The room drones with energy that runs along the thick conduits snaking along the floorboards. Glowglobes hover in each corner of the room powered by those cables. The illumination emitted from them is a buzzing erratic yellow. The light casts Sergeant Milk in a jaundiced pallor as he packs his personal effects. A sharp rap on the door and the Sergeant turns around as it slides open. Inside walks a Commissar who stands ramrod straight, tall and gaunt with a chest full of medals and decorations falling off each epaulet. His cape has golden brocade around its perimeter. The Commissars peaked hat makes him tower over the Sergeant. As the door shuts the Sergeant snaps off a crisp salute. 'At ease Sergeant, please continue with what you were doing.'
The Commissars voice booms even in banter. The Sergeant responds to the command. He makes eye contact with the commanding officer, while zipping up his bag. 'Commissar Breh, permission to speak freely?' A quick nod from the Commissar gives his affirmation. 'Commissar Breh, you can't go out there. This world is breaking up.' As if on cue the grounds rumble and lurch, warning klaxons ring out. 'Sergeant Milk,' The Commissar speaks in a tone that has commanded for the last thirty years. 'We both came to Blito-3 with the order to cleanse this world of heretics and xenos in the name of the Holy Emperor of Terra. After fifteen years and numerous campaigns we have destroyed heretical cults to the vile Chaos Gods and stopped many an ork horde. We are down to one enclave of the foul alien. I will not stop until my orders are complete.' Feeling embarrassed by being put in his place. Sergeant Milk looks down at a box filled with his personal items. 'Yes Commissar I have been here with you all this time, filling out the requisitions. But this world is no more. It is breaking apart and being pulled into the Sun. You know we have come out of orbit. Let the orks be obliterated along with Blito-3.'
'I can not do that, I will not leave it to chance when I can be sure and purge the unclean with righteous flame. Now you get to the transport and off this world. I will rendezvous with you on the Emperor Class Cruiser The Divine Might. When is the last transport to leave Blito-3?' The Sergeant goes to his terminal to retrieve the information that was asked of him. His fingernail on his right hand index finger slides back and under the skin to reveal a port that plugs him into his workstation. His eyelids flutter closed as his eyes flit back and forth. Sergeant Milk states 'The last transport is in 30 hours sir.'
'How many troops are at my disposal?' The Commissar inquires. Sergeant Milk's eyes flutter once again. 'There are two platoons of Desert Dogs, still out in the field running interference with the orks.' Rubbing his chin in thought Commissar Breh says 'Link their coordinates to my Rhino APC.' He makes eye contact with the Sergeant and states. 'Be safe and get to the transport.' He touches the Sergeants shoulder turns and leaves the room, dabbing the sweat off of his brow. 'Make sure you have your key to board sir.' Sergeant Milk says as the door slides shut. The Commissar has his rosary in his hand. He touches the beads between forefinger and thumb. At the end of the rosary is a figure of the immortal Emperor on his golden throne underneath is a key wrought of iron.
The Commissar's boots clack on the rockcrete tarmac. The ground rumbles and splits open a fissure in front of him. Klaxons ring out again. This forces the Commissar around the fracture. He jogs to the APC feeling that he would be more comfortable ensconced inside. He uses his key code to open the door. Air hisses out equalizing with the outside atmosphere. Shutting the access the Commissar sits at the helm and starts the vehicle. The Rhino's engines fire up and belch thick oily black smoke. Commissar Breh jostles in his seat as the engines idle. Gunning, the vehicle speeds away on metal tracks, clanking on the cracked tarmac, heading to the coordinates linked to the display.
Some distance away to the West, Colt is driving over the plains in a truck fashioned from junk scavenged from different vehicles of the Imperuim. Colt is an Ork Warboss. Orks are a barbaric race of green skinned humanoids that are warlike and crude. The orks live to fight and look for conflict everywhere. They fight amongst themselves and anyone that gets in their way. A Warboss is a leader of an ork clan. He commands loyalty through fear and pain. His lieutenants are called Nobs. Crack! Colt hears a great noise over the roar of his engine. He lowers his head as if he just dodged a bullet. Realizing it was not a shot at them, he sees a tear in the crust of the planet to his left. It is over taking him. Dust and rubble billow out of the rip. Not wanting to be over taken, a morbid fascination with being first, leads him to push a fist sized red button on the dash. This engages a turbo booster forcing more air into the engine. Bursting forth with speed, wheels fishtailing Colt begins to pull ahead of the fissure.
He smiles showing more of his massive tusks. The fissure passes Colt. Leaping ahead at odd angles, pass the vehicle. The Nobs in the bed of the truck yell out since they've noticed this ridiculous race start to unfold. 'Go faster Colt!' Colt floors the pedal, his vehicles motor whines as the turbo sucks in more air. An explosion rocks Colt on the front left quarter panel of his motor vehicle it pitches over on the right side wheels. When the truck slams back on all four wheels his first thought is that the engine has blown. Colt sees explosions coming out of the ground right were the fissure went through.
