The Phoenix Fallacy_Book III_Magnus
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“Sir, I have incoming Siren fighters,” an Adept reported. The fortress shook violently as Alexander watched in horror – the number of S.T.s and Inferni seemed to have no end. Cyclops-class artillery appeared from dark corners to hammer the floating fortress. The Phoenix tactics were becoming more extreme.
“We’re losing our engines, Colonel!” A Lieutenant yelled to Wethers, “There’s just too much firepower coming our way!”
“Damn them!” Wethers shouted, “Lieutenant, give me as much power to the engines as you can, we need space to breathe. And get anyone who can handle a wrench down to engineering – we need those engines!” She turned to the father and daughter, “We won’t go out without a fight!”
The Fields struggled to accelerate, slowly moving further and faster. But Phoenix would not be denied, battering the fortress as it struggled to escape the deadly onslaught.
“But why attack us, what’s the gain?” Natalie shouted over the din.
Alexander shouted over the intercom to the lower bay, “Seal those doors! All stations, prepare to repel borders!”
The city suddenly slowed and Wethers yelled to the Lieutenant monitoring the engines, “Report!”
“Sir, we’ve lost power to most of our thrusters – we’re barely staying in the air!” The Lieutenant yelled.
“Damn! You’ve got to keep us up, Lieutenant! Tactical!”
“Yes, sir?”
“It should be easier to defend our remaining engine…” she paused, the explosions rocking the city had slackened considerably.
“Sir, Phoenix has stopped targeting our engines. They are now focusing entirely on our defensive weapons!” the engine-Lieutenant shouted.
Wethers looked at Alexander and Natalie in surprise, considering the news, “They want to take her? The want the Fields?” She didn’t wait for a response, “Well, we’ll make them pay for thinking that they can have her! Keep repairs going on the engines,” she yelled. “I want all available fighters ready for launch.” She turned to Alexander and Natalie, “Lt. Colonel, Lieutenant, you’re with me. Major Holston, take command. Have all available Adepts report to the launch bays.”
“Yes, sir!” Holston said before turning to bark out orders.
She quickly swept from the command deck, the elder Jennings stepping smartly behind her. Natalie Jennings took one last look at the screens before hurrying after Colonel Wethers and her father.
Colonel Wethers led them to a small war room. A MuDi lit up in the center, displaying a projection of the Fields. The display showed the action immediately around the Fields, including the advancing Phoenix troops, based on the inputs and cameras from the exterior of the city. Every so often, a section would fade out as the input was destroyed.
Wethers turned to address the father and daughter, “Colonel, I want you to take all available Wraith fighters and break out of here.”
“What?” Natalie said, surprised, “You mean flee?”
Wethers gave her a hard look, “The Fields is doomed. There will be no escape.”
She looked to her father. The Colonel shook his head sadly, “The Fields cannot escape this battle alive.”
“But you seemed so… confident on the command deck, Colonel Wethers,” Natalie said with sudden apprehension.
Colonel Wethers smiled, “And so I am. We will make them pay for their treachery.” The room shuddered and the three grabbed for the MuDi between them.
“I will order the evac of the Banshees to begin immediately,” Colonel Jennings said.
“No,” Wethers replied sternly. Colonel Jennings looked at her, aghast.
“This will be fighters only. The transports have no chance of surviving the barrage of fire going on out there. Only the Wraiths will launch – only they have any chance of making it through. I am sending you because you are an experienced pilot and leader, Alexander, and I will need a cool head to get as many pilots through that mess as possible. And, I want you and your pilots to deliver a message to our fellow Adepts: Let them know of the treachery that has passed this day.”
The Colonel stood stiffly, locking eyes with Wethers, and slowly allowing his gaze to settle on Natalie.
“No,” Wethers shook her head sadly this time, and all the strength in her voice was gone.
