Secret War: Upon Blood Sands

Chapter 25: The beginning of the Endgame

"The Elbyrans have visual of the enemy!" said the vox man. "They are converging from the east and south-east!"

Jelket listened without a word; he didn't have to ask 'how many' the shaking of the sands beneath his feet was answer enough already.

Too many.

He looked to Dantian, who walked alongside him, trying to read the captain's response, but his expression was blank.

"Get me a line to the commissar," said Dantian.

"Yes, sir!" said the voxman as he set to work.

"What are you going to do, Dantian?" said Jelket, unable to keep the frown from his face.

Dantian smiled. "We will go south, then turn north and attack the Resurrected on their flank."

Jelket frowned. "That's going to take a long frigging time for us to advance that far."

"I know," said Dantian. "But what are we going to do? Just advance onto their back and join the line?"

"But if they get surrounded-"

"Then we'll open up a way for them to reach the objective," said Dantian. "Tell me, Throne Agent, what rank were you in the guard?"

Jelket clenched his teeth. "Trooper."

Dantian spat on the blood sands. "So let me call the damn shots; I know my tactics. Believe it or not."

"Sir! I have a line to the commissar," said the vox trooper. "They have engaged."

"Good, give it," said Dantian as he snatched the horn from his grasp.

"Commissar?"

"Captain Dantian wishes to speak to you," said Vark, handing Tathe the Vox horn.

The Elbyrans were advancing, jogging to gain as much ground as possible before being forced into a slow, dogged city fight. Tathe hated city fights; most sane soldiers did.

"Yes, captain, what is it?"

Dantain's reply was washed out by static.

"Dantian!" he yelled. "I cannot read you! Repeat!"

Still more static.

Tathe spat a curse and fought the urge to throw it on the ground. He was tired, tired beyond ever before; it was making him short-fused. He rubbed his eyes.

"Dantian? Dantian?"

Dantian seemed to straighten before starting to explain his plan to Tathe.

"Yes, commissar, understood and thank you," said the captain; once done, then he motioned for the vox trooper to cut the link.

"I take it that he agreed, then?" said Jelket.

Dantian smiled. "Yes, yes, he did."

Attelus clenched his jaw while watching the street below. He hated waiting; he always hated waiting.

Impatience was one of his many flaws, But was it actually a flaw when he was aware of it? That despite it, he could still manage it?

One flaw was his in-experience in using explosives; that's why he was watching out for the enemy instead of setting them up.

Attelus' vox bead beeped, and in less than a split second, he activated it. "Yes, Adelana?"

"No sign of any enemy noticing us yet," she said. While Attelus watched the north side, she kept an eye on the south. "They seem too intent on attacking the Elbyrans to advance carefully."