Golden Dawn
Chapter 37: First Victory Of Averian IV
In Alesian High Command, 3 months later...
Amann was reviewing holographic maps with General Ayen and Salen. Various other generals and Legates were there as well, pouring over other plans and avenues of attack left to them. Amann appeared tired, worn from the 5 months of brutal war that had seen much of his Empire left to ruin. He spoke.
"We need a victory, a big one, and soon. We have lost nearly 75% of the outer planets. That accounts for nearly 60% of our territory, but less than 5% of our infrastructure. We will be unable to get raw resources for new ships, but we have a sufficient stockpile to suffice our needs for a few months. After which we will be unable to use more unless we retake our territory. I know our main fleet is in our territory, but still trying to fight its way to us. 5 months of bloody slaughter and we have taken severe losses. 800,000 Legionnaires have given their lives to stave off the advance, along with 7 million of the Militia! At best we get draws, at worst we get staggering defeats where our defending forces are destroyed after overwhelming assault!"
Amann was angered.
"I want some answers gentlemen. I want a working strategy where we are able to win a victory! Any victory!"
General Ayen spoke.
"We know Chiyou has started to advance through the Mid-Region worlds. I have nearly 100 spare Legions to throw in the mix. That is 500,000 first rate Legionnaires. I also got a 2 million Militia reserve. We can make our stand over Averian IV. It is a fairly advanced human civilization. They recently mastered the use of Ion cannons and advanced hyperdrives. They provide a steady recruitment of good officers and men for the Militia. It is an important world. I say we make our stand there."
Amann nodded.
"Very well, we will make our stand there. I have nearly 250,000 Legionnaires from the reserve activated so far and they have been training relentlessly. They will reinforce your reserves at this world. This is very nearly an unprecedented force of Alesians in one place. This is enough firepower to utterly wipe out a star cluster. We are talking about enough Legions to suppress over a thousand star systems. Plus the large force of militia. If this does not stop Chiyou's armies, we are staring at eventual defeat. We must stop him here, before he wrecks critical infrastructure like shipyards and factories. If we fail here, he could cut off the Core Worlds from Alesia and lay siege to our homeworld. He could then strip Core World defenses with impunity while battering Alesian defenses, then he could finally take Alesia. He does that, its over for all of us."
The words hung over the group of generals like a black cloud. Ayen nodded.
"I will command the reserve force myself. I will take care of it."
Amann nodded.
"Very well General, but I will also go. I will participate in this battle."
Ayen was surprised.
"But sir..."
"Don't sir me, Ayen! I'm going! I've had enough of sitting safe on Alesia and watching as all I have built fall around me. No sir! I will go out and face my enemy! That is my final word."
Ayen nodded.
"Very well Councilor."
Amann nodded to a Legate.
"Prepare the Angelan for departure. I will leave tonight."
"For Alesia, Councilor."
"For Alesia."
--
2 days later...
The sun was shining over Averian IV. A flash was seen as the blue hyperspace windows appeared, dis-engorging over 500 Tok'ra warships. The Tok'ra Councilor Gershaw, now a General, turned and regarded his bridge crew.
"Report!"
One of the Kauri officers responded crisply.
"Scans indicate several large cities on this world. No sign of Alesian technology. Local defense forces appear present around the capital city. Reading about 2 million strong judging from their previous transmissions and the amount of naquadah power signatures in regards to their small arms."
Gershaw sneered.
"This world is ripe for the taking then. A fairly important Alesian world with no opposition by Alesian Legionnaires. Morale is low, so our spies tell us. We will simply have to crush the defending militia forces and this world is ours. Then we are free to kill any Alesian descended we find as decreed by Lord Chiyou. Bombard their defensive position around the capital city."
One of the clones manning the station responded.
"Uh sir? A defensive shield just went up around all of the cities. Seems like the Alesians have city shields on the surface. It is strong enough to deflect any bombardment."
Gershaw growled as his eyes glowed.
"Then we will land troops and hit them with a surface assault. Militia are weak. At best they are only even with our own regular soldiers, we have nearly 5 million soldiers in the assault force, plus ample reinforcement if we need it. We will land and destroy them in battle."
