Did I Hear You Say This Was Victory?

These could hardly even be called streets anymore. Duke Godric sat quietly in the back of the ground car as he and a small honor guard were driven on a tour of the wreckage of the Ecazi capital. At least here the destruction was brought on by a lack of ability to keep the infrastructure in proper repair. That and of course having to cannibalize materials needed closer to the front. Things were much worse the closer they would get to the surface.

He of course was aware of how bad it was. This tour was mostly to let the populace see him; to let them know their leaders were still here and working on their behalf. It was meant to provide hope and for the moment he didn't have much more to offer them. There was so much more that was going to be needed but for today this would have to suffice.

When the Muadru had come the people of Ecaz soon found that the token forces left by their over lords from House Ragnar were no match for the invaders. At first Godric had blamed them, indeed, even hated them, for leaving his people so vulnerable. As time wore on though and he realized the full scope of the invasion across the entire Empire he realized it wasn't their fault. No one could have foreseen this. The Ragnar were busy losing on so many fronts just like everyone else.

So, as things wore on Godric did what he had to do. For his entire life he had been a Duke in name only. Rich to be sure and certainly accomplished as a scholar. But more was needed of him now. He became a soldier and a leader, putting his own life and that of his family on the line to fight for his people. Godric had rallied them to raise armies of their own and to use the natural defenses Ecaz offered to defend his people. They were victorious, after a fashion, after years of living under siege. But at what price had this victory come?

The Muadru tried to land on Ecaz and were driven from the surface by the natural perils of the plant. Driven back by poisonous plants, fearsome carnivorous insects and pollen storms that killed men in the thousands they then opted an orbital bombardment. In this too they were stymied. Miles and miles of plant life was burned from the surface only to regrow in a matter of hours. Better people than these invaders had tried to tame the surface and failed. That was when the siege set in.

Life on Ecaz was lived in underground cities for the most part. In better time harvesting crews went to the surface with special equipment to harvest their worlds bounty. As a subterranean people they depended on contact with the outside for food and supplies, most notably high tech filters to keep the outside contaminants out. The Muadru realized this soon enough and began targeting the exits for bombardment and the occasional ground assault. The first few killed the remaining soldiers Ragnar had left behind.

Duke Gordric raised his own forces and met the invaders for the next attack...and the next....and the several dozen after wards. Always they held the access points, or soon drove the invaders out after a breach. But always at a terrible cost. And all this time the bombing and hardships began to eat away at the people. Eventually the air grew foul in places or was poisoned by pollen, spores or infestations from the surface. Whole communities were lost and in some places power and water service were cut off.

They held out for years like this, driven by desperation and the fear of what would befall them should the enemy break through. Ecaz survived, but only just, till they were eventually relieved by the new Emperors forces. Several long years left them as a shell of what they once were but they were alive and for that Godric was grateful.

"Our populations is reduced to fifty five percent of the pre war census," said one of his aides who had been giving him a running tally of what had been lost and what remained. The rest of what the man said was scarcely more encouraging.

"Of those remaining scarcely forty percent are able bodied enough to participate in the restoration. Some will recover of course and we have some children and young adults who will be of working age soon."

Godric nodded in understanding as the ground car stopped. Gathering his cane he managed to exit the vehicle with some difficulty. An injured leg that would never heal fully was the one thing he had gained from all this. He was one of the lucky ones still alive after having fought the enemy. Considering what else had been lost though he hardly felt lucky. His wife was dead, his children likewise and his world was a battered war zone. Still, where there was life there was hope. The remaining people of Ecaz needed him. His grandchildren needed him. He was not going to let them down.

Surveying the damage near one of the access points to the outside he remembered briefly leading a charge against the Muadru here in this very spot. He didn't want to dwell on that though. Just as he had been needed to fight and then to inspire the people of Ecaz to survive he was no needed to guide the rebuilding.

"We will need some harvesting crews to be in the field as soon as possible," he said then, cutting off the long listing of damages that was being read to him.  "If we don't start providing product to the Empire again soon then we wont have the money to rebuild. Or the Imperial blessing to do so."

He sighed at the thought of that. Godric still needed to face the Emperor and make an accounting of what had transpired here. If he couldn't convince the throne to let him lead his people then Ecaz might be done for. The populous as a whole had no stomach for outsiders coming to lead them after all of this. The return of Ragnar wouldn't be welcome, whether fair or not, and the survivors might actually rebel at the prospect.

"Everyone else that is able to work we need to organize into crews and begin rebuilding efforts. Concentrate on the electrical grid and water services first. I will go to the capital....try to get some emergency aid....food anyway...."

His voice trailed off at that. Duke Godric had to basically go beg the new young Emperor for the food, water and high tech filters that Ecaz would need to survive. If he were to fail....well....he didn't want to dwell on that thought either. Instead he continued with the tour, inspecting the damages and giving directions for the short term efforts they would need to make. One day at a time. That was all he could offer for now.