The 708th Legion

Submission for IronAge Media prompt, The Outifit

          The 708th Legion was feared among the stars, even by those races that were stronger than, or looked down on, humanity. Their exploits were legendary, and many wondered if they had discovered how to increase their lifespan. Some went so far as to as to suggest that the members of the 708th Legion had found a way to gain immortality. 

         If the 708th Legion joined a battle or war, it was won, and any planet they invaded, nine times out of ten, surrendered without a fight. The wars fought against other races were always bloody, but when the 708 boys were sent, bloody became massacre. And woe to any uprising on a human world which attracted the attention of the 708th Legion.

          Currently their mission was to quell riots on the Dr'axxun homeworld. The Dr'axxun were paying the 708th legion to gain control of the situation. One of their uncolonized planets adjacent to that of the human's territory would be given as payment in addition to the billions already paid up front. Always ready to act the mercenary as well as part of Humanity's expansive army, the 708th Legion had accepted.

           Capt. Huldron looked back over his shoulder at the hundreds of troops behind him scaling the rough terrain. This would be an easy job for them, but a long one. They had two more miles to go before they were at the capital. Then it would be one, long bloody fight. However, by the time they had gotten about a mile or two through the city, the rioters would surrender, no doubt about it. They could not hope to win, no matter how numerous they be, against one thousand of the 708th Legion.

          Despite that, it was slow going. He swore as something exploded, killing three of his best men. They had suffered losses before, but this mission was promising to be their most costly in a century. And Capt. Huldron never liked losing men, they were not just his soldiers, they were his friends, all of them. His mouth grew tighter beneath his helmet. They had to go on, not just for the mission, but for their comrades who had fallen.

           "Alright men," he called, "we got this. One push more and we will be past these blasted rocks!" Urging his men on, he led them out further into the oncoming fire.

          He would go on to lead them not just into enemy fire, but also to victory. He would then find out it was all a ruse made in an attempt to destroy the 708th legion. A brutal war entailed in which the Dr'axxun were beaten into submission, with most of their territory taken by the humans. The Dr'axxun still alive on those forty seven planets were sent to live in the remaining Dr'axxun territory. Those races who had been plotting with the Dr'axxun either were crushed alongside them during the war, or turned sides and made an undignified alliance. 

          The 708th Legion's fame would only increase after this. All other races in close proximity began to send gifts to the Human leaders, in an attempt to curry their favor and to make them forget about past wrongs. It would be many years before the 708th Legion fell, but that is another story for another time. 

The End,
God bless
 

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