Glaucon threw back a full mouthful of the liquid and swallowed it before slamming the beaker back down. He coughed almost immediately and managed to splatter Tamara with some of it across her shoulder.
“What the...” she shouted, but Xenophon held her back and stopped her from leaping across the table.
Roxana, ever the most sensible of the group, leaned over the table towards her.
“I don’t understand it. What’s got into you? Since we retook the ship, you’ve been getting more and more violent and bitter. Has something happened?” she asked.
Tamara sat in silence and said nothing.
“Okay, well in the meantime you need to sort this temper of yours out. You might be young, and you obviously have some things in your past you aren’t happy with, but we have new problems, right now. Okay?”
Tamara gave her the barest of nods and looked down at the table. Roxana shook her head in annoyance, turning her gaze back to Xenophon.
“So, I see you’ve been busy, then?”
Glaucon coughed and join in. “Yeah, we get banged up, and the next thing we know you’ve got a hot Median agent in tow. What’s that all about?”
“Nice,” he replied sarcastically. “It isn’t like that, as well you know. She was actually following you and Tamara when we were trying to find out what Andronicus was up to. It looks like she’s an Imperial agent but working for Cyrus and his high command. They have one like her on each of the major ships in the Legion.”
Roxana scratched her head slightly.
“Wait a minute. I know you, Xenophon. The minute a girl shows you any attention, you fall head over heels for them. Why do you believe a single word she has said to you so far? Don’t you think Clearchus himself would have to know about this?”
“True,” added Glaucon, “no way would he stand for Medes units hiding aboard our Titans, no way.”
Roxana took a sip of the liquid and pulled a face at the sickly feeling it evoked.
“It doesn’t make sense, and it also doesn’t seem very likely to me. Where are they all hiding?”
Xenophon listened to their complaints but of all of them, Roxana was the one he valued the most in this particular affair. She was certainly the most experienced with a significant portion of her adult life spent in the military. Xenophon trusted her judgement when it came to people or military affairs, above all others.
“One thing you need to always remember is that we have never been the friends of the Medes. Clearchus might be in charge of all Terrans, but he isn’t in charge of the campaign itself. Cyrus pulls the strings, and more importantly, he controls the purse. Do you think he is happy to have thousands of Terrans swarming through his ancient lands? You’ve seen some of our people, and they are just as likely to turn on us as them.”
The others had nothing to say immediately and continued with their drinks. It looked like it would stay that way until Tamara shocked them all with her next outburst.
“What does a Medes look like, then? I mean, when she takes all that tight fitting armour off?”
Xenophon just looked at her but said nothing, partially out of shock, but mainly because he simply had no idea what to say. Glaucon nearly choked on his drink, but this time managed not to splutter it all over the others.
“Naked you say?” he laughed, managing as always to completely miss the tone of the conversation. Roxana looked a little embarrassed at the direction of the discussion and like Xenophon, said nothing.
“Well?” asked Tamara, refusing to back down.
“That really isn’t a very civil thing to ask now, is it?” replied Xenophon.
He was obviously annoyed but also perhaps a little embarrassed. Roxana looked at him, trying to gauge exactly what was going on with him and the Medes agent, but he was giving nothing away.
“She helped free the lot of you, and maybe if we’d got to her sooner, we might have stopped the mutiny to start with,” he continued, and with that the conversation ended.
“What about Andronicus’ men? What do you think they will do?” asked Glaucon, doing his best to steer the conversation away from his friend and whatever potential liaisons he might have had.
Xenophon seemed to relax a little at the change of topic and took a short sip from the beaker. Another group of half a dozen spatharii entered the room. As they came closer, Xenophon recognised Dekarchos Julius of the elite 6th Spatharios. His assistance during the evacuation of the crippled Olympia had made him a friend of Xenophon and the others. They owed him a great debt, and it wouldn’t be forgotten. He moved to the table but didn’t sit down.
“Will you and your men join us?” asked Roxana in a very polite manner.
“Thank you, but no, I’m still on duty. I just thought you would like to know that the Dukas has finished debriefing the Medes Artemas, and he requests you meet him in his room prior to her being released into the general population in one hour.”
“Released? Isn’t that a bit risky?” asked Glaucon.
Roxana looked over to Xenophon, curious to see what he would say.
“Yes, you’re right. I can’t see this crew being too keen knowing they have a Medes agent on board the ship.”
Julius was already turning back to the door before he replied.
“Then I suggest you keep it to yourself. It’s not like she looks that much different to any other women I know.”
“She doesn’t look like any of the women I know,” muttered Glaucon in a suggestive manner that resulted in him receiving a solid punch in the chest from Roxana. He feigned pain at her strike and looked back to Julius.
“Anyway, I have to go. There are rumours of booby-traps in the jump drive control room, and I think I speak for all of us when I say I don’t want to stay in this sector for a minute longer. I suggest you get to the Dukas on time. His patience isn’t what you might call, well, infinite, and something tells me you’ll be wanting some time with your lady.”
