by Angela Timms
“Please sit.” The General’s voice was grave and deep. He waited for the Official to leave then turned to face them. “I am sorry that you had to see that. You may not know that we have had trouble from the Followers for a few years now. As have you I do believe. Nowhere seems safe these days. But as you have seen we are dealing with the problem when it arises until a permanent solution can be found.
I do believe you came to discuss trade. We are always keen to make new trading partners. May I ask the nature of your interests?”
Rennon sat up straight in his chair and looked to Kyla. “May I speak for us my lady?”
Kyla smiled. “You may. I give you the authority.”
Rennon clasped his hands together. “We are looking for a translator who can decode some ancient texts that we have found. Do you have such a person among your slaves?”
The General appeared relaxed. “Such a person would be a great asset and would command a high price. We have such people but we are unlikely to be able to spare any. We may however be able to arrange a trade in that you could bring what you need translated here.”
Rennon looked at the General without blinking. “We need someone who can translate Ancient Akapraxian.”
The General coughed. “That however is a little more difficult. I will have to consult with my Slave Master and the records. I would assume you have something valuable to offer in trade should we have such a rare commodity?”
Rennon smiled. “Indeed we do. We have an original copy of the Codex Ker Alapatha. I believe that would be a more than adequate trade for such a person.”
The General looked slightly stunned momentarily but he regained his composure. “I will think on this.”
There was a knock at the door. The Official they had met before came in, his face ashen white. He stepped forwards and waited.
The General turned to him. “You may speak.”
The Official was out of breath so his words were slightly muffled. “The Followers have landed in force. That was just an advance guard.”
The General stood up and strapped on his sword which was leaning on a stand beside the desk. “Muster the Legions and sound the City Alarm.” He then turned to his guests. “I have little time. I brought you to speak with me as I had hoped that you can operate the ancient artefacts Kyla. It seems that any possibility of negotiation and trade is a little irrelevant at this point as are all my pretty speeches about helping and cooperation. There are artefacts we have that could help us in the battle that is just about to start, one in particular. Would you join us or shall I order one of my guards to escort you to your ship? We are a civilized people so I would not ask you to do anything you do not wish to. But of course it would help a lot.” He looked slightly at a loss and as if he didn’t know what to say next.
Kel stood up and looked at the others. “Well, shall we help?” Kyla looked up. “I would help.”
Rennon nodded.
Samson jumped up. “If I can help in the hospital I would be glad to.”
The General stepped back to move around his desk. “Good, I will arrange for you to be taken to the field hospital that will be set up.”
He turned to the Official. “Give Dr Samson rank and right to set up a field hospital. The rest of you please follow me.” He strode out of the room and down the corridor to a room where others were strapping on armour. “Please help yourself to armour from the rack on the right.”
They stepped inside and Kyla reached for a woman’s breastplate. Kel put a hand on her arm. “No Kyla, please no.” There was something in his eyes that stopped her in her tracks. She felt a shudder run down her spine and inexplicably she did what he wanted and stepped away from it.
The General took the armour from the stand and handed it to her. “She would be safer. If she is to die, let her die with honour and join us in the Elysium Fields.”
Kel was about to object but he saw the intense look on the General’s face. He looked away and went to put his own armour on.
They joined the lines of troops marching swiftly down the corridors. Lines of chariots waited outside the palace and they jumped on board the one behind the General’s. The charioteer cracked the reins on the paired horses’ backs. They reared slightly and leapt forwards. He took the strain and held them under control as they joined the other chariots heading for the battlefield. The vehicle wasn’t as steady as they had expected and one by one they reached for the side and grasped it tightly as they sped through the streets. Any thoughts of standing unaided as the chariot bounced about were soon forgotten. The charioteer however stood unaided as he guided the lively beasts. Dust billowed up and got in their eyes and mouths. They were racing down the main thoroughfare which was three chariot widths wide. The chariot rocked precariously as it turned a corner. The huge white marble buildings rose impossibly high on either side, the statues of mythical beasts on their roofs silhouetted in the last of the rays of the setting sun.
They raced through the elegantly practical marble City Gates. They raced across the open plain outside, the rushes bending or being crushed under the ever spinning wheels. In the distance they could see fires, explosions and blaster beams went off at nearly regular intervals. Lines of men and women formed up and as they got closer they could smell the cordite, leather, blood and animals. Banners fluttered and many fell as flaming balls cascaded down on them remorselessly, breaking the battle lines by leaving huge gaping holes which others stepped in to fill. Somewhere in the air a craft screamed down out of orbit and crash landed behind the Followers’ lines. Blue laser bolts rained down as well onto the General’s troops from a ship which was invisible as it was outside the planet’s atmosphere.
The General’s chariot was beside theirs and other chariots raced alongside as he shouted orders and commanded his forces into position. The communication device around his neck that looked like a silk ruff transmitted his voice to those he wanted to hear it.
