Shield (Part 1)

"This shield is your life. Remember those words as you face your foes. If your shield breaks, you break. If it falls, you fall. And if you leave it, your life is forfeit. He, who cares not for his life, is no warrior of Callisto."

-Veteran Sergeant Armenius Drakus

Autumn, 2325

Silver Peaks, Callisto-3

The mountains were cold. Very cold.

Then again, they always were at this time of year. When the moon goes dark and the winds become as sharp as daggers only fools and madmen venture to the Peaks.

Fools. Madmen. And warriors.

Was he the latter? The former two? All perhaps? The answers lay at the top. Icy air escaped his mouth in staggered breaths as he put one foot in front of the other. The transport could only take him so far before the terrain became too narrow and dense. At a certain point, he stopped feeling his feet. He wondered from time to time if they were even there. His hands didn't fare much better. The pockets of his training jacket didn't offer much warmth. But he had to make do. They were essential for the final trial.

He arrived at what looked like a chipped wall. Below he saw the markers. And the bones. Dozens, possibly hundreds were scattered around the stones. Most probably passed out from exhaustion. But that hardly mattered now. The man took his hands out and began the climb. Already he grimaced as his fingers felt the snow and rock. He climbed higher and higher, slowly but surely, only stopping when he knew he could afford it. To his right and left were more bodies impaled on the sharp protrusions. A few were relatively fresh and their heads pointed upward. They will stay there and gaze upon the goal they never managed to reach.

As he climbed he felt pain and strain like never before in his two decades of life. His arms, while rather slender, held his body firm. His boots dug into the snow as he looked for any way to steady himself. Then the wind came. The man held tight as the freezing gust blew over him. Still, he wouldn't let go. Never. Not again.

Soon, he started hearing things. Loud things. The sounds of clanking steel and sizzling flame. He looked up slightly and saw an orange light shining above him. When he finally reached the top, he was pulled up by robed women, who pulled his clothes off and poured warm water on him. His senses were still adjusting to everything around him and he couldn't quite understand what was happening. As he was trying to stand, the women helped him up.

"Rejoice, warrior." one of them said.

"You've done it." another added.

"Your place in the Shield guard is now guaranteed." a third said.

They slowly walked forward toward the center of the room. As his eyes adjusted, he could see that this was a cave that was turned into a forge. The floor was flat and smooth. It was so warm just standing there. Several men were forging different pieces of armor and weaponry. Before the man could speak an elder appeared in front of him.

"That will be all, sisters." he said as he waved his hand, and the robed women left, "Quite a rare sight, you are. What is your name?"

"Veridian." the man spoke in a raspy voice.

"A rare sight indeed. Few born outside of Polis journey this far and even fewer survive. Tell me why you're here."

Veridian took a deep breath and calmed his heart before answering, "I finished the initial trials of the Shield guard. I've proven myself to the general."

"That doesn't answer my question." the elder said in an inquisitive tone.

Veridian didn't answer for a moment. He thought about what he should say. In the end, the truth was that mattered.

"Strength." he said, "I'm here for strength."

"Strength for what, exactly?" asked the elder.

"To fight. To protect. To keep the people safe. To endure pain so they don't have to."

The elder saw a spark in Veridians eyes. A spark of a guardian and a soldier. But behind it was a deep and depressing void.

"You've already endured much." he spoke, "Things will only get harder from here on out. I can tell your heart is in the right place. But what does your mind tell you?"

"I want this." Veridian answered immediately, "I'm ready."

"No one is ever ready." the elder said and turned around. He gestured for Veridian to follow him and the two men stood in the center of the forge. One of the large blacksmiths walked up to Veridian, his tall and bulky frame eclipsing him. If Veridian felt intimidated he certainly didn't show it as he returned the smith's glare. The smith patted him on his shoulders, arms, and back, examining his body. His eyebrows raised in what seemed like a pleasant surprise. He turned to the side and grabbed one of the shields placed next to a table. It was light grey with a cracked black skull in the middle. It was surprisingly thick, semicylindrical, and over a meter long. Despite that, it wasn't as heavy as Veridian thought it would be and it felt rather natural on his wrist and in his hand.

