The Last Empire Box Set

by Nick S. Thomas

  “You heard him. Move it!” Griffin shouted. She didn’t want to be there a moment longer. Shots bounced from the far side of the vehicle as she ushered them in. Bosque still seemed out of it, so Griffin shoved her through the door. The rest of them piled in behind. It was a tight fit as the last of them got in. So much so there was no room for Madan and the three Rhepoys with him. They clung onto the edge with the door still fully open.

  “Go!” Griffin yelled to Lee.

  He slipped it into reverse and put the power down. They backed over two more of the enemy, and shots continued to bounce off the vehicle.

  “Hold on!”

  He hit the brakes, spinning the Otter around. The hulking APC pivoted around, kicked up dust and rocks, and vanished for a moment into a dust cloud. He didn’t wait for it to clear. He could already see three Prians emerging through the smoke ahead of them. He put the power down and rolled right over them as another leapt onto Madan. One hand lost his hold of the vehicle, forcing him to drop his Firanwar, as he held on for his life. The Prian held him in one hand, lifting his blade to strike. Before it could descend, his brother’s blade slashed down at his attacker’s wrist, taking the hand clean off. Madan punched him away and kicked him off. The bloodied fighter smashed into a rock as they sped away, the last few shots following them.

  Madan climbed up onto the roof and hauled his brother up. He patted him on the shoulder and pressed their foreheads together in a sign of respect and appreciation. The other two got up beside them and sat down atop the vehicle. Rusu hauled the door shut as Griffin sighed in relief.

  “How did you find us?”

  “All hell was descending on you. It wasn’t hard to follow the trail,” Lee replied with a smile.

  She knew that was a half-truth. She checked on Bosque for a moment. She was in her own world, still as high as she’d ever seen anyone. The Corporal squeezed through and climbed up beside the driver’s seat.

  “No officer in charge, one vehicle and five marines, this was no rescue mission, was it?”

  “It sure was.”

  “No way the Colonel would sign off on this. It’s not enough to reliably get the mission done, but too many assets to risk, especially in light of the impending operation to Delphi.”

  He shrugged as if she was getting warmer, but he wasn’t going to tell her.

  “You did this on your own, didn’t you?”

  “I went to the Colonel, and I even went to General Sanson. They wouldn’t approve a rescue effort.”

  “And yet you did it anyway?”

  “What are we taught as Marines?”

  “To obey the chain of command.”

  He smirked and shook his head. “To have the back of the Marine beside us. If we can’t do that, then none of it’s worth anything, and the General can stuff this job up his ass.”

  “He could have your job for this. Maybe even your life.”

  “Yeah, and what did you get for playing by the rules? You were left out there to die. That’s how much the General cares about you. If I went on like that, I’d be just as dead before long.”

  She had to laugh, realising how close they had come to death, and how much he’d risked saving them.

  “You’ve got a real problem with authority, haven’t you, Corporal?”

  “I’ve got a real problem with assholes, that’s for sure.”

  “Look!” She pointed to the view out to the west as the swirling sandstorm began to clear. Down in the canyon basin many klicks into the distance they could see a convoy of vehicles. Lee drew the vehicle to a halt to take a closer look.

  “Those are Empire troops!”

  “That’s a lot of hardware. It has to be the Delphi Field Force. Sanson has finally gotten off his arse and got the wheels rolling on this operation,” replied Lee.

  “What do we do?”

  “Our duty is with that force. We regroup with the 15th and hope the General never noticed we were gone.”

  He took a deep breath as it dawned on him how much trouble they could be in. He’d not thought past finding them, but now it was all he could think about. He sighed as he put his foot on the power once again. The vehicle lurched forward as he headed for a ramp that would take them down from the peak where they could see as far as the Human eye could manage.

  “Let’s do this,” he whispered to himself.

  Chapter 3

  Rossman frowned as the convoy came to a halt.

  “What the hell is this? We’re a long way from Delphi yet.”

  “Sir, General Sanson has put orders out to enter the town of Geshawar,” replied the driver as he listened to the orders coming in through his headphones.

  “Damn it.” Rossman moved to the door, and Stone pulled it open for him. They stepped out into a hive of activity as hundreds of Marines poured towards the entrance to the town. He could see Sanson deliberating with some of his officers and stormed towards him, expecting to find answers for their delay. The General looked flustered. He was dripping with sweat and didn’t seem to be handling the heat well. It was as if he’d never been out of his air-conditioned office for more than a few minutes at a time. A luxury their primitive Otter transports did not feature.

  “What can I do for you, Colonel?” Sanson saw him approaching with intent.

  “Sir. I cannot stress more the importance that we move on to Delphi. There may yet be survivors sheltering in the city. We must help them, and if there’s any hope of suppressing this uprising now, we must take it.”

  “Who is in charge of this operation, Colonel?”

  “You are, Sir.”

  “That’s right. And do you think I have anything but the best interests of Empire citizens at heart?”

  “No, Sir. Of course not.”

  “No. If we could have deployed enough resources to Delphi weeks ago, we would have. You know how few troops we have under our command on this god-awful world.”

  “We must embrace the Rhepoys, Sir. We need their manpower.”

