Valour and Victory (30 page)

A second head
appeared.

The heads kept
on coming.

Endless
shrieks.

Endless
howling.

Endless
crying.

And the
yelps.

And the
shouting.

The pressure on
her shield arm eased.

“Form up,”
ordered Warrant Officer Taplin, “fill the gaps.”

It was only
then that Hilla realised that her friend Jen Durand was no longer
standing by her side. As she glanced down she saw her body. Her
throat had been ripped out. Jen was dead.

And I never
even saw her fall.

There was no
time for tears. The Larg were coming at them again.

* * * * *

“Is the right
wing holding?” asked Julia.

“Just,”
answered Alyei

“Order forward
more reserves. General Sainjon will know which ones.”

“Wilco.”

* * * * *

The second
charge was even more ferocious than the first but the shield-wall
held. Hilla began to believe that Wilf Taplin had been right. She
would survive this, this blood-splattered hell.

Then she heard
frightened calls and shouts to her right.

“The Duchesne
levies are overrun.”

Hilla’s heart
sank.

The kohorts had
attacked with such ferocity that the Duke of Duchesne’s lines
hadn’t so much broken as disintegrated.

The Larg were
swarming up and over the western end of the ridge.

Hilla glanced
over.

Lai’s wings,
they
had
broken! She could hear cries and shouts of alarm
from behind her, RSM Wallaceson’s booming voice calling for
reinforcements. She even thought she could hear a distant whinny
from one of the horses of the cavalry but she wasn’t sure.

Emboldened by
their success at the section held by the first division, the Larg
attacking the second pressed harder. A battle crazy Larg was trying
to get hold of Hilla’s helm.

There were
alarmed shouts to her right and even as she managed to dispose of
the Larg Hilla realised that the kohorts had mounted the ridge top
and were fighting through what remained of the Sixteenth Foot and
the Dunetown Militia.

Is Zak still
alive?

Then Hilla felt
herself falling, falling and she crashed to the ground, her shield
on top of her. A heavy something landed on top of the shield, she
was finding it hard to breathe. The weight wasn’t inert either; she
felt it moving, struggling. She couldn’t move her sword arm.

Her heart
thumped very loud and she closed her eyes as she concentrated on
breathing.

The struggle on
top of her ceased, but the heavy weight remained, it was too heavy
for her even to try to move it. She lay listening, forcing her
lungs to keep breathing in and out.

Unconsciousness
came quickly when another body fell on top and breathing became
impossible.

She was dead
when the Vada Ryzcks and the Lindars of the third division, led by
Niaill and Taraya led the charge that would oust the Larg from the
ridge.

Of the one
hundred and three Garda Officer Trainees who had marched up to the
ridge that morning, seventy-four were dead and many more were
wounded. The Dunetown Militia had died almost to a man, reminiscent
of the bloody days of what was known in the history books from
man’s originating planet as ‘The Great War’ when the young men of
entire streets and villages who had joined up to form the pals
battalions died together under the withering fire of the enemy
machine guns.

* * * * *

Rilla

In the first
division’s sector of the line, Rilla and Zawlei with Duncin and
Stasya had been keeping the communications links open between the
divisions, the command post and the different segments on the right
wing.

The previous
day of the battle hadn’t been too bad for Rilla and Zawlei, Rilla
hadn’t had to draw her sword.

“It’s our turn
next,” said Duke William to Rilla as he surveyed the kohorts
reorganising below. “Tell Susyc Julia, she’ll know already no doubt
but it’s best to be sure.”

: Zawlei? :

: Done. I spoke
to Alyei himself. He says that the Heavy Horse has been alerted and
the Militia moves forward :

Rilla reported
this to the Duke.

“Good,” he
said.

: The young
ryz in the lain have also been alerted :
added Zawlei
: if
the kohorts try to get through there they will stop them. Tell Duke
William :

“They’ll not,”
said the Duke when Rilla relayed that information. “In all my years
I’ve never known the Larg to enter wooded areas but Rilla, would
you ask Zawlei to ask their commanders, Susas is it not?”

