Chapter 25 – The Face of Duty

Sacred Army Main Camp, Renigh

Kalat Arm

Unknown Regions

1 BBY

Chloe led them into the camp, and Ji's eyes wandered widely, studying everything she could take in as quickly as possible. The camp was composed largely of round tents, in the red and gold colors common to the nighten. It was widely dispersed, and hidden among the trees and gully's of this territory, no doubt in the hope of avoiding scrutiny from above. The measures were not especially useful, but Ji suspected the Empire had good reason to avoid turbolaser bombardment of this force.

Armored beings bustled everywhere throughout the camp, those bearing the stout armor of the knights allow with more common Nighten, with the simpler gray-coating on much of their skin. There was a tremendous amount of work going on. Besides the people the camp teemed with what Ji could only consider horses. There were surely equine in nature, though their red fur was matted into tiny scales, clearly another form of adaptation to Renigh's soil-dwelling parasites. Ji suspected this might have been engineered shortly after the original colonization, even as the humans were still struggling to survive on the planet. They were large, formidable animals, designed to carry armored men and women into combat. Though not nearly as large as banthas, these horses had been bred and trained for war, and the noblewoman considered them quite dangerous.

They drew eyes as they passed through the camp, and many hands went to weapons, despite the armed guard that had gathered to escort them as soon as Chloe announced their presence. These guards, were all knights, though of a different kind than the slender Shade Knight. Most were large men, their armor fully plated and with enclosed helmets of spikes and horns. They carried large spears and massive two-handed axes that were surely incredibly heavy, and extremely powerful. There were also two women, in somewhat lighter armor, bearing long thin dueling blades. Field Knights and Duel Knights, Chloe had labeled these two different groups. The leader of their guard, an older man who kept a sharp-eyed watch on the Shade Knight most of all, wore grandiose armored robes, flaring wide like his own personal tent, he carried a long bent staff and wore a peaked hat that extend more than half a meter above the top of his head. Reputedly this man was a 'wizard.' Kamick said he was not Force sensitive, and the noblewoman suspected this represented a class of people wielding secretive knowledge that gave them pretensions of the arcane.

Ji marked out interesting commonalities regarding the people, and their tents and work-spaces as well. Everything was extremely ornate, baroque. The red and gold coloring was everywhere, and style seemed almost as important as function. She suspected it had something to do with the bonding they experienced with their armor. These people could not change clothes on anything resembling a regular basis, so their one outfit was designed for the maximum impression, and it had become the custom to press this florid, gothic style onto everything in their lives.

Despite the ornate nature of their armor and weapons, this Sacred Army was not a ceremonial force. Ji observed highly functional drills in progress, and maintenance of weapons and armor was continual. Men and women exercised, took meals, and played some kind of dice game with the mettle of long-established soldiers. These were veterans, and knew their craft.

Experienced though Ji believed the soldiers to be, morale was clearly suffering. Screams came from medical tents, and long rows of graves could be seen at the edges of the camps. The knights appeared dispirited, and there was little energy present. This did not surprise her. Taking on the Empire with swords, spears, and arrows was sure to grind down even the best army rapidly. How long have they been fighting? Ji wondered. And how many are the enemy? The camp was vast, and though Ji's mind could not encompass it all she figured tens of thousands of fighters, a great army for a feudal world.

The Duke's tent was larger, and hung with many streamers. High-ranking knights, recognizable by the extraordinary quality of their armor, gathered outside, coming and going with the business of the army.

An older man, garbed as one of the wizards, kept watch by the door. "What is this?" he demanded as they approached. "Have we captured prisoners?" he looked at them carefully. "Why are they still bearing their weapons."

"They claim to be outsiders who oppose our enemy," the young leader of their escort answered nervously. "This shade knight says she found them in the woods and vouches for them, claiming to have see them fight against enemy agents and lose one of their own in the process."

Irina, I wish you were still with us, Ji felt their chances of success had plummeted with the loss of the Zeison Sha, even though her sacrifice had saved them. Kamick may be a great Zeison Sha someday, but he's not ready, that much was obvious to her. How much can the four of add to this struggle without the Force as our ally? The time for intelligence gathering had come and gone, Ji knew, but to lead the charge against the Empire on this world, they were not enough. Certainly I cannot work some military miracle to save these people. She doubted anyone could.

