Guard at the Gates of Hell (Gladius Book 1)

by George Olney

  CHAPTER 6

  LEGIO IX VICTRIX

  CAULDWELL

  The two Naval Intelligence operatives on Cauldwell established themselves quietly and quickly then went about the business of finding out things. What they found once they started looking was very interesting. According to news broadcasts, a portion of a Gladius legion had shown up not too long ago, stopped (read: destroyed) a Wareegan attack, then vanished. It was all very sensational and mysterious. The tridio networks were full of it.

  The operatives, who currently resembled someone's aging aunt and uncle, also found it mysterious and wanted to know more. One monitored the sensationalist tridio "investigations" while another began to run a very circumspect signal search with some highly classified equipment. She was both passively looking and occasionally pinging on a very obscure and specific band in the communications spectrum. It took no more than a day for the ping to be answered.

  An aging couple, who were certainly not Naval Intelligence, went out for their daily walk in White Point Gardens. They happened to see two young men, who certainly looked nothing like Gladii except for their height and built, jogging their way along the seawall bordering the park. One stopped and adjusted his shoe then both went back to running. Just as they passed the aging couple, the woman stumbled slightly, to be caught gently by one of the young men. She patted him on his upper arm with a smile of thanks and squeezed his hand with obvious gratitude then both pairs went on their way.

  As the man and woman passed the point where one of the young men had adjusted his shoe, the woman chanced to look down and stopped, peering at an object on the seawall walkway. "Is that a coin?" she asked the man.

  He reached down and picked it up. "No," he said, examining the object, "just a washer." He tossed the washer over the seawall in a horribly normal pollution of the local waters. The data chip, originally secured in the hole in the center of the washer, eventually ended up in his pocket.

  Sometime thereafter, the generally unremarkable and little noticed couple purchased an old skimmer from a private seller, commenting they wanted to look at prospective property in Bayview. The government was offering financial bounties to new residents there and they were very interested. For some reason, however, they never arrived in the city. That was a pity, since the real estate opportunities in Bayview were excellent.

  Several days later, a tachyon data packet, a TDP, protected by an equally small suppresser field, wended its way slowly out of the atmosphere from nowhere near the hidden location of the Victrix. Then its tiny drive field activated and the robin's egg sized drone headed for Tactine. The news it contained was going to set events in motion that would affect the history of the human occupied galaxy.

  #####

  Colonel Karl Athan sat back in his office chair and thoughtfully examined the chip he'd just finished viewing. It was brought by one of the Naval Intel people. Legion Intelligence was still debriefing the agents, but Karl was perfectly capable of making his own conclusions on the encrypted information the chip contained.

  It looked to him like Corona's plan for the Empire was about to be modified - rather heavily modified - and he was now in a position he really didn't want. He'd had his eye on the Legate's job eventually, but it wasn't an all-consuming ambition. He liked commanding First Cohort. Unfortunately, he was senior officer now that Corona was dead. That meant he was the unfortunate bastard that had to take the worry seat. And that worry seat was about to have a few more worries added to it. Grand strategy wasn't his thing. He was much happier with his Cohort and operational level maneuvers.

  He grimaced at the thought. Grand strategy was now his job, want it or not. Just another wonderful day in the Corps.

  The chip contained some major news. There was actually another legion out there, intact by the Lord Above's grace. It also confirmed the Empire was trying to destroy the Corps and Frontier Fleet. Karl had suspected that, but having it confirmed was a punch in the gut.

  The X Legion Valeria, commanded by Legion Commander Shyranne Garua and her husband, Legate Khev Garua, was on Tactine. Before things started coming apart, the Valeria was based on Niad. The Empire had tried a raid in force - more like out and out pillage - on Tactine using a division of those black uniformed bastards of New Troops and a part of their New Fleet. The Valeria and the 10th FSG arrived, and the aforesaid raid turned into a resounding disaster for the Empire. The Imperial forces no longer existed. Karl closed his eyes, knowing what the Garuas and the FSG commander, Admiral Lane Mackinnie, felt when it was over. The Empire always fought an enemy to total destruction. Always. Karl understood the policy, but the ones that paid the price for that in their souls wore his uniform and the Fleet's.