"Yes, my Lord."
--
On the surface of Averian IV...
The drop ships screamed down, out of range of the militia's anti air batteries. Clones rushed out as tanks were rolled down the massive ships. Several hundred ring platforms were also activated and more clones. Larger ships made their way down and they started to set up mobile command centers. The Tok'ra Councilor turned general smirked in satisfaction as he ringed down.
"The militia let us land unopposed. They cower in their emplacements, not daring to give us battle. I will call forth more reinforcements and give the militia a taste of superiority."
He ordered reinforcements to be brought and more transports were diverted. Within a few hours, they had arrived and were landing as well. Gershaw ordered the landing clones to advance on the capital city and take it for the Republic. With a cheer, the clones and their officers rushed into their formations. The infantry followed the tanks and walkers as the armored assault rumbled toward the enemy.
5 miles away...
The capital city was bustling as the citizens were hurrying into the shelters. The militia were rushing to the city's large reinforced walls and bunkers. The defensive towers were activated as the beam cannons and plasma turrets were activated and started scanning for active targets. They waited for the enemy. Little did the enemy know, but there were Alesian Legionnaires on the planet, and they couldn't wait to spring the trap. 500,000 Legionnaires were waiting in front of the defensive wall in a trench, their anti defense turrets and drone launchers all cloaked from the enemy. There were also nearly a thousand Predator walkers waiting to decloak. Standing 30 feet tall and posing a threat to both air units, armored units, and infantry, it was a fearsome weapon to behold in battle. The defensive line was nearly 5 miles long as each Legionnaire peered over the trench, cloaked and eager for action. General Ayen was standing upright scanning the approaching enemy formations. The ground started to rumble as he spotted the formations of the massed enemy as they gathered to storm the walls. He grinned as the first rank of vehicles ran into the anti-vehicle mines laid that very day. This made the clones more wary and post a line of skirmishers with mine scanners.
"Good. Almost time to nail the coffin shut."
He clicked his vox communicator 3 times to signal his men to arm their weapons and to let the group in the woods know the enemy was almost ready to be crushed. He gave orders verbally and they were passed along by word of mouth.
"Load the drones launchers. Set beam cannons to auto fire. Turrets target enemy infantry. Legions form up for defensive positions."
The Legionnaires prepped as the enemy got closer.
--
Meanwhile...
Amann ran along with several Legates through the woods until they came to a dense portion of trees. No tank could come through here due to the trees being too close together. But they provided excellent cover for infantry and good at hiding them from visual spotting. There were nearly 250,000 Legionnaires gathered in the woods. No less than 50 Legions were present. It was Amann who spoke first.
"Patres!"
The Legionnaires all cheered.
"Patres Amann!"
Amann shouted to be heard.
"You all know what is at stake here! If we fail here, the foul clones of Chiyou will be able to attack our homeworld. I will die here rather than allow that to happen! Brothers! What we do here in service to the Empire shall be honored for eternity! For Alesia!"
The Legionnaires yelled back.
"For Alesia!"
Amann nodded and started to run through the woods. They had nearly 10 miles to cover, but any closer to the enemy and it would be easier to detect them. Besides, he figured Ayen should get some of the fun. The men followed him with a cheer as they ran fast through the woods, their forms a blur to the normal human eye. Such was the speed of a Legionnaire in a full out run.
--
General Ayen strode along the trench as the enemy got closer. The drone launchers were loaded and readied as the Predators began to actively target. The turrets were turned on to passive mode and they immediately started to lock targets on specified infantry. Beam cannons were locked on as Militia pointed their plasma rifles and mortars at the enemy. Legionnaires likewise deployed their staff weapons and plasma wrist weapons and aimed. Hushed calls of ready were heard down the line and General Ayen nodded in affirmation. Finally, calls were issued to the men.
"Legionnaires! Draw and target!"
Ayen raised his hand and finally screamed out loud in a roar.
"LOOSE!"
