Chapter 78

Arch was with Crnnch and Brinont as they studied a real-time map being projected onto a table-top by the Seers.

“The Unbroken have the routes blocked for reinforcements, but they’ll need support eventually,” Brinont pointed out the positions.

“Yes, they’ve got the Orcs bottle-necked in the pass, but that’s a very large group approaching,” Arch nodded.

“I can send Tenklar to assist once we breach the perimeter here,” Crnnch indicated.

“Thank you, we’ll also move the Ghosts there once your horde is inside the complex,” Arch replied.

“The Brave and the Fierce are ready to open up the defences on your signal,” Brinont noted.

“Just waiting on Valon’s team to get to the shield generators and take them out. After that we open a breach and let the horde pour inside,” Arch nodded.

“My people are ready,” Crnnch stated.

“Still going to be a lot of casualties,” Brinont added.

“I know, but they will die with honour. Once we release the gods on Vultoq, most will just sadly die; at least here they can carry on until their life-span ends.”

“A truly dreadful situation to be in, my friend,” Arch commiserated Crnnch.

“It is what it is and it will be remembered as the truly monstrous crime it was as perpetrated by Beog, the ThaumoYr’ch and the TechnoYr’ch.”

“No qualms?” Arch asked.

“More than a few, friend Arch. But Ar-Thenna has comforted me over the decision, saying my soul remains intact in her sight.”

A series of explosions resounded within the complex followed by the gradual dimming and collapse of the protecting shield.

“Valon succeeded,” Brinont stated.

“He did,” Arch agreed. “Drone strikes now, pattern Alpha,” Arch commanded Adsila who was representing the Seers.

“On the way,” she replied.

“Brinont, get the Fierce and the Brave ready. As soon as the strike hits they are to breach and hold open the perimeter and widen it if they can for the horde.”

“They are ready and know what is expected, Arch.”

A series of explosions hammered the fixed positions of the complex which housed what Crnnch’s people called the ‘Apostates’. This was the signal for the cloaked battalions led by Naimh and Alice to engage the stunned Orcs and drive an initial wedge through the defence and begin to widen it to permit the waiting mass of our horde to begin their charge into the innards of the complex. The moment the horde appeared however, focussed plasma cannon on several of the towers opened up on them causing massive casualties and the advance to stall.

“Get the drones to target those towers!” Arch ordered.

“On it,” from Adsila. “Towers are shielded though!”

“What about their bases?”

“Good thinking. Strike is on its way in.”

There were several massive explosions at the bases of the towers causing three of them to collapse and another two to cease firing as their power supply was cut off. This was enough to get our horde moving again as they came in a mass wave towards the gap the Drow were holding open.

“Naimh’s command report mass movement within the complex,” Brinont noted as he kept tabs on the command feed being maintained by the Seers.

“Yes, I suspect it’s their response to our opening move, but now being prepared to meet the horde,” Arch nodded.

“Naimh believes there are an awful lot of them.”

“When are there not?” Arch asked rhetorically.

“We have three large columns of well-armed Orcs approaching, including what appears to be a new version of the weapon carrier platforms, both armoured and shielded,” Róisín informed us.

“Do we have the mines laid?” I asked Clara.

“Yes, John. We teleported them in earlier. The Unbroken have also laid claymores in the approaches so we’ll have plenty of warning if they try to infiltrate.”

“The ones in the valley have gone to ground, just staying under cover,” Kate noted.

“Yes, waiting for reinforcements,” I nodded.

‘Fierce fighting at the main complex, but Tenklar’s group have peeled off and are heading your way, ‘ Adsila advised us.

‘Any chance of Drone support?‘ I asked.

‘Busy re-arming. So, not for an hour.‘

“Just peachy,” Clara groused.

“Use the Javelins at long range to keep them at a distance,” I gave orders to Birry. “Use the mortars to target any large clump of Orcs. The weapon platforms won’t be able to get past the ambush site at the moment, so just stay out of their way ... though if you get a clear shot, go for it.”

“Yessir!”

The three columns were approaching rapidly, though were exposed by the lack of cover in the approach to the valley. We had scouts out to cover the other approaches, but this was the only one that they could get the platforms through with ease. We also had Heimdor and the Ghost Battalion available to counter any breakthroughs that were spotted.

As soon as the Drow had confirmed targets of worth, a series of Javelin missiles lanced out from their positions and exploded on the leading edge of the Orc lines. This caused the usual massed bellow of an inexperienced horde as the grunts began a mass charge at over four kilometres out whilst a series of beam weapon strikes were aimed at where the missiles had been fired from, but were no longer the positions of the firing teams, as essentially the Javelin was a ‘fire and forget’ missile.

