Star Crusades Nexus: Book 03 - Heroes of Helios (12 page)

“I do not understand,” said the Praetor.

“Commander Gun here was the first of the enemy’s Biomechs to turn on his creators and join us in resistance. There is nobody that has as much experience of them as him.”

The Praetor explained his words to the others who made noises of shock and horror as they realized quite what the monster before them actually was. One of the Khreenk jumped out from ranks and alongside Major Morato. She turned, thinking he wanted to shake her hand, but he withdrew a small weapon the size of a pistol in his hand. He aimed it squarely at Gun’s chest and pulled the trigger, but Teresa was on him. She slammed her elbow into his face and then stepped closer. With a deft pull, she dragged him over her bent leg and down to the floor.

“Stop!” cried the Praetor.

Teresa ignored him and kept on. She dropped down to the floor with her leg and knee jammed over the Khreenk warrior’s neck. The pistol fell to the ground, and with a quick move, she scooped it up and tossed it to Gun. He caught it, laughed, and then dropped it to the floor. In a move that shocked them all, he stamped down with his metal boot, smashing it like a piece of pottery. Every one of them stood in silence until Teresa stood up and waited for the Khreenk to do the same. Once on his feet, he moved closer to her and muttered something before returning to his comrades, clutching his throat. The entire group of warriors from the five Powers broke out into shouting and arguing. It gave Teresa time to turn and speak with her comrades.

“Interesting approach,” said Gun as quietly as he could manage.

Even General Rivers couldn’t detect the tone of thanks in his voice, but Teresa could make it out yet did nothing to acknowledge it other than a very discrete nod. He was tough, and his body capable of sustaining terrible injuries. Even so, they had all seen Jötnar brought low by nothing more than a single pistol. He was not invulnerable, and the older he got, the more he was beginning to understand it. The General turned his head away from their guest so they wouldn’t guess his thoughts.

“I know I said we needed to make an impression...but really?”

Gun chuckled and noticed Teresa nodding in the direction of the Khreenk group. One of the warriors stepped from the line and began speaking to the Praetor. This went on for some time before he stepped back and waited. Praetor Darius turned and stepped back so that he could see all of the five groups plus the Alliance contingent

“What was that about?” demanded Gun before the Praetor could speak.

The interruption of Gun sent discord through the other sixty warriors. Teresa didn’t seem too concerned, though the expression on General Rivers’ face suggested he was less than impressed. Praetor Darius bowed politely before replying.

“Honored guests, my comrade wished to convey his disappointment that you brought so few warriors.”

Great, you’ve done it now,
Teresa thought with a degree of amusement.

“Really?” snapped back Gun, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Commander!” called out General Rivers.

Gun looked over his shoulder and then took a few steps back. Teresa was impressed. There were few that Gun would listen to, and even less that he would actually obey. The fact that he gave ground at the General’s insistence reminded her of how close their small group actually was.

“Yes,” continued Praetor Darius, “we have selected twelve soldiers from each group, all of whom are fully trained in combat for this demonstration. You have brought three commanders and just two bodyguards who are able to fight. Is that correct?”

Teresa was confused. She looked at her group before realizing the warriors the Helion referred to were their guards. She wasn’t old, hell, she hadn’t even reached forty-eight yet. Even so, all of them were wearing dress uniforms, and even Gun while the others that were waiting ever so impatiently seemed ready for combat.

The fools, they think Gun, Rivers, and I are just commanders.

Teresa looked over to General Rivers who looked more amused than annoyed.

“What is he talking about, General? What demonstration?”

The old Marine Corps commander raised one eyebrow but instead of answering, simply faced the Praetor.

“Tell me, Praetor Darius. How many years have these warriors spent in their militaries?”

“Years,” he replied, “Our warriors are all citizen soldiers. We have no need for a standing army. The very idea is,” he paused, as if thinking his next words might offend. He appeared to change his mind though and continued, “The idea is anathema to us. Warriors are a necessity but one that we want to avoid as much as we can.”

“What about your war with the machines? Did you have an army then?”

Praetor Darius nodded.

“Of course, but that was hundreds of your years ago. Today we live in more civilized times. Our technology keeps us safe, and the seals of the Rifts are our guarantor of peace. A standing army is more of a risk than a benefit to us.”

“Bullshit!” snapped Gun, still bitter from the earlier comments.

One of the Khreenk warriors stepped out from his group. He was slightly shorter than General Rivers and looked quite young. Like the rest of his people, he wore scruffy, non-descript clothing that gave him the impression of a thug or barbarian. Teresa had already spotted the replacement sections on his neck, left collar, and left arm.

They are more than they seem,
she thought, now feeling suspicious of them.

It was nothing in particular other than the fact she had fought in so many battles; she had a knack for sizing up an enemy. While the other races there seemed uninterested in violence, the Khreenk were an exception. She looked at the warrior and watched how he moved. He was reasonably balanced, but it was the look in his eye and his aggressive stance that truly caught her attention.

He is angry, really angry.

