Tylywoch ~ 18

 Tylywoch ~ 18  Reaction Force

By Len Morgan 

“Hello sister,” said Soren, smiling broadly.   “Soon after you left, pigeons began to arrive, and the council felt it expedient to send you some additional support.”

“It's good to see you brother,” She smiled warmly. Hildi arrived half an hour later, and Mynach a quarter of an hour after that.   Galt outlined the current situation for them.

“The main force of 36 Tylywoch will be in the throne room with ‘the Divine Light’.   There are a dozen or more detained in the cells beneath the palace, caught out by the speed and ferocity of the Surbatt attack.   There are three quads currently in contact with us and two deep Non-Operational units acting independently who will have been activated by the situation, they will have their own agenda and should be discounted” he explained.

“Galyx has gone in to gain intelligence and to release as many as possible of our people and red guardsmen held below” Weilla added, "We need to know what is happening, whilst providing as much support as possible.   Galyx went in openly, but I think we should employ stealth.  They are guarding against a possible breakout but won’t be expecting a break-in.   We need manpower for guerrilla warfare, and the prisoners will know the territory.   The four of us should be able to get in fast, and clean up the guard as we go…”

 “No!” said Galt firmly, “my daughter Schell is an espionage specialist, she will go with your quad.   You are now the commander and our only remaining Generalist, if Galyx is dead your job will be to coordinate and lead, you must leave the doing to others!" 

“Your right of course I should have grasped the situation immediately.   It's likely there are other ways into the palace, do you know any of them Schell?”

“I do.”

“Good, then you will lead the quad.   Avoid open combat on the way in if possible, we don’t want the Surbatt alerted until we have release the prisoners.   Take out the guards if possible but hide them well.   Get Galyx out with as many of our people as possible, if the red guard want to join us, release them too but leave them in no doubt that we are in charge!   If you have sufficient force to take the palace do so, otherwise, get out, and get back here." 

They slipped past the external guards with ease.   They scaled the turret tower walls and overpowered the guards on the roof, beneath the dome, three levels and sixty feet above ground. The guards hold have keys that would allowing them access to the upper level rooms.   There were five guards to silence, each increasing the possibility that one might be missed.   Descending to the second level they discovered three off duty officers.  Unfortunately, they were silenced before Mynach could listen to their speech and mimic it.   Then, as so often happens, chance took a hand.   They heard raised voices below on the first level, upon investigation, they were coming from the first room at the bottom of the stairs… 

Mynach stopped to listen at the door whilst the other three passed him and entered the second room.

“Don’t be an idiot man!  How long have you been a captain in the 7^th?   Long enough to know that a member of the Surbatt should not be dismissed out of hand, regardless of rank.   He will now report your intransigence to prince Taleen, you could find yourself back in the ranks but then I’m only a simple sergeant what do I know?   Do us both a favour and hand him over to the Surbatt, it would make our lives so much easier…”

“You're right old friend, we’ve been through a lot together you and I.   God, but it's so much easier in combat.   All we have to do is face the foe and kill him.   The problem is he's not just an old friend, he also happens to be right!”

“Then sign the order and let's be rid of him, he may be a decent chappie but he’s political suicide.”   There was a short pause in the conversation when all Mynach could hear was the unmistakable scratching of goose quill on parchment.

“There it's done, but hold onto it and only hand it over as a last resort, after all else has failed, that’s a direct order sergeant Lakei!”

“Aye sir, Captain sir.” Said the crusty sergeant.

“This is how we proceed,” the voices went very low at this point and could not be heard.   The others failed to emerge from the second room, but the lack of an alarm meant they had been successful.   Hearing heavy footfalls approaching the door Mynach retreated up the stairs out of the line of sight.   Seconds later the sergeant, a heavy built man, emerged from the captains quarters and went to the second door.

“Roust yerselves me laddies, Captain Vadeem has a wee job fer us,” he yelled, thumping on the door with a huge hammer-like fist.

He’s a Northerner, from the hills, a career soldier, he isn’t native to the seventh Clan, Mynach noted.

“D’ya hear me!” he yelled opening the door and diving in.

He’s not used to being ignored, Mynach thought as he heard the big man grunt and the sound of him hitting the floor.   Soren’s face appeared and broke into a smile waving Mynach down.   Moments later he was, dressed in the sergeants uniform, strutting as the older man had done.   By then, Captain Vadeem had also been overpowered and bound securely.   Soren fixed the lock so it wouldn’t open to a key and they headed for the lower levels, spending as little time as possible on the heavily manned ground floor.

