Chapter Eight
"I understand that, Honorable Knight Gilgamesh, but we cannot just leave Balamb to the weapons." the voice of Ragin Luth, the High Lord of Balamb, came tinny through the speakers of the device in the center of Galba's council chamber. His face showed up on the screen, a long scar running down his face. Ragin cared deeply for his people, and it wouldn't be at all out of character for him to fight alongside the troops in the defense of Balamb. Gilgamesh wondered idly if he had been on the front line, then turned his attention back to the matter in hand.
"I don't want you to abandon your town, Honorable Lord Ragin, but you must understand that a strategic withdrawal to the mountains is necessary until Knight Odin's and Knight Seoman's reinforcements arrive. You don't need to do a last stand, it would just be a waste of lives."
Ragin looked offended. A voice from offscreen, probably another council member's came through the speakers. "This isn't a last stand, Gilgamesh old boy. We believe that we can beat these weapons. They're only machines after all. Give them one taste of cold Thundaga and they'll run off with their tail between their legs."
Gilgamesh's face went completely blank as he tried to keep his anger under control. Finally, he replied "The Honorable Member may want to visit the city of Mahon, or rather it's ruins. They thought that Omega Weapon was a simple machine, and threw every thunder spell they had at it. The only good thing to come out of the destruction of Mahon is we now know Omega Weapon absorbs elementals. If the Honorable Member doesn't keep up with recent findings, you may want to reconsider his place on the War Council, Honorable Lord Ragin."
Ragin gave a slight smile "I shall consider your advice Honorable Knight Gilgamesh." He turned towards the member who had spoken. "Oh, and by the way, Gariné, old boy, the Weapons don't have tails. You may be right. Have you received any word from Knight Odin on his estimated landfall at Balamb?"
"He should land by midday tomorrow."
"Then we'll move into the mountains. Send word to Odin." Enraged shouts and booing came from offscreen, and Ragin turned to the rest of the Council. "If any of you want to dispute this, you may want to remember that there only is a council here at my request!"
"I'll send word. This session is ended." Gilgamesh leaned over and pushed down a small brass lever on the side of the device.
***
Out in the straits that separated Galba from the main continent of Dollet, a group of fishermen were hauling their catch in.
"Come on, we've got to get back to Galba before the…what the hell are you looking at?"
The captain of the small fishing boat walked across to where the haulers had stopped working.
"I said get back to…holy…!" he breathed.
The captain was not a man easily frightened. The dark waters of the Strait of Galba were not a place for the faint of heart. Seeing a twenty-foot tsunami heading straight for you, however, tends to surprise even the hardiest souls.
"SHIT!" the captain ran back to the helm and started driving the vessel as fast as he could. One of the other crew ran to the radio and tuned to the Galbadian military frequency.
"Yes, this is the fishing vessel, Snow Lion. Reporting a tidal wave heading for Galba at roughly 100 knots. Position 13 degrees, 5 minutes East, 40 degrees, 7 minutes South." He gabbled "It's…Holy, it's WEAPON! It's wea…"
The boat was smashed into splinters as the wave washed over them.
***
"Knight Gilgamesh, we have a situation…"
Gilgamesh turned to see a messenger in the door, his face pale.
***
Five minutes later, Gilgamesh stumbled into the War Room, buried deep in the rock of Galba.
"Glad you're here Gilgamesh. This is the situation." Nerinen, the young chief of Galba's navy said, gesturing to a map of the strait of Dollet. "We last had a sighting of Weapon at 12:55, at 13,5 East, 40,7 South."
"That's too close." Gilgamesh said anxiously, "how fast was it moving?"
"Approximately 100 knots. ETA is 2:30"
"We'll never get evacuated. We don't have enough time!"
Nerinen nodded grimly. "Last stand?"
Gilgamesh stared intently at the map. "That may not be necessary." He turned to Nerinen with a brittle smile. "How many Holy Wars do we have?"
Nerinen followed his gaze and realized what Gilgamesh's plan was. "Oh no…no. It'll never work."
"It's worth a try."
