Trojan War Chapter 32

 

32.

“Commander Telus, we are outnumbered and …outgunned.” The local commander of Outpost Five in the outer fringe of the Trojan’s worlds was called on by the squad leader, Niles. “We have to call…”

“The Trojans won’t be coming.” Commander Telus replied. The commander is a veteran of wars had been given the command of the outpost. The outpost was a barren planet until the terraforming took place to make the soil futile. It became a trading post where the other smaller independent world traders congregated.

“Then we are doomed.” The local commander sighed.

“Evacuate the inhabitants and prepare me my battle suit. I will meet at the Macedonian at the gates.” Commander Telus then moved to the other chamber where the old faithful battle suit of his was kept. It was an armored suit where the wearer can climb in from the front before it’s sealed with the metal chest plate. The suit was like an exoskeleton that added height and width to the wearer. The headcover of the armor was the bull’s design cover with the double curved horn upwards. The commander held in his right hand the heavy spear and on his left hand was the diamond-shaped shield.

“Rally to me, warriors.” Commander Telus called on the eight other armored warriors that marched with him to the gate. “Form the phalanx now.”

The eight warriors formed a line with the commander with their spears pointed outwards. They stood there facing the onslaught of the Macedonian’s forces of armored tanks. Macedonia relied on the heavy tanks as their advance unit while the warriors are light in the armor except for the chest plate and sword; remained in the tank until they breached the defenses. The tanks are shaped with a ‘V’ sled in the front like a wedge to hit the enemy force. Behind that wedge was the hull which held the single gunner manned the twin mounted cannons. At the rear of the gunner was the carriage for twelve warriors to be deployed on the breach.

“Fire at will.” The Macedonian commander of the five tanks heading to the gate called out.

The cannons roared out at the nine armored Outpost warriors and they later held out the shields to block the projectiles.

“Hold the line.” Commander Telus called to the other eight warriors. “They rely on us.”

It would have worked but the Macedonian’s had another wave of attack that came from above. At the rear of the tanks, were the four mortar launchers vehicles, which lobbed the projectiles over the tanks towards the Outpost defense. The projectile exploded over the nine warriors at their weak point in the armor which was at the rear back.

The phalanx formation fell apart and the tanks' cannons impacted at the lowered shield. Commander Telus was thrown back by the impact then. He fell on the back and before he could get back on the feet, he was set on by another armored warrior.

“Trojan servitude, die today.” That armored warrior standing over Commander Telus had on a heavy armor suit with the head design of a lion with the long mane to the rear. The lion warrior had on a long heavy sword that was to plunge into the Commander’s face cover.

“I claim victory.” The lion head warrior called out. “Heed my name. It’s Alexander the Lion.”  

Outpost Five fell after the death of the Commander.

“How many of the Outposts are …” King Priam had asked then of his commanders.

“All of them with one exception. Outpost Six is still standing.” Paris replied. He was promoted to the warrior grade and given command of a frigate. “Outpost Six has been reinforced by Hector.” 

At that moment, on Outpost Six, a small planet which was besieged by the combined forces of the Dardanes, Cretans, and Phoenicia of four frigates each and the single destroyer of the Dardanes. The predator design of ships in formation was bombarding the Outpost from the upper atmosphere.

“Commander Hector, we are out of options.” The warrior approached the huge commander of the Outpost.

“I am never without an option.” Hector had replied. He had arrived at Outpost Six when he was in the area when he heard of the attacks on the Outposts. He landed with the detachment of warriors and reinforced the Outpost. It was to buy time for the inhabitants to evacuate and while he was there, he had readied the defenses.

“Commander, we are without the new cannons.” The warrior reported to Hector.

“Do you want me to retreat then?” Hector had glared at the warrior. “We do not retreat. We will work our options and now we are still able to retaliate.”

“With what, Commander?”

“With them.” Hector indicated to the hologram that showed the plane as seen from the orbit. The twelve frigates and the single destroyer were deployed apart although in formation. It was a good design for them to rain the projectiles on the outpost settlements.

What the predators were not prepared from the other predators.

“Have at them!” The call from the Amazons in their designs salvaged from the others. The Amazon fleet under Queen Penthesilea consisted of six frigates and two destroyers swoop at the frigates. The designs of ships were two Argos, one Archaeon, and three Spartans and the Destroyer was of Macedonian.

On the other side of the planet, two destroyers of Queen Belladina’s fleet came out of warp speed, and then engaged the single destroyer. The Dardanes did stand a chance against the two other destroyers of Archaeon’s design.

“Abandon ship!’ The command went out from the Dardanes’ ship.

“We surrender.” Queen Belladina sent in her warriors upon the defeat of the Dardanes. Unlike the Amazons, the warriors under Queen Belladina held no care for the surrendering crews of the Dardanes’.

“Remove them to the spaceports. I want them ejected out, dead or alive.” The Dardanes reacted in anger and some in fright but the opposition they rendered was brief before they were sent to the cold void.

“They are killing our people.” The other crews of the ships called out. “Battle them.”

It was a fruitless call for the frigates of the allies of the Archaeon fleet who were soon damaged and tried to retreat.

“Disable the engines. I want those ships intact.” Queen Penthesilea called out. The cannons from the Amazon fleet ravaged the warp engines to disable it. Two of the Cretans and Dardanes fled the orbit but the others were left unable to generate retreating speed.

“Yield or we have you destroyed.” Queen Penthesilea gave the warning to the Archaeon ships.

Soon, Hector was to meet the Queen Penthesilea at her ship. He came in carrying a wounded child in his arms.

“We are at a loss here. Troy is to abandon the outer ring now. We need to regroup at Troy.” Hector told the Queen. The Queen looked at the child. It was a girl.

“Leave her with me. She will be given the skills of a warrior.” Queen Penthesilea took hold of the child. “She will be called Diana. A name suited to her for it meant new daylight.”