"Who are you Shade Knight?" the wizard demanded.

"Chloe Vell," the young woman answered, bristling at the accusation.

The do not know we can understand then, Ji gave the ghost of a smile. Perhaps it was time to change that.

"We are here on behalf of the Discblade Alliance to see your commanding general," Ji stepped forward, ignoring the axe-heads that swiveled in her direction. There was a slight twinge of pain from her side, but it was almost gone. She was close to fully recovered. "This is a critical point in this struggle, and I do not intend to be kept waiting." She drew her self up and dared them to stop her from walking forward.

The middle-aged wizard sputtered. "Wait, wait," he stepped before her. "I must inform the duke of this, you cannot simply burst into his presence."

"Then announce us, please," Ji did not ask, she demanded. She had no wish to run over this man, but it was necessary now. They needed to negotiate with this duke directly, discussions with underlings, once begun, would never end.

The wizard disappeared inside the tent for a moment. It had stout walls, and Ji could hear nothing said from within. After perhaps half a minute the wizard emerged, and several other knights also exited. "The Duke has agreed to see you and Knight Vell, without guards other than myself, but you must discard all weapons and leave them with the bailiff," he gestured at another stone-faced nighten by the door. "To be returned at the Duke's will."

"As you wish," Ji felt confident. This Duke was clearly a decisive man, and not a fearful one, to dismiss his guards. Good, we may have a chance to reach a quick understanding. She took off her blaster rifle and vibro-pike, handing them over to the baliff. Cyc tossed his grenade launcher to the man, enjoying the man's moment of confusion when he caught the long tube. Kamick added his blaster pistol and baton, but kept his shield. Ji waited for an objection, but the nighten said nothing. Drado handed over his repeater and a small pile of knives, but kept his hat, mimicking the deputy's move. So, we are not completely unarmed, the noblewoman observed slyly. A good move Kamick, she thought.

The wizard ushered them inside.

The Duke's tent was wide and spacious, clearly set up for command. A large double table occupied much of the space, covered by a huge map. The bore a number of small metal figurines in various positions. Marking troop locations, Ji suspected. It was a reasonable approach in the absence of holos and digital displays. The Duke sat on a high wooden chair behind the table. He was an older man, and his face was lined and worn with the mark of many years on campaign. His armor was grand, and he still had muscle beneath it. Meeting his eyes Ji could tell immediately that this was a man suited to command, a general with true skill and leadership ability.

"You are in the presence of Duke Maurice Abengaide, Grand Commandant of the Franmare Dominion, and High General of Sacred Army of all Nighten," The wizard announced.

In front of her, Ji saw Chloe got to one knee and bow her head. She did not ape the shade knight, instead dropping down on both knees and lowering her head to the level of her waist. She felt the pain then, her side pounding, but refused to yield to it. "An honor, your grace." She said as she bowed.

"Rise, knight and visitors," the Duke had a deep voice, and he spoke strongly, a man used to shouting on the battlefield. "The dominion welcomes our visitors from beyond, if they come in peace, though you must not fault our hospitality, for these are dark times."

"Of course not," Ji rose to her feet. "And you have our sympathies."

"Please, sit, there is no need to stand on ceremony, I suspect this may stretch out for some time," he gestured to wooden stool arrayed around the table.

Ji took a seat, and wondered how to begin. What is the right place to start? How do we earn this man's trust?

The Duke did not ask anything of her at first, instead turning to Chloe. "Your report, Shade Knight."

Ji listened as Chloe related being dispatched after their crashed ship, finding them in the woods, and the fight that had followed. She kept her eyes on the Duke as he listened. The older man appeared to accept most of the story, though he asked many questions about the battle with the super-soldiers, and was clearly not satisfied with the answers he received.

Introductions followed this, and the Duke demanded to know how they could speak the language, which necessitated a short explanation from Cyc. Only when this was done did the Duke ask a direct question of the group. "So you are the enemies of the Empire, from far away, yet you are no army. Why did you come to Renigh?"