  “It was Rhepoy dogs who got us into this mess in the first place, Colonel. I will allow your Dharans to operate under my command, as well as a handful of other tribes who have proven their loyalty to the Empire. But the common Prian is nothing but a primitive animal that would keep this world as the primitive pit of bloodshed it has always been.”

  “Sir, now we are here, the garrison could provide several detachments to assist in our operations.”

  “Assist?” Sanson gasped, “Colonel, I think you misunderstand our intentions. We are certainly not at Geshawar to gather the Rhepoy garrison. We’re here to disband it.”

  “Disband?”

  “Yes, there are three well-armed Rhepoy garrisons between here and Delphi. We cannot advance beyond them while the risk of mutiny grows ever stronger. We will disarm all garrisons between here and the city, and ensure we do not face enemies both in front and behind.”

  “Sir, I fully understand the dangers of Rhepoy troops turning on the Empire more than most, but we need them. We need more resources than the Empire is willing or able to send. There are good troops here. Troops I would trust with my life, and I have already done so.”

  “Your loyalty to your native troops is admirable, Colonel, but I cannot afford to take risks trusting unproven troops. You have seen how many of these Prians are susceptible to turning on us. We must safeguard against it. Now, we are here to disarm the Geshawar garrison. As a commander of Rhepoy forces, I want you to take point on this and assist the officers here with disarming the disbanded garrison. I want this to go off without a hitch, Colonel. This should be done in an orderly and brisk fashion. I do not want to be held up here any more than you, so get this done ASAP, do you hear me?”

  “Yes, Sir,” he groaned.

  He didn’t like it, but knowing he had no choice, he ushered for the rest of his unit to follow him. Sanson’s force had come to a halt at the town’s edge where sentries from the garrison were waiting. It was a small town with no outer wall, just a small barrier to br
ing vehicles to a stop at the guardhouse. The barrier was lifted as he approached without any resistance at all. The Rhepoys on the gate shot to attention and showed as much respect as he would expect from any Empire Marine. It made it all the worse as he made his way towards the small fort at the centre of the village.

  “We’re really here to strip this garrison?” Stone asked.

  “Those are our orders.”

  “These Rhepoys have served us with honour. They’ve remained with us when others have faltered. You know how few officers command here. If these troops wanted to turn on us, they could have done it anytime.”

  “I agree, but the General doesn’t see it that way.”

  “If this is going to be a full blown war, and it’s shaping up to be, we can’t win it without native troops. We don’t have the resources.”

  Rossman nodded in agreement as he sighed.

  “I wish I had the answers, but I’m not in charge here. Sanson is.”

  “We pledged them work, food, and a good life. How do you think they’re going to take this? They’ve done nothing to warrant being stripped of their weapons and their jobs.”

  “When did you grow a soft spot for the locals, Sergeant?”

  “I didn’t. I just believe in keeping your word. Those who have remained loyal to us should not be punished because of those who have not.”

  “And if the General is right, and they turn on us when we’re at the gates of Delphi?”

  “Nothing is without risk, but these are trained soldiers being kicked to the curb. Maybe they might have considered turning on us before, but how do you think they’ll feel after this?”

  The Colonel was clearly deeply conflicted but also not willing to disobey direct orders.

  “Sir, our ranks are significantly depleted. If we are to have any hope of building a full regiment, we need to recruit more local troops. These men are trained and have been loyal so far. Why disarm them when we could put them to work? We’re heading for a shitstorm in Delphi, why not take them along?”

  “Because those are not our orders.”

  Stone was as frustrated as he was.

  “You saw what Delphi was like, same as I did, Sir. Do you really think we can succeed in suppressing this uprising?”

  He didn’t want to answer that. He didn’t want to betray Sanson, but they both knew the answer.

  “The General may be walking us to our deaths, and there’s really nothing we can do?”

  “Of course there is. We may not know what we’ll face, but we know what we are and what we’re capable of. So long as we stay loyal to one another, we’ll make it through.”

  “I’m not sure I believe that anymore. Lieutenant King was loyal to the Empire and to you until the very end, and he paid for it with his life.”

  “This is war. Some of us will die, no matter how strong and how loyal we are.”

  “It’s not the necessary losses that bother me, but the wasted ones.”

  Rossman nodded in agreement, mulling over the General’s dithering demeanour and lack of initiative.

  “Let’s just get this done. There are another two stations between us and Delphi, and I can’t see why the General would want them handled any differently.”

  “We want to be careful we don’t make enemies of the whole planet. Our list of allies grows thin.”

  “Yes, so let’s keep this peaceful and friendly. The General will come around to the Rhepoys in time when he sees their value. Let’s make sure these troops come back to us when that time comes.”

  “Why would they? Why would they return after such a betrayal?”

  Rossman shrugged, having no answers. They approached a Captain who was in charge of the garrison. Rossman knew him in passing, but he had always found him friendly and agreeable. He had just one Human by his side and no others in sight.

  “Captain Vega, a good officer by all accounts. Solid and dependable,” Rossman whispered to the Sergeant.

  “Colonel, while I appreciate the visit, I assume this is no social call.”