Steams of red issued from the beam cannons as everyone de-cloaked and started firing. Streams of blue plasma issued from the massed infantry and anti personnel turrets and the front ranks of the clone skirmishers melted away within 2 seconds as the tank shields flared from the beam cannons. The tank shields and APC's tried to protect the infantry, but their shields failed from the massive firepower outputted from the defensive positions. Screams echoed as the massive jaffa sized bolts from the plasma turrets blew basketball sized holes in the clone infantry. Explosions dotted the field as hundreds of tanks were instantly decimated from the thousands upon thousands of drones fired from the 5 mile long position. The noise was tremendous, mixed in with cheers, roars of defiance and hatred, and the screams of the wounded. The crescendo of the various weapons firing and the explosions they caused only added to the din of the battle.
Adding to the fire was the Predators as they poured on red beams at the vehicles and firing sonic shock wave cannons at infantry companies, turning entire platoons into little more than bloodied pulp. The field was shielded in fire and soaked in blood as the horrific crossfire devastated the clone armor. The Alesians had positioned their defensive line in a short inverted V as to enclose the defenders in a withering crossfire. The clones tried to fire back with plasma shells and missiles, but many of the missiles were countered by drone fire. The main elements of the clone army were in disarray by the fierce and savage surprise defense. Despite this, they continued to advance and fired their weapons back, picking off hundreds of Legionnaires. General Ayen smiled as a red flare was shot up into the sky from the woods. It was time. He ordered his men to stand up.
"All right men! Ready! Charge! For Alesia! Let's mop up this rabble. Militia come behind and finish off wounded and isolated units! Legionnaires will storm the enemy strong points and decimate them! Charge!"
The men cheered loudly and deployed plasma blades, firing at the enemy attackers as they climbed the trenches and palisade, covering the now short distance to the clones. A full 100 Alesian Legions charged with a war cry, their eagle banners unfurled as they rapidly closed the distance. With a crash they collided into the decimated front units, cutting down clones with plasma blades and throwing antimatter grenades. The grenades flashed white and exploded with a concussive shock wave, blasting apart squads of clones in a bloodbath.
--
Meanwhile...
Amann was running through the woods as the Legionnaire ran behind them, the loud rumbling echoed throughout the woods as the white armored Legionnaires ran toward the enemy flank and rear positions.
"Hold the line! Stay with me! Keep in formation!"
Amann saw the woods thinning and he took out a pistol shaped weapon and fired a red flare as he cleared the woods to emerge several miles from the intial battlefield, but even the clones back here were feeling the intense fire as the beams and drones exploded among their ranks. Amann ran down the hill, jumping over a wall of fire into a mass of clones as the 50 Legions behind him did the same, throwing the rear elements of the enemy in confusion as a quarter of a million Legionnaires savagely struck their flank and rear. Tens of thousands of drones were fired at the vehicles and command buildings in the distance, the various structures and vehicles exploding as the drones homed in with deadly accuracy. Amann roared in triumph and roared out, thrusting a plasma blade into an Elite officer and wrenching it out, then kicking the clone to the ground and finished him with a head swipe.
"Alesian Victory!"
His men roared as well as they cut and slaughtered their way through the enemy armies. The clones fired back as they tried to hastily form a defensive line, but their rifles were ineffective at such a close range as the Alesians swatted them aside, the rifles still spitting trinium tipped explosive rounds, and killed clones with bursts of plasma to the head or a swipe of a plasma blade. The ground was soaked in clone blood as Amann grinned savagely, his normally calm demeanor changed as he uttered guttural cries of hatred and fury, killing enemies by the hundreds. Clones fell before him, unable to touch the Alesian High Councilor as he butchered his way through their ranks by sheer force. Sonic shock waves created by Amann's mind exploded around the clones, bursting their bodies apart like a watermelon. Entire platoons cried out in pain as they found their armor being crushed in on their bodies. Amann snarled in hatred as he cleaved a bloody path for his Legionnaires to follow. The banners of the Alesian Eagle was held high as the Legions advanced grimly, slicing their way through the clone ranks like a scythe through wild wheat.
Amann was Death Incarnate as he fought with both his mind and body. While his mind killed off entire clone companies and battalions, he was busy blasting a path with plasma blasters and killing anyone that came too close with a blur of blue plasma blades. Amann grinned ferally as his eye caught what he knew had to be a command vehicle. He made his way toward it with a animal gleam, blood lust in his eyes.
