The Rust War

Harnt's four wings struggled to carry the blacksmith through the 26th Battalion of Vorne's Hive. As the Vornean rose through the flying fortress' massive central chamber, coal workers, soldiers, cooks, and even a couple of Harnt's own subordinates watched the Chief Armorer's clumsy ascent with bemused glances. When his flight ended with the clacking of his carapaced toes on the Hive's 7th floor, Harnt's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he caught some of the speculation from below. The blacksmith grumbled, and quickly waddled past rooms full of bustling scribes, charts regarding resource expenditures, and more than one disheveled desk. At the end of the hall was a large, hexagonal door flanked by leather-armored sentries. The one to Harnt's right turned and lightly rapped the door six times, while the other saluted the Chief Armorer by placing an open hand just below his antennae. A tired, feminine voice came from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

The sentry that had knocked on the door slid it open for Harnt, and the blacksmith nodded to him and his partner as he passed through the gateway. A Vornean woman with a paler carapace than Harnt's own frantically paced about the chamber, a notepad in one hand, and a well-worn quill in the other. Behind her was a single glass window to the Hive's exterior, through which dawn's red light shined. She didn't look up as she addressed her guest.

"Welcome, Chief Armorer. Thank you for answering my summons - take a seat."

Harnt took the woman up on her offer, plopping himself onto the closer of the two stools that lay before the other Vornean's desk. After letting out a sigh of joy, he responded to his hostess.

"Thanks, Wazba. Glad ya called fer me, I'm sure I know what ya want ta discuss."

Wazba looked up from her pad, and her eyes narrowed.

"That's Senior Logician to you and anyone else, Harnt."

If the Chief Armorer could smile, he would have.

"Ah c'mon. We've been workin' together in this Hive fer how many years now? Five?"

Wazba simply held up four fingers as she stared at her notes again. Seconds later, Wazba tore off the page she had been writing on. Harnt looked to where it landed, and was startled when he realized the fallen parchment had a dozen siblings.

"Ya've been try'na petition the Queen again, haven't ya?"

Wazba nodded, walked behind her desk, and simultaneously sat while laying down her notepad.

"She did not believe my last requisition report. I do not know what kind of sway the new General has with her, but she...is unwilling to believe that the increased need for steel lies with him. Instead, she questioned if I had botched the delivery quota!"

Harnt shook his head as Wazba continued.

"Just what is the General having your division do with all that steel? There has not been a sudden loss of arms and apparel - I would know by now!"

"Rahsp's...havin' us rust the steel. Been breakin' it down int'a powder all week."

Wazba lurched in her chair.

"He's having you do what to the steel? And just what reason did he have for his demand?"

"Almost called him a madman when he gave the order! All he gave fer explanainin' was "It's for psychological warfare"." Harnt threw up his hands as he finished. Wazba stared wide-eyed as he continued.

"Don't know how that man took Stenom's post. The ol' General had few good words fer the larva."

The Senior Logician opened her mouth to speak, but stared at the door to her office instead. Though their speech was muffled, her guards could be heard raising their voices to someone on the other side. After a moment of silence, one of the sentries heavily knocked on the door. Wazba steadily rose from her chair.

"Come in."

The hexagonal door slid open, and a Vornean man in rusted armor strode into Wazba's office. The soldier loudly slammed the pommel of his hook-headed halberd into the floor with every other step. Wazba and Harnt cringed each time. Flakes of rust fell from the soldier's abused armaments, and Wazba shot up from her desk. The Senior Logician shook as she shouted at the tall figure.

"General Rahsp, what in Vorne's name have you done to your armor?! And you had best have someone ready to clean my office, this is desp-" The General cut off Wazba like she was an insolent child.

"Raise your voice to me again, Senior Logician, and the Queen will hear about it." The thin woman slumped back into her seat.

"Now, I have heard the two of you are complaining about my latest attempt to aid the war effort against the Woln. They are a most unusual foe, and though it may seem stra-" It was the General's turn to be cut off as Harnt yelled at his superior.

"War effort, mah arse! Ya covered Stenom's armor in rust! I made that suit as a gift to him, and now ya treat it like shart!"

"Did you not hear what I just said to the Senior Logician? Silence, Chief Armorer." Harnt took a couple heavy steps towards his superior, and looked up through the soldier's visor into his shadowed eyes.

