Revolution from Above: A Cat Among Dragons Novella
Page 5
The reddish-brown private swirled his forefoot in a frantic negation. “Never seen a picture of a human, Sergeant,” he squeaked.
“And have you ever looked up on the wall of the assembly room, at the picture hanging below the King-Emperor’s portrait? The one that shows your commanding officer?” Biss demanded, muzzle to muzzle with the private, who responded by losing the contents of his bladder.
The senior sergeant glared at the cowering reptile, then looked back at the Lord Defender, who had gotten his breath back and was sitting up. “Private, what’s your name?”
“S-s-s-keet, Sergeant,” came the answer.
“Private Skeet, you can shoot, even if you lack the discernment of a gantak in heat. If your captain agrees, you’re joining Lord Ni Drako’s personal guard.” There were some rumbles from the gathered Defenders, and Biss swung his head back and forth, locking eyes with everyone. “And before you start thinking that taking pot shots at your commanding officer is a good way to get a cushy assignment, remember this. The Lord Defender is the primary target for every traitor and mercenary on this planet. Private Skeet gets the privilege of standing between Lord Mammal and all those fur-covered bastards, and the Lord Defender has a bad habit of leading from the front. Would any of the rest of you care to join Skeet in this honor?”
A mumble of “No thanks,” “no sergeant,” and “not me,” emerged from the muzzles of those collected around the noncom and the shooter.
“Ah snap,” Rada groused. She’d managed to land on a rock and despite her helmet the blow had stunned her a little, in addition to having the breath knocked out of her. The Wanderer looked up to find Sergeant Biss and a very, very chastened private looking down at her. “Any idea where I can find new body armor, Sergeant?”
“Not here, according to Capt. Keersar, Lord Mammal,” Biss replied.
<
“He really needs a raise,” Rada said, pulling her shirt closed and tucking the loose ends into her breeches to keep it closed. “All right, show’s over.” The soldiers scattered as she got to her feet.
Chapter 3. Noble Sentiments
A few days later, Lords Ni Drako and Beerkali considered their position with some satisfaction. Much better supplied, equipped with both Beerkali’s tanks and the Defenders’ transport vehicles and plenty of smaller weapons, the Defenders’ situation had improved immensely over the past three days. Beerkali’s instincts for the nobles’ reactions had proven sound. As news about the relief of Twelvetrees and Riverbend spread, House Shu had joined the effort. Rada now had just over five hundred soldiers at her command. Granted, many were nobles’ bodymen and not experienced with actual military service, but she and their lords worked out how to make use of the skills the big males did have.
The new addition to her personal guard seemed to be working out better than she’d feared, although he still jumped with fear every time Sgt. Biss coughed. Rada would have been happier with the situation expect for two small details. The fates of the King-Emperor and Prince Imperial remained unknown, although someone transmitted on the Royal frequency from time to time. And Lord Kirlin had managed to get a message out of Sunblast. Or more accurately, from near Sunblast. “Moving north and west with the survivors from estate” boded ill, in Rada’s mind.
Rada stalked among the shelters housing the Defenders, now including all the males fighting under her command. She poked her head into a mess tent and sampled the night’s menu, then checked on her wounded before returning to her own shelter. Pvt. Skeet trotted in front of her while Biss swung along at her shoulder. The night remained warm and Rada forced herself not to snap at people in her discomfort. She’d forgotten that her dress armor was emphatically not meant for daily wear. It was also at least a century old and heavy, and did not “breathe” like her combat armor. She and Biss tried mating the surviving half of her newer set with the front of the dress armor the systems proved incompatible. So she sweated, chafed, and dreamed of glaciers, deep rivers and ice cream. Gawd, I miss dairy products. Congealed, sweetened cow lactations are a gift from the Lord and proof that He loves us.
