Rebel Roleplayers Alliance

Volar's Story - part 07

The company watched in mute shock as the spire on Humana Hospital was blown apart and fell to the street in pieces. It was the tallest building in the city. Next hit was the intercity vidcom building. All feeds from the World Net were lost. Several amateur feeds began showing the destruction of the airport runway and tower as a scramjet was coming in to land. It turned away. The Imperials let it go. The intercity maglev station was hit by an explosive device which left nothing but a burning crater. The administration building was completely destroyed by multiple bomb hits. Any people in the area were strafed. The explosive power of the invader's weapons was awesome. When Humana City's vidcom station was hit the vid went blank.

Without a word, Redel the Dancer stood and walked to his office. Entering, he locked the door. Alone, he went to his desk and pulled out an old computer. He plugged it in. Instead of pictures, only a small green dot blinking in the lower corner of the screen indicated it was on. He attached his family datapad which he had dug out of his attic and typed:

H11 on.
A reply appeared: HRC on.
Request Instructions.
Report progress of preparations and training.
Preparations 50% Training 33%.
Continue preparation and training Take no action Remain hidden.
Understood H11 off.
HRC off.

Redel leaned back in his chair. In a whisper barely audible he said to himself "Do nothing!?" Thinking about it, he knew his job was to train and lead a company of soldiers. It was Command's job to decide what to do with them. He knew Command's orders could not be questioned but how would he explain this to his people? He put the old computer away and unlocked his office door where all of the subleaders and a few others stood waiting. Once everyone was seated or standing along the wall of the leader's office they waited silently for him to start. Redel began: "The Council directs we are to continue training and preparations for war. We are to remain hidden and take no action until directed to do so. Second, take a couple of men and inspect our camouflage. Make sure it is perfect. Reader, tomorrow's lesson must be on patience and choosing the right time. Fourth platoon subleader, combat armour must be fitted at the increased rate of two per littim. I know you have a weak team, but I also know they have a good subleader. I feel comfortable with sending some of your best machinists away because I know you have the skills of a master machinist and the leadership of a headsman. Two suits per littim must be achieved and maintained by first light. You will have to train your new machinists while they work. First through third subleaders, training continues. We are now training at the required level. The only difference will be each team will post a guard to observe and report activity around the mountain. At the approach of invading craft we will go silent. From now on all personnel are to be armed. Supply, acquire some road signs and mark both the roads up this mountain closed; landslide, bridge out, I don't care. I just want civilians to stay away from here. That is all. Carry out your instructions." The second looked a little surprised but said "Well, you heard him. Let's get to it. Everyone filed out and turned to their assigned tasks; their questions unasked.

In the multipurpose room the vid came on from time to time. It showed scenes of several craft of an unknown type landing around the city. White armoured troops came out and were fired upon by civilians with hunting and sporting lasers. These civilians were quickly killed by the invaders, whose weapons were much more powerful. Their carbines blasted plasticrete apart. The vidman said he thought they fired some kind of particle beam. Then the feed went off. Twenty tipas later the vid came on for one tipa again. It showed the invaders first landed troops in white armour but now were landing troops in gray uniforms with helmets. It also showed the invaders' fighters and bombers passing over the city several times without attacking. They appeared to be searching. Then the vid went off.

Whoever was feeding these images into the city net was doing so from different locations around the city. With the city's vidcam building destroyed, he had to be splicing directly into the photoptic cable - a vidcam maintenance technician perhaps. Still, littim after littim, training continued. The company heard the Holy Writings, prayed and meditated, ran obstacle courses, danced, fired their lasers at targets, practiced attacking and defending the cave, watched training vids from the Shifter war, and studied lessons on a host of military subjects. Occasionally, an invader craft flew close to the mountain. As soon as the guards gave warning all energy was shut down . The entire company froze and went silent. When the craft had gone, training continued.

When the littim came that the entire company was fitted with armour the company was given another rest. The machinists were the last to be fitted and the first to rest. They had been working double shifts until time for them had become a blur. At the next first light, when the twelve best machinists were reassigned, Nan threw a fit. Storming into the leader's office he yelled "I just got those guys trained and you're sending them away!? What am I? Some sort of training school for machinists?" To which the leader calmly replied "Yes, of course. Nan, you're the best we have." When that sunk in Nan said "Oh,.......Oh!!" Thereafter he seemed quite pleased with himself and yelled at his machinists only half as often.

And still, training continued. A tentim later, Volar marveled at the changes that had taken place in the company since they had first gathered in this cave. Then, they were a hundred people looking lost. Now, they were four platoons, armed, armoured, trained in fighting, and they were strong. The whole company could run one half tsan, complete all four obstacle courses, run back, all in twenty five tipas while wearing full combat armour. They were dancing as a company. Having learned the first dance, they were learning the second. This was the dance of the longknife. It was beautiful to watch, but the Lazaveltians now understood it too was a dance of death. They felt they were ready for battle. Apparently, Command thought so too. Redel ordered all training and work stopped. He ordered everyone to gather in the multipurpose room. It was now set up as a war room. Vidscreens and communications equipment everywhere. When everyone had found their place, Redel stood at the front of the room and said these words: "A tentim ago the invaders attacked us even though we greeted them with fruit and water. They have taken control of our cities. They force the people to obey their laws while ignoring ours. They steal the food our people grow and force them to buy it back using their credits. They kill anyone who opposes them. In five littims they plan on forcing our young men to serve in their armies to do this to other worlds. The Council decrees that in three littims these invaders will begin to pay for these crimes. We have received orders: three littims from now, twenty five tipas after dark, we will attack. We will destroy their barracks killing as many invaders as possible. Other companies will attack other targets throughout the city. This is how we will do it..."

Source:

Mark Nielipinski

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