"No. Not only are ya spittin' on mah craftsmanship, larva, but yer pissin' on Stenom's legacy. Report all ya want ta the Queen, but unless ya hand that armor over ta me and swear ta never mistreat any'a mah smithy's works again, yer out of'a Chief Armorer." Wazba's mouth was agape at Harnt's words. Silence hung in the air, and Rahsp strolled past his subordinate to the office's window.

"Your affection for the late General piques my interest, Chief Armorer. I believe I once heard that you have never participated in the annual mating festivals - could it be that you hold an unrequited love for my fallen superior?" Harnt trembled, and his eyes fell to the floor. Wazba rose from her desk to embrace the blacksmith, and shot a baleful stare towards Rahsp.

"Say what you came to speak of, General, but do not tarry - you are not welcome in my office."

Rahsp's pauldron's rattled as he shrugged.

"My spies in Woln-held lands have seen the beasts display a rather peculiar set of behaviors. One noticed that the Woln never march through wetlands, even when it could save them days of travel. Another watched as a clan beat a child after her knife had gone rusty - and that same knife was tossed in a pit a mile from the village. Half had seen robed figures - likely priests - oiling the equipment of Woln warriors, and festivals held for these men and women."

Harnt steadily looked up at his superior "So ya think they revere metal, huh?"

"Likely - but more importantly, they fear rust. And I am going to use that against them. Normally, I would not deign it necessary to share such information, but I need your departments at their best - so quit gossiping and do your duty to the Queen."

Rahsp strolled towards the office's door, tapping his halberd lighter than earlier. As he rested his gauntleted hand at the portal, he hesitated.

"I thought you were going to resign, Chief Armorer. I will misuse this armor as much as I need to, after all." Harnt took a deep breath, and gave the General a stern look.

"If yer little scheme works, I'll be proven wrong. But once this war with the Woln's over, ya ain't gettin' that suit back after I'm done restorin' it ta glory."

Rahsp shoved the door open. "Fair enough, on one condition; you will make me a finer suit than this one. Oh, and yes, Senior Logician, a maid will be on her way to tidy up." The General briskly exited the office before either of his subordinates could reply. The Chief Armorer sat into his chosen stool again, and Wazba frantically paced around her own chair.

"Arrogant. Uncaring. Barbaric." The thin woman said in an exasperated tone. Harnt clacked his fingers together as she continued.

"I hope that man is torn apart by some rabid Woln's fangs. How dare he mock you for your preferences! And the rust! The damned rust!" Wazba gestured at the thin orange trail the General had left, then fell into her chair. The Chief Armorer looked to the rising sun as he responded.

"The larva's petty, ya got that right. Jus' glad that he can't blackmail me - not under this Queen. Can't fault him fer tryin' somethin' clever with the rust 'n all, though...that's one'a the few things Stenom liked 'bout the boy."


At noon, the 26th Battalion's Hive crossed from Vorne's central province of Quain into its easternmost province of Azusume. General Rahsp watched from the transparent doors of his Hive's Assault Deck as dry plains gave way to rolling fields and rocky mountains. The hexagonal building styles of Quain were nowhere to be seen; Azusume's structures were rectangular, with sloping roofs of wood and thatch. Two pairs of heavy footsteps clacked forward from behind the General. Rahsp turned to see his twin bodyguards, who dwarfed their master. The two removed their rusted helmets, revealing carapaces darker and redder than Rahsp's. They bowed and addressed their master in unison.

"Reporting for duty, General Rahsp."

"At ease. I would not deprive you two a chance to look upon home." The General said. The bodyguard to his left scoffed at the statement.

"With all due respect, sir, you should know how much I hate being here."

"Now, now, Rin, your mother only does her duty when she suggests that you lay down arms to become a Princess."

"Orders. She orders me to lie down and pop out larva every mating festival. And to take care of everyone else's...ugh. Thank Vorne that the Queen's authority outstrips hers!" Rahsp snickered at his guardian's retort, then turned to Rin's brother.

"And what are your thoughts upon coming home, Mamoru?"

"Through you, the Queen asks, and I obey. Whether it is Azusume or Aguusu, Sheveru or Sarnet, or even glorious Quain, I will answer her call, sir!" Rahsp shook his head.

"The two of you are eager to be at my side, at least, and I cannot find fault in that." The General looked past his bodyguards as the first of his Companies marched onto the Assault Deck. By the time the Hive's six-hundred soldiers had gathered in the wide chamber, its floor was caked with rust. The General tapped his halberd as he addressed them.

"Soldiers of the 26th, there is surely no Battalion more tolerant than you. When I stated that the Woln may be terrified of rust, none of you questioned my order to tarnish your steel! If anyone has a right to shame me if this stratagem goes awry, it is you! That is more than I can say for the Chief Armorer and Senior Logician, who whined like larvae about all of this!"