As the cracks in the planet continue it is throwing up mines that have been laid in wars past. The mines detonate, as they are being ripped out of the ground and pulverized. The resulting explosions toss Colt's rig into the air only to have it crash down into a tooth-rattling roll that ends on its wheels. The four Nobs are launched from the truck and smash into the hard pack grounds of the plains. Colt was belted in for the wild ride. After the truck slumps to a rest Colt has the sense to un-strap and get out of the vehicle. It may explode due to the faulty construction. The door moans as it is pushed open and he groggily crawls clear.
An aftershock wakes Colt. Not sure how long he has been unconscious he staggers to his feet. A gash on his scalp has congealed over and his blood dried to a deep crimson. Looking over his decimated vehicle he finds one of the Nobs crushed under the truck itself. He begins to look for the others. He sees the other three lying out like heaps of dirty green debris. Colt goes up to one. He kicks the Nob and is satisfied with a groan. Slapping the remaining two only rouses one more. 'Git up, weez gotta long haul.'
As he points to the horizon, Colt says, 'Over dat ravine is where we need to be.' They look to where he is pointing and stagger on, rubbing their bumps and bruises. After traveling some distance they come over the ridge to a gully. A rumble is heard off in the distance. Colt holds up a fist to stop the Nobs in their tracks. He looks around for the source of the sound. Colt is not sure if it is the ground again. At the end of the gully that spreads out to the North, Colt sees remnants of a battle. Seeing an oily black plume on the Southern horizon Colt knows that it was not another tremor. 'Let us take dat ride.'
The Commissar is looking over his readout and sees that he is about half of a kilometer from the front lines. He slows the Rhino APC to a clanking stop. He picks up the receiver and calls back his position to H.Q. He relays to barrage the area six meters in front of the Desert Dogs coordinates in five minutes and to have the artillery be for maximum effect. This barrage should last no more that ten minutes with intervals of no artillery every five minutes then to resume with the bombardment. The Commissar also relays this information to one of the Desert Dogs platoons and to have them pass it on to the others whilst taking cover.
Seeing the Rhino pull to a stop just below the orks, looking to Colt like a giant insect. Colt eyes the Rhino and soon covets this vehicle thinking what a grand war wagon it would be, a lot better than that truck. The rumblings of the engine and the tracks shake all the way to the orks. Looking at one another the orks see what there carrying that may damage the APC. Colt has his gun and knife the Nobs each have a Krak stikkbomb as well as their guns. Colt takes one of the Nobs stikkbombs. The Rhino APC is just parked there engines at idle. Faint explosions resonate back to them from the North, not sounding like the earthquakes or tremors these are ordnance. The orks make their way down the gorge with the deftness of mountain goats as they make it to the rear of the Rhino APC.
Sitting in the Rhino Commissar Breh reads the display that the artillery is en route. Some debris plinks off of the hull of the APC drawing his attention away from his MRE. Looking out through a periscope scanning the gully he sees an ork above on a ridge easily lift a boulder above his head and hurl it at the scope. Reacting Commissar Breh fires the Bolt gun mounted to the top of the APC. It rests on a pintle giving it 135-degree range of fire. The boulder crushes the periscope and breaks the camera eye. Rocking the periscope out of the Commissars hands and cutting the bridge of his nose.
Bolter fire rakes up the rock face and chews through the Nobs left arm. Not being armored his arm falls away and washes the ground with blood. Screaming in pain the Nob grasps his wound and runs out of the fire zone. Tears blur his vision as he stumbles and falls down the culvert to the starboard side of the Rhino bouncing off with a thud. Commissar Breh opens a gun port on the side of the Rhino. He sticks his Bolt pistol through and fires off a round at the ork sprawled face down. Bolt guns typically have what are called reactive rounds. Each round contains an explosive payload, triggered milliseconds after contact with a target. No sooner than the round pierces the ork's back the chest cavity expands as the explosive takes effect with a small muffled thump.
Going to the front of the Rhino Commissar Breh straps in and starts moving the Rhino APC. From behind a boulder Colt runs up and puts a stikkbomb on the back hatch of the Rhino, pulls the pin and runs for cover behind some rubble. An explosion clangs the rear of the APC! As the smoke clears only the paint has been scorched. Gnashing his fangs Colt yells. 'Your try Nob, git movin!' At this point the Rhino is pulling away. The last remaining Nob runs along side the Rhino and pulls the pin on the Krak stikkbomb and tosses into the tracks of the APC. Turning around the ork heads back to find cover. A cog of a wheel and track are blown free of the Rhino sending shrapnel scything through the air chopping down the fleeing Nob. Blood and viscera are flung along with his torso. All of which paint the ground scarlet as his legs buckle. The aftermath of the explosion throws the Rhino to the right as the treads on the port side overcompensate and bite into the ground.
