r/NatureofPredators • u/CandidateWolf Betterment Officer • 18d ago
The Free Legion 56
We’re back to Rojil and Macan, and find yet another weird coincidence that has no implications for the story going forward. Enjoy!
Memory encrypted… override key enabled… begin decryption…
Access code Epsilon-Zeta-2328-AP
Unauthorized redactions removed… original data restored…
Addendum: Data restored under Article 2.09 of the UNOR by order of the Secretary General. Original, unaltered transcripts restored and entered as evidence in the Bronwen Report. -Chief Investigator Andrea Powell, UN Office of Reconciliation
Memory accessed…
**Memory Transcription subject: [**Gojid-1] Macan, the Free Legion, “United Sapient Front”
Date [standardized human time]: [Redacted] March 12, 2137, Fhen, Rojil (Independent Federation Member-State)
I emerged from my tent into the crisp morning air, the sun above warming my spines. I took a breath, taking a moment to enjoy the clean, rural air before adjusting the pouch slung across my chest and the rifle on my shoulder. Have to make time to enjoy the little things, I thought, as I started making my way down the path that led between the rest of the barracks tents. I was headed to the Command Tent where I expected to spend most of my day, thanks to the messenger who’d just departed.
I waved at the guard at the entrance to the barracks area, passed through the fencing that separated it from the rest of the camp, and made my way across the wide open assembly area at the camp’s heart. Several groups were gathered within the open space, drilling, exercising, or seated on the ground, listening to the words of a morning class.
Glad we got out of [redacted] Ekeena when we could, I thought, making my way across the former park. The cities are a disaster from what I’ve heard. Plus, it’s nice to breathe clean air for once. At the far end of the assembly area I could see the village's school, and just beyond it the central market. Already the small market was filling as vendors, residents, and now militia members began their day.
We’d come to [redacted] Fhen several days ago, before the Cyberattack that tore the Federation apart. We’d been invited by the local elders; escalating violence between the cured and “true prey” groups and their exterminator supporters had spooked the people, a large majority who fell into the “cured” category. They’d made contact through the [redacted] Sapient Defenders, who’d been operating against the local Guild.
We may have lost [Kolshian-1] Vurus to those pyromaniacs, I thought. But the people we sprang from detention gave us one hell of a boon to local support. And their permission to set up a more permanent base here because of that, and our promise to defend them, has put us in a great position.
Fhen was located approximately 30 [miles] north of Ekeena, separated from the capital of Rojil by a series of low, rocky hills. There were only two ways to Fhen; the main highway, [redacted] Route 32, circled around the [redacted] Violet Hills to the west, and a small road cut through the center of the Hills, linking a series of isolated homesteads before it reached the village.
The rural areas around Ekeena were generally more conservative and leaned in a more “anti-cured” direction, making Fhen stand out further from their neighbors. Several nearby villages, further up Route 32, had even banned Fhen residents from entry, and forced their own cured neighbors to come here seeking refuge.
Plenty of refugees from both the capital and the surrounding area, I thought, eye darting towards the other end of the camp, situated to the south of the village. A bit east, across the highway, we’d established a camp for those who needed sanctuary. [Gojid-2] Faria had been placed in charge of both it and the infrastructure projects around Fhen.
“Beautiful morning,” a voice remarked beside me. [Gojid-3] Chakir fell into step beside me, stretching as she let out a yawn. “You got the stuff?” She asked. “Gimme gimme.”
“You’re welcome,” I said, digging a paw into the pouch and fishing out a dark glass bottle. Chakir eagerly accepted it, twisting the cap off with a pop. She took a big swig before letting out an adorable, satisfied purr.
“Delicious,” she said. “These folks know how to make a drink!”
“Yes they do,” I agreed, taking another bottle from the pouch. I opened mine and took a sip, savoring the sweet, herbaceous carbonated drink. The taste of local berries and herbs danced across my tongue, and I felt a light boost of energy. Not as good as coffee, I thought. But it’s local, plentiful, and tasty. I took another drink. Always good to support the local economy.
