Chapter 95

Assembling our invasion force was proving to be a monumental headache for the allied council. For one thing we didn’t know when Oonagh’s forces were going to set the device off and the second was ensuring the various troops and suchlike we were planning to send had an objective. Dropping 50,000 or so people into hostile territory with the simple order of ‘go fight’ was a recipe for disaster as you could well expect.

“They appear to be assembling in three main camps in Normandy, Picardy and Flanders,” Morgana announced, using the English terminology for simplicity’s sake, a few days after the initial plans were laid. “The Seers have observed massive supply convoys plus an immense amount of teleport activity going on there.”

“I agree. Verenestra concurred. “Those areas appear to be from where they plan to make the main strike, though we’ve also picked up a few auxiliary camps in those regions too,” she added.

“We’ve begun smuggling a few of our people in by boat along with instructions to surround the camps and block any outgoing teleports,” Mage William stated. “These won’t be ward driven, just in case they somehow manage to spot John’s fix.”

“We’ve also prepared a few response teams just in case some of them do manage to port in here ... just in case,” Arch contributed.

“Just wish we had a date,” Vaniralla Freya who was representing Murias sighed. “Keeping our troops on full alert is not conducive to their fitness for action.”

“Same with us,” Vanir Torsenn added, representing the Æsir contingent.

“Unfortunately we can only hope it will be soon; there is little else we can do,” Morgana acknowledged.

“I suggest we simply attack once we believe their numbers justify a response,” Lochagos Gindo representing Loegria stated.

“Much as I hate the idea, as they could be setting their own trap, I have to agree with the Lochagos,” Verenestra nodded in response.

“We concur,” buzzed Chinc’lithss (as close as we could get) representing Veda.

‘Our forces would prefer to just simply go as well, ‘ piped Maurice, a Maraú-Uxuí.

There were nods and other signs of assent around the meeting area as a consensus was agreed. As soon as the Sidhe numbers justified a response, we would attack and hope to high heaven that the Sidhe weren’t simply baiting us in the hope that we would do exactly what we were going to do.

“Olmer and Dorry send their greetings, Mage Morgana, John,” Lochagos Gindo told us after the meeting adjourned and reverted to a planning phase.

“They are well?” Morgana asked.

“Very. Olmer is now Archon-elect,” Gindo replied.

“He’ll do well,” Morgana nodded.

“I believe so; he’s a damned good choice as he doesn’t really want the role anyway, just feels obliged to the magistracy and people to do his best,” Gindo chuckled.

“He’ll have Dorry to help,” I murmured. “Whether he likes it or not.”

“Oh yes indeed,” Gindo replied with a grin. “She’s already trying to persuade him to send her here to help.”

“I take it there were a few objections?” I queried with a chuckle.

“More than a few. The woman’s getting on for fifty-five,” Gindo replied with another grin. “Claimed she’d stay in the camp; got huffed when nobody believed her.”

“Well, the pair of them are a lot older than when Ketty came to office,” I noted.

“Yes. Truly a shame what happened to her and her husband. The investigation couldn’t even establish how the molecular borer got turned on. The suspicion is that some traitor seeking revenge did it, even if the enquiry put it down to a tragic accident,” Gindo sighed, revealing that Ketty’s cover story still stood.

“So we won’t be seeing Dorry then?” Morgana asked.

“Wouldn’t lay bets on it,” chuckled Gindo.

“True,” Morgana replied with a grin.

“How are things going on Loegria,” I asked out of curiosity as Brianna and I usually didn’t discuss her work.

“The confederation grows. Scoterra finally went under and the people begged for our help, as opposed to the Over-master wannabe’s,” Gindo replied.

“So, the two big islands and an alliance with Keltogalla?” I enquired.

“Yes, though Keltogalla is a full confederation member under the shield,” Gindo replied as we headed back to our various quarters.

We spent a fretful week gathering our forces and resources as our Seers, plus our eyes on the ground kept an eye on the construct as well as the encampments. It was noted that the Sidhe were for once being drilled in group tactics, rather than the mass charge kill anything that moves tactic that they were infamous for. Again though, as Arch noted, all the tactics were aimed at attack, no defensive manoeuvres were being undertaken and the hope was if we hit them hard enough they’d shatter and break, rather than dig in and hold. It was also noted that a fair few Sidhe were toting Nephilim weaponry heavily insulated to keep their skin from touching the steel parts, plus any spurious magnetic fields affecting their senses.

I had been tasked, along with Róisín, to go in with Vanir Torsenn’s Æsir and their Seiðmaðr dróttinas, now all equipped with modern ex-Soviet weaponry as well as toting a couple of axes strapped to their backs. We were joined by a few lycanthropes as well as a cadre of Nosferatu of clan Juwes. The bulk of our forces were however Sidhe under the command of Mage William. We’d also been promised backup in the way of heavy weaponry via several units of Earth forces and the use of an air arm via the Seer group should we need it.

There were also several Seers spread throughout the various groups to ensure communications were maintained and our various activities could be co-ordinated.

Word finally came that as far as our observers, both on the ground and the Seers, could tell the camps were pretty much full and the construct was near completion. The Seers had noted that a good few Daoine Sidhe were now at the construct and they surmised that my little surprise had their attention.

We all heard the order go out and the observers we had set off their anti-outward teleport wards as well as other blockers and the assembled Seers opened the undetectable portals and we hurried through to begin our mission.