The moment the APC comes to a grinding halt. The earth cracks open as a new quake starts. This fissure tears down part of the gully bringing rubble slamming into the Rhino. The vehicle gets pushed into the crevice. The metal hide of the Rhino moans under the pressure. Commissar Breh unlatches himself and makes for the escape hatch. The primary escape flashes open as the explosive bolts fire off and the rear hatch flies open and bangs to the hard pack ground. Leaping from the Rhino Commissar Breh makes a dash for cover.
Colt stands from behind his screen of rubble. He has the human dead to rights in his sights. Gritting his fangs in frustration as the APC is being swallowed by the planet. Colt eyes down the length of the carbine only to notice that the barrel is bent. Knowing he can't fire the shooter as it would blow off his face. 'Harrumph!' He cries. Hearing the ork cry out, Commissar Breh fires his pistol from the hip with a snap shot. The shots are wide. The ork feels no fear. Colt breaks the rifle in two and hurls it at the Commissar in frustration. He makes it clear of the cover and draws his Choppa. Orks have edged weapons that are known as a Choppa, they can vary in size and style. His is an immense blade about length of his forearm and about as wide. These weapons are designed to hew and chop within close combat melee.
At a full run Colt covers the distance in no time. The Commissar is surprised at how fast this alien moves since his armor is made of thick steel plates lashed together with wire to form a carapace. Commissar Breh raises his Bolt pistol and fires. The round slams into the ork's chest. The Bolt did not penetrate the armor and only discolors the graffiti and glyphs that adorn the ork's breastplate. Not slowing once in his step Colt growls as he swings with his Choppa, his blade rings off of the enemy's Bolt pistol. A scream of pain erupts from the Commissars lips as the pistol falls from his fingerless grip. The human's fingers lay askew in the dirt along side the ruined Bolt pistol.
Commissar Breh uses his whole hand to wrap up the ruined right hand with his brocaded cape. Colt strikes again while the Commissar is tending to his injury. He swings his Choppa at the crouched human. The attack misses and Colt staggers from the force he put in it. Fully expecting to have been killed during the last attack the Commissar uses this moment of reprieve to breathe, 'Emperor be praised.' He says as he retreats at a full run towards the Northern front lines. Colt watches his enemy scurry away, confused he looks at the Choppa. It has sheared off at about two inches from the hilt. In his zeal to murder, Colt didn't notice the weight differences. The ork realizes that in using his blade to parry away the firearm it broke his weapon. Roaring in anger and frustration Colt drops the useless Choppa and sprints after the Commissar. Chasing the Commissar Colt can smell the salty tang of fear and the sweet smell of blood leaking from his enemy's maimed hand. The ork's mouth floods with saliva as his senses are inundated and his berserkers rage starts to boil over.
At a full run to the front lines the Commissar crests the ridge leaving the ork screaming as he pursues. Atop the ridge Commissar Breh sees the Imperial Guard line and sees that he is on the alien side of the lines. Indecision strikes the Commissar like a Bolt round. It seems an eon elapses while trying to gather his thoughts. Never in his military career has he felt this helpless. It must be the loss of blood he tells himself. He looks at his chronometer and deduces that the barrage is about to begin in three minutes. Not enough time to cross the battlefield and make it to Imperial trenches. Still reeling for a plan of action his mind is made up for him as he is bowled over from behind. The Commissars wind is knocked from him. His vision gets fuzzy and black at the edge of his sight, as if he was looking through a gauze covered tube.
Colt's charge rams into the small of his enemy's back. He hears the man wheeze as the air is forced from his lungs. Using the momentum he holds onto the Commissar and rolls the man over onto his back. Clutching at his enemy's throat the ork applies pressure ever so slowly. Using his girth to hold the man Colt uses his knee's to pin the man at the wrists. Colt's iron grip is crushing the Commissars throat. The ork maliciously eases pressure and applies it again this lets a little air into his oxygen starved lungs. As the lungs start to assimilate the air it brings stars and tracers to the man's vision. This time Colt strangles the Commissar with all of his might, feeling the neck tendons snap and break. Taking out all of the days frustrations out on the human, besides Colt does enjoy killing.
Commissar Breh has a vague memory way in the back of his brain that he was fighting for his life. As his vision finally fades to black, he hears faint popping, his oxygen starved mind reels back to a warm memory of making popping corn and resting on a hill eating it out of a helmet they had used as a bowl and sharing it with the man he loved. 'Sergeant Milk…'
Is what Colt hears gurgling from the man's mouth before his neck snaps, with a resounding crack!
Rasping heavily Colt looks down at the man he's just strangled. The dead mans eyes bulge his tongue lolls out swollen, purple, spittle running down his chin. Colt releases his grasp on the man's crushed throat. His claw catches a necklace with a figurine made of metal. On the end is a key. The figurine shines as if made of gold. Colt stuffs the talisman in his pocket and utters 'Thanks loozah.' His own voice is loud in the quite overlooking on the ridge. The ork breathes in and hears the rush of blood in his ears and the constant thumping of his heart. Colt's berserker rage subsides with each pant. Off in the distance the ork sees a battle and soon hears the faint noise of combat the hammering of metal upon metal, the report of gunfire and the crackling of flame. Standing over the dead he looks towards the noise to make out fierce fighting. Humans and orks being lit from muzzle flash and flame. Colt finds cover next to a boulder.