"I understand that, Honorable Knight Gilgamesh, but we cannot just leave Balamb to the weapons." the voice of Ragin Luth, the High Lord of Balamb, came tinny through the speakers of the device in the center of Galba's council chamber. His face showed up on the screen, a long scar running down his face. Ragin cared deeply for his people, and it wouldn't be at all out of character for him to fight alongside the troops in the defense of Balamb. Gilgamesh wondered idly if he had been on the front line, then turned his attention back to the matter in hand.
"I don't want you to abandon your town, Honorable Lord Ragin, but you must understand that a strategic withdrawal to the mountains is necessary until Knight Odin's and Knight Seoman's reinforcements arrive. You don't need to do a last stand, it would just be a waste of lives."
Ragin looked offended. A voice from offscreen, probably another council member's came through the speakers. "This isn't a last stand, Gilgamesh old boy. We believe that we can beat these weapons. They're only machines after all. Give them one taste of cold Thundaga and they'll run off with their tail between their legs."
Gilgamesh's face went completely blank as he tried to keep his anger under control. Finally, he replied "The Honorable Member may want to visit the city of Mahon, or rather it's ruins. They thought that Omega Weapon was a simple machine, and threw every thunder spell they had at it. The only good thing to come out of the destruction of Mahon is we now know Omega Weapon absorbs elementals. If the Honorable Member doesn't keep up with recent findings, you may want to reconsider his place on the War Council, Honorable Lord Ragin."
Ragin gave a slight smile "I shall consider your advice Honorable Knight Gilgamesh." He turned towards the member who had spoken. "Oh, and by the way, Gariné, old boy, the Weapons don't have tails. You may be right. Have you received any word from Knight Odin on his estimated landfall at Balamb?"
"He should land by midday tomorrow."
"Then we'll move into the mountains. Send word to Odin." Enraged shouts and booing came from offscreen, and Ragin turned to the rest of the Council. "If any of you want to dispute this, you may want to remember that there only is a council here at my request!"
"I'll send word. This session is ended." Gilgamesh leaned over and pushed down a small brass lever on the side of the device.
***
Out in the straits that separated Galba from the main continent of Dollet, a group of fishermen were hauling their catch in.
"Come on, we've got to get back to Galba before the…what the hell are you looking at?"
The captain of the small fishing boat walked across to where the haulers had stopped working.
"I said get back to…holy…!" he breathed.
The captain was not a man easily frightened. The dark waters of the Strait of Galba were not a place for the faint of heart. Seeing a twenty-foot tsunami heading straight for you, however, tends to surprise even the hardiest souls.
"SHIT!" the captain ran back to the helm and started driving the vessel as fast as he could. One of the other crew ran to the radio and tuned to the Galbadian military frequency.
"Yes, this is the fishing vessel, Snow Lion. Reporting a tidal wave heading for Galba at roughly 100 knots. Position 13 degrees, 5 minutes East, 40 degrees, 7 minutes South." He gabbled "It's…Holy, it's WEAPON! It's wea…"
The boat was smashed into splinters as the wave washed over them.
***
"Knight Gilgamesh, we have a situation…"
Gilgamesh turned to see a messenger in the door, his face pale.
***
Five minutes later, Gilgamesh stumbled into the War Room, buried deep in the rock of Galba.
"Glad you're here Gilgamesh. This is the situation." Nerinen, the young chief of Galba's navy said, gesturing to a map of the strait of Dollet. "We last had a sighting of Weapon at 12:55, at 13,5 East, 40,7 South."
"That's too close." Gilgamesh said anxiously, "how fast was it moving?"
"Approximately 100 knots. ETA is 2:30"
"We'll never get evacuated. We don't have enough time!"
Nerinen nodded grimly. "Last stand?"
Gilgamesh stared intently at the map. "That may not be necessary." He turned to Nerinen with a brittle smile. "How many Holy Wars do we have?"
Nerinen followed his gaze and realized what Gilgamesh's plan was. "Oh no…no. It'll never work."
"It's worth a try."