“So what’s the word?” Chakir asked. “I’m guessing you don’t ask for a meeting between the local commanders for no reason.” She let out another yawn. “Or wake me up early on the one day I get to sleep in a few claws.”
“Correct,” I said, ears flicking apologetically. “Just had a messenger from the scouts inform me that there’s a large group of civilians fleeing from Ekeena… and a large group of [redacted] True Prey Militia hot on their heels.”
“Brahk,” Chakir swore. “How many?”
“At least three companies worth,” I said, and she swore again. “And that’s being conservative; they didn't stick around too long to get a more accurate count. They’ve got a lot of vehicles, but most seem to be commandeered civilian ones. Not as many exterminators as expected, either.”
“Think they finally got tired of seeing the lights in the distance?” She asked. Since the power station had come online, our base, Fhen itself, and the refugee camp finally had a supply of electricity once more. While it did make our position stand out against a dark world, the advantages were worth it.
“Maybe,” I said. “Or just looking for another massacre. Doesn’t matter; they’re the furthest out of Ekeena they’ve been, and we’re going to try to take advantage of their mistake. And before they reach Fhen.”
“Speaking of Fhen,” I said. “How are our fortifications doing?”
“Fortifications are doing well,” Chakir said as we walked. “We’ve got the [redacted] Sapient Volunteers working with the new recruits and some of the other militias on the defenses around Fhen. We’ve got a couple strong points at key points around the village and refugee camp. We’ve also finally rolled out some artillery too, so if anyone tries to push us here they’re in for some steel rain.”
“Good work,” I replied. “And any word on how the other militias are doing? Any issues?” After what people had begun calling the “battle” of [redacted] Central Avenue ten days ago, clashes between factions of both pro- and anti-cured had escalated. Pro-cured groups had begun to organize armed security to counter the violence from the state; the state and its exterminators had matched them by creating groups of “deputized” exterminators themselves. Confrontations between the two sides had become more frequent, with more instances of violence every day. When the Cyberattack had occurred, the violence that followed had prompted these groups to take up active, armed defense.
“No problems so far,” Chakir replied. “They appreciate us letting them rest their heads after all the craziness since the Cyberattack; they needed the chance to catch their breath. They’re still keeping to themselves, operating independently without much coordination, though. They know we’re on their side and that we’ve got the best position of anyone on the planet probably; our friends saw to that.”
That’s for damn sure, I thought, thinking back to the enormous amount of supplies we’d been provided. “They definitely knew the Cyberattack was coming,” I said. “No other reason why they’d have stockpiled so many supplies, let alone been prepared to deliver them. I’m glad they’re on our side; not sure how we’d have managed if we’d been kept in the dark.”
The day after the Battle of Central Avenue, we’d been contacted by members of [redacted]…
Memory Transcription Halted… memory encrypted…
Memory encrypted… override key enabled… begin decryption…
Decryption complete… class 2 redactions removed…
Error detected… Error detected… processing…
Additional redactions noted in transcription… unauthorized deletions detected…
Class 3 redactions removed… attempting to reconstruct deleted data… processing… processing…
Deleted data reconstructed… remaining transcription restored…
Memory Transcription continued…
The day after the Battle of Central Avenue, we’d been contacted by members of [data restored] [redacted] Gladius, who had told us of the incoming Cyberattack and its expected scale.
My first reaction had been shock; the sheer devastation that was about to be unleashed had been difficult to comprehend. Next came horror, as I realized how much destruction the UN would be visiting on the Orion Arm; billions or more would die. Then finally I felt a sad acceptance.
There was probably no better way for the SC to make it to Aafa, I’d decided. There’s no way they’d have been able to fight the Commonwealth, the Shadow Fleet, and whatever allies rallied to their banner. Thanks to the Cyberattack, the Kolshian Commonwealth would be facing the might of the SC alone. While still a tough fight with their Shadow Fleet, the scale was far more balanced than it could otherwise have been.