The world around him is barren, crater filled and smoking. Lifeless bodies of ork and human are scattered haphazardly. Blood seeps in the dry cracked earth creating a muddy strip on the battlefield. The screeching of incoming artillery fills his ears. As it falls all around, the result, bodies and mud rocket skyward and rain down in a macabre shower.
Leaping from cover Colt, dashes to his trenches. Diving in he startles a group of slaves know as gretchin. This shell-shocked lot has been driven to the point of exhaustion. Nerves frayed from coming under fire while clearing mine fields and trip wires with their lives. Not to mention the constant beatings they get for just being gretchin. Spattering the trench with their gunshots, missing Colt with there inept aim. Colt gnashes his fangs and growls as his eyes meet the gibbering bunch. Working past he backhands the trigger-happy few out of his way. Those who didn't open fire on Colt quickly move aside. Colt looks to see if any make eye contact, so he can have an excuse to beat them some more, the gretchin's eyes dart anywhere but his own.
Making his way further in the lines Colt picks up a familiar scent. A carcass of squig is roasting slowly on an open flame spit. The flames send its stink, sizzling and popping into the air. Colt smiles and rips off a leg and continues up the line. Gobbling the pork like substance down, bones and all he finds a canteen drinks it all and after refilling it he straps it to his belt. Realizing he no longer is carrying a weapon, Colt starts scrounging for some arms. Coming up to a slave he takes a blade that is long as the skinny gretchin is tall. Hardly able to carry the weapon the grot seems thankful he no longer carries a weapon.
Sliding the blade in a sheath at his side Colt plods toward an ork sleeping, head off to his side drool soaking his torn and stained shirt. The gun resting at the sleeping ork's feet is shiny. As if a guiding light is pulling Colt, the gun in itself is big and bulky with a canister strapped to the side of one of the barrels. Colt picks it up. Looking over the gun, the bright burnished bits fill his red pupil less eyes. "Oy! That's me own!" The once sleeping ork says while lunging for the gun. They tug back and forth between, snarling and growling at one another. Colt lets him take the gun away. The vigor as to which the ork uses to pull the gun away thumps him back to his seat. Colt couldn't help himself but smile as he fell back to his seat. Rising up, the triumphant ork has a grin from ear to ear exposing more of his yellowed tusk's, jutting his chin forward and up holding his shooter above his head as a prize. His triumph turns to surprise as he feels a knife slide between his ribs into his heart. Using the blade Colt pushes the dead ork back to his original seat and uses his free hand to catch the gun. He pulls out the blade and wipes the gore off on his pants.
Looking over his trophy, this gun is a marvel of Rube Goldberg design. The grip is wooden, worn to a golden hue the heat shield that covers one of the barrels is buffed to a high sheen. A nail is tack welded on the end of the barrel, to act as its sight. The other barrel connects to a canister that is anodized red with crudely painted flames in brilliant orange; this holds a single charge of compressed fuel to act as a flamethrower.
Chambering a round Colt looks around with a new vigor seeing the trench milling about with activity. He bellows out 'You lot!' as he points to a party of gretchin they make up the slaves of ork culture. 'Line up were about to go over. And you Nobs behind me!' The second group he yells at are four hulking orks with huge slabs of muscle. There is no discord from them as they all saw this crazy git just murder someone for his gun. Besides Colt stands a head taller and is as muscular as the Nobs so he expects none. Colt goes to the wall and looks through a battered brass periscope that reaches to the top of the trench. Looking across the field there are smoldering mounds of overturned soil that have been pulverized by artillery. He sees a mob of fifteen orks making there way out on the field, as the shelling of artillery has stopped. 'Hey dey aints gettin to da fight before me!' A quick movement seizes his eye. Seeing an Imperial Guard banner flutter in the breeze it reads "Desert Dogs" is being carried by a squad of humans. Leaving their trenches they file into a hole. Colt's mind understands that he would have an advantage by flanking the Imperial Guard. Grinning he turns to face his motley war band. The smile being so malevolent it would have made the groups hairs stand on end, if ork's had hair.
The gretchin were shaking and whimpering, as they went onto the battlefield. They squint in the relative bright light, coming out of the comfort of the dim trenches. Olek feels the fear as if he had been dowsed in a cold bath. He had fleeting thoughts of himself as brave. This sort of approach was not normal for a grot, as any sort of assertion of oneself usually led to a beat down by any number of orks from the Warboss to a lowly ork grunt. Although this maybe because he has lost hope. And come to the realization that he will soon be dead. So Olek will try and show the Gods Mork and Gork he has what it takes to be worthy and to have his life spared. Coming out of the trenches he looks back at the remaining gretchin. They look about as fearful as he feels. 'Whatever happens, stay close to me.' With that the gretchin seem to rally and stand fast. Some gretchin carry clubs, spears and swords. Olek was one of the luckier ones as he has a slugga. It is one of the earlier models produced by an ork mekboy. Mekboy's are genetically predetermined to be scientists and mechanics. This gun has six rounds and he carries twelve rounds in a bandoleer strapped to his scrawny chest. Scouting out about twenty feet Olek leads his squad into a crater.
