Interstellar Age - #275 - 275 The Legion of the Damned

While Erich prepared his army of Orcs, Emrys made his own preparations. On a world which previously belonged to the Dvrakian Consortium. Emrys stood, but he was not alone. Nor was this world a barren wasteland like it had been after the Naraku tore it apart and stripped it of all its natural resources. 

No, this world was a stronghold, like all others that were once a part of Dvrakian Space. It had been over a decade since the Empire began terraforming the territory they had gained in the Dvrakian War and lost in the following Terminus War. And during this time, they had begun constructing massive fortresses that covered the entire worlds. 

These were not fortress worlds in the traditional sense, that were fortified worlds designed to house entire populations of people, like what was seen in the core worlds of the Empire and its frontiers. These were, instead, worlds designed for a single purpose: War…

Emrys was dressed in the same white and gold military uniform he had to warn when he was an admiral. But the men surrounding him were wearing the Power Armor that was so commonly found among the Germanic Star-Marines. While inferior to the armor which the Orcs beneath Erich’s command wore, it was still highly functional, and enough to take on even the greatest of threats. 

Yet, the soldiers did not wear their helmets, instead they stood in formation, ranks upon ranks, files upon files, which went on as far as the eye could see. And every single one of these men looked the same.

They had golden blonde hair, which was fashioned in the style of a crew cut, and piercing blue eyes. Eyes. There was also a tattoo below their right eyes that was a miniature black sun. In fact, their faces were nearly identical, with minor variations. But if Erich were to gaze upon them, it would be as if he were looking in a mirror. 

These were the so called Legion of the Damned. An army of Germanic Warriors born in artificial wombs, and raised in vats, where the only education they received was on how to be the most effective warrior possible. Every upgrade the Star Marines went through, so too did these men. They were fearless and powerful, with only one purpose in mind. To kill the enemies of the Empire. 

They had no families, no wives, no friends. They were all born of the same genetic template, based upon the last genetic upload of one, Erich Jaeger. Which was the exact same genetic structure that Erich had received after being upgraded by Tia. 

Yes, that is right. Over the last two years, Emrys had stolen Erich’s enhanced DNA, and bred an army of men based on his genetic template via the artificial wombs that the Alfheim Dominion had given them. He then went and used advanced xenotechnology to rapidly age these infants into adulthood. The entire time, their minds were flooded with propaganda and knowledge. But only the knowledge they needed to be the most effective warriors in the Galaxy. Knowledge based upon Erich’s incredible exploits during his time as both a pilot and a WRAITH. 

Each of these men had the knowledge and training of a W-7, with the genetic structure of a super soldier among super soldiers. And it was not this world which housed the Legion of the Damned, but every world beyond those which were currently habited by Germanic citizens. 

Knowing that Erich was planning to outfit his army of Orcs with advanced power armor and weapons. Emrys had resorted to the same strategy he had used to win the War against Terminus. Yet this time, he did not plan to spill the lifeblood of the Empire to save a measly half of its people. 

Instead, he planned to use these artificially created Germanic men, men who had no purpose other than to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. In fact, the Legion of the Damned outnumbered the actual Germanic Army quite significantly. With thirty trillion active soldiers across several hundred worlds. 

As Emrys walked among the ranks of these supreme super soldiers, he eventually took his stand at the podium, where his voice echoed not only across this world, but all others which the Germanic Star-Empire laid claim to. His voice was filled with the passion of a savior, while his words were filled with despair. Yet the speech captivated the minds of the Germanic citizens. 

“Brothers… I envy you… To fight the enemies of our empire, and deny the ambitions of those who seek to drive us to extinction, is truly a noble cause! Our banner has waved for generations, and now the time has come for you all to carry it in battle against our enemies!

And make no mistake, though our enemies are many, our equals are none! We alone carry the blood of old Germania in our veins, and that of the countless generations of warriors which it has spawned in the time since our culture first evolved. 

Traitors! Aliens! Mutants! Hybrids! These are but a few of the enemies which you will find yourselves waging war against in the coming years! And though our empire stands strong, it is far from united, not like it has been in the past. The influence of the galaxy, one which seeks to undermine our sovereignty and our prosperity, continues to plague the minds of those who do not have the strength of will to repel it! 

Even now, the propaganda of the great traitor, one whose blood you hold in your veins, seeks to undermine our great society! They call for the acceptance of mutants! They call for the crossbreeding with aliens! They call for us to open our borders and allow the aliens to with our worlds as they please, as if they were our masters! But do not be deceived, my brothers! For their minds have been infected! 

And what does one do with an infected limb? They cut it off! So that the body may survive! And you are the surgical instrument that shall be employed to amputate these blighted appendages, which makes our great race weaker! 

Once we have cleansed our worlds of this infection, which seeks to destroy us all, only then can we be united in a singular purpose. Only then can we stand the tides of the barbarians and savages from the greater galaxy, which seeks to destroy our way of life! 

And though many of you will die in the pursuit of this victory, you do it knowing that your sacrifice allows the rest of us to survive, to endure, to overcome and, most of all, to prosper! You do it knowing that the Empire which gave birth to you, and the race which you call your own, will one rule this sector of space without anyone to challenge our authority and our sovereignty! 

Now go forth, my brothers! And be the blade, which amputates the infected limb! Hail victory!” 

Immediately after the speech ended, the trillions of blue eyed men raised their arm in salute, and repeated the Supreme Leader’s words back to him in a voice so loud, it made the worlds they stood upon tremble. 

“Heil victory!” 

—

Erich stood in disbelief after watching the speech that Emrys had just made to what appeared to be an army of clones, ones who bore a striking resemblence of himself. Erich quickly looked over at Tia who had a frown on her face and asked her to clarify what he had just seen. 

“What is that?” 

Tia sighed heavily, while searching through the records of the Germanic Star-Empire, and shook her head before revealing her thoughts on the matter. 

“That appears to be the army which Emrys has bred to counter your Horde…. It would appear that no record exists in any database within the entire galaxy of how they were made. But I have a suspicious feeling that they have been tank bred using your DNA…”

Erich looked with astonishment at Tia before asking the question in his mind. 

“So wait a second. You’re telling me Emrys cloned an army of me to fight against me?” 

But when Tia shook her head and voiced her thoughts aloud, it truly stunned Erich. Because he never would have imagined her to say the following words. 

“No Master, it’s more accurate to say that they are Master’s children. That Army was artificially created from Master’s DNA and some unknown female’s DNA. Although, by the looks of it, Tia would say that they were created using the DNA of a female relative of Masters…

But that’s not important. What Tia is worried about is how did Emrys get his hands on a sample of Master’s DNA after Tia spliced it with a cocktail of other species’ genes to help improve Master’s physicality and mentality? Needless to say, somebody has betrayed us. Either that or the Empire’s slicers got through Tia’s security without her realizing it….

This needs to be investigated. Tia will let Master know when she finds out how this was achieved. Until then, Master might need to rethink his strategy. Because if Emrys can pump these guys out by the trillions, Master’s Iron Horde might not be able to win the war after all….”

After saying this, Tia’s holographic projection disappeared, and Erich could not get in contact with her, no matter how much he tried to do so.