• Decimation: Removal of a tenth. An ancient mass punishment for a group's cowardice or mutiny on the battlefield. A lottery was held with the intent of selecting one tenth of the group in question. That tenth selected by the lottery was to be stoned or beaten to death by the rest of the group or crucified. The leadership was executed outside the group chosen for decimation.

    In the city-state Laurentia a young sword master endured a terrible trial known as decimation. In the last battle, Joseph had left a pile of bodies in front of him while the rest of his company fled. This gave him no immunity, nor did his status as an independent mercenary. He was bound by contract to the laws of this land. Those higher in command were so shocked by the desertion that they resurrected an ancient punishment.
    The wars were getting fewer and far between as the dark ages were giving way to the new industrial world. Unfortunately for those left fighting, all there was to look forward to was an escalation of carnage as the industrialized world fed the battlefield with mechanized horrors.
    Laurentia was not exactly the beacon of the civilized world but it did have land ideal for the new steam powered railway locomotives on top of being a port city near the Horeb Sea (known locally as the Sea of Horus). The western city-state of Davina had made several attempts to secure port cities to gain access to the Horeb Sea and invaded Laurentia's territories.
    Laurentia was under attack from a fully mechanized army. At first Joseph had jumped at the opportunity for such a high paying contract. Defend the city and break the siege, how hard could it be? He didn't count on the officers running away. After that the enlisted took the cue and ran away as well.
    As Joseph walked out of his tent, he saw the other people lining up. They were even rounding up the injured. He felt a hot flash of adrenaline sweep over him as he thought of what was to come.
    Joseph wondered if he should run or fight; if he killed a guard and secured his weapon he might have a chance at escape. He laughed; if he ran he would be shot, if he fought he would still die when overwhelmed by numbers. He wanted to panic. He wanted to rage; if this is how they are going thank him then he might as well kill as many of them as he could to make a point.
    In his heart he knew that he was bound by contract; his honor and the honor of everybody he represented was at stake. Joseph didn't represent just the swordmasters, but the gunslingers and the steel horsemen and every outsider who has needed work.
    If he survived this, Joseph would have to be more selective about the leaders who hired outside their army. The actions of everybody involved in decimation would completely alter the way business was done between contract workers and their employers.
    Guards were giving orders and lining everybody against the inside wall of the city. Joseph was placed next to a blond haired boy who looked to be fifteen. Joseph wasn't much older; a year at most yet there was deep contrast in their bearing. Compared to the trembling blond, Joseph looked as calm as a cup of water.
    “What's your name?” Joseph asked the blonde.
    “K-ken. Kendal.” as he said this, an older man, maybe twenty, was placed next to Joseph on the left. Joseph recognized the older man as a gunslinger; one of the schooled mercenaries. He looked as if he were simply waiting impatiently to get yelled at and sent on his way.
    “My name is Josepheus but you can call me Joseph.” he said to Kendal.
    “How many people survived?” The gunslinger asked. He was trying to get a count for how many people were going to be selected.
    “I have no idea.” Joseph said. “Are they doing a silent count?”
    “I think so” The gunslinger replied. “I think they are doing everybody at once.”
    “I can't do this. I didn't run.” Joseph said with building rage “If they pull me out I swear I will show them the meaning of decimation and take a tenth from them.”
    “Be calm swordsman. You're making things more tense.” The gunslinger gestured his head towards Kendal who had lost all the color in his face as if he knew he was going to be pulled out of line.
    Joseph felt a stab of hatred at the thought of being beaten to death because the person next to him might have been the one who ran. “Did you run?” he asked Kendal.
    “No. I stayed at my cannon nest until the wall came out from under me.” Kendal's fear changed to confused anger. “When I crawled out, our reinforcements arrived and they were taking us as prisoners.”
    When Joseph looked farther down his right he could see about thirty people down. Somebody was being pulled.
    “What does that number look like? A fourteen count?” Joseph asked.
    “They're getting closer.” Kendal shook when he did the math; him or the guy on his right would be pulled. One of the mechanized mercenaries had been pulled.
    “They just pulled a horseman.” Joseph said “This is a little to close for comfort.”
    Other guards were leading the remaining people away in groups to finish the mass punishment by having them stone the ones pulled from the line.
    “Gunslinger, what's your name?” Joseph asked
    “Hector.” The gunslinger said.
    “Can I trust you to end it for me?” Joseph thought it a great dishonor to be executed by random and by his standards, untrained cattle.
    Hector understood this and said, “I will. I would appreciate you to do the same if it turns out to be me.”
    The guards grabbed Kenneth and pulled him away faster than he could walk.
    “He fought to the end.” Joseph said.
    “We can give him the same small honor.” Hector said.

    Soon after, every mercenary and contract worker left Laurentia in protest. Laurentia eventually fell to it's enemies despite the renewed motivation of it's own military.