They were clinging to the sides to try to stay upright but the charioteer was holding on with one hand. He seemed to be balancing with very little effort as were the other charioteers. Men and women jumped to his every command. He ordered them left, right and to circle. With confidence his voice boomed out and he sent them to where they needed to be as he anticipated the Followers actions. Sometimes he sent them onwards, sometimes holding them back as soldiers fell on either side. He rode into the thick of the battle, his sword slashing from left to right. The chariot horse rose up on its hind legs, its metal cased and sharpened hooves cutting into the enemies in front of him. His stallion bit and reared with ferocity of any lion, his barbed serpentine tail swishing from left to right. The horses fought as a line, the chariots moving between their own men who fell in beside them and occasionally jumped up onto the wheel hubs to fight from a vantage point as they cut through the outriders and hit the main force of the army ranks. The force of their charge knocked the front line of the enemy over and decimated it, allowing the General’s troops to push through. Using weight of numbers they crushed the second rank of fighters back tightly against the ranks behind so they were unable to fight. The charioteers and second rank of the General’s army fought over the top of their horses, using the chariots as a platform. Their horses biting and kicking furiously to aid their masters. Their long snake like necks gave them enough reach over their slashing hooves.
The charioteer held the companions’ chariot back and they were invited by the General’s deep and sincere voice coming over the intercom to get off. They had been trying to get a closer look at the enemy but from where they were they couldn’t see now as the infantry ranks had closed in to fill the gaps left where they had opened up to let the chariots through. The bombardment was still ongoing but it was concentrating further down the line. All they could see were the backs of the troops as they stood in the shield wall and the bolts flew from behind them towards the enemy and towards them from the ranks of archers within the enemy lines. Some fell but they were replaced by others who stepped in and the
y started advancing. The rhythm of their marching and the clatter as they hammered their swords onto the back of their shields was deafening and inspired an adrenaline rush and fear unlike anything Kyla had experienced before. Kel seemed to be enjoying every moment, he was tensed ready to spring like an animal and his dark eyes were taking everything in. The smell of the fires and the thought of imminent death swirled adrenaline around the bodies of the men and women who stood on that day. They were ready for the hand to hand battle that they were moving towards. They came up behind the chariots ready to step into any spaces left by those who fell. All too often they got their chance and had to step over their fallen comrades in arms.
As they moved forwards combat medics rushed forward and gathered up the injured, carrying them back to platforms which took them back to safety and what they could only assume would be a field hospital. Any dead they left on the field and sadly the pile of the dead was growing alarmingly fast.
A hovering platform sped silently towards the front line and stopped to the side of the General’s chariot. He leapt up onto it, his chariot continuing on with the fight, his charioteer ably taking the reins. The General took the controls of the platform and hovered over their chariot. “Kyla, if you would join me I would be delighted to have your assistance.”
Kel almost screamed. “No.” But his voice was lost in the cries and explosions that went off all around them.
Kyla took the General’s hand and stepped up onto the platform, narrowly avoiding Kel’s grasp as he tried to stop her. He felt helpless as he imagined in his mind’s eye the scene as the platform sped off towards the front line. He was lucky; the platform seemed to stall a moment giving Kel and Rennon the opportunity they wanted. Both of them tried to jump onto the platform and as one they tried to hang on but as the platform floated off they were left falling back onto their chariot as it rattled its way towards the front line. They looked at each other in horror as they landed and grasped almost in vain to catch the side of the chariot as they nearly fell off.
They reached the front line and Kel leapt from the Chariot and joined the troops fighting on the ground. The shield wall had been broken only moments before they got there and they were instantly thrown into a hand to hand battle with the enemy.
Smoke billowed everywhere, choking them. It got in their eyes and made it hard to see. They were looking for colours. It was the only way to know who was enemy and who friend but as the smoke billowed and visibility was down to almost only a foot it was very hard. The black of the Followers made them stand out from the scarlet of the General’s men. Eventually they were slashing at anything black as they were pressed together and pushed forwards.
It took every bit of strength to stay on their feet. No skill was required. Luck and taking any available opportunity was the only option. Bodies pressed around them and everyone was having the same problem. There was no chance for finesse, no chance for fighting. All that they could do was try to slash and hack whatever they could and just hope they didn’t hurt someone on their own side.
Kyla held onto the ornate supports around the outside of the platform. They rose up like giant plants, forming the protective wall around the edge and branches providing support into the middle. The General moved closer to her and handed her a flat box. He was screaming orders and moving troops about. The platform lurched at his touch, moving to dodge blaster bolts. The bolts were cutting into the bottom of the platform and it rocked slightly when a fiery ball exploded at its edge, showering them with sparks. The General stopped shouting and turned to Kyla. “Use it, open it. We need it.”
Kyla put her hand on the box and opened the lid. Inside was a keyboard and she turned the terminal on. A blue light flashed momentarily, covering the battlefield and scanning everyone and everything.
The General looked down momentarily. “Very good, now let me look.” He looked over her shoulder. He reached down and began to type. “I need you to press that button there and when you’ve done it, throw the box over the side of the platform. Do not hesitate or we will die.”
