Commando Part 43

Toberis led them through the alleys of the city to avoid the authorities. Since they knew what lurked in the dark shadows of the streets Maurice's party were uneasy. Their new friend's detours made them fear where he might lead them. Maurice could not help, but look up at the ceiling or up at the walls of each passage they went through. Some passages had creatures scurrying about such as rats, spiders, snakes, roaches, beetles, and other bugs. On the ceiling were bats that frightened easily in a couple of the passages. In at least one were the creatures that ate corpses lurking along the walls and in the ruins of flanking buildings. To Maurice it appeared that they would not find the Vestrisians this way until they came to a busy street nearly packed with people of Khasungai. With Toberis in the lead they entered the street through a hole in the wall of an abandoned building. Each of them were covered in webs, bat droppings, and had a few critters crawling all over them. Maurice held himself back from swatting Toberis.

Brittany was trying her best not to lose it as Hilastes had to hold her back from attacking Toberis. If she did their cover would be blown and the city guards would be on their tails. Wearing cloaks in a city like Khasungai would still draw attention if there were not others wearing similar cloaks like theirs. Toberis looked around as if searching for something or someone inside this particular street. He took his time making glances, studying certain individuals, and watching a few of them from where he stood. Maurice wanted to be covert about this and not draw attention, but failed to mention it before.

His focus rested on several figures who stuck out among a group of hooded figures. One of them looked in his direction forcing him to turn away to see more hooded figures among the crows. Seeing more cloaked figures gave him a sense of hope about their current situation with the Khasungai Guards. Even if the guards were looking for them they would have a difficult time figuring it out. In his mind Maurice was sure the guards were hunting them down because of what happened all over the streets of this city. Not long after his glance with one of the figures that stood out Toberis nudged Maurice and Hilastes. He pointed out one of the figures in a cloak Maurice recognized. Acting quickly they moved towards this figure who was loading a basket with some items.

None of them paid any attention to the others in the crowds as they pressed towards this one figure. More than a dozen hooded figures and others who were non Khasungai, basically outsiders, and foreigners, blocked their path. One of them in the middle quickly asked who they were. Maurice stepped forward revealing his name in Vestrisian. Each one of the hooded figures backed off save for the leader who approached him and his companions. Maurice realized it was non other than Lieutenant Zomere. He embraced the Lieutenant who embraced him back. She looked at him noticing something had gone horribly wrong. Not hesitating Maurice told her what happened and urged for her to get going

One of his men was hurt, and the remaining gangs were killed. Zomere turned and barked out some orders to the other hooded figures. These figures obeyed leaving her and the commando's party in the streets among the crowds of Khasungai. Zomere pulled him whispering in his ear. Maurice was to go back gather his party and leave this city. He and his unit were to meet her at the large head outside the city.

The Vestrisians parted ways as Maurice raced back into the passages through the city with his small party racing after him. He ignored all the creatures and dregs that lurked in the walls, and cracks. It did not take them long to reach their dwelling discovering the corpses were being eaten up and dragged away by the corpse eaters of Khasungai. Their presence drew no attention from the creatures, which allowed them to gather everything they needed for travel. Toberis and Minerva left them for their own dwelling. Hilastes loaded the wounded Eyanosa on his mount before they headed out of the temporary dwelling.

Out of the alley a former ally had led them to Maurice's party entered the streets wearing cloaks and their mounts covered in large blankets. They slogged through the streets of Khasungai trying not to appear too suspicious or draw attention. When they came to the gate the guards stopped them for a few moments just to study them for a few moments before letting them pass through. All eyes were on these covered, and cloaked figures leaving the city. Maurice could almost feel the glares and stares of the guards as he led his company out of the city. He had his company go at the same slow pace to avoid any more suspicions. It took them nearly an hour before they reached the large head.

At this large head were no more than fifty warriors waiting for someone. More than half of them had their own mounts loaded with belongings and several pack mules for hauling extra supplies. Maurice pulled back his hood to study these fifty figures who appeared to be made up of Uxane warriors, trackers, prowlers, Dark elves clothed in Gantronese uniforms and armor, several orcs, Grussians, Eothans, and various other humanoids who would easily be mistaken for bandits, and goons. He approached them with his hands raised as a sign that he meant no harm. The uniforms of the orcs, and humanoids caught his attention. Every one of these particular figures either wore the badges of Maphai's mercenary or the Nevoran Federation's Ex military exiles. Seeing this Maurice took out the radio Maphai gave him hoping they would believe him to be a friend. One of the orcs saw this and confronted him. He snatched the commando's hand attempting to real him in. Before the confrontation could progress Lieutenant Zomere and their two new friends butted in. The trio forced the orc to stand down. Confused the Lieutenant turned to Zomere demanding if these warriors were on their side. Zomere nodded yes to him and requested for the radio. Maurice handed it to her without much hesitation. She switched it on to get in contact with whoever she was trying to contact. Zomere took several tries before she got a signal. One of the Vestrisian's from the fort emerged over the radio. Zomere informed the Vestrisian they made contact with Lieutenant Maurice Viyamor before she was cut off and ordered to hand it over to the commando.

