After Nerissa sent ahead clearance to land at our location, It took only minutes to see the Spartari forces below. I then proceeded to manually land the vessel in one piece. Quite a feat considering three of the five landing pads were severely damaged.

I then proceeded to put my armour in standby mode as I stood up before addressing the duo. "Are you two ready for whatever comes next?"

Nerissa nodded. "Of course Apollo. I will always be eager to follow you into battle."

Rhapso then followed up. "Yeah! I don’t get to cut loose much, so this is going to be a blast!"

As soon as the doors to the ship opened a group of engineers stormed into the ship and began the repairs while some came and took the body of the pilot away. I sighed at the sight but proceeded forward and left the ship.

Before us was a fortress. Another fortress. Not as tall as the fort I had to siege. Only a few levels high, but the significant amount of trenches and barbed wire I was seeing from the top of the fort was significant. The trenches expanded from horizon to horizon. The barbed wire became foliage. And the amount of explosive craters I could see... This place has taken a serious beating.

Waiting for us below the ship was a tall, muscular, bald headed man with half of his face full of metal augments. He stood waiting, and gave off a grizzled appearance "Sentinel Lambdason I presume? I am honoured to have you join us here. I am Lochagos Baldwin. At your service."

I extended my hand out to the Lochagos, doing everything in my power not to look at the top of his head after he said his name. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Lochagos. Is the rest of my squad here?"

The man nodded his head, gesturing to me to follow. "Yes, your Psionic elites arrived twelve hours ago. Alongside Centurion Cockburn and his squad. Let me be the first to say Sentinel. As a fellow Psionic user, the men under my command are familiar with the sight of Psionics, so you shall not have issues here. Also, Praetorians, I thank you for joining us on the frontlines. You will be a significant morale boost."

Nerissa and Rhapso stayed silent, so I jumped in. "So what’s the word, Lochagos? All I have been told is the coordinates."

"Unsure Sentinel. The plans have not been laid out yet. Your second is in the command tent right now talking to the higher ups, I shall take you there first before taking you to your squad... Be aware though... When I left, things sounded... Heated."

"Understood." I said and followed the man, having an inkling at what ’heated’ actually meant.

...

"Balls!?!"

Skaja yelled at the top of her lungs as I entered the tent. "Bitch I have balls bigger than that fat sack of shit you call a head! Wha-? Oh bring it on you slag! I bet your pussy ass tiny balls wouldn’t dare set foot on this planet till victory was all but assured! Oh yeah? Your mother!"

Skaja then went silent, anger building up on her face as she clearly heard something heinous from the person on the other side. Her face turned visibly red and looked like she was about to yell before I appeared in her peripheral.

Her eyes then went wide looking at me, wider still upon spotting Rhapso. She then coughed before handing over the communication device and walking away out of the tent.

I then proceeded to put on the headset.

"- You will be sucking my fat sack when I’m done with you, bitch. I will-"

"-Aunt Serena, it’s Apollo."

...

"Will someone check this shitty interference! It’s garbled and other channels are getting through! Incompetence during war is punishable by death!" She yelled to those around her before changing her tone completely.

"Apollo. How are you? Are you well? I assume the mission with the Praetorians went off without a hitch?"

"Without a hitch? I can’t say that. But I have benefited from the mission greater than I could have imagined. Plus I have acquired the allegiance of a second Praetorian, Rhapso, Who has decided to accompany me like Nerissa during the upcoming war."

"..."

"Hello?" I followed up after a moment of silence

" Ah, apologies. That is wonderful to hear. Having another Praetorian with you increases local power significantly, this is good to know."

"So, Serena. I assume we have been relocated for a purpose? What’s the mission?" I asked.

Serena’s tone changed again, getting serious.

"Yes. In front of you, if your second in command is competent, should be a map of the local region."

I looked at the table and there was a data pad. Clicking it a holographic map popped up showing a large map.

"I see the map. Looks like I am at Fort... Amberrock?"

"Correct. Fort Amberrock is of significant strategic value to us. But even more so to the Drakoshi. If you look at your map, you will see twenty miles from your location to the south, there is the sea. What you will also see is that you are on significant high ground. Nothing but sheer rockface for hundreds of meters below the cliffs and below that horrid jagged reefs and other nasties in the water. This occurs thousands of miles east. Giving Clan Oizik a terrible time at attempting to set up their aquatic vessels. It’s too risky.

However, ten miles to the west of Fort Amberrock. The cliffs end. What is there after the cliffs is nothing but smooth sandy beaches for hundreds of miles. Alongside clear, smooth bottom waters. If the Drakoshi get to those beaches, if they set up a naval presence on this world, the war is going to last possibly well over a year. Right now they are isolated. Our own navy is enough to keep theirs in check. But if they can expand their positions to where they can get into the water, it will tip the scales in their favour for some time.

As for your current mission. You are going to be heavy on the defence. This part of the line cannot be lost. Reinforcements are going to be sent to you every chance we get, but clan Oizik are localised to this region. You are going up against a whole clan’s worth of reinforcements alongside Vim and Emoth. The fighting is not going to be easy and it will be bloody.

However, I don’t expect you to just sit in the fort the entire time. Centurions Cockburn’s force have years of experience in sabotage warfare. I have assigned him to your personal command during this operation as his logistical mind is to be admired. Use his squad and reinforce it however you see fit with your own Psionic troops.

Apollo, I would usually be micromanaging this area of the battle with extreme care and will continue to do so. But you have shown your ability to perform beyond what is expected. So I give you full autonomy to do whatever it is you need to do to hold the line. Do not let the Drakoshi get past that fort."

’Oof, responsibility. Curse you Nerissa!’ I thought before replying.

"Of course, Serena. I will not fail. I do not fail..."

"Good. Expect Drakoshi skirmishes within the next few days. I have reports they are moving suspiciously. Serena out."

...

I took the headset off and rubbed my forehead. This was... Unexpected. I was comfortable leading a siege. I had thousands of hours of childhood playtime with my darling attacking, but defending? That was another matter.

"I suppose I can use how I would attack this place in order to increase defensive capabilities? Hmmm~"

I nodded my head. That would work. But there were some steps that needed to be taken first.

Turning around I addressed the Praetorians. "Nerissa, I need you to go find Onyx and Sapphire. Call Rhea, Willow and Cockburn. Also, Rhapso, I need a detailed account of the surroundings. Our territory is this fort. Everything."

The two left without saying a word. I then followed them out of the tent and looked out at the Phalanx around. I looked at the weapons everywhere. I then looked to my left. Skaja was sitting down on a crate, rubbing her head, murmuring something about a bitch...

I still had some time and something needed addressing. "Skaja, can you come in the tent for a moment."

"Of course Apollo." She said, switching into a happier mood."

I proceeded to standby as she walked into the tent. I looked around, not only with my eyes, but also my Psionic senses, something she picked up on as she asked.

"Is everything alright Apollo? Are we going to discuss battle tactics?" She asked, walking to the war table and hopping up, taking a seat upon it.

"That will come in a little while. First we need to discuss something and I need to apologise."

Skaja tilted her head to the side in confusion as she kicked out a leg. "Apologise? For what?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Ok, the best way to deal with something like this is just to get straight to the point. Hah~ Don’t blame the Nymphs, there was a whole ordeal, but basically..." I paused, conflicted for a moment before just getting it out.

"I know about Artemis."