The Colonel exploded, “If you think for one moment that I am going to leave my daughter to die here–”
“I have another task for the Lieutenant.” Alexander went silent. Wethers turned to address the younger officer, “You’ve made amazing progress so far, Lieutenant. There’s a reason that you keep getting promoted, and now you’ll have a chance to prove your worth.”
She paused, “I am going to order a massive counterattack, with everything we have. They’ll expect us to remain hunkered down like cowards, like they would. A counterattack could give us the opening we need. I want you to make them pay Lieutenant,” Wethers voice was filled with a righteous anger. Natalie nodded in understanding.
“I will keep the com channels open as long as possible. Anything you discover, I will relay to your father. When you are done, don’t return here, just go. Set a rendezvous with him – I would suggest Fason’s point, 200 km South of here. I will give the order for all surviving Adepts to rendezvous there in a month.”
“What about the Fields?” The Colonel asked.
“I will keep a small contingent to repel borders and to seal up the hatches when the big attack comes.” She looked at the Colonel shrewdly, “With any luck, perhaps we can escape if the Lieutenant causes enough damage or if you bring reinforcements in—”
“Absolutely not,” the Colonel interrupted angrily, “I cannot support this—”
“Father.”
Alexander Jennings felt a wave of despair as he turned to look at his daughter. For the first time since the battle had begun, he noticed the uniform that she wore. She wore it proudly, and he felt a terrible weight descend upon him at that moment. “It’s a good plan, Father,” she said. He studied her. She was courageous and clever. She was also foolishly optimistic – blind to the truth of the situation, just like her mother. Or maybe it was like him – had he not raised his daughter in a Legion citadel? What had he expected?
He wanted to believe that SHADE could survive. Even without the Fields, that it could go on – weaker, but alive. But he knew, deep down, it could not. His daughter, however, had no idea of what was in store for them today, or at least, she had not accepted it. Wethers’ plan had but one outcome – Death.
Glorious. Honorable. Death.
Lt. Colonel Jennings looked at his daughter with sad, greying eyes, “Very well, Colonel Wethers.” It was stilted, and formal. “Honor and glory.”
“Thank you, Alexander. I will leave you now. Lieutenant, meet me on the command deck once you are finished here. Honor and glory, victory or death,” she left the room, bracing herself against the door as the Fields shuddered.
The elder Jennings turned towards his daughter, fear in his eyes.
“Don’t worry, Father. Everything will work out just fine,” Natalie spoke first.
His eyes began to well. “I love you and I expect you to meet me at Fason’s point. Don’t disappoint me.”
She smiled, “Have I ever disappointed you?”
He smiled back, “No, never.” He hugged her, “Be safe.”
“I will…” She pulled away, “Remember, daddy, it’s not how you start…,” she turned and ran.
“It’s how you finish,” Alexander whispered, as she disappeared from the room.
***
Praetor Jennings lowered his head, “That was the last time I ever saw my daughter.” Hidden tears splashed upon the table, leaving dark splotches upon the wood.
“I know,” Norm said sadly.
The pair had been filling in details for one another for a little while now, the back and forth making Janus feel as if he had been living through the events himself.
“Tell me what happened, after she left,” the Praetor requested.
“I will,” Norm said. He paused for a moment, asking, “Do you have a display I could use?” Norm asked. “Perhaps a picture of the Phoenix ruins, or even a diagram of another corporation?”
Keats manipulated the MuDi’s controls, and after a moment, the holographic display popped up in the center of the Beacon’s war room table, providing an overhead view of the Phoenix ruins.
Norm pointed to an area on the East side of the ruins. It was blackened earth – without trace of human structure or life. “There, that is where the Fields was located during the battle.”
Norm took a deep breath, and Janus knew from now on, Norm would be telling his story alone.