"To scout," Ji answered honestly, it was a serviceable question and a decent beginning. "We knew the Empire had a terrible plot centered on your world, but we did not know their numbers or operations here."

"Then why did you not return once you had learned this?" the Duke demanded.

Ji had considered whether or not to hide this, but looking into the weathered eyes of the old general, decided against lying. I do not think I can weave a web of deception around this man. "Our ship was damaged above the sky in battle. We are stranded here unless we can find a way to repair it, or steal a vessel from the Empire."

"I do not think my army can help you much in that," the duke rumbled. "Even my best wizards and priests can make little of the strange devices used by our enemies. You may try your luck with their ships, but they spend little time on the ground, just enough to take more of my people away, and their own soldiers guard them tightly. There will be no getting to such things until we have beaten their army."

"I expected as much," Ji admitted carefully, choosing her words with great diligence. "As that is so, perhaps we can render some assistance to your troops in their struggle."

"I welcome any aid," the duke admitted, but added. "Though I do not think four, however valiant, can make much difference."

"Perhaps it is not our valor you need," Ji responded quickly. "But our knowledge. We are familiar with this enemy, surely better than your own people. It is also possible that we may be able to provide other, technological aid that shall carry far further than our numbers."

"I will consider it," the duke spoke slowly. "There are many things to consider. Please wait outside, I will have food brought, and I shall call for you when I make my decision."

"Of course," Ji knew there was danger here. The duke might attempt to turn them over to the Empire in return for concessions. She did not think he would, the Nighten seemed to value personal honor highly, and such a cowardly act did not fit them or this man. He wants to fight the Empire, she could see it clearly in his emotions, in the way his gaze constantly went to the map before him. He was desperate to fight, but he does not think he can win.

They were escorted out and seated in a small side tent. Chloe stayed with them, apparently the guards had decided that was the best approach.

Kamick spoke first. "What I don't understand," He muttered. "Is why the Empire's bothering to fight this army at all." Ji followed his questions carefully, for the deputy had proven to have a store of common wisdom in the past. "Chloe says they've fought three battles with the Imperial ground troops, all loses," He grimaced, but Ji took this in stride. It was only to be expected. "Why is the Empire even bothering? Why don't they just raid at will and use the frigate's guns to blast through any resistance?"

"Shuttles," Cyc answered unexpectedly, drawing the deputy's gaze. "They can't raid at will because they don't have enough shuttles. They've got two at the most, and even packing the people in like fish you'd get maybe fifty aboard a shuttle. Obviously, that's not enough for what the Empire wants, and if you drop down on random villages with a few troops at a time, then they resist, you've got lots of deaths, and it's very inefficient. They must have set up a ground operation and this army formed to oppose that."

It was not a very military assessment, Ji thought, but she conceded the droid was likely correct. "There is likely political pressure as well," Ji told Kamick. "No doubt the leaders of this dominion have been ordered to supply some set number of citizens each day for the Empire. So long as this army stands they are refusing, if it falls, they'll have no choice but to agree."

"But what about bombardment?" the deputy protested. "These people couldn't stand against turbolasers raining down."

To Ji's surprise Chloe provided the answer to this somewhat thorny question. "The Prophet Joanne has proclaimed that fire will scourge the Sacred Army from the sky and foretell the end of the world. The priests are to distribute poison among the people if that day should come."

A bluff, Ji suspected, but a smart one, likely born from the vision of some local force user. "Ultimately, destroying this army by turbolaser fire will not be something the Empire can prove they did themselves, it's liable to provoke mass uprisings, total chaos, and collapse of government, which won't exactly increase the flow of slaves. Besides, I'm sure the Empire wishes to conquer this world, and defeating this army is the key point of pacification." Ji elaborated.

Drado spoke a quiet sentence, and Ji nodded sadly. "Yes, I have to agree. The Empire probably will bombard if their ground forces lose, but there is nothing to be done about it." She had to deal with the present problems, the frigate above would have to wait. For now, helping to defeat the imperial troops on the ground and thereby get at a shuttle was the best plan she could produce, weak though it was. Perhaps we can lead a commando assault during the confusion of battle, she dreamed.