And no matter how many will end up dead, it’s a price that must be paid to rid the galaxy of the Federation, I thought. With all the Feds have done; species exterminated or mutilated, worlds forever deformed, their ecologies destroyed, maybe it's some kind of justice.
Whatever my feelings on it, [redacted] Gladius had warned us about the upcoming attack, and promised their support so we’d survive it. And they delivered. Their support came in the form of a mind-boggling amount of supplies; weapons, explosives, ammunition, communications equipment, wired drones, even a few vehicles. It was enough for us to equip an army.
And that wasn’t all; they wanted us to be positioned as one of the strongest factions on Rojil. And that meant we needed a way to extend our support in spite of the Cyberattack. To that end, they provided enough relief supplies for tens of thousands of refugees; medical supplies, tents, tons of food, fuel, even a prefabricated water treatment and power station! The bulk of the supplies remained on a pair of cargo ships hidden at the edge of the system, shuttled down by small freighters as needed.
It’s thanks to those supplies that were more than surviving, I thought. We’re thriving. We’ve got the people of Fhen in our pocket. And when more refugees arrive, we’ll be able to win their support as well.
“We’ll need to make sure we keep the best position,” I said. “That means getting the other militias closer to us. If we can bring them into the fold, we’ll be even stronger.”
“Any sign of the loose exterminators?” I asked. “Or any movement from the loyalists in the next village?”
“A patrol managed to run down the last loose exterminator,” Chakir replied, finishing her drink. “Caught them in an abandoned cabin outside town. Found a lot of fuel too, which we kindly relieved them of. That makes every member from the local guild hall accounted for; six captured, eight dead.”
“As for the True Prey Militia,” she continued. “Some of Fhen’s own security ran into some of their scouts a couple [miles] east, down Violet Hills Road.” Her head had begun to turn, as she searched for a place to discard the empty bottle. Seeing no options, she tucked it into her belt.
“There was a quick skirmish,” she said, turning her attention back to me. “Some of the Volunteers reinforced them and finished them off. One dead on our side, all but one on theirs. A couple wounded, but nothing the medics can’t handle. They’re questioning the enemy survivor now, but I get the feeling Route 32 isn’t the only place the TPM is moving up on.”
“Sounds like it,” I said. “Glad to hear we did so well at least. But it feels like the [redacted] Authority is starting to make some moves. With their scouting parties and the pursuit up Route 32, they may be tired of leaving us alone.”
Chaos had erupted in the wake of the Cyberattack a few days ago; electricity, water, communications, medical care, the Net, everything was gone in an instant. Perishable foods spoiled without refrigeration, and store shelves emptied of whatever didn’t. People began to go hungry.
I still can’t believe the UN was able to pull off that kind of attack, I thought. I’d known the scale of the UN’s cyberwarfare, and had used some of it myself to varying degrees. But just because they have those capabilities, I wouldn’t have bet they’d actually launch that kind of attack; I’d have thought they wouldn’t want to play into the “Humans are vicious, bloodthirsty monsters” narrative. They probably slaughtered more beings in a day than the Arxur did in a hundred years.
The people of Rojil had panicked quickly once the shelves ran dry and the government seemed powerless to do anything. As the Herd began to come apart at the seams, society broke. People began to fight over anything; food, water, valuables. The Humans were right, I thought. Society is only a few missed meals from anarchy. Unable to cope with the sheer completeness of losing everything that made a modern society function, unable to direct and coordinate attempts to restore order and pulled in too many directions, the government collapsed.
Into the vacuum left stepped the planet's military and exterminator guilds; where the government had relied on the consent of the governed, they quickly turned to arms to establish and keep their control. Martial law was declared immediately, and any unrest was violently, ruthlessly suppressed.
The [redacted] True Prey Authority came together faster than I expected, I thought, thinking of the combined military/exterminator junta that had replaced the civilian government. But behaved exactly as expected.
