The Last Empire Box Set

by Nick S. Thomas

  “So we’re on our own.”

  “The Colonel will send out help, won’t he?”

  “Maybe, but how would they know where to look? We have to assume we’re on our own.”

  “You’re in charge, what are your orders?”

  “First things first, we have to asses our situation, and make sure everyone still alive is able to move and fight, me included.”

  “You’re clearly in no shape for that.”

  “But I have to be. You’ll have to pull this out,” she said, looking down at the steel bar.

  “I, I can’t. It could kill you.”

  “And if I don’t get back on my feet, I’m dead anyway. But first, what are our assets, how many survivors and wounded?”

  “Fourteen still breathing. Two with severe wounds, including yourself, and several more walking wounded.”

  “Translators?”

  “Rusu, and Borta, but he’s pretty battered.”

  “They’ll be essential to us keeping a cohesive unit and getting out of here, do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Rusu has medical training, does he not?”

  “With his own people, but…”

  “Get him,” she interrupted.

  Griffin gestured for the Rhepoy to join them, and he soon knelt down beside them.

  “I need this out,” she said.

  “You will lose a lot of blood.”

  “You’ll just have to get my armour off quickly after and seal the wound as best you can.”

  “The pain, it could send you into shock,” insisted Griffin.

  “That’s a risk we have to take.”

  “Bhanza, it will help,” replied Rusu.

  “What?” Griffin demanded.

  “You must have noticed its effects by now? Bhanza will relieve your pain further. It will help you from going into shock and let you fight even with this wound.”

  “We can’t give the Sergeant drugs,” said Griffin in horror.

  “Why not? Isn’t that what our medics do?” Bosque asked.

  “Pharmaceuticals, not some illicit stuff. We have no idea what it could do to you.”

  She ignored the question and went back to Rusu.

  “This drug, it will get me back on my feet?”

  “Bhanza is strong. I do not know how you would react straight away, but afterwards, you will feel no pain at all.”

  She looked to Griffin who was still shaking her head in disagreement, but Bosque looked down at her wound once again, knowing drastic measures were required.

  “Do it, Rusu.”

  “Yes, Sergeant.” He then hurried off to the locals.

  “This is a mistake,” said Griffin.

  “This whole operation is a mistake, but we still have to salvage it as best we can. You’re going to pull this out of me, you hear?”

  She nodded in agreement.

  “After it’s out, get my armour off, and seal the wound however you have to. And, Corporal?”

  “Yes?”

  “If I don’t make it through, you’re in charge.”

  “You’re going to make it.”

  “I hope so, but at least one of us has to make it out of here, do you hear me?”

  “I never thought it would come to this. I thought we’d be untouchable out here.”

  “This is what we signed up for. Hell, it’s what we volunteered for.”

  “Do you regret it now? Coming out here to fight?”

  “I will if I don’t survive this,” she laughed.

  Griffin was initially shocked by her sentiment but soon laughed with her.

  Rusu soon came back with a bizarre looking pipe of some kind. Smoke was bellowing from it, causing them both to feel lightheaded before even taking a hit.

  “Inhale, but not too much.” He held it up, handing her a flexible tube that was connected to it.

  “You know what you have to do. Get us out of this by any means necessary.”

  “I will,” replied Griffin.

  “All right, let’s do this.”

  She took hold of the tube and drew back on it. She handed it back as she coughed and spluttered, but she soon settled. “How can anyone want to smoke that?”

  “How do you feel?” Griffin asked.

  “Fine, I don’t feel any different.” Her eyes suddenly glazed over as she looked longingly into the distance. Her head slumped down as if she’d lost consciousness.

  “Bosque?” Griffin shook her, but she wouldn’t wake up. She felt for a pulse and was relieved to find one.

  “Rusu, what’s happened to her?”

  Bhanza is strong, too much of it can put you to sleep.”

  “Too much? She barely took any,” she gasped. She soon calmed down, realising what a bonus that was.