The Nighten wizard interrupted these dark reflections. "The Duke will see you now."

Everyone rose. "No, just you," he pointed at Ji.

"Very well," Ji did not quite understand why this should be so, but she was in no position to insist otherwise.

The duke was alone inside his tent when Ji was brought to meet him. The old warrior stood hunched over his map, idly moving a few figures. He looked up as she entered.

"Lady Jia Ji, please, come here," he motioned her over to look at the map.

"Of course," Ji advanced slowly, slightly confused. "What is it you need from me?"

"I have decided to accept your help," the duke told her, not looking at her. "I am going to need it, that any perhaps a boost from the almighty."

"I am happy to help," Ji did not like the nearly hopeless tone in the Duke's voice. How over-matched are they really? "But why did you ask for me alone?" It was a somewhat crude question, but she had no choice save to ask it.

"Because you are the commander," the Duke straightened. "And it is your advice that is the most important."

"I do not understand," Ji spoke with quiet care.

"You were correct earlier," the Duke told her, sweeping his hands over the battlefield. "I do not know this enemy, none of my people do." he took a deep breath, letting it out wearily. "For over thirty years I have lived in the saddle, traveling from one battlefield to the next. I have fought in many wars, and done well, very well, some say I am even a legend. The man who won the dominion, the largest kingdom to ever stride across the lands of Renigh." He turned and stared at her. "These young knights, they think I can do anything, but I am not the almighty. Against any army of nighten I would lead them out with confidence, certain we would fight and die well even if all went wrong, but against this enemy, I can do nothing. Three battles fought, all terrible loses. Half my force is gone, and the enemy has suffered but minimally. I would give up command, but this army would not follow another, and there is no one else to trust in any case."

Ji felt a great swell of fear rising up in her chest. What was this man going to ask of her?

"Yet now you have come, a soldier from some other world, one who has seen battle against this foe, this Empire." The duke focused on her with those weary eyes. "If I am to win, you must give me a battle plan."

Ji looked from the Duke to the map, and then back again. "But..." she protested. "I am a squad leader, I command but a handful of men, I cannot devise battle for a great army. Surely there is something else I can..."

"Do this, or be gone," the Duke thundered, rising to his considerable full height, projecting the authority of his great position. "If I must accept the aid of outsiders, and give the greatest nighten army that has ever been into foreign hands, they I will have total commitment. I will do this only to win! If you will not give everything, than I do not need you, and we will go forth and die honorably on our own!"

Ji could see it now, the great cavalry charge, barreling across the open ground, backed by infantry, all slaughtered by blaster fire before they could even launch an arrow. It was hopeless, hopeless. Can I give them victory? She wondered. No, I do not think I can, but this man does, and if I offer these people even the slimmest of chances, then that is better than they would have otherwise. "I accept," she stepped into the fire, knowing there was no turning back.

"Good," the duke nodded, turning back to the map. "Now, we must begin."

"How many men do you have?" Ji asked, she needed information, something to work with in this struggle.

"After the losses we have suffered," the duke began depressingly. "I can field close to twenty-five thousand knights to battle. Seven thousand lancers," Ji understood this to mean the cavalry. "Seven thousand archers, one thousand priests and wizards, and ten thousand of the infantry orders."

"And the enemy?" Ji cared little for the absolute numbers, it was the ratio that mattered.

"My shade knights have counted close to one thousand, less whatever losses we have managed to inflict," the duke said to Ji's dismay. "Perhaps nine hundred. There are two differing kinds, men in brown and green who march together, and men in gray and black who do not, though they have similar armor and weapons. Do you understand this difference?"

"Yes," Ji considered. Twenty-five to one odds, not nearly what she would have hoped to see. Then again, the quality of the foe was potentially an opportunity. "Do you know the numbers?"

"In the brown, three hundred," the duke pointed out figures on the battlefield. "In the black seven. There were once a small group of horn-faced red ones, but these seem to have gone."

So the Zygerrians had retreated, Ji thought. Good. The slavers were a wild card best removed from the field. "The men in brown are Imperial Army, and are trained soldiers. Not the best, and inexperienced, but solid. The others...um..." she struggled as to how to explain this. "Does your dominion have a navy?"

