The Last Empire Box Set

by Nick S. Thomas

  “Yes, Jamiya,” he replied with respect.

  Chapter 6

  Lee’s vehicle was at the head of the column. They came up over a crest, and the town came into view up ahead. Three plumes of smoke bellowed from different parts of the town, and a large fire raged from two of the buildings. Yet the sight of muzzle flashes and tracer fire was a welcome sight.

  “The garrison has held out!” he yelled enthusiastically.

  Colonel Rossman leant in over his seat to get a better look, and the General peered over the other side. Rossman studied the scene carefully before looking to the General for orders.

  “I’m along for the ride, Colonel. This is your outfit.”

  Rossman grabbed the comms handset, holding down the button to send out his message across the whole force. He had no idea how many they had with them, which units, or how many had caught up.

  “Spread out. I want ten metres between vehicles, envelop the town, and engage the enemy immediately.”

  It was a simplistic plan, but he knew they were firefighting at this point. Dozens of vehicles sped up to take formation either side of them, approaching the town as a wall. The turret-equipped Otters opened fire on targets as they became available. As they drew nearer, they could see a horde of sword-equipped Prians flooding through the town. Some carried Sezails, the primitive native rifles.

  “Those aren’t mutineers,” insisted Lee.

  “The rebels must have caught wind of this and come to join in,” replied Rossman.

  The General looked astonished at their number as they swarmed into the town. Automatic gunfire cut into their ranks as the convoy raced towards them.

  “This’ll do.”

  Rossman casually patted him on the shoulder, and Lee brought them to a halt. The Colonel was first out the door as they rocked to a halt thirty metres from the town’s edge and the rebels. Some were turning to face them while many ran toward the sound of gunfire at the centre of the town.

  Lee was out in no time and knelt down to take aim at the enemy. Several fired with their primitive rifles, but their shots didn’t even land close. They cut down a dozen of the enemy in seconds. Lee noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and was amazed to see the General standing beside him in the line, fighting as one of them. It brought a smile to his face before he took aim at the enemy once more and opened fire. His magazine was empty in no time. He reached for another as the enemy continued to rush on into the town.

  “They’re going for the fort. If they take it, it’ll be a whole lot harder for us!” Rossman yelled to the General as if looking for advice.

  “It would be a major boon for the enemy to seize this fort, and if there’s any chance Major Soto is still alive, we need to help him,” replied Clifton.

  Rossman looked along the lines. The Empire regulars formed up and lay down masses of fire, but there seemed no end to the enemy as more rushed into the town. Most were ignoring them altogether, even being shot in the back as a result.

  “We’re going through there. Get up on top!”

  The Colonel climbed into the driver’s seat, and Lee leapt on top. Madan and Nelson joined him. The General jumped inside and slid the door shut as they lurched forward. Lee slammed in a new magazine. He was rocked slightly, but Madan caught him. They knelt down onto the vehicle, holding on with one hand to the rails designed for that very purpose. They held their weapons low and fired from the hip. Rossman pointed them right at a narrow street where the Prians were pouring in. Lee looked back. They had three vehicles following. It had to be most of their platoon.

  The three of them fired forward as they raced towards the enemy. Several turned back and fired their Sezails at the Otter, but the shots glanced right off. One flew past Lee’s head, but he was too focused on the horde to really care.

  “Hold on!” Lee shouted.

  The Colonel didn’t slow up, hitting the horde as they swarmed into them. They smashed into six Prians who were thrown aside, before running over several more. The Otter began to slow as they hit a dense mob, but Rossman gunned the engine. They pushed on through, crushing many beneath the wheels as the armoured APC bounced back and forth over their corpses. It was a horrifying bone crunching sound. It would be sickening, if Lee hadn’t come to hate their enemy as deeply as he did.

  Lee looked up in time to see a Prian leap from a nearby rooftop. He lifted his Aquilla and activated its blade so that the alien impaled itself as it landed. He tossed the body off the side as two more leapt over another roof edge to do the same.

