“More dirigibles
in the skies!” The other observer shouted out. He was pointing to a different
area where a United Continent Dirigible Frigate Model with its twin balloons,
with a twin deck and eight cannons on the hull side approaching the observation
roof where Irina was situated. The others all started for the escape chutes
which were stationed for such emergencies. The Frigate opened fire on another
observation roof and razed it with fire bombs. Those bombs were launched like
mortars from the improvised howitzers with the workings of gears and propellant.
Irina jumped
into escape chutes which were actually like chimney designs, but they were
coated with canvas as cushion over the wall surface. The descent was fast
before she found herself at the basement. She jumped up from the landing pad,
and went straight for the nearest armory.
Most of the weapons had been taken, but there was one of her inventions
there. She picked up the flame thrower with the three canisters on its pack.
She struggled to put it on and one of the recruits nearby assisted her in the
predicament.
“Thank you.” She
told the young recruit. He was no more than twelve and yet he had armed himself
with a quiver of arrows and bow. She recalled that they were all taught it at
the early years of the training, before migrating to the guns.
“Can I ask a
question?” The recruit held out his hand to stop Irina. He then continued. “Is
the invasion real? I had seen those troopers. They are from the best in the
United Continents.”
Irina wanted to
reply, but she held back and then ignored the recruit.
“Senior Irina,
please tell me.” The recruit asked again. Irina looked at the recruit and
smiled.
“Yes, this is
the real thing. May you die early and pain free.” Irina recited the prayers
that they all recite in training. She held out her hand to the recruit and was
not to comfort him but pushed him on his way. They are all trained to die or
live by the Guild laws. She then turned to run down the corridor and stood by a
rail tracks. They had this for the fast movement to the other side of the
fortress. They got the hauler designed from a small steam engine to move the
wheels and dragged the eight person carrier. The tracks ran in rectangle area
circuit, but that recent threat had crowded the carrier. Irina pulled the
recruit off and took her place on it. She headed towards the Main Square. It
was the most vulnerable one with four entrances there. She reached there and
saw the preparation. They had the flooring raised which was reinforced with metal
plates. They had it fashioned so that the plates could be fixed together to
form cover. The recruits are positioned behind it holding whatever weapons they
were assigned from rifles to bow and arrows. There were also the assassins in
their uniforms, and many were unsure of why they were there. They were more
familiar in the assault and not in the defense.
“Know the
drill.” The Master there shouted out to the defenders. They have been drilling
them before for any scenario including an invasion on the fortress. It was
Master Smith; a veteran with Halen and Galeb. He was the next in line to be the
Master in charge, but he declined citing health reasons. There he was calling
on the defenders to stay in their positions and be brave.
Master Smith was
already nervous; his prime years were over, and would have settled for the
sleep death but they had to disrupt it with this possible invasion. He had
declined the highest post of the Masters for the same reason. He had enough of
the killings and had repented his sins.
It was then she
heard the explosions. It was from above. The ceiling was cracking and the then
slabs of it came down. It was like an earthquake had hit the city, but there
were no seismic activity ever recorded in the city.
Another sentry
came rushing in. He was on the roof.
“It was the
Carrier. They are firing at the ground.”
Irina heard
enough and ran to the nearest exit to the ground. She needed to see this new
weapon. She was barred from taking those nearby entrances and was forced to
evacuate with the rest. She did not wait for the haulers but ran along the
corridors. She ran on avoiding the ones moving there, and came to the nearest
exit to an observation roof.
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