Kitty Pryde, Pete Wisdom, and Excalibur and all characters therein are trademarks of Marvel Comics. This story is an unauthorised work done purely for my personal enjoyment, and is not intended to infringe on any of their rights in or their profits from these characters. But this story is copy write to me.
Comments, especially (constructive) criticism, always welcomed. Please e-mail me at
Mshakespeare@callnetuk.com
Please note : this story (at least the later parts) may contain graphic depictions of violence. If such subject matter is offensive to you, or is illegal where you live, or you are under eighteen years of age, PLEASE DO NOT READ! You have been warned!
Notes
This story is based in an alternate world where the Roman Empire never collapsed. Under a new Caesar, it is once again pursuing expansionist policies.
The site of Masada in this world is in Lebanon, just north of Beirut, controlling both the Coast road and the Desert Highway.
Technical terms : (please note, I am fully aware that what follows is not accurate Latin! However, I have made the assumption that a thousand years as a living language would change usage of words, grammar etc. - just read the untranslated 'Canterbury Tales' if you don't believe me! - Author's note)
Roman Military terminology :
Legion - Division (6,000 men, 600 tanks or guns)
Cohort - Battalion (600 men, 60 tanks or guns)
Century - Company (100 men, 12 tanks or guns)
Turmae - Platoon (25 men, 3 tanks or guns)
Contubernium - Squad (10 men)
Catafractarii - Armoured
Clibanarii - Shock or Assault
Equites - Cavalry (who may not actually be riding horses, but may be motorised)
Praetorianus - Guard
Aquila - Aeroplanes (e.g. bombers, fighters etc.)
Aquila Equites - Airborne forces (literally 'Airborne Cavalry')
Ballistae - Artillery (or 'guns' in general)
Auxilia - anyone who isn't a Legionary. May be Artillery forces, garrison troops, support troops (e.g. Transport, supply etc.). Airborne forces are also Auxilia, NOT Legionary - so it doesn't necessarily imply second-rate!
E.g. - Legion XIV Catafractarii Praetorianus can be translated as '14th Guards Armoured Division'.
E.g. Auxilia VIII Aquila Equites is the 8th Airborne Division.
Standard Military terminology :
SPG - Self-propelled Gun (usually a heavily-armoured assault gun)
SPA - Self-propelled Artillery (lightly armoured, used for indirect fire support)
ATG - Antitank Gun
ATR - Antitank Rifle
RCL - recoilless rifle (basically a light antitank weapon used by Airborne forces)
Brigade - 2 to a Division (not used by the Romans)
Regiment - 2 to a Brigade (usually of three Battalions)
Pack Howitzer - a light howitzer, so-called because it could be broken down and carried, preferably by mules or horses, but if necessarily by men
< > indicates thoughts
Love and Bullets - Prologue
The door opened, and the secretary put her head round. "Mr President?"
"Yes, Marianne?"
"Field-Marshall Lehnsherr is here, sir."
"Good. Send him in."
There was a brief pause, then the man entered. The light shone from his gold braid, the lion insignia on his breast, the multicoloured medal ribbons. "Magnus, I'm glad you're here. Please, sit down."
"Thank you, Mister President" the other man answered him, seating himself opposite the President. His cold, hard eyes, mismatched blue and brown, regarded the man opposite him. They had been friends a long time ago, then for many years rivals. Now the man facing him was the leader of the country, and Magnus was under his command. He waited to see what course the conversation might take.
"Magnus, please. When we are alone, I am Charles. We have known each other too long for these sorts of games." Charles Xavier, President of the Democratic Republic of Canaan, sat back in his chair, and stared back at the Field-Marshall. "Magnus, Latakia and Jablus have fallen, and Roman forces have reached both Homs and Tartus. The Syrian forces are fighting, but the Romans have already beaten them. It can only be a matter of time now before they cross the border and invade us in turn. Already, people are leaving Tripoli as fast as they can - the Coast Road is clogged with refugees. How can we fight them, Magnus? They outnumber us so greatly, can we hold out until our allies, the Egyptians and Persians, come to our aid? Assuming that the Egyptians will aid us - the self-proclaimed Mahdi, Amahl Farouk, is calling on them to overthrow the Government, so they may well not want to send us troops. And the Saljuks have thrown in their lot with the Romans - intelligence reports say that Turkish forces have been seen fighting beside the Romans. How do we stop them, Magnus? CAN we stop them?"
Magnus Lehnsherr was silent for a few moments. "I had expected this, Charles. To be truthful, I do not know if we can stop them - but we have to try. If we can hold them until the Persians, at least, aid us, we can throw them back. In fact, I have already given orders for our best troops to head north, along the Desert Highway, to the one place where the terrain is such that we might be able to stop them."
"Where is that, Magnus?"
"Where we stopped them two thousand years ago, Charles. Where the forces of Canaan threw back the Roman Legions for the first time.
"Masada."
******************************