She muffled a loud sigh of relief when she got to her shelter and took her armor off. Corporal Schriik had left a series of messages for her and she glanced through them as she drank a container of cold water. “Ooh, where’d that come from?” she asked Zabet, finally noticing the small juicemelon cooling in a water sack.
<
A large plate of spiced meat cooled under a bug-shield, and Rada turned the weak electrical field off and lifted the cover from her and Zabet’s supper. “Smells good,” she observed.
<
As she did, the blood drained from Rada’s face. “Blessed St. Michael, this can’t be true,” she whispered, eye dilated. “Boss, you know what it means, if this is true.” The small True-dragon nodded grimly. The Lord Defender re-read the pages, then set them aside. Instead of eating, she put out the shelter’s already dim light and lay down on the platform, eye closed. “I hope to God everyone got away from Singing Pines.”
<
“They did once already. And if they did that to Sunblast, what’s one little primitive village out in the back of nowhere? Especially if it means hurting me.” Rada covered her eyes with her arm. “You know, it’d almost be worth it to draw the creatures onto an open battlefield and then drop a nuke on them, even if it meant dying with them.” Her tone was conversational, as if proposing the next day’s menu.
<
The mammal lay as still as if she were dead. Finally a harsh voice snarled, “I promise I will not use nukes, or do anything else that would sacrifice my own men, unless there is absolutely no other practical alternative.” Zabet didn’t like how long it had taken her friend to reply. She’d never spent time around Rada in a combat situation and the True-dragon had begun realizing that in some ways she’d never really known her pet before now. Finally Rada uncovered her eyes and the good eye opened. She reached up and patted her friend’s foreleg.
“Let’s eat,” Rada suggested, and they did.
Both sides had reached an uneasy stalemate by the time Lord Kirlin and his people straggled, or rather staggered, into the Defenders’ temporary headquarters. The Raiders controlled the Palace, while the traitors held a number of the southern estates, their own properties, and the remains of Sunblast. The northern lords and the two Great Lords who held property on the southern continent leaned towards the Lord Defender and the Crown, but only Kirlin, Beerkali and Shu publicly supported the Defenders. Rada had not decided on keeping the news about Sunblast to herself, or if letting the information out would draw other nobles to her side. Kirlin took the choice out of her hands.
The olive-green reptile sagged onto a field bench at the Defenders’ headquarters, drained in body and spirit. Outside, the Defenders began helping Kirlin’s people find food and shelter with the other soldiers. Kirlin accepted a mug of water and drained it, then let it hang from his talons. “We’re here, Lord Defender. Or what’s left of us.” The amber eyes had little besides resignation in them as Kirlin shook his head. “I have, oh, three hundred effectives, including some healers and female
fighters and my mate.” At that news, Beerkali and Shu gasped, and a bit of fire sparked in Kirlin’s dead eyes. “What do you expect, especially now? I’m not going to try and stop them, my lords. These females have family and juniors to avenge,” he snapped. “I also brought as much food as we could carry or steal, and a company of Defenders is just behind us. They covered our initial escape and we owe them a lot.”
The Lord Defender nodded as Corporal Scheer and Captain Keersar made notes. “My lord, don’t be too harsh on yourself; you’ve done incredibly well. Excuse my ignorance, but how much military experience do you have?”
The reptile gave her an odd look. “None, Lord Defender. My uncle served with the Imperials, but all I’ve done is read histories and listen to his stories. I came to the title too young to serve in either the Imperials or Defenders.” Rada’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as she digested the information.
“Well my lord, you have a gift for it,” she said at last. “Scheer, go tell Biss that we’re expecting more Defenders.”
“Yes Lord Mammal,” he murmured and hurried off.
Kirlin drank another mug of water as the others studied the maps and discussed who might come and join them, adjusting the positions of forces based on Kirlin’s information. After a few minutes he asked, “Who knows what happened to my people?”
“We’re the only ones, Kirlin,” Lord Beerkali told him. “Lord Ni Drako’s been keeping it quiet, because we didn’t know if it would draw the lords to us, or send them running in fear.”
