The Dragon Chase: A Tale of the Everburning City

Chapter 14: Valerie

"Ma'am!" came a shout from Amelian's irritating little communications specialist, for the eighth time this past hour. "Request from Central for the status of Lieutenants Trask and Rustov, and their platoons," he said, before being invited to proceed.

Captain Valerie Olgen wasn't used to the lack of deference the kid showed his officers, though it wasn't unusual by a specialist's standards. She had hoped time on the last wall, beneath Rustov and the old whip-cracking sergeant of hers would put some respect for the chain of command in him.

Valerie scowled, defeated. If Valen let it slide, it only meant the kid was that good, and there was a risk of Spendel being poached by a Bureau.

"I'll tell them more when I know more. Rustov isn't back from lighting the fields, Trask is MIA, and I'm still waiting on two platoons that are in transit. Once I have at least half a company, I'll go pull Trask out of the fire," Valerie replied, testily.

"Aye, ma'am," Spendel replied. He frowned, checked over something for a moment, then said "Odd..."

"What is it?" she asked.

"Miscommunication, I think. Some new kid on the telegraph line is pretending of have a sense of humour. The message makes no sense," Spendel answered. "I'm sure it's nothing."

"What did it say?" Valerie asked.

"As follows: Report any sighting of the airship," Spendel said, bemused. "Has to be a prank."

"Could be a mechanical issue. Request confirmation from command, and let me know when I get back," Valerie ordered, heading for the door.

When she stepped outside, she was nearly tackled by Lieutenant Rustov's junior sergeant, an antsy young man who hadn't yet learned how to wait. "Captain! My platoon is ready, have been since we left the last wall. We're ready to go and assist Lieutenant Trask."

This wasn't the first time Sergeant Reeves made this request. Or the second. Valerie kept her face as neutral as possible, as she glanced out into the night. "We're still waiting on Lieutenant Rustov and the rest of her platoon. They're due any minute by cable-car."

The sergeant did not look happy with her response, but saluted smartly and returned to his troops.

Valerie sighed as she glanced back towards the Last Wall, where they had seen a vicious eruption of flame from their location, fifteen miles away. "What the hell are you up to, Rustov?" she asked herself, not for the first time tonight.

Of the eight platoons that made up her company, only six were ever deployed to the last wall at any given time. Of those six, two had arrived since Valerie had sent orders to withdraw. Rustov's platoon was only at half strength, Trask was missing, and both Lieutenants Curt and Barrow were delayed by mechanical trouble with the cable-cars.

The last communication from Trask had said something impossible; two Golems were hitting his section of the wall. It was something she dearly wanted to confirm, but too much of her company was scattered. Until she heard more from Curt and Barrow, and Rustov, Trask was on his own.

She grimaced and spat over the wall, trying to wash away the sickening feeling of leaving him on the Wall alone. Withdrawal protocols were clear, and even the recruits came in knowing that no one held at the last wall. If Trask was still back there, it was because something had prevented his retreat.

She walked as she mused, passing by the two Valkyries assigned to her company. The Valkyries were large, bronze cannons, with a tube that a grown man could stick his entire head into, roughly eleven feet long in total. Each of them, smelted in the foundry under the supervision of a Crafter, was engraved along the top with one of the oldest expressions in the City.