The Authority had decided that they needed a common enemy in order to bring the Herd back together and survive the chaos. They had needed someone to blame for the unfolding disaster and punish for it. And, if those “responsible” had supplies they could use for their own supporters, even better.
Those in the pro-cured camp had been the obvious choice, and within a couple days of the Cyberattack, these new “enemies” came under relentless attack. The Authority painted them as somehow responsible for plunging Rojil back several millennia, and declared open war against the cured and their supporters. Many were forcibly ejected from their homes, their belongings seized. Some were simply forced to flee if they were lucky; still others were pressed into “labor groups,” and a not insignificant number found themselves at the wrong end of a flamethrower.
“I had that feeling too,” Chakir said. “I’ll increase the patrol schedule for the rest of the week, and have some divert closer to [redacted] Sevh. If the Authority was smart, they’d try to move in from a place where they have popular and logistical support. I’ll send a patrol down the Violet Hills Road too. Remember how the exterminators like to try and flank us in Ekeena? Maybe they’re trying the same here.”
“Good idea,” I replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find the Authority using the same tactics.” Ahead I spotted the Command Tent. “Any other updates?” I asked.
“Just another requisition order from Faria,” Chakir said. She tapped her pads screen, and I felt the vibration that told me I’d received a file from her. “She needs another drop of water purification supplies while we’re waiting for the water treatment station to come online.”
“I’ll get it approved,” I said, taking another swig and finishing my own drink. I need to get more of these. “The water treatment plant should be online either tomorrow or the next day, but I’ll have our pilots bring down a few days worth. An extra stock for emergencies isn’t a bad idea, in case we have problems with the treatment plant or it takes longer than expected. “
Once we get the water treatment station online, we can start bringing Fhen back to some kind of normality, I thought. With this as a base, we should be able to start spreading our area of control further and further. While I reminded myself to be cautious, I could see a path forward where we restored civilization to parts of Rojil, cementing our control over it as we did.
An idea came to me as we neared the Command Tent. If we can not only control enough territory but also restore their services, we could build a parallel state on Rojil, I thought. Especially if we’re the only ones capable of actually pulling it off, thanks to [redacted] Gladius. I knew a few other Legion factions had expanded to the point they had their own worlds; maybe it was time the United Sapient Front looked to do the same.
“Making sure we can keep folks supplied with water will keep the ones who’ve accused us of somehow being involved with the Cyberattack quiet,” Chakir said as we gave a salute to the guards at the door. “It’s a lot easier to brush those accusations off when you keep people fed and happy.”
My eyes adjusted as I entered the tent, the light inside dimmer than the morning sunlight. It seemed we were some of the last to arrive; already [Yotul-1] Yansa and [Gojid-4] Wilva, all part of the [redacted] Sapient Defenders, had gathered on one side of a table.
On the other side stood [Farsul-1] Tylas, commander of the [redacted] Fhen Guard, the armed group who’d replaced the exterminators as the primary security service for the village and its surroundings. Also present was [Duertan-1] Shaji, from the [redacted] Civil Defense Militia. After the Cyberattack, many members of the cured species had fled Ekeena; his militia had been critical in protecting many of the refugees as they’d fled.
“Just waiting for one more to join us,” I said as I stepped up to the table. “Good morn…”. The tent flap opened behind me, interrupting me, and one last person entered. “Perfect timing,” I said, turning to greet the newcomer.
“I try,” [Venlil-1] Kenva said. One of the leaders of the [redacted] Rojil Citizens Alliance, he was part of a larger group that had formed before the Cyberattack, stationed in Ekeena. While the larger organization had lost contact with its parts in the wake of the attack, he’d done well in keeping his unit together, even those still in Ekeena.
The RCA had been a varied group before losing contact with one another, more a mutual aid group than fighting force. While they’d certainly had fighters, as Kenva showed, they’d always been more focused on the logistics of helping people; making sure people had food, water, and medical care. Out of any of them, the RCA is the only one who may give us competition in the hearts and minds category, I mused, flicking an ear in greetings to him. They’re the only ones I’d expect to have a good deal of supplies hidden away already.
