Hakon
For a week the legion had spread out troops throughout the Ironspine System. The world of Ironspine and it’s population of 50 Million were garrisoned by the ‘Sparrow’s Nest’, and ‘Axe Tooth’, while the asteroid field known as Highdown, with it’s more than million was garrisoned by the Battleship ‘Thunderbolt’, and the habitable moon of Coldrock with less than a million was garrisoned by the Battleship ‘Blade’.
Protests had turned to riots on all three of the major habitable sections of the system. There was no star fortress or large space station in the system, a few defense platforms and turrets, but no major defense other than the small fleet of the System-lord which was hardly large enough to defend against the four ships of the legion with those platforms and turrets.
“Been another shooting,” Thane Longreach informed them. “Four in fact.”
There had been several shootings and deaths of civilian rioters and protesters by the legion over the last few days. The people disliked the Legion as much as they seemed to dislike Lord Lum, at least on the world of Ironspine, while Highdown and Coldrock seemed to handle the presence of the Legion better.
“Fucking spoiled cunts is what they are,” Frea said. “What do they expect. Every sub system sworn to the Lord has been targeted and hit at least once, but the Ironspine system has yet to feel that pain. They just want the luxury goods that no longer come to the system.”
“Until now,” First Companion Vault added.
“The System-lord might to to afraid of her people to let her own security forces handle them, but their learning real quick not to fuck with the 113th Legion,” Frea said with a grin, and several members of the retinue shouted their agreement.
“Cut it,” the Thane cut in. “General Archer’s orders are clear. We are not to use deadly force unless threatened with death. You are still only cleared to equip non lethal weapons along with Sidearms and Techno-Blades, and they are only to be used as a last resort.”
There were several grumbles from the Retinue.
“Any deaths?” Vault asked.
The Thane nodded. “Several. All civilians. Three from blows to the head by armored troops, one from a fell aftering being hit with a stun gun, and four still under investigation.”
“Could be worse for the spoiled brats,” Frea said.
“Listen,” Thane Longreach said sharply. “It will get worse than it will get better. This might be a small major system, but it’s still a major system. There are millions on this world, it’s not some backwater. Two regiments is all that have been deployed to the surface. Less than seven thousand of us. If things get ugly, fifty million versus that, are not odds I favor, even with both carriers in orbit, it would take time for reinforcements, so lets not make things worse.”
“Understood ser,” Frea said with a nod.
“Good. That being said, we all come back from patrol alive, we do what we must, but don’t do anything stupid, or General Archer will deal with you personally,” Thane Longreach told them.
“Yes ser,” Hakon and the other members of the Retinue acknowledged.
