major junction heading south. Although time consuming, the added distance guaranteed the avoidance of roving Horde packs, which seemed to congregate around areas saturated with sophisticated technology. The passing of those extra leagues was also eased by the fact that only thirty miles beyond the southern boundaries of the spaceport, a major spur of the carriageway branched off through the Forest of Tar’e-esh. On the maps, this vast area was shaded green. In actuality, the mission found themselves immersed in a sprawling expanse of verdure and crimson tranquility. So refreshing was the change from their usual environment that the exhaustion fraying everyone’s nerves to shreds over the past weeks was soon reduced to nothing more than a dull ache. A mood that improved dramatically the deeper they journeyed into the heart of the unexpected woodlands.
They had been on the road for six days. The absence of Horde infestation was only starkly evident but had allowed them to make good time. Birds sang incessantly as they skipped from branch to branch. Unknown creatures chittered and chattered from the protection of the undergrowth. Lush grasses and all manner of flora bursting with vibrant life stretched off for miles in every direction. And welcome shade infused the air with soothing relief. Even the roadway, although carpeted by windfall and overgrown along the edges, provided a cushioned walkway for the foot soldiers to traverse with ease.
Lulled once again into a state of happy reverie, Marcus found himself back in his favorite place. Gaul.
If only I could lead one last trek through that countryside. I wouldn’t give a fig about guerilla raids. They’d seem like nothing in comparison to what’s going on here. And they wouldn’t try to suck my soul from me, either.
He catalogued the distinctions his actions had earned. The summons to Rome to appear before the Senate. My personal visit with Caesar Hadrian himself. My promotion thereafter.
Although he knew such honors were a thing of the past, the flickering kiss of dappled sunlight on his eyelids made him sigh. Then he smiled.
“Happy about something, Marcus?”
The intruding voice sent a tingle of déjà vu along his spine, tugging Marcus from his daydream. “I’m sorry, what was that?” He struggled to focus his gaze on the person riding next to him. General Quintus?
“I said, are you happy about something?” Wilson Smith repeated.
Marcus snapped back to reality. “Just reminiscing. Like you, I’ve spent many hours in the saddle as a matter of co
urse. Some days—and places, come to that—stand out above the rest.”
“These woodlands are exceptional, aren’t they? Who would have thought we’d find such a thing here? If the leaves didn’t have a coppery-lilac tinge to them, I’d think we were in New England.”
“Yes, it’s certainly an enthralling place.” Marcus shared the younger man’s enthusiasm. A hungry look entered his eyes. “And one I’d like to explore more fully. I can only imagine what the hunting might be like.”
“Why do you think the Horde has left it alone? I mean, the region is absolutely teeming with life. The reports said places like this were stripped bare.”
“Then the reports are obviously wrong,” Marcus stated, “as many of the colonists’ assumptions have been up to now.” He leaned sideways in his saddle and lowered his voice. “From what I have been told, the initial ravaging of the planet’s surface was quickly over. Following their victory the Horde simply massed together, first in the vicinity of the major cities, and finally, at Rhomane itself. Then the siege began.”
“So, life had a chance to survive out here? And there could be other places like this, scattered all over the planet?”
“It’s a strong possibility.” Marcus inclined his head. “We will know more when the other phase of Commander Cameron’s plan comes to fruition. Lieutenant McDonald and his men will be starting their own operation in only two or three weeks’ time. It will be interesting to see how things develop.”
The younger man looked disappointed.
“Is anything amiss?”
“Not really,” Wilson replied, gazing along the slowly moving column. “I’m used to riding for protracted periods of time, and it seems your men are accustomed to marching a considerable distance every day as well.” He shrugged. “It’s just that I can’t help wondering how much quicker this could have gone if they’d allowed us to use skidders and skimmers. I mean, look how tired the scientists and other specialist workers are. Even at this easy pace, they look so saddlesore they won’t be able to walk right for a month.”
“A good point,” Marcus acknowledged. “But therein lies the wisdom of strategy. Our mission is of the utmost importance. It is vital we locate and secure the site in which the mineral deposits are thought to be located. But remember, because the city has been isolated for so long, we won’t know until we get there how accurate the archives are. Also, the actual Abyss itself and this forest are totally alien to us. They have to be checked out first. We also need to carry the supplies and utensils necessary to quickly establish a base of operations if things turn out favorably. Commander Cameron faced a conundrum. How could he move so much equipment over such a long distance without the need for machines which are needed elsewhere and which might draw our enemy’s attention?”
Gesturing between them, Marcus emphasized, “That’s where we come in. Cavalry and legionnaires. Although we can’t hope to match the speed and grace of a highly sophisticated hover craft, we are nevertheless skilled at transporting large consignments over long distances at a speed unmatched by our contemporaries. And we can do so secretly. Additionally, the defensive measures we now have at our command will protect us, and allow us to set up a considerable series of fortifications from the outset. Just wait until you see what my men can build in a matter of hours. By the time the shuttle runs do begin, they’ll have the luxury of berthing overnight within a city of fabricated domiciles.”
“I’m looking forward to that.” Wilson smiled. “I watched your men drilling a few times back in Rhomane, and it was very impressive. The guys couldn’t believe how quickly you worked. To see it for real will be—”
Both men were disturbed by an outrider galloping full tilt toward them. The rest of the dozing company became instantly alert and began scanning the shadows.
Throwing up a hasty salute, the soldier reined in and addressed Marcus. “Sir, the forest ends abruptly, about a mile ahead. It . . . It’s . . .”
“Spit it out, man.”