The young noble surged to his feet, neck-spines up, tail rigid with fury. “Damn it, tell them! I want it spread far and loud, what those monsters did! They had no cause, no reason, none! That wasn’t war, you fools, that was pure murder,” he snarled. “If you want to sort out the loyal from the cowards, they have to know what they’re fighting. And if you don’t broadcast it, then I will!”
“Lord Kirlin, Sunblast and Singing Pines both have suffered from evil. I will have the story of what happened to your people broadcast on the Royal frequency and on the general channels,” Rada assured him, her voice cold and hard. “And know this, my lords. I have already sworn before witnesses by my word and my blood that I will avenge the deaths of the innocent. Kirlin, your people come under that vow.” Absolute silence filled the command post. Beerkali rubbed his muzzle.
“Very well, Lord Defender,” the old noble said. “So, now that Kirlin’s people have found us, and we have more troops, what comes next?”
Rada bared her fangs. “We also have the Imperials.” Beerkali flashed his own sharp teeth, while pale-green Shu and a more alive Kirlin stared at the mammal. “Corporal Schriik managed to get through the jamming last night, my lords. Lord Sheeker is indeed a traitor. According to the commander on Shibo, he gave orders not to oppose the Raiders’ arrival on Drakon IV and ordered them to attack us, which by law they can’t do. You’ll be happy to know that the order was refused. Based on that, I am now commanding officer of the Imperial Military and as such I ordered them to continue their current assignments and duties, but to forbid any more arrivals on Drakon IV, be they freighters, military, or tourists, until I lift the order.” Rada gave herself a moment to enjoy the reptiles’ looks and to savor the power available to her, then shook it off.
“Now we relocate and issue a public call for support,” Lord Shu suggested. The others agreed. “Not today, though,” he added with a glance at Lord Kirlin.
The Lord Defender finished writing out something. “I want to deliver this myself to the com center. My lords, you know what we have and can do. Find us our next camp, based on what we need to do. Lord Beerkali, you are much more of a diplomat than I am, so I give you charge of contacting and negotiating with the undecideds. Lord Kirlin, take my shelter for today. Zabet and I will find other space. Excuse me, my lords,” and she bowed herself out.
Lord Kirlin considered matters. “Has anyone heard or seen ought of his Imperial Majesty?”
Lord Beerkali looked up from his notes, “No. Nor heard from the Prince Imperial. We are assuming that they are alive and being held incommunicado within the Palace, or at one of the royal estates.”
“I didn’t cross paths with them,” Kirlin sighed. “Do any of you know who is broadcasting that strange garble on the Royal frequency?”
Puzzled glances flashed around the room. “No. We assumed you were,” Shu told him.
The young male made a forefoot gesture of negation and all three nobles smiled.
<
“Zabet, this is a war council, not the Imperial coronation. I’m not supposed to look pretty,” Rada complained quietly. They were back in their shelter. Kirlin and his mate found other quarters and the Lord Defender had made it clear as crystal that the first person to complain about, or to try and take advantage of, the females serving with Kirlin’s troops would find himself answering directly to Lord Ni Drako, assuming the females left enough of him. After watching Lady Kirlin and Zabet practicing bare forefoot combat, the males kept their thoughts and their forefeet to themselves.
Six sixts had passed since the first attacks and the initial invasion. The Defenders, augmented by lords Shu, Kirlin, and Beerkali, now numbered over four thousand well armed and fairly well disciplined troops, backstopped by the Imperials. Lord Ni Drako issued a public call for the surviving nobles to join the Defenders in ejecting Gray’s Raiders and bringing the traitors to justice. Eighteen minor nobles and two more Great Lords had answered that call to rendezvous with the Defenders. Rada and Beerkali considered the number a good start, even if most of the newcomers seemed ambivalent about getting involved in “the Lord Defender’s war” without a great deal of reassurance.