Chapter 5: Overlord, Apart
The sounds of the battle raged in Norm’s ears as he surveyed the frightened group of S.T.s before him. Only a few hours had passed since the start of the battle, but it had been a few too long. As for the S.T.s, most were just young, inexperienced teenagers. Although they looked impressive in the large armor they wore, they were far from the fighters the SHADE Adepts were, and they were clearly shaken by what they were seeing.
The fury of the counterattack was chilling - the reports harrowing: Phoenix was losing troops at a rate of at least 10 to 1. The battle was raging on all sides of the Avalon – to the East, South, and West of the fortress. Their well-laid plans were quickly unraveling.
And the Mercs! They were some spawn of nightmares – he could hardly believe it! The S.T.s had at first engaged them at a distance – to use their superior weaponry against them. But that have proved to be a fatal mistake – the Mercs’ accuracy was unerring, the S.T.s’ was not. The poorly trained S.T.s were little more than target practice.
So the S.T.s and Inferni had been ordered to close – use their superior strength to crush the lightly armored SHADE warriors in melee. But that had only made things worse. They were too agile, too fast. And those glowing Ghostblades would suddenly materialize. The Inferni feared those most of all.
Whirling, frenzied angels of death. And when they were on the verge of death or being overwhelmed, they made sure that they went with a grenade clutched to their chests. Not even Magnus had anticipated such a strong reaction.
And where were the Executors? He had heard nothing from them.
Damn them! Arrogant fools. And damn Magnus! How could he have not seen this coming?
As if his errant thought had summoned him, Magnus strode up, cape billowing as a hot war wind blew from the battle that raged to the East. The S.T.s watched him with a mixture of fear and awe.
“Norman, sound a fallback for all Troopers. Establish a line here and regroup any Troopers coming this way. I am heading North with a squad of Inferni to secure the upper areas of the city. We have to stop the advancing Mercs before they spread too far for us to contain. They’re trained to work in small groups and as individuals. We won’t be able to stop them, let alone track them, if they’re able to get into the inner city.”
Norm felt a well of reassurance, “Do you really think that we can contain them all?”
Magnus shrugged, “Possibly. Some may get through, but I’ve already sent word to our barracks across the city. S.T.s and Inferni are arriving on the battle line, several squads have been put on search and destroy duty, and our key facilities are being locked down as we speak. With luck, any Mercs that make it past our lines will merely do minor damage to some of our factories, and bring a swarm of S.T.s down on their heads. We will make it impossible for them to breathe.”
Norm nodded as an Infernus flew in and landed with a commanding clang on the heavy walkways of the Phoenix factory levels.
Magnus did not even look at him, “Time to go?” The Infernus nodded, “Yes, Executor.” Magnus simply turned and walked calmly away. The S.T.s watched in awe.
“Watch your back,” Norm called to him.
Magnus stopped, his back still turned, and cocked his head towards Norm, “You too.”
Norm whirled and pointed to the nervous S.T.s, “You heard the man – we need to form a line here.” He took a moment to sigh gratefully at the fact that the docking platforms were located on the factory levels. It would be easier to secure and bring troops into the battle than if the docks had been on one of the civilian levels. He looked up and could see a rail bridge connected the upper levels of the factories. “You,” he pointed to one of the S.T.s, “gather ten others and get up there. Cover this area and keep a lookout.” The young S.T. hesitated, and Norm sighed, “Tell whomever you run into you have orders from Executor Delacroix. Now move!”
He pointed to the next, “Form a squad and search that factory for anything that could act as a useful barrier!” This one hastily saluted and ran off in another direction. “And keep an eye out for weapons, supplies, anything that could help hold the line!”
He spoke to another group, “You three, spread out and search for other troops spread across the city. Tell anyone you run into they are to head to the adjacent factory blocks. I will be issuing a general fall back over all frequencies, but there will be plenty who will not get the message.” One of the S.T.s looked back over his shoulder, towards the fighting, and his hands started shaking.
