Chapter 8
Imperial City of Vicenzo
9:34 AM
Outside, in the warm morning sun, they stood at ease, the ever-watchful eye of the bunny-eared warrior women never leaving them while the governor eyed the helicopters from inside. The legates and general were next to them, their eyes on the black rifles most Americans carried. The Berets were keeping to themselves, arms crossed but their gazes were ever-vigilant of the general who kept asking questions of Sean, who politely interpreted.
Guess he looks more respectable than me…
Still, Dennis felt his mind going back to the story the governor’s “wife” had told them. The alleged betrayal, the war, the losses of so many, and the enslavement of those who survived. It wasn’t far-fetched given what he’d read of their history’s Roman Empire, yet part of him wondered how much of it was entirely true. The pregnant rabbit woman had the scars to show a war had indeed happened, Her “sisters” also held a soldier’s posture as they stood by equally as vigilant as the Americans and local Imperial soldiers, but something simply didn’t sit right with him.
Perhaps he was just prejudiced to those not entirely human, but…
It was Rhodes who asked him "What happened to her queen? Does she know?"
Dennis had turned to the girl, switched back to the native tongue, and asked, "Do you know what became of your queen?"
Hypatia huffed and simply said "She is likely living somewhere in the Empire's capital. A rich and wonderful life, paid for by the dead. If you ever hear the name Thule in your destruction of the empire, do me a favor and make it hurt."
Dennis winced at the name. It sent a chill down his spine the way the woman had uttered it, poison lining the words. He was familiar with the northernmost Air Force base in the world. United States Air Force Base Thule, Greenland. The name itself sounded almost sinister, and he couldn’t help but wonder what type of betrayal this woman had carried out to warrant such hatred.
He translated her words, nonetheless.
Rhodes had mumbled "Or we could use her for our own purposes…"
Governor Lucretius marched over and said “So, these… Hela-cop-tars… these are not your main force of attack from the air?”
“No, sir.”
General Octavius, frown ever-present, now moved away from Sean and over to him and asked “These weapons of yours… how do they work?”
The man made a point of getting closer, standing straighter, eyes more intense, as if trying to intimidate.
Dennis glanced at Rhodes, who again nodded.
As eyes shifted to him, Dennis showed the man his M16, then took a magazine from his pouch, and removed a lone 5.56 NATO from it, which he was quick to hand over to the Imperial General.
“It is like a crossbow, where you load these in.” Dennis began, “Our weapons…” he weighed the words in his mind and settled on, “Throw the upper part of this.” he pointed at the tip of the 5.56mm round, and then said “The projectile itself is launched ahead by an explosion caused by powder inside the lower part of the bullet.” he concluded by pointing to the cartridge itself.
Octavius reached for the round, then rolled it in his hand as he studied it. Dennis watched him cautiously observe it as if trying to detect possible lies.
“I see… your world has access to this powder and you made your weapons around it?”
“We believe this world has access to this powder as well, it just hasn’t been discovered yet.”
“And your flying machines operate on a similar principle, I’m sure.”
Not exactly, but…
“In a way.”
Legate Marcius grinned and said “Weapons like these and vehicles like those could have made fine work of the beast men of old.”
Legate Sulla added, “They are indeed serviceable should we ever get our hands on some.”
Governor Lucretius jumped on the suggestion and with a grin to Senate Marcel, quickly said “I am certain we could formulate a deal to obtain some of these if proper talks are open. Do you not agree, general?”
Octavius crossed his arms, then said “My orders stand. Vicenzo must be destroyed. But if your men are intent on a peaceful resolution-”
Lucretius, now somewhat indignant, said “General, please, I believe this is enough of a change in circumstance that we can try to wait until the emperor and senate are informed.”
Octavius appeared more relaxed now, but Dennis noted the man did not seem quite pleased with the idea of peace. Yet he did not object to what the governor said. Lucretius, however, only continued pressing the point.
“Senator Marcel has been writing everything down. I believe we can deliver this message by tonight should your fliers not attack him again.”
Huh?
Octavius did not react to the accusation and simply said “No need. I will use the Seljuk Tribe to get the message across. I only wish to remind you men that my orders still stand, and if the Emperor deems that the city must be destroyed, it must be destroyed.”
Lucretius then added “Sir, I must insist that we also inform the senate. If we can avoid a costly conflict-”
“The Emperor’s word is what matters here.” Then, to Sean, “And tell your leaders what I said.”