Colt with his retinue comes out of the trench and sees the gretchin taking cover. Looking out across the front line he sees humans engaging the mob of fifteen orks. They take shots at the orks as they make there way from crater to crater. The orks return fire as they get into assault range. The reports from the ork guns are a loud staccato in comparison to the crackle of laser fire from the Imperial Guards lasrifles. Hearing this cacophony of weapons the gretchin cower down behind the cover while Colt and the Nobs stand and gaze over the crater, they seem like green-faced groundhogs peering from their den. 'All you slaves make way on the right side of dem humies and flank em!' Colt uses his claws to draw the plan in the dirt. 'We are, goin to da left!' He thumbs at himself and bodyguard. 'Go! Move now!' He hollers.
Scurrying from cover Olek leads his group around and starts flanking the humans. Seeing them this close they are bigger than he thought, but not as big or menacing as his ork brethren. They are a sickly pink with no tusks or fangs sticking out of there mouths. Their eyes are white with black irises! What sort of fiend has Colt forced upon him and his group of gretchin? Making as little noise as they can, they come up to the whirling mass that is close combat melee. The swirling mass of humans and orks comes toppling onto the gretchin. Impulse leads Olek to strike first as the human looks to see what he has stepped on. Seeing this pink man looming at him he strikes with the butt of his revolver. He swings his gun into and crushes his enemy's knee. His opponent falls onto his side. Leveling his slugga pointblank Olek pulls the trigger and is rewarded with blood and brains leeching out of the destroyed face.
Colt makes his way around the left side and comes over a hollow spotting the close combat. His blood begins to boil as he notices the gretchin in action! 'Dey beat me too!' Colt along with his retinue makes it to the skirmish while the first war bands of orks are being driven back. As they flee a few are dropped from being shot in the back or hacked down. The gretchin in the assault are getting bludgeoned and slashed as well. With preternatural skill they disappear to the naked eye. They dig down in the dirt and rubble, burrowing to hide from the humans. The retreating orks see Colt running towards them as they stand between him and the Imperial Guard! The hatred in Colts eyes burns as he looks past them he releases a primal roar. 'WAAAGH!' Shocked at the sight and sound the beaten orks rally by Colt's side.
Driving off the orks and slaughtering the fleeing brings cheers, from the emboldened Desert Dogs of the Blito-3 Imperial Guard. However their reverie is short lived as bounding back over the bowl of scorched soil is the biggest ork they have ever seen followed by a green skinned horde. Slobbering and screaming at the top of there lungs! This sight freezes their vocal cords to a wheezing bleat. Realizing he is losing his men, Sergeant Emil clears his throat. 'Stand firm! And fire at will!' Some raise their lasrifles and fire while others slam home fresh power cells. The Desert Dogs who were ready fire off rounds, the sizzling barbs of light slash towards the orks. Striking some with glancing blows others missing completely as the shots pass through the orks, none fall. The rest of the Guard who now have fresh power packs in their weapons fire their volley. Staggering some of the orks with direct hits, none fall! 'Ready your bayonets!' Sergeant Emil Commands.
Colt is rocked back onto his heels as lasbolts smash off of his armor leaving red hot dents. The temporary slow in momentum draws his eyes to the Guards bayonets. Seeing the light glint off of the honed edge of the blades brings a full fanged grin to Colts face as he begins to relish the moment before close combat. He is at the head of the charging delta wing formation and has a surprise for these Desert Dogs, Colt trips the trigger on the Skorcha of his Kombi-Weapon and sends a plume of fire which douse three of the humans, there screams are cut short as the oxygen in there lungs is cut off. The heat sears their throats shut. The men who are ablaze fall to the ground in a charred bunch. The rest of the orks fire, letting loose with there shootas and sluggas most shots go astray some hit home and more of the Guard fall.
Sergeant Emil sees that those that fell maybe better off as these orks start to bowl into there line. As men of the Desert Dogs of the Blito-3 Imperial Guard are losing footing due to the blood slicked ground and start to falter 'Stand fast and strike!' Yells Sergeant Emil as he hits an ork upside the head with the butt of his lasrifle. Staggering the slobbering xenos the Sergeant takes this fraction of a second to use the bayonet to sever the orks head with a downward thrust. The hot fetid breath on the back of his neck sends a chill down his spine as he feels a presence loom right behind him. Spinning on his heel the Sergeant swings his lasrifle in hopes of making purchase with another ork skull. As his strike brings him fully around the Sergeant sees that his blind attack has missed. Looking he sees an ork with a wrench and hammer in each paw crouch under the strike he threw, impulse drives a steel shod foot that connects to the orks face. Blood and tusks fly as the ork falls backwards to the ground. 'Desert Dogs to me!' Screams Sergeant Emil as he makes way towards there trench.