“Oh, and drop your weapons.” Their visors were up, and the panicked look in their eyes was plain to see. “You will not be fighting Mercs anyway, just run if you see one. Without a weapon, you will be a lower priority target.” The three immediately dropped their weapons and Norm shook his head. You wouldn’t have gotten a shot off anyway.
“Get going. And look respectable out there. You are the finest army in the world. You are warriors of Phoenix! Look proud!” He called out after them, the words ringing strangely hollow to him.
“You and you,” he pointed at the final two, “Grab those two transports,” he indicated two massive, wheeled trucks, designed for heavy duty transport between factories, “and get them rolling over here, I have another task for you.”
“Walden!” A voice called from behind him, “What’s going on?”
Norm whirled on the voice, a plump little man was hustling up to him. “Irvings! Glad you could make it.”
“Why are we under attack? Why is SHADE attacking us?” Irvings said.
If you only knew, Norm thought. “No time to explain, but Mercs are pouring into the city from the Avalon fortress on the eastern edge,” Norm added, “For now, we have to establish a battle line. You can head south to form up the defenses there.” Irvings is older than most and had been in the service for some time, he’ll be a valuable ally.
The two gigantic ore trucks rolled up, with just enough space for each of the S.T.s in the driver cabs. Norm and Irvings were forced to press themselves a little closer to the wall to avoid being crushed by the massive tires.
“Good,” Norm said, looking at the driver, “You, name and rank!”
“Private O’Donnell, sir!” The man said in a husky voice.
“You look like you have a cool head on your shoulders. You are a Lieutenant now. Take command of our defensive efforts, I want all sections from 18 through 26 secure. Tell any higher ranking officers that you encounter to report directly to me. Keep an eye over the younger S.T.s and make sure they do not shoot our own as they form the line!”
“Yes sir!” The Trooper drove off.
The second truck rolled up, “You,” Norm pointed at the driver, “take Overlord Irvings to the South and help him to establish a battle line. Grab a Communications Commander and make this a mobile base of operations. We need to organize our defense to the South quickly!” He eyed Irvings, who nodded solemnly and leapt aboard the departing truck.
Norm moved to a higher position, studying the elaborate dance unfolding before him. In the distance, the deep rumbles of the Phoenix Sirens assaulting The Fields under the cloud layer of the Factory levels made Norm think it was about to rain. A constant stream of retreating S.T.s looked like the rivulets of rain droplets, erratically searching for the path of least resistance.
We can weather this storm.
Surely we will secure that lift before…
Norm turned to look in that direction, a sense of unease filling him.
He called an Infernus officer to him. “Pyrus, what is happening in the South?” Norm asked.
“Not much sir, it’s been mostly quiet. A few scattered attacks, nothing more.”
Norm pondered this for a moment, “Send two detachments of your men to secure that area. Do not engage if you find excessive hostiles, just prevent them from advancing from that position or moving deeper into the city, and most importantly, secure that Southern lift!”
“Right away, Sir,” The Infernus boosted off the platform Norm was using as a surveying post, followed by a spitfire of twenty Inferni.
“Secure that lift!” Norm echoed again after him. There was little more he could do.
Chapter 6: Burdens of War
After another two hours, the stream of incoming S.T.s and Phoenix citizens had lessened dramatically. Norm had been pleased with most of the results, his new Lieutenant had done well, although very few S.T. officers had apparently survived. The SHADE warriors understood the philosophy of removing the head very well.
Norm was surprised by the fact that the Mercs had left a large number of regular citizens alive. Tired, frightened, and wild-eyed factory workers had flooded past the S.T. lines, threatening to overwhelm them. Some were shot by terrified S.T.s who mistook them for Mercs. Some trampled each other in their rush to escape. But many more crowded into the lines, cut off from their homes and families, uncertain what to do or where to go. Faced with panicking civilians, Norm had quickly organized shuttle trucks to whisk away the survivors to a location far from the line. Was it compassion, or was it calculation, to leave the citizens alive? Norm wondered. Perhaps both.