  Nelson angled forward under one of their blades and shoved him off the vehicle. The Prian crashed into a wall as they flew past it. The other Prian was far taller than the rest and went right for Madan as the largest of the three. He cut down with massive force. Madan lifted his rifle, but it was cleaved in two by the mighty blow. The blade trailed down Madan’s face, leaving a long surface cut. He threw away the broken parts in disgust as he drew his Firanwar. Two more of the enemy leapt onto the vehicle to even the odds.

  King and Nelson readied their weapons for combat. As Madan was about the strike back at his adversary, they took a bend hard and were thrown to the edge of the roof. Lee lost hold of his weapon. He slipped, smashed his head on the rooftop, and flew off into the dirt. Madan was down on one knee but had held on. Nelson was the only one to keep his footing, but he looked back and saw Lee lying in a cloud of dust. Without a word, he leapt from the side of the Otter without any concern for his safety, leaving Madan to face the three Prians alone.

  Nelson hit the ground running and found himself among the enemy. He stabbed one and smashed another in the face, running onwards as he could see an alien closing on the helpless Corporal. Most of the Prians were rushing on in the same direction of the vehicle, and few noticed him, but one took a swing with a blade. He ducked under, rolled back onto his feet, and kept running. He felt an almighty force strike from his side as another of the creatures charged into him, pinning him against a building. His Aquilla was pinned against his body as he tried to resist. The Prian drove its blade down against his collar, and he felt the blade bite into his neck. He pushed to stop it going further. As he leant out of the cut and turned his head away from it, he could see an enemy had reached Lee.

  Nelson let go with his right hand and took hold of the Guardian on his side. He quickly lifted it up, and the blade deployed, shooting through the side of its head. It dropped down instantly. Nelson tried to pry his Aquilla from its dead hand, but it was locked with a vice grip. As he struggled to release it, he could see the Prian about to cut down against Lee who was still not moving.

  “Lee!”

  He rushed towards his attacker. The creature stopped with the blade in mid-air as it heard Nelson’s cry. It clearly recognised it as not one of their own. In that moment Lee came around. He grabbed his Guardian and slashed up and across his attacker’s throat. Blood spewed out, and it toppled over as Nelson reached them.

  “You okay?” He knelt down, looking around for danger. They were in the shelter of a small alleyway. Prians were still rushing past on the road as another Otter sped along going the same way. In the chaos they had been forgotten.

  “Come on. We’ve got to keep moving,” whispered Nelson as he hauled Lee to his feet, supporting him as they carried on up the alleyway.

  * * *

  Madan was standing tall and proud against his three opponents, showing no fear as they came at him. He cut straight into the blade of the first cut that came at him, twisting the blade in behind his opponent’s, and slicing down to take the hand off in one. He kicked him of the vehicle as he grasped his bleeding stump. The other two cut at him, but he parried both attacks, as he backed away to the edge of the vehicle. They took another tight bend, and he knelt down barely in time to get a hold. One enemy was thrown his way, and he used the opportunity to deliver a massive slash across its torso as it was thrown overboard.

  As the vehicle straightened up, he found himself opposed to the last and largest of
them. The Prian let out a cry and attacked with heavy blows. He could barely parry them, and on the third was driven down onto one knee. He took hold of his enemy’s front leg and drove forward, taking him off balance, and throwing him onto his back. The blade flew from his hands, but he didn’t let up and pushed forward with his blade. The Prian locked hold of his wrists, stopping the blade dead. He tried to push back, but the huge Prian was too powerful and delivered a brutal punch to his face, followed by another. He lost grip of his Firanwar, but his enemy had no interest in it, as he cast it off the side of the vehicle, grabbed him, and punched with brutal blows.