  “I’m afraid not.” They stopped, facing one another a metre apart, and shook hands.

  “You have come to request troops for your march on Delphi? We can certainly spare half the garrison for such duties,” he replied in a friendly fashion.

  “I’m sorry, but no.”

  “No?” he asked in a surprise tone.

  Rossman looked down awkwardly, ashamed for what he was about to say.

  “What is it, what has happened?”

  “We are not here to gather troops, but…”

  “But what?”

  “To disband them,” said Stone, saving him the embarrassment.

  “Disband? On whose authority?” Vega demanded.

  “General Sanson. He’s outside the town right now. He thought the news would break better from another Rhepoy unit than him.”

  “How could it be broken any better? You’re shutting us down, completely?”

  “I don’t like it either, but those are the General’s orders.”

  “And yet here you are with Rhepoys still in employment of the Empire?” He gestured to those behind Rossman.

  “They are Dharans. They have a proven track record like no others on Rhamprox.”

  “But you think those under my command cannot be trusted the same way?”

  “No. As I said, I don’t like this, but these are my orders. This regiment is finished. They are to be disarmed and disbanded with immediate effect. These are the orders of General Sanson.”

  “Then he is a fool. Who is going to protect our interests here, if not native troops? Has the Empire suddenly decided to send a division of Marines to police this world?”

  “The General’s reasons are not for us to speculate.”

  “The hell they are. You know how much work has gone into making this garrison into a well-trained and viable fighting force. Not one incident has been recorded in our district. The Rhepoys under my command have proven themselves loyal and capable.”

  “I understand, and I am sorry, but we all have our orders. The 15th is in dire need of experienced officers, and the General has agreed to let you join us if you wish.”

  “If they are to be disbanded, then I will be the one to tell them.”

  “Of course.”

  A bell rang out as the entire garrison was called to up, and it didn’t take them long. They were well disciplined and well turned out.

  “What a waste,” said Stone over the Colonel’s shoulder.

  “Never throw an asset away, that is our way. However, the rule of command overrides all. You will follow orders, and you will like it, at least as far as those at the top can see.”

  “Is that the sort of CO you would want to be, Sir?”

  “We each walk our own path. General Sanson has a long and distinguished career. We must trust in him to be able to do his duty, and support him in doing it.”

  “And yet you said yourself what kind of man he is.”

  Rossman turned around angrily.

  “You heard nothing. I spoke in anger in a moment of weakness. Do you hear me?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Rossman followed the Captain up to a tower overlooking a large square within the fort. The garrison was formed up. A few hundred well equipped Rhepoys. The Colonel watched with despair as Vega delivered the news to them. Not with a flowery or prolonged speech, but a simple and straight one. He made his apologies to them and dismissed them for the last time. The troops began to file past Stone and the others of the 15th. They dropped their weapons and tunics into a pile, departing on foot with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

  Rossman felt sick to the stomach, but he wasn’t going to shy away from it. These were his orders, and he was going to stand by them no matter how much he disagreed with them.

  “Fine words,” he said as Captain Vega came to join them and see his troops off.

  “One hell of a way to phrase it. It was shit, and you know it.”

  “A bad si
tuation, but you made the best of it.”

  “And how long until your boys suffer the same? How will you feel when you have to do the same?”

  “No better than you, I’m sure, but we all have our orders.”

  “Aye, and these ones will come back to bite us in the ass.”

  Rossman agreed, but he wouldn’t say it.

  “The 15th has been without many officers since its formation. Hell, we don’t even have enough squad leaders at present. Right now, Sergeant Stone is leading 2nd Platoon, and he’s doing a fine job. Rather than have you fill his shoes, I’d like you to be my second-in-command. It’s still a step down from what you had here, but this is a frontline recon unit of the best Rhepoys to have ever served the Empire, will you accept it?”

  Vega looked surprised.

  “What is it?”

  “Just that you exhibit this sort of decency, while executing these sorts of orders.”

  “Our work isn’t always pleasant, especially at a time of war. I want to see your garrison reformed at the soonest opportunity. Hell, I’d like to see them form another two companies of the 15th if they were up to it.”

  “They are, or were.”

  “Then you have my word that I will do everything I can to make that happen. I want the best for this world and everyone on it willing to stand with us. That goes for you, them, the General. Everyone. If you serve under me, I promise you I will do everything I can to get you back a solid command. Even if you don’t want to remain as an officer in the 15th when this is done, I’ll ensure you get your command back.”

  Vega seemed surprised and relieved.

  “It’s your boys that went into Delphi, wasn’t it? I heard you kicked up quite the storm.”

  “Yes, it was, and it cost us many fine Marines, some of which are still missing in action.”

  “MIA, and you are not looking for them?”

  “Believe me, it is in hand,” replied Rossman with a smile.

  The last of the weapons were soon piled high and the fort emptied. Vega followed Rossman and his Rhepoys to the edge of town to see the last of the dismissed troops walk off into the distance, returning to their homes empty-handed. It was a depressing scene to see perfectly capable soldiers be dismissed on the dawn of a battle. A battle that for many of them would be the largest they had ever experienced.