Rilla
nodded.

“That just in
case, just in case, to be on their guard and come to our aid if
they are needed. They’ll know when, no need to wait for my order.
Susyc Julia told me that their commanders are very
experienced.”

Zawlei relayed
Duke William’s request and after a short delay Rilla informed him
that the Susas understood what was expected of them.

The good thing
about the Duke, reflected Rilla as she readied herself for the
attack (Duke William led from the front and expected his immediate
circle of retainers to fight beside him) was that he didn’t ask
unnecessary questions. He gave his orders, received acknowledgement
and that was it. He trusted his sub-commanders to carry them out.
He trusted Rilla and Zawlei.

Heart in mouth,
Rilla prepared to follow Duke William to the front line. The Duke
eyed her as he settled his own helmet on his head and tied the chin
flaps.

“You two go and
stand on the rise back there with Vadeln Duncin and Stasya,” he
ordered. “Observe from there and keep Susyc Julia informed about
all that is happening.”

“Sir … but …”
protested Rilla.

“No buts young
lady,” he insisted with a stern look.

“What if you
need to send a message?” she asked.

“There’ll be no
messages while the kohorts are charging,” he replied. “You and
Zawlei will be of far more use back there where you can see what is
happening. Go on now.”

Dismissed,
Rilla had no alternative but to obey.

As usual, the
Duke did not pay the two of them any more attention now that he had
issued his order. He assumed Rilla and Zawlei would obey and so
they did. They turned away and began to make their way through the
jostling soldiers towards the small rise where Duncin and Stasya
stood.

She did not
hear the Duke turn to his son and say, “brave girl that. She’s
obviously scared but was quite prepared to stand with us if I’d let
her.”

“That’s what
true bravery is,” agreed his son as he walked with his father to
the ridge edge.

Stasya made
room for Zawlei.

“We’ll take
over communications for a bit,” said Duncin to Rilla. “Zawlei
retains contact though and don’t be afraid to jump in with anything
important that you see.”

“I won’t,”
promised Rilla and Zawlei looked wise.

“Another thing
young Rilla. If I say move, you move. You jump down and you run, as
fast as Zawlei’s paws can take you until you reach the first Ryzck
you come across and join up with them.”

“But what about
you? We won’t leave you and Stasya behind. She can’t run with her
bad leg. Vada stick together.”

“Me and Stasya
are old campaigners. We know a trick or two you young ones
don’t.”

“We won’t leave
you,” insisted Rilla, her stubborn streak shining through. “Duke
William has already sent me away, don’t you too.”

“Duke William
was right,” Duncin told her. “You’re more use here, watching.”

“Other Cadet
pairs are fighting,” Rilla contested.

“Aye, and
dying,” the old man informed her, “as you and Zawlei still might,
if the kohorts break through. I wish,” he added, looking over at
the Duchesne levies.

“You wish
what?”

“I wish that
there had been enough Garda available to extend their lines over
the entire right wing, their shield-wall is almost impenetrable and
the Argyll Militia are not so dusty either. Duke William has kept
the Militia as reserves, his own levies are to meet the first
charge.”

“They have
shields.”

“But they’re
not the same. Look at the Garda”

Duncin pointed
over to his left.

“See them?”

“Yes.”

“See how
they’re standing? Close together, protecting each other.
Understand?”

“I think so,”
Rilla replied doubtfully.

“That’s what
they do. Left arm holds the shield, close tight with the shields
either side. They rely on the sword to their left to protect them
while they protect the soldier on their right. Now do you see?”

Rilla
nodded.

“Now look at
the Duchesne levies. What do you see?”

“They’re not so
close to one another,” observed Rilla.

“That’s because
their shields are round. Can’t form a shield-wall.”

“Can’t you do
anything?”

“I tried to
tell the Duke, thing is, he thinks he knows best. He’s a
southerner, he’s fought the Larg before. There are always
skirmishes along his borders.”

“He’s also
commander of this division. We’re supposed to obey him.”

