Altiris Knights:Civil War

Book 3:Chapter 4:Legion Counter Strike

Two months after the successful defense of the Laxis Shipyard, more ships had joined the Alliance fleet, once again strengthening their defenses at the Jorna Octagon, Ykamas, Lok Etreon, Laxis, Ilmaer, Akalos, Vanraael and Kyrama. Already, preparations continued for the eventual Alliance offensive. 

The Alliance fleet came under fire, as Legion ships exited lightspeed and headed for the planet. A battle group broke through the defenders and headed for the surface, and unleashed a barrage of turbolasers on the Headquarters, and the Altiris Academy, along with the hangars, destroying a bunch of them in one fell swoop. The survivors were slow to respond, and by the time the defenders were mobilized, it was far too late. The Alliance fleet had been destroyed, along with Grand Admiral Gaerval and many other officers, with few losses on the enemy side.

Kirtan, Akala, Valhares and Judeor and the surviving Alliance soldiers and tanks rushed out to meet the enemy ground forces. Judeor unleashed an air wave, scattering a few dozen of Legion soldiers, and took out a walker, collapsing it on the Legion soldiers below. The Alliance ground forces aided him, along with the other three Altiris Knights. He sliced through a few Commandos and electrocuted a few others with lightning. Then, a few Legion ships landed, and Legion war droids and new Legion Knights poured out, led by Yaren, Exeroz and Valtea. Judeor and Kirtan battled them, while Akala and Valhares fought the others, and the Legion soldiers.

Kirtan blocked a water attack from Valtea and ducked under her energy whip. She attacked again, pinning him in place. He sent out a boulder at her, crashing through her ice wall and forcing her to release him. He closed the distance and cut her cheek with a metal dagger, and pushed her away. He tore her energy whip out of her grip and destroyed the handle, disabling the weapon. She unleashed a barrage of water waves, whips, and ice spears. He swept her attacks aside with earth and metal, and retaliated, driving her back. He conjured an earth wall behind her and conjured more earth around her legs and arms.

"Surrender" he ordered, holding his energy blade to her neck. A star fighter blasted him, forcing him to get out of the way. The opening allowed her to wriggle out of her restraints with the help of her water wielding and she attacked him again. Kirtan blocked her strike and sent an earth spear at her, distracting her and landed a shallow cut on her forearm. He conjured a metal ring around her throat and clenched it slightly. He immediately released her and knocked her to the ground, and pinned her with metal and earth, and again held his energy sword to her neck.

Judeor blocked Yaren's strike and pushed him away with an air wave. He blocked an air wave from Exeroz and kicked him in the gut. He attacked Yaren, driving him back, and bashed him on the temple with the flat of his blade, stunning him and stabbed him in the gut. He withdrew his weapon and elbowed him in the sternum. Judeor seized him in an air grip and slammed him into a barrel of an Alliance tank. The gold plasma bolt went through him, exiting out of his sternum, and into a group of Legion soldiers, killing them as well.

Judeor watched him die. He closed his eyes and placed his weapon in his hands, and over the wound in his chest. He barely moved in time to block Exeroz's attack. He sidestepped a thrust and wrapped his arm around Exeroz's, and placed his palm on his shoulder. He went around him and pushed down on the back of his knees. He pushed him to the ground, his palm pressing down on his shoulder, Exeroz's arm at an awkward angle, and held his saber staff to the Knight's neck. He hesitated, however, unwilling to kill him. He released him, and moved back, throwing his weapon back to the Legion Knight.

"Why?" asked Exeroz. "Because I don't want to kill without necessity. I am letting you go this time, but should we meet each other again, with you still intending to cross me, I shall not be so merciful" Judeor replied. Exeroz said nothing, but merely clipped his energy sword to his belt and boarded a Legion shuttle. Judeor watched the ship jump  to lightspeed, out of the system. He sighed, and returned to the battle, which was already lost.

Akala, Kirtan, Valhares, Judeor, Admiral Virsol, several dozen Alliance soldiers and Commandos, along with several squadrons of star fighters and capital ships left Vanraael, and jumped to lightspeed.