Panta stood with his hands clasped behind his back, a few feet from the edge of the Command Table, looking down at its surface. The Command Room of the Triad had become much busier since the arrival of the Kin… messenger, if some illusion was worthy of such a title.
Regardless of any decision he made or actions they would take, several major changes needed to be made. The first and most annoying thing was that the Command Table map could not be used for notation, defensive diagrams, or unit orientation like it was designed to do.
However, the headache didn't end there. Since the Dark elves were no doubt watching everything Panta and his personnel were doing to their table, which was connected to the other two in real-time, they had to maintain a level of credibility as if they were still using the table, which quickly became a massive hassle and strain on their limited focus.
It was only made worse by the spies, who were no doubt reporting what they saw in the city. When the dark elves received a report from their command telling them of what the Triad deployment should be — based on their observations of the Command Table in Basetown — and they compared it to what their operatives were reporting to them, they had to at least match on a surface level, or the dark elves would know something was up.
Leaving him in the ungainly position where any portion of the legion larger than a century couldn't move without a blatant reason. Reasons that were nowhere to be seen, as the dark elves were still trying to move in the shadows. Without a credible motivation to move troops, Panta and his staff had to trickle out centuries while making it look like they weren't doing anything. It resulted in a lot of marching back and forth for his legionaries as Panta hoped whatever spies were watching weren't bothering to keep track of the movements of individual centuries.
And then came all the problems for his staff. While he was juggling his legionaries around to get them into defensive positions that could be used to hold the city in the case of a simultaneous outer and inner attack without looking obvious, his staff had to keep two sets of documents. One detailing where his men actually were, and the table showing where the dark elves thought they were.
Matters were made even more difficult because Panta also had to keep track of the Senatorial Guard's movements as they started their operation and any messages Shree sent regarding her negotiations with the Kin. All of this was, of course, placed on top of the general reports he was receiving on how the fighting in the outer rings of Southtown was going.
It was only a matter of minutes after the Kin messenger dissipated that Panta had to enact temporary policies over the Command Room. The amount of traffic the constant stream of messengers created made it necessary that he divide sides of the passage into incoming and outgoing lines. And that didn't mention how he required more aides to handle the increased number of reports, organize them, and then hand them off to those who needed to see them inside a room designed for a third of the current occupants.
All of this was basically sending out a signal pulse message to the dark elves, indicating something was happening, regardless of how carefully he acted with the movements of his legionaries. But that was an unavoidable risk given the circumstances. They were mortal, after all, and it was only possible to do so much in a situation.
"Sir!" A young man said, stepping up to Panta while flipping through a stack of papers wider than his chest.
"Yes, Tribune?"
"We have received the latest reports on the Senatorial Guard's progress," the man stated. When Panta flicked his hand in a signal to continue, the tribune started speaking. "They have gathered all of the knights and engineers in their legions at the Western Fort and have nearly completed the construction of the tunnel. Currently, the work of expanding the tunnel is moving quickly, and they are almost prepared to move on to the next stage. Legatus Hellious is slowly redeploying his troops and making a show of reinforcing and advancing north along the Rush while he moves most of his veteran cohorts into the Western Fort. The Kin are mirroring his actions along the Rush with a force of their own but seem content to sit back and watch the events play out for now."
"Understood." Panta said, "Extend my compliments to Legatus Hellious for moving his forces so quickly and skillfully. But urge him not to do anything that might provoke the Kin until we have word from Tribune Latic Shree that we have come to an understanding with them. No, it is not the time to risk engaging in another conflict." As the tribune finished speaking, the man expertly shuffled his papers into one arm, and the quill he pulled from somewhere to take notes disappeared before he pounded out a salute on his chest and stepped away with a 'yes sir.'
Before the man had turned, a woman stepped up and started speaking, "Legatus, I have a report on the progression of our forces in the Third Ring." Waving for her to continue, Panta looked at the Command Table and then to the far wall, where a large map to the Triad had been pinned. His eyes flicked between them as he noted any differences between the units' positions on the two maps.