"Now your real training can begin." the elder said as he placed his hand on the shield, "This is your lifeline now. Never betray it."

"Never." Veridian replied.

— — — — — — — — —

Summer, 2354

Gnaus, Callisto-3

"Where's that goddamn mortar fire!?" Major Shane yelled into his comm unit. His men were firing off shot after shot at the charging aliens but the bastards were relentless. Shane didn't know who to target. The small ones were in high numbers and threatened to swarm their position while the bigger ones had heavier guns. Thankfully none of them knew the concept of cover it seemed. The Xurug seemed to revel in this kind of warfare. Their rampage caused millions of deaths across four planets in the sector and now Callisto was next. Or at least that's what they thought.

"Christ, they just keep coming!" Lieutenant Carter shouted as she threw a grenade at a swarming cluster of small aliens. They ignored and paid with their lives as it explored and sent body parts flying through the air. Still, more came.

The soldiers opened fire with their railguns in unison and tore through the attackers. But a few managed to get through the rubble and pounce behind the blockade. One of the soldiers fell onto his back as the alien plunged its knife into his throat and fired its blocky pistol into his gut.

"Fucking gremlins!" a private yelled as he shot it and there more than appeared next to him.

"Goblins. Not a bad name." Atalanta commented and received a glare from Shane.

"Be glad it's not one of the big ones." he said as he reloaded his rifle, "This place is turning into another York Yard."

The men and women around him grimaced as they remembered the city they lost. It was one of the first major cities to fall to the alien horde. In mere hours the streets were filled with bodies and the laughter was replaced with the chant of a single, guttural word.

"Xurug!"

Shane looked past the debris and saw dozens of the large brutish aliens. The first sight of them will always stay in his mind. They were taller and bulkier than an average person, with crimson skin, flat faces, and two hooved legs like a horse or goat. Their hair was jet black and came out the back third of their head in long and very thick strands almost like cables. Crude armor plating covered their bodies and each brute was superficially different. Some had blocky guns while others had masses or mauls. Despite their seemingly primitive and barbaric savagery, they were more intelligent than the other aliens, who behaved more like a mindless horde.

"Get down!" Shane yelled as four of the aliens opened fire. Their large cannon-like guns punched through the thinner parts of the makeshift blockade. The first shot tore apart three soldiers and another blew the top half of one of Shane's sergeants. Atalanta fired blindly but no one dared to poke their head out. Through one of the holes, Shane saw the other aliens running toward them, mauls in hand.

To hell with this, he thought to himself and raised his gun, opening fire on the charging aliens. Several more of his men joined and the Xurug began falling. But they showed no signs of slowing down. As they roared, the gunners behind them killed off more of Shane's men. He thought he was next. But just as the thought crossed his mind, loud bangs rang from behind them, and the large gunners fell. A few of the raging Xurug seemed to notice this. They fell as well, their legs blown apart. Soon their heads followed and those that weren't wounded sought out cover.

Taking a moment to catch their breaths, the defenders turned around and saw two APCs. Their doors opened and soldiers carrying shields came out.

"Behind us!" the leading soldier barked and Shane ordered his men to fall back. The APCs opened fire on the tide of aliens and the soldiers raised their shields. They took out their twin-barrelled submachine guns and locked them into the opening on the side. As the horde approached they were cut down by the APC's turrets and superheated energy bolts. The street quickly filled with red bodies and dark blood. Craters and holes left from the initial assault were overflowing and the Xurug numbers finally began dwindling.

But the large brutes weren't done. They used the gremlins as fodder and meat shields to get closer to the defenders. Several died from rail gun fire and energy burns. And still, they persisted. All while screaming their battle cry.

