The Lord Tiranis, An Origin, Part2 (2nd half) An Excerpt

Tiranis is a world of humans and furries, of super science and super powers, of ordinary people and extraordinary ones.

Stories of the Past is a series of stories exploring the history of the city of Tiranis, as well as the world it exist in or something people of importance in it.

This is excerpt is about 1000 word of a 8,000 word chapter.

You can read the full story, as well as other stories set in the world of Tiranis by joining my Patreon at the 1$ level: https://www.patreon.com/posts/15361161

A story of the past

"Good Shot," came the voice in his head.

"Thanks," the lynx replied. He didn't look around for Peek, he could be anywhere on the battlefield-which had been their base camp only an hour ago. "You have any idea how they got in?"

"Not really. A few of them have thought about taking out sentry out, but they don't know the details. Whoever made the plan isn't in my range."

LRK sighed. He had some time. They wouldn't stop firing at his position a while. "You know we're going to get blamed for this, right?"

"I know, but I think we should worry about that after we've survived this fight. Who knows, we could get lucky and the general will eat a bullet in the confusion."

"Keep dreaming. He's holed up in the command tent, which, last I check, is in the middle of the camp, so every soldier fighting for their lives are keeping the enemy away. If the general gets a bullet, it means there isn't anyone left on our sides to rejoice." He paused and thought of something. "Unless you have a plan for the good general?"

"No." The answer was firm, final.

LRK chuckled. He knew Peek had worked out one of two ways to take out the general. They all had. By now he was confident even the infantry soldiers had built fantasies about removing him from their lives. LRK wouldn't be the one to do it. As much as he hated the human, he was a commanding officer, and LRK a good soldier, and not a stupid one.

He sighted a soldier dressed in black and red sneaking between tents, and fired. The Anthro dropped like a rag, dead.

"There's a unit of ours at your four O'clock."

LRK looked in that direction. Three jeeps formed a line, front to back. He felt beyond it, a dozen people were crouched next to them. "Got them."

"They lost their support officer, and they're weaponless. Their unit leader went out to get them some, but he isn't coming back. They're about to panic and run out from their cover."

"Which is going to get them killed. You need me to lead them to safety. DO we have a muster point?"

The bark of laughter that exploded in his head was muffled, and for a moment LRK thought something had happened to the cat, but when he spoke his mental voice was back to normal. "Hardly, the general has been far too busy making sure he couldn't be held accountable for any of his screw ups to think of something as trivial as where to meet up in case we're attacked. So I'm thinking we make it the command center."

The lynx laughed. "Oh, he is going to be pissed. I like how you think, Peek."

"Glad to know that. I'm signing off. Good luck."

LRK looked at his rifle, too bulky to carry while he had to run, and too slow to use once he'd reached the kids. He tucked it against the transport. He'd come back for it when they were safe.

He took out his two guns and felt around. He didn't have the luxury of waiting for a lull this time. He ran.

He fired at any form he felt aiming in his direction. He'd killed two by the time one gun was empty, but he'd sent three times that scurrying for cover.

He let the clip drop out without bothering to catch it. To hell with the general's rule about never leaving magazines on the battlefield. He could send someone to pick them up when this was all over.

He threw himself down at the edge of the jeeps, rolled and came up to a crouch behind it, next to a squirrel who jumped back into his unit mate in surprise.

"Hi," LRK said, putting a fresh clip in his gun. "You guys are new here, aren't you?" There were two lions, a boy and girl, a tiger, a handful of rodents, a thin black bear and two dogs, both girls. Physically they'd be close to LRK's age, a year younger at most, but the terror in their marked them as rookies."

"Y-yes, Sir," The squirrel said, regaining a hint of her composure. "We arrived with the plane this morning."

LRK stood, fired at targets he couldn't see, but that his sense told him were there. Four forms went down, shimmering into sight as they died. He crouched back down.

"You guys really picked a lousy time for a visit." The lynx said as he changed clips. "You need to have a talk with your travel agent. Probably get a refund."

All he got were confused looks.

"I swear, they have to start waking you up with a sense of humor, I am not that bad at it." Even Ellie, who joined him for lunch every day now still just shook her head when he told her a joke. He smiled as he thought of her and hoped she was okay."

"Okay, so you guys can't stay here. There's too many inbound in his direction for even me to take them all on." He looked at them, and not even a hint of a smile. "We need to get you to a safer spot. Can you follow orders?"

"Yes, Sir!" they answered in unison.

LRK smiled. "Didn't doubt it. You're going to stay low to the ground and head for that jeep over there." He pointed to it. "Once there, you hunker down and wait for me. If your teammate goes down, drag them along unless you are certain they're dead. You don't leave any wounded behind, is that clear?"

Nods all around and the got ready.

"Good. On my mark, move fast." LRK stood, pulling the water between the enemy and them into a thick sheet of fog. "Go!" He picked off targets as he sensed them, his sight being as useless to him as the enemies'. The fog wouldn't last long, it was too hot and dry and he had to keep focusing on it to keep it from dissipating. And that wasn't easy to do while taking fire.