As Colt eviscerates his enemy, blood coats his face in a warm bath, he sees a human not so puny and looks like a fair adversary take out a mekboy. Colt sees him yell something but all he hears is the din of battle. A faint whistling that soon turns into a shriek, as ordinance falls all around. Soon the battlefield explodes and human and ork are thrown. Colt pulls himself up off of the ground. Through his paws he feels the crust rumble from deep within. Moaning as air slowly makes its way into his lungs. Standing he sees that the shelling is falling away from were the melee was. Colt attempts to rally his mob by sticking his claws in his mouth to let off a whistle. Not knowing if it was heard as all he hears is ringing in his ears. Grabbing for his Kombi he heads towards the enemies trench. As he does so the earth cracks open from another tremor swallowing some of the dead.
Olek could feel the ground thump as ordnance blasted the battlefield up above. Looking around having rounded up what was left of his squad they decided that this would be a good place to be. After getting there butts handed to them they went to ground and in doing so they found this cavern where there wasn't any light he didn't mind he liked it. Being able to see fairly well in the dark didn't hurt either. Of the twenty grots that were in his crew only five remain. Scavenging around Olek found some old cloth which he used to help staunch some of the bleeding of his squad. While walking around through the soles of his shoeless feet Olek feels a rumble from deep in the ground. 'Ey boyz betta line up ova dere and keep a look out feels like trouble.' He points with a taloned finger to the far side. As they move over to where Olek pointed the cavern's roof opens up as all around them rumbles with great fury. Dust and debris start to fall then light cuts through the dark, piercing the grots night vision. Bigger rocks and debris fall and thud in front of Olek and his crew. Once his eyes adjust he notices that those are ork bodies falling along with human ones. Seeing them in death still makes Olek quiver with fear there once pink skin now white and ashen. Horrid look these humans, thinks Olek. 'If you need a weapon now's da time to gets one' Says Olek as he rifles for ammo. Looking over the ork bodies he notices that there is an ork with a bloody maw and some of his tusks broken and loose. He reaches and pulls two loose. 'Oy got me sum teef!' Olek says while scampering over the ork. The other grots are looting as well and Olek comes to a human sees a pouch on its belt, he uses his claws to snap the belt loops and pulls the belt and pouch around his scrawny waist stuffing the 'teef' inside. Now that the cavern is flooded with light Olek sees a door and calls the others to it. 'Let's get outta dis humie haven.'
Pulsing pain is what wakes Gaz, his mouth bloody and jaw hurting. Sitting upright he looks around in this cave and sees some of his mob along with more humans dead. Patting himself down as he looks for his tools. A mekboy is no good without tools. Picking up a slugga he makes way for the door. Rubbing his jaw and tonguing the now pronounced gaps in his teeth. He spits out a pointed tooth into his palm and puts the bloody tusk in his pocket, no need to waste money Gaz thinks to himself. Pulling the door open he looks out and sees a hallway that opens to trench works on the left were he can see black smoke billowing in the sky and a burrowing tunnel to the right where some burnished conduit snakes along the tunnel. 'Dat way to da roight.' He says to himself. Making his way further in the dank tunnel coiling the conduit into loops to easily carry around, he sees some Glowglobes sputtering off and on giving is a strobe effect. In the half light Gaz sees some movement up ahead. Taking some insulated snips from his tool belt, he cuts the conduit. With a pop and a flash of electricity the lights go out, crouching down he puts the conduit in his satchel. Pulling out his slugga and his 'proppa-choppa' a ball peen hammer he sprints towards the movement deeper in the dark tunnel.
Sergeant Emil hops into the trenches and heads towards the tunnel. He yells as he runs 'Meet at the tunnel entrance!' Being the first one there he turns to start a head count the last of the 'Dogs run up. Looking over and says 'Sound off.' His counting and there sounding off still comes up with a paltry seven Guardsmen including himself. 'You Stankovich take this radio and call to H.Q. and tell them were taking the tunnel back and once were through to blow it!' He says as he thrusts the radio at the man. 'The rest high tail it back me and Stanky will bring up the rear, move!' The men run down the tunnel towards H.Q. as Stankovich is finishing up with the order. He shoulders the radio and follows Sergeant Emil. It's not long before the Sergeant comes to the five men he sent before him. 'Keep moving, were in a tunnel and this whole fraggin planet is breaking up I don't want to be buried here when another tremor hits.' The Sergeant says. 'Hey Sarge we thought we saw something.' Infantry Trooper Alam says. 'By the Emperors teeth…' Curses the Sergeant as he rubs the bridge of his nose. 'Alright lock and load strap your helmets on and keep your eyes peeled.' Using hand signals he motions one to take point and the rest to bring up the rear as he steps behind the point man. Coming up to a bend in the tunnel he sees Trooper Alam holding up his fist in the universal sign for stop, Sergeant Emil mimics to get the message passed. Seeing the trooper flip up the lens cap to his scope, he pulls out his magnoculars. Looking down the tunnel it opens to the last cavern before the surface, this is where food, munitions and tools are stored. Scanning the limited horizon offered through the tunnel entrance to the cavern he sees no movement. Using more hand signals Sergeant Emil tells two troopers behind to come forward and take point. As they come forward he whispers to them 'I'll be behind you while the other two will use there scoped lasrifles to snipe so keep your head down.' Looking over his own carbine he checks the power levels a full charge and steps in behind the two point troopers. Using there own hand signs the two point men enter the cavern and one peels to the left the other to the right while Sergeant Emil drops to one knee and scans forward. No movement in the cavern. 'Alright troopers load up on what you need and get to the transport.'