  Now Legion Commander Garua and Admiral Mackinnie were working with the government of Tactine to protect the local stellar cluster - which just happened to contain Cauldwell - from the Empire's collapse. The ships and equipment in the hidden caches on Cauldwell were going to be very important in that effort. That part was a relief to Karl because he didn't have trained crews for those ships. The Corona plan was a little too optimistic there.

  Karl wondered if the Garuas and Mackinnie had followed the logic chain to its inevitable conclusion, like Legate Corona had. The Empire was already fragmenting. Over the last fifty years, whole sectors had declared independence or simply been abandoned. Take away the Corps and the Fleet, let the Empire collapse, and the Kayelen and half a dozen others were going to move in on what was left. The whole of humanity was about to enter a period much like the Dark Age before the Empire, but the external threat was different now, more aggressive. Unless somebody did something, chances were good that humanity wouldn't survive the Dark Age this time. Even if the race survived, hundreds of billions of people would die and human interstellar civilization would collapse.

  Corona had decided the only way for humanity to survive the crash already underway was to accelerate the destruction of the Empire. Take it down before everything totally collapsed, then salvage key worlds that could best preserve human civilization. The Corps and the Fleet couldn't save everything. The best they could do was pick what they could save, and do anything they could. That was a grim, ruthless plan because it simply abandoned whatever parts of the Empire that couldn't be salvaged. Like the idea or not, it was probably the highest probability chance to keep the race going. Karl tried to avoid thinking about what Corona's plan meant for the innocent people that didn't happen to live on those key worlds. He knew too much about what an uncaring galaxy could inflict. A legion and a half and one FSG couldn't save the whole Empire. Concentrate on saving what could be saved and hope the nightmares went away.

  He was going to have to meet the Garuas and Mackinnie and integrate Corona's plan with whatever they were thinking. The Empire, what was left of it, was going to have to die and they were going to decide how to kill it.

  Maybe, while they were at it, they could figure out how to solve a problem that had nagged at generations of the Corps. They were hereditary soldiers, but who in his right mind would want to raise children that had no other future but fighting and dying? It looked like Shyranne Garua was, by default, the senior officer. Maybe she could figure out how to break the cycle. He hoped so. He didn't want to see another generation with no other option but the Corps.

  THE NARAKA

  TACTINE NEAR SPACE

  The Naraka was a Hell Ship, the ultimate in space going brute force. It was over a century old, but carefully maintained and updated. It was the ultimate warship, and there were only ten ever built. Several were assigned to Frontier Fleet, which was how the Naraka ended up with 10th FSG. In Middle Empire, the remainder had been scrapped and Central thought none were left. The Naraka had been a nasty surprise for the Imperials when 10th FSG hit them during the Tactine battle. It was also Admiral Lane Mackinnie's flagship.

  "I've got some news for you two," Lane told Shyranne and Khev when they arrived aboard. Lane was a big man, slow moving, thought slothful and slightly stupid by th
ose that didn't know him. The two Gladius senior officers knew him very well. "I should have told you earlier, but we needed to be here on my ship. This is important information and that bunch down on Tactine doesn't need to know about it until we decide they do."

  "Snoopers?" Khev asked.

  "Intelligence is still assessing what capabilities are left on Tactine, but I don't want any surprises," Lane replied. "Granted, Speaker Turner seems to have the situation under control in their government, but I still prefer that we decide what to do before it becomes general knowledge, and nothing is surer than a leak as soon as a politician gets into the loop."

  Shyranne made a face. "Granted. Still, those people are the best hope of building a cluster wide government, Lane, and we must be an arm of that government, not its masters, if everything is to work."

  Lane nodded. "I agree in principle, but we keep family business in the family for a while. At least until those people down there grow up."

  "Family business?" Khev asked. Lane had the full attention of both Gladius officers.