Laughter broke out across the Companies.

"We are mere miles away from Hikento, which the Woln besiege as I speak. The beasts have bled the city of its garrison, and not even a skeleton Company remains. However, the city is set firmly in the Pass of Yari, so unless the Woln have learned how to scale mountains, their only directions of movement are forward into the city, or backwards into the plains that they hold. Companies one through four will join me to flank the Woln from behind, cutting off their route out of the Pass. Companies five and six, land in Hikento and open fire once the Woln are in range. Together, we will crush the Woln against Hikento's walls! Now, when I give the order to embark, you will no longer be mortal Vorneans. We will all be as wraiths out of the Woln's worst nightmares! So give me your best damn screeches, avenging spirits of Vorne!"

Without hesitation, the 26th shook, hissed, and slammed the pommels of their halberds against the Assault Deck's floor. Rahsp, Rin, and Mamoru trudged up to the chamber's transparent doors. After eight anxious minutes, the sounds of battle roared up from below the Hive. Rahsp looked to a staircase that lead higher into the chamber, and waved his halberd at a crew of engineers who stood by a series of cranks. The operators heaved as they went to work, and the Assault Deck's doors slowly lowered. Wind hissed into the chamber, and the flame, howls, and every other sound of war from Hikento's siege was magnified threefold. Rahsp shouted to his soldiers.

"26th Battalion, embark!"

Upon their General's order, the 26th leapt off the Assault Deck after their commander. The Woln halted their assault of Hikento, transfixed by the rusty cloud that descended from above. The 5th and 6th Companies split from the main force, landed in Hikento, and loaded their crossbows. The rest of the 26th furiously beat their wings towards the rear of the Woln raiding force. As the rusted warriors drew near, the bipedal canines howled in terror, and began a mad sprint to the center of the Pass of Yari. Rahsp's warriors flew right above the Woln formation, and proceeded to swing their halberds into their fleeing foes in a hit-and-run assault. The 5th and 6th opened fire, burying bolts in the gaps of the Woln's scale armor. Droves of the beast-men fell with cleft-open heads and shoulders, and those who survived boltshots and blows batted at their rust-infested wounds. Rahsp watched the unfolding rout with glee, but what came next gave him pause.

In the middle of the Pass, the Woln who escaped the Vornean assault rapidly tore off their armor into a glistening stack, and circled it with only knotted loincloths to protect their modesty. Rahsp spotted a trio of robed figures who stood closest to the precious pile. The three howled with vigor in their voices, and whipped their arms towards the 26th. After a moment of hesitation, Rahsp lead the 1st through 4th Companies headlong into the Woln's circular formation. The beast-men leapt at their flying foes, and Rahsp was grounded by a brown-furred member of the invasion force. As the General struggled to keep the Woln's jaws from tearing off his helmet, Mamoru hooked his halberd's handle behind the beastman's neck, and strangled it as he flew into the air. Another Woln charged at Rahsp as he tried to stand, but Rin snatched her master off the ground before the beastman closed in. The General watched in horror as his soldiers were savagely stripped of their armor and torn apart by the Woln. He gave out a high-pitched hiss, and the remaining 26th regrouped in the air. The beastmen armed themselves with the shattered carapaces of slain Vorneans, but the makeshift missiles failed to reach the hovering survivors. It didn't stop some of the 26th from removing their helmets to retch at the bombardment, and after doing so herself, Rin addressed the General.

"What now...sir?" Rahsp nodded to her and Mamoru as the other twin came to his master's side.

"My thanks for the rescue...but by the Queen, I cannot send my soldiers back into that melee." The General looked at the Vorneans who had escaped the Woln's counter-offensive, and let out a low hiss when he realized a third of the gathered Companies had been lost.

"I did not take into account that fear often comes with hate, and it appears that the latter is stronger in our foes. The beasts have positioned themselves outside of the 5th and 6th's effective range, too...thankfully, all they have for ranged munitions are...my men's bodies. Barbaric. Nonetheless, this is far from ideal - the Woln have a chance to rest, while we will grow weary from hovering up here."

"Sir, can I make a suggestion?" Rin quipped.

"I am open, more than ever."

"Why not have the 5th and 6th bombard them from above? Even if their aim is skewed from hovering, the Woln are unarmored, and they can't...throw far."

"Better than what I had in mind. Messenger Huzz!" The lightly-armored soldier that had been called for flew to the General's side, and answered with a nasally voice.