  “Come on, let’s get this done while she’s out.”

  She took hold of the steel tube. “Hold her.”

  Rusu held her against the rock, and Griffin got a firm grip. “Ready?”

  The Rhepoy didn’t look fazed by any of it, but to her this was a nightmare.

  “One, two, three!” She heaved the tube out, and blood spurted out over her.

  * * *

  There was silence over the assembly area as Colonel Rossman took his place beside the General. They were standing on a podium overlooking thousands of troops assembled with hundreds of vehicles. It was the largest gathering of Empire Marines he’d seen in years, but he didn’t look easy about it. It was a lot of pomp and ceremony when their time would be better spent on operations. Sanson looked all too pleased with himself as he delivered a speech of a lifetime, but Rossman zoned out completely. He was angry with Sanson and ignored everything the General had to say until he heard the only words he wanted to.

  “Delphi Field Force, embark and prepare to move out!”

  Rossman nodded in appreciation. He leapt into action and headed back to his unit. Stone was ushering them into vehicles as he climbed aboard one. The Sergeant soon joined him.

  “It’s about time we hit the road,” said Stone.

  “Damn right, it should never have taken this long,” snapped Rossman.

  He stopped short of directly criticising the General, but they both knew exactly what he meant.

  “And Corporal King?”

  “He’s likely dug himself a hole, and if so, he’ll have to get himself back out of it.”

  “And if he can’t?”

  “Have a little faith, Sergeant. If anyone can pull it off, it’s him.”

  “I think you put too much faith in him, Sir.”

  “Maybe, but you saw him at Delphi. That wasn’t any ordinary man. He fought with the strength of a dozen Marines and the intelligence of a veteran fighter. It was a glimpse into what we lost with Lieutenant King. He’s continued to surprise me, and I don’t think he’s done yet.”

  “And if you’re wrong, Sir?”

  “Then this is the last we’ll probably ever hear of either King, and the war will go on.”

  “Four regulars lost in one day, those aren’t losses we can afford. Two of our squads are being led by Naiders. What’s left of Bravo Squad doesn’t even have that. They’re just attached to Alpha.”

  “But they’re dependable. You saw how they fought at Delphi. These Rhepoys are no ordinary Prians. The Dharan people are something else. They’re as loyal to this fight as you or I, and maybe even more devoted to it.”

  “The General doesn’t seem to think so.”

  “Yeah, well, the General hasn’t seen combat in a long time,” snarled the Colonel as the door shut and they got moving.

  “Sir?” Stone sounded surprised.

  Rossman sighed. He didn’t like to talk ill of their commander and his superior officer, yet he was growing increasingly frustrated.

  “Namur is what got the General his name. Not one Marine in the Empire would be unfamiliar with that name. Veterans of that battle are treated like gods.”

  “And they’re not?”

  “Many of them, yes,
but Sanson was a young officer. He probably didn’t see a lot of action or have a lot of responsibility. Even if he did, it was a lifetime ago. Forty years ago.”

  “An old soldier can learn a lot,” said Stone, playing devil’s advocate.

  “True, or nothing at all if they live off a reputation they never have to prove.”

  “Sir? You don’t have faith in the General?”

  “In his loyalty to the Empire, yes, but in his methods?” He shook his head, “He believes he’s built a great army here, but it is frankly modest. If this had been sent to Delphi two months ago, it may have been enough, but you saw what it was like down there. It’s a war zone.”

  “Do you think we’re marching into a meat grinder?”

  “Yes I do, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” he sighed.

  * * *

  “Form up, up!”

  Stone stormed along the line of the 15th as Rossman stepped into view. There was a sizeable gap in their formation, and they both knew exactly who was missing.

  “So where’s Corporal King?” Rossman demanded.

  “Sir, the Corporal has not reported for duty.”

  “And the rest of his squad? Nelson?”

  “They’ve not reported for duty either.”

  “Shit,” muttered Rossman.