  The third almost knocked Madan out. His eyes glazed over as he blacked out and his head rocked back. He ducked under as another blow came at him that would have put his lights out without a doubt. Blood was streaming from his mouth and nose. The vehicle swerved slightly, giving him better purchase on his opponent, and he looked forward to see how close they would come to the corner of one of the buildings. He drove his elbow hard into his attacker’s face, forced him towards the side of the vehicle, pushing his head out over the edge. His opponent pushed back, bringing them to a standstill. The creature smiled as though thinking Madan meant to throw him over, but he followed the Rhepoy’s gaze forward, and his face turned to horror as he saw the edge of the building. He pushed back, but Madan held him firm. He head hit the structure and was taken clean off. Madan was left holding the bloody headless body and simply released it, letting it fall over the edge.

  He heard someone climbing up over the edge of the vehicle. It was his brother Rotaru, who upon seeing his bloody state didn’t even seem bothered.

  “Thanks for the help,” said Madan.

  “You did just fine,” he replied dryly.

  Madan knelt down and took hold of a rail. His brother passed him his own Firanwar, knelt down beside him, and took the odd shot at Prians who were going their way. There were far fewer of them now as they’d moved ahead of the horde, making their way to the centre of town. Turning a bend, the fort came into view. Rebels and mutinous soldiers were clambering up the walls on ladders. The gates were hanging from their hinges and bolstered by whatever the defenders could get their hands on. Two Prians were going at the barricades with huge two-handed axes and were close to breaching as those at the walls barely held out. An officer was at the walls leading the defence.

  Their vehicle came to a standstill, and Vega leant out from the open door for a better view.

  “That’s the Major. He’s still alive!”

  “But for how long?” General Clifton appeared beside him, “The gates, they’re about to fall.”

  “Get back inside!” Rossman yelled.

  They did as ordered as the vehicle lurched forward. Madan and his brother held on tightly, knowing what was coming next. Rossman pointed them right at the gate and those trying to batter their way through. The two with axes realised too late as the Otter ran them down and hit the ramshackle remains of the door. A moment later it crashed through the barricade. Madan and Rotaru were showered with debris as they hunkered down and held on. The Otter kept going through, circling around to the front wall as the other vehicles stormed in behind them. Rossman ripped the door open the second he brought them to a standstill. He raced towards the open gatehouse as the platoon disembarked.

  “Back up against the gate. Seal it off!” he yelled at the driver of the last vehicle through as Marines poured out from it. The first Prians were coming through as it began to reverse. Rossman took aim and shot one down. The Otter smashed into another two, veering to wedge between the two sides of the gateway. The driver rushed out as Prians began climbing on top to get inside.

  Rossman looked up to the walls. The Prians were pouring over them. The Rhepoys and few Marines defending were being overwhelmed.

  “Everyone back. Fall back!”

  Soto nodded in agreement as he relayed the orders to the others.

  “Get back. Dig in!” Rossman shouted to the platoon, pointing to the next and last layer of defence, the walls of the Empire headquarters for the town. Rossman lay down covering fire for Soto, and the General joined him as everyone rushed back. Hundreds of the enemy were pouring over the edge of the walls.

  “That’s some great timing you’ve got there, Sir!”

  Soto ran up to them. He was limping and wounded in several places, his uniform soaked with blood. He had a smile on his face like he was having the time of his life.

  “Come on, boys, this is what we were born for!” he yelled enthusiastically to all around him.

  “Major, come on!” Rossman shouted.

  A volley of fire rang out overhead as much of the platoon had taken up elevated positions in the headquarters building. The Prians were being cut down by the dozen, and still they came. The General ran up the main stairs and rushed out onto one of the shooting galleries, ducking down as shots struck the edge beside him.

  “You got us in, Colonel, how do you propose we get back out?” Rossman took cover beside him.

  “There’s no getting out, Sir. The cavalry has to come to us.”

  Clifton smiled. “I knew you were a hard driver, Colonel, but I didn’t think you’d drag me into this sort of a fight on day one.”

  “Only following my orders, Sir.”

  He climbed up over the barricade and lay down fire. The vehicle they’d placed as a barricade was pushed aside, and hundreds of Prians poured in over the walls and the open gatehouse.

  * * *

  Lee winced as he was put down. He took a few deep breaths as he began to return to his senses. Nelson was checking him over for injuries but could find nothing but scrapes.