Trooper Stankovich is looking through his scope and sees the Sergeant signal for them to move forward. As the other sniper leaves, Stankovich notices the light behind him flicker and hears a faint pop and the lights from where they came from turn off. As he makes his way over to the group of men all drinking their fill of water and refilling their canteens. 'Hey Sarge those light in the tunnel we left just went out.' 'Well that's cause the ordnance or maybe the quakes.' He says between gulps. The Trooper takes his Sergeant at his word. He gets his canteen and drinks it. 'Hey Stanky call H.Q. and let them know that were heading in.' 'Sure Sarge right away.' Trooper Stankovich walks to the side of the cavern and shirks the radio off his back and sets it on a work bench. Stretching and rubbing his shoulders where the straps were biting into him. He turns back to fill up his canteen and sees a grenade tossed from behind some crates and plink next to the group of six soldiers. 'Grenade…hit the deck!' Is the last thing Trooper Stankovich hears as his world explodes in searing pain!
Colt makes it to the trenches and sees a mekboy head off into the tunnel. Letting out a growl of frustration Colt looks back to see if any of the boyz he whistled for heard him. He sees two slugga boyz left. 'No more boyz?' They shake there heads in unison 'Naw deyz legz up.' One boy says. 'Boyz I'm lea din so fall in behind.' Colt marches up and has to crouch to make it down the tunnel. His eyes adjust quickly to the dim. As Colt reaches a bend in the tunnel an explosion whooshes smoke and the tang of charred flesh to him. Excitement pushes Colt to a run the smell of destruction renew his vigor with each step.
Olek tossed the grenade blindly as he's crouched with the rest of his grots behind some crates of ammunition. Plugging his hears he still hears the blast. Drawing his gun as he stands he fires at one of the surviving Guardsmen. The other grots spill over the makeshift barricade and shoot at the other Guardsmen. Seeing only three guards moving the other three are torn to shreds most missing limbs. After the grots loose of there salvo they descend on the shell-shocked few and hack and stab them to death some putting up a feeble attempt to stave of the blows with there bare hands. The grots yell and scream at there victory over the Guardsmen and get there revenge from the battle earlier. Out of the corner of his vision Olek sees a man stand and start to fire from behind some cover by the back of the cave. 'Take cover!' Olek yells as two of the grots fall from lasbolts. The other grots make it to cover back by Olek. All of the grots cower down behind the crates. Olek gets another grenade and pulls the pin and tosses it over towards where he last saw the man.
Gaz is at a full run and looking down the tunnel and sees a group of Imperial Guard. All six of the men stand there and drink their fill their backs to him. Gaz thought he saw seven. His train of thought is thrown off the rails as he sees a grenade bounce at the human's feet, 'Aw frag!' he says as he dives for cover and buries his face in his arms. Gaz is less than three feet from the cave entrance as the grenade explodes the heat and shrapnel tear over his prone body. Shaking the dust off as he stands Gaz sees the grots come from the direction of were the grenade came from. Not being able to help himself he chuckles as he puts it together. 'Sneaky little gits...' Gaz says. While the grots butcher the remnants of the Guardsmen. Barbs of crimson light tear from the left side of the cave and drop two grots with lasbolts. The remainder disappears to the right side of the tunnel. As Gaz see this happens he hugs the left side of the tunnel and thinks if he's quite he'd get the drop on the shooter. Working his way slowly to the mouth of the cave Gaz sees another grenade fly over and land close by. 'Fraggin little…' the rest of his sentence is cut short, diving for cover as another deafening explosion slashes at his hide. Once the explosion ends Gaz stands and charges with his slugga blasting away. He rounds the corner to see a man with blood leeching from his ears and mouth making a feeble attempt to stand. Gaz likes that his enemy has guts and is still trying to fight. The ork's aim is off as the sluggas shots stitch towards the human's feet. Although his ball peen hammer is true as he strikes the man down with a solid smack. His head rupturing like an overripe melon as skull and brain matter splat wetly to the floor. Gaz turns to see the grots peering over the crates. 'You lot gimme a hand with dis.' as he motions them over.
