"The God Wars" - Chapter Thirty-four: Race to the Harbor

The God Wars

Chapter Thirty-four:

Race to the Harbor

By Dwayne MacInnes

As soldiers ran one way and civilians ran another, Podaistas realized that the trumpet calls were not coming from the wall towers facing east or north. Instead, these calls came from the west. There was someone trying to gain entrance to the harbor. The king felt a moment of anxiety. He had sent all the ships out to sea leaving none for the defense of Atlantis.

Podaistas ran towards the harbor cursing himself for his idiotic mistake. He figured that with Poseidon dead the armies of Ares would only use the land routes. Ares never fought battles from sea before. But, with the arrival of the Otherworlders nothing was the same. Gods now used new tactics, and men now had the capabilities to kill gods.

The king commandeered a horse from a courier and headed towards the harbor. Podaistas jumped on the back of the beast and spurred it forward. The horse leapt through the throng of people. Civilians and soldiers alike made a path for the king as he kicked the horse to faster speeds.

Instead of taking the bridges that would only lead him to the inner-center of the city where the civilians were trying to find sanctuary, King Podaistas instead took the long circular route so that he could be at the harbor's entrance. The monarch only slowed long enough to rally any soldier and militia member to follow him to the harbor. The king vowed that Ares would find Atlantis difficult to take no matter where he landed.

Once the harbor entrance came into view Podaistas noticed that the towers were busy trumpeting away. A strange call echoed back in response. The king had never heard these sounds before. Some were shrill and others deep and some even remotely sounded like someone banging on a very large pan.

The king jumped off the horse and ran to the stairs leading to the harbor wall. King Podaistas ran up the steps -- taking them by twos. As the king reached the top, he rushed to the crowded merlins of the wall and peered out to the sea. The soldiers on the wall were busy crying out and waving towards the ocean.

The sight nearly brought tears to Podaistas's eyes. There in front of him sailed the entire metal fleet of the Otherworlders. That was when the king noticed that the men were crying in exultation and not fear. Even the usually stoic monarch gave a great cry. There was now a chance that they could defend the city.

Admiral Arnold was again on his flagship the USS Pima, a Baltimore class heavy cruiser. He had spent the better part of the last few months restructuring the new Republic's fleet. Until the production of new steel ships began, Arnold had to make due with the uniremes and his precious destroyers, baby flattop, and this cruiser.

It was with great joy when General Crist ordered the entire fleet from the original convoy south to relieve Atlantis. There were soldiers onboard the RMS Olympus, the cargo ships, and even the tanker. They all headed south and carried important material for the defense of the city of Atlantis.

When the towers began trumpeting announcing their arrival Arnold ordered every ship in the fleet to return the call. Arnold's plan was to bring hope and raise moral among the defenders. It evidently worked, for men lined the harbor walls and towers waving and yelling in great joy at the approach of the fleet.

The heavy cruiser only entered the first circle of the harbor. The inner-circles proved to be too shallow to allow the ship to pass. However, the destroyers were able to make it further inside the inner-harbor. The escort carrier USS Kiska remained outside the harbor to allow her to maneuver so that she could launch her aircraft. The cargo ships, tanker, and the troop ship all docked and began unloading their supplies. The LST sailed further south and began to unload its shipment of tanks.

King Podaistas waited by the dock as the Republic of Atlantis troops began to disembark. The king recognized the tall gray-haired man approaching him.

"General Crist," Podaistas shouted taking the general's forearm into his hand. The king's smile shone upon his weary face. "This brings great joy to my heart."

"Your Highness," Crist replied. "I brought every available soldier I could muster to help with your defenses. When do you expect Ares to arrive?"

"My scouts say tomorrow at dawn," Podaistas frowned. "Maybe even sooner." The monarch waved to the smoke filled horizon to the northeast. The soot was already finding its way into the city and the sky was hazy.

"That does not leave us much time," the general responded. "We'll need to rush your defenses."

"My friend," Podaistas slapped General Crist on the back. "Your very presence has already given heart to my men. We will fight together tomorrow and Ares will at the very least know what it is to face true men."

"Sire, we have other matters to discuss," Crist returned the smile, but he would not be distracted from the tasks at hand. "After all the soldiers are unloaded from the Olympus," Crist pointed to the ship behind him, "we need to get the civilians aboard. This will clear the streets and remove obstacles and worries for concern for your people."

"You are a wizard," Podaistas replied. "You seem to think of everything. However, do you think your ship will hold everyone?"

"She can hold over 10,000 soldiers," Crist replied. "We can cram more aboard if they camp on the decks and in the halls. They cannot bring much with them, but the chance to escape wholesale slaughter may be enough incentive for them to board with the bare minimum."