New Firefly chapter now stands at 5300 words and climbing... · 4:15pm Aug 21st, 2018
Though I find I’ve hit a bit of block and ended up deleting an entire multi-paragraph sequence last night when I didn’t like what I wrote. Let’s just say for now I’ve been presented with a slightly thorny tactical issue I’m still trying to solve, bugging me to the point I ended up dreaming about it last night. The dream even suggested a solution (involving Gavian!), though I’m not sure it’s one I can use. I’ll discuss it with prereaders later.
But don’t worry; we’ll figure it out. I’m still planning to have a completed draft by the end of this weekend, though that is not the end of it as I still have to create the battle graphics. But do have another teaser in the meantime. As you’ve already seen one from the Epsilon side, here’s one from the gryphons and Raptor Base:
Imperial Headquarters Bunker
Beneath Raptor Base,
Opposite Outpost Gamma
September 1st, 1139 AE
1450 hours
I could not help but feel excited and eager as the alarms sounded throughout Raptor, and we began hearing panicked and quickly silenced reports of black-suited ponies entering the complex, clearing corridors and slaying gryphon and diamond dog alike as they went. The latter were their initial targets, and quite rightly to start, as given but half a chance the Dogs could bring the tunnels right down on their collective heads.
‘Twas clear, however, they had ambitions far beyond that as we received word that nearly a century of Equestrian Army troops from the Gamma Garrison backed by two Black Lance squads began fanning out through the tunnels, searching for their primary target—Prelate Gaius himself.
‘Twas a dangerous situation, doubly so as we had no Ravens to counter the Lances; they had all been assigned to various special operations all along the frontier—a fact that Captain Sirocco was now taking advantage of. She was an aggressive and very competent commander; a necessity for commanding the Equestrian border forces, and we knew her well from prewar parleys. She was insulting and condescending but she was also no fool; she knew Gaius well enough to know that he would want his command center right up against the border where he could oversee the invasion and react quicker. She therefore thought to kill him and cripple the Imperial leadership from the start.
Methinks I had no idea how her forces had found the tunnels, which would have required them to go right under the canyon, but it did not matter then. What did matter was saving our bunker and for myself, carrying out my duty to protect Gaius at all costs. His office was well-protected, sitting at the center of the tunnel web, but as they had miners of some form in their ranks, ‘twas possible they could do what the Diamond Dogs did and just bring the ceiling down on all of us.
“Stay back, My Lord!” I ordered him, speaking no longer as his adjutant, but as his bodyguard as I heard a commotion outside; Talon security forces taking station to defend. “And fear not. On my skill and honor, they will not gain entry.”
Primarch Livia Junius Cassius was not about to stand by either. “Fear not, Prelate. I will defend you as well… if only because ‘tis my duty and I wish you to live long enough that the Empress hears of your failure of security and refusal to strike Gamma quickly!” Livia drew one of her massive Paladin war hammers and took her own rougher stance, standing nearly a head above me.
In response, Gaius calmly got up from behind his desk, opened a hidden wall compartment and withdrew his own custom swords; lighter and shorter versions of standard Raven scimitars he had designed and forged himself. Though an earth gryphon, he eschewed the heavy weapons and armor most of them favored, preferring lighter blades that suited his own unique style of fighting. “I thank you both for your concern, but ‘twould seem they have gone to a great deal of trouble to find and target me. And I would hate to disappoint them by making no appearance at all,” he told us easily, clipping the blade sheaths on his back, his prelate command chain glittering in the low light beneath his cape.
‘Twas only then we realized he intended to engage them himself. “But my Lord!” Livia and I chorused, for once in agreement.
“But nothing, Tribune and Primarch. I am a warrior and will face them as one. To flee in the face of this desperate attack would be dishonorable and is in fact quite unnecessary. As they wish to slay me, I will grant them the chance. In truth, ‘tis been too long since I have tasted close combat, and not even a Prelate should insulate himself from it,” he said easily, and with that, he stepped right between us and out into the hallway to the shock of all present, his eyes and ears scanning the area for just a few seconds before speaking into a special scrying crystal, this one keyed to let his voice be heard throughout the base.
“Listen and take heed, soldiers and allies of the Empire alike!” he began, addressing both our headquarters staff—all soldiers and warriors in their own right; the Gryphon military to this day has no conception of noncombatants—and the surviving Diamond Dogs present as well, speaking in Equish for their benefit as they did not know the gryphon tongue. “Arouse and resist! Do not attempt to fight them singly; instead, form decades and fall back to the inward corridors of the second ring! They may have an initial advantage of numbers, but that matters little down here--choke the tunnels and bleed them dry around corners and in narrow spaces!
“Earth Gryphons to the front with shields and hammers, Sky Gryphons and Diamond Dogs form mobile decades to the rear! Stand fast and await further orders! And be assured we WILL win this day!” he said to audible cheers of his troops; knowledge of the Equestrian language was a prerequisite for being assigned to his headquarters staff so they all understood him as well.
With that, he turned to me. “The Equestrians undoubtedly heard all that, but it matters not. They must complete their objectives quickly or be wiped out. The Talons can hold off their army troops, but the Lances are another matter,” he noted. “And as we lack Ravens to counter them, methinks the task of killing them will fall to you and I, my friend…”
This will probably be the last teaser.