  “Where are we?”

  “In the backstreets of Zagra.”

  “What? Why?”

  “You were thrown from the vehicle, do you remember?”

  “I…” he hesitated as the memory came flooding back to him.

  “I must have landed amongst the enemy. How did I…” he paused his line of questioning, realising exactly what had happened.

  “Still risking your life for me?”

  “That’s what we do. We’re in this together now. At some point the MPs are gonna come calling for you and me both, probably the Colonel, too. We need as many friends as we can get.”

  “If we make it that long,” Lee laughed, brushed himself off, and got to his feet.

  He peered out from a doorway. He could see part of the fort between two buildings. It was a few streets away. Yet for all the noise in the distance, he was struck by how quiet it was around them. He looked about the room to see it was a primitive dwelling.

  “Where is everyone?”

  “Fighting or running, I guess.”

  “We have to get to the fort.”

  “It’s not going to be easy. This is all we’ve got.” Nelson held up his Guardian and gestured towards the same on Lee’s side. He drew it, and the blade and guard activated. It seemed a modest weapon when they faced such odds.

  “The Colonel always says we can rely on this when we face the worst kind of hardship.”

  “And you believe that?”

  “I think you have to, or risk breaking down into nothing. I’m not done yet, are you?”

  Nelson shook his head.

  “Come on, let’s do this.” Lee peered around a corner. More of the enemy were running forward in parallel with them. He leapt out from cover, rushed across the street to another narrow alley, and carried on towards the sound of gunfire. They passed another street, coming face-to-face with three Prians who looked as though they’d been waiting for them. Their weapons were low as if they had no fear at all. Lee seized his opportunity by thrusting forward with a powerful push kick that knocked one back, before cutting down at the leg of another. His blade cut deeply. As the third swung for him, Nelson cut its blade down, and in one motion drove his point up into its chest.

  The wounded Prian grabbed Lee’s leg and pulled him off his feet. He hit the ground hard. Nelson tried to help, but the other was
back in the fight and swinging for him. Lee rolled over as the Prian’s blade swung for him. As he got to his feet, he noticed a simple workman’s hammer on the table beside him. He took it up as his wounded opponent got to his feet and smiled at the mismatch of weapons. Lee didn’t wait for him to come and threw the hammer with all his force.

  The blade struck the Prian on the nose and knocked him back, his sword falling from his grasp. Lee closed the distance quickly and stamped down on his opponent’s wounded leg, delivering a brutal kick to the face. It sent his head smashing into the table edge, cracking the skull. He picked up his blade in time to see Nelson cleave the third at the collarbone.

  “Maybe the Colonel was right.”

  They were as surprised as each other by the usefulness of the blades.

  “Come on, let’s move,” insisted Lee.

  They rushed on until they came out at the edge of the fort and in full view of the enemy. Lee paused and backed them both up into the shadow of the doorway they’d come from. He peered around, praying they’d not been spotted. Prians were swarming the door now, most forgoing the ladders as they flooded through the gatehouse.

  “It’s not gonna be easy,” he whispered.

  “Up and over, the only way,” replied Nelson, looking at the ladders that a few of the Prians were using.

  Lee didn’t much like the idea, but they were out of choices.

  “No time like the now.” Nelson rushed out without any orders.

  “Bloody hell!”

  Lee rushed on after him. They reached the bottom of two ladders. A Prian was starting to climb one, and another was halfway up. They looked back to see more were rushing their way; especially now they had been spotted. Lee brought down a brutal blow to the back of the head of the closest and began to climb as Nelson took the other ladder. The Prian had almost reached the top when he got in range, and through the noise couldn’t hear the warnings of his allies. Nelson simply grabbed the Prian’s ankle and yanked hard enough that he lost his hold of the ladder. He then shoved him from the side. Lee was up and over as he was drawing close, but the ladder was suddenly knocked out from under him by one of the enemies. He reached out and found Lee’s hand as he began to fall. Lee hauled him up and over the edge. Shots struck the wall around them as they crashed over the wall together.