That made her think. Was it because a race, potentially stronger than theirs had appeared out of nowhere? Perhaps it was because their arrival singled potential war with their old enemies, or there was another option. She considered it for a little longer; finally deciding the most likely explanation was one of suspicion. The humans were new to them all, yet they were similar to the Khreenk. Competition and fear were problems that had turned brother against brother back in the old Confederacy. The warrior spoke in angry tones and then moved out into the middle of the circular area. He paced about like a caged animal, waiting for something.

“My comrade from the Khreenk Federation says his people are unimpressed at your delegation. They fought alongside us in the war and suffered badly for it. If you are unable to match their military commitment, they will not stand alongside you.”

General Rivers tapped both Teresa and Gun and stepped out in front of them. He looked at Teresa as he passed and spoke quietly, for her ears only.

“Get ready, this could backfire. I didn’t want to say earlier, but this thing is supposed to be a meeting of military units to show our tactics, skills, and flexibility in combat.”

He stopped once further ahead, leaving Teresa confused.

“Who is supposed to do that exactly?”

Rivers smiled, pointing at both her and Gun. She shook her head, though in truth she was already working out what he was going to suggest to them.

We are expected to put on a military demonstration, with no marines, just us? Typical!

She knew the General well, but this really was taking it far. She’d not been in major combat for some time, and although she knew she was fit and ready, she was hardly able to do the work of an entire marine squad. A quick glance at Gun showed something very different; his face positively glowed with excitement.

You crazy old fool; you can’t wait, can you?

Rivers did have a tendency to speak his mind. It was one of many things he shared with her husband, and one of the reasons why they got on so well. All she could do now was wait and see what trouble the General got the two of them in.

“Praetor, we have just fought a war against these machines, a war that we fought on our own, and we won. All of our warriors are professionals, each one offering the state a lifetime of service. Can you say the same?”

Praetor Darius looked surprised at his words, and for a moment it looked like the General might have gone a little too far. None of the warriors present understood what he had said, but the expression on the Praetor’s face was obvious. Teresa looked at the contingents and wondered what any of them could really add to a battle. The sleepy looking Klithi appeared completely non-threatening while the Byotai looked tough and impressive on the exterior and showed almost no interest in what was happening. It made her feel odd, perhaps slightly superior in one way, and yet vulgar and barbaric in another. She had always assumed that after meeting the T’Kari, any other race would be larger and stronger. There was no particular reason why that would be, it was just her gut feeling, and one influenced probably more by popular culture and her experience in the Uprising than anything else.

“I understand,” said Praetor Darius, “Even so, each of these warriors is here to show the skills and techniques that their militaries have mastered over millennia. If your people are so wise in the ways of war, why are you not prepared for one now?”

Teresa bit her lip and did her best to not say something she might regret.

“What did you have in mind?” asked General Rivers.

A bugle answered them all as precisely as though it had been timed to the second. From the highest position behind them emerged a group of black clothed warriors. It was a full marine squad from the 17
^th
Battalion, their honors flying high on a tattered standard. What confused her was that the unit was only raised in the last year, and she hadn’t heard of their colors being carried into battle. She moved her eyes and noted General Rivers watching them with a glint in his eye.

He planned this, all of it, impressive stage management.

The unit came closer still and every single one of the alien warriors watched in silence as the group of black clothed marines entered the training ground. None were armored but all wore the black uniforms of the Corps. They moved with cold precision, and their footwork and marching was as good as it ever had been. The crump sound from their thick boots echoed through the open space until they reached a position in front of General Rivers. It was only then that Teresa could see the face of their leader, Sergeant Jimmy Reeders. The man was only in his early twenties and had been promoted several times over the last six months.

“Interesting,” interjected Gun.

Teresa nodded to the Sergeant, doing her best to forget the images of his predecessor, the beautiful and courageous Arina Nova. The young woman had thrown herself in front of the Major in the battle to secure Helios and had paid the price with her own life. Sergeant Reeders she only knew by reputation. Following the substantial casualties months earlier, he’d been transferred from 3
^rd
Company. They had met only a handful of times, and so far she had not seen him under pressure. He had an unusual crop of red hair, obscured by his beret that covered all but a few small tufts. The man’s eyes were pale grey though; a rare enough color as it was, without the red hair to go with it. As expected, he turned to face General Rivers and her. He then delivered a snappy salute.

”General, Major…”

He then turned to his actual battalion commander.

“Commander…1
^st
Squad ready for combat drill, Sir!”

General Rivers returned the formality before motioning for them to array themselves into two ranks to their side. The marines moved efficiently into position; the Alliance delegation now almost matched the size of the others. General Rivers looked at Gun who was also returning the salute to the young man. He still found it odd to call Gun by his old title. Back in the War, the Jötnar leader had been known as the Ko’mandor of his unit, though he was now actually a full colonel.

“It is good to see you all. We have been asked to take part in a demonstration of military skills. Do you want to participate?” asked General Rivers.

The squad cheered in agreement in a display that must have been practiced a dozen times. The impression they gave was of supreme confidence, and Teresa suspected that was exactly the point. Praetor Darius seemed not amused at the late arrival, and some of the other warriors from the Khreenk Federation muttered and complained amongst themselves. General Rivers saw this as the perfect opportunity for decisive action, and he did just that. He stepped away from his own marines and nearby to the Praetor where he could then speak to them all. Teresa moved to stand alongside him but said nothing, staying there merely to add gravitas to his words.