The Major's voice came on the radio ordering for the Lieutenants, and their new found allies to get a move onto Oceanrest Var. Two of their parties came under attack by Caligari's goons and gunslingers. A handful of their people died as well as the attackers. Several more Vestrisians did find the fort encouraging more structures to be built for garrisoning the fort. He did not give many details as to how many were killed. He informed the Lieutenants that each goon's corpse was sent to the Caligari Syndicate with help from neighboring tribes who often traded in that area. Taking the Major's commands obediently the Lieutenants barked out orders for their large party to move on down the road. Introductions would have to wait on the road. Somehow Maurice had a feeling in his gut that many of their new friends could die very soon. Zomere and Maurice looked at each other in the eyes. Maurice warned her what lay in the lake that flanked the road towards Oceanrest Var. She told him they would not be taking that route. Zomere offered him a cooperative share of power since they both held the rank of Lieutenant, which Maurice agreed to go with. He allowed Zomere command, which she immediately used to turn their entire convoy around back towards the city. Only they veered off the road into the woods. She had their Uxane lead the party on a trail blazing path through these trees that surrounded the city-state.

In the woods and jungle they found more corpses of Gantronese and other invaders hanging on trees, and rotting on the earth. Their weapons still lying on the ground, belts, and packs still partially full of supplies and ammunition. Numerous members of Zomere's contacts picked up the more useful weapons and grabbed whatever ammunition was left. His own unit did the same while he checked on Eyanosa every now and then. His Uxane friend and soldier was faring quite well for someone who was shot in the leg. Minerva's magic stopped the bleeding for a while but it came back in slow flows. They were forced to stop at the edges of the forest and swamp-marsh. Zomere requested one of their allies and a medic, private Gorbovich to tend to Eyanosa's wound. Not wanting the Tuxir's cries of pain to draw attention they put a piece of leather in his mouth and held him down. Private Gorbovich used his equipment to get the bullet out quickly even though it had been in his leg for hours. Maurice took a moment to check out the steeds of their new friends. Half the steeds were large cats like their own, some were beasts he had never seen that appeared like large lizards that could run on their haunches. The rest looked more like the creatures he saw Steele-Oakley and his own men ride to the fort with them. As he checked out the outlandish steeds something in the marshes caught his gaze. He ignored forcing his attention on the strange mounts his new allies rode. The orcs and humanoids heckled him over his curiosity. Mauric only smiled feeling like he made some new friends. Whatever caught his attention caught theirs as well. Hilastes and Amonif came to his side to see what the commotion was about.

On the other side of a series of body water that was mixture of a bog, lake, and a still river they saw a large grouping of tribesmen. Whether they were the ones Maphai spoke of he could not tell. These tribesmen were jumping, hollering, banging drums, wielding torches and screaming strange chants. In their captivity appeared to be a woman or two. Each one was bound in ropes and sticks in an uncomfortable position for mating. Ideas that these may be offerings of some kind of sacrifices entered his head. One of the orcs looked through a pair of binoculars. He chuckled before handing them over to Maurice and his Unseen Bears who immediately checked out the scene. Nine women, and more than a dozen men were held captive as some sacrifice. Maurice wanted to act quickly until he spotted tattoos of the Caligari syndicate, symbols of their gunslingers, and untrustworthy, cut throat pirates. Whatever fate was going to befall these souls Maurice did not care. For these were the ones responsible for the troubling violence caused in Khasungai. He watched for a while as the tribesmen carried their victims over to what looked like a flat surface of stone in the shape of a lily pad. Each sacrifice was placed on the lily pad like an offering would be placed at an altar of worship. The tribesmen beat their drums savagely while some made noises of a toad using wooded figures and carved wood. For an hour the ceremony lasted until something came out of the marshy waters. It was followed by another, and another toad, and frog looking creature larger than a fat human. Maurice put down the binoculars moments before this sacrifice began its first course or round of debauchery.