  Lane nodded. "The short form is that fragments of two legions have appeared in this cluster: the Victrix on Cauldwell... and what little's left of the Rhiannonithi just came into Niad on a carrier with a skeleton crew. The Rhiannonithi personnel are almost all women and children, and not that many of either. The Empire's plans worked there."

  He looked at the bleak faces of the other two. His own was equally bleak. If the Empire had succeeded, that meant a Fleet Support Group had defected to the New Fleet. The thought left a sour taste in Lane's mouth.

  After a second, he continued, "The Victrix is entirely combat formations. Three full cohorts. According to my information, the Imperial plans misfired somewhere along the way and everything dissolved into a general fight. Those cohorts got away while the Fleet and New Fleet units were hammering it out, but the legion base got wiped out early on. There are no women and children with the cohorts, just fighting men."

  Shyranne sucked in her breath in shock. The loss of a Legion's women and children was a nightmare. The Victrix was completely crippled. Khev's face got bleaker.

  Lane looked at the two then said, "Things aren't entirely bad on Cauldwell, and the survivors of the Rhiannonithi managed to stop a case of Empire sanctioned piracy. We need to talk about the implications of that too, but not now."

  He slid a data chip into a reader and all three turned to the terminal screen. After it darkened, Khev nodded and let out a deep breath. "Given what they were handed, both legions did well. I knew Corona, and he was always a deep thinker. I'm sorry he's dead, but Athan's a good man, too. It looks like Corona set them up with a reasonable plan. I'm beginning to think we can integrate it into what we want to do. The leadership needs to meet as soon as possible."

  Khev looked at Shyranne. "You go? Or me?"

  She thought for a second. "Ordinarily, I'd say you ought to go. Jon Kandal can handle the legion for a while. The Rhiannonithi complicate the situation, however, and the Victrix has lost all of its women. This Legionnaire Ettranty they've recruited and what they say about her is interesting, too. I think they need to see me, a woman, especially since I'm the senior officer we have left in the three legions. I think the Rhiannonithi orphans will end up with the Victrix, but both units need to be prepared. I'll send Camille Paten a warning order then move her people once we figure out what we want to do."

  The Admiral nodded. "Most of that bunch down on the planet would just as soon they didn't see either of you, but Narsima Randl Turner can deal with Khev and the problem children will duck any meeting with him in it."

  Lane's mouth twitched in what for him was a smile. "We're lucky the most powerful politician in the Tactinese government is former Fleet, so he's on our side. That will make it easier, especially since things are starting to gel there. I'm fully capable of keeping them headed that way and Turner would probably prefer that I be the sole representative, anyhow. Just the sight of a Gladius uniform sends a few of their more excitable politicians into a whirl. I'll loan you a pocket battleship that's set up as a flagship so you have space on board and I'll add someone that might help, that ex-Imperial Intelligence man, Ancel."

  The defection of Major Claude Ancel, Imperial Intelligence, was the prime reason the attempt to destroy the Valeria failed. He'd warned them of what was happening and helped defeat the attempt. Major Claude Ancel was now Lieutenant Commander Claude Ancel, 10th FSG, by his own request. Mackinnie and the Garuas considered him a good man.

  Shyranne nodded acceptance. "Good enough. Tomorrow?" At Lane's nod, she got up to leave. There were things to do if she was going to be gone for a while.

  CAULDWELL

  The little battlewagon came into Cauldwell's system under a heavy suppresser field, translated from TFD with infinite slowness to hide its signature, then drifted ever so carefully onto the planetary surface. From the screens on the staff deck, Lieutenant Commander Claude Ancel saw what looked like almost half a mountain open before them as they gently slipped up to it, then inside. The pilot was an expert and the landing was feather light. What surprised Claude was the sight of other ships in the cavern. There were a variety of types, but Claude was sure he saw at least one modern cruiser in the background alongside a battered troop carrier. What the hell?

  The faces on the welcoming committee were professionally immobile as they stood in a small formation with a century sized honor guard, but Claude could see the joy on the face of the Fleet Lieutenant in the formation. Command of a troop carrier was usually a Fleet Commander's slot, but the Lieutenant had apparently done the job. Things had gotten rough.