“Not if we
think he is wrong,” said Duncin with a conspiratory wink. “Stasya,
you tell Sadei, the Susa of Lindar Hanei, to edge forward a bit
will you?” Give the same order to the Militia. It’s the Lutterell
Militia, their colonel is a good man, ex-regular. He’ll know what
I’m telling him without me actually telling him.”

Rilla giggled.
She couldn’t help it despite the seriousness of the situation.

Zawlei had just
informed her that Duncin’s messages had been passed on when he
tensed and his ears cocked forward. Rilla could feel his tenseness
and knew what it portended.

She could hear
it now, the drumming of thousands and thousands of paws.

Her and
Duncin’s vantage point was behind the ridge line so Rilla couldn’t
see the kohorts running up the slope but she felt the rush of hot
air they carried with them.

Zawlei began to
shiver, his battle adrenalin kicking in.

There was an
almighty crash as the front kohorts hit the Duchesne lines.

The levies held
off the first charge and Rilla expended a great sigh of relief.
Duncin, older and more experienced, did not. He knew what the Larg
were about, the first charge, to disorientate then the second,
heavier and more prolonged.

Duncin was
right, after a short hiatus, the Larg charged the ridge again.

The Duchesne
lines buckled before Rilla had time to take it in they disappeared
under a swarm of large, tawny, angry Larg.

Duncin’s mouth
was set in a tight line.

“Ready
yourself,” he grunted and Rilla was aware, mind-linked as she was
with Zawlei, that Stasya was ordering Lindar Hanei and the Militia
forward in an attempt to stem the flow of Larg; in a desperate
attempt to salvage the situation before so many Larg reached the
ridge top that they could never be dislodged.

: We stay
here :
announced
Zawlei : no time to retreat even if Duncin
orders :

: Safer
:
agreed Rilla, thinking that she would much rather be here,
fighting from the vantage point than down below. Some of the
southerners who had managed to escape the initial thrust were
heading her way and Rilla was glad. A fight with only two
vadeln-pairs holding off a kohort of Larg could only end one way
and Rilla had no wish to die.

Around eighty
of them managed to reach Rilla and Duncin. Duncin and Stasya took
charge of the defence and Rilla and Zawlei once more took control
of the communications link. Zawlei was reporting to Alyei and Julia
direct and she ‘heard’ the quick burst of reports and orders. Sword
at the ready her eyes flicked round at the men manning the
hillock.

The men were
formed up in a tight circle, Duncin ordering that their shields
should overlap thus forming an approximation of the Garda
shield-wall. Only once did Rilla and Zawlei have to jump forward to
help, her sword slicing through the neck of a Larg who managed to
pull one of the men down and was squirming through the space. The
Larg did manage a slash at her leg before he was felled and Rilla
gasped at the hot searing pain.

Rilla saw
Lindar Hanei leap into the attack, the first ryz, then the second
and the third, followed by the Lutterell Militia, in wedge
formation, punching their way through the Larg to take possession
of the ridge top once more. They were taking casualties but not
enough to stop their steady advance. Another Militia battalion was
following them in. Lindar Hanei were advancing, ripping at the Larg
with their chelas and using their greater agility to good
effect.

The noise was
terrific, the fight bloody and terrible.

All of a sudden
there were less Larg fighting the Lindar and the Militia than there
should have been and Rilla snuck a look to her left. That was why,
a sizable number of Larg were attacking along the ridge to where
the Garda were. Zawlei reported this to Alyei.

Rilla’s head
turned back. Her ears had detected the sound of hooves.

The Garda Heavy
Horse were charging, the great armour-clad messengers of death.
They charged past the wedges of Militia and towards the melee of
Lind and Larg. The former moved out of their way but the Larg did
not. The Larg warriors, much to Rilla’s delight, found to their
cost that these ‘knights in shining armour’, where had that
description come from, were bigger and heavier than they were. The
horses’ hooves were also shod and they used them to pound at the
Larg whilst their riders brought their swords and maces down on
them. The Larg resolve faltered and out of the forest, came more
Lind, the young Lind.