As Sean translated, Dennis frowned at the finality of those words as the man began to walk away, Legate Sulla marching after him without a word. Lucretius sighed, turned to the UH-1s again, then to Hypatia, and finally to Dennis.
“The Emperor has done a good job so far, I’m sure he’ll see reason.”
Dennis translated but already had an idea of what Rhodes would ask.
“And if he doesn’t?”
***
Sulla was a good soldier, and that was a problem for Arminius Octavius.
The man was by no means someone who would surrender unless there was some overall greater benefit for the war itself. The man understood the importance of ensuring the Iberian Empire continued its dominance. Though none lived who had seen the chaos of the centuries without the existence of the empire, the records and scars of an age where monsters ruled and there were no mythical heroes to bring order were well known. It was the Empire who subdued the monstrous beasts, subjugated the useful ones, and bettered the lives of all who lived in the continent of Iberia, even the ungrateful demi-humans.
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To have that empire challenged was a danger to all of that, and for as reasonable as these men were trying to be… no, Octavius could never allow them to truly speak of peace. They had to be beaten. The Empire had to negotiate from a position of power. It was that simple.
Of course, Lucy understood as much.
She hid in the tall grass that had grown on the century-old walls of Vicenzo. These were newer than the ones deeper within the city’s center, smaller, more a territorial mark than a proper defensive wall. As the angry Octavius and stone-faced Sulla rode out on horseback, trailed by their spear-wielding guards, she moved out of her position and followed silently her feline ears picking up the conversation and strong emotions.
“Those men are hellbent on taking our land. The idiotic talk of peace is but another act of their treachery, I say!”
“Then we shall fight them, sir. But if they wish to speak to our leaders, then the matter is out of the hands of us soldiers.”
“Legate, you are a soldier, but I, a general, have more say in the matter.”
“Sir?”
Lucy could feel the man already working on some treacherous plan of his own despite his anger at the enemy’s treachery. Oh, she could never prove he had been the one to provoke the Americans that night when they supposedly also came to talk, but it made sense. Coupled with the fact Octavius had been one of the most vocal supporters of a raid on the seemingly defenseless city, and suddenly the idea that he might be held as a scapegoat for awakening a horrible enemy of the empire, he was more than likely acting this way because he knew it was victory or death began to make a lot more sense.
Or perhaps the man was simply that devoted. It was at times difficult to tell even with her ability.
Octavius replied to Sulla with a calm “My intent is to report to the emperor, but I was serious, if the emperor does not rescind his orders, then we move on the city and burn it down. Cassius and his fliers should have Augustine’s new weapons ready.”
“You intend to test this weapon on Vicenzo with imperial citizens inside still, sir?”
Octavius took the accusation in stride and with a wave of his hand, said “If our emperor ordered me to burn a city he was living in I would follow it. You should know that much, Legate Sulla. Now, go to the western side, where your legion is. I will let you know of the Emperor’s decision soon.”
Sulla did not reply, giving a salute before he and his men turned down another path and left the General to several other men on horseback who were approaching from the same direction.
Octavius continued with them, until reaching a hill that could oversee the city. There he stopped, and loudly called out “Agent of Seljuk! Where are you?!”
Lucy stepped forward, ensuring the man could see her now.
“Ah, of course. I have a message for you to deliver, though if your people are as good as you claim then perhaps you know already.”
She did not comment, instead asking, “What is your message?”
“Tell Emperor Adrian Sol Traianus that the enemy has landed troops inside Vicenzo’s wall. They wish to take the city to utilize its surrounding fields in order to land their dreaded flying machines to attack the capital itself. However, they are also claiming to wish to send leaders to talk with him or a representative so the war can end sooner. Governor Lucretius is allowing them to stay in the palace until they receive word. Inform him of this in these exact terms. No more, no less.”
Lucy nodded slowly, then moved away from the man so she could send the message.
Imperial Capital
The light rain outside had changed to an even lighter drizzle, which was contrasted with the coming storm from within the Emperor’s reign.
Emperor Adrian Sol Traianus sat on his marble throne, considering his message with a plain expression.
Seljuk’s tribe owed the Emperor. Before he’d taken the throne, his father had ordered he help them against a rival city-state far in the east. Those had been dark days before the Iberians gave them the help needed, and in response, they had provided the Empire the service of the greatest spy network in the continent.