“Roust yerselves me laddies, Captain Vadeem has need of your assistance in a leetle matter!” said Mynach loudly,  a perfect imitation of Lakei’s voice.  He thumped the heavy wooden door on the lower level.  The bolts were shot sharply, and the door opened.   Mynach swaggered in heading towards the nearest closed cell door, “Open it!” he commanded.   The soldier turned back to bar the main door, then ran to do as the sergeant ordered, taking a bunch of keys from a shelf outside the cell door, it was his last action in this world.   “Tylywoch?” Mynach said in a loud voice.

“Third cell on your right” a voice answered from within.   “There are four guards, one is in the tunnel to the left, and two in the guard room at the end of the passage, I take it the turnkey is no longer with us?”

Hildi headed for the tunnels, the quad would take care of the other two.   “Your name is?” Mynach enquired.

“Lieutenant Veille of the Red guard, cousin to the empress our ‘Divine Light’, at your service.”

“Thank you Lieutenant, we are going to get you all out of here and take back the palace, depending on opportunity and happenstance.   We will have need of your red guard, but only loyal warriors who are prepared to give their lives freely for the Empress.”

“She lives!” Veille said with relief.  A cheer went up from the prisoners.

“As do you and I.   We will need help to release your men quickly and quietly.”

“Sergeant!” he called.   As Mynach and Veille shook hands warmly an older man stepped forward taking the keys.

“Leave it to me, sir.   Outside, quick and quiet” he said to the occupants of the cells, “line up against the far wall out of sight of the door grill.”   They acted swiftly with military precision. 

Hildi acknowledged Mynach with a nod as she passed the cell door, handing him a short sword, which he duly passed to the sergeant.

“Arm yourselves with what you can find.   As we break out, captured weapons will be passed back to those behind you,” said Mynach. 

“Galyx is not here!” Soren reported as the prisoners lined up in the tunnels.   There were twenty cells, with 10-12 occupants in each. 

“They’re all out now” said Schell.

“He's not here,” Hildi confirmed.

“Your seeking Galyx?” asked one of the elder Tylywoch.   “He was never brought here, there must be another location?”

“Lieutenant Veille, where else would they hold an important prisoner for interrogation.” 

“There’s another guard post on the opposite side of the palace,” he answered at once.   “It can be reached from outside the palace, or through the palace.

“There is another way,” said Schell, “over the rooftops, under the dome.”

“Yes, but the tunnels will get you across the palace, below ground, safer, quicker, and with a lot less hassle.   However, you would need somebody who is familiar with the route or you could get lost forever down there,” said the Red Guard sergeant.   “I just happen to have a man who could get us through blindfolded.   Hibbs!”

“Yes sergeant!” said a small mousy man stepping smartly forward.  

“Hibbs, was the ‘subterranean sanitary official’ before the attack.   He ensured that miles of tunnels were clean and relatively clear of vermin.”

Hibbs gave them a gap toothed grin, “Oi know dem tunnels loik der winkles on me babies bum.” He assured them.   “Ders no map, it's all in heer.” He tapped his head three times to emphasise his point.  

“We need to know the numbers and location of the enemy forces.   We need to know who is loyal to the empire, and who we can rely on in a fight.   What are you views lieutenant?” Schell asked.

“The Red Guard are even more impartial than the Tylywoch, they are non-sectarian.   They are the pick of the empire, selected from the very best men of all Clans.   You can rely on my men 100%.  All are loyal to the Corps and fanatically loyal to ‘the Divine Light’.   I will stake my life on that!” 

“You may need to do so, I hope your faith is justified.   We will be sending a quad by each of the suggested routes.   Those who go over the rooftops and conventional routes will be given fifteen minutes grace before we attack the troops in the barracks nearest to us.   The primary objective is to grab arms, supplies, and gain intelligence.   We then allow them to force us back into the dungeons.   We will carry out a fierce fighting retreat, bar the doors, and go into the tunnels.   Our main force will start off into the tunnels even before we set the bars in place.   The rear-guard must be a swift mobile and fierce unit.   They will have to keep the enemy in sight and off our backs until they are completely lost in the tunnels, then they must be able to vanish like smoke.”

“How far would you say we will have to lead them to accomplish that Mr Hibbs?” asked the lieutenant.

“I doubt dem coves could memrise more dan ten er twelve turns, afore dey ferget der modders name.   In der heat o’battle it cud be cunsidrubly less…”

“How long would it take them to find their way out?” he pressed.

“If dey’r extremely lucky six hours, if not two days…   or more...”

“Good!   The fighting should be long over by the time they get out.   The more we can lure inside the better,” said Schell.   “Thank you, gentlemen.”

[To be continued] 

By Len Morgan