The camp in Normandy that we were assigned to gave off the mental equivalent of a kicked over hornets’ nest as we had achieved our first initial objective of surprise. The Æsir Seiðmaðr dróttinas had immediately moved forward to engage the forward elements of the Sidhe encampment which wasn’t guarded at all whilst other elements set up their mortars and we Mages along with Tu’tar hurried forwards carrying four 50-cal machine guns using our power to make them and the sandbags we were carrying much lighter. The Mages and the Æsir Seiðmaðr also began supplementing the mental blocking ongoing from our forward observers.

For all their tactics and complacency were negative factors for any engagement involving Daoine Sidhe forces, you could not fault their bravery or speed of reaction. Within a minute surprise had worn off and we were under attack, nor was it a mass charge but the Sidhe were dodging forward using cover and giving each other covering fire. They were also, fortunately unsuccessfully, trying to use the Nephilim tactic of using their magic to supplement their firepower.

Where possible, the Sidhe attempted to close to close-combat range so they could use their swords. It was certainly their best tactic, though they were taking heavy losses due to our sustained fire. This was also a critical stage for us. We had to expand our bridgehead to enable Verenestra’s Sidhe to get through under some cover to enable them to engage the bulk of the Daoine Sidhe forces who had not as yet begun to engage us, though were now being roused and brought into position.

Finally we had the one of the 50-cal machine guns up that my small team of journeymen had been carrying and journeywoman Mage Emily began to add to the fire in short bursts often tearing exposed Sidhe apart and then into dust. Thus relieving some of the pressure on the Æsir who were now able to reconsolidate the position and began to put up some earthen berms to protect what we hoped would be the portal site.

Soon Emily’s fire was joined by the yammering of the other machine guns and the pressure on our position eased for a moment as the Sidhe withdrew. Yet we knew that they’d be back, they had to remove us or be forced into another humiliating withdrawal.

Some smaller portals opened and some of our auxiliary Special Forces groups pushed through, including Mage Xi who had appointed herself the team’s medic Mage simply to keep an eye on me. With her came Seer Adsila to set up communications for the group and who was able to establish contact with Morgana and the other leadership.

“She says well done to you, Vanir Torsenn. Your attack was the only one to really go to plan, though the others are now starting to get a better hold on their situations,” Adsila told me and Torsenn with a grin.

“Well, we aren’t out of the woods yet. I suspect we might just have a smarter Sidhe commander here, withdrawing is usually not in their nature,” Torsenn replied.

“I agree. We’re digging in like mad here but it’s still going to be at least an hour before the Verenestran forces can come through,” I acknowledged.

“Expect the worst, if he’s that smart he’ll alternate the attacks to keep us constantly under pressure and then punch hard with a focussed attack to breach the perimeter and get to the gate site,” Torsenn mused, then started barking out orders as we pushed a screening perimeter outwards to at least give us some warning.

We dropped down beside Róisín who was manning one of the 50-cals and started piling up sandbags around her position, also grabbing a few claymores from a pack we’d brought and handed them over to Pierre to place in front of the line we were holding. There was a mass of frantic activity going on around us as warnings came back that the Sidhe were massing and preparing to attack.

“Any chance of an air attack on this position here?” Torsenn asked Adsila pointing to a spot on the map.

Adsila’s face blanked for a second before she nodded. “Fifteen minutes.”

Apparently the Seers had the waiting A10s cruising over an unused Earth’s France and gave them the co-ordinates for the attack and then opened a portal right in front of them when the attack went in. The pilots and the command staff were sworn to secrecy and we also did a bit of mental meddling to ensure they did as well.

“They’re getting ready!” Adsila warned us of the Sidhe.

“Timing’s still good,” Torsenn replied with a nod.

The timing was nigh on perfect as the bellowing war cries of the Sidhe were cut off with a hail of missiles and depleted uranium rounds tearing their assembly area apart. What did hit us was simply the leading edge of the Sidhe attackers who had evaded the air attack and who were swiftly driven off as they hadn’t the numbers to back them up.

“Freya’s command are now starting to dig in, though they had some tough initial fighting to contend with,” Adsila announced.

“Arch’s command?” Róisín asked.

“Still clearing their area. There was a high concentration of Daoine Sidhe stationed there,” Adsila replied.

“Morgana’s commandos?” I asked.

“The combined Nosferatu/lycanthrope group are currently destroying the construct. The Daoine Sidhe fled in terror when the wolves tore five of them apart in seconds,” Adsila stated, wincing at the visual image she had been sent.

“Marja and Adok, what a combination,” I chuckled.

“Don’t forget Nell and Daniel too,” Róisín added.

“True, those Daoine Sidhe didn’t stand a chance with Morgana and Roxanne backing them up,” I replied with a grin.

At that point another portal opened and three wolves of the Lycana Belikovna strode through and moved up to join us.

“Alpha Leonova,” I greeted them warmly.

“It is good to see you, John. The call went out and honour would not allow my people not to respond,” she replied, clasping my arm warmly.

“How grows the pack?” I asked formally.

“Rapidly. Your Mage Morgana was as good as her word and all of us had twins. They are being cared for by the others who could not come. We have an agreement with the Zielona Gora Lycana for our protection, with us taking any disaffected females and they get any males of further unions should they wish to leave our pack. As a result we now stand at thirty-two,” she replied with a happy smile.