"Yes," The duke answered in puzzlement.

"The craft the Empire uses to cross space are much like ships, and these men are similar to sailors," The noblewoman explained. "Like sailors they have been trained to use their weapons, but not to fight as soldiers. Unfortunately, with Imperial weapons, they remain extremely dangerous."

"But they might break before us," The duke suggested. "If we can get the upper hand."

"Perhaps," Ji admitted. "But the Empire is a cruel master, and these men fear their own commanders more than your knights." She looked out at the map, noticing the rough terrain in the Tourlon Hills to the west. "This area looks defensible, you might establish many strong points here and make the Empire break them down one by one. It would be very costly, but if they can be drawn in they could be gradually bled down." It was a typical resistance strategy, requiring many lives, but the Empire grew hesitant fast, and could be stopped with sufficient resolve.

"It is not a poor suggestion," the old warrior accepted the logic. "But I cannot use it."

"Why not?" Ji demanded.

The general looked hurt, and struggled to evade the question, before finally speaking. "The Sacred Army has but one battle left to give, after that, if there is not victory..." he trailed off, but Ji understood his meaning. Morale was low. These knights were professionals, and they trusted this man, but it would only go so far in the face of blasters and plastoid armor they could not pierce.

"That makes it a lot harder," Ji turned back to the map. The Empire has to be made to attack, they have too, she knew that much for certain. The only chance was to concentrate forces, draw the Empire in and then hit them so hard that they simply couldn't kill the nighten fast enough before being swarmed over. To do that required a place both wide and confined, somewhere that would make the imperials compress, but she could pour troops through.

Her eyes roamed the map, trying to get a sense of the terrain from the simple, two-dimensional images. Those hills, there must be a place, but where.

Then she found it.

It appeared as a wide V, a deep, vast river valley pouring out from a high plateau onto a much lower one. Ji could see it, the rough hills on each side, the narrow road winding up the riverside to the saddle of the past. It is not too steep, a charge could be made down, and also along the sides. "What is this place?" She asked the duke.

"That is Iron Gateway, long a defensible point," He answered.

"Is it forested?" That was very important.

"On the sides yes, there are young trees. The middle of the valley is cleared for pasture, and the saddle of the pass as well, by military order," He told here, speaking of familiar things with comfort. "It used to be all cleared, during the war there, but there has been peace for some time."

"I think that is the best place," Ji opined cautiously, almost hoping the Duke would override her.

"It has promise," He acknowledged. "Cavalry can charge from the crest, and other troops from the sides. That would make for a grand attack indeed, but if we cannot disrupt the enemy somehow, I see only a grand slaughter."

He is correct, Ji knew, but she also knew location hardly mattered for that. So long as they stayed together, a thousand imperials firing would break up any charge of all the nighten on the planet. There has to be some way to disrupt them, suppress them, and get them to scatter. Get them to break formation just long enough, get into a brawl with the infantry, and give the cavalry the chance to come down. But how? Roll trees from the hilltops? Plant shade knight commandos by the riverside? She considered many ideas and rejected them. "Your point is taken," she eventually told the Duke. "I see no easy solution to that problem, but I see no better point."

"Then we shall have to find one on the way," the Duke informed her. "I will give the order to move for Iron Gateway immediately. If we move now, at least the foe will meet us on our chosen ground. They do not lack for confidence."

"I will consult my companions," Ji offered weakly, trying to cover her failure of ingenuity. "They may have useful insights." It was possible, Drado understood primitive weaponry and fighting styles, Kamick had experience in the backcountry, and Cyc might have archived data of similar engagements.

"I will consult with you again on the road then," the duke dismissed her.

I must find a solution, Ji pleaded with herself as she left. She did not want to disappoint this valiant man. The nighten had chosen to fight when surrender would be so much easier, and they had done so with no urging from offworld emissaries or promises of Zeison Sha aid. There had to be a way to let them win, or if that was impossible, at least make the Empire bleed as they died.

Chapter Notes

1. The Nighten have a vaguely Christian religion with belief in a single divine power and are a faithful people, thus the religious references in this chapter.