--
100 yards away...
Gershaw was frantically screaming into a headset, knowing his army was in a bad position. Several dozens battalions were already routed, its remnents running into adjacent units and causing further disorganization and confusion. He screamed into the communicator.
"Fight to the death! Ask for orbital bombardment!"
A clone next to him shouted.
"Sir, the fleet reports they are under massive attack from an Alesian fleet. Hundreds of ships! They are losing, sir!"
Suddenly they both heard a metal thump and both the general and clone turned around in the turret to find themselves face to face with a savage looking Amann. Amann growled as he killed the clone with a burst to the head.
"Tok'ra scum!"
Amann grabbed the Tok'ra general by the shoulders and picked him up off the turret and flung him into the blood soaked mud with a thud. Amann jumped off the turret as Gershaw scrambled to draw his pistol. Amann stomped down on the arm and crushed the arm with a nasty sounding crack. Gershaw screamed in pain as Amann picked him up by the armor and held him up.
"Like the rest of your pathetic race, weak and undisciplined!"
Amann's armored hands found the Tok'ra's throat and started to choke the life out of him, his eyes boring into the Tok'ra councilor. The Tok'ra was afraid of the mad gleam in Amann's eye. It terrified him to see the madness in Amann's face. Amann throttled the Councilor until he was dead, the neckbones and vertebrae coming undone from his grip. With a snarl, Amann threw the limp body into a mass of clones and jumped into the middle of them, killing the entire mass of them. He punched a clone twice in the face before cutting down the entire length of the clone with a sizzling blade.
Suddenly he felt a body crash into the back of him and he stumbled slightly. He turned around with a roar and grabbed the man, a Legionnaire. The Legionnaire tried to back up and Amann halted as he recognized a friendly soldier. He grinned at the Legionnaire and the Alesian smiled back slightly. Amann released him and continued cutting his way through the ranks. He growled as he spotted a clone soldier wielding a plasma flamer and cooking 4 Legionnaires alive with it. Amann pointed a plasma blaster and fired, annihilating the clone where he stood. Several squads of Legionnaires clustered around Amann, firing at enemies as Amann advanced forward, climbing over the piled bodies of his enemies.
--
20 minutes later...
Amann met General Ayen in the center of the field, clambering over the clustered bodies of the wounded and dead, their blood intermingled into the mud. With the main force of clones dead, the Legionnaires walked along the dead, killing wounded clones and helping wounded comrades up. They had no mercy for the clones. It was revenge for the clone murders of the Alesian civilians. Amann panted hard as he looked around the blood soaked field that was wreathed in fire and wrecked vehicles. Predators stomped the landscape as the remnents of the clones fled the battlefield in the only route left open to them. Amann smiled savagely as they did. He clicked into his communicator and spoke.
"All Eagle flights, strike indicated coordinates."
He gave the coordinates and hundreds of Alesian fighters and local VTOL craft flew from the city. They fired drone weapons and dropped incendiary bombs on the enemy clones. The clones screamed in pain as fire engulfed them. Concentrations of troops were strafed by pulse cannon fire as the fighters dove in and closed on the kill. Amann watched mercilessly and snarled in spite and hatred.
"Burn! Burn, you bastards, burn!"
Amann watched as the last remnants of the clones were eliminated, the last few thousand survivors fleeing into the woods. They would be dealt with easily. He turned to General Ayen.
"Well, we have ourselves a tangible victory for once. 5 months of slaughter and we got a victory!"
A Legionnaire ran up.
"Sir, the fleet in orbit reports the enemy destroyed. A few enemy ships got away, but most of them did not escape the trap. But there is bad news."
Amann sighed as he wiped the blood off his armor.
"What is it?"
"4 more Mid Region planets have fallen! Chiyou has opened up a path to Alesia, abiet a more indirect route!"
Amann put an armored hand to his head in frustration.
"Damn it! We stop his offensive thrust here and he outmaneuvers us again! I am tired of this! General Ayen, prepare our forces to leave this world and defend Alesia! Leave a small force here to mop up survivors. This world is secure for now. See to it General."
"It will be done, Councilor."