Love Your Enemy: A UEC Story (7)
Part 7: Prince of Lakamodis
Part 7: Prince of Lakamodis
Planet Lakamodis was a jungle dominated planet; the humid lowlands were inhabited mostly by the diminutive lizardmen, the native race of the planet. Though numerous, the cold-blooded natives were primitive both socially and technologically. When a fleet of generation starships from Earth landed on the planet, it was the beginning of the Lakamodian people. The colonists took apart the ships they had arrived on the planet in and constructed cities with them; thus the base of a generation ship became the heart of a city in the highlands of planet Lakamodis. In time, the descendants of the fleet’s commanding officers became the patricians of Lakamodis, and the patriarch of a patrician family would be known as a Prince of Lakamodis.
One prominent patrician family came from the generation ship known as The Spektre, the largest amongst the ships that formed the blind-journey colony fleet. And thus, House Spektre became the most prominent patrician family on Lakamodis. They were instrumental in the conquest of the planet and the subjugation of the native lizardmen, who became the helots.
After the conquest of planet Lakamodis, the Lakamodians expanded to other planets, forming settlements. Eventually, the homeworld and the colonies banded together to form the Alliance of Planets.
In the centuries since their founding, the Lakamodians lived in ignorance of Old Earth, the world they came from. That all changed when the Ephors, the patrician elders of Lakamodis, received word from Earth herself. The electronic message was one of request: for the liberation of Earth from the tyranny of the United Earth Coalition.
When a young Lakamodian maiden from House Spektre heard of the news from her older brother, she could hardly believe it.
“Quite the story,” Arlena said. “What happens next?”
Absent his armor, Alexios was a handsome young man with straight golden hair that reached his shoulders. But his most striking feature was his glowing purple eyes, the trait that marked a Lakamodian of patrician breeding.
“The Ephors consulted the Oracle of the Most High,” he responded. “She prophesied: From the tyrants of the Pyramid, Old Earth will be liberated.”
Arlena smiled, she knew exactly where her brother was going with his words.
Alexios continued, “Thus, they voted for a campaign to liberate Old Earth. And they nominated me to be the leader of this expedition.”
“As they should,” Arlena said. “If they had chosen anyone else, it would be an absolute blasphemy.”
Alexios chuckled. “Settle down, Lena. I am not a god, surely you know that.”
“That remains to be seen. I assume you’re mustering the army now. It’ll be quite the undertaking, and you’ll be needing a lot of manpower.”
“Indeed, I...” Alexios paused. “Don’t tell me...”
“You know me all too well, Alexi,” Arlena said with a sly grin. “I shall take part in this campaign also. My marksmanship still needs work, so they won’t let me be a valkyrie. But a medic...”
Alexios shook his head. “You know not what you seek, sister. We don’t know what these Earthborn are capable of. There’s no need for you to be a part of this.”
“You want me to stay?” Arlena asked indignantly. “What am I going to do?”
“Marry a good man. Have children.”
“A good man wouldn’t stay at home while Lakamodis marches off to war! The way I see it, I shall only find a good man in war.”
Alexios was bemused, to say the least. “This is not a game, Lena. Who knows what will happen out there.”
Whatever happens, we will prevail,” Arlena countered. “We are the Lakamodians. We shall overcome!”
“Foolish girl. This campaign may very well be the death of me.”
***
Arlena opened her eyes and saw the all too familiar view of the UEC Waterloo’s brig. Must have been a dream, she thought. But it was not just a dream, it was also a memory. Memory of home, and Alexios. And the vividness of that dream shook the girl to the core. Tears fell from her eyes; somehow, she knew that she was never going to see her brother again.
***
Despite the blood of millions already poured upon the ground of Altair Prime, Jack Green refused to waste the lives of his men. Faced with the challenge of cracking through the impenetrable wall of hoplites, the UEC legionary commander chose to bombard the Alliance position instead. From the sky, UEC aircraft delivered death to the Lakamodians who simply did not have the means to respond. The Lakamodians viewed projectile weapons such as guns with contempt; they saw them as weapons for cowards and women. And now, they were being killed off by the weapons they despised the most.
But not quite, as Jack halted his bombardment. Yet the job was far from finished. A man of honor, the Commander wanted to give his enemies a fighting chance. He sent in the buggies.
The swarm of insectoid creatures moved to mob the hoplites. Now able to act in return, the Lakamodians fought like demons. The hoplites cut through the buggies with frightening efficiency. Before long, mangled parts of giant insects - sliced by Lakamodian energy lances - littered the ground upon which the hoplites stood.
From afar, the Commander saw the action and was utterly impressed. But his executive officer, Captain Joseph Nyerere, was of a different mindset:
“Why are you smiling, Commander?” asked Nyerere. “Our bugs are being crushed.”
Jack shrugged. “These warriors have made a good accounting for themselves. It would be a shame if they were to die by the buggies. It’s time to finish the job myself.”
“You are going down there?” Nyerere asked in disbelief.
“I’m not going there alone. Worry not, Captain. Icardi and Petrovsky will be with me. Keep an eye on battlefield for me, will you?”
***
In the end, sheer numbers prove to be too much for the brave Lakamodians. Yet they fought on. Alexios looked on as his comrades fell left and right, yet he refused to lay down and die. He skewered a UEC bug with his energy lance. But just as he pulled his weapon free, he was buffeted by a hail of bullets hitting his armor. The source was unmistakable, the Earthborn commander Jack Green with his rifle.
Alexios brought his shield down to protect himself. But he was completely unaware that a third man was targeting him from afar. Petrovsky the mind-reader would have blasted the prince’s head off if he hadn’t been pushed to the ground by a fellow Alliance hoplite; the prince’s life was saved, but at the cost of his savior’s.
The Prince of Lakamodis was quick to recover. Yet another buggy was about to pounce on him but a well-armored punch to the face put an end to that creature. Alexios got back to his feet and picked up his energy lance. Then, he saw a challenger in front of him, a UEC soldier who held an energy lance, surely pilfered from a dead hoplite. Alexios knew exactly who this Earthborn was - Marco Icardi.
No words were exchanged; both men knew what needed to be done. They charged at one another.
If Alexios had been at full strength, he would have easily won this joust. But the Prince of Lakamodis was gassed out. His body was no longer as responsive as he wished. And the urge to let his arms down, just for a few seconds, was simply overwhelming. Also, his armor had sustained severe damages; instead of powering the prince’s strength, it was now weighing him down.
Icardi’s handle of the lance were clumsy, as to be expected. Yet he was deceptively agile. Alexios misjudged the Earthborn’s movement, and the Lakamodian’s lance thrust was easily sidestepped. Now Icardi had a clean look. He thrusted his energy lance forward as hard as he could and pierced through the Lakamodian powered armor.
Thus was the death of Alexios Spektre, Prince of Lakamodis.
To be continued…
Author’s Note: Image generated at NightCafe.
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That fight between Alexios and Icardi was way, way too short.
It would be barely 5 seconds on screen. I expected more.