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It was a fruitless task. Because if there were any differences, a quick look wouldn't reveal them, making it the same as Panta remembered. But taking a brief glance to confirm his memory cost him nothing more than a few seconds and could save the lives of many of his men, so he performed the action. "The First Cohort has secured and created a perimeter around the middle half of the external walls and expects to control the outer quarter in a few hours. The Fifth Cohort has relieved the Second on its march to Southtown's western docks and has made substantial progress in their direction despite the constant harassment. The Sixth Cohort has moved into position to advance to Southtown's Eastern Docks, though it has encountered surprisingly strong resistance…"
Turning to look at the younger woman as she trailed off, Panta raised a brow in question. She clearly had more to report, but she seemed hesitant to say the next part for some reason. At the prompting look, her back straightened, and she started speaking in a clipped manner again, "As the Fifth Cohort secured their side of the Third Ring, they came across a battle that took place around and in a manner near the Second Ring walls between the First, Third, and Ninth Centuries of the Ninth Cohort and the civilian thralls. There are no reported survivors, though we do not know if the casualties equal our records of the number of personnel in the centuries, as digging through the dead will still take some time."
The woman's voice took on a harsh, almost vengeful edge as she continued speaking, "We also found a collapsed tunnel entrance in the manor's cellar. From the description of the scene, it appears the cellar was being used as a casualty collection point, and the dark elves broke into it, launching a surprise attack. It seems the legionaries were pushed back, and the wounded were massacred."
Releasing his breath, Panta forced his clenched hands and upper body to relax. He had sent one of his oldest friends on the risky mission for the duel purpose that Panta needed someone he could trust, and he was a grizzled old goat who had long outlived his life expectancy. In Yellron's words, "It was better an old fool die than a young one." Not that it was saving all the others under his command currently fighting… but the young have always paid for the mistakes of the old.
Breaking out of his thoughts and looking around, Panta saw that the room had stopped, and everyone was watching the woman. Most had looks of fury on their faces, but just as many looked horrified or ill at the report. "This is nothing we didn't already know the dark elves were capable of," Panta said, declaring the truth, as they had been fighting and killing the mind-controlled residents of Southtown for days at this point.
They might have mainly been from the slums and the border areas around it, but that didn't make them any less of their people. Not to mention the horrific times when they had to cut down a child… Thankfully, there were few of those reports and many more reports of legionnaires finding civilians hiding within homes who needed evacuation, even if some of them were traps.
No one said anything for a moment, and then a random tribune stepped forward and spoke for everyone. "This is different. Civilians are civilians, not wounded legionaries."
It was a harsh truth, but the man wasn't wrong. While everyone knew that all citizens spent time in the legion, it was simply knowing a fact. And seeing the corpse of a citizen wasn't the same as seeing a dead legionary you shared a mind with. It went doubly so when it came to the wounded, who had already given their all.
Dying in battle was expected. Dying of your wounds was a pity, but there was nothing that could be done about it. But killing those waiting to be treated or those who were recovering, not letting fate take its course, was… wrong. And it didn't sit well with anyone.
Straightening his back, Panta looked around the room, meeting everyone's eyes. "This is a bitter lesson, but it only proves why we fight. Our foe is no different than the beastkin — savage animals that must be put down. If they lack the nobility to offer mercy, then we will just have to carve the lesson into their flesh until they learn. Or they have all been slaughtered." As he spoke, the eyes of those around him hardened, and they began to sport feral grins and nod along with his words. When Panta judged the mood had shifted enough, he nodded, signaling the end of the conversation, then ordered, "So get back to work."
The room lurched into motion again, and those striding around the Command Room seemed to move a little faster as they gained new purpose. At that moment, a messenger rushed past the others waiting in line outside the chamber. She quickly arrived at the doors, where she passed the tribune a slip of paper along with a few words and a salute as she stepped to the side waiting. The man took a glance and then turned and moved across the room, where he presented the slip of paper to Panta.
Taking the note and dipping his head in thanks, Panta unfolded it and smiled. "Oh? Something good after your rousing speech?" Quinteea commented lightheartedly as she walked up.
"Never let it be said that I can not inspire the ranks when needed," Panta said back, breaking his stoic disposition for a bit of banter. "And Shree has reported success in her efforts. She has not stated the details, but I doubt the Kin would ask for too much given their position."
Quinteea's lips quirked in the slightest smile of relief, and the tension in her shoulders ever so slightly lessened. "So, the plan is coming together?"
"It would seem so… but we are in no way near the end of this trial." His second in command nodded in agreement, then adjusted her armor before returning to her position overlooking the two maps.
Minutes stretched into hours, and reports flooded in and out of the room. With every slip of paper and ink, the legion ground forward. No single action or event ever seemed to mean all that much, but in their totality, they shaped the future.
Then the building shook, and the reverberating rumble could be heard echoing into the command room. In the shock that crashed down after the ground stilled, Panta roared, "Get me a damn report of what just happened!"