There are also two legions that guard the slave camps and at lest two more legions that arrived the last few days. We believe they are the ones coming at us now.”
“That would mean that there about two hundred thousand legionaries here.”
“Yes the legions, and millions living in the cities and always between thirty and fifty ships in the system.”
“You said you would help us.”
Rivers looked at the Illian.
“Yes I did. But that will mean you will have to change your strategy.”
“Change how?”
Anderson looked at the map and thought about what the Illians said when they were coming here.
“General how long do you think you can hold out in this fortress and how many people can stay in it?”
The Illian looked at them.
“Ksamona is old, built before our time. The last fortress like it held out for two cycles before it fell. But it had fourteen divisions defending it. As for population I think we can gather between six hundred and a million people twice that if we use the caves.”
“And how long do you think you can hold out.”
Egert thought for a second. He always knew that Ksamona will be the last line of defense. And he knew that it could hold out for several months.
“Several months at most and it will be a death trap as well.”
Rivers looked at Anderson and calculated in his mind.
Then they both smiled.
“That is all we need, that and a lot of luck.”
Rivers looked at the screen.
Many will die but many will also live and with the fleet here…
“General I want you to prepare for a siege. Tell your troops to start a fighting retreat and those that cannot retreat to disperse and fight a guerilla war. I think you know this jungle well enough to do that.”
“What are you getting at?”
Rivers looked at Egert.
“From now on general you will be fighting for time. I want you to withdraw as much as you can from your troops and people in this city, and then I want you to stand still. Fight and survive. Give them hell.
We will try to do the same in the background and so will your troops that will survive outside. Just fight to survive general. Survive for the next few months.”
Egert watched the human as he rose.
“And then what?”
Rivers looked at the Sicarian.
“Then we kill them all, every last one of them.”
He looked at the calendar he carried in his pocket. It was August 7. The fleet was a month away from Earth. It will be here in five months. That was the last report from Excelsior. They were utilizing new advanced reactors and more warp points then the Excelsior. He just hoped that they would be here in time.
“Do you have a calendar?”
As they looked at him with surprise he showed them his.
Hanno smiled and pointed at something on the wall.
Rivers calculated in his mind marking the days and the hours here and then with his pen marked a day six months from now.
He turned to Egert.
“This is how long you have to hang on and survive. Just survive.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Arcadia
Anderson and Rivers looked at the other members of their team. Rivers knew that the decision was ultimately his but he knew how close these men were. They shared everything, consulted every move, every act. They were a family. So now he waited on their answer.
“Sir you know how deep breach of protocol that would be. Hell even us standing here is bad. Not that I’m complaining considering I was half way to Valhalla before they treated me. But helping them and organizing a resistance? We know what will happen to every one who knows about us here. Should we allow them to know? That will only make them another target once the fleet gets here.”
They all looked at Gordon. Doc and Jennings chuckled.
“Did you see any ladies on your trip Flash?”
“Ah Jen if wouldn’t you want to know. To bad they are all waiting for me.”
Gordon grinned at his friend as he finished.
The joke made them all relax.
“We all know that it is the right thing to do. But we have to ask ourselves what will it bring them? And will they survive that long? We all know what is coming at them.”
Rivers and Anderson looked at Doc. The sniper had one of the best minds he knew and he knew that he asked the right questions.
“Do they know about our mission and what the fleet will do when it comes here?”
The question came from Luis.
Rivers exhaled.
“Yes they know everything. They even know that we are not the creatures they think we are. We told them the truth.”
They all looked at each other.
“And then there is that base and the defense platforms orbiting this world. If we can activate them I doubt that the dacarians will have an easy job to retake this world. If what Aria and the Ksand said is true they will need thousands of ships to retake this world.”
“We know they have the ships but do they have the will. But no matter what happens I guess there is no turning back sir. They know we are here and we can’t hide from them so I guess it will be for the best if we make sure they are still here when the fleet arrives. If nothing else they will sure tie down a lot of their forces here. And that will give our ships a big juicy target.”
The last words from Jenkins made them all smile.
“The decision is your sir but you have our support for what is worth.”
Rivers smiled.
“I know I do Doc. But we discuss everything. That is why we are a team.”
Moments later he left the room as the rest of the man started gathering their gear.
They all liked the rest they had but it was time to leave.
Egert watched Rivers closely as the human explained his plan. And the more he listened the more he understood that no matter how god he or any other commander he had were the human was better. The plan was simple and yet it was a plan that he knew would hurt the dacarians. And it will help his troops to hold out.
“I left two of the mines with one of your soldiers and engineers. And I explained them how they work. We also left you the weapons that the man that died used. I hope you can manufacture them. That would give the bastards a nasty surprise.”