Colt rounds the bend in the tunnel to see a mekboy and some grots building something. As Colt enters the cavernous room his eyes dart to and fro. Not seeing any enemy's around he looks at the mekboy. 'No more humies?' Colt says to the ork. The mekboy stands and turns around to face Colt. 'Yea degas dead un, but more dat way.' He nods to the left towards the exit tunnel. Colt smiles and notices the mekboy has fashioned a burna out of a welder's torch. Going over to the crates of ammo and grenades Colt verifies that the ammo would work with his Kombi. Seeing that his gun can accommodate various calibers he picks the biggest and grabs a crate of it. 'Ere, take dis.' He says while jamming the crate in the arms of a grot. Olek legs buckle momentarily; he rights himself and finds himself with a field promotion of Ammo Runt. The other two grots look wide eyed at Olek and one picks up screwdriver the other a mallet. 'Good now dat you all know your places lets go kill us some humies.'
Making their way, down the tunnel Colt slows his step and lets the mekboy and his newly anointed oilers pass. Glancing around for enemy's all he sees is a base with no activity, nobody running about or shooting at him. Looking over by a generator Colt sees automated Howitzers lobbing shells in the direction he came from. Colt does notice some activity by a small craft with two crewmen detaching some cooling tubes off of engine couplers. The humans haven't noticed the ragtag lot of xenos creeping up on them. Colt lets loose with his shoota and wings one of the men as they scramble up the gangplank into the ship. An airlock hisses shut as the humans clamber inside the vessel. Grabbing ammo from his grot Colt reloads. Olek still manages his load while his Warboss rifles for more ammo proud to have lived and gotten this promotion. Gaz runs up to the airlock and dials in his fuel mixture. His burna hisses to life with a white hot flame tip. Putting it to the air lock the welders tip starts to spark and burn through as molten rivulets spill on his iron shod boots. Looking back at Colt, Gaz laughs and sticks out his long pink tongue. Drawing Colts attention to Gaz he sees the white hot flame start to tear into the outer armor of the ships hull. A spark leaps off to the right side and Colt follows it, his eyes stop on a rune covered keypad and below it a keyhole. Remembering the rosary he took off the dead Commissar Colt pulls it out of his pocket. Walking up to the door he backhands the mekboy out of the way. A look of surprise crosses his face, as he lifts the welder's goggles off of his eyes he sees Colt insert a strange looking key in a slot and the keypad lights up. The door starts to hiss as the air pressure equalizes. Gaz feels robbed of getting to try his new toy. Colt looks over and sees the mekboy's somber look. 'Perk up ya git, use the other end to burn em out!' As Gaz grins from ear to ear Colt sees his gap toothed grin and smiles slapping him on his back as he rushes up the stairs. 'Go get dem humies!'
Rushing in Gaz cuts down the two unarmed humans his new power weapon makes short work of them. Their carcasses are still sizzling as Colt and his ammo runt make it into the ship, smoke billows out of the ship the smell makes Colt salivate as he rips off an arm and starts to eat. 'Get us into orbit and off uv dis rock.' Gaz sits at the helm and runs his paws over the controls and intuitively knows where the ignition is and fire station is as he point to his oilers 'Youz gets to be fire control as you no shoot betta den me.' The two grots climb up in the seat one takes the rocket launcher the other the lascannon's. Gaz grabs the throttle and the flight yoke and lifts off of the surface. Looking out he sees the generators are getting swallowed by the earth. Huge bolts of electricity fly out of the cracks in the earth's crust. The howitzers that were powered by them fall silent. As the ship rises Colt makes his way around the ships interior. Looking about he sees the helm were the mekboy is, the main cabin where they entered. Going to the rear he opens a door and there is a room sparse of decorations, a bed, a desk and a corner devoted to the humans corpse God, the Emperor. With a laugh Colt makes it over to the corner and unzips his pants and relieves himself on the images.
As the ship starts to leave Blito-3's atmospheres the horizon is filled with humongous roiling clouds of dirt and ash that are being thrown in the sky by newly born volcanoes. Huge bits of the planet rocket past the transport ship that has been commandeered by Colt and what is left of his war party. Finally making it into space, off in the distance the mekboy points out to Colt there are multiple blinking lights showing the Imperium's presence. Colt taps the mekboy on the shoulder and says 'Head da aver way and get us outta ear. Weezle fight anuver day.' Looking back at the planet as it starts to self-destruct remembering what it was for Colt his first battle grounds and deep down inside Colt knows there will be many more. As he turns back to the bow of the ship he sees the mekboy manipulate the controls and space starts to rip and tear and he know he's looking into the Warp. As the ship slides into the void his stomach flutters at the thought of all the new worlds this will lead him to.
As Warp space closes behind the small craft it leaves a stitch in the fabric of space which soon fades. Just looking at the area you'd never now that one of the most threatening creatures towards the Imperium has escaped to fight another day. As among the stars and planets there is only war.