  “Attention!” Stone roared.

  Rossman almost felt his heart stop, knowing what that meant. He turned and saluted as the General strolled casually into view. He returned the salute and walked right on by. He stepped up to the ranks of Rhepoys and paced along the length of the front rank.

  “You’ve done great things with these men, Colonel, but will they have what it takes when the time comes? Can we depend on them?”

  Rossman was boiling over inside but fought to supress his emotions.

  “These men had already proven themselves more than once, Sir. They’re loyal to you and the Empire.”

  “Yes, something I’ve heard more than a few times before. Was it not that faith in these natives that lost you a great many fine officers?”

  “Yes, Sir,” he grumbled.

  The General suddenly came to an abrupt stop at the empty space where 2nd Platoon should be. There were just a few of their number and no NCOs.

  “Your casualties were not this severe during your recon efforts, were they not?”

  “No, Sir.”

  “Then tell me, who is in charge of this squad, and what is their condition?”

  “Sir, Corporal King leads 2nd Platoon.”

  “King? The one who would not be silenced for anyone?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “The same Corporal who requested a search and rescue operation to find those who had not yet returned?”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Rossman knew the game was up. He felt embarrassed, but also saddened for King, and disappointed that he couldn’t cover for him.

  “Sir, the Corporal...” he began, trying to find an excuse.

  “Corporal King has taken Marine Corps equipment and personnel without authorisation on a mission he was expressly forbidden from conducting.”

  Rossman tried to find some words to mitigate it, but there was no way to make it sound any better.

  “Fine, there’s nothing that can be done to the Corporal now. I shall deal with him when or if he returns. The Delphi Field Force is departing in one hour. Have whatever troops you have still standing and loyal ready to move.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  “And, Colonel. You continue to haemorrhage my resources at a time when we can ill afford such loses. Get your house in order. I need officers who are loyal, and you are here to follow my orders. All of you are. Do you understand that?”

  “Yes, Sir,” he replied bitterly as the General stormed away.

  “Tough words for an officer who lives behind a desk,” Stone said quietly, trying to ease Rossman’s troubles.

  “No, the General’s right. This can’t go on. We blunder through operations and lack the discipline required of the Corps.”

  “Was it not for those reasons we’re still alive today?”

  Rossman held his tongue. He was deeply conflicted inside. He couldn’t help but feel a bond and a responsibility towards King, but it stretched his oath to the Empire and everything he believed an officer of the Corps should be.

  “You had better pull off something special, Lee, or there’ll be no power in the Empire that can save you,” he said, looking out across the open desert slopes beyond their walls.

  * * *

  Bosque opened her eyes. She was drowsy and yet smiling. Light flashed in front of her eyes as a gunshot hit the rock beside her. She was too intoxicated by the Bhanza to really care, simply looking for the source of the shot with a smile on her face as though it were all a game. Griffin blocked her view as she rushed to cover her. She grabbed the Sergeant and hauled her across the gravel and bare rock into the cover of the wreckage of their Otter.

  “It’s so pretty,” said Bosque.

  Griffin looked bemused but slapped her hard across the face.

  “Snap out of it, because we need you right now!”

  Bosque felt her jaw; surprised she could feel no pain, knowing she should. She looked down to see her armour was off and a bloody dressing taped over a wound in her abdomen. She looked more amused by it than particularly bothered.

  “You patched me up? It worked?”

  “Yeah, it worked, but we’re under attack. We’ve got hostiles to the north and east of our position!” Griffin shouted.

  Bosque nodded in agreement, taking it all in her stride. She casually got up and went to the edge of the wreck where she could see Rhepoys returning fire as dozens of shots came their way. She could barely make out the shapes of the enemy in the dust cloud that was spreading through the canyon as the storm began to lift above them. She looked back and noticed her Aquilla propped up against the wreckage.

  “Pass me that,” she said to Griffin.