The General pressed more buttons and then went back to flying the platform. “Press it.”
Kyla pressed the button and threw the box. It was hit by a blast and bounced back onto the platform. Without thinking she kicked it over the side but in doing so her other leg gave out under her and she slipped over the edge of the platform. She missed the safety rail and found herself falling through the air down onto the battle below. The General saw her fall and cried out in shock before bringing the platform underneath her, showing an immense turn of speed, to catch her again. She landed on the platform with a loud crunching thud and lay there, unconscious. The General swore and pulled the platform up, struggling against the steering bar with all his strength. He’d got close to the ground and the Followers weren’t going to miss that opportunity. Several of them were now hanging onto the side of the platform and trying to slash at Kyla or the General. He took a deep cut to his leg as he braced and tilted the platform to get greater momentum. The weight of the extra unwanted passengers pulling him back down again as the engine strained to gain altitude.
The box flew through the air, the blue beam intensifying, scanning and locking onto the bio signatures it had been commanded to find. Beams flashed from it and those it touched clutched their chests and fell to the ground, lifeless. Only some were affected but the attacking troops had lost nearly three quarters of their number and those who were left were stunned and demoralized.
The Followers clinging to the platform as it rose in the air were hit by the beam. All but one fell to the ground dead. The one who clung on looked in disbelief as the General kicked his hands off of the safety rail. He fell backwards, his mouth open to let out a final scream before he hit the ground.
The local warriors fought with a passion. They were organized and methodical in their actions and slowly but surely moved across the battlefield until all the attackers were dead or unconscious.
The General brought his platform down to land and Kel and Rennon jumped onto it as he leapt onto a passing chariot and they sped off. Kyla was coming around and she tried to stand up. Kel stopped her but she pushed him away. “I’m fine, I just slipped that’s all.” She staggered but with Kel’s help and holding onto the rail she managed to stand.
In the skies above the stars went out as a huge vessel bore down towards them as it tried to get away from beams which tore into it from high above in space. Holes appeared in it and the floors and levels in its infrastructure could clearly be seen illuminated by fires or what was left of the lighting. Fires started and flowered as parts of it exploded until finally the whole ship erupted in a ball of fire. Debris and passengers rained down on those below, huge chunks of it crushing those it fell on. Before their eyes many thousands on both sides died where they stood unable to get away. The ship was coming down; it fell like a stone towards the planet. Then it stopped, caught in space in a giant tractor beam which radiated around it and carried it away from the planet and cast it into space. It exploded harmlessly causing a dramatic light show of sparks and burning debris.
Rennon grabbed the platform controls and hesitatingly flew them out of the immediate battle area as he struggled to understand how to fly the strange vehicle. Kyla was trying to hold on but her arms lacked strength and she skidded across the platform. Kel caught her around her waist, laid her down before lying across her, holding her onto the platform as the inertia almost slipped them both off. He grabbed part of the control panel and his great strength stopped them sliding. Rennon was concentrating on navigating them past the falling bits of ship. At one point he almost flipped the platform over when he had to make a really tight turn to avoid a falling fireball and didn’t quite get it right. His knuckles were white as he gripped the controls so tightly, his brow furrowed as he tried to work out what he was doing. The fireball hit the top of the platform as it was tipped up. The liquid metal from the melting rail ran down the flat surface spreading sticky burning tendrils in all
directions. Rennon jumped out of the way up onto the command box as it flowed into the control area. Kel had to roll Kyla out of the way as the liquid flowed over where they had just been moments earlier. Rennon flipped the platform the other way, almost overcompensating. The liquid began to flow away from them just as he had to flip to avoid another fireball. Kel and Kyla skidded across the platform and almost went over the side as there was nothing to hold onto. Another turn as Rennon momentarily lost control and they slipped over the edge. Kel caught the edge of the platform as they went over. He caught hold of the straps of Kyla’s armour and held on tight.
Rennon saw what had happened and gently lowered the platform until they were on solid ground. They leapt back onto the platform and he took off again and sped off towards the City as he shouted to them. “We’ve done all we can. Let’s get out of here.” His voice was slightly high pitched, his face strained, his hair blown back from his face by the wind that rushed past him.
6
The City was peaceful again. Darkness had fallen and now everywhere lights twinkled, illuminating statues and giving the City a mystic air. The moon which had shone down brightly just an hour earlier was obscured by clouds and it began to rain. The water cascaded in a torrent as it ran off of the ornate carvings above and splashed on the balcony outside
window, feeling
Kyla and Kel’s room. Kyla reached out to close the the chill of the wind which blew in through the
billowing curtains. As she turned Kel caught her arm. His grip was firm, his eyes pleading, questioning, he looked worried. Kyla was the first to speak. “So much for a peaceful mission.” She looked into his eyes, reaching for something, trying to convey a lightness that she knew the minute she looked at him was hopeless.