  A Gladius Colonel saluted once they exited and fomed up. "Welcome to Cauldwell, Legion Commander," he said, his voice leaking carefully hidden relief. "Very welcome."

  "Colonel," Shyranne returned the salute. Then she stopped in a second of surprise, as the Colonel gave the traditional welcome from one legion to another legion's commander.

  "The Valeria!" he shouted in a command voice. From somewhere in the background, a small military band struck up the Gladio. Every man in the cavern started singing the opening chorus, followed by a lone female voice singing the lead verse. The visiting party came to attention with the rest of the personnel in the cavern. Shyranne joined the unseen woman in the second verse, singing the Gladio as it should be sung.

  The message was simple. The Victrix had been shot to hell. They were understrength and improvising like mad, but they still considered themselves a viable force - and they were Whole.

  #####

  Shyranne took her seat at the conference table in the small briefing room and put her cap on the table next to her. She waited for everyone else to be seated then asked, "Who was that singing?"

  The Sergeant Major answered her, his raspy voice showing just a tiny bit of pride. "Legionnaire Second Ettranty, Commander."

  Shyranne nodded. She knew about Legionnaire Ettranty, and the way the Victrix felt about her. "Well, she's still the only woman here and needs a good bit more training."

  The Sergeant Major spoke up again. His position gave him the right to converse with a Legion Commander informally and Shyranne had never known one that didn't use it, right to an exquisitely defined line - defined by the Sergeant Major in question, that is. "We're giving her training, Commander. One of these days, the girl will make a good officer, too."

  Shyranne had an idea what officer grade the Sergeant Major had in mind. "She still needs training, Sergeant Major, training in being a female Gladius and you can't give her that. I'm going to help you there," she said in friendly tones.

  Karl Athan looked a bit worried, Sergeant Major Olmeg pugnacious. "Here," Shyranne continued and smiled slightly at their relief. "In fact, the Victrix is about to become a growing concern again."

  Athan's face changed from worry to surprise. "Grow?"

  Shyranne lost her good humor. "The Rhiannonithi were hit just like you were. Some of the women and most of the younger children made it to a carrier wi
th a few of the men. They're all that's left and they need a home. I'm going to send them to you. Major Camille Paten has acting command at the moment. She'll reform your Support Command, but you'll command the Victrix, Karl, on my authority as surviving senior officer. Paten's too junior for the position and doesn't know the Victrix anyhow. I'm also going to send you some of our excess women and any more we can find when we finally - Lord Above help us in that - contact other surviving legions. I'm sure there are some out there. It's only a question of making contact. One of these days, the Victrix will be back to normal."

  Karl Athan, felt relief at first. Reinforcements! Female reinforcements! Then a feeling of grief overcame it. A legion, the XV Rhiannonithi, had died.

  After a second, he put both feelings in another compartment and moved on. There were problems to solve and the Victrix was officially his, now. "We'll give them that home, Commander. Now, since you're senior Corps officer, we need to know what's happening elsewhere and you need to know what's happening here. You read what we have planned for Cauldwell?"

  Shyranne nodded as Athan spoke. Then he continued. "You know the bare bones, but we have a detailed briefing prepared about the situation here. Legionnaire Ettranty will be giving it. She's assigned to the Intel Section because of several important points. First, she's a former news person." He looked Shyranne in the eye. "Second, she's the daughter of the head of the Planetary Guidance Council. She knows a lot, and she has a perspective we can't get from any other source."

  Normally, someone so junior wouldn't even be in the room, but Shyranne had to agree Ettranty was important in this case. She began to look forward to what a Legionnaire Second could tell her about the political situation.

  #####

  The briefing made Shana a bit nervous. Oh, she was used to talking to people in a public forum, and her audiences used to total in the millions of viewers, but this presentation was a little different. Now she wasn't just a talking head. She was representing the women of the Victrix. She'd never seen any of them in the flesh, but she still thought of herself as their representative. Then there was also the little fact that she was a Legionnaire Second in front of a Legion Commander. That was enough to make any trooper nervous.