"Xurug!" one of them roared as he smashed into one of the shields. To his surprise, the soldier stood firm and glared at the alien through the reinforced visor. The brute raised his maul high up, aiming to strike the defender down. His hand was blown apart mid-air and he staggered backward. The shield-wielding soldier pulled out a blade and stabbed the alien's throat.

"Covering fire! Hold the flanks!" Shane ordered as he readjusted his aim.

"Avalon!" Atalanta cried out and the men and women around shouted in unison.

The shield soldiers threw and pulled the brutes and gremlins behind them so the gunner in the back could finish them. Any stragglers that tried sneaking around the rubble were shot or stabbed. The APCs did quick work of the now decimated horde. Soon, the gunfire died down and the defenders collected themselves. A few wounded gremlins were desperately trying to crawl away. No bullets were wasted on them as the defenders slit their throats. One of the Xurug brutes lay with his back against the rubble, clutching a pistol in his left hand and a gaping stomach wound in his right. The leaders of the shield soldiers walked over to him and stepped on his left wrist. The xeno growled at him, his sharp teeth showing behind his torn lips. He showed no fear, only rage.

So did the soldier.

He raised his shield and slammed it into his face. Then he raised it and slammed again. And again. And again. And again until there was nothing left of the creature's head but broken bone and crushed organs.

Shane and Atalanta walked over to him and his men. Now that the fighting was done, the major and lieutenant could see them clearly. They were tall, almost a head taller than them. They wore gray armor with the symbol of a shield on it. Shane removed his helmet and visor, revealing his face and shaven head. Atalanta did the same, her short curly hair falling to her ears.

"Major Podrick Shane." he said, "Ninth Avalon Rifles."

"Lieutenant Atalanta Carter." she added.

The leader removed his helmet and revealed a scarred face with gray and black hair. His green eyes looked down at Shane and Atalanta with a neutral expression.

"Captain Xenophon Artus." he said in a deep voice, "Shields of Callisto."

"Thanks for the save." Atalanta said, "If it weren't for you we'd be dead."

"Yeah." Shane agreed, "But we have to move. Where there are few there are many."

The Captain nodded in agreement, "The BBT trucks and APCs will take us south. Colonel Christos says the north and west districts of the city are overrun. The refugees are being taken to Flat Valley. A transport ship will take them to orbit."

"I thought there weren't any left." Atalanta said, "Apart from the ones engaged in orbit."

"The orbital platform sent its reserve tankers. They'll be enough."

"Let's hope so." Shane said as he put his helmet back on, "I don't want this place to end up like Avalon."

Just as the Major turned around to lead his men to the transports, Xenophon grabbed him by his shoulder. The look on his face showed surprise.

"Avalon?" he asked, "The first planet to burn. It is yours."

"Was, Captain." Shane said, trying to mask his emotions, "When those freaks attacked we tried as many as we could. But most just couldn't make it. There was no time. Once we saw the star map and understood their trajectory, we knew we couldn't allow such a thing to happen again."

Xenophon held the Major's firm gaze, "That explains your battle cry. My condolences for your loss. And gratitude for your strength."

Shane nodded, "Don't mention it. Now let's get going."

The companies got on board the transports and headed south. Sounds of cracking stone and broken glass could be heard from beneath the trucks' thick tires. Soon the tires crushed bone and splattered blood both alien and human alike. Those that looked over the edge turned back quickly with a disgusted grimace. The Xurug rarely took prisoners and didn't care who they slaughtered.

"Animals." one of the Avalonians said, clutching his rifle tightly, "This is just senseless."

"You're telling me." said another, "I once saw one of those trolls eat a person. The savages pull limbs off for fun."

"Shut up, you're making me sick." Atalanta said.

"If that's all it takes then you shouldn't be here." the soldier said mockingly.

"What did you say?"