“Sir. It’s awesome, come and see.”
Signaling for the immediate group to follow, Marcus put his heels to Starblaze’s flanks and spurred his horse forward. A few minutes later, he reached several other sentries who were waiting to one side of the road. The highway veered away sharply to the southwest, so Marcus was surprised to be led off the tarmac and into the gloom.
An eldritch veil thick with antiquity closed about them. Specimens that looked like a cross between beech and cedar, oak and elm, ash and spruce, each endowed with massive boles, filed off into the distance. Stately monarchs of a forest that seemed to suddenly hold its breath in anticipation. Threading his way between iron trunks and cable-like roots, Marcus wondered what secrets this brooding edifice must contain, and if it would ever be possible to find your way out if a person became disoriented.
You don’t realize how dense this place is until you leave the safety of the main thoroughfare. I’ll have to order markers placed to ensure our more inexperienced travelers don’t go getting themselves lost. And I’ll restrict hunting too, at least until we’re more familiar with the area. Goodness knows how much further it goes.
He needn’t have worried. After five more minutes of painfully slow travel, the swathe drew back and shafts of rose-gold brilliance punctuated the canopy in one place after another.
Everyone relaxed as they sensed a change ahead.
Even so, when the party broke free from dappled shade and rode into the harsh glare of direct sunshine, everyone was taken completely by surprise.
Mars preserve us!
Shocked, Marcus could only stare. I can see why my sentry was rendered speechless.
A shattered plain rolled away on both sides, providing a severe counterpoint to the undulating barrier of the forest’s perimeter. The compact, ruddy surface of the plateau shimmered in the heat of the midday sun. As the mounted group moved out onto the shelf, their movements caused swirls of scarlet dust to dance into the air.
Shading his eyes, Marcus tried to make sense of what he was seeing.
The ground was littered with pock-marks, each of which contained a smattering of gold and red rocks. A foul-smelling steam issued from a number of fissures and scalloped clefts. Wherever the vapors concentrated together, the soil was stained by a copper-colored residue.
Marcus could make out the shimmering white line of a bridge, about five miles away, obviously accommodating the continued course of the main highway. Closer to him, a smoother, rectangular area stood out in stark contrast to their cratered surroundings.
Hmm. Obviously a parking area for vehicles.
As intriguing as these distractions were, however, they paled under the imposing presence of the leviathan before them.
A huge canyon, over seventeen miles across and eight deep, gouged its way across the plane of their sight. Marcus knew from his mission briefing that the company now stood at one of the narrowest points of the Shilette Abyss. The gulf itself stretched away for over a thousand leagues, east and west; and for most of its length, the other side was so far away it would be impossible to see.
He marveled as to how the Ardenese had contrived to construct anything to cross such a gaping chasm, for the cliffs of the valley were an unstable maze of razor-sharp edges and unforgiving rocks that could give way without warning.
There, not three hundred yards in front of them, sat the real surprise. The bluff plunged away to form a huge cleft, a monster fissure over seventy feet wide which appeared to have been hacked into the earth to form a V-shaped crevice.
Cantering forward, the excited explorers discovered a tiered series of shelves, corresponding to levels of strata, leading down the cliff wall.
“It forms a chimney!” gasped one of the Husker-Trent geologists selected for the mission. Marcus glanced across to see Matthew Keegan almost falling from his saddle with excitement. “What a stroke of luck. Just look at the weathering. And the banding. We’ve struck red gold.” The scientist’s eyes glittered as he surveyed the multiple hues
contained within the various layers of sediment.
“Weathering? Banding?” said Marcus, who was also finding it difficult to tear his gaze away from the stunning panorama before them. “I take it, that’s good, yes?”
“Better than good, Marcus. We’ve struck the mother lode.”
As the rest of the expedition emerged from the timberline, those closest to the lead group crowded round to listen to the geologist’s explanation.
“Iron can easily be found in areas where there’s a steady flow of water, or mineral hot springs,” Matthew began. Gesturing to the canyon, he stressed, “That, we have in abundance. It must have taken millennia for the river at the bottom of this baby to have achieved what we see here. All those ribbons of color are iron oxides. Hematite, magnetite, and so forth. As the years have gone by, erosion has done the rest, and exposed the seams to open air.”
Pointing to the violet and black layers closest to them, he said, “The deposits nearest the surface possess the highest iron content. The further down you go, the poorer the quality. Don’t you see? The stuff we want is right there, at the top. The presence of this cleft is a huge blessing.” Punching the air, he concluded, “That’s why the dust here is so red, and why we have so many gold and brown mineral deposits. This whole region for miles around is so saturated in oxides, we won’t even have to drill.”
It took a moment for the news to sink in, before everyone gave a loud cheer.
Wilson Smith, who had been listening intently, had to raise his voice to be heard. “Excuse me, but didn’t the maps of Tar’e-esh show the presence of a huge lake within its boundary?”
Matthew Keegan’s face lit up in further delight. “Yes, you’re right. It did. The Esteban. It’s an inland sea about seventy, seventy-five miles northeast of where we are now. My God, I’d totally forgotten that.”
“Why?” Marcus asked. “Is that important?”
“You bet your ass it is,” Matthew replied. “If I remember correctly, the Esteban’s headwaters issue somewhere up in the Caglioso Mountains. That’s the next range south from the Erásan massif. The Esteban also has underwater mineral springs feeding its sediment. With the proliferation I’m seeing here, don’t be surprised if we find a raging torrent spilling into the Abyss further along the plateau somewhere. All the perquisites of another rich site.”
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