“If what my men told me is true that would be a big advantage for us. We know that our weapons are more powerful but we still need to hit a dacarian legionary several times to make a kill. Their armor is designed for defense from laser and plasma.”
“Just as yours is.”
Egert smiled at the last comment from Rivers. He knew that the human was right and yet it showed how ignorant he was of some things. The armor the Illians had was designed for defense against the plasma and laser weapons the dacarians had but it could only stop one hit and even that was a hit that would wound the soldier that would be hit. Compared with the armor the Dacarians used it was like comparing a spear and a rifle.
“Our armor is not good enough but it’s all we have. There were times when our ancestors had more but that time is long gone. The Ksand know of armor that would laugh at the weapons our enemies use but we have neither the technology nor the time to build it now.”
Rivers looked at the Illian and he could see the pain he felt as he said those words. He remembered the other races he saw some of which were even now still fighting the Empire. And he knew that they must have weapons and armor that was far better then any he could offer or that the Illians had.
But there was no point in wishing for the things you can’t have.
“We will use what we have. The weapons we use are not complicated to create if you have the right tools and machines. I hope you will be able to replicate them at lest for the teams you will send forward.”
Egert looked at the human.
That was the second thing he would have regrets about. The
human asked for the best he had. And what he hated was the knowledge that he knew that the human was right.
“You ask for my best men. I will give the order but I can’t guarantee that they will all follow it.”
“Yes Egert I know. But if this plan works your people have a chance. I need your best. We will select some of your men as we make to your forward line as well. Some that you don’t know and that we think we can use. This planet is your home. And this jungle is your play ground. You said it yourself the dacarians are not used to it and rarely ventured in it just for raids against some of the exposed villages and your forward camps. How many times have your troops managed to trap some of their patrols. You know this jungle like the back of your hand. Your men know it too. And you need to use that. Trust me when I say this they will regret the day they entered in it when we are finished. While you fight and keep them pinned down here we will sting them in the rear killing their patrols and supplies and that will kill their will. Like I said from now on you fight for time. Even if every soldier you have dies it will not be in vain. Those that live will have a chance for something you never had. They will have a chance for freedom.”
The Illian looked at him with misty eyes.
“Freedom it is a word you say so easy like something that is normal. And I guess it is for you. It is not a dream you hope one day will come true. What you say human will be done. Thank you for this.”
Rivers put his hand forward and the Illian took it. It was a hand shake between two soldiers that gave great hopes to every Illian that saw it, and for many members of other races.
As Rivers exited the small office where he met with the Illian commander he was met by Hanno. He remembered the human general and nodded.
“Major Rivers if you have time our elders would like to speak with you.”
Rivers was surprised from the request but he smiled and nodded.
“It will be an honor to meet with them general.”
As they walked Hanno stayed quiet. Rivers expected questions but none came. It took them almost half an hour to reach the rooms were the older members lived. From the look of the quarters and the people moving about he guessed that this was a place of the base were humans were the numerous population. He could notice several Ksand and Illians but most were humans. As they approached he noticed that there were no guards. Only one middle aged woman with long black hair waited for them and embraced Hanno and spoke with him briefly. Rivers smiled as he noticed the affection between them. He guessed that she must be his wife. As he waited he noticed that she was beautiful. She had a slender figure and well kept body. She wore what he guessed must be a medical uniform because it was similar to the one the human nurse wore when they were treated. As she looked at him he nodded and smiled.
“Major Rivers this is my wife Julia.”
Rivers extended his hand and Julia took it.
“It is an honor to meet you major.”
Rivers smiled at her greeting.
She looked at him with questioning look her blue eyes looking straight at him.
“Sorry it is strange when a beautiful woman like you says it is an honor to meet me. Hell if my wife heard you say that she would probably kill me.”
His words made her smile.
“You have a wife?”
He exhaled and his hand slowly rose to his pocket where he kept the picture of his wife.
She noticed the move and nodded.
“It must be hard to be so far away.”
“The perils of being who we are and the job we do.”
She nodded as he answered and he could see she understood.
Hanno opened the door and Rivers followed him in.
The room looked like ordinary room a little different from the room where they were placed. The difference was that the room they had was a room that was meant for soldiers. This was a room that was meant as living quarters for a family. It had a large sleeping bed in one corner a table for four and a working desk and a small what he guessed was a garden.
He noticed two old men sitting there. He recognized them from the council. He didn’t know their names but he could see that they were old. He couldn’t guess their age but they both looked like they are well in to their eight decade maybe even their ninth.