  Griffin looked confused but did as she was told. Bosque took the weapon, had one last look around the corner, and readied the Aquilla.

  “Not so many of them, I’ve got this.”

  Before Griffin could get a word out, the Sergeant leapt out from cover and ran towards the enemy in a fearless charge.

  “Sergeant!”

  It was too late. She’d already gone, focusing on one thing, the enemy in front.

  “What the hell is she doing?”

  Griffin took aim at the enemy and laid down covering fire as best as she could. She could make out at least a dozen of the enemy hiding among the rocks ahead of them. Bosque ran on, firing from the hip, with no helmet or body armour. Gunshots zipped past her. One clipped her uniform at the shoulder but only glanced. Others landed on the ground. She was not deterred as Griffin and the rest of the Rhepoys marvelled at the fearless charge of their platoon leader. Bosque was screaming as she ran, clearly intent on closing with the enemy no matter what. Griffin didn’t want to leave cover but knew she had no choice.

  “What are you doing? Support the Sergeant, move it!”

  She ran out from cover, rushing after Bosque who was now well ahead of them and ten paces from the enemy. She fired from the hip to kill the first, activating the close quarter mode of her weapon as she ran at the next, skewering him as if she were carrying a lance from horseback. The Prian fighter was thrown back and pinned against a rock. She drew the blade of her Aquilla and pulled the trigger, firing point-blank into his face. She didn’t pause to relish in her accomplishment, turning to the next enemy as if fuelled by an unstoppable bloodlust.

  Bosque ran on to her next opponent. He fired but missed her, and she drove her weapon into his chest. Another cut at her with a Firanwar, but she drew her Aquilla from the body of her vanquished foe, parried the blade aside, smashing the butt of her rifle into his face. She then cut down with the blade as he staggered back. It cut deeply into his collar, killing him instantly. As the body dropped, she turned back to the rest of the enem
y, gave out a loud battle cry, and charged on. They drew their blades to face her as she quickly closed the distance.

  The rest of the squad caught up, and Griffin took up position beside her as she went fearlessly on. They now outnumbered the enemy, and the Rhepoys went forward with the same aggression and will to fight as Bosque. They descended on the enemy as one, the Rhepoys with their Firanwars in hand, Bosque and Griffin with their Aquillas.

  The enemy didn’t stand a chance as they ran over them in a rampaging charge. Griffin embedded her Aquilla deep into her opponent so far it became stuck. In the shocked moment, she froze and watched him drop. She caught a glimmer of movement out of the corner of her eye and ripped the Guardian from her side, parrying the blade just as it deployed. The power of the blow drove her down onto one knee, but Rusu’s Firanwar descended onto her attacker’s neck. It took the head clean off, falling onto her shoulder and bouncing off.

  She got back to her feet to see the enemy were vanquished. Bosque was smiling as if mightily happy with herself, while Griffin couldn’t help but feel disgusted. They looked out to the cloud of sand ahead. It was clearing, and hidden inside were more than a hundred Prian warriors heading their way. All hoped seemed lost.

  “How can we stand against that?”

  Griffin wept in horror that their time had come. She looked around. There was no way out. The other valley was swarming with Prians, too. Bosque was standing tall and proud as if ready to fight where she stood, but Griffin didn’t want to die there. She stared at the horde of enemy troops heading their way and realised this was the end. She readied her weapon and made her final preparations.

  As she lifted the muzzle in readiness, the sound of an engine roared out to the east. Two Prians were tossed into the air as an Otter smashed through their skirmish line. It ran over a further four before the others could leap into cover. Their bodies were thrown wildly into the air and crashed over rocks. The vehicle stormed towards the Marines and slid into position between them and the advancing enemy. The door slid open to find Nelson ushering them on.

  “Come on, move it!” he roared as Madan and the other three Rhepoys climbed out. From the cover of either end of the vehicle they laid down fire. Bosque didn’t even reply as she was stuck in a state of mesmerisation and bewilderment.