Read Online Black Legion: 02 - Assault on Khorram by Michael G. Thomas - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michael G. Thomas
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ship and the newly arrived destroyers.
“This is Dukas Xenias, commander of Olympia and the Arcadian detachment. Take this message to all your officers and crew, and get them ready. It is my intention for us to rejoin the Legion as quickly as possible. This betrayal by Tissaphernes must be answered and trust me, it will be.”
He paused and took a breath, but to Xenophon it looked like he was trying to make a decision, and it seemed to trouble him.
“For now, we need the protection of the Legion and the Titans. We cannot allow this aggression against Terrans to go unpunished. I have suspicions about Cyrus and certainly all Medes. As of now, we will not trust a word that ever leaves their mouths. There is even a chance Cyrus is leading Clearchus into a trap that will strip the finest of all Terran warriors to their deaths.”
He stopped and looked about the old and worn interior of the cruiser. Vendetta was certainly far from the best ships he had seen, but she was solid, dependable and his home. He almost smiled at the sight of the crew moving about at their stations, and the sound of communications gear in use. It reminded him of Olympia.
Komes Pasion and Komes Andronicus entered the command deck. They were both in charge of sizable contingents in the Arcadian force and looked as if they had encountered heavy fighting. Dukas Xenias stopped and looked at them. He lowered the microphone so he could speak privately.
“Were you successful?” he asked.
Both men nodded.
“Good, it is an unfortunate thing but a necessary one.”
He then lifted the microphone and continued speaking with the crew of the ships.
“The Olympia was a good ship. No, she was a great ship and the pride of the Arcadian military machine. She will not fall into the hands of the enemy, and in her death throes she will make the Medes suffer. Prepare yourselves for a long march, we will find our comrades and finish our mission.”
He looked at the motley collection of crew, stratiotes and spatharii from multiple units and ships. Most were from the Titan but a small percentage hailed from the small number of escorts that had been unable to escape the ambush. He glanced at each of them before coming to Xenophon, Glaucon, Tamara and Roxana. It was to Tamara that he stopped near first. It was probably her blue hair that caught his eye, and for a second Xenophon regretted having even met her. In the commotion of the battle on the Titan, he had recognised her but been unable to give her or the others any more thought.
“You, we fought together at Cilicia, did we not?” he asked.
She nodded and tried to lower her head to avoid attention. He moved along and smiled when he spotted the others of her little group.
“Ah yes, the escapees from the Night Blades, it would appear our paths have crossed again. You were right, of course, the Legion is home and the only organisation we can trust in hostile space such as this. As of now, you are all reinstated into the Legion. I will be restructuring our detachment due to losses of both personnel and equipment.”
“What about our agreement with the Empire, with the Emperor?” asked one of his junior commanders.
Dukas Xenias snorted in derision, and the very mention of the hated man’s name seemed to twist and contort the commander’s face.
“Agreement? That was torn up the minute Tissaphernes the traitor attacked us under a flag of truce,” he spat out.
Komes Pasion looked at the gathered officers and stared at Xenophon and his group in particular. He had evidently not forgotten about their little incident on the Titan prior to the attack. He stepped nearer to Xenophon, and Glaucon moved a little closer; his body tightening up and expecting a fight. Instead the Komes smiled, confusing them both.
“I harbour no hard feelings at your escape attempt. It is not like you were trying to escape battle. As it happens, your wish will be answered.”
He turned back to the Dukas, but one of the crew spoke to
“This is Dukas Xenias, commander of Olympia and the Arcadian detachment. Take this message to all your officers and crew, and get them ready. It is my intention for us to rejoin the Legion as quickly as possible. This betrayal by Tissaphernes must be answered and trust me, it will be.”
He paused and took a breath, but to Xenophon it looked like he was trying to make a decision, and it seemed to trouble him.
“For now, we need the protection of the Legion and the Titans. We cannot allow this aggression against Terrans to go unpunished. I have suspicions about Cyrus and certainly all Medes. As of now, we will not trust a word that ever leaves their mouths. There is even a chance Cyrus is leading Clearchus into a trap that will strip the finest of all Terran warriors to their deaths.”
He stopped and looked about the old and worn interior of the cruiser. Vendetta was certainly far from the best ships he had seen, but she was solid, dependable and his home. He almost smiled at the sight of the crew moving about at their stations, and the sound of communications gear in use. It reminded him of Olympia.
Komes Pasion and Komes Andronicus entered the command deck. They were both in charge of sizable contingents in the Arcadian force and looked as if they had encountered heavy fighting. Dukas Xenias stopped and looked at them. He lowered the microphone so he could speak privately.
“Were you successful?” he asked.
Both men nodded.
“Good, it is an unfortunate thing but a necessary one.”
He then lifted the microphone and continued speaking with the crew of the ships.
“The Olympia was a good ship. No, she was a great ship and the pride of the Arcadian military machine. She will not fall into the hands of the enemy, and in her death throes she will make the Medes suffer. Prepare yourselves for a long march, we will find our comrades and finish our mission.”
He looked at the motley collection of crew, stratiotes and spatharii from multiple units and ships. Most were from the Titan but a small percentage hailed from the small number of escorts that had been unable to escape the ambush. He glanced at each of them before coming to Xenophon, Glaucon, Tamara and Roxana. It was to Tamara that he stopped near first. It was probably her blue hair that caught his eye, and for a second Xenophon regretted having even met her. In the commotion of the battle on the Titan, he had recognised her but been unable to give her or the others any more thought.
“You, we fought together at Cilicia, did we not?” he asked.
She nodded and tried to lower her head to avoid attention. He moved along and smiled when he spotted the others of her little group.
“Ah yes, the escapees from the Night Blades, it would appear our paths have crossed again. You were right, of course, the Legion is home and the only organisation we can trust in hostile space such as this. As of now, you are all reinstated into the Legion. I will be restructuring our detachment due to losses of both personnel and equipment.”
“What about our agreement with the Empire, with the Emperor?” asked one of his junior commanders.
Dukas Xenias snorted in derision, and the very mention of the hated man’s name seemed to twist and contort the commander’s face.
“Agreement? That was torn up the minute Tissaphernes the traitor attacked us under a flag of truce,” he spat out.
Komes Pasion looked at the gathered officers and stared at Xenophon and his group in particular. He had evidently not forgotten about their little incident on the Titan prior to the attack. He stepped nearer to Xenophon, and Glaucon moved a little closer; his body tightening up and expecting a fight. Instead the Komes smiled, confusing them both.
“I harbour no hard feelings at your escape attempt. It is not like you were trying to escape battle. As it happens, your wish will be answered.”
He turned back to the Dukas, but one of the crew spoke to
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