"Quiet!" Shane ordered, silencing the compartment, "You're stressed, you're tired and you're angry. I get it. But never turn on one another. The moment you do, we've already lost."

For a while, no one else spoke. After an hour of driving they came within visual range of the valley's entrance. It was still far away and the road was never a straight line. That was the disadvantage of living on a very mountainous planet. Most settlements needed to be built on relatively flat ground. Only a handful of cities were constructed on excavated mountains and flattened hills. When one of the Avalonians asked a Shield why they choose to live here and not simply leave he said that it was their home since the void disaster and it will stay their home until their death. He could understand that. It was hard to give up your home, especially if your people lived there for almost two centuries. And it provided a home-turf advantage against the Xurug. Wave tactics couldn't do much in narrow spaces and the Callistians used this to its fullest potential. Most weren't brave enough to stand in front of a charging horde with nothing but a shield, small gun, and blade. But these men were more than brave.

"Atalanta." Xenophon spoke, drawing attention to himself, "It doesn't sound like an Avalonian name."

Atalanta smiled slightly and looked at the floor for a moment before raising her head and answering, "My mother was from the Greek region of the Terran Europa sector. She met my father on Avalon and I guess they fell in love?"

Xenophon frowned in confusion, "You guess?"

Atalanta looked down again and swallowed, "They died when I was very young. My father's friend took me in."

"I'm sorry." the Captain said. Seeing her sad, Xenophon leaned in slightly, "I never knew my mother. My father told me she died while giving birth to me. For years I blamed myself for her death. But I see it differently now. She gave her life so I could have mine. And I vowed not to waste it. Neither should you."

Atalanta smiled at that and nodded. Tensions were dropping as the transports drove across the road. Even though flashes could be seen in the sky, indicating that there was a whole other battle waging above their heads, they could still smile. That smile quickly faded, however, as they got within several hundred meters of the entrance and saw that it was under attack. Shane took out his long sights and saw hundreds of Xurug forces sieging the defenders.

"We need to move quickly!" he shouted, "The gate is under attack."

The drivers floored it and the APCs along with the BBTs rush to aid the defenders. As soon as they were within range, the rail turrets unleashed hell upon the unsuspecting xenos. The soldiers disembarked and began their assault, firing their weapons and moving down the opposition. But the enemies weren't to be trifled with. The large brutes fired their bulky cannons and damaged one of the APC's turrets. A troll-like monster let out a roar before charging at the reinforcements. It was brought down by a precise shot from an Avalonian rocket launcher. Its blood and organ splattered across the gremlins, who were still desperately running at them. There seemed to be no end and in any other case, the soldiers might have been overrun. But the shields held on, their energy weapons scorching the aliens. Soon enough, their numbers dwindled, and only the brutes remained. Shane could see the other Shields near the gate advancing. One of them ran at a brute and bashed him with his shield, knocking him down on the ground and finishing him with his pistol. He then blocked an attack from another, shot his knee and then his face twice. A gremlin tried pouncing on him but he kicked him down and caved his skull in with his shield. Behind him, a group of young militia fighters dressed in brown uniforms advanced forward and cleared the stragglers.

When the fighting died down, everyone could see the carnage that was unleashed all around them. There were thousands of Xurug corpses of various sizes scattered across the field and their blood made it hard to see the ground.

"Where were you?!" the leading Shield called out, "We've been fighting here for hours!"

"You could have saved me some, Colonel!" the Captain answered.

"Don't be coy with me, Xenophon. Who did you bring?"

Xenophon gestured to the Avalonians, "Major Podrick Shane and Lieutenant Atalanta Carter of the Avalon Rifles."

The giant warrior took his helmet off and revealed an aged and scarred face. He was close to fifty years old, Shane thought. To be fighting at that age with no chemical treatment was more than just surprising.

The two men shook each other's hands and the Callistian spoke, "Colonel Veridian Christos, Shields of Callisto. I thank you for your strength. Come with me. This battle is not yet over."

End of Part 1