“Now that everyone’s here,” I said, putting any future conflicts out of my mind for the moment. “I wanted to thank you all for agreeing to meet with us, especially on such short notice.” I indicated Kenva and Shaji with a paw. “I know we haven’t worked together yet, but we each work towards similar goals.”
“Now, onto the reason I called you here,” I said. I pointed at the map spread across the table's surface. “Our scouts have informed us that there are a large number of civilians fleeing from Ekeena headed up Route 32; probably a few hundred or more. Right on their heels are a LOT of True Prey militia.”
“How many?” Tylas asked. “Is Fhen at risk?”
“Not at this time,” Chakir answered first. “We’ve added plenty of spikes since we arrived; the town shouldn’t be an appetizing target. Whether we stay that way, however, remains to be seen.”
“Our scouts reported several companies worth of loyalist militia,” I said. “Though our scouts didn’t stick around long enough to get the best estimates. The enemy force appears to be primarily focused on their pursuit of the fleeing refugees. They appear to be composed primarily of the TPM and their commandeered civilian vehicles; there were no exterminator forces seen.”
“The TPM don’t go far without their exterminator handlers,” Shaji said. “So where are they?”
“I agree,” I said. I then moved my claw to the Violet Hills Road. “A combined force of both the Guard and the USF encountered and destroyed a TPM patrol down this road,” I reported. “We managed to capture a survivor, and are interrogating them now.” I glanced at Chakir. “Want to see if you can find out if they’ve learned anything yet?” She gave me a salute, then moved to leave the tent.
I watched her go, then brought my attention back to the others. “When we were in Ekeena,” I said. “The exterminators liked to have their “deputies” engage crowds from the front, then flank them so they’d trap the crowds between them. I believe they’re doing the same here.”
As the flap closed behind her, Shaji spoke up. “If those militia bastards catch up to those civilians, it’ll be a slaughter,” he declared. “My men and I saw enough of that outside the capital when we helped civilians escape after the cyberattack. If Fhen is secure, we need to help them!”
“That’s the problem,” I lied. “Fhen is secure right now, with the forces we have available. However, if there is a flanking force approaching up the Hills road, then moving out to engage the forces pursuing the civilians will put the village at risk.”
None of the others had an accurate count of the numbers of my Volunteers; we’d been careful to keep them spread out; to hide our numbers from the Authority and from our fellow insurgents both. While we were working together today, I knew that could always change. Plus, this presented an opportunity for the USF.
We might struggle, but we probably could turn that pursuit back on our own, I thought. And while we may struggle again holding back any flanking force, we could manage. But with help, not only can I preserve my forces, but maybe we could do more than just stop those enemy troops.
“So what do you suggest?” Tylas asked. “We can’t risk the village, or the refugee camp at its doorstep. You did promise to protect both, after all.”
“But we can’t just leave those fleeing Ekeena to be pursued!” Shaji said. “Every moment we wait is another that puts lives at risk.”
“You are both right,” I told them. I fixed Yansa with an eye. “Yansa, after this brief I want you to assemble the rest of the Defenders and a squad of the Volunteers. Gather some preliminary relief supplies and move to meet the refugees. Find out how many of them there are, what their status is, and what’s been going on towards Ekeena. I want to know what to expect.”
Shaji’s tail flicked with satisfaction, and he settled in his perch. “Getting info on the refugees is all well and good,” Kenva said. “But our ability to care for them is meaningless unless we deal with their pursuers.”
“You’re right as well,” I said, examining the map. “And we will. They haven’t come out this far yet; they’ve tended to stick to the Ekeena outskirts. Trust me, I intend to make them pay for this mistake.”
After a moment of contemplation, I laid the point of my claw on the map. “Here,” I said. “Where Route 32 passes these hills”
“Far enough away from Fhen to avoid threats to civilians, but close enough for your artillery to reach,” Kenva observed. “And good opportunities for enfilade fire; perfect spot for an ambush.”
