Gods of Garran

The Gods of Garran: Chapter 44

A novel by Meredith Skye

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Commander Koethe stood on the tower balcony of Anik with Becnand, Fauke, and Captain Bashan. Once, they had been able to see the Stony Dunes from the tower. Now, it was obscured by dust clouds.

Chief Richt entered the balcony. "I can't raise anyone. The storm has impaired all communications. And it's only getting worse."

Koethe nodded. He left the balcony and went inside the tower. The others followed. "I'm going to have to go down there," he said.

Maive Bashan stared at him. "In this storm? Are you crazy?"

"My men are down there," said Koethe. "I'm not going to abandon them."

She put a hand on his arm to stop him. "I thought you were on the run from General Godwin?"

"I am," he said. He pushed past her. "I'll just say that our mechanical failure is fixed and we made it to his base. He's preoccupied right now anyway."

"He's no fool," said Maive.

"What do you want me to do?" said Koethe. "Hide out here like a coward?" He looked at his men. "Let's go."

Maive followed them to the door. "Your airship may not even make it the few miles down to the base."

"Chance we'll have to take," said Koethe sternly. None of the others objected. They joined Koethe as he went out into the storm.

Their airship was parked next to the small Garran rock fortress. The winds were terrible, even the short distance they had to walk. And the storm hadn't really hit yet. Koethe cursed. Things would only get worse.

They took off without difficulty. They had to pilot the airship blind because none of the radar or satellites were working.

The distance wasn't far—just perilous. In the end, they made it—barely. They landed halfway from Drealea to Rhashan, where the General had made a temporary base-camp. Thousands of tents stretched out for miles.

Koethe and the others made their way to the headquarters—an old bunker, built a hundred years ago. The small cement bunker was barely tall enough to stand in, maybe 30 feet in diameter and currently full of supplies and equipment deemed too valuable to store in tents outside, due to the storm. Two cells had been built in the back for prisoners.

General Godwin and his two officers stood there, over a small electronic version of a map, showing Rhashan and the Stony Dunes.

"Decided to show up, did you?" asked Godwin.

"Had trouble with our airship," lied Koethe. "The sand plays havoc with the systems." That much was true.

"While you've been playing around, we've set up our troops for attack. Everything is in place." Godwin stood there in his black and olive uniform, with his gloves on, ready to walk into an impossible situation. His second, Chief Nyan and his second, Chief Montani, stood behind him.

Koethe took a deep breath. "You can't do this," he said.

"Can't I?" countered Godwin.

"The storm is too dangerous. We have to withdraw."

"I'm not a coward like you," said Godwin.

"You are condemning all those men to death," said Koethe.

"Some of them are women," Montani smoothly corrected.

"Even more reason!" snapped Koethe. He was just a little old fashioned and the battle field was no place for a woman!

Godwin picked up a small paper readout. "This is yours, I believe," he said, holding it up. "An order from you to disregard my commands?"

Koethe quelled the sense of panic that ran through his body. Godwin knew. Someone under him had betrayed him.

"Those militia are under my command, not yours," said Koethe.

"Not anymore," said the General. "You are relieved of command. And I'm putting you under temporary arrest."

Arrest. The thing Koethe feared. General Godwin had that power. It was over. Twenty years of command rendered useless—whether the battle was won or lost.

Koethe stared at Godwin. That he would use that power at a time like this, on a world that he didn't understand, was madness.

"Chief Montani will lead your militia," said Godwin. "She, at least, has the balls for an operation such as this."

Montani gave Koethe a look of satisfaction.

"Chief Nyan, you will man the command center and guard them," he nodded at Koethe and his men, as though they were some sort of disease. "And once the battle starts, give the signal to attack the clan homes."

Nyan nodded solemnly. "Yes, sir."

With one last glance at Koethe, General Godwin left. Montani followed. The bunker held seven soldiers to Koethe and his three men. Possibly, they could take them, but an attack on an officer such as Chief Nyan would be unforgivable. It would be an executable offense. There was nothing to be done.

Chief Nyan took a few steps towards Koethe. The soldiers in the room drew their guns—as did Nyan. "I'm going to have to ask you to surrender your weapons, sir."

Simultaneously, Richt, Becnand and Fauke drew their guns and aimed them at the soldiers in a standoff.

Nyan was younger than Koethe by a decade. Koethe was sure that he'd seen more combat than the young soldier. Perhaps he could take him, but it would be a useless gesture.

"Do as he says," Koethe commanded his men. Carefully, he unhooked his own gun from his belt and dropped it on the ground near Nyan. With some hesitation, the others also complied. Dropping their weapons.

"Thank you," said Nyan, sincerely. Koethe liked Nyan. He was a sensible man and Koethe didn't blame him for Godwin's mad plan. He was only following orders. "Secure them," he told his men. "And put them in the cells."

Koethe watched silently as his men were rounded up and handcuffed. The soldiers led them to the cells.

"You may stay," said Nyan to Koethe, putting his gun away.

"Thank you," murmured Koethe, turning his attention to the map on the table. It showed a satellite map of the area around Rhashan and troops positions. Even now, the sandstorm blurred some of the map and shorted the whole thing out for a few seconds at regular intervals.

"The attack has begun," said a communications officer with a headset.

Nyan nodded.

"I'm getting a lot of interference," said the man.

"It's the sandstorm," said Koethe. "You have no idea how deadly they can be here."

Nyan spared a glance at Koethe but said nothing.

"Can you really carry out orders to attack their clan homes?" pressed Koethe. "Will you have the blood of innocent women and children on your head?"

"The orders come from General Godwin. I don't make such decisions." So precise. Following orders to the letter.

"It's wrong and you know it," said Koethe. Nyan turned away, as if not listening. Koethe scowled in consternation.

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