Zabet studied her pet with a critical eye, then handed Rada her weapons’ belt. <
“And I won’t?” The Wanderer adjusted her throat guard and grimaced at the too-tight fit, then picked up her helmet. “I know what you mean, boss. Be back in a little while.” She gave Zabet’s ears a quick scratch as she left.
Captain Keersar and Sergeant Biss fell in behind the Lord Defender as the mammal made her way to where the other lords were gathering. This has to be the strangest moment in my career to date, which is saying a lot, she thought as they walked between shelters and trees towards the open area in the woods. By tradition and Court protocol, Lord Ni Drako fell within the ranks of mid-level courtiers, well below the Great Lords such as Kirlin and Beerkali. But when trouble hit she outranked everyone except the King-Emperor himself. So at this moment, the highest-ranking creature in the camp was—a female mammal mercenary foreigner! If only I could use that rank to bring them to the Defenders’ side, she wished. But if it were easy, everyone would do it. Rada pulled on her gauntlets but carried her helmet. She couldn’t hear as well with it on.
The Lord Defender took ‘his’ place with ‘his’ allies, facing the assembled nobles. Corporal Schriik had an unsuspected gift for electronics and with the help of Kirlin’s com specialist and some Defender technicians had managed to cobble together a radar receiver that stole data from both the Imperials and the Palace’s own radar. If the Raiders tried to attack with artillery or air-born infantry, the Defenders and nobles would have enough warning to scatter. Rada looked over the bright-robed assembly, then caught Lord Beerkali’s eye and nodded. He climbed onto a makeshift speaking platform and made the gesture that served as “clearing his throat,” getting everyone’s attention.
“My lords, welcome. I trust no one will be offended if we relax Court manners and formality somewhat?” Some growls and tail thumps provided the answer, so Beerkali continued. “I will be concise. One and a half moons ago Lord Sheekar ordered the Imperial forces to stand aside while Gray’s Raiders,
a mercenary company, landed on Drakon IV. They proceeded to attack the Palace, Sunblast, Singing Pines and Burnt Mountain and several Defender supply depots, assisted by the forces of Great Lords Sheekar and Rashkali, and several other minor lords. The mercenaries and traitors succeeded in capturing the Palace, Singing Pines and Burnt Mountain, and some of the depots. But they failed to kill or capture the Lord Defender. He liberated the Royal estates and broke the sieges at Skytouched, Twelvetrees, and Riverbend. The Defenders have also beaten off two counterattacks.
“This you know, as well as what happened at Sunblast when Lord Kirlin refused to surrender, despite having been forced from the main estate.” About half the group snarled, while others looked thoughtful or confused. Beerkali caught the confusion and waved his tail. “For those who may not have heard the true story, Kirlin and his people staged a fighting retreat from Sunblast manor, leaving their injured and those dependant noncombatants who could not be moved. When Kirlin refused to surrender his person and bodymen, the Raiders shelled the house, burning to death those who remained behind.” As mutters surged, Rada slammed her hand out and caught Kirlin by the collar of his armor before he could do or say anything. The olive-green head turned and snarled at her, but she remained implacable, her grip tight until he got back under control and relaxed.
Someone raised a tail and called out “Well, that’s war, isn’t it?”
Ni Drako stepped up onto the platform as Shu kept Kirlin from lunging at the anonymous speaker. “No, it is a war crime. Lord Kirlin tells me, and the Palace’s radio logs confirm, that the attackers had been notified of the non-combatants at Sunblast. Kirlin’s people left the gates open with a truce-flag over the doors. According to a witness who was outside the manor when the shelling started, no one had fired upon or attacked the Raiders. What took place violates the Rules of War, just as the killing of juniors and pregnant dams at Singing Pines did.” More conversation rose and fell at her words, and she bowed slightly to Lord Beerkali and retreated back to her earlier position between Kirlin and Shu.