Altiris Knights:Civil War

Book 4:Chapter 5:War Crimes

After the successful Alliance raid on the Legion convoy a week ago, an Alliance fleet under command of Admiral Urixan took out a Legion task force, and a Legion outpost was destroyed.

An Alliance fleet exited lightspeed over Orteram Caa, one of the few planets still under Legion control. The Alliance ships opened fire on the Legion defenses, targeting the hangars, destroying the Legion fighters before they could launch. The few that managed to were quickly shot down. Admiral Zalor watched from the flagship's bridge, with a slight smile on his face. At last, after several years of fighting, the war was coming to an end, a swift, and decisive Alliance victory. As the remaining Legion ships were taken out, the barely marked Alliance fleet jumped to lightspeed.

Exeroz felt a vision making its way into his head. He relaxed, letting the magic flow through him, letting the vision in.

A battalion of Legion soldiers moved toward the city, two Legion Knights leading the way. A few civilians in the streets were quickly shot, and multiple buildings destroyed. The survivors tried to flee, but the Legion hunted them down, leaving none alive. A few tried to fight back, killing a few of the approaching soldiers, though the Legion Knights swept them aside.

A group of element wielders took out a dozen Legion soldiers, but the rest gunned most of them down, and the Legion Knights killed the few that remained. An orbital strike destroyed the remains of the city, and the Legion withdrew.

Exeroz gasped, steadying himself against the ground. He knew what the vision meant, and he could not allow himself to standby while the Legion slaughters innocents. He rushed to his speeder and departed for the nearby city, which was still untouched, though not for long. He saw several troop transports and a shuttle land. Dozens of Legion soldiers and two Legion Knights emerged, and headed for the city.

Exeroz knew there were still Alliance forces on Orteram Caa, and that they were close enough to help. He took out his com link, and sent out a distress call to them. He only hoped it would be enough.

"Sir, we just received a distress call. A battalion of Legion soldiers and two Legion Knights are attacking Caa City." "We move out now."

Exeroz knew he had been heard. Now he would just have to hold the Legion off until they arrived. He activated his weapon and faced the Legion.

As soon as they saw him, the soldiers opened fire. Exeroz deflected their bolts, creating a green shield around him, sending the bolts back at the soldiers, killing a few of them. He created several air tornadoes and hurled them at the soldiers, scattering them. The two Legion Knights ordered the soldiers to stand down and attacked.

Exeroz deflected their strikes with ease, and pushed them back with a gust of wind. They retaliated with mind and lightning. He deflected the lightning with his energy staff and retreated deep within his consciousness, resisting the magic suppression of  the mind wielder. He pelted his foes with debris, and attacked, his double bladed energy sword clashing with a staff and a steel sword. Exeroz saw a water wave coming at him, and blocked it with an air wave, just as a burst of lightning struck.

The water, air and lightning exploded in a burst of fire. Exeroz drew the air out of the flame, extinguishing it and blocked another water attack. The water wielder swung with her sword, and simultaneously wielded a hail of ice shards. Exeroz swept the shards aside with an air wave, sending them at the lightning wielder. He hurled his energy staff at the water wielder and kicked the lightning wielder in the gut, and pushed her away with an air wave.

Exeroz retrieved his weapon and attacked the water wielder, cutting through her ice defenses and pinned her in place with air. Still maintaining his grip on her, he defended against the lightning wielder's assault, and magically turned the Legion soldiers' weapons on the two Legion Knights, and pressed the triggers. He leapt out of the way, as the blasts struck home, taking down both, and in the confusion, a few of their own as well.

Then, Alliance star fighters, tanks and soldiers tore through the survivors with volleys of gold plasma bolts, taking most of them out. The two Altiris Knights with them took care of the rest. A few Alliance soldiers and star fighters were lost, but the Legion task force was destroyed.

"Thanks for your help" said Exeroz. "Was it you who sent out the distress call?" asked one of the Knights. "Yes. I had a vision of the attack. I could not let them kill innocents" Exeroz replied. "Thank you. I do believe this is not the last time we meet, Exeroz Rynn."

Exeroz watched the Altiris Knights and the soldiers, along with the tanks returned back to the nearby Alliance base. He clipped his weapon to his belt and got on his speeder, returning to his hut.