"Sir!"

"Fly to the 5th and 6th, and relay this order; I need them to attempt an aerial bombardment on the Woln!"

"Right away, sir!"

Huzz zipped over the Woln's formation, drawing frenzied howls from the beastmen. A moment later, the 5th and 6th Companies gathered above the Woln, and Rahsp raced to meet them.

"Load...aim...fire!" As numerous aerial volleys failed to fell many of the assembled Woln, the General's head sunk. The crossbowmen were soon low on bolts. Right when Rahsp was ready to cease the bombardment, something strange happened. A stray bolt struck a helmet in the Woln's pile, and a beastman broke formation to fling itself over a breastplate that was near the impacted item. Another Woln rushed to grab the helmet, and tried slamming bits of carapace into it.

"What in the Queen's name...?" Rahsp muttered. Another stray bolt pierced a coat of scale armor, and its black-furred owner quivered as the triad of robed Woln howled at it. When the dark Woln failed to move, others swarmed it and began beating it down. Excitement was thick in Rahsp's voice as he shouted to his crossbowmen.

"6th Company, give your remaining bolts to members of 5th Company, and fly back to Hikento! Bring back buckets full of water! 5th Company, try firing at the thickest pieces of armor within the Woln's pile!" Though the Companies hesitated, they fulfilled their commander's order without a voice of dissent. As more pieces of equipment were struck, the Woln formation descended into chaos. Individuals who failed to destroy their marred armaments were ripped apart by other Woln. Most flung their bodies over the glistening pile, and all the while, the triad of robed Woln howled in abyssal fury at the 5th Company. Rahsp sent the rest of his Companies to join the 6th in their race for water. When all had returned, the General let out an exuberant hiss, and all but the 5th dumped a tide onto the Woln's equipment. The beastmen went berserk as the oil in their armaments gave way to the falling water, leaving rusted splotches all over the stack of steel. Rahsp turned to his Battalion.

"Charge!"

The entirety of the surviving 26th let out a unified hiss as they shot into the maddened Woln. Too focused on their damaged equipment, the beastmen were butchered as their Vornean foes exacted vengeance. Rahsp, Rin, and Mamoru veered towards the robed triad, and cut the howling Woln down with hateful strokes of their halberds. A handful of the beastmen sprinted on all fours from the slaughter, their tails between their legs, and frantic whimpers on their tongues.


A month later, Rahsp's campaign against the Woln had come to an end. The General sat in his newly-refurbished quarters on the 26th Company's Hive, garbed in black silk, and sipping fine nectar from a glass. A heavy knock came at his door, and the General took another sip before answering.

"Come in."

The hexagonal door shifted aside, and Harnt strode in with an oversized box in his strained hands. Rahsp gave out a greeting to the waddling blacksmith.

"Chief Armorer, what a pleasure!" Harnt grumbled as he set the box down.

"Yer new suit's finished, General. Care ta try it on?" Rahsp lazily stood, and watched as Harnt lifted a set of shining plate armor from out of the box. Without asking, the General took the set's helmet into his carapaced hands, and carefully poked his antennae through its accommodating forehead slots before letting it fall onto his head.

"Fits like a charm, a job finely done!"

"Can't just go and say that without the rest'a the suit, now!" Harnt proceeded to aid the General in donning the remaining pieces, and Rahsp jogged in place then flew around his quarters with it on.

"So? I hope yer pleased, that's all yer gettin'!" Harnt spouted out.

"Truly a masterpiece, Chief Armorer! Much better than what you made for Stenom!"

"Sure. Well, that's all fer now, then." Before Harnt could turn around, Rahsp withdrew a sealed envelope from his desk, and waved it towards the other Vornean.

"What's that?"

"I found this little letter in an alcove of Stenom's bookcase last week. It is addressed to you."

Rahsp extended the envelope to Harnt, and the blacksmith hesitantly took it from his superior. With a flick of his sharp thumb, the Chief Armorer opened the letter, and began to shake as he read it. Harnt placed it back inside the envelope when he finished, and gave Rahsp the most serene look he had ever seen out of the otherwise-grumpy blacksmith.

"Thanks...General. I...I finally got some...some closure."

"If he wrote what I believe he wrote, it would certainly explain why he never participated in the mating festivals either. Nonetheless, you certainly earned the chance to read that...Harnt."

"Well, yer crazy plan took care'a the Woln, so I ain't resignin'...Rahsp. Ya have a good eve now."

"And a fine night to you."