Gerald Jranwolski pushed open the door so that it was just wide enough for him to fit a broken piece of mirror through. He moved it around so that he could cover most of the room before deciding there wasn't a trap. Raising his lasgun to his shoulder, he kicked in the door and swept around the room to make sure that it wasn't occupied. Feeling confident that the room was empty he slung his lasgun across his shoulders before going back into the hall way to carry in two backpacks, setting them next to the window. Making another trip he helped a wounded guardsman onto the cot left in the corner. "Ugh… Bear… Bear… Where are we? This isn't a medcamp," gasped the wounded man.
"Don't worry Dar, we're somewhere important. What you need now is some rest," Ger said assuringly to Dar. Checking the bandages on Dar's stomach wound, Ger grimaced and injected a pain killer into Dar's arm before moving over to look out the window. Flashes of gun fire and the booming of artillery could be heard in the distance.
"We're deploying you to Treeal they said. It's an easy job they said. No real fights there they said. Enjoy the mining town women they said. Earn extra money hunting rats they said," ranted Ger while he studied the streets.
"Fighting the daemons of chaos they left out," mockingly stated a deep voice from behind. Quickly turning and drawing his las pistol Ger trained it on the shadowed figure in the doorway. The man was wearing a wide-brimmed hat that covered most of his face and the shadows of dusk cloaked most of the man's features except for a brightly reflective Imperial Aquila in the middle of the man's chest.
The site of the Aquila relieved Ger enough that he holstered his pistol and slumped down beside the window. "Not many people can sneak up on me, you're lucky I didn't fire," Ger remarked has he pulled a tube of rolled smoke leaf from a cargo pocket. Chewing on the leaf Ger unslung his lasgun and began normal inspection of the weapon. "I don't know who you are, but you're welcome to hide out here for awhile. I promise I can keep you safe, though I won't promise it'll be quiet."
"Safe and quiet? That's pretty easy for you to say considering the battle is a few city-sectors over," the man said while looking at the wounded man on the cot. "Aren't guardsmen supposed to be at the heart of the battle for the Imperium? Why are you hiding out here? Is it for the sake of a wounded comrade or perhaps even a man of your stature gets scared by daemons?" the figure mockingly asked.
Clearly frustrated Ger leaped to his feet and balled his hands into fists. "I have hit men for less than that!" he states on the verge of shouting. "But that will not help us now. No, I'm not scared to fight daemons, we're here for a good reason." It was at that point the man noticed a small leather pouch with tribal markings inscribed onto the rough hide hanging from the man's belt. If his knowledge is correct, this man is from the planet of Dusk and that pouch contains the ashes of family who were killed by daemons and burned at the pyres. No, he thought, this man isn't scared, he's hunting.
Raising his hands innocently the figure said, "I don't mean to start a fight, but perhaps I will believe you if you tell me who you are and why you're out here instead of at the main battle."
Seeming to calm down a little bit, Ger moved back to looking out the window. "I won't tell you my real name since daemons are about, but you can call me Bear. That man over there on the cot is called Dar," he said quietly. "We're out here because we're going to prevent the loss of Treeal. Now before you question my sanity, listen to this. A few months ago we were stationed at Mandallas, another mining town. It was attacked by daemons carrying the same banners to battlefield as the ones today. The battle seemed easy, the cultists were easily pushed back, their daemon pets routed, all was about to end gloriously until we got attacked from our flank. From a cleared out part of the city a daemon prince and his cohorts tore into us, killing almost everyone. We were forced to retreat to the inner city and all was thought lost until High Inquisitor Britannicus showed up and just leveled almost the entire city. Said something about how those daemons can't get access to the ores beneath. Well Dar here and I were the only ones left from our unit. They transferred us here, promising us time to recover." Ger motioned to the stained bandage tied around his shoulder strap. "It's me lucky bandage now. The first rush of the daemons at Mandallas saw me run through on a sword. I thought I was for sure dead. When the medics looked at me though, the blade somehow passed clean through my chest and missed all my organs. God-Emperor saved my life that day. I was back in the fight less then a week later."
The man seemed to be taking in all that was said and stood silent for a few moments. "Ok, that's well and good, but it still doesn't explain why you're out here."
"Call it a hunch, but I've seen this tactic used before. The same thing happened to my village back on Dusk. Daemons were attacking and without knowing it we got attacked from behind. A daemon prince snuck behind us and used his rituals to summon many, many more daemons inside our defenses. I think it's the same thing that happened in Mandallas and I think it will happen here too," remarked Ger. Just then a noise was heard from outside the window. Quickly dropping below the window sill Ger motioned the man to do the same. "What we're after is here," Ger said while pulling parts out of a backpack and assembling a heavy stubber. In a hushed tone Ger said, "Now you will see why we're here. If you want to help, pray to the Emperor and help me by feeding the ammo.
While Ger was mounting the stubber to the window sill, the cloaked man smiled while moving to help with the belt feed. Secretly he moved the bag of belt fed stubber rounds to the side and drew out a belt of ammo from his pack. Ger quickly attached the ammo belt without looking away from his target, a large daemon prince, who was drawing signs into the pavement of the street that were painful to even look upon. "Today, we save the city or die honorably."
Letting loose a scream that the cloaked man felt would wake the dead a planet over Ger trained the gun on the daemon and opened fire. Round after round tore through the princes' armor sending flesh and ichor across the street. The noise was almost deafening. After what felt like an eternity of firing, Ger finally let off the trigger and watched as the daemon's blood burned holes into the street. Confident that the limbs would not return to their original positions and reform he finally looked down at the man who had helped him. "Now that we have finished him off, it's my turn to ask you who are you are, and if you have any transportation so we can get Dar to a medcamp?" asked Ger.
Watching Ger lift both packs onto his shoulders the man said, "If you think you can carry Dar while running, I have a thunderhawk gunship a few cliques back." He enjoyed watching the look of confusion and awe cross Ger's face.
"Who are you?" ask Ger.
"Bear, I am High Inquisitor Britannicus and we have much to talk about."