One unfortunate aspect for the Orcs was that the weapon platforms in their panic ... or possibly eagerness to engage with us, fired directly through their own horde, cutting down hundreds of their grunts.

Yes, the Orcs were fast; yes, there were a lot of them; however, four kilometres is a long run, even for them, and exposed their ranks to a lot of mortar fire before they even reached the mined perimeter we’d set up. Dunon’s Loegrians were also strewing their advance with anti-personnel munitions, so the mass charge rapidly petered out as even the grunts realised that they were not going to reach our lines in anything like the numbers they needed.

“I reckon an hour to sort themselves out and then they will lead an advance behind those armoured weapon carriers,” Dunon opined.

“Yep,” I nodded. “Better get busy with those anti-tank defences.”

“Horde has breached the perimeter and is moving into the complex,” Crnnch announced.

“Let’s hope they can succeed,” Arch nodded.

“The apostates weapons are better, but not that much better, particularly fighting at close range,” Crnnch replied.

“Well, as you have more Yr’ch, hopefully you’ll carry the day.”

“Let us hope so, though the apostates will be fighting behind cover.”

“Alice has the Fierce moving up and planting demolition charges in the cleared buildings,” Adsila informed them. “Drones have been diverted to aid the Unbroken if necessary.”

“Niamh’s command report heavy fighting around the nanite plant. The apostates look like they’re attempting to make a stand there,” Brinont stated.

“See if the Loegrian Special Forces can assist with targeting apostate leaders and creating new breaches,” Arch requested of Adsila.

“On it.”

“Let us hope this does not stall our attack,” Crnnch murmured.

“Unlikely,” Arch replied. “The other buildings are still being cleared, though casualties amongst our horde are high. Still, their morale is still high and they’re now getting close to the cloning plant.”

“Yes, that and the nanite tool plant need to be completely destroyed,” Crnnch nodded. “Even if we are forced to retreat today, they will not easily recover from that.”

“The Fierce have uncovered a storage area containing several nanite repair vehicles,” Adsila announced. “Seer group have ported in an EMP device to neutralise them.”

“Looks like we’ll have to search carefully in case they have more of them,” Arch nodded, along with Crnnch.

“I’m diverting the weapon platforms to assist the Unbroken,” Crnnch announced. “They are not much use in the house to house fighting ongoing in the complex.”

“Thank you, Seeker Crnnch,” Arch replied formally. “Looks like they’ll need them.”

“Major advance from the enemy,” Róisín announced to the command group. “Looks like they’re throwing caution to the wind.”

“Still enough of them to roll right over us if they press this home,” I replied, observing the now approaching Orcs through a powerful set of binoculars.

‘Drones approaching. They will target the centre of the horde with fuel air explosive devices, ‘ Adsila advised.

‘Good, hope it will be enough, ‘ I replied.

‘Tenklar is twenty minutes out. The Ghosts are also moving up.‘

‘Good, we’ll do our best.‘

‘Good luck, John.‘

“Unbroken, our task is to hold the line, to give our Yr’ch time to reduce the complex and bring Draenoric to the goddess Athena. I know you will not let me down!” I stated both out loud and mentally to the battalion.

There was a massed cheer from the Drow as well as my command group as the first of the Javelins lanced out at the approaching Orc formation, attempting to target any weapon support vehicles.

“Raise the colours!” Birry roared out over the din.

At this point the approaching drones dropped their FAE packages over the centre of the Orc advance and all hell broke out in a massive over-pressure shockwave that tore a huge chunk out of its core and left many who survived it screaming with massive burns. Yet this did not stop the advance, though it did slow it somewhat, the advance came on at a jog, rather than the initial run.

At this point we opened up with the mini-guns and our 50-cals, tearing at the grunts leading the formation, whilst several of the Battalion dropped mortar shells on them, trying to slow them down and keep them at a distance. Loegrian sniper teams were meanwhile trying to target any leaders they saw and hopefully collapse the morale of the horde as its leadership-ability failed.

Unfortunately, it was not having an effect as yet as almost ten thousand enraged Orcs bore down on our position, held by just one thousand of us. ‘Still,’ I thought. ‘We can hold. It’s not like they can get at us easily.’ It was then that one of the Orc weapon carriers opened up with what had to be a long range plasma blast and hit the centre of our lines, causing a massive explosion there.