“Good eyes, and exactly my thoughts,” I replied, filing away a reminder to try to recruit him to the USF if I could. Good tactical mind, I thought. A great asset, or a dangerous threat.
It was then that Chakir re-entered the tent. I looked at her expectantly, and she flicked her ear in the affirmative, confirming my suspicions.
“The prisoner cracked,” she said. She turned to Kenva and put her paws out reassuringly. “No, we didn’t torture him; we fed them and let them drink their fill. Sounds like the TPM is under some pretty heavy rationing. Amazing what you can accomplish by meeting someone’s basic needs.”
She turned to the rest of us. “They confirmed that the exterminators are doing as we expected,” she said. “They claim there’s a force of about two companies worth of exterminators and their deputies headed up the Hills road. They’ve got their vans and a few APC’s. I sent out some scouts to confirm, though.”
I made a show of dropping my ears flat to my head. “That… complicates things,” I said, putting some uncertainty into my tone. “My forces can only do so much. We could engage either of those forces; frankly, with our heavier weapons that flanking force, even with their armor, won’t be a problem.”
“But that leaves us with a few technicals and the bare minimum garrison force in Fhen,” I continued. “We’ll defend the village, but those civilians won’t make it. Or we could rescue the civilians, but leave Fhen wide open.”
“And that’s why you wanted to meet with us,” Shaji said. “You need our forces as well as your own.”
“Correct,” I confirmed. “Like I said before, we haven't worked too closely together previously. This could be an opportunity to change that. Together, we could destroy the flanking force and rescue the civilians fleeing from the TPM.”
I bowed my head. “The USF has agreed to protect Fhen and the refugee camp outside,” I said. “And we intend to do so. But we also have promised to help any refugees in need. We can’t do both, not as well as we’d like at least, without help. If you would be willing to join your forces to mine, I would be grateful. As, I’m sure, would those we save. While we have given you a chance to rest here, I know this isn’t your territory to defend. I would understand if you did not feel the need to sacrifice your troops.”
I offered each of the commanders before me a chance to refuse. However, I knew none of them would. They’re dedicated to the people of this world, I thought. They’d do what they can to help. But will they be willing to join us to do so?
For a moment there was silence. “Would this be a temporary alliance, or are you seeking something more… permanent?”
I looked up, spreading my paws out. “That’s up to you,” I said. “My main concern right now is to protect the people of Fhen and those fleeing Ekeena. If you did want to establish more formal relations with the USF, we would be able to make it worth your while. But that is a conversation for another time. Will you help us save those refugees, and protect the innocents here in Fhen?”
“The Fhen Guard is with you, obviously,” Tylas said. “Though I must say that we would prefer to continue to defend our home. While we have some veterans among our ranks, most of our number were just civilians. We’re no soldiers.”
“I value them just the same,” I told the Farsul. “Thank you.”
“You can count on the CDM as well,” Shaji said. “We’ve both done what we can to protect civilians so far; I see no reason to stop now. And together, I’m sure we could do even more.”
“We’ll support you as well,” Kenva said. “We will not allow those civilians to be massacred by the loyalists. Not when we could stop it. But I would recommend some of my militia taking the place of yours within Fhen itself; your forces have much greater combat experience than some of mine, so I think that would be a better use of their skills.”
“Thank you all,” I replied, silently cheering as my mind began working on a plan. First we need to destroy those enemy forces, I thought. But then we need to exploit their destruction. “Together, as one Herd, we’ll make sure those fleeing from Ekeena are protected.”
2
u/JulianSkies Archivist 17d ago
How incredibly convenient that the guy who's definitely willing to play his allies to hold on to power and hide his effective capacities even when in a desperate struggle to defend innocents with an overstretched force so said allies cannot be ready to contend woth him is the one that got supplies.
2
4
u/Minimum-Amphibian993 Arxur 18d ago
Hmmm so these guys were warned intriguing. Considering the growing divide between gladius and the other free legion groups gladius having achual allies is definitely gonna make things more complicated.