As he and Hanno entered the room the two men stood up. They both bowed to Rivers.
He reached with his hands and rose them up.
“There is no need for that please.”
As the two old men rose showing agility that surprised Rivers Hanno introduced them.
“Major Rivers let me introduce you to my father Hasdrubal and my predecessor Publius.”
“It is an honor to meet you both. I’m glad to see you. Call me Sam.”
They both looked at him with surprise.
“Sam is short for Samuel my name.”
They both nodded.
“A strange name but who can say many years have passed since the last time our ancestors saw their home.”
Rivers nodded.
“Many years indeed, eons, but I think our ancestors have peace finally. They predicted this day would come. And now you’re here.”
Rivers felt the anxiousness returning. It was that same worship that he heard so many times before and he was hoping that it won’t be mentioned again.
Hasdrubal noticed his grimace and smiled.
“I hope you can forgive us Sam. You must be tired of the worship you and your men get around here. And you hoped you won’t hear it from us.”
Rivers was stunned ad he knew that the old men noticed that as well since both of them smiled.
“You got me there.”
“Never mind young man. Take a chair please. You might be able to stand but we have many winters behind us and our bones are not as strong as they used to be. And our wounds hurt even more now then when we were your age.”
Rivers smiled at the comment and took one of the chairs and brought it in what they used as a garden. There were different kinds of flowers none that he could recognize. But he could see why they liked to sit here. It was peaceful.
“Your son said you wanted to speak to me.”
Hasdrubal smiled.
As he did Rivers looked at him. He noticed a large scar on his left cheek. The face looked old and worn from to many battles and years but as he noticed the eyes he could see that this fragile looking man was far from that, and the same brightness could be seen in the eyes of Publius.
His looks were drawn to the strange flowers. They reminded him of the orchid’s his wife kept at home but as he looked at them he knew that they couldn’t be that. They were large with mixed colors of white, violet and traces of blue. It was strange and beautiful.
Hasdrubal noticed him looking at them.
“They were planted by my wife Asura. She loved gardening. Spent much time outside and she brought some of the flowers in this small chamber we called home.”
As he said the words Rivers felt the pain in them and the sadness.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
Hasdrubal looked at him.
“Thank you Major. I think she would’ve liked you.”
Rivers smiled at the last comment. He stayed quiet giving the old men the time he needed. He was called here for a reason and he knew that he should let his host choose the time when to tell him what he wanted.
Hasdrubal stood up and looked at the flowers. Rivers noticed a small smile on his face, it seemed like he was recalling some distant memory. A moment later Hasdrubal blinked and looked at Publius. Then he turned again.
“Major I’m an old man. Both of us are. We‘ve seen and done tings in our lives that I believe brought us wisdom in this age, wisdom that we now share with everyone that will listen.”
He turned and looked at Rivers.
“We know what is coming our way. And we know that no matter what Hanno and the others will do nothing will stop our demise. Not even you.”
“My answer to that Hasdrubal is that you should n
ever lose hope, no matter what, never lose hope.”
“Hope is all that we have young man. It is what sustains us, what gives us the power to do what we do. Hope that one day, some far away day in the future some of our descendants will feel what it means to be truly free.”
Rivers looked at Publius. He could feel the fire in those words, the hope that was part of them.
“And one day that will be possible.”
“Yes major one day. But that day is still far away isn’t it?”
Rivers looked at the garden again.
“Yes sir.”
Hasdrubal looked at him.
“Major if you can I would like you to speak about our home, about Earth.”
Rivers smiled.
Earth…It was strange to even think of it now. And yet he could feel his longing to see that blue marble once again.
“It’s beautiful sir. It’s changed a lot since the time your ancestors walked on it. But it never lost its beauty. Everything you see here is just a small part of what you will find there.”
He pulled some of the photographs he carried with him. He had two that he took from orbit. He gave it to Hasdrubal.
The old men took them and looked at them.
He gave one of them to Publius.
They both looked at the photographs and Rivers noticed tears forming in their eyes.
“So this is our home.”
“Yes Hasdrubal. And you have my word that I will do all that I can that your descendants see it, and walk on it among their fellow humans as free people.”
“Thank you Major.”
Rivers just smiled back.
It was hard to watch them like this. He knew that what he and every human had on Earth was just a dream for these people, something that they could only hope that one day their descendants would have.
He knew that it was foolish to believe that he could fulfill that promise but he still knew that he and every member of his team, every soldier that saw what these people went through would give all he had to win that small chance for them, even if they had to pay with their lives. It was a price he was willing to pay.
The Icarian Legacy Collected Edition: Brave Souls - First Strike (Volume 3) Page 65