But as the man grew older, Seljuk could sense more than just weakness and fear.
“Could you repeat the message?”
Seljuk did.
“That… bastard… Lucretius is allowing the enemy to stay in imperial lands?!”
“Emperor, they landed-”
“And who gave the order that they could just request to parley, exactly?! Did I?! Did I not decree we were at war?!!”
Seljuk fell silent as the man stood from his throne, the guards nearby wincing at the sudden burst of anger.
“First they kill my generals, my men, my armies, then they pilfer the slaves we were going to use to gain more information from them, find weaknesses, level the field, and just when we get the upper hand- just when we are trapping them in the mountains, they pull this treachery?!”
Adrian pounded the marble throne in a motion that Seljuk sensed might have broken the man’s hand.
“And with the help of Lucretius, no less?! That man…” Then, as if a thought occurred, “He’s not being held hostage, is he?”
“No, Emperor.”
As if something dawned on him, Emperor Traianus said “Oh, I see… which one of his servants did he get pregnant?”
Seljuk was surprised the man had guessed one of the motivating factors in the governor’s resistance to the scorched earth orders.
Adrian added “I am right, am I not? Men get like this mainly when women are involved. Oh, please tell me it was a demi-human!”
“It was one of the Lepus servants he-”
Emperor Adrian clapped his hands once, and stood up, giddy like a child.
“A rabbit! Even better! Then that settles it! The people will know he is a traitor who tried to surrender the city to the enemy. The man is no longer an Iberian, but a beast like those we have had to subjugate! He and his people are a threat to our order and must be dealt with as such!”
“Then…”
“Then Vicenzo burns! The men who tried to take the city must die, let their deaths be an example of their arrogance, and the enemy gets a message. No, if they want to talk, it will be on my terms and anyone who gets in the way of that, be it man, woman, or child, will perish!”
"As you wish, Emperor."
Seljuk bowed, then silently darted back into the shadows, his eyes never leaving the worried figure of his emperor.
Despite the bravado, the man appeared far more frail today than in the previous days.
Outskirts of Vicenzo
Daughter of the emperor, Parthea Traianus shifted awkwardly on her horse. She didn’t want her men to even think she was unable to handle what they could. A part of her knew it didn’t matter if she seemed weak or not. After all, the daughter of the emperor, she was pampered compared to her subordinates. Well, guards.
As they approached the city itself, however, she could recognize the signs of war.
Fields lay burnt to ash alongside the small homes of farmers who tended them. The highway had several corpses strewn about its ends, examples of traitors she presumed, noting all were demi-humans. The stench was what surprised her.
Why were the little things that stuck out the most?
When it came to battles, to war, she always expected the ability to see her enemy, to see the opposing army and its movements as each side whittled the other down. She figured that would be what she and any competent leader would focus on.
Yet what her mind shifted to now was the reality that, if there were enemy soldiers in the area, she would not only have a difficult time seeing them in the hilly terrain as they got closer to the mountains, but she very much stood out. Her expensive garments and patterned clothes emphasized her status, and if someone was hiding on a hill nearby, not only would they be able to see her long before she saw them, but if they wanted to kill her…
She perished the thought.
She was important, was she now? She had guards. Expensive clothes. Wars were not fought by killing the heads of armies, but by destroying the army itself. After all, if the heads of the army died, who would remain for surrender talks?
But if the goal is total destruction…
“Are you alright, Highness?”
Parthea turned to Paloma.
The girl walked ahead of her, leading her horse. She eyed her with familiar concern, which she knew she had to downplay.
“Well, of course I am perfectly alright, Paloma, my sweet, innocent, dearly naive friend!”
“Why do you seem distracted then?” her friend asked without a hint of humor in it, a rotting arm on the side of the road ahead yet another reminder of what was happening.
Parthea huffed, then, quietly, changed the subject.
“If the enemy has made it this far, then we must find a way to warn Father. Perhaps we can find a way to negotiate before this carnage spreads needlessly.”
“What if they do not wish to negotiate, Highness?”
She laughed loudly and forcibly.
“Why would they not wish to negotiate, Paloma, you silly girl?”
Parthea ignored the fact that if their empire had been attacked, even a small raid like the one sent, what they would respond with would be a storm of death and hatred that would leave none of the attackers or their families alive.