He smiled at Xenophon with his last line and turned for the door. Xenophon looked back to see the beaming grin from Glaucon and a stern expression on the face of Roxana.
“What?” he asked in mock surprise.
“If she told you, then trust she is of royal blood. She is the daughter of an Imperial Satrap after all, isn’t she?”
Xenophon said nothing, but the leering look from Glaucon was now starting to annoy him. He opened his mouth to tell him to stop, but Tamara surprised them all by standing up and making to leave the room.
“Hey, where are you going?” asked Roxana.
Tamara looked back to her, and it was clear she had been crying.
“I need sleep.”
Then she was out through the door and gone.
Glaucon coughed before spurting out his concerns.
“Is it just me that’s starting to find her a little annoying? What the hell is her problem?” he said, lifting up his hand to get the attention of those serving the drinks. A woman, one of the cleaners came over and dumped another beaker next to him and waited patiently for her payment.
“Anybody else?” he asked before paying, and they all shook their heads. Once the woman had gone, Xenophon spoke.
“It’s clearly something to do with Andronicus and his group. You saw how she dispatched him on the command deck. Even Xenias was surprised at her brutality. If you ask me, I’d say either he or his group had something to do with her past, probably something related to her becoming an orphan.”
“Orphan, yes, that’s it,” said Roxana, “I need to see her.”
She stood up and moved to the door, saying no more to the two men. In less than thirty seconds their group had halved, and just Glaucon and Xenophon remained at the table. Glaucon took another long swig and dumped his beaker back on the table.
“Okay, now the girls have gone, you can tell me all about her. Come on, all the details!”
Xenophon shook his head at his friend and did his best to hide his smile. They had known each other for a long time now, and even though their f
orced exile stopped them from returning, they seemed to be managing in this strange and strife ridden operation. He thought back to Artemas, the way she looked and the way she moved. Then it finally dawned on him. He really wanted to see her again, much more than he should.
You crazy little man, don’t tell me you’re falling for a foreign, no, not foreign, a damned alien noble.
* * *
Dukas Xenias’ quarters were far less salubrious that he was used to. On board the Olympia he had been treated more like a monarch than a commander. The smaller cabin on Vendetta was the largest cabin after the Captain’s but still only just adequate. He was dressed in his formal uniform, the combination of Arcadian military and Black Legion that gave all of them their dark and menacing look. Stacked along the one wall were the various parts of his elaborate body armour, some of it now over a hundred years old. Like the Laconians, the armour of senior officers was handed down over the generations, and it was a great honour to wear the equipment of those that had gone before.
Xenias looked out to the two other people but said nothing. They had been silent for almost a minute while they waited for the arrival of the escort. Dekarchos Julius sat next to the demure form of Artemas. They had spent the last hour discussing what she was doing there on the ship. Though suspicious of any action taken by the Medes, he couldn’t deny her vital role in rescuing both him and the ship from the band of mutineers led by Andronicus. He had just one final question for her.
“Artemas, daughter of Lygdamis, so what are your plans once this campaign is over? There are only two ways it can end, and either way, one of the two brothers will be Emperor, and the other will be dead. What if Cyrus loses?”
She leaned forward slightly, and her tight fitting black clothes made no sound of any kind as she did so.
“I don’t care which of them is in charge. My job, as I’ve already explained to you, is to ensure that you Terrans do not overstep your boundaries. That you conduct your campaign without diverting into other parts of our territory.”
“That is why you have agents on some of our ships, to watch for dissent or trouble in our ranks?”
She nodded but said no more.
“My Lord, may I?” asked Dekarchos Julius.
Xenias looked a little surprised at his question, unused as he was to the commander of his elite special operations unit being involved in such meetings. Sadly, most of his senior commanders were now missing or dead, and Julius was definitely a man of whom he could place his trust.
“You are from a noble family? You are the daughter of a wealthy and influential satrap?”
She nodded again.
“So why are you working as a lowly agent?”
Xenias nodded in agreement, pleased with the question and intrigued to hear her answer. Before she could speak, a knock came from the door. Xenias lifted his hand, signalling a pause in their discussion for the time being.
“Come.”
The door swung open to reveal Xenophon who stepped in smartly and saluted in the Alliance fashion. Xenias smiled inwardly as the double sign of respect and a reminder that he might be of the Legion, but never an Arcadian. It wasn’t surprising, really, the Alliance and the Arcadians had experienced a rocky relationship for years.
“Dekarchos Xenophon, please sit down,” he said, indicating with his hand to sit next to Julius. He moved into position and lowered himself while throwing a quick look to Artemas.
“Now, I have had a long chat with this fine young woman with regards to what she has been doing in our endeavour. I have assurances from her that from now on, she will report directly to the highest ranking Terran officer present. As of now that will be myself, and when we reach the rest of the Legion that will pass on to the Strategos.”
He looked to Artemas who nodded slowly.
“And the Dukas has agreed that I will be able to continue my duties aboard the ship to ensure no more troubles occur here. Neither you nor my people want to see rogue Terrans wandering through our planets.”
