Final Hour

Urix Soldiers (The Ambush) by Lloyd Smith

Judoc watched dispassionately as the Concordium line suddenly broke and his soldiers began retreating from the battle, abandoning their trenches. Many scrambled over comrades in their desire to escape. The Urix behind them ecstatically filled the abandoned position and began to pour fire at the backs of their retreating enemy.

He kept his eyes on the scene with rapt attention, turning away with great reluctance only upon hearing a great disturbance from the top of the hill. A heavy weapon had been unleashed and he watched fascinated as the odd energy bolt flickered over the summit before it became eerily quiet. With a final worried glance, he turned back to his own fleeing allies below.

Without warning, huge pillars of light appeared all over the recently captured trenches, each beam being about the size of five Ursians standing side to side. One or two beams missed their target, but were quickly streamed into position. Judoc looked back up at the top of the hill and imagined that he could see Seti telepathically calling in the orbital strikes. He found himself once more admiring the unique ability of the Tuleonetian race.

Where the beams concentrated, they increased in power, clouds of rubble and dust billowing out of the affected areas. The Urix paused in their attack and then began to run in the opposite direction once more, back towards their own trenches.

In unison, the orbital bombardment ceased and all the beams of energy flicked out of existence. He then touched the datapad to send a final command and watched as the Concordium forces stopped their withdrawal. They turned back on the Urix, their own weapons flashing at the backs of the running reptiles.

Judoc rose up from his hiding place and, drawing his sword in a smooth motion over his head, pointed it at the flank of the running Urix forces. He opened his mouth to shout but instead found himself drowned out by a multitude of different accents, voices, and sounds as the Concordium army charged headlong at the enemy with a jubilant war cry.

Each contingent had their own tactics and specialties but, taken together, created the true power of the Concordium military. Gervian troops fired off energy pistols in rapid succession. The energy pistols only had six shots but recharged very quickly leading to a near continuous rate of fire. Some managed collateral shots taking down multiple enemies at once. Gervians were able to use the heat of the energy bullets to light the target on fire and make a small explosion at the point of impact. This was key for the marksmen for if the bullet was placed correctly, it could be used to tear through cover and strike at those which were cowering behind.

Meanwhile, Ursians charged at the attackers with sheer strength, shrugging off hits like dust on the shoulder. Their paws lashed out, leaving a trail of broken bodies behind them.

Darting among their larger comrades, the Tuleonetians used their small size and agility to give them their primary edge in battle. They wielded knives and rifles with precision. Individuals would merge into a group and strike as one where they could inflict the most damage before separating once again, their battle tactics a continually flowing swift dance of death.

The enemy Urix were not to be underestimated. They were fearsome warriors, harnessing untamed ferocity and a ruthless streak which accompanies only true predators. They handled their plasma bows with precision and used energy assault rifles to tear through enemy formations, relying on their great rate of fire to cut the enemies down.

More soldiers emerged from the Concoridum trenches, having hidden in the many bunkers that dotted their line during the orbital bombardment, and joined their comrades in hunting down the remainder of the Urix forces. Soon enough, the sound of battle was joined by a dull roar as Bricius brought his energy cannon to bear from above.

The energy bolts continued to fly as the pistols fired away. The battle was coming to an end as the Concordium forces finished off the remainder of the enemy. Body parts were scattered over the battlefield, the bloody mess not distinguishing friend from foe, and the ground was soft from the blood soaking into it.

Judoc rushed at the final cluster of Urix soldiers, spotting the huge reptilian beast that towered over his guards. The Urix commander forced his way through his soldiers, recognizing his foe as the Concordium officer who had masterminded the crushing defeat. The Ursian captain forewent the usual circling and cautious calculations to dive in, lashing out with a massive paw that connected straight with the target’s jaw.

The claws left a huge gouge on a scale and knocked the Urix over sideways. He got back up, forked tongue licking the blood which seeped from broken lips. Seeming to enjoy the taste, the Urix sprang athletically to his feet and charged back at Judoc with a brutal shoulder blow. Judoc took the hit and was knocked back slightly with a grunt. The Urix wasn’t about to let up, however. He struck out with a storm of claw slashes that left the Ursian’s fur in a tattered and torn mess.

Judoc weathered the assault and, sensing his opponent beginning to tire, reached out without warning. With a swift motion, Judoc wrapped his arms around the enemy. His hold was not good and the Urix, too, was strong.

Bunching his great muscles, the Ursian hefted the struggling reptile up and brought him crashing down into the ground, headfirst. The dazed enemy commander attempted to raise himself up but, before he could, Bricius was upon him and drove him down with his full weight. The Urix was pinned down for good.

The Urix guards were overwhelmed and Concordium soldiers moved in to seize the Urix's arms and legs, shackling him in chains. As Bricius lifted himself free, the Urix commander strained forward against his bonds, hissing “This… isn’t over.”

by Cameron Ames