Xenophon looked a little confused at the proceedings, however, and looked to Julius for guidance. The experienced Arcadian officer had an expressionless face, and said or did nothing that he could discern.
“What is it?” asked Xenias.
“Uh, it is nothing, My Lord.”
Xenias appeared to be irritated at his refusal to answer.
“Dammit man, speak your mind!”
Xenophon looked at the three of them.
“Well, Sir, isn’t it going to be dangerous having someone such as Artemas being granted full access to a Terran warship? Even Lord Cyrus is followed about by a security detail handpicked by Strategos Clearchus.
“Indeed, you are correct. As of now, Lady Artemas has become our official Scout for this region. Her duties will be to assist in navigation and communication in this region of space. It is an official role and will mean she can come out of hiding, perhaps to ditch those...interesting garments,” he said as he looked at her from head to toe.
“I see...but...” started Xenophon, but again he was silenced by Xenias.
“Of course an important dignitary such as Lady Artemas will require protection by people she trusts, and also by people I can trust. I’m sure you know where I am going with this?”
He looked to Artemas and spotted her gentle smile as she looked directly back at him. For the briefest of moments, he forgot where he was and gazed at her pale skin and bright eyes. Then he remembered where he was and who he was sat opposite.
“You will select a team of three or four trusted members of the Legion and then Dekarchos Julius for your equipment and armour. I know you are members of the Night Blades, but this is a battlefield promotion, and you are to be transferred to the spatharii and will join my contingent. You will answer directly to the Senior Dekarchos here,” he added, pointing to Julius.
Xenophon appeared stunned at the news. He sat there and said absolutely nothing.
“Well then, I assume you have some people in mind. Notify them of their new position and meet Julius within the hour. You will be allocated your final unit and posting when we join the Legion. For now your job is simple, protect Lady Artemas at any cost. You are dismissed, Dekarchos Xenophon of the Spatharii.”
He stood up and saluted though still dumbfounded at the news. The spatharii were the elite heavy infantry of the Terrans, and only those with substantial previous training and experience were permitted to join them. The guards outside opened the door and he stepped out of the room feeling like a changed man. The door shut before he even turned around only to see the beautiful form of Artemas stood there waiting patiently.
“Well, isn’t it time I met your comrades?” she whispered coyly.
CHAPTER TEN
Laconian Titan ‘Valediction’, Approaching Khorram shipyards
The arrival at the Imperial Shipyards at Khorram should have been the greatest tactical surprise in the history of the Median Empire. Thousands of elite mercenaries along with their transports, heavy warships and an even larger number of Median allies presented the greatest invasion force for hundreds of years. Instead of a great surprise, the Terrans jumped into what would be forever known as the Khorram Massacre and one of the bloodiest days in the history of both the Terran and Medes races. It started with the arrival of the Legion, with the Titan Valediction at the centre, and the first wave of Terran combat forces. Valediction arrived with little warning, only the blurred flash as she appeared just thirty minutes away from the Shipyards themselves and was then followed by the rest of the vast Armada; one hundred and one Terran ships and one hundred and forty three Median allies under the command of Ariaeus.
“Battle stations!” came the order through the communication nodes installed among the officers of the great ship as well as through the loudspeakers fitted in every single room and corridor in the Titan.
The crew were already waiting for trouble, but the view many of them saw through their virtual observation units or computer systems shocked every s
ingle person on the Titan. From his position on the main deck, Clearchus watched in astonishment at the great fleet moving out in a massive column formation. It looked like a crowd after a great concert as hundreds of ships jostled for position, each one moving slowly to the jump beacon situated at the farthest side of the system.
“What is this?” barked Clearchus, instantly suspecting treachery.
The Virtual Observation System gave him a flawless view of space around the Armada as well as the myriad of enemy ships, structures, shipyards and station. A light mist, faint pink in colour, gave an odd, almost alien feel to the entire region of space. Clearchus had seen the imagery for the shipyards, but the reality was something else. A dozen planets, none of which any more than barren rocks had been converted over a period of hundreds, possibly thousands of years into refineries, factories and assembly plants. It dwarfed anything he had seen before, even including the main Alliance shipyards that orbited Attica prior to them being partially dismantled after their defeat. What really interested him though was what was happening. This wasn’t a fleet deployed for battle; it looked to him like it was a fleet being sent somewhere.
“I need a full evaluation of this entire area, fast!” he snapped to the crew.
His words were not needed. As soon as the Valediction had entered the sector, the bridge crew had started their standard procedures by scanning every near object, plotting trajectories and scanning for weapons and signals.
“Clearchus, do you know what this is?” asked Lord Cyrus with a tone of awe, almost reverence to his voice.
Clearchus turned from gazing at the myriad ships to the Median noble.
“A lot of ships, that’s what it looks like. I thought it was to be lightly defended? Didn’t Ariaeus say in his debriefing that the Aronton Station had already broadcasted news of our approach?”
Tactical Officer Coxand turned from her display and took a deep breath before speaking.
“My Lord, I’ve completed my